The Malicious Member Has Returned! Chapter 222
* * *
For this year-end stage, in order to bring out the concepts of TOJ’s debut album, “Six
-Leaf Clover,” and their repackaged album, “Another Clover,” at the same time, visual director Mun Yunha poured all her strength into selecting their outfits.
“TOJ. Do you remember why I emphasized pairs so much when I worked on your debut album?”
“Uh, um… To show the Jenias the relationships between our members….”
“Exactly! As expected, the leader remembers well, hm? It’s the same this time. You have to show it off to the fullest and come back. Not something manufactured, but how close you’ve become while spending time together as pairs. Through the debut album and the repackage, we have to show them what kind of relationship we’ve become.”
Thanks to her passion, their outfits boasted unprecedented similarities and details within each pair.
Over the Boy Scout uniforms that Mun Yunha’s team had reformed stitch by stitch, kitschy paint splatters were scattered to mix in the nuance of “W.
o.
W.”
The same walkers that had first appeared in the music video, even the in-ears matched in color.
- “TOJ, please head up onto the stage!”
“…
Yes!”
And so began TOJ’s rehearsal stage, which would be held before their collaboration stage with Wiz.
It was called a rehearsal, but thanks to the fans already gathered, it couldn’t be called a rehearsal in the purest sense.
Most rehearsals for year-end live broadcasts were either held before the fans entered, or carried out briefly elsewhere while the cameras were filming another outdoor or open-air stage.
Because of that, even the light movement check they were doing now had someone watching.
Sure enough.
“Jaehaaaa!”
“Ji Hwaseong! Hwaseong!”
Unlike the usual sound stages, where fans had to hold back their shouts and cheers with every ounce of strength they had, the atmosphere here allowed a certain amount of shouting toward one’s idol….[! Bang Yuchan ! If You’re Like This, It Can Only Be a Wedding][KIM ‘SPRING’ YONG][My Sensational Liverpool Boy]
And there were all kinds of placards that were now almost impossible to see except at times like this.[My Black Kitty ▷ Siwoo]
“…
Ahem.”
Bang Yuchan, who had met eyes with the placard a Jenia was holding up high in the nearby extended standing area, gave a slightly embarrassed smile and turned his head.
It was the kind of reaction that would have SNS and communities flooded with all sorts of posts like [Oldest member smiling after seeing the youngest’s placard], [The bastard holding that placard seriously fucked up the sightline], and [Looks like Bang Yuchan got awkward because it wasn’t for him?], but Bang Yuchan’s mind was not on that.
To begin with, Bang Yuchan was different from Kim Chunyong or Son Jaeha, who were sensitive to fans’ reactions, and more importantly….
“…….”
Because the owner of that placard, standing close to him and waiting on standby, was bothering him far too much.
“Seven, eight. Two, three….”
Muttering to himself as he recalled the stage formation and his choreography, Jang Siwoo was wearing the same beret as Bang Yuchan, continuously murmuring with a rather nervous expression.
They were wearing the same beret, but the atmosphere around the two was distinctly different.
Bang Yuchan, with his hair neatly swept back and his forehead fully revealed, stood out with an adult’s composure, while Jang Siwoo’s neatly lowered bangs and the long ribbon that had slipped down slightly from his beret seemed to emphasize how young he was.
Yes.
That was what was different about the two of them.
- “TOJ, going on standby. One, two….”
“…….”
As Bang Yuchan took his standby pose at the staff member’s voice coming through his in-ear, he took in Jang Siwoo, who still looked a little tense, with both eyes.
Before going on this stage, the two of them, who had hidden behind a vending machine and taken the full brunt of An Taei’s gunpowder, had not had the timing or the chance to have any sort of proper conversation.
“Chu, Chunyong. Wait a second? First, let us catch our breath….”
“You can catch your breath after you go up onstage, Yuchan hyung.”
“What on earth does that mean?!”
“Um, Chunyong. Before that, you should take some painkillers first….”
“—Chunyong-ssi. We’ll just check your hair one more time!”
“Uh, then hair first….”
