Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Unsettling Suspicions
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A nagging feeling of unease wouldn't go away.
Worried that the camera might catch my phone screen, I pulled the blanket over my head, turned on my phone, and went on social media.
Then, I searched for the names ‘Park Su-hyeol, Kang Ju-hyeok’ side by side.
[How long is Park Su-hyeol going to stay hidden? No one knows what he's been up to since he left the group. He said he'd apologize to the victims, but I wonder if he ever did.]
↳Didn't he just run away because he didn't want to apologize?
↳ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Did he flee the country?
↳The only good thing is that he left before he could get his full payment. It's a shame about the music. I want to listen to it, but I hold back because I don't want any money going to those GANGSTER guys.
[I wonder what Kang Ju-hyeok is up to these days. Right after the group disbanded, he'd post updates on social media occasionally, but now there's nothing.]
↳I know I shouldn't expect anything since he's basically a civilian now... but it's upsetting.
↳Maybe he's taking on a new challenge.
I scrolled quickly, but there were no posts linking the two of them together.
*Am I just caught up in some needless mistrust of people right now?*
I haven't had a normal relationship with anyone since my debut, so maybe that's it.
I've had to suspect everyone and view things in a negative light.
*No. Then why did I decide that Ho-jun was a good person?*
I tried to just dismiss it and move on, but it wasn't as easy as I thought.
A chilling premonition kept washing over me.
It felt as if someone was sending me a signal, telling me I absolutely couldn't let this go.
*What is wrong with me?*
I took a short, deep breath and moved my fingers, telling myself this would be the last time.
[Park Su-hyeol school violence.]
It was a search term I'd never used before because I didn't want to see it with my own eyes.
My fingertips felt stiff.
I slowly inhaled.
[Park Su-hyeol was seriously no joke at school. If he saw someone he didn't like, he'd just hit them on the head as he walked by. And then act like it was a joke. If the person got angry, he'd turn it around on them, asking why they were so sensitive, so they couldn't even say anything. Just hearing that, you can get a picture, right? The days he didn't come to school were the best days for us. When he was there, he'd ruin the whole mood. I really don't even want to think about it.]
↳Literally the worst type of person.
↳Wow. I despise people like that. Hitting someone for no reason, and then calling them sensitive if they get mad?
↳But isn't that not quite at the level of school violence?
↳You must not have seen the other posts. I'll leave a link, read it carefully.
With a trembling hand, I clicked the link.
[I am exposing Park Su-hyeol's school violence.
Throughout my school years, I suffered because of a person named Park Su-hyeol.
Park Su-hyeol regularly took my money and subjected me to daily verbal abuse that was hard to bear.
“Hey. Pauper. Bring some more money. Don't you have a dad?”
“Seeing your face ruined my mood. I told you to cover your face when you walk around. You don't listen.”
“You better study really hard. You've got nothing else going for you.”
What I've written above is only a small fraction.
I couldn't bring myself to write the rest, so I only listed the less severe instances.
The past three years were like hell.
Some might ask why I'm only speaking out now.
I told the teachers several times.
That I was being bullied.
But the only action taken was a mere 'warning.'
A 'warning' telling him to tone it down, or a disciplinary committee would be convened.
From then on, I started gathering evidence.
To report Park Su-hyeol to the police once he became an adult.
But then, I heard the news that Park Su-hyeol had debuted as the leader of a group called 'GANGSTER-M.'
Seeing Park Su-hyeol shining on stage, I was filled with rage.
Because of him, I never even got a glimpse of the light.
I will attach the evidence below.]
Below the long post were numerous photos.
Evidence of horrific school violence, too difficult to look at with open eyes—profanities written on notes, marks from assault, and more.
*This is even worse than I thought.*
The fact that he committed such acts and then lived with me wearing the mask of a good person, as if nothing was wrong, was utterly repulsive.
*I had a feeling it would be like this. That's why I didn't want to look.*
↳But he probably didn't do this alone, right? Shouldn't the others involved be exposed too? This is a menace to society.
↳The thought of people like this being around me gives me the creeps.
↳I went to the same school, so I know who they are. Park Su-hyeol was the worst, and the others were basically just bystanders. No, wait. Calling them bystanders is a bit ambiguous...
↳Why? What makes it ambiguous to call them bystanders?
↳Those "bystanders" enjoyed it. It was like Park Su-hyeol acted out even more for their sake. That's why it's hard to just call them bystanders. I remember the other kids were all aspiring entertainers too. I don't think they've debuted yet?
The comment from someone claiming to be a classmate caught my eye.
*'I remember the other kids were all aspiring entertainers too.'*
I mulled over that one sentence again and again.
*Was this it?*
I couldn't be sure.
If Kang Ju-hyeok had been a perpetrator of school violence, a controversy should have erupted at least a few times over the past six years.
