Superstar From Age 0

It opened its mouth.

A beast-like roar came out.

It was an incomprehensible sound. Then, at some point, it seemed like his ears opened and he heard familiar words.

“Lee. Bo.”

“Lee. Bo. Shi.”

The beast-like voice that was broken like a broken machine gradually changed.

A delicate voice that did not match it flowed out of its mouth that captivated the audience, stifled their breaths, and made their hearts tremble.

“Lee Bo Shi.”

Finally, it uttered a complete sentence naturally.

It was all strange and eerie.

It sounded like an echo from a distant mountain, or like a whisper right next to him.

It was truly a hallucinatory voice.

It walked under the spotlight and cImbed the stairs prepared between the stage and the audience seats.

The Peddler in the room was drinking makgeolli without noticing anything.

The audience's hearts raced with anxiety as they predicted the Peddler's fate.

“Lee Bo Shi. Please open the door.”

The audience recalled the line they had heard from the Tavern owner's mouth without realizing it and looked at the stage with a horrified expression.

The door opened and the white thing rushed toward the Peddler.

The startled Peddler fell back.

The moment the whole theater went dark.

In the suffocating darkness, thud! thud!

The sound of a life that had been vividly alive until a moment ago fading away was heard.

The hair on his body stood up and he got goosebumps.

Flash.

The light came on in the outhouse and kitchen.

The Tavern owner answered the Peddler's question.

“We named ourselves after this mountain behind us.”

Flash.

A red light appeared below, where the white thing wearing a white durumagi was. There were beast claw marks all over the wall of the room, and the Peddler's arms and legs were visible between the blankets.

“We live in Jangsan.”

While listening to Tavern owner's voice that seemed to be delaying time, the audience's eyes did not move away from its pale face and lifeless yellow eyes. It felt like someone was holding their heads tightly.

“They call us Jangsanbeom.”

!!

At that word, song Yu-jung and Lim Ye-na, as well as the audience, opened their mouths wide.

They didn't even notice that the curtain had fallen and the audience seats had brightened. Then it seemed like the story that had been separated came together as one.

While the audience was immersed in the aftermath without even uttering an exclamation,

The actors breathed a big sigh behind the curtain.

Park Yeon-ji and Kim Young-chan collapsed as if their legs had lost strength.

The team members came backstage and handed out water to the actors.

“Wow. Look at this sweat.”

The second-year art team member handed a tissue to Park Yeon-ji, who was drinking water in surprise. A little while ago, she had burned the audience's hearts by saying “They call us Jangsanbeom.” with a beast-like voice, but now she was shaking her water bottle with trembling hands like a broken machine.

Kim Young-chan, who had asked Tavern owner a question, also drank water with shaking hands and coughed.

He choked on something in his throat.

The first-year music team member patted his back.

They hadn't been on stage for that long, but they were both very nervous because there were no adults and only students on stage, and there were many audiences.

“Are you both okay?”

Park Yeon-ji and Kim Young-chan looked up at Kim Jukyung's question.

The third-year students who were clearing their throats lightly didn't seem nervous at all.

They looked happy as they chatted with bright faces.

They felt like that was experience.

It was only a difference of one or two years, but still.

Seeing the worried third-year students, Park Yeon-ji and Kim Young-chan nodded their heads.

“Yes. We’re fine.”

“But I was so nervous that I almost made a mistake.”

The third-year students laughed at the cute juniors.

“You did better than practice, didn't you? Aren't you both good at real situations?”

“It’ll be fun later when you get used to it.”

As Han Jinho and Kang Jae-han said that, seo-jun turned his head toward the curtain while listening to his juniors who asked “Us?” and “Will there really be such a day?” with wide eyes.

He felt the audience stirring behind the thick curtain.

[Activate (Pre) Intermediate Angel's Feather.]

Seo-jun sent all his remaining mana flying with [(Pre) Intermediate Angel's Feather] and opened his mouth.

“Shall we get ready for curtain call then?”

“Yeah.”

“Yes!”

The actors who put away their water bottles and tissues lined up in front of the curtain, and the curtain slowly rose up.

Jangsanbeom! Android!

