wavenovel Chapter 1436 Superman
Chapter 1436 Superman
Chapter 1436 Superman
After saying goodbye to her parents, Mina's smile completely faded only after watching their figures disappear from sight. She returned to the lounge with mixed feelings.
She was still thinking about what had just happened, replaying the scene in the cafeteria over and over again: Chi Jingyuan's gentle smile, her parents' kind words, and that warm, intoxicating atmosphere.
Mina walked to the sofa, sat down, and quietly lowered her head.
The warm air blew incessantly through the gaps in the air conditioner's fan blades, ruffling her short hair and bringing a touch of warmth that made her feel restless, but also intensifying the emotions in her heart.
After a while, she suddenly heard a chattering voice next to her. She subconsciously looked up and saw Hirai Momo, Minatozaki Sana, and several other members huddled together, talking in hushed tones.
"Sana, have you told your friend yet...?"
It seems like they're talking about... that blush gold phone?
Mina listened for a couple of minutes, took a deep breath, composed herself, suppressed the complex emotions in her heart, and slowly stood up to walk over.
With a curious look in her eyes, she asked softly, "Sana-chan, I heard that Gen-chan gave you a birthday present?"
She heard it from Hirai Momo by chance, but she didn't feel anything special when she heard it.
But now, for some reason, I suddenly want to take a look.
"Mmm~"
Upon hearing this, Sana Minatozaki nodded immediately and, without any hesitation, handed her phone to Mina with a grin, saying, "This is the pendant. Isn't it cute?"
Mina reached out and carefully took the phone, her gaze falling on the pendant below it.
It was an exquisite Shiba Inu pendant, with a round and cute shape. The Shiba Inu's ears were slightly drooping, its eyes were round and bright, and the corners of its mouth were slightly upturned, as if it was sticking out its tongue and smiling. It looked playful and lively.
Mina couldn't help but smile gently when she saw it.
It's really cute, and... a very descriptive design.
But... she subconsciously gripped her phone tighter, her fingertips exerting a slight force, and a wave of bittersweet, crowded emotions welled up inside her.
She could only pretend to be his girlfriend, while her fellow members and best friends received birthday gifts without a care in the world...
She couldn't quite explain what she was feeling.
"It's so cute~"
After glancing at it twice, Mina returned the phone to her, chuckling as she offered a compliment.
She had no suspicions... Chi Jingyuan was a very generous person and had a good relationship with Minatozaki Sana. How could she, as his ex-girlfriend, not know this?
Giving a gift is perfectly normal.
Mina sat down next to Sana Minatozaki and joined their conversation.
"Mina, have your parents arrived yet? Momo-chan just told me that she ran into an uncle and aunt."
After chatting for a while, Sana Minatozaki suddenly looked up and asked curiously.
"Yeah, I just had a meal with them at the cafeteria."
Mina nodded, tilted her head, and asked, "Will Sana-chan's parents come to see us?"
"No, but they called me and said they'd be right next to the TV to watch us on stage and cheer us on."
"My mom said the same thing~"
Hirai Momo immediately chimed in, a hopeful smile spreading across her face, her voice excited: "She even said we could perform on the Kohaku Uta Gassen stage, that's amazing, she's been bragging about it to her friends lately..."
"Haha, me too, Okasan~"
For Japanese idols, the significance and prestige of the Kohaku Uta Gassen far surpasses that of any song competition on the Korean Peninsula, and it can be said to be comparable to the significance of appearing on the Spring Festival Gala in mainland China.
So for Twice, being able to perform on the Kohaku Uta Gassen stage this time was like a triumphant homecoming for them. Their relatives and friends were all eagerly waiting to see them.
As family, relatives and friends of Mina, Momo, and Sana, I only knew that these girls were idols in the peninsula and that they were supposedly quite popular, but I didn't really have any idea of what that meant.
But this time, upon hearing that they had "made it to the Red and White Song Battle," I instantly felt a real connection.
For them, the tension and anticipation were even greater.
For EXO, although the Kohaku Uta Gassen stage is important, it's just a stage performance, so honestly, it doesn't feel that special.
So I wasn't nervous at all.
…………
Time slipped away quietly amidst the busyness and anticipation, and before we knew it, it was evening.
