Chương 63: Fan Meeting

Ch 63 - Fan Meeting Yeon-ah froze.

"A comeback?"

"That's right," Morgan replied.

"Luxie has been gaining ground ever since Stellaris disappeared after the stadium incident. They've been landing one advertisement and performance after another, and their popularity is growing by the day. We can't afford to stay quiet any longer." She continued before Yeon-ah could respond.

"The company wants you back on stage in about a month. Until then, I've lined up brand deals and a few public appearances. We'll kick things off with a fan event. Your fans have been waiting long enough."

"But... Manager, what about Ines?" Yeon-ah asked.

"What about her?" Yeon-ah bit her lip.

"She's been struggling since the attack. I don't think she's ready yet."

"Ready for what?" Morgan interrupted.

"None of you were hurt, and that madman wasn't even after Ines. Stop dwelling on it. I'll speak with her myself. Just be here tomorrow morning."

"But, Ms. Mor—" Beep. The call ended. Scrunching her nose, Yeon-ah glared at Morgan's profile picture before flopping onto her bed. Great. Just when she thought she'd finally have time to focus on her commission, the company dropped this on her. A comeback? Already? Did they even have the songs ready, or were they expecting Stellaris to pull another miracle and build everything from scratch?

"Uuugh…" She groaned into her pillow. That was a problem for tomorrow's Yeon-ah. The next morning, Morgan picked her up and drove her to Muse Tune Entertainment's headquarters in District 11. The familiar glass tower rose beneath the morning sun. Inside, employees offered cheerful greetings and waves as they passed. Yeon-ah returned them absentmindedly as she followed Morgan to the practice room. Her friends were already waiting. Olivia looked as put together as ever, her blonde hair tied into a neat ponytail.

Beside her, Ines sat with her head lowered, her pink hair, usually braided with meticulous care, hanging loose around her shoulders.

"Alright, everyone." Morgan set her laptop on the table and opened it.

"The producers sent over the demo for your title track. Give it a listen." A bright, energetic melody filled the practice room. As it played on, Yeon-ah's shoulders dropped. Years as an idol had given her a sharp ear for music, and this track was missing something essential. Identity. There was no soul behind the notes, no emotion that would make a listener hum it hours later or catch themselves repeating the lyrics without thinking.

Compared to the songs Stellaris had poured themselves into, this one felt hollow, like it had been stitched together to chase trends instead of creating something of its own. What bothered her more was how familiar it sounded, a little too close to Luxie's latest release for comfort. When the song ended, Morgan closed the media player.

"Recording starts this week," she said.

"We'll move forward from here. Get familiar with the track because the comeback schedule won't wait for anyone." Yeon-ah frowned. The timeline was far too rushed. The title track wasn't even finalized yet, and they were already expected to return to the stage in just one month. Olivia's expression darkened as well, while Ines just nodded without a word.

"Good. Your vocal trainers will be here to guide you, and don't forget the fan meeting in a few days," Morgan said as she collected her belongings. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the three members alone with the song still looping in their minds. Olivia crossed her arms.

"Is she serious? That song? They actually expect us to sing that?" She shook her head in disbelief.

"Do they think that just because we're popular right now, fans will just accept whatever we release?" Yeon-ah sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Complaining isn't going to change anything. Let's just get started." And so began the familiar routine of being an idol. The days blurred together as Stellaris prepared for their comeback, with Yeon-ah spending most of her time inside the company building. By the time she returned home each night, it was usually close to midnight, leaving her barely enough energy to collapse into bed before she had to wake up and do it all over again the next morning. This comeback was especially frustrating for Yeon-ah.

She still wanted to make progress on Reid's commission, but her schedule was so packed that she barely had time to breathe, let alone visit her workshop. Renting that place for a month was starting to feel like a waste of money. The endless routine only broke when the day of the fan meeting finally arrived. The company had rented a convention center in District 11 for the event. Thousands of fans filled the venue, lining up outside and waiting eagerly for Stellaris's first appearance since the stadium incident.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Backstage, the members sat in their chairs while makeup artists worked on their faces. Morgan paced nearby, still running through instructions.

"Remember, don't try to act tough or pretend nothing happened. It's fine to look a little sad, but don't break down out there either. The fans need to see that you're still affected, but they also need to know Stellaris is ready to come back." Her attention turned to Ines, who hadn't said a word all morning, her shoulders slumped and her expression hollow.

"Do you have any idea how many problems this has caused the company? Especially with your rivals circling like vultures?" Yeon-ah let Morgan's instructions wash over her, offering a nod here and there. Once the makeup artists stepped back and the final touches were done, the three of them were led backstage. The hall lights went down, and the Stellaris logo flashed onto the screen, followed by clips of their best moments over the years. The moment it ended, the entire venue erupted.

