Chapter 482
Chapter 482
…I had once formed a hypothesis like that.
The theory that this system update had caused Cha Yu-jin to revert to his persona from his time in Steer.
I didn't know the exact mechanism, but given the timing and the circumstances, it seemed persuasive.
And the status window had notified me that the update would take thirty days.
Naturally, I expected everyone to spend another three to four weeks with Steer’s Cha Yu-jin.
However.
[Update Complete!]
- Early Achievement
It happened the moment this unexpected pop-up suddenly appeared.
[Applying ‘■■■ (ver.2 Beta)’]
Vrrr—
Color returns to the hologram, which had been reduced to basic lines and fonts.
The UI returns, a framework resembling a flashy game system takes shape, and graphics more sophisticated than before form a translucent window.
And then.
[Finished!]
“…….”
I didn't know why, but it was over.
I knew it instinctively.
I turned my head to look at the guy watching the game screen on the TV, where karts were racing hectically.
Then, I spoke.
“…Cha Yu-jin.”
If the update ended early, then the abnormal phenomenon happening to Cha Yu-jin should also be over…
“Yes?”
“…?”
…It’s not over?
Cha Yu-jin was resting his chin on his hand, looking perfectly fine without any adverse reaction.
He looked exactly like Steer’s Cha Yu-jin.
When I remained silent after calling him, he shrugged and turned his face back to the TV.
“You can tell me whenever you remember.”
“…….”
Wait a minute, was my basic reasoning wrong from the start?
‘Was it unrelated to the update?’
Just as my head was about to get even more complicated…
Ding—!
“…!”
Another pop-up appeared.
[Would you like to reactivate ‘Company Use’?]
“…….”
Ah, I see.
I pressed my hand against my eyelids.
I even had the choice of when to trigger it.
Now, let’s see.
If I don’t reactivate it here and just cancel the system altogether, there’s a possibility that Cha Yu-jin might never return.
But if I reactivate this damn system right now… setting aside the creepiness of it all.
‘Will this Cha Yu-jin… disappear immediately?’
…Probably.
Naturally, the right thing to do was to send him back quickly and bring back the original Cha Yu-jin.
But now that the choice was actually mine, I found myself weighing whether I should tell him or not.
If I suddenly told him to his face, ‘It seems a restoration is possible now, so go back immediately,’ would he be able to wrap things up cleanly without any mental damage?
‘…His memories are of the Cha Yu-jin from when Steer disbanded.’
The floodgates had finally opened.
Was there any guarantee that he hadn't expected to enjoy the stage here at least once or twice more?
‘Sigh.’
I suppressed a sigh and sat on the edge of the bed.
In any case, this wasn't the kind of problem that had a refreshing answer.
‘For now… everyone’s in bad shape, so I’ll put it on hold.’
Let’s decide tomorrow.
“Goodnight, Moon-dae.”
“Yes. You too, hyung.”
However, even after Ryu Cheong-woo, who had a neck-and-neck racing match with Bae Se-jin until the very end, fell asleep in his bed, I couldn't fall asleep easily.
About an hour had passed like that.
“…….”
Perhaps because I had taken cold medicine, my consciousness was a total mess.
‘I knew this would happen.’
Besides, this damn pop-up was so bright I felt like I needed an eye mask.
In the end, I stood up, grumbling.
“Whew.”
It was when I stepped out into the living room to get some water.
“Not sleeping?”
“……!”
I ran into Cha Yu-jin, who was still sprawled on the living room sofa.
“I slept too much during the day.”
“That wasn't sleeping; you were sick.”
He sure had a way with words.
For someone who had volunteered to play nurse all day, he looked excessively energetic even though it was past midnight.
I let out a short laugh and filled a glass with water in the kitchen.
But why isn't he going in… Ah, is he uncomfortable with Bae Se-jin?
“Want to swap rooms?”
“No thanks.”
Answering firmly, he stretched and muttered.
