Chapter 346: Debut Costs
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 346: Debut Costs
“How much have you looked into?”
My sister asked. Her voice sounded like she was either pressing for an answer or feeling utterly helpless.
“You’re a senior in high school. The CSAT is next month. Instead of wasting time on things like this, you should be…”
“There’s no point in taking the CSAT if I can’t even pay for tuition.”
“So you’re going to tell them now? At such a critical time?”
“If I don’t reach a settlement now, I won’t make the deadline.”
Those papers were the record of my nineteen years. I had gathered them with the mindset that even if I had to sue those two, I had to escape this place—and for that, I needed evidence. They were the traces of my struggle.
I had planned to use this card right before the CSAT. That way, I could escape the house the moment I became an adult.
“I have to pay the entrance fee by late January at the earliest, or early February at the latest. This conversation won’t end in a week or two. We’ll be bickering for weeks.”
“You’re going to talk to those people just to squeeze out some tuition money? Do you still not know what they’re like?”
“It’s not just tuition money, Noona.”
My words, driven in like a wedge, silenced her.
“No matter how much I work part-time, I can only save enough for the entrance fee. I know it sounds like an excuse, but I don’t have enough time to work. I can’t be sure how my CSAT scores will turn out, so I can’t just apply to lower-tier schools that offer scholarships. I want to leave this house, but it’s not going my way. If I tell them I’ll settle now instead of suing them later, they’ll accept, won’t they?”
Even as I stumbled through my words, I couldn’t tell if I was making any sense. I wanted to speak clearly and be persuasive, but it felt like my mind was turning white.
My sister grabbed my hands. She was gripping them with all her strength.
“It’s not your fault. Your situation is so bad that it’s hard to set priorities. Let’s just pack your bags and go to my place right now. Since I have a job, I can get a loan for a few million won…”
“I don’t want to be a burden.”
“Who said you were a burden?”
My sister, who rarely raised her voice at me, flared up then. Because I already knew she was that kind of person, I found it even harder to look her in the eye.
“If you weren’t going to ask for help, why did you come to me?”
Hearing her angry voice filled me with guilt. I didn’t want to be an obstacle. I wanted to solve it on my own. But I realized, with a heartbreaking clarity, that no matter how hard I tried by myself, my decisions looked insufficient to my sister, who had lived through more years than I had.
“Because you’re an adult, Noona.”
“…”
“I thought you could judge better than me… if this would actually be a threat to them…”
“Hyo-il, please.”
My sister let out a lamenting sigh. I took a deep, very deep breath.
“This is your right. It’s your only chance to be properly compensated for the harm you’ve suffered.”
Every word she spoke was filled with resentment. I didn’t want to hear her voice like this.
“Don’t waste this one-and-only chance on something like this.”
My sister lowered her head and cried. Tears fell onto the plastic table cover.
Despite saying those things, my sister was the one who couldn't bring herself to sue.
She worked day and night, doing every job imaginable to earn money. Even after moving out, she sent me allowance money behind our family's back, letting her own statute of limitations slip away. All the while, she told me that I, at least, should receive compensation. She hoped that even if the wounds wouldn't heal, the painful memories might at least be lightened.
The food arrived, but I couldn't touch it. In that crowded restaurant, we couldn't lift our spoons until the customers at the next table had changed several times.
I didn't have the nerve to clash with my family if it meant going against my crying sister's wishes. That evening, after parting ways with her, I sent her a text saying I would focus solely on preparing for the CSAT.
And shortly after the CSAT ended, my sister came to find me. She was carrying an envelope so stuffed it looked like it was about to burst.
“You can’t open a bank account without Mom and Dad’s consent, right?”
“Huh?”
“Keep it in cash. I’ve already set aside the deposit for a place, so don’t even think about using it for anything else.”
I couldn't bring myself to reach for the envelope. Because I knew exactly what kind of money that was.
But my sister was adamant.
“I’m not just giving this to you. I’m going to get it all back later.”
With that, she took a sip of the cheapest iced americano from the cafe.
So, I worked myself to death. I lived without flexibility or fluidity, looking only forward, with no time to think about "rest periods" or "career transitions."
“…I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.”
Because I said I’d pay her back quickly. Because I truly felt like a burden.
Because I had become an adult too, and I wanted to tell her not to worry anymore.
But I didn't become a strong adult like my sister. I was too fragile to be a solid adult; her absence alone was enough to make me crumble helplessly.
The documents were exactly as I had gathered them in the past. The only difference was that my name had been changed to ‘Kim Han.’
‘What’s the intention behind giving this to me?’
Am I supposed to sue those people in this life? After becoming an idol and having my face known to the whole world? In a situation where I’d be lucky not to face a counterattack?
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself, but it wasn't easy. My head was spinning.
Then, a thought occurred to me.
‘…The account.’
The account that had 15 million won in it.
The account that had the full 15 million won when I first arrived in this past, and an account I wouldn't have needed to open if I hadn't registered for university.
With trembling hands, I accessed the banking app. Even the short loading time felt unbearably long.
