Chapter 23
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Safely Music Show Stage (3)
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“What kind of person is like that?”
The moment we returned to the waiting room, Baek Si-woo yelled, his face flushed red. Staff members’ gazes immediately turned our way.
Cha Jae-hyun stepped in front of Baek Si-woo with a flustered expression.
“Si-woo.”
But Baek Si-woo still looked far from calm.
“No, seriously! Aren’t you pissed too?”
Cha Jae-hyun hurriedly threw an arm around Baek Si-woo’s shoulders and whispered quickly into his ear.
“There are a lot of people here, so KakaoTalk.”
Baek Si-woo tore at his hair and flopped down into a chair.
Soon, the group chat notification rang out.
[Baek Si-woo]
I’m so fucking pissed
[Baek Si-woo]
That screw-up??
[Baek Si-woo]
Wow, first time seeing someone act like that to a stranger. Isn’t it ridiculous?
Still fuming, Baek Si-woo slammed the armrest of his chair hard.
[Jeong Eun-ho]
Calm down first.
[Baek Si-woo]
Do I look like I can calm down?!
[Song Yu-bin]
Hyungs. I’m really fineㅠㅠ
[Baek Si-woo]
Is it okay to act like that just because they debuted first? It’s so absurd and annoying lol
Baek Si-woo kept furiously typing, clearly not done venting.
[Baek Si-woo]
And why was Hwang Tae-seok talking down to Jae-hyun hyung? Hyung’s a year older lol
He was right. Even if it was just a one-year difference, Cha Jae-hyun was older.
But…
‘These guys have some serious hierarchy issues.’
‘Hmm. Cute. Should I buy them drinks later?’
Talking down to a stranger regardless of age? Definitely a shitty person.
Hwang Tae-seok. I’d only known him from broadcasts as a rough-around-the-edges, fun personality.
Was it all just for the cameras?
‘I wonder if Cha Jae-hyun’s okay.’
No matter how tough someone is, dealing with crap like this will crack their mental eventually.
I hesitated before speaking up.
“Jae-hyun hyung.”
Just then, Cha Jae-hyun stood from his seat and walked somewhere.
‘Where’s he going?’
Cha Jae-hyun stopped in front of Eun Hae-sol. There sat Eun Hae-sol, his expression dark.
“Hae-sol.”
“…….”
“Why’d you leave first earlier?”
Eun Hae-sol looked at Cha Jae-hyun silently before lowering his head. He seemed set on saying nothing again.
“Eun Hae-sol.”
Anger seeped into Cha Jae-hyun’s voice, but Eun Hae-sol just kept his mouth shut tight.
Of course he wouldn’t talk. Even when I chased him down and grabbed him earlier, Eun Hae-sol hadn’t said a word.
* * *
“Eun Hae-sol!”
I chased after him with quick steps. Yet Eun Hae-sol didn’t stop, just kept walking.
“Hey!”
I grabbed his wrist, and only then did he halt.
“What’s up with you again?”
“…….”
“You were fine until now.”
Just then, some idols passing by glanced at us, and our eyes met.
I forced a smile.
“Let’s talk in the waiting room first.”
Eun Hae-sol still didn’t budge.
“Wanna spend the night here?”
“No.”
“Let’s go over there first.”
I led Eun Hae-sol into the emergency exit. Looking back, I saw him standing there blankly, head down.
“Tell me. What’s going on.”
Silence stretched out.
Eun Hae-sol stood there looking utterly wilted, like he was on the verge of death.
‘Something’s off with him.’
Normally, he’d snap or get angry…
‘His eyes have no focus at all.’
Watching him like that, a sudden wave of unease hit me.
Today was our first music show stage. We had to get on that stage no matter what, but if he was in this state, it’d be a problem.
Scolding could wait—mental care was the priority.
I let out a short breath before speaking.
“You okay?”
At my question, Eun Hae-sol slowly lifted his head.
“No matter what, we have to finish today’s schedule.”
Top candidate for going AWOL.
I had to somehow coax this guy, whose mind seemed elsewhere, onto the stage.
“I don’t know what’s up, but you can’t just leave mid-conversation with a senior without saying goodbye.”
“…Sorry.”
“You can get on stage, right?”
Eun Hae-sol slowly nodded.
“Phew…”
Crisis averted for now.
* * *
Back in the waiting room.
Cha Jae-hyun placed both hands on his hips, looking resolved.
“Let’s go hand out signed CDs.”
Everyone looked at Cha Jae-hyun.
It’s customary for rookies to go around other waiting rooms handing out signed CDs for promotion and face time during camera rehearsal wait times.
That’s what we’d planned too.
But…
“To Black Dice sunbaenims too?”
“Of course.”
After hearing that crap earlier? Plus, things got awkward because Eun Hae-sol bailed mid-conversation.
No. The more awkward, the better to clear it up quickly before rumors spread.
