Chapter 478
Chapter 478
This is incredibly awkward.
This situation, I mean.
“What were you interested in?”
“...”
“Which activities did you watch?”
“Just... everything in general.”
Wasn't it Cha Yu-jin who ran away from the dorm?
I don’t know why the atmosphere has shifted to make it feel like I’m the one being interrogated.
‘I thought you didn’t want to talk about Steer.’
I never expected to have my past pried open in a Ganghwa Island restaurant by the very guy I barely managed to find after staying up all night...
‘But it’s not like I can just not answer.’
Looking at the situation, it seems Kim Rae-bin managed to soothe him enough that he’s finally let his guard down. I can’t be the one to mess that up.
So, I kept answering his questions, but they were endless.
“Why did you watch us?”
Dammit.
‘Was the Cha Yu-jin of this world also a "Question Mark Murderer"?’
I should just consider it a good thing that he feels familiar. I had no choice but to maintain my composure.
Meanwhile, Steer’s Cha Yu-jin began to make his questions more specific.
“[I mean], there must have been a reason, a catalyst, right?”
“...”
Hmm.
I looked at him.
Steer’s Cha Yu-jin had become blunt, as if he had lowered one of the hurdles he’d kept up for the past few days.
This meant I couldn't give a vague, half-hearted answer. I realized this sharp-witted brat would catch on immediately.
Fine.
‘So that’s how it is.’
Trying to use my head to sugarcoat this would only backfire.
So... I just started saying whatever came to mind.
It was a story I had never told anyone before.
“I saw a stage fancam, and you were good.”
“...”
“I think it was a festival in Pohang.”
Actually, I remembered the name roughly. It was the Pohang Sea Festival hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
[2X0712 Pohang Ocean Leisure Festival Steer Full]
It was a coincidence.
“Back when I was in university, I used to take videos of idol events... to earn some living expenses. The habit stuck, so I was browsing idol videos and happened to see it.”
And the instincts from my days as a data seller were still there back then.
The kind of instinct that calculated, ‘How much would these guys be worth?’
So, I had reflexively looked up their market price, and I was quite shocked.
‘Because it was lower than my predicted price.’
It was even at a point where demand was falling.
‘I could see people pulling out.’
Unless there was some massive positive catalyst for a rebound, they were an idol group clearly destined to fizzle out.
And yet, whenever I watched Steer’s performances, I didn't see that lethargy typical of ‘people who know it’s already too late.’
That was why I thought I had miscalculated their value.
“...”
...Perhaps because of that, I think I suddenly had this thought.
—What if I filmed them and uploaded a fancam? Is there a chance a jackpot might hit by luck?
Just like with Young-rin’s heavy rain fancam.
But I knew it was a delusion that was statistically almost impossible, and I had neither the money nor the time to carry it out.
‘And I had no reason to do it in the first place.’
So, that was where it ended.
“...As I kept watching, the WeTube algorithm showed me related videos. Stages, variety shows, things like that. That’s all.”
“...”
Truly, that was all.
I fell silent, and Cha Yu-jin fell silent as well.
‘It doesn’t seem like... he’s doubting me.’
...That was enough.
I held back a short sigh. This should be enough of an explanation.
“...? ...??”
Beside us, Kim Rae-bin seemed to be struggling to follow the conversation, barely processing it, but I’d deal with him later.
Right now, I was too busy looking out for my own skin.
‘Actually, it’s ridiculous to even talk about this now.’
To be precise, until recently, I had even forgotten that I had looked up the group Steer.
I had entered Park Moon-dae’s body with my memories of that period missing. My memories as a civil service exam student in my 20s, possessing only fragmentary information that the <Idol Inc.> re-listing season had been a hit, were the end of it.
It was only very recently that I regained the memories of Ryu Gun-woo, who had given up on the exam and was living a corporate life.
‘I recovered them by chance when I was smashing the system.’
So, a question like this...
“Then... are you our fan?”
