The Mistrust Begins with Small Things
Conflict often starts with small things.
Idols these days work hard for the money, but things were different ten years ago.
When settlements were not properly received, it was only natural to want to quit the group.
“What about Ujin-hyung?”
“He’s still singing. He’s close to a nobody, but he does live cafés, local events, and sometimes OST work. The kid is really hardworking, so steady work keeps coming. His earnings seem pretty decent too.”
“Really?”
Sub-vocalist Myeong Ujin had been the more unfair case than Woo Minsu.
His vocal ability was far superior to Namhun’s.
But his tone was too plain.
Compared to the distinctive voice of the pretty Namhun, it sounded even more ordinary.
That was why, despite Ujin singing the most parts, the main vocalist of the team remained Namhun.
His ordinary looks also meant the least popularity.
Yet Namhun had always liked him the most among the hyungs.
Quiet and not much of a talker, but he was delicate and kind in that way.
Ujin had taken the most care of the youngest Namhun.
—I’m going to quit too now.
“Ujin-hyung…!”
“Hyung, why are you suddenly like this?”
That was why, when the incident happened, Namhun could only feel deep betrayal.
“Ujin-hyung is still sincere about singing, huh.”
“Thinking about it, he was the most adult among us.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Now that he was older, Namhun understood Myeong Ujin.
How great it was that he had hidden his cracking insides without a single hint.
Why he had worked so hard in practice despite being so good at singing—Namhun only understood it later.
“Back then I was immature. I should have calmed them down earlier.”
“No, hyung….”
Leader Jo Wonhyeong, who had led the formation of Evil Spirits, was a passionate person.
That was why he ran straight ahead without looking back.
He had to pour all his energy into making the group rise.
“Hyung did the hardest work.”
“I did my best too, but I should have looked behind sometimes. Thinking about it now, I regret it. If I had done a little better, wouldn’t our future have been different?”
In the end, the four members of Evil Spirits were now far from the star positions they had dreamed of back then.
“Especially seeing you now, it makes me feel that way even more.”
“Eh?”
“I thought bringing you alone would make the group a huge hit.”
“Haha….”
Namhun knew that had been sincere.
He had been strangers back then, yet after hours of spitting and saliva, he had tried to convince him to form an idol group.
“Sorry for ruining your life for nothing.”
“Ruining it? I’m still in my twenties. And it’s not your fault, hyung.”
“It really isn’t. If I hadn’t pushed for Evil Spirits, your parents would never have died in that accident….”
Jo Wonhyeong pulled out the guilt he had carried deep in his chest at Namhun’s words.
“Hyung, that’s not true.”
Jo Wonhyeong lowered his head, but Namhun spoke firmly.
That was why he had avoided facing him.
At the time of the accident he had blamed him, but now he understood it wasn’t his fault.
“Even if hyung hadn’t suggested it, I would have become a singer. With my looks, I’d have been cast anywhere. Even if not Evil Spirits, I would have debuted with another group. I only have gratitude for hyung.”
Jo Wonhyeong had helped with everything instead of the leader who had lost his mind.
But it still took time to overcome the grief.
After the funeral, he changed his name to the stage name Namhun.
He could no longer bear to remember the time he had lived as his real name Jang Nam.
But time had passed, and he could now face the past with courage.
Jang Namhun, no, Jang Nam, stood up and bowed deeply ninety degrees.
Only then could he say it.
“Hyung, it’s late to say this… but I was really grateful back then.”
The maximum gratitude the insufficient youngest could give to his leader.
“…It’s gratitude. As a leader, it was only natural.”
If Jo Wonhyeong had not helped with the settlement, the unknown Namhun would never have received proper compensation from the perpetrator.
That was why he was even more grateful.
If that compensation had not existed, the twins, who were only one year old then, might have died from the incurable disease.
In a way, Jo Wonhyeong was like the twins’ benefactor.
“Stop being embarrassed and let’s drink to our hearts’ content like old times.”
Jo Wonhyeong, who had been awkward, held out his cup.
But Namhun, remembering the twin brother, quickly put on his outer coat.
“Hyung, sorry, but let’s drink later. I need to get home soon.”
“Eh?”
“I have to make dinner for the kids.”
“See you later, hyung.”
Watching Namhun hurry away, Jo Wonhyeong asked.
“Dinner for the kids? Sera, did he get married in that time?”
At those words, Yoo Sera frowned.
“No? There are younger siblings.”
“Yuyeon? Yuyeon isn’t old enough to make dinner for yet, is he?”
“Not Yuyeon. There’s another set of elementary-school twin siblings.”
“…I have two more younger siblings?”
Jo Wonhyeong had no idea of that fact.
