Idol Revive: If I Don't Debut, I'll Disappear-Chapter 341: Did You See What I Saw?

"Shining every era! Hello, we're SEEDZ!"

As soon as the group finished their greeting, Rayen immediately sat down in his chair. His spine felt like it would snap at any moment as he leaned against the back of the chair.

"Ah..." Rayen exclaimed as he massaged his back.

Half a year had only passed since their debut, but with so many things that happened, it felt like a decade had passed already.

'I'm so tired... It just feels like during our debut.'

He was also beaten and battered back then, living only for the sake of completing the album.

"Rayeye, you sound like an old man."

Hearing that remark, the corners of Rayen's mouth twitched as he glanced at Xi Huan.

Xi Huan giggled and then pointed in one direction. "Wanna say something, Rayeye?"

Rayen's eyes followed her finger, eventually spotting the screen beside the camera, where they could watch the comments in real time.

– They're here?

– Hello. Hello!

– Wow. So many handsome guys!

– Is this the rumored group from Flower Garden?

"....."

'Okay, I give up.'

Without saying anything, Rayen pursed his lips, trying to hide his grumpy face.

This made Xi Huan tease him more.

"Hehe, Rayeye, you're so easy to give up!"

Fortunately, Xu Jiji came to Rayen's rescue.

"Xi Huan, can't you skip it? Brother is already tired of preparing this album! Look at his eyebags!"

"Eh? I don't see it though?" Xi Huan said, observing Rayen's face. "He's looking fresh all over."

But just like what Xi Huan said, the eyebags were non-existent.

Well, of course! Why would Rayen even face the fans with a haggard face? Today was such an important day as their MV would be released.

So, despite staying up late for one month straight, his dark circles were well-hidden, courtesy of the magical Revitalizing Drinks he had stocked up and visiting Reeze in the parlor this morning.

He had to endure another torture just to make himself look good.

And thankfully, the viewers on stream also agreed with Xi Huan's words.

– Is that what you call tired?

– I think they're just trying to justify why they suddenly disappeared to the point that we even forgot about them.

– Good strat!

– Good strat! +1

Rayen breathed a sigh of relief as he read these comments.

'My hard work has successfully paid off...'

However, a few comments caught his attention.

– But now that I look closely, Rayen seems sad.

'What? Sad? Me?'

– Right! When SEEDZ greeted us, he wasn't smiling.

Suddenly, Adrian subtly nudged him. Rayen glanced at him from the corner of his eye and saw him smiling charmingly.

Immediately, he realized what Adrian wanted.

He plastered a smile and faced the camera. "Oh... I'm sorry! I'm just too nervous about the upcoming MV! Are you guys excited?"

Rayen's back sweated profusely as he continued to read the rapidly scrolling comments.

– He also looks thinner than before.

– How do you know that? Are you an old fan?

– No. I don't know. I just feel sad that he looks more emaciated.

– Huhuhu, Rayen, please don't skip your meals.

"....." Rayen was speechless.

The fans were seeing something he didn't even notice himself.

'Well, at least they seem to still have a vague impression of me.'

"Edens, don't worry about me. I'm healthy and well. I will make sure to keep myself healthy, so I can keep singing for you," Rayen continued with a smile.

"Wow, Eureka. You've really changed," Adrian remarked in a whisper.

'Oh, shut up. Isn't this what you wanted?'

Rayen ignored him.

Adrian was quick to catch on to Rayen's annoyance. He smiled widely but did not push through. They still have work to do.

After a few more brief conversations with the viewers, Adrian finally announced the time.

"Okay, guys, it's time for the MV."

They looked at the clock. Today, their MV would be released and SEEDZ were tasked to watch it and stream their reaction.

At 6 PM sharp, a new music video appeared on SEEDZ's UCube channel.

Mr. Big News clicked on the play button.

Rayen adjusted himself into a more comfortable position and focused on watching the outcome of his hard work.

[SEEDZ "Ashes" MV]

The sound of the bass drums filled the entire room, reminiscent of the sounds of low heartbeats.

On the screen, a door appeared.

– Eh, it's the same door as Don Juan! I'm right! This must be a continuation of their worldview.

– But Don Juan's mansion has a red door!

When the door opened, a grayscale world was revealed. The same endless corridor was there, but much like in the MV teaser, everything inside the screen was just black, white, and gray.

The face of the man holding the vase of white flowers was revealed — Rayen.

"Hi, hello, how are you again?

Are you doing fine?

Haven't caught up in a while

Are you available right now?"

