31: Chapter 31 Awaiting her response

The laughter in the living room at dawn, filled with the courage of burning one's bridges, and the faint white of the horizon, seemed like nothing more than a fleeting dream.

When the morning light truly flooded the Villa, the tension, like a rising tide, silently submerged every corner with even greater ferocity.

Today was the live broadcast day of Music Bank.

From the moment they woke up in the morning, the air in the Villa seemed to have solidified. At the breakfast table, one could hardly hear the sound of chewing, only the occasional crisp clink of a spoon against the side of a bowl.

Everyone ate very little; even Sunny, who usually had the best appetite, barely managed to drink half a bowl of porridge. Kim Taeyeon's complexion was paler than usual, but she tried hard to maintain her composure, though the slight trembling of her fingertips betrayed her.

There were obvious dark circles under Im Yoona's eyes; clearly, after that "bold declaration" in the early hours, she hadn't really practiced dancing until dawn, but she hadn't been able to sleep well either. Jessica Jung drank her milk quietly, her gaze somewhat unfocused.

Most of the other members were also silent, each immersed in their own anxiety and anticipation for the unknown stage.

Putting on makeup, styling hair, and changing into performance outfits. It was a redesigned navy-style outfit that combined military elements with dreamy sequins, looking both sharp and neat while retaining the dreamy feel of the "Genie" theme.

When the nine girls stood in a row in front of the full-length mirror, even they themselves felt a bit dazed. The figures in the mirror were upright and shining, carrying a long-lost, sharp radiance that belonged to an "artist," but deep in their eyes, that lingering tension and faint fear still remained.

The van drove towards the KBS station in Yeouido in silence. The closer they got to that familiar battlefield, which represented both glory and cruelty, the more stagnant the air inside the vehicle became. No one spoke; there was only the roar of the engine and the streetscape flying backward outside the window.

They arrived at the underground parking lot of the TV station and entered their exclusive waiting room through a special passage. The waiting room was not large, but compared to the crowded shared rooms during their time at S.M. Entertainment, it was already much better.

On the wall was a cheering slogan that read "Girls Generation 'Genie' Fighting!", and on the table were snacks and water sent by the fan club, but no one was in the mood to touch them.

The atmosphere was so heavy it could almost drip water.

The nine of them were standing or sitting; some kept checking the time, some repeatedly checked their makeup in small mirrors, and some unconsciously rubbed their fingers. As the leader, Kim Taeyeon tried to say something to boost morale, but when she opened her mouth, she found her throat dry and couldn't make a proper sound.

The courage brought by last night's "bold declaration" seemed to be evaporating rapidly in the face of the reality of spotlights and countless scrutinizing gazes.

Just in this almost suffocating silence, the door to the waiting room was gently knocked on and then pushed open.

Song Tianhao walked in.

He was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit today, no tie, with the top button of his shirt undone, appearing more casual than usual, yet still carrying an unignorable sense of presence. In his hand, he held a small, rather exquisite square velvet box.

His appearance caused the stagnant air in the waiting room to stir. The girls stood up one after another, subconsciously adjusting their already neat collars.

Song Tianhao's gaze swept over the nine faces that could not hide their nervousness. He didn't say empty words like "Don't be nervous" or "Fighting." He walked to the center of the room and opened the velvet square box.

Inside were nine bracelets woven from thin, silver chains. The design was simple, but each one had a different pendant. Under the not-so-bright lights of the waiting room, the silver chains and pendants reflected a delicate, soft glow.

"Hands out." Song Tianhao was concise.

The girls were a bit bewildered, but they still extended their hands as told.

Song Tianhao picked up the bracelets and, one by one, put them on for the girls according to the pendants. His movements weren't particularly gentle, but they were steady.

Kim Taeyeon's pendant was a small, exquisite golden microphone.

Jessica Jung's was a perfectly cut transparent crystal.

Sunny's was a smiling sun.

Tiffany Hwang's was a crescent moon.

Kim Hyoyeon's was a small sword.

Kwon Yuri's was a pair of wings.

Choi Sooyoung's was a small crown.

Im Yoona's was a leaping dolphin.

Seohyun's was an open book.

When each bracelet was put on their wrist, they could feel the cold touch of the metal chain, but the small, unique pendant seemed to carry a strange warmth, soothing the restless pulse beneath the skin of their wrists.

"Wear it. No matter who is sitting offstage, what signs they are holding, or what they are looking at."

