Chapter 215 : Silent Encouragement
Chapter 215: Silent Encouragement
Lunatic was not just another club.
Just like Gangnam's Moon Night, which had once dominated Korea's nightlife—
Lunatic aimed to become more than just a place to enjoy music.
It sought to become a platform that created new trends and led the culture itself.
Within that experimental space standing at the boundary between art and commerce,
the aspect they paid the most attention to was, without question—
The DJ lineup.
Every night at Lunatic, DJs with completely different colors would take the stage.
Since it was opening day, the lineup was something special.
Centered around the main DJ, Blackhole.
Not only famous DJs like Guldan and R.O.K., but even DJs active in the underground scene.
It was a lineup worthy of a full-fledged DJ festival.
Without exaggeration, it would become the most expensive and the most spectacular night this city had ever seen.
“How did they even gather a lineup like this?”
“Damn, KW Hotel really spent some money.”
“No matter how much money you spend, DJs don't just show up. They all came because they wanted to perform with Blackhole.”
It was only natural that all eyes would be on them from the very first day.
The entrance to the club was packed.
A line stretching dozens of meters spilled onto the road, filled with so many spectators and reporters that it looked more like the entrance to a concert hall.
Every time the neon sign above the entrance flashed,
camera flashes exploded like fireworks.
The reporters whispered among themselves.
“All these people came to see Blackhole, right?”
“Mostly, yeah... but a lot of them came for Guldan too.”
“My goodness. This lineup is insane. It's like every Korean DJ showed up.”
“I guess things really are different when a major corporation gets involved. It would've been nice if they'd at least invited the press.”
“Well, what can you do?”
“They said they wanted to compete with music alone.”
“That's a shame.”
For a club of this scale—
Especially one backed by a major corporation—
The usual process would have been to build anticipation with press conferences, preview openings, and endless press releases.
Lunatic skipped every one of those steps.
Instead, they believed the smartphones of everyone who came tonight would become the most powerful loudspeakers.
The moment flashes continuously erupted, NewTube videos began uploading, and hashtags flooded social media—
The timelines across every platform would be filled with "Lunatic."
Not embarrassing promotions from publicity teams in suits—
But genuine excitement and noise spreading directly from the audience's fingertips.
That...
Was Lunatic's very first marketing campaign.
[Real-Time Trends]
Club Lunatic
KW Hotel Club
Lunatic
Blackhole
.
.
Their prediction had been right.
Photos taken on smartphones instantly took over the internet.
The audience gathered outside the club streamed live on social media,
sharing the atmosphere with viewers online.
Everything they personally saw, heard, and experienced—
Immediately became promotional material for Lunatic.
Even before entering, they streamed themselves waiting in line.
[LIVE: KW Hotel Club Lunatic in Real Time!!!]
(Photo) Champagne they handed out before entry.
(Photo) + The rabbit bracelet is insanely cute.
↳ Sierra's cuteness has officially moved to Lunatic lol
↳ They even give you welcome champagne ㄷㄷㄷㄷ
↳ Isn't the rabbit bracelet Blackhole's signature?
↳↳ Just because you see a rabbit doesn't mean it's Blackhole.
↳ Pink + Rabbit = Blackhole. Undeniable lol
↳ Ah... I'm seriously jealous of everyone who won tickets.
↳ Which set does Blackhole perform in?
↳ I'm so excited about the set list.
The moment the doors finally opened, and Club Lunatic revealed itself—
↳ Wow...!
↳ Show us the bar. Their liquor lineup is insane.
↳ Forget the drinks. Can you see the stage? Is this even real?
The audience stood there, mouths hanging open.
At the very front stood the DJ booth.
Behind it, a full Function-One sound system welcomed the crowd with overwhelming presence.
↳ So it really was designed around a spaceship concept.
↳ Those Milky Way lights are gorgeous.
↳ Guys, that's not even the important part. The whole place is LED. Damn...
↳ The speakers! Show us the speakers!
↳↳ Sierra's speakers were incredible too.
↳ Looks like Function-One? Maybe they're planning live performances too? As expected, it's different when a major corporation builds a club ㄷㄷ
There were no fewer than eight F218 Mk2 subwoofers.
Mounted along both walls,
Void Air Motion speakers displayed elegant crimson curves.
“Wow...”
“What are these lights?”
Twenty-four laser modules alone.
The intricate details created by a famous British stage designer continuously changed the expressions on the audience's faces.
Yet even all of that was overshadowed...
By the atmosphere of the space itself.
