Chapter 350
Chapter 350
On the way back to Korea, I immediately faced reality.
When am I supposed to tell him?
There was no time.
This wasn't the tour season, where we could flexibly carve out time if we played our cards right. This was the early stage of a comeback, where the schedule was packed down to the minute.
I can barely even step outside right now, let alone anything else.
In the middle of this insane schedule, would there ever be a moment to sit down and have a proper one-on-one conversation with Seon A-hyun?
However, the answer was easily found.
"You can just use my room, right?"
"…!"
"I have a single room, remember? Let's talk at night after the schedule is over!"
Right.
As it happened, the guy who had a single room in the dorm was the one who already knew everything. There was no need to go out and find a place.
"Of course, I need to sleep too~ so if the talk goes long, I'll just use your room... Moon-dae-Moon-dae? Are you listening?"
"Yeah, thanks."
After coordinating a few schedule adjustments on the plane, I planned to call Seon A-hyun aside as soon as we returned to the dorm...
"I'll stay for a bit too. No matter how much A-hyun likes his friends, you need to set the mood and be prepared for someone to actually believe you~"
He was right.
Seon A-hyun already seemed bothered by the fact that Keun Se-jin and I shared something we weren't telling him, so it was better to have the other party involved present.
I spoke to Seon A-hyun at the commercial film set we headed to straight from the airport.
"A-hyun."
"Y-yes?"
"After the shoot, when we get back to the dorm... Lee Se-jin and I want to talk to you tonight."
"Oh! O-of course!"
"Okay, then."
He was incredibly eager. Thanks to that, the appointment was set in an instant.
And that was how the three of us—who were (physically) the same age—ended up sitting around the sofa in Keun Se-jin's private room.
"Now, everyone, make yourselves comfortable~"
"Ah, okay...!"
"……."
I have no idea how this guy can sleep with over a dozen of his own character plushies right in front of his bed. Are his nerves made of steel?
Anyway, turning my back on the plushies' heads, I looked at Seon A-hyun.
He looked nervous, but even more than that, he seemed expectant.
His eyes are practically sparkling.
I mean, it wasn't like it was some grand, earth-shattering secret... well, actually, it was.
True. Even just last year, I never imagined I'd be speaking about this so openly.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat and began.
"First... I'm sorry if you've felt a bit left out lately because of the situation."
"N-no! Of course, um, it's not like you have to tell me everything... I know everyone's just... working hard, so..."
"…?"
Wait.
I glanced at Keun Se-jin. A flicker of confusion crossed his face as well.
Meanwhile, Seon A-hyun continued, his face flushing.
"I-I haven't been great at leading conversations... or, um, showing impressive results work-wise... So, I thought, um, it might be hard to share things with me..."
"……."
Oh, boy.
It seemed Seon A-hyun thought Keun Se-jin and I were handling some grand, complex behind-the-scenes business. And he thought we hadn't shared it with him—even though it was group business—because he wasn't reliable enough.
Recalling Seon A-hyun's recent behavior, I stifled a groan.
So... that's why he was being so proactive about stepping up.
The puzzle pieces finally clicked into place.
Dammit.
Things had gotten tangled.
I lowered the hand I was about to use to rub my temples, applying pressure to my thigh instead.
This is... because I was too buried in it.
Because incidents regarding this secret had kept popping up with everyone from Ryu Cheong-woo to Keun Se-jin, my brain had become fixed on one track. I assumed that if he wanted to hear something from me, it must be my secret.
"……."
Right. If that was the case... there was no absolute need to bring up my identity to Seon A-hyun.
He hasn't even guessed it.
This was the perfect timing to brush it off with a plausible lie about the label or media issues. Seon A-hyun would accept that.
...But would that really be okay?
I clenched my fists.
If I did that, I'd still end up excluding him every time I had to deal with system-related matters in the future. Wouldn't he feel even more deceived then?
If I was going to do that, I shouldn't have said anything at all.
At that point, I wouldn't be able to complain even if I got hit for being a manipulative jerk.
It would be better to just be clear and say it wasn't a work issue, but a personal matter I couldn't talk about. Since there was a misunderstanding between us.
