The festival was over.
TeStar's testimonials and certification photos flooded the Internet.
The university community was also responding.
- How dare he sing a cheering song there and induce a group of people? Let's make Park Moondae an honorary Yeonhee student
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Hey, there's a testimony that the manager was about to cry under the stage after the 3 encores of KingStar
-They got the ransom right and went. I like their business morality.
Reputation. Reputation. Reputation.
A direct cam was posted and comments were added.
-The fact that they're doing this live is crazy
-They should participate in the Waterbomb Festival… This is absolutely not selfish.
- I hope there are a lot of fan cams for this activity song.
Tomorrow's schedule might be possible right now, but that was something that wasn't guaranteed.
If I scrolled down the screen further, there was an ad-lib video where I picked up the handheld microphone and sang the cheering song.
- This video proves that he's truly an idol
-His quick wits are really crazy
Wits?
If doing what I already knew was having 'quick wits', then a dog could also be called a tiger.
Park Moondae was the kind of person who benefited from different kinds of situations. His head didn't work well in critical situations.
A truly quick-witted bastard would have said something else in that situation.
Therefore… when speaking to Seon Ahyeon.
-… …
-I-I'm sorry…
- No, no.
Instead of just repeating words like an idiot who didn't even know his mother tongue.
I should have done something else instead of standing there stupidly until the guys who eventually came back pulled Seon Ahyeon and me out of the bathroom.
Then, I'd rather…
'Stop.'
I needed to stop having unproductive assumptions.
I had to move on to the next situation and start thinking again.
And I… It seemed that when I entered my room, Seon Ahyeon went to his room…
'Maybe.'
He didn't leave. Then it meant that he could still be in the dorm, and that his condition had gotten better.
I pressed my face with both hands. My brain seemed to harden. My head wasn't working…
I needed to get my brain together again.
That was all I could do. I couldn't neglect my duties.
Why did things turn out this way… No. I shouldn't think about it like that.
'Why did I create this shitty situation?'
I gritted my teeth.
If someone asked me when the situation started taking a turn for the worse…
Of course, from the beginning.
'I shouldn't have thought of saying it in the first place.'
Was I insane?
If I predicted that I would be sent to a mental hospital if I informed him like that, then I would have kept my mouth shut. Why did unrealistic words come out of my mouth alongside the use of an idiotic brain?
'Because someone else believed me? You generalized it with one case, you fucking bastard.'
I should have been relieved and skipped over it, because I wasn't suspected by him and had to explain myself this time. Why did I say it again to someone who didn't know anything?
Was there any reason to objectively accept these crazy words? All because I just wanted to tell him?
"Unnecessary…"
Didn't the situation turn out like this because of my selfish behavior?
'Seon Ahyeon's abnormal condition…'
In this reactivated situation, what the hell was I going to do?
"… …"
What if I only knew the cause of it? I knew I had done a fucking stupid thing, but I also knew how to find a fundamental solution…
'Shut up.'
I closed my mouth. My teeth were harshly pressed down against each other.
Stop doing useless things and look at reality again rationally.
'I need to find something to do.'
… Somehow, Seon Ahyeon's status abnormality needed to be deactivated again.
The reason Seon Ahyeon had been able to deactivate his status abnormalities so far was thanks to his talent.
'Resilience.'
[Resilience (A): Make your own mindset. Burn your concentration and suppress the negative state.]
-When activated, one status abnormality (highest priority) is offset.
However, this characteristic… It was deactivated because of the bullshit I was talking about, and his status abnormality returned again.
I clenched my fist.
'Before…'
Before, I persuaded Seon Ahyeon using my own characteristics.
- Just think, 'I'm going to do this'.
Seon Ahyeon understood my words and decided to focus only on the task in front of him at that moment.
But now my words couldn't be persuasive.
I was the one who confused him this time so he couldn't concentrate on his work.
He already thought that I was crazy, so I couldn't do much…
"… …"
My brain was blank.
'What can be done…'
How would I convince him?
Like before…
I reflexively brought up my status window. Then, as expected, a pop-up appeared.
[Hyung…]
Keundal.
There were no other words that were said. The pop-up seemed to be shaking… Was he like that because I seemed out of my mind?
