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Even after finishing the stage, they seemed to have done about three or four more recordings.
However, Bunhong could easily guess that the camera directors and all the BLACK members were probably thinking the same thing.
…That the first stage they did was the best.
Even though he was clearly on his second round as an idol if you added his pre-regression experience. Right after the stage ended, somehow Bunhong couldn’t shake the feeling that he had suddenly become Alice who had fallen into Wonderland.
Was this how Saint-Exupéry felt when he crash-landed in the desert?
‘Is that… a cannon camera?’
Without realizing it, he briefly rubbed his eyes, then felt the camera lens following earnestly to not miss his movements and quickly lowered his arm while smiling awkwardly.
Cold sweat was flowing down his back. It was perhaps a more nerve-wracking moment than when he was on stage.
‘Since when had they been filming?’
What was tucked under the armpit of the arm holding the camera was a light stick. The color was sky blue, representing OORA’s fandom color. No matter how many times he checked, it was definitely that. Seeing the woman filming so persistently and earnestly, he felt somewhat sorry and couldn’t just leave. Instead, he waved his hand as hard as he could until he went down the stairs.
The moment he came down below the stage, dizziness rushed into his head all at once as if he had gotten off a ride. His two legs also couldn’t find their bearings and swayed helplessly like a swing blown by the wind.
However, pretending to be as nonchalant as possible, he lifted his legs and rather took big steps to arrive at the waiting room. As soon as he arrived, he immediately plopped down onto a chair.
All he could think about was wanting to go back to the dorm quickly and rest. Whether all the members in the waiting room felt the same way, they were hurriedly removing their stage makeup and changing into casual clothes.
“Everyone worked hard. They were giving lots of praise.”
With those final words, the stylists who had brought their items with busy steps packed up and left first. A different scene from the morning – the waiting room became quiet.
Following the manager’s lead as he jingled the car keys, Bunhong had landed back on his own planet. After Lucy, who had become his new roommate and would be sharing the same room, left saying he’d have a video call with his parents who were abroad for a bit, Bunhong, left alone, rolled around on the bed.
Because he needed a space that was entirely his own, that alone felt somewhat insufficient, so he got up from his spot with a start. Then he pressed the switch to turn off the lights and turned around. At that moment, surprised by the festival of stars spread across the ceiling that Bunhong hadn’t expected, his pupils dilated and widened in amazement.
His heart swelled as he unconsciously muttered to himself.
“Who put these up…”
He hadn’t paid attention to Lucy’s shouts from the morning, jumping around yelling “Hyung, look at this! These are stickers I got today!”, but he couldn’t have imagined it would result in something this pretty.
He didn’t know when during the busy schedule from early dawn Lucy had found time to put them up, but it was quite a witty prank. Thinking he should mention it separately later, Bunhong stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment.
And the glow-in-the-dark light blended quite well with the blue dawn light seeping into the interior from the uncurtained window, creating an atmospheric feeling.
He had definitely thought he was cut off from the world in this small room until then, but at that moment, today’s harsh fatigue completely disappeared. As he kept looking, he got sentimental for no reason and sniffled, then quickly pulled up the hood attached to his clothes.
After that, he got up from the bed again and sat awkwardly on the desk chair. When he turned on the auxiliary light, the dark room became appropriately softly bright. For some reason, wanting to record the feelings he had while getting through today, Bunhong raised his hand and turned on the small camera that had been installed on the desk side for filming.
“……”
Filming started and the red light came on. After staring silently at the camera lens for a moment, he reflexively tried to fix his hair by running his hand through it. Then realizing he was wearing a hood, he stopped the meaningless gesture.
‘There’s no one here. I’m alone.’
It was awkward to look at the camera and speak alone without the members since it had been so long.
“Uh…”
He trailed off for a moment then smiled softly.
“Today’s date is… Um, so, xxxx year x month x day… I did my first comeback stage.”
At the same time, he traced through his memories of being on stage. What kind of feeling was it, he thought carefully then opened his mouth again.
“…Since it’s a recording, the music video will come out tomorrow and the broadcast will air in a few days, but the feelings I felt today – if not now, I’ll never feel them again…, so I wanted to record them.”
