Chapter 204: Return Gift (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 204: Return Gift (1)
It had been a long time since I’d stepped foot in a bookstore. A very long time.
Up until university, I’d used the campus bookstore or ordered online, and after getting a job, I barely read books at all.
The walls were lined with familiar sections: Business & Economics, Personal Finance, Science, Philosophy, Humanities, Social Sciences, and English.
After circling about halfway around the store, I finally found the section I was looking for.
[Comics/Manga]
The members were out from dawn until late at night, and I figured if they just sat around, they’d only end up trapped in their own heads. I came here thinking it might be nice for them to have something they enjoy looking at, even if just once a day, to help them unwind.
Most of the shelves were like this, but this section was particularly flashy, starting from the spines. Looking at the multicolored covers and gold-leaf lettering felt like my eyes were being opened for the first time.
‘I think the one Kang Gi-yeon said he liked was... Kingdom Cafeteria. Something like that.’
Similar to how workbooks are organized, the manga weren't alphabetical; they were grouped by publisher. If I’d had my phone, I would have searched for it, but unfortunately, I’d come empty-handed.
As I was debating between Kingdom Cafeteria and Kingdom Cafeteria ~Another~, I felt a presence beside me.
"Excuse me..."
It was a petite woman.
Thinking I might be blocking the shelf, I started to step back when a familiar design on a name tag caught my eye.
It was Spark’s discreet-style embroidered name tag (included in the 1st Generation Fan Club Kit).
Without a word, I carefully pointed to the name tag with both hands. The woman nodded vigorously.
"You're I-wol, right?!"
Though she was clearly overwhelmed with emotion, she called my name in a hushed voice, mindful of public etiquette.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, there weren't many people in the bookstore. I lowered my mask slightly and bowed.
"Hello. How did you recognize me?"
"Your head was sticking up two or three levels higher than everyone else's...!"
"Really? Then I'll crouch down for a bit. It’ll be easier to talk, right?"
As I lowered my posture, the fan lamented the fact that she didn't have paper or a pen in her bag.
Normally, I would have given her an autograph on a piece of memo paper from the office, but I’d rushed out with nothing but my wallet, driven by the single-minded goal of buying Kang Gi-yeon a manga.
"Would a photo be okay instead of an autograph?"
"Of course!"
We moved to the very corner of the bookstore, under the Religious Books section, and took a selfie.
‘My face is so dark, I wonder if anything will even show up.’
The Fortune Teller’s words flashed through my mind. I rubbed my face and then cautiously asked the fan, who was checking to see if the photo was blurry.
"Um, does my face look very dark?"
At that, the fan’s gaze turned sharp.
"No? Your face is nothing but radiant."
It was a heartening, sincere answer that put my mind at ease.
After that, we spent a moment bowing back and forth, repeating "Thank you for recognizing me" and "Thank you for the photo," before parting ways.
Perhaps because my head had been cleared for a moment, I suddenly remembered the exact title of Kang Gi-yeon’s favorite manga.
Kingdom Cafeteria ~Another~. It was a romance fantasy manga about Princess Soda of the Cream Kingdom and the various events she experiences with different princes.
Remembering the title was good. However, that wasn't the only problem.
‘What’s a box set, and what are first-edition bonuses?’
There were more versions of Kingdom Cafeteria ~Another~ than there were Spark albums. Between the regular edition, the collector's edition, and the premium box set, I couldn't easily wrap my head around any of it.
In times like this, I needed to stay calm and examine the products one by one. If I was going to give a gift, I should give something good, shouldn't I?
After standing there like a statue for about ten minutes, I managed to learn something new.
The collector's edition meant it was a hardcover, and the premium box set came with a box to hold all the volumes. Furthermore, the covers of all the volumes had been redesigned so that when the spines were lined up, they formed a single continuous illustration.
I wasn't entirely sure why giving someone a cardboard box made it "premium," though. It’s not like they call it a "Premium Tangerine Box Set" when you buy a crate of tangerines.
Still, since it was said to include a set of three limited-edition postcards exclusive to the box set, I decided to go with the Kingdom Cafeteria ~Another~ box set. If he’s a fan, he’ll probably like limited-edition stuff.
I was turning the box this way and that, checking to make sure the corners weren't dented, when I heard a familiar voice. I turned around to see the fan from earlier standing there again. She was holding a small notebook and a pen.
"I-wol, I'm really sorry... but could I get an autograph too?"
There were stickers on the notebook's packaging and the pen, the kind the bookstore attaches after you pay.
"Of course. It makes us sad when you say you're sorry for asking for an autograph."
I left a small signature in the spot the fan pointed out. I also asked for her opinion on whether a premium box set with limited postcards would be a good gift for a fan of the original work.
The fan left me with a legendary quote: "If you're a fan, you want to own everything they have." Thanks to her, I was able to pay for the manga set and a sheet of stationery without further hesitation.
"Kang Gyeon, I'm back!"
"Yeah."
Lee Cheong-hyeon threw the door open and walked in. Kang Gi-yeon didn't exactly look up, but he acknowledged him by waving a hand.
"What'd you do? Weren't you bored?"
"Just watched music shows... and stuff."
"Was there any choreography that looked interesting?"
"Most of the songs out right now are ballads, so not really."
Lee Cheong-hyeon sat on the edge of Kang Gi-yeon’s bed. Gi-yeon patted the inner side of the bed, telling him to sit comfortably if he was going to sit, and then focused back on the manga he was reading.
After flipping a few pages, Kang Gi-yeon asked casually.
"What about you? What did you do?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon hesitated on whether to be honest. Then again, he didn't want to lie on purpose.
