‘He could tell grandmother, grandfather, or Sua who are at home about that kind of thing.’
…No. He probably called me knowing that if he requested it from them, the possibility of it being fulfilled would be low.
Go Won glanced at the small window in the practice room. The trainer was waiting for him with arms crossed. His heart grew anxious.
– Hyung, if I eat that I’ll keep the secret, and really, really I think I’ll listen well to grandmother, grandfather, and noona….
“…Okay. Hyung will have it delivered to the house.”
– Really? Really! Yeah! Got it!
Having finished his business, his younger brother hung up with an excited voice.
“Ha….”
Time was delayed by the unexpected call.
Still, he couldn’t bring himself to tell him not to call about unimportant matters.
His younger sister Sua, who had matured early amidst deprivation, even when burning with fever, even when short on field trip money, only endured alone without asking for help. In case Suhyeon also ended up like that….
After hanging up, Go Won checked his bank balance before opening the delivery app.
“……”
He’d heard somewhere. That rich people would count numbers all day long.
No. The ones who stare at their balance disgustingly and do calculations are poor people. Because they always have to check how much they can spend, how much is left.
Most people don’t realize Go Won’s circumstances are this difficult. It shows that his environment isn’t comfortable, but they’d think his situation improved with the prize money and contract money with K-dum.
However, the not-insignificant amount was completely depleted after moving his family from a place that didn’t even have heating to a house where four people could live.
He himself was fine just living in the dorm the company prepared, but he couldn’t leave his family in an old house that broke down frequently in various places.
Even if the major agency K-dum was on the generous side with settlements, there was no way he’d already covered all the investment money right after starting activities. He still had to wait quite a while until the first settlement.
Because of that, all he had now was a bit of dignity maintenance expenses that came out like an allowance from the company. When he ordered pizza with part of that, the first digit quickly changed.
Before entering the practice room, Go Won stretched his throbbing limbs. Then he went inside, bowing his head repeatedly saying he was sorry.
The advice not to bow his head carelessly came to mind, but.
For Go Won who grew up watching his grandmother and grandfather living while bending their waists every time to raise three grandchildren, this method was familiar.
His pride was already like paper crumpled and smoothed hundreds of times—even if it crumpled once more, it didn’t show.
***
The sky that had been cloudy since the previous evening began sprinkling white sleet with bad timing, pitter-patter.
“Is this even snow or rain? No, but why isn’t that bastard Wonjong coming?”
As the waiting time passed 5 minutes, Go Won’s body trapped inside his long padding also began to shiver. Due to the tightly packed schedule and lack of sleep that started with the activity period, his body accepted the cold more sensitively.
“Won-ah, aren’t you cold? Want to go inside the building?”
The manager overseeing his activities, 5th Division’s General Manager Park Jonghyeok, spoke worriedly.
“No. I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Oh my, I should’ve told you to stay inside earlier.”
“You’re here too, General Manager.”
“I’m fine because I’m excited to be on site for the first time in a while, you punk. Both yACE and Edelweiss are all kids who don’t even come out of the house.”
The touch that briskly rubbed Go Won’s shoulders to warm him up even a little was rough yet affectionate.
General Manager Park Jonghyeok, currently serving as the 5th Division’s general manager, was someone who started as a road manager when yACE was just emerging and rose to his current position as the 5th Division’s general manager.
Although it was the highest position among managers, General Manager Park was dedicated to Go Won, currently the youngest in the division. As he said, it was because there were almost no activities from the other senior artists.
The 5th Division housed the 13-year veteran yACE and the 12-year veteran girl group Edelweiss, who had laid K-dum’s foundation during the 3rd generation idol era.
The 5th Division was originally a place K-dum established for yACE, but 5 years ago Edelweiss demanded a division transfer along with their contract renewal.
After discussion, K-dum accepted the demand. Not only because of their seniority, but Edelweiss, who had been with the company from the ground up, was as difficult to control as yACE. They judged it was better to leave them to Kwon Taeyoung.
Thus, for a while the 5th Division served as K-dum’s veterans’ gathering and living museum, but a few months ago, the brand new rookie Go Won was added.
Go Won himself didn’t know, but this was 5th Division Director Kwon Taeyoung’s ambition. To actually grow the 5th Division that had only existed nominally.
General Manager Park recalled the company atmosphere at that time.
‘They set him up like a puppet president but everyone panicked when Taeyoung seriously learned management and came at them.’
On top of that.
‘Especially Executive Director Choi freaking out is him trembling in case his rice bowl gets stolen.’
It was unfortunate that the young kid Go Won’s back was breaking in that process.
It would be better if the kid threw tantrums befitting his age, but the problem was his personality of enduring internally.
