The next morning, after all the trainees had met with the original singers.
The multinational roommates talking to each other looked much more relaxed than before.
"Jesus. Nina seonbaenim said, 'We loved the arrangement so much that we want to sing it too.' Definitely, I was right!"
Right now, wagging his invisible tail and swaying his body, Logan was the happiest I'd ever seen him during this whole competition.
"I was told I could debut right away. As expected of Hong Kong's star, Gao Yan. Logan is no match for him."
Gao Yan, who seemed to have lost some confidence after losing to Liu Wei, was excitedly preaching about the future again.
So far, everything is going pretty well.
"Huh? Gao Yan. You're lying right now, aren't you!? No way!"
"I'm not lying! If you translate it into Hong Kong dialect, it's either that or that!"
"If I do that, I'll be a star in Japan too, Gao Yan!"
"Yeah, yeah, kids. You'll all be stars. Stop fighting."
I left my chattering roommates behind for a moment and exited towards another room.
I needed to check if that was resolved too.
Knock Knock…
—Who… who is it?
Fortunately, it was Si-woo's voice that I heard from inside, albeit slightly muffled. I cleared my throat and tried my best to sound cheerful.
"It's me, Kim Chunyong. Come out for a moment."
—…wait a minute.
When I saw Jang Si-woo's face peering from the door, I had to stop for a second.
"Oh…"
"It's not… even practice time yet. Why… are you here so early…"
His eyes were swollen and bloodshot. His voice was hoarse. I clicked my tongue and scratched my cheek.
He'd been crying a bit.
"Trainee Jang Si-woo. Can we talk separately?"
After the conversation with Min Si-young seonbaenim yesterday and filming enough scenes, she called Jang Si-woo elsewhere.
Because of her warnings against others following them, I didn't know what happened between them.
Maybe she scolded Si-woo like she originally intended, or she could have made him come to his senses by comparing him to his brother.
Or perhaps, as I subtly told her, she could have emphasized 'empathy' and prioritized understanding.
Well, the youngest production staff had chased after them, so they might not have talked that much.
Anyway, that's not important right now.
"Do you have something to say to me too…?"
"Huh? Did someone else talk to you?"
"Ah, last night, he came to see me separately…"
Si-woo trailed off and didn't say who it was, but I instinctively knew it was Yoo-chan hyung.
Since Yoo-chan hyung knew the full story, I had a rough idea of how he'd relate to me.
If being too nice is a problem, then that guy is a problem too.
"So, why did you come here, hyung?"
"No, I just… I have something I want to ask you."
I quickly took something out of my pocket and spoke awkwardly to Si-woo, who was still staring at me.
"Do you like this kind of thing?"
"Huh…?"
Seeing Jang Si-woo's wide eyes, I mixed truths and lies into a plausible story, just as I'd done with Hwa-seong before.
"I randomly found this in my bag. It's too sweet for me, and my roommates are all foreigners, so they're a bit iffy about these snacks. Then I thought of you—"
"I like them."
Si-woo quickly took the item in my hand and muttered.
"If you have any leftovers, you can give them to me. I grew up with my grandfather, so I'm used to eating things like this…"
"…Yeah. I'm glad you like it too. I'll give it to you when I find some more."
I brought it from home on purpose so I could give it to you if I could.
I bit back the words that were on the tip of my tongue and spoke playfully.
"So. Can you practice a little harder today, Jang Si-woo? Was yesterday's interview okay?"
"..."
As I cut straight into the core of the problem, Si-woo bit his lips, hesitating before opening his mouth.
And then.
"I'm sorry… for causing trouble…"
Jang Si-woo continued, roughly rubbing his already swollen eyes.
"I shouldn't have acted like that during a team competition. I was being too childish. I- uhm, have some difficulties…"
"You don't have to say anything. Just do well on stage from now on."
I quickly cut off Si-woo, who was struggling to talk about his own trauma.
I already knew, and I didn't want to see this seventeen-year-old struggle.
At my words, Jang Si-woo pursed his lips as if he was anxious, then lowered his head.
"…No. I feel bad. I'll apologize to the other hyungs later, too. Also, hyung…"
Thank you for the red bean jelly.
I smiled bitterly as I watched Si-woo wave back at me and return to his room.
"Manager Hyung, can you buy me just one of those radish greens?"
Then and now, our youngest still likes his grandfather's taste.
In fact, I wanted to encourage our team members directly, without going through Min Si-young seonbaenim, so that they could focus on practice again.
Because he's the youngest who I owe so much. Because he's suffered irreparable harm because of me.
However, there is always a gap between ideals and reality.
…Not now. Before I came back, I should have treated you well like this.
The moment I clicked my tongue and turned around, feeling a bit bitter about this situation.
"―Did you talk to Si-woo?"
