GalaxyTL
After the debut performance of BloomBell, the group Ryu Jae-rin was part of, I stayed until the final rankings were announced. I had two reasons for this.
First, Jae-rin would appear again for the final announcement. The second was to avoid any suspicion if my identity was somehow revealed later on.
"It wouldn’t look good if people thought I only came to see one performance."
After watching the entire show, I casually headed outside the broadcast station, texting Jae-rin as I went.
How was it? <You looked amazing. Suited you well—I think you’ll do great. Better than Kim Sujin?
Why bring up Sujin now?
"Come to think of it, she asked something similar before."
I wondered if it was a rivalry typical of those destined for the top.
"Maybe they instinctively know they’ll meet at the pinnacle."
Yerim had once asked similar questions about Sujin and Jae-rin, as if she sensed the inevitable. Perhaps fate truly had a role here.
"Especially with Jae-rin, who skyrocketed after her debut."
She possessed a striking beauty and undeniable skill that blended to set her apart, making BloomBell the first girl group to achieve a music show win within seven days of debut—a feat that was nothing short of historic.
The months passed quickly, and by December, BloomBell took the Rookie Award at the MNC year-end awards.
"To live up to this honor, I’ll keep working hard and never become complacent. Thank you."
But as for me, I was still bound by the limitations of being a young actor. While I had substantial presence, my roles and screen time kept me from breaking fully into the lead.
As Ilshik had aired early in the year, the talk about me had started to quiet down as time passed. The nature of acting meant that without ongoing work, attention would naturally shift to the latest projects and actors.
And so, as I blinked, 2013 was upon us.
"This year, I’ll finally make that trip to Europe."
Originally, I’d planned to go last year, but… let’s just say, an incredibly special reason had prevented it.
"Waaah!"
I, Kim Donghu, at 16, now had a baby sister sixteen years younger than me.
That story can wait, though. With February came the middle school graduation, filled with countless memories and moments.
"So, my everyday life here is finally wrapping up."
Out of reflex, I found myself looking toward the stage where the graduation speeches would be given.
In theory, I should have given the speech as the student council president—a role I’d been appointed to without even running for office.
But I had firmly refused.
"I mean, what kind of graduation speech would I give when I barely engaged in school activities?"
If I’d at least made memories with my classmates on things like field trips and training camps, it might have been different. Since I had none of that, I didn’t feel qualified. I’d tried to pass the honor to the principal or skip the speech entirely.
But then…
To everyone’s surprise, Kangshik stepped up. Since he’d become a student council member by default when I was made president, there was no reason he couldn’t do it.
With determined steps, he walked toward the podium to deliver the graduation speech.
"Hello. I’m Na Kangshik, giving the graduation speech."
His eyes trembled, and his words came haltingly, but no one laughed.
Everyone watched as Kangshik, chosen to honor our last day together, began his speech.
+++++
He was nervous. He regretted it.
Why had he volunteered to give the speech? Was this really the right thing for him to do?
He’d wondered endlessly.
But his desire to do it outweighed his doubts, because he had something to say. Something to leave behind for his friends and this school.
Drawing a deep breath, Na Kangshik began.
"I… I used to dislike this version of myself. I thought I couldn’t make friends because of my personality."
Each word left him sweating profusely, a cold sweat breaking out, and he even felt light-headed.
But…
"But now, I like myself. Because I’ve met friends who like me just as I am."
With each sentence, his stammering gradually lessened.
"I believe your school days may have been like this, too. There were hard times, tiring days, but when you look back, there were also many good memories."
He spoke as if recalling those moments together, and his mother, Park Ok-soon, found herself struggling to hold back tears.
The son who’d once come home every day with slumped shoulders had begun to share stories of school with a smile. Now, here he was, speaking confidently and proudly at the graduation podium.
"...Kangshik."
Park Ok-soon glanced over to Kim Donghu, who watched her son with unwavering, supportive eyes.
Donghu, Yerim, and Minhyuk—if not for these three, her son would never have been up there.
"I don’t see this graduation as a goodbye."
Kangshik thought of all the times he’d spent with his friends.
Those precious memories of such joy. But now, they were truly becoming part of the past.
"We’re just taking different paths for now, but the fact that we were together doesn’t change, so…"
So…
He was supposed to continue speaking, but for some reason, the words didn’t come.
"...There’s no need to feel sad about… about this goodbye."
His vision blurred. Why was everything suddenly so misty?
He didn’t know.
"I hope we end our last moment together with a smile."
With those words, Kangshik’s speech ended. After that, he was so out of it that he barely remembered how the ceremony went.
There were cheers and warm hugs, and he thought he might have held back tears while taking pictures with his friends.
But he remembered the very last moment.
Before heading home, he was sure he’d said those words to Donghu.
And what had Donghu replied?
He’d said it with a smile.
Not a farewell, but a promise for when we’d meet again.
"Son, will you be okay without your friends around?"
"Yes! We’ll meet again, and I’ll be even cooler when we do, so it’s okay!"
"...My son’s really grown up."
And so Na Kangshik graduated from middle school.
+++++
Korean Arts High School.
Known as Daejong High, a place that held the top rank among arts high schools. With Edward Park, its ambitious chairman, and his relentless scouting skills, the school gathered and produced countless talents.
The condition for admission to Daejong High was simple.
Talent. As long as that was fulfilled, character didn’t matter.
Character could always be taught, but talent was different. It couldn’t be acquired, only discovered. And Edward Park was obsessive in his pursuit of it.
"And now, I’d say it’s paid off."
He’d searched and searched until he discovered a prodigy. The day he found Kim Donghu had left him astonished.
A youth of near-perfection, with boundless potential and the charisma to trample anyone in his way, Kim Donghu was finally joining Daejong High.
And not only him—recently, Ryu Jae-rin, the center of the skyrocketing idol group BloomBell, had also enrolled.
"Nothing short of a blessing."
Humming to himself, Edward Park hurriedly moved to oversee the entrance ceremony preparations.
"Eh?"
Yet, the place was devoid of the very person he’d been eagerly awaiting.
+++++
While Daejong High’s entrance ceremony was underway, I couldn’t attend.
Not because of a schedule, but because of an unforeseen variable.
"Hi, I’m Bong Jin-woo."
"What?"
"Bong Jin-woo, second-year at Daejong High and head of the drama club, Sparking."
He was about 165 cm tall, a whole head shorter than me, but he looked up at me with determination.
"Kim Donghu, there’s a play I want you to do."
"Excuse me? Wait a minute—dragging me over like this out of nowhere… what’s going on?"
"I knew I wouldn’t be able to talk to you if not now. I’m sorry, but I had no choice."
I was desperate, too.
As he spoke, Bong Jin-woo handed me a script.
"This isn’t a school play. I want to perform it at Daehangno."
Most of the preparation is already done. Now, all I need is a talented actor.
With that, Bong Jin-woo held his trembling arm tightly, trying to keep steady.
"What in the world is happening?"
Although I was flustered, my instincts as an actor kicked in, and I glanced at the script’s title.
"The Story of Stars and Moon?"
Where had I heard that before? Then, my eyes widened.
"This is…"
The title was exactly what Sims - The Real Life had mentioned. With the situation unfolding like this, I couldn’t contain my curiosity.
What kind of story could this be, one that Sims had recommended so highly?
Without even checking the rating, I dove straight in.
"Immersion."
The first thing that greeted me was…
"...What is this?"
A vast, boundless universe.