Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: California Tour and a Discovery
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[RE-V California Tour Video]
A BRAVE watching the video uploaded to the YouTube channel let out a short scream.
“Aah!”
“Who told you to scream like that in the house!”
Even though she could hear her mom yelling at her from the living room, the smile on the BRAVE’s face showed no sign of disappearing.
“It was because of a bug!”
Afraid of the nagging that would follow if she told the truth—that it was because of a RE-V video—she blamed it on a bug and sat down at her desk.
Then, she immediately played the video.
[Hello, it’s RE-V! We came to get dinner after our show. It’s a Mexican restaurant, looks delicious, right? We’re so hungry. So we’re going to eat right away.]
RE-V, dressed in casual clothes, waved at the camera.
“Did the company prepare their outfits? They’re not wearing black this time either.”
To this BRAVE, Seo Yoon-seul’s true casual wear had become a black top and black pants.
That’s why, as soon as she saw Seo Yoon-seul wearing a long-sleeved sky-blue T-shirt in the video, she concluded that, regardless of the other members, Seo Yoon-seul’s clothes must have been prepared by the company.
[Wow. This place is really good.]
RE-V continued their meal with cheerful faces.
Before long, the plates were empty.
[We’re going to rest for a bit at the hotel and then go on a desert tour.]
The screen transitioned to the inside of a car.
[A little while ago at the restaurant, a woman asked Eun-woo for his number.]
At Park Ji-ham’s words, the BRAVE slammed her fist on her thigh.
“No way. Who’s asking for our Eun-woo’s number!”
Even though she knew Jung Eun-woo wouldn’t have given it, the reaction was automatic.
[When Eun-woo said he was sorry but couldn’t give it to her because of his job, she asked if he was doing something illegal. So he told her he was a K-pop idol, and she asked if they could take a picture together instead. In the end, they just took a picture.]
Park Ji-ham said, then let out a small laugh.
[I feel like we’re having all sorts of experiences here in America.]
The car drove for a long time before arriving in the middle of the desert.
[Wow. It’s so vast.]
RE-V ran freely across the expansive desert.
[They said we can sled down from over there.]
The manager said, pointing to a small slope made of sand.
At that, RE-V began to sled joyfully.
[Wow!]
All except for one person: Seo Yoon-seul.
[Yoon-seul. You should try it too. It’s not scary at all.]
Haru encouraged Seo Yoon-seul to join them.
[Is it really not scary?]
“Wow. He’s so cute.”
Seeing Seo Yoon-seul afraid of a slope that didn’t even look that high made him seem like the perfect youngest member.
After a round of sledding, RE-V seemed tired and flopped down on the sand.
[I showered after the concert, but I’ll have to shower again when we get back to the hotel.]
The other members agreed with Jung Eun-woo.
[And these are new clothes for Yoon-seul.]
Lee Ho-jun said, playfully tugging at the hem of Seo Yoon-seul’s shirt.
“What? Weren’t they from the company?”
[I know, right? He bought them because he said BRAVE were heartbroken seeing he didn’t have any clothes, but now they’re covered in sand.]
“Aww. I’m so touched. Seriously, what idol buys casual clothes for their fans?”
[Well, clothes are consumables anyway. And they weren’t expensive to begin with.]
Just a moment ago, he seemed like a cute youngest member, but now he suddenly sounded like an old man.
[It gets cold here at night. Let’s head back. We have a schedule tomorrow, too.]
At the manager’s words, RE-V got up.
The screen faded to black, and the words ‘The Next Day’ appeared.
[Wow. This is my first time here.]
Along with Jung Eun-woo’s excited voice, the scenery of an amusement park unfolded.
[This is amazing.]
They wandered all over the amusement park.
In the middle of it all, the manager handed out headbands to the members.
They were animal headbands that resembled each member.
[Hyung, what are these? We’re not kids.]
Jung Eun-woo looked at the manager with a bewildered expression.
[It’s not just for kids. This is a world of childlike innocence. Other adults are wearing them too. Besides, you guys were as excited as kids the moment you walked in. Hurry up and put them on. It wasn’t hard to find them since there was a character for each of you based on the animal you resemble.]
Urged by the manager, the members put on the headbands.
Meanwhile, Jung Eun-woo’s wasn’t a headband.
[Eun-woo. Yours turned out like this. There was a snake plushie. Let’s wrap it around your arm.]
The manager said, wrapping the snake plushie around Jung Eun-woo’s right arm.
“Wow! Manager-nim. Thank you so much. Thank you.”
The BRAVE offered her thanks to the manager.
It didn’t matter that he wouldn’t hear it.
The words had just tumbled out of her mouth.
[Then you should wear one too, hyung. Yeah. Let’s find one that looks like you!]
RE-V placed a flamboyant crown on the manager’s head.
It was the kind of design a princess would wear.
[Alright. If it makes you guys happy, I’ll be the sacrifice.]
The manager nodded with a look of resignation.
