Legendary Superstar-Chapter 160: Watching Episode 1 (2)

~🎶~

A foreign spark ignites my skin, rising higher

Spreading wild like untamed fire

Bound to the warmth, lost in its hold

Craving more, burning bold

~🎶~

The camera panned slowly across the stage once again. Taeyung, Minjae's character, stood in the middle of it, his chest rising and falling as he sang. His face was filled with emotions as he sang the lyrics.

And even though it wasn't Minjae's real voice echoing through the speakers, it didn't matter.

Because Minjae's acting was so good that they momentarily forgot about it.

The way his lips moved, the way his expression shifted with every note, and the was his brows furrowed as if the lyrics hurt to sing, his throat visibly tensing with every high note, made everything feel real.

The staff who were watching everything knew the truth. They knew the vocals had been recorded by a professional singer.

But the way Minjae acted… it was flawless.

So flawless.

His timing was perfect. His mouth opened at the exact moment the sound was playing. He wasn't a second too soon or beat too late. He embodied every breath, every pause, like it were coming straight from him.

Aside from that, it was the emotion.

There was a look in Minjae's eyes every time the cameara focuses on him. It was like he was singing from a place deep inside.

People watching couldn't tear their eyes away. Some of the cast and crew stared at the screen, their jaws slightly parted.

"Wow…" Jihoon whispered, his voice barely heard over the song.

"You look so good there, Oppa." Even Yura was stunned by the performance, her spoon frozen halfway to her mouth.

They had all worked on the drama, but they hadn't seen the filming of this scene, so they were really expecting to it. Now seeing it on screen, with the lights, the editing, the sound, the good angles of the cameras, they were deeply amazed.

"It doesn't feel like he's lip-syncing." One of the stylists leaned toward her friend.

"I know right. If I didn't know about it, I'll really think that he was the one singing." the other replied, shaking her head. "He's really a good actor."

"Yeah, I agree to it. I'm just really amazed right now."

"Even his outfits look good," another staff uttered on the side.

"Everything fits good on Minjae."

"He really looks like an idol.

"As expected from our dear minjae-ssi."

"Our Minjae really is something."

Back on screen, Minjae could be seen taking a step forward. He stretched his hand out towards the crowd, interacting with them as if he was really an experienced idol.

Minjae's performance as an idol continued for a few more minutes. It was pleasantly shown on the screen that the viewers couldn't help but feel excited as they watch.

At the end of that first scene, Minjae could be seen bowing to the people, sharing his great happiness and love for his fans.

"Thank you for coming everyone! I hope you enjoy our small time together." Minjae's eyes could be seen slightly tearing up as the camera focused on his expression.

"I am really grateful. Really, really grateful. This moment… It belongs to all of us. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for attending this concert. I love you, everyone!"

The crowd on screen erupted once more with loud cheers. But the camera lingered on Minjae as he stood on the center stage, breathing hard, his eyes glistening under the bright lights.

"I love you, everyone!" His final words echoed in the stadium, before the screen slowly faded to black.

In a split second, a soft sound of someone humming replaced the cheering. It was followed by the mechanical beep of an automatic door.

The next scene opened at the backstage of the arena where his concert had just been held. The hallway was clean and sleek, lined with posters and mirrored walls of a few real-life idols.

In a moment, Minjae stepped inside it. He was still dressed in his stage outfit. Sweat clung to his skin, and his breathing was a little ragged, but he smiled warmly.

Extras playing and dressed up as staff walked past him, clapping and congratulating him.

"Great job out there, Taeyung!"

"You really killed it tonight."

"That was incredible. You lit up the whole stage!"

"Good job, Taeyung-ssi."

"You really did it tonight."

"Congrats!"

Minjae nodded at their words and gave them a small and humble smile. From time to time, he would bow his head lightly in thanks.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," he replied softly, his voice tired but sincere.

One of the stylists gently placed a towel around his shoulders, and he gave her a grateful look.

"Rest now, Taeyung. You did well."

Minjae just answered with a nod. The camera continued to follow hm as he walked into a narrow hallway and opened a door labeled DRESSING ROOM – TAEYUNG in gold letters.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Taeyung's smile dropped.

His body leaned against the door for a second, as if all the weight he'd been carrying finally caught up to him.

Then slowly, silently, he slid down to the floor.

The lights in the room were dim. The only sound was the faint buzz of the air conditioner and the distant, muffled cheers still echoing from the stadium through the thick walls.

He sat there, back against the door, his chest still rising and falling as he tried to catch his breath.

Minjae wiped the sweat on his face with the towel, then let his head fall back gently against the door.

His expression was different now. They were calmer, quieter. But behind his eyes, there was a lingering pain. Exhaustion. Maybe even loneliness.

And for the viewers in the dining hall, watching this change was striking.

From an explosive stage filled with love and adoration, to this single, silent moment alone in a room.

"Woah, I don't know why, but I feel bad."

"The shift in emotions was just… I'm speechless."

"This scene is really nice."

"Our Minjae looks so tired in the scene."

"I'm now pitying Minjae."

"Hays, why is my heart breaking."

Minjae's acting didn't miss a beat. Even without a single line of dialogue in those first few seconds of the scene, he told a story.

The camera lingered on Minjae more as he sat slumped against the door, the towel loose in his grip, his chest still quietly rising and falling.

There was no music playing now, only the hum of the room and the sound of his deep breathing filled the space.

The next few shots passed with no dialogue.

Instead, a quiet montage began.

The screen faded into a dimly lit training room, mirrored walls stretching endlessly on all sides. Minjae was there, dressed in sweats, his hair damp with sweat, shirt clinging to his back.

The same song from earlier played softly in the background.

In the scene, he could be seen, practicing alone. Singing, dancing. He was moving so actively, doing move after move.

Back at the room, Minjae was still sitting on the floor. His legs was now stretched out in front of him, while his arms rested limp at his sides. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, unblinking, as if he were in deep thought.

He wasn't crying. But there was something heavy in his silence that put the viewers on edge.

Then, the door opened.

A brief moment of light spilled into the room before it shut again.

Minjae didn't even turn his head. But a voice filled the room.

"Taeyung-ah."

It was another actor, who was acting as his manager. The man was dressed neatly, holding a tablet under his arm, and a bottle of cold water in the other hand.

He paused when he saw Minjae's state. His bright, ever-smiling artist, was now sitting on the cold floor like the light had drained out of him.

The manager walked over and crouched beside him.

"You okay, Taeyung?" he asked, his voice was soft and careful.

Minjae finally blinked, turning his head a little. He didn't speak at first, just offered a faint nod and a barely-there smile.

The manager chuckled gently, pressing the water bottle into his hand.

"You did amazing tonight. Seriously."

Minjae's fingers closed around the bottle, but he didn't open it. He just held it, his eyes still on the floor.

"It was a full house. You saw how they screamed your name? It was really fantastic. All your shows had been sold out. Everyone is in good mood."

However, there was a beat of silence.

"Hyung... was I good enough?" Minjae's voice was quiet—hoarse from either exhaustion or emotion.

The manager blinked in surprise at the question. For a second, he didn't know what to say. Then his voice softened even more.

"Yup. More than enough."

Another long silence stretched between them, and then Minjae leaned his head back again, closing his eyes.

"It's just… tiring, sometimes."

The manager didn't answer at first and just stood there quietly, understanding.

"I know... but it will soon pass through, Taeyung. You must be just exhausted now, cause you held concerts back to back. Give it a few days of rest. Don't worry."