Chapter 180
Chapter 180
I have no idea how long I slept after that.
It felt like a split second, but the moment I opened my eyes, I knew it hadn't been a short nap. My head felt remarkably clear.
“…….”
Fortunately, the first thing I saw upon waking was a room that was unmistakably a private hospital suite.
‘Good.’
The guy who picked up the phone must have handled things properly...
“…! Moon-dae.”
“……!”
I turned my head and locked eyes with Ryu Cheong-woo, who had been sitting in a chair before springing to his feet.
‘What the...’
Why is he here?
“Wait, the call button!”
But before I could say anything, Ryu Cheong-woo immediately pressed the button to summon the medical staff.
A short while later.
“Yes, there are no other abnormal symptoms. Is the IV drip rate okay?”
“Yes….”
“Then we’ll come back to change it in an hour.”
After a check-up by the medical staff, it seemed the verdict was that there were no major issues. I looked at the back of my hand, where the IV was inserted, with a lukewarm gaze.
‘No wonder I felt so refreshed.’
It must have been thanks to the antibiotics and nutritional supplements going straight into my system.
“If you feel anything unusual, just call us.”
“…Yes.”
“Thank you!”
Click.
As soon as the medical staff left, a line of serious faces popped up beside the bed. It wasn't just one person; there were three.
It seemed Ryu Cheong-woo had fiddled with his smartphone for a moment, and then Keun Sejin and Bae Sejin appeared out of nowhere.
‘What is this?’
Isn't this the kind of formation you only see in gangster movies?
In the midst of that, Ryu Cheong-woo spoke with a grave expression.
“…Your wrist is sprained, so that’s three weeks for recovery. You have hairline fractures in two ribs, which is four weeks. They said the bruises on your arms and legs will fade faster than that.”
“…….”
“You were out cold for a full day.”
The extent of the injuries was better than expected. Park Moon-dae’s body must be surprisingly sturdy.
‘At least nothing’s broken.’
However… seeing this situation, I’d better use my head.
The person who had called me right before I passed out finally spoke up.
“…First of all, I’m glad you seem to be doing better.”
It was Keun Sejin. Even without looking, there was no other explanation for this situation than him contacting the other two.
“…Hey.”
“What, why?”
Why is he being so uncooperative all of a sudden?
“How was I supposed to move you to the hospital alone without even calling 119? Was there any other way besides calling the hyung who has his own car?”
“…….”
I wasn't trying to interrogate him, but I certainly had nothing to say to that. Keun Sejin didn't stop there.
“In the first place, when I called you… I was actually meeting with Cheong-woo hyung.”
“…….”
“Because your texts were so weird.”
“…What?”
Keun Sejin crossed his arms.
“It’s ridiculous enough that Park Moon-dae would leave a perfectly good dorm to go to a hotel, but it’s even weirder when you stop responding right after saying that.”
“……!”
“So I asked the other guys too… and every single reply was strange.”
Keun Sejin gestured slightly toward Bae Sejin.
“That hyungnim over there was already in the middle of contacting Cheong-woo hyung for the same reason.”
Bae Sejin muttered, slightly avoiding my gaze.
“……You were talking about filing your comprehensive income tax, but then you suddenly said you didn't know the square footage of the apartment. It was suspicious.”
“…….”
So he was testing me.
Keun Sejin asked again with a hardened face.
“That wasn't you, was it?”
“…….”
“So let me ask. Why the hell do you look like that? What happened?”
Right. I knew this question was coming.
“I stopped Cheong-woo hyung from reporting it immediately, but… honestly, I don't even know why I stopped him. All sorts of thoughts were crossing my mind….”
Keun Sejin looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
“If it’s some nonsense reason like wanting to handle it yourself, I’m going to report it right now. So just hurry up and spill it. What happened?”
I gave a bitter smile.
“I’d like to avoid reporting it if possible.”
“But why!?”
“Moon-dae, whatever the reason, it’s better to leave an official record first. Let’s report it.”
“…Is it because of our promotions?”
“No.”
I shook my head. Then I answered in a serious voice.
“I think it might be treated as a mutual assault.”
“…!!”
“Wh-what?”
I shook my fist—the one without the IV.
“Because I beat the shit out of him.”
“…….”
“…….”
“I ran into some crazy bastard while I was out. I knocked him down and gathered some evidence, but the scope of self-defense in our country is so narrow… even if I win, going to court will just waste time.”
“St-still, that guy needs the hammer of justice….”
“It’s fine. I actually smashed his head with iron, so I’m satisfied.”
“…….”
It was handcuffs, but well, they are made of iron.
Toward the three who stood frozen with their mouths agape, I calmly continued my explanation.
“Actually, most of my injuries happened while I was trying to subdue him… so it’s not like I was hit while defenseless. If an article comes out and people start nitpicking, it’ll just be a headache for me.”
