* * *
Han Taeyang was in the middle of a freshman gathering. From the TV placed in a corner of the restaurant, 〈King of Mask Singer〉 was already deep into the second round.
“Ah, Seo Eden.”
“You a fan?”
“Hey, he was insanely popular back in middle school!”
Just earlier, during the stage with and , everyone had been watching in silence.
You know how it is—when a loud group suddenly goes quiet all at once. That had been exactly what just happened.
“Unexpected. I thought he couldn’t sing at all.”
“Yeah. But looks like Seo Eden’s getting into acting now.”
On the screen, they were talking about Seo Eden’s upcoming project.
—I’m taking on acting for the first ti, and in a drama called 〈Youth Disqualified!〉...
—Oh, what kind of role is it?
—Are you the main character?
—Ah, no, not that. Just... sothing that suits perfectly.
Sweat still glistening on him, Seo Eden smiled brightly as he continued introducing the drama.
—The first love... of freshn!
As he added a playful bit of aegyo, laughter burst from Han Taeyang’s table—actual freshn.
“I an, it’s not wrong.”
“Seriously. If there was a senior like Seo Eden in our departnt, I’d change my background music from that day on.”
Han Taeyang straightened his posture.
Because Seo Eden wasn’t done yet.
“I saw the teaser for that drama.”
Here it cos.
“Isn’t that your sister, Taeyang...?”
Han Taeyang controlled his expression and gave a short nod.
Since 〈EmBubu〉, people had started recognizing him from ti to ti. Even within his departnt, it seed word had already spread that he was Han Yeoreum’s younger brother.
“Why? What about Taeyang’s sister?”
“Han Yeoreum....”
“Whaaaat?!”
As her na spread again among those who didn’t know, the table erupted into noise.
Han Taeyang glanced sideways at the screen.
The stage had already moved on to the second round. No one was really trying to guess ’s identity anymore.
But Han Taeyang knew.
‘So that’s how she was singing like that in the shower....’
All those days of looping the sa song like a broken machine—it had paid off.
Among the classmates here who claid to be fans of Han Yeoreum—
that was Han Yeoreum...
“You think that’s your sister?”
Soone knows?
“Who? One of the panelists?”
“She wasn’t there earlier though?”
“No, not the panel.”
The classmate sitting across from him suddenly felt familiar.
Short bob haircut.
“Aori Apple.”
She was wearing the new winter knit from brand N—modeled by Han Yeoreum.
And now that he thought about it, the scent from the ends of her hair—ALAB.
The barely-there tint on her lips—that exact shade people called “Han Yeoreum ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) lip balm.”
“Right?”
Only then did Han Taeyang realize where that sense of familiarity ca from.
At the end of the bag hanging on her chair—
a lon soda keyring from the 〈ParCheHi〉 Blu-ray special.
And just then, her phone lit up with a notification.
Her wallpaper—
“I knew it the mont I heard it!”
It was disguised to look like sothing normal—
but Han Taeyang recognized it instantly.
The “The Great Garland postcard vertical ver wallpaper.”
* * *
“Yeoreum, that was amazing!”
“Aren’t you hot?”
I took off my mask and revealed my identity.
Well—this was my waiting room.
I had co down from the stage completely covered up so no one would recognize , wiping away sweat.
“Look how red her face is.”
“Here, a fan.”
All those intense practice sessions while showering had paid off.
Even I was surprised when I hit those high notes cleanly.
‘How am I seriously good at everything...?’
Just thinking about how this broadcast would be edited into a new “Han Yeoreum stan mont” on the “Everyday Yeoreum” account made my heart race.
‘Unnie. I always like your posts.’
And every morning, afternoon, evening, and even at dawn, I go in and boost the views.
Those comnts you heart—I’ve already liked them all first....
“Eat this before the next round, Yeoreum.”
“Yes.”
I popped the candy Manager Choi fed into my mouth.
The cool mint flavor soothed the heat burning inside.
“And I’ll play this—do so image training.”
“Yes.”
I steadied myself while listening to the beautiful audio Coordinator Hwang played for .
INTUBE
[ASMR – Experience the life of a popular star receiving applause on stage] 1:02:03
Views 14,566
—How is this ASMR when it’s this loud..? T_T
—I turned this on to fall asleep and then this shit started playing and I woke up instantly, take ASMR out of the title while I’m still being nice, this pissed off
—Who the hell calms down listening to this LOLOLOLOL this is so ridiculous it’s funny LMAO
If I get used to stages like this—
then when I hold a solo fan eting later, I’ll be able to show sothing even better.
I imagined the future in my head.
INTUBE
[Stan Point♥ Is this an actress or an idol? Han Yeoreum’s hidden dance lines]
[Top 5 actors who surprisingly sing well]
[Fan casting – From pure idol girl group center to maknae Pick]
Even thinking about that stage just now—
it was seriously perfect.
To the point that if I perford it at a fan eting later, everyone would absolutely love it.
‘No one knows it’s , right?’
Especially since Seo Eden—who’s in the sa drama—ca out too,
it felt like there was no way anyone would figure it out.
‘When I take off the mask... how shocked will they be?’
Just imagining surprising everyone—
my heart was already fluttering.
