wavenovel Chapter 1434 is here.
Chapter 1434 is here.
Chapter 1434 is here.
That evening, both K-pop groups EXO and Twice boarded chartered planes and headed to Tokyo to participate in the 68th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.
After landing in Tokyo, being busy became the norm, with one intensive rehearsal after another, a constant stream of media interviews, repeated refinement of stage details, and tedious pre-production preparations...
Before we knew it, it was the last day of 2017.
Before dawn, all the EXO members were already up. After quickly eating something, the stylist arrived, and everyone started getting their makeup and hair done.
The styling alone took almost three hours. After everything was ready, we headed to the NHK Concert Hall, where we first visited various senior artists.
The seniority system in the Japanese entertainment industry is even stricter than in the Korean Peninsula, especially at top-tier events like the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle). Respect for seniors is evident in every word and action. Members line up neatly, with humble smiles, and greet their seniors one by one, bowing respectfully.
Behave appropriately and act with proper sense of propriety.
Then a meeting of all the artists of the Kohaku Uta Gassen was held, which is an essential part of every Kohaku Uta Gassen performance.
Almost all the artists who participated in this performance were present. The enka singers were dressed in formal kimonos and sat upright, the idol groups were dressed in their stage outfits and chatted quietly, and the band members were mostly dressed in casual outfits such as leather jackets and jeans.
The red and white groups are clearly separated. The red group sits on the red chairs on the left, while the white group sits on the white chairs on the right. The clash of colors also subtly reflects the theme of red versus white.
Hosts Teruyoshi Uchimura and Kasumi Arimura stood at the front, while the on-site director, holding a walkie-talkie, meticulously explained the day's schedule, stage positioning, camera transitions, and various precautions.
During occasional pauses, the host would tell a joke to lighten the mood, and the audience would clap and laugh along in return.
Amid the laughter, Ji Jingyuan, sitting in the middle of the white group, scanned the entire room... Although he had been active in Japan for quite some time, he was somewhat ashamed to admit that there were some artists he didn't really recognize.
However, there are many that are well-known.
Just like in front of EXO, the five members of Arashi sat in a row.
The woman in the middle of the three rows diagonally in front on the other side is Mai Kuraki. Because of a certain anime, Ji Jingyuan is very familiar with her. Tonight, she will be performing "Togetsukyo ~Missing You~", the theme song of "The Crimson Love Song", which is also a very popular song this year.
When Mai Kuraki was rehearsing, Ji Kyung-won secretly watched her twice. To be honest, Ji Kyung-won really liked this song... much more than EXO's "Electric Kiss".
Further to the right is Nogizaka46, a very popular girl group in Japan... After arriving in Japan, Ji Jingyuan felt that the girl groups here were less refined compared to those on the peninsula, and most of them did not quite fit his aesthetic.
However, Nogizaka46 is considered relatively good, with several members who are quite nice, such as Mai Shiraishi and Asuka Saito, whom he met during the Kohaku Uta Gassen rehearsals, with whom he exchanged contact information.
...The other party took the initiative.
Twice, whom Ji Kyung-won is most familiar with, was also there, sitting in the middle of the Red Team towards the back. They were quite far away from him and he couldn't see them, but he had already greeted them.
After finishing the first rehearsal of the stage movement, I returned backstage. By the time I finished my work and got back to the dressing room, it was already past 1 p.m.
EXO's waiting room is at the end of the east corridor on the fourth floor, with labels for "EXO" and "White Team" on the door. The room is about 30 square meters, with mirrors on three walls, and mineral water, throat lozenges, and tissues arranged according to the members' names on the dressing table.
"The backstage area is even smaller than that of the MAMA awards ceremony."
Kim Jongin found a place to sit down, looked around, and then said in a low voice.
Chi Jingyuan also glanced at it twice, and secretly shook his head.
J-Pop is said to be the world's second largest music market, much larger than the Korean Peninsula in terms of both financial strength and market size. To outsiders, it appears glamorous and desirable.
However, after coming here and experiencing many things firsthand, I discovered that while the surface is glamorous, the inside is actually somewhat rotten and outdated.
For example, when it comes to some hardware devices, NHK's backing is really quite small.
The stage was also much smaller than I had imagined. It was a circular stage with a 360-degree ring design. Not only was the area small, but the overall decoration and color scheme were full of a unique J-pop feel, old and dusty.
Of course, it can also be described as heritage and culture.
"It'll have to do, it's good enough." Kim Junmyeon sat down next to you and took a sip of water.
Kim Jong-in didn't say much. He picked up his water bottle, took a sip, and his gaze fell on a plate of oranges on the table next to him. He walked over and prepared to pick them up and eat them.
"..."
But just as he reached out, his manager was one step ahead and snatched the plate of oranges away, saying, "Don't eat these."
