– 3 Years Before 7SPOT Disbandment Discussion –
Inhan Q&A
- Who is the member you’re closest to? We’re all close. We’re really like family.
- Which member do you want as a roommate? Yuho hyung. Please, Yuho hyung.
- Which member do you want to travel with? Yuho hyung. I think it would be great to travel around the world together.
- If you were a girl, which member would you want to date? Does it have to be if I were a girl? Ah. If I must? Then I… Raulie hyung. No comment on the reason.
“Inhan-ah. I think we need to redo the interview.”
Just when Inhan thought he had finished the interview and was heading to the waiting room where Yuho was, Suhyung suddenly stopped him.
Inhan asked Suhyung, puzzled.
“Why?”
“If you only say this, the fans will misunderstand. Talk about it more diversely.”
Suhyung was already troubled because Yuho, who had gone before him, had answered everything with Inhan. Having been thoroughly lectured by the company director a few days ago, he couldn’t help but be more sensitive.
Suhyung pleaded with Inhan.
“You know the company is pushing you and Yeomin lately.”
“But I can’t say something fake.”
“Still. The company is pairing you with Yeomin to boost you. You know that, right? Relationships are important for idols.”
Despite Suhyung’s persuasion, Inhan’s face was full of dissatisfaction. Suhyung spoke more firmly once more.
“Just in front of the camera. Okay? If you do well, the group does well too.”
“Alright.”
Inhan answered reluctantly. At the time, Inhan was nineteen years old and had just started to rise, so he had no choice but to obediently follow the company’s instructions.
Inhan Q&A
- Who is the member you’re closest to? We’re all close. We’re really like family.
- Which member do you want as a roommate? I like it as it is now, but. If I had to pick, Yuho hyung? Yeomin hyung is good too. I sometimes sleep in the hyungs’ room even now.
- Which member do you want to travel with? Yeomin hyung and Raulie hyung? Ah. I think I’d fight with Raulie hyung though…… I’ll just go with Yuho hyung. I think that would be more comfortable.
- If you were a girl, which member would you want to date? Ah, if I must? Then I… Raulie hyung. No comment on the reason.
Where exactly did he edit? Suhyung clutched his head at Inhan’s interview that seemed to end up being all about Yuho anyway. That was the first time Suhyung learned that being too close could also cause problems.
***
– 2 Years Before 7SPOT Disbandment Discussion –
It was during their third year since debut. Inhan was having a private meeting with his older brother, Jung Suhan, who was sitting in the company lounge with a serious expression.
Inhan had risen to stardom in one fell swoop when the drama he participated in as a supporting role in his second year became a huge hit, and by the third year, he had already become an actor with two lead roles. However, all his appearance fees were being split with the members for settlement.
“I talked well about the settlement issue. Starting next year, you’ll receive individual settlements.”
“Okay. Got it.”
Inhan answered without objection. Issues like contracts and settlements were always the responsibility of Suhan, who was ten years older than him.
Inhan, who was only twenty years old, had no choice but to obediently follow the words of Suhan, his de facto guardian.
“We should have contracted it this way from the beginning.”
Even though they had benefited so much from Yeomin, who was the only one bringing in revenue in the early days. Inhan’s mouth turned bitter at his brother’s change of attitude now that the situation had changed.
“Even now, Yeomin hyung earns more than me. Thanks to that, I was able to receive settlements quickly too.”
“That’s because he does a lot of projects. Since he can’t do lead roles.”
Inhan became uncomfortable at Suhan’s blunt remarks.
Suhan was like a father figure who had taken care of Inhan in place of their parents who divorced when Inhan was twelve.
Suhan, who was twenty-two at the time, had to drop out of the prestigious university he was attending and earn money. Perhaps because of that, he tended to be rigid and pessimistic for his age.
“Yeomin is just too much the same. He needs to be more manly to get lead roles and such.”
“He already does lead roles. He’s manly enough.”
“He can’t do main leads. Is it because he was a child actor and has a strong childhood image?”
Inhan kept his mouth shut at Suhan’s attitude that seemed impossible to reason with.
The reason he didn’t storm out was because this was Suhan.
Inhan knew better than anyone the value of the dreams and youth that Suhan had given up for him.
In Suhan’s eyes looking at him, Inhan occasionally read jealousy and resentment.
There was love too, but sometimes the welling resentment would sharply prick at Inhan.
“Yeomin hyung’s issues are for Yeomin hyung to handle. He’s done well so far anyway.”
“Still, you’re in the same group, isn’t it good if you all do well together? It would be nice if you guys could do well in America too, like those ‘Zero to One’ guys.”
“They’re under a major label. The investment capital itself is different.”
“That’s what I’m saying. It would have been good if you had joined a major agency from the start.”
And when did he oppose me becoming an idol?
When Inhan quit contemporary dance because he didn’t want to be a burden to his brother, there weren’t many choices he could make. He didn’t want to give up being a dancer, so he decided to become an idol. He made that decision alone at the young age of fourteen.
