The Maknae Has to Be an Idol

While I was sitting in the living room and checking the responses for our self-produced fan song and music video, I got a call from Kang Hyun-Sung. My members were surprised even more than me that he suddenly called us.

“Senior Hyun-Sung?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

“Why would he suddenly call you at this time?”

“Did he call to perhaps, congratulate Do-Seung on his birthday?”

“...As if.”

My members appeared surprised.

‘Rather than being happy about the call, they seem a bit uncomfortable.’

My members must have been monitoring the public response on their own too and must have read about the remaining rivalry set between us and Only One. Though it couldn’t have been helped when we were in The Showcase because of how the program was structured, now that our careers and the group’s name were in the line, we couldn’t help but become more aware and sensitive to it. Thus, everyone must’ve expressed discomfort without meaning to.

‘We would have to meet Only One in broadcast later though. I guess it will be fine as long as nothing happens then,’ I thought and looked back at my phone screen. I pondered for a long time whether I should accept this call and pressed the end call button.

‘I shouldn’t accept it.’

“Is it okay even if you don’t get the call?”

“Oh...”

“You are coming off strong.”

“There’s no need to take the call this instance,” I replied.

“That’s true.”

“Hmm...”

“But I wondered why he called.”

My members wondered about the fundamental question of why Kang Hyun-Sung called me, and it wasn’t difficult to come up with possible reasons.

“Maybe he called to ask if we're really collaborating with JayQueen.”

“... Probably.”

“Haaa...”

“News sure spread fast.”

“No, it’s not just that. There are so many articles about it. It would be stranger if he didn’t know.”

We soon ended our conversation about the call since there was nothing much for us to gain by continuing to discuss the reason for Kang Hyun-Sung’s call.

“I just messaged Ms. Seung-Yeon and Ms. Hyuna that we uploaded the music video and song. They will take care of the rest now.”

We had already requested Ms. Seung-Yeon and Ms. Hyuna to talk to the journalists, and the two already told us that they would contact the journalists whom they exchanged cards with. It might be going too far to ask journalists to write us an article for just a self-produced fan song and music video, but the reason for it was simple.

‘It sure is hard to work with Won-Dong...’ It was to develop a strategic friendship with Yoo Won-Dong. Whether it was a gift or an ambush, its effect was more critical if it was unexpected.

“I think we can just wait for a bit now. We did everything we can do for now.”

“Yeah.”

“Haa.”

“I hope everything works out well.”

“It will so don’t worry about it.”

I placed my phone in my pocket and desperately tried to push away negative thoughts from my head.

***

Unlike what the name ‘Voyage’ indicated, the background for Siren’s fan song’s music video was set at a mountain instead of the ocean. This couldn’t be helped since the members filmed the music video while filming the reality program. Yet, Siren used this setback to even their advantage and the opening of their video began with a spread-out of a foreign magazine with a picture of the ocean on it.

The members pointed at the magazine and then, brought a piece of paper that said it was a checklist of things they needed to do. Each of the members wrote something down on the list but the screen didn’t fully capture it. From then on, the song’s beat began to flow out, and the main story of the music video began to unravel.

A sentimental and bright piano sound seeped in, and an exciting marimba sound echoed from behind. Its tempo was slightly slower than medium and because of that, the opening naturally gave a warm, cozy feeling. Tae-Yoon sang the first lines.

—Everywhere I look, it’s pitch black in this deep night

—But it was you who found me that day

—This moment, I walked towards you again

—Ooh—Ooh—Oh

Tae-Yoon sat on top of a tree and jerked his head from side to side. He walked up the mountain and smiled brightly for the camera. Perhaps, because of how natural the colors and angles were, the video felt much more private and comforting. Next, Dong-Jun continued the song.

—Listen to who this song is about

—You and me, we can never separate. Wait for it

—Whoever says otherwise, I will be with you till the end

—Ooh—Ooh—Oh

Dong-Jun then popped out in front of Tae-Yoon with a mischievous smile. Then, he tried to climb a tree and slipped and smiled brightly as he jumped around the mountain. It was a moment when Dong-Jun’s usual playfulness shined. The next part was Woon’s. Unlike Tae-Yoon and Dong-Jun’s parts where a similar melody just repeated, the notes changed into minor keys and a more sentimental melody rang out.

—OH, YOU AND ME You are my soft embrace

—The only dream I have been waiting for all these nights

—The path I take towards you

—It shines like a dream

Woon’s beautiful and sentimental voice suited the minor scale perfectly and stuck inside the listener’s head. Woon looked up at the sky while sitting at the edge of the porch and stared intently at the camera with his hand positioned on his chin. Then, he smiled softly and seemed to look elsewhere. Afterwards, the melody brightened again and Yeon-Hoon popped in front of the camera.

—SO I WILL BE SAILING FOR YOU!

—At the end of this deep ocean

—I WILL BE SAILING FOR YOU

—I will surf through these high winds and turbulent waves

—SAILING FOR YOU

—I will head towards your embrace, your dream

—To where you are

This was the highlight of the song. Yet, in contrary to the common expectations that Yeon-Hoon would sing the entire highlight section, Do-Seung came out in the second section and sang.

