13. The Trainee Who Rejects Debut (4)

I wanted to hear more details, but as they say—daytime secrets are heard by criminals, nighttime secrets by the parties involved.

We decided to continue our conversation in a more private space and headed back to the practice room for now. Dan Ha-ru, whose eyes had reddened slightly, excused himself to wash his face in the bathroom, scurrying off like a startled rabbit. With just the two of us left, I slung an arm over Joo Eun-chan's shoulder, mulling things over.

"Where should we meet later? The cafeteria's too crowded for this kind of talk."

When it comes to sensitive topics, caution is always the best policy. Honestly, even talking this much inside the company was already pushing it. After a brief hesitation, Eun-chan finally answered, hesitantly.

"...Would you like to come to my place?"

"Your place? I don't mind, but don't your parents live with you?"

"I live alone near the company. My parents travel a lot for work, so they stay near the airport."

Ah, right. You're the rich kid.

"Sure, that works. But won't the last train be gone by the time practice ends?"

"You can stay over and we can go to the practice room together tomorrow. I have a spare room, and the living room's pretty big."

...Just how loaded is this kid?

I gave him a dubious look, and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, avoiding my gaze.

"That's why I didn't tell the company. The department head found out by accident... Please don't tell anyone else."

"What, that you're some young master living alone in a prime Seoul apartment with two rooms and a spacious living room?"

"Stop teasing me."

"Tch. You're no fun."

"What's fun about that?"

Maybe because he'd just shared a secret, Eun-chan seemed a little more comfortable with me now, sticking his tongue out playfully at my joke. Still better than that perpetually troubled face of his.

"Wait, is that why you're awkward with the B-Class kids? Because they think you're a nepotism hire?"

"...Is it that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠obvious?"

"Only an idiot wouldn't notice."

"......"

"Ugh, whatever. This is so childish. God, it's so childish."

I'm about to turn thirty, and here I am, stuck watching these teenage brats play their petty mind games. If I dig any deeper into Han Seong-woo's business, I might cross a point of no return, so I shut my mouth.

Where the hell is Ha-ru? Maybe we should just head to the practice room first. Just as I was thinking that, an unfamiliar voice called out from behind us in the hallway.

"Huh? Eun-chan!"

"...Tae-hyun hyung!"

A boy with bleached pink hair and a friendly face approached, wiping his face with a damp towel. He looked familiar—who was he again? While I was still trying to place him, Ha-ru emerged from the bathroom and, without hesitation, ran up and hugged him excitedly.

'Definitely a trainee. Not B-Class, so A-Class?'

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Ah, we were just talking with Hajin hyung. You haven't met him yet, right? He's new. This is Kang Hajin. Twenty years old."

"Ahh. I heard the trainers mention you. Nice to meet you. I'm Seo Tae-hyun."

"Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Kang Hajin."

"Your voice is really nice. Ah, I'm nineteen. Feel free to drop the formalities, hyung."

Leaving a good impression on first meeting isn't common. His bright voice, his easygoing smile—something about him felt familiar...

"...Boyhood Under Heaven?"

The words slipped out instinctively, and Tae-hyun's smiling face froze in real time. The more I looked at his 'Please don't remember' expression, the clearer my memories of that survival show that once set the industry on fire became. What was its catchphrase again?

—No two boys under heaven are the same. Hello! I'm your boy, Seo Tae-hyun!

"Ah. Cherry Boy?"

"Oh my god."

"Hyung, just give up. It's easier if you give up."

"This is hopeless. When will I escape this?"

Boyhood Under Heaven was a male idol survival show that aired about three years ago. Back then, Tae-hyun had left a strong impression on fans with his clear voice and refreshing smile. But the final debut group's concept ended up being some hazy, dreamy, in-between-boy-and-man sexy vibe, so he was eliminated in the finals.

'He had a decent fanbase of noona fans and did some solo activities after the show ended.'

Even in my first life, he'd been signed to an agency—just not Miro Entertainment. If I remember right, he bounced around a few companies, almost debuted in a boy group a couple of times before it fell through, and eventually went solo as an adult. Did Miro happen to be one of those companies?

'Anyway, gathering info is top priority.'

Damn, other web novel protagonists have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all this future knowledge ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and use it to their advantage, but here I am, possessed by the ghost of a washed-up idol drama.

[System Alert: Possessed?! How dare you use such a crude analogy!]

Shut up, you little shit.

"Ah, I saw that performance of yours, Eun-chan. Your dancing's improved."

Just as I was about to wrap things up and leave, Tae-hyun's comment made Eun-chan's expression instantly tense. The awkward atmosphere thickened palpably.

Tae-hyun, who clearly hadn't meant anything by it, quickly tapped Eun-chan's shoulder with his usual bright smile.

"What's with that face? I'm fine, Eun-chan. Even if it wasn't you, I wouldn't have made it to that stage anyway. You know that."

"...Still, I'm sorry, hyung."

"Ah, come on. I shouldn't have brought it up. Don't worry about me—you're the one dealing with misunderstandings."

"Hyung."

"If you apologize one more time, I'm really gonna get mad."

