Keun Sejin seemed a bit taken aback, but he immediately changed his complexion and grinned.
"Oh, are you looking for something?"
"No. I switched rooms with Bae Sejin hyung."
"… Rooms?"
"Yes, just for today."
I sat on Bae Sejin's bed right across from him.
"Let's talk."
"… …"
A brief moment of tension passed through Keun Sejin's body.
But his words came out well.
"… Um, what are we talking about?"
'Your attitude these days, you bastard,' was about to come out of my mouth, but I held back.
'If we're not fighting, I shouldn't talk like that.'
Instead, I sat down with my fingers folded and spoke calmly.
"First… Thanks."
"… … !"
"I heard you had a hard time while I couldn't wake up. I was told that you dealt with both the company and the hospital."
I continued calmly.
"It feels like I haven't been able to talk to you separately… So I think it's right to do it now. Thank you for caring about me."
"… …"
He looked like he had been hit.
"And thank you for your concern… Are you crying?"
"What? Oh no… Uh."
Keun Sejin shouted shamelessly with his eyes wide open.
"I'm impressed~!"
… I think it was closer to relief than excitement.
'This… isn't the response I expected.'
After all, this guy seemed to have been struggling in his own way for the past few days.
He laughed in a less formal way as if he was embarrassed but relaxed.
"Ah~ It's a bit embarrassing?"
Yes, I was glad he had calmed down a bit. I crossed my arms.
"There is nothing to be embarrassed about. By the way…"
Now, I had something else I needed to hear.
"Are you mad at me by any chance?"
"… What?"
"Whenever I say something to you, you respond with 'You're right~' and move on."
"… …"
I tapped the edge of the bed with my finger.
It was kind of weird to see this guy's face get nervous again, but it was better than holding it in and then bursting later.
"Let's shake this off when we have the chance. If you felt that it was unfair that I one-sidedly apologized and the situation ended when you were talking about the concert…"
"Was it unfair?"
"… … !"
"… … No, then I… I wasn't thinking right. I guess it was because I was just trying to be careful with my words~"
I didn't think so.
This guy just got angry and openly let his words explode out.
I just said what I thought.
"I don't think so."
"… … !"
"I know you just want to get over it, but I'm saying this because we won't last long if you don't express your opinion and just put up with me."
I held my breath.
"So, I apologize for planning a solo concert without saying anything even though the team situation wasn't good… ."
"It's not like that."
Keun Sejin gritted his teeth. And in the end, he couldn't stand it and put on a straight face.
"Park Moondae, do you think I'm some kind of sociopath?"
"… … !"
"Do you think I'm pissed off about your solo concert? Or trouble with the team?"
"… … ."
… … Wasn't he?
As if to let go of anger, Keun Sejin took a few deep breaths before clearing his voice.
"You didn't think that I'd be worried about a guy who was in a coma overdoing himself at a concert… Haven't you thought of that?"
"… I thought there must be a reason for that."
"You thought about it, but more than that, you thought I was annoyed because I was worried that there would be problems with the team. Didn't you?"
"… …"
It was the first time I had heard this guy speak so directly.
Keun Sejin was talking almost as if he had gained momentum.
"You're always like this. You're like this whenever you get hurt or when there's a controversy. It's true that you bet your life on this. Yes, I also want to do well. But me too… I worry about my friends."
"… …"
"Aren't we friends? You… I honestly don't know. I really thought it would be nice if you just woke up. It would have been okay even if I wouldn't be able to perform with you."
"… … !"
"That's what I thought, but you barely woke up, and then you spoke nonsense again… And then I…"
Keun Sejin stopped talking as if he was choking. It wasn't until I listened to his words in silence that I realized why this guy did it.
This guy was just scared.
His close friend almost died, and he even got into a fight with him, so he just tried to be careful.
'I made a mistake… I was taking it ridiculously seriously.'
And he thought he was close to Park Moondae.
"… …"
I suddenly realized.
Lee Sejin was still in his early 20s. It was the age when he'd be in the middle of college.
