Chapter 356
Chapter 356
“Don’t those two… even eat?”
“I’m hungry. We have to eat chicken.”
It had already been over an hour and a half since Park Moon-dae and Seon A-hyun had shut themselves in the room.
Bae Se-jin, who was sitting on the bed after willingly yielding his desk to Kim Rae-bin so he could work on the keyboard, thought anxiously.
No, not even a sound… Are they drinking or something?
Bae Se-jin even checked the fridge just in case, but there was no trace of alcohol. He knew it was a wild guess anyway, since no one had bought any in the first place.
I didn't think mediation was strictly necessary.
When Seon A-hyun had come in that morning, he had looked a bit dazed, but the atmosphere had seemed much less heavy.
Bae Se-jin tentatively spoke up.
“They’re… having a good conversation, right?”
A sharp answer came back immediately.
“That is correct! I have no idea why they borrowed my laptop, but I hope it was helpful for the two of them to have a deep conversation!”
“…Hm, right.”
Bae Se-jin decided to drop his suspicions. He felt a bit embarrassed, realizing he was the only one in the dorm overthinking things to this extent.
Still, I wish someone would check on them.
Should he text them to make sure they ate?
But not long after Bae Se-jin had been agonizing over it, Park Moon-dae poked his head out and called Ryu Cheong-woo and Lee Se-jin into the room.
The roommate and the same-age friend.
It was a selection that made the reason for the summons obvious.
As the eldest, Bae Se-jin almost felt a bit slighted, but he soon remembered his own conversational skills and understood.
No, he felt relieved.
I’m glad it wasn't me he called…
And as if by magic, that thought became a reality.
The two who had been called in only emerged two hours later, looking pale and exhausted.
Lee Se-jin didn't even say a word; he just waved his hand dismissively and disappeared into the kitchen to drink water.
“…?”
Bae Se-jin was bewildered.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well.”
Ryu Cheong-woo shook his head with a bitter smile.
“I just realized Moon-dae is really something else.”
“……Huh?”
“He was persuading him logically.”
This wasn't a debate; why was that word coming up here?
Bae Se-jin asked back reflexively.
“Persuading him of what?”
“Well, why he should reconcile with him?”
“…??”
Reconciling through logical persuasion.
Was such a thing… even possible?
But Ryu Cheong-woo added one more thing with a hollow laugh.
“He was good at it.”
“…??”
That… actually worked?
Bae Se-jin fell into deeper confusion.
However, it was true that something similar had been happening inside the room.
Good.
I nodded.
The two guys who had entered the room were quite useful for the various forms of proof I presented.
I correctly guessed the silent conversation held between Keun-dal and those three; I answered questions they had prepared in a random order; I described the drawing in Seon A-hyun’s hand after they had all drawn something and shuffled them around…
As the number of people increased, the process became astronomically more complex, and the loopholes for suspecting a trick grew smaller and smaller.
The final step was having Seon A-hyun come up with a method himself.
It’s like a freak show.
Every proof went smoothly. Thanks to Keun-dal even taking a day off to come here, there wasn't a single hitch.
Though Ryu Cheong-woo did look at me with a rather meaningful expression.
—I didn't know you could do things like this.
“…….”
He looked at me like I was a twin with telepathic powers.
Maybe I should have only called Keun Se-jin.
Regardless, both of them performed their roles faithfully. Especially Se-jin; as soon as Seon A-hyun’s guard lowered, he started hammering home the contradictions he had felt from me before.
—I’m telling you, Moon-dae’s curriculum was different from ours. Did you hear him talking about the CSAT subjects using the old terms? I thought I misheard him.
—He knows how to drive, too. Last time, he unconsciously gave the manager advice. A-hyun, you’ve never seen Park Moon-dae studying for a license, have you?
There were a few times I wanted to shut his mouth, but since it was highly effective in improving the situation, I let it slide.
And as time passed, Seon A-hyun began to propose testing methods more actively.
By that point, he seemed to have grown tired of being tense.
—T-Then… I-I’ll ask anything, and, u-um, that person can answer.
—Sure.
And now, after countless resets and repetitions.
“…….”
“…….”
Seon A-hyun was staring into space with a blank expression. He had completely abandoned his obsession with the notebook.
He was clutching onto it like a lifeline, but he’s finally let go.
The notebook was cluttered with questions and keywords.
Of course, they were all crossed out.
It was because I had pried into every doubt and suspicion Seon A-hyun held and crushed them one by one.
At this point, even he had to admit it.
That I wasn't just a crazy person, but that there was at least some substance to what I was saying.
“Do you have any other questions?”
“…….”
The room was quiet after the two guests left. After tidying up Kim Rae-bin’s computer, I sat across from Seon A-hyun.
I could hear Seon A-hyun swallow hard.
Then, he lifted his head.
