#61

By the time we got into the car, the photos uploaded by the sasaeng had already been deleted.

It didn’t seem like they deleted them themselves; it looked like the Filaments had mass-reported them, leading to their removal. But many people had already seen them, and the fan cafe was buzzing with activity.

Are they insane? Why are they stalking the kids? Please just leave them alone.

└It’s probably that person who specializes in uploading sasaeng photos.

└Then they’re not a real Filament, right? ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└Who knows? It’s anonymous, so there’s no way to tell.

Hey, sasaeng, if you’re here, get out now. How horrifying would it be for Ichan and Hanjoon to see those photos?"

└But shouldn’t the company be aware of this?

└They probably are. There’s a staff member in charge of the fan cafe, and the chief manager seems to keep an eye on it too.

I’m worried about how the kids would feel if they saw the photos in the fan cafe.

└The photos posted here were all deleted, right?

└Yeah ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Seriously, the people who spread those photos should reflect on themselves.

This might sound a bit weird, but Ichan’s fingers ㅠㅠㅠㅠ They’re so pretty. Imagining those fingers playing the piano gives me chills.

└Bulb, hold it together. I also gasped at Ichan’s lips, but think about how uncomfortable the kids must feel. It’s not an official photoshoot; it’s a close-up taken by a sasaeng.

└I also wanted to save it but held back ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Filaments, if you love L.I.T, let’s love them in a healthy way.

└Yeah, sasaengs are doing bad things. Don’t scare our kids.

From plastic bags hung on dorm door handles to fingers pressing the keypad of the entrance code, the photos uploaded by sasaeng fans were increasingly crossing the line.

Even the Filaments were united in their concern for the members.

"Agh, damn. Isn't this seriously creepy?"

Hanjoon, who had only heard the full story after returning to the company, was trembling with anger. The photos were high-quality and crystal clear, showing the mole on the right side of his neck and even the fine hairs under his ear.

"At least I’m an adult, so it’s not as bad, but if it were the other kids…"

"Wait, I’m not an adult yet?"

I interjected, sipping on my now lukewarm hot chocolate.

"You’re still nineteen. You’re a minor."

"But you’ll be an adult in two months."

Right, Kang Ichan will also be an adult in two months.

Once I’m an adult, I should visit Kang Ichan’s mom. By then, we’ll have won the Rookie Award, and it’ll be a good time in many ways.

I need to show her that her son’s body is at least alive and well. Maybe then I’ll feel a little better.

Just then, Hanjoon suddenly shoved his phone in my face.

"Kang Ichan, smile. I’m going to take a photo and upload it."

Out of nowhere?

"What kind of photo?"

"The Filaments are really worried about us, so we should at least post a photo to show we’re okay."

Today has been full of surprises.

Hanjoon, who usually lives with a "can’t be bothered" attitude, is now into shopping, talking about his mom, and even managing fans?

Hanjoon, the big dog, is suddenly trying to be cute.

"You’ve grown up a lot, huh?"

"What?"

I said it teasingly, but I meant it. The L.I.T kids were changing, little by little. They were becoming more solid, growing in a positive direction, and it made me feel proud.

"Hyung, you’ve really grown up."

"W-what? It’s because you’ve been looking out for me."

Hanjoon’s neck turned red as he tried to hide his flustered expression, but he didn’t seem angry.

"Sorry, sorry."

According to the rules of this world, Hanjoon isn’t someone you should casually call cute, so I quickly apologized and fiddled with my phone.

"Wait a second. Let’s not just take a random photo. Let’s do it properly."

* * *

A photo was posted on L.I.T's official SNS.

It was a picture of Ichan and Hanjoon sitting side by side on a couch, and the Filaments couldn’t help but let out screams of delight.

First, Hanjoon tilted his head at a 45-degree angle, showing off his sharp jawline. His eyelids were slightly lowered, and his neck was elongated, giving off the vibe of a ballerina.

Next to him, Ichan tilted his head slightly and used his left hand to pinch the side of his lips and chin. Upon closer inspection, it looked like he was subtly puckering his full lips.

#L.I.T #ICHAN #JUNE #Official_HeadShouldersKneesToes_FaceLipsNeckHands #ThisIsForSaving #NoToIllegalPhotos

<How is it? Pretty, right? If you want to see an even prettier L.I.T, keep an eye out for the Skin Therapy CF releasing tonight at 6 PM.>

And just as Ichan announced, at 6 PM, the ad was uploaded to the Skin Therapy website, Blade Entertainment's homepage, and L.I.T's official homepage.

Juhee, a Newtuber who had prepared thoroughly to film her reaction to the ad, sat in front of her computer with a holy determination.