Since he usually had good backup plans, I unconsciously judged him more strictly. As if he were a real co-worker my age.
I kept trying to analyze this guy's behavior only with his career and gains.
'This is… my mistake.'
Wasn't I a bit harsh?
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
And spoke seriously.
"Okay. You were trying to be considerate, but I took it too far because I was anxious. I'm sorry."
"… No."
"No. And… you are my friend. I've never thought otherwise."
"… … !"
I recalled the status window and all the unanswered questions.
"I just… I didn't have enough time, so I was just in a hurry to get results right away."
"… …"
"I'm sorry. Not for the solo concert, but sorry for making you sad."
Keun Sejin nodded his head without saying anything. However, I could see water dripping from the blanket on the bed.
Still, the air got cooler.
"… … Hoo."
I laid down on Bae Sejin's bed. The owner of the bed would be horrified to see it.
And I thought.
'This is like a comic book…'
It wasn't some kind of adventure comic, so I never thought that I'd ever have to prove my friendship with this guy. It was something I had just experienced after living for so long.
It was a strange thing. Still, it wasn't meaningless.
"… …"
It was a bit embarrassing, but we were silent for a while in the more comfortable room air.
And after a while, as if he had finally calmed down, Keun Sejin deliberately took his luck again with a cheerful voice.
"Ah~ I'm really embarrassed now."
"I'm more embarrassed to do this in someone else's room."
"Hey, it's okay. I cried alone!"
Keun Sejin smiled. It was like horns were growing out of him.
"But, Moondaemoondae."
"Why."
"… Why don't you have time?"
"… … ."
"It's not for me to say, but the time has passed for us to worry about our performance. Wouldn't it be okay to go a little slower? … You will still be with this group in 5 years."
"… I want to."
It was easy to admit now.
Still, at the same time, I thought about reality.
"But I don't know what will happen. I don't know if I can do what I want to do now. In the world… There are too many variables."
"… …"
"So, I'm trying to do everything I can now so that I can still do it in five years."
… Although the details covered with unrealistic elements were excluded, it was a neat truth.
Briefly, a loud sigh and empty laughter were heard.
… Laughter?
"Moondaemoondae, are you really the NIS?"
(TN: NIS: National Intelligence Service)
"… … ??"
"No, I'm not an agent."
Why was he biting on rice cakes that had suddenly dried up?
When I looked at him with a ridiculous face, Keun Sejin giggled.
"You say you have amnesia, but do you know that sometimes you talk about the old days in very specific detail?"
"… … !"
"But strangely, the dates don't add up?"
"… !!"
… Come to think of it, for the past two and a half years, there had been no people asking about the past of 'Park Moondae', so I forgot about it.
So this… It seemed that sometimes I got caught off guard and spoke as 'Ryu Gunwoo' would.
Cold sweat began to flow.
'Fuck.'
However, Keun Sejin did not ask further. Instead, he lay down on his own bed.
"Ahh~ Well, each of us has our own secrets and that's it."
"… …"
"Still… Tell me if you want to. Sejin knows how to keep his mouth shut, you know? Opportunities to make friends like this are rare~"
I looked at the guy lying on the other side of the bed.
With his personality, he wouldn't even imagine me having a status window or restarting. At best, he'd believe that I was faking my true age.
'Still…'
Still, somehow I felt a little more at ease.
I chuckled.
"Okay."
"… … !"
"I'll do it when I can."
After the status quo was over, maybe there would come a day when we could drink and talk for 3 days and 2 nights.
… And that might work.
I added a joke.
"… I ask for your cooperation until the time comes."
"… …"
Keun Sejin was silent for a while, perhaps having a complex and subtle thought.
And he answered slowly.
"With NIS work?"
"Hey."
"Haha! Okay~"
He was laughing and joking around, but I could understand that he wanted to finish well without making the atmosphere awkward.
"Ah, Moondaemoondae, it's already 12 o'clock~ We have to go to bed early to practice tomorrow!"
"Okay."
Shaking my head, I got up to turn off the light.