—YOU ARE MY COMPASS

—At the end of the high tide, we lost our way 𝐟𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘄𝗲𝐛𝐧𝐨𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝗰𝐨𝐦

—BUT I WILL NEVER GIVE UP

—As long as you are here

—I WILL KEEP SAILING

—Till I reach you

As Do-Seung's low and heavy voice joined Yeon-Hoon’s clear and high voice, the highlight had two clear and distinct sections, making it unforgettable to the listeners. Fans paid more attention to this part because Do-Seung, who didn’t tend to sing, had this singing part instead of a rap.

The second and third verses flowed in the same structure and when the music video seemed to reach its end, Tae-Yoon stood on top of a hill where the sun was setting and looked up at the sky. The melody gradually quieted until all sound seemed to become mute.

—Hahaha!

—Let’s all go together!

—Everyone, come here!

Rather than the music, the members’ voices flowed in and they all rushed to Tae-Yoon’s side. That was how Tae-Yoon’s lone scene changed to a scene with the whole group.

Thud. The video came to an end.

***

After the fan song or Siren’s self-produced music video was released, Siren’s fans buzzed with excitement. Since it was a gift that came unexpectedly, they didn’t expect it to be of high quality. Yet, the song, Voyage was a song that exceeded their expectations and even their self-produced music video had a ‘pro’ feel to it.

—Ahhhh this song is so good

—Ah...Tae-Yoon...makes me seriously crazy...(Tae-Yoon smiling brightly.gif)

—How can this person be human? Isn’t he just a puppy? (Dong-Jun jumping around.gif)

—Look at how vibrant our soft peach looks after receiving sunlight ahhhh (Yeon-Hoon squinting his eyes under the sunlight.gif)

The fans’ mouths gaped at the quality of the video, which was like a photobook. The video appeared to be self-produced, so they wondered how the group had managed to think of the composition and angles like this.

—Who filmed this video????

—Seeing how Tae-Yoon is missing whenever the four of them come out, I think Tae-Yoon shot most of it

—they didn’t get a professional photographer but Tae-Yoon?

—that seems like the case

—damn, I’m dying

—Oh, this is love

—Even Yeon-Hoon’s family wouldn’t be able to shoot him so lovingly

People expressed their surprise that Tae-Yoon was the one who filmed this video.

—Kang Do-Seung’s voice is insane.

—It kills me seeing Lee Woon look so sorrowful (Woon looking at the camera.jpg)

—Why did they show Do-Seung doing pull-ups on the tree hahaha (Do-Seung doing pull-ups.gif)

—This is really the greatest gift

—Where else can you find idols who give gifts like this?

And, as fans spent an enjoyable time discussing and analyzing the song and video’s killing points, another rumor spread.

—?? It was Yoo Won-Dong’s idea to send this out on Do-Seung’s birthday?

—????

—Won-Dong did?

While marketing Siren’s fan song and music video, there came a rumor that Yoo Won-Dong was behind the project. f(r)eewebn(o)vel.com

***

On Do-Seung’s birthday, May 5th, Yoo Won-Dong came to work and saw that there was a mountain pile of reports addressed to him. Though it was a national holiday, Yoo Won-Dong and the marking team members had to come to work because of the events that happened last night.

In terms of just results, this was all good news, and they suffered no losses. Siren’s abrupt fan song stirred up great buzz on the internet and had an enormous marketing effect. Furthermore, they succeeded in focusing the idol fandom’s attention on Siren. It wasn’t the public reach and awareness that Yoo Won-Dong wanted, but they had succeeded in raising people’s awareness of them in the idol world. On top of that, the articles stated that the one behind all this work was Yoo Won-Dong.

‘What nonsense is this...’ Yoo Won-Dong thought to himself. When he studied the article, most of the content was about Siren, but at the end, there was a line.

[Sources say that the fan song and music video opening date had been decided after discussing with Next Wave’s representative, Yoo Won-Dong.]

He didn’t understand why the article that had been complimenting Siren the whole article would suddenly include a piece of unnecessary information like this. Only one thing seemed to be certain.

‘Someone is behind this.’

Just like how he tried to stir responses with insinuations of collaborating with JayQueen, these articles were part of someone’s big picture. From the fact that such unnecessary information was included in the last line and articles came up just ten minutes after the video was released as if it was planned, it was obvious that someone was behind this happening.

Yoo Won-Dong wasn’t sure whether he should be happy about this or not. Generally, he liked the fact that people were already noticing him, but it made him nervous that things were happening without his knowledge and jurisdiction.

“Haaaa,” he sighed. ‘Moreover, why is the response for this so good?’

It displeased him that the collaboration news with JayQueen that he propelled had a lukewarm response while this project that he didn’t have a hand in was receiving explosive responses.

Knock, knock.

It was then, that someone knocked on his office door.

“...Come in,” Yoo Won-Dong answered, hiding his conflicted feelings.

“Hello, sir. Do you have some time to spare right now?”

“What is it?”

“Siren contacted us to ask if they could meet with you.”

“Oh...Siren?”

Yoo Won-Dong realized it then who the one behind all this commotion was.

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