Before he could retort, Go Won left the practice room without looking back.
“Fuck, he’s only one year older.”
Acting so damn mature… Muttering complaints, Yusang warmed up his body and then also played Newton’s follow-up song.
The choreography was ingrained in his body enough that he could do it even if woken from sleep, so he continued practicing mechanically, but it wasn’t as exciting as when dancing in formation with the members.
Also, when with the members, the hyungs—especially the leader hyung—watched carefully and gave praise…
In that sense, he found himself thinking that Go Won, who practiced silently alone, was secretly impressive, and in that moment he missed a step.
“Ah!”
With an irritated sigh, Yusang turned off the music and lay down flat on the practice room floor.
Jeong Yusang searched SNS for Newton and his own name consecutively. Perhaps because they’d just been making the rounds on music shows, there were tons of posts uploaded by fan accounts.
He was smiling while looking at posts uploaded by Newton’s fandom, Apple, when a post he would normally have passed by caught his eye.
Trade @yangdogyejeong
Newton broadcast photocard transfer sale
Yusang (3.0)
Liam (1.5)
Eden (0.4)
Hyunsol (0.2)
Jungho (0.2)
0.4 and above tradeable / 0.2 photocard bonus with Yusang purchase
Newton Apple NEWTONE broadcast photocard photocard yousang liam eden……
“……”
Come to think of it, he vaguely remembered hearing that the photocard response was especially good this time.
The disappointment that those who had enthusiastically cheered for the stage at the pre-recording were using photocards as a means of business was brief—he couldn’t help but feel smug seeing his name at the very top.
“Everyone should treat me well, I’m working hard to raise Newton’s value.”
But what’s with this price difference?
Yusang zoomed in on the photos attached to the sale post.
“Jungho hyung came out well in the photos too… He even yielded his turn in the hair and makeup order and checked to see if it looked good…”
Nam Jungho had a good ‘eye,’ perhaps because he’d been a trainee for a long time. With that ability, he would find the points where members could shine the most.
On the other hand, his evaluation of himself seemed a bit harsh, which sometimes upset Yusang.
Yusang hoped Jungho would never see this post.
“Buy Jungho hyung’s photocards expensively too, Apples.”
Muttering while looking at the screen, he just put down his phone.
The more he thought of Nam Jungho, the more desperately he wished the dorm would return to its former atmosphere.
They were the first peer group where Yusang had felt a sense of belonging.
“…! Ah, no. No.”
A memory from long ago tried to surface for a moment. Yusang shook his head and forcibly erased it.
Usually the practice room was bustling with members, a place where there was no time for stray thoughts to arise.
The practice room, left empty and alone, felt especially hollow. The quiet void seemed like it would swallow him whole, suffocating him.
He wanted to return to the hyungs.
To do that…
‘I should apologize to Jungho hyung. But exactly how…’
At that moment, the practice room door opened.
Thinking perhaps a member had come looking for him, he sat up happily, then showed a slightly disappointed face upon confirming it was someone else.
“Yusang-ah, you were here?”
“Yes… Hello.”
It was a staff member belonging to the 4th Division’s management office. They had a long career and didn’t do hands-on work, so it was rare to meet with Newton.
“I thought maybe since you weren’t at the dorm, and it worked out well. The Executive Director says he wants to see you briefly for something good.”
“What? Suddenly? Uh… what about the hyungs?”
“Oh yeah. Actually, that.”
He approached Yusang discreetly.
“Actually, there’s a travel variety show proposal with a rookie actor from Somyeong Entertainment, and they specifically pointed you out. So it’s a meeting, just to see your face.”
“……”
I see.
…But rather than going alone, I wish the hyungs could go with me.
‘Jeong Yusang. You’re only popular by yourself, so you can’t see the current situation, can you? You don’t care at all what worries the other members and I have, do you?’
No!
‘I also think about the hyungs a lot, and I hope Newton does well…’
But what if not just Jungho hyung but the other hyungs are thinking the same thing about me?
In this situation, is it okay to say that a program proposal came in just for me?
“Then, let’s head out now.”
“Can I go to a meeting dressed like this?”
“Today’s just a casual greeting.”
“……”
Yusang carefully opened his mouth while following the staff member.
“If that goes well, next time can we also film something like traveling with the member hyungs?”
“Ah, of course. Naturally. If you ask, won’t the Executive Director push for it enthusiastically?”
“……”
Actually, he didn’t feel like meeting peers other than the members, but if it led to an opportunity, he could endure it.
‘Then won’t Jungho hyung’s feelings soften a bit too?’
Because it was late, various parts of the company were dim, but only the hallway around the division head’s office was bright. When walking this path with the hyungs, it didn’t feel this nerve-wracking.
Inside the division head’s office were Executive Director Choi and unfamiliar people.
Of the two sitting on the sofa with their backs to the door, the one with dyed hair seemed to be the actor who wanted to collaborate.
“Ah, looks like he’s finally here.”
With Executive Director Choi’s voice, the two people turned their heads.
“Yusang-ah, hello. It’s been a while.”
“……!”
Yusang couldn’t answer and froze.
Kang Jaeyoung.
‘I’m not going if Jeong Yusang’s going.’
‘Let’s gather separately among ourselves.’
“……”
“Jeong Yusang, why are you standing like that? Come here and sit.”
“…Division Head, why is he here…”
“Ah, so you do know each other after all.”
The face seen from the front definitely retained that appearance from before.
‘Go ahead and blab that I hit you. How many people do you think will believe you?’
“…I don’t want to do this.”
“Huh?”
Through the slightly flustered gazes of the adults, a polite voice pierced through.
