CHAPTER 144: WALK THE RED CARPET

"Remember what I told you, right?"

The business van sped toward the venue where the Atius Group’s year-end party would be held.

Even though she had reminded them countless times, Elly still couldn’t help asking again.

Leonard lazily stuck a finger in his ear as if bored and said, "Alright, alright, Ms. Elly. No matter how many times you repeat it, it won’t change anything."

Ms. Elly frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Leonard’s lips curled. "Do you really think anyone would dare do anything to us, even if we messed up? It’s just the Atius Group."

Elly quietly pressed a hand to her forehead and said helplessly, "I’m worried there’ll be some fake article about you guys online. When that happens, I’m the one who’ll be questioned by your families."

Her gaze sharpened in accusation.

Leonard gave an awkward smile. Luther, standing beside him, immediately raised a hand as if making an oath. "Nothing’s going to happen, really. Except for Leonard, the rest of us have great manners."

Leonard clicked his tongue inwardly, feeling that Luther’s expression was becoming more annoying by the day.

But regardless, the car eventually arrived. All Elly could do was watch them get out.

The year-end party organized by the Atius Group attracted a horde of reporters, and there was even a live stream of the red carpet. Some fans also gathered outside the hotel entrance to welcome their idols.

The moment Joshua stepped out of the car, he was greeted by the unending sound of camera shutters. Flashes burst like a rain of light. Beyond that came the screams of fans.

Everything before Joshua looked a little blurry. It was his first time seeing so many flashes!

He maintained a professional smile, eyes narrowing slightly. He raised a hand, gave a slight nod toward where the fans were screaming, then quickly followed ShineOn’s formation into the hotel.

The livestream chat was exploding.

[Insider news—ShineOn has arrived!]

[Oh my god, Joshua looks insanely good in that suit. Suddenly, I don’t want to be a mom-fan anymore. Who understands this feeling?!]

[ShineOn’s lineup is killing me. They’re all attacking me at once! Do idols really need those perfect inverted-triangle bodies?!]

[Seriously, Joshua walking in the middle of the members—oh god—I’m drooling. Someone give me ten fic ideas right now!]

[Hahaha, I’m so excited. Girls, you’re making me too excited!]

[Why isn’t Wolf showing up at events like this?]

[He’s Joshua-only lol. Every time someone ships Joshua with another member, he’s out there gasping for oxygen.]

[Hahaha, I’m dying, this is too funny]

[More insider news—heard ShineOn and that group are walking the red carpet together?]

[That group?]

[What other group could it be? Scoffs]

At the same time, a massive wave of fans flooded into the livestream chat.

That was how red-carpet livestreams worked—whichever idol group’s turn it was, their fans would immediately dominate the chat.

Of course, there were times when two different groups walked the red carpet at the same time, or one right after the other.

And today, whether done intentionally or not, ShineOn and ATA were scheduled to walk the red carpet together, with ShineOn entering just a little after ATA.

For anyone who didn’t know, ATA debuted about two months earlier than ShineOn. Their debut was explosive, but right after that, every record they set was crushed by ShineOn.

The two groups came from different entertainment companies and had no real interaction yet, but their fans had already been silently clashing many times.

Especially because Joshua and Lucas were constantly compared to each other—they were both centers, and their visuals were somewhat similar.

But only Elly knew that ATA’s manager had been desperately clinging to ShineOn’s wave of popularity. Lucas had been initially marketed as someone with a bright, sunny smile and an energetic personality.

But the moment Joshua blew up with ShineOn, Lucas’s image was quickly altered into someone calmer, though still randomly lively at times.

An idol group, of course, needed an image. It was just that ShineOn was full of monsters, so Elly didn’t even dare force a set concept on them. Besides, ShineOn’s lineup was terrifying in itself. Not every group could gather so many members who were both exceptionally talented and exceptionally good-looking.

They were even praised as a "once-in-a-millennium lineup."

There could be many talented idols with perfect visuals, but for all of them to be in the same group like ShineOn—it really felt like destiny.

Now the two sides met on the red carpet. Who knew what the idols themselves were thinking, but their fans were already seeing red.

[Aww, I’m finally going to see my baby Lucas!]

[ATA let’s go let’s go let’s go!]

[But ATA is the senior group, so why are they going first?]

[Ha ha]

[What are you laughing at?]

[Ha ha ha ha ha ha]

ATA appeared on screen at that moment, their lineup consisting of five members.

Lucas walked in the center, undoubtedly the one who shone the most with his blond hair and brown eyes. Behind him were the two inner members with visuals that could be called pleasant—good enough for fans to scream "handsome"—while the two members on the edges had visuals that were just average.

In the idol world, no one was gruesome. But because there were too many beautiful people, if your vision was only "pleasant," you would be immediately overshadowed by the glamorous, dazzling landscape of showbiz.

[Ha ha ha, this is the new-gen visual? The stage lights are exposing his nose cartilage, look at that! Yet they keep clinging to my boy to nitpick him!]

[Fans haven’t even finished celebrating, and anti-fans are already barging in?]

[Barging in? Last time my boy got injured, you all laughed like crazy. I haven’t forgotten.]

[Oh my god, Lucas, so beautiful, a true goddess!]

[Oh my god, look at John being so attentive hahaha]

[He just can’t take his eyes off Lucas]

[Perfection!]

The camera flashes kept firing. As soon as ATA had fully entered the venue, several flashes immediately redirected outward.

[Make way for the real crown prince!]

[Hurry, hurry, I need to cleanse my eyes!]

ShineOn stepped in under the blinding lights.

They all wore black suits—the only differences were the flowers pinned to their chests and their faces.

Luther’s long hair was tied up and styled, a few strands falling forward. He was even wearing gold-rimmed glasses today, which instantly sent fans into a screaming frenzy.

Leonard’s striking red hair was slicked back, making his already aggressive-looking face appear even more arrogant.

Justin’s hair had been trimmed short—not the buzz cut he had during trainee days, but a clean, well-suited style that framed his sharp, masculine features.

Henry’s hair was also styled back with gel, parted neatly, with a few strands falling near his left eye. Fans couldn’t help sighing that ShineOn’s stylist only needed to slick their hair back—nothing more—for them to look good enough to knock people unconscious with beauty.

And Joshua—he walked in the center. His hair was slightly long, layered neatly, his bangs styled somewhat similarly to Henry’s but not pressed flat, maintaining a natural volume.

The wound on his face had completely healed.

With just a glance, he easily spotted the livestream camera. Immediately after was a rare, faint smile—distant yet polite, like a light greeting.

[I’m losing it, I swear I just saw a star shoot out of the corner of Joshua’s eye]

[Hahaha, no, for real, this is insane]