Doha genuinely admired the appearance that was on a different level for once.
“……”
As Doha’s gaze lengthened, the man who had gotten a drink glanced toward Doha.
“It’s been a while.”
The man greeted Doha. Slightly surprised, Doha quickly bowed his head.
‘Could he be someone I know?’
He never wanted this kind of development. Conversing with someone who didn’t know his background of memory loss was an extremely difficult thing. Of course, it was also funny to say this after doing a live broadcast watched by tens of thousands of people.
“Ah…… Yes. Hello.”
When he greeted awkwardly, the corners of the man looking down at Doha’s mouth curved.
“Did you lose some weight?”
The man’s gaze swept over Doha’s body, but it was so brief it didn’t seem rude.
An ambiguous reaction—whether it was superficial greetings or if they really had a connection.
The man who spoke brought the drink leisurely to his mouth. His every movement was like a CF commercial. The man’s eyes facing him directly were clear and deep, as if wearing lenses.
Nervous, Doha swallowed dry saliva.
“This is the first time. Appearing on the same program like this.”
“Are you appearing on Battle Crown?”
It seemed he was probably a member of another idol group. Then that unrealistic appearance was somewhat understandable.
“Mm…… That’s right.”
This man seemed to be someone who was good at smiling appropriately. A smile containing warmth that was neither excessive nor insufficient.
Suddenly, a question flashed through his mind about how much he must have practiced until such an attitude was equipped. Is a pro different?
He seemed to be around mid-twenties.
“The last time I saw you was at the concert, wasn’t it?”
“What? Ah…… Was it?”
Unable to say he was seeing him for the first time in his life, he smiled awkwardly. But unlike his naturally smooth counterpart, Doha’s mouth corners trembled.
Though he was forcibly living a false life as a possessed person, in reality he had no talent for lying. It was more comfortable to choose silence rather than fabricate something.
At Doha’s answer, the man gulped down the drink in his hand. The movement of his Adam’s apple bobbing was clearly visible. Just watching made him feel like his thirst was quenched.
The man who drank the beverage to the end walked toward the trash can next to the chair where Doha sat.
He put the plastic bottle in the trash can. With a clatter, the trash can lid spun round and round.
……That needs to be recycled though.
It was a very concerning part, but he couldn’t dare lecture a man who clearly looked like a senior.
“Oh, Doha-ssi.”
At the closer distance, the man bent at the waist. His face suddenly approached a handspan away. Surprised, Doha’s eyes widened.
‘What?’
The man who bent his upper body and tilted his head side to side once each while observing Doha’s face intently suddenly let out an exclamation.
“They’re not lenses.”
The man said while tapping his own eye area with his finger. As he moved, the silver necklace around his neck glinted.
“What?”
“Your eye color is really light.”
Is that such an amazing thing to observe so closely? Don’t people just think you were born lacking pigment?
“When I saw you before, it was dark so I thought you were wearing lenses.”
The two had met before at places like concerts, but they weren’t very close. Judging from the preceding conversations, it seemed they were just acquaintances who’d seen each other in passing.
“You’re not wearing makeup. Your freckles are cute.”
The man said as he straightened his bent waist. Did he scan the skin in between too? What’s with this person?
If we’re going to make a reasonable suspicion…… wariness. Yes, this must definitely be wariness.
Objectively, didn’t Baek Doha’s face feel quite threatening? Well now. Already acting like this from the start. We should compete with skill, with skill.
Doha, whose skill was at elementary school club level, clicked his tongue internally. Though he didn’t express his lukewarm feelings outwardly, his bewilderment couldn’t be hidden.
The man chuckled softly at Doha’s dazed reaction.
Then, someone appeared from the end of the corridor.
“Yungyeom-ssi. You were here. Why did you come so early?”
The woman who suddenly appeared was the program writer who had been in a meeting with the OnX members. As expected, she was someone related to this broadcast.
“My other schedule ended early so I came ahead.”
He picked up that the man’s name was ‘Yungyeom.’ Now they were at least acquaintances who knew each other’s names.
“Conference room 3 is empty right now, would you like to go there?”