The people who watched [MOEB-436] looked at the stage again with their hearts pounding as they recalled the story.

They unconsciously flinched at the sight of the white hair and durumagi, but soon sighed with relief at the sight of Seo-jun smiling brightly with a lively face.

The actor Lee Seo-jun, who was on stage, was so pale that he doubted whether he was alive or not, unlike a little while ago, he was full of life and had a star-like aura.

It was a difference that made him exclaim.

The other actors were the same.

A little while ago, they were immersed in their roles and acted skillfully, but now the Tavern owner and Peddler 2 looked nervous with flushed faces and looked around, and the third-year students who often saw on TV or movies looked satisfied with their acting and smiled brightly.

They realized that the actors were high school students.

They knew that the high school students planned and made this play, but they were surprised by the fact again.

“Wow…”

A sigh came from somewhere and a clap sound came from somewhere.

Clap clap clap!!

The applause that spread like a fire filled the second theater.

The actors bowed deeply with a smile at the applause and compIiments.

***

“Wow… I never thought it would be Jangsanbeom.”

“Me neither. Did it come to Earth when the spaceship crashed?”

“I guess so. Oh! If you reverse MOEB, it's beom!”

Second theater building lobby.

People who came out after watching [MOEB-436] gathered together and talked about various things, even though they were strangers.

It couldn't be helped.

The people who watched the play [MOEB-436] now were only the students, family members, and the people here at the graduation performance.

If you watch an interesting work, you naturally want to talk about the clues and stories that amazed you, and the actors’ acting that you could only watch in awe.

There was no one to talk to even if they posted it on the internet, and it was too early to post a review anyway, so they had no choice but to talk to people who shared the same experience next to them with an open mind.

“It's nice that everyone is Seo-jun's fans.”

“Right?”

It would be impossible for a movie, but since they were the audience who had gone through fierce competition and got tickets, they seemed to enjoy talking with each other with open minds.

If they left this place without any conversation, they would feel restless and couldn't stand it.

“I hope Moviegoer reviews it soon. Or is it Playgoer?”

Among those people, the most relaxed two people.

Luckily, song Yu-jung had come to watch the first performance with her friends and could always have a cheerful conversation. But Lim Ye-na just groaned at her words.

“But you were unlucky, Moviegoer…”

“…Aha.”

Song Yu-jung nodded her head unconsciously, remembering Moviegoer who always failed at the preview screenings.

***

[Actor Lee Ji-seok, leaving for Hollywood!]

[Play ‘MOBE-436’ already in its 4th run! Praised every day!]

[Play ‘MOBE-436’ review, it didn't seem like a high school play.]

-Oh. Lee Ji-seok left for Hollywood. I wonder how he’ll do in the audition.

=Don't worry. He’ll do great. I hope more Korean actors go abroad!

=What about Lee Seo-jun? When will he star in another Hollywood movie?

-I wish I could watch the play and give my opinion, whether it's praise or criticism??

=Please show us some clips?? How can I wait until March?

=436. 436. I'm crying???

=I have no choice but to hope for the second ticketing??

=It seems impossible though?

-I want to see the reviews, but I also don't want to.

=I collected some spoiler-free reviews (link)(link)(link)(link)

=But they're all missing the important parts, so they're all similar????

-When will they upload the video on YouTube?

=An hour after the last performance in February.

=Thank goodness it's not March??

-No preview?? I’ll pay to watch it??

=Please do it live?? Just set up a camera and I’ll watch it myself?

-Did Moviegoer get the ticket?

=Nope. If he did, he would have said it in the January review.

=A friend told me. He failed in one second.

=Lolololol

[Brown Black, new single album released today at 6 pm!]

[Cocoa Entertainment, actor Lee Seo-jun's photobook and lightstick new model on sale in March!]

[Cocoa Entertainment, ‘Reservation is expected in early February!’]

-Oh. Brown Black's new song is out?

=I’ll listen to it as soon as it comes out. Trustworthy Brown Black.

-A photobook…! A photobook…!(shaking hand gif)

=They said it contains photos from when he was young to recent ones. They tried to collect as many unpublished photos as possible.

