The scene returns to backstage, just before the comeback showcase stage begins.
"Jaha's acting strange?"
While I was inspecting the stage equipment, Taiji came over to tell me that Jaha wasn't doing well.
Taiji's expression, as he delivered the message, was far from normal.
After reporting to the CEO, I rushed straight to the waiting room, where Jaha's irritated yelling rang out.
"Don't come any closer!!"
The sound of something breaking followed, along with screams from a few staff members.
Taiji turned pale and beat me to the door, flinging it open.
"Joo Jaha! What the hell are you doing right now?!"
I followed him in, and the sight that greeted me was a waiting room in total chaos.
Beyond that stood Jaha, who looked problematic at a glance.
It wasn't just his trembling body or the unstable look in his eyes.
For this album's concept, Jaha had freshly dyed his hair cherry red, the so-called mermaid princess color.
But now, Jaha's hair had turned pitch black.
My mind blanked out for a moment before a single thought hit me.
'My life is fucked.'
Why did these weird things keep happening?
Ever since the Heavenly Demon showed up, one after another...
As Taiji tried to approach, Jaha flinched back against the wall.
"D-don't come over here."
First things first, we needed to calm Jaha down.
"Taiji, better not to provoke him. Can you get all the staff out?"
Showing Jaha like this to everyone would just make things worse.
I politely apologized to the staff and, with Taiji's help, ushered them all outside.
At least the good news was that Kichi staff were tight-lipped, proportional to their pay.
Instead of approaching rashly, I just watched Jaha for a bit.
Seeing I wasn't coming closer, Jaha seemed to calm down a little and shuffled over to sit on the sofa.
"Jaha."
"..."
"Joo Jaha."
Only after calling him repeatedly did Jaha finally open his mouth with effort.
"...Hyung, you go out too. The staff sisters didn't notice after it changed, but you know, right? My hair color changed."
Jaha tried to sound composed, but his voice quickly cracked with sobs.
"W-what if it's some disease? I just came back from the jungle. It could be contagious."
In his panicked state, Jaha couldn't think straight.
Contagious disease out of nowhere.
He'd filmed that jungle variety show recently, and sometimes people caught illnesses there, so his mind had jumped to that.
I spoke as casually as possible, like it was no big deal.
"I've never heard of a contagious disease that turns your hair black."
"Call the hospital. Or the disease control center or something."
"What about the stage?"
"How am I supposed to go on stage like this?! What if I infect those bastards!!"
Jaha yelled, glaring at me.
I stared at his face for a moment before saying,
"It's fine. Hyung will fix it."
"...Fix it? How, hyung?"
"I have a guess."
"W-what is it...?"
I watched Jaha still trembling and muttered softly.
"Return to Original State."
"What."
The Heavenly Demon appeared before me with a bored expression.
He acted like he was looking down on people, but he came running whenever called.
The Heavenly Demon must have been changing into his stage outfit, as he wore dress pants under his usual wuxia robes.
"What did you call me for? I have urgent business, so spit it out quick—I need to head back."
"Urgent business?"
"The Alliance Leader and the monk are betting on who wears just a jacket, no shirt."
"..."
No wonder the others were nowhere to be seen.
Definitely the Alliance Leader who started it, but surprising that Naha went along.
"Is Namgung Jun there too?"
"That guy's been gone for a while."
Where'd Namgung Jun wander off to this time.
But that wasn't important right now.
"Jaha's in a bad state."
"Hmm?"
Only then did the Heavenly Demon glance at Jaha, as if noticing him.
Jaha, startled by the Heavenly Demon's sudden appearance, had scooted to the edge of the sofa.
"Hyung, where'd you even come in from? M-my mind isn't going weird too, right?!"
The Heavenly Demon raised one eyebrow at Jaha.
"Why's that punk like that?"
"That's what I want to know."
"From me?"
I recalled Jaha's terrified eyes staring straight at me earlier.
Then, in a voice too small for Jaha to hear, I said,
"One of Jaha's eyes is red. Like yours, Heavenly Demon."
"Colored lenses?"
"I'm not joking. I have a guess, so answer honestly."
"A guess?"
"A while back, when you taught Jaha dance separately. The CEO's reaction was weird."
The day you taught him dance, claiming to pass on Huashan's secrets.
The CEO burst in urgently, stopping Jaha, and asked you,
-Are you not satisfied with Jaha?