His voice was airy, his expression stripped of emotions. Wearing a black suit, he carried a vase of white flowers as he walked.

– Rayen really looks so lonely here.

– Huhuhu who hurt my Rayen?

"....." Rayen, who was reading the comments, was speechless.

But suddenly, another comment caught his eyes.

– He feels like he's mourning for someone...

– Is he sending the members off?

Suddenly, Rayen's body stiffened.

– Why does he look like he's about to cry at any moment?

'... Do I really look like that?'

Suddenly, a nudge to his side loosened Rayen's tension.

"Eureka, you're quite a good actor now," Adrian said.

Rayen stared at him, dazed.

"I remember back then, you still couldn't control your facial expressions." Adrian continued on, happily feeding the stream viewers with topics of embellishment about him.

'D*amn Adrian.'

Cursing Adrian inwardly, he resumed watching the MV.

Onscreen, the petals scattered along the way as Rayen entered a room. He placed the vase on a table where Iris and Xi Huan sat opposite each other, exchanging lines like friends.

"What's your plan for today?"

"I don't know."

"When are we going to catch up soon?"

"Still, I don't know."

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"Maybe tomorrow."

The two agreed and stood up, leaving the white flowers beside an empty picture frame.

The screen cut, the song hitting the chorus. Yeo Haru, in a white shirt, entered the frame, singing the first few lines and leading the group dance.

"When are we going to meet again?

Scatter, scatter.

Blown in the wind.

Just like ashes, never to meet again."

All of the members wore white shirts just like in Don Juan. Even their formation was similar to it, with the dance line members mostly leading the choreography.

Rayen's eyes darted to the scrolling comments on the screen.

– ... I think I've seen this before.

– What... Huhuhu... Is...

– There are flowers and a picture frame. After ghosts, it's now time to mourn them?

– I told you! Rayen is mourning!

– It's really a sequel to their debut. And this time, they came to haunt us again...

– Huhu... Why do I miss them even when I'm watching their MV?

The fans were right. This MV was supposed to be a continuation of Don Juan. Because of their waning existence, Adrian suggested they should try to evoke Eden's nostalgia by creating a sequel to their debut title track.

And because their debut title track was a ghost concept, a funeral concept was suggested next.

'A funeral, huh?'

What a coincidence.

The corners of Rayen's mouth hung down again. A sudden heaviness weighed his chest, but he tried to ignore it as he did with the comments and continued to watch the MV.

"When will tomorrow come?

The plans that we made

Blown in the wind.

Just like ashes, never to meet again."

The choreography was slow and light. There was dissonance. Their formation kept scattering just like what the lyrics said.

As the bridge came, the rappers in the group, Liam and Xu Jiji, sang their lines.

"Never thought the fire called time would be so hot

Before we knew it, we're burnt and tired

And the gust of wind had scattered us apart"

Then came the dance break between Xu Jiji and Yeo Haru. The two danced to the electric guitar's tune, their movements slow but precise. They held onto each other and pulled apart, just like bidding farewell.

As the two turned away from each other, the camera closed in on Xu Jiji's face. A streak of tears flowed down his cheeks. However, behind him, Yeo Haru was still visible.

His silhouette was still visible, but gradually, it dissolved in the wind just like a joss stick being burned. No, it's actually just like...

How their soul would be like if it got destroyed. That's what it looks like to Rayen, who was watching the MV.

Just like a dam, the feeling he was trying to suppress suddenly came back to him.

– Noooo!!! Why did Haru disappear?!

– Huhuhu... I can't take this anymoreeeee

Onscreen, Xu Jiji looked back.

A single white flower was left in the place where Yeo Haru once stood.

The MV ended.

[SEEDZ - Ashes]

"....."

Because it was a solo shoot between Yeo Haru and Xu Jiji, Rayen wasn't aware of this scene at all.

He sat there with complex feelings.

Meanwhile, the fans on stream...

– This song is so sad... I suddenly feel like wanting to check on my friends.

– Hello, how are you, guys? I missed you all.

– Is it just me? I somehow feel so sad while watching this...

– I really feel so lost...

– I want to watch it myself! I'm sorry guys, I'll be leaving first. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The other viewers also felt the same way, gradually leaving the stream one by one.

Adrian was also about to say goodbye to everyone, concluding the stream, when Rayen suddenly stood up.

The members all looked at him with a confused gaze, but he just left.

"....." Everyone was speechless.

But then, the comment section suddenly went into a frenzy.

– Eh? Eh? Did you see what I saw?

– The red haired guy...

– Ah, I saw it!

– He's crying!