Chapter 154
Chapter 154
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Quitting with Conviction
"Stop holding the kids' dreams hostage and quit the thug act. Aren't you ashamed?"
So cool when he turned to leave, but how many extra lines did he have to throw in?
The 'my girl' line should've landed perfectly cool, but why'd he have to flub it like that? Stuttering and all.
The line itself wasn't cool or mature at all—super cringey. How was he supposed to deliver it smoothly?
But Eun-seong had meant it sincerely.
He thought it was a cool line.
♀️
Anyway.
'Even if I say stuff like that, they won't get a single clue, it'll make zero difference in their lives, and I'll just look like the crazy guy who crashed their party.'
Probably gonna be the hot topic at drinking sessions for a while. The story of the psycho trainee. Everyone's gonna laugh at me.
But damn, it felt good inside. Couldn't feel better.
And.
'Didn't what I just say sound kinda like Kang Da-hye?'
Eun-seong grinned proudly.
Quitting the agency he'd been with for years? Piece of cake.
Which meant the rumors spread like wildfire.
"Hey, Eun-seong!"
A close hyung grabbed Eun-seong's elbow while he waited for the elevator and dragged him to the break room.
He sat face-to-face with the hyung in the same break room where he'd once comforted that 17-year-old trainee who'd gotten kicked out.
This is insane. The hyung kept running his hand through his hair and said,
"What're you gonna do now?"
"Whatever happens, happens."
"What'd the chief say?"
"Asked if I wanted to get beat."
"Dude, that..."
Couldn't deny it was harsh—he just opened and closed his mouth. Sighing heavily, the hyung said soothingly,
"Still, you can't just charge in like that."
Everyone knows the company's dirty and petty. But people grit their teeth and endure it anyway.
"Pay 'em back after you make it big, right?"
"......"
"Just debut first. Then you can settle all the scores."
"...And if I don't make it?"
"Huh?"
"If I don't debut. Then I just suck it up forever? Blame myself for not making it?"
Everyone else endures it? That doesn't make it right.
"Crawl on your knees begging until you debut, then act like an untouchable king afterward. That's not normal."
Once you taste that sweetness, you'll do anything to not slide back down. And in the process, your humanity rots away.
'How'd a guy like me climb this far if he can't handle this?' Then they hit the clubs, gamble, chase thrills. That's how it goes.
"Debuting a little later won't end my life. I wasn't even that into singing anyway."
"...What're you gonna do after leaving?"
"Dunno. Study for starters."
Eun-seong replied with a smile. His unusually bright grin, crinkling his whole face without a trace of regret or worry, left the hyung speechless.
"Well, whatever. If you're happy, that's what matters. ...Honestly, it felt good for me too."
"Yeah."
"Heard you were locked in for debut group? Chief's getting reamed out by the exec right now."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Looks like no more bully vibes around the company for a bit. Thanks for taking the bullet."
"Good for them."
"...You really not bummed? You could've debuted."
"Nah. How am I supposed to live with guys who don't even flush the toilet?"
"Fair point."
"Gross!"
"Gross!"
Eun-seong and his hyung burst out laughing, facing each other.
Not that it wasn't true—Eun-seong had been in a great mood since earlier. fiddling with his phone, smirking like he had somewhere—or someone—to message.
'Gotta be her. Choux Cream.'
"Hyung, remember that rumor?"
"Which one?"
"Y'know, the one where the trainee who just passed auditions comes to sign the contract, but a singer comes out of the president's office wiping lipstick off his lips and says, 'Don't come to places like this.' The one you whispered to me back in the day, swearing it was real."
"Damn it..."
"Heh heh!"
"You think that's funny?"
"Kinda do."
It's hilarious, Eun-seong added.
I know a girl just like that.
The kind who cracks a joke like, 'From now on, call me Sucker Da-hye Teacher,' even in the most absurd, unfair, rage-inducing situation, chuckling through it.
The kind who can go from sobbing to laughing at trash puns like 'oolong macaron.'
Watching her smile like that? Felt good.
So I'm gonna try smiling through life too.
"Hyung, I'm not quitting out of anger or backing down defeated. This is the most selfish choice for me."
The choice to shine brighter, longer.
