Chapter 568: Eungwang High festival (2)

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The concert hall has a capacity of less than a thousand people.

Considering that tall seats at the concert hall were sold out in one second during Kwon Jein’s performance, it seems ridiculously small.

But for students of Eungwang High, even 500 freshmen couldn’t fill up the hall.

It seems unimaginable for a single class to gather this many people with only a song to perform.

But now, seeing people flock in from air shuttles, it seemed possible enough.

“Hmm… Jiho-yah, wasn’t the concert hall under construction?”

“The construction ended yesterday. Only the lounge, the green room, and the staff room are left.”

Hwang Jiho briefly answered Kim Yuri’s question.

I looked at the stage through the staff-only passage.

I thought only repairs were done, but the audience seats were significantly increased.

“I think it’s a lot wider than when we came here.”

“It can accommodate up to 2,000 people now.”

“2,000…!”

Dokgo Miro exclaimed.

She has experience in performing for big audiences, but it would be difficult considering that she’s a trainee who still hasn’t debuted.

Oblivious to Dokgo Miro’s thoughts, Hwang Jiho spoke with satisfaction.

“There was a time when I failed to secure tickets for the concert hall. Now that the capacity’s doubled, there will be room.”

Hwang Jiho didn’t show it, but he must’ve been angry when he failed to get tickets.

Only this rich old man would think of doubling a concert hall’s capacity because he failed to ticket once.

Saeum of April spoke in admiration.

“Wow, the one-second cut will be two seconds now!”

“You practiced so hard for the ticketing, so I’m sure you’ll get it next time!”

Won’t Kwon Jein invite Kwon Lena’s friends first if she performs again next time?

I don’t think we’d have to worry about tickets anymore, but I decided to feign ignorance, not wanting to crush the kids’ high spirits.

Overwhelmed by the 2,000 seating capacity, Dokgo Miro asked Hwang Jiho.

“Did you prepare this in advance?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“Considering the completeness and concept of the stage prepared by the kids, I judged that it was impossible to accommodate the audience in the classroom. I prepared it because the construction of the concert hall was completed just in time.”

“…But don’t you think 2,000 is a bit much?”

I agreed with Dokgo Miro.

Only more than 500 spectators have entered so far.

Thanks to the opening of the first-floor seats, it didn’t look empty but the empty space was obvious.

However, Hwang Jiho spoke confidently.

“If you perform well now, more people will want to listen to you sing. I prepared for that in advance.”

Dokgo Miro looked surprised.

They’re always fighting over Hani, but Hwang Jiho seems to actually be pleased with Dokgo Miro.

He seems to be fond of the King of Back Alleys who stormed into the Gwangil Police Station to help his old friend.

“Entrance is complete!”

The entrance to the hall was closed.

We were going to start screening as soon as the admission was completed, but since this many people gathered, I thought we should say our greetings first.

Usually, it’s Kim Yuri who would give that as the class president, but as soon as the attention turned to her…

“Go on, Miro-yah!”

“Huh?”

Before Dokgo Miro said anything, Kim Yuri lightly pushed her.

There’s no way that the King of Back Alleys can’t avoid it, but Dokgo Miro came forward.

“Miro-yah!”

Waaaa!

Clap clap!

The Class 2-0 sunbae-jerks called Dokgo Miro’s name and cheered, starting a wave of applause.

Dokgo Miro’s eyes scanned the bottom of the stage, perhaps detecting video devices.

She took a deep breath for a moment and became a completely different person.

“Thank you for coming to Year One Class Zero’s screening!”

The mood changed when Dokgo Miro smiled brightly and waved under the spotlights.

It was difficult to take my eyes off the pink hair that moved lightly when she waved with a smile in her eyes.

“It’s a performance that our class worked hard to prepare. I hope you enjoy it until the end. We’re going to have a live performance later in the afternoon, so please come and watch that too!”

The crowd looked at Dokgo Miro as she spoke in her clear and high-pitched voice.

The lights turned off, but Dokgo Miro’s bright greeting lingered in my head.

As an aspiring idol, her stage presence was extraordinary.

“Let’s all say hello this time!”

After the screening, the song sung at the busking in front of the school’s gate was last performed.

The applause continued until we went up the stage again.

I was worried that the instrument wouldn’t respond well, but the arrangement, the performers, and the voice that united everything seemed to be great.

As we greeted the audience again, Jung Haeon, Dokgo Miro’s fansite, was taking pictures with tears falling from her eyes.

‘She must be regretting not getting to watch the busking because she became a fan late.’

Jung Haeon became Dokgo Miro’s fansite after she saw the video of Dokgo Miro busking.

In her captions, she often described how she regretted not seeing the busking performance in person.

Watching it in the front row this time made her tear up.

I’m worried that she’d wail later when she sees it live.

“You worked hard. Break a leg.”

“Euishin-ah, your music is…”

“Don’t say anything! Jein-ah, just talk about Lena. We’ll see you next time, Euishin-gun.”

When we wrapped up and helped the audience exit, I received warm encouragement from the sky-like seniors.

Every word said to me sent Hwang Jiho into a laughing fit.

Song Manseok stared at him, but the old man didn’t care.

“So there’s something that the Suspicious VP can’t do… I thought the only thing he can’t do is be on top of his batch.”

“If you want to maintain your grades now, don’t take music subjects.”

“The triangle performance was flawless!”

Saeum of April, who was considerably close to the sunbae-jerks, refuted Geum Chansol and wang Chansol.

I appreciate him taking my side, but I somehow wanted to stop him.

“Well, it’s a triangle. He played better than elementary students at least.”

“I saw you almost missed the beat when you started the first verse of the second song.”

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with Miro, it’s fine.”

…The triangle isn’t easy either.

I decided to hold it in because I thought it would be ridiculous to say it out loud.