"Stellaris!" The members walked out to thousands of fans who had been waiting for their return. Light sticks filled the convention hall as their names echoed through the crowd. They took their positions and waved at the audience.

"Hello, we are Stellaris!" Their greeting was met with another wave of cheers. Standing beside them, the MC regarded them warmly.

"It's been a while since Stellaris held an official event. How does it feel to finally meet your fans again?" Olivia answered first, wearing the confident look everyone had come to expect from her.

"We were really nervous coming here today. But seeing everyone waiting for us makes us feel relieved." After a few more questions, the MC turned to Yeon-ah.

"What about you? How did you spend the hiatus?"

"Honestly? I buried myself in my own projects. I think I saw my workshop more than I saw other people. At this point, my tools probably missed me more than anyone else." The joke earned a few laughs.

"But... thank you," Yeon-ah added.

"For waiting. Knowing you were still there for us meant everything." The conversation eventually shifted to lighter topics, moving into the games the staff had prepared. Laughter eased the tension, and somewhere in the middle of it, even Ines cracked a small smile.

"For our final segment," the MC said, "we asked fans to send in messages for Stellaris." Messages appeared on the screen behind them. Words from fans who had worried about the stadium incident and were just happy to see the group again.

"A lot of them wanted you to know they're still here," the MC said softly.

"They've been waiting." The members turned toward the crowd, touched by the support.

"Stellaris!" The shout cut through the moment. Heads turned toward the audience. A man stood among the crowd, his hood pulled low over his face. Unkempt stubble covered his jaw, and dark circles sat beneath his eyes, as though he hadn't slept in days. He looked different from the last time Yeon-ah had seen him, but she recognized him immediately. He was one of the people Victor had forced to fight during the stadium incident.

"You damn hypocrites!" the man screamed.

"How can you stand up there looking so carefree after you ruined my life?" Shock rippled through the crowd.

"Do you even know what happened to me after that day?" His voice cracked as he pointed toward them.

"I lost my job! Everything I worked for, everything I built, it was gone! And for what? Because I went to your concert? Because I happened to get chosen by that bastard?" He shook his head, his breathing growing heavier.

"It wasn't my fault! I didn't do anything wrong!" Security moved in fast, grabbing the man and dragging him out while he fought every step of the way.

"You ruined my life! You bitch!" His shouts bounced off the walls, lingering even after he disappeared through the exit. The MC let out an awkward laugh.

"Well, some fans are just a little too passionate! Anyway, let's continue with the next—" Ines didn't wait for her to finish. She spun around and bolted. Yeon-ah and Olivia exchanged a glance before chasing after her.

"Ines!" Olivia called, gently knocking on the stall door.

"Are you okay?" No answer came. The only sound was Ines's uneven breathing from inside the stall.

"Ines, please say something," Yeon-ah pleaded. A sniffle broke the silence before Ines finally spoke.

"I can't do it... I can't do it anymore..."

"Can't do what?" Olivia said.

"Don't take that guy seriously. He's just lashing out. Security already handled it, so forget about him."

"We can cancel the fan meeting," Yeon-ah added.

"I'm sure Ms. Morgan will understand."

"Forget whether she understands or not," Olivia said.

"Let's just go home, okay?" The restroom fell quiet again before the stall door slowly swung open. Ines stepped out, her makeup smeared from repeatedly rubbing away her tears. Dark streaks of mascara and eyeliner framed her reddened eyes, and the concealer beneath them had worn away, leaving her looking exhausted. She looked at the two of them with weary, lifeless eyes.

"I can't do it..." she whispered.

"I'm quitting."

"What?" Yeon-ah and Olivia shouted in unison.

"Hey, did you see this?" Carmen asked, shoving her phone in front of Evan's face while he sat on a bench, enjoying the breeze and playing on his Orion Deck.

"I can't see anything if you hold it that close, idiot," Evan said, pushing the phone away before squinting at the screen. A trending news report filled the display, covering an incident at a Stellaris fan meeting where a man had screamed at the idols, blaming them for being selected by Victor during the stadium attack. He let out a low whistle.

"Did you do this?"

"What? Of course not. What kind of horrible monster do you think I am?" Carmen sat down beside him.

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"And you think I'm heartless enough to stage something like that?" Evan stared at her in disbelief.

"How would I even get in contact with that guy?"

"Can you blame me after what you asked me to do?" Carmen replied.

"Hey, you're just slandering me now. I'm helping those three poor women," Evan said, crossing his arms. A grin slowly spread across his face.

"But you have to admit, this is a pretty good opportunity for us." His eyes gleamed.

"Oh ho?" Carmen grinned.

"Is it time, then?" Evan nodded.

"Time to light the fuse."