#35
As soon as Hajun received his admission ticket, he quickly left his seat. Every time he turned his head, he unintentionally made eye contact with people around him, making it impossible to pretend it was just his imagination anymore.
Perhaps that was the reason. Since stepping out of the elevator, there wasn’t a trace of another male fan like himself. He had simply thought about meeting Imun, never dreaming he’d be placed in such an awkward situation.
Resolutely ignoring the piercing glances from all directions, he entered the seating area. No matter how embarrassing the situation was, he needed to achieve his original purpose.
Without hesitation, he took a seat right in front of the stage. The female student sitting next to him visibly flinched at his quick movements.
“Oh my god, look beside you.” “Wow, this is insane.” Sure enough, she and her friend began whispering excitedly. He could feel their curious gazes, but he couldn’t move to a seat further from the stage either.
After spending several minutes with his head bowed low to kill time, he glanced around with the thought that this would be his last time here and sent a KaTok message to Imun like grasping at a lifeline.
[I’m waiting at the fan signing event right now]
[I’m the only guy here… Everyone seems to be staring at me lol ㅜㅜ]
[I feel like a monkey in a zoo]
[No… at this point, I’m basically a pervert who’s wandered into the women’s bath]
[Haha hyung! lolololololololol]
[We’re on our way there now!]
[What’s your seat number?]
[105, why?]
[Just curious! Wanted to know where you’re sitting]
So there are assigned seat numbers. Only then did he notice the numbers attached to the backs of the chairs. Unfortunately, it seemed his seat was actually a bit further back. “105, 105…” He was muttering the seat number and looking around when—
“Excuse me.”
“Yes?!”
The owner of the unexpected voice was the girl sitting next to him. “S-sorry. You startled me.” Feeling awkward about his overreaction, he smiled sheepishly, causing her to shake her head and blush bright red. She seemed flustered by his surprised reaction.
“Are you looking for your seat?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“With that number, it would be over there.”
After glancing at his ticket, she pointed to the seat and then walked ahead to lead the way. What kindness to help without being asked. Imun’s fans seemed even nicer than he had imagined. Touched, he covered his mouth.
Following behind her, he quickly found his designated seat. “…Thank you!” “No problem!” After exchanging shy greetings with the considerate girl, he continued his conversation with Imun.
*
After about thirty minutes of planning tomorrow’s schedule while fiddling with his phone, the event began with the MC’s cheerful greeting.
As expected, due to the distance from the stage, he couldn’t see the figures on stage clearly. While straining his eyes to focus, he noticed women seated in front pulling something out of their bags.
I didn’t think of that! What they held in their hands were binoculars. As he was enviously eyeing these fantastic items, deafening cheers erupted from all around.
Following the MC’s introduction, four men were climbing onto the stage. The tall man positioned on the far left must surely be Imun. Knowing that Imun wouldn’t be able to see him, he still waved his arm excitedly.
“Oh my god! I think Imun just looked at me!” After hearing those girls with binoculars, his heart inexplicably raced. Did he really look this way? He tried to calm his pounding heart while trying to gauge where Imun’s eyes were directed.
“Hello, we are On The Sky.” After the members greeted in unison with resonant voices, they sat down. It seemed there would be a brief talk session before the actual fan signing began.
While two members with flashy hair colors conversed with the MC, Imun and another member kept waving to fans.
Was that one named Rai? Whatever they were discussing, Imun was occasionally whispering to the member sitting next to him. They seemed pretty close, sticking together and giggling.
He suddenly wondered who Imun felt closer to—the member he’d lived and worked with for years or himself. He was unconsciously staring at him with cloudy eyes when—
“Hello, I’m Imun. I’m so happy to see all of you today. Was your journey here difficult?”
The familiar voice filled the venue. He became newly aware that the handsome man speaking on stage was indeed Imun.
As he brushed away the goosebumps that had formed on his arms, Imun paused his speech and turned toward him. When he enthusiastically waved his arms above his head, a “pfft” laughter came through the microphone.
