Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: The Walls' Conversation
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Lee Seungjun carefully closed the door. The click echoed unusually loud in his ears.
He straightened his back and walked forward. The living room, which should have been dark, was already brightly lit.
There were already signs of life from the kitchen. Lee Seungjun made eye contact with his two hyungs.
Kang Minje handed a glass to Yoo Hajin and asked,
“How’s Dowon?”
“He’s asleep.”
Lee Seungjun naturally sat down at the dining table. Kang Minje poured whiskey into a glass and asked,
“Want one?”
“I’m a minor too, hyung.”
“Oh, right.”
Lee Seungjun looked at the glass and said,
“Want some ice?”
“Do you know where it is?”
“Yes. I’ll get it.”
He got up, opened the fridge, and pushed aside the frozen chicken breasts neatly organized by Zenith’s maknae. He barely unearthed the ice compartment.
“Here.”
“Thanks. I wanted it on the rocks, but couldn’t find the ice.”
Lee Seungjun dropped the ice tray. It went in perfectly—three cubes landed right in the whiskey glass.
“Hajin hyung too?”
“Yeah. Give me some.”
He repeated the process, leaving only the empty tray behind. Yoo Hajin chuckled at the sight.
“We didn’t even know there was ice.”
“The fridge and kitchen are maknae territory.”
“He doesn’t say anything if we touch it.”
“He always feeds us whenever something happens. Dowon’s food is good.”
Kang Minje smiled softly.
“He doesn’t listen well, though. What do you think, Seungjun?”
Lee Seungjun shook his head.
“I don’t know yet. He doesn’t get why we’re mad. I thought about pushing him, but he looked tired, so I let it go.”
“Ah, so he really doesn’t know.”
“He doesn’t even seem to think others might worry.”
Kang Minje tossed back the whiskey. Gulp—the familiar scent hit and faded.
“Why is that?”
“Did he get badly betrayed when he was young?”
“Maybe because of his relatives?”
At Lee Seungjun’s words, the two hyungs looked up.
“They only wanted his money. They’re still causing trouble even after the press conference.”
“Oh, right.”
“Well, that might be part of it.”
Kang Minje swirled his glass slightly. The ice clinked softly.
“Maybe he just can’t trust us?”
“Does Dowon even trust anyone to begin with?”
“He seems to trust his own abilities, at least.”
Yoo Hajin downed his whiskey in one go.
“That’s dangerous. He’ll collapse suddenly at this rate.”
Kang Minje grinned.
“If he collapses, we pick him up. That’s when we can finally act like hyungs.”
Lee Seungjun shook his head.
“He won’t collapse.”
“Come on, he’s human……”
“He finds a solution and pushes through. I mean, how does a minor hold a press conference? It’s honestly insane.”
It was true. By any common sense, no one would choose that method.
“Dowon doesn’t act by common sense.”
“Sometimes he acts like he’s an adult. And he’s only in first year high school.”
“He doesn’t rely on anyone—just charges ahead, takes the hits, and gets what he wants.”
Lee Seungjun let out a deep sigh.
“But that’s why we made it.”
The three nodded in unison.
Without Cha Dowon’s buzz, Zenith wouldn’t have risen this far.
“The results are good, but I wish he’d at least acknowledge we’re worried.”
“He won’t. Would that guy understand how we feel?”
Kang Minje muttered while staring at his ice.
“I wish our Dowon were a bit more selfish.”
“But he’s not.”
“He takes good care of us.”
“Even Jaeyoon.”
The three sighed together. This incident was predictable too. Zenith’s maknae would grit his teeth and vow revenge.
“Hajin. Did you contact Executive Director Ju?”
“Dowon was right. The hit-and-run driver hasn’t been caught. The manager’s fine.”
“How’s Dowon’s body?”
“I heard everything’s okay except his wrist. I canceled tomorrow’s schedule just in case.”
“Ah, so that’s why I’m covering for him.”
Lee Seungjun asked Kang Minje,
“You’re going instead, hyung?”
