Chapter 163

[Title: Statement by the Roy Fan Alliance]

Statement.

As of today, we withdraw our support for Shooting Star.

No longer merely supporters, Shooting Star and we become one body and mind.

The fandom name for Shooting Star shall be Starlight.

We demand that the Awakeners’ Management Department, as Roy’s agency, actively support the establishment of the Starlight fan club and the official production of cheering sticks.

We are the light tracing Shooting Star’s orbit, and we support all of his battles and choices.

May glory and victory accompany Awakened Roy and Shooting Star’s future.

— All members of Starlight.

Because the Detention Bureau and Roy neglected public opinion around the creation of Team Shooting Star, what they faced was this somewhat outrageous statement issued by Roy’s followers.

“Statement?”

Minister’s Office, Awakeners’ Management Department.

While reviewing files, Heo Ho frowned at his aide’s report and looked up.

“Yes. The Roy Fan Alliance is demanding support for founding the fan club and for producing cheering sticks.”

They even threatened to protest if they didn’t receive a positive answer within a week.

“Protest?”

“Yes. In fact, something of that sort seems to have already begun...”

Ho’s eyebrows knit together. His aide reluctantly held out a tablet.

A truck had appeared in front of the Ministry building just moments ago, coinciding with the release of the statement.

[Starlight is ready. All that remains is official recognition!]

“There’s a truck parked at the main gate.”

“Heh. Well.”

Ho laughed, sounding both amused and exasperated. In his thirty-year public service career, he’d never encountered anything like this. He remembered how difficult it had been to bring Roy to the Ministry in the first place, and it seemed his followers were equally determined.

After all, Korea’s first Elemental S-rank Awakened was not to be treated lightly...

But the next report noted that Roy himself showed no objection—he secretly hoped for a fan club. Problem solved.

“Hmm...”

Ho paused in thought, then said, “Bring them in.”

He agreed without hesitation. What else could he do for an S-rank Awakened? Besides, they had already promised every possible support. This was no dilemma at all.

Perhaps Roy would gain favor from this and choose to remain with the Department. What could be better than that?

Ho closed the report and instructed that the representative of the Roy Fan Alliance be summoned and granted all their requests—so long as it didn’t harm the Department’s image.

“Yes, sir.”

However, meeting with the Shooting Star fan club president was likely to take longer than expected. The president was, of all things, a minor—and an Awakened at that. Besides, today was the first day of the new term at all Awakened schools nationwide.

✧

Seoul Awakened High School.

On any other day, you wouldn’t even see a fly there—but today the grounds were packed. Reporters, cameras, onlookers: there was barely room to stand at the main gate.

It might have been because of the new term, but the real reason was one person: Roy, winner of Star Hero and S-rank Elemental Awakener.

Crowds once flocked to Busan under the mistaken rumor that Roy attended Busan Awakened High School. Now they all converged on Seoul.

“Don’t push!”

“Don’t climb the wall! Get down!”

As students and staff struggled to maintain order, a luxury sedan slowly emerged through the sea of bodies. When it halted at the gate, the air went cold. All eyes fixed on the car—then the front passenger door opened, and a familiar face stepped out.

“...!”

“Who is that?”

The murmur rippled through the crowd. A bystander recognized him as the cross-medal awardee from the Detention Bureau.

“Oh... it’s Bi, right?”

At the name Bi, he pushed up his glasses with his middle finger, showing thinly veiled displeasure. With a wave of his hand, he cleared the pressing crowd.

“Step back. What is this rude behavior?”

At Bi’s gesture, the crowd backed away. Confident the area was secure, Bi approached the rear door and opened it. The moment the door swung open—

“It’s Roy!”

Someone shouted, and a roar of excitement and camera shutters erupted from every side. The makeshift metal barricade wobbled dangerously.

Roy frowned and muttered to himself, “This is too dangerous. I prefer order.”

At once, the chaos dissipated as if by command. The crowd fell back in lines; even those atop the wall descended of their own accord.

“This looks much better.”

Roy smiled, and exhilarated cheers followed. He offered a brief wave to those gathered, then looked back into the still-open sedan.

“What are you doing? Get out.”

Had someone else been with him?

All eyes shifted back to the car. Out stepped Kim Hojin in the Seoul Awakened High School uniform.

Defying Roy’s insistence that they must enter together, Hojin had stubbornly accompanied him to school—after all, this was his brother’s first day, and he wouldn’t let him be looked down on.

(Those Seo Gak kids really know how to bully...)

But Hojin’s identity was already known from Star Hero, and he was an A-rank Awakener. No one would dare belittle him.

He rode with Roy to make it clear that he was Roy’s person—Yeonwoo included.

“Wow—so many people.”

At that moment, Yeonwoo emerged from the opposite rear door, drawing another flurry of camera clicks. Meanwhile, Bi observed silently and whispered,

“Damn appearance-ism.”

Though standing side by side, Bi felt utterly ignored. Where was their spotlight? A fleeting sense of alienation curled Bi’s lips as they moved toward the gate—until Roy grabbed their wrist.

“Hey, no sneaking off.”

“Wait—”

“Also, wave your hand. Do a heart sign or something.”

Roy drew a heart in the air beside Bi’s face, reviving their dampened spirit.

“Jeez! Fine!”

Bi turned away with a huff, and Roy laughed before turning to Hojin and Yeonwoo.

“Okay, let’s go in.”

Once they entered, the crowd would disperse. Roy deftly managed the scene with unexpected maturity. Bi watched Roy’s calm interaction with reporters and fans.

(A totally different person...)

Before the break, Roy had been the school’s official outcast: short, slight build, chubby cheeks, stubborn personality that even his looks couldn’t save.

(When I visited his home, he didn’t seem like this...)

Even when learning Roy was a chaebol heir, Bi hadn’t sensed such a change. But now? His cheeks were gone; he’d shot up so much that Bi had to look up at him. He must have grown nearly twenty centimeters in a month and a half—even with Hojin’s height at 180 cm, they looked almost equal.

(Does S-rank mean extraordinary growth too...?)

As at the Final taping, Roy truly seemed a monster in every way. Among recent fan chatter, his growth rate rivaled his S-rank status. Anyone on SNS who compared photos from the first broadcast and the Final would see it clearly.

And there was the Ministry’s official announcement just days ago. Although Roy remained at the center of attention, the question on everyone’s mind right now was undoubtedly this:

The Detention Bureau’s Shooting Star.

As Roy moved to enter the gate, reporters burst forth with questions.

“Roy! When do you expect to announce Shooting Star’s first member?”

“You mentioned plans to recruit additional members later. What are your criteria?”

“When will Shooting Star’s first mission take place?”

The gate instantly became a press conference. Roy only smiled, knowing it was best to remain silent outside official statements.

But he couldn’t ignore one question: the one about the statement from the Roy Fan Alliance.

“It was just announced that the Department will officially recognize and support the Shooting Star fan club. Is that true?”

“What activities will the official fan club undertake?”

“You said the cheering stick would be made into an item. What functions will it have?”

A question mark formed in Roy’s mind—he’d never heard any of this before. As he turned to respond, Bi pushed up their glasses and spoke first.

“That matter is still under discussion with the Department. We will provide details via an official statement once they are finalized.”

“...?”

All eyes shifted to Bi, who handled the reporters with ease—after all, Bi was vice president of the Roy Fan Alliance and president of the Shooting Star fan club.

“And for the record, I am the president of Shooting Star’s official fan club, Starlight. I believe that qualifies me to answer.”

No sooner had Bi spoken than Roy’s expression stiffened noticeably.