Chapter 392
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 392
To Kim Seong-hyeon, Ju Woo-seong was—to put it with only a pinch of exaggeration—the sun itself.
When you share a house for several years, you end up learning useless things about each other whether you want to or not. Kim Seong-hyeon’s devout fanboying toward Ju Woo-seong was one of those things.
Back when he had dropped out of school and was pouring everything into dancing while working part-time jobs, Seong-hyeon had stumbled upon a video of a certain man dancing and fell for him instantly.
That man was Ju Woo-seong.
Since then, he said he’d look up Ju Woo-seong’s choreography every chance he got to use it as a reference.
Perhaps because he was the type who couldn't hide anything and wore his heart on his sleeve, the fans had long since picked up on Seong-hyeon’s earnest devotion.
[Seong-hyeon, who respects Ju Woo-seong the most♡]
[Look at his cheeks getting all red and him rambling on whenever Ju Woo-seong is mentioned... He’s so cute, seriously.]
There were occasional jeers, asking if he enjoyed starting as a nobody, using Min Ji-heon to force his way into WH Entertainment, and finally getting to share the same roof with Black Call. But Seong-hyeon was such a fool for Ju Woo-seong that even if he heard such things, he’d probably just focus on the "sharing the same roof" part and grin foolishly rather than get angry.
‘Well, in a way, maybe Kim Seong-hyeon is the most successful person here...’
I thought this as I looked at Seong-hyeon sitting on the floor by the sofa. He must have stayed up all night after hearing the news of the collaboration yesterday, as the dark circles under his eyes were deep.
We had come to Jeju Island to film our Season’s Greetings. After unpacking at the pension, all the members naturally swarmed into the living room.
They were lounging on the sofa, enjoying a moment of leisure.
Just then, the phone on the table vibrated.
Seong-hyeon, who checked the caller ID before I did, started twitching his shoulders. It was obvious who it was without even looking.
Fine, I figured I’d let them talk so he could snap out of it, so I switched it to speakerphone.
—"Ah, the collaboration at the WH Concert? I know. I already heard. It’s common to bundle a junior artist with a senior one..."
Listen to this brat’s arrogant way of speaking.
Whether my brow furrowed or not, Seong-hyeon was nodding his head like a madman, acting like a cult follower agreeing with Ju Woo-seong’s ridiculous posturing.
—"Since it’s come to this, let’s work hard and do a good job~."
"Yes, sunbae-nim! I will work myself to death!"
—"Haha, don't die. Let's just do our best within a range that doesn't interfere with our schedules."
"I will manage my condition perfectly so that I never cause you any trouble!"
‘...Ugh, I seriously can’t stand watching this.’
It wasn't like Seong-hyeon liking Ju Woo-seong was anything new. I tried to let it slide, but the more I heard, the more it grated on my nerves.
—"By the way, what’s Seo Ho-yun doing?"
"He’s right here, listening intently to your words, sunbae-nim!"
—"I bet he has a look of total disgust on his face."
"Uh... that’s..."
Wow, how did he know?
—"Did you hear that, Seo Ho-yun? Seong-hyeon says he’s going to do this and that, so what about you?"
Ju Woo-seong wasn't the type to let a chance to needle me pass by.
I picked at my ear and ignored him. Seong-hyeon, whose eyes were darting around anxiously, nudged me with his elbow as if urging me to answer.
—"Oh, that’s strange. Why don't I hear anything? Even though you’re getting to work with a senior who is like the heavens themselves?"
"Work hard, work hard."
Click. I hung up.
Seong-hyeon started barking at me from the side. I’d only said that one thing before hanging up for his sake, though.
I blocked my ears and jerked my chin. The system window, which was only ever perceptive at moments like this, brought up Seong-hyeon’s stats.
*
[Kim Seong-hyeon]
[I think even I would respect Ju Woo-seong more than Seo Ho-yun!]
Singing: B+
Dancing: S0
Variety: B+
Acting: D0
Charm: A+
???: ???
*
I ignored the useless commentary and just scanned the contents.
His Variety stat had risen significantly thanks to my constant teasing, but compared to a year ago, everything else felt stagnant, except for Singing and Charm, which had risen slightly.
In particular, his Dancing was exactly the same.
‘Why?’
The Dawn was far from lazy. Even while whining that Seong Ji-won was scary, they all crawled into the studio and practice room on their own. Seong-hyeon was no exception, so his stats should have gone up.
‘Does he need something more special?’
Just as Ju Woo-seong’s stats soared to EX-rank after his trip to LA, Seong-hyeon might be in desperate need of a flash of inspiration.
