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“I’m more nervous than before.”
“What should we do?”
They arrived at the venue of the fan signing, located not far from the broadcasting station. They picked up Ian’s tablet while eating snacks in the prepared waiting room. They were searching for fan signing post-its, fan signing responses, etc.
“Guys, it’s our first fan signing event but you don’t have to be so nervous.”
Lee Joo Hyuk reassured the members, but his legs were also shaking. After all, even the leader is still 20 years old.
Ian loosened his tie. The fan signing event was held in the same stage costume as it was, but it was uncomfortable to wear it for a long time because it was a suit style.
“Hey, Choi Ian. Do you have anything to say?”
“What about me? Ah. It’s heavy, dude.”
Jo Tae Woong put his arm on Ian’s shoulder.
“You’re relaxed no matter what you do.”
“That is right. Even in the morning when hyung was warming up his voice and everyone was watching, he’s still the same?”
“He has a different attitude than us.”
How should I say this? Ian put on a troubled expression.
[Just say the forbidden words. There are common reasons to unstan.]
Oh really? Oh yeah? To tell them not to say such clichĂ© words, but the members’ eyes were filled with expectations. Ian scratched his cheek and said.
“Hmm
 I also heard this from my cousin noona who is a fangirl.”
Kim Yong Min’s experience turned into a cousin noona who is a fangirl. But his cousin noona is actually a K-pop fan, so it will be okay.
“I don’t know how many albums our fan signing cut1 is, but one album would be about chicken2 price, right?”
“About 15,000 won, then chicken price is right.”
“Ah, I suddenly want to eat chicken. When are we having dinner?”
The conversation quickly went elsewhere. At the conversation that seemed like it would never end as it just went along with their flow of consciousness, Lee Joo Hyuk clapped his hands and changed the topic again.
“Anyway, fans spend more than one chicken to meet us. Not only that but also think of people coming from the provinces and islands as well.”
“Okey, so what?”
“Such people paid high transportation costs and came all the way to Seoul to see us. They would also go to the shop to touch their hair, do nail art, and others so they will look good to us.”
He didn’t forget to add ‘my cousin noona said so’ just in case they would ask back ‘is there really anyone like that?’.
“Fan signing events are usually announced two days after buying the album. But in the meantime, perhaps there will be people who pick, buy, and bring presents for us.”
“
”
“Those people coming to see us with a hard time, but the time to talk to us is two minutes at most. What will it feel like?”
“It’s a little
 in vain.”
Kim Ju Young answered blankly. When Ian peeked around, the distractions on the members’ expressions couldn’t be seen anymore.
The company employee who was filming behind quietly captured the members’ faces on camera.
“We have to make sure those people think they came here well and don’t regret it.”
Choi Ian didn’t just have bad memories at the fan signing event. There were also so-called real fans who didn’t forget to visit.
Those people were the ones who smiled happily looking at Kim Yong Min even for a short time and one-sidedly gave him affection.
And what Kim Yong Min did to them is that if he is sincere and sincere, his response will improve on its own.
“And you have to think about it for yourself.”
Just as maternal love does not happen immediately after just giving birth, just because they just debuted doesn’t mean they have a great love for fans. Now is the time to be puzzled and find it hard to believe the love those people give to them.
Still, Ian thought they would have understood his words well since they weren’t shameless enough to ignore the sincerity of the giver.
***
Kim Eun Ha, who had a starstruck accident3 when she saw a handsome Delivery Boy on the TV channel she accidentally turned on, bought the album without hesitation, and arrived at Awy’s fan signing event.
After checking her ID card and picking the front seat number, she thought she was lucky today and sat down.
“Hello~”
The person beside spoke to her, who was only on her handphone since there was still 20 minutes of waiting time. Kim Eun Ha also received her greetings and glanced at the person next to her. A face that looks a little older.
‘An aunty fan.’
She sighed quietly. It’s not a generalization, but because many aunty fans she experienced were too fussy.
However, there were still 20 minutes left before the start of the fan signing and she didn’t even bring a camera, so she had no choice but to spend her free time.
