On Sunday evening, after we rearranged the choreography, I ultimately passed out and when I woke up, it was the next week.

This means, that it is time to check the first week's album sales count.

The result was... incredible.

"...670,000 copies?"

"That's right!"

I asked the manager one more time.

"Not the pre-order volume, but the sales volume?"

"...Isn't it like that? Anyway, it is the sales volume!"

"..."

In this case, the pre-orders refer to the number of albums the retail stores had ordered in the prospect of how many albums they predict will be sold.

'I'm skeptical because this is more than it was originally.'

I can't believe it's 670,000 copies.

'It hasn't hit me yet.'

Even though the demand is much bigger compared to the supply, it's the sales volume that felt really paralyzing.

Considering the fact that TeStar's fan base is mainly formed in Korea through an audition show, this was even more amazing.

It's even more than it used to be.

'Wasn't it originally 600,000?'

Clearly, the initial album sale for the first week of a group that originally debuted with was 600,000 copies. I couldn't figure out where the 70,000 came from...

"...Isn't this a new record for male idols' debut album sales?"

"Oh, uh..."

"Holy moly."

The other guys were also somewhat overwhelmed rather than happy.

If it had been 300,000 copies, we would have been rolling on the floor with happiness, but since it was double of that number, it felt somewhat scary.

Of course, one of us soon came to our senses and made a realistic judgement.

"...If so, will we be able to win first place next week?"

"...!!"

The tension rose at that moment.

Ryu Chungwoo opened his mouth.

"How much are VTIC sunbae-nim's sales this week?"

"I will check."

Kim Raebin immediately began the search.

You could check the weekly sales right from the album chart.

"...!"

"Wow."

It was unbelievable that it was in the second week.

'No matter how, the last day of the first week sales period passed.'

The total sales were at the level of very popular male idol groups.

At this point, I became curious about these guys' first-week sales period for this album.

//TN: The first week's total album sales counts are very important in the Kpop industry to determine the level of success of the artist. The sales are the highest during that period.

"...Wait a minute."

I touched Kim Raebin's smartphone screen a few times and checked VTIC's first week's album sales.

"..."

Ah, it's hopeless.

"Oh wow~"

"Haha."

"The day to become No. 1 will come if we work hard!"

The tension suddenly disappeared. The members laughed and started encouraging each other.

It was expected, but with such a big difference in the basic scores, the hope of winning disappeared.

This tally, where album sales were twice as different, was not enough. Seems like it was going to be difficult since the songs were falling behind.

'There's no way the album total sales will go well even after the first debut week... It's probably going to be tough in the second week.'

Our rank in the music charts continued to rise, but I was skeptical about whether we could push out VTIC, who were built in the first place rank.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Should we get ready to go out?"

"That would be good."

"Fighting today too~"

The members dispersed to change into outing clothes.

The manager was mumbling 'It shouldn't be like this...' and repeated the same words several times, but soon sighed deeply as if he had accepted reality.

'He must have had other thoughts.'

Well, he will figure it out.

It was right after we got into the car that the manager gave us a new issue.

"You guys know that the fan signing event is in two days, right?"

"Already?"

The members were very nervous. We were told about that at the beginning of our promotions, but forgot the date due to the busy schedules. The manager nodded.

"That's right. They bought so many albums and supported us enthusiastically, so we have to do well and treat them with sincerity~ "

"Ah, of course!"

Perhaps he thought of building up the topic by throwing out the album sales first. He seems to be relieved after saying it.

'It's the fan signing event.'

I needed to put a little bit of energy into it so I don't make a mistake while talking to a hundred people in a row.

However, there seemed to be some members who had the opposite reaction to this, since Seon Ahyun's face seemed to immediately turn pale.

"I, I, I don't think I can do this."

"Why?"

"Huh? Be-because I can't talk properly..."

"...? Hyung's Korean is good even now."

Seon Ahyun, who got caught up in Cha Yujin's nonsense, got even more confused.

I sighed and intervened.

"There won't be any mistakes, since you're careful. Don't worry too much."

"...Th-thanks."

Seon Ahyun answered with a faint smile, but his face didn't look like he stopped worrying.

'That's understandable.'

In the first place, there have not been many conversations with fans.

While going back and forth during the schedule, fans could be seen sometimes from close range, but there was usually just a quick exchange of greetings or fan services and we had to get in the car quickly.

It's hard to use that as an example since sometimes they were not fans, but sasaengs who persistently followed us to our dorms and stayed nearby or at the convenience store.

'Any member of the team may be nervous to have a one-on-one conversation...'

"Time should go faster~ so that I can see our fans."

"..."

Except for that guy.

Keun Sejin was in the front seat and he was humming while scrolling through his phone.

'He's confident.'

I didn't expect to see examples of two extreme opposite idol group members ahead of fan signing event like this.

...How about me?

'I don't know.'

When it comes to public fan signing events for famous idols, there have been times when I got paid to go to take pictures as a proxy. However, I have never heard of what they were talking about while signing autographs. The space itself was noisier than expected, so all sounds were muffled.

'Well... I have seen a lot of them wear hairbands.'

It was kind of embarrassing, but there is nothing I can't do, so let's move on.

I imagined the scene in my head and clicked my tongue. This is not practical.

'I should find out what kind of conversations there usually is.'

We were on the move in the car, but there were no reality show cameras. I immediately connected to social media and started searching.

I put 'review' at the end to skip all the homepage photos.

But before I could move to the popular articles tab, one of the latest articles that just popped up caught my eye.

"...!"

Wait a minute.

The image attached to the article was a certification photo that they had bought over 100 copies and failed.

"..."

120 copies?

Honestly, I immediately thought of this as soon as I saw it.

'...How much is that?'

