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The stage was in the midst of checking or maintaining lighting and sound equipment.

Countless audience seats stretched out in every direction.

The sight of Gocheok Sky Dome, which I had re-encountered after a long 12 years since Haeun’s baseball first pitch, was still vast.

It made Haeun herself ponder how she managed to pitch without a trace of nervousness in such an enormous space.

“Five hours. No, maybe about four hours left.”

The numerous audience seats in front of me were already entirely booked without a single one remaining.

In other words, by the time the performance of the <Infinite Challenge Music Festival> began, everywhere would be filled with people.

And, it was none other than Haeun herself who had to provide those countless people with an unforgettable moment.

The weight on her shoulders felt a bit heavier.

It was after that when Haeun joined Yoon Si-hyuk, who had been chatting with the other cast members of the <Infinite Challenge Music Festival>.

“I’m here.”

“Oh, you came?”

Then came the question about Haeun’s condition.

Haeun replied vaguely that she wasn’t sure yet and then began discussing the rehearsals for the Lee Haeun & Yoon Si-hyuk team.

About ten minutes of discussion followed with Yoon Si-hyuk.

They talked about which parts of the stage needed the most checking and which sections of their performance song required the most focus.

However, due to the news that she needed to have a brief interview with Yoon Si-hyuk before their first rehearsal, they moved to a folding chair placed slightly away from the performance stage for the interview.

The first question was about the teamwork between Haeun and Yoon Si-hyuk during the preparation for the performance.

At the request of the interview writer to answer as honestly and straightforwardly as possible, Haeun responded:

“It was easy because Uncle Si-hyuk approached me first. He listened to my feedback well.”

She summed up the rehearsal process, which had been free of any real discord.

Immediately after, Yoon Si-hyuk’s response was generally similar to Haeun’s.

But then he added,

“When I finally got first place in the mini-game and said I wanted to perform last, I really felt like I got hit in the back of the head.”

With a half-serious, half-joking tone, he shot Haeun a playful look, prompting her to awkwardly smile and muster up just three words: “Fighting!”

Shortly after, Yoon Si-hyuk returned with a sort of comedic banter.

“If I fight with Haeun, I lose. To survive, I have to be obedient. If Haeun wants to perform last, then she performs last…”

Knowing full well that it was unlikely any actual conflict would arise with Yoon Si-hyuk, she didn’t argue back.

At that moment, she briefly worried about the slightly aggressive side she had shown during the mini-game.

“Well, then, it’s just a rubber hammer… It should be fine.”

She decided to regard it as part of the entertainment.

She was still unsure how Haeun’s passionate display during the mini-game would be edited.

The second question that followed was about the acquaintances who had come to watch the performance of Haeun and Yoon Si-hyuk today.

“You’re performing in front of familiar faces. Please share a few words.”

After briefly pondering the request to respond as though sending a video message, Haeun organized her thoughts and opened her mouth.

“I’ll make sure you have a fun day from start to finish. I hope you enjoy my stage.”

Nayeon and Seongyun.

And Dayan and Yuseongjae.

Additionally, she left a video message for Lee Jihye and other members of Fantasy Town who would be watching her performance through the TV.

Although the last broadcast of <Infinite Challenge Music Festival>, which would include footage of Haeun’s stage, was scheduled to air two weeks later.

After Haeun’s video message ended, Yoon Si-hyuk’s video message began.

Following that, he briefly spoke about his son, who had just entered kindergarten when Haeun heard it.

– Swipe.

Having come a bit closer to Haeun, Yoon Si-hyuk opened his mouth again regarding his son.

“Our Dohyun is going to have a great performance with the cool sister he mentioned. So please give him a lot of applause~. Love you~.”

As Yoon Si-hyuk displayed the typical doting father demeanor, Haeun’s thoughts turned to a whirlwind for some reason.

Like before, when they were at the Sea Butterfly, it seemed she hadn’t yet gotten used to witnessing affection as a parent.

It was only after answering a couple more questions that their interview time came to an end.

In other words, it now meant it was time to really go for her rehearsal.

“Ah, ah. Mike test, mic test~.”

Before long, Haeun finally stepped onto the stage with Yoon Si-hyuk.

