Chapter 337
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 337
I suppose the more urgent a situation becomes, the more crowded a person’s mind gets.
In that fleeting instant—perhaps just long enough for the second hand to click once—all sorts of thoughts invaded my brain.
However, I couldn't afford to show any hesitation or wavering. If I did, it would surely be seized upon as a weakness and torn apart.
"Hmm."
I met Kang Yi-chae’s persistent gaze and arched a single eyebrow. "What? Is your cool hyung even good at editing?"
"Haha."
I didn't let my guard down as he burst into laughter. I couldn't afford to answer too hastily or deny it too vehemently.
"Our Ho-yun hyung really is a jack-of-all-trades. You even overcame your lack of talent in dancing, back when you were called a Ttukttak-i."
"Are you mocking me?"
"But hyung, you didn't exactly have time to properly learn how to edit."
That was true. Before the debut, he—the original Ho-yun—was excluded from the lineup entirely due to illness, and afterward, he was tied to the practice room every day, barely keeping up with the others.
I put on a bored expression as if I were listening to something uninteresting and looked back down at my phone.
"By that logic, you're good at composing."
"Hey, I have a perfectly wonderful and cool teacher by my side. Besides, I learned several instruments when I was a kid."
Im Hyeon-su, who usually avoided contacting me unless absolutely necessary, had suddenly called the other day to give me a long lecture on Kang Yi-chae’s personality. It was probably because of that 'Me-something' CD he’d received as a gift.
As I chose my words while pretending to scroll through my phone screen, Kang Yi-chae flopped down onto the sand and stretched.
"Or was Ho-jin hyung’s story right?"
"…Huh?"
Kang Yi-chae turned his body toward me, a mischievous tug at the corner of his mouth.
"He said you used to edit family videos often back in the day?"
…He remembers that? That?
Tap, tap… Shhh—.
The sound of my fingers aimlessly tapping the screen was swallowed by the waves. It was something I’d done with clumsy skills back in high school, more than ten years ago.
"…Is that what he said?"
"Yeah. We played IRIX together the day before yesterday."
"Are you two still gaming together?"
I strained my ears to make sure my voice wasn't trembling strangely. I hadn't realized Seo Ho-jin still held onto those memories despite his partial memory loss.
"It’s really fascinating. To think you could do that through self-study."
Kang Yi-chae gave me an intense, lingering look from head to toe, then rested the back of his head on the sand again to stare up at the clear sky.
"I should’ve started composing back then, too. My mom would’ve liked it if I’d played something for her. Right?"
"……."
Seeing the droplets of water rolling down his cheek from his bangs, I tossed him a clean, new towel that was sitting nearby.
"Finish drying your hair."
Only when Kang Yi-chae’s face was covered did I feel my stiff back and the tingling in my fingertips. It felt as if his eyes were still watching me.
Kang Yi-chae slowly sat up and shook out his hair with one hand.
…Am I being too guarded?
After clenching and unclenching my fists a few times, I called out to the person in front of me.
"Yi-chae."
Regardless of everything, today was their debut anniversary—and his birthday.
"Yeah?"
"Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll buy you something delicious later."
Kang Yi-chae, who had been grumbling about how the sand kept falling out no matter how much he shook it, lowered the towel and grinned.
"Then I want Almas caviar."
"I’ll give you my suitcase when we get to the hotel. You can dig into that."
"Totally not funny."
I ignored him as he muttered about how even company department heads would be ostracized for making jokes like that these days. Just then, Kim Seong-hyeon and Seong Ji-won walked over, soaking wet.
"…Yi-chae, Ho-yun."
"Good grief, look at the state of you two."
"Let’s just get back to the hotel for now."
It seemed our maknae had finally succeeded in dunking all his hyungs in the water.
Jeong Da-jun, who followed a step behind, poked his head out with a beaming smile. Then, seeing me—the only dry one—his eyes sparkled.
"Ho-yun hyung, are you good at swimming by any cha—"
"You're dead."
"Sorry."
* * *
[Uwaaaa I miss Seo Ho-yun]
It hadn't even been a week since the members of The Dawn had left Korean soil.
[It’s summer in Korea but it’s so cold.. because The Dawn isn't here..]
[Don't send photos of Seong-hyeon oppa surfing.. why do oppas only go shirtless when they go abroad?]
