Chapter 16: The Stage of Departure (4) (Large Chapter)

  Worked overtime yesterday, went home late and was tired. Was editing these two chapters until I fell asleep halfway through... Slept all the way till 5+ and now my waist hurts so much... (╯﹏╰）

  No need to separate chapters, just post them all together!

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  The corridors in the area where the waiting rooms are located look very clean, and many people have arrived. The doors of several waiting rooms are wide open, with singers or assistants, agents dressed in costumes coming in and out. There are also a few people pacing back and forth on the corridor, muttering to themselves, perhaps rehearsing their lines or trying to relieve tension.

  These people were mostly unfamiliar to An Junhe, and there were many singers in the music scene. Even if he had asked Quan Baogen for materials and had a crash course, when they suddenly met face-to-face, each one was made up, and it was really hard to tell them apart. Fortunately, they had just arrived, so even if they didn't call out their names clearly, it didn't matter who they were; as long as they bowed and called him "senior", that was enough. Anyway, according to An Junhe's understanding, there was only one singer who had debuted recently, and no one else had a lower seniority than him.

  Surrounded by Gwon Bo-geun, Kim Hoon and Choi Seong-woo, he bowed and greeted them as they arrived at the door of a waiting room. On the closed door was a plastic nameplate with the words "Ahn Jun-hee" written on it.

  An Junhe smiled slightly.

  It's worth mentioning that KBS has indeed been very sincere towards him. Not to mention the recent cooperation with the company to promote him, but also gave him a debut stage treatment that is completely unlike a newcomer. The strict hierarchy of seniority in the music industry is not only reflected in the etiquette of daily interactions between singers, but also in many differences in treatment.

  For example, a senior artist, even if their popularity is no longer there and their album sales are not good, when they go to any of the three major TV stations to perform, the program team will still serve them with courtesy. They will have a single-person waiting room, arrangements for stage effects, and a predetermined order for performing. On the other hand, if it's a newcomer, no matter how high their popularity is or how well their album sells, when they come to the TV station, they have to behave themselves and follow the rules. Don't even think about having a single-person waiting room.

  On the plane to Tokyo last time, when chatting with Kim Jun-su, An Jun-he heard him mention that when they first debuted, 3 groups shared a waiting room, and people were crowded to the point where they couldn't even sit down, wanting to touch up their makeup or eat something was impossible.

  That kind of crowded and awkward scene, An Junhe couldn't experience it.

  Looking at the nameplate with only his own name on it, he casually put away the phone that had just received a message and opened the door to walk in.

  A large waiting room, dimly lit by cold fluorescent lights that illuminate every corner, a few simple sofas scattered around, three dressing tables lined up on the right side, with mirrors that shine brightly, looking clean and tidy, yet also somewhat stiff and chilly.

  Bao'er, who had arrived early, was already inside with a Japanese agent. When An Junhe and the others entered, the two were chatting in Japanese. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, they turned their heads to look over. Bao'er pretended to be angry and shouted: "Big star, so arrogant! You let us wait for several hours before coming over. Just now I was telling my agent that if you didn't arrive within 10 minutes, I would leave!"

  An Junhe chuckled and said: "Alright, alright, I'm not full yet, haven't had lunch? Cheng Yu Ge, can you trouble yourself to order some takeout?"

  It was just noon at this time. Choi Sung-woo, who had followed behind him, put down the things he was carrying and replied with a voice before leaving.

  Bao'er didn't stand on ceremony with him either. After he came in, she sat down beside him and asked, "When is Music Bank scheduled to have you go on stage?"

  The order of the singer's appearance is especially important, similar to general activities, at the beginning it's all warming up stage, during the warming up stage, the ones who go on stage are basically second and third tier singers, the later they appear, the more famous they are. Although the real popularity doesn't follow this order, people care about their reputation, no one wants to be placed in an order that doesn't match their fame.

  But An Junhe didn't have to worry, when he heard Bao'er's inquiry, he raised three fingers: "Third from the bottom!"

  "Huh, did the show owe you money?" Bao'er pouted, looking a bit jealous. "Why didn't I get such good treatment when I debuted? Why are they so biased towards you? Why don't they just let you be the finale?"