Everything was perfect.
The sound.
The lighting.
The interior.
Not a single detail had been carelessly made.
The venue felt closer to a concert hall than a nightclub, and the audience remained busy recording endless photos and videos.
Among everything, the main stage drew the most attention.
A DJ booth stood at the center of a circular stage designed for full 360-degree viewing.
The stage itself was incredible.
But those standing behind the DJ booth looked a little disappointed.
“Of all places... we're stuck behind the stage....”
“Should we move over there?”
“We can't.”
“It is what it is.”
At this rate, they'd spend the entire performance staring at the back of Blackhole's head.
Well...
That would become a memory too.
Thinking that simply witnessing the very first performance was already lucky enough,
they nodded to themselves.
Then—
“Hold the Beat.”
Blackhole's deep voice tore through the speakers.
The audience immediately began murmuring.
He hadn't even appeared yet.
Just hearing his signature sound made everyone even more curious.
“What is it?”
“Is Blackhole walking onto the stage?”
“No way. There's nowhere for him to come in from.”
“It'd actually be hilarious if he suddenly popped out from the audience.”
Right then—
“Hey, hey, hey! What is that?”
“Huh?”
Everyone surrounding the stage simultaneously pointed.
Their eyes gathered on—
The center of the stage floor, which was made entirely of LED panels.
At the exact moment the lights went out...
The floor began opening.
“Holy crap... What did I just see? What kind of stage design is this?”
“The floor...”
“It can actually open?”
Bee-beep-beep—
Accompanied by the familiar scratching sound, a circular lift slowly began rising.
“...Is this some kind of sci-fi movie?”
“This stage setup is insane.”
“Wow....”
As though by magic, a familiar silhouette appeared atop the stage.
Just as always.
Calmly.
Wearing a black mask and a white hoodie.
Blackhole.
Taeyoon.
“Kyaaaaaaa!”
“Whoa....”
“Blackhole!”
The club exploded with cheers.
Dozens of moving lights fired into the air, while fog burst upward like fountains.
At the center of it all, neon pink lines flashed brilliantly.
“I just got goosebumps.”
“You're recording this, right?”
“Who has time to record? I'm too busy watching!”
Finally, when Blackhole had risen completely and the lift aligned with the stage—
Speakers in every direction roared simultaneously.
The bass pounded against everyone's chest.
Lasers sliced through the air,
forcing every eye to focus on Taeyoon.
His hands were already resting on the turntables.
Ready.
Lunatic Beat
A chilling sound, like moonlight on a cold night, announced the beginning of the performance.
Slowly.
Heavily.
As though swallowing the night itself.
Sparkling synth riffs poured down over the audience like stars.
Gulp.
I swallowed hard.
The moment I stood on the lift, my legs trembled slightly.
This thing actually goes up?
There was a safety rail, but that didn't make it any less terrifying.
I'm actually kind of a coward.
I absentmindedly played with the strings of my innocent hoodie,
then steadied myself.
Still...
I couldn't let it show.
I casually leaned against the railing,
pretending I'd done this countless times before.
Then—
“Cold feet?”
A playful voice floated over.
It was Guldan.
I understood that much.
Translated naturally into Korean, it basically meant, “Scared?”
I lifted my chin and answered firmly.
“No!”
Hey.
Why's everyone trying so hard not to laugh?
CEO Kim Minsoo.
My older brother.
Seonghan.
Mr. Kim Jinsu.
Every single one of them...
Was looking only at me.
Not long ago, they'd been saying things like,
"You're the pillar of Lunatic."
"The future of KW Hotel rests in your hands."
"Every DJ here came because they believed in you."
Those were the same people.
“...Why are you all looking at me like that?”
The atmosphere had become strangely quiet.
Their expressions were calm.
Their eyes were warm.
Still...
No one said anything.
I understood now.
It was silent encouragement.
I took a deep breath.
It was the very first day of Lunatic.
A performance carrying my name.
Of course I had to do well.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart pounded so violently it felt ready to leap out of my chest.
I forced myself to calm down.
Then the cue signal came.
“Hold the Beat.”
With my signature sound, the lift began to move.
Whiiiiir—
The instant the lift rose completely—
“Wooooooaaaaahhhhhh!”
Explosive cheers erupted.
At that moment, all of my nervousness and anxiety disappeared as though they had never existed.
Thousands of eyes were fixed on me.
Yet I wasn't afraid at all.
Every one of my senses awakened with astonishing clarity.
Fear transformed into exhilaration.
