What kind of situation was this?
I was lying in bed. I didn't have a particularly good idea.
The situation just before I went to visit Keun Sejin, who had left the hotel room for camping…
- Beep.
I pressed the doorbell of Keun Sejin's hotel room, but there was no response.
-… …
I wondered if he wasn't in the room. But was Keun Sejin the kind of person who would go out and start rumors to spread?
He was obviously Inside.
- Lee Sejin.
I waited a moment, then rang the doorbell again.
Then came the response.
Ding.
Not at the door, but on my smartphone.
[Let's talk next time, Moondae. I'm a bit tired right now]
That was it.
"… …"
I took my hand off the pillow, checked the text once, and swiped it away.
-Hyung, are you okay?
"Yes."
Then, the face of Ryu Gunwoo appeared on the screen. I was in the process of returning the call I hung up earlier.
… … I had to do what I had to do.
"What was the story you were trying to say?"
-… Wait a minute.
The guy on the screen moved. Then, raised both hands and pointed to the air.
- Do you see this?
"No."
The guy on the screen carefully lowered his hand.
-You can't see…
"… …"
-That, I did a little research since the last time I logged in to download the 'receive compensation' pop-up.
Was that so?
-A few days ago, I was able to open the status window by calling it from my side. So I wondered if you could see it on the screen…
"Okay."
It was something worth making a video call with. I understood his intentions.
And when he shut his mouth, the room became quiet again.
"… …"
A cautious voice was heard.
-Um, hyung. Also, what happened earlier?
"It's nothing."
Couldn't he stop asking me about that?
I almost felt annoyed at the moment, but I recognized that there was no need for it and pressed it.
… From his point of view, the phone suddenly hung up, so of course he'd ask.
"I hung up because it was someone who didn't know you, but there was a bit of a misunderstanding."
-Ah…
After a brief exclamation, he was speechless again. He seemed to have understood the situation roughly.
'Is the story about to end?'
He spoke at the moment when I wondered if it would be okay to end the conversation and hang up.
-I… Then wouldn't it be okay if you told him the circumstances?
"What?"
- Lee Sejin, right? He is hyung's close friend. Then…
"I returned to the past in someone else's body and become an idol, because if I didn't, I would die, so I could just say that I leveled up and came this far."
-… …
"Common sense, this… No, sorry."
At that moment, I realized why Keun Sejin stopped the conversation and left. I guess I did this to avoid needlessly shouting.
I shook my head and continued.
"I'll organize and analyze the status window problem you just mentioned, so you should rest today… …"
-No. Hyung.
The guy stopped talking.
- I think it's really the first time that hyung isn't paying attention to the system story like this. Normally, you would have asked a lot of questions.
"… !"
- I think you are concerned about the current situation.
"… …"
And a small voice was heard.
-Then just say it… How about telling him comfortably?
I involuntarily clenched my fist.
That was the moment.
I suddenly recalled the afterimages derived from those words.
Mistakes this guy made every time I met him until now.
-Hyung!
-Gunwoo hyung, uh, uhm…
Errors in titles or endings.
I knew it was because he was so bad at deceiving others.
But now that I thought about it, how was it that the guy who lived in the body of Ryu Gunwoo for several years made such a mistake every time…
Wasn't it unnatural?
"You, no way, you made mistakes whenever I was with the members…"
-… …
"Is it because you wanted me to be found out?"
After a moment of silence…
A voice came from the screen.
-Maybe…
"… !"
-I wasn't conscious at the time, but I think I did it unconsciously… … I thought that it would help hyung.
"What."
-TeStar are people who are close to you and have lived with you for several years. I wanted hyung to feel at ease after revealing his secret…
It was an action based on goodwill.
However, it reminded me of something in that he did not consider the other person's intentions and feelings at all.
And he talked about it himself.
-But that's what the system does.
Yes.
-Hyung, I'm ignoring your thoughts and feelings and just doing it.
It was an overly mechanical and inhuman impulse for this frail fellow.
I opened my mouth slowly.
"… So, did you assume you were being affected by the system?"
The last time we met, it reminded me of a guy who was especially afraid of the system.
- I feel that the part of me that has been assimilated with the system is getting stronger. Even if it moves to another body, it seems to have some effect.
And a bitter voice came out of the screen, as if a little daunted.
-Yes. So, since I noticed, I'm really trying not to make mistakes…
"… …"
- It wasn't really intentional. It must have been uncomfortable for you, but I'm really sorry. I will be very careful not to be swayed in the future… …
"… Okay."
A sigh of relief was heard from the screen.
'He must have had a hard time.'
Being influenced by something he didn't know must have been quite unpleasant.
'I'm going to have to pay close attention to this guy's condition from now on.'
As if I had been bathed in cold water, I looked at Keundal with a bit of my senses.
But the topic had returned.
-Yes, but hyung, but this is really a separate message. That friend will definitely trust you.
I was going crazy.
I spoke while holding back my saliva.
