Eden was always relaxed and laughed often.
But idols are people too, so how could they not have emotional ups and downs? In fact, given the nature of the entertainer profession, there was a high probability they had even more sensitive and delicate emotional lines.
Perhaps the other members also sensed that Eden’s energy was down, as they filled the audio more boisterously than usual.
* * *
“Seriously, what’s wrong with you?”
After finishing filming, in the hallway heading to the car to go home, a loud voice could be heard.
“Hyung, you know there was a lot of talk because you looked at the fans with rotten eyes at the airport too, right?”
Sehyun was pressing Eden.
No matter what, can a maknae act like that to his hyung?
“Look. Here, should I read it to you?”
Sehyun started reading fan reactions from his phone.
“What if they start hating you already, the fans worked hard to make you first place but is it normal to be completely undisciplined with pollack eyes, these days he’s been totally like a pollack but only Hollys kept quiet about it and now you’re revealing your pollack attitude to the whole world, should I read more?”
Wow, even so, reading that stuff in front of the person himself. What is this, a public execution? Isn’t Lim Sehyun going too far?
It wasn’t even his own business, but just eavesdropping made his knees weak. You check all those reactions too?
‘That would absolutely destroy my mental health.’
He got his phone back, but let’s not bother turning on SNS. That’s self-harm.
“I’m going crazy too.”
“We just barely passed our third year and if you’re already like this, are you going to complete the whole 7-year contract? Something will blow up before that.”
Something will blow up. He quietly nodded his head.
“Why are you so out of it these days? You were doing fine, why now?”
“…Ah, I don’t know. I just want to go home.”
He could sense that the home Eden was talking about wasn’t the dorm. Was it really homesickness? Well, that was something that couldn’t be stopped.
“Jo Taejin is putting ideas in hyung’s head.”
“Why are you bringing him up?”
“I told you not to contact him!”
“You tone it down too. Why are you catching people like catching rats? And whoever I contact is none of your business, right? There’s a limit to being rude.”
“Ha… I’m telling you hyung shouldn’t get involved with him.”
He understood Lim Sehyun’s feelings. Knowing future events, he’d want to prevent them. But acting so unreasonably like that would only fuel the other person’s rebellious spirit. Especially when Eden’s mental state was this precarious…
“Ah, fuck off.”
When Eden roughly pushed Sehyun’s shoulder away, Sehyun grabbed Eden’s arm. The two’s fierce gazes locked. It was an atmosphere where fists could fly at any moment.
“Ahem, uh, guys. What are you doing?”
To prevent an unfortunate incident, he eventually stepped forward.
‘Ha, these troublesome bastards…’
He didn’t know why he was helping Lim Sehyun’s struggles. But he also couldn’t watch them come to blows.
“Let’s hurry and go. I’m tired.”
With Doha’s appearance, the thin ice atmosphere between the two gradually thawed. When Sehyun let go of his arm, Eden headed toward the entrance without looking back.
“Eden, let’s go together.”
Doha followed Eden while shaking his head at Sehyun. It meant to stop.
He knows the future but knows nothing about handling people. Tsk tsk.
* * *
After finishing the exhausting day, the members who came to the dorm were preparing to rest. In the car on the way back, the atmosphere between Sehyun and Eden was so bleak he thought he’d die.
Ring ring-.
While Eden went to shower, his phone rang. Sehyun casually checked Eden’s phone screen. He snorted once, then unhesitatingly picked up Eden’s phone, pressed the call button, and entered his room.
‘Is it okay for him to do that…?’
Doha, who witnessed that scene, stealthily lifted his heels and approached the door, pressing his ear against it.
“…Hyung… what. Mi, that, …then there….”
The voice could be heard intermittently, but he couldn’t tell exactly what was being said.
Who is it? Who is it that Sehyun is answering the phone for?
His curiosity was piqued.
Just as he was sticking close to the door with the momentum to pierce through it, trying to hear what was being said, the door suddenly opened.
“Ah, ah geez.”
Startled, Doha fell and twisted his body to the side. Sehyun, who had hung up and come out, looked down at Doha sprawled on the floor.
“What are you doing?”
Doha pretended to stretch while lying face down on the floor.
“Ah. My body is stiff. Did I overdo it today?”
Sehyun stared intently at Doha like that.
“Why, what, what!”