I talked to Hwang Jiho.

“Let’s go if you’re done laughing.”

“I think I’ll laugh whenever I think of it. I’d be laughing again if there was a screening at the mansion.”

Should I leave this damned old man here?

The old man and I were supposed to do coverage for the newspaper department, and that’s the only reason why we’re going together.

Though I think it would be better for me to go alone.

When I walked ahead…

“Hahaha! Sorry, I think I got too excited because it’s a festival.”

Hwang Jiho eventually followed.

I was going to look around the freshmen classrooms, but I went to the central district since we were relocated for the first screening.

I decided to look around in the clubs first.

It was impossible to see what the clubs prepared if they stayed in the hall, so the entire central district was allocated to them.

Our first stop was the Taehokwon small group where Hani and Gong Cheonghwon were.

“Your good friend came to see you!”

“…”

Hani pretended not to see anything.

Hani’s fist, which she held tight as she was showing basic Taehokwon movements, had a tendon pop up.

“Welcome. You said you’re going to cover the festival, right? Take it easy.”

After taking a few pictures, we asked Gong Cheonghwon some interview questions.

He responded well to the interview, but the closing remarks took some time.

“You’re not absent during the festival.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“You came on time so there’s no need for apologies.”

Considering the number of times I missed his class, there was no choice but to apologize.

Meanwhile, Hani, who was being questioned by a visitor, looked perplexed.

“When using the basic posture ‘Tiger’s Steop’ and the attack ‘Trap Break’ at the same time, do you mean that’s if you don’t have a leap skill?”

Hani hesitated, the answer seemingly difficult to explain.

Before Gong Cheonghwon offered a helping hand, Hani’s self-proclaimed good friend butted in.

“Yours truly will help you demonstrate!”

“…”

The demonstration continued with Hwang Jiho taking the role of being the one to be thrown.

I finished the interview satisfactorily, taking pictures of Hwang Jiho down on the ground.

Taehokwon’s small group article will be published with a photo of Hwang Jiho beaten up.

“I brought a chair and some snacks for those who are waiting to sit down!”

“Have some food!”

As Hwang Jiho stood up from the ground, Cheongho’s students appeared holding chairs and baskets full of sweet snacks.

They almost said hello to Hwang Jiho reflexively, but they managed to narrowly stop themselves.

Although there are many club events that the sound-living students of Cheongho cannot miss, they largely helped out in the Taehokwon small group.

‘They’ve gotten a lot closer while doing volunteer work at the nursery. Our class owes them a favor so I guess I should gift them a good album.’

After that, our tour of the central district continued.

There were many things that were hard to miss such as the performance of the music clubs, decorations made of exotic ores and fabrics, and the food from the cooking club that could improve a player’s disposition right away.

‘I would’ve participated in Heo Chaeah’s library if I had more time.’

I’ve checked out all the events that my playable characters prepared, but there were some that couldn’t fit in my time.

This was the case with the long library tour that needed advance reservations.

It was unfortunate, but I guess I’ll enjoy the clips later on.

I swallowed my disappointment and headed to the next location.

“…You’re here?”

The next stop was the booth from the Players’ Association.

Although strict screening by Eungwang High board members and student organizations was required, outside organizations were accommodated in the Eungwang High Festival.

One of them was the Players’ Organization, a major employment destination for Eungwang High students.

The Players’ Association participated to promote the launch of new satellite-related apps.

But who would care about satellite applications at a festival full of things to eat, see, and enjoy?

‘Still, there are quite a lot of people.’

Song Daesok was visibly sullen.

He worked hard to the bone to develop the apps, but it seems like people were indifferent, dismissing the booth as “just some people from the association”

Some maniacs seem to have been enthusiastic about asking questions about satellites, but they could be counted in one hand.

The association members who accompanied him felt sorry for Song Daesok.

‘Predicting otherworlds through variables and interpreting indicators using new technologies… Maeng Hyodon will run away without understanding a single explanation.’

Considering what Song Daesok does in the association, the importance of this app cannot be overstated.

But its accessibility wasn’t the best.

By the way, what’s Team Leader Hong Gyubin doing there?

I guess he’ll enjoy himself at the festival later so he decided to help out first.

I decided to appease Song Daesok first.

“I’m going to the oriental painting small group to cover their exhibition. Wanna come with?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have a lot of tickets left?”

“I used one earlier so now…”

Song Daesok suddenly stopped talking.

As expected, he seemed to have been the first to visit the joint exhibition between Min Geurin, the art department, and the oriental painting small group.

We decided to go together, but we immediately gave up when we saw the line.

“It’s a two-hour wait time?”

“No, but why are there so many people?”

“People flooded in with the influx of big-time players earlier…”

Did all the people who came to watch at the concert hall come here?

Painter Hong Kyungbok and Iron Arm Song Manseok must’ve attracted everyone.

In the end, we decided to give up on entering the exhibit.

“Where should we go next? There’s a crowd so I think we should go around there first.”

“Stalemate. The chess small group is recruiting challengers to compete in a ten-sided game…”

While I was working with Hwang Jiho, someone suddenly called us.

“I found Euishin oppa!”

“Huh? The benefactor? Where?”

I made eye contact with red eyes in the crowd.

It was Ok Toyeon with the three descendants.

Song Daesok was shocked to see Ok Toyeon.

“Why are you here…!”

Ok Toyeon and Song Daesok work together for the satellite.

Hwang Jiho’s face was also distorted upon seeing Ok Toyeon, but he endured it and redirected his attention to the descendants.

But his patience didn’t last long.

Someone both Hwang Jiho and Ok Toyeon knew arrived and spoke in honorifics.

“It’s nice to see familiar faces.”

The head of the Rat Clan, Seodol, appeared.

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