Chapter 475
Chapter 475
For now, the matter was settled among us.
We couldn't work with the current Cha Yu-jin.
Whether it was an individual schedule, a short event, or the group reality show we had barely managed to book.
"It can't be helped."
"Mmm."
…But was it really okay for the persuasion to end just like that, after only one ten-minute attempt on the balcony?
It was convenient for me since the conversation went quickly, but still, a whole month's schedule had been set based on this.
"Hey, if Moon-dae says it’s a no-go, then it’s a no-go."
"Right."
"……."
If they say so.
"Then let's cite health issues around next week and pull Yu-jin from the schedule entirely."
"Yes, sir. And if we push back the reality show broadcast a bit, we can film Yu-jin separately once he's back and edit him in…."
"Got it. I'll call the PD first thing tomorrow morning about that."
Now that we had a stake in the company, handling these minute details ourselves felt a little less unfair.
Anyway, after quickly tidying up the situation.
I spoke briefly to Bae Se-jin, who was clutching his script.
I figured I should at least offer.
"Hyung."
"Wh-what?"
"Do you want to swap rooms?"
"…What?"
"I know you tend to feel uncomfortable around strangers. You have more schedules lately, so it’d be better if you could relax in your room."
…That was half-true, but the real reason was that Steer Cha Yu-jin seemed uncomfortable with him, and I figured the atmosphere in that room would be terrible.
However, Bae Se-jin, who I thought would jump at the chance, actually scoffed.
"Forget it. I'm not that sensitive."
"……."
His self-awareness… well, never mind.
‘He’s so busy with filming that he basically only uses the room to sleep anyway.’
The probability was extremely high that the two of them would just stay silent and mind their own business.
It was better to leave it be than to keep pushing and risk creating a new variable, like a conflict.
‘As long as he doesn't get a stomach ulcer from the stress, it’s fine.’
"Okay."
I decided to wait and see for now. I made a mental note to keep my door open, just in case.
What I hadn't considered, however, was that Bae Se-jin had grown quite confident and motivated in his role as the eldest hyung.
That was why, two days later in the middle of the night, when a shout erupted from that room—
"…!!"
‘Shit.’
"Moon-dae, just now—"
"Yeah."
I instinctively bolted out of bed, my mind racing with assumptions.
‘The worst-case scenario happened, damn it.’
Steer Cha Yu-jin must have finally lost his temper, or maybe he got confused in his sleep!
‘That bastard said he knew he was someone else and promised to keep his distance, but was he just talking out of his….’
But when the members rushed out and peered into the room.
"Don't talk like that!"
The one shouting… was Bae Se-jin, at Cha Yu-jin.
‘…?’
"Wh-what's going on?"
Seriously, what was happening?
A few days ago.
‘Phew.’
Bae Se-jin took a short breath and stood in front of his room.
He had confidently told Park Moon-dae that he was "fine" earlier… but in truth, he was a bit nervous.
Living in the same space as an unfamiliar person was still an ordeal for him.
The same went for this Cha Yu-jin, who had changed into a different person. He was a stranger, plain and simple.
‘Still… I’ve grown, too.’
He was no longer a child who would storm out or blindly avoid a situation just because it was uncomfortable.
He could face the situation!
Besides, he had been roommates with Cha Yu-jin for over a year now. He figured that since it was the same body, he could endure it through sheer habit.
‘…Alright.’
He pushed the door open with determination.
Thud.
"……."
But Cha Yu-jin didn't look back.
No, he didn't even spare him a glance. He was just lying on his bed, tossing and catching an American football.
‘Ugh.’
Bae Se-jin gave a one-sided nod toward Cha Yu-jin (a gesture he immediately regretted) and lay down on his own bed.
‘Sigh…….’
He opened his script, but his mind was restless.
He wasn't sure if he was offended, upset, or just feeling a sense of duty.
But… regardless of his emotions, he couldn't help but be a little curious.
‘What… was I like?’
The version of himself that this Cha Yu-jin knew—the one who went through Idol Inc. without 'Park Moon-dae.'
He could make an educated guess.
Judging by how unfriendly this Cha Yu-jin was, he probably hadn't debuted.
And since he had been uncooperative throughout Idol Inc., Yu-jin might only remember him by that first impression.
In fact, that was highly likely.
‘Anyway, I would have gained some recognition, so maybe I was acting….’
But if he had stayed with 'Dream K,' it was unlikely he was doing anything worthwhile.