And when she realized, she was chatting with the woman next to her in less than 10 minutes.
“Did you see the kids’ uniform today? Daebak.”
“I think the agency is doing a good job.”
Not only the seat right next to her but also the woman sitting next next to her spent time chatting with them.
“How many copies did you buy? I bought twelve.”
“It was ten for me.”
“I bought nine. I bought it with my friend, but she fell out. She bought five copies.”
And Jin was floating around watching this scene. If the fan signing cut was about 10, then it was a good start for a rookie.
More and more seats at the fan signing event were filled and about half of the people who set tripods and cameras in advance also sat down.
Tring-
Handphone alarms were heard all over the place. Kim Eun Ha also turned on her phone at the vibration felt in her hand.
[Y-App] AwyCAM – A Common Rookie’s Attitude Toward Fan Signing Events☆
“Did you see this? It looks like it just came up, right?”
“It came to me, too.”
They connected earphones to each phone and played the video. In the video, the part where Ian just said before was uploaded.
It was a hasty upload by the person in charge of the video who thought this should be posted at Ian’s deep words that he understands fans’ feelings even without having to talk about it separately.
“Oh my
”
Watching the video to the end, Kim Eun Ha said that his handsome face has a good personality and covered her mouth with her hand.
‘Guys, I’ll make sure chicken doesn’t dry out in your life
’
There were 5 minutes left before the fan signing event. Seeing some people who covered their mouths, Jin snorted.
[Really, what kind of universe energy is helping that Choi Ian guy.]
Come to think of it, didn’t he say he was born again with the luck of saving the country. Seeing a singer who seriously thinks of his fans, who will not become a fan after knowing it? Moreover, he had the face of Choi Ian and the fact that someone was lucky to film the situation.
[But, will that feeling last long?]
Sincerity would easily fade, though. Jin’s camera blinked significantly.
***
“What you said about fans earlier is good, but just being fans doesn’t mean they always care about you.”
Now it’s time to go inside soon. The manager, who was quietly listening to Ian, got up and said.
“If you think you’ve heard harsh words, let me know. It’s forbidden to put stickers on your faces, so avoid by pushing them from sticking it.”
It had been announced in advance to protect the artist even before the fan signing event. The atmosphere has to be set like this from the first fan signing event so the fan atmosphere will change later.
“Don’t be touched anywhere except your hands and if anyone brings something like a pacifier and asks you to bite it, give a sign to me.”
[Have you been through this too?]
‘Me? Haha
 I’m even scared of how far I’ve experienced it.’
Imagine a grown-up boy biting a pacifier and was asked to show aegyo to take a picture of. The behavior, which would be disgusting even if it was an idol, already remains Ian’s dark history.
Still, he was relieved that the company seemed to manage better than when he was Kim Yong Min.
“We’ll watch from behind, but there are times when we can’t take care of all of you. Got it?”
“It means don’t let the fans treat you like toys. Don’t take it all just because you are a rookie. You guys are the top priority.”
Several employees of the agency also gathered to say one word at a time. Perhaps because they were fans at one point, they tended to be too immersed in the group.
“Let’s do well.”
Park Jin Hyuk tapped Park Seo Dam’s shoulder and opened the door to the fan signing event. ‘Kyaaak’. Their ears were deafened by the screaming voice.
‘How come everyone is so hyper?’
[The video where you talked earlier was uploaded.]
‘What?’
For real? Ian hurriedly found the person in charge of the video. Without noticing Ian’s feelings, the person in charge gave a thumbs up to him.
Ian’s ears burnt bright. I said it for the members to hear, not something for the fans to hear though!
‘Ah, why is a cringy thing like that uploaded?’
“Always by your side! Hello, we are Awy!”
The members shouted the team’s slogan and sat down in their respective seats. Ian’s order was the third from the front.
“Hyun-ah! Look over here!”
“Ian-ah! Here!”
