Chapter 151: Grievance Handling
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: Grievance Handling
Only after witnessing my impressive plank did Jeong Seong-bin allow me to accompany him. All that hard work training my forearms had finally paid off.
And so, on a peaceful afternoon, Seong-bin and I visited an unfamiliar studio. It was the place Jang Jun-hu had informed us of in advance.
In front of the entrance, Jeong Seong-bin took a deep breath.
It was understandable that he’d be nervous. The fact that he had decided to come here on his own was already impressive enough.
“You can go back if you want. He’ll always be waiting for you right here.”
“Haha…”
I wasn't joking, though. I bet Jang Jun-hu feels like he’s standing on the edge of a cliff right now.
Despite being given a way out, Jeong Seong-bin chose the path of courage.
When we reached the front door of the studio and pressed the doorbell, the door swung open without a word. A stiff-looking Jang Jun-hu stood before us.
“Hello, Senior.”
“Hello.”
Seong-bin followed my energetic greeting with a small one of his own.
“…Right.”
Surprisingly, Jang Jun-hu accepted the greeting. Perhaps it was a rare experience, as Seong-bin’s eyes widened in surprise.
As Seong-bin and I sat side-by-side on a long sofa, Jang Jun-hu took a seat in the chair in front of his computer. For a long while after that, no one spoke.
Before coming here, I had given Seong-bin exactly one piece of advice.
‘You know the atmosphere won’t be comfortable, right?’
‘Yes…’
‘Even so, don’t lose your nerve. Don’t walk on eggshells, and don’t try to force the atmosphere to lighten up. If you don’t want to smile, you don’t have to.’
It was the exact opposite of what I usually emphasized to the kids.
But the situation was different now. I didn’t want the victim to feel intimidated by the perpetrator.
Seong-bin followed my words well.
Instead of forcing a smile or worrying about Jang Jun-hu’s unpleasant mood, he sat quietly—very quietly.
Jang Jun-hu’s gaze shifted once toward me, then once toward Seong-bin.
This bastard still hasn't come to his senses. He’s the one who wronged Seong-bin, yet he’s more worried about my reaction?
I was waiting to see how long he’d keep his mouth shut when Jang Jun-hu finally spoke.
“I’ve thought about it, and I think I was a bit excessive with you.”
That was it. No other words followed.
Jang Jun-hu looked at me again. His eyes were pleading for a reaction.
I chose to remain silent. Seeing that, Jang Jun-hu began to pour out words hurriedly.
“I… I did it because I was thinking of you. But I realized that from your perspective, it might have felt difficult…”
Last time, when I told Seong-bin to gather any evidence of Jang Jun-hu’s bullying and bring it to me.
Seong-bin had scraped together everything from text messages to unfinished diaries and gave them to me. There were many stories in there that were hard to read.
How could someone "think of" a junior so much younger than them and do such things? Could those actions ever be anything other than difficult, painful, and agonizing?
If this bastard knew how many pages of that diary were wrinkled because they had been soaked with tears and then dried, could he still say such things?
Seong-bin’s two fists, resting neatly on his thighs, trembled slightly.
I placed my hand over his. Then, I slowly stroked his fist.
“Senior.”
“…”
“I guess you’ve never written an apology letter before.”
Both Jang Jun-hu and Seong-bin flinched. I put a little more strength into my left hand, which was still stroking Seong-bin’s.
“I don’t hear a single word saying you’re sorry.”
When I scoffed, Jang Jun-hu’s face contorted.
“Seong-bin, do you want to step outside for a moment?”
I suggested it because I was worried the oppressive atmosphere might trigger bad memories, but Seong-bin refused. Instead of leaving, he stared straight at Jang Jun-hu.
“Just listening to this, I’d never guess you were here because you did something wrong to Seong-bin.”
“Don’t be sarcastic.”
“How can I not be when it’s so obvious you’re just trying to patch things up and wash your hands of it? I came here as Seong-bin’s guardian, after all.”
At my words, Jang Jun-hu averted his eyes.
“As you well know, Senior, our Seong-bin is a good kid. He’s talented, diligent, innocent, and takes good care of others.”
“…”
“If you’ve wronged a kid like that—especially if you’ve set up this meeting just to ease your own conscience—then you should at least ask for forgiveness properly.”
There was no telling when the self-esteem Jang Jun-hu had crushed out of jealousy would return. All because of one irresponsible adult.
Even so, Seong-bin had come here to give Jang Jun-hu a chance.
If that was the case, and if Jang Jun-hu was truly reflecting…
“Isn’t that the minimum courtesy you owe Seong-bin for coming all the way here?”
Jang Jun-hu lowered his head.
If he were the type of person to feel shame from just a few words of mine, he wouldn't have done those things in the first place.
So, this must be a posture of ‘anguish.’ He was likely agonizing over how to get past me and receive Seong-bin’s forgiveness.
