This was the most unexpected... No, I heard the opposite of what I expected.
'Do I need help?'
So, he wasn't trying to argue why the facts didn't match at all, he was just asking because he was worried about what was wrong with me...
'Is it for creating an atmosphere?'
Wasn't it bait he threw to hear a more specific explanation? I looked up to read Ryu Chungwoo's expression.
And that idea was withdrawn. Ryu Chungwoo's face was clean.
Yeah, he wasn't that kind of guy.
That was what he said because he really wanted to help.
"... ... Hoo."
... I was bewildered.
'I didn't expect help stories to come out in this situation.'
It seemed that Ryu Chungwoo had continued to think that he was indebted to me for the car accident.
'I didn't consider that part in particular.'
Come to think of it, before, he even organized it with his mouth to say 'thank you'.
I remembered what I said to Ryu Chungwoo, who seemed to be suffering from a sense of debt during the uninhabited island distress entertainment.
-Is that so? Well, let's say I saved hyung's life.
-... !
- You can continue to be thankful. If necessary, I will call you without hesitation, so please repay me when the time comes.
Ryu Chungwoo really did what I said.
'... We were climbing at this time too.'
It was kind of funny to get a similar comment in the same situation.
"Hmm."
I put my arms over the railing and smiled bitterly.
I sorted it out... I felt more strange. A helping hand instead of doubt.
'It's rare.'
I was shaking. But it wasn't bad.
I answered slowly.
"First... thank you."
"... ... ."
"It's an upsetting situation."
"That's not right."
Ryu Chungwoo replied firmly, and he himself leaned comfortably with his arms on the railing.
"You didn't lie, and I wasn't harmed, so why are you angry?"
It was surprising that he believed I didn't lie.
I was about to sink into a strange feeling, but I quickly got out.
Because there was still something left to answer.
"And my situation is, in fact, difficult for me to understand or explain... It's not necessarily so hard that I need help."
I pondered over my situation.
I succeeded with this job, and the status abnormalities disappeared... The guys I lived with were all good guys.
I lived fine.
'No, it's too much to share.'
Taking risks was the destiny of this job. And compared to sudden death, there was a context.
"All the difficult things have passed. Now just... I'm having a hard time buying it. I'm trying to find out why the contradictions you mentioned came about."
Just... Now I didn't know why I came into this body and had to do this, so I had to know the truth.
'If I don't know the cause, I don't know when this situation will change again.'
Ryu Chungwoo nodded.
"That's why you need the whereabouts of 'Ryu Gunwoo'."
He had a good sense of humor.
"Yes. So, hyung is already helping."
Ryu Chungwoo laughed.
"Okay. Don't worry about that part, I'll do everything I can.
Anything else?"
"It's fine..."
Oh, there was one.
"We have to win the grand prize this time, so please cooperate with me."
I could get the reward of 'Having a conversation with Park Moondae' if we won the grand prize for the mission.
"What?"
Ryu Chungwoo finally looked like he had been beaten, and then smiled comfortably.
"That's what our team should originally be aiming for."
"That's right."
He wasn't asking the reason for all this nonsense... It was probably because he misunderstood that I was trying to get the conversation back on track.
'Even if he misunderstands like that, I don't have anything to explain.'
But what should I say... There was a strange sense of liberation from just saying it so openly.
The strength in my shoulders was gone.
"Good. I will work harder."
"Thank you."
I laughed with him and looked at the scenery of the road. The middle of the mountain without people was quiet.
"It's a bit hot, but the weather is nice."
"Yes."
The heat was greater than the comfort, but I didn't bother pointing it out.
Even after that, Ryu Chungwoo did not ask for more detailed circumstances and reasons.
I only checked one thing while descending.
"Ryu Gunwoo's circumstances matching yours... Isn't that a coincidence?"
"Yes."
"Alright."
That was all. With that said, this topic was over.
'Isn't it stuffy?'
If it were me, would have judged on my own whether I understood it or not, so I would have yelled at him to reveal everything, but it was an amazing composure.
Instead, Ryu Chungwoo concluded the conversation with, 'You said no now, but if you need help in the future, feel free to tell me.'
Even that wasn't the end.
"Moondae, can I speak more comfortably?"
On the way back to the lodging after descending the mountain, Ryu Chungwoo, who was driving, uttered these words.
"Coming to think of it, we're not even in the training center yet, so I guess I was too strict about being polite."
"No. You can."
It sounded like a big deal.
"Oh, it would have looked bad to people to talk casually. It could've caused controversy for no reason."
If it was like that right after debut... Hmm, Park Moondae would have been brutally beaten for ignoring the leader for being number one.
However, Ryu Chungwoo did not give up.
"Um, I see. So how do we do this? Just use respect and don't be too formal. I think you can just add '-Yo' at the end of your words."
Did I have to?
However, there was a corner where I could guess why he said that.
I finally smiled and answered.
"Whatever, hyung."
"Haha."
We didn't have any music playing in the car on the way back, but I didn't mind the silence.
And I realized that my problem was solved.
'... There won't be a repeat of the summer package controversy.'
That was how I got used to my new roommate.
But when one problem was solved, another problem arose.
