Chapter 198: Fall

K-Walk Festival.

To be honest, I didn’t even remember the name of this K-pop festival that had only been held around three times.

It was a small relief that I could vaguely recall the region where the event took place.

Judging by how it never came up again in my memory, the accident must have led to the event being discontinued entirely.

The problem was the condition of Senior Rina.

A heavy lighting fixture struck her lower body directly, leaving her so severely injured that she couldn’t even perform daily activities properly, let alone stand on stage.

I hadn’t heard the details of her life after retirement, but she never set foot on stage again.

It was a tragic incident that no one could have predicted when she made her solo debut as the main vocal of Base and drew tremendous attention.

“Something wrong?”

Even after Senior Rina had left, I remained frozen with a grave expression.

Ha Junseo shook me awake with a worried look on his face.

“Ah.”

Swallowing dryly, I looked around the rehearsal hall.

Starf were busy moving equipment needed for the stage.

“Sorry. I was just lost in thought for a bit.”

“Tired?”

Since our schedule had been so hectic, Ha Junseo assumed I was worn out and handed me a caffeinated drink.

“It’s a normal reaction.”

He added that even though I hadn’t asked.

I waved it off, but still accepted the drink.

“Thanks.”

“You okay?”

“Oh… yeah, I guess so.”

My head was still full of thoughts.

That horrific accident that was about to happen.

Sure, I could pretend not to know….

But knowing what would happen, I didn’t have the heart to ignore it.

I knew the accident was going to occur.

And I had seen how that accident crushed Senior’s dream.

I wasn’t some great saint, but at the very least, I had to stop a person’s life from crashing down.

“Where’s the manager?”

“He went that way just now….”

“Just a moment.”

It was during The Way’s rehearsal.

I stood up to look for Manager Lee Jaeyoon.

“…….”

Thankfully, Manager Lee Jaeyoon was standing not far from me.

He happened to be having a cup of coffee with a field staff member.

“Hyung.”

“Oh, hey. What’s up?”

Catching my breath after rushing over, I spoke.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

It might sound random, but this was the best I could do right now.

“Um… is it possible to check the safety?”

“What?”

“The lighting. The lights installed above the stage—some of them seemed to be shaking a little.”

At my words, Manager Lee Jaeyoon’s expression turned cold.

“The lighting?”

“Yes?”

The on-site staff joined the conversation upon hearing that.

A man with thick horn-rimmed glasses and messy hair, probably from fatigue, frowned.

“Which lighting are you talking about?”

“Um… the ones at the front of the stage.”

I didn’t even know exactly which lights.

Even saying they were shaking was a rough excuse.

But since an artist was seriously bringing it up right before the stage, I figured they’d at least listen to some extent.

I tried to make my nonsense sound as convincing as possible.

“I couldn’t pinpoint the exact location, but I feel really uneasy about it. Please inspect all the front lights just in case.”

“We’re in the middle of rehearsals, though?”

There wasn’t much time left before the actual performance.

And since it was an outdoor stage, it would be even trickier to inspect.

Still….

You know this isn’t a joke.

“We just finished checking everything earlier. There weren’t any issues.”

The man—probably from the lighting team—defended himself. He scratched his head as he spoke.

“I don’t know how much you saw them shake, but structurally, they might appear that way.”

“Sorry?”

“We checked everything earlier, so don’t worry.”

Too lazy to deal with it, too lazy to take responsibility.

“Ah. Rehearsals are moving along. Stardust is up next.”

Like some snake who had lived a hundred years, the staff member slyly tried to change the subject, so I responded coldly.

“Excuse me. That’s the first I’ve heard that the lights structurally shake.”

“…….”

“You’re not going to take responsibility if an accident happens, are you?”

Is this what they call safety negligence?

The absurdly relaxed look on his face started to piss me off.

Running a festival like this is exactly why such huge accidents happen.

That claim about having done a prior inspection—yeah, obviously nonsense.

Even if people grumble afterward, I was going to stick with a tone that didn’t match.

“Just inspect it.”

I frowned and swept my bangs back.

“I get scared easily. Do I really have to go up on an unverified stage?”

“Huh?”

At my words, Manager Lee Jaeyoon’s eyes widened.

It was something that had never once come out of my mouth before—refusing to perform.

But considering the recent ladder accident, being overly cautious wasn’t all that strange.

I brought up the incident that Doubles was still likely feeling guilty about.