“…N-No.”
Certainty returned to his eyes as he answered.
“I don’t.”
It was a firm answer, as if he had cleared away everything that was bothering him.
That’s it.
It was worth squeezing out everything I had for four hours.
I almost unclenched my fists but stopped.
“…Alright.”
It wasn't over yet. If I were to push him now with a ‘So you believe me, right?’, it would ruin everything.
If I end it like this, there will definitely be something that leaves a bad aftertaste later.
I decided to bring it up first.
“Of course, just because this nonsensical stuff is possible doesn't mean everything I said is the truth.”
“…! T-That’s.”
Ability and truth are not the same thing. Just because some crazy guy can do things like magic doesn't mean every word out of his mouth is true.
That’s just a con artist’s tactic.
So, I had to say this.
A preemptive strike.
“But there’s no benefit for me to gain by lying about this.”
“…….”
“As you know, frankly speaking, there aren't many worldly values we need more of in our current position.”
Money, fame, social status.
We were currently at the very peak of this short-lived profession. Unless we were facing a decline in a few years, there was no reason to be obsessed with those things now.
Because we already had them.
Even looking at it objectively, the idol ‘Park Moon-dae’ was in a state where both his desire for wealth and recognition were satisfied.
“There’s no reason for me to go out of my way to say crazy things using this ability.”
And surprisingly, Seon A-hyun replied immediately.
“I-I never… thought that.”
“…!”
“I-I never thought… Moon-dae was lying.”
“…I see.”
I didn't expect to hear that.
But it didn't feel bad.
—Y-You’re right. I know… Moon-dae isn't the kind of person to lie about something like this.
What he said back then… was sincere.
The brief flashback ended.
…Thanks to that, I could move on to the next part without delay.
After a short pause, I continued.
“Then, let’s look at the hypothesis that I’m just hallucinating that I’m someone else.”
Why that wasn't plausible.
Why the premise of ‘Park Moon-dae’ hallucinating that he was ‘Ryu Gun-woo’ was awkward.
To prove that…
I gave a bitter smile.
“‘Ryu Gun-woo’… as you know now, didn't exactly live a life that ‘Park Moon-dae’ would be envious of.”
“…!”
Both were orphans who were busy just trying to make a living.
One might feel a sense of kinship, but to go as far as hallucinating being the other… well, there would have to be something to envy or something better about that person for it to make sense.
“If Park Moon-dae had lost his mind and mistaken himself for someone else, it wouldn't have been that guy.”
Maybe if it were Ryu Cheong-woo, but Ryu Gun-woo didn't qualify.
“So, honestly, that hypothesis doesn't add up either.”
And unlike that hypothesis, I had spent hours providing proof to support my claim.
Seon A-hyun looked at me with trembling eyes.
I relaxed my hands.
“This is all I’ve prepared.”
“…….”
“I think I’ve done everything I can. Honestly, at this point, there’s no more way for me to prove anything.”
I spoke truthfully.
Since I had talked for so long without leaving a single gap, I was fully entitled to say this.
“I’ve mobilized everyone I could, and I’ve said everything I could say.”
Seon A-hyun nodded slowly.
The atmosphere felt like he was about to say, ‘You’re right, Moon-dae. I get it, I believe you now.’
I let out a small chuckle.
“So… I won’t ask what you think.”
“H-Huh?”
With his personality, wasn't it obvious? If he were to admit that I was actually fine after he had made such a fuss telling me to go to the hospital, what would happen?
He’d probably blame himself until his head hurt.
There was no need to watch that happen. So… let’s soften it.
“It can’t all sink in at once. Take your time and doubt me as much as you want. Keep doing it.”
“K-Keep…?”
“Yeah. If you have doubts in the future, you can ask me anything, and I’ll keep answering.”
“……”
Seon A-hyun’s mouth hung open.
Since he wasn't the type to talk with malice, setting this kind of boundary was fine.
Actually, after going this far, I wondered if anyone would still not believe me, but honestly, isn't it normal to believe at this point?
Still, I was just setting up a buffer.
I’ll get an ‘okay’ here.
I looked at him with near certainty.
“T-Thank you… Moon-dae.”
However, Seon A-hyun didn't just nod reluctantly.
“But, y-you don’t have to do that… i-it’s okay.”
“…!”
“I-I… showed you a lot of, u-unreliable behavior.”
Seon A-hyun clenched both his hands tightly.
“But, M-Moon-dae talked so long and so hard, I-I’m not so… so far gone that I can’t admit it myself. A-And if I ever have doubts…”
Seon A-hyun took a breath.
“I-I will definitely… think it through first, organize my thoughts, r-research it… and only when it still doesn't go away, o-only then. I’ll ask.”
“…….”
“I really… believe you. M-Moon-dae.”
Good grief.
“Alright.”