At 19:15 PM, the 68th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle) of 2017 officially kicked off live at the NHK Concert Hall in Tokyo.
The first program was Hey! Say! JUMP's "Come On A My House".
The dazzling lights illuminated the entire concert hall, which was packed to capacity. The audience wore expectant and enthusiastic smiles, creating a lively and grand atmosphere filled with the joy and warmth of the year-end season.
Ji Kyung-won and EXO stayed in the backstage dressing room. Fortunately, although the dressing room was small and somewhat simple, it was equipped with a monitor that broadcast the live footage of the Kohaku Uta Gassen.
Chi Jingyuan leaned back on the sofa, lounging lazily, holding his phone in his hand. He casually watched the performance on the monitor while occasionally glancing down to reply to messages on his phone.
Although it was his first time participating in the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle), he felt a sense of novelty. But to be honest, he hadn't heard many J-pop songs before, and he wasn't very familiar with many Japanese artists.
So I just watch casually from an appreciative perspective, occasionally my gaze will be drawn to a particularly exciting stage performance for a moment.
In comparison, Ji Kyung-won was most looking forward to Mai Kuraki's performance in the first half of the show.
"I was hoping to spend New Year's Eve with you in Tokyo today, but now I have to go back! Ugh~ I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!~"
"That Shiba Inu pendant is really pretty. I can even chat with it when I'm bored... This afternoon, Momo-chan and Nayeon unnie asked me about my phone again. Hehe, I didn't tell them it was a gift from Oppa, KKKK... Um, Oppa, I'm going on stage in a little while, I'm a little nervous, what should I do?"
"We ran into some members of ABK48 during rehearsal today. While chatting with them, we even heard them talking about you guys, Kyungwon oppa. Oppa, guess what they said?"
His phone was buzzing with activity, vibrating intermittently.
Perhaps it was the excitement and nervousness, or perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of attending the Kohaku Uta Gassen in Japan, while the familiar Ji Kyung-won and EXO happened to be nearby.
So Tzuyu and Sana Minatozaki kept texting him, and Jeongyeon Yoo and Nayeon Lim kept popping up in the group chat.
Looking at the sighing chat bubbles, Chi Jingyuan felt incredibly busy.
In particular, Chou Tzu-yu and Lim Na-yeon kept complaining about the company's arrangements, their tone filled with dissatisfaction and helplessness.
Because... at this moment, although Twice was preparing to participate in the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle), they couldn't stay there indefinitely.
...After their stage performance, they need to change clothes as quickly as possible, take a car to the airport, then take a private jet back to Seoul, and then rush to MBC TV station to participate in the MBC Gayo Daejejeon, where they will perform on stage around 11 o'clock.
It's worth noting that Twice was the seventeenth in the first half of the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle) stage, and they didn't even get to the stage until after 8 PM. Then they had to rush to the airport to catch their flight, which took more than two hours.
Even disregarding traffic jams, the travel time is extremely tight, requiring you to practically fly and race against time, leaving no time to catch your breath.
Moreover, rushing back and forth between events is a huge test for the idol's physical health, emotions, and overall condition... Only JYP could pull off such a grueling flying trip.
“Even if you don’t go back, you can’t spend New Year’s Eve with me. Our group has booked a restaurant for dinner tonight, which we do every year.”
"If your heart is pounding so hard you can't stand it, Sana, come out of the lounge and stand in front of me. I'll teach you a way to relieve your tension."
"Do you even need to guess? They're definitely praising my good looks. Do you even need to tell me? They say it to my face too."
Chi Jingyuan typed quickly and replied to the messages one by one.
However, a few seconds later, message bubbles started popping up one after another, making it impossible for him to even watch the show.
However, Ji Kyung-won himself wasn't very interested in some J-pop stages, so he was happy with it.
After chatting on the sofa for a while, Chi Jingyuan suddenly thought of something. His gaze fell on the chat history on his phone, but his fingers paused slightly.
So many people from Twice are chatting with him and confiding in him because of various emotions, such as nervousness, excitement, or the feeling of "meeting an old friend in a foreign land".
However, they never received any news from Mina.
There were no complaints, no tension, no excitement, not even a simple greeting.