I smoothed out my scowl and draped an arm over Seong-hyeon’s shoulder.
"Let’s milk Ju Woo-seong for all he’s worth this time."
"Milk him?! I mean, it would be great to learn from Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim in many ways... it would be an honor... no, it’s actually heart-fluttering..."
"Kim Seong-hyeon, I’m starting to get genuinely worried about you..."
Seong-hyeon brushed my arm off and looked at me with an incredulous expression, turning the concern back on me.
"Hey, you should be worried about yourself right now. What are you going to do, caught between Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim and me?"
"..."
It was true that being caught between an EX and an S stat put me at a severe disadvantage.
On the surface, it looked like just a one-grade difference, but just as it becomes harder to raise stats the higher they go, the actual numerical gap was enormous.
To put it simply, if the gap between EX and S was the distance between heaven and earth, the gap between S and A- was the distance between the surface and the Earth's inner core.
I hadn't thought much of it until now, but I only realized it after becoming an idol.
True talent really did exist in this world.
I could bridge the gap slightly by using the Item Shop, but it wouldn't make a huge difference anyway. Besides, the year-end awards weren't far off, and I didn't want to waste points on something like this.
‘I’d rather just sleep less and practice more.’
"Ho-yun hyung, it’s easier if you just give up~."
Kang Yi-chae, who had just walked in with the winter yellowtail sashimi we had ordered, said while shaking his head.
"Ji-won hyung tried so hard to turn you into a dancing machine before and failed. What can you do about it now~?"
"Hey, I’m not that bad, okay?"
Even if the depth of my effort and innate talent were different, my dancing skills were still better than most idols.
As I puffed out my chest confidently, Seong Ji-won smiled gently and stood up for me.
"Yeah, Ho-yun’s dancing has its own unique charm."
"The unique charm of a Ttukttak-i..."
I ended up smacking Kang Yi-chae on the back. He groaned in pain while trying to rub the spot he couldn't reach.
Kim Seong-hyeon, who was unpacking the food on the table, cleared his throat. He picked up a piece of yellowtail with his chopsticks, dipped it heavily in red chili paste, and held it out to the maknae.
"...Maknae, I’m sorry... You probably wanted to collaborate with Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim too..."
"Hwah??"
Jeong Da-jun, who had snatched the fish and was chewing away, tilted his head slightly and answered brightly.
"—I’m okay!"
"Finish chewing before you talk."
"Mmm, I’m fine!! Of course, it would be awesome to do it together... but it’s not like this is the only chance... and his style is so different from mine that I feel like I’d get swept away if I was influenced by him. Unless I absolutely have to, I want to avoid it for the time being."
"Oho~, our maknae has such deep thoughts?"
"Heh, of course."
"Wow, our Da-jun is so cool!"
Kang Yi-chae and Seong Ji-won showered the maknae with praise and applause, while Kim Seong-hyeon gave a solemn nod.
But that was it.
All the members focused back on the food and continued their meal in a warm atmosphere.
I glanced at Kim Seong-hyeon.
‘It’s true that Seong-hyeon was heavily influenced by Ju Woo-seong.’
From his dance lines to his sense of rhythm and overall vibe.
It wasn't that he didn't have his own style, but he gave off a very similar aura.
And if his dance stats were stuck despite his diligent training...
‘Is it time for a change?’
As I continued to lounge on the sofa by myself, Kang Yi-chae suddenly shoved a piece of yellowtail wrapped in seaweed into my mouth.
"Here, hyung~. Eat up~."
As I chewed on it reflexively, he smirked and asked a question.
"But hyung, did Woo-seong hyung say your Ttukttak-i condition can't be fixed? Is it an incurable disease?"
"Hey, didn't you see during the workshop? They practiced together, but he didn't improve at all."
"Ah, I guess... Seong-hyeon hyung is right."
"Dammit, I’m telling you, I’m actually a pretty good dancer!!"
I retorted immediately, but my words reached no one.
*
[At the airport after a long time♡ #ICHAE]
Around the time airport sightings began to pop up, Kang Yi-chae posted a photo on Starstagram, confirming that The Dawn was heading to Jeju Island. However, no one knew what their schedule was for.
Because of this, numerous speculations were being generated.
As if they knew this, a live broadcast notification titled "Join us for our Jeju Island MT" rang out shortly after.
[Hi ♡♡♡♡]
[Guys, I’m in contact with you more than my parents lately.]
"Ahaha, our goal is to be seen more often than commercials."
"We don't have any schedules today, so let's just play!!"
One side of the room was made of glass, reflecting the night scenery of Jeju Island behind The Dawn.