He put the plate aside and walked to a corner... The corner was already piled with gifts from various agencies: exquisite wagashi gift boxes, energy drinks, handwritten greeting cards, and so on.
He handed Kim Jongin a fruit gift box, saying, "Those oranges are traditional, symbolizing good luck and fulfillment... You should try them."
Kim Jongin took the gift box, pouted, and complained, "Why put it here if you're not going to eat it?"
Chi Jingyuan suppressed a laugh and leaned over to grab a piece of fruit.
"..."
Manager An Chengyuan didn't pay any attention. He glanced at the members around him, who were exhausted from the morning and had little energy. He then looked at his watch and said, "We have a dress rehearsal at 2:30 this afternoon. You have about an hour of free time now, so you can rest for a bit... but don't go too far."
"Brother, have you prepared lunch? Can we go eat?"
Wu Shixun asked with a frown.
"The assistant has already eaten... If you want to eat, you can go to the TV station's cafeteria. You've already been given passes, or the assistant can go outside to buy food."
Upon hearing this, An Chengyuan quickly replied, then paused slightly before adding, "However, it's best not to eat. There's such an important stage performance tonight... If you're really starving, you can have some snacks to tide you over."
If there are important occasions that require them to appear in public, idols often diet beforehand to look their best on camera.
Having been idols for so many years, EXO certainly knows this. It was always like this when they first debuted, and the company even forced them to do it on many occasions.
Although the management has given some leeway now that they've been in the industry for a while, the rules for certain occasions still haven't changed.
However, this is also a characteristic of An Chengyuan; he has a relatively soft personality. Although he doesn't really want them to eat, he doesn't completely reject their offer.
After giving a few more instructions, the man pushed open the door and left to discuss matters with the TV station.
"...No, I still need to eat something."
The manager had only been gone for two minutes when Wu Sehun couldn't sit still any longer and got up somewhat anxiously: "I didn't eat much this morning, and I was so hungry I almost had low blood sugar."
When did you start having this problem? Why don't you go to the hospital for a checkup?
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan glanced at him with a slightly strange expression, but then took out his phone to check the time: "There are still eight or nine hours until we go on stage... It's a bit too long to handle."
It's only 1 o'clock now, and EXO is in the white team at this year's Red and White Song Festival. They've been assigned to the 37th performance in the second half of the show, scheduled for 11 o'clock.
To be honest, he was a little hungry... and he only really obeyed this kind of 'no-meal' rule when he first debuted, and he hasn't done it much since.
...He is naturally thin and can't gain weight. As long as he doesn't eat too much, it doesn't affect his appearance on camera.
"Want to go grab something to eat?"
"Walk."
Wu Sehun and Ji Kyung-won hit it off immediately, and Park Chanyeol also got up and followed suit: "Let's go, let's go too... Where should we eat?"
"Just stay in the NHK restaurant or cafeteria, don't go too far."
Several people walked out of the lounge together.
The corridor was brightly lit, and warm-toned light fell on the polished marble floor, reflecting the silhouettes of people hurrying by.
The NHK Broadcasting Center boasts a spacious interior with a high-ceilinged atrium connecting multiple levels of corridors. Glass curtain walls let in the soft afternoon light of a winter afternoon. Staff in formal attire can be seen hurrying by, whispering and communicating over walkie-talkies, creating a bustling yet orderly atmosphere.
The doors to the lounges along the way would occasionally open and close, revealing figures inside touching up their makeup, practicing their voices, or resting with their eyes closed.
Everywhere you look, you see staff members or artist assistants and agents dressed in formal attire. Everyone is walking briskly, yet in an orderly manner. The air is filled with a lively atmosphere that is busy and tense, yet exceptionally well-organized.
The first time I came to NHK, it was quite novel, but recently, because of the Kouhaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle), I've been coming here almost every day, so I'm quite familiar with it now.
"Aigoo..."
After walking only a few steps, Wu Sehun began to complain, his tone filled with exhaustion: "This Red and White Song Festival feels much more tiring than our local music festivals."
"We've had countless rehearsals, and the directing team is just as busy."
EXO has participated in countless year-end events on the Korean Peninsula, but none have been as troublesome and rigorous as the Japanese Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle). Clearly, the Kohaku events have left him somewhat exhausted lately.
However, he cleverly spoke in Korean.
"Red and white... it's alright."
Standing to the side, Chi Jingyuan glanced back at a lounge with the name 'Namie Amuro' on it that they had just passed, then turned back and shrugged.
"The Red and White Song Festival and the Korean Peninsula Song Battle are not quite the same. The benchmark should be the Spring Festival Gala in mainland China... If you have participated in the rehearsals of the Spring Festival Gala in mainland China, you will know what strictness and multiple rehearsal rounds mean."