[No, going to Hawaii is great.. it’s all good.... but it’s been a while, what are you doing, please do a live ㅠㅠ]
[Your 'oppas' (gag) went all the way to Hawaii to suck WH's money that Black Call earned like parasites ㅜ Didn't your conscience die while flying first class? ㅠㅠ]
[Ah shit, looking at the profile, this is just a bastard who goes around picking fights everywhere]
[Doesn't seem like a Hi-ri pretending to be a Hi-riㅋㅋ No way they'd peck at them so amateurishly]
[Looking at the tension lately, it seems like people who are neither Noeul nor Hi-ri are just fanning the flames.
Get a life (God-saeng)... stop living on the internet]
[The toxic stans are really acting up lately]
The precarious atmosphere that had been subtly building between Noeul and Hi-ri finally exploded.
In an attempt to neutralize the fandom's power struggle, some fans of The Dawn began periodically uploading edited live videos.
<~The Deonging-is who say the person who isn't funny is in charge of chores~>
One of them was a story Seong Ji-won and Seo Ho-yun shared during a live broadcast in Hawaii about 'how to pick the person in charge of chores.'
【You have to do chores if you aren't funny?】
Reading the chat, Seong Ji-won’s already large eyes widened even further.
【Ah, that’s right. It’s been a trend among us lately. How did you know?】
When a comment appeared saying Jeong Da-jun had told them through Pop-Pop, Seong Ji-won nodded.
【We just naturally trade jokes while talking, and if everyone suddenly turns stone-faced, that person becomes the cleaning person for the day. If you say one wrong word, you get heavily…….】
【Torn apart.】
【Haha, right. So recently Da-jun… did he do the dishes twice? Ah, three times?】
【It’s his fault for not being funny.】
【Ahaha.】
[SHOCK
Ji-won agrees with Seo Ho-yun: "Well, Da-jun did mess up a lot..."]
[The angel has finally been tainted..]
Just then, Seong Ji-won glanced at Seo Ho-yun and spoke up a bit hesitantly.
【Actually… there was one time when Ho-yun wasn't funny either, and I did the cleaning for him.】
【…What?】
The camera zoomed in on Seo Ho-yun’s bewildered face. At the same time, Seong Ji-won’s face, smiling with a slight blush on his cheeks, was shown in detail.
【I was his cleaning Black Knight….】
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Ah, the skull emoticon next to Ho-yun is killing me ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Before Seo Ho-yun could find the words to respond, the other members, looking like they had just finished showering, appeared with cups of ramyun in their hands.
【What are we going to do in Hawaii?】
In the end, the situation was glossed over.
Kang Yi-chae, who was slurping down yellow noodles instead of Almas caviar, wiped his lips with his thumb and answered.
【Hmm, I want to do something fresh… how about rapping while skydiving?】
【You're cleaning this place today.】
[Isn't that a hotel? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ No, Kang Yi-chae is so shameless, he says he’s going to order X-ramyun room service ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Amidst the shower of criticism that was closer to condemnation, only Seong Ji-won briefly defended Kang Yi-chae, then suddenly raised his right hand high.
【Ji-won! How about drinking until only the last person is left standing?】
[How much does Seong Ji-won actually drink? I'm so curious because I've never seen it...]
[Seo Ho-yun said Seong Ji-won has never been drunk.
└ㄷㄷ]
【Let’s just connect it with a fan song and give it a college MT vibe….】
【Let’s write a drama script we can film in Hawaii!】
[Ah, too many cooks in the kitchen, I'm losing energy.
└I think Seong-hyeon is losing energy right now too.
└└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
As various opinions popped up from all sides and the atmosphere threatened to overheat, Kim Seong-hyeon, sensing it was too much, signaled with his eyes and mouthed something, and the live broadcast was abruptly terminated.
[Ah, so cute, our Deonging-is are so innocent and silly.]
[This is healing... maybe because I just came from a keyboard war with a toxic stan.]
While fans watched those clips and wished for The Dawn’s swift return, they also hoped for at least one piece of fun content since they were in Hawaii.
[Surely they won't just end it with a Hawaii vlog with Ju Woo-seong........]
[Surely.........]
As if on cue, a notification from The Dawn’s Nutube channel reached the fans.
【Wait, who on earth goes on an MT to Hawaii?
~ The Dawn in Hawaii ~】
Self-produced content had arrived unexpectedly.