Thinking of the senior groups whose personalities were shit… no, colorful, made him seem like an even more painful finger.
Constantly glancing toward the parking lot, he finally picked up his phone. Go Won still looked indifferently at the breath spreading through the white falling snow without a single complaint about being cold.
“Hey, Wonjong-ah. Why aren’t you coming… What? Then what do we do!”
“……?”
General Manager Park roughly ruffled his short hair with the hand opposite the one holding the receiver, then barely lowered his voice after looking at Go Won.
“Got it. Yeah. Come as fast as you can. Call right away if other problems come up. Ah, I’m going crazy.”
After a sigh, he spoke to Go Won with a troubled look.
“Won-ah, the car battery died because it’s cold and the outfits are trapped inside. Even calling emergency dispatch will take 20 minutes, so take a taxi and go to the shop first. Minju says she’s nearby so she’ll go right there. I’ll borrow another car and follow right away too.”
“Ah…. Yes.”
Though it was the first time experiencing a sudden situation, Go Won only nodded calmly as usual. General Manager Park felt relieved and tried to call a taxi through the app. However, even that was soon blocked.
“What, they’re asking me to verify payment method again! Where’s my card, card….”
The color gradually disappeared from General Manager Park’s face as he put his hands in his left and right inside pockets. The hand frantically fumbling through the remaining pockets was flustered.
“Did I leave it at the office? Uh….”
“…General Manager, I saw an outer garment in the van….”
“Ah!”
General Manager Park made a dismayed expression. There had been a schedule from early this morning so he’d left it the night before to just wear it. Now all he had left was one phone.
General Manager Park looked at his artist with an even more anxious face. If it was our unicorn who brought forth proud broad smiles to the 5th Division with maturity unbefitting his twenty years….
“Won-ah, sorry but hyung will catch a taxi and tell you the address. When you arrive, pay with your card for now and make sure to keep the receipt. Got it?”
“…Ah, well….”
Go Won drew in a breath without the other person knowing.
Going to the shop alone was fine. That couldn’t possibly be a difficult thing.
The problem was… the taxi fare. He didn’t have a credit card, only one check card. And the money K-dum had put in under the name of living expenses had already gone to debt repayment and his siblings’ allowances. The balance that had remained precariously hit rock bottom when he bought pizza for his younger brother.
Go Won recalled the bank balance number he’d memorized from looking at it so much. It wasn’t enough taxi fare to get to the shop located in Gangnam.
“Well… if you’re worried about taking a taxi alone, should I just go with you?”
“No, General Manager. It’s not that….”
Go Won couldn’t open his mouth even while feeling General Manager Park’s gaze looking at him.
‘I don’t have taxi fare.’
General Manager Park was a good person. But poverty had been wearing him down since childhood. That’s why it was difficult to reveal in front of anyone. In case even this good general manager’s attitude toward him changed if he knew the reality.
This time too, Go Won plastered meaningless pride over his face.
“I’ll just wait for the car to be repaired. We came out early so waiting about 20 minutes should be okay, right? There aren’t many cars at this time anyway.”
“Won-ah, but the time….”
“Jonghyeok hyung, what are you doing?”
Fortunately, General Manager Park’s troubled gaze moved to a newly appearing person. However, the moment he faced the man walking over waving his hand, Go Won flinched.
“Ah, hoobae-nim is here too. So hyung ended up in charge of this kid.”
“Yeah, you punk. This kid is the only one doing singer activities in the 5th Division.”
“Take that up with Director Kwon.”
Baek Hanje and General Manager Park greeted each other casually. Go Won deeply bowed in greeting to Baek Hanje who had come right in front of him.
“Sunbae-nim, hello.”
“Huh? Won-ah, even if not outside, at the company you can greet moderately.”
“Not me. I’ll properly receive greetings no matter where we meet.”
“…Geez, Taeyoung wouldn’t have taught him that, why’d he grow up like that.”
“Looks like you’re on your way to a music show? With the weather like this, you should hurry.”
“Ah, right. Won-ah, are you really going to wait?”
“…Yes. Shouldn’t the repair person almost be arriving by now?”
“20 minutes was the earliest….”
“I’m fine. Really….”
Having this conversation with General Manager Park was also uncomfortable, but having this story revealed to Baek Hanje was even more unwelcome.
Go Won turned his head as if running away. However, he felt Baek Hanje’s gaze staring at him intently.
A mere six-year age difference, but a sunbae who felt like someone vastly superior because of the atmosphere coming from experience.
For some unknown reason, amidst the feeling of being exposed, Go Won bit down hard on the flesh inside his mouth.