“……Hmm.”
The expressions on their faces were a mess, shifting from dazed to complex and subtle.
However, Bae Sejin still had a dark expression.
“But it still means you got hit…! We can handle it quietly, so let’s try to report it properly. He might try to hurt you again.”
“Well, even if he reports it, he’ll lose, so he won’t be able to run his mouth. I gave him a good scare so he won’t do anything stupid.”
“A… a scare?”
“Yes. I did it thoroughly.”
I tilted my head to the side.
“Hmm, do I… seem like the type to handle things sloppily?”
“…….”
Apparently not. The trust I had built up over time was shining through here.
“Was that explanation okay? That’s why I didn't want to report it. I figured if we called 119, they’d immediately track the cause of the injuries, so I asked not to.”
“…Moon-dae. They do that even if you just come to the hospital.”
“……!”
Ryu Cheong-woo gave a bitter smile.
“Your condition was really serious. You had a high fever, and there were marks that looked like you’d been beaten and bound….”
“…….”
“I don't know how much you hit the other guy, but regardless of the scope of self-defense, you are the victim. There’s no way anyone would call this 'mutual' after seeing the state you're in.”
Ryu Cheong-woo sighed.
“For now, I told the hospital that you overexerted yourself while sick and had an accident during concert practice… but I still wish you’d report it. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can’t force you, though.”
“…….”
“At the very least, let’s share whatever personal details you know about that person with the company. We have to make sure he can’t get near you again.”
“Hmm….”
I nodded. I could just make up a rough description or something.
“Yes. I’ll contact the company.”
“…! Good thinking.”
“Tell us too! Everyone needs to watch out for a lunatic like that.”
“Got it. And, um.”
It was a bit embarrassing, but I felt like I should say this.
“Thanks.”
“……!”
“Thank you, hyungs. Honestly, if that call hadn't come through then, it would have been tough.”
I let out a small chuckle.
“The impersonated messages were actually quite convincing. I didn't think anyone would notice.”
“…….”
For a moment, the hospital room was warmed by a sense of touching emotion and accomplishment.
‘If things had gone well, even if I hadn't escaped, they might have tracked me down before I got hit with a sledgehammer.’
Just as that thought crossed my mind, Keun Sejin nodded seriously.
“Exactly. So you’d better treat me better from now on. First, my individual photos….”
“I take it back.”
“Hey! That’s harsh!”
Keun Sejin slapped the bedsheets. What a funny guy.
“…Ahem, ahem! Get some rest. Anyway! Take care of yourself!”
“Yeah. I’m just glad you made it to the hospital in time.”
The other two looked proud as well. Good, the situation was settled.
“Ah, should I go buy some drinks? What do you guys want?”
“Ayy, hyung, I’ll go~”
“No. I want to go for a walk anyway. Hmm, Moon-dae, apple juice?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
And if there was one more thing to note, it was this.
‘Hmm, it’s definitely a bit more comfortable.’
Ryu Cheong-woo felt less awkward to be around. It seemed my subconscious had successfully re-categorized the guy who helped me while I was in pain back into the 'good' part of my brain.
‘As expected, you have to experience it to understand it.’
Since it was beneficial to my well-being, my brain had returned to its normal state.
“Then get some rest.”
“Okay.”
I gave a casual wave as I saw Ryu Cheong-woo off.
Click.
Once he left, Keun Sejin suddenly leaned in and asked.
“Hey, now that the leader hyung is gone.”
“…….”
“Is there anything you didn't want to tell the company but want to get off your chest? Sejin hyungnim, you’ll listen if Moon-dae opens up, right?”
“Wh-what? Oh, that… of course!”
Quick-witted bastard.
‘He noticed I was deflecting with praise.’
Well, I had intended to explain it to a few of them just in case anyway. To move the internal opinion of the team toward avoiding any involvement with VTIC in the future.
‘No need to go looking for trouble.’
For that purpose, it was best to tell people who weren't close enough to conspire behind my back, yet had personalities that wouldn't accidentally blab to others.
‘Perfect.’
I opened my mouth.
“About the guy who attacked me. Actually, he’s someone I know.”
“What?”
“Who!”
“VTIC’s Cheong-ryeo.”
“……!!”
Bae Sejin’s face visibly stiffened.
“That bastard, I knew something was off about him.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah, his eyes were weird…!”
“Let’s report him.”
“…!!”
Keun Sejin cut in with a hardened face.
“We’re going to keep seeing him at award ceremonies and music shows. This won’t do. Let’s report him.”
“I told you, there’s no need.”
“You might be okay now, but when you actually face him….”
I let out a smirk.
“What about that pathetic loser?”
“……!”
“I told you. I’m the one who did the hitting.”
I stretched, being careful with the arm receiving the IV.
“That guy got hit in the face, so he probably won't even be able to promote for a while.”
“…What if he reports you first?”