“Yeah. We switched last minute. It’s short, so it’s fine.”
“You must be tired.”
“It’s sad that this is all I can do for our maknae.”
Yoo Hajin chuckled.
“Normal maknaes lean on their hyungs.”
“Ours isn’t normal. He’s our commander usually.”
“Oh, right. Minje, Dowon knows exactly how to coax you into folding.”
“You realized that? Leader?”
Yoo Hajin rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. But he didn’t dwell long.
“I guess I owe him a lot, so yeah, I fold easily.”
The three burst out laughing.
“Well, we have to act a little big sometimes.”
“Dowon’s thinking is obvious. ‘That was damn tough.’ He’ll take better care of himself.”
“We can’t stop him if he charges anyway.”
Before they knew it, the drinks were gone, leaving only ice. Kang Minje swirled his glass once more.
“We’re all too soft on Dowon.”
“Ah, I’m the softest.”
Lee Seungjun shook his head.
“I’m the softest. I owe him a ton too.”
“What do you owe him so much for?”
“A lot of things. Quite a bit. But Dowon doesn’t owe me anything. We’re friends.”
Yoo Hajin nodded. Yeah, the maknae was always like that.
“He doesn’t even think about owing anyone.”
“He’d just grind his bones to dust instead.”
“Honestly, it’s a weird way. He’s still young, so asking for help would be easier.”
The three answered in unison.
“He doesn’t trust us.”
They sighed deeply again. The problem was, knowing this didn’t change anything.
“He’ll have to realize it himself.”
“He’s smart, so he’ll get it eventually.”
“And yet he thinks helping us is funny.”
No matter how much they talked, it circled back. The three made eye contact and stood up together.
Yoo Hajin said,
“I’ll do the dishes. I drank for free.”
“Thanks, Hajin.”
“No problem. Seungjun, go sleep. You must’ve been shocked today.”
Lee Seungjun nodded. He was cleaning up the spots where the three had eaten when the door lock beeped, and a figure entered.
“Huh, hyungs! Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“Oh, Jaeyoon. You’re back?”
“I did great on the recording today. Huh, why are you all gathered?”
Ki Jaeyoon drew a heart with his hands and said,
“Were you waiting for me by any chance?”
For a moment, the three were speechless. It wasn’t a big deal, but they had no idea how to respond.
Splash—
Yoo Hajin hurriedly turned off the running water he’d left on for dishes. He cleared his throat and said,
“Jaeyoon, go wash up and sleep.”
“Yeah, I should. Wait, what’s with the vibe? Is it because of Cha Dowon?”
Ki Jaeyoon said casually,
“No need to worry. He’d survive and thrive even if he were stranded alone on a deserted island. I bet all Cha Dowon wants is for none of us to screw up.”
The three hyungs sighed in unison. It was exactly the kind of thing Cha Dowon would think, leaving them speechless.
Yoo Hajin turned the sink water back on. As he focused on scrubbing the glasses,
“I wasn’t kidding today. I ate two kilos of ice cream.”
Crash!
Kang Minje and Lee Seungjun rushed to the sink.
“Hajin hyung? Is your hand okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Sorry, Minje. I broke it.”
“It’s okay. It wasn’t expensive.”
Yoo Hajin checked for shards. Luckily, it had shattered cleanly into two pieces on the sink, with no fragments scattered.
Ki Jaeyoon scurried over and said,
“Hyung, did it shatter?”
Yoo Hajin tossed the rubber gloves aside and approached Ki Jaeyoon.
“Hajin hyung?”
“You and I need to talk. What was that, two kilos?”
Yoo Hajin threw an arm around Ki Jaeyoon’s shoulders and dragged him to his room. Watching this, Lee Seungjun shook his head and made the sign of the cross.
“Good thing I’m not leader.”
“Being leader is tough.”
The two exchanged glances and shook their heads together.