Before parting, Eun-seong said to his hyung,
"Hyung. No gambling."
"What're you on about?"
"Absolutely not."
"Dude, I don't gamble! I don't even know how to play cards!"
The hyung shoved Eun-seong's back, telling him to quit yapping and get lost.
Did he see this day coming? Eun-seong didn't have much to pack anyway.
On the bus home, Eun-seong chuckled to himself.
He immediately wanted to call Kang Da-hye.
But then he changed his mind just as quick.
'Better tell her in person tomorrow.'
And see her shocked face.
Exciting.
Now I've got tons of time, so I can stick by her side, help her focus on studying.
And super calmly, meticulously, cleverly plot my scheme to...
Wait, but who does Kang Da-hye think I'm into? Damn my acting skills.
Hid my feelings too well.
Good thing Park Chan-ok, Joo No-bong, Choi Dong-hup, and Christopher Nolan still have no clue I exist. Would've been a hassle while backing up Da-hye.
Phew.
He patted his chest in relief as Kang Da-hye picked up.
-Yeah.
"Kang Da-hye, whatcha doing?"
-At the library with Seo Jae-kyeom.
"Why?!"
-Why? To study...
"But why with him?! You study alone!"
-True, but I was at the library and he showed up...
"Lemme join too then!"
In a flash! Eun-seong jumped off the bus that had just pulled into a stop—without even tapping his card—and hailed a taxi.
First things first, in the taxi.
-Jeong Eun-seong?
"...Can you tell the driver here which library it is?"
Calmly, meticulously... cleverly...?
???
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Everyone, second semester midterms are right around the corner.
Have you prepped like a queen?
"Ah, I really gotta study sometime."
"Do it now."
If it needs doing, do it now. What's the problem? Open the book.
"Right now?"
"Yep."
"No, I mean, not that suddenly right this instant..."
"Why not right now?"
You impulse-buy olive young crap or whatever whenever you pass by, but can't impulse-study? What's the difference? Discrimination?
"That's different..."
"Nope. Don't wanna hear excuses. Time to open the book."
"But..."
"Nope."
"Uh..."
"Nope."
"Aaaagh!"
Bang Eun-ji clawed at her hair and vanished.
I was eating snacks from the canteen with the girls when she came over sharing her milk, saying this bread's even better dipped in milk. But she bolts fast when it's study time.
'Feels like Bang Eun-ji's getting more comfy around me lately.'
Maybe 'cause she thinks I fought Ji-su to protect her.
If anything, I'm sorry to her. Thinking about how she got hit and couldn't even tell me... kinda heartbreaking.
'Bang Eun-ji, you're heading off to study, right?' I shot a KakaoTalk and glanced over.
Gyeong Se-in flinched, cheeks stuffed with bread.
"Uh, uh... Oh! Wanna see Eun-seong singing at the school trip talent show? It's up on the school homepage!"
"R-right! Da-hye missed it 'cause she wasn't there! He was amazing!"
Yeon-hee jumped in quick.
These two ignored my KakaoTalk nagging them to study yesterday. I smiled sweetly and replied,
"Nah."
"......"
"......"
"Watch that after exams. How about studying now instead?"
"Ugh..."
"She's ruthless..."
"Da-hye, you haven't watched a single Eun-seong video?"
"Nope! Gotta study!"
I nodded firmly like the homeroom teacher. Ye-su-a clapped.
"As expected. That's how you stay top of the school."
"Heh."
Truth is, I watched.
4 views—probably mine included.
Someone uploaded it to Nutyube too?
"So Eun-seong's done with trainee life now?"
"Yeah. Says he's doing college first."
"For real? Practical Music major?"
"Nah. Film Studies."
"Whoa."
"Right? Whoa."
Truth is, the day I first heard, I hugged Jeong Eun-seong and bawled, Seo Jae-kyeom—who happened to be next to us—spread his arms like an albatross going 'If you're hugging, include me too for a group hug,' then I asked Eun-seong something dumb like 'So now you can date?' They glared at each other, complicated backstory... but I'll spill after exams.
Gotta study now.
Midterms tomorrow.
Study time!
Starting now!
Raaah!
Raaah!
Raaah!