"……."
He knew these were useless thoughts. It wasn't something he was currently experiencing anyway.
‘It’s all just speculation in the end….’
It was just a mentally draining guessing game. But this tendency to spiral deep into thought was one of Bae Se-jin's defining traits.
‘…Stop it!’
But he had learned how to challenge himself now!
He took another deep breath and cleared his mind of pointless thoughts.
Instead, he read through his script once and went to bed.
After managing his anxiety and diligently carrying out his schedule, he moved again the next night at the same time.
He had prepared a secret weapon.
"…Want some?"
Bae Se-jin pulled a recycled paper bag out of a box by his bedside and held it out to Cha Yu-jin.
It was the snack Cha Yu-jin usually loved most among Bae Se-jin's stash.
Handmade candy!
His mother would buy them from an acquaintance's handmade candy shop and send them to him periodically. Yu-jin used to crave them so much, saying they tasted like "home"….
"Oh, Nope."
"……."
He used to crave them.
-Hyung, buy a lot of these! I like them.
-…I’ll ask my mom.
-Oh!!
‘…You ate the brownies, though!’
Bae Se-jin suddenly missed his loud, talkative roommate terribly….
Suppressing the surge of emotion, he pushed on with his next words.
"Ahem, right. Well, um, and under your bed, there are the snacks and hobby stuff you used to keep. If you’re bored… feel free to use them."
"Got it."
He agreed verbally.
But on the bed, the current Cha Yu-jin didn't move. It meant he didn't even intend to look for them.
It was a polite dismissal.
"……."
Until now, Bae Se-jin hadn't been entirely sure because they had mostly interacted in a group setting.
But now that they were talking one-on-one, the sensitive Bae Se-jin noticed it immediately.
‘…What is with him?’
Contempt.
Hostility, a condescending attitude.
As someone who was accustomed to and sensitive to such things, Bae Se-jin instantly picked up on Steer Cha Yu-jin’s very subtle non-verbal cues.
Even if the other person wasn't trying to show it, the sensitive Se-jin could read it.
"……."
Bae Se-jin didn't get angry.
Instead, he turned back to his script, but his heart was pounding.
‘What is it?’
Why is he… acting like that toward me? Was it because I didn't debut in Idol Inc. in his world… and became a pathetic loser?
Come to think of it, he’s especially like this toward me….
‘St-stop it.’
This felt like a victim complex. And he didn't want to be someone who was swayed by a single person's attitude anymore!
Bae Se-jin tried to calm his mind and return his gaze to the script.
That was when it happened.
"Are you close with the 'me' here?"
"…!"
Cha Yu-jin… had spoken.
Of course, his tone wasn't friendly. It was almost like a mutter to himself, something said offhandedly. It even sounded a bit incredulous.
Bae Se-jin answered earnestly.
"Since we're in the same group… ahem, and we share a room."
"Umm, isn't this a new dorm?"
He meant that since they had just become roommates in a new place, they couldn't have shared it for more than a few days.
But Bae Se-jin shook his head.
"We just moved, but we were roommates for over a year before that. We’re using the same roommate pairings as the previous dorm for now."
"……."
Cha Yu-jin fell silent, but something suddenly flashed in Bae Se-jin's mind.
‘Oh?’
It was the next part of the conversation. It felt as if the words were being typed out in his head, clicking into place like a script.
‘Then….’
Wait, could this be an opportunity?
"Actually, that’s going to change soon."
Bae Se-jin swallowed hard and spoke up more proactively.
"I think we'll be changing roommates once we start filming the reality show."
A brief glance came his way, as if asking, 'So?'
Bae Se-jin spoke as gently as possible, trying to mimic Ryu Cheong-woo's eloquent manner.
"So, I was wondering if you’d be willing to participate in that one filming session if there’s a specific room you want to use."
"……."
"So that you can get the room you want while we're filming…."
"I don't care. Any room, with anyone."
Why is this jerk’s Korean so good…!
Bae Se-jin wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, but the point he wanted to make was in the next part anyway.
"…Right. But! It’s uncomfortable. If you don't, you’ll have to stay somewhere other than the dorm while we're filming. And, well, you won't be able to go out much."
Since they would publicly say Cha Yu-jin was sick, he would have to stay in a hospital or a hotel.
‘It’ll be very stifling. In that case, it might be better to say it’s a leg injury or something, skip the performances, but at least appear in the group reality show….’