* * *
Once outside, Jang Namhun poured a cup of coffee, then drank it straight after mixing with cold water.
The bitter taste and cold chill swept through his body, waking his drooping mind and spirit.
“Hoo….”
It was true that he had to go home because of the twins, but there was another, bigger reason.
He simply could not accept the cup Jo Wonhyeong had offered.
Today Namhun felt as if he had traveled back in time on a time machine.
But the cup Jo Wonhyeong offered pulled him back to reality.
‘Ah, I brought a car. What about the taxi fare?’
The small cup had dragged him from the wet past into the cold reality.
Namhun patted his cheeks hard and forced away the gloomy feeling.
He was about to step out of the banquet hall when he stopped.
‘But shouldn’t I greet the bride and groom at least?’
Surrounded by guests, the happy couple made him unwilling to face them in this mood.
He no longer had the courage to sincerely congratulate them.
Seeing how grand the wedding was, it was clear Kang Seokho and Seong Yujin had plenty of leeway.
Yet he himself had to worry about next month’s rent payment.
‘Just go.’
Just as he was about to leave the banquet hall, an employee stopped him as if waiting.
“Singer-nim! Just a moment!”
* * *
“Bridegroom.”
Kang Seokho hurriedly approached and whispered to the employee, then left the place with Seong Yujin.
Kang Seokho had thought Namhun might silently disappear, so he had asked the employee in advance to keep an eye on him.
In another private room moved by the employee, Namhun sat awkwardly.
“Namhun-ssi!”
At the call, Namhun lifted his head.
“You didn’t even greet us and just left. It’s disappointing. You gave us the best gift of a lifetime. Please take this.”
Kang Seokho held out a large fruit basket.
He was in fact a famous music video director.
He had worked together with Yoo Sera, the popular fusion musician gaining fame among the younger generation.
Then he learned that they both knew about Namhun.
So Kang Seokho learned about Namhun’s recent situation.
‘Raising one middle-schooler and two elementary students alone was never easy.’
The group disbandment, forced activities, settlement issues, and the parents’ accident—Namhun had gone through mental and physical pain, and now he had to endure material pain too.
‘Especially the twin sister who suffered greatly from the incurable disease.’
Namhun’s parents were famous musicians, but they came from ordinary families.
Thanks to the inheritance left by the couple, who had put effort into teaching Namhun music, it was not much.
The inheritance and accident settlement had almost all been used for the twins’ treatment and living expenses.
When the children were young, leaving the house itself had been difficult.
“What is this….”
Seeing the fruit basket, a smile formed at Namhun’s lips.
—It’s a return gift? He’ll love a fruit basket. The kids love fruit. Buying fruit is surprisingly expensive, right? In particular, they love melon, so definitely put some in.
Kang Seokho realized Yoo Sera’s advice had been appropriate at the brightened expression on Namhun’s face.
“You even thanked us with wedding money… You didn’t have to.”
Even a thousand won made Namhun tremble, but this time he generously offered one hundred thousand won.
Originally he had no intention of going this far because of his wallet, but the moment he confirmed that the bride was Seong Yujin, he could not help it.
Although the reality was shabby, he did not want to show his weak side to a fan who knew his flashy entertainment days.
On the other hand, he was grateful.
Kang Seokho had known his situation and kept it secret from Seong Yujin, which Yoo Sera had told him.
“You tricked me.”
“Eh?”
“You’re not a camera director, are you? You’re a music video director. And a very famous one.”
Namhun was greatly surprised to learn that Kang Seokho was the representative of an advertising company.
“It’s not a lie. Handling the camera is the same. I actually hoped you wouldn’t notice, but… I still have a long way to go.”
At Kang Seokho’s teasing, Namhun shook his hand in panic.
“No, I’m not. I don’t watch TV much these days….”
At those words, Kang Seokho and Seong Yujin smiled bitterly.
Most music videos these days were uploaded to YouTube, not TV.
“Anyway, I properly introduced myself.”
“Eh?”
Not understanding what he meant, Namhun asked.
Seong Yujin, who had been quietly standing beside him, smiled and said.
“Oppa, you really don’t remember?”
“Huh?”
Namhun was bewildered.
Seeing the two of them smiling mysteriously, Kang Seokho seemed to have had some connection with him in the past.
But he remembered nothing.
Seeing the awkward Namhun, Seong Yujin uttered the name of a program.
“Happiness for Ten Thousand Won.”
Only then did a memory surface in Namhun’s mind.
“…Ah!”
In the early days of Evil Spirits’ debut, Elixer, the most popular member of the four, had appeared on various variety shows.
To spread the team’s name.
“You remember now?”
“Ah… Seokho… Seokho. So that Seokho-hyung was you.”