Chapter 340
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 340
When he was a child, a certain line appeared in a movie his older brother loved so much they had watched it countless times together.
“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
Kang Yeon-hu wasn’t entirely sure if his current actions were an extension of that famous proverb. Regardless, he pulled his hat down even further and cautiously pushed open the practice room door.
“Ta-da! Ta-ra-ra-ran, boom! One, two—!”
He glanced down at his wrist to check his watch. Even though he had arrived at the promised time, music was still blaring from inside.
‘When is it going to end?’
Should he come back later?
He looked up again, watching the members of The Dawn as they refined the details of their choreography.
If it had just been the members, it might have been fine, but the room was packed. Backup dancers were practicing alongside them, and staff members were busy filming behind-the-scenes footage.
If even a single strand of his hair were caught in that frame…
‘It would be a nightmare.’
Things were already noisy enough lately regarding High Five and The Dawn. He could already imagine the kind of rumors that would swirl around the internet.
“No, I’m telling you, this part goes da-da-da-dan, swish-swish!”
“Ah, ah… right. Yeah, Da-jun is right.”
“Right?! Hehe!”
Yeon-hu pressed his fingers against his temple, debating whether to turn back, when he spotted The Dawn’s youngest member grinning widely. Jeong Da-jun, who was currently wiping sweat off his face with his pulled-up T-shirt before jumping back into step practice, looked quite different from when they first met. Now, when he kept his mouth shut, he exuded a slightly cold aura similar to his older members.
Just as Yeon-hu was about to let out a deep sigh, thinking of High Five’s own clumsy and innocent youngest member—
“Oh! Senior!”
Da-jun spotted him and came running over with a bright smile.
“What brings you here?”
Yeon-hu instinctively flinched back at the pure, radiant energy. Da-jun tilted his head as he drew closer.
“Are you looking for Ho-yun hyung?”
“…Did Seo Ho-yun say something? That I was coming?”
“Not really, but I figured there’s no other reason for a senior like you to come looking for us unless it’s for Ho-yun hyung!”
“…….”
…Is he messing with me right now?
Yeon-hu wasn’t sure if he should be worried about appearing close to Seo Ho-yun, or if he should be concerned that Da-jun was subtly shading him for having no interest in the other members of The Dawn.
Da-jun caught a towel thrown by Kim Seong-hyeon and rubbed his hair dry before shouting toward the back.
“Ho-yun hyung!!!”
At that, a dark mass huddled on the floor in a corner of the practice room wriggled upward and began to stagger toward them. It was Seo Ho-yun, still dressed in black from head to toe.
He rested his chin on Da-jun’s shoulder and muttered, “I’m dying. Seriously.”
“Ack, it’s hot! Sweat!! Get off me, hyung!!”
“Seong Ji-won, do something about him.”
Despite Da-jun’s clear disgust, Ho-yun clung even tighter, rubbing his face against Da-jun’s T-shirt even though he had a perfectly good towel of his own. Seong Ji-won, who had been watching them with a benevolent expression from a few steps away, only moved to separate the squawking pair after receiving a series of pointed glares and gestures from Kim Seong-hyeon.
While Yeon-hu stood there awkwardly, unable to find a gap to intervene in the close-knit group, his eyes met Seo Ho-yun’s.
“You played hard to get, but you finally showed up, Senior.”
As if only just noticing him, Ho-yun’s lips curled into a smirk.
“…You told me to come.”
“And that’s why I’m grateful. Hey, I’m heading out first.”
At Ho-yun’s shout, the voices of the gathered members erupted all at once.
“Huh?! Where are you going?! Buy us a Melona on your way back!!”
“Ho-yun hyung, you know our dorm curfew is 10 PM, right~?”
“Ho-yun, what about dinner?”
“Let’s have soybean paste stew at the dorm.”
“Whatever works.”
After asking for ten minutes, Ho-yun managed to shower and neatly style his hair in that short span of time. He had even swapped his tracksuit for a white shirt and dark gray slacks with a hint of blue; he looked like he had dressed with a specific purpose in mind.
“Shall we go?”
“…Seo Ho-yun, let me tell you this in advance.”
Yeon-hu decided to draw a line before he got swept up in Ho-yun’s pace to the point of no return.
“This is really as far as I go for you. Got it?”
