Chapter 169: Chapter 169

Episode 5 of Shining Star was about to be released to the public.

[Wow, Shining Star is really popular, huh? All my real friends are voting right now ㅋㅋㅋ]

[No way, me too… My friend posted asking to vote for their favorite star ㅋㅋㅋ Is this what they call… “going viral”? Drooling

└Ah please, look at the veteran fans getting excited ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

With its high-profile cast, sleek editing, intriguing narrative, and quality performances, Shining Star Season 2 garnered an even more sensational popularity than Season 1.

With only the final stage left, the fandoms were in a state of tension like never before.

[I really like Seo Hoyunㅠㅠㅠ]

[I don’t know why I didn’t notice until now ㅠ Everyone was watching Shining Star, I should have watched it tooㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠshitㅠㅠㅠ]

Of course, this wasn’t a concern for viewers enjoying the program casually.

[Episode 5 is starting!!]

The main content was the preparation scenes of each group before the final competition.

All five groups were shown playing around, fiercely exchanging opinions, and practicing seriously.

There were interviews interspersed, including one with Seo Hoyun.

[OMG Seo Hoyun’s interview]

However, it passed by in a flash.

Compared to others who filled their time with pleasant jokes or shared their desires for good results, Seo Hoyun lacked impact.

[I’ve never seen Seo Hoyun talk like that;;]

[Is he crazy…?]

However, the Noeuls, who had seen Seo Hoyun through various self-produced content and events, were surprised.

They knew him as someone who never shared his troubles and always took things in stride.

[Hey, Seo Hoyun is begging so desperately, let’s please give him first place]

[Please voteㅠㅠㅠㅠ Ah, pleaseㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

[I’m starting to really hate the other groups… Ah… ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠI’m sorry guys… ㅠㅠ!!!]

As Noeul buzzed with talk about Seo Hoyun’s interview, one fan habitually refreshed their SNS, and then—

[;;;;;;;]

[Ah]

[Ah, fuck]

[Wow]

Their phone lagged as hundreds of posts appeared.

Meanwhile…

【Traffic Accident】

【Black Box】

【Hoyun Accident】

【The Dawn Seo Hoyun】

【Shining Star】

At first, the phrase “traffic accident” trended in real-time, and soon after, it was flooded with Seo Hoyun’s name.

[What is this??;;]

It all started with a video uploaded on YouTube.

The video seemed to be from a dashcam, showing a truck crashing into a car, causing it to flip.

The car hit by the truck was severely dented on one side.

Though gruesome and tragic, it wasn’t an unusual traffic accident.

The real key was the video’s title.

[Seo Hoyun Traffic Accident Black Box]

No one believed it at first.

Understandably so, as there was no direct evidence of a person involved, and nothing to back up the title.

[Ah shit, don’t believe the clickbait, just as the finale is coming, crazy attention seekers are everywhere]

[Reporting it right now… It’s climbing YouTube’s trending list, it’s so annoying… Please report it whenever you see it]

[Do you really want to do this??? It’s so fucking annoying, you bastards, pulling all sorts of stunts for attention]

Just then, an article from four years ago resurfaced.

《[Breaking News] Collision in XX… 3 Dead/1 Injuredn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

On December 18, at around 4:21 PM, a truck collided with a sedan at the intersection in OO District, XX City, causing a crash.

The truck driver and a couple in their 40s in the sedan died, and their 20-something child was injured.

According to the police, “It appears to be due to drowsy driving, and we are investigating the accident’s circumstances…” 》

The breaking news was so succinct it was almost dry, but people compared the timing of the article and the dashcam footage.

[Wait, what’s this article??]

[Is it really Seo Hoyun’s accident?]

As suspicions grew that the person in the video might actually be Seo Hoyun, The Dawn’s fandom fell into chaos.

[He rarely wears short sleeves, and if he wears short sleeves or sleeveless shirts on stage, he covers up with concealer]

[Is this it? The scars from the accident?]

[There were sightings of him receiving scar treatment]

Even fans trying to dismiss it as clickbait were shaken.

The climax of this burning controversy came when a photo was posted.

A low-quality, clearly sneaky shot of a Traffic Accident Report was uploaded briefly in the early morning and deleted within ten minutes.

But it was enough time to take screenshots.

The photo spread rapidly.

The date, location, and time on the document all matched the article.

Most importantly, Seo Hoyun’s name was clearly written in the victim section.

By then, it was too late.

It was too late for the company to respond, too late for the fandom to keep quiet.

Entertainment news exploded.

