When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar

On Kim Won’s cell phone screen was a notes app with lyrics written on it.

Do Wook looked down at the screen, quiet.

“What is this? Did you write it?”

Kim Won scratched the back of his head, embarrassed unlike his usual self.

“Yeah. I tried writing it by myself and I wanted you to look it over to see if it’s good. Yoon Ki is sleeping…”

Do Wook was puzzled. Like Jung Yoon Ki, Kim Won was someone who had always made rap by himself. Of course he came up with the lyrics himself too.

Noticing that Do Wook was puzzled, Kim Won explained,

“I’ve only been doing English rap until now. I thought that my Korean rap was lacking.”

“It’s not lacking. You’re doing great.”

“No. Still, compared to Yoon Ki or you who have always lived in Korea, I don’t understand the Korean nuance as well when writing lyrics.”

Do Wook looked at Kim Won’s cell phone screen, then at Kim Won’s eyes that were full of sincerity, then nodded his head.

Kim Won accurately understood the few limitations he had.

Honestly, he was doing well in understanding the ‘nuance’, it was just that sometimes he missed the very subtle ones.

Do Wook thought he should give a lot of thought into looking over the lyrics since Kim Won was so sincere. It would be proper etiquette towards the person who asked.

“Mmmm…”

While Do Wook was looking at the screen, Kim Won sat on the chair next to him and waited for Do Wook’s evaluation.

Kim Won was sincerely grateful to Do Wook, who agreed to this sudden request and was going over his lyrics line by line even though he was probably busy.

He was younger, but Do Wook was always reliable.

“The ones you write in English definitely feel smoother. Although, I don’t know English too well.”

“Ha. Just as I thought.”

Kim Won replied to Do Wook as he sighed once then let out a sad laugh.

“Also, this part here with the flower expression is a little cliché. What if you think of something else?”

“Is that so? Ok.”

Kim Won checked where Do Wook was talking about, then wrote a note.

Do Wook pointed out a few more rough lines in a way that wouldn’t hurt his feelings.

“Thank you for looking it over.”

“No problem at all. You really are doing well…”

“It’s just that I want to do the best I can. Seeing Yoon Ki do better and better gave me motivation.”

As expected, friendly competition was the foundation for development.

Seeing Jung Yoon Ki go on Show Me the Honey, Kim Won inevitably felt the competition as a fellow rapper.

He didn’t want to get left behind. He wanted to do well too. It was that kind of positive competitiveness that spurred on Kim Won.

Do Wook said as he nodded his head,

“But you do things that Yoon Ki can’t do.”

“That’s true!”

Kim Won agreed as he laughed.

“By the way, what kind of beat have you been using as the background for these lyrics?”

“You know, DREKE’s Still Dreke!”

“Ahh. I think it’ll be a good song once it’s finished.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You could release it later as a mixtape or something…”

“Ah, there’s no need to go that far. If I release a mixtape and it doesn’t go well, I’ll be ripped apart on the site that even Yoon Ki barely survived. Your praise is too high!”

Kim Won patted Do Wook’s shoulders, going a little overboard with his statement. Do Wook simply laughed.

He meant it. Except for the few parts that Do Wook had indicated, the lyrics Kim Won had written would have done well even if they were released immediately.

There were a lot of things he felt while doing KK activities, and the content of the lyrics contained a little more of the ‘real’ Kim Won.

If his past lyrics were written to match KK’s style so he could get the song in the album, the lyrics Kim Won was writing now had a free soul that showed the real Kim Won.

“Then, sorry to bother you when you’re busy. Get back to what you were doing.”

“Ok….Oh, Won!”

Do Wook stopped Kim Won, who had turned around and was about to leave.

Hand on the doorknob, Kim Won turned around and asked what was up.

Do Wook thought about it briefly, then shook his head. It was an idea that just popped into his head. He had to think about it a little more thoroughly.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Are you bored? Tell me if you’re bored. Anytime, I’m ok for you*.”

