The Villainous Member Has Returned! Chapter 216
* * *
All the things I had been preparing for seemed to be flowing very smoothly.
“…
This week’s No. 1 candidate! Let’s meet them once again. First, T.O.J, who have clinched the No. 1 candidacy even on the final broadcast of Music Music Days, successfully concluding the official promotions for their repackaged song ‘W.O.W’ in triumph!”
“God, it’s the last broadcast. I feel so strange… Everyone, everyone really worked hard!”
“Oh, come on, Logan. That’s not the word you use at a time like this. Between members who work together, you say ‘we had it rough’! We’re not even subordinates!”
“What? Really? Oh, I didn’t know that… I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings?”
“No. Honestly, you could say ‘good work,’ I just wanted to tease you, Logan.”
“Nooo! Hwaseong, you can’t tease people like this! Come here. I won’t let you off.”
“Wh-what. You want to go at it? Okay. Logan, you’re dead in honor of the finale today.”
“Hyung, hyungs….”
Right after that, Siu watched Hwaseong and Logan’s light, bickering playfulness, even looking like he was about to stop them before holding himself back.
“Um, Taei… ssi.”
“Hm? Siu, what’s up? You don’t seem like the type to ask me about choreography.”
“No, um. I have something I’m curious about, for you and Danu ssi….”
“Oh, oh. Ask me anything.”
“You and Danu ssi… are really close, right?”
“…Wait, wait. Siu ssi. Me and An Taei? Us? We were just arguing though.”
“U-um, ah… Yes. I just thought that meant you were close….”
He even showed interest in the relationship between An Taei and Han Danu, who had been grouped together during the post-finale collaboration stage practice with Wiz.
Things really were going smoothly.
“Ah, are the guys upstairs done practicing too? Everyone finished a bit early today.”
“Hm, I think it’s because we’re slowly starting to sync up now.”
“Then… shall we rest a bit before heading back…”
“Excuse me, Mr. Yuchan. If it’s alright, would you like to… hang out with our members for a bit?”
“Huh?”
“I saw you during
“Ah! Ahaha, yes, yes! Let’s do that. Our Hwaseong plays it too! Let’s duo together! Just a moment, I’ll grab my laptop!”
And so, after practice ended, before our T.O.J and Wiz went their separate ways back to their dorms.
A brief moment to build camaraderie.
Some went off to play a round of RoR duos together, while others went to grab a light snack together.
“…Hmm. So Siu has started showing interest in relationships where people seem like they don’t get along but actually get along well? That’s why he asked that during practice earlier.”
“Yeah. If not, given Siu’s personality, he wouldn’t have suddenly spoken up next to you while you were bickering.”
“Hahaha, Danu and I actually really don’t get along that well… I like Danu, but Danu gets mad as soon as he sees me.”
“Well, anyway, you are getting along in your own way, right? Isn’t this great progress?”
“Honestly, I don’t really know… but it’s just fun hearing you talk about this stuff.”
“Is other people’s growth fun for you, Taei? I’m so proud I could die.”
“Hmm, sure, sure.”
An Taei enjoyed my reaction as he ate cup ramyeon with just the two of us in the break room attached to the practice studio.
“Anyway, I’m just now starting to find the fun in listening to other people’s stories. I didn’t know it could be this fun. It’s thanks to the advice you gave me.”
“I’m not sure that was really advice, though….”
“Anyway, it was good for me, and it seems good for you too, Chunyong. Things are working out well. So now you just need to win that big hyung’s heart?”
“Yeah. Hyung Yuchan has a good personality, and he’s probably been through a lot of situations like this. …I have a feeling it’ll be even smoother.”
“Hmm… if you say so, it probably is. But you know.”
Despite his neat and tidy face, An Taei downed the cup ramyeon broth in one shot, then soon thrust the chopsticks he was holding toward me with sudden solemnity.
“Chunyong, you remember you promised to grant me one wish if this worked out well, right? You can’t forget.”
“…Ah.”
Honestly, I had remembered.
But somehow it had just been pushed down the priority list.
The plan was to use the opportunity of doing a collaboration stage with Wiz to look for ‘the others’ through An Taei’s entertainment industry connections.
But with the sudden member issue, that goal had gotten a bit blurred, so to speak.
Originally, I was the one who asked him to introduce his friends.
Now the tables had turned, and I was in a position where I had to grant An Taei a wish too.…
It felt a bit tangled, no matter how I looked at it.
I lightly scratched my cheek and shrugged my shoulders at the awkwardness creeping up my spine.
“…Yeah. Thanks to you reminding me, I remembered. What is it, your wish?”
“You forgot? How cruel!”
Making a childish sound effect with his mouth, An Taei slam-dunked his wooden chopsticks into the trash can, then giggled with his usual neat smile.
“Well, it’s fine. I remembered. Hm, so… before, you asked me to introduce some friends to you, right? Right?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“So I was thinking, I think I’d feel happy if my friends all got along.”
“…….”
Hearing An Taei’s words, I immediately straightened up my posture.
For some reason, I was thinking that An Taei seemed to be helping me out a lot this time.
What’s gotten into him, really.
Did he have some major change of heart?
I was half-doubting, yet carefully opened my mouth to check if what An Taei had just said was what I was thinking.
“…Your wish is to hang out with your friend? Is that right?”
If this was it, then through this collaboration stage, I was basically getting everything I wanted.
Generating buzz for the Rookie Award, and viral marketing to find ‘the others.’
At the same time, restoring the members’ relationships.
And from An Taei, who today was showing a smile as sparkling as the flower garden inside his own head, came the answer I had been hoping for.