Seon A-hyun might feel a bit hurt, but at least the matter would be settled there.
The problem is...
I... don't want to do that.
It's funny, but it's true.
"……."
I spoke up, half on impulse.
"That... it wasn't a work issue. I've never once thought you were bad at your job, either."
"Huh?"
"It's just my own problem."
I swallowed hard. For some reason, I felt a bit keyed up.
"The thing is, I wasn't originally Park Moon-dae, but I'm living as Park Moon-dae now."
"……??"
"I couldn't exactly go around shouting that, so I had to keep it quiet."
"…Um?"
Just as I had with Keun Se-jin, I began to explain everything that had happened to Seon A-hyun.
"A few years ago, I woke up and found myself in someone else's body."
Having said it once before, the sentences came out in a more organized manner, but...
...This really isn't something one should do while sober.
"So, in my eyes, it's like a kind of hologram—"
"Pfft!"
"…One more laugh and you're out."
"Uh? This is my room, so Moon-dae should be the one leaving... My apologies. That plushie was a gift from a fan, Moon-dae-nim, please restrain yourself."
There were several critical moments where I desperately craved a drink, but I managed to get through the main points safely.
I'll tell him about Gold 2 or Cheong-ryeo later if necessary.
There was no need to dump too much complex information on someone who hadn't had a single hint until now.
With a few supplementary explanations from Keun Se-jin, I finished the story.
"…So, I'm just doing well now."
"……."
I finished, but... there was no reaction.
I spoke again, a bit hurriedly.
"It's such an unrealistic story that I couldn't bring it up easily. This guy only found out because he halfway caught me."
"That's right. I'm just that quick-witted, you know~ Park Moon-dae wasn't going to tell anyone, but I basically figured it all out myself!"
"……."
When I looked up, I saw Seon A-hyun's blank face.
He looked back and forth between Keun Se-jin and me a few times, then lowered his gaze slightly.
"…I, I see."
"Yeah."
Silence followed.
"……."
"……."
It lasted... longer than expected.
...? Why?
Why isn't he asking any questions?
Just as cold sweat began to form on the back of my neck, Seon A-hyun spoke again.
But he wasn't addressing me. He was talking to Keun Se-jin.
"…U-um. Se-jin, you heard all of this before, right?"
"Yeah. Not that long ago... it hasn't even been a few months."
"H-how... did you feel? When you first heard it."
"Hmm?"
Keun Se-jin shrugged.
"There's no reason for Moon-dae to lie about something like this, right?"
"…!"
"I have the Moon-dae I've seen until now... so I just thought, 'Oh, I see.'"
"……."
At Keun Se-jin's words, Seon A-hyun lowered his head again.
What is he thinking?
Why is he acting like that instead of asking me about the details? I mean, sure, it's pretty shocking content, but...
I bit my tongue.
Stop with the useless, excessive overthinking.
It's natural to be curious about what the person who heard it first thought.
Still...
I opened and closed my hands a few times before letting them rest and speaking.
"If it's hard to believe—"
But I couldn't finish the sentence.
Because Seon A-hyun answered.
"N-no. I believe you."
"…!"
He lifted his head, a faint smile on his somewhat pale face.
"Yeah... Y-you're right. I know Moon-dae isn't the kind of person to lie about something like this... of course I know."
"It... it must have been so hard for you, Moon-dae. You’ve been through so much."
For some reason, I felt a lump in my throat.
I had to clear my throat a few times before I could respond calmly.
"Well, I've made a lot of money and things turned out well. That's all that matters."
"Yeah……."
Seon A-hyun answered quietly.
"Still... if it's ever hard, please tell me."
"Moon-dae's going to be so reassured, right? You've got two backups now~ Oh, Cheong-woo hyung knows a bit too."
"……Ch-Cheong-woo hyung too...?"
"Ah, that hyung had some family circumstances involved..."
I watched as Seon A-hyun listened intently to Keun Se-jin's explanation.
Focus had returned to his face.
"……."
Did it... end okay?
Keun Se-jin finished his explanation with a joke.
