Chapter 53
Chapter 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: A Fresh Start
-----------------------------------------------------------------
As I opened the door to the waiting room, our families greeted us as if they had been waiting.
“You worked so hard!”
My mom and dad approached me, holding a bouquet of flowers.
“Mom. Dad.”
“We’re so proud of you, son.”
My parents gave me a tight hug before handing me the bouquet.
“Congratulations, son.”
“Thanks.”
“I knew you could do it.”
“But where’s my sister?”
I had assumed she would have come with Mom and Dad, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“Didn’t she come with you?”
“Your sister said she’s not coming because her face got recognized at that short fan meeting the other day.”
“Huh?”
The reason was so absurd that I was at a loss for words.
It was a stretch to say her face was widely recognized.
None of my fans had posted her picture on social media.
‘I even checked all the photos just in case, and her face was properly blurred out.’
There were some descriptions of her features, though.
Especially about the ways she resembled me.
Things like our light brown hair and eyes.
‘I hate to admit it, but we do look alike overall. Still, it’s not like it’s bad enough to keep her from coming to the venue.’
“I told her so many times to come with us, but she refused.”
“I see.”
“But she watched the broadcast from home, so I’m sure she’ll congratulate you when you get back. Your sister might complain a bit, but she takes good care of you.”
Honestly, I didn't agree with my dad's claim that she took good care of me, but I didn't want to stir up trouble on such a good day, so I just nodded quietly.
“You must be hungry, right? Let’s go eat.”
“Okay.”
I looked around and saw the others were busy talking with their families too.
‘Can I leave first?’
But now that we were a team, it seemed polite to say a proper goodbye before leaving.
“We’re all having dinner together.”
“Huh? All of us?”
I assumed we’d be picking up my sister from home and grabbing a bite, so it felt strange for my dad to emphasize the words ‘all together.’
“The production staff said they’ve booked a restaurant for us.”
“Oh, I see.”
“You’ll all be seeing each other a lot from now on, so it’s good to share a meal like this.”
My mom and dad looked at each other and nodded.
“We’ve sent the restaurant address via text. Haru, you can come with us.”
The producer said, appearing in the doorway of the waiting room we hadn't quite closed.
“Thank you.”
When we arrived at the restaurant, we could see the staff members who had gotten there first already eating.
It looked like they had rented out the entire place.
“There’s a private room over there. I’ll show you the way.”
The producer led us to a room in the back of the restaurant.
“We figured you’d have a lot to talk about today, so we got you a private room.”
“Thank you.”
“The program was able to end with such great results all thanks to the hard work of the contestants. You must have gone through a lot because of the show, so please eat well. I’m sorry, and thank you.”
The producer offered his brief pleasantries and left the room.
The food was served shortly after.
The menu was braised beef ribs.
Everyone was hungry, so we focused more on eating than talking at first.
“So, who’s going to be the leader?”
“Haru.”
The parents seemed to have a lot of questions, as they kept asking one after another.
“Are you living in a dorm?”
“Yes. They said we can move in after a week.”
“Come to think of it, Yoon-seul, you’re the youngest.”
My mom’s words made me realize that I was the youngest member of this group.
‘Me, the youngest member.’
The original youngest member of RE-V was Lee Ho-jun.
[Ho-jun is the youngest but doesn't act like it, which is a surprisingly charming trait. He probably never dreamed he’d be the youngest at twenty-two. That’s a really young age in the real world, but in the idol world, the youngest members are like, sixteen, so lololol.]
↳Seriously. When he went back to being a trainee, he probably thought he’d be the leader or the oldest member lol.
↳LMAO just based on looks, Haru seems like the youngest and Ho-jun seems like one of the older members.
↳I heard the youngest member of a girl group that just debuted is fourteen. They keep getting younger. It’d be fun to see our boys next to kids like that. Is that too mean of me? I just want to see them get flustered.
As it was a re-debut program, I had seen a few posts on social media mentioning that even the youngest member was older than those in other idol groups.
‘Still, it’s much better than being the leader. The responsibility of being a leader was surprisingly heavy.’
During the first generation of GANGSTER-M, I was in the middle, and during the second, I was the oldest member and the leader.
I never wanted to feel that kind of responsibility again.
‘Besides, if you’re the youngest, fans look on you favorably for that reason alone.’
Sometimes I’d feel a twinge of envy watching other idols get doted on just for being the youngest.
Because no matter how hard I tried, I could never be loved.
“More importantly, you haven’t seen the dorm yet, have you?”
“No.”
“I wonder how many rooms it has.”
