Chapter 120: The Reason for Action (7)
120. The Reason for Action (7)
The first thought that crossed Hajin's mind upon arriving at the broadcasting station was, Wow. It's been a while.
With nearly ten years of experience, I guess even this place has changed a lot.
Of course, given that the version he remembered was from ten years later, his choice of words felt slightly ambiguous.
Should he call it changed? Or had it gotten worse...?
"Feeling nostalgic?"
"Huh?"
While the other trainees were busy marveling at the broadcasting station, Suho quietly approached Hajin, keeping his voice low enough that no one else could hear. Hajin immediately realized he was being asked about his "past life" and let out a soft chuckle.
"Well, it has been a while since I've been to Sangam."
"You worked here before?"
"Not worked exactly... My first program was with NTV, so I came here often."
"Ah, right, you said you worked for a production company."
At twenty-nine, Hajin hadn't been a full-time PD hired by the station but a freelance contractor.
In an era where YouTube was more familiar than TV, being an outsourced PD wasn't necessarily a bad thing...
But back then, he had sometimes envied those who confidently strode through the broadcasting station with their employee IDs dangling around their necks.
"I used to haunt the 8th floor back then. Never thought I'd be visiting as an artist one day."
"Why the 8th floor?"
"That's where the editing rooms are."
He'd pulled countless all-nighters there.
Hajin shuddered briefly at the memory—whether it was nostalgia or a nightmare, he couldn't tell.
"Team leader, I've got the access passes. Shall we head up?"
"Ah, right. Gather the kids."
A large-framed manager with a short sports cut strode over and reported to Suho.
He was a new recruit from the management team, temporarily assigned to assist today, learning the ropes wherever extra hands were needed.
Having at least two staff members keeps the broadcasting crew from looking down on you.
The entertainment industry was ruthless—quick to judge and cold in its assessments.
Suho was being extra cautious to ensure the pre-debut trainees wouldn't be slighted or hurt in any way.
Hajin nudged Suho's arm, noticing how tense he seemed—more so than the actual participants.
"Relax. We even brought an extra bodyguard just in case."
"...Honestly, that's what worries me the most."
Suho and Hajin's gazes simultaneously landed on one person.
Their eyes passed over Taehyun, who was taking pictures with Jaeyoung in the lobby...
"If you kids get lost wandering around on your own, I'm not coming to find you."
"Yu-geon hyung, you're so mean!"
"Yu-geon's the worst!"
"Yeah, I'm the worst."
...and settled on Yu-geon, who had just apprehended Haru and Jayden by the scruffs of their necks as they tried to excitedly run off.
He was today's hastily recruited reinforcement—Hajin had felt uneasy about the flag he'd planted last night and urgently called in backup.
"If we stick him with the kids whenever they go out, no one's gonna pick a fight."
"How the hell did you convince Yu-geon? He's not the type to follow us here first thing in the morning."
"......"
"Why aren't you answering?"
"...Trade secret."
Hajin coughed awkwardly, avoiding Suho's gaze.
Last night's events replayed automatically in his mind.
Ah, why am I even following you?!
The night before, Hajin had ambushed Yu-geon right after his shower, dragging him into his room before he could protest.
Before Yu-geon could blink, he found himself unceremoniously dumped in someone else's room, the door locked behind him. Hajin's "order" (?) for him to act as Taehyun's bodyguard for the day was immediately rejected.
Are you seriously gonna stand by while your best friend Seo Taehyun might get harassed by shady people in this dangerous situation?
Shady people? What— No, it's just the stage recording and that's it! What's there to run into?!
What do you mean 'what'? I ran into you when you ditched practice to follow Dan Haru to buy ice cream at the convenience store across town!
...Why are you bringing that up now— No, whatever. What difference does it make if I go?
It makes all the difference. Put your hand on your conscience and think. Which is safer: Seo Taehyun, who looks like a defenseless lamb, wandering around alone, or with you by his side?
Okay, he does look a bit naive, but it's not like he's gonna get bullied or something!
...Uh, I'm right here.
Taehyun, who had been captured and dragged into the room before Yu-geon, quietly asserted his presence, but neither Hajin nor Yu-geon paid him any mind.
Anyway! You look just as intimidating!
I'm too soft-hearted for that.
You've gotta be kidding me!!!!
Yu-geon was aghast at Hajin's shameless claim of being "soft-hearted" and immediately refuted it.
Why me, of all people? There's Doha hyung and Joo Eun-chan too!
They've got separate schedules tomorrow.
What about Kyoungho? He looks just as rough as I do!
You think he'd go to the broadcasting station just to watch over Seo Taehyun? He'd be too busy losing his mind over seeing celebrities to even notice.
Then what about me?
You don't even glance at female idols unless they're customers at your convenience store.
.......
Yu-geon couldn't argue with that.
Even he had to admit that out of all seventeen trainees, he was the least likely to get distracted at a broadcasting station.
Just as the standoff (if you could even call it that, given how one-sided it was) between Yu-geon and Hajin showed no signs of resolution...
A third party intervened.
Yu-geon hyung.
......?
It was Eun-chan, Hajin's roommate, who had been listening to the entire conversation from the start.
Eun-chan held up his phone, displaying a money transfer screen, his eyes sparkling as he made his offer.
100,000 won per day.
......!?
Payment upfront upon acceptance.
Deal.
And that deal was extremely effective!
That capitalist slave bastard...!
T-Taehyun! Calm down!
Though typical INFP Seo Taehyun was rightfully indignant that his so-called friend had chosen money over him, well...
At least we got him here.
Once they actually arrived, Yu-geon proved to be genuinely helpful.
