“You have a younger sibling, I heard. For example, if they fought with a friend, what would you do?”
“I’d ask them to tell me what happened… and if there’s something I can say, wouldn’t I say it?”
“But what if it was a big enough fight to interfere with school life?”
As the family story continued, one of Go Won’s eyes flinched and his politeness broke a little.
“I’d ask the school to take action, or I’d step in myself.”
“Why?”
“…Because I’m their guardian.”
“Then in this situation, who’s your guardian?”
“……”
Taking advantage of the gap when Go Won’s eyes widened questioningly, Baek Hanje touched his phone a few times and held it out to Go Won.
“Tell. Your entertainment life’s guardian.”
The outgoing call screen displayed Kwon Taeyoung’s name.
Baek Hanje waved it in front of Go Won’s nose.
– Yeah, why?
It wasn’t a lie—Director Kwon Taeyoung’s voice actually flowed out.
– What, Baek Hanje. Is this a prank call?
When there was no answering word, the other party asked questioningly. Regardless, Baek Hanje just kept holding out the phone. Eventually, Go Won took the phone with a flustered face.
“Director, this is Go Won.”
– Won? This is Hanje’s number… aren’t you on your way back from Music Ocean right now? Is something wrong?
“…Yes. Um, there’s….”
As he hesitated, he felt Baek Hanje’s gaze. A bit colder than before.
Unable to withstand that gaze, Go Won awkwardly opened his mouth.
“Um, I have, something to tell you. After the stage today, I met a friend named Kim Eumyul….”
Taking advantage of the gap Go Won couldn’t see, General Manager Park in the driver’s seat raised his thumb to Baek Hanje. The person receiving respect only snorted.
“He posted something on StarStagram that seems to be pointing at me and Henzel sunbae-nim… so, I’m… telling you.”
– Hm? He did?
Even though the speakerphone was set quite loud, Go Won was too nervous to notice. He didn’t know that the sigh and clicking sounds coming from beyond were audible throughout the entire car. He only kept glancing at Baek Hanje wondering if this was right.
– Got it. I’ll think about what to do and take action. Don’t worry too much, and come back carefully.
“Yes.”
– And Hanje… never mind. I’ll contact you separately. Rest.
“Yes, Director.”
Perhaps knowing Go Won’s personality, Kwon Taeyoung hung up first.
Go Won couldn’t hide his bewildered look while looking at the turned-off screen. Soon applause burst out throughout the car.
“Wow, our Won tattled for the first time in his life!”
“Phew, I was so frustrated thinking he’d probably just endure alone even if he got beaten up somewhere.”
“You, not just this but if you have other difficult things, talk about them and live, Won-ah.”
“Ah….”
The staff doing close care of Go Won said in unison as if relieved. Since they were in a position to closely watch the artist, there were many more frustrating moments than what Baek Hanje felt.
Receiving strange encouragement from all sides, Go Won’s face ripened as if it would burst.
It felt strange, like he’d become a little kid. But he soon realized he was actually the youngest here.
“You’re a sunbae after all, Baek Hanje.”
“Then am I a sunbae or a hoobae? I was on a world tour when this kid was solving math workbooks?”
“Why are you being grumpy again? You were cool until just now. Saying ‘tell your entertainment life’s guardian, hoobae…!’ and all.”
“When did I say that?”
And that Baek Hanje who seemed so far away was also on the young side here.
But the feeling of a distant gap was the same.
“…Anyway, yeah. Since we started talking, to see it through to the end, everyone here has jobs that make your entertainment life smooth. They’re people who spend days and days for a 3-minute stage.”
“That’s right, correct.”
“So if anything bothers you even a little, tell everything. Not just for you, but because you’re the company’s resource and investment target, you naturally should. Got it?”
“…Yes.”
Go Won answered in a voice like an ant crawling and held out the phone with both hands. His face grew increasingly hot. Baek Hanje who was looking somewhere in the air let out a deep sigh.
“Anyway, you did well. Well, even though I spoon-fed you everything, you did find the answer.”
“……”
Go Won’s pupils contained Baek Hanje, vibrated slightly, then withdrew. Awkwardness and embarrassment were contained in his reddened cheeks.