The members started with their impressions of the fresh yellowtail they had just eaten, then listed small stories about the cool yet slightly salty air of Jeju, the taste of the tangerines a local resident gave them as a gift, and the badminton game they played as soon as they arrived at the pension.
[During the Hawaii MT, I thought they were going to be awkward forever, but now they’re in Jeju... They’ve finally gotten close.]
[Seong-hyeon, why do you look like a PE student today?]
"I look like a PE student?"
When Kim Seong-hyeon asked back with wide eyes, the chat window was instantly filled with related comments.
'Kim Seong-hyeon, the PE student taking an elective with me,' 'Seong Ji-won, the senior in the same department I have a crush on,' 'Seo Ho-yun, the class president who never misses the top spot,' 'Kang Yi-chae, the classmate who plays mischievous pranks,' 'Jeong Da-jun, the club freshman I want to buy food for.'
To satisfy the fans' desires, The Dawn performed a short role-play.
About an hour had passed when Jeong Da-jun discovered a board game in a corner of the pension.
"Whoa, Ho-yun hyung just took a risk for no reason and is now ruined..."
"Hyung, you really have no luck..."
"..."
It was a game that determined a person's entire life—from childhood through middle age to old age—through a roulette wheel.
Since it was a game where luck played a huge role, Seo Ho-yun couldn't escape last place.
"Heol, wait a minute. Ji-won hyung, what is your wealth right now?!"
"Haha... Hey, Ho-yun. Should I give you one of my houses?"
[LOL, you guys are so cute and funny...]
[I need sub T.T]
[I’m looking through the manual to see how Ho-yun can get a house gifted to him lol. There’s no such thing in the Game of Life..ㅠㅠ]
The live broadcast continued until the Noeul's phones were radiating heat like hot packs.
In the beginning, questions about the members poured in, but gradually, the fans watched the situation peacefully and responded as if they were actually participating in the MT.
Jeong Da-jun, who hadn't stopped eating the whole time, popped another snack into his mouth and suddenly read a post out loud.
"I’m a middle schooler. There’s someone I like, and they asked if I have time on Christmas. I don't know how to reply... Oh my, oh my, oh my!!"
"Noeul’s dating counseling..."
As Jeong Da-jun made a fuss, Kang Yi-chae turned on his phone's flashlight and waved it to set the mood.
Except for Seo Ho-yun, who had suddenly fallen silent, a heated discussion followed, but most of the reactions were, "What do we know about dating to be giving advice?"
However, Jeong Da-jun refused to back down and stepped forward actively.
"Alright, alright, alright! Jeong Da-jun, who has mastered all romance dramas, will settle this for you! First, tell them to meet you under a streetlight!"
"Which streetlight, exactly?"
"And since it’s Christmas, let’s pretend the streetlight is our mistletoe and confess!"
"That’s not really a Korean sentiment."
When Seo Ho-yun, leaning his chin on his hand, retorted dryly, Jeong Da-jun puffed out his cheeks and grumbled for him to come up with a better idea.
Kang Yi-chae and Seo Ho-yun, whose chemistry was only ever perfect at moments like this, smirked and added their own comments.
[Kang Yi-chae suggests "bumping into each other in an alleyway while running to school with a piece of toast in your mouth".......]
[Seo Ho-yun: "Or waking up to find your bodies swapped, so you have no choice but to interact."]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: 'Stop it, Jeong Da-jun is going to cry.']
Even though he expressed his anger, Jeong Da-jun hid behind Kim Seong-hyeon to escape the two older members who were poking his cheeks. Just then, another chat message appeared.
[Da-jun, then what would you do if someone said they were going on a blind date?]
Seeing that, Jeong Da-jun’s eyes sparkled as he jumped to his feet.
"Simulation!! Let's run a simulation for Noeul!"
He first led Kim Seong-hyeon to a spot where he could be seen clearly on screen.
"Ms. Kim Yeo-ju, please say a word. Seo Ho-yun-ssi, please sit here."
As if they were used to sudden developments, Kang Yi-chae and Seong Ji-won were peacefully tidying up the board game on one side.
Jeong Da-jun stood between Seo Ho-yun and Kim Seong-hyeon, clenched his fists, and shouted.
"Alright, let the blind date begin!!"
[Eh, there’s no way Ho-yun would go along with this.]
Kim Seong-hyeon’s eyebrows twitched with an incredulous look. But Seo Ho-yun, who had been silently watching the situation unfold, looked at Jeong Da-jun—whose skin had turned red with excitement—and then crossed his arms and tilted his head.
"Hey, commoner."
[He’s actually doing it, holy sht.*]