Chapter 203: Sing for Me (2)

As expected from rookies born from a survival show, Stardust had many fans who had supported them since their trainee days.

Next came a performance that stirred up nostalgia from that time.

It was the stage for <Touch Me>, the song that won first place during the concept evaluation round.

As if they had never even flirted with the sexy concept, all the members returned in bright, refreshing outfits.

“Seven-member Touch Me is insane….”

Ha Junseo, with a polar bear hat flipped over his head.

When his soft face appeared on the digital billboard, light screams erupted from the fan seats.

Had the Hair & Makeup team gone all out?

The other members also popped up on stage one by one, each with a cute prop on their head.

Especially when Do Seohan, dressed in overalls, skipped around the stage, Dusty Yoona’s heart melted completely.

Why do you keep touching my heart

You keep on touching it

Bouncing my love

Now I’ll be the one to touch you first

The <Touch Me> stage was the much-awaited moment where they rode the torotco to the first floor fan section.

When the members rode the torotco and arrived right in front of the audience, the long-yearned moment to see Do Seohan in person finally came true.

“Aaaaah! Seohan!”

A towering height of 183cm.

Real-life Do Seohan was definitely too big to fit in one’s pocket…

But his handsome and youthful face looked just like what fans had seen on screen.

Do Seohan’s uniquely low voice softly echoed across the concert hall.

Under the dazzling, smiling sunlight

I remember the promise I made with you

Starting tomorrow, I’ll take one step closer

Do Seohan is refreshing, and refreshing is Do Seohan.

Yoona nodded furiously and muttered quietly.

“I can give you a house, not just my bank account…”

If we live together, anything’s possible.

Though with so many rivals around, it seemed like getting a waiting ticket would take forever.

[Do Seohan, marry me]

[Seohan, noona will wait for a year]

[I freaking love Do Hamjji]

Seohan glanced at the fluttering slogans with his eyes and let out a small laugh.

He even gave a thumbs-up in response to a few of them.

“Oh my god. Do Seohan saw mine!”

Someone in the front row shouted with joy.

‘I should’ve made one and held it up too.’

Dusty Yoona swallowed her dry regret and shook her head.

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on regrets.

‘I need to capture every moment with my eyes.’

The concert was slowly coming to an end.

“Everyone, this is the final song.”

“The real final song!”

“The real real final song!”

After finishing the third encore song, the members returned to the stage with nothing but awkward smiles.

The nearly 180-minute-long concert was now truly down to the last song.

Their stamina was drained to the point where breathing was difficult.

It felt like a miracle that they could still move around such a large stage.

Even so, something burning inside kept them going on this stage.

Even if I collapse, let me do it after the stage ends.

Seohan looked around the concert hall, dyed in a blue glow, with a faint smile.

The encore song that would serve as their final greeting.

Kang Siwoo’s voice trembled slightly as he introduced the song.

There were no more modifiers like “real real.”

“We’ll sing the true final song for you now.”

Composed by Cha Seongbin and performed live for the first time—Stardust’s first fan song.

The MR, holding special meaning for both fans and members, began to play on stage.

Cha Seongbin grasped the mic and gave a gentle smile.

I can’t understand it at all

At some point, something went wrong

What is this pounding feeling?

Please tell me the answer

The fan song had been rearranged into a ballad.

It was already a sentimental track, but maybe because it was sung in a vast concert hall—

Its rich sound hit right at the ears.

From the first line, it felt like their hearts were about to burst.

Seo Ian forced a smile as he took over the next part.

In the pitch-black universe, just a dust

Until you called out to me

I was nothing

But now I shine

We were nothing more than dust in the universe, but thanks to Dusty, we could shine.

That’s why we wanted to make this radiant, fleeting moment beautiful.

4 to 7, I draw you every day

When I imagine the blue star, we walk

Even if it’s far, I can reach it

I’ll become your universe

I’ll be your star

Shine bright, I’ll always be right here

Ha Junseo received the quiet rap from Seohan.

His normally clear diction began to waver.

“I’ll… be right here….”

Anyone could tell from the tearful note in his voice.

Murmur, murmur.

The audience started to stir.

“Junseo-hyung is crying.”

Jin Sehyun poked Seo Haim in the side with his elbow, but…

Then his eyes widened.

“Hey, are you crying too?”

This side wasn’t doing any better either.

Even more ridiculous was that Cha Seongbin, the one who started the bet, also had red eyes.

Even if I’m a star you can’t reach

Will you still hold my hand again, your dust

A wave of beautiful lightsticks rising and falling like waves.

Honestly, the sight was so beautiful—

It felt like a dream.

It swept through their entire bodies with a bliss so intense they wished this moment would freeze in time.

But if there’s a beginning, there must be an end.

Technically speaking, today’s concert was just the beginning.

It was time to briefly bring down the curtain on this day.

The fan song that the members had poured every ounce of sincerity into with every note.

Crying broke out in places, but the performance wrapped up safely.

“Aight—.”

Kang Siwoo gripped the mic to greet the fans.

“It’s time for our final farewell.”

“Nooo! Give us another encore!”

“Nooo… don’t end it…!”

The reliable leader who always held the team together.

Today, too, Kang Siwoo delivered the words that needed to be said, unwavering.

“This historic first concert—getting to spend it with you all made us so happy. You know we have another concert tomorrow, right?”

“Yeeeeees!”

“We’ll come back even cooler with every stage. Please look forward to it!”

“That’s right! Me too!”

Ha Junseo wiped away the tears flowing down his face with his sleeve and beamed brightly.