"If he had the personality to believe such science-fiction stories, I would have finished organizing it by now."
However, Lee Sejin had the most realistic personality.
I conceded.
'So… I was procrastinating.'
Because we had to work, and because the timing wasn't right.
With such an excuse, I was justifying the situation where I kept my mouth shut and procrastinated.
I was intoxicated with the atmosphere and said 'I'll tell him when the time is right'… No matter how I conveyed it, the probability of him not believing it seemed too high.
I sighed.
Then, a voice that sounded a bit ridiculous on the screen… What, ridiculous?
-Hyung, I'm trying to tell you in case you forgot… But, hyung I was your status window??
I knew that.
-I know how Lee Sejin-nim and hyung have been!
"… !!"
- I don't want hyung to get into fights… Anyway, I am speaking from the point of view of a third party who knows all the information. Please trust me… !
Seeing all of that, it was quite embarrassing.
However, Keundal was embarrassing and annoying, and now he was almost wailing.
-As much as that friend is realistic, you know him well… ! And you trust each other a lot.
It was funny to hear that.
-If hyung explains it seriously and honestly, he will believe it.
"… …"
I laid down on one arm.
-Hyung…
I didn't know.
"I don't even know how to say it. It just happened like this."
-Ah…
"First… Take a look at the situation."
I was going to tell the truth now, but I didn't know how this guy would come out tomorrow.
There was a possibility that it was because of his immediate emotions and that it was not a big deal. If he cooled down, I could explain the misunderstanding and be a little embarrassed, and then it will end.
-Hyung, so…
The guy on the screen seemed to be trying to say something of encouragement in his own way, but it didn't really come across.
"Okay."
I soon ended the call, and after a conflict, I replied to Keun Sejin's text message.
[Sorry. Rest well]
And it was funny, but it really didn't matter.
The very next day, the overtime camp for the album went smoothly.
• * *
"I added an explosive sound to the beat. How does it feel?"
"It's good? But how about putting it only at the point of the chorus and replacing it with a different sound in the verse? People's ears might get tired quickly."
"Okay!"
Keun Sejin gave feedback and adjusted the situation well, no different from the previous day. He pushed out good comments and cut out the inappropriate ones.
"I want to choose a song based on demo number 4, how about it?"
"… That's fine. But I think number 3 is better."
"Okay."
It wasn't like he was laughing and acting well like when he was angry and our relationship was awkward before.
It was just… The sense of distance had deepened.
'Damn it.'
He wasn't giving me a chance to have a private conversation.
Well, it was too vague to apologize. It was because 'I'm sorry' was impossible to develop an 'I'm fine' conversation.
"Let's get some rest."
"Yes."
It was break time. I followed with my eyes the guys who were scattered around the suite more freely than yesterday.
'Let's pour cold water on it.'
If I couldn't concentrate because I was frustrated, it would be stupid. I needed cold water friction to wake up and look at the album.
I was on my way back after using the washstand by the front door.
"… Lee Sejin."
"Yes?"
A voice came from the kitchen next to the hallway.
Bae Sejin called Keun Sejin.
It was rare. So, just yesterday, after Keun Sejin left, I remembered the conversation I had with Bae Sejin.
-I… Did I say something strange?
-… No. It's because there was a bit of a misunderstanding with me. Sorry for getting you into trouble.
- No, no.
It was a situation where anyone who heard it would bring up the topic.
The voices of two people with the same name continued to be heard from across the corner of the hallway.
"Excuse me…Yesterday, If I made a mistake, I'm sorry."
"What? No. It's not like that. I made a fuss by myself."
"… Isn't that because there's a problem?"
"Oh, it's just my problem. Did I say something rude then? I'm sorry, hyung."
"No, it's fine…"
After a moment of silence.
"Um, hyung. I have something else to do, so is it okay if we stop here?"
"… … Wait a minute."
I heard Bae Sejin swallow his saliva.
"… Well, yesterday, the person Park Moondae was looking for, Park Moondae told me about it, so I'm not on the agenda. I only knew because I happened to be there."
"… …"
"He wouldn't have told me if…"
"Hyung."
Keun Sejin stopped talking.
"I think I should hear this from him himself."
"… !"
"I really don't think it's your fault, so you don't have to worry. Rather, thanks to you, I know about the situation."
I heard Bae Sejin groaning. The feeling of wanting to say what was going on and the thought of not being able to intervene more seemed to intersect.
And he finally spoke.
"Okay. That… I hope you have a good talk with Park Moondae."
"… …"
The guy who would normally have said 'yes' and finished, instead spat out in a tired and sharp tone.
"… I don't know. I don't know if I will."
"… !"
"Anyway… yes. I see."
I knew then.
Clearly, this guy was more concerned about the current situation than I thought.
And right now he was so pissed off that he might not have the urge to listen to the story.
'In that case.'
I suddenly remembered the last words of Keundal that I answered yesterday, 'I don't know what will happen after this happens.'
A statement that didn't make much sense at the time.
