The Daughter of a Conglomerate Family Has Debuted - Chapter 321

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The artists looked at us in surprise at the sudden cheers that could almost be called screams, and we awkwardly smiled and looked away, startled by their gazes.

‘Actually, we were surprised too.’

When we naturally waved at the fans, their cheers grew even louder and almost everyone at the venue looked back and forth between us and the audience seats with curiosity.

“Who are they?” could be heard from here and there.

It was difficult to pretend not to notice this. They were looking at us, but when our eyes met, they quickly averted their gaze before we could even greet them.

“Please follow this way.”

In any case, amid the grand welcome, we followed the staff’s guidance and took our seats.

The seats assigned to us were in the very front row of the audience seating.

It was the best spot to see the stage and also the easiest spot for cameras to capture.

“I’m suddenly getting nervous.”

“Ha-young, are you cold? Why are you shivering like that?”

“I don’t know. I think I might be cold.”

Min Ha-young was so nervous that her soul seemed to have left her body as she answered Han Da-min while continuously drinking water.

The singers sitting all around us were people we never even thought we’d meet in our lifetime, yet they were the creators of songs we’d heard as often as the national anthem since childhood.

Global stars who had completely dominated YouTube’s algorithm were curious about us.

Even when we tried to have natural conversations, we couldn’t help but be conscious of their gazes, and our conversations flowed soullessly.

There really was nothing we could do about being nervous.

Just like on our debut day, our shoulders were stiff as we could only drink bottled water.

“Why are you so nervous? We’re all singers invited to the same awards ceremony. Relax your shoulders.”

Song-i tapped the members’ thighs with an exasperated tone.

“Don’t be nervous and just be comfortable. If you shrink back, they’ll look down on you. It’s not like this is your first or second time at an awards ceremony.”

“…”

Isn’t it natural that attending domestic ceremonies feels different from attending the famous overseas awards ceremony we’d only heard about since childhood? But at least Song-i looked completely unperturbed, just as she said.

‘…She really is amazing.’

I’ve thought this before, but Song-i doesn’t get nervous at big events to a degree that can’t be explained simply by “having a lot of experience.”

‘Is it because she wasn’t interested in singers?’

I don’t know for sure, but I heard that Song-i had no particular interest in music, including K-pop, until Start Plan.

The other members and I are greatly nervous because many of the singers here are the original artists of our audition songs, monthly evaluation songs, role models, and songs we listened to endlessly for practice.

Maybe that’s why she can be so composed.

“I don’t know, I’m incredibly nervous right now. I wish it would end quickly.”

Min Ha-young muttered with her soul still gone from her face.

“Usually I want to slowly enjoy everything, whether it’s our stage or others’ stages. But today I really want this whole awards ceremony to end quickly. I want to time travel.”

There were plenty of singers she wanted to see perform live, and she had put her heart and soul into preparing for the stage, but wanting to skip it all and end quickly showed how much pressure she felt about the performance.

Well, we didn’t expect to receive this much attention at the venue.

Thinking about going up on stage and being evaluated while receiving their gazes gives me chills too.

What kind of evaluation will we receive from them?

Conversation among the members disappeared.

Even though the behind-the-scenes camera was filming us, no one stepped forward to say they should talk.

We were so nervous that we seemed to forget the camera was filming as we stared at the empty stage while drinking water.

How much time passed like that?

Finally, the awards ceremony began.

The Popstar Music Awards, one of America’s top three awards ceremonies.

It started with the opening remarks of host Selina, who was in charge of today’s proceedings.

“Until Mr. Herjur of Kenjina Digital, one of our sponsor companies, started babbling like a politician about how all domestic immigrants should be deported, I never thought this awards ceremony would be held so smoothly. Really stupid beyond belief. Did Herjur forget that he’s an immigrant too?”

People laughed at Selina’s words.

While it wasn’t a big issue in our country, the representative of a company that had been supporting the Popstar Music Awards made extreme remarks about immigrants through SNS, which became a huge controversy.

