The Malicious Member Has Returned! Episode 212
* * *
Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu were mismatched puzzle pieces.
Far more than others, and Kim Chunyong, could ever imagine.
This was a fact that had slowly begun to rear its head ever since the time of
"Ah, Siu. Hello?"
"…
Hello."
"Uh, um. Siu, want to eat with hyung? Haha, the other team members said they already ate…."
"I'm fine."
"Siu! Where are you going! No, at least say hi to hyung!"
"……."
At first, Bang Yuchan had found Jang Siu's attitude rather disappointing. Thinking things like, 'We're comrades who performed on stage together, after all.'
Jang Siu found Bang Yuchan burdensome for approaching him without maintaining any distance. Thinking things like, 'Why is someone with such great talent approaching me like this?'
Even to others, the two were like oil and water—a polar opposite.
And that wasn't something that could be mixed simply by the two of them trying.
"Sigh… Siu. Is it so bad to just eat together once? We're going to be on the same team for this entire competition anyway, and if we eat separately every time, it'll look weird on broadcast too."
"……."
"Ah. I have some yakgwa in my bag. I'll give you some after the meal. You like that kind of thing…."
"I-I'll go. …
Let's go eat together."
"…
Yeah, yeah. Let's go. Let's hurry!"
"My goodness, Chunyong aniki. Yakgwa? What is yakgwa? What is it that made Siu cave in like that!?"
"Ryota, if you want some too, I'll give you some later. It'll stick to your tongue so nicely. I have some yanggaeng too."
"Yanggaeng! I know yanggaeng!"
Of course, there had been someone who vigorously churned up foam between Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu to mix the two together.
But that was only when there was someone there to help them mix.
Even when they sang together and matched their choreography, a corner of their hearts remained that way.
'How strange, he keeps seeing me as difficult and avoiding me.'
'How uncomfortable, that hyung has a strange sense of distance between people.'
And that subtle sentiment worsened due to an issue that arose while preparing for the "Us Beyond the Waves" stage.
When Kim Juan stimulated Jang Siu's inferiority complex and trauma toward his own older brother, causing Jang Siu to completely ruin the interim evaluation stage.
"Siu. I can't know exactly why you're acting this way… but let's talk, you and me."
"……."
"I'm already twenty-two, and compared to the other trainees, I don't have a single advantage other than singing. I'm an individual trainee, and this kind of environment is my first time."
"……."
"That's why this survival show is… my last chance to challenge the dream I've only kept in my heart until now. So I really want to do my best in every moment without regrets. But you, you spaced out on stage…."
No matter how refreshing his personality was, and no matter how much Bang Yuchan put people at ease, in that moment, he was furious.
'This opportunity is truly desperate for me.'
'Unlike you, who has an idol hyung enjoying peak popularity with your future path already neatly paved, I have to do it this time or never.'
'You have everything, so why are you acting like this?'
'Why do you just clamp your mouth shut when I try to reach out? It's not like I did anything wrong.'
'Why are you making me out to be the bad guy?'
That kind of heart, that kind of discomfort.
Jang Siu knew all of this situation was his own fault, yet he found Bang Yuchan's pressing words irritating.
'That he has no merits besides singing?'
'That being an individual trainee means this might be his last chance?'
'He's handsome, sings well, and has a good personality.'
'He shines brighter than others who've worked themselves to death as trainees, and he's sure to make the debut lineup.'
'Thanks to such outstanding talent, he's never once been compared to anyone.'
'He's never even heard that he's ambiguously good at everything but not exceptionally good at anything.'
That kind of heart, that kind of jealousy.
"So what I'm saying is… let's put aside understanding each other for later, and just get you into a condition where you can perform on stage right now. There's only five days left until the main competition."
"Uh…."
"So, for now, let's get help from someone who already has an emotional connection with Siu. Okay?"
Naturally, thanks to someone who made them mix even then, they were able to safely hide that emotional rift.
But the two, endowed with good social skills and innate sensitivity, instinctively noticed.
'Ah, this issue was only covered up because Kim Chunyong put in a great deal of effort to mediate.'
'Right now, we're making things incredibly hard for Kim Chunyong.'
'Perhaps it might affect not just Kim Chunyong, but others as well.'
And so, on the night of the surprise mentor visit, when Kim Chunyong fantastically buttered up Min Siyoung to show strict affection to Jang Siu, and Jang Siu burst into tears hearing the words, "You can do so much better than your brother."
Bang Yuchan went to Jang Siu's room.
And Jang Siu had been waiting for Bang Yuchan.
"What is this place…?"
"Ah, Siu, you've never been here before, right? Haha, I hadn't either before Chunyong brought me… They say there are no CCTVs here. Our voices won't be recorded either."
"Chunyong-hyung… I see."
"Yeah. We talked about you here yesterday."
"…
I see."
Even as they conversed casually, a subtle tension flowed between them.
Beating around the bush was useless in this situation.
Both sides had things they wanted to say already decided.
Therefore, the one who broached the subject first was Bang Yuchan, who had safely made it through elementary, middle, high school, and even the college entrance exams.
"Siu. I… think you'll debut. I don't know what you think, but I do. The current rankings are telling you that too."
"……."
"You think I'll debut too, right? Haha, thanks, but… I'm still not sure."
"That's because, Yuchan-hyung… you undervalue yourself too much."
"Yeah, thanks. But then that means the two of us will debut together. Well, even if not. As long as this
"…
That's right."
