Looking at my flustered face at the unexpected answer, Lee Yuwon said.
“What. Did you think I’d stop you?”
“…A little?”
He had a strong sense of responsibility. He felt somewhat strict and old-fashioned. Especially when trying to protect something, that personality became more prominent.
Even when I complained that ‘For Stadium’ filming was too hard, Lee Yuwon said in his characteristically stern voice that I had to endure it. That if I quit now, I’d become nothing. That in life, there are moments when you have to endure even if it’s dirty and petty.
Because he was like that, the reaction of telling me to quit outright was unexpected.
“I already stopped you once.”
Lee Yuwon said matter-of-factly.
“You’re as responsible as I am. I know you’re not the type to say such things as a joke or empty words. If the words ‘let’s quit’ came out of your mouth, it must have been that hard.”
Before I could even be moved by the trust contained in that, the next words followed.
“What kind of job requires you to get malnutrition while doing it? Don’t do that kind of thing. Do you think auntie raised you for that?”
“…”
“Yeah. Since the topic came up so well. Quit. Just do this concert and throw it away. It’s a project group anyway, so you’re not going to promote until you’re worn out, right? If you miss it later, go solo. You sing well.”
Somehow his attitude of jumping around telling me to rest made me laugh.
“If I quit, I quit, but why go solo? I don’t want to live standing out.”
“You like singing. Besides, it’s hard for that face not to stand out. You think everyone in the world is blind.”
“So…”
Living like this, it would be hard not to catch the eye of that distinguished person, so I was trying to hide by going somewhere as invisible as possible. If I disappeared in advance before problems arose, the reason to covet it would become faint, let alone look for it.
“With your personality, if you get a headache over contracts, you’ll obviously suffer in silence without being able to bring it up to auntie. If you have problems with the agency, contact hyung.”
I joked while poking the braised short ribs he’d served me with chopsticks.
“What. Will hyung pay the penalty fee for me?”
“Isn’t that why Days is stuck in the first tier? Where else would you borrow from if not Lee Yuwon? If someone else offers to pay, be suspicious from the start. Nine times out of ten, it’s a scam.”
There’s already someone who readily put forth 500 million won for five wish coupons. If I said that, the dinner table would probably flip over.
“Could it be love?”
“How much is the penalty fee?”
“500 million?”
“Would that be love?”
Lee Yuwon opened his mouth in disbelief. Looking at me as if he couldn’t even grasp where to be shocked first, he soon shook his head as if he’d heard something utterly unbelievable.
“Even if it were love, would that be normal? Some corner of them must be a bit crazy.”
“But hyung says you’d pay it.”
“Am I the same as other people? Huh?”
Lee Yuwon burst into laughter and said.
“I’m not joking, Han Ijae. If there’s someone who readily puts forth things that seem absurd to you, be suspicious. Because that’s not love. Well, it could be a love so desperate they want to give you their liver and gallbladder too. But that won’t be all of it.”
“…”
“There will be a price. So if you can run away, run away. In my view, 500 million is a number you should run from.”
I smiled awkwardly while recalling Seo Nakil’s composed face.
I understood what Lee Yuwon meant. My opinion was similar. That’s why I thought all of Seo Nakil’s actions toward me couldn’t be explained simply by love.
Then what on earth does Seo Nakil want? Would the answer be contained in the remaining three wish coupons?
In a puzzling mood, I finished my meal and returned to the company building. It was because of the concert formation practice in the afternoon.
“Why are you following me, hyung?”
“I’m heading to the company building.”
“So it’s our company building?”
“Yeah. Your company building. I have business at your company building.”
“You just saw me.”
“I’m going to see you again.”
“…”
“What. I’m going to recommend your leader for the radio guest spot. Then I have to go ask, don’t I?”
“…Ah.”
Saying it like that, I couldn’t tell him not to follow. In the end, I had no choice but to return with him while ignoring the sharp gazes pouring from all directions.
Lee Yuwon, who insisted on coming up to the practice room, went out to talk separately with Min Seungwoo. Kang Subin, who had been looking at us with eyes full of curiosity, rushed over as soon as I was left alone.
“What is it, Ijae hyung? Really, what? You’re close with Lee Yuwon sunbae-nim from Days? You just came in from eating lunch together, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“Wow. I heard you’re close enough with actor Seo Nakil to be like family, is it like that this time too? Like, what? This time are you like father and son?”