"Oh~ Are you taking the initiative by turning off the lights? My roommate for a day is awesome~"
"Go to sleep."
"Yes."
(TN: Keun Sejin says "naeng" here, which is a cuter way of saying "yes")
The lights were turned off in the room where the two people who had the same name lived.
And we had a quiet bedtime without saying anything else, but from the next day onwards, I knew that I would go back to feeling not awkward with this guy.
The only side effect was that Bae Sejin returned from the living room with a very lonely face.
… We'd have to consider changing the rooms up from time to time.
"The outfits are here ~"
"No way."
"W-would this be okay… ?"
"Considering our experiences so far, I'm sure they'll like it!"
"That's right~"
Anyway, preparations for the concert went smoothly without any problems, and shortly after, the time for the day's transmission was right around the corner.
• * *
It was the day 〈As the Heart Goes〉 was aired, which Park Moondae hosted and TeStar were guests on.
The graduate student did not go to the lab for a long time and sat in front of the desktop at home.
It was an endorphin time that came after a long time for her, who was suffering from the sophistry that 'there are doctors, but there are no masters' and was contemplating her career path.
"Ah… I love it."
After a long time, she felt like seeing Moondae comfortably.
Looking at Park Moondae, who recovered after 18 days of hell, she was so emotional that life was a bit difficult, but now she seemed to be okay.
She just felt excited.
'Since it's a talk concert, I don't think he's overdoing it!'
Most of all, she liked the atmosphere where everyone was excited while looking forward to it!
'Moondae must be expecting a lot, right?'
The graduate student smiled and exchanged a few heart-stopping chats with her hometown friend before logging into the platform where the concert was being played.
'Because you have to sign up to post real-time comments!'
It was a little strange to her… It was a less popular platform, but the composition was user-friendly and it seemed to do a lot of good things, so there was no objection to joining.
No, she really wanted to leave a comment on this concert, even if she felt reluctance.
'They may not see it, but I still want to cheer for them… !'
She was really glad that Moondae had recovered, and she wanted to say thank you so much for coming back healthy.
'Wow, she's a fan too!'
The graduate student shook her head when she saw her homma friend, and waited for the concert to begin with her hand on the keyboard.
Soon after, a rainbow line appeared on the black screen and the countdown began.
-3333
- I love you, TeStar.
- ㅋㅋㅋ There are a lot of people
-I like donation concerts~
-3!
-Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Comments flew by in an instant, and soon the screen turned on with a somewhat exciting classical accompaniment.
A performance hall with 7 chairs.
It was the same scene as the poster.
In other words, TeStar wasn't there yet.
-Oh, oh
-Where is TeStar?
-They haven't appeared yet?
'Are they appearing now? Maybe from the door? Is Moondae the host?'
It was the moment when the graduate student was excitedly kneeling and looking into the screen.
Suddenly, a voice was heard.
[Welcome to the audience participation talk concert.]
"… … !"
It was Park Moondae.
- Moondaemoondae
-Only the voice can be heard?
-Where will they appear?
"Huh, I guess it's right to come out first!"
It was the time when the graduate student was quickly posting 'Moondae is the best!' in the comments.
[Before the performance starts, your choice is needed for smooth progress.]
A phrase appeared on the electronic display board behind the concert hall.
[TeStar]
1. Cool
2. Cute
"… ??"
The graduate student's eyes turned into peas and looked at the screen.
'This… what?'
The real-time comment window was also filled with question marks and laughter.
She could still hear the peaceful voice of Park Moondae.
[If you post the number as a real-time comment in combination with the # button on the keyboard, the selected number will be counted on the signboard.]
[Please choose as you like.]
Listening to the story, some people quickly typed the combination in the comment window.
-#1
-#2
The moment it went up in the comments…
Numbers started to run next to the phrase on the electric signboard on the actual screen.
[TeStar]
1. Cool (25)
2. Cute (31)
It was a definite reflection.
-Oh my gosh!
- Hey, they're using this for the concert ㅋㅋㅋ
That was how the 21st-century virtual talk concert began