Chapter 24 Chapter 24
The night breeze was chilly, the streets empty, the streetlights dim. The two walked side by side, their shadows trailing behind them. Silence stretched for a distance. For some reason, no one spoke for a moment. Lia tried to appear natural.
But she didn't know how to start. "Is the show about to start recording?" Quan Zhilong finally spoke. "Yeah." Lia nodded. "Are you nervous?" "A little, but not really yet." She answered honestly.
"Young-bae said you might not participate..." "Young-bae...it seems he's not very familiar with him," Quan Zhilong said teasingly. "We're a little familiar with each other," Lia replied softly.
"It's true that I may not participate," he raised an eyebrow, a little proudly, "After all, we are very popular now." "So, while the senior is right next to you, don't you have any questions?"
Lia's lips twitched slightly, but she didn't respond immediately. Her real problem wasn't the show itself. She couldn't say what she wanted to say. Seeing her delay in replying, G-Dragon looked at her with a puzzled look.
"Don't you have any questions? For example, the program mechanism, how to gain popularity... This opportunity is rare, please ask me~~" "I'm very popular--"
Even though most of his face was covered by a mask, his sparkling eyes still accurately conveyed his anticipation. "Then..." Lia hesitated for a moment, then finally agreed, "So, Oppa, do you have any... inside information? About the show?"
"Of course—" He gasped, "—no, hahahaha." Lia looked at him expressionlessly. What had she been struggling with? Suddenly, she couldn't empathize with herself just a minute ago.
The silent atmosphere disappeared in an instant. "But as for the show, it's pretty much the same." Quan Zhilong stopped while he was ahead and returned to his serious expression. "Be a little more gentle,
"It's like documenting training life; if it's a little cruel, it's like a survival competition; most commonly, it's a combination of both." This is the usual routine of entertainment companies.
The earliest emotional connection between fans and idols is often based on two mechanisms: curiosity due to fun, or heartache due to pain.
"The mechanics of the show itself aren't really important." He paused, tilted his head to glance at her, and slowly said, "What's important is that you let the audience see your unique 'charm'."
"A charm that belongs only to me..." Lia repeated in a low voice. This was something she rarely considered. The company's training system had conditioned her to accept the fact that it evaluated her skills—singing, dancing, and consistency.
So all along, she took it for granted that as long as she became an A-rated trainee, she would be fine.
"There are so many good dancers, why do you have to be my favorite?" Kwon Ji-yong asked briskly, as if he was just casually asking something as simple as "What do you want to eat tomorrow?" This wasn't a new question.
It's just that those involved are often confused. In the repetitive, mechanical practice of practicing, it's easy to lose sight of yourself. Are you moving closer to a goal, or are you just spinning in circles?
"Hey..." He suddenly smiled and looked interested. "Since we all know it's a survival show, let's guess. If you were the producer, how would you design the first episode?" "Huh?" Lia was a little surprised.
Thinking about the show from a producer's perspective? She pondered for a moment, then followed his logic: "I will...find a way to give each trainee time to introduce themselves." "Yeah." He nodded, patiently, "Continue."
"Then... arrange a short program for each person to show themselves?" she said tentatively.
"Not bad." He smiled and snapped his fingers. "There may be some differences in form, but essentially they're all about establishing the trainees' image. Interspersed with introductions to their backgrounds are the stage performances, so both the overt and covert plots are covered!"
Lia lowered her eyes, recalling the shows she'd watched—and indeed, just as he'd said, at the beginning... it was all the same format. "I've got the idea for the questions," he said, "but what about the solution?" Lia looked up at him, her eyebrows twitching slightly.
Her mind suddenly became incredibly clear. "So... I have to realize what I want to show before the audience can remember it..." "Hmm, you're really worthy of our Lia." He reached out and touched her head approvingly.
It's easy to understand. The persona an artist wants to present must have been repeatedly refined. This isn't inconsistent with reality; it simply exaggerates certain characteristics. If you're still vague, how can you expect the audience to notice?
"Then...if I were to prepare a short program..." Lia paused mid-sentence. She subconsciously thought of playing and singing her own compositions. Composition was her specialty. But as he'd said, charm wasn't always the same as strength.
Simply being the best singer and dancer on the show wasn't enough. Unfiltered performances left only a vague impression. But if she thought outside the box... she hesitated.