* * *
At that sa ti, IP 85.152 was certain.
“That’s obviously Han Yeoreum!”
Even soone who wasn’t a theater or musical fan—just a regular person—could recognize it instantly.
Because there was no one who hadn’t seen Han Yeoreum’s Taiwan 〈Strange Tales〉 fan eting video.
The voice from when she sang the OST for that youth film—
was identical to ’s voice.
“That delivery! How can you not recognize that?”
And that precise pronunciation—
it was exactly the sa as the script reading clips that had appeared in the recent 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 vlog.
Those had racked up hundreds of thousands of views.
Even casual viewers had seen them.
“If you saw that, you’d know.”
IP 85.152 entered the 〈King of Mask Singer〉 gallery.
Everyone was talking about Seo Eden.
[I told you it was an idol LOLOLOL]
If they paid that much attention to the mask it’s 100%
Anonymous (15.1) who here didn’t realize Phantom was a male idol LOLOL stop overreacting
Anonymous (23.232) why are you acting like you did sothing amazing, you weren’t even the one who guessed Seo Eden
IP 85.152 let out a sigh.
So there were people who figured out Seo Eden.
“But you can’t recognize Han Yeoreum?”
They paused, trying to think rationally.
“Seo Eden’s been around for almost ten years....”
There was plenty of information about him.
And maybe so of his fans—those good at pretending to be normal users—had infiltrated the gallery and posted hints.
[Who do you think Aori Apple is LOLOLOL I think it’s a codian]
Since the outfit looks like a girl group idol, maybe it’s a twist? Or maybe an online lecture instructor? they’re obsessed with diction in that field
Anonymous (13.1) I also think online lecturer, it’s peak exam season for seniors right now
Anonymous (211.234) oh nice insight
“Are these people insane?”
Sothing was clearly wrong.
If they had seen the fan eting video and the script reading clips, they should’ve recognized it imdiately.
But because they assud only one person from 〈Youth Disqualified!〉 ca out—
no one even considered it could be Han Yeoreum.
“No, seriously....”
IP 85.152 sighed again, trying—really trying—to understand this absurd situation.
There was more than enough evidence.
How could no one notice?
The broadcast station must have planned this—sending Seo Eden and Han Yeoreum out together.
They tried to accept it—
really accept it—
and then.
Post: How do you not know who Aori Apple is? I recognized it instantly LOLOL
Failed.
* * *
“Director!”
This was Cheongdam. Inside JC ENM’s new headquarters.
Assistant Shin—now promoted—called out to Director Hong, who had also been promoted.
Following the massive success of 〈The Great Garland〉 and the ten-million milestone of 〈Faster Than the Law 2〉—
both of them had risen in rank.
“What is it?”
“Soone showed up in the 〈King of Mask Singer〉 gallery who figured out Aori Apple.”
“What?”
Director Hong stared at the screen, startled.
A long, detailed analysis post filled the monitor.
“What kind of person is this...?”
“Doesn’t seem like a normal fan.”
The person had even linked videos, comparing Han Yeoreum’s vocalization.
Definitely not normal.
“A detective or sothing?”
“Maybe a voice analyst?”
Director Hong checked the comnts and sighed.
Anonymous (23.4) looking at it like this it’s obvious LOLOL analysis upvote
Anonymous (18.111) two people from the sa drama for promotion? clueless lol
Anonymous (106.22) what the hell;; were you waiting for this mont? it just aired and this is way too long, didn’t even read it all
Director Hong quickly took screenshots in case the post disappeared.
“Spread this later as a ‘legend post.’”
Originally, the focus should’ve been on “no one knew.”
But if it beca a story about a mysterious “fan” uncovering the identity—
that made it twice as interesting.
“Oh, our kid’s coming back on.”
As the second round ended, Director Hong looked at Han Yeoreum stepping up for the next match.
“It’s a ballad, right?”
First song—rock.
Second—ballad.
Han Yeoreum had chosen the safest route to prove her vocal ability.
“She’s really going to nail that drama promotion.”
Director Hong smiled like a proud father, his eyes curving warmly.
* * *
The panelists of 〈King of Mask Singer〉 looked again at stepping onto the stage.
‘One hundred percent an idol....’
Because the mont she ca up—
she pressed both hands to her cheeks and shook her head side to side.
That ingrained cuteness ca out as naturally as breathing.
“Our Aori Apple! You seem pretty nervous before this stage?”
Instead of the previous winner catching their breath, the MC directed the question to her.
“I want to sing already!”
Her voice, altered by modulation, answered energetically.
The atmosphere softened instantly.
“That confident, huh?”
“I practiced a lot.”
“Oh? How much practice are we talking?”
“Every ti I shower, I....”
The cara captured the audience smiling warmly.
Everyone who had heard her earlier performance was already anticipating the next song.
What kind of song would she sing this ti?
That pleasant curiosity filled their faces.
“Then, the next stage—wow, today’s song choices are really sothing.”
The MC tilted his head at the cue card, heightening the curiosity even more.
Clunk.
The brightly lit stage darkened.
So clasped their hands tightly.
Others covered their mouths in anticipation.
And finally—
the intro of the song began.
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