What else could I do?
I muttered in a hushed voice.
"Characteristics… Can I roll for one again?"
A characteristic that would let me persuade anyone.
"… …"
The status window did not move.
And after a while, a small text came up.
[No.]
Ah.
Yeah, I knew it.
[I'm sorry…]
"You have nothing to apologize for."
Why did everyone apologize when I spoke bullshit? Did they all have a set of unspoken rules?
Why was I fucking doing this…
[It's not your fault, hyung. It's really not.]
"Right."
It wasn't that someone forced me to do it, it happened because I had a mental problem.
I lost my judgment.
Other than that, another conclusion… …
Knock, knock.
"Moondae."
Who was it?
When I turned my head, I saw Ryu Chungwoo's face as he cautiously entered the room.
"Ahyeon calmed down. He's okay."
"… …"
"You said you wanted to be alone, but… I'm sorry, I wanted to come in."
Ryu Chungwoo walked over with a puzzled face and gently sat down on the bed.
I wanted to stop hearing apologies.
"It's your room as well, so it's up to you."
"… Hm, okay."
Then there was a short period of silence. Ryu Chungwoo opened his mouth again after that.
"Moondae-yah. It's only natural that you want to tell others about your circumstances."
Okay. And being really stupid was a different matter.
"Now, it was just a matter of timing, so don't think too much about it. Alright?"
"… …"
I chose that timing.
But I couldn't answer.
Knock, knock.
Someone else entered the room.
'Keun Sejin.'
The guy closed the door when he came in, and as soon as he grasped the situation, he immediately spoke with a firm face.
"Park Moondae. It's my fault. I'm sorry."
"… …"
I felt like throwing up.
"How could this be your fault?"
"Because I instigated it."
What was that guy saying right now without changing the color of his face?
"I made a mistake because I thought Ahyeon would believe it."
"… …"
"Because you seemed so nervous when you were talking to me, so I hoped you wouldn't be this time. I crossed the line. You just did your job."
"No."
I pressed my temples.
"I was the one who said it. Stop it."
"So, that…"
Keun Sejin opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something more, but soon closed it.
I was thankful for that. Because it felt like my head was about to tear open.
"It's not anyone's fault, it just happened that way. Both of you, stop it."
Ryu Chungwoo intervened and cleared things up. I couldn't agree, but I did.
But I didn't know what to say to the words that came out of his mouth after that.
"But… Moondae. How about we take a break for a while?"
"… …"
What?
"Since we've been active for over two weeks, it will be okay to rest for a few days now. As for the agency, it's okay to say that you've gotten sick with the flu or body aches."
A soft, cautious voice followed.
"Shall we take a little break and reorganize?"
Reorganizing.
The choice to cease activity.
"… …"
If I had a conscience and thought of Seon Ahyeon's condition, I should agree.
Considering the crazy live difficulty of the current title track, the decline in Seon Ahyeon's ability would be immediately noticeable.
Then it was clear what we were all going to hear. All sorts of insults and controversies.
'It's right to rest.'
If I was in my right mind, I shouldn't be arguing with anybody to continue our activities.
But…
I turned my head and looked at the pop-up in the status window that I hadn't turned off yet.
This guy…
[Hyung, please take a break and give yourself time to rest… Please.]
There wasn't much time left. If we couldn't make a record with this activity, he would die. He would go back to the status window.
This bastard clearly knew that, but he was telling me to rest…
"… … This."
My brain was about to burst.
Fuck, well, there were so many things to think about, so many things to deal with… What the hell was this…
Suddenly, the words came out.
"Later."
Stop.
I shouldn't say anything that didn't make sense. There was no 'later.'
Even at dawn, I had a schedule. There were less than 4 hours left. Even now, I had to make an accurate judgment quickly. Efficiently…
"Moondae."
Someone grabbed my shoulder.
Ryu Chungwoo.
"Then let's skip the schedule for at least three days. Three days would be no problem. A lot of things have already been taken care of… Okay, Park Moondae?"
"… …"
I nodded.
I didn't know what else I could do.
• * *
In the living room at the same time…
Kim Raebin was in agony while holding the hot tea that Seon Ahyeon often drank.