  An Junhe smiled slightly, the finale was of course impossible, and the third from last was probably the best effort that the program team could make. Even if this episode didn't have any big-name seniors, it wasn't like he, a newcomer, could rise to fame overnight, after all, there was still a great god around!

  Putting aside the thoughts in his mind for the time being, Ahn Jun-hyuk and Bomi chatted for a bit. Choi Sung-woo, who had gone out to order takeout, came back with large and small lunchboxes, and the group ate casually in the waiting room. Before long, they heard a commotion outside the door. Kwon Bo-won went out to ask what was going on and found that the dress rehearsal had started. However, Ahn Jun-hyuk didn't need to rush as his dress rehearsal time was relatively later. For now, the most important thing was to visit the seniors with the album CD.

  The CD was prepared several days ago and is not much different from the A version currently on sale, the difference being that An Jun-hyeok wrote some words of greeting on the cover, such as congratulatory messages and requests for XX senior to take care in the future.

  Choi Sung-woo carried a backpack full of CDs, while Kwon Boa accompanied Ahn Jun-ho as they visited the waiting rooms one by one. Bomi also wanted to follow, but Ahn Jun-ho refused.

  It's not male chauvinism, but rather that it's a loss of dignity to take shelter under a woman's wings. When visiting for the first time, one should humble oneself and make the host feel at ease. If Bao'er follows you everywhere, those people will inevitably think that you came to visit us with a queen by your side, intentionally trying to show off and annoy them.

  It seems that since yesterday's promotion was so intense, the singer who is performing today already knows that Bao'er will be coming to support his junior. Even those with a bit of brains, even if they don't get along with him, wouldn't dare do anything.

  Of course, not everyone is so self-aware, and perhaps there will be people who are jealous of the preferential treatment given to him by the music bank program team, coldly ridiculing him and even making him stand in the corner and squatting on horseback. At that time, he won't mind using his fame to intimidate others and shouting "Bao'er" to calm down the scene.

  Fortunately, I didn't meet such an idiot today.

  "Hello senior, I'm Ahn Jun-hee, a newcomer who has just debuted. This is my debut album, please take care of me from now on!"

  "Haha, too polite, too polite, and also trouble An Junhe to come over specially. This is my new album, please accept it, An Junhe."

  “……”

  "Hello senior, I am..."

  "You're welcome... The song is great, I also contributed some audio sources, it's worth buying this album, haha!"

  “……”

  Knock on the door, bow, and visit with courtesy all the way. Most people are smiling and speaking kindly.

  This episode of Music Bank, the only ones who are truly above the first line are Cao Chengmo and An Junhe, who is still a newcomer. The others are not very impressive. At that time, the company arranged for him to debut in March, also looking at this time there were no big-name singers releasing albums, so the competition was small. Although seniority has nothing to do with being a big star or not, eating this rice, even if you have high seniority and deep experience, you still need someone's popularity to support you to stand up straight. An Junhe, whose debut album sold out in two days and became the weekly champion, looks like he has a bright future ahead of him. These people who have been in the circle for a long time, all polished into human machines, generally feel that it is not necessary to make enemies with him, so as not to suffer retribution later. Even if some individuals are slightly cold, the act of visiting is still smooth and easy.

  The last one I visited is today's well-deserved great god!

  Outside a closed waiting room, Ahn Jun-hyuk, who had just visited the two singers in the next waiting room, followed by Kwon Bo-geun and others, appeared at the door. The expressions of some singers who saw him on the corridor couldn't help but reveal their surprise, whispering to each other.

  An Junhe's ears were very sharp, and although those people deliberately lowered their voices, he still heard some of it.

  "I heard that the fan groups of those two have started fighting..."

  "Hmm... I saw it in the news, and it's all over the internet..."

  "Do you think when we meet, who will be able to bear it?"

  "Nonsense, it's Cao Chengmo..."

  Cao Chengmo!

  When he heard this name, An Junhe felt a bit helpless.

  Yes, the highest-ranking senior today is this prince of love songs. He also chose Music Bank as his comeback stage, but it's unknown whether Music Bank sought him out or if Jo Sungmo actively promoted himself.

  If it's the former, then it's still normal, but if it's the latter, then for An Junhe, it seems to be a bit of trouble.