Kim Chunyong, who had pushed them into this situation, had said something incomprehensible, and the very person who should have explained it was busy being dragged around by Son Jaeha and the noona in charge of hair and makeup.
The two of them, having reached some kind of inflection point, faced each other onstage.
It was embarrassing.
It was awkward to have to face each other without even having had the chance to properly sort out their emotions.
Even so.♪♬♩♬♪—the intro was already flowing out.
“…….”
After briefly meeting eyes with Bang Yuchan, who stood there with a complicated expression full of mixed emotions, Jang Siwoo stepped into the center of the formation splitting in half and opened his mouth.
- On a day this dazzlingI take one step to find youHi, Hi. But Hide tightlyIt was a rehearsal, merely part of the preparation process, where there was no need to sing live as properly as on the actual stage.
Even so, Jang Siwoo smiled brightly and gave his all to the choreography and the song as if this were the official stage.
- I count the numbersFrom one to tenReady or Not, Here I comeFrom far away comes your laughterEvery time he turned, the ribbon attached to his beret fluttered through the air, and his slender but firm arms and legs displayed the choreography with strength.
Well, if one were to ask how that looked to Bang Yuchan.
“The kid was really repressed. Maybe because he tries too hard? He envies someone and wants to become like them, but he thinks of that as jealousy. Hm, hm, I’ve never been like that, you see.”
“No, sorry, but that’s information I’m not curious about at all? In the end, aren’t you just bragging about yourself? And you shouldn’t say things like that when the person in question isn’t there, you punk….”
If one were to ask what it felt like to listen to An Taei’s words and mix them together with what he himself had seen.
- It feels like I’m dreaming, this momentSparkling, I think I saw you under the sunlight…
It was strange.
As if responding to Jang Siwoo, who had just sung the rehearsal stage with all his strength, Bang Yuchan tightened his throat to the fullest and showed off his booming vocal volume.
Jang Siwoo had been jealous of Bang Yuchan, of all people?
He envied him and wanted to become like him?
Thinking of Jang Siwoo’s face and body, which had turned completely red back then, it meant An Taei hadn’t just said it for no reason, but that it was the truth.‘No, that’s weird. Why would Siwoo be jealous of me? He has everything.’Bang Yuchan was still not in a state where he could fully accept this fact.
No matter how often people called him TOJ’s oldest member, an adult, the only one among them who had experienced a different society….
Because Bang Yuchan, too, was only a twenty-two-year-old kid.
Of course he would become confused when faced with a reality different from what he had believed.
Even so.
-Oh, No! Where you goOne Step, my steps are too slowToward you, faster, carefullyWatching Jang Siwoo approach to naturally carry out their pair choreography, Bang Yuchan decided to put those thoughts aside for a moment.
Perhaps the two of them would continue to be twisted out of shape from now on.
They probably wouldn’t fit together, and while trying to force themselves to fit, they might fight, and another thoughtful member might catch them at it, creating yet another embarrassing situation.
But….
- Two steps to find youHi, Hi. But I wanna find youBefore this time endsThey held one hand and lightly bumped shoulders.
Then, after turning once, they returned to their respective positions.
Unlike the choreography for the Kim Chunyong and Logan pair, which had changed dramatically thanks to Logan nearly falling, or the Son Jaeha and Ji Hwaseong pair, which was as natural as flowing water thanks to their long time practicing together, Bang Yuchan and Jang Siwoo’s pair choreography originally had this kind of simple charm.
“…
Mm, should we just try doing it exactly the way Teacher Dasol choreographed it for us?”
“I… like that.”
“Yeah. Then let’s do that. Without doing anything special separately….”
Ever since the day they had been matched together for the debut album and gone into a room together to have an awkward conversation, it had always been that way.
This time, too, that had originally been the plan.
It would be strange to suddenly do something different.
Our conversation is still stopped behind that vending machine.
Because of that thought, because of that feeling.♪♪♩♪♬♪!
And so, after a brief interlude, just as the two of them were about to naturally perform their pair choreography.