-You know debuting without Jaha would be tough, right, Heavenly Demon?
"I didn't think much then, but now it seems like you were trying to harm Jaha."
I clenched my fist.
Forgetting Jaha was listening, my voice sharpened.
"What did you do to Jaha?"
The Heavenly Demon's expression turned odd at my question.
It wasn't guilt or injustice.
Just annoyance at the pest in front of him.
Like he'd raise his hand any second, calling me insolent.
Then, something seemed to click, and his face relaxed.
"Ah. That."
"That?"
The Heavenly Demon rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, then smirked.
"The Huashan punk has no talent for martial arts."
"...What're you on about all of a sudden?"
"So his body's stiff, and his forms are sloppy even when he steps them out."
"What are you talking about?"
"That's why this lord graciously taught him demonic arts."
I doubted my ears for a second.
"What did you just say? You taught him demonic arts?"
"Just a tiny bit."
"So... Jaha learned demonic arts and that's why he's like this?"
"No. Back then, this lord merely 'indulged' him. That alone wouldn't harm his body."
"Then?"
The Heavenly Demon fell silent, then asked me,
"What have we been practicing lately?"
"Practicing? The Martial World Public Enemy... ah."
'Martial World Public Enemy' was originally a song made by the Heavenly Demon Cult bastards.
And this choreography included sword dance the Heavenly Demon had added.
So, putting it together.
"...All our practice so far counts as demonic arts training?"
"Exactly."
Come to think of it, in [Should We Try Being Idols and Jump Over?], it said cultivating demonic arts turns your eyes red...
"We all practiced together—why only Jaha?"
"You think the one personally instructed by this lord has the same attainment as the others?"
"No, wait—didn't you know this would happen?"
At my question, the Heavenly Demon looked a bit sheepish, crossing his arms and glancing up.
"...I forgot. That I'd taught that punk demonic arts."
Had I ever seen such an irresponsible Heavenly Demon.
Dizziness hit me; I pressed my forehead.
My idol had become a demon without me knowing.
Does that even make sense?
"I-I don't get what you guys are talking about."
Jaha, who'd been listening from the side, cautiously chimed in.
"But it's not contagious, right?"
You heard all that and that's what matters to you, Jaha?!
"You heard all the demonic arts stuff, right?"
"I don't get it, but... as long as it's not contagious, it's fine."
"You're really okay with just that?"
"Honestly, black hair's new, so I was worried about the fans' reactions a bit..."
"No, Jaha. You're worrying about the completely wrong thing."
"Yeah, exactly."
For once, the Heavenly Demon agreed with me, but...
"Decadent concept with black hair? Hits nine times outta ten."
The follow-up was nonsense as expected.
That's not the issue, you bastard!
But Jaha seemed emboldened by the Heavenly Demon's words, checking the mirror a few times before jumping up.
"Thanks for fixing it, Soeui hyung! Oh, and Heavenly Demon hyung too."
"Mm."
"I'll go apologize to the staff sisters and Taiji hyung! I'll clean the waiting room too!"
Jaha bounced out, back to his usual energy.
Glad he'd recovered, but...
'Is this really okay?'
Putting an idol who's cultivated demonic arts on stage?
I glanced aside to see the Heavenly Demon, who'd be going up with him. Hm. Should be fine.
"By the way, what demonic art did you teach Jaha?"
"What I taught that punk was the Demonic Huashan Divine Skill, made to tease the Huashan Sword Saint."
"...What's the Demonic Huashan Divine Skill?"
"A technique this lord created. Named it by slapping a 'demonic' on Huashan's Jaha Divine Skill—the Sword Saint lost his shit."
"What kind of technique?"
"Even a total newbie can bloom plum blossoms everywhere."
"...!"
All this time I thought it was optical illusion, but he was really blooming plum blossoms?
But...
"That's it?"
"That's the whole thing."
Fucking useless.
* * *
Thankfully, the staff accepted Jaha's apology.
The CEO, hearing the full story, gave generous consolation money, so no need to worry there.
The issue was the other members. Seeing Jaha's hair, they all looked like their pupils were shaking.
But with the stage coming up soon, they just stole glances without probing deeply.
Probably because Jaha acted like it was nothing.
"A man's fists are his..."
The Heavenly Demon had lost the bet too, wearing just a jacket, no shirt.
'Fans'll love it.'