“Yeah! Hm, that friend isn’t an idol but a male actor our age. You said you’re not trying to get a girlfriend, right? Then, well, I think he’d be fine.”
…This lovable unexploded shell!
Whether he knew of my suddenly surging emotions or not, An Taei scrolled through his phone with a bright smile and soon waved a message window in front of my face.
[An Taei: If you’re coming as an award presenter then, want to hang out with one of my friends?]
[An Taei: Let’s go to your house ><]
[An Taei: He’s a really good friend. You’ll be surprised too]
[Yoo: Please say something people can predict for once, and don’t drop bombs anytime]
[Yoo: Why would I hang out with your friend]
[Yoo: And why come to my house??]
[An Taei: Because you’re my friend]
[An Taei: Because I want all my friends to be friends]
[Yoo: Get lost]
…What is this?
Seeing my bewildered expression, An Taei continued to ramble fluently with his ever-bright smile.
“The ‘get lost’ at the end means he’ll hang out with us. He’s like this. He’s a bit prickly. Just like Danu.”
“…Isn’t ‘get lost’ just get lost?”
“Hey, if he really wanted me to get lost, he wouldn’t have replied. Let’s go to his house and hang out that day. He has a huge projector at his place.”
Even if he was An Taei’s friend, going to the house of someone I’d never met before.
Back in my Lex Trash days, I limited places to clubs, bars, or our dorm, so this was another first.
“…Okay. Let’s do that. If they’re okay with it.”
However, now wasn’t the time to be picky about such things.
I needed at least a clue.
A clue to find ‘the others’ through the friend An Taei was introducing to me this time.
Since the other party hadn’t approached me first, but An Taei had offered to introduce us, the chances that this person named ‘Yoo’ was one of ‘the others’ was very slim.…
Still, I needed an opportunity like this.
“…….”
I glanced at my silent phone screen and wet my lips.
The Rookie Award, finding the others, and restoring the relationship between Hyung Yuchan and Siu.
Though it subtly bothered me that X’s contact had decreased a bit, everything really was working out.
I really knew I shouldn’t let my guard down at times like this, but what can I say….
If I said I wasn’t happy in moments like this, it’d be a lie.
“Whew….”
I let out a light sigh of relief and flapped my sweat-soaked T-shirt.
Let’s keep it like this.
Really, just like this.
I would steadily continue my atonement, my surroundings would keep getting better, and on top of that, I’d take down the bastard who did something terrible to my family.
How perfect is that, really?
Feeling elation rising from my toes to the top of my head, I slowly blinked.
Even with the depths of winter approaching, heat would rise and warm me up in moments like this.
“Sheesh… Chunyong, really….”
I don’t know how he interpreted my expression, but An Taei widened his eyes and rolled them around.
As if he wanted to say something, or not.
Though it probably wasn’t anything that special.
- “Hey, Wiz! Guys! Let’s head back to the dorm! No matter how hard you try, I don’t think you can beat Mr. Yuchan, so raise your ranks more next time and challenge him then!”
- “Ah, hyung…! Why would you say something so embarrassing so loudly!”
- “It’s because you keep dawdling when we need to go. Huh? You punk, Seonho. Get up, get up!”
- “J-just this…! Ack, I died again!”
- “Haha, goodbye, Mr. Seonho!”
From afar, Lee Seonho’s screams as he was gloriously killed by Hyung Yuchan and Hyung Yuchan’s laughter could be heard, and signs of preparing to return to the dorm were visible.
And then.
Just as An Taei was about to open the break room door to leave, he scratched his cheek and whispered to me in a low voice.
“Um, Chunyong. I wasn’t sure whether to say this, but….”
“Huh?”
“You know, your big hyung. I don’t think he’ll be as easy as you think, so be careful.”
…What’s he talking about.
With the unwavering flower-garden energy that didn’t falter even at my blank expression, An Taei prattled on, continuing what he wanted to say.
“I followed my mom and dad to filming sets a lot, so I’ve seen plenty of people? People with good personalities are usually more stubborn. Don’t forget that.”
“Sure, sure.”
“Ah, don’t brush it off!”
With your track record of being an unexploded shell, how could I brush it off?
I already knew Hyung Yuchan well.
I knew what kind of kindness he had, I knew the cheerfulness with which he tried to get along with the members, and I knew what mindset he had when he became an idol.
Honestly, I’m grateful for the concern, but coming from Taei, who still doesn’t know Hyung Yuchan well… well.
I nodded and waved my hand at An Taei, who was pouting with an utterly wronged expression.
“I got it. I understand what you’re saying. You’ve helped me out until now, so you want to help with this too? Thanks.”
“Ugh, that’s not all… Forget it.”
And so, just as An Taei was about to step out of the break room.
He quickly approached me again and stared at me intently with a serious expression.
It wasn’t the bright, smiling face from earlier, nor the childishly pouting face from just now. It was a face with lips pressed into a straight line, like porcelain shaped by a brush.
“…….”
Hesitating with that unfamiliar face in front of me, he slowly opened his mouth again.
“Chunyong, you… you can’t forget that you promised to hang out with my friend.”
The tone was like a child throwing a tantrum.
As always, but especially this time.
Just as I was about to simply giggle at that strangeness, the following words flustered me quite a bit.
“So, take care of your health until then! Let the members notice!”
And with that, bang—the break room door closed.
“…What?”
I couldn’t hide my confusion and had to blink my eyes for quite a while.
So, what he said just now was….
“…….”
My hand rose to my forehead on its own.
To my forehead covered by my red hair, which had faded to an ambiguous wine color and was now dry and brittle.
“Hah….”
I let out a sigh along with a sense of helplessness, wondering how I could have failed to notice this, and hung my head low.
My forehead was hot.
…Extremely so.