“I have recordings, photos, and I even got an apology at the end. He can’t.”
“……Phew.”
Keun Sejin sighed deeply but didn't argue further.
‘He’s probably starting to realize what kind of mudslinging match it would become if we reported it.’
Still, it was impressive that a guy so obsessed with the group’s success would suggest reporting it.
“Why on earth would he… to you….”
“Who knows? I guess he just didn't like the look of me.”
“He’s a lunatic.”
Perhaps because he’d seen even more bizarre people in the industry, Bae Sejin accepted this flimsy reason surprisingly easily.
Then he asked hesitantly.
“…Is there a reason you’re only telling him and me?”
“Well, if any schedules involving VTIC come up in the future, I wanted to ask you to help me avoid them skillfully.”
I added a bit of flattery.
“Since you both speak up so well when we’re working.”
“…! R-right. Got it.”
Injecting a sense of duty worked wonders. Good.
“But just in case, make sure you keep that evidence!”
“Of course.”
And so, the explanation and acceptance of 'Why Park Moon-dae ended up in this state' was concluded.
‘That was more exhausting than I thought.’
Well, I suppose it was exhausting in a good way.
“Guys, drinks.”
“Oh~ thank you!”
“…Thanks.”
A little later, Ryu Cheong-woo returned, and I sipped on a rather expensive convenience store apple juice while turning my thoughts in a different direction.
‘First… it’ll take about four weeks to recover to the point where I can move comfortably.’
I should be able to make it just in time for the start of the concert.
‘If push comes to shove, I can just overexert myself a bit for the Seoul concert.’
The problem, however, was that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the final rehearsals in the meantime. I’d already learned the group choreography before the break, so as long as there were no changes, I could manage, but the solo stage was worrying.
And I also had to learn new choreography for the fan service segments.
‘Is the best I can do just memorizing the moves while being careful?’
There was nothing I could do for now. I shrugged and picked up my smartphone.
I planned to ask the other members for their understanding regarding my injury and contact the company to have them release an article in advance.
‘If I put the word out now, everyone will be understanding even if I haven't fully recovered by the time of the concert.’
…But if I had known this action would cause such a strong ripple effect, I might have considered delaying it a bit longer.
[Me: Ran into some crazy stalker and got a bit hurt while subduing them. Please disregard all messages sent after the break started, as that person was impersonating me. (Sighing emoticon)]
As soon as he saw this, Seon A-hyun ditched his trip and rushed to the hospital room.
It seemed he was even more terrified by the excuse of a 'stalker' because he had seen the freaks who broke into my studio apartment before.
“M-Moon-dae!”
“…? Hey.”
Before I could even give him a 'Why are you here?' look, Seon A-hyun shouted in horror.
“Th-that’s not 'a bit hurt'!”
“…….”
Well… I’m not even in a cast, so isn't this 'a bit'?
I ended up having to calm down a nearly-crying Seon A-hyun and received a gift box full of bread. It was from a famous bakery in Sokcho, and at any rate, it tasted good.
I also shared an awkward greeting with his parents, who had driven him here. They were so distressed for me that I felt quite embarrassed.
“Make sure to come with A-hyun next time. There are so many strange people these days…… Oh dear, what to do.”
“I’m fine. I won.”
“I-is that so? Still…….”
Their tearful faces were identical to Seon A-hyun’s; I wondered if it was a family trait.
“C-call me if you need anything!”
“Okay.”
After that, Seon A-hyun kept popping in and out of the hospital room until the end of the break. It was an incredible display of patience. If it were me, I would never spend every day of my vacation visiting someone in the hospital.
‘Is this the difference in character?’
Ah, of course, I heard from the other members as well. Among them was someone I had been planning to contact anyway.
—Hyungnim! Is your body okay?
It was Kim Rae-bin.
“Yeah. Hmm, good timing. I actually had something to tell you.”
—Yes…?
And then I did what I had to do.
“Hello, Grandmother. This is Park Moon-dae.”
[Oh my!]
I was going to sing a trot song to liven up the mood, but Kim Rae-bin’s grandmother had very firm tastes.
[That~ the one you sang when our Groom was there, that one is good! Winter Night!]
“I-I will sing it for you.”
[Oh, how lovely~]
Well, anyway, it was quite a fun experience.
And finally, Cha Yu-jin… surprisingly, there was no word from him until the very last day of the break.
His proof of life came in the form of a short video posted to the group chat.
[Wahahaha!]
[Watch out!]
…It was a dynamic video of Cha Yu-jin diving into the ocean. In this late autumn weather, no less.
[Cha Yu-jin: Mom took this for me! : D]
He was truly consistent.
Still, he must have seen my post a step late, as he called late at night to check on me.
—Hyung!! Did you win against the stalker?? Did you hit them!?
This was also very consistent.
“Phew.”
And around this time, the company finally began releasing articles about my injury.