Episode 1. Fan Meeting Waiting Line
At 2:30 p.m., the area in front of the fan meeting venue was already packed with people.
I checked the staff card hanging around my neck again.
Person in charge: Kim Wooju
Queue number: 173
Scheduled entry time: 3:10 p.m.
Then a message came in from Doyoung.
[Doyoung]
Wooju, where are you right now?
[Kim Wooju]
I’m in front of Exit 2.
I’m by the 173 queue line!
[Doyoung]
Got it. I’ll come with San.
A moment later, Doyoung and San appeared among the crowd. San, with his cap pulled low, spotted me and immediately raised his hand high.
“Wooju!”
“Keep your voice down. Everyone’s staring.”
“They’re already all staring anyway?”
At San’s words, I looked to the side and saw several fans watching us and smiling. Doyoung sighed and pressed San’s cap even lower.
“Choi San, you have absolutely no intention of hiding, do you?”
“Hyung, you lowered your mask too.”
“I only lowered it for a second to drink water, okay?”
While the two of them bickered, my phone chimed with a notification.
[SYSTEM]
At present, youare the {0}th guest.
Estimated waiting time is 27 minutes.
Reservation info: https://fanmeeting.example.com/check/173
San peered at my phone.
“{0}th guest? Why isn’t the number showing up?”
“Looks like a system error.”
“Wooju, what if we have to wait forever? ㅠㅠ”
“No way that would happen.”
Doyoung laughed and pushed San’s shoulder.
“For now, come in back here. You’re blocking the passage.”
“Me, come in back?”
“No, I mean Wooju. Wooju’s stuck in the middle of the crowd.”
I took a step between the two of them. At that moment, Doyoung’s and San’s shoulders both brushed against me from either side.
“It’s too narrow, isn’t it?”
When I said that, San burst out laughing.
“ㅋㅋㅋ Wooju, what are you gonna do saying that when you’re the smallest one here?”
“I’m not small.”
“You’re smaller than Doyoung hyung and smaller than me.”
“You two are the big ones.”
“That’s true.”
Doyoung admitted it so naturally that all three of us ended up laughing.
⏰ 3:02 p.m.
Another 안내 message arrived.
Customer 173 will enter in 8 minutes.
Reservation confirmation number: FM-2026-0173
Inquiry phone: 02-1234-5678
“Looks like we’re really going in now.”
When I said that in a tense voice, Doyoung bent down slightly to meet my eyes.
“Wooju, are you nervous?”
“A little.”
“It’s okay. I’ll be right next to you.”
San said right away too.
“I’m here too. Why are you only talking about Doyoung hyung?”
“You’ve been the one making a fuss this whole time.”
“But you’re less tense now, right?”
In the end, I nodded.
“Yeah. That’s true too.”
When the entry announcement came over the speakers, Doyoung headed for the entrance first. San stayed by my side and held out his hand.
“Let’s go, Wooju.”
After hesitating for a moment, I took San’s hand.
Seeing that, Doyoung looked back from two steps ahead.
“Don’t leave me behind, you two.”
“You went ahead first!”
“That’s why I’m telling you to hurry up.”
We laughed as we went into Exit 2.
🙏 Please let today end without any problems.
But back then, I didn’t know.
That the fact our queue number had suddenly disappeared from the display board was not just a simple system error.