  It's not that he's afraid of the crown prince, but now both sides are in an awkward position. It has to be said that Park Jin-young chose a good time. Cao Chengmo, who was low-key about releasing his album, was promoted by him and attracted the attention of many media outlets. Now, the news of releasing his 6th album is well-known to everyone. Others haven't done anything yet, but some fans of Ahn Jun-hee already understand what it means to release an album and have given up.

  They don't care about seniority, they only know that this Prince of Love Songs will seriously affect the sales of their idol's album and hinder the chances of "1 Minute 1 Second" winning first place on various shows. If the release time had been confirmed earlier, it would be fine, but since the other side released the album so suddenly, some Ahn Jun-hee fans can't help but maliciously speculate whether this senior is intentionally doing so to suppress his junior.

  Similar things have happened before, artists are also human beings, and there are too many narrow-minded people in the music industry.

  An Junhe knew that Cao Chengmo didn't mean to suppress him, and the two actually released their albums on the same day. This collision was just a coincidence, but this matter couldn't be publicly discussed. He also had no evidence to prove that those media outlets were hyping up Cao Chengmo's new album as JYP manipulating from behind the scenes. If he spoke carelessly, who knows if he would get slapped in the face by that Park monkey again.

  With such malicious speculation, Cao Chengmo's fans can't help but feel a little unhappy with him. When they mention it, their tone is naturally not very good, and some people even verbally attack him. As a well-known ballad king for many years, although Cao Chengmo is not an idol singer, he has a loyal fan base that is not small. The two sides immediately clashed, and now the online abuse is intense, with even the media reporting on it.

  Although this matter is the behavior of some fans and has nothing to do with An Junhe himself, in other people's eyes, his fans represent him.

  Even if Cao Chengmo is ignorant, he should have known about the "An Chao fan war" that has been circulating online. An Junhe doesn't know what kind of person his opponent is. If he is tolerant and magnanimous, it's fine. But if he is a bit petty, he might hold a grudge against him.

  Starting a career by making an enemy of a senior is not a pleasant thing, the other party's seniority is too great, if they really intentionally make things difficult, even the music bank program team can't come out to protect, after all, it's only natural for seniors to teach juniors.

  The company let Bao return to China amidst his busy schedule to support him, apparently also considering this point. If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't perform on the same stage, they might have even called back Kangta, who is currently active in Taiwan, to escort and protect this junior fellow disciple.

  Kangta debuted two years earlier than Cao Chengmo, even if his achievements are not comparable, his seniority is enough to overwhelm people.

  Of course, if possible, An Junhe did not want the two people's stance to develop to that extent. He didn't want to have a big senior who would think of himself every day. After receiving the news yesterday, he also thought about whether it was possible to get in touch with Cao Chengmo and communicate with him. After all, there were no major conflicts between them, and everything was a misunderstanding guided by others.

  He also specially found Hee Chul, according to him, last year at the end of the year, Hee Chul entered the mainland market with Cao Chengmo and endorsed a clothing brand for that country. Maybe the relationship between the two is good.

  Unfortunately, Ha Ji-won's response left him a bit disappointed. The relationship between the two was limited to that one collaboration, which was decided by their respective agencies, and they hadn't been in touch since then. Their friendship wasn't deep enough for her to help him make connections.

  It seemed that he also heard what those people said. Standing outside the door and before knocking, Quan Baogen whispered: "Do you want to call Bao'er over first?"

  An Junhe thought for a moment and shook his head: "Let's take a look at the situation first!"

  It's still unclear what Cao Chengmo's attitude is, and if he were to call Bao'er over at this time, it would be hard not to suspect that he has ulterior motives. Even if there was room for compromise, it would be completely squeezed out.

  With a slightly nervous expression on Quan Baogen's face, he gently knocked on the door. Before long, he heard a clear and melodious voice from inside: "Please come in!"

  The voice is very familiar, I started listening to this voice singing ballads in junior high school, and I won't recognize it wrongly. As soon as it fell into my ears, An Junhe understood that the person speaking inside was the Crown Prince of Love Songs.

