His fanbase was close to ten thousand. Seungho felt mortified, even though he actually didn't care about having fans.
How on earth am I going to get to the same level?
"So you know, that number is for the unique fans who have participated in one or more events. There is the online number too, and that is a lot….lot larger." And winked at Seungho.
Oh, and he is four in merchandise sale. He must be making a fortune.
"You are lucky, extremely few trainees come in with such idols stats. And the fact that you are in the same team. Seungho-ssi, you have no idea how blessed you are."
Seungho smiled at Sangmin. Sangmin added in a neutral tone.
"Yuna-ssi sent you many messages and you haven't even checked them."
Sangmin's voice began to weaken, he was being visibly upset.
"She has collected many memberships for your fanclub by actively looking and talking to people, asking others to help her get your fanclub started, and prepare all the visuals, connect with promotions….You know it is a lot of work. And you haven't even thanked her once."
Sangmin was visibly upset, like he had gotten hurt. Like this was somehow about him.
Seungho froze. He didn't expect Sangmin to pour sadness and displeasure at him. He didn't know what to do.
Sangmin pointed at a table full of items.
"Look, these are gifts from your fans. Yours. You actually got gifts, and you ignored them." He took a pink teddy bear holding a blanket and a box of tailored cakes.
"These are handmade. You can tell by the sewing. It takes a lot of time and care to do all this work. And you ignored it." Sangmin said shaking the teddy bear in front of him.
Then shoved it into Seungho's hands.
He looked at the bear. The pink fur and the crooked stitching. The bear had been sprayed with a cozy perfume.
She made this for me. A puppy's princess was thinking about me. I didn't even look.
Hwang-manager clapped his hand together.
"Now that we have vented our concerns...what about a joint event? Choi Yuna-ssi has already done the survey, fans would really enjoy a cooking event. The theme would be cooking for your fans."
Hwang-manager drew an arch with his hands to illustrate an imaginary banner.
Seungho nodded. His mouth was dry.
I can't taste. I can't cook. They'll see.
Seungho looked at Sangmin. "I think it is a great idea."
Seungho mouthed a thank you to Sangmin. Sangmin rubbed his shoulders with his hands, and lowered them. His voice changed too.
"Then it's settled." Hwang-manager slapped the table like he had a gavel.
He took his tablet to take a few notes.
"Is there any special dish you are good at?" He asked looking at both.
"My fans love when I make delicious tteokbokki for them, and I also make my own kimchi." (tteokbokki = spicy rice cakes with sauce)
"That works fine. We'll focus on making food to show dedication and appreciation, quiet love. What about you Seungho-ssi?"
Seungho looked up trying to think about any one dish he could do without the need for tasting.
"I could make stir-fry Japchae." (Japchae = Korean glass noodle dish)
"Very good, a cherished Korean dish, that is perfect. A mix of quiet love with balance of tradition. Your fans will love it."
"When will the event be? Both Hana-ssi and Choi Yuna-ssi are eager to make this happen fast."
Sangmin smiled with a quiet demeanor.
Hwang-manager looked at his schedule. "We can make it happen within two weeks, perhaps faster if I nail the right location. I will start organizing it today."
"Thank you, Hwang-manager-nim, I know how busy you are."
Hwang-manager laughed puffing his chest, flattered.
"Please practice making the dishes before our next meeting. Let's make this a great event."
"Yes!"
Sangmin said cheerfully.
Sangmin-ssi really knows how to move in this environment.
Hwang-manager's phone rang.
"Japchae is a good choice, you can flatter the fans palate with your skills as flavor designer," Sangmin whispered to Seungho.
Seungho pulled his head back in surprise.
Oh, did I ever tell Sangmin-ssi about my job...?
Hwang-manager interrupted. He needed to leave on urgent business, a mixup about the Duke's costumes. He left in a hurry.
"I will be in touch." He said filling his bag and leaving.
And that was that.
Now I have to cook again.