Just then, Seong-bin stood up. He lightly grabbed my forearm.
“Hyung, let’s go.”
Was the atmosphere too much for him to bear?
I looked up at him with concern, but Seong-bin’s expression was far from timid.
If anything, he looked resolute.
“I thought this meeting would be a step toward a better direction.”
“Hey, Jeong Seong-bin.”
Jang Jun-hu called out to him urgently.
But Seong-bin was unmoved. Instead, he continued calmly.
“But I guess I was wrong.”
“…”
“If this isn't the conversation I thought it would be, I don't think I have anything more to say.”
Seong-bin bowed deeply. Then, he turned around without a hint of regret.
At that moment, a loud noise erupted from where Jang Jun-hu was.
His chair was flung back against the wall, and Jang Jun-hu was on both knees with his head bowed.
“I’m sorry.”
“Senior.”
“I was wrong.”
Back when I was caught practicing until I had a nosebleed and knelt to apologize, Seong-bin had tried his hardest to pull me back up.
The Seong-bin of today was different. He merely looked down at the prostrate Jang Jun-hu with a complicated expression, doing nothing to help him up.
“I hope you can forgive me…”
Jang Jun-hu’s hands trembled.
He was probably feeling the full weight of how much Seong-bin had changed.
But this wasn't enough.
If you’re an adult, if you’re the one who did wrong, you should know how to take responsibility.
With a ‘proper apology.’
“What exactly should Seong-bin forgive you for?”
At my question, Jang Jun-hu snapped his head up. His gaze, looking as if he wanted to kill me, was sharp.
“I asked what he should forgive you for.”
I spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.
Jang Jun-hu looked up at Seong-bin. Seong-bin’s shadowed face was looking back at him.
“For… cursing at you and throwing things. For hitting you on the head whenever I walked by. There was nothing wrong with your recordings, but I picked on you for no reason anyway. I’m sorry for embarrassing you in front of people. I was wrong.”
Jang Jun-hu spoke haltingly.
“Why did you do it?”
I asked again.
Jang Jun-hu bit his lip. The tips of his fingers, pressed against the floor, turned white.
Seong-bin watched him for a long time. When Jang Jun-hu still didn't open his mouth, Seong-bin was about to turn away again.
“Because I was jealous.”
Jang Jun-hu’s words caught Seong-bin’s heels.
“It pissed me off that a kid so much younger than me—no, that you were so good. I thought if I admitted that a kid who just started middle school was better than me, you’d look down on me so much.”
“…”
“I took it out on you. When things didn't go my way, venting on you was the fastest and easiest way. I shouldn't have done it, I wasn't in my right mind.”
Ugly inferiority complex poured out one after another. Seong-bin’s expression as he listened was too subtle to put into words.
“I’ll never do it again.”
“…”
“I promise. I’m begging you like this… I just want you to forgive me this once.”
Jang Jun-hu added. His forehead touched the floor.
Seong-bin ended the conversation by saying he would think about it. Then, he and I walked out of the building in silence.
Seong-bin remained quiet until we got into the car. I didn't try to force a conversation either.
It was in the elevator on the way to the dorm that Seong-bin finally spoke.
“It really wasn't my fault.”
His voice was dry. I pretended not to notice and answered while looking at the mirror on the opposite side.
“Of course not. Are you the type of kid to go around causing trouble for others?”
Even at my words, Seong-bin didn't chuckle or get flustered like usual. He just sniffled and lowered his head.
When the elevator doors opened, instead of taking him into the dorm, I headed for the emergency exit.
The heavy steel door opened and closed, and the surroundings became quiet.
Only then did Seong-bin bury his face in his hands.
“You worked hard.”
I pulled Seong-bin into a hug. Then, I slowly stroked his back.
Seong-bin cried for a long time, until the metallic smell of the rusted hinges seemed to seep into our T-shirts.
“Seong-bin Hyung is really busy lately.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon muttered as he watched Seong-bin talking with the manager.
“He’s constantly organizing things in the room, too.”
Kang Gi-yeon added. Park Ju-woo nodded in agreement.
Since Jang Jun-hu’s apology, Seong-bin had become a bit brighter than usual. And he had become much more proactive in everything.
“…I was worried he’d be drained, but I’m glad.”
Park Ju-woo smiled softly. He must have been quite worried about his friend.
Seong-bin ran over with a bright expression that could melt away all of Ju-woo’s concerns.
“Everyone! Our schedule for this month is out!”
“Oh! How many?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon leaned in to peek at the paper in Seong-bin’s hand.
“Well, we have to decide that now.”
“Huh?”
Seong-bin placed the paper he’d received from the manager on the floor.
The moment I saw the table packed tight like a sheet of fine print, I knew.
“There are several overlapping schedules, so we have to cut some events and interviews. And for programs where only some members go, we have to decide who will appear.”
Spark had hit it big.
And now… all that was left was to work like dogs.