“If you think about it… that’s right? Since he looked after me when I was young?”
“Wow. Now we’re going down to childhood.”
Kang Subin looked at the two tall figures hovering outside the practice room. The way he stretched his neck out to look was just like a meerkat.
“Looking at it anew, it’s really radical casting, isn’t it? This is no joke. Ijae hyung is reeeeally taciturn. If it were me, I really couldn’t hold back and would have to talk about it. I’d want to tell the whole neighborhood.”
“I couldn’t say anything in case I caused trouble for the other person by doing that wrong. I’m sorry if you were hurt that I kept it secret.”
“Ey, it’s fine. I’ve seen people suffer mentally from being wrongly lumped together over connections in this industry once or twice, you know? I totally understand. It’s just a bit surprising.”
Between Kang Subin’s friendly voice, a dissonant remark cut in.
“That’s right, it is surprising.”
Kwon Seonho, who had been standing crookedly with his back against the mirror, sneered at me.
“Han Ijae, why do you keep having things come out one by one? Like someone who’s been hiding cards up their sleeve.”
Before I could answer anything, Kang Subin pursed his lips and shot back.
“Maybe Seonho hyung just didn’t know enough about Ijae hyung? Or maybe you wanted not to know too much?”
“Hey.”
“Ey, joke. It’s a joke. No getting serious! Suddenly the atmosphere what? Anyway, prohibited!”
Kang Subin, who stretched his neck like a meerkat once more to escape the crisis, brightened.
“Oh, leader hyung is coming in. Should we start practice?”
But contrary to Kang Subin’s wishes, Min Seungwoo didn’t immediately resume practice. Because his serious gaze was directed straight at me.
“Ijae-ya. Why did you refuse the radio guest schedule?”
Did he feel hurt in his pride, as if I’d dumped work on him? I quickly read the mood, but that wasn’t it. Rather, Min Seungwoo was more worried about me.
“…It was a spot that Lee Yuwon sunbae-nim specially created.”
“What?”
He’d clearly said it was just a vacancy that opened up, like it was nothing.
“Apparently he’s been eyeing it since the last album because it was a program you wanted to do before. It must be a spot he got by asking Bae Dojin sunbae-nim from months ago, so why did your mind change?”
Kang Subin, who had been looking back and forth between me and Min Seungwoo, also frowned.
“Hyung, you gave me the camping variety show offer that came in not long ago too, didn’t you?”
“What are you asking? His initial determination must have dropped.”
Park Yul sneered.
“I wonder if he wants to brag about collapsing from running around during the last activities or what. Originally in this industry, isn’t suffering that much basic if you want to make it? Did he debut too easily so he lacks desperation?”
“Yul-ah. Who here debuted easily?”
Min Seungwoo warned quietly.
“If it really can’t be done because of other schedules, that’s one thing, but if not, take about a day to go. I told sunbae-nim I’d try to persuade you once more.”
“…”
“Think long-term, Han Ijae. Your life doesn’t end just because Starium activities end.”
It was a statement that didn’t feel very realistic. Because my life really didn’t continue beyond there.
“I hope you’ll make a smart judgment thinking about your recognition after the group too. Especially opportunities to prove something as a musician like this, you should secure even one more.”
“That’s why I tried to yield it to Seungwoo hyung.”
I wanted to pass that opportunity on for exactly the same reason. Of course, there was the fact that I recommended him because he had a more cautious and mature personality than Kwon Seonho, but even if not.
‘Because you’re a good person.’
Min Seungwoo, who said that to me, was one of the precious warmths that existed in my life.
“Life continues after Starium too. I wanted Seungwoo hyung to do well then. That’s why I told Yuwon sunbae-nim I’d yield it at the meal earlier.”
Kang Subin, who had been hesitating, asked again.
“Then what’s left for hyung?”
I opened my mouth silently then shut it tight.
“Sol hyung has an OST. Seonho hyung is preparing a hip-hop collaboration video. The dance team hyungs are making a medley cover too. I got the camping variety show from hyung, and Seungwoo hyung is now going on the radio guest spot. Then what about Ijae hyung?”
Kang Subin’s eyes, which had approached close, wavered anxiously as if wanting to cry a bit.
“You know, Ijae hyung. You clearly said you only lost your memory…”
“…”
“Why do I feel like hyung has changed a bit?”