“…What? Why are you looking like that?”
“……”
Go Won turned his head away entirely.
“What is it?”
“……”
“Go Won-ah, are you already ignoring sunbae-nim’s words? Is it tasty?”
However, Baek Hanje absolutely never let things pass easily as he wished.
“No.”
“Are you rebelling?”
“Oh, stop tormenting him. Maybe he’s embarrassed because he got praised.”
“What do you mean. I’m good at praising.”
“…You’ve never done it once.”
At the answer that finally came, a hollow laugh burst from Baek Hanje.
“Didn’t I say you did well when recording?”
“You didn’t. …But, that’s not why I was looking.”
“…No, ha. Well….”
Baek Hanje seemed to think for a moment looking at some corner of the car ceiling, then beckoned to Go Won. When Go Won leaned his body forward, Baek Hanje’s hand rested on top of Go Won’s head.
“Yes, hoobae-nim. You did very well….”
“……”
“……”
Whack!
“Ah!”
The hand resting on his head made a fist and struck his forehead in an instant.
“?!”
Go Won protested with his eyes while holding his painful forehead. Regardless, Baek Hanje snatched his phone from his hands and shouted.
“Why is the kid our hyung is raising getting hit around outside? Huh? If you act so clueless and soft like that, you’ll get eaten up without even bones left in this industry.”
“……”
“Do well!”
“…Yes….”
His eyes and voice became a bit more insolent than when he was answering politely with bows.
Baek Hanje leaned his body back against the seat and said as if spitting.
“The results of that earlier thing will come out by evening.”
***
‘Why did things turn out like this…!’
Kim Eumyul who had been crying quietly in his dorm bed threw his pillow.
‘I was also planning to vent to my fans a bit and delete it once the upset feeling passed!’
A few hours ago. At Maybe Entertainment’s rookie male idol practice room.
The door swung open and three people entered. They were DearRune members. The three strode toward Kim Eumyul.
The front one, the clear voice that sang the killing part ‘Para, Para, Paradox’ on today’s stage, came down directly.
‘You fucking bastard. Hari’s crying! Did you get shot in the head? What were you thinking spouting that bullshit?’
‘…What?’
‘Lee Jinso. I thought you cut down on the cursing a bit but your mouth again. Ha… Come out.’
The girl who approached pretending to stop the member looked down on him like a bug.
‘Hey, you don’t seem to know what situation this is, but your notifications must have been going off like crazy, so want to check?’
Kim Eumyul opened his phone with a bewildered face. Comments had swelled on the post he uploaded earlier.
Kim Eumyul’s face, slowly checking the contents, soon turned pale.
It’s obvious what Yoon Hari said
↳For real.. there’s no reason to suddenly do this
Duet stage -> After ranking announcement stage ended, went down friendly with friend (Go Won) -> (blank) -> Suddenly “I’ll do well alone”
Who could there be in the empty time to piss the kid off^^
Following that, DearRune leader Shin Saera’s cold smile appeared along with a screen thrust before his eyes.
Hazing a rookie (yuck)(yuck)(yuck) How ugly~~ Permanently deleted from DearRune playlist starting today~~
Bitch……make sure you get divine punishment
DearRists are gritting their teeth arguing they graciously performed a stage with a rookie lol Our kid had over 1 million votes in the final competition~^^
↳The rookie everyone nationwide knows vs DearRune Jinso no the blonde one, so now who performed a stage for whom?
There’s a reason he’s the only unheard-of member when all the other kids in the same group blew up lol Seems like they didn’t let him out storing away his character lol
The sharp criticism comments were all plastered on DearRune Yoon Hari’s StarStar comments.
The flow he’d watched until the end definitely wasn’t this.
The majority had been comforting comments, and as planned, Go Won’s story was gradually being mentioned so he’d guided it in that direction too….
Not sniping Go Won XXX They were seen chatting friendly with each other while going down from the stage
The two were best friends during Debut Chart^^ No misunderstanding!
The ones refuting comments suspecting Go Won might be the problem were… surprisingly, Kim Eumyul’s individual fans.