Thinking it might be too serious, he fiddled with the hood strings while choosing his words.
“It was just… fun, I think. A bit different from when practicing? It was good.”
His heart became comfortable. Before he knew it, he started chattering away.
“But when I came to the dorm, Lucy, ah. My roommate Lucy. Is it okay to suddenly reveal this? It should be fine, right? Haha. We both lost at rock-paper-scissors so we both got the small room. Spoiler.”
“…Anyway, he put stickers on the ceiling like that. Um, I don’t know if this dorm is monthly rent or lease, but if the landlord ajeossi sees it, he’d probably feel a bit… But he probably won’t watch the broadcast.”
“Then, let’s make it a secret that only you all and we know. Now, what is that, you ask?”
Bunhong got up with the camera and started filming the ceiling up close.
“Ta-da. Everyone. Isn’t it so pretty? These are the stickers that Lucy I mentioned earlier put up,”
As if whispering, hoping no one could eavesdrop and that it would become an eternal secret, he said.
“…They’re stars.”
Like those stars. Bunhong suddenly thought it would be nice if he could sparkle like that on stage too.
‘I’m really foolish and funny. They’re just common cheap glow-in-the-dark stickers, but I feel like I’m giving them too grand a meaning.’
The sincerity hidden behind his words felt too childish. Hoping that the intention behind these words would be hidden forever like subtext between lines so that no one could ever read it, Bunhong smiled and turned off the camera.
“…Good night. Then, everyone sleep well.”
He felt good because it seemed like he wouldn’t have nightmares, at least not tonight.
* * *
However, contrary to such expectations, Bunhong’s sleep that night was restless. On top of that, he woke up in the middle and had quite a hard time falling asleep again.
Eventually the next day, he briefly stopped by the hospital and got a prescription. It was a mild sleep aid. The purpose was to ensure his work wouldn’t be hindered for the activities that would begin in earnest for the time being.
After that, he searched for bus routes on his phone to return to the practice room. After boarding the bus, he took out his earphones and put them in both ears. Then the song that immediately played calmed the whirlwind of emotions washing over him like waves. As if comforting him.
Toward all the BLACK members who had gathered including Bunhong who had returned to the practice room after finishing his personal routine, the director carefully made a proposal.
“Since the music release time is approaching, while we wait, let’s film a music video commentary video in advance.”
“Commentary?”
“Yeah. BLACK doing a BLACK music video reaction. Something like that. It seems like that’s trendy these days from what I’ve seen.”
“Well, it’s our first time watching it compiled too, so that sounds good.”
As Jeong Ido naturally began conversing with the director, Bunhong was watching indifferently when Lucy suddenly approached his side and held out a lollipop.
“Here, replenish your sugar.”
“Suddenly? Thanks.”
Taking it, Bunhong thoughtlessly rolled the candy once in his mouth. As the sweetness spread, sugar powder stuck stickily to his tongue.
“Hyung. Bunhong hyung. Do you know something?”
“…?”
At the mischievous expression, Bunhong stepped back and began to be wary. Then Lucy laughed loudly and stuck out his tongue. It was disgustingly dyed blue. Seeing that, Bunhong could easily guess how his own mouth had changed.
“Since hyung is Kim Bunhong, I specially gave you a pink candy.”
“I see… Really, thanks.”
They shook hands lightly. After playing along with Lucy’s energy like that, when Bunhong checked the mirror in the practice room, his tongue had turned pink just as he’d imagined.
When Lucy, who had been checking together and giggling, suggested taking a selfie together, as Bunhong was wondering how to refuse, fortunately they were called to film soon, so he used that as an excuse to quickly escape from that spot.
And so they sat in a circle of five in front of a large screen and began watching the video.
The music video that would soon be released was edited focusing on group choreography. He had seen it during monitoring after filming too, but every time scenes came up where the choreography was completed with him at the center, Bunhong’s toes tingled. Feeling awkward from that ticklish sensation, he unnecessarily raised the tips of his shoes to scratch the floor. While watching the video together, when a scene of swimming in a tank while soaking wet appeared, Lucy muttered as if amazed.
“It was really cold then…”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