After all, the victim's anger and sorrow were palpable even in just a few words.
*I really don't know.*
For now, I decided to keep some distance from Kang Ju-hyeok and put in my earphones.
* * *
A loud tune blared in my ears.
I forced my heavy eyelids open.
Morning had come.
“Haaaaaam.”
I sat up, yawning and stretching.
My whole body ached from the strenuous dance practice.
It was a good thing I'd returned to the past and become five years younger; if I had gone through yesterday's practice in my twenty-five-year-old body, I wouldn't have been able to get up this easily.
*This time, I need to start taking proper care of my joints.*
My joints were in terrible shape because I'd relied solely on my youth, neglecting any sort of care and just pushing my body to its limits.
Now that I was back in the past, I wanted to manage it properly and regain my health.
“Time for breakfast.”
“Okay.”
Hearing it was time for breakfast, I quickly wiped the sleep from my eyes and followed the production crew.
Perhaps to show a more realistic side of us, everyone looked like a mess.
We ended up stopping outside.
Maybe it was difficult to set up a space indoors, but there were rows of plastic tables and chairs outside.
“Help yourselves to as much as you'd like.”
I thought they'd give us boxed meals like last night, but breakfast was from a food truck.
“Wow. This is my first time eating from a food truck.”
“Me too.”
I could hear the excited voices of a few others.
It was my first time encountering a food truck in real life; I'd only ever seen them on variety shows or in dramas.
However, the menu wasn't much different from the boxed meal we had yesterday.
The only real difference was that the boxed meals had been cold by the time they were distributed to all the contestants, whereas the food from the truck was steaming hot.
After waiting in line for a few minutes, it was my turn.
I wasn't one to eat a big breakfast, so I just got some rice and soup and headed to a table.
“Oh? Come over here. We just started eating.”
Haru waved me over.
Kang Ju-hyeok was sitting right across from him, which made me hesitate for a moment.
But the cameras were filming everything, so I couldn't refuse his offer.
*If I go to another table, people will misunderstand and think we're having a power struggle.*
Controversies can flare up in an instant.
Especially rumors of discord.
Trivial things could suddenly swell up, like a spark catching on dry tinder.
[The power struggle at the Idol Unity Sports Festival today was insane. What's with him just walking past when someone offered him a drink?]
↳He probably just didn't see it. It's loud there. Fans are screaming, staff are yelling. With so many people and cameras everywhere, why would he pretend not to see on purpose?
↳That's why he's glaring and pretending not to see. Can't you tell?
↳Nope. Can't see it. You're really creepy, making up stories. Go outside and learn how to have a normal conversation with people.
↳You do it. I'm a social butterfly. I'm on my way to meet up with friends right now lol.
After holiday specials like for Chuseok or Lunar New Year, where tons of idols appeared, you could easily find posts like that.
*If I go to another table now, I'll be the star of the next one of those posts.*
I had no choice but to head to Haru's table.
Eating while facing Kang Ju-hyeok seemed like it would be incredibly uncomfortable, so I just sat down next to him instead.
“This is the first time we've properly greeted each other, right?”
Haru greeted me warmly first.
“We said hi yesterday on the way to the showers. Right?”
Kang Ju-hyeok looked at me as if seeking my agreement.
“Yes.”
“Really? Everyone's getting close so quickly.”
Haru and Kang Ju-hyeok seemed to have bonded while practicing together.
“We're not close yet, we just exchanged greetings. Right?”
“Yes.”
“By the way, do you know Wi Yeo-jun?”
“Ah. We used to train together.”
“You trained together? Then are you from Stunning?”
The name 'Stunning' immediately came from Kang Ju-hyeok's mouth.
It seemed to be because Wi Yeo-jun's past with 'Stunning' had been revealed through 'The Actor'.
“That's right.”
“No wonder you're so good.”
“But why did you leave? If you'd stayed at Stunning, you could have debuted. Aren't they getting ready to launch a boy group right now?”
Kang Ju-hyeok's blunt words made me tense up around the mouth.
It wasn't easy to force myself to keep smiling.
I struggled to keep the corners of my mouth from drooping, determined not to become the subject of discord rumors.
*This is uncomfortable.*
I felt a tightness in my chest, as if food was stuck in my throat.
Normally, people avoid conversations like this because they can be rude to the other person.
Especially when you've just met.
“They probably are. I'm not sure of the details.”
“That's a shame.”
“It couldn't be helped. I left because I thought my debut would be delayed if I stayed there any longer.”
“True. Who would've thought they'd launch another boy group just a year after their last one, instead of a girl group.”
I had nothing to say, so I just nodded in response.
“Still, another opportunity came along. Let's work hard.”
Kang Ju-hyeok patted my back, not too hard, as he steeled his resolve.
To an outsider, it was a scene that would have looked quite friendly and harmonious.