Chapter 92
“Ah, really so clueless.”
As their lips parted, Taeri clicked his tongue regretfully.
“Answer the phone.”
Juha was also disappointed to be interrupted from the rare sultry atmosphere.
“Mmm, let’s just stay like this a little longer.”
Taeri tightly hugged Juha while on top of him and showered his cheeks, lips, and neck with kiss after kiss. The phone that had stopped ringing began ringing again without any consideration.
“Answer the phone and let’s continue after.”
When Juha patted Taeri’s back soothingly, Taeri reluctantly got off his body and answered the phone.
“Yes, Manager Jeong.”
Taeri’s expression suddenly became serious. Juha watched him with an anxious face.
‘Is it the company?’
Seeing that it was “Manager Jeong,” it seemed like a call from someone at the company. Since Fandom managed their trainees thoroughly, it was probably telling him to come to the company to practice for the third round of competition. After listening to the voice on the other end of the phone for a while, Taeri opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.
“Manager, I’m sorry, but I have a bit of a fever. My ankle isn’t doing well either. If I’m going to enter filming the day after tomorrow, I think I need to rest today.”
At Taeri’s words, Juha’s eyes widened as he placed his hand on Taeri’s forehead. While his body temperature was normally on the high side, right now it was lukewarm, not particularly hot. Juha examined Taeri’s condition while massaging his ankle. It was the place he had sprained before, and Juha had been worried anyway because it seemed like he was pushing himself too hard during yesterday’s performance.
From the other end of the phone came the sound of a voice scolding Taeri. It seemed like they were lecturing him that with the third round of competition right around the corner, this wasn’t the time to be taking care of his body.
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’ll definitely come tomorrow.”
When Taeri hung up, Juha actively placed his hands on his forehead and cheeks.
“Do you have a fever? It’s not that hot. What about your ankle?”
When Juha felt around Taeri’s body here and there with a worried face, Taeri caught his wrist.
“Stop.”
“Huh? Why?”
Suddenly stopped, Juha looked at Taeri without understanding.
“Lee Juha, can I stay like this with you all day today?”
Taeri spun Juha’s body around and smoothly embraced him from behind.
“Practice…… don’t you need to go?”
Juha, held in Taeri’s arms, still sounded uncertain. Since Juha didn’t have an agency yet, he didn’t have any schedules he absolutely had to attend, but Taeri was strictly under his agency’s care.
“Aren’t you tired?”
When Taeri’s weary voice rang in his ear, Juha quietly closed his mouth.
Usually they filmed for about 5 to 7 days and were given two days off. Since there were many minors among the participants, they couldn’t be held for long periods, and they also needed to secure time for filming and editing. While it seemed comfortable to be given regular breaks, the repetition of filming frantically and then immediately practicing for the next competition made even the two-day break feel short. While they knew it was unavoidable for their debut, the anxiety of being chased by rankings and pressured during both filming and rest was not easy to endure.
“Sigh, okay. Let’s rest a bit today.”
When Juha lay back down with his pillow, Taeri flopped down on top of him. The two lay embracing each other tightly for a long time.
“Today’s the day the episode airs.”
Juha muttered to himself. Once they entered the group stay and received missions, prepared, and performed, the broadcast day approached in the blink of an eye.
“I wonder how far it will show?”
Taeri whispered low while continuously stroking Juha’s hair. Since changing to ash blonde, the texture had become much softer, and Taeri often played with Juha’s hair, seeming to like the feel of it.
“Want to watch it before you go?”
“……Huh?”
At Juha’s words, Taeri’s hand stopped.
“Watch it at my house before you go.”
“Won’t it be too late?”
Taeri asked back cautiously. Since today’s My Idol broadcast would end after 12 o’clock, it would be quite late to be at someone else’s house.
“It’s fine. My family will all be watching anyway.”
“Still……”
Taeri couldn’t give a clear answer. While he felt sorry for imposing yesterday as well, thinking of Juha’s feelings made it hard to refuse easily. Moreover, Taeri also didn’t want to be separated from Juha.
Taeri, who had been lounging around at home all day planning to sneak back home, was caught red-handed by Juha’s mother who came home early.
Then Yunha came, and when even Juha’s father got off work, Taeri had no choice but to head to the living room sofa.
“Then, then I’ll just watch the broadcast and go. I’m sorry for staying so late.”
“Since Taeri oppa is here, we should order two chickens. If I order now, it’ll arrive before the broadcast starts.”
Whether Taeri was embarrassed or not, Yunha excitedly looked at the delivery app. After seeing him a few times, Yunha was now even closer to Taeri than to her own oppa.
“Don’t you ask Taeri what he wants to eat?”
Juha scolded Yunha as if displeased.
“I’m fine. Please ask what father would like.”
Taeri politely passed the menu choice to Juha’s father.
“Dad, chicken? Pig’s feet? Bossam? Braised pork backbone would be good too.”
Watching Yunha, who had many things she wanted to eat despite not eating much, Juha let out a hollow laugh. He thought his father would say to order anything, but his father seriously pondered. After nodding his head and being lost in thought for a while, his father finally opened his mouth.
“VHC Twinkle Chicken. Add cheese balls.”
“……Huh? V, VHC? Ah, got it.”