The regular price of TeStar's debut mini-album is 15,000 won. Even if there was the discount rate when doing joint purchases... 11,000 won would be the lowest price.

'Even if you calculate that...'

132 million won.

"...Huh."

My brain was spinning.

'Even if the conversation was long, it would be a minute or two at most.'

Since there are seven TeStar members, it means the worth is more than 180,000 won per person.

'Isn't this too inefficient?'

Can I do 100,000 won worth of conversation in a minute? I'm obviously not confident.

'I should just... do whatever they ask me to do.'

Other than that, I couldn't think of any other special measures. I put down my smartphone and pressed my forehead.

I have taken more than 100 photos at fan signing events, but never have I thought I would be one of the central figures there.

I broke out in cold sweat.

* * *

Park Moondae's first fan homepage master arrived at an art hall in Mokdong, where the fan signing event was held, fully prepared.

The small stage and audience seats that can fit 300 people accommodated 100 people without difficulty.

And waiting numbers were distributed.

'Hurray for the front number!'

The homepage master set up the camera quickly while happily thinking that she could have a conversation with Moondae, before he gets tired.

And just after 7:30 pm.

TeStar entered from the side of the stage.

In an instant, loud shouts filled the small art hall.

Usually, the sounds of cameras were heard first, but the excitement of the first fansign event could be heard before that.

TeStar, who entered a little bashfully while waving their hands, stood in front of the autograph table set on stage and bowed.

"Take your STAR! Hello, we are TeStar!"

"Woaahhh!"

It was an official greeting that sounded like rookies who were not yet familiar with fansign events.

Fans cheered enthusiastically, but inside, they were crying out their support for each member.

It was the same with Park Moondae's homepage master.

'Moondae's black hair! Ah, I love it!'

It was not the first time she had seen Park Moondae's black hair since she had been to pre-recordings several times, but it was still good every time she saw it.

It may be because Park Moondae had black hair at the time she first became a fan.

'Blond hair is nice, but as expected black hair is perfect.'

She briefly recalled her friend, a hard blonde, but soon erased it from her mind and quickly focused on the camera.

She had to take good pictures to share that face with everyone.

'He gets more handsome every time I see him.'

Perhaps because of the album concept, Park Mun-dae with black hair, who is now wearing a white summer uniform as a stage costume, had a strangely refreshing atmosphere.

'This is not a joke, it's the truth... !'

While she was muttering like that, TeStar, who finished their greeting, shyly went back to their table and sat down.

'Moondae is at the end.'

The homepage master mumbled that it was glad that she had brought gifts for other members just in case. It would be kind of weird to not give anything to anyone else while holding a gift to the end of the table to Moondae.

"Let's start in numerical order~"

Soon, the fansign event was held in earnest.

She got the front number so she could start getting her autograph without waiting long. Moondae was about to meet the fan who had the first number.

The first person was Ryu Chungwoo.

"Hello!"

"Ah, hello."

Seeing Ryu Chungwoo greeting her first, the homepage master stuttered slightly.

'He's also handsome.'

She has seen him being called by nicknames such as 'hot Confucian man' on social media, but seeing him up close in person, she seemed to understand why.

'He looks like a college student who would appear as a male protagonist in a webtoon.'

She shared a few light small talks and handed over her little box of red ginseng after a high five.

"Woah, thank you!"

"Ah, it's nothing~"

The first autograph ended happily. Now to the next one.

"Where should I sign it for you?"

It was the former child actor Lee Sejin. He had a delicate and tidy impression and was not particularly lively, but was also not insincere.

"Who have you come to see?"

Unexpectedly, he was the first to ask a question.

"Ah, I came to see all of TeStar."

"Is that so? Thank you."

Lee Sejin answered without being particularly sensitive and neatly finished the autograph.

'He's brighter than I thought.'

For some reason, the more each person's autographs she received, the better the image of them she had got updated.

The next signing members were the same.

"Well, then I'll try to find a blank space that is as conspicuous as possible without covering my face..."

Contrary to his intense impression, Kim Raebin, who shyly signed the autograph with a tense look, was also nice.

"Which album cover do you like the best? I like the violet one the best!"

Cha Yujin, who was more excited than the fans who received autographs, put all kinds of graffiti around his autograph and threw bombs of questions. He was also cute.

'I was really spiteful to him at the beginning of IdolCo.'

She praised herself, saying it was a good thing she didn't say anything rude back then.

And then Keun Sejin appeared.

"Welcome~ How was it for you coming to the first fansign event? I was really nervous!"

"I was nervous, too!"

"Eyy, I don't think you're nervous~"

Keun Sejin with his friendly tone instantly made her feel better about the things she did that day, her current mood, her condition and her worries.

In addition, she didn't even say anything but automatically got a high five from him.

"See you next time~"

"Yes...!"

'...It was like we became closer?'

It felt like she was building an inner friendship with a handsome business school major student. Even if she guessed that the other person was friendly to everyone in some way.

Although she was impressed by the popular insider vibe she felt from only the two and a half minutes conversation, she soon went into high spirits as Moondae's turn was coming up.

'Now the next next one is Moondae...!'

Full of anticipation, she was thinking of quickly proceeding with Seon Ahyun to get past him.

'...That would be too shameful of me.'

"N-nice to meet you!"

Seon Ahyun smiled softly and sincerely listened to what she had to say. Thanks to that, she received her autograph while feeling as if she had been possessed.

Seon Ahyun even added a sincere P.S. underneath the autograph.

'...He's truly a natural treasure.'

With that kind of personality on that face. It would be difficult to even fake that and keep character.

...And now all that's left is her long-awaited favorite.

She swallowed and looked back at Moondae.

//TN: Sorry, I won't be able to translate much this week with all the assignments piling up and university events. There will be more chapters next week since I have an autumn break then.