"We aren't the same-age group from Idol Inc. for nothing. In the end, we're the only two who know Moon-dae's situation~ Be good to us, Moon-dae."
I ended up laughing too. Then, after a moment's thought, I held out my hand to Seon A-hyun.
"Yeah, I'm counting on you, A-hyun."
Seon A-hyun took it with a slightly trembling hand.
It was a bit cold, but his grip was firm.
"…Yeah!"
And when he gave that answer, the look in his eyes was unmistakably one of joy. That was enough.
Seon A-hyun's attitude didn't particularly change the next day, and I... I think I felt somewhat relieved.
A few days later.
A somewhat unique schedule came up.
"Hmm, tomorrow's the day we go to Yonhee University."
"Oh!"
It was a university festival schedule, returning after nearly two years.
It was only because our booking fees had skyrocketed last year; we had consistently gone to them at least once a year since our debut. Since we were from Idol Inc. and our debut song did well on the charts, we had enough public recognition for regular college students to listen and enjoy.
And since university festival performances were quite fun events, everyone's reaction was positive.
"Oh~ it's been a while. This should be fun."
"Right. That's an outdoor stage, isn't it?"
The conversation started like that, but after a few minutes, it drifted toward the topic of universities themselves. Well, that's how small talk in the car usually goes.
"…I'd like to try auditing a class if I get the chance later."
"I see. I don't regret taking courses at a cyber university to balance it with work, but I am curious about other options."
Cha Yu-jin shrugged his shoulders.
"I had a scholarship, but I came to Korea. I'm really amazing!"
"Wow."
"That really is impressive."
No one could argue with that. Even Kim Rae-bin was nodding.
"Why did you do that?"
"Hmm, because dancing is fun? [I just felt like it. I wanted to.]"
And since he'd clearly succeeded, it was hard to criticize him for kicking away a scholarship.
Even I, who had desperately maintained a scholarship while scraping by on money from selling idol data, ended up in a profession completely unrelated to my major.
"Hyung! Hyung, did you ever think about going to university?"
"Not really."
I didn't particularly want to go twice.
Thinking that, something came to mind about being forced to go twice... this time, I might actually have to go as a regular student, but I pushed the thought aside for now.
Phew...
I'm jealous of gold medalists and foreigners.
"OK~ let's just look at the campus! It's possible if we do it secretly!"
"Well... if there's time."
Listening to Cha Yu-jin's ridiculous suggestion, I checked the university festival on the schedule list with a rather strange feeling.
There was only one reason.
"Moon-dae-Moon-dae, this is the university you graduated from, right?"
"…Yeah."
As soon as Cha Yu-jin stopped tapping my shoulder from the back seat, Keun Se-jin whispered to me.
This was the university I had attended.
Is this the first time in this body?
I'd had no reason to come here.
And for this agency, university events were just a matter of quoting a high fee and picking the ones closest to other events on a first-come, first-served basis.
But this time, it seemed this school had offered the largest amount of money the fastest.
They're really blowing the students' tuition fees.
Those rich bastards kept raising tuition every year.
I twitched an eyebrow and flipped the schedule page. Beside me, Keun Se-jin leaned across me to whisper to Seon A-hyun, who was sitting on the other side.
"A-hyun, A-hyun~ they say this is the university Moon-dae used to attend."
"……I-I see."
Seon A-hyun asked me cautiously.
"How... do you feel?"
"…Well, it's just whatever."
I let out a short laugh.
"It's been a long time since I graduated, and they've completely overhauled the campus, so honestly, I don't feel much."
Keun Se-jin grinned.
"Understood, Big Bro."
"……."
Cut it out, you punk.
"Pffft..."
I suppressed a sigh as I heard Keun Se-jin trembling with suppressed laughter. Seon A-hyun smiled awkwardly.
Well... as long as we do a good job on stage.
It was our first Korean event in a while. I cracked my neck.
Our role was the finale.
If time permitted, we were in a position where we could perform three or four encores.
I don't think we'll have enough spare time to fill all that, though.
But as always, things in the world didn't necessarily go as expected.