Tremor~ Tremor~ Tremor~
Soon, his phone started vibrating again. Chi Jingyuan looked at it and saw that several girls had sent messages at almost the same time, and the content was all very similar.
"It's our turn to go on stage!"
"Go for it! Fighting!"
Chi Jingyuan quickly replied to everyone with the same message, then put down his phone and looked at the monitor. It was the stage for Mai Kuraki's "Togetsukyo ~Missing You~", and the performance was already halfway through.
...The stage he was most looking forward to passed by so easily.
…………
"Twcie went back to Seoul?"
Ji Kyung-won was watching the Keyakizaka46 stage performance on TV when Byun Baek-hyun suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Weren't they just here a moment ago?"
"We're already on the plane, and you're only finding out now, bro?"
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan, watching the TV, casually remarked, "They left right after their performance, without even staying for a second."
"I just saw it online, it says Twice is going to attend MBC tonight..."
Byun Baekhyun, holding his phone, exclaimed in surprise, "Is there enough time?"
"Huh? Twice went back to Seoul to participate in MBC?"
Did they fly over?
"Superman!!"
Upon hearing their conversation, several members nearby reacted and, after clarifying the situation, exclaimed in surprise.
Even during EXO's busiest times, their schedules were packed, but they had never experienced anything like this before, rushing back and forth between two countries by plane to attend events.
"So rushed? Why didn't they pre-record the stage?" Kim Jongdae asked curiously.
EXO also participated in the Kohaku Uta Gassen, but unlike Twice, they didn't rush from one performance to another; instead, they pre-recorded their stage performance.
...Of course, it's also partly because EXO's stage time at the Kohaku Uta Gassen was relatively late, so they couldn't make it back in time.
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan scoffed and curled his lip.
"JYP? Who knows?"
After chatting for a while, the door was suddenly pushed open, and the stage manager and agent came to tell them to prepare to go on stage.
The nine members stood up one by one, quickly tidied their clothes and makeup, and adjusted their state:
"It's our turn."
…………
At this moment, in an ordinary family in Kyoto, the family members are sitting around the television in the living room, watching the Kohaku Uta Gassen together. The air is filled with a warm and lively atmosphere, and everywhere is overflowing with the happiness and warmth of the end of the year.
The living room wasn't large, with a television set and a small coffee table in the middle. On the coffee table were some fruits and snacks, specially prepared by the family, so they could enjoy them while watching the Red and White Song Festival in a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere.
This family wasn't very wealthy, but the atmosphere was exceptionally warm.
"...What is this? There are so many people. I can't hear the singing clearly, and I can't even tell who's who."
Grandpa Kenta Kimura is over seventy years old this year. His hair is gray and his face is covered with wrinkles, but his eyes are still bright.
He was watching TV when he couldn't help but frown, a look of dissatisfaction on his face, and a hint of complaint in his voice.
He clearly didn't like AKB48's performance; in his opinion, it was just noise.
"I think it's cute..."
Takuya Kimura, the grandson standing next to his grandfather, couldn't help but mutter something under his breath when he heard his grandfather's complaints.
However, they dared not directly refute it.
"That's why the Kohaku Uta Gassen is a place for top artists to showcase their charm~"
Upon hearing his father's complaints, Tetsuya Kimura immediately nodded repeatedly, agreeing with him righteously, a look of approval on his face.
But as soon as he finished speaking, he immediately changed his tone, his voice carrying a clear bias:
"It has to be Seiko Matsuda! Her voice is gentle and full of emotion. She sang 'Ashii Asahi' so well."
Upon hearing this, his mother, Kimura Misaki, couldn't help but glance at him sideways.
The family members each have their own aesthetic tastes, but they still enjoy sitting together to watch the Red and White Song Festival, chatting and discussing, and having a great time.
Just then, the host's voice came from the television, and the camera switched to the stage.
The members of EXO have taken to the stage and are standing in two rows to be interviewed by the host. The members are dressed in cool black stage outfits, with upright posture and handsome faces, and their style is somewhat different from that of previous artists.
Who are these people?
Grandpa Kimura Kenta and Dad looked at the unfamiliar faces on the TV, frowned, and looked puzzled, their voices filled with confusion.
He had watched the Red and White Song Festival his whole life and knew many big-name Japanese artists, but he had never seen these young people before and they were complete strangers to him.