“That accident last time, and now the lights shaking again… I’m really too scared to go on stage.”

Then, mimicking loosening a tie, I muttered loud enough for the staff to hear.

“Ha, I’m so nervous I’m losing my mind….”

Maybe it was that reaction that made them realize this wasn’t some ordinary situation.

Manager Lee Jaeyoon’s face stiffened as he spoke.

“Where’s the lighting director?”

“Uh… Ah! Over there! Should I call him?”

Only then did the man move his feet. The field staff glanced at me briefly, then hurried over in that direction.

Manager Lee Jaeyoon subtly turned his head and asked quietly.

“Did you really see it?”

“Yes. I mentioned it because I thought it might be dangerous.”

“Alright, I’ll have it checked.”

With the artist speaking up this seriously, they’d check at least once.

That’s what I had hoped for.

“Kyaaaah!”

“Wooooah!”

Deafening cheers erupted at the outdoor stage.

Watching the sea of glowing light sticks swaying, I would have normally been filled with emotion….

But today, there was no room for that.

My head was a mess.

“They checked the lighting properly, right?”

I leaned toward Jin Sehyun and asked in a low voice.

I had personally seen the lighting team checking the stage lights earlier, but I still couldn’t fully trust it.

Whether they were thorough or not—how would a non-expert even know?

Jin Sehyun widened his eyes, surprised by my concern.

“The lights were shaking that much?”

It’s not like I usually get sensitive about these things.

From the look on his face, he would’ve fainted if he saw me confronting the staff earlier.

“Yes. It really makes me uneasy.”

“Got a bad feeling?”

“…Yeah.”

“Ah. Well, considering what happened recently… you did see them check it properly, right?”

“Probably.”

Rina’s lighting accident.

It had shocked the entertainment world for a while, but years later, it was hard to remember every detail of the incident clearly.

Still, if I retraced my memory….

I tried to recall everything I had read in the news at the time.

“The ending stage….”

I was pretty sure it happened during the ending stage.

I’d read articles about how several singers screamed in surprise as fragments scattered when the light shattered.

The 3rd K-Walk Festival had ended without incident.

Even though I’d been trembling during Rina’s solo stage, I couldn’t let my guard down just because nothing happened.

Only the ending stage remained now.

The MR sound of a famous pop song about peace began to play.

Light the world

Together, we can light it up

We’ll drive out the darkness

We’ve always endured

As the singers gathered on stage sang one line each with ease, my mouth went dry.

Senior Rina, standing not far away, kept catching my eye.

The cheers were so loud they rang in my ears without the in-ear monitors.

I leaned closer to Jin Sehyun and spoke.

“I’m going over there.”

“Huh? All of a sudden?”

Jin Sehyun whispered into my ear, but I simply smiled lightly without replying.

As if I was going to look at the fans’ picket signs, I waved in that direction and took a step closer.

Even then, my gaze stayed fixed on the lights above.

“…….”

Of course, they weren’t shaking.

At this rate, I had no idea which one was the problem.

“Excuse me. Let me through.”

“Just a moment!”

Lost in thought, I was suddenly pushed into the center as other singers moved positions.

Coincidentally, it was toward my destination, so I finally bowed my head toward Senior Rina standing nearby.

“Hello.”

“Oh, Do Seohan?”

Bow.

Carefully taking a step forward, I gave Senior Rina a polite eye greeting.

Afraid of being noticed, I also bowed to the nearby seniors and wore a businesslike smile.

Light the world

Together, we can light it up

We’ll drive out the darkness

We’ve always endured

It was the ending stage where members of various groups were singing together.

Thankfully, even though I was separated from my group, everyone was mingled enough that it didn’t stand out.

Soap bubbles floating across the stage reflected dazzling colors as they touched the overhead lights.

In that brilliant, blinding moment, I felt like I was the only one trapped in darkness.

I fixed my entire focus on the light directly above Senior Rina.

It really looked dangerous for her to be standing there.

“Um, senior.”

I was about to naturally guide her back, pointing toward the fan pickets cheering for her from afar.

Tap.

Someone placed a hand on my shoulder and softly spoke.

It was a voice I was very familiar with.

“Do Seohan.”

The moment I turned my head.

“……!”

Before I could even respond,

Kim Woochan shoved me with all his strength.

Clang—

The sound of something metallic shattering followed immediately.

And then, piercing screams filled the venue.

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