And the moment I confirmed the account opening date…
Account Opening Date: 20XX.12.26.
…I felt the air get knocked out of my lungs.
It was settlement money.
Using these documents, a promise was made not to escalate the family issues.
The papers crumpled weakly in my grip.
Where was my sister while all this was happening?
I’d feel better if she had sued them first and left the house, which is why they were so compliant with me, the second one to push.
If my sister hadn't been by my side even before I injured my back.
Is she… doing well right now?
I sat blankly in the room for a long time. I stayed that way until the manager, who had been waiting in the parking lot, came up to the dorm saying I was running late.
I told him it was nothing, closed the document box, and shoved it into my suitcase, but my chest felt tight. My eyes kept threatening to burn. Forcing myself to change the subject, I suppressed the emotions welling up deep inside.
No matter how difficult my personal circumstances were, work wouldn't wait for me.
So, I silently did what I had to do. While feeling the full weight of the helplessness that comes from being unable to do anything, I hoped for even a little progress in finding my sister.
“Hyung, are you okay?”
Even though I tried my best to hide it, Park Ju-woo noticed I was spacing out with uncanny precision.
“What do you mean?”
“You look tired…”
“It’s probably because the schedule is so complicated. Look at my planner.”
When I turned on the Dotion calendar and showed him, Park Ju-woo’s face paled. The schedule, cramped like a game of Tetris, reminded me of a university timetable.
“Maybe… cut back on work a bit?”
“I already cut back a lot.”
“Just because a person who used to build pyramids by himself is now only building a sphinx doesn't mean it's not hard labor…”
For once, Park Ju-woo had a lot to say.
“It’s going to get even busier from now on. I passed an audition.”
“…A drama?”
Park Ju-woo’s eyes went wide.
“Yeah. They said the company got the call earlier. I’m about to play Tetris with the calendar again.”
They said they’d be putting out articles soon, too. With titles like ‘Spark’s Iwol Joins Suspense Drama…’ They even mentioned using ‘Rising to the Rank of Acting-Idol?’ but I stopped them, ready to stage a protest.
“So, we have to finish all the meetings related to ‘Idol Dynasty Annals’ within this week. You said your assignments were done too, right?”
“Yeah, the semester’s over now…”
Park Ju-woo, who had been sitting on the floor, flopped onto the sofa and pressed his cheek against the leather.
I found out in an unexpected way that Jeong Seong-bin and Park Ju-woo had been working hard at university. It was thanks to seeing screenshots from a university community during monitoring.
≫ To be honest, I had a prejudice against idol group members.
I thought it was cool and nice to be in the same elective, but I didn't want them in my group... but once we actually became a team, they were so reliable...
They showed me a new frontier of data research.
And they kept buying us stuff, saying they were sorry they couldn't come to offline meetings often.
We actually preferred online meetings because we were too lazy to go out, but I guess they thought we were being considerate.
Thanks, J.W. Thanks to you, our group was the only one that didn't get criticized for our survey statistics...
≫ Seong-bin seems to be attending school really diligently.
There are so many sightings and proof posts.
But why is he so hardworking with group projects while his exams are...
└ That person is being wise. People who only care about their individual grades and neglect group projects get cursed out a lot, even if they aren't idols.
└ "I might not have time for my own assignments, but I won't harm others"? That's actually a huge plus.
The flowers grown in the barren environment of UA were blooming brilliantly. In recognition of their efforts, I decided to grant a leave of absence to the guys who had burned through the semester.
“Cheong-hyeon said he had something to say anyway, so let’s book a meeting room before the week is out.”
“I’m down. Seong-bin can probably make it too. …What about Je-ho Hyung?”
Park Ju-woo asked, slightly lifting his head.
“Doesn’t matter.”
Choi Je-ho, who was loosening up his shoulders, answered without even looking. I really need to delete the phrase "doesn't matter" from that guy's meager vocabulary.
As I was warming up with some basic moves, Manager Dae-yeon entered the practice room with the other half of the members.
From Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was taking off his school uniform as soon as he arrived, to Kang Gi-yeon, who had already stuffed his tie into his pocket, to Jeong Seong-bin, whose face was pale from spending too much time in a meeting room—not a single one of them looked normal.
“Everyone, we have some additional schedules, so I’ll announce those first.”
Manager Dae-yeon pulled out his phone.
“Something else came up?!”
Even as he gasped in horror, Lee Cheong-hyeon quickly pulled a diary out of his bag. The sound of clicking ballpoint pens echoed from all directions.
“Next Thursday, we’ve decided to do the profile shoot for Idol Dynasty Annals Season 2. We scheduled it to match when Cheong-hyeon and Gi-yeon finish school. We’ll also be recording separate videos for the first-place thank you message and participation thoughts, but the schedule for that isn't out yet, so just keep it in mind. Also, the date and storyboard for the group ad shoot we talked about last time are out. The dedicated team uploaded it to Dotion, so please check…”
The announcements never seemed to end. See, Ju-woo? I don't think cutting back on work is going to happen anytime soon.