Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Escape and the Sasaeng Fan
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“What are you planning to do, locking Han Gyeo-ul in here like this?”
“It's not Han Gyeo-ul, it's Song Yeo-reum.”
“Half right, isn't it?”
“Not even close, what are you talking about...”
“(Shameless)”
“No idea. Probably just acted without thinking, wanting to screw things up. Or maybe...”
“Maybe what?”
“...Even locked up, you'd want to go to the bathroom. So they waited for you to lose it and handle it right there... then snap a photo to humiliate you?”
“They're insane.”
“Trainees aren't allowed to date? They haven't even debuted yet.”
“They think there's no desperation in it. And our company makes you hand over your phone after debut anyway. Until you hit number one.”
“Wow~ Adults really toy with idols just because they're young, huh?”
“Jeong Eun-seong, you done reading?”
“Think he's read it?”
“Hurry up and read.”
“Got it.”
“Finish in 10 minutes.”
“I said I got it.”
“Tick tock.”
“...”
“I'm hungry.”
Cold, hungry, sleepy. I was no different from a beggar. I sniffed as I let out a sigh.
I'd thrown on Jeong Eun-seong's uniform knit sweater that had been draped over my shoulders, while Jeong Eun-seong sat a good distance away from me in just his shirt, not seeming cold at all.
“Should I write SOS on some A4 paper and stick it to the window?”
Jeong Eun-seong shot me a look of contempt for my nonsense.
Still, compared to when we'd been yelling and hurling insults at each other earlier, it was a huge improvement.
I didn't think I'd ever had such a peaceful conversation with Jeong Eun-seong since regressing.
“Doesn't the classroom feel kinda dark these days?”
“Probably because your beloved Jae isn't there.”
“...”
Times like this, I really wanted to hit him.
I glared at Jeong Eun-seong and hunched my shoulders again. The scent of fabric softener wafted up from the knit sweater I was wearing.
“Smells nice.”
I pulled up the sweater absentmindedly to sniff it, and Jeong Eun-seong suddenly shot up from his seat.
“Ah, why are you sniffing that!”
“No, just... it smelled good...”
“Pervert?”
“Would you prefer if I was?”
Then you'd be locked in here alone with a pervert, right? As I laid out the cold reality, Jeong Eun-seong's cheeks flushed bright red.
I snickered and looked out the window. It was dark. Jeong Eun-seong, who had followed my gaze outside, asked.
“When do your parents come home?”
“My mom? Probably after midnight. What about yours, Jeong Eun-seong?”
“...Better to hope for yours.”
He brushed it off with a vague expression and returned to his persistent attempts to open the locked door.
“It's not gonna work...”
I chided him as I went over and joined him.
“Shall we try on the count of three together?”
I placed my hand over the back of Jeong Eun-seong's hand, which was gripping the doorknob. Veins stood out on the back of his hand, so I pressed on them without thinking.
Jeong Eun-seong flinched for a moment.
“? What? Did it open?”
I couldn't see because of the shadows. I looked up at him with wide eyes.
Our eyes met.
The dark hallway. The brightly lit prep room in contrast. Between the boundary of light and shadow, his face—ten years younger than in my final memories—shone.
0.
1.
2.
3.
After what felt like a long time without so much as blinking, Jeong Eun-seong slowly lowered his gaze. Looking at our hands overlapping on the back of his, he suddenly said.
“...Ah.”
“Ah?”
“This won't work.”
He let go of the door and walked with heavy steps to the opposite window, sliding it open.
And jumped out.
?!
“Jeong Eun-seong!”
I hurriedly leaned out and looked.
I could see him rolling on the flower bed, his white shirt back covered in dirt, grimacing as he got up.
His face, his face!
He can't get hurt on his face!
“You okay?!”
I yelled, leaning my upper body out the window. He nodded roughly and pointed to the central stairs with his hand. Seemed like he was going to climb back up and open the door.
Fortunately, his face looked fine.
But.
“You're limping!”
“I'm fine.”
“You don't look fine at all!”
Isn't a leg just as important as a face for an idol?! He has to dance!
“Wouldn't it have been better to just wait for our parents?!?!”
“Gotta be there to wait.”
I couldn't even hear Jeong Eun-seong muttering to himself.
“Hey, don't move! If you twist your ankle and move wrong, it gets worse! Stay put!”
I didn't even wait for Jeong Eun-seong's response and sprang into action.
I grabbed the prop wigs, clothes, cushions, and such piled nearby and tossed them down haphazardly. Once I'd dropped enough to make a rough circular pile.