The members, suited up with swords at their sides, looked like some elite idol group—damn stylish.
They gathered in a circle for a cheer, then took their positions on stage.
I moved to the second floor to watch, and the CEO was already there.
"Come on in. Great job prepping the stage."
The CEO greeted me with a smile.
She had no idea what stage was coming.
"Heavenly Demon insisted I watch the showcase."
If the Heavenly Demon said it, she'd even fake her death—the CEO hadn't visited practice once until now.
I figured she'd sneak peeks at song or choreo videos behind his back.
She only learned the title track was 'Martial World Public Enemy' at midnight.
"Title's Martial World Public Enemy—great vibe. MV drops after showcase too, right? Can you tell me what it's about now?"
MV plot should be safe to share now.
I organized my thoughts briefly before answering.
"It's about lamenting a friend who trained martial arts together but got tricked by the Heavenly Demon, betrayed his sect, and became a martial world public enemy."
"?"
The CEO looked baffled at the summary.
"What about the monk, moktak... sutra, decadence?"
I flashed her a bright smile.
"You'll see when you hear it."
Then the showcase venue lights went out.
A low, eerie moktak sound layered in.
She must've expected rhythmic temple moktak, because the CEO beside me nodded slightly in admiration.
"Not treating 'moktak' as an instrument, huh."
"Right."
Then came the voice chanting over the moktak.
Maha Prajna ya ya
Paramita da da
The sutra borrowed for 'Martial World Public Enemy' was the Heart Sutra.
Stripped of its original melody, reworked as a mantra to blend seamlessly with the track.
I felt the CEO nodding along beside me.
"Ah, using the sutra like this..."
A public enemy among us
And the Alliance Leader appearing, draping red silk.
Focused on the stage, the CEO stopped muttering.
Tell me
Why you stand there
You know it's too late
Cold gaze, trembling touch
Gripping the sword, smiling for my sake
The world all red
Jaha's vocal part.
You're a martial world public enemy
Aje aje bara aje svaha
I never wished for it
Aje aje bara aje svaha om-
The addictive chorus passed with group choreography.
The Heavenly Demon's rap followed.
No eye ear nose tongue body mind
No form sound smell taste touch dharma
No eye realm no mind realm
Lost from eye boundary to consciousness boundary
The Heavenly Demon's rap pulled from Heart Sutra verses.
Deliberately choosing lines evoking dropout Yua Mi.
Yua Mi definitely couldn't speak.
No idea what happened, but that was clear.
'Saying no tongue might've gone too far.'
Anyway, good lyrics to poke the CEO or Shin Tae-eul.
Glancing at the CEO beside me with that thought.
I felt a strange unease.
'...Is this worth reacting this hard to?'
The CEO's face was scarier than I'd imagined.
Like someone caught with their dirty secret.
In the icy atmosphere, the song raced on.
Second verse ended, central Jaha nailing the high note.
Afraid
You're the one who brought me here
This line clearly targeted summoning the Heavenly Demon.
I figured if the CEO reacted, it'd be here.
Because 'Martial World Public Enemy'...
Was a song about 'the guy who summoned the Heavenly Demon becoming a martial world public enemy.'
If she really summoned him, a murim-loving momma's boy like the CEO wouldn't take kindly to being called a public enemy.
Her hand gripping the second-floor railing had gone bone-white.
Following Jaha, Naha slotted in fast rap.
Filled with what you gave
Can't even hate as I want
Desperately breaking through narrowed vision
Ending soon.
A public enemy among us
A martial world public enemy among us
The CEO was eerily quiet...
Then, a voice echoed in my head.
[Admin bastard.]
Startled by the voice in my mind, I barely stayed calm at the follow-up.
[Don't freak out. Listen.]
'This is... sound transmission?'
Sound transmission: in wuxia novels, masters infuse qi to send words telepathically, unheard by others.
Sounded like the Heavenly Demon.
He could even pluck things from thin air, so no surprise.
'But it's one-way!'
I wasn't a qi master.
Couldn't transmit back, so I just listened as the Heavenly Demon spoke.
[Get down here now.]
Before I could think why, my body was already moving.
Instinct, probably.
[Killing intent reaches all the way here.]
[The CEO's pissed off bad.]
Maha Prajna ya ya
Paramita da da
With a pop, the music ended, and I bolted for the stairs without looking back.
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