  Taking a slight breath, Ahn Jun-ho pushed open the door and immediately bowed with a polite and respectful attitude: "Senior Cho Cheon-mo, I'm rookie Ahn Jun-ho who has just debuted. Nice to meet you for the first time, please take care of me from now on!"

  Quan Bao Gen and others who followed behind him also bowed their heads in respect.

  The words fell, and for a long time there was no response. The air was quiet, as if it had solidified. As time passed, An Junhe's heart sank deeper and deeper.

  It seems like there's no way out...

  Just as this disappointing thought had just surfaced, a female voice suddenly "heh" laughed in the front room. This seemed to ignite the fuse, and after a brief pause, "Hahaha...", more laughter burst out, and the previously stifling atmosphere was instantly torn apart.

  "Hey, I've had enough of your scare tactics! What are you people doing?!" This was Cao Chengmo's discontented shout.

  "Hmm... sorry, sorry, I'm too used to him, it's been a long time since I've seen him so cautious and careful, can't help but... haha!"

  "Every time I see him, his mature appearance makes me feel a bit inferior. Now... haha, suddenly I have a great sense of accomplishment!"

  "What were you thinking just now? If Hailing didn't laugh, would he have cried in a little while?"

  "You think you're something, but you're just a coward with muscles."

  Hailin... and these voices...

  An Junhe, still bowing his head, had a momentary pause in his thoughts, and then quickly sprang back to life. If he still didn't understand by now, he might as well be dead! It was clear that the wise and illustrious him had been toyed with by a group of people!

  "These guys..."

  He sighed, but in that instant of sighing, his heart felt warm and fuzzy, a hanging stone fell silently to the ground.

  ……

  He lifted his head, and the originally spacious waiting room was already packed with people. On the sofas not far from the entrance, several familiar faces were looking at him with playful or amused expressions - Hwang Ji-yoon, Baek Ji-young, Kim Jong-kook, Sung Si-kyung, Jo Se-ho, and... So Ji-sub!

  It had been several months since they last met, and at this moment, on that slightly chubby face, his eyes narrowed, and a faint smile floated towards him.

  For a moment, An Junhe was stunned, then came to his senses and suddenly exclaimed with joy: "Brother Zhi Xie is also here?" As he spoke, he quickly stepped forward and hugged Su Zhi Xie, who had also burst out laughing.

  Soo Ji-hyun, who is slightly shorter in height, patted his back and said with a high-pitched tone: "You're making your debut, such a big thing, how could I not come? Speaking of which, I haven't even settled the score with you yet!" He punched Ahn Joon-hee on the shoulder and said discontentedly: "Just a few days ago we just talked on the phone, but you didn't even tell me about it. If I wasn't paying attention to entertainment news and Haerin hadn't called me, I wouldn't have known that today was your debut stage."

  In response to his seemingly dissatisfied behavior, An Junhe didn't explain that he was worried about not being able to ask for leave and feeling troubled in his heart. He just looked him up and down a few times, seeing the rosy complexion and well-rested pale skin, and smiled: "Brother is taking care of himself quite well, this makes me feel at ease."

  "Haha, I should thank you for helping me find a good job, every day sitting in the office, now it's even better, I've gained a lot of weight!" Su Zhihui patted his arm, which had indeed become quite plump.

  Several people next to them were smiling and watching the two of them, Ahn Jun-hee and So Ji-sub's relationship. They had also heard about it from Hwang Chi-yoon, so they understood why Ahn Jun-hee didn't greet them before coming over. Even Kim Jong-kook and Jo Hye-ryong felt a little envious - not everyone has a good friend with connections who can easily arrange for them to serve in a comfortable unit during military service. The two of them would also be starting their military service at the end of the year, and thinking about the hardships they would face later made them even more envious of So Ji-sub, who was getting more and more comfortable after serving in the military.

  On the contrary, Ha Ji-won was not very satisfied with being ignored and shouted: "Hey, you two don't be mushy, Ahn Jun-hee, it's hard to arrange a surprise for you, come in without even saying hello, I've really spoiled you!"

  Too lazy to retort, she spoke in a tone of seniority. An Junhe lazily glanced at her, "Surprise... huh? Weren't you the one who said that after cooperating with Cao Chengmo once, you didn't contact each other again? Yesterday on the phone, it was all apologies and sorrys, making me feel embarrassed too. You, indeed an acting expert!"