I leaned out the window myself.
“Aaaah!”
Jeong Eun-seong quickly caught me as I face-planted into the cushions and helped me up.
“You okay?!”
“Yeah... ptui.”
Ugh. Hair.
“Why'd you jump? You're short anyway.”
“Jeez... I'm not that much taller than you?”
“I passed 180, you know?”
“Talk after you pass 188.”
Your final height was 187, after all.
I stood and rotated my wrist and ankle. Mine was fine on the ankle but hurt on the wrist.
Seeing me touch my wrist, Jeong Eun-seong's expression hardened.
“You hurt?”
“A little sore, but doesn't feel sprained.”
“...You have to study.”
“Says the guy who needs to dance but twisted his ankle.”
“Mine's not twisted. Just took a bit of impact.”
“...”
“...”
“Let's go.”
“Yeah.”
My wrist hurt, Jeong Eun-seong's ankle hurt.
I helped him walk by supporting his limping form, and Jeong Eun-seong carried the books and reading journal I'd grabbed before jumping.
“Hey, lean properly. Why are you flailing like that?”
“If I lean fully, you'll fall.”
“Lean anyway.”
I pulled Jeong Eun-seong's arm, which was straining not to touch me, over my shoulder.
We limped along, supporting each other, which was ridiculous and funny.
Jeong Eun-seong seemed to think the same, chuckling. His body heat against mine was nice and warm, just as I'd expected.
This guy really smells good...
“Jeong Eun-seong, won't you get in trouble at the company? For not taking care of your body.”
“This'll heal by the time I get home.”
“Hope so.”
If I were bigger, I'd have just carried him out piggyback. That thought reminded me of something.
A short story by Ha Geun-chan that shows the pains of modern Korean history. Similar to our situation...
“Jeong Eun-seong, you know [The Ordeal]?”
“Fancy university?”
This ignorant jerk...
“Yeah. One of the top prestigious ones in our country. Korea University, Eagle University, Tiger University, and Ordeal University.”
“Oh.”
Oh what.
The father carries his son across the bridge there. Father lost an arm during Japanese occupation, son lost a leg in the Korean War.
“Read some books.”
“Suddenly?”
I somehow dragged the baffled Jeong Eun-seong to the school gate.
“Better now.”
“Me too.”
I took the books and journal back from Jeong Eun-seong, who rotated his ankle once.
March's spring breeze swept through my dirt-matted hair. Shadows fell across Jeong Eun-seong's face in the streetlamp light.
Our direct gazes felt strangely awkward.
Feeling the same, Jeong Eun-seong cleared his throat needlessly and asked.
“Heading straight home?”
“Yeah. You not going to the company?”
“Nah.”
“...”
“...”
Thump. Thump. Why was I suddenly thinking back to when our hands overlapped in the prep room.
Thump. Thump. Why was my heart pounding in my ears.
“Oh, Jeong Eun-seong. What about the music assignment? I still haven't thought of a hard song.”
I could just say goodbye and go home, so why was I blurting out random stuff.
“Can't you just sing well?”
“Easy for you to say?”
“...Want me to help?”
“...You?”
“Yeah.”
Why was Jeong Eun-seong taking my random words seriously.
“Sure, I'd love that but...”
Why was my face suddenly burning at the thought of him helping.
Good thing the streetlamp was orange. I barely managed to speak, unable to even wet my suddenly parched lips with my tongue.
“You don't have time though, you sure?”
Jeong Eun-seong tapped the asphalt with his sneaker-clad foot and replied.
“...Then you teach me to study.”
“I'm not that good...”
“Better than me.”
“Alright, then.”
“Yeah.”
“...”
“...”
Business done, nothing left to say.
But why weren't either of us saying 'well, goodbye'.
At some point, for some reason, the atmosphere had turned like this.
Just as I was about to greet first after dragging it out long enough to get weird, Jeong Eun-seong rubbed his cheek with the back of his hand and spoke a bit hurriedly.
“Hey, Kang Da-hye...”
“Eun-seong-ah, school's out now?”
A high-pitched voice cut in abruptly. I whipped around in surprise.
A woman in her mid-30s holding luxury shopping bags in both hands was blinking at us.
Pink frilly blouse, white skirt like a leotard, long hair to her waist, and a crown perched on top of her head.
She stared at me next to Jeong Eun-seong for a few seconds before smiling at him.
“Why'd you come out so late? Studying?”
“...”
I know this woman.
This woman... is Jeong Eun-seong's sasaeng fan.