Superstar 789
by CristaeEpisode 789 of Superstar from Birth
At the sight of their rowdy sunbaes, the members of Vermillion, ice cream unwrapped but untouched, rolled their eyes around nervously. Were they… actually allowed to eat this?
Seojun, noticing their hesitation, smiled and spoke up.
“Just teasing. You can eat it.”
“Yeah, hurry and eat it before it melts.”
“But don’t forget I bought it!”
“Yes, sir!”
Nom!
The sweet ice cream seemed to melt away all the tension they’d been feeling in front of their sunbaes.
“Wow. Low move, Park Ideun.”
“More like Park the Mean.”
“What did I even do?!”
As Jung Eunsung and Park Ideun joked around, Seojun turned to Taewoo, who was sitting on the lounge sofa looking like his soul had left his body.
“Taewoo hyung, want one?”
“…Yeah. Give me one.”
Seojun picked out the flavor Taewoo usually liked and handed it to him.
Taewoo crinkled the wrapper open and took a bite. The sugar kick seemed to bring him back to life.
‘From now on, seriously… I need to take care of my health. No excuses.’
As they shared ice cream (with Ideun sneaking a second one), they chatted with Vermillion until it was time for everyone to head off to their respective schedules.
“We’ll leave the rest in the lounge freezer. Eat one when practice gets tough.”
“Thank you!”
Seeing Vermillion’s eyes sparkle, and Park Ideun rubbing under his nose, made him actually seem like a real sunbae.
“The stage looked great. Keep working hard.”
“Yes! We’ll do our best!”
Eunsung added with his own air of seniority.
Was this blessing hour?
Smiling, Seojun joined in.
“I could tell everyone was giving their all on stage. As long as you don’t forget the mindset you had during your debut performance, everything will go well.”
“Yes! We won’t forget!”
Taewoo smiled warmly at the sight of these junior-senior interactions. (Strictly speaking, Seojun was an actor, not a singer.)
“Since you’re here anyway, why not give them a little power boost? You gave us some before we went on stage!”
“Oh yeah, that was awesome.”
At the mention from Ideun and Eunsung, Vermillion’s members lit up.
Superstar Lee Seojun’s energy?! Of course they wanted that.
Seojun chuckled, remembering that moment—right before a performance, when he slapped the Blue Moon members’ cheeks “for energy.”
“Alright.”
He held out his hand.
‘I was planning to use it anyway.’
Blinking, the leader of Vermillion looked from Seojun’s face to his hand, quickly coming to his senses and grabbing it tightly.
“Wishing you all the best.”
[(Passive) Using “Orchestra Conductor’s Connection”. (1/30)]
“Thank you!!”
Eyes wide with wonder, the leader stared at his hand. One after another, Seojun registered the remaining members as well.
[(Passive) Using “Orchestra Conductor’s Connection”. (7/30)]
Now, the members of Vermillion would be able to understand each other a little better.
‘And probably no more level-ups from here on out.’
They were rookies, after all. Unlike BrownBlack, Blue Moon, or Jason Moore’s orchestra members, they likely wouldn’t experience dramatic, world-shaking musical awakenings.
Fufufu.
Seojun grinned like a villain, imagining the Tree Spirit sulking in disappointment.
“What the—weren’t you slapping us on the cheeks for energy back then?”
“Different time, different method. And how could I hit kids?”
“…True.”
At first confused by Seojun’s gentler approach, Park Ideun looked over at the Vermillion members, now clutching their wrists in awe, whispering, ‘I’m never washing this hand!’
He nodded in agreement.
“Yeah. No way I could hit them either.”
“Technically speaking, it wasn’t really hitting.”
“It was more like… putting some spirit into us,” Jung Eunsung added with a grin.
Vermillion’s leader stepped forward and extended his right hand to the two.
“Sunbaenims! Could you share your energy with us too? If you don’t mind, I’d really love to receive it!”
“…Huh? Us too?”
“Yes, please!”
At their junior’s bright and eager face, Park Ideun and Jung Eunsung smiled and gladly clasped his hand. The other Vermillion members followed, eyes sparkling, tightly gripping their Blue Moon seniors’ hands one by one.
“I feel like I can do anything now!”
“Same here!”
Waaaah—
It felt so good, they thought they might faint.
Seeing their reaction, Seojun, Ideun, and Eunsung couldn’t hold back their laughter.
And then—
“…Um… excuse me…!”
A new voice rang out. It was gentle and clear.
“Hm?”
Seojun and the others turned toward the source.
The rehearsal room door flung open, and a wide-eyed girl burst in, voice loud and determined.
“Lee Seojun sunbaenim! Park Ideun sunbaenim! Jung Eunsung sunbaenim! Could you share your energy with us too?!”
She was the leader of the girl group Amber.
A little earlier, inside another rehearsal room.
The four members of Amber had been practicing with their usual focus and discipline.
When break time came, they collapsed onto the floor in exhaustion. Their leader rolled water bottles toward each of them.
“Ughhh. I’m dying…”
“Same…”
Then, just as the youngest member opened the door to head to the restroom—
“Unnie! Unnie!! UNNIEEES!!”
She came running back like an excited puppy that just spotted its owner.
“What is it?”
No one lifted their heads. Still melded to the floor, they only opened their mouths to respond.
Amber was used to their maknae being dramatic over every little thing. After falling for it a few times, they no longer reacted much.
But this time… was different.