Bae Se-jin was about to calmly organize his thoughts and explain why this would be better for Cha Yu-jin, too.
He heard a laugh.
It was a scoff.
"Why should I do that?"
…What?
"I'm fine with leaving the dorm."
Cha Yu-jin looked at Bae Se-jin with a blank expression, as if he had never laughed.
"But where I live then is up to me. It's my body, and I'll do what I want. OK?"
"……."
Bae Se-jin couldn't answer for a moment.
It wasn't because he had nothing to say.
‘This is….’
Until now, Bae Se-jin had tried his best to understand this Cha Yu-jin's perspective.
How confusing and difficult must it be to suddenly drop into a strange environment with different memories, without anyone else in the same situation?
Compared to how he had been during Idol Inc., this Cha Yu-jin was a saint.
He truly thought that.
‘But,’
Even so, declaring that he would do whatever he wanted, regardless of the immense trouble it might cause the 'TeSTAR Cha Yu-jin' who originally owned that body….
‘That’s just violence.’
Stealing someone else's clothes just because you're cold wasn't something to be taken for granted.
That wasn't individualism; it was selfishness.
That was what he thought. And so,
"No."
Bae Se-jin’s expression hardened.
"What are you talking about?"
Dawn.
Bae Se-jin's voice echoed through the room.
"I understand that you're confused and having a hard time. But… that doesn't mean you can just do whatever you want."
"……."
"I'm saying this because I've tried taking my stress out on others before and had to apologize for it."
"Um, hyung-nim."
Keun Se-jin cautiously intervened.
"Did Yu-jin say something? Um…."
"…He said he’s pulling out of the reality show filming. And that he’ll have to leave the dorm for a bit then…."
Bae Se-jin clenched his fists.
"He said he’d just wander around on his own, however he likes."
"…!"
"And he says he’s going to do whatever he wants for the next month, too!"
Ah, damn it.
I looked over at Steer Cha Yu-jin. He was still staring at Bae Se-jin. It felt like they had already exchanged a few heated words.
I should check…. No, trying to figure out who’s right or wrong will only escalate things.
I’ll try a standard de-escalation first.
I deliberately didn't mirror Bae Se-jin's anger and spoke to Cha Yu-jin calmly.
"We used 'health reasons' as the excuse for Cha Yu-jin's absence. That’s the most plausible reason."
"……."
Even this version of Cha Yu-jin, who had been an idol, would acknowledge that.
"So, if you don't mind, I'd like you to act in a way that somewhat fits that reason."
[Say whatever you want.]
Cha Yu-jin replied in a low voice.
[Because I'm going to do the same.]
Shit.
This guy is pissed off, too.
‘So you think we’ve crossed the line, huh?’
I started trying to avoid thinking of extreme measures that would definitely solve the problem but were too drastic.
That was when it happened.
[We didn't… drag you into this situation. We're just a few people caught up in this mess, just like you.]
A calm English voice spoke.
It was Seon A-hyun.
He chose his words very politely.
[I believe we've done our best to show you as much consideration as possible. If there was anything lacking, are you willing to make up for it through communication?]
"……."
Cha Yu-jin was silent.
Then, he let out a low sigh.
"Your 'consideration' has a purpose. That's not consideration; it's control. Control."
What?
[To put it simply, 'Don't do anything that will hinder our Cha Yu-jin's career when he returns.']
"…!"
[All your attention is focused there. I'm not blaming you. But you can't blame me either. So….]
Steer Cha Yu-jin moved his neck.
[TeSTAR? I'm sorry, but I don't give a damn.]
And the next moment.
"…!!"
He walked past the room and headed for the front door.
"Wait,"
"What is he doing?"
Everyone reacted half a beat late to the overly sudden situation.
It didn't help that Ryu Cheong-woo was standing the furthest away, and more than anything, the sheer unfamiliarity of the guy made everyone hesitate.
‘Damn it.’
I immediately tried to force-lock the front door with my pad, but he opened it first.
And in an instant, he got into the elevator and pressed the close button.
"Hey!"
Which meant,
‘…He called the elevator in advance.’
This bastard… had he planned to leave all along?
It was just as I was gritting my teeth and looking at the front door.
"Cha Yu-jin!"
"……."
The closed elevator didn't open, but Kim Rae-bin asked.
"Where are you going?"
I saw his lips move.
‘I don’t know.’
And then the elevator went down.
Steer Cha Yu-jin had left the dorm just like that.