That made sense, but bending over backward after that insult…
“What? Pride won’t let you?”
Cha Jae-hyun asked quietly, as if reading my mind.
…Totally saw through me.
“Fine. Let’s go hand them out.”
I sighed and grabbed the CDs from the table. I popped the cap off a name pen with my mouth and signed quickly.
Turning my head, I saw Baek Si-woo sitting with his eyes closed.
“Baek Si-woo. Come sign too.”
Baek Si-woo’s eyes flew open.
“You’ve got some guts.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you worried about Yu-bin? How hurt do you think our Yu-bin was hearing that? He’s already down, couldn’t even eat!”
Baek Si-woo whipped his head around.
Where he looked, Song Yu-bin was happily devouring his lunchbox.
“Waeong?”
Song Yu-bin mumbled with his mouth full.
“No, is your mental okay?”
Song Yu-bin swallowed his food and grinned casually.
“It didn’t bother me much.”
What? Did his mental toughness level up suddenly?
Song Yu-bin hummed cheerfully while scarfing down his lunchbox and scribbling signatures.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Yeah, we bombed the stage, but we’ve got tons more ahead, right?”
Wait, that line. Was he quoting my earlier pep talk?
“Yu-bin, when did you grow up so much!”
Baek Si-woo charged at him with teary eyes, and Song Yu-bin leaned back holding his lunchbox.
“Hey, what! I’m eating, back off!”
While the two bickered, Cha Jae-hyun finished signing and stood.
“Let’s go.”
We were about to head out with arms full of signed CDs when—
‘Wait, Eun Hae-sol?’
Looking back, there was Eun Hae-sol sitting blankly.
‘What to do.’
Leaving him behind wasn’t great in his current state.
But taking him to Black Dice’s waiting room? That could spark trouble.
After agonizing, I spoke up.
“Eun Hae-sol. Come with us.”
Cha Jae-hyun shook his head.
“With what happened earlier, wouldn’t it be better to leave Hae-sol here?”
I agreed, but for quest reasons, I had to bring him. If he vanished while we were gone, we were screwed.
Pretending to mull it over, I said—
“Hyung. We’re teammates.”
Cha Jae-hyun reluctantly nodded.
He looked unconvinced, but after I put it like that, leaving him would be awkward for him too.
Just then, my eyes met Eun Hae-sol’s, who was gazing at me moved.
‘Don’t get touched. It’s not for you…’
We stepped into the hallway.
Cha Jae-hyun checked his watch.
“Time before camera rehearsal? Let’s make it quick.”
We hurried off.
We went into various idols’ waiting rooms, greeting and handing out signed CDs.
Some welcomed us warmly, others were lukewarm.
As we exited after handing out CDs, Baek Si-woo looked disgusted.
“Why?”
“Come here.”
I leaned in, and he whispered in my ear.
“When we give signed CDs, they’re all sour-faced, but brighten up for girl groups. Makes me sick.”
“Really?”
Cha Jae-hyun stopped then.
Looking ahead, Black Dice’s waiting room was just steps away.
“Shall we?”
“Yeah.”
“Hae-sol. I’ll handle what happened earlier. You just stay quiet.”
Eun Hae-sol nodded.
‘Cha Jae-hyun’s got it rough.’
We stood at the members’ door. As we raised a hand to knock, voices arguing inside drifted out.
“Ah! Did I say something wrong?”
Hwang Tae-seok. I paused mid-knock and listened.
“You went too far. ‘Bombed the stage’? They’re already upset.”
“Can’t even say they bombed it? Should I say they stir-fried it instead?”
“Hey. Hwang Tae-seok!”
I could guess the situation.
Seo I-jin was scolding Hwang Tae-seok, who wasn’t listening. Either way, exhausting.
“Those kids have no manners either. Walking out mid-convo with seniors there.”
Wait. Did we have to keep eavesdropping? Us lurking by the door looked weird too, right?
I whispered to the members.
“Go in?”
“At this timing?”
“That’s kinda off, right?”
As voices rose higher, another spoke.
“Everyone, stop fighting.”
Who was that? Not Seo I-jin.
“We’re not fighting. Hyun-ha.”
Ye Hyun-ha?
Totally different from when we met earlier. Stiff, emotionless, robotic.
I’d heard celebs have a broadcast voice…
‘Didn’t know it was this extreme. Thought it was a different person.’
Then—
“Excuse me.”
A voice from behind made us all turn. Standing there was…
“What are you doing here?”
A woman holding a shoe in one hand, Black Dice’s stylist by the look.
“Oh, we’re…”
She recognized us and raised her voice.
“Wow! Manwol Boys, right? The new debuts! Here to hand out signed CDs?”
Instantly, the noise inside Black Dice’s waiting room stopped.
‘Damn.’
They’d noticed us at the door.
The door swung open, and Ye Hyun-ha stepped out.
“What brings you here?”
Ye Hyun-ha’s lips curved subtly upon seeing us.