"Went to a fan sign event, then to the radio station, then practiced. At the end, we filmed a cheering guide video."
"..."
Despite being the one who asked, Kang Gi-yeon acted indifferent. More accurately, it seemed like there was something else he wanted to ask.
"Hyung went to a solo variety appearance and joined us later."
"I didn't ask about that."
"Is that so? Because, Kang Gyeon-ssi, you haven't turned a single page."
Lee Cheong-hyeon hit the nail on the head. But he didn't push any further.
In moments like this, Kang Gi-yeon thought Lee Cheong-hyeon had a truly uncanny talent. How could he step right on the line without even the tip of his shoe crossing over?
"...I should apologize, shouldn't I?"
"Why?"
"I spoke too harshly."
Kang Gi-yeon’s expression darkened. Now that his head had cooled, his usual polite thought process seemed to have returned to some extent.
Lee Cheong-hyeon stared blankly at his friend’s face before answering.
"Why bother apologizing? Just leave it."
"Huh?"
"Hyung was in the wrong. It was bad enough that even our Kang Gi-yeon, who is 'Made in the Eastern Country of Etiquette,' reacted like that. That hyung needs to do some self-reflection too."
Even though he liked Kim I-wol so much, Lee Cheong-hyeon always took his friend's side in times like this. He had always been that way.
"When I saw them in the car this morning, it looked like he was getting a talking-to from Je-ho Hyung."
"Who from who?"
"I-wol Hyung from Je-ho Hyung."
That was interesting news. For a brief moment, Gi-yeon regretted not being in the car with the members today.
"Well, that's a first," Kang Gi-yeon muttered. Lee Cheong-hyeon chuckled in agreement.
"If anything, Hyung is probably the one feeling sorry right now."
"That hyung lives with the word 'sorry' on his lips. I've never seen someone get on their knees like that in my life."
"I've never seen anyone like that either, but anyway! This time, I'm sure of it."
"What makes you so sure?" Kang Gi-yeon asked suspiciously.
Lee Cheong-hyeon grabbed Kang Gi-yeon’s arm and pulled him closer. Then, he whispered into the ear of the leaning Gi-yeon.
"I-wol Hyung bought something amazing today."
"...?"
Just then, a rustling sound came from outside the door.
"Oh boy, looks like he's even doing delivery."
Lee Cheong-hyeon let out a short laugh. Kang Gi-yeon couldn't understand the context of what his friend was saying at all.
"If you feel like it later, sneak out the door for a bit. Hyung will be holed up in his room, so don't worry!"
"Hey, don't make the hyungs worry more for no reason..."
"He said he'd reflect while staring at a wall, so why not? Let him walk on eggshells around his younger brothers for once. Let's go for a mutiny, Kang Gyeon!"
Lee Cheong-hyeon shouted out those strange words with confidence and left the room.
‘What on earth did he leave out there?’
He was curious, but he felt like he’d be losing if he went out right away.
Fortunately, Kang Gi-yeon was confident in his ability to endure. So, he tried to relax and waited for the presence in the living room to disappear.
The unfortunate part was that the recent Kang Gi-yeon was mentally exhausted. His mind, which had finally cleared up thanks to a bit of rest and his friend’s encouragement, couldn't hold out and surrendered to the sudden wave of sleep.
The next morning, Kang Gi-yeon opened his eyes without an alarm.
The bed next to him was empty. It seemed the members had already left.
It had been so long since he’d slept in.
Kang Gi-yeon sat up, leaning against the headboard. Bright sunlight streamed through his slowly blinking eyes. The desk clock pointed to 10:00 AM.
It had only been two days since he’d gotten his phone back for "emergency purposes." Nevertheless, his hand naturally reached for it.
In a way, it was a routine.
Waking up, looking at the slogans plastered from the ceiling to the walls, taking the spare phone that had charged overnight, and checking messages from fans to receive their support.
‘My own phone is definitely better, though.’
Waiting for the familiar buffering, Kang Gi-yeon pulled the blanket over himself.
He wondered how many bad words there would be, or if anyone had written something nice. Despite his worries, his eyes were met with messages full of warmth, as always.
He could tell just by the smiley faces, hearts, and emoticons. Seeing these finally put his mind at ease.
However.
‘Why are there... so many question marks today?’
Kang Gi-yeon began to read the messages that had piled up overnight in earnest.
They were filled with the name of the hyung he had been avoiding for a while.
≫ Gi-yeona lol I heard I-wol bought manga for the dorm today????
Manga?
I-wol Hyung?
He bought it? Himself?
It seemed the "amazing thing" Lee Cheong-hyeon mentioned Kim I-wol had bought was manga.
≫ What manga did I-wol buy? I asked I-wol but he won't tell me ㅠㅠ
≫ Did you see the manga I-wol bought too? You didn't forget the promise to wave fireworks if you find something fun, right?? Sparklers are counting on our Gi-yeon.
≫ Baby, let's go to Hyung's room and steal the manga. It looks like I-wol bought something expensive.
Kang Gi-yeon felt a bit of dread. Given Kim I-wol’s track record, it wouldn't be surprising if he’d found a book like Doki-Doki☆ 100 Commandments of a Cool Idol somewhere.
But Kang Gi-yeon couldn't ignore the messages from the Sparklers. So, with some hesitation, he decided to check the gift that the "delivery man" living in the next room must have left last night—the gift he now knew was manga.
The sound of him swallowing echoed in the room. With a creak, the door opened, and a silent living room greeted him.
And there, right by the door...
Was a large, pink book box, looking completely out of place in a rented dorm that hadn't been remodeled since it was built.
It was the greatest manga of Kang Gi-yeon’s life, Kingdom Cafeteria ~Another~.