***
Zenith Hit-and-Run Accident
- Fortunately limited to minor injuries
Zenith ‘Cha Dowon’ Traffic Accident
- Right wrist fracture only
‘Enough with the ‘fortunately’ and ‘only’. It’s not a big deal, but they’re making such a fuss.’
How many serious hit-and-runs happen in Korea, and they make news just because it’s a celebrity.
I pulled my mask up and walked down the hospital corridor. Thanks to the hat and mask, no one recognized me, fortunately.
I checked the patient’s name, opened the door, and heard a familiar voice right away.
“Our kids are so~ good. I’ve been a manager for a long time, but these are the nicest ones I’ve seen. Hyungnim.”
“Entertainers are all rude, aren’t they?”
“Exactly! Usually, yes! But our kids are different. The handsome one has such a great personality too. Hyungnim.”
When did you see him to call him hyungnim.
I slowly stood in front of the manager. The round-faced manager hadn’t expected me and let out a choke.
“Uh, uh, not busy?”
“Executive Director Ju said to take it easy today.”
“Oh dear.”
I smiled brightly and bowed to the manager’s daily hyungnim.
“Hello. I’m in this manager’s debt.”
The hyungnim was quick on the uptake and lowered his voice.
“Hey, you’re a celebrity?”
“Yes.”
I drew the room curtain to block the view and pulled my mask down slightly.
“I’m Cha Dowon.”
“Oh my! I’ve seen you a lot!”
The patient’s skinny hand reached out. We shook with my half-casted arm, and the man’s eyes filled with pity.
“Oh, so pretty. Do you all look this pretty on TV?”
It’s handsome, not pretty. I must look pretty handsome now, right?
“Hyungnim, this one’s especially pretty.”
“Is that so. You two talk. I’ll step out.”
He knew exactly when to exit. As the patient wheeled his IV out, I redrew the curtain.
“You look good.”
“Yeah. No issues with his body. Kinda feel bad taking up a bed, though. Haha!”
“Good thing.”
I sat on the guardian bed and sighed.
“We almost had a big problem.”
“The big problem was almost you. Isn’t your wrist messed up?”
“It’s fine. I can still perform on stage. It’s just half-casted dramatically.”
The manager rolled up my sleeve, checked my wrist, and sighed.
“Really okay?”
“Of course. The problem is the hit-and-run. We can’t have this keep happening.”
“Oh, they caught the perp.”
What? I stretched out my legs.
“For real? Police did good. Wait, why didn’t they tell me?”
“Probably didn’t want to worry you. Take it easy today. You’re a minor, Dowon.”
Only brings up minor when it suits him.
I placed the fruit basket I’d brought on the patient bed.
“Oh, what’s this?”
“Eat up. If you can.”
“Oh, right! I’m NPO. Why do tests require so much fasting?”
The guardian spot in a shared ward was always hard. Middle bed too, no place to lean.
“That hit-and-run guy. This isn’t his first time, right? How many?”
“I figured the same, but his record’s clean. Well, some stains, but passable?”
What’s that mean.
‘The situation’s getting weird?’
In a bad way. It ground my teeth. I rested my chin and said,
“Explain in detail.”
“He had one prior accident. But first hit-and-run.”
Damn.
“The perp?”
“Yeah.”
“The previous one felt like he targeted a celebrity too.”
“Oh dear. You’re turning like the president? Yeah, apparently. Oh, that’s from our president digging. Cops didn’t mention it.”
Well, that’s natural.
‘This is driving me nuts. Really unfavorable?’
I calculated scenarios. The perp probably wouldn’t get punished much for hitting our car.
“Hit-and-run isn’t a complaint offense, right?”
“Yeah, I think so?”
“He’ll go to trial for sure. But since you and I are fine, at worst suspended sentence.”
So lenient to victims. Why is the law so weak? I was extra annoyed today.
“Ugh, seriously. I wanna go to the National Assembly.”
“Huh? Go into politics?”
“Just saying.”
I’ve come this far—gotta be an idol forever, no time for politics. And this path’s still long.