=Ahhhh! Money! I need money! (shaking piggy bank)

-March sale means March 10th, right?

=It will probably come out on Seo-jun's birthday.

=I was going to do a birthday event, but they're doing one for us????

=Why do we get gifts on Seo-jun's birthday??

=Please accept some gifts, seo-jun??

=We’ve been saying this for over 10 years, but Cocoa and Seo-jun don't listen???

-I’ll heal my wounded heart from failing the play (second time too?) with the photobook.

=Cocoa has become very good at giving us poison (play) and medicine (photobook).

=But lucky people will get both medicine (play) and medicine (photobook), right…

=I'm so jealous??

-Don't tell me… the photobook is first-come-first-served?

=I hope Cocoa has some sense not to do that;;;

=It's a reservation, so they’ll probably adjust the quantity.

=If there's no stock, it’ll be a war (seriously. Gothic font)

=Everyone else will be happy and enjoy the photobook… but I’ll be left out.

=Wow… that's the worst scenario;;;;

=I already failed the play, but if I fail the photobook too, I’ll really cry.

=I think I’ll have nightmares.

=Nightmare: Oh no. What do I do? It sold out right in front of you. If only you came a little earlier. That's it! Go back! (shaking)

=This is more likely.

=??? : Wow! The site crashed yesterday because it was the last day of the photobook reservation! I thought I couldn't reserve it!

??? : ……(shocked)……The photobook reservation was until yesterday?

=Damn… I really want to swear.

=222 I have to set a hundred alarms.

***

“A photobook. That's awesome!”

There were lucky people who watched the play and bought the photobook.

Song Yu-jung hugged her pillow and rolled around on the bed.

Lim Ye-na was sitting in front of her laptop, holding her mouse and browsing through [Sprout], which was in chaos because of the unexpected good news.

The [Sprout] notice also had a brief description of the photobook posted by Cocoa Entertainment.

“They said there are photos from the Blue Moon era!”

“Really?! Blue-haired Seo-jun! Ah. What about Jangsanbeom? He looked good in a durumagi and white hair. And yellow lenses!”

“Since it's March, he’ll probably be there…”

“Money. I need money! I have to buy three copies, one for collection, one for appreciation, and one for trading!”

“What about the lightstick model? Since it's Jangsanbeom, will there be a white tiger? I’d love a figure of Seo-jun in white hair and durumagi stroking a white tiger…!”

“Right! I’d like a peaceful atmosphere like in the beginning of the play, or a bit creepy but sharp atmosphere like before hunting in the latter part!”

Ahhhhhh!!

Song Yu-jung tore at her pillow and screamed happily, and Lim Ye-na also shook her mouse with excitement.

They made a fuss for a while and then quieted down at the same time.

Huhuhuhu. A strange laughter came from both of their mouths.

Song Yu-jung, who was enjoying the blissful silence, turned her head and looked at her friend sitting in front of her laptop.

“But Ye-na, what have you been doing in front of your laptop since earlier?”

“Brown Black's single came out today.”

“Oh. Is that today?”

“Yeah. It just came out.”

Song Yu-jung lay down and propped up her chin with both hands.

She wasn't a fan of Brown Black, but as a friend of Seo-jun, she always listened to their new songs. And they were good every time.

“Turn up the volume. Let's listen together.”

“Okay. But the album title is interesting.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Beom. Beom.”

At Lim Ye-na's words, song Yu-jung widened her eyes. After watching the play, she only thought of one thing when she heard beom, tiger, Jansan, mountain, or white. Lim Ye-na was the same.

“That sounds just like 436.”

“I know, right? Should we play it?”

“Yeah.”

Lim Ye-na turned on the Bluetooth speaker and pressed the play button.

Dung.

A faint sound came out. It sounded like plucking a thicker string than a guitar.

Then they heard a heartbeat-like drum beat and Song Yu-jung and Lim Ye-na widened their eyes. They didn't read any introduction and didn't know that traditional instruments were used.

Then, a slow and deep bass voice came out.

It sounded like he was taking a heavy step.

-Beom.

Dudung.

-Beom is coming down.