episode_0166

Showcase.

It is an event that all idols experience, where they show their stage and songs to reporters and fans before releasing an album and have time to communicate with them.

NAS Enter is a monumental showcase venue for such rookies….

“Wow… It’s been a while since I’ve been this way.”

“I remember the road even though I wasn’t driving.”

… we decided to go straight to the Naaah set.

Because of that, we had to suffer from PTSD while traveling by car.

“I wonder if it’s because I’m on my way to the set, but I suddenly remember Seol unnie telling me to get off if I’m not going to be sincere… .”

“… … .”

When I spoke in a playful tone, Yu Seol blushed slightly and tried to ignore me.

“Do you remember what my sister said to me back then? ‘Yerin, wake up. You and I are competitors. If you’re going to live so clumsily, you should just get off. Don’t you know that just by being here, someone who desperately needs it is losing their chance…’”

“Stop… , stop… !”

And when I reenacted what Yoo Seol had said back then in an acting tone, only then did she hastily stop me.

Of course… , after all the other members had already heard it.

“Haha! Have you ever done that, Seol?”

“What should I do…, Seol-unnie is scared… .”

Taking advantage of this gap, a friend of the same age who had been oppressed by Yoo Seol stepped forward and started teasing her.

To this, Yoo Seol answered with a red face and a trembling voice.

“I was so desperate back then… .”

It had been a long time since I saw such a cute appearance of Yoo Seol, and I thought I should tease her some more on this occasion… .

‘…hmm?’

…I asked because there was something about what she just said that bothered me.

“… So you’re not desperate now?”

“No… , that’s… .”

Although it wasn’t a question I asked with the intention of attacking Yoo Seol, it turned out to be quite a sensitive comment once I said it.

Yoo Seol-do flinched for a moment at my question, then raised her head slightly and answered.

“That’s not it… , but… .”

“… … .”

“Certainly… , it seems a little different from when I was doing Naaah.”

Yes, that’s right.

The six rookies here, including me, were really fierce and desperate in Naaah.

For the win, for the debut.

I lived each day with the determination to face war.

But now that the debut has been confirmed, maybe that’s why…

It was definitely different from when I was a kid.

It’s not that I don’t work hard, but… it feels like the venom of the better days is gone.

‘Maybe it’s because there are no more rivals to kill each other… .’

I looked back, thinking that way.

At that time, the members who were competitors were laughing and chatting with each other.

As soon as I saw that sight, I also chuckled.

Yeah, we just have to laugh and be happy together now.

What if there was no poison?

Now, instead, I had the luxury of having something I didn’t have before.

Feeling satisfied with that fact, I held Yoo Seol’s hand, whose relationship with me had changed a lot since the past.

“Sister. Let’s do our best today.”

Yoo Seol-do looked at my hand, which was tightly holding hers, and smiled faintly as he spoke.

“Okay, let’s do our best.”

Seeing her smile gave me a strong feeling that this showcase would go well.

**

“Wow… It’s been a while.”

“Nothing has changed here.”

Maybe it was because the Naaah set was like my home, where I had been coming and going until a month ago, but I was able to finish preparing with a much more relaxed mind.

But as the long wait that had continued since morning came to an end and the showcase start time of 3 PM approached, I had to feel that nervousness again before going up on stage for the first time in a long time.

Heart pounding.

The tension that Han Si-woo had told me about before… that wouldn’t go away even after 10 years.

This time, there was the added specialness of appearing in front of fans after only a month.

I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way, as the other members also began to tremble slightly.

Looking at that image, somehow I was reminded of Naaah’s appearance before she went on stage.

That was when.

“Rookies members, you need to move soon.”

Director Jeong, who was running around to various places preparing the showcase himself, came to the waiting room to give a final warning.

“Everyone. Do you all remember the showcase order?”

“Yes!”

Director Jeong had explained in advance that the stage would not play a large role in this showcase.

Instead, it will be mainly comprised of Q&A sessions and various events.

“Although we had already kissed the reporters in advance… , we don’t know what kind of mischievous questions might suddenly fly in during the Q&A session. The reporters are such a fearless bunch… .”

“Ah… .”

“In that case, please respond appropriately according to your improvisation so that there is no problem. Please pay attention as this is the Rookies’ first stage to show to the fans.”

“Okay! Got it!”

“Okay, then fighting!”

Swish.

As soon as he heard our answer, Director Jeong gave a small cheer and then gestured to the staff to take us backstage.

It was the backstage that I often visited while performing on stage at Naaah.

“Okay, the stage will go dark and you will leave as soon as we give you the signal.”

“Yep!”

Could it be because I’ve felt a strong scent of Naaah since this morning?

I said this playfully to the members just before going on stage.

“Shall we go and shout out our slogan, Naaah, after a long time?”

“What? Haha.”

At this, the other members laughed lightly and then responded.

“Would that be so?”

“It feels like it’s been a long time since I finished it, even though it hasn’t been that long. I like it.”

“Me too.”

At that moment when all the members expressed their affirmation, the lights on the stage went out completely, the fans’ cheers grew louder, and the staff gave us the signal to start.

“Yes, you should leave now.”

