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“Really well done, Haeun. Let’s keep it like this during the live broadcast.”

A satisfied voice.

A smiling face.

As Geonyeol patting Haeun’s shoulder a couple of times, she nodded slightly, maintaining her usual nonchalant expression.

Haeun thought there hadn’t been any mistakes during the rehearsal just before.

However, it was important that the fact of Haeun’s appearance in this <SIT ON THE MONEY> live broadcast finals shouldn’t be known to the other finalists, except for Hwang Jihyeok.

Not long after, once they were all set with makeup and stage costumes for the finals.

“We’ll come to get you when it’s our turn, so don’t wander around.”

“Got it.”

Haeun had to stay hidden in a different waiting room from the one used by Dubli and Hwang Jihyeok.

Of course, her manager, Joo Jeongyun, was with Haeun.

Thanks to the broadcast of the <SIT ON THE MONEY> finale promo on the TV placed on the waiting room wall, they weren’t bored at all.

What followed were simply casual conversations.

Both Haeun and Joo Jeongyun shared their personal thoughts about the finals while watching the TV.

“It’s a shame that Mom and Dad didn’t come.”

“If Mom and Dad were here, I’d be even more nervous. It’s better that they don’t know about this finals at all.”

“But you’re going to tell them later, right? That you debuted as a singer?”

“Hmm… don’t you think they’ll figure it out anyway without me saying anything?”

“Still, I think it’d be better if you told them directly. They’d definitely feel unsettled if they found out through an article.”

And so, Haeun nodded.

After the <SIT ON THE MONEY> finals ended, Haeun promised to directly tell Seongyoon and Nayeon that Haeun and Pinocchio were the same person.

However, from Haeun’s phone placed on the table.

-Bzzzz─!

Feeling a vibration, she paused the conversation with Joo Jeongyun and unlocked her phone.

What Haeun found was a notification that a new post had been uploaded on Yoo Seongjae’s SNS.

And almost simultaneously, a memory popped into Haeun’s mind.

‘Haeun, since your feelings aren’t visible, I’ll put your picture on a big teddy bear and seat it in a chair.’

‘…You’re joking, right?’

‘No, I’m serious. I’ll even post a proof shot on SNS.’

Haeun and Yoo Seongjae’s last conversation.

‘…No way.’

Ultimately, Haeun quickly accessed Yoo Seongjae’s SNS and clicked on the most recent post.

In less than a second, a gigantic teddy bear filled the screen of Haeun’s phone.

Of course, there was nothing wrong with the teddy bear itself.

The problem lay in the photo attached to its fluffy face.

“Hey? Isn’t that Haeun’s photo on that teddy bear?”

“… Yeah. I think that’s my photo.”

It seemed clear that Yoo Seongjae’s previous words had finally been put into action.

That’s why she called Dayeon, who was also present to witness the beginning of <Moonlight Cutting Through the Clouds>.

-♪

-♪

-♪

-♪…Click.

[Hello?]

“Hey, Dayeon. I need a favor─”

And so, after explaining what Yoo Seongjae had done, she immediately asked Dayeon to take his teddy bear away.

“If by any chance, he isn’t willing to give it up, tell Seongjae that ‘next time I’ll really bite.’”

[You’ll really bite next time? What does that even mean?]

“You’ll know what I mean when you say it. I’m counting on you, Dayeon.”

[Hmm… I’ll understand for now. Hang up.]

About 10 minutes after, the photo of Yoo Seongjae’s teddy bear appeared in Dayeon’s hands.

For some reason, Haeun’s photo hadn’t been removed, but at least she succeeded in getting Yoo Seongjae’s teddy bear.

[Min Dayeon] – (Selfie with the teddy bear)

[Min Dayeon] – Of course, it’s just me, right?

[Lee Haeun] – Yes. Thanks.

[Lee Haeun] – (Otter emoticon saying thank you)

She sent a thank-you message to Dayeon.

Seeing this side of Haeun, Joo Jeongyun let out a snicker afterward.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, just. Because you’re cute.”

“The teddy bear, right?”

“You can think of it as the teddy bear~.”

Her eyes held a hint of mischief.

For some reason, her expression looked quite pleased.

In a playful voice.

However, Joo Jeongyun couldn’t pry further into the reason she laughed.

Soon after, with a couple of knocks, Lee Joon appeared to signal that it was finally Hwang Jihyeok’s turn.

“Let’s go, Pinocchio. Let’s surprise them properly.”

“…Okay.”

In other words, Haeun had been informed that it was time for Pinocchio to take the stage.

“Unnie, I’m off.”

“Fighting~.”

And so, with a click.

The door of the waiting room that had sent Haeun and Lee Joon to the finals stage closed completely.

Joo Jeongyun, left alone in the waiting room, wore a faint smile shortly after.

‘Haeun has changed so much.’

In any case, after 12 years of being by Haeun’s side, Joo Jeongyun knew better than anyone that the present Haeun was quite different from the past Haeun.