[The first birthday party is starting in earnest.]4
The voice of the gunman can already be heard. Although depending on the red crosses and yellow triangles, Ian moved his head around at the sound of calling him. Ian grabbed the microphone.
“Haha. There are too many.”
They are not only sitting calmly and waiting for the fans to come. Sometimes they had to listen to the requests of the fans sitting in the audience seats like this. Each of them shouts to look here to take pictures and videos. As Jin said, it was really like a first birthday party.
“Welcome.”
Finally, the first fan sat opposite Ian. Ian smiled and made eye contact with the fan. The fan smiled shyly but has a will to capture Ian’s face in her eyes to the end.
“You are the first fan to get my autograph. What’s your name?”
“Please do it with Iron Heart.”
Ian habitually grabbed the fan’s right hand. The other hand was signing the album. Iron Heart. It’s a Home5 name.
“Whose Home is it? Perhaps, my Home?
“Yeah, that’s right. I opened it as soon as I saw the first broadcast!”
“From the first is already my Home Master-nim, it’s an honor. Noona? A Noona right?”
And there are times when they do not just sign autographs if fans wrote a simple question on a post-it in advance and they have to answer it. Strange questions or demands are filtered out by the fan manager in front.
It was a common ‘preference vs’ question with items such as jajangmyeon vs jjamppong or dipping vs pouring6. Ian quickly finished the post-it by circling his pick.
“Other members bleached their hair, but it’s a pity that I didn’t. What color does Noona want to see later? I want to try blue hair.”
The post-it can be seen later, so Ian talked skillfully.
In Ian’s experience, idols should never make fans talk more about themselves. This is because fans come with a lot of things they want to ask and know about the singer, not about themselves.
“So, you like blue. For me, red? I want to see it later.”
“I’ll discuss it with the hairstylist boss later.”
“Oh, right. Take this.”
The fan held out a flower. It was a luscious pink rose. As soon as Ian received the flower, the manager said to the fan “Please move on now”. The fan urgently told Ian.
“I was in a hurry to come out, so I only prepared this. Congratulations on your debut.”
“Thank you, Noona. Thank you so much for coming.”
Before the fan went to the next seat, Ian held the fan’s hand with both hands. Then made eye contact with the fan and smiled broadly. A red cross mark exploded behind the fan’s back and disappeared.
“Hello.”
Ian put the rose he received from the fan in his ear and greeted the next fan.
***
Ian pretended to recognize the fans who came to the pre-recording with the help of Jin and acted cute with the puppy headband brought by the fan. At the same time, he even answered the voice calling him from the audience seat.
[Despicable guy.]
Ian tried to ignore Jin’s words. It was because he thought he would have a wise man’s time7 if he kept listening.
He heard that the fan signing cut was higher than expected, so wouldn’t it be better to listen to most of the fans’ requests?
“Hello. Huh?”
Ian recognized the opposite fan first even if Jin didn’t tell him separately.
“I think I’ve seen you before
 Did you come to the busking?”
“Heok, that’s right. How many months ago was it, but you remember?”
“Yes. It was Daehak-ro, right? You asked when I’m going to debut.”
“Daebak
”
Ian signed the fan’s album and even wrote down the post-it questions neatly.
Daehak-ro busking. It was the person who talked to him while helping to clean up.
‘But I think I’ve seen her a lot besides busking
”
Ian didn’t stop thinking even as he stared at the fan. Who is it?
“Any questions other than post-it, Noona?”
“I can’t think of anything in particular, but can you sing a verse if you have time in the middle? You sang very well.”
“Of course.”
At the manager’s words, the fan quietly moved to the next seat. Sometimes some fans sat still and endured longer even at the words of the staff. Since that was the free time in the middle, Ian, who was thinking about what to sing, suddenly turned his head.
‘Crazy!’
[Why? Do you remember?]
‘It’s Min Hee Noona!’
The home name is Dragon Mint8 and her name is Jang Min Hee. A real fan who has liked Kim Yong Min since his Diamond debut.
She was already on her way back to her seat after receiving an autograph from the last seat Kim Hyun.