Of all things, the light falling over their heads sparkled red, like someone’s hair color.
And of all things, the words spoken by the person with that hair color came to mind right then.
“…….”
The tips of Jang Siwoo’s fingers, staring straight into Bang Yuchan’s eyes, trembled lightly.
In a way that only Bang Yuchan, who had taken his hand for the pair choreography, could notice.
Jang Siwoo turned one beat faster than Bang Yuchan.
Thanks to that, Bang Yuchan had no choice but to widen his eyes and stop his body in order to match the changed choreography.
It was something the usual Jang Siwoo, who obsessively checked the stage formations and practiced again and again with Kim Chunyong if even the slightest mistake appeared, would absolutely never do.
“…….”
The two hands that had separated slightly met again, and Jang Siwoo blinked slowly.
As if saying, This time, it’s your turn, hyung.
It was different from Kim Chunyong, who had grabbed Logan’s hand when he fell, or Ji Hwaseong and Son Jaeha, whose improvised choreography matched so well it looked as if they had practiced it from the start.
The two of them were a little clumsy, and they had to exchange glances for something like this to be possible.
But, in truth, these two had never done that before.
“…….”
The moment Bang Yuchan turned, the beret perched on his head fluttered lightly.
And Jang Siwoo pulled it down snugly over his head once more, then returned to his formation.
- Hide well, don’t let your hair showI Heard your voiceApproximately four seconds.
A brief exchange before Ji Hwaseong’s next part began.
However, unlike the other members, the two who had done improvised choreography for the first time had noticeably flushed faces.
Ah, you really have to try anything once to know.
Even if it doesn’t fit, even if it’s uncomfortable and awkward.
In some part of it, you think, So he’s the same as me there.
And the fact that they had been able to confirm that during rehearsal held a special meaning.
We can practice this.…
We’re a relationship that can prepare for it.
- This moment is Never EndingOwl, Nightingale, MockingbirdAfter Son Jaeha’s part ended, TOJ moved to their positions in perfect order and prepared for the highlight.
The highlight where Logan burst out.
The highlight they would deliver to the Jenias, who watched and waited for their rehearsal with as much joy as if it were the actual stage.
- Hi, Hi. Hide and SeekSee, See. In my eyes, I only see youHi, How was your day?
At the end of this curiosityI found you, I saw you!
With Logan’s cheerful voice in the background, Bang Yuchan and Jang Siwoo, standing on the same line, finally smiled once.
Ah, not the smile they showed the fans.
The smile they showed each other.
We probably still won’t fit together from now on, will we.
It’ll keep being uncomfortable.
Still….
- Hi, Hi. Hide and SeekSee, See. I only see your handHi, How was your day?
At the end of this maze…The moment Logan’s final line, “At the end of this maze,” flowed out, Bang Yuchan and Jang Siwoo lightly clapped their palms together.
Well, should this be called improvised choreography too?…
Let’s just call it a promise that I’ll still keep matching myself to you from now on.
- I hold, hold you. I caught you!
This time, Kim Chunyong’s body fell backward as if collapsing, and Logan caught him.
“TOJ! TOJ!”
“This is a rehearsal? Then what’s the actual stage going to be like? Please… my heart is fucking struggling….”
“Hwaseongaaaak!”
“Chunyong!”
From below, the Jenias’ cheers and support poured out, and darkness fell over the rehearsal stage of “Hide-and-Seek,” shortened to about two minutes.
“Haaah….”
Flushed breaths, two gazes meeting.
Something in Bang Yuchan and Jang Siwoo’s hearts rang with a refreshing sound, finally announcing that something had changed a little.
It sounded like the music box sound from “Hide-and-Seek,” and also like the guitar notes from the intro.
And….
“Shh, Logan. This is a moving moment right now….”
“What? Chunyong hyung, what are you talking about? I was talking about how you almost fell just now…! Do, do you have a fever? A bad one?”
“Shh, shh. Now we’re going into ‘W.
o.
W.’ Get in position.”
Some kind of hot fervor, too, was racing toward its climax.