“When our relationship got a bit distant, Yusang transferred schools.”
“……”
“It was in first year of middle school, and it seems he still remembers it.”
Yusang clenched his hands tightly. Cold sweat was already pooling in his palms.
But he was different from back then.
“…You seem to have forgotten why I transferred. It was because I was being bullied.”
“Ah……”
He’s supposed to be a rookie actor, but his expression of sympathy is top-notch acting. In the same moment, meaningful glances passed between Executive Director Choi and the other side’s staff.
“Right. We parted with that misunderstanding.”
“……”
“Still, since we’ve both debuted, I hope we can get along well now.”
‘Fucking idiot, can’t you take a hint?’
“I was young so I must have made mistakes, so I want to apologize too…”
“Your friend is quite mature. Yusang still seems like a kid, maybe because he’s the group’s maknae.”
“I think he had that side back then too. Liked drawing attention. That’s probably why he became an idol.”
At those words, his body stiffened without realizing it.
“Yusang-ah, you should sit. What are you doing?”
The staff member lightly pushed Yusang’s back, who stood frozen unable to move, leading him to the sofa.
“Then, shall we talk about the variety show? The format is friends going around famous domestic restaurants, bakeries, cafes and such, filming each other and reviewing. Like you see a lot on YouTube these days.”
The materials presented as examples included celebrity best friends and even couple YouTubers.
“These are places where casting has already been completed.”
“Wow, you’re well-prepared.”
“Jaeyoung has a special relationship with our director, so Somyeong will provide maximum support.”
“Thank you so much. Right, Yusang-ah?”
The adults’ voices, excluding his own opinion, seemed to shatter dizzyingly and gnaw at his mind.
Yusang squeezed his eyes shut then opened them before answering.
“…Just that, if it ends well. Next time I can do something with the members too, right?”
“What? Hey, what are you talking about? This is definitely a two-person format.”
“What? Earlier you told me that if it goes well, I could go with the members… didn’t you say you’d push for it?”
“Me? When? That can’t be.”
“……”
The staff member he’d met at the practice room played dumb. Executive Director Choi let out a sigh as if for them to hear.
“Think carefully. The practice room music was too loud, you must have misheard.”
“……”
Again.
Newton had suffered countless instances of this kind of word-changing from Executive Director Choi and the 4th Division staff. They struggled desperately when hope seemed visible, only to have it suddenly denied with ‘that never happened.’
“Jeong Yusang, you really are still the same.”
“……”
“Idols are good at exaggerating and lying… well, thinking about it that way, you found a career that suits you well.”
“……”
Even though it was clearly sarcasm, his mouth wouldn’t open. It was difficult to turn his eyes toward the other side, so he looked desperately at the K-dum people.
‘Even seeing me like this now, you still want to have me and Kang Jaeyoung appear together?’
But perhaps that was just his own thought.
“Wow, their images match well too, how about taking a photo right now and uploading it like a non-spoiler spoiler?”
“Sounds good. The fans will look forward to it a lot.”
Executive Director Choi gripped Yusang’s shoulder hard.
“We can show that you’ve been close since childhood, and it’s good for preventing unnecessary talk in advance.”
“……”
“Actor Kang Jaeyoung and Somyeong Entertainment want that too, right?”
“…Haha, right. Well, let’s leave adult talk to adults.”
In the strange atmosphere, Executive Director Choi patted Yusang’s back.
“Yusang-ah, now, go sit over there.”
Everyone in the division head’s office except Yusang laughed as if infected.
“No. I’ll go.”
Kang Jaeyoung approached closer.
And sat right next to him.
“Yusang-ah.”
Like an awl piercing his ear.
“You can’t exactly talk about how an idol used to get beat up like a loser back in the day.”
“……!”
“If you understand the situation, smile. I also feel shitty, so let’s just brush this off.”
The other entertainment company’s person held up their phone lens with a pleased face.
Once at an outdoor year-end stage, he’d smiled brightly wearing only thin stage clothes.
He’d been photographed so much that his mouth automatically lifted when seeing a camera.
It was a job with practically no portrait rights, but he didn’t want to be captured by that camera.
If a photo remains like this.
Then the things I went through before will just be ‘brushed off’?
But there was no one here who would take his side.
“Taking the photo. One, two.”
“I.”
Yusang shook off the hand on his shoulder and stood up from his seat.
“Restroom, …I’ll. Go and come back.”
“Yusang-ah. Jeong Yusang!”
Yusang rushed out of the division head’s office without turning back.
“Urgh…!”
His stomach churned. But he didn’t want to show this sight either.
“It’s, past events…”
‘Let’s just brush this off.’
“It’s, past. Shit, ha…!”
“Yusang-ah?”
Ah.
He lifted his head at the familiar voice. A familiar face stood there.
It was a manager who had accompanied them several times during this promotion.
“Didn’t you say you had a meeting with the Division Head?”
“I, I’m going.”
“Hm?”
“I said I’m not doing it!”
At the vehement reaction, the manager followed Yusang with a face that didn’t understand.
“Oh my. What’s going on?”
“That guy in middle school bullied me, took my money…!”
‘Use me to whitewash that bastard’s past?’
His insides heated up hotly, but on the other hand, he thought this wasn’t something to be angry at the manager about.
“…Anyway, please tell them I can’t appear on that kind of program.”
Yusang turned around.
In that moment, his arm was grabbed.
“Then it’s ruined. If you leave like this, what will the Executive Director and our position be?”
“…What?”
“You’re not a kid either. If you can’t endure something like this, you can’t survive in the entertainment industry going forward.”
oof the entirety of division 4 is pure poison.