༺ Requesting Cloud Support from a Shooting Star – 3 ༻
Seo Yu @HW_YK00
This is it! This is it!!!!!
baby, run – 2Planet – Give it a listen.
http://kkk.to/JDKFLS
by SOOBAK
1 Retweet 9 Likes
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
It’s crazy how good baby run ** is, the choreography is insaneㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
2 Likes
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
I was hooked after watching their pre-debut dance videosㅠㅠ I was a bit disappointed they didn’t dance as hard after their debut, but I’m so thrilled right now!!!!!
Winter @**
I’m offering mutual follows. Pressed like on your post.
baby, run – 2Planet – Give it a listen.
http://kkk.to/JDKFLS
by SOOBAK
1 Like
Seo Yu @HW_YK00
@2_planet_official I really love this new song. It’s totally my taste!ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ The choreography is really good, but I’m worried it’s too intenseㅠ Be careful not to get hurt. I saw the news, and they said the pneumonia virus is dangerousㅠ Take good care of your health! #HeeUkLetter
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
#HeeUkLetter Wook-ah, I love the choreography this timeㅠ3ㅠ It looks dangerous! Make sure to wear knee pads on stage! ㅠDid you see the news? Beware of pneumonia!
“It’s about the pneumonia that came from abroad.”
Unconsciously, they were already three weeks into their ‘baby, run’ promotions. Hee-wook had just finished a music broadcast and was checking social media during their schedule when he suddenly stopped at Eun Sung’s words. Eun Sung was sitting in the passenger seat and couldn’t see the screen of his phone, so it was interesting that he had muttered the exact words that were on the screen.
“It’s probably nothing, right?”
“Why the sudden pneumonia?”
Jae Gyu, who had an earphone in only one ear, asked with a puzzled expression. Eun Sung clicked his tongue.
“Didn’t you watch the news?”
“Well, I tend to forget things that don’t concern me.”
“The fans are mentioning it in every letter, it doesn’t sound like it doesn’t concern us.”
“Ah, fans always worry too much. Could it really be that serious?”
Jae Gyu finished speaking and stretched out languidly. Eun Sung shrugged his shoulders. Hee-wook, who had been listening to Eun Sung and Jae Gyu’s conversation, turned his gaze back to the screen.
The articles about the ‘pneumonia from abroad’ were quite alarming, but not enough to truly affect him. He just thought he should be careful not to catch a cold since it’s winter.
The promotions for the new song went on as usual. They went on the music show’s ending stage and applauded the first-place artist of the day, met their fans through public broadcast attendances, outdoor mini fan meetings, and fan signing events.
Hee-wook worked even harder than before. Singing, dancing, managing his condition, conversing with fans. He did his best hoping the fans wouldn’t feel the absence of Yoon Min.
The crack in the ordinary routine happened after ‘baby, run’s domestic activities and the album release event tour in Japan had all finished.
“All of them are canceled?”
Upon returning from Japan, Jae Gyu jumped up at the news that all of their tightly scheduled events for the next month had been canceled. The chair fell over with a bang, the sound reverberating.
The canceled schedules also included a domestic fan club meeting. Hee-wook took a deep breath behind his mask.
Things had dramatically changed just before they left for Japan. Mask-wearing became mandatory, music shows stopped accepting audiences, and gathering of multiple people in places like restaurants and cafes were prohibited. Still, he thought things would get better soon.
After returning to Korea, he saw an article stating that a famous idol group’s end-of-the-year concert was tentatively postponed, which made him feel a bit anxious. But he never dreamed that all offline schedules would be canceled.
“So, what do we do now?”
“We have to rest at this point, what else can we do?”
At the manager’s resigned words, the members looked at each other with surprised expressions. The album promotion had ended and the official hiatus had begun, but they didn’t expect it to be a literal ‘hiatus’.
***
“Is it okay for the days to pass so aimlessly? It’s already the end of spring and I’ve done nothing.”
Jae Gyu, lying sprawled out in the practice room, mumbled to himself as if he were talking alone.
“Can you say it’s flowing? It feels like it’s stopped.”