“...”
No, I’m telling you, the conversation shouldn't have reached this point!
“I’ve never been to an offline schedule, so it’s hard to call me a fan, isn't it?”
“Really?”
But Cha Yu-jin smirked.
Look at this guy?
“[So, you’re saying it’s just a coincidence that after you, who originally didn't participate, appeared on a survival program, a B-list boy band became a perfectly successful K-pop group?]”
“...”
“[You had absolutely no desire to change this group’s fate. Right?]”
Hey.
‘I was threatened with death if I didn't debut, you punk...!’
Fate, my foot.
Since then, I’ve barely survived, facing death if I didn't get 1st place and death if I didn't win a Grand Prize.
I couldn't bring myself to say that, so I silently suppressed my irritation.
But a doubt did cross my mind.
‘Was it really a coincidence?’
Could it be that because I was interested in the group Steer from <Idol Inc.>, the system figured that out and granted my wish?
‘...It’s a possibility.’
Anyway, let’s calmly clear up the misunderstanding.
I answered sincerely.
“It’s really a misunderstanding. This is likely a kind of butterfly effect.”
“Umm.”
“My memories were a bit tangled, too.”
After giving a slight supplementary explanation about my situation, I emphasized once more.
“Setting everything else aside, in the first place, all I did was watch a few of your stages and variety shows.”
But it didn't work.
“[A boy band where half the members disappeared due to gossip, leaving only three?]”
“...That’s why, before I knew about all that, I saw the stage fancams first...”
This isn't working. We keep circling back to the same point...
‘Be patient.’
I suppressed a groan, silently closing and opening my eyes.
Cha Yu-jin was now leaning completely against the table, tilting his head. It looked as if he had regained his composure, replacing his wariness with leisure.
And beside him, Kim Rae-bin was nodding as if he finally understood.
“Ah! So that is why you recommended Ganghwa Island immediately!”
“What?”
This is driving me crazy.
“It is true that this is a place we visited during our trainee days, but according to Cha Yu-jin, it was also the filming location for his group’s first variety show. It seems Moon-dae hyung was aware of that fact. As expected!”
“...”
That punk acted like he would never talk about Steer, so when did he spill everything to Kim Rae-bin?
Wait, he’s still talking.
“That’s right. Umm, the second one was Ganghwa Island too.”
“I see!”
Hmm?
I furrowed my brows.
This... is a bit strange.
‘The second Steer reality show was definitely planned for Ganghwa Island.’
But you see.
“Wasn't that cancel—”
“Oh.”
“...”
“...”
Shit.
I realized it immediately.
‘This brat baited me.’
He intentionally tested me to see if I even knew about the canceled schedules.
And a schedule from early in their debut, at that.
‘This little...!’
Cha Yu-jin chuckled and adjusted his posture. I rubbed the bridge of my nose.
I tried to fact-check him immediately because I was afraid he’d say something crazy like my memory was faulty again or the timelines were different, and he used that to bait me?
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“OK.”
“I said it’s a misunderstanding.”
I’m someone who has never even bought a single one of your albums...
‘You can find out this kind of information just by organizing a timeline.’
But Cha Yu-jin didn't even pretend to listen.
“[I think everything has become clear now.]”
Cha Yu-jin held out his hand.
He was quite polite.
“Nice to meet you.”
“...”
“It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen a fan.”
Dammit.
I... reached out and shook his hand.
“...!”
Why are you surprised when you were the one who held out your hand?
...And while it’s hard to call myself a fan, it’s true that I warded off boredom with the content he provided without spending a single cent.
I suppose you could call that a debt.
“Yeah, nice to meet you too.”
“...”
Steer’s Cha Yu-jin continued the handshake in silence for quite a while.
Then he suddenly shrugged.
“‘Moon-dae hyung’ must be disappointed. I’m more handsome than this Cha Yu-jin.”
That’s a statement that might be a bit debatable.
“Do you have a reason to be so confident?”