“Outside! Lee Seojun sunbaenim! Blue Moon sunbaenims! And the Vermillion oppas are all out there!!”
Suddenly, the maknae’s usual dramatic flair felt way too understated for what she’d just said.
Lee Seojun sunbaenim?!
Blue Moon sunbaenims?!
At those unexpected names, the members—who had just been loving the cool floor and refusing to get up—sprang to their feet.
“What!?”
“For real!?”
“Seriously!?”
“Yes! Yes! They’re all eating ice cream together!”
…Wait. Was she more excited about the ice cream?
Seeing her sparkling eyes and the way she licked her lips, the three unnies couldn’t help but wonder.
Anyway.
The four members of Amber pressed themselves against the rehearsal room door. Through the small gap, they could hear the conversation outside.
“The superstar’s energy… I want that too…”
“Vermillion’s so lucky…”
Though their debut dates were different, the Amber girls had become close to Vermillion during their trainee days. Now, watching them shake hands with Seojun through the tiny opening, Amber’s eyes filled with envy.
“Unnie, can you go ask?”
“Yeah, we want Seojun sunbaenim’s energy too…”
“Me too!”
I want to as well… kids…
Amber’s leader looked out with a mix of awe and longing. The way Vermillion had shouted, “I’m never washing this hand!”—she was so jealous.
I wouldn’t wash either… I swear I wouldn’t…
But asking outright felt… impossible. Lee Seojun sunbaenim was too distant a figure.
He knows our names, sometimes chats with us in passing, even gave us his ‘Seojun Shield’ at the café, and yet…!
Close, yet far.
He told them to be comfortable with him—but how could they? He was a global superstar!
“Gasp! They’re getting Blue Moon’s energy too!?”
“Unnie!”
“Leader!”
As the three sunbaes looked ready to leave after shaking hands, the younger members panicked.
Seeing them bouncing with urgency, the leader made up her mind.
Forget it—let’s just do this!!
She flung open the door and, with all her courage, shouted:
“Lee Seojun sunbaenim! Park Ideun sunbaenim! Jung Eunsung sunbaenim! Can you share your energy with us too?!”
“Please!”
Behind her, the three other Amber members silently cheered, Go unnie!!
Seojun, surprised for just a moment, soon smiled.
“Sure. Want some ice cream too?”
“Kyaaa!! Yes!”
“Thank you so much!!”
Amber’s members turned red from excitement, but their faces lit up with joy at Seojun’s cool response.
“I hope you’ll continue to show fun and beautiful performances.”
“Thank you!”
Amber’s leader bowed deeply, trying hard not to squeal out loud. Then she moved on to shake hands with Eunsung.
“Aaahhh!!”
The maknae, next in line, couldn’t hold it in and let out a happy scream. One of her unnies gave her a light pat on the back to calm her down, then stepped forward with spirit.
“We’ll work hard!”
As she shook Seojun’s hand, he smiled softly.
‘Glad I held onto it.’
He’d been carrying the abilities around not knowing when he’d meet Amber or Vermillion again. And now, they were finally being used here.
[(Passive) Activating “Chorus of the Freevians (Intermediate)”.]
[(Passive) Chorus of the Freevians – Intermediate]
Lifeforms resembling bell-shaped flowers, the Freevians sing in chorus.
Each time a new voice joins, the group’s singing ability multiplies.
Current Members: 4
Freevians were creatures who looked like blooming bells and naturally sang in unison. Their songs could be lullabies, blessings… or even attacks.
‘With 4 members, that’s 4 times the ability.’
Since the group size wouldn’t change, Amber’s skill would remain multiplied at that level.
It wasn’t inferior to the 6x boost Vermillion got from
[(Passive) Orchestra Conductor’s Connection]
In fact, it might even be better—because there was no downside.
While the Conductor’s Connection could reach up to 6x strength depending on bond levels, if the bond weakened, it could also reduce ability.
And there was one more reason Seojun chose this ability for Amber.
Freedom.
Because “chorus” was about singing together, when the ability was eventually lifted, they wouldn’t experience the emotional “crash” that came with losing the Conductor’s Connection.
‘Took me forever to find this one…’
But seeing Amber’s members genuinely happy just from a handshake—yeah, it had been worth it.
The Chorus of the Freevians and the Orchestra Conductor’s Connection—these were the two abilities Seojun had prepared for Amber and Vermillion.
He could’ve added Amber to the 30-member cap of the Orchestra Connection, but…
‘That would treat them like a single orchestra group.’
Which would make their stages feel like one merged performance—definitely not ideal.
‘Better not.’
If their musical styles clashed, it might even backfire and drag down their bond level.
‘Though if it knocks that smug Spirit Tree down a peg, maybe it’s not the worst idea…’
“I feel like I could practice all night now!”
“How come you guys got this and we didn’t?!”
“We didn’t know you were even in the building!”
“When unnie burst in, I thought she was rapping.”
Still, Seojun couldn’t risk messing up either group’s future.
He chuckled.
“Didn’t this feel like a fan-signing?”
“Yeah. Kinda did.”
At Ideun and Eunsung’s comment, Seojun flexed his hand and mused,
“Hm… maybe I should do a real one someday.”
Everyone turned to him, eyes wide.
“…I think I just saw the future. I can see the new sprouts fighting it out for tickets.”
“Me too. A full-on bloodbath, no mercy…”
As the kids joked, Seojun smiled—
“Seojun, should we start prepping?”
—and then burst into laughter at Taewoo’s serious voice, clearly back in manager mode.