Then, she pressed the REC button on her camera.

"Hello, everyone. This is 'Mad Juhee.' Today, I’ll be filming my reaction to the ad of my one and only favorite idol, L.I.T. What ad did L.I.T film, you ask? Yes, everyone. Don’t be surprised. Our gracious L.I.T has become the model for Skin Therapy’s ambitious new product, <Bright Essence>."

Then, she let out a "Wow—" and clapped by herself.

"I should be waving an L.I.T lightstick right now, but it hasn’t been released yet. How much longer are they going to delay it to increase its glow power? I need to say something about this."

Clearing her throat, Juhee glared straight into the camera and raised one eyebrow in annoyance.

"Look here, CEO Pyo Cheonhee. We Filaments are a fan club that gathers to go absolutely crazy for L.I.T, right? But we don’t have a lightstick to carry around?"

It had already been over two months since the design survey ended. Yet, the lightstick still hadn’t been released. At this rate, the kids’ comeback might happen first.

"Seriously, if you want the Filaments to function properly, you need to give us a lightstick. Is it that hard to make one? If it’s too much, just buy a big bulb from the local electronics store and stick it on a pole."

Juhee, who had been holding back these thoughts for a month, finally felt relieved after saying them out loud. She was certain most Filaments felt the same way.

"Now, it’s time. Shall we meet our shining boys, L.I.T?"

She clicked on the freshly uploaded video on L.I.T's official homepage.

A soft, slightly dreamy melody began to play.

<Skin Therapy Bright Essence, Light:>

Yellow text flashed across a black background, and soon, a face lit by backlight appeared in a close-up.

―Brighten the light.

As the narration played, Juhee pressed the spacebar to pause the video.

"Sorry, I had to pause. That’s Ichan’s voice, and I got too excited. Let’s watch it again."

With a snap of her fingers, the screen lit up.

As Juhee had predicted, the face illuminated by the backlight was Ichan’s. His face, slightly turned, slowly faced forward. Then, a mesmerizing smile spread across his cool expression.

Juhee paused the video again and let out a scream, kicking her feet.

"I’ve been to their fan sign event before."

Recalling the emotions of that day, Juhee clasped her hands in front of her chest and spoke excitedly.

"Speaking as someone who’s seen them in person, their skin is really good. It’s no wonder they’re called 'light idols.' Their skin literally glows, and it’s absolutely, completely amazing. And the best among them? Without a doubt, our King Ichan."

She pressed play again, and the scene transitioned to Siu, with his drowsy eyes, dropping essence onto his glowing face.

―Hydrate with highly concentrated rose water.

He gently rubbed the transparent essence dripping down his cheek with his fingertips and slowly raised his head.

Next, Hanjoon appeared, touching his face here and there while checking himself in the mirror, as if making sure nothing was missing.

―Brighten the light.

The lights turned on brightly, and the corners of Hanjoon’s lips curled up slightly. He looked extremely satisfied.

Juhee, with her hands clasped as if in prayer, watched the scene with bated breath.

"Ugh, why are they so pretty? Are they even human?"

In the next moment, Roa and Jaewon were facing each other with their eyes tightly closed. Slowly, they opened their eyelids, and the lights turned on brightly. The two boys, bathed in the bright light, had a dreamy, drowsy look. Roa and Jaewon, who had been staring at each other’s faces, slowly turned their heads toward the camera.

―Brighten the light within your skin.

The final scene was graced by Ichan and Siu.

Sitting back-to-back, the two boys held up a pale blue bottle, looking so ethereal that you’d believe they were fairies.

Then, the narration played.

First, Siu, with his flawless visuals, held the blue bottle to his chest and spoke.

―Skin Therapy Bright Essence.

Next, Ichan elegantly wrapped his fingers around the essence bottle and moved his hand as if performing a dance move. The blue bottle turned into light and scattered in all directions.

―Light:

The short ad ended.

Yet, Juhee was still staring blankly at the screen.

"What did I just watch?"

Juhee blinked rapidly three or four times.

When the light scattered, she thought she saw a strange blue light enveloping Ichan.

"My eyes must be playing tricks on me. Being a fan makes you see special effects, huh?"

Then, she laughed heartily, looking extremely satisfied.

"Everyone, you’re in big trouble now. I mean, how can you resist this? It’s impossible."

She was certain that the number of new Filament members would skyrocket because of this CF.

"Come on, come on. Hurry and fall into the world of L.I.T. The later you join, the more you’ll miss out. Got it?"

And just as Juhee predicted, L.I.T's cosmetics ad left a lasting impression on many people. The ripple effect of the ad also led to a flood of schedule inquiries for L.I.T.