【Finally, The Dawn has come to Hawaii!!】
The Dawn entering the airport appeared briefly, followed by a rapid succession of scenes: playing in the water against the beautiful Hawaiian scenery, eating meals, and more.
【Show Me the Skydiving!
Falling in love isn't a crime!1) — An exciting (makjang) drama unfolding in Hawaii!
The Dawn’s Drinking Party — Until only one person remains!
College students The Dawn’s Hawaii MT?!】
And finally, a short edit of the members talking about what they wanted to do there during the live broadcast.
【Our production team respects The Dawn’s opinions.】
Following that, the screen faded to black, and a caption in a very large, formal font appeared.
【So, we mixed them all together!】
[Wait, you mixed what?]
[Are the staff in charge of the Deonging-is out of their minds too?]
[Everyone is soaked in madness ㅋㅋㅋ]
The intro to 'Name This Feeling' gradually increased in volume, sounding like a song coming from an old radio with a bit of static.
【-Deonging University-
~Hawaii Edition MT~】
A title appeared in a font that pursued a strangely excessive flashiness, the kind that might have been used on a drama poster ten years ago.
As the screen slowly faded in, Kim Seong-hyeon appeared, gazing wistfully at an emerald beach. He was sitting on the sand with a jacket that said 'Physical Education' draped over his shoulders. His neatly combed-back bangs fell over his straight forehead in the gentle sea breeze.
[Wow... shit... crazy...
Kim Seong-hyeon is a truly incredible handsome man]
[I sometimes forget because he’s always being picked on, but he does look a bit intimidating, and he really has that romance male lead vibe. Cold aura everywhere]
[Right, he’s totally the 'chaebol director who got the job through nepotism' type ㅋㅋㅋ because he’s so refreshingly handsome ㅋㅋㅋ]
"Sigh……."
Letting out a small sigh, Kim Seong-hyeon brushed back his fallen hair and spoke.
"My name is Kim Seong-hyeon…. Will I be able to adapt well to Deonging University, the best university in Korea?"
[I take back what I said]
[No.. this isn't it, Seong-hyeon...]
[Seong-hyeon, put it away, put it away, put the male lead away]
Although Kim Seong-hyeon’s acting skills had improved significantly, he still couldn't completely hide his awkward, stuttering, and stumbling intonation.
[Right, Jeong Da-jun... he... really liked that drama, The Heirs...
└Was Jeong Da-jun even born then??]
With his eyes cast down, Kim Seong-hyeon delivered his lines quite seriously. Even if it was in a staccato fashion.
"My family is just ordinary… but looking at Deonging University, where the children of the 1st to 4th ranked families in the business world all attend… I’m so afraid."
[Why does Seong-hyeon talk to himself so much?]
[ㅋㅋㅋ Ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Shit, I'm clenching my teeth so hard ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Then, he raised a slightly trembling hand and rubbed his eyelids.
"Will I be able to get along well here……?"
Just then, a foreigner carrying a surfboard greeted Kim Seong-hyeon and approached him closely.
"Hey, wanna go surfing?"
[Where on earth did they find a foreign actor who looks like he’d fit perfectly in a reenactment show?]
[Their casting power is amazing]
"No, no. It’s okay."
"For a mere commoner!"
[Wait, the foreigner suddenly spoke Korean]
A startled Kim Seong-hyeon quickly shook his head, but the person opposite him suddenly flared up in anger in fluent Korean.
"Why does everyone keep calling me a commoner, a commoner?! Listen carefully! My name is Kim Seong—!"
At the moment he was about to scream with clenched fists and a fed-up expression, someone pulled his shoulder back.
"Commoner!"
The chorus of 'Name This Feeling' played as background music, and a sparkling effect covered the screen.
Then, Seo Ho-yun’s face appeared radiantly.
【Beyond the dawn, pulling in the sunset】
"I told you, I'm not a commoner!"
"Ah, sorry. You, Seong-hyeon. Kim Seong-hyeon, right?"
【How do you name this feeling
Tell me, you know what this is】
At Seo Ho-yun’s soft smile, Kim Seong-hyeon’s brow twitched and then stopped.
"I'm Prince Seo."
[Oh, for God's sake]
The curtain rose on The Dawn’s out-of-this-world college MT-version self-produced content.
*
1) A line spoken by the character Lee Tae-oh in Episode 5 of the JTBC drama The World of the Married (2020.03.27. ~ 2020.05.16.).