The Red and White Song Festival is indeed quite complicated, and rehearsals are frequent... but compared to the Spring Festival Gala in mainland China that Ji Kyung-won once participated in, it pales in comparison.
"Don't talk like I've never been active in mainland China, okay?"
Ji Jingyuan's somewhat arrogant and boastful tone made Wu Shixun a little resentful. Just as he was about to say something, his expression changed and he smiled.
Just then, several members of Nogizaka46 happened to pass by. They seemed to have spotted EXO as well, and the one in the lead waved and smiled from about ten meters away.
"Jingyuan-san~"
Although they were a bit far apart, Oh Sehun could still hear the other person's smiling greeting.
The direct call to name him made his smile freeze slightly. He glanced at Chi Jingyuan beside him, who had lost his previous lazy demeanor and instantly put on a handsome smile. His smile was gentle, and he casually waved to him.
That's really something, a real show-off!
Wu Shixun couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Just as he was internally complaining, the corner of his mouth suddenly twitched...
Because the woman on the other side seemed to think that just waving and greeting wasn't enough, she actually told the member next to her something and then jogged over on her own initiative.
She has a perfectly oval face with soft lines, delicate eyebrows and eyes, and exquisite lips. Both her facial features and temperament have a distinctive personal style.
Wu Sehun watched as the popular female idol he remembered named Shiraishi Mai jogged over to the side, a smile on her face that conveyed obvious friendliness yet was very restrained, as she greeted them with a smile.
"Jingyuan-san~"
After giving a slight bow and asking Ji Jingyuan a question mark, she didn't forget the two people next to her, and also smiled and asked them a question mark: "Sehun-san, Chanyeol-san, hello."
"Hello, Shiraishi-san~"
"white……"
After Ji Kyung-won greeted them with a smile, Oh Se-hun also smiled and prepared to greet them in return. However, the female idol, who was smiling very warmly, did not seem to wait for their response. After greeting them, she looked directly at Ji Kyung-won and said, "It's such a coincidence to meet here... Kyung-won-san, are you going to the restaurant on the tenth floor for dinner?"
Her eyes were warm, kind, and friendly; her smile was beautiful, like a gardenia.
Unfortunately, the smile wasn't for him...
"That's right, we're going to get something to eat."
Chi Jingyuan smiled and nodded, showing great generosity in the face of the other party's enthusiasm: "Has Mai-san finished lunch?"
"Because of the performance tonight, we plan to eat very little for lunch. However, we've been eating at the TV station's restaurant quite often these past few days, but we haven't seen Kyungwon-san or any of you XO~"
Mai Shiraishi looked at Kei-Yuan Chi, her clearly defined M-shaped lips curving upwards to reveal her clean, even teeth, and took the initiative to start a conversation: "We're probably not very familiar with each other yet, right? If you need anything, I can give you some recommendations on food and flavors."
"We were just discussing what to eat, so we'll have to trouble you, Mr. Shirai~"
Ji Kyung-won and Mai Shiraishi started chatting naturally, with Park Chan-yeol occasionally chiming in Japanese, while Oh Se-hun stood to the side, his lips twitching slightly.
He remembered that after meeting this Japanese female idol for the first time, they even searched for her online. He clearly remembered that the information said that her "salt response" was very famous.
He looked at the female idol in front of him, chatting enthusiastically with Chi Jingyuan and smiling beautifully.
Where's the salt?
"Thank you so much for the recommendation, Mai-san. We'll go try it in a bit. You've been a great help... We'll head to the cafeteria now. See you next time."
"Okay, Jingyuan-san, see you next time. I wish you a successful rehearsal this afternoon and a great stage performance tonight."
Chi Jingyuan smiled and said goodbye to Shiraishi Mai. He watched her take light, quick steps and jog back to her group, where she playfully teased and joked with several female idols who were clearly trying to suppress their laughter before turning and leaving.
"Great, Jingyuan..."
After they left, the group got into the elevator, and Park Chanyeol clicked his tongue slightly: "Isn't it already pretty obvious..."
He looked at Chi Jingyuan and joked with a smile, "I remember you've been active in Japan for so long, and quite a few female celebrities have tried to chat you up, but it all seems pretty uneventful~"
"Bro, I'm a sucker for good looks."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan made a somewhat smug expression, shrugged slightly, and then looked at the elevator lights, blinked, and said, "I've met so many female idols here in Japan, and this is one of the few who is quite good-looking... But I just want to get to know her, don't overthink it."
"I also think that Japanese female idols are really not as good as us in terms of appearance and figure, especially their teeth and leg shape, sigh..."