Seo Haim watched him and added softly,

“Hyung, you’re not supposed to laugh after crying….”

“You’re doing it too.”

“Heh. You’re right.”

The leader had finished what he needed to say.

Only then did Kang Siwoo’s eyelids begin to tremble.

Even on the digital billboard, his tear-soaked eyes looked visibly moist.

Normally, the fans would have teased him, but since they were crying with him now, the concert hall instantly turned into a sea of tears.

“Don’t cry! Don’t cry! Don’t cry!”

“Siwoo-ya, don’t cry!”

It would be a lie to say every moment had been joyful.

When his family matters became tabloid gossip, when he felt guilty for faltering as a leader—

He endured it all because there was the stage, because there were fans. And because there were the members.

That’s how he was able to hold on.

Kang Siwoo bit his lower lip tightly, holding back his tears.

“I love you, Dusty!”

One by one, the other members shared their thoughts.

Someone who delivered most of their words through tears with moist eyes.

“Hnnng… I was so happy….”

Once again, Soft Sundubu had completely melted down.

At this point, maybe the bet hadn’t meant anything from the beginning.

Even Jin Sehyun, who had stoically kept his eyes dry, broke down when it was his turn to speak.

Over the past two years, they had shared many stages with fans.

But this was the first time they had spent a full three hours solely with their fans, which made it a unique experience.

The overwhelming feelings weren’t going to fade easily.

Kang Siwoo let out a hollow laugh and spoke.

“All the members are crying.”

“Seriously. We shouldn’t have made that bet.”

“Hyung Cha Seongbin’s ‘buy-a-meal’ bet was definitely the safest option.”

“Ha ha!”

Cha Seongbin laughed and cried over and over, wiping his tears.

Last to take the mic was the youngest, Do Seohan.

Though he sniffled slightly, he still appeared rather composed.

Seohan let out a small laugh when his face showed up on the billboard.

“…Hah.”

His final remarks.

There was so much he had wanted to say, but the moment he held the mic, his mind went blank.

‘This is more nerve-wracking than giving an award speech.’

Strangely, his fingers trembled more than when they’d won Rookie of the Year.

He carefully chose his words.

Seohan smiled and began.

“It felt like a dream.”

If life were a drama, today would have been its very first highlight scene.

With his stamina at rock bottom, he felt like he was floating—making this moment feel even more surreal.

And yet, despite it all, this was reality.

Clear and vivid reality.

Which made it all the more overwhelming.

The truth is, there were many crises while preparing for this concert.

If he had been hit by the lighting just two weeks ago, he might not have been able to stand here.

A fact he had forgotten, even upon returning in time.

What had felt so natural wasn’t actually guaranteed.

Moments that perhaps were never meant to exist.

Seohan clenched his teeth and spoke with a trembling voice.

“While I was on stage today… I felt alive.”

He hadn’t meant to cry.

But he couldn’t help it.

This emotion sweeping over him—maybe it was proof that he was alive.

Seohan beamed as he continued haltingly.

“Feeling that way… it made me really happy. And. Being able to meet our Dusty after such a long wait…”

He gripped the mic tightly and opened his mouth.

“I was happy.”

A tear fell with a plop.

[Today’s concert made me happy]

Truly the most worthwhile expense of the year

You could feel how hard they worked to fill that short time with as much stage time as possible

My babies are so amazing ㅠㅠ

-Our Universe Dusts, who gave their all for a full-length concert, were truly incredible and admirable

└Seriously, the way they arranged the setlist was impressive—just wow

└They must’ve been exhausted, but as a fan, I was so happy ㅠㅠㅠ

└That concert was worth every penny

└180 minutes, for real? Other idols should take notes

[They made a bet not to cry and then broke down together]

Ha Junseo: Heung

Seo Haim: Ppueng

Seo Ian: Endless sobbing

But why was Seohan crying like that?

Did something hard happen while preparing for the concert ㅠㅠ

When he burst into tears while saying “I was happy,” it randomly hit me in the heart

-Seohan, why is that in past tense!!! You were happy, are happy, and will be happy!!

└That’s right

└Byo-Seohan, walk only on happy paths

└I’m a fellow fan but why does this move me so much ㅠㅠ It feels like we’re sincerely wishing for our artist’s happiness, and it makes me emotional. I hope Seohan sees this!

└22222

└Our Seohan must be happy!

-He does cry easily, but the way he sobbed at the concert really caught me off guard

└Our baby Hamjji is just weak to emotion

└I saw a photo posted by a homepage master—he looked all puffy, a crying Hamjji

└But that made him even cuter

└Even his crying is harmless, which makes him so lovable ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

.

.

.

Jin Sehyun’s scrolling hand came to a stop.

After a moment of thought, he looked up and asked Kang Siwoo.

“Shouldn’t we start waking him soon?”

Jin Sehyun turned his gaze toward the tightly closed room, instead of answering.

Kang Siwoo silently followed his line of sight with a somber expression.

“…….”

They had overworked a little to keep up with the concert schedule, but still—he was only a teenager.

It wasn’t an age where he should be this wiped out.

All the more worrisome, since he had endured even harsher schedules without a single complaint.

Aside from being forcibly woken up by the members to eat the bare minimum, the door had barely opened.

Kang Siwoo shook his head and responded to Jin Sehyun.

“Let him sleep a little longer.”

“Okay.”

Though he tried to sound calm, the leader’s insides were burning too.

And for good reason.

“I’m worried.”

Do Seohan hadn’t woken up for two days straight.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep