“What do you mean by that?”
“Ah, I was talking about the comeback activities this time. Juno has already booked several variety shows, but you guys haven’t said anything particular……”
“Kang Juno did?”
He hadn’t heard anything about it at all. So when Go Yoon said it as if it was strange, the CEO asked back, wondering if Kang Juno hadn’t told him.
“Juno didn’t tell you? This time Juno asked to book several major variety shows for him solo……”
“He said with his own mouth that he’d do variety shows first?”
“That’s why it’s really strange.”
Kang Juno didn’t appear on variety shows often. He himself didn’t particularly prefer variety shows either, and knowing that, the company didn’t really recommend variety shows to Kang Juno either.
However, at the story that such a Kang Juno asked to book variety shows first, Go Yoon had a face that said he couldn’t believe it. Like Go Yoon who was suspicious, the CEO also made a strange expression as if Kang Juno’s moves this time were really odd, then asked Go Yoon as if something suddenly came to mind.
“But there’s one thing I’m curious about, are you and Juno that close with that rookie?”
“Rookie?”
“No. When Juno was entering variety shows this time, he said there’s a rookie he cares about, so he asked to squeeze him in together. But when I looked into it, they said you’re also close with that kid.”
“What? You’re saying Juno and I have a rookie we’re close with?”
“Yeah, I guess you’re really close? He’s a rookie who hasn’t really broken out yet, but Juno apparently contacted each and every PD asking them to include that rookie kid.”
Rather, the CEO seemed flustered when Go Yoon acted like he didn’t know.
“Who is he?”
“That’s strange. Didn’t that rookie tell you?”
“No, so who on earth is that rookie……”
“Ka Jerim. Aren’t you close with him too?”
Go Yoon’s face turned white.
* * *
The ringtone kept going but Kang Juno didn’t answer the phone. At the continued ringtone, Go Yoon anxiously stared at his phone even while starting the car.
[The customer you are calling is currently……]
At the guidance saying the other party wasn’t answering the phone again, he frowned and called again.
“Kang Juno. Answer.”
The longer the signal went, the more the conversation he had with the CEO earlier repeated in Go Yoon’s head.
‘I knew you and Ka Jerim had a connection because of SNS, but suddenly it’s not even you but Juno asking to book several variety shows together with Ka Jerim. Of course, since he’s a kid without recognition yet, he was rejected by some variety shows, but Juno even asked to include him while cutting his own appearance fee.’
‘When was that?’
‘Last week. Anyway, there are already 3-4 confirmed variety shows. If he goes on all of those, Ka Jerim will definitely make it big, but it’s fascinating that Juno has a junior he cares about that much, so I contacted you too.’
‘……’
‘They said they already met and finished talking. So the day before yesterday, I even told Ka Jerim’s company side to make the final confirmation.’
When he heard they had already met, Go Yoon had this thought.
What if the cause of Cha Hohyeon getting hurt that day was Kang Juno?
“No. Let’s not think like that.”
It might not be. Go Yoon thought that what he was thinking now might be jumping to conclusions, but he was confused because the timing was strangely similar. Even in this short time while Kang Juno wasn’t answering the phone, all kinds of bad imaginations swept through his mind.
[CEO-nim?]
Then, finally Kang Juno answered the phone. Go Yoon, who had been leaning on the steering wheel, jumped up and answered the phone.
“Kang Juno.”
[Is that Go Yoon? Why are you calling from CEO-nim’s number……]
They had just recovered their relationship with Kang Juno, so what if he ruins it by misunderstanding for no reason? Hearing his calm voice as if asking what happened made him even more confused.
‘But if Kang Juno went to find Cha Hohyeon and hit him, what should I do?’
Just the hypothetical made him feel devastated. And thinking about how much of a sense of betrayal Cha Hohyeon must have felt toward him was terrible just to imagine. He asked him not to tell and to wait, but since he himself couldn’t keep the promise, Cha Hohyeon would have feelings beyond resentment toward him.
“Juno-ya.”
[Why? What is it, why aren’t you talking?]
Go Yoon closed his eyes at Kang Juno’s voice heard through the phone.
“Is it you?”
Kang Juno. Say it’s not.
Say no to what I’m asking now.
“You’re not the one who made Cha Hohyeon like that…… right?”
So tell me right now.
Say no.
“It’s not you, right?”
[…….]
“You promised me. That we’d go meet Hohyeon together.”
However, contrary to his expectation that he would answer right away, Kang Juno was silent.
“The CEO said you booked variety shows with Cha Ho…… I mean with Ka Jerim. He said you two already met…… and he got really hurt around that time.”
[…….]
“Hey. This is a coincidence, right? How well do I know you, you wouldn’t make a person like that…… ha.”
But Kang Juno’s silence went on too long. At the inexplicable anxiety, Go Yoon frowned and deeply bowed his head. The feeling was very bad. As his thoughts kept trying to go in a bad direction, Go Yoon tried hard to think positively, but it didn’t work out well. Then.
[What if it is me?]
“You…… did it?”
The bad imagination becoming reality was instantaneous.
[I can’t act anymore either.]
“Kang Juno. You said you believed. You told me you believe that Ka Jerim is Cha Hohyeon!”
[Go Yoon. Come to your senses. Cha Hohyeon is dead.]
“Kang Juno!!”
[So don’t call Ka Jerim Cha Hohyeon. He’s not Cha Hohyeon.]
Click.
At the phone cut off like that, Go Yoon looked with a devastated face before calling again. But Kang Juno conspicuously rejected the call. When Go Yoon was getting angry at the continued call rejections, he looked at the incoming text and twisted his face completely.
<Juno> – [I’m saying this seriously, go to a psychiatric hospital.] >
< [Just answer the phone.]
[I don’t want to hear your voice] >
[Don’t call.] >
[I won’t answer anyway] >
< [Fuck, are you joking?]
[Crazy bastard. Would you believe it if it were you? Don’t even tell the members. I finally pulled myself together, so don’t shake me up] >
[And make time. I know a psychiatric hospital where rumors won’t spread] >
Kang Juno’s words to go to a psychiatric hospital became a dagger stabbing Go Yoon’s heart. Go Yoon looked at the phone with a dejected face and despaired.
“In the end, you didn’t believe. What face can I…… see Hohyeon with?”
Kang Juno met Cha Hohyeon and hit him.
Did he only hit him? Just looking at this, Kang Juno has such strong negative feelings toward Ka Jerim, and what he might have said when meeting Cha Hohyeon was so terrible that he didn’t even want to imagine it, so Go Yoon belatedly realized what he had done and buried his head in the steering wheel, suffering.
“What do I do?”
What should he do now? Go Yoon knew all too well that he couldn’t stand confidently in front of Cha Hohyeon even seeing the wounds Cha Hohyeon must have received.
But he couldn’t just despair here and give up. Since there were many things he needed to hear by meeting Kang Juno right away, Go Yoon tried hard to pull together his mind that was trying to drift away and contacted Lee Robi and Moon Hamoon.
<Robi> – < [Robi-ya. It’s me, Go Yoon. Where’s Juno?]
<Hamoon> – < [Hyung. It’s me, Go Yoon. Where’s Kang Juno? Is he at home?]
He wanted to call Robi and Hamoon, but in his current state, he didn’t think he could pretend to be okay, so he sent texts. And as soon as he sent the texts, answers came right away.
<Robi> – [Did you fight..ㅠㅠㅠㅠ?(crying) Why is Juno angry?] >
< [Tell Juno to answer the phone.]
[ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ] >
[Juno is scaryㅠㅠㅠㅠ] >
<Hamoon> – [Where are you? Why is Kang Juno like that?] >
< [Hyung. Doesn’t Kang Juno say anything?]
[What story. No, you guys stop fighting. Please;(troubled);] >
[We need to prepare for our comeback, I told you I’m tight on time.] >
“It’s the dorm.”
Since the nuance was like he was right next to them, Go Yoon quickly drove the car to Fort’s dorm. But when he got out of the car and entered the dorm, Kang Juno was already gone and the dorm was a mess, with only Lee Robi and Moon Hamoon anxiously in the dorm living room.
“Y, Yoon-ah.”
“Where’s Kang Juno?”
“Go Yoon. What’s going on, your eyes are completely wild too!!”
Lee Robi stared at Go Yoon with a frightened face, and Moon Hamoon urgently grabbed Go Yoon, but Go Yoon avoided Hamoon and immediately entered Kang Juno’s room to find Kang Juno. In the room that was a mess as if Kang Juno had already ransacked the entire room, Go Yoon raged alone before rummaging through Kang Juno’s drawers and desk.
Then he discovered his own phone in the drawer and immediately pressed the power button.
“……Phew.”
He thought it wouldn’t turn on because it was water damaged, but perhaps because quite some time had passed and he turned it on, the phone turned on well although the screen was slightly dark.
Go Yoon called Kang Juno again. Actually, Go Yoon called all the way to the dorm but Kang Juno didn’t answer, so he called this time without much expectation either, but contrary to Go Yoon’s expectation, Kang Juno answered the phone quickly and said right away.
[Don’t tell the members.]
He probably answered the phone immediately because he was afraid that he, having arrived home, would tell the members. Go Yoon also didn’t want the members to know, so he closed the door and said.
“Where are you?”
[Does he say that? That he’s Cha Hohyeon?]
“Kang Juno.”
[You believe that?]
“……”
[I’m going crazy.]
Kang Juno didn’t say his location and just let out a hollow laugh while answering the phone. Go Yoon, who had rushed to the dorm, felt his breath rising to his chin and continued to ask Kang Juno while frowning.
“Where are you?”
[Look at your voice. You want to hit me?]
Kang Juno instead let out a laugh of disbelief as if Go Yoon seemed like he was being shameless. And Go Yoon, at the words of Kang Juno that followed, opened his eyes wide and clenched his fist.