If there was one thing Yeon-hu had gained from his long years as a trainee at WH Entertainment, it was connections. Coincidentally, he had received word from the higher-ups a few days ago about grabbing a meal, and with impeccable timing, Seo Ho-yun had asked him to bridge the gap.
It wasn’t hard to guess the reason.
‘It’s probably because of the comeback.’
The news that The Dawn’s activities were being postponed was practically a confirmed fact by now.
“I know, I know. I’ll just eat quietly and leave.”
“Good grief….”
As if.
Yeon-hu watched Ho-yun’s back as he strode confidently toward the parking lot of the new WH Entertainment building, then quickly followed after him.
*
“Department Head Jang, hello.”
“Yeon-hu! It’s been a while. Sorry for the sudden request for a meal.”
“Not at all. I should have contacted you sooner.”
Yeon-hu entered the reserved restaurant room first, greeting the man with a soft smile. Department Head Jang patted his shoulder affectionately before his gaze shifted to Seo Ho-yun.
“Did you have a good trip to Hawaii?”
“Yes, thanks to your consideration, Department Head, I had a wonderful time.”
“Haha! It was just an old man being nosy, but I’m grateful you accepted so readily. You probably don’t even know who I am, Ho-yun.”
“How could I not? I’ve heard the rumors.”
“Hmm?”
“Aren’t you the ‘Ju Woo-seong of the Executives’?”
“Whaaat?!”
“From what I can see, there are times when even Woo-seong hyung would be outmatched by you.”
Yeon-hu had to struggle to keep his expression neutral, stunned by the sheer naturalness with which Ho-yun breathed out such blatant flattery.
“Hahaha! This fellow is quite entertaining!”
There was no way the head of WH Entertainment’s planning team didn’t know what kind of talent Ju Woo-seong possessed.
Nevertheless, Department Head Jang didn’t seem to mind the transparent fawning. He chuckled heartily and gestured for Yeon-hu and Ho-yun to take their seats.
“So, you’re close with Yeon-hu? It’s rare for him to bring someone along, so I was curious.”
“Yes, Yeon-hu hyung… ah, Senior Yeon-hu…….”
Ho-yun’s cheeks flushed slightly after what was clearly a deliberate slip of the tongue. The sheer audacity of the act made Yeon-hu feel like the meat in his mouth was about to fly back out.
“He’s been very kind to me ever since we filmed Shining Star Season 2 together. Though these days, given the circumstances, we can’t exactly act close in public….”
Since when were we ever….
“Oh, is that so? That’s good for us. It’s great when artists support each other. Isn’t it best when things run smoothly on their own without us having to step in?”
“Oh, please. That’s only possible because people like you, Department Head, work so hard behind the scenes to make things comfortable for us. Nothing in this world just runs smoothly on its own.”
“Haha! This kid really has a way with words.”
Delighted, Department Head Jang began to launch into his favorite repertoire: stories from Yeon-hu’s days as a young trainee.
The sociable Ho-yun played along perfectly, reacting with enthusiasm without a hint of annoyance. In contrast, Yeon-hu was so embarrassed he could hardly lift his head, focusing entirely on his food as if trying to bury his nose in the plate.
“You must be so proud that High Five debuted.”
“Of course, of course! Even the CEO doesn't cherish anyone as much as our Yeon-hu!”
“I feel bad for intruding on your time like this.”
“Now, now, don’t say that. I’m glad I got to see a new side of you today, Ho-yun. It’s clear why your group is so popular these days.”
When the harmonious atmosphere reached its peak, Ho-yun didn’t miss the moment to bring up the main topic.
“I’m so happy you see me in a good light. But perhaps because I’m still lacking, I’ve been feeling a bit anxious lately…. I’ve heard rumors that our comeback might be delayed… though I’m sure they’re just groundless rumors.”
As Ho-yun placed emphasis on the word ‘groundless’ with a faint smile, Department Head Jang stared at him for a moment before returning to his usual expression.
“Oh dear, what to do? I’m not very well-versed in that area.”
Yeon-hu felt it instinctively.
“Someone else would know better about that.”
Department Head Jang had drawn a clear line at this point.
Even if he knew something about The Dawn’s situation, he had no intention of letting it slip from his own mouth.
Yeon-hu quietly shifted his gaze to check on Ho-yun. He was simply nodding with a peaceful expression.
“Is that so?”