* * *
After the conversation with Ryu Chungwoo, we were digesting the insanely tight comeback preparation schedule again at the break of dawn.
[VTIC Shin Cheongryeo sunbaenim: Do you not exercise?]
An unexpected call came.
'Why is this guy uselessly texting…'
[VTIC Shin Cheongryeo sunbaenim: (Puppy photo)]
I checked a picture of a dog happily walking down a familiar apartment walkway.
The dog was familiar too. To be exact, I met it while jogging in the fog at dawn.
'Come to think of it, I never went for a walk there after that.'
I couldn't believe it, but I forgot about it because I went hiking.
I typed a rough reply with one unadorned hand.
[Switched to another exercise]
[VTIC Shin Cheongryeo sunbaenim: That's right. I didn't see you, so I called. I also end today.]
That meant I could resume my early morning walks without worrying about meeting this bastard. It was good news, but I was busy preparing for a comeback, so I couldn't go out anyway…
'Wait, this bastard can't go out there anymore?'
That meant...
I threw the most nerve-wracking of several possibilities with a fastball.
[Are you ready for a comeback?]
The changing ball was back.
[VTIC Shin Cheongryeo sunbaenim: We are always preparing for an album^^]
'Fuck.'
These bastards were making a comeback now. It was obvious to see him talking like this.
'How will the term be?'
I quickly shook my head.
We made a comeback this year in January and these guys in February.
It was the end of May now... Then, looking at this bastard's nuance, it meant that VTIC would make a comeback around June.
'Then, it's a four-month term... It's perfect for a repackage in that weight class.'
Usually when a repackage was released, sales tended to drop compared to the previous album.
It was an album that came out with only one or two songs added to the previous regular album, so there was little purchasing merit and the term was short, so it was burdensome for consumers to spend a lot of money.
But 4 months was enough.
'There is little loss.'
It was almost the normal activity level of a rookie, and since the quality of VTIC's album was so well-known, everyone who could buy it would buy it.
And the thing we had put together...
'We won't lose in terms of annual performance.'
Since the bottom line that they wanted to feel sorry for was the comeback at the beginning of the third quarter, they must have planned it from the beginning of this year.
'It means that we have to put in half a year's grades.'
At the same time, he was confident in this repackage.
"... …"
It would be tough. I smiled bitterly.
'He has the same plan as us.'
Because we were aiming for a comeback this summer for exactly the same reason.
"Moondae-ssi, let's take a picture now!"
"Yes."
I put down my smartphone and followed the staff. But my head was spinning.
"Slightly tilt to the front... Yes. That will be fine."
And we came to a conclusion while taking album concept photos.
'Don't overlap like this.'
If possible, they'd make a comeback as scheduled in June so that we would only have to get along with each other for at least a month.
But after a while, the emergency news that came through the company's emergency contact network was the exact opposite of my hopes.
"….. It's July."
-Yes, ah.
The wheezing of a planning team employee who was holding back his breath could be heard over the phone of Ryu Chungwoo. I held my breath.
Right now, two days after the day I texted Cheongryeo, the news of VTIC's surprise comeback in July was spread throughout the news.
["King of KPOP" VTIC's comeback in July... Album presale countdown]
It was sealed and then exploded.
"... …"
Okay. had to think of it a little better... Still, it was also something that broke off early, roughly a month and a half later.
It must also mean that if we didn't want to be eaten by those in our weight class, we should avoid them.
'It's tingling.'
Our company's sealing skills must have been heinous, so our comeback schedule must have already been exhausted through T1.
'Then, whether we put it off until September or take off our rank insignia, let's stick to it, right?'
Did they want to do such a dangerous thing?
"We are making a comeback in July, right?"
-….. No. I think it is June. Because our first article went like that…
"... …"
Right.
Apparently, when T1 mentioned the TeStar activity plan while unraveling stock-related presentations and articles, it seemed that it was announced in June during June-July, which was the scheduled month at the time.
June was the second quarter, so it felt different when they composed the PPT.
It was a common trick.
And if VTIC's agency, LeTi, thought we knew it was June and caught it, maybe VTIC's comeback... It would be at the end of July.
Worse. They could really overlap.
"I understand for now."
I hung up the phone with a cold head and returned it to Ryu Chungwoo. Anyway, I was on the move again, so I couldn't talk anymore.
"Hyung, here."
"Okay."
And the meaning of this word was that the members were listening to the conversation next to me.
"Are we overlapping with VTIC sunbaenim again?"
"Yes."
"Hoo."
Ken Sejin sighed and smiled bitterly. The other guys were also nervous.
And it was understandable. Because it was a reenactment of the nightmare that was released at the same time as our debut.
At that time, we somehow managed to win first place, but when I thought about the hardships we went through, people usually felt helpless.
"Umm~ OK!"
Oh, except for that guy.
And Bae Sejin intervened in a tone of frustration.
"If it's that burdensome, can't we postpone it a bit? August is fine too."
"If we go to that extent, I think we will lose money in our year-end results."
If we exceeded the beginning of the third quarter, we'd lose too much on the music score at the end of the year.
Then we could only focus on the album grand prize, but that was... Already being pushed by VTIC.
A decision was needed.