"Yeah. But if things stay like this, other people will start worrying about our business too. Like Chunyong has been worrying these past few days."
"……."
"I'm not going to tell you to be friendly to me. I won't cross your boundaries either. Let's set some rules so we don't worry others."
"…
Okay."
Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu found each other difficult.
It would be nice if they got along well, but they were more incompatible than that.
However, if that showed on the outside, it would be a nuisance to others.
So let's not get caught.
Let's pretend nothing is wrong.
Even if we feel uncomfortable and awkward inside, even if we think things like, 'We have to shoot the debut album pair cut together?' let's make sure others don't know.
Let's keep the fact that we think of each other this way something only the two of us know.
And yet.
"Sigh…."
"……."
On the night when extra practice with An Taei ended, at the T.O.J dorm.
From the two rooms where Logan and Ji Hwaseong were sleeping soundly, the sighs of two people who couldn't sleep poured out.
Even though they had tried so hard to hide it, these were sighs mixed with self-loathing over the fact that Kim Chunyong had eventually found out.
If they had known Kim Chunyong would catch on immediately from such a brief display of emotion, the two definitely would have acted more carefully.
But of all people, it had to be Kim Chunyong.
Ah, there was no way he wouldn't have noticed.
"Uugh… Yuchan, hyung… sleep, please sleep… your phone light is bright!"
"Uh, sorry. Just a little more…."
"Huh? Siu. Why aren't you sleeping?"
"Ah, I have some things to think about…."
Even though they needed to fall asleep quickly due to the next day's schedule, they had to toss and turn in bed for a long time.
'What should we do from now on?'
'Should we just act like before?…'
'If all the members find out about this and make already busy people tense?'
Such thoughts spurred their insomnia.
The night was long, time wouldn't pass, and they were dying to know what the person in the next room was thinking.
And so, the next day, the areas around the two people's eyes were naturally stained with dark circles.
"Yuchan-hyung, did you not sleep well? Your face…."
"Ah, Jaeha. …
Haha! No, there was just too much fun stuff on Wetube yesterday. Ah, I shouldn't have done that."
"Eek, Jaeha-hyung! Please say something to Yuchan-hyung. No, we're still in the middle of promotions! He can't even manage his condition, huh? That's not okay. Right?"
"Huh, that's what I'm saying. Siu didn't sleep well yesterday either. Jaeha-hyung, please scold Siu too!"
"I'm sorry…."
"Sorry, sorry! I'll really sleep early today. I promise!"
Even as they made excuses about their current state with nonchalant faces to the other members, Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu—
the two's nerves were focused on another member who had yet to appear.
"Hey, Jaeha. Where's Chunyong? Is he still sleeping?"
"Aah, Chunyong? He said he needed something real quick before the schedule, so he went to the convenience store with Hobin-hyung."
"I-I see…."
Toward Kim Chunyong, who now knew everything that had happened between them and always tried to mediate.
"……."
Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu quickly exchanged glances.
Both were thinking the same thing.
'If Yu Hobin, who always cares for and worries about them, hears about this from Kim Chunyong and asks them about it, let's gloss it over by saying they roughly made up.'
'And let's act like nothing's wrong so Kim Chunyong's suspicions ease.'
That would have been enough.
The two thought that would happen.
However, when Kim Chunyong—his hair now like watered-down wine with the color slightly faded—and Yu Hobin returned to the dorm.
"We're back! Shall we head out soon? We need to do well on today's music show too."
"Yes, I started the van downstairs. Let's all go together."
"Uh…?"
"Hm? Siu. Is something wrong? Did you forget something?"
"Ah, no. It's… nothing."
"Then let's hurry. We have a lot of schedules today too."
Faced with an unexpected reaction, the two couldn't help but be bewildered.
'Strange. Why is Kim Chunyong staying still when he knows everything?'
'Like, discussing it with other members. Or asking the manager to mediate.'
'He hasn't done anything like that?'
"Yuchan-hyung, let's go!"
"Uh… yeah. Okay."
Bang Yuchan stared briefly at Kim Chunyong, who looked perfectly fine despite having heard all those words from him yesterday, then soon equipped his face with a refreshing, hearty expression and moved his steps outside the dorm.
Thinking that whatever it was, it seemed okay for now.
Thanks to that, he couldn't see Kim Chunyong's face behind him, staring intently at him and Jang Siu.
A smile that looked more intrigued than ever, deep in meaningful thought, showing all his fangs.
Whether that was fortunate or unfortunate for them.
Kim Chunyong had no intention of rushing all of this.
Though he did intend to do something about it eventually.
"Chunyong-ssi, please come out right after putting down your things. I'll wait downstairs first."
"Yes, hyung."
Kim Chunyong sent even Yu Hobin down first, took out his phone, and checked the conversation he had with X last night, spent tossing and turning under his blanket.
- X: Hey, I really thought about it hard
- X: Can't you just use the 'Overlap' skill to remind them of some good memory? To help them sort of open up their hearts?
- X: This is a skill I even got a bonus for, I stg
- X: Ain't it supposed to be all-purpose even in times like this? LOL
- X: You used this skill before when you were feeling out Jeong Yeonwoo (--)
- X: Isn't this a to~tally great idea?
Amid X's fuss, Kim Chunyong's reply below was quite short.
- Kim Chunyong: Are you an idiot?
- Kim Chunyong: There's no need to make good memories or whatever
- Kim Chunyong: The two of them are creating their own little secret and trying to keep it
- Kim Chunyong: …
I have to use that.
To be exact… it was short but implied a great deal.