(TL Note: Kim Won says ‘Anytime, I’m ok for you’ in English.)

“No. I’ll get back to what I was doing.”

After sending Kim Won off, Do Wook organized the ideas he thought of.

It was about KK’s hip hop unit activities.

***

Day of the last performance for the ‘Howl’ activities.

The TBN Music Broadcast had a 70-minute special arranged especially for KK. It made sense if it were for a comeback, but it was extremely rare to have a special for a goodbye performance.

They planned to perform unedited full versions of three songs for the goodbye performance.

They were ‘Howl’, the title song of their second full album, and the B-track songs ‘Yummy’ and ‘Summer Night’.

‘Yummy’ and ‘Summer Night’ were pre-recorded.

The audience seating for the pre-recording was made up of only KK fans, almost like a concert. 500 KK fans filled the arena.

‘Yummy’, which was a dance song that had a popping beat, was a song that lots of fans requested to make into a follow-up song. It was a song that had a completely different vibe from ‘Howl’ that was done in a school uniform style of clothing and intense dancing.

The KK fans enjoyed a delightful atmosphere as they watched KK come out in colorful stage outfits and perform excitedly.

It was a performance that made the suffering the fans went through getting to the pre-recording site at dawn just to get in and waiting in line all disappear immediately.

‘Summer Night’ was a ballad performance. Chairs were prepared for the six of them to sit down, and each of the members performed their parts in order.

Their vocal skills that had improved overall since ‘Windy Day’ stood out.

The content of the song was thinking about the person you love as you feel the night air blowing under a dark sky after getting through a scorching hot day. It was a lyrical song that expressed the ambience of a summer night well.

The expression ‘eyes and ears are prosperous’ was accurate.

It could get tedious since it was a performance where they just sat down in one spot and sang, but for the fans it was an opportunity to get a better look at the members’ faces.

The members, who had finished the pre-recording before noon, ate the support box lunch the fans sent and then got ready for the live broadcast.

Knowing that it was the last event for the ‘Howl’ activities, the members were feeling a variety of emotions ranging from excitement to sadness.

“The activities for the second album are already coming to an end…”

“It was really hectic this time too, huh?”

Jung Yoon Ki said in response to what Do Wook said. Do Wook nodded his head.

Because they had been swamped by events from the moment they had started preparing for the 2nd album, he felt it had progressed even more hectically. Right after finishing the drama, he had to go back to being Kang Do Wook without having time to get out of the mindset of drama character Kim Min Ki.

“You all worked hard during this active period too, man.”

“There’s still the broadcast left.”

“He’s saying it’s pretty much over.”

Jung Yoon Ki said to the members in a very leader-like way,

“Let’s give it our best until the end.”

“Yas!”

“Yes, Yes!”

The members responded as they shoved the grilled eel rice bowl from the boxed lunch into their mouths.

“Are there any more boxed lunches?”

When Suk Ji Hoon, who had already finished his boxed lunch, asked, Gu Chul Min replied as he looked around,

“You already finished it? These came in exact quantities, so there are no more of the same type of food you guys had. All that’s left is just the boxed lunches for the staff.”

“It doesn’t matter, please give it to me.”

Lately, Suk Ji Hoon had a very big appetite. He wasn’t short, even so he had always been frustrated he couldn’t pass 180 cm*, but before long he was about to pass it.

(TL Note: 180 cm is around 5’11”)

“They say you grow until your 20s, so give it your all until the end. Our mangnae*,”

(TL Note: Mangae means the youngest.)

Ahn Hyung Seo said as he looked at Suk Ji Hoon, who took out a new boxed lunch and started eating.

“Come to think of it, next year our team won’t have a me-ja anymore.”

“Me-ja? Who is the me-ja?”

“A minor. Won, you’re smart but not good with slang like this. Hehe.”

When Ahn Hyung Seo started cackling, Jung Yoon Ki told him off,

“That’s slang? That’s just abbreviated.”

