𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 ―𝐝.𝐨.𝐝

Chapter 50

Then how desperately did he want to be an idol?

I knew why I had such an interest in Park Moondae; it was because he was so desperate to achieve something.

I was someone who lived without any goal. I've only ever lived in the present. To live was to only survive. I didn't have the luxury of having a passion when I could die the next day with a gun to my head.

During this program, I learned that I could feel pure happiness. On the stage, it wasn't just adrenaline. It was happiness.

The spotlight felt nice. The slowing hum of cheers in my pounding heart was equally as nice.

I actually found something that might be worth being passionate about.

And it was because of Moondae hyung.

"So if you want to debut, I'll help you," I thought, slinking my head deeper into the crevice of his neck. "I'll do whatever you want. Don't leave me."

Moondae hyung mumbled in his sleep, but his breathing was even and his eyebrows were relaxed. I liked it better when he looked calm like this.

After a few more minutes of sleeping, I heard the sound of the door opening.

I remained silent as Moondae hyung stirred awake. He sat up.

"M-moondae," Ahyun hyung called out. "L-look at this!"

Even though my eyes were closed, I could see a bright light being shoved in Moondae hyung's direction.

I assumed the others found out about the article.

I tightened my arms around Moondae hyung's waist with a little sigh.

"Ah," Ahyun hyung whispered. "Is M-min...sleeping?"

When Moondae hyung didn't respond, he peeped, "N-nevermind!"

"Hey!" It was now Sejin hyung's voice. The door slammed into the wall as it was kicked open.

I frowned and opened my eyes.

"Oops, was Seungmin also still sleeping?"

His voice was light. He also knew about the article.

"Anyways," he grinned, seeing the phone in Moondae hyung's hand, "what did I say? I told you to wait, didn't I?"

Moondae hyung glanced down at me.

I smiled.

"You didn't have to worry."

"...Right," he meekly agreed. Then after a long pause, he muttered, "Thank you."

Everyone widened their eyes. He lulled his eyes from me to the other two.

"Thanks to you, I can continue with the broadcast."

Then he laughed happily for the first time out of relief. I hugged him tighter.

"Hey, Seungminnie, you're going to squeeze out Moondae's heart at this rate," Sejin hyung smirked.

Moondae hyung tapped my arm, so I reluctantly let go.

"Anyway, how did you get this?" he asked, handing the phone back to Ahyun hyung.

"I a-asked for them to t-tell me when something n-new came out!" Ahyun hyung said with a bright smile.

The last of the team came in, and Moondae hyung explained the entire situation to Raebin who didn't get the full story before. He didn't talk about his suicide, but he brought up his memory loss.

I had to return my phone secretly after this. I continued to communicate with B through the usual Morse code light during the night.

Moondae hyung was a hot topic throughout the remaining days of practice.

His fans worked hard to identify his haters once learning of his injustice, and soon the news of the aggressive sasaengs* breaking into his home was found out. Their group chat was exposed.

*harmful stalkers who call themselves fans

There was a picture of Park Moondae's resident registration in the group chat leak. It was cut up and crumpled, but the people had pieced it back together and taken a picture of it.

Because of that, the fact that Moondae hyung was an orphan was exposed.

"Sorry," B had coded. "It was already spreading by the time I saw. I can't delete all of the posts. Those four accounts are still frozen like you asked, but I can't stop all the other fans from finding it."

"But now no one can insult Moondae hyung," I coded back.

"His stocks are rising, and I bought a lot with your money. Just worry about yourself now."

So Moondae hyung's debut was confirmed. And I wanted to debut with him.

I put in my all to the practices afterward.

I kept my attitude like this until the final performance.