"I guess… There must have been an incident between the two of them."
Cha Eugene shook his head. His dear friend was very gifted as an artist, but the problem was his ability to read the atmosphere.
So he said it honestly.
"Everyone knows, Kim Raebin."
"… …"
Kim Raebin nodded his head with a slightly depressed face instead of an annoyed one.
That was how serious the situation was.
'It's such a mess.'
Seon Ahyeon looked like a self-destructive sleepwalker, and Park Moondae seemed to be in a state of shock. Because he had to be supported halfway to the bed.
Cha Eugene honestly couldn't understand why the situation had come to this.
They seemed to be saying sorry to each other.
Didn't that mean they didn't have bad feelings toward each other?
However, at the same time, he reasonably understood the situation.
'Well, it seemed like everyone didn't have the experience of having a lot of friends before joining TeStar.'
He also often saw relationships in which individuals were so important to each other that when problems arose between them, they turned out to be quite serious.
They were very clumsy people. Although that sincerity was also the charm of this team.
'Hmm… That hyung is like that too.'
He saw Bae Sejin staggering with the face of a loser and sitting in the living room.
"I… Why couldn't I talk?"
It seemed that he had failed in trying to speak kindly to Seon Ahyeon.
Feeling a bit sad, he nodded.
"I speak well. I will come and tell him."
"W-wait."
Originally, he was going to go first to help Moondae hyung recover his energy, but wasn't the situation more difficult when he needed advice as well as consolation?
'I have to go to a place like that first.'
Cha Eugene shrugged his shoulders and confidently entered Kim Raebin's room, which was also Seon Ahyeon's room after knocking.
Seeing that no one stopped him, it seemed like his choice was right!
"Hyung, I'm coming in."
"… …"
Creak.
When he opened the door and entered, Seon Ahyeon was sitting on the bed in front of the moonlit window.
As if his soul had escaped.
He had a stiff posture and a pale complexion. He didn't quite look like a person.
It was at least possible thanks to his medicine.
"Hyung, are you okay?"
"… …"
Seon Ahyeon nodded his head very slowly. His eyes seemed unfocused, perhaps because of the pills.
"Are you feeling okay?"
Silence.
Cha Eugene sat down next to him and stabbed right into the core.
"Can't you tell me anything? Moondae hyung's secret?"
"… … !"
Seon Ahyeon looked away. Then, he seemed a bit human. Cha Eugene shrugged his shoulders.
"Everyone has a secret. I know even if I don't hear them!"
Well, wasn't it rather strange to have no secrets in life?
And whether or not to share those secrets was just an option.
Were good friends more closer and intimate because they shared many secrets with one another? Would you know that person better?
Cha Eugene did not think so.
'If it doesn't come out naturally, it just becomes extra weight.'
Maybe, this situation was taking place right now. He didn't know.
[Anyway, hyung heard the secret, and there was some kind of problem.]
Seon Ahyeon was still motionless, but uttered a low voice.
"I-I messed up."
"Then fix it."
"… … !"
[Don't think I'm saying it easily, um, I don't think you're upset with Moondae hyung.]
Cha Eugene stared at Seon Ahyeon.
[Then, it's easier to have a good night's sleep and think with a clear mind to fix it.]
It was advice to slow down and get out of panic.
And the answer came back.
"… I-I know."
Seon Ahyeon murmured in a low voice.
"… Th-that, I… It won't work."
"… !"
"Ev-every time. Knowing, knowing, but doing nothing…!"
In Seon Ahyeon's eyes as he said that, Cha Eugene confirmed a very clear feeling.
'That's…'
It was self-hatred, anger.
Seon Ahyeon knew it too. Why wouldn't he know?
There was nothing he could do at this point, so keeping his mouth shut and sleeping was the only thing that helped the situation.
But it didn't. Because he was anxious, because the fear of ruining everything dominated his mind.
Likewise, he realized the moment he heard Park Moondae's 'secret'.
'No…'
Moondae's past activities.
Considering memory loss, nightmares, and extreme choices… This wasn't usually serious.
-I'm not Park Moondae.
It was seen as a sign that a broken heart was spreading to an identity problem.