“That Yuho guy still seems like a kid. He’s over twenty now so he probably won’t grow any taller. It’ll be hard for him to grow as an actor too.”
Inhan frowned as the target shifted from Yeomin to Yuho. He could endure other things, but it was hard to bear words that belittled the members.
“That’s because you only saw him briefly. Normally, Yuho hyung is manly and good at sports. He even did a web drama lead role not long ago.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“But he doesn’t happen to like men or anything like that, does he?”
Finally, Suhan crossed a line he shouldn’t have crossed. Inhan’s patience also reached its limit.
“Hyung. How can you say something like that?”
“No. I heard there are a lot of people like that among entertainers. I was worried he might influence you or something.”
“None of our members are like that. They’re all good hyungs, so please don’t speak carelessly.”
“I was just saying, just in case.”
Perhaps sensing the seriousness of the situation, Suhan’s attitude softened. He used to be the most affectionate and reliable brother in the world. Inhan resented the unfortunate past that had changed his brother.
“Don’t put too much effort into group activities and work hard on your acting. That’s how you survive long.”
More nagging. Inhan was sick and tired of Suhan’s unchanging repertoire.
“I’m saying all this for your own good.”
But the reason he couldn’t bring himself to cut him off was because he knew the affection contained in those words.
“I know.”
Because he knew it too well, Inhan was giving Suhan everything he wanted. Because twenty-two-year-old Suhan had done the same for him.
It was purely thanks to Suhan that Inhan could endure the difficult trainee life and debut as an idol.
Inhan was first introduced to contemporary dance in elementary school and showed talent, and at the time of his parents’ divorce, he was aiming to enter an arts middle school.
The problem was that arts middle school tuition was too expensive, lesson fees were even more expensive, and competition entry fees and costume costs had to be paid continuously.
And neither of his parents wanted Inhan to continue dancing.
It was Suhan who took Inhan’s hand at that time.
Suhan volunteered to support Inhan while doing manual labor and night-time part-time jobs. It was Inhan who couldn’t last two years and declared he would quit dancing because he felt sorry for his brother. He still vividly remembered how much his brother cried when Inhan went up to Seoul saying he would become an idol.
Inhan advised Suhan to go back to school, but Suhan didn’t.
If you want to quit, quit anytime. If you need more pocket money, just tell me.
The debit card handed to him for living expenses was always filled with a generous amount of money.
That’s why Inhan could even less afford to quit.
“Are sister-in-law and Seyeon doing well?”
Inhan changed the subject to shift the atmosphere. Suhan had married three years ago, and his first child was already three years old. Not long ago, there was also good news that his sister-in-law was pregnant with their second child.
“Yeah. Come down on your day off. They miss you.”
“Yeah. I’ll talk to my manager hyung.”
“Okay. And call Mom more often. She’s feeling hurt.”
“Yeah. Got it.”
Inhan obediently answered Suhan’s words again. His responsible brother still lived with their widowed mother even after getting married.
His unselfish brother made Inhan unable to be greedy either.
Even though his brother hadn’t asked for it, Inhan was like twenty-two-year-old Suhan. He couldn’t pretend not to know everything and be happy alone.
“Then I’ll go. Make sure to eat well.”
Suhan said goodbye to Inhan in front of the main entrance on the first floor of the company. Inhan also conveyed a word of concern to Suhan.
“Yeah. Drive carefully.”
“Drink in moderation.”
“Got it.”
“If it gets too hard, talk to hyung.”
“……Yeah.”
His brother always said that like a habit, even though there was nothing he could do. That’s why Inhan had never shown that he was struggling.
“I’m going.”
Watching Suhan’s tired-looking back, Inhan was swept up in a melancholic mood.
If it weren’t for Suhan, those unsightly aspects of Suhan’s could have become his own.
Hyung could have just abandoned me and lived a better life. Suhan’s sacrifice made Inhan who he was today. Inhan could never escape that fact for his entire life.
Actually, what Suhan wanted from Inhan wasn’t anything special.
Don’t act like a rough stone. You’ll get hit doing that. Just live ordinarily, like everyone else.
Ordinarily. Just like everyone else.
Suhan wouldn’t know how difficult it was for Inhan to live keeping that.
Because Inhan had never lived ordinarily, not even once, since he was twelve years old.
“Oh? Inhan-ah. You haven’t left yet?”
There were days like that. Just as there were days when nothing went right no matter what you did, there were days full of luck where the green light would come on as soon as you stood at the crosswalk, the elevator would be conveniently stopped waiting, and even if it was raining, it would stop like magic the moment you headed outside.
“Yuho hyung.”
Days when the person you wanted to see so badly would appear before your eyes at that very moment.
Inhan turned around in surprise. Yuho, who had come up from the underground practice room, was smiling brightly at Inhan.