In the earlier days, the former Haeun wouldn’t have been swayed by anyone’s actions, like Yoo Seongjae’s teddy bear.

No, even if she had been affected, she wouldn’t have shown it outwardly.

‘Honestly, back then, she was too mature.’

In Joo Jeongyun’s memories, the young Haeun was a child who rarely expressed emotions, except when acting in front of a camera.

She had an emotional range much narrower than other kids.

To put it positively, she was already plenty mature.

To put it negatively, a little old for her age.

However, as time passed and after experiencing the tumultuous teenage years completely, everything changed.

More precisely, after Haeun had passed the secret audition where both singing and dancing abilities were evaluated, she had transformed.

‘So, Haeun. Just be honest with me. Did you really get a boyfriend?’

‘Oh, I told you it’s not like that. Why are you doing this to me…?’

‘It’s because you keep avoiding my eyes. Your ears are super red.’

‘It’s because I’m cold.’

‘But it’s still summer!’

‘…It’s the air conditioner’s cold wind.’

‘You’re messing around.’

There were times when Haeun’s feelings surfaced not only when acting in front of the camera.

She could also express her true emotions, not just the feelings of the characters in the script.

Of course, Joo Jeongyun still didn’t know the true nature of that secret audition Haeun had attended.

The contract procedures following her acceptance into the audition were handled by Luna Entertainment’s legal team.

However, one thing was certain: Haeun had changed since that audition.

｢──────♪｣

‘…Looks good.’

Haeun’s expression displayed on the TV in the waiting room was clearly not acting.

The emotions underlying it were also genuine feelings that Haeun was actually experiencing.

On the finals stage, Haeun looked more serious than ever but also more joyful than ever.

There was not even a speck of tension caused by the countless cheers directed at her.

*

“Before we start, let’s gather our hands and do a cheer.”

A familiar voice.

An unfamiliar phrase.

An unfamiliar situation.

But now that they had come this far, it was too late to turn back.

Without any choice, Haeun extended her hand forward and lifted it in time with Geonyeol’s cheer.

As the spotlight shifted to the darkened stage at that moment.

The sound of Hwang Jihyeok’s footsteps began to fill the air, signaling that his finals stage would start very soon.

This made it evident that Pinocchio’s debut stage was about to commence.

To say she was not nervous would be a lie.

Only, it was solely because she had to give her best yet again.

“Jihyeok.”

“Yes?”

“Promise me you’ll win.”

“…Yes!”

Right until their final goodbye.

Not long after, once the song of the finals, “EYE”, started to play in her ears through the in-ears,

Haeun only thought about her part for the featuring.

In any case, what Haeun had to do on this <SIT ON THE MONEY> final stage was solely to sing.

There was no need to think about anything else; it wouldn’t have been helpful at all.

Right now, she had to focus solely on finishing the finals stage well.

Following this, Hwang Jihyeok, who was the first to step on stage, began his rap smoothly.

Lee Joon and Geonyeol also headed for the left and right lifts of the stage, respectively.

Eventually, Haeun alone stayed behind on the finals stage.

“Stage door will open in 5 seconds. 5, 4, 3─”

In accordance with the staff’s signal that finally rang out, she raised the handheld microphone.

As the massive door began to slowly open.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Pinocchio.”

With the introduction from Hwang Jihyeok, who had just completed his part,

Haeun opened her mouth that had been silent for a long time.

“The stars in the night sky remain the same, but my gaze has fallen below─♪”

“I was looking at the same darkness. But it wasn’t the sky anymore─♪”

She then faced countless pairs of eyes.

Gradually, the murmurs beginning among the audience could be faintly heard.

Yet, due to the dazzling backlight of the stage lights and the white baseball cap that covered most of her face,

People still couldn’t recognize who Pinocchio was.

All that the audience could see was just a black silhouette.

They could barely deduce that this figure appeared quite young.

However, her voice and name were familiar enough.

So, even after the first featuring part ended, the gazes toward Haeun did not waver.

After a brief moment, Hwang Jihyeok’s rap part began, filling the venue once again.

As time passed and eventually the second featuring part began.

-Soft steps.

With the slow steps beginning to head to the center of the stage, a twist occurred.

The white baseball cap slowly fell from the stage floor, revealing the face beneath.

In that brief moment, silence fell over the audience.

Trying to process the flow of questions in her mind, Haeun found it hard to part her lips, rubbing her eyes as if doubting the scene unfolding before her.

After that, she simply watched and watched again.

Until the bewildering scene, which seemed unreal, was enveloped in solid conviction.

Eventually, the moment people reached the conclusion that the two figures in their minds were the same,

“They said it’s all because of me. all because of me───♪”

With the high notes forcefully delivered from the small handheld microphone, the audience’s cheers erupted.

Amidst the lofty cheers, only the sound of Heo Joo-eun typing on her laptop timidly made its presence felt.

It was a scoop.