Song Tianhao put the bracelet on Seohyun, the last one, closed the velvet box, and scanned them again. His voice was steady but carried a reassuring power, "You only need to look at the stage, look at your teammates, and look at this thing on your wrist."

He paused and added, his voice very light but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "I will be watching from offstage."

"Wearing it is like wearing a switch. Once you get on stage, turn it on. Take everything you've practiced, suppressed, thought about, feared, and anticipated over this past month... and through this switch, pour it all out to the audience without reservation."

"Remember, you are 'Genie.' You are here to grant wishes, not to beg for anyone's forgiveness or sympathy."

"The stage is yours. The lights are yours. The music is yours."

"Now, go and take back what belongs to you."

After saying this, without waiting for the girls to react, he turned around, opened the waiting room door, and walked out.

The door closed gently behind him, shutting out the faint clamor of the hallway outside, and took away that suffocating heaviness, leaving behind a room of suddenly clear air and the cold yet seemingly warm metal touch on their wrists.

The nine of them looked down at the unique bracelet pendants on their wrists, and then looked at each other's. No one spoke, but something invisible and tight seemed to be connected through these small accessories.

Kim Taeyeon clenched her fist; the microphone pendant pressed into her palm, bringing a clear sense of pain and... reality. She took a deep breath, and when she raised her head again, the scattered fear in her eyes was replaced by a sharp, resolute determination.

"Girls," she started, her voice still a bit hoarse but exceptionally firm, "It's our turn." "Let's go on stage."

The corridor leading to the stage wasn't long, but every step felt like it was treading on a heartbeat. They could hear the music of the group currently performing, the cheers of the audience, and... faint, unfriendly noises. The closer they got to the side of the stage, the clearer the wave of sound, mixed with anticipation and malice, became.

Finally, they stood in the shadows of the side stage. In front of them was the brightly lit stage, which felt like another world. The MC's introduction came through the speakers: "Next up, returning after a long time with a brand new look, Girls Generation! Performing their new song 'Genie'!"

Applause, cheers, and... some sporadic, deliberately drawn-out boos and jeers mixed together, rushing towards them.

Kim Taeyeon closed her eyes, gripping the microphone pendant on her wrist. She could feel the similarly tense breathing and slightly trembling bodies of the other eight people beside her.

The music intro began. It was that dreamy melody, familiar to their very bones, with a retro disco flavor.

The moment the last note of the intro fell, Kim Taeyeon opened her eyes sharply. All the hesitation, fear, and unease in her eyes were instantly cleared, as if a delete key had been pressed.

Replacing it was a bright, almost scorching smile, mixed with extreme tension and the feeling of giving it their all. The smile was cloyingly sweet, blindingly bright, and carried a near-dreamy confidence, as if the previous gloom had never existed.

She stepped out of the shadows first, walking into the spotlight. The other eight followed closely behind. Nine figures, under the intense stage lights, instantly blossomed.

"Tell me your wish~" Kim Taeyeon began, her voice transmitted through the headset, carrying the sweetness and power of electronic processing. Her voice rose at the end, her eyes precisely capturing the nearest camera lens, and the curve of her lips was flawless.

Immediately following, the synchronized, sharp, yet graceful dance moves unfolded. They swayed their waists lightly, carrying just the right amount of temptation. Turns, glides, formations... the complex and gorgeous formation changes were completed smoothly among the nine, as if they had practiced thousands of times.

And the expressions on their faces were a unified, brilliant, almost surreal smile that they had never had during practice. Everyone was smiling, eyes curved into crescents, mouths stretched to the maximum, revealing white teeth.

In that smile, there was not a trace of reluctance, not a trace of gloom, only a full, almost overflowing sense of joy, confidence, and the dreamy feeling of "I can grant all your wishes."

Offstage, the audience, which had been somewhat noisy, fell into a momentary silence. The camera swept across at the right time. Indeed, in some areas near the front row, there were a few people sitting with indifferent or even mocking expressions, holding black signs or simply holding nothing.

However, in the wider area, more hands were quietly raising pink rose-gold glow sticks. At first, it was just a few scattered points, and then, as if infected by the overly brilliant smiles and the magical melody on stage, more and more lights lit up, gradually connecting into small patches, and then a sea of light.

When the highly addictive melody of the chorus started, a stunning scene occurred. At first, it was only a very small number of people singing along, but soon, the singing grew louder and clearer, gradually converging into a wave of sound that, while not perfectly uniform, was full of power: "Tell me your wish~! I will grant it all~!"