Because of this, more singers refused to participate in the ceremony and publicly criticized it, leading to much discussion about whether the awards ceremony should be held.

“Fortunately, thanks to Herjur and Kenjina Digital being removed from the sponsor list, the Popstar Music Awards could be held despite enormous losses. Haha, Herjur! Don’t ever come back!”

People laughed even louder and began giving a standing ovation.

“Wow…”

America really is different. Mentioning real names and commenting on such issues.

“Great!”

Selina shouted, satisfied with people’s response.

“Alright, enough jokes. You’ve waited long enough. Let’s start the Popstar Music Awards!”

With her words, the camera that had been filming Selina quickly turned toward the center of the stage.

Yellow lighting naturally came up on the stage.

The opening stage started with singer Ren Gang, who had succeeded in charting and risen to popularity after a long period of obscurity.

***

The awards ceremony was heating up.

Many singers who had been enjoying great popularity recently put on special stages.

Even we, who had been shrunk with nervousness, were now moving to the rhythm and enjoying the performances as time passed.

To be able to hear hit songs that we could sing along to just from the intro, performed live one after another.

As we repeatedly danced excitedly, sang along, and played around with the approaching cameras, the nervousness from being in America finally disappeared.

It would have been great if we could just enjoy it like that…

“Let’s get up. We need to go backstage now.”

“Everyone get up. Get up.”

Manager Seong Ji-soo and Han Da-min quietly gestured for the members to follow them.

Our relaxed shoulders tensed up again as if nothing had happened.

It was almost time for us to go on stage. We followed Seong Ji-soo and the staff’s guidance to the backstage waiting room and fixed our outfits, hair, and makeup.

“Hmm hmm.”

I lightly warmed up my neck while checking my makeup and hair. Since the awards ceremony was already in progress, there was no time to leisurely practice our choreography or compose ourselves in the waiting room.

As soon as we were ready to go on stage, we moved backstage.

While passing through the corridor, people who had been walking busily during the entrance would sometimes stop and look at us curiously.

“Hi.”

Sometimes there were people who gave brief greetings or tried to make eye contact.

It didn’t seem like they recognized us and were greeting us, but rather they heard the fans’ cheers during our entrance and were curious enough to try talking to us.

We arrived backstage.

Before we knew it, all the previous performances had ended, and Selina was conducting interviews while joking with the invited singers.

The faint sound of interviews in the chaotic atmosphere.

The interview content had been quite spicy throughout the awards ceremony, so I wondered what they were talking about, and surprisingly they were discussing K-pop.

“Rika, do you know any songs from the K-pop genre?”

“Oh, of course. Actually, I don’t know much about K-pop, but I know some famous songs. I also know that Cael Arden recently collaborated with a K-pop group.”

A global star and Selina were having a conversation about K-pop.

Moreover, that person being interviewed is a legendary singer who had been active since before I was born and had poured out dozens of hit songs during my trainee days.

“My daughter also loves K-pop very much. My son doesn’t listen to it much, but thanks to my daughter, I can hear various K-pop songs at home all the time.”

Wow, a legendary singer who has audition songs that everyone knows actually knows about K-pop.

“I’d like to sing together someday. I didn’t know much at first, but there are many very dynamic songs that are great for dancing.”

I was listening to the conversation with interest when the staff began signaling urgently for us to go up on stage.

We quietly walked onto the darkened stage.

“What’s the most recent song you’ve heard? Do you remember any?”

“Um, ah, yes. Wait a moment.”

While we were getting into formation on stage, Rika lightly warmed up her neck and began singing briefly.

It was Flora’s 【Revenge】.

As soon as they recognized what song it was, the fans began cheering loudly, and seeing this, Selina smiled brightly and said:

“Great! The next people to appear are the creators of this very song. Rika’s daughter will be so happy! Let’s meet them. Flora!”

As soon as Selina finished speaking, the lights came up on stage and the song began.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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