《[Summary] The Dawn’s Hoyun, Traffic Accident Dashcam from 4 Years Ago Leaked》

《Seo Hoyun’s Traffic Accident, Was His One-Year Hiatus Due to Trauma from Losing His Parents?》

The dramatic story of a popular idol group member who had lost his parents in a traffic accident and was the sole survivor caught the public’s attention.

Everyone started speculating about Seo Hoyun’s one-year hiatus after The Dawn’s debut.

Some expressed sympathy, while others rushed to criticize every little detail.

[The poor kid suffered such a huge trauma at a young age… May the souls of the deceased rest in peace]

[This is truly shocking;; he must have psychological issues]

[Can we just stop…? Really, stop pretending to know everything and leave Hoyun alone, please]

[Wow ㅋㅋㅋㅋThe agency is really good at their jobㅋㅋㅋㅋ Dropping this right before the finaleㅋㅋㅋ]

[Are you selling your parents for first place? Disgusting.]

[I’m cheering for you ㅠㅠ I saw the broadcast and you seemed like a friend who doesn’t show any signs ㅠㅠ Is that why you took a year off after debuting? Some people take medication even for minor car accidents, it must be a mental illness ㅠ]

Like predators eyeing their prey, all kinds of comments clung on.

Articles, videos, anonymous messages.

A few hours later, it was no surprise that the latest clip of Seo Hoyun’s interview on Shining Star hit number one on YouTube’s trending videos.

[Seo Hoyun Shining Star Episode 5 Interview Clip]

A part that had been lightly skimmed over during the broadcast was brought into the spotlight again.

– Q: “Why do you work so hard?”

To the staff’s question, Seo Hoyun, who was in front of the camera, gave a cool smile.

– “Because I have to.”

And then answered calmly.

– “This is all I have left.”

That was it.

Seo Hoyun’s interview, which shook a gossip-thirsty South Korea, lasted only 15 seconds.

***

The final contest venue.

Outside, the audience waited with great anticipation, and inside, rehearsals were in full swing.

I’m a bit tired.

I can’t remember the last time I slept properly.

I was that engrossed in practice.

Ignoring the wary Jeong Dajun and brushing off the concerns of Seong Jiwon and Kim Seonghyeon, I kept working.

Kang Ichae seemed to have grabbed me and said something, but I soon forgot about it.

Sigh.

Night came, dawn broke, and it was morning again before the sun set once more.

I thought I had eaten something, but…

“Hyung, I’m sorry.”

While practicing like that, I had briefly fallen asleep at the dorm, only to be awakened by a sobbing Jeong Dajun who was shaking me.

“I’m really sorry…”

Kim Seonghyeon, who had brought Jeong Dajun, spoke with a troubled expression.

“We’ve contacted the company to prevent any more leaks as much as possible.”

“…Okay.”

“Seo Hoyun, are you really going to go on stage in this condition?”

I nodded.

In reality, after organizing how to proceed with the situation and contacting Kim Jaeyeon, I turned off my phone completely.

Too many unnecessary calls were coming in.

However, I hadn’t forgotten to leave a text message for Seo Hojin, worried he might be concerned.

– Me: Seo Hojin

– Me: Are you not hurt?

I only discovered later, after turning my phone back on, that Seo Hojin had immediately tried to call me and had sent numerous texts saying he wasn’t hurt.

Maybe it was because my own actions were bothering me a bit, but I kept putting the phone down after thinking several times about contacting Hojin.

The most fortunate aspect of this incident was that Seo Hojin hadn’t been in the car during the accident, so his identity wasn’t revealed.

From the start, Seo Hojin and I didn’t really resemble each other.

When we were together, people could tell we were brothers because of our similar aura, but when we were apart, most people didn’t notice the resemblance.

My profile didn’t mention anything about my brother, and aside from the members, no one knew Hojin was my dongsaeng, so as long as we were careful, there wouldn’t be any major issues.

Thus, I arrived at the final contest venue.

Time flies.

After finishing the final rehearsal lightly, I avoided the worried, anxious, and sharp gazes of the members, found a less crowded place, and gulped down some water.

Somehow, Kim Heeyeon found me and approached.

“Seo Hoyun.”

“Ah, PD-nim.”

I reflexively smiled, but Kim Heeyeon stared at me with a piercing gaze.

Just when I thought she might have timed it to catch me without any members or staff around, Kim Heeyeon scanned the surroundings and then said,

“It wasn’t you, right?”

“Sorry?”

“The current situation. You didn’t do it, right?”

She had come to hear my answer, even while being extremely nervous.

“Why did you ask to change the interview?”

When I called Kim Heeyeon, she had been editing the content for Episode 5.

As soon as we met, I suggested, under the guise of viewer ratings, that instead of me, whose interview was uneventful, it would be better to increase Jeong Dajun’s interview portion to connect with the stage in Episode 4.