Those were the fans, those "silent majority"!

Perhaps they didn't dare to shout out loud yet, perhaps they still had their reservations, but at this moment, faced with the addictive melody of "Genie" and those nine brilliant smiles on stage that seemed capable of dispelling all gloom, they chose to express their support by singing along.

The nine on stage heard them.

Kim Taeyeon's vocal run during the high note trembled slightly from excitement, yet it only added to the authenticity.

As Im Yoona moved, her gaze swept across the sea of lights gradually brightening below the stage, and her eyes instantly reddened, but she immediately flashed an even brighter smile and accurately threw a wink at the camera.

When Jessica Jung completed a difficult backbend, her eyes were clear and firm.

At that moment, everyone's movements seemed to have been infused with a new soul, becoming more powerful, more invested, and more... recklessly radiating the light that belonged to "Genie".

This was a performance, but more than that, it was a declaration.

A magnificent declaration that used the sweetest songs, the brightest smiles, and the most perfect stage to announce to the whole world, "We are back, and we are better than before."

The performance ended, and the final pose froze.

Amidst the lingering notes of the music, after a brief silence, there was a sudden eruption of applause and cheers that were far more enthusiastic and sincere than at the opening!

The sporadic boos had long since been drowned out by the waves of sound.

The nine stood in the center of the stage, their chests heaving, sweat dripping down their temples, but the smiles on their faces hadn't faded; instead, because of the success of the performance and the real reaction from the audience, they became even more vivid and dazzling.

They held hands and bowed deeply to the audience.

When they raised their heads, everyone's eyes were red, but their gazes were as bright as stars.

Returning backstage, they were met by the six members of T-ara, who had also just finished their own performance and were waiting for the announcement of the first-place candidate.

The girls from the two groups quickly gathered together, and the air was filled with a complex mix of competition, friendship, and the bond of sisters from the same company.

Song Tianhao stood among them, like a silent mountain.

The moment for the announcement of the first-place candidates arrived.

The MC on stage dragged out their voice, creating suspense: "The first-place candidates for this week's Music Bank are..."

Two MV scenes appeared on the big screen.

"T-ara 'Bo Peep Bo Peep'! And..."

The camera switched.

"Girls Generation 'Genie'!"

The backstage area instantly fell silent.

The eyes of all fifteen girls were focused on the small monitor screen.

The six members of T-ara looked nervous; they had already won first place for two consecutive weeks and were aiming for a triple crown.

The nine members of Girls Generation were holding their breath; this was their first time as first-place candidates since their "rebirth," and it was immensely significant.

And these were two girl groups from Song Tianhao's company, facing off directly.

The camera swept across the audience at the right moment.

Some fans were holding both T-ara's lemon yellow and Girls Generation's pastel rose gold light sticks, looking conflicted.

It also swept past the VIP section, where Lee Soo-man sat, watching the stage with an expressionless face.

When the MC announced that the first-place candidates were the "defectors" from his own company, Girls Generation, against the currently trending T-ara, even the last trace of his usual smile vanished from his face.

Before the camera could turn to him, Lee Soo-man stood up abruptly, turned around, and left his seat without a word, completely ignoring a new boy group under S.M. Entertainment that was performing hard on the stage behind him.

This action was accurately captured by the camera, sparking waves of discussion among the audience below and viewers in front of their TVs.

Song Tianhao looked down at his vibrating phone.

On the screen was a deposit notification from an overseas bank, for exactly ten million US dollars; this was his system reward for checking in today.

He lifted the corners of his mouth almost imperceptibly, then put away his phone and looked up at the fifteen nervous girls in front of him.

"No matter who wins tonight," his voice rang out calmly, breaking the tense atmosphere, "I'll treat you all to barbecue for the celebration party. You can pick the place."

These words were like a reassuring pill, and also like a kind of transcendent confidence.

The girls looked at each other, their nervousness easing slightly.

On stage, the MC finally stopped dragging it out and announced loudly:

"The first place for this week's Music Bank is..."

The drumbeats hammered against their heartbeats.

"Girls Generation! Congratulations to Girls Generation! Congratulations to 'Genie'!"

"Ahhh!!!"

Backstage, the nine members of Girls Generation instantly hugged each other, bursting into cries mixed with ecstasy, disbelief, and the release of immense pressure.