“Take your time. I have plenty of time. My manager is still at the parking lot.”
“Ah, I see. I’ll tell the PD right away too. Then please wait!”
At the writer’s words, Yungyeom nodded calmly.
A double booking. Is it okay to handle work so carelessly? He wasn’t pleased with how the broadcasting station handled things.
“Then, Doha-ssi. See you again.”
Yungyeom greeted Doha and turned around. When he took a few steps, the elevator door opened. A man who got off approached him. He seemed to be the manager. The manager looked around and discovered Doha, then immediately stuck closely to Yungyeom’s side.
“What the……”
Doha finished drinking the remaining coffee. The brief time Yungyeom had visited felt exactly like a lukewarm summer breeze passing by.
The man whose back view was also perfect disappeared around the corner. Around then, a worry arose.
“How many minutes has it been?”
The feeling that if he went in, someone’s nagging would pour out. But if he was already late, was there a reason to hurry?
Doha buried his body deeper into the chair and hummed a tune.
* * *
Turning the corner of the corridor, Seo Yungyeom’s manager whispered softly to Yungyeom.
“Just now, wasn’t that OnX’s Baek Doha?”
“Right.”
The manager continued talking about Baek Doha while rummaging through his bag looking for documents needed for the meeting.
“His reputation isn’t good. If possible, don’t get close to him.”
“Is that so?”
People talk about others easily. Yungyeom’s manager was no different. Yungyeom answered nonchalantly while receiving the file the manager handed over.
“How many scandals has it been already? Even Lim Entertainment must have thrown up both hands trying to cover that up every time, right?”
“Hmm.”
Yungyeom, who had been roughly skimming the papers, looked back. Having turned the corner, naturally Baek Doha couldn’t be seen, yet his head turned naturally. Yungyeom, who had been staring at the empty air for a moment, slowly opened his mouth.
“He was cute though.”
“You turned on your weird radar again, didn’t you?”
“Me?”
At the manager’s words, Yungyeom laughed heartily.
“If hyung had seen that bare face up close, you’d think differently.”
“If I’m going to be fooled by an angelic face, I can’t do this job.”
At Yungyeom’s words, the manager shook his head. Yungyeom hummed the melody he’d faintly heard in front of the vending machine. Seeing how it stuck to his mouth so quickly, it seemed like a pretty good song.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
The sound of dress shoes echoed through the corridor.
* * *
Another peaceful day at the practice room.
“What exactly is the problem?”
“When the sunlight shines, go! I’m telling you to exit when you go! If you’re one beat slow, I’ll bump into you while entering!”
There was a small friction in Doha and Yunbeom’s movement lines. Of course, it was entirely Doha’s fault, but today’s Doha was extremely irritated.
“Isn’t it you rushing in too fast? I’m doing it the way I was taught?”
“Are you saying I’m wrong right now?”
“Then are you saying Lim Sehyun taught it wrong? Call him! We can just call him and ask!”
Eden quickly separated the two who were acting like they’d fight any moment.
“Hyungs, don’t fight……”
“We’re not fighting!”
For people not fighting, both their voices were extremely agitated, and their chests repeatedly swelled and deflated from breathing heavily.
“We’re just, exchanging opinions while scolding each other!”
“We normally call this fighting.”
Eden patted Doha’s shoulder. Actually, the members didn’t not understand Doha’s position. It wouldn’t be human to not get tangled up while memorizing choreography in a short period from a blank state.
“Can he really do the Battle Crown stage like this right now?”
Yunbeom said while firmly rubbing his eyelids.
“Anyway, the competition stage will be completely redesigned focusing on performance, so what’s wrong now won’t matter.”
“You can tell ten things from seeing one.”
Doha’s fists trembled. Because of whom, because of which group, was he here doing this?
“For now, Doha hyung should watch the video again, and Yunbeom hyung should rest.”
“I’ll rest too.”
Doha trudged toward the corner with the mat. At that, Haram quickly followed him.
Haram sat down next to Doha who plopped down.
“Still, you’ve improved a lot.”
Haram smiled brightly and encouraged him. Then his seething insides instantly calmed down.
