#26. Guiding Star (4)
While it wasn’t an unconvincing distinction, there were also puzzling points.
‘Isn’t he a leader before being a main vocalist?’
Of course, since expressions like “Bae Dojin’s tone is Days’ tone” often came up, his presence as a vocalist was considerable. But he had as firm an impression as a leader as his solid skills.
Moreover, seeing that there were even cue cards next to Bae Dojin, it seemed like fairly important content, and if ‘Days’ and ‘Arcus’ were meeting at such a site, it would be more natural for leaders to pair up.
“I requested it.”
As if reading my mind, Bae Dojin whispered in a small voice.
“I can’t say I have no personal curiosity at all. But this direction seems better in various ways. That combination over there isn’t bad either.”
I turned my head following his gaze. There I could see Haesol already sitting face to face and starting to chat warmly. Across from him, Days’ sub dancer Kang Soran was answering something with a lively attitude.
“They’re from the same region. I think they said they went to the same elementary school… The world is really small, isn’t it?”
“It really is.”
I obediently settled into my designated seat.
I was curious about the reason, but I didn’t dislike it. To be honest, it was advantageous for me in various ways.
It seemed like the reason for arranging such a setting was to show the close relationship between seniors and juniors and create an atmosphere of passing something down to the next generation, and to achieve the expected effect, receiving Bae Dojin’s cooperation would be most advantageous. He was also someone with recognition that was counted among the best not only within Days but also in the industry.
While I was busily racking my brains and sneaking glances, our eyes met as if he’d been waiting. While my mind was this noisy, Bae Dojin was smiling consistently relaxed.
Even though my standards had become impossibly high thanks to someone I’d known since birth, Bae Dojin had amazing looks both objectively and subjectively.
‘How else would the term “Midnight Award” have come about?’
Anyway, since it’s the given task, I have to work hard at it. I bowed my head politely.
“Please take care of me.”
When I wondered why we were paired up, they said we’d be doing mini-games just like variety show filming. Bae Dojin and I did a ‘multiple choice quiz.’
And the result was.
“Cat or dog!”
I chose cat, Bae Dojin chose dog.
“Between kimchi stew and soybean paste stew?”
I chose soybean paste stew, Bae Dojin chose kimchi stew.
“Summer versus winter!”
I chose summer, Bae Dojin chose winter.
“If you choose between analog and digital?”
I chose analog, Bae Dojin chose digital.
Out of about ten questions, we didn’t get a single one right. Not a single one.
The PD was pressing his temple at the more disastrous results than expected, then shouted the last question with a grave expression.
“Americano versus latte!”
Bae Dojin chose latte with a smile, saying that cappuccino also has milk so wouldn’t it belong to lattes, and I hesitated for a moment. It was the moment when the gazes of people who had become interested in our ruined compatibility changed to expectation.
Would we finally get at least one right?
“…What if I don’t like coffee?”
There was no way that would happen.
“Right. Not matching at all is also a kind of compatibility in a way…”
At Hwijeong’s interjection from the side, Bae Dojin burst into laughter.
“Now. Then next is the questionnaire.”
“Questionnaire?”
Bae Dojin nodded and handed me a small piece of paper. It wasn’t much different from the multiple choice quiz we just did, but this time instead of solving it together with him and trying to match answers, I was to write answers and reasons to questions by myself.
Why is this kind of process necessary when group members meet?
While thinking I had to do it since they asked, I couldn’t help but tilt my head to the side once in a while.
“There’s joint filming with the juniors and us tomorrow, and we need props for that. You could say this is preliminary research needed in the process of preparing those.”
He explained after seeing my curiosity, but unfortunately my curiosity only deepened. It was around when I had written ‘sight’ as my answer to the first question ‘Which do you value more, sight or hearing?’ and was just reading the second question ‘What do you think defines a person?’
‘What does this have to do with anything?’
Even if I left an answer here, would it really help in choosing props?
“I personally selected these questions.”
What a really unique person…
I swallowed the words I couldn’t spit out while being conscious of the camera and wrote down my answers clearly.
What defines a person. After brief consideration, I wrote the two characters for ‘time’ below it.
“Time?”
“Yes, that’s right. I was wondering whether to write memory or time… Life continues even without necessarily great memories or reminiscences. So I wrote time.”
“Hmm.”
Bae Dojin smiled brightly and said.
“I thought we wouldn’t connect on anything, but we connect on this much at least.”
His voice sounded quite pleased.
“I also value time importantly.”
I continued writing answers to the questions below one by one. Perhaps because I was concentrating too earnestly, the Arcus members and Days members who had quickly finished other games also came over to peek and chat among themselves.
“There are too many questions.”
“But you’ve already done half of them.”
What on earth are they preparing that they’re asking about favorite colors, flowers, and even scents? Even hobbies.