Tears flooded down, ruining their makeup, but no one cared.

The six members of T-ara also rushed up immediately, hugging the nine crying sisters tightly, crying and laughing as they sincerely congratulated them.

The fifteen girls cried, hugged, and spoke incoherently; the backstage area was a mess, but it was filled with the warmth of "victory" and "friendship."

During the encore stage, the nine girls finished singing "Genie" almost while crying, their voices choked with emotion, and their dance moves a bit messy, but that heartfelt ecstasy and release infected even more people through the screen.

Below the stage, that sea of pastel rose gold lights had completely merged into one, and the cheers were deafening.

When the encore stage ended and the nine, supporting each other and crying until their vision was blurred, returned backstage, the members of T-ara and other staff members crowded around, and there was another chaotic round of congratulations and hugs.

Amidst the excited clamor, Kim Taeyeon, not knowing where she got the strength, suddenly broke free from the embrace of Kwon Yuri and Sunny and searched eagerly through the crowd.

Then, she saw him.

In the slightly dim shadows of the backstage corridor, Song Tianhao stood quietly, not approaching the center of the commotion.

He watched her, his face devoid of any exaggerated expression, simply and calmly raising his right thumb in her direction.

The gesture was simple and quiet, yet it was like a silent bolt of lightning that split through all the roaring and blur in Kim Taeyeon's mind.

She panted, tear tracks still wet on her face, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

She looked at him in the shadows, her lips moving, and silently mouthed a few words: "President, I..."

What did she want to say? To say thank you? To say we did it? Or... did she want to bring up that absurd bet about "if we get first place then..."?

Song Tianhao looked at her, then raised his hand, pointed to the microphone charm bracelet on her wrist that was still reflecting light in the dim environment, and then raised his finger to gently tap his own left chest, the location of his heart.

After doing this, he turned around and disappeared around the corner of the backstage corridor with a steady gait.

Kim Taeyeon stood in place, staring blankly in the direction where he had disappeared, then looked down at the cold microphone charm on her wrist.

The spot where his finger had tapped seemed to still retain a sensation.

Ecstasy, excitement, shyness, bewilderment, and an indescribable bittersweet warmth intertwined and collided, making her almost unable to breathe.

"Unnie!" Im Yoona pounced on her from behind, hugging her, her voice still tearful but her eyes very bright, "It's time for the interview! The first-place winner interview!"

Kim Taeyeon was pulled back to reality.

She turned back, looking at the faces of the eight younger sisters beside her, also tear-stained but overflowing with immense happiness and pride, looking at the sincere smiling faces of the T-ara sisters, and looking at the busy and joyful staff around them...

She took a deep breath and gripped the bracelet on her wrist tighter, the cold metal almost embedding itself into her flesh.

Then, she forcefully pulled out a smile that was tear-stained, yet more real and brilliant than at any time on stage.

"Yeah." She nodded, her voice hoarse but firm, "Let's go."

At the end of the corridor, having turned the corner, Song Tianhao did not stop walking.

In his mind, a cold, mechanical notification sound that only he could hear rang out:

[Detected: Psychological approval and emotional dependence of key target 'Girls Generation' have increased significantly, breaking through the critical threshold.]

['Entertainment Tycoon' side quest 'Anchor of the Heart' progress updated.]

[Girls Generation overall favorability assessment: Significant positive leap.]

[Note: Emotional connection solidified, loyalty significantly increased, success rate of subsequent group operations and individual development binding increased to 87%.]

He did not show any abnormality, as if that notification sound were just an illusion.

He took out his phone; the screen was still lit, and there was an unread text message from Jessica Jung, sent just a few minutes ago:

[President, thank you for your trouble regarding Krystal's matter. Also... the bracelet you gave is very beautiful, can I... ask for one for Krystal too?]

Song Tianhao looked at this text message, his steps still not stopping, but a smile appeared on his face.

His fingers moved quickly on the screen, replying:

[I'll prepare a bracelet for you tomorrow, you decide the style. For now, don't think about anything else, go and enjoy this 'first place' that you've earned with your sweat and tears with your teammates. It's what you deserve.]

He clicked send.

He put his phone back in his pocket, walked out of the backstage area, and came to the parking lot outside the TV station.

The night wind blew with the moisture of the Han River; Seoul's night was bright with lights.

And the era belonging to "Girls Generation" and "Sky Entertainment" seemed to have just begun.