Young Woo, the youngest, leaning his back against the mirror, responded. He had a workbook placed between his legs and was solving problems. Hee-wook was standing leaning against the wall with earphones plugged in, but he hadn’t played any music.
“Will we be able to make a comeback?”
Jae Gyu asked into the air. This time, Young Woo did not respond. Hee-wook also clenched his fist in silence.
The pneumonia, which everyone initially thought was no big deal, was named ‘COVID-19’ and gradually spread widely. The virus swelled uncontrollably, blocking people’s movements.
Audiences disappeared and concert halls closed their doors. When overseas routes were blocked and they couldn’t go abroad, popular idols, who usually left their spots vacant every season for overseas tours, turned their eyes to domestic music broadcasts. Since the number of performers in each broadcast was limited, the chances for relatively less famous groups to get on stage decreased even more.
“I miss… the stage.”
Eun Sung mumbled. Hee-wook opened his mouth to agree but quickly shut it due to the overwhelming sense of despair.
Even when hardships struck, he thought that if they just worked hard and ran forward, they would soon see the light. However, as the situation didn’t improve, their steps, once filled with enthusiasm, gradually slowed down. Everything was just bleak.
The time for the less popular idols had stopped, but the world’s time continued to flow rapidly. Winter passed, and spring ended without them being able to do anything. They had always been busy with events during the cherry blossom season and the month of families, but this season, they merely let time slip away in the underground practice room.
There were also limits to keeping the fans engaged with content produced within the company. The number of posts on the fan cafe and the number of people mentioning TwoPlanet on SNS gradually decreased. The number of viewers for live broadcasts also dwindled day by day. As the weather got hotter, the members’ morale also fell day by day.
Then one day, at the beginning of summer, the CEO of their agency called for Hee-wook.
“Hee-wook.”
“Yes?”
“How old are you this year?”
Confused by the unexpected question, Hee-wook replied evenly.
“I’m twenty-seven.”
“Right, you’re already in your late twenties.”
CEO Kim pushed open the window and put a new cigarette between his lips. Leaning against the window, he lit the end of the stick. Hee-wook just watched him silently. After deeply inhaling the smoke, the CEO let it out into the air with a puff.
“You know, it might be good to get it done while you still have the strength, given you’ll have to go anyway?”
“Pardon?”
“Rather than going when you’re older, it might be much better to be done with it while you’re still in your twenties.”
“What are you saying…?”
As Hee-wook looked at him with a confused expression, CEO Kim clicked his tongue.
“I’m talking about the military. The military.”
The word that fell with a thud straightened Hee-wook’s back like a bolt from the blue. Hee-wook opened his eyes wide and asked if he had heard correctly.
“The military?”
“Yeah, what do you think about getting it done early? By the time you’re discharged, won’t everything be back to normal?”
Twenty-seven. It was a slightly early age for an idol to enlist in the military. Most celebrities continued their activities throughout their twenties and only went to the military when they turned thirty. But for non-celebrities, it was an age when many had already finished their military service. Hee-wook’s mind was tangled.
CEO Kim, who had mixed his sigh with a puff of white smoke, flicked his cigarette into the ashtray.
“To be honest, the company is struggling too. Yun Min has lost interest, you guys have no events to attend, and even if we go into debt to release another album, we’ll only suffer losses. We can’t even dream of preparing for a comeback for the time being.”
CEO Kim continued in a grim tone.
“For a while, you won’t be able to do anything. How unfair would it be to waste time being unemployed, not going to the military, and then enlist when you could actually be active?”
“…I suppose so.”
“Right, you’re smart Hee-wook. You know what I mean, don’t you? You understand the situation?”
Hee-wook, looking at CEO Kim who had stepped closer, slowly dropped his head.
“Yes, I understand…”
“…Alright, let’s get it over with soon.”
CEO Kim reached out and placed his hand on Hee-wook’s shoulder. Thud, thud. The weighty touch patted his shoulder a few times.
“Since it’s still the era of COVID, the military won’t be too harsh. The situation will be better when you come back. At least better than now.”
Hee-wook slowly blinked his eyes. There was nothing to refute, and no other choices to consider. He had no choice but to accept the only card that was handed out to him.
It was the best option.
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