“I just… you know how it is when you talk to a friend? I felt like staying awake a bit longer.”
Sure.
“Did you talk to Kim Rae-bin?”
“Yeaap.”
Then he said something about not spilling tea or whatever, which seemed to be American slang.
I guessed it meant he wasn't talking behind our backs.
“ I don’t know that kind of slang well.”
“Sorry, but I think Moon-dae hyung understood?”
“Through intuition and context.”
“Got it.”
Cha Yu-jin gave a casual reply with a giggle and lay back down on the sofa.
He looked more comfortable than at any other time since he’d been here.
“…….”
As I drank the water, I deliberated briefly.
Is now the time?
It was then.
“Hey, want me to take a guess?”
Cha Yu-jin used his momentum to snap his upper body upright from the sofa.
“Did Moon-dae hyung find a way to send me back right away?”
“…!”
“Yeap, I knew it.”
Cha Yu-jin grinned and set down the cola he was drinking.
“Now that we’ve formed some kind of relationship and everything seems to be going well, why would you suddenly look at me and hesitate?”
“…….”
“The situation has flipped. Am I right?”
There was no way out of this.
“Yeah.”
I sat down across from him on the sofa. I figured it was better to explain things clearly rather than overcomplicating the situation.
‘Should I subtly leave it open that he can stay for the full thirty days if he wants?’
That was what I was thinking.
But before I could even open my mouth, Cha Yu-jin grinned first.
“Why are you hesitating, hyung?”
“…!”
“Don’t get confused. I’m not your teammate.”
Cha Yu-jin spoke firmly.
“Oh, but I am your K-POP idol. Right?”
He added it like a joke, but I caught the nuance.
‘He’s telling me not to give him unnecessary pity.’
The thought of using TeSTAR’s fame like a proxy and wanting to grant this Steer Cha Yu-jin more stages where he could be cheered for.
Or the thought that he wouldn't be able to give it up because he’d find it regrettable—he was telling me not even to dare think that.
There was no way he’d want to be treated like that by a fan. That’s likely what he meant, but…
Well, in the first place, doing that would be really obnoxious.
“Yeah.”
So, that was all I said in response.
But I had to add this.
“But it’s true that I enjoyed seeing your performance after a long time.”
“…….”
Steer’s Cha Yu-jin was silent for a while.
Past midnight. Silence flowed through the living room, lit only by a single indirect light.
“Maybe… well, we might meet again.”
Cha Yu-jin shrugged.
I didn't bother asking how that would be possible.
“I’ll show you an even cooler stage then.”
“……Sure.”
I simply agreed.
“Great.”
Cha Yu-jin smiled and crossed his arms.
It was a silent signal.
“As for goodbyes.”
“I’ve already said them.”
He shrugged.
“I just said it to my friend, and I’ve apologized to the others, so I’m satisfied. And…”
And?
“I’ll say it to hyung now.”
He held out his hand.
It wasn't the posture for a handshake.
It was the position for a high-five or interlocking fingers, where palms meet.
It was for a fan signing event.
“Thank you. My fan.”
“…….”
I also reached out my hand.
Not a diagonal hand like a handshake, but a hand to meet his.
“Thank you. For showing me a good performance.”
“You’re welcome.”
It was a brief high-five.
[Would you like to reactivate ‘Company Use’?]
“…….”
‘Yes.’
Flash.
Light burst from the pop-up.
Then, the sound of something updating, sound effects of a new construction, and notifications appeared and sparkled as if desperately trying to grab my attention.
But I didn't do anything as stupid as turning my gaze toward them.
Instead, I saw him off.
“Bye.”
Cha Yu-jin didn't cry out in pain, but he blinked as if he were slightly dizzy…
Then he leaned against the sofa and slowly fell asleep.
Until, eventually, the sound of steady breathing could be heard.
“…….”
I quietly went into his room and brought out a blanket without waking the sleeping Bae Se-jin.
After covering the sleeping guy on the sofa, I grabbed my own bedding from my room and spread it on the living room floor.