“…Oops. Ho-yun, Yeon-hu. Sorry. I really have to take this call. Just a moment.”
A ringtone broke the awkwardness, and Department Head Jang stepped outside after asking for their understanding. Once the door was closed, Yeon-hu leaned toward Ho-yun and whispered.
“‘Yeon-hu hyung’? Are you lying through your teeth?”
Ho-yun’s eyes widened slightly before he cheekily stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.
“I just wet them.”
“Hah….”
Yeon-hu let out a scoff of disbelief, but then he suddenly froze.
The expression had vanished from Ho-yun’s face. He seemed lost in thought, staring at the spot where Department Head Jang had been sitting just moments ago.
‘It doesn’t look like he’s going to get what he wants.’
At this rate, it was clear that a delicious dinner would be the only thing they’d get out of this.
Feeling somewhat awkward, Yeon-hu couldn’t bring himself to say anything more until Department Head Jang returned.
“Sorry about that. Things are a bit hectic lately because of the personnel reshuffle. They call at all hours.”
“Ah, I see.”
When he faced Department Head Jang, who raised a hand in apology, Ho-yun was back to his pristine, composed self as if nothing had happened.
The sight gave Yeon-hu goosebumps.
“Oh, by the way, do you know? The person I just spoke to was Deputy General Manager Kim, and it turns out his daughter is a fan of The Dawn.”
“Really? That’s an honor!”
“Deputy General Manager Kim looks quite intimidating, but he’s a total fool for his daughter. If you have time, maybe grab a meal like this together, hmm? If you give him something to brag to his daughter about… well, wouldn’t that be a win-win?”
From the way he was dragging out unnecessary talk he’d never usually bother with, to the way he was circling around his true intentions with old-fashioned phrasing…
Yeon-hu stole a glance at Ho-yun.
“Yes, I’ll make sure to get in touch with the Deputy General Manager.”
Ho-yun simply replied with a calm, idol-like demeanor.
After that, the meal continued in a surprisingly normal fashion.
“I like how bright and energetic you are, Ho-yun.”
“Ahaha, thank you.”
Bright and energetic….
While Yeon-hu could only marvel at Ho-yun’s behavior—never letting the conversation lag while never overstepping—Department Head Jang finished his final palate cleanser of white tea and stood up first.
“Well, this old man has work to do, so I’ll be going. You young friends enjoy yourselves.”
“Thank you for today. I’ll come visit again with Yeon-hu hyung later.”
“Sure, sure. I cherish Yeon-hu quite a bit, and you seem like a decent friend for him, Ho-yun.”
“I’m just grateful you see me that way.”
What is this, a meeting between in-laws?
Yeon-hu stood awkwardly between them, forcing his mouth into a smile, but Department Head Jang saw through it and gave a mischievous grin.
“I’ll take care of the bill, so it’s fine~, it’s fine. No need to see me out~. Now, now!”
He added firmly, “When an adult speaks, just say thank you and listen,” before giving Yeon-hu an affectionate pat on the back and leaving the room.
“Whew….”
Yeon-hu exhaled the breath he’d been holding, feeling like he was about to get indigestion. He gulped down some carbonated water.
“Excuse me, how can a person be so fake?”
“This is my true self.”
“There are already rumors among the fans that you’re incredibly fake, so who are you trying to kid?”
Yeon-hu slumped back in his chair and clicked his tongue as he watched Ho-yun calmly savoring the remaining dessert.
“Are you going to be okay? It doesn’t seem like you gained much in the end.”
Ho-yun pulled the fork out of his mouth and curled his lips upward.
“Why? Are you worried?”
“No, why would I—”
“Anyway, I can see why Department Head Jang is so popular. His carrot-and-stick game is solid.”
“What?”
“He draws a clear line to stay neutral….”
Ho-yun rolled a Shine Muscat grape around with the tip of his fork before stabbing it firmly.
“…But then he gives a hint like a total fox.”
“…….”
He was probably right. Department Head Jang mentioning Deputy General Manager Kim out of the blue was likely a tip-off, a gift because he had taken a liking to Ho-yun.
“Isn’t it fun?”
As if.
“Then Ho-yun is going to eat this up. Yum.”
As Ho-yun lifted the Shine Muscat and swallowed it with a beaming smile, Yeon-hu felt a desperate need for some digestive medicine.