They said they’d be filming the reality show at the dorm, so the quality would probably be more than a rookie idol group deserves.
Since there would be an audience watching.
“I’m not expecting anything grand, but I just hope it’s not uncomfortable for the boys to live in.”
“Me too.”
“And Haru, from now on, think of us as your Korean parents and feel free to come over for a meal anytime. Okay? Don’t just stay alone in the dorm on your days off.”
Park Ji-ham’s mother said, holding Haru’s hand.
“...Is that really okay?”
“Of course.”
“That’s right. Come to our house, too. If you’re in the same group as our son, you’re all family. You’ll be sharing your lives for the next few years. And if we ever go to Japan, Haru’s parents will take care of us, won’t they?”
The other parents also smiled at Haru, inviting him to visit them comfortably.
“Your parents must worry, since you’re here in Korea all by yourself.”
“Right. When you’re in a foreign country, things that never bothered you before can suddenly make you feel sad. Tell your mother and father. Tell them not to worry too much because we’ll take good care of you.”
Haru said something in Japanese, and his parents bowed their heads to us.
It seemed to be their way of asking us to take care of him.
And so, the first get-together concluded in a heartwarming atmosphere.
* * *
The week flew by incredibly fast.
It was supposed to be a break, but strangely, there was so much to do.
Before moving into the new dorm, I had to pack my things and prepare the documents the company sent over, saying they were required.
On top of that, since I’d be busy with debut preparations for a while, I needed to spend time with my family.
Even though it wasn’t a holiday, all my relatives gathered.
Back when I was with GANGSTER-M, I felt so pathetic that I intentionally avoided going home for the holidays, so it had been a very long time since I’d seen everyone.
“Yoon-seul. Seeing you do so well makes me so happy.”
“Your grandmother usually goes to bed at 8, but she stayed up to watch your show, dozing off in front of the TV.”
“My dear grandson. You’ve been through so much.”
I hadn’t even visited them during the holidays, yet they all welcomed and cheered for me, making me feel embarrassed and shy.
‘I should make sure to visit them more often from now on.’
“Did you finish packing?”
My mom asked, glancing at my backpack.
“Yeah.”
“Is that all?”
I had started packing a few days ago, but there wasn't much to pack.
I didn’t have many clothes, shoes, or bags to begin with, and I figured I didn't need to bring much.
“I don’t know how big the storage space in my room will be, and it’s not like I’ll never be coming home.”
“That’s true, but…”
“It’s fine. They said they’d provide basic necessities. And here, there are no training fees, so we’ll get paid much faster. So if I need anything, I can just buy it.”
“Alright. Should I pack you some side dishes?”
“No, it’s okay. They said there’s a lady who cooks for us there. I’ll ask you if I need any.”
“You say that, but you’ve never asked before.”
My mom’s blunt words left me speechless.
“See? You have nothing to say, do you?”
“I’m sorry. This time, I’ll really ask if I need something.”
“You better.”
“Okay.”
Only after getting a firm answer did my mom nod.
“Should we get going now?”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”
I heard the reality show would start filming the moment we entered the dorm, so it was best not to be late.
So, I shouldered my bag and headed to the dorm with my mom.
“Yoon-seul.”
“Yeah?”
“I was proud of you even when you were in GANGSTER-M.”
My mom’s sudden words brought a lump to my throat.
It was a good day, and I didn’t want to cry, so I turned my gaze to the window.
“I know.”
“You knew?”
“Yeah.”
How could I not?
She was the one who replied to every single malicious comment about me during the second generation of GANGSTER-M.
[That pest Seo Yoon-seul really needs to get out. So annoying.]
↳Seo Yoon-seul is a kind and good kid. He's always working hard to put on a great performance. Please don't hate him so much. I'm begging you.
[Why won't Seo Yoon-seul just leave? Is he trying to hang on till the end?]
↳Yoon-seul is a kid who has worked so hard to become an idol. Could you please give this boy, who does nothing but practice in the studio every day, just one chance?
My mom had tried her best not to make it obvious, but it was impossible not to know.
The username was just a few numbers different from the one she had always used.
“They say you become an adult when you start working. I guess it’s true. You even understand your mom’s heart now.”
As I chatted with my mom, we arrived at the dorm before I knew it.
“Son, you have to call often.”
“I will. You should get going.”
“I’ll leave after I see you go in.”
“I just have to get on the elevator. Go on.”
“Alright. Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
I gave a small wave to my mom as she drove out of the parking lot, then readjusted the bag on my shoulder.
‘Alright. Let’s go in.’
I walked confidently toward the dorm.
This was a new beginning with a new group.