“Ah, well. You know.”

It didn’t bother Kim Won but the two of them were bickering. Watching this, Park Tae Hyung silently shook his head.

“Do Wook. Did you not eat all your food…?”

Park Tae Hyung, who had seen Do Wook next to him quietly put down his boxed lunch, asked. There were about two bites of food left.

“Huh? Yeah. I’m full.”

“Really? It felt like it wasn’t that much food…”

“I don’t have an appetite. It’s not good to be too full when we perform anyways.”

Park Tae Hyung nodded his head to Do Wook’s response but then pushed the fruit they were given as dessert towards him as if telling him to eat more. Do Wook found it hard to decline Park Tae Hyung’s sincerity and ate a few cherry tomatoes.

‘Is he feeling sick…?’

Even Do Wook thought it wasn’t the same amount of food that would normally make him full. However, he had no desire to eat at all.

He felt that maybe because it was after they finished the pre-recording, he was very tired and his body had no energy.

‘Once today’s broadcast is over, there’ll be a break for a while. I should rest and build up my strength.’

Do Wook thought as he stood up from his seat.

He thought it might be good to briefly get some shut eye on the waiting room sofa before they went up and performed.

“Do Wook, shouldn’t you charge your battery?”

“Huh? My cell phone still has battery power.”

“Ho ho, no. Not the cell phone, I mean you~!”

The coordinator, who was doing his makeup since it was almost time for the live broadcast, said as she laughed. Do Wook didn’t understand what she was saying and closed his eyes as she instructed him to do.

“We called you a robot because you don’t get tired even though you’re the busiest, but today you keep nodding off.”

“Ah…”

Do Wook understood what she meant and gently laughed as he opened his eyes.

“I’m especially tired today. I think I’m feeling less tense because it’s the last broadcast.”

Seeing him laugh as he said that, the coordinator felt her heart sinking, though only briefly. It was a face she saw up close every day, but once in a while she couldn’t believe how handsome Do Wook’s face was.

“Make sure you rest once this is over.”

“I think I’ll have to.”

Along with the MC remarks that it was a shame, KK’s second full album goodbye performance was on its way.

When the pre-recorded ‘Yummy’ and ‘Summer Night’ started playing on the VCR, fans attending the live broadcast cheered.

After the VCR playback ended, the live final performance of ‘Howl’ began.

The members burned their passion with their whole bodies. From the intro to the first verse, even up to the chorus they performed the song and choreography without shaking even once.

“Kyaaaaa―”

The fans burst out screaming, responding to the KK members’ passion.

There was a roar from the fan section when Kim Won stepped to the front of the stage and slightly lifted his shirt and revealed his abs.

As Ahn Hyung Seo hit the high notes, the song was reaching its climax.

In the chorus, Do Wook stood in the center and danced, exuding a charisma that seemed to lead the group.

When there was a close up on Do Wook’s face, which frowned as if it were going to eat the camera, everyone grabbed their chests as if it took their breath away.

Do Wook, who had finished his part in a cool way, was heading to the back formation.

‘Huh?’

Do Wook felt like his surroundings were spinning around. His head was swimming.

‘I’m dizzy…’

However, he had to continue walking to the back. One step, two step, every time he took a step he wasn’t sure if he was walking properly.

At that moment Suk Ji Hoon, who stood in the same back formation as Do Wook, noticed Do Wook’s walk was not normal. It was a particularly fast-paced choreography with no break so it was hard to notice, but Suk Ji Hoon was able to tell since he typically saw Do Wook’s movements from the same place many times before.

It was much heavier than usual.

‘Do Wook.’

Suk Ji Hoon mouthed to Do Wook in a way that wouldn’t get picked up by the microphone. Suk Ji Hoon was supposed to stand in the middle, but was standing on Do Wook’s side on the left.

Do Wook saw Suk Ji Hoon who was standing next to him.

—