When Doha, caught eavesdropping, got flustered for no reason, Sehyun crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder crookedly against the doorframe.
“Did you hear?”
“No? I didn’t hear anything at all?”
“How did you know I was asking what you heard?”
At Sehyun’s response, Doha clicked his tongue with a tsk.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’m going out for a bit.”
Sehyun coolly turned around. He picked up a coat.
“Where are you going?”
Doha was curious why Sehyun was answering Eden’s call and rushing out. There seemed to be something going on.
“I have something to do. Something to do.”
Sehyun had said he was tired about fifty times on the way here. Where was this kid who even injured his knee saying he was going?
“You’re a patient.”
“Why make a fuss over something like this?”
Sehyun replied as if it was no big deal and crossed the hallway.
“Sehyun-ah.”
When Doha called Sehyun, he turned around.
“Can’t I come too?”
Strangely, he wanted to go with him. It seemed like he was going to do something fun, no, dangerous.
“……”
Sehyun stared at Doha like that.
“It’s not good for your education. Just stay here.”
Sehyun, who firmly refused, headed toward the entrance. It was strange. Sehyun rarely refused when asked to do things together.
“I’ll be late tonight!”
Sehyun, who greeted loudly, left the house. Doha, bewildered, approached the window. After a while, he could see Sehyun heading toward the parking lot while on a phone call.
“Hmm.”
That, that, there’s definitely something going on.
“Hyung, did I get any messages?”
Just then, Eden, who had finished showering, asked Doha.
“Huh? I don’t really know.”
He didn’t know why he was covering up Sehyun’s crime(?), but strangely those words didn’t come out right away.
Doha glanced around cautiously before asking Eden.
“By any chance, is there anyone in your call log?”
“Call log?”
Eden checked his call history while drying his hair with a towel.
“Taejin hyung called. Did hyung answer it?”
Of course. I thought there was something. Lim Sehyun definitely went to meet Jo Taejin.
Doha quietly shook his head.
* * *
The night without Lim Sehyun was strange. His head cleared up as if being released from brainwashing.
‘Once Battle Crown ends, I’ll really leave this place.’
The reason Doha made this resolution was because he was scared of gradually becoming attached to the members here. If he hesitated any longer, he’d definitely be held back.
Moreover, how hard the entertainment industry life was. Sehyun’s words that this was considered taking it easy kept lingering.
He’d been making this resolution for several hours now…
Lim Sehyun’s empty bed, who still hadn’t returned, kept bothering him. He was concerned.
‘Am I worried?’
His feelings really change back and forth a dozen times a day. This is all because of that regressor whose meddling is at max level. Damn novel, damn setting, damn… Lim Sehyun.
He couldn’t sleep because something felt off, but his body was tired. At times like this, he could fall asleep well while listening to the songs Sehyun would play however he wanted without anyone’s permission.
Anyway, whether he’s visible or not, he makes people annoyed.
Doha tried hard to fall asleep while imagining what Sehyun might be doing.
* * *
At that moment, Lim Sehyun was walking leisurely out of the entertainment district with his face completely wrapped up.
“Seriously, they do all sorts of things.”
Lim Sehyun shuddered at the disgusting perfume smell clinging to his body.
‘Hey, I didn’t know you were such a cool guy. I’m sorry about back then.’
‘Me too. I guess I was jealous of sunbae-nim without knowing better. We get along so well like this.’
‘You come to places like this often too? You’re better than that uptight Eden!’
‘Hahaha.’
He got annoyed again remembering Jo Taejin’s disgustingly gleaming eyes. Sehyun quickly checked the video recorded on his phone. Then he called somewhere.
“Yes. It’s me. Did the photos come out properly?”
– Yes. They came out very well.
“Send me the files for now. And please follow the schedule properly after this too.”
– Understood. I’ll contact you again if the route changes.
Sehyun, who hung up the call, shivered in the cold wind. Though his mood was dirty, he hummed a tune as he headed toward the dorm.
* * *
At the rustling sound, Doha woke up in the middle of the night. Doha confirmed a square light emanating. Looking carefully, Sehyun, who he didn’t know when he’d come in, was doing something on his laptop.
‘A video?’
There was a lot of skin color visible on the screen. Doha rubbed his eyes and sat up.
“What are you doing?”
At Doha’s completely cracked voice, Sehyun flinched in surprise and looked to the side.