“Favorite color…”
Do I have such a thing? I didn’t think I’d ever lived being conscious of that. I wasn’t someone with distinct likes and dislikes. I had almost nothing I extremely disliked, and likewise almost nothing I extremely liked.
“Blue.”
Na Jihan, who was standing behind me, said.
“You like blue. More precisely, bright sky blue. What you dislike is being startled, cramped spaces, stuff like that? Painful things too. You’re timid, you know.”
“What about favorite scent?”
“Well. You don’t really like anything artificial. If you had to choose one, it would be the smell of wood.”
This was a bit surprising. I didn’t think I had ever said such things to him directly. When I opened my eyes wide as if asking how he knew, Na Jihan showed his characteristic confident smile.
“When you tested various scents before, you kept smelling the cypress wood pouch. You seemed to like that one the most, but when I tried to buy it for you, you said it was fine and quickly left.”
“That was…”
I couldn’t possibly say that it was because your natural scent resembled the smell of wood, and I was curious how similar a scent you would have, so I brought my nose close to smell.
Several more questions followed after that, and unlike me who pondered, Na Jihan gave answers without hesitation. Enough to be slightly more surprising than Bae Dojin who was quietly watching from across.
“Jihan junior-nim is very thorough.”
Na Jihan responded nonchalantly.
“Someone who lives somewhere isn’t very thorough about himself at all. I don’t have much I don’t know.”
Indeed, all the small bets that continued with Hapil during dinner ended in Na Jihan’s victory. The only thing Hapil got right was the fate of marshmallows. Of course, no real money changed hands.
“Being that close, there wouldn’t be room for a single secret to slip in.”
“Isn’t that natural?”
Unlike Na Jihan who asked that, I couldn’t answer immediately. Because I did have secrets.
“What, Yoon Seowoo, why aren’t you answering right away? Do you have secrets from me?”
“No matter how close we are, we’re still friends, so of course there are some…”
Hapil, who had been listening to our conversation with great interest, brought a small device from somewhere. It was the simple lie detector he had used with Hwijeong in the ‘truth game.’
“Really? Wow. Let’s try this on Seowoo hyung too. Seowoo hyung has secrets he can’t tell even Jihan hyung, his childhood friend – true or false?”
Before I could refuse, my wrist was grabbed and the strap was securely fastened. I wanted to run away, but the atmosphere had already heated up with interest, so it was a bit awkward to back out.
Eventually I answered with a reluctant expression.
“I do have some…”
Ding-a-ling. The simple sound effect characteristic of cheap toys flowed out. Na Jihan openly made a disappointed expression.
“How could you do such a thing between us?”
He looked tremendously wronged. Anyone watching would think he’d been betrayed in the betrayal of the century.
“Anyone watching would think you don’t have secrets.”
“I don’t though?”
At the immediate question, Hapil asked back in a voice full of mischief.
“Really none?”
“What would I lie for?”
“Then take Seowoo hyung’s hand out and Jihan hyung put yours in.”
Na Jihan put his hand in as if to show off and answered.
“I don’t have secrets I can’t tell Yoon Seowoo.”
Ding-a-ling. The sound effect flowed out again. Since it was a machine used for fun, its credibility probably wasn’t that great, but because his expression was so firm, no one could doubt its authenticity.
“…Okay, now it’s over. I have to submit this to sunbaenim.”
“Now you’re suddenly changing the subject.”
“What do you mean. Why. It’s not like I committed some terrible crime, I just have some secrets.”
Liking you is a secret, not a crime.
I smacked Na Jihan’s hand away as he said he’d verify even that with the lie detector, then submitted the questionnaire.
“But do these kinds of questions help, sunbaenim?”
“They helped a great deal.”
He said while humming as he folded the paper neatly.
“If I’m going to give a gift anyway, I wanted to prepare it matching your tastes. I don’t have much time, but about a day should… well.”
It was a cryptic remark. A gift? From Bae Dojin to me? Why? Why bother?
I was about to ask more but stopped. With that grinning face, he didn’t look like he would give me the answer no matter how much I looked.
Still, it was okay. Everything would be revealed tomorrow anyway.
After the time with partners ended, we also introduced ourselves to other members all around, had brief interviews, and received guidance about tomorrow’s filming.
“Each member has different destinations so departure times are different. Especially Jihan-ssi and Seowoo-ssi have schedules starting from morning, so rest early.”
“Understood.”
“We will.”
Hapil and Lee Seon were going to the city area, Haesol to Jeju’s western beach, and Na Jihan and I to some park near the center.
Fortunately, I would be moving together with Na Jihan. Just that alone made me feel like all worries were lifted, so I nodded earnestly and came up to the room with him.
And as soon as we arrived at the bedroom.
“We have something to talk about.”
Na Jihan blocked my path squarely.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