Even Yunha was momentarily flustered by her father’s answer delivered in a solemn voice.
“I tried it with young employees and it was delicious……. heh.”
His father added awkwardly with an embarrassed laugh. Taeri silently watched the scene with a warm heart. He had thought that ordering late-night snacks with parents to watch TV only happened in dramas. But it seemed like an everyday routine for this family, which was fascinating.
Soon the chicken arrived and the broadcast started. Taeri sat to Juha’s left, and Lee Yunha sat to his right as they watched My Idol together.
Episode 7 started with the participants parting ways after the second round of competition ended. The team members who had been together throughout the unity mission reluctantly said their farewells. Soon each team’s vlogs were shown.
“Oh? Taeri oppa is wearing the peach outfit too?”
As soon as Taeri appeared, Yunha immediately noticed the outfit he had matched as a couple with Juha.
“Just watch.”
Juha said while putting a chicken leg in Yunha’s mouth to shut her up. Yunha’s keen eye in noticing that immediately was scary.
Taeri’s team had a pretty good atmosphere. The sight of late teens to early twenties guys going to an Italian restaurant looked awkward at first glance, but it was heartwarming to watch since they all had such good appetites. Even Yeom Sangyeop, who emphasized masculinity, said the food was so delicious that eating with a fork wasn’t satisfying enough and attempted to eat pasta with chopsticks.
“Andrew really follows Taeri oppa around a lot.”
Yunha said as if it was interesting.
“I’m the only one in the team who can speak English.”
Taeri kindly responded even to Yunha’s muttered comment. Perhaps because of what Taeri said earlier about paying attention to Andrew, Juha was also quite bothered by him.
“Still, isn’t it annoying if he only follows oppa around?”
“I follow Juha around all the time too, does Juha find me annoying?”
Taeri smiled at Juha as he spoke. That fox-like guy, knowing that Juha was upset, he smoothly appeased him with pretty words.
The scene of Taeri’s team and Juha’s team combining rooms at karaoke and having fun together was so bright it was refreshing. Other teams also did their best filming vlogs, but they couldn’t beat the synergy of the two teams combined. That made sense, since afterward, an incredible number of top-ranking trainees poured out from both teams.
The screen switched after the video of them pushing through fans to enter a dakgalbi restaurant and expertly eating fried rice.
The music changed to something tense as participants dragged their luggage and gathered one by one at the Gnet annex. Unlike the vlog footage, Juha’s appearance with his changed hair color stood out.
[2nd Competition Ranking Announcement]
‘For this competition, according to the unity mission, the 1st place team will all pass, and the 8th place team will all be eliminated.’
At Lee Cheong’s words on screen, Juha’s mother and father gulped nervously.
“Hey, what place did your team get? Don’t make us nervous, just tell us.”
Unable to bear the suspense, Yunha tapped Juha and asked.
“If you’re that curious, ask Taeri.”
“Tsk……”
At Juha’s words, Yunha shut her mouth. He had said it knowing she wouldn’t be able to act rudely toward Taeri, and Yunha gave up without asking twice. Juha’s parents, who had also expected an answer, perked up their ears then disappointedly turned their heads back to the screen.
“But they won’t really eliminate the entire 8th place team, right? There are things like resurrection rounds too.”
Yunha was about to continue speaking when she stopped herself. It was because Choi Taeri, a living witness who couldn’t even make it to the resurrection round and barely made it up with a lucky key, was sitting next to her.
Juha glanced at Yunha warningly to watch her mouth. No matter how careful she tried to be, she was such a troublemaker that he was worried.
“Why? I’m fine though.”
When Juha and Yunha were secretly bickering, Taeri stopped them. Soon everyone turned their heads to the screen.
‘2nd place, Metabolic’s Butterfly Dream!’
Seeing the result of Juha’s team taking 2nd place in streaming rankings, when his mother’s eyes drooped slightly, his father loudly comforted him saying, “That’s good enough. 2nd place is doing well! Good job, Juha.”
Taeri particularly took those words to heart. As long as his father was Choi Junghyeok, those were words he would never hear in his lifetime.
Even his father, who had said 2nd place in streaming was good, raised both hands and shouted as soon as Juha’s team was announced as 1st place in final team rankings. His mother and Yunha were already hugging each other.
“Ah come on, everyone watch quietly.”
Juha awkwardly stopped them, but he felt good. For the first time since challenging My Idol, seeing his family cheer after showing results made him newly feel their support.
Soon the individual ranking announcement began. His mother and Yunha tensely hugged each other again and focused on the screen. When Juha’s name didn’t come up until the top 10, Juha’s family’s eyes widened.
“What are you? What place did you get exactly?”
When Yunha asked, Juha just waved his hand dismissively without answering.
[5th place, Seo Eunwon.]
When the screen showed the ranking caption along with Eunwon bursting into tears, his parents and Yunha looked at each other with expressions beyond tension to bewilderment. That meant Juha had made it into the top 5.
[4th place, Yoo Youngin.]
“Wow……”
Yunha exclaimed in disbelief.
[3rd place, Lee Juha.]
“Wah!”
“Oh my!”
“Uh, uh?”
The three people couldn’t continue speaking. Although 2nd and 1st place were announced, the family just stared at Juha.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
Taeri is now part of the family