“I have a tattoo here!”
“What?!”
Leaving the two of them to play—Cha Yu-jin pointing at his forearm and Kim Rae-bin looking horrified...
Anyway, I think it’s settled now.
‘...I fixed it, right?’
If I had known it would come to this, I should have just said I was a fan from the start—no, since I wasn't a real fan, saying that might have only increased his suspicion, so maybe this was for the best.
‘Since it seems he’s less stressed now, this is the best outcome...’
Pressing my aching brow, I leaned forward to pour some water.
It was then.
Liquid splattered onto the table.
It wasn't water.
“M-Moon-dae hyung?”
Ah, dammit.
A nosebleed.
*
“Are you alright? Perhaps we should go to the emergency room...”
“I told you I’m fine.”
I muttered, removing the ice pack from my nose, which had already stopped bleeding.
It’s the first time I’ve had a nosebleed just from staying up all night. It didn't even happen during <Idol Inc.>; I really needed a Bacchus.
‘Did my brain overload because I had too much to do?’
It felt like the blood rushed to my head and the pressure tried to escape through my nose.
Anyway, if anything, it meant my head had cleared.
“I’m starting to see people.”
“Yes. We must be careful.”
We were currently sitting on portable chairs under a parasol in front of a convenience store.
There were only a few people visible on the distant beach, and since we all had our hoodies pulled down and were wearing masks, no one had recognized us yet.
But since we didn't know when someone might show up, we needed to take a taxi back soon...
“Hey, drink this.”
This guy is the problem.
‘I don’t know if he’ll follow us obediently.’
“Thanks.”
Regardless, I opened the ionic drink Cha Yu-jin handed me and took a sip. Then I paused for a moment.
“...”
Isn't this the drink Steer advertised early in their debut?
“Wow, Moon-dae hyung knows that too?”
“Knows what.”
I just read it in the advertisement tab of the Steer Wiki.
I continued drinking.
Then, I heard a small voice from beside me.
“I’m sorry.”
“...”
“Are you disappointed in me, by any chance?”
“No.”
I pulled the drink away from my lips.
“I should have been more attentive, but I wasn't, so if anything, I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“...”
I added, like a joke.
“We came out after fighting with T1, you see.”
“What?”
It was... indeed something to be that shocked about.
“So all schedules related to T1 were blocked. Because of that, I cared more about our reputation. I was anxious.”
“...”
“I’m sorry if you felt controlled. You’re right. We, who just met, had no right to do that.”
Kim Rae-bin was right.
I glanced at the guy sitting next to me, who was busy packing the remaining ice packs.
He sat there looking seriously worried about my nosebleed, with a face that didn't have a clue that he had just achieved a massive social feat.
‘Good grief.’
It was then.
“Hey.”
Cha Yu-jin wrinkled his nose and shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m not trash.”
What are you talking about all of a sudden?
“I feel grateful to fans. Since Moon-dae hyung is our fan, I’m grateful.”
“I’ve never even bought an album, so what are you talking about?”
“[...Some values might not be related to money.]”
The guy, who made a statement unlike someone from the heart of capitalism, rested his head on his knees while still propping up his chin.
“Thank you.”
“...”
I finished the rest of my drink.
“Thank you, too.”
We called a taxi from there and returned to the dorm.
Cha Yu-jin didn't talk back or try to run away. He just quietly chatted with Kim Rae-bin and naturally boarded the taxi with us.
And it would have been great if everything had been resolved with that.
“Yu-Yujin!”
“...Thank goodness.”
If only I hadn't spotted Ryu Cheong-woo, whose complexion didn't look good at all, among the guys welcoming the situation.
‘What is it?’
I felt a strong premonition that things were about to go south.
“Cheong-woo hyung, did something happen?”
“...Hmm.”
That means yes. Dammit.
“I got a call from the company... but this is just the staff’s guess. Don’t worry too much and just listen.”
“...”