There was no trace of anxiety as Yoon Si-hyuk, standing right next to Haeun, conducted a microphone test with his usual light voice.

No matter what, Yoon Si-hyuk had been busy living as a celebrity for over ten years.

It wasn’t his first time standing on a large stage like Gocheok Sky Dome.

The special event of <Infinite Challenge Music Festival> wasn’t new to him either, so he displayed a proficient demeanor.

On the other hand, it was true that Haeun still felt out of place on such a large stage.

Fortunately, she didn’t make any notable mistakes during the rehearsal that followed.

“…If you think about it, it’s only been a year.”

It seemed there was still a way to go before she would feel as familiar as Yoon Si-hyuk among the numerous production staff around her.

With barely a year since she began to make a name for herself again, Haeun had a long road ahead before she could reach her goal of becoming a superstar.

In any case, since the rehearsal ended smoothly.

Now it was time to watch the rehearsals of other teams.

After that, she was busy reacting for the broadcast while observing the rehearsals of other teams for quite some time.

It couldn’t be denied that the performances of the other teams were quite remarkable.

“Hmm, of course, people whose main job is to be singers are different.”

“Actually, they said they might lose their bread and butter because of you?”

“…Ahaha.”

*

The time after the rehearsal flew by like an arrow.

There were so many things to do for the main performance, such as makeup, costume changes, and in-ear checks.

“Wow… You look totally like an idol.”

Jung Yoon’s commentary upon seeing Haeun after all the settings were completed.

As expected, a few camera shutter sounds drifted into Haeun’s ears.

Of course, the uploads of the photos were planned to be made only after the main performance ended.

Right now, it was just about sending

“Your mom thinks you’re super pretty, Haeun.”

“…Hmm.”

A picture of Haeun’s stage outfit to Nayeon and Seongyun, who were waiting for Haeun’s stage from the audience seating.

Thanks to that, Haeun’s earlobes turned slightly red.

Afterward, she repeatedly listened to the audio file of the performance song to engage in image training.

Not long from now, she whispered the lyrics of her song, which would soon fill Gocheok Sky Dome, in her heart over and over again.

And so, time passed once again.

“Until now, it was the Rick & Song Hyun-min team! Thank you─!”

It was now Haeun’s turn to perform.

In other words, the moment when the penultimate performance of the <Infinite Challenge Music Festival> was completely finished.

“Alright, let’s go~.”

Alongside Yoon Si-hyuk, who always exhibited a friendly demeanor, she moved toward the back of the stage.

Not long after that, the introduction message from Sung Yuseok began to sound.

“Next up is the Lee Haeun & Yoon Si-hyuk team’s ‘T. R. E. N. D.’! Please give a big round of applause─!”

A roar of cheers and applause burst forth, as if the air had exploded behind it.

So, stepping forward.

Haeun and Yoon Si-hyuk each made their way to the left and right sides of the stage.

The stage remained completely dark.

Taking a deep breath in the face of the multitude of audience members beyond the pitch-black stage.

The twinkling lights in front of her were the camera flashes of the audience watching Haeun’s stage.

It would be a blatant lie to say she wasn’t at all anxious.

Nonetheless, the melody of the performance song played in the background, and the moment to lift the handheld microphone drew closer.

​

-♬──♪♪!

As the melody quickened, Haeun shifted her gaze toward the camera approaching her among the performance staff.

And in that instant, just as all the music completely stopped.

-Swipe.

Haeun and Yoon Si-hyuk struck the pose they had deliberated on long ago.

Almost simultaneously, the numerous stage lights came on brightly.

In the center of the vast stage of Gocheok Sky Dome, Haeun and Yoon Si-hyuk stood, filling the screen alternately.

The roaring cheers that followed were explosive.

-Waahhh!!!!

Thus, as the previously halted melody of “T. R. E. N. D.” resumed…

Yoon Si-hyuk’s call of “Are you all ready to have fun─!!” filled Gocheok Sky Dome.

​

“Now I go higher─♪”

The unique and clear tone of Haeun echoed forcefully from the very beginning without any adjustment.

It was the moment when the stage, which would be talked about for a long time as Haeun had once said, began.

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