The day of the SBC Song Festival arrived. Walking down the station hallway, TeSTAR crossed paths with Onyx. Spotting the member whose ribs he had bruised during the paintball match, Hajun let out a small noise. “Ah.”
“…”
“…Ah.”
The Onyx member flinched before forcing a arrogant smirk onto his face.
Hajun tilted his head. He recognized that look—the exact expression foolish guys wore right before trying to act tough in front of him. Without a word, Hajun cracked his neck.
The guy flinched again, right away dropping his gaze and biting his lip as his pride took a hit. Hajun smirked, laughing at him in silence.
Noticing the tense exchange while greeting Onyx, the TeSTAR members pulled Hajun back a step. Causing a scene in a broadcast station hallway was a bad move. Yet Onyx possessed plenty of nerve, the same boldness that had led them to point arrows at Won Hajun in the past. Exchanging brief nods, they walked past while talking among themselves loud enough for anyone nearby to catch every word.
“…Do they think they can take the Rookie Award just on variety show hype? Time to deliver a dose of justice… Let’s show the fans what real talent tastes like…”
Ryu Cheongwoo grabbed Hajun’s arm without missing a beat. “? What.”
“Uh? No… just.”
Cheongwoo wondered if his ears had played tricks on him. Seeing Hajun remain calm, Cheongwoo felt confused.
Hajun quoted the exact words back to him. “Those fools said, ‘Those variety audition idols think they can snatch the Rookie Award on popularity alone, time for justice,’ and ‘Let me show fans what real talent tastes like.’ You heard right.”
The members’ expressions turned sharp. Onyx carried far more nerve than expected. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
“…They said that?”
“Uh… are you okay?”
“Why? Did you think I’d jump out right now and beat them up?” Hajun snorted, pulling his arm free from Cheongwoo’s grip and throwing it over Cheongwoo’s shoulder.
Cheongwoo didn’t flinch at the sudden arm over his shoulder. “Well, to be honest, I thought you would.”
“Why waste energy on trash like them? They’re getting crushed in a minute anyway.”
“Crushed…”
Only Won Hajun could drop profanity like that in a broadcast station hallway without a second thought. Park Moondae wore a flat Tibetan fox face.
Thinking about the face those fools will make after the stage makes my heart race.
“Foul taste…”
“I know you guys feel the same way.”
“That’s true!” Cha Eugene bounced up and down, eager to get on stage.
The other members tried to look composed, yet the same fire burned inside them. Every single one of them had fought their way through Idol Co-op with raw talent and fierce drive. Winning was non-negotiable. To borrow Hajun’s phrase, crushing them was the goal.
The dark stage filled with an original, unedited intro track.
Wee-oww Wee-oww Wee-oww
A siren wailed, followed by a sharp shattering crash.
Hahaha!
A child’s laughter echoed through the speakers as bright lights flooded the stage. The members of TeSTAR sat in defiant poses, paint-splattered black hoodies pulled low over their heads.
A tall figure sitting up high leaped down with long legs, landing square at center stage.
“Look over here~”
Matching the child’s voice, Hajun flipped back his hood. Messy hair tumbled over his forehead, adding a rebellious touch to his look. Tapping near his eye, he flashed a mischievous smirk.
Fans watching the stream let out silent screams in the live chat.
– Center? Hajun is center…?
– The team came to win!
– Why didn’t anyone stop Hajun? Amazing job!
Cha Eugene not taking center was rare. Yet as the music surged, viewers had zero time to process their shock.
Every time I call out, my hand over the MIC burns with eagerness. Today I’ll show you the real deal, wish me good luck.
Hajun danced, stamping the rhythm to the beat. Powerful moves captured every eye. Flawless execution. Joining the formation one by one, the members executed synchronized moves beside him with ease.
Keun Sejin and Ryu Cheongwoo grabbed Hajun’s shoulders, pulling him backward. As he got pulled back, Hajun smirked with a slight scowl, sticking his tongue out toward the camera to flash his sharp fangs.
Suffering through it, well of course, don’t waste time on useless thoughts, just give me a loud cheer, Shout out loud.
Taking over center stage on Keun Sejin’s signal, Cha Eugene and Seon Ahyun flipped through the air on both sides, winking at the camera.