“They say Iter is appearing as a special guest at an event called Summer Pool today.”
What?
I realized the hidden meaning behind those words.
“...It wasn't an original schedule, but suddenly?”
“Suddenly.”
That’s right.
Iter had suddenly decided to appear at an event similar to but smaller than Waterbomb today, for a fee that was close to nothing.
But why did our company hear about that and contact us in a hurry?
“Apparently... it seems word about Yu-jin leaked from the company.”
“...”
In other words, the fact that Cha Yu-jin had run away reached the ears of their representatives through someone at our company...
“If you guys hadn't found Yu-jin, an article might have come out this evening.”
The other side’s representatives had anticipated that this Waterbomb event would become a disaster for TeSTAR.
And to provide a point of comparison, they hurriedly squeezed Iter into a similar but smaller-scale event.
‘Shit.’
They’re smart.
‘This way, even the small scale can be story-told as a rookie’s passion and spirit.’
They were aiming for word-of-mouth by contrasting themselves with a top-tier idol member who ran away because he was successful and full of himself, or an idol group that canceled Waterbomb.
But that was only assuming Cha Yu-jin had completely gone off the rails.
“...Yes. But since Cha Yu-jin has returned safely, the effect that agency is aiming for won't happen.”
“Yeah. That’s why I told you not to worry too much. I thought you’d be more anxious later if I didn't tell you.”
“...”
That’s true.
Ryu Cheong-woo smiled faintly.
“Anyway, get some rest. I can handle the communication with the company. Until the event... hmm, I think you can sleep for about four hours.”
“Hmm.”
That won't do.
“No, we need to practice our formation one more time. We need to check the parts, too. Since the center is missing, I think we need to be more careful.”
To begin with, if we were to perform the song—which was made assuming Cha Yu-jin’s presence—without him, we had to coordinate even more precisely.
But Ryu Cheong-woo shook his head.
“Your complexion is too bad right now. ...Then, let’s just sleep for now. We’ll coordinate first, so...”
“Is there a group schedule this evening?”
“...!”
I almost jumped.
Cha Yu-jin suddenly barged into the conversation.
‘What?’
Even though he asked if there was a schedule, he didn't seem particularly curious, as if he had been listening intently to the conversation.
“...That’s right. It’s an event.”
“Is it a problem because ‘Cha Yu-jin’ isn't there?”
“...A little.”
“Umm.”
Steer’s Cha Yu-jin looked into the air for a moment as if lost in thought.
Then he even glanced back at Kim Rae-bin.
...No way?
“[It’s half my fault that you even had a nosebleed.] I have a sense of responsibility, too. So...”
“...??”
“I have to do the schedule this evening.”
“...!!”
“R-Really?!”
“I don’t lie.”
“Cha Yu-jin!!”
The living room was filled with admiration, screams, and confusion.
I almost let my jaw drop as well.
‘...I never imagined this.’
Steer’s Cha Yu-jin joined the temporary schedule.
And at Waterbomb, no less.
However, a moment later.
“Moon-dae, Moon-dae, just a second.”
“Yeah.”
Keun Se-jin cautiously called me aside.
“It’s really great that Yu-jin is cooperating... but you know there are only a few hours left until Waterbomb, right?”
Keun Se-jin spoke quickly and accurately.
“If he can’t do as well as our Yu-jin, it might be better for him to just sit out. We’ve already settled everything by saying it’s a health issue anyway.”
“...”
“What do you think?”
It was a reasonable concern and a cold-headed judgment.
If I didn't have other information, I would have nodded as well. But...
I smirked.
“I don’t think you need to worry.”
“...!”
“Let’s start practicing right away.”
No other words were necessary.
Because I knew that after just one round of the choreography, his worries would vanish.
‘No, rather...’
If anything, another emotion would take its place.
“...Okay.”
And 30 minutes later.
“...!”
Let’s just say my prediction came true.
And so, the time for Waterbomb was approaching.