Nervousness became overwhelming confidence.
I reached toward the turntable.
My fingertips touched the cold platter.
Yeah.
This is it.
There's only one thing the audience expects here.
To hear Blackhole's music.
Naturally, the opening track of tonight's set list was Lunatic Beat.
But today...
It had to be different.
Not the perfectly polished Lunatic Beat everyone knew.
Instead—
The music from the very first time I touched a turntable.
Clumsy, yet powerful.
The music from the days when I wasn't DJ Blackhole...
But DJ Paru.
You're watching, aren't you?
Without making it obvious, I quietly lifted my eyes.
My gaze settled on the second floor.
Where the DJs were waiting among the audience.
Just as I'd expected, Etica stood there, wearing uncomfortable clothes, watching the stage with a tense expression.
Unfortunately, "Etica" hadn't joined this performance as "Skippy."
Still, I'd requested Etica specifically, and her agency had gladly accepted.
“...Hmm.”
Even so...
She hadn't given up on everything.
Could this song bring Etica back to being Skippy?
I didn't know.
But...
If this song could awaken even a small piece of the desire hidden deep inside Etica, then I'd already consider it half a success.
The moment Taeyoon appeared, the atmosphere changed instantly.
The kick drum rang out cleanly.
A neat four-beat rhythm.
Evenly spaced, like controlled breathing.
Today's Lunatic Beat...
Was different.
To be more precise,
it wasn't the completed version.
It was—
The rough, sharp, original version he'd first created.
The chords before the drop were different.
The melody loop didn't quite fit together.
That intentional imperfection created a chilling atmosphere that blanketed the dance floor.
As the audience listened to those meticulously measured beats, they unconsciously held their breath and stared at the stage.
A whisper-like slow tempo.
The synth theme was unmistakably that song.
Yet somehow, its gloomy, heavily subdued melody crept coldly into everyone's ears.
“Whoa....”
“Was Lunatic Beat always this chilling?”
“It sounds similar...”
“But different.”
Catching their reactions,
Taeyoon smiled faintly beneath his mask.
'Lunatic Beat, MK1.'
The comments beneath the live broadcast also exploded over the changed version of Lunatic Beat.
People assumed it was simply a special live arrangement created for tonight's performance, each offering their own interpretation.
↳ ???????????? Is this really Lunatic Beat?
↳↳ It is, but it sounds like the chords were intentionally written slightly off.
↳ The beat feels kind of unstable? Isn't it normally super clean?
↳↳ Wow... I actually like this version better.
↳ Yeah. It's emotional. That raw, rough feeling is still alive.
↳ Feels like he mixed it this way on purpose.
↳ What is this sound design? It sounds like ghosts are about to appear ㄷㄷ I literally got goosebumps.
↳ The sense of space is much wider than before. The reverb and delay are incredible.
↳ What's going on? Did he intentionally shift part of the loop by half a beat? This is insanely good;;
Taeyoon himself remained calm.
There was nothing to explain.
Nothing to deny.
He merely rested his hand on the turntable and gave a slight nod.
Everyone believed they were listening to a special mix of Lunatic Beat available only tonight.
And then—
Wooooooong—
His secret weapon activated.
The instant an unfamiliar sound echoed from the stage—
“No way! The stage is rotating?”
The stage slowly began turning.
↳ KW Hotel's budget ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ
↳ Doesn't even a concert hall usually not have something like this?
↳ Holy crap lol Lunatic really went all out.
↳ The crazier part is that tickets only cost 10,000 won.
↳ This isn't a club opening lol It's basically Blackhole's solo concert.
↳ It is his solo concert. Everyone came to see Blackhole anyway.
↳↳ Nah. Guldan and Etica are here too.
There was no need to turn his head.
No matter which direction he faced,
the audience would always end up standing before him.
As everyone gazed at the rotating stage in awe—
'...It's the original version of Lunatic Beat.'
Only one person—
DJ Etica—
Couldn't hide her complicated emotions.
She understood that today's Lunatic Beat...
Was directed at her.
After all,
only two people remembered that clumsy old version from back then.
'Damn it.'
She looked down at the sheet of paper in her hand.
A set list filled with popular, uninspired songs.
Nothing more than crowd-pleasers.
Her eyes drifted downward.
A top so revealing it was hard to tell whether she was wearing it or not.
A luxury necklace that didn't match it at all.
'If not today... then never.'
The paper in her hand crumpled weakly.
She made a phone call.
Then slipped on the jersey jacket she'd taken off.