Despite his words, his face was still all smiles. Judging by the mood, the A-Class trainee Eun-chan had replaced for the concert must've been Tae-hyun. Were they close?

"It's not your fault. I'll just find another opportunity."

"......"

"If I stay any longer, I'll cry. Ha-ru, hyung. I'll head out first. See you next time."

As Eun-chan's expression grew stiffer, Tae-hyun made a quick exit. I mentally filed him away as a person of interest as I watched him leave awkwardly. Then, from beside me, came a sound that was both familiar and even more awkward.

"...Sniff."

"I'm gonna lose it. What am I supposed to do if you start crying now?"

He looks like the kind of guy who'd be the school bully, but he's so soft it's like Miro got scammed just by his face.

"Eun-chan... don't cry..."

"I'm gonna lose my mind."

I was about to pat his shoulder in consolation, but then Ha-ru, who'd been patting him too, started sniffling as well. Suddenly, I found myself stuck comforting two grown men, and the existential dread of this situation hit me hard.

'Yeah, it's not like you did anything wrong.'

It's that damn department head who needs to get wrecked...

"Eun-chan."

"Yeah?"

"You're really rich, huh?"

The sight of the brand-new, high-end villa gleaming before me left me in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠awe, my words slipping out like I was under a spell. Eun-chan scratched his cheek sheepishly, not even bothering to deny it anymore.

"Let's just go inside. I don't even have the energy to talk."

After crying their eyes out and with no time to process the embarrassment, all three of us were bone-tired from practice and desperately needed rest. Rich people's elevators really hit different.

'Young and handsome and tall and rich. I need this.'

Thinking of my family still stuck in a basement apartment, a fire lit in me. I have to succeed. I have to make it so I never have to worry about oversleeping because of bad lighting again.

"Here we are. Come in."

"Hello..."

Just as Eun-chan had said, his living room was spacious—too nice for an 18-year-old living alone. Even for a rich kid, this much? When I gave him a questioning look, he explained that he'd lived with his older brother until recently.

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah. But there's a big age gap. He got married and moved out, so now it's just me."

No wonder he's so polite around his hyungs. Nodding, I set my bag down in a corner of the living room.

"H-Here, have a seat."

"Yeah, sure. Let's sit."

"......"

"You're acting all stiff too? Even if I feel awkward, you can't. That'd just be weird, Eun-chan."

"You promise not to tease me?"

"Say it first."

"...This is my first time inviting anyone over."

What is this, some coming-of-age drama?

His unexpectedly bashful answer was so funny I couldn't help but laugh. Eun-chan, thinking I was mocking him, huffed and glared at me resentfully.

"You said you wouldn't tease me!"

"I just told you to say it first."

"You're such a bad person."

"Is that the worst insult you know?"

"I know others!"

"Like what? Try me."

"Why would I swear at my hyung?!"

"Tch. You're no fun."

I clicked my tongue in disappointment, and his frustrated pouting only made it more satisfying.

"Eun-chan. Ha-ru told me you have a nickname."

"...A nickname?"

"Yeah. 'Joo-Don't-Know.'"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"'Joo Eun-chan still doesn't get it.'"

"Why would I have a nickname like that?"

If I looked in a mirror right now, my eyes would be sparkling with mischief. But Eun-chan, who still seemed socially awkward, stared at me with pure curiosity, completely unaware he was being teased. Those eyes—so full of naive innocence.

"This. Right now. All of this. The very air, the humidity, the temperature that makes up Joo Eun-chan—"

"Hyung, you are teasing me, aren't you?"

"Exactly. The fact that you're only realizing it now completes the perfect worldview of 'Joo-Don't-Know.'"

Eun-chan's face twisted into something between offended and confused, like he knew he'd been had but wasn't sure how. If I teased him any more, he might actually snap, so I bit back my laughter with all my might. Just then, Ha-ru—who'd taken so long washing his hands it was like he'd showered—came scampering back and butted in.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing, Ha-ru. Be quiet. Eun-chan still doesn't know."

"What don't I know?!"

"Eun-chan hyung, you still don't get it?"

Ha-ru blinked his big, round eyes and delivered the finishing blow, leaving Eun-chan frozen in despair for a solid three seconds.

For the first time in a while, messing around with these teenagers' childish banter made me feel like I could finally catch my breath amidst all the regression chaos.

[System Alert: 'Friend's Favor' stabilizes the Fixed Regressor's condition.]

[System Alert: 'Wandering and Adrift' mode reduced by 5%... (Loading)]

The system windows popped up one after another. Skimming them, it didn't seem like anything bad, so I dismissed them. Let's just rest for now.

Eun-chan was still sulking slightly, so I held out my hand in a peace offering. He looked at me suspiciously, like he was trying to figure out what trick I was pulling now.

"What's this?"

"A handshake for truce?"

"......"

Still wary, he hesitantly reached out—only for me to quickly switch to scissors and trap his hand between my fingers. It took him a solid five seconds to realize he'd been tricked again.

"Ah!"

"Your reaction time's so slow."

"Why do you keep doing this?!"

"Because of this. Because you react like this."

"Ugh, seriously!"

Too bad, Eun-chan.

I'm not scared of your poker face anymore.