Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 44: Family Invitation Event (1)

A short while later.

A middle-aged woman visited the Spark dorm.

"It’s been a while, everyone. Is this new friend here I-wol?"

It was Jeong Seong-bin’s mother.

"Nice to meet you. I’m Seong-bin’s mom."

She set her bags down in the entryway and reached out a hand toward me.

I quickly took her hand and greeted her.

"Yes, hello."

I almost added, "It is an honor to meet you," but I held back.

Even if I’d never met a friend’s parents before, I could tell that such a formal tone wasn't normal just by looking at Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was practically bouncing around Seong-bin’s parents.

Sure enough, Seong-bin’s mother spoke to me with a bright smile.

"My goodness, I-wol is much more dignified than I heard from Seong-bin."

Already? I haven't even finished bowing halfway yet.

If I had actually said it was an honor to meet her, she might have said something like, "The boy is very refined and upright."

More importantly, what exactly did Jeong Seong-bin tell his mother about me?

I was uneasy, but I didn't particularly want to know. So, instead of interrogating Seong-bin, I decided to help with the bags.

"Please give the bags to me and make yourself comfortable."

"No, no. I’ll put these in the fridge myself."

With that, she picked up the large shopping bags she had just set down.

Only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠after a brief, polite struggle was I able to take the bags and head toward the kitchen.

The shopping bags were packed with airtight containers. They were so heavy I wondered how she’d managed to carry them while looking so effortless.

Seeing this, Jeong Seong-bin spoke up.

"You brought side dishes again? You’re so busy with work as it is."

"I don't come by often, so this is nothing. Gi-yeon, Cheong-hyeon! Could you two take these out to the balcony?"

Following her instructions, Kang Gi-yeon and Lee Cheong-hyeon moved busily.

Everyone moved with such practiced efficiency that it was clear this wasn't their first time doing this.

Right then, the doorbell rang again.

Seong-bin’s mother, who had been focused on unpacking the bags, looked up.

"Ah. That must be your father."

"Dad came too? Did he not go to work today?"

"He took a day off. When I said I was coming to see you, he insisted on coming along."

At the news that it was Jeong Seong-bin’s father, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rushed to the front door.

When I opened it, a man who looked remarkably like Jeong Seong-bin was standing there.

He was holding grocery bags that were twice the size of the ones the mother had brought.

"Oh? A face I haven't seen before. Are you I-wol?"

"Yes, hello!"

I had seen many men around his age before—convenience store owners, bosses at my delivery part-time jobs, and so on.

Nevertheless, I couldn't help but feel a strange awkwardness that came from the person in front of me being a 'colleague’s father.'

Because of that, I ended up deploying the 'answering in a loud, clear voice' technique I’d used back at UA.

This time, I successfully took the bags from him and headed to the kitchen.

At that moment, the mother’s scolding thundered out.

"Honestly, why are you making the boy carry that? I told you it’s heavy because of the fruit!"

"Oops, I forgot."

"It’s not that heavy, it’s fine, ma'am!"

I quickly explained, fearing I’d become the collateral damage in a lovers' quarrel.

When I opened the bags with Seong-bin, they were once again filled with colorful plastic containers.

"Is there anything you can't eat, I-wol? I tried to pack a variety, but I’m worried there might not be anything you like."

"Don't worry, ma'am. I eat everything!"

"This hyung mostly just eats jjolmyeon, but he eats all the vegetables in it!"

The answer had come out automatically due to my memories of Hanpyeong Industry, where I would have had to drink poison if my boss offered it... but Lee Cheong-hyeon had to go and ruin it.

I have no idea why that kid is so obsessed with my taste in food.

"Do you like jjolmyeon, I-wol?"

"Haha, a little!"

It seemed I would need to have a long conversation with Lee Cheong-hyeon in our room after the parents left.

Just you wait. I’ll give you a lecture you’ll never forget.

Only after we finished organizing the contents of three massive grocery bags were we finally able to sit together in the living room.

While the others chatted with the adults, I decided to prepare the tea.

I’ve spent years serving guests; my pride wouldn't let me sit idly by and let someone else do it.

It feels weirdly like I’m back in the office breakroom doing this.

Before any more moldy memories could resurface, I hurried to the living room with a tray holding seven cups of warm Solomon’s Seal tea and one cup of lukewarm water for myself.

Seeing that only my water was clear, Park Ju-woo asked, "Hyung, why are you just drinking water?"

"To prevent tooth discoloration."

If I can't do anything about my face, I should at least maintain some cleanliness.

Despite my efforts to improve the group’s average visual appeal, the expressions the kids gave me were incredibly subtle.

You don't have to look at me like that; I’m well aware of my shortcomings, so please don't emphasize it with your eyes.

While I was enduring the members' stinging gazes, Seong-bin’s parents checked in on each member one by one.