Seeing her lost in thought, Quan Zhilong stopped talking and just walked quietly beside her, keeping a comfortable distance from her. ... A's meal was served quickly.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, the restaurant was relatively empty, and no one noticed the two people who had quietly entered. The chef quickly filleted the fish, neatly stacked them in a delicate food container, and earnestly urged them to enjoy it as soon as possible.
The return trip was deserted, and both of them relaxed, their pace slowing down. "We really don't have to worry about being photographed by paparazzi when we go out at this time of year," Lia joked.
"That's not necessarily true," Kwon Ji-yong said casually as he took off his mask, "If there are no paparazzi, maybe there are illegitimate children." I don't know whether I should praise his mouth, it's so smart that it seems like it was blessed by a god.
Lia didn't have time to smile before she felt him suddenly stop. She followed his gaze. A thin girl stood in the shadow of a nearby building, staring at them silently.
She was wearing a dark coat and a peaked cap, so close that if you didn't look closely, she'd almost blend in with the shadows. Lia was startled, then immediately realized that the girl was what he'd called a "illegitimate child." She was no stranger to this group.
On the forum, she has seen many posts about sasaeng fans; her senior trainees have also discussed this topic privately, always with a complex emotion - ridicule, disgust, or helplessness.
Some people will squat outside the artist's home all night, or even climb over the wall to break in, snooping into their private lives. Compared to ordinary fans, the existence of sasaengs is more like a disturbing obsession, which has long deviated from the original intention of liking them.
She had heard rumors about him, but never seen him in person. Until tonight. And Quan Zhilong was clearly all too familiar with him. His face showed no emotion, as he calmly took a half-step toward her, just in front of her.
The man who had just been joking around like a neighbor suddenly became extremely quiet, exuding a strong aura of keeping strangers away. Lia pursed her lips and said nothing more.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, a man emerged from the alleyway. He glanced at the two of them and quickly walked towards the girl. "Are you planning to keep doing this? How long are you going to keep chasing her?" He lowered his voice, but his tone was clearly filled with anger.
The girl also glanced over here again, as if she didn't want the two of them to see this scene, and responded in a low voice: "It's none of your business." "It's none of my business? I'm your boyfriend, what's he!"
"Look at yourself now! You don't like him at all, you're crazy!" The man was enraged and his emotions became more intense. Lia stood there, a little dazed.
She subconsciously glanced at Quan Zhilong, only to find his expression extremely cold, his eyes devoid of warmth. He seemed to think briefly for a few seconds before handing her the food box and speaking in a barely audible voice, "Stand here and wait for me."
Lia nodded obediently. He turned and walked towards the arguing couple, gently reaching out and blocking the girl behind him. "I'm her boyfriend!" the man shouted through gritted teeth, his tone unwilling.
Quan Zhilong ignored him, turned around and whispered to the girl behind him: "Do you want to go back with him?" The girl lowered her head and was silent for a while, then shook her head.
Seeing this, the man became even angrier: "She doesn't go home all day, just squatting in this damn place! Is this what a fan should do?" He tried to bypass Quan Zhilong and talk to the girl: "Don't you think you're going a little too far?"
"That's why I broke up with you!" The girl raised her head and glared at him, her tone unyielding. Quan Zhilong frowned. "Let's go first. I'll take her to a taxi," he said.
"Oh, you gave it to her..." The man sneered, a look of jealousy on his face, and shouted at the girl, "Now you should be satisfied, right?" The girl subconsciously took a half step back. Quan Zhilong stood there expressionlessly, watching him quietly.
The air froze for a moment. Finally, the man glared at them fiercely and walked away. "Let's go, I'll take you to get a taxi." Quan Zhilong turned around, his tone lighter, his gaze fixed on the girl's face, "You didn't take a picture, did you?" "Hmm..."
She hesitated for a moment, then murmured, "Don't come so late again." There was no pity, no disgust. Just a quiet exhaustion. The girl stood for a moment, head bowed, then nodded softly. ...
After watching the taxi leave, Quan Zhilong stood for a moment before turning back. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, and Lia was stunned. This was not the look she was familiar with.
It wasn't JiYo, the one making jokes in the group chat, nor was it the sunbae who had just been laughing and teasing her. "It's... the sasaeng fan who's been following me," he whispered. As if realizing they were alone, his expression softened.
Lia nodded, saying nothing. They walked in silence for a while, the wind ruffling her hair and the sudden chill of the night air. "Even so... do you think being an idol is good?" she finally asked. He paused.
"Yeah. That's good." "Why?" "Because there are more people who love me." Those moments of being loved are enough to resist the darkness.
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