“Kyaa! Imun laughed at me!” A high-pitched squeal inevitably erupted from the front. It was unbearably delightful that both he and Imun’s fan were thinking the exact same thing.
*
After the talk session ended, the fan signing began. After killing time waiting for his turn for several dozen minutes, he headed toward the signing line following the staff’s guidance.
He was in the middle of mentally rehearsing what to say to Imun while managing his nerves when he witnessed an alarming scene and let out a sigh.
“No way…”
Everyone was holding an On The Sky album. Wondering if it was mandatory, he frantically checked his winning text message when someone gently tapped his back.
“Excuse me… is something wrong?”
He didn’t even have time to be surprised by his bewilderment. The woman who spoke to him and tucked her hair behind her ear was also unmistakably holding an On The Sky album.
I hope I don’t get kicked out! He glanced nervously at the security guards in suits and made a distressed face.
“Um… do I need to bring an album?”
“It’s a fan ‘signing’ event after all. You can’t get a signature without an album… If you don’t have one, would you like me to give you one?”
Before he could answer, the woman stepped out of the waiting line and promptly handed him an album. It was the same as those stacked in boxes behind his computer room.
“Ah… Thank you so much.”
“Don’t mention it. By the way… are you Gangha?”
“Huh?! …Yes.”
“Wow, I knew it! Gangha, I’m your fan!”
In Japan, no matter how much he went out, it was difficult to meet someone who recognized him. But this was Korea—the country where his fans and Imun’s fans who liked his broadcasts were concentrated.
This is Imun’s fan headquarters, after all! He’d thought people were staring because he was the only man, but it seemed this reason was more significant.
Being accustomed to going out normally, he hadn’t brought anything to cover his face. The hat he’d left on the hotel bed now felt desperately necessary.
As he covered his eyes with the album and glanced around, the woman held out another album.
“Why another album… Do I need two albums?”
“No! That’s not it… I… I’m really sorry, but could you please sign this for me?”
“Sign? My signature?”
Dumbfounded by the unexpected request, he briefly accepted the album and pen from her.
I’ve only ever signed the backs of cards. Noticing his confusion, she opened the album to a specific page. It was Imun’s solo photo section, familiar from seeing it many times.
“You want me to sign here?”
“Yes, please!”
“I don’t have a signature…”
“Ah… then could you at least write your name somehow?”
With a serious expression, he honestly wrote the three characters of his name, “Gang Hajun.” Though he wondered if this was really acceptable, the woman seemed quite satisfied. Watching her repeatedly express gratitude with a flushed face, he blushed in response.
The On The Sky fan was also his fan, someone he’d never met before. As they exchanged awkward words and laughed, the waiting line had already shortened considerably. After scanning each On The Sky member who came into view, Hajun carefully observed today’s target.
“Wow… Seo Imun…”
How can a person be like that? Imun talking with fans shone so brightly, incomparably more than during their video calls. While he was standing there with his mouth agape in shock, Imun, having just said goodbye to a fan, turned toward him as if on cue.
The moment their eyes met, Imun’s eye-smile hit him like a direct attack out of nowhere. Trying to grasp his dizzy mind, he narrowed his eyes.
“Woo-woo-yo…?”
Imun was eagerly mouthing something to him. What’s “woo-woo-eo”? While pondering this sudden riddle, he gradually closed the distance between them.
*
Finally, it was his turn to get an autograph. After glancing at Imun sitting at the opposite end, he presented his album to the man in front of him.
Seeing the On The Sky members besides Imun was also a fascinating experience. While trying to recall the name of the pink-haired man, the man spoke first.
“Hello, Gangha.”
“…Hello.”
“I thought you wouldn’t be able to come because of your livestream… but you really came.”
“Haha. Yes, I did.”
Had Imun already told the members about his fan signing win? As he glanced at Imun, who was busy talking with fans, the man casually asked a question.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