"Gi-yeon, I heard you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hurt your ankle last time. Is it all better now?"

"Yes, it’s perfectly fine now."

"Je-ho, you’ve grown even more since I last saw you. How do you keep getting taller?"

It was obvious from their words that they had been watching over the trainees for a long time.

At the same time, for some reason, a scene from a cliché weekend drama kept popping into my head.

You know, the one where the prospective mother-in-law says to the female lead, "How tacky. You’re far too low-class to be with my son!"

If a random nobody suddenly joined a group their son had been training with for years, it wouldn't be strange for them to feel that way.

The side dishes they brought earlier might even be the real-life version of a "here's some money to leave my son" envelope.

If I were them, and my son—someone like Jeong Seong-bin—had to be in the same boat for seven years with some guy who rolled in from who-knows-where, my frustration would probably hit the ceiling.

Once the parents finished greeting all the other boys, my turn finally came.

"I-wol..."

I quickly racked my brain to predict what would come next.

What made you think you could become an idol?

Or...

Are you really going to stay at UA until you debut?

Or maybe.

Do you hear often that you lack situational awareness?

By the time my thoughts reached that point, I had an intense urge to run away.

My heart felt tighter than it did during the high-pressure interviews at Hanpyeong Industry.

I knew I shouldn't doubt the kindness of others, especially my elders, but it was as if my brain was using every ounce of energy in my body just to think negative thoughts.

After a second that felt like a thousand years, Seong-bin’s mother spoke.

"Is there anything you’re finding difficult while training?"

"Pardon?"

I was taken aback. It was a question I hadn't expected at all.

As if there was anyone in the world who didn't have a hard time.

Even though the ridiculous condition of an idol debut was attached, if I could really save my sister, I had to consider this a precious opportunity that others would never get.

Besides, the colleagues I had to debut with were guys whose skills were guaranteed, even if they did cause a bit of trouble.

In this situation, complaining about hardships was a luxury.

I answered with a smile.

"No, I’m working hard!"

...I said, quite honestly.

Seong-bin’s parents stayed for about an hour before leaving.

I asked if they should stay for dinner, but they firmly declined, saying they didn't want to interfere with the kids' rest.

When I asked Seong-bin, he said that surprisingly, they were both going straight home.

The adults in my family wouldn't come home for three days once they stepped out.

Then again, as I grew up and heard stories, it seemed that in most normal households, families gathered at home when night fell.

To follow the dorm rules, we divided up the areas to clean the living room after the guests left. Seong-bin approached me with an empty cup.

I was in the middle of taking over the dishwashing so that the kids' hands—the ones fans loved so much when they held a microphone—wouldn't get chapped by the cold water.

"Is that a cup that needs washing? Just leave it there."

"No. Um, Hyung. I’m sorry about today..."

"For what? Did you spit in a cup on your way over?"

Department Head Nam used to spit phlegm near my shoes whenever he was in a bad mood. That’s why I hate people who spit on the street.

But what Seong-bin confessed wasn't anything unpleasant like that.

"It was really uncomfortable having my mom and dad here, wasn't it?"

"Huh?"

Seong-bin toyed with the handle of the cup, struggling to continue.

"I know you’re not the type to be shy, but you seemed really tense today."

Tense? Not flustered?

I thought... I was just a bit out of it because it was a situation I’d never faced before.

Thinking about it, there was a flaw in my own judgment.

If I were the type who couldn't adapt to new environments, I would have botched the CSAT or failed the Hanpyeong Industry interview.

But I didn't fail the CSAT, and unfortunately, I didn't fail the Hanpyeong Industry interview either.

I wondered if I had been flustered because of an unconscious desire to make a good impression. I’d had to impress countless people in my life.

I probably had about twenty people I needed to impress just in university.

In other words, there was no reason for me to be anxious about wanting to look good to someone.

That left only one conclusion.

Was I tense because I was afraid of looking bad to a colleague’s parents?

It was embarrassing, but it made sense.

In fact, nothing else made sense.

If I had ever met an acquaintance’s family before, I wouldn't have been this awkward. Instead, I’d frozen up completely, making a total fool of myself.

At this point, it was beyond just worrying about making a slip of the tongue in front of elders.

I cleared my throat to hide my embarrassment and spoke.

"I haven't had many chances to talk to people around your parents' age. I just wasn't used to it; it wasn't uncomfortable at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They both took good care of us. So don't feel sorry."

I gave a roundabout answer to Seong-bin, who looked like he had 'I’m sorry' written all over his forehead.

In the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first place, it wasn't something Seong-bin needed to apologize for. Apologies are for when people like my own family show up.

I briefly imagined that scenario before realizing I’d made a mistake.

I felt so shitty that I almost dropped one of the few glass cups in the dorm into the sink.

Just as I was trying to clear my head, a thought occurred to me.

How did Jeong Seong-bin notice my abnormal state of mind?