“…….”
Sleep came very slowly.
The next morning.
“Hey.”
“…….”
I opened my eyes.
And I immediately realized who the voice belonged to.
‘Cha Yu-jin.’
…I turned toward the direction of the voice.
There, right by my head, was Cha Yu-jin, holding a large pot with both hands…
Wait.
‘…A pot?’
“…?!”
What is this random situation?
At that moment, Cha Yu-jin, who had been staring at me with wide-awake eyes, jumped up and shouted.
“Moon-dae hyung is awake!”
“M-Moon-dae!”
“Are you up?”
Then I heard voices calling out frantically. What is it?
The members, looking as relieved as if they’d found a lifeline, rushed over and started rambling.
“Cha Yu-jin is back!”
Right.
“B-but… he, he cooked!”
He… did?
“What are you talking about…”
“I’m making breakfast.”
Cha Yu-jin ambitiously opened the lid of the pot he was holding and thrust it right in my face.
‘Hey, wait.’
Anyway, this smell and appearance…
‘…Korean spicy braised chicken stew.’
That’s exactly what it was.
A truly intense menu choice for guys who were suffering from body aches yesterday to eat for breakfast…….
No, wait.
More than that, he’s back to his senses, but instead of a touching reunion or whatever, he made Korean spicy braised chicken stew and thrust it at a sleeping guy’s head?
‘This is chaotic.’
But Cha Yu-jin was consistent.
Truly, consistent….
He even bombarded me with new information without giving my brain a moment to rest.
“This is a token of my apology and gratitude! A lot of things happened while I was gone.”
What?
Wait, does that mean…
“You have your memories?!”
“I have some. Bad Cha Yu-jin enjoyed the Waterbomb. I want to do it one more time.”
“…?!”
“Members, let’s eat! Breakfast!”
Bae Se-jin was in a state of confusion, but Cha Yu-jin energetically called everyone to the table.
And the dining table fell into further chaos.
“Yu-jin, is your body okay? What about your memories?”
“I’m healthy. I have memories.”
For now, Cha Yu-jin’s condition was judged to be perfectly normal.
Apparently, the guy, who naturally possessed the memories of the past few days as soon as he woke up at dawn, had thought it over and decided he had to make breakfast.
“Bad Cha Yu-jin is also me, so I have to take responsibility. One meal isn't enough. So I made this too.”
“Yu-jin…”
It seemed the title for Steer’s Cha Yu-jin had been completely solidified as ‘Bad’ within him.
And just when I thought the touching reunion would continue.
“Ch-Cha Yu-jin!”
“Kim Rae-bin is a traitor.”
“…?!”
“He told my secret!”
“I didn't!”
“He told the mean Cha Yu-jin!”
“You just said with your own mouth that you’re the same person! It doesn't count!”
Hmm. It’s a mess.
But I heard a slightly moved murmur from beside me.
“It’s been a while….”
“…….”
I decided to leave Bae Se-jin, who had finally regained his beloved roommate, alone and just eat.
And when I took a bite of the Korean spicy braised chicken stew.
‘Hmm?’
“…….”
“Wh-what’s wrong, Moon-dae…?”
“No.”
Cha Yu-jin suddenly cut in.
“Moon-dae hyung, does my cooking taste bad?”
“No, it’s good.”
“Hehe.”
Right. It tasted good.
But the thing was.
‘This isn't just Korean spicy braised chicken stew.’
It’s chicken soup.
It tasted almost identical to when the chicken soup Cha Yu-jin was making on W Live failed and I revived it into Korean spicy braised chicken stew.
Furthermore.
‘Cha Yu-jin shouldn't have ever made Korean spicy braised chicken stew before.’
And the one who was good at making chicken soup was… Steer’s Cha Yu-jin.
“…….”
I looked at Cha Yu-jin, who was still bickering with Kim Rae-bin.
‘Could it be.’
Does he have… all the memories from his time in Steer?