Someone grabbed my shoulder and shoved something cold against my neck.
"Ah- huh-? Euakk!"
I screamed at the ionic drink pressed to my throat. The culprit must've found it hilarious, as he laughed heartily.
"Aha, ahaha! You're really funny, Chunyong."
The eldest member of the 'Us Beyond the Waves' team seems to be in a good mood today.
"Ah, Yoo-chan hyung! What a surprise, huh?"
"I meant for it to be a surprise, but I had a feeling you'd be here already."
As he spoke, Yoo-chan hyung glanced at the door of Si-woo's dorm. I followed his gaze and whispered.
"...you talked to Si-woo yesterday, right, hyung?"
"So you've heard."
"Yes… then…"
"...where should we go?"
After exchanging glances, Yoo-chan hyung and I slowly crept back to the emergency stairs where we had talked yesterday.
Both of us felt that this topic shouldn't be discussed on camera.
* * *
"How was it?"
"…what?"
"You talked to Siwoo, so you must've been thinking a lot about it too."
"Chunyong you, really…."
Dumbfounded by my question, Yoo-chan hyung touched the tips of his jet-black hair and began to speak in a slightly dejected voice.
"Honestly, at first I thought… Si-woo was being too full."
Yoo-chan hyung's eyes were heavy and sunken as he spoke. I listened silently.
When I didn't respond, he raised his thin brows and made a surprised face.
"…You're not that surprised?"
"Well, it's not that surprising. Anyone could've easily known."
"No, um. It's different from the image I've been showing to everyone…"
Certainly, had I heard this story without knowing Yoo-chan hyung at all, I might have been really surprised.
'How could you not understand?' I would've said that too.
But now I know both Si-woo and Yoo-chan hyung.
I smiled and answered cheerfully.
"But that's not the case right now, so you're bringing it up like this, right?"
"...huh."
Thump thump–
Yoo-chan hyung tapped his feet on the floor a few times and then continued.
"As you know, I grew up in a slightly different environment than you guys, and now I'm preparing to become an idol."
"Yes."
It was true. Yoo-chan hyung is someone who has experienced 'outside' things that other trainees like Si-woo and I never had.
A young man in his early 20's who went to middle and high school normally, and even took the college entrance exam.
By facing the challenges during the filming of
"I wondered why he acted that way. If he crumbles over something like that, then what or something else happens? I'm in a tight position right now."
"I understand. I can't say I've never felt that way."
"When you first suggested to settle the Si-woo issue, I thought 'So he thinks he's a nuisance too'… ah…"
"Did you think I was just going to let Si-woo ride the bus?"
"Well, yeah. I assumed you'd be the bus driver.."
As he spoke, Yoo-chan hyung lowered his head. And after raising it again, the look on his face changed.
"But when I saw you talking to mentor Min Si-youn yesterday…"
A refreshing smile gleamed on his face.
"Of course, I would've understood either way, but I'm kind of glad you weren't?"
"…I don't have a license, hyung."
"I don't have one either! I've been so busy with school and other things." Yoo-chan hyung, patting my shoulder, looked slightly embarrassed, but then his tone turned serious.
"Anyways, thank you, Chunyong."
Me, Ryota, and even Si-woo.
Thank you for thinking and acting properly.
I was slightly moved by Yoo-chan hyung's words, but I nodded, trying not to show it.
Actually, it was him and Si-woo who had a hard time.
As a person involved, I knew how much hardship he'd endured while working with a useless, malicious member.
'Please take care of me, Arrows!'
Yoo-chan hyung devoted himself to featuring for all kinds of singers as much as his body could, and Si-woo helped organize concerts for his juniors who were better than us.
…I was struggling while drunk.
So, what I've done these past few days can't be called hardship.
It was all for the sake of atonement.
"So, hyung... what did you and Si-woo talk about yesterday?"
"Eh? Didn't Si-woo tell you?"
"Well, he looked so sad, I felt awkward asking…"
"Haha, if Si-woo wasn't able to say anything, I wouldn't either. It's something between us."
"...It's bland."
So, there's no need to be upset about not hearing about it.
I sighed deeply as I led Yoo-chan hyung, who had a recording scheduled with Si-woo, to the vocal room.
"Anyway... everything seems to be working out for now."
There are 4 days left until the 2nd competition, including today.
The 'Us Beyond the Waves' team will be fine from now on, and the others will also do their jobs properly.
But that's that.
I rubbed my face with both hands and glared at the empty break room at the end of the hallway.
Even now, I can still hear the voice that mocked Si-wok's ad with excessive aegyo.
How nightmarish.
…you fucking hamster bastard.
Regardless of whether things were going well for my members and me, I couldn't just ignore that fool, unaware of the real world..
Kim Joo-an.
You're dead.