“…Why?”

Kim Heeyeon raised an eyebrow, seemingly trying to read my hidden motives.

“Because of Jeong Dajun.”

I spoke as calmly as possible, and even added that if it seemed too focused on Jeong Dajun, she could redistribute some of my cut interview time to other lower-ranked group members.

It was just a suggestion, and I casually added that all decisions were up to PD Kim Heeyeon.

“Umm.”

When trying to persuade someone, it was necessary to relay one’s opinion and then subtly step back, making it seem like the other person had the upper hand and the decision-making power.

If it felt even slightly awkward, it could backfire.

“…Well, I’ll think about it.”

After contemplating for a long time, Kim Heeyeon nodded, seemingly finding it somewhat reasonable.

Her expression was somewhat complex, though.

As a result, my portion was significantly edited, and a much more desperate-sounding interview was aired.

I was quite satisfied.

“…Phew.”

However, Kim Heeyeon, unaware of these facts, was confused while still suspicious of me.

It seemed like she asked the question even when she thought it was an impossible thing to do unless I was a crazy person.

“Even you, PD-nim?”

I deliberately lowered my gaze and spoke in a greatly subdued voice.

Kim Heeyeon’s shoulders slightly trembled before she sighed and rubbed her face dry.

“Yeah, I must be crazy.”

“…”

“I’m sorry. Seo Hoyun must be having a hard time right now too.”

She ran her hand through her hair, looking very tired.

“…I’m really sorry about your family too.”

All I could do was smile.

Apologizing once again, Kim Heeyeon hurriedly left when the staff called her.

I also returned to the waiting room.

The final live show was about to begin.

After Bercy and Try’s performances, TEW’s showcase was displayed on the monitoring TV.

“Burning up this moment Spark in your eyes.”

The song and dance themselves weren’t bad.

The subtitles were a bit exaggerated, labeling them as a strong contender for first place, but TEW was practically settled in third place.

All members silently fixed their eyes on the screen, then a staff member knocked to announce it was time to go.

“The Dawn, get ready for standby!!”

The staff member’s gaze briefly passed over me.

I stood up and silently followed the members ahead of me.

Reaching the backstage outside the waiting room, the intense heat of the scene hit my skin.

“Seo Hoyun, let’s fix your in-ears.”

“Yes.”

While standing still, letting the staff do the final checks on me, I made eye contact with Kim Heeyeon from afar.

She seemed to have something to say, her lips moving a few times before she averted her gaze.

I maintained a blank expression, merely reciting the lyrics in my head.

“Hoyun-ah.”

At that moment, Seong Jiwon called me.

“Can you go up there?”

When I turned my head, Seong Jiwon’s warm gaze was staring right at me.

I looked around.

The various eyes fixed on me quickly turned away.

Most of them were filled with unease and vigilance, fearing I might cause a broadcast accident.

“…Seong Jiwon.”

Could I go up on stage?

Of course.

Though I was tired from consecutive all-nighters, my mind was clearer than ever.

That’s why I was confident.

“What are you talking about?”

I could finish this stage perfectly.

“We have to get first place.”

When I grinned, Seong Jiwon widened his eyes slightly, then a faint smile appeared on his lips.

“—Alright.”

It was clear he was forcing a smile.

“The Dawn, make your entrance!”

Following the staff’s guidance, I stepped on the blue tape.

Before going to his position, Kim Seonghyeon patted my shoulder.

“Let’s go up.”

I nodded slightly and stepped onto the lift.

Clunk.

Ziiing—.

The sound of cheers grew closer.

However, my mind slowly cooled down.

Kim Heeyeon, she’s suspicious after all.

Well, it would have seemed suspicious if she had thought about it a bit.

Things like the black box of the traffic accident or the Traffic Accident Certificate were hard for others to get.

Moreover, considering the sudden proposal for the edit and the timing, it was enough to make her suspicious.

Fair and just Kim Heeyeon.

Conscientious Kim Heeyeon.

Seemingly tough but surprisingly gentle and mild Kim Heeyeon.

That was the biggest reason I liked her, but at the same time, it was her weak point.

The reason she accepted my proposal was obvious.

I was relatively popular, so she wanted to help a lower-ranking group gain some recognition, even if it was just a scene or two.

I recalled Kim Heeyeon from Season 1, who, despite experiencing me, couldn’t handle even a slight complaint without feeling sorry.

I clenched my fists tightly.

No need to apologize.

Ziiing….

Noona.

Where would a guy who almost got slapped go?

“Waaaaaaa!!”

As the lift rose, the white and blue lights shone down on me like needles.

I forced a faint smile onto my lips.

Yeah, I did that.

It was time to finish it.