Then they all started walking together.
The sight of six adult men walking with headbands on was somehow a little funny.
[This ice cream is delicious.]
RE-V was fully enjoying the tour, taking lots of pictures to show their fans and eating snacks.
[This is my first time at an amusement park since I was a baby.]
At Haru’s words, a chorus of “Me too” erupted from here and there.
[We really have so many things to do together from now on.]
And that’s how the video ended.
“What? It ends like this? That feels a bit abrupt.”
Feeling that the video had ended too suddenly, the BRAVE moved her finger to check the comments.
↳ I think there’s a part two. The video should have at least ended after they returned to the hotel. And they said they bought snacks for us, but we didn’t see that either.
↳ It’s nice to see the boys having fun.
↳ They’re really making the most of their time in California.
↳ I totally understand the woman who asked Jung Eun-woo for his number. With a face like that, you’d ask even if you knew the answer would be no.
↳ Me too lololol. I’d ask even if I knew I’d get rejected.
↳ They really just look like guys in their twenties. I love it so much.
↳ Manager! RE-V in headbands! Animal headbands on RE-V! Wow. The manager has such great taste. My heart is pounding right now. Especially Yoon-seul’s headband, the puppy ears are designed to cover his real ears, so they flop around when he walks, it’s so cute. Meanwhile, Eun-woo having a snake plushie wrapped around his neck is also hilarious.
↳ Putting the princess crown on the manager was so funny too lololololol. You can see at a glance how well the manager and the boys get along. I hope he stays their manager for a long time.
“For real. RE-V look just like ordinary guys in their twenties. Not like idols.”
* * *
“I’m back.”
As I returned to the dorm, the members, who had been resting in their rooms, all came out to the living room to greet me.
“You’re just getting back? It took longer than I thought.”
“Ah. I ended up recording.”
“You recorded today too?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s amazing. Recording on the first day you went.”
“I didn’t expect it either. He suggested we do a temporary recording, so I went into the booth, and we just ended up doing the real thing.”
I briefly told the members what had happened at the studio.
“I heard Leon is famous for being really sensitive when he records. Was it okay?”
“It wasn’t as bad as I was worried it would be.”
“It was probably because you did well.”
Lee Ho-jun’s words made my shoulders puff up with pride.
“Oh, right. The manager told me today that we’re having a comeback with a mini-album, not a full one.”
I had more or less expected it.
“So when is the comeback?”
“He said in the winter. Probably in about three months? The company was already preparing a full album anyway, so they just have to scale it down.”
It was late August now, so we had more time than I thought.
‘Looks like they plan to have Creatin make their comeback first, then us.’
The company couldn’t give up on either group.
But they couldn’t have us both come back at the same time and create internal competition, either.
‘After some thought, since we were planning a full album anyway, they must have decided to let Creatin have their comeback first.’
RE-V had a considerable number of group and individual fans, and we were well-known to the public, but if Creatin missed this timing, there was a chance they would be forgotten.
“They’re thinking of holding our fan meeting around the third week after our mini-album comeback. They have to check available dates for the venue, so they’ll let us know once it’s confirmed.”
I nodded at Haru’s explanation.
“Go change your clothes first.”
“Okay.”
After changing from my outdoor clothes to loungewear, I went into the bathroom to wash my hands and feet.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Next to the sink, there was a small notebook bound in brown leather.
‘Did someone leave this here?’
After drying my hands with a towel, I picked up the notebook.
Then, I carefully opened it.
‘LUCKY’.
Inside, there were words that looked like lyrics.
‘I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere before.’
I wracked my brain, trying to remember.
“Hmm…”
As I pondered for a long time, a melody flashed through my mind.
—Warm sunshine
Cool breeze
A voice for me—
It was the pre-release track from the winter album RE-V had put out around their fourth year.
It was a song they promoted before their main activities, and it was popular enough to hit number one.
“But why is this here?”
I had been going through the toughest time of my life back then, so I didn’t know much about this song.
All I knew was that it was a calm yet bright song fitting for winter, that it stayed on the charts for a long time even after promotions ended, and that it later had a resurgence thanks to a challenge.
‘Did one of the members compose this?’
In my memory, none of the RE-V members could compose.
‘If not, did they just write the lyrics? But it’s unlikely they’d write lyrics like that without a song.’
There were more than a few strange things about it.
‘The ability to compose is a great asset for an idol, so why would they hide it? And why release it four years later?’
For now, I took the notebook and went out to the living room.
“This was in the bathroom. Whose is it?”
“Ah. So that’s where it was. It’s mine.”
The owner of the notebook was none other than Park Ji-ham.
“I went to wash my hands a little while ago because I got something on them, and I must have put it down for a second and forgotten about it.”
I handed the notebook to Park Ji-ham.
My eyes kept drifting toward the notebook against my will.
“Thanks.”
As soon as he took the notebook, he went to his room and returned empty-handed shortly after.
‘I think I should try talking to him.’