Hearing his words, Park Chanyeol nodded in agreement, then stroked his chin and commented, "There aren't that many good-looking ones. Besides this Mai Shiraishi, I think Saito from her group is also quite good-looking."
"She?"
Chi Jingyuan pondered for two seconds, but had his own opinion: "I think that person can only be described as cute, not pretty."
"...That's true~"
Park Chanyeol thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. Then his expression changed, and he revealed a knowing smile that all men understand. He looked at Ji Jingyuan and chuckled, "But that guy just now didn't seem to just want to get to know me. Can't I tell?"
"And Jingyuan is really in high demand. He's been in Japan for half a year, and more than a dozen female idols have approached him. I heard from Sehun that some even confessed their feelings directly?"
He paused for a second, then clicked his tongue, a mix of teasing and envy in his voice: "Putting everything else aside, there's Miya from AKB..."
“Miyawaki Sakura.” After listening to him struggle to spell out the name for a while, Chi Jingyuan casually offered a hint.
"Yes, Miyawaki Sakura always comes over to greet us whenever she sees us. I don't need to explain what that means... I saw online that people say your looks are particularly in line with the Japanese women's aesthetic?"
Park Chanyeol looked Ji Kyung-won up and down, his tone clearly showing a hint of jealousy... He wasn't without idols who tried to chat him up, but none were as sought after as Ji Kyung-won.
They're all members of the same group...
"Hmm, maybe, I guess so~"
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan wore an expression that was both helpless and somewhat reserved, and shrugged slightly.
At first, he thought that the claim of "meeting the aesthetic standards of Japanese women" was just fan flattery, something he had seen a lot of on the peninsula, and he didn't take it seriously.
But after experiencing it firsthand, I realized... it really does seem to have some truth to it.
Furthermore, his ex-girlfriend, Mina, is Japanese, and she pursued him back then, but now...
"Have these Japanese actresses never seen a handsome guy before?"
At this moment, Wu Sehun spoke up: "Sometimes you don't have to be so obvious, is it really necessary?"
His voice was deliberately calm, but there was a hint of sourness in it... Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan glanced at him.
The guy with the droopy mouth was pouting, his head was held high, and he looked like he was saying, "I'm handsome too."
"No way, don't underestimate them."
Chi Jingyuan casually dusted off his collar and said calmly, "I've probably seen a lot of handsome guys like you, but I haven't really seen many handsome guys like me."
“But I think we’re in the same class of handsome guys.” Upon hearing this, Wu Sehun’s dead fish eyes rolled up.
Hehe~
Chi Jingyuan glanced at him with a disdainful look, chuckled, and walked out of the elevator.
The wind was gentle and the clouds were light.
"Brother, what do you think?"
Oh Sehun was furious and wanted to get revenge on Park Chanyeol.
"I?……"
Park Chanyeol was pulled back, and seemed a little hesitant. He looked up at Ji Kyungwon, then at Oh Sehun, and then chuckled: "I think I'm the handsome guy on the same level as Kyungwon. You... are a step below."
After saying that, he confidently flashed his teeth, winked like a glutton, and laughed loudly as he quickened his pace to catch up, leaving Wu Sehun behind, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Yay!"
…………
After a tiring morning, bickering was quite relaxing. Laughing and arguing all the way, the group soon arrived at the restaurant on the tenth floor.
The NHK television station's cafeteria is very spacious and simply decorated, without any unnecessary embellishments, yet it appears exceptionally clean and tidy.
A long dining table is neatly arranged on one side of the restaurant, displaying a wide variety of dishes. There are local Japanese specialties, simple Western dishes, as well as various fruits, drinks, and desserts, offering plenty of choices.
"There aren't many people."
Park Chanyeol was the first to enter the cafeteria and looked around.
There weren't many people on the curfew at the time; a few sat quietly eating and talking in low voices. Some staff members hurriedly bought simple meals, found a corner, ate quickly, and then got up and left immediately after finishing.
"It's past lunchtime."
The group entered the cafeteria, glanced around, and then headed towards the food counter to select dishes and buy their meals.
This wasn't their first time here. They had eaten here the first time they came for rehearsal, so while they weren't exactly familiar with the place, they knew the general process.
Chi Jingyuan walked at the back of the three, casually looking around the cafeteria while gazing at the dishes not far away with a hint of anticipation on his face. He was indeed quite hungry, having been hungry since morning.
He had only taken a few steps when his pace suddenly slowed, his eyes turned to the right, and he paused.
At a table in the corner of the cafeteria, a middle-aged couple who looked very familiar sat there, chatting quietly with gentle smiles on their faces, looking quite content.
Across from them sat a girl with short, gentle hair, a slender figure, and a smiling face.
Minami was sitting opposite him.
At that moment, the other person seemed to have noticed him as well, and looked in his direction.
Eyes facing each other.