  "We've only collaborated once." Heo Ji-woong blinked innocently, "And we haven't been in contact since then either!"

  No sooner had the words fallen than Cao Chengmo's face was filled with helplessness: "Of course, we've never been in touch. You always show up uninvited. My greatest regret this lifetime is that two years ago I shouldn't have heard Zhi Xue mention you and, out of curiosity, asked him to arrange a meeting... How many times have you taken advantage of me in the past year? Alas, too late for regrets now!"

  "Haha!" Several people burst out laughing, Hee-jun kicked him in dissatisfaction, and Cho-sung immediately hugged his leg and shouted: "See, it's coming again!"

  "Call me to kill you again!"

  "Suit yourself, over a hundred pounds are thrown here, anyway I've long given up on living." Cao Chengmo hummed lazily, then looked at An Junhe and curled his lips: "In the future, have less to do with this guy, you're still young, don't go astray."

  "Go die, stinky man!"

  "Wow, Tian Hailin, your attack is too broad!"

  An Junhe smiled as they bickered for a few sentences, and soon the war escalated, even involving several onlookers in the battle group. Among them, Seong Si-kyeong, Kim Jong-guk, and Jo Cheol-mo were probably more familiar with each other, chatting and laughing freely, and before long, they formed an alliance to attack Hwang Ji-yoon. However, although Hwang Ji-yoon might not have been able to outtalk them, she didn't back down and would kick her way out once she ran out of words, ending the fight in a draw.

  Only Su Zhihui didn't join in, standing beside An Junhe and talking to him.

  "Is Ge and Cao Chengmo seniors friends?"

  As soon as Ahn Jun-hee opened his mouth, So Ji-sub knew what he wanted to ask and nodded. "Yes, he's a good friend of mine. I know about the fan wars on the internet, don't worry, Seon-mo won't take those things to heart, and with us around, even if he feels uncomfortable for a while, he won't get angry at you."

  Listening to what he said, it's clear that he sensed there was something fishy behind the media frenzy over Cao Chengmo's sex video. Thinking carefully, it makes sense. These people have been in the entertainment industry for many years, and they've experienced many ups and downs. Even if their information channels aren't as extensive or transparent as those of SM Entertainment, based on experience, they can still infer some things.

  But it's impossible to say that Cao Chengmo didn't get angry at all, An Junhe could feel it, Cao Chengmo had a bad impression of him, which he didn't find surprising, after all his fans were still attacking him online, no matter how broad-minded someone was, they would still be a bit annoyed. The reason he didn't show it was because just now he was still able to joke with him, obviously it was for the sake of Su Zhihao and Hee Joon's face.

  It seems like he guessed what was on his mind, Soo Ji Hoon smiled and said: "Actually, the one you should thank the most is yourself."

  "Huh?"

  "Will you help Baek Ji-young produce a single?"

  "Uh-huh, right."

  "Baek Ji-young is talking about a good record label, it's the agency that handles Shin Hye-sung's new album. Hehe, she's been quiet for so many years, even we friends didn't dare to help her, but you did, just this point alone makes him look up to you." As he said this, he patted Ahn Jun-hee on the shoulder.

  An Junhe's heart finally returned to his stomach, just as he was about to say something else, the door of the waiting room suddenly opened and a staff member from the program team poked in half of his body.

  The bustling waiting room suddenly fell silent, and several people turned their heads to look over. Under the spotlight, a few big-name stars clearly stunned him for a moment. This staff member's expression was obviously somewhat hesitant, and after humming and hawing for a while, he finally looked at An Junhe: "Uh...An Junhe, we've finally found you. Please get ready, it's almost time for your dress rehearsal."

  "Oh, okay!"

  An Jun-he agreed, and was about to bid farewell and leave. When he turned his head, he saw that Jin Zhongguo, Cheng Shiqing, Cao Chengmo and others who were originally seated had all stood up, and together with Hee-jun, they surrounded him as he walked out.

  "What's wrong with you guys?"

  "Ha ha, you thought you could surprise me by hiding it from me? You underestimate me, Ahn Jun-hee! Just wait for your sister to be overwhelmed with gratitude!"