Shout out to me, I only accept lump sum gratitude.
The performance brought out the raw, rebellious energy of the original song in the coolest way possible. Done wrong, it could look like cheap street posturing, but TeSTAR carried the skill to pull off the concept with total natural flair.
The audience recognized the massive skill gap in seconds.
The online mood attempting to tear TeSTAR down flipped right then. Live comments exploded:
– So damn good!
– Way better than the previous groups!
– The original song was so cringe, how did they pull this off?
– Who claimed TeSTAR relied on variety show hype? Where’d they go now?
– Wow this is amazing!
– This is what a real performance looks like!
The stage surged forward. Hajun joined Ryu Cheongwoo, grabbing Park Moondae and launching him into center stage. Holding a hand mic, TeSTAR’s main vocal sang the pre-chorus with smooth composure.
To pass through here, there’s an advance fee. Can’t pass for free, sit here, watch this stage and enjoy.
Rising from the floor, members took turns stepping beside Park Moondae, catching camera shots before yielding to the next person. Playful banter oozed charm.
Pushing Keun Sejin away after Keun Sejin winked at the camera, Hajun poked Moondae’s cheek with a playful grin. Moondae swatted his hand away with an annoyed glare, then scanned each member with a confident smirk.
Only let those who enjoy pass, Shout out to me, lump sum only.
High notes soared clear through the air. Standing at center once more, Hajun led the synchronized highlight dance.
You gotta enjoy to live, Shout out to me.
Intense footwork filled the routine, yet TeSTAR executed every jump and turn with calm mastery.
As the stage reached its peak, Hajun swapped spots with Cha Eugene, pulling his hood back over his head.
Shout out to me! Shout out to me!
Animal ears attached to the hood flapped with every movement, adding a touch of charm without cutting into the fierce concept.
Then came the climax.
Hahaha!
The chorus played without lyrics. Members took turns commanding the camera during the synchronized dance, mixing custom gestures into their moves. The fast beat hit its final mark.
Shout out to me!
Sitting back-to-back with Cha Eugene at center stage, Hajun bent one leg up and rested an arm over his knee. Locking eyes with the camera, he flashed a lazy smirk. Beside him, Cha Eugene feigned a yawn, wiping his mouth as he leaned against Hajun’s back.
The camera cut. The stage ended.
The outcome stood clear. TeSTAR had won.
Onyx followed with their cover of Magic Boy, but their routine proved too bland to hold the crowd’s energy. Viewers compared the Gayo Daejeon clips against the original song, discussing the skill gap across forums.
– What variety hype? TeSTAR is just ridiculously good.
– Hey! Who said Onyx was better than TeSTAR?! Come fight with real skill!
– The person posting comparison videos is savage!
– TeSTAR’s cover beats the original track!
– Shareholders have great taste!
– Putting Hajun and Eugene at double center… they came to conquer!
Onyx fans tried to defend the group, but their arguments drowned under the overwhelming gap in performance.
Some critics tried shifting targets:
– Skipping the arrangement feels cheap… so mean.
– Honest talk, seeing members who acted pure pull a trick like this feels fake…
The claims failed to gain ground:
– I bet my lightstick Won Hajun pushed for zero arrangement!
– Isn’t it more embarrassing to lose a direct match?
– TeSTAR has one sharp-tongued guy who tells it like it is. Hajun just handed them a reality check!
– You’d think TeSTAR broke Onyx’s legs with these complaints!
– Nothing mean about it, Onyx just performed so poorly!
Shoved aside by public opinion, Onyx fans went quiet.
In the van heading back to the dorm, Hajun leaned back beside Moondae with a satisfied smile, checking Moondae’s phone.
“Why does everyone assume I suggested skipping the arrangement?”
“The weight of your daily conduct…” Keun Sejin started.
Smack!
“What’s wrong with my daily conduct!” Hajun barked, handing out quick punishment.
“Exhibits A and B right now!”
“Hajun, drop it in the car. Sejin, stop poking him…” Ryu Cheongwoo stepped in to calm the two giant kids.
Park Moondae put his phone away and reached for earplugs. Leaving the chaos to Ryu Cheongwoo, he closed his eyes to catch some sleep before the next schedule.