-Now that the situation is like this, wouldn't he believe it more if you told him? You're not the type to say nonsense to an angry person.
-… !
-Since he knows you, he wouldn't think of it as an excuse or a prank if it sounds strange!
"… …"
Fuck. Okay.
I picked up the phone and called the manager.
There was no other way. I had to do it.
• * *
Lee Sejin liked concerts.
If you were familiar with him, it would be easy to misunderstand that someone like Lee Sejin would prefer variety shows or appearances on famous WeTube channels.
Originally, what people thought with their heads and what they felt with their hearts were different.
The concert was no different from proof of oneself as an idol.
Existence of dreams and ambitions.
'That's why I like it…'
But today, he couldn't fully enjoy that good concert.
Originally, at a concert, it was normal for the members to get together and enjoy a meet-and-greet around the time of the encore.
Even if it wasn't that, when all the members were together on the stage, it also inspired immersion and a sense of belonging.
But that was impossible today.
'Hoo.'
It was because after the uproar a few days ago, he stood on stage together without having had a proper conversation with Park Moondae.
He was conscious of It moment by moment as if a stone had gotten into his shoe, and he felt down every time.
'Why…'
In fact, he already knew that Park Moondae didn't take him 'as easily' as the other members.
In fact, it was rather pleasant.
Because it felt like a kind of relationship establishment.
'Equal friends.'
He was even a little proud. Even if the group disappeared, he was confident that he and Park Moondae would continue to work together and remain friends, even if no one else knew.
That reassurance.
However, once he knew that it was an illusion, with that certainty… He felt betrayed.
'It's really funny.'
No, Park Moondae didn't even say that he trusted him the most, so what kind of betrayal did he feel?
Lee Sejin laughed.
He knew very well that being a human being meant that positions could easily change depending on the environment. And there was nothing particularly sad about it.
'This industry is the most like that.'
So he couldn't understand at all why he was so disappointed with Park Moondae as if they had become great friends.
But, if he thought about it again, wasn't that enough?
'It's not like we were just a moderate group.'
They spent a lot of time talking about all sorts of troubles, accidents, and personal affairs.
And yet…
Lee Sejin clenched his fists.
'It ended with an apology through text.'
It meant that Park Moondae had nothing to regret right now.
What was even funnier was that he was thinking about whether to talk to him first and solve the situation.
Wow!
Watching the shower of flowers burst from the side of the stage, Lee Sejin took a deep breath.
He wasn't just out of breath.
'It's annoying.'
On this good day, it was absurd that he was in bad shape because he had a fight with one of the members in front of a large number of spectators.
It was becausee he felt like an idiot who couldn't distinguish between that kind of structure.
So he paid more attention to performance and live. If he lacked immersion, he would have to do it elaborately.
"Thank you for your hard work~"
"You worked hard!"
So, when he came down after the concert, he felt a sense of desolation greater than the full joy as usual.
It felt like the energy that was overflowing on stage had disappeared.
"… …"
"Uh, where's Moondae?"
"He left quickly!"
In the meantime, the fact that the other party left unharmed somehow made him even more pissed off.
'Why am I the only one consuming my emotions?'
Lee Sejin struggled between heat and fatigue, and eventually left with a sigh.
He was thinking of getting in the car and going back to the hotel and going to sleep.
Tirik.
However, when he opened the door to the hotel and went in…
"You're here?"
"… ?!"
Someone was already sitting in the room.
"I got the key from the manager."
Someone who had their hands on the table… … It was Park Moondae.
Lee Sejin doubted his eyes for a moment.
'This…'
What was going on?
Why the hell was the guy who left first here?
At that moment, a flash of hope passed through his head.
'No way?'
He was trying to apologize…
"Sorry for trespassing."
"Ah, are you sorry about that?"
Fuck, fuck.
Keun Sejin felt the urge to slap his own mouth. He didn't even know why he bothered to say that.
In the first place, it seemed like showing displeasure was losing.
So… So he was afraid that the relationship would become strange.
"I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry about the other things as well."
However, despite this, Park Moondae calmly answered without any other reply.
Somehow, since he was calm, he didn't like it even more.
"What."
'No, he's really calm…'
He almost choked up, but the moment he checked Park Moondae's face and posture…
His expression was still serious, but he was touching his fingers and moving his shoulders slightly.
"… !"
Park Moondae… He was very nervous.
"There's something I couldn't properly explain to you yesterday."
"… …"
"The hyungs don't know everything about my situation properly. They only caught a part of it."
"You got caught?"
"Yes. So that means this is the first time I'm saying it with my own mouth."
"… …"
For a moment, Lee Sejin forgot all the complexities and irritations and focused on the conversation.
What the hell was he going to say?
"First… I think it would be appropriate to start by saying this."
Park Moondae's eyes lit up.
"I am not Park Moondae."
"… ??"
"And I've come to the past."
Lee Sejin began to suspect that he had actually fallen asleep in the car.