"It's a boy band from the peninsula..." The grandson knew that.
Just then, the host on the screen enthusiastically introduced, "Welcome to EXO, who are about to appear...!"
"How could a boy band from the Korean Peninsula perform on the Kohaku Uta Gassen?!"
Upon hearing this, Grandpa immediately became annoyed, and the confusion on his face was instantly replaced by anger.
His traditions made him dislike the peninsula.
"Exactly, NHK is really getting more and more outrageous these days..."
Dad wanted to join in the rant, but he was interrupted as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Ahhhhh~"
"XOXOXO!!"
A clear and excited scream came from the bedroom. Immediately afterwards, the bedroom door was pushed open, and the granddaughter, Kimura Nana, wearing a pink nightgown, with messy hair and an excited blush on her face, ran out of the bedroom as quickly as she screamed, like a happy little bird.
She rushed to the TV, tilted her head back, and stared intently at EXO on the screen. After confirming their identity, her excitement grew even stronger.
Then, too lazy to even sit on the sofa, she knelt down next to the TV, staring intently at it while screaming repeatedly, "Finally here! Finally here! I've been waiting for so long!!"
Her commotion startled several elders present, and Grandpa almost knocked over his teacup.
However, seeing that the youngest granddaughter was the most favored, no one said anything, only showing affection and helplessness.
The father, however, scolded her angrily: "Didn't you just say you weren't going to watch the Red and White Song Festival? We've been calling you for ages and you still won't come out to watch with the family. Why are you so agitated now?"
"She's been waiting for this combination."
The chubby grandson next to him seemed to understand; his chubby face trembled slightly as he whispered something.
"I don't watch the Red and White Song Festival. It's all those old-fashioned people, artists from the era before last, so outdated!"
Kimura Nana, head held high and a haughty expression on her face, completely ignored her father's displeased look. Her gaze remained fixed on the television, never leaving it for a moment: "I want to watch XO! Ahh... so handsome! So handsome! Jingyuan-kun is so handsome!!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but let out an excited scream, her face filled with fascination, clapping her hands and shouting.
"This time the stage performance is still 'Boy with Luv',"
Seeing his youngest daughter's irrational and obsessive state, her father, Tetsuya Kimura, was furious. His face grew increasingly grim, and he wanted to scold her a few more times.
However, due to the atmosphere and the presence of elders, he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
The most authoritative grandfather didn't get angry. In fact, he was quite disgusted with the Peninsula boy band, but seeing how much his little granddaughter liked it, he couldn't help but curiously pull his grandson aside and ask, "Takuya, does Nana really like that Peninsula group?"
"Ah."
The grandson nodded, leaned close to his grandfather's ear, and whispered, "She really likes this group, and a lot of people at her school like it too... She keeps bragging that she's a die-hard fan."
"How could I possibly like a boy band from Peninsula!"
Upon hearing this, the father became somewhat angry: "Is there no man in our great Japan who she could like?!"
She said that Japanese idols are too ugly and too unsophisticated.
The chubby grandson continued to tattle, then paused and lowered his voice: "Actually, I also think... the Peninsula boy band looks quite handsome and fashionable when they dress up."
"Hmph~" Dad snorted and glared at him.
Takuya was glared at by his father, which made his cheeks twitch. He immediately lowered his head and dared not say another word.
Grandpa Kimura Kenta wasn't that excited. He just shook his head slightly, a helpless smile on his face, his gaze fixed on his little granddaughter, who was still madly infatuated with him.
At this moment, the little granddaughter was staring at the TV, and a silver light stick had appeared in her hand without her noticing. She was waving the light stick and shouting cheers loudly:
"E!X!O!"
"E!X!O!"
…………
"E!X!O!"
"E!X!O!"
Meanwhile, in the audience, there were also some EXO fans. Although there weren't many of them and their voices weren't very loud, they were excitedly cheering and shouting support slogans, echoing the cheers from Nana Kimura in front of the TV and countless other fans.
"woooowooo~~~"
"wooooowooo~~~"
Accompanied by a familiar and rousing melody, the nine members of EXO stood in formation, and Ji Kyung-won, in the center position, turned around gently as the intro to "Boy with Luv" began to play.