I held out my hand to Seon A-hyun. Seon A-hyun reached out and took it. This time, it wasn't that cold.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Yeah.”
It was the first handshake we’d had in days.
Finally, Park Moon-dae and Seon A-hyun came out into the living room.
And seeing the atmosphere between the two, everyone in TeSTAR realized that the conflict had been resolved.
“Good job! The winner gets chicken!”
“Cha Yu-jin! Your manners…”
“Fine. You buy it instead.”
“…! If Moon-dae-hyung says so…”
“No, not you.”
A few typical playful exchanges followed.
And that night, around the time the leader made a call to the company regarding the schedule with a smile.
“A-hyun~”
“Yeah.”
When Seon A-hyun, who was standing on the balcony, turned his head, Lee Se-jin stood beside him with a grin.
“Why are you here alone? Aren't you eating chicken?”
“I-I’m okay.”
Seon A-hyun gave a faint smile.
“A-hyun must have a lot on his mind.”
Lee Se-jin chuckled, bumping shoulders with him. The atmosphere softened.
However, Seon A-hyun didn't wave it off or let his feelings spill out.
“…Yeah. A little.”
He just gave a plain answer. But Lee Se-jin hit the nail on the head.
“Hmm… are you worried that you could have done a bit better?”
“……!”
That was it.
After the conflict was resolved and he could finally look back at the incident without any lingering issues, Seon A-hyun made an objective judgment.
…I wasn't thinking rationally.
The moment he first heard Park Moon-dae’s story, he had been consumed by fear, and as a result, he had been buried under it.
So, without even calmly asking Lee Se-jin or Ryu Cheong-woo, who already knew the situation, he had let the anxiety within him grow wildly.
This conflict was a product of his own weakness.
He wanted to confess this fact right away.
Seon A-hyun opened his mouth.
“Yeah, m-maybe a little. I-I guess so. I’ll have to do better next time.”
But what came out of his mouth was only a light admission.
“Okay, Se-jin will do the same~”
“F-Fighting.”
Seon A-hyun decided not to repeatedly chew over the conclusion and offer admissions and apologies to those around him.
Because… that’s just me wanting my own heart to be at peace.
Doing that would only be more burdensome for Park Moon-dae and a source of pain for the team.
Going through this whole ordeal, Seon A-hyun had felt one thing keenly.
If you want to ask someone to share your burden, you must first carry your own properly.
Only when you appear to have room to spare can you share a burden.
It wasn't about trying hard to prove his worth all of a sudden, but about actually becoming that kind of person.
My share is something I have to handle on my own.
However, Seon A-hyun would keep the fact that he hadn't believed Park Moon-dae as a subject for his own self-reflection and refinement.
Without borrowing anyone else’s judgment, Seon A-hyun made that decision.
By himself.
So, he concluded the conversation in a surprisingly light tone.
“U-Um, shall we go eat c-chicken?”
“Oh~ sounds good.”
The two standing on the balcony left and returned to the living room. It was an ordinary return.
But within him, he had finished a resolution that was anything but ordinary.
And the next morning.
“O-Oh, hi. Moon-dae.”
“Yeah….”
Coming out of his room and meeting Seon A-hyun, Park Moon-dae saw something he hadn't expected.
[Trait: Perseverance]
[!Status Effect: Lack of Self-Esteem (Inactivated)]
“……?”
Seon A-hyun’s status effect had returned to an inactivated state.
Without any help.
What?
Park Moon-dae had been planning to quickly proceed with the plan to reactivate the trait starting today, based on the trust recovered through yesterday’s crazy five-hour relay of proof.
Did I see it wrong?
For a moment, Park Moon-dae almost narrowed his eyes and stared at Seon A-hyun.
But he saw something else first.
[Perseverance (S): One's mindset is of one's own making. Thus, one can bear it entirely.
- When activated, offsets mental-type status effects. (Can be applied cumulatively)]
“M-Moon-dae…?”
Park Moon-dae read the sentence that caught his eye once more.
[One's mindset is of one's own making.]
That was it.
He didn't know what kind of change in heart had occurred, but overnight, Seon A-hyun had broken through his slump on his own and reactivated his trait.
Perhaps Park Moon-dae would only ever be able to guess the mechanism behind it in the future…
But… isn't that fine?
Since he overcame it himself, Seon A-hyun would know.
Despite having cursed it as a cheat trait before, Park Moon-dae looked at Seon A-hyun with a sense of pride.
…Of course, if a problem were to arise just in case, he would thoroughly investigate from cause to effect to find a solution.
But not today.
“Let’s eat.”
“U-Uh-huh…!”
The next day, TeSTAR resumed their activities as scheduled, along with a statement announcing their ‘recovery of condition.’
And while they were getting back on track, the first Billboard rankings were announced.
It was the start of a great upheaval.