Seungho puffed his cheeks and exhaled slowly, running through it all in his head.
"It may not look like it, but she is not only working for herself, to maintain her status. All the interviews and pictorials, all the promos, benefit us too. It is more than normal that she expects us to follow her lead. She takes care of us. You just don't see it yet."
Seungho was speechless about that mini-lecture. Sangmin's words were heartfelt, like someone who genuinely cares...for the Duke?
Seungho simply didn't know what to reply, so he didn't say anything.
It is true, I don't know anything about this world.
Sangmin put his phone in his pocket.
"Tonight make sure you respond to Yuna-ssi's messages, she knows we are busy with training during the day, so she won't expect you to reply this minute."
"Does she know about this meeting?"
Sangmin's silence made the question heavy. "Of course she does. Anyway, I need to return to training. See you later."
And he just left.
Still not good between us.
Seungho sighed.
Left alone, he did the only thing that in the past days had given him a sense of assurance.
He called his screen.
.
[ TRAINING SCHEDULE ]
[ RUNNING MACHINE TRAINING WITH MONITORING ]
[ SPECIAL EQUIPMENT GYM IN 10 MINUTES]
.
So I guess I won't train with others today either.
Bae Ara's words returned to his mind. In that context, Sangmin's words sounded even harsher.
I am out of the loop. So just do what you are told. Why is it that it is so difficult for me to follow simple rules?
***
At the gym, the special equipment consisted of an elliptical machine especially modified for hunters and various machines measuring vitals. A few scientists and doctors wearing long white coats busily got everything ready.
No test rooms, no simulations, no monsters, and no mysteries. Just simple running. It did look suspicious though, with all the tubing.
Seungho felt an urge to ask why such a simple setup. But then he kind of guessed. Maybe his body needed some solid routine. Just keeping up with monsters ate up all his energy.
Plus anytime I ask questions I end up ruffling feathers, like Bae Ara keeps admonishing me for trusting the Duke.
Seungho did what they told him without asking any question. He let them attach sensors, tubes and needles into his body, not knowing what any of those did. The elliptical machine started at a preset pace optimized for his body, he had been told.
And he just ran. It wasn't bad, he used to run in school, it was like that, his legs moving and his thoughts gone.
Focus on saving energy points. Only points, do the work.
He kept repeating to himself like a mantra. That was his goal for the rest of the day.
Given the crazy events in the morning, being so close to being devoured by the wolf king, it was important to reassess how the world of hunters, their training works.
I was lucky, I didn't have to fight it. I was lucky I found a different way to defeat it…That is interesting.
Half an hour into the run, Seungho's thought continued to enter the rooms on its own, replaying all that had happened in the past few days.
Then there is also what Sanghyun-ssi said this morning about picturing the strike. I ignored that, but it did helped me to strike the bells in a chain. At the last minute it saved me.
Now I have to figure out why he chose to warn me about that specifically.
"Yang Seungho-ssi, please focus, look at the spot we are projecting ahead of you and focus intensely on it. Can you rethink of your training this morning, picture hitting the bells. Please remember as many details as possible."
Seungho remembered the second bell in the first village hanged by a pub and was cast with a seal on it, two swords crossing. More. Inside two people were sitting by the window where the flowers in bloom were of blue color, a shimmering color.
How is that even possible? How can I remember so much?
A machine started beeping faster and faster. He eyed the screen slightly to the side. He saw his energy level go down. Another machine cranked pumping a fluorescent red-colored fluid into his body. He wasn't sure where it was being injected.
"Focus on the spot, don't overthink."
Remember, just follow instructions like you are being told. Just follow.
He focused back on the spot. The machine's beeping slowed. He calmed too.
After some time, more instructions.
"The spot will soon be replaced by a spiral. Even if you feel dizzy, keep focusing on it. Don't lose eye contact with it."
And Seungho did exactly that.
After, his mind went blank, all his thoughts dropped. Already in the zone.
He could only hear only the machine beeping.