And he knew that he was the most suitable person to bring up the situation to Moondae.
'I have to do it.'
Ryu Chungwoo and Lee Sejin were people who had overcome their own mental hardships. They received little medical help.
So, since they were healthy, they completely believed in Park Moondae.
'It was just me… !'
He was the only one who could properly tell him about the danger, and that was the only way he could help Park Moondae.
He had made countless thoughts and decisions to become a helpful friend and colleague who fulfilled his role, but…
'I couldn't do that.'
… No, he couldn't.
A precious relationship built with trust and intimacy could end with just one word.
Because the possibility alone was too frightening.
'Only me… What if he hates me because I don't believe him?'
'In the end, that means that Moondae is the one acting strange. Then… I can't…'
'He must feel bad… …'
But as long as he kept his mouth shut, then they could keep getting along.
Seon Ahyeon squeezed his hand tightly until it turned white.
'No matter what happened to me, it was more important to just continue as friends…'
Because of his disregard, Moondae's symptoms became more severe.
In the future, if Moondae really suffered greatly while doing his activities, to the point that it became an irreversible situation…
'It would be my fault.'
He knew it thoroughly, trying to gather information to the point where he couldn't sleep while having to act like he wasn't suspicious.
-Can't we just trust him?
He didn't really believe his words, but he wanted to justify it somehow.
Even though he knew everything, there was one reason why he couldn't do anything and ruined his work.
'I… It's because I'm the kind of person who can't help.'
There was no excuse.
He thought so much about good things and right things, but in the end, he couldn't do anything about really precious and fearful things.
And he couldn't help but pour out his weak spirit to the opponent in the worst situation and in the worst way.
'It didn't help, that's…'
It was just a wound. He gave Moondae another wound…
His throat tightened.
'Don't be in pain.'
Self-pity was also a luxury. Seon Ahyeon suppressed a scream. Because apologizing while crying was not an indulgence.
"… …"
Cha Eugene, who was watching, almost clicked his tongue uncharacteristically.
'He looks like some kind of ascetic medieval monk.'
He couldn't figure out the specific inside story.
He could see it just by looking at the atmosphere. Seon Ahyeon was in pain.
Still, Cha Eugene decided to say something. After all, everyone had to come out of the pain on their own feet.
However, he could still give him a stepping stone!
[Hmm. Alright. But this situation is a bit different.]
Cha Eugene raised his hand.
[This time, if hyung doesn't do it, Moondae hyung will do it.]
"… !"
[That hyung is the type of person who wants to solve everything by himself in the end if something happens to this group.]
Seon Ahyeon lifted his head.
[That's the kind of person hyung is. You already knew that, right?]
Of course, he knew.
[So this time, it's not a matter of whether you do it alone or not.]
"… …"
[Either hyung acts first, or Moondae hyung acts first. It's one or the other.]
Seon Ahyeon gritted his teeth.
Then…
… Yes.
• * *
It was dawn.
"Let's go, Kongi."
Cheongryeo was walking down the street with his dog, who had finally returned last night.
It was just his walking trail, a course that he still used without any problems with eyewitness accounts.
Going out for a walk at the usual time, he was happy to feel that everything was back to normal.
Although it was funny to call a routine that was only a few years old that way.
"Hmm."
He immediately wrote a text with a faint smile.
[Kongi was was discharged.]
He should send the photo he took now.
"Kongi, here."
"Woof!"
And he was about to take a picture of the grinning dog's face.
He saw the shadow of a person sitting on a bench.
"… Hmm."
It was rare because of the time, but it didn't disturb him.
It was because it was a familiar person.
"Hoobaenim."
"… …"
He was sitting on a dark bench. His black hood moved slightly to reveal the contents underneath.
It was a familiar face.
Cheongryeo confirmed the pale complexion that could be seen even under the mask. In the meantime, the voice that was heard was calm.
"… I have something to ask you."
"… …"
It was very rare.
And since he had done this rare thing himself, Cheongryeo made an equally rare decision.
"Is that so? Then, let's go inside."
Park Moondae was invited to VTIC's dorm.
In a nonchalant and random way that would have been unexpected just yesterday.