We chant short, bold slogans to match it… .

“Show me your dream-!”

Headed to the stage.

Now it was time to show our dream that was really right in front of us.

**

“Waaa …

“Yerin-!!!!”

As the showcase began and the lights on stage went out, she, a Ha Ye-rin fan, shouted Ha Ye-rin’s name loudly.

“Yu Seol-!!!”

Her friend, a fan of Yoo Seol who was standing next to her, shouted Yoo Seol’s name.

At the time, the two people were sharply divided over whether to support Ha Ye-rin or Yoo Seol… .

Eventually, when Ha Ye-rin and Yoo Seol boarded the same boat called Rookies, the conflict between them seemed to have been washed away.

It seems like other fans are the same, they shout out the names of the members they support… .

“Rookies-!!!”

In the end, we all united and shouted the Rookies’ names together.

And as if responding to such cries… .

Hwaaaa-!

“Waaa-!!”

Soon after, the lights on the stage turned brightly and the Rookies members appeared.

♪♬♬♩-!

It was Lee Hye-jeong who started off with a sweet voice and dreamy melody.

-Don’t come near me for a moment.

-This is the distance between you and me

“ and… … .”

“The tone is crazy… .”

While everyone was admiring Lee Hye-jeong, she, a fan of Ha Ye-rin, checked Ha Ye-rin’s position first.

Ha Ye-rin was continuing the movements from behind as if it wasn’t her part yet.

‘Wow…, what is Yerin’s outfit and makeup today…. My brain is really melting….’

The costumes were similar to the school uniforms, but the details were noticeably different.

With the addition of a hair setting and full makeup that seemed to have been done with a lot of effort by Cody, Ha Ye-rin had now become the main character of a pure love comic book.

‘How on earth does someone like that exist…?’

Of course, the feeling she felt when she saw Ha Ye-rin like that was not jealousy but admiration.

She looked at Hayerin as if she was witnessing an imaginary animal, focusing her gaze on every one of her movements.

In the meantime, the Rookies’ stage was still ongoing.

-You want to know about me?

-Not enough

Park Yoo-jung, who is very charming, and….

-I’ll get angry if you come near me.

-No mercy

Seo Yu-jin enriches the song, which could have been a bit sloppy.

And the bridge of the following story.

-If you still wonder

-Follow me

“… … !!”

What followed after Yoo Seol’s voice, which seemed to melt the listener’s ears, was an addictive chorus.

-This is your and my secret

-Our secret, shh.

-Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh.

Fans were able to enjoy both their eyes and ears with the choreography that emphasized the captivating expressions like a nine-tailed fox and the voice that made their whole body tingle.

And as soon as the chorus ended, Ha Ye-rin and Na Hanna jumped forward for a joint dance break.

-If you want to know more

-You have to come closer

The spotlight is focused on the two people, along with dazzling choreography.

and….

-Then I’ll show you my secret. Shh.

Wink.

“… … !!!”

Ha Ye-rin winks, emphasizing her facial expression as if it were part of the original choreography.

At that moment, she, a fan of Ha Ye-rin, felt as if the space had changed.

A classroom where the sun is setting.

Ha Ye-rin, a transfer student, sits in the back row and looks out the window silently.

She becomes curious as she looks at Ha Ye-rin like that.

What is that kid thinking?

What is that child looking at?

What does that expression on that child’s mysterious face mean?

Swish.

“… … !”

At that moment, he suddenly turns his head and makes eye contact with transfer student Ha Ye-rin.

This is not transfer student Ha Ye-rin.

This is Hayerin from Rookies.

‘Who, your eyes met mine… .’

It could be a coincidence, or it could be just her imagination… .

Now it was clear that she had made eye contact with the real Hayerin.

“… … .”

“… … .”

In that way, she locked eyes with Ha Ye-rin for a second that felt like an eternity… and her already high level of inner intimacy and bond towards Ha Ye-rin were maximized.

And the moment she was captivated by Hayerin’s gaze and gave her every last piece of her heart… .

Sigh.

Ha Ye-rin put her index finger to her lips and whispered to her.

-Shh, this is just our secret.

ah.

Nod nod.

At this she nodded.

Among the hundreds of audience members, only Ha Ye-rin was looking at her.

This was a secret between Hayerin and her two alone.

‘Wow…!’

The thought that a little secret had developed between her and Hayerin made her feel extremely excited and her loyalty towards Hayerin increased.

This was the reason why she came to see Ha Ye-rin’s stage from the beginning to the showcase, spending millions of won.

Hayerin makes her special.

Normally she’s nothing special, but today she was that beautiful girl’s secret friend.

“Waaa-!!”

“Gyaaah-!!”

“Ha Ye-rin-!!!”

And so the showcase stage of ended.

The fans cheered for the quality that exceeded their expectations and chanted the members’ names.

To put it simply, my impressions of the stage are… .

It was a bit disappointing that it didn’t have the rough and raw feel of the Naaah era stage… but overall, it was much more organized and had a more relaxed look.

A direct translation of this would be… .

The rookies had a strong professional vibe.

Even though they were a rookie girl group that had just debuted…, it felt like watching a veteran girl group that had been through a lot.