Even Taehyun, who had been sulking all morning, seemed to relax a little once they got to the broadcasting station—having a same-age friend around clearly stabilized him. The stiffness in his expression eased slightly.
As the group headed toward the elevator, Hajin double-checked the day's schedule with Suho.
"We just have to do the pre-recording and then we're done, right?"
"Yeah. Since we're a special stage, there's no interview, and we're not participating in the main broadcast either. We'll just rest in the waiting room until it's time to record our performance, then we're out."
If they could just survive the next three to four hours without incident, they'd be free to go.
Hajin silently prayed for a peaceful day as he stepped into the elevator.
After arriving in the waiting room, Team Sad Ending changed into their stage outfits and touched up their smudged makeup.
"Noona, do you have any skin-toned tape? The kind used to cover tattoos?"
"Hm? Yeah, but why? Do you need some?"
"Just one, please."
Hajin took the tape from the stylist and headed to a corner of the waiting room.
The cut on his palm from last time hadn't fully healed yet, so he'd stuck a regular bandage on it. Now, he wanted to reinforce it with tape to make sure it didn't peel off.
"...Damn, this isn't working."
The taping itself was fine, but trying to make it subtle meant it wasn't adhering properly. Since it was on his palm rather than the back of his hand, even a little sweat made the edges lift—annoyingly noticeable.
As Hajin stared at his hand, wondering what to do, someone took the tape from him.
"...?"
"Even if you do that, it's not like it'll be hidden. Fans will just freak out wondering what's on your hand."
Taehyun, who had already finished fixing his makeup and changing, sat down beside Hajin with a sigh—a habit of his.
When Hajin just blinked awkwardly, Taehyun muttered under his breath.
"You told me, 'If you get a cut on your lip, you think I'm gonna Photoshop it out?' But here you are, covering up scratches on your palm."
"That's completely different, man. Yours was intentional. Mine was an accident."
"Not a single word of that makes sense. Not one."
Taehyun shook his head disapprovingly as he peeled off the tape from Hajin's hand. In the process, the original bandage came off too, revealing the still-unhealed wound.
Taehyun grimaced and called out to Yu-geon, who was playing a game on a chair outside the waiting room.
"Hey, Yu-geon. You've got bandages and ointment in your bag, right? Hand them over."
"Why? You hurt?"
"Nah, not me. This old man here."
"Old man?"
Though momentarily confused by the term, Yu-geon naturally pulled out the ointment and a fresh bandage from his bag and handed them to Taehyun. Still curious, he strode over to where Hajin and Taehyun were sitting.
"What, hyung, you hurt?"
"...Way to announce it to the whole neighborhood, Seo Taehyun."
Embarrassed by the attention over such a minor injury, Hajin tried to hide his hand.
Or at least, he would have, if Taehyun hadn't smacked the back of it with a loud smack.
"Ow!"
"Payback for kicking my leg that one time."
"How long ago was that?! And I helped you beat Cha Min-seok! Is this how you repay kindness?"
"That's why I only hit the back of your hand. Could've been your palm."
"Ugh... The world's gone to hell. Grandkids these days hitting their elders."
"Our grandpa's alive and well in Gangwon Province, so cut the crap and give me your hand."
"Hmph. Taehyun's being so mean today."
"...Hand. Now. Before I show this wound to our team leader."
"Yessir."
Why am I so weak against guys like Jung Si-woo and Seo Taehyun?
Pondering this, Hajin obediently held out his injured hand. Taehyun carefully squeezed out some ointment and began applying it over the wound.
Watching this, Yu-geon cautiously asked Taehyun,
"...Seo Taehyun, do you, like, hate this hyung or something?"
"...Shut up."
All he had to do was squeeze out the ointment and apply it, but Taehyun's movements were inexplicably clumsy.
For starters, he was terrified of looking at the wound, flinching three times a second before the medicine even touched it.
Then, somehow, he managed to mess up squeezing the tube—dribbling out too little before suddenly gushing out too much, leaving more ointment on his hand than Hajin's palm.
Finally, Yu-geon couldn't take it anymore and snatched the tube away.
"Alright, move. Go wash your hands or something. Noona, can I get a cotton swab?"
"Here you go~"
"Thanks."
Yu-geon shoved aside Taehyun, who was still insisting he could do it. Borrowing a cotton swab from the makeup staff, he expertly applied the right amount of ointment to Hajin's palm.
"Ooh, the touch of a professional."
"Even a seven-year-old can put on ointment and a bandage."
"Aw, our grandson's not even seven yet."
"...Ugh, but it looks so painful! Like, I'm the one hurting more here, what do I do?!"
While Taehyun whined indignantly, Yu-geon neatly placed a bandage over the properly spread ointment. Then, he nodded toward the tape Taehyun had been holding.
"Want me to put that on too?"
"Nah. Forget that—let's stick a few more bandages on this hyung's face."
"My face?"
Hajin's eyes widened at the sudden suggestion. Taehyun handed Yu-geon a fresh bandage from the box and explained.
"Tape would just look suspicious. Better to just make it part of his styling—play up the delinquent, troublemaker vibe."
As Yu-geon and Hajin nodded in understanding, Taehyun stood up.
"I'll go see if there's anything we can use to tweak hyung's school uniform styling. Yu-geon, you handle turning him into a delinquent."
"Should we add fake wounds too?"
"That's too gangster. A couple more bandages will do."
The fans will only see this on broadcast anyway, so at least they won't worry about him being hurt.
Hajin was genuinely impressed by Taehyun's final point.
As expected. Veterans are on another level.
How did this guy not debut? No, wait—how did he debut and still not blow up?
Once again, Hajin tilted his head at the unsolvable mystery.