Chapter 34
“What is that?”
Instead of the trot song he had sung then, a different story was inserted.
“Why is that…”
Not knowing that they had deliberately added something else to Jaekyung’s time which had no additional time beyond one minute, it was a series of bewilderment. A subtitle flowed saying there were too many scenes they wanted to show but couldn’t, which was disappointing.
Furthermore, they amplified anticipation by saying they would edit and show several things. As Jaekyung watched with a dumbfounded expression, Hajun, Sowoon, and Jungwoo noticed what was happening and barely managed to hold back their emerging laughter.
“What, what is it… Why are you doing that?”
Taeyeon asked what it was, but there was no answer. Instead, Hajun kept pointing forward as if telling them to watch the TV.
It was a scene of Jaekyung entering the hotel. The scene of him slowly entering was fast-forwarded due to time constraints. Seeing himself acting so naturally as shown in the subtitle [At this level, he’s at least the acquaintance of the sister of a friend of a hotel owner’s son], Jaekyung covered his mouth.
It was a part he had never thought about. His frequent stays during his idol activities had unconsciously shown.
‘So that’s why they asked if there was anything strange that day.’
“Thinking about it, you did use the hotel quite familiarly.”
Sowoon added his opinion as if that was right. Jaekyung pretended not to hear and focused on the TV. From entering straight inside to Jaekyung comparing himself with other trainees when the woman asked, his response as if he knew was captured. Thanks to that, the subtitle [Yeah. That’s not it ^^] appeared. Then a subtitle saying they would show mainly clips due to time constraints appeared.
Wondering what they were going to show now, Jaekyung sighed. Along with an explanation about playing dodgeball, it captured Jaekyung’s dumbfounded expression as he stood still holding the ball PD Choi had handed him, and his truly disgusted expression when looking at clothes selection.
“They packed a lot into one minute.”
“They should have included Jaekyung hyung eating to make it perfect. He really eats well. Huh?”
As Geonhu muttered while time was running out, Sowoon added a comment. But as if hearing Sowoon’s words, with 2 seconds remaining, a scene of Jaekyung eating deliciously came on. Jaekyung’s appearance with both cheeks puffed up and chewing stopped, then another trainee’s face appeared.
Jaekyung furrowed his eyebrows as if wronged. Why are they doing this to me? I was trying to stay unnoticed and leave quietly…
“A clip compilation.”
Hajun shook his head as if completely unexpected. It wasn’t just Jaekyung. For trainees who unfortunately couldn’t get much time, they similarly compiled and showed them. They put full effort into each and every person in their own way.
“Really strange.”
Seeing that, Jaekyung muttered displeasedly. He didn’t know why they put in such effort. Originally, production teams were beings who had to do anything for viewership ratings. Whether it was devil’s editing or pushing one person.
‘Why on earth…’
Having such similar thoughts, Jaekyung brought his knees together and buried his face. Thinking things like, if he was in a situation where he wanted to appear even in one cut, wouldn’t he have met a production team that would blow him away with devil’s editing?
The result was that Jaekyung wanted to hide but the kind production team worked hard to bring him to life. Now there was only one thing to hope for.
‘Get buried. Get buried.’
What’s so great about one minute? It’s time that passes in an instant, so many people probably didn’t see it. Moreover, since other trainees also came out really well edited, getting buried was his only method.
Jungwoo glanced at his phone while watching Jaekyung’s mood.
[!!]
[Found you, you rascal]
[So you’re the soft rice cake dancing in the wings]
[Jaekyung, you can’t do that -_- You were hiding in the wings on stage and now you’re hiding here too, how can you do that? It was hard to find you, so it’s your fault, hurry up and come take auntie’s bank account, auntie is serious]
[It wasn’t white because of the stage lighting, you snow cake-like thing ã… ã… ã… ]
[Jaekyung, let’s go for 1st place!! Noona is cheering for you!!]
[Jaekyung, you’re too pretty…]
[Jaekyung… I’ll buy you iced americano vanilla latte strawberry smoothie sparkling aid piece cake tiramisu cream puff whole cake…]
[It was a fulfilling one minute.]
[Now I can die without regrets… *cough*. But I still need to see my baby succeed before I die.]
Regardless of the one minute, he seemed to have caught attention. Not only Jungwoo but others also read the real-time reactions. The reaction was mostly “So this was the soft rice cake snow cake-like kid captured on stage.”
After checking the reactions, Hajun exchanged glances with Sowoon and Taeyeon with Geonhu. The first to react was Taeyeon.
“Jaekyung hyung, woo—!”
Taeyeon looked resentfully at Hajun who suddenly covered his mouth. Just as he was about to ask why he was covering his mouth, Hajun said with a smile.
“Taeyeon, want more beef jerky? Will you chew on this for a while?”
While Hajun put beef jerky in Taeyeon’s mouth regardless of his will, Sowoon tapped his phone earnestly. And as he put down his phone, like a lie, Geonhu’s phone rang.
Jungwoo glanced down at his phone and looked at Jaekyung. Wondering whether to tell him about the reactions or not, Jungwoo first asked a safe question.
“But did you watch the live broadcast we were on?”
Jaekyung shook his head.
“I see.”
It would be better not to watch it. Only Jaekyung here didn’t know that he and Jaekyung were captured quite a bit on that live broadcast. So Jungwoo decided not to mention what kind of reactions came up.
* * *
“Hyung, are you leaving?”
“I have to.”
As soon as he stood up after the broadcast ended, Sowoon asked. Since Jaekyung had nothing to pack, he checked only the weight of his phone in his pocket with empty hands and nodded. He had watched the broadcast showing the preliminaries, so now all that was left was to leave.
“But it’s been a while since we met…”
“We’ll see each other again. I’m going.”
Jaekyung ruffled Sowoon’s hair once and greeted others lightly. Still, as the host, Hajun got up to see him off, but it was puzzling that Jungwoo also got up.
“Are you leaving too?”
Jaekyung looked at Jungwoo with puzzled eyes. When Jungwoo just nodded and acted like he was going out together, Hajun clicked his tongue.
“You should just do JK instead of JT. Jaekyung Entertainment would be perfect, right?”
“Yeah.”
When Jungwoo agreed without objection, Hajun laughed as if amazed and even opened the front door.
“Go. Let’s see each other again, Jaekyung.”
Jaekyung, who had been watching quietly, was pushed out by Hajun’s gesture and ended up coming out with Jungwoo. Since it happened in an instant, Jaekyung looked back at Jungwoo in bewilderment.
“Did you get up because of me?”
“…”
“You really…”
Jaekyung looked at Jungwoo and was about to say something but closed his mouth again. He had strong feelings of “why do you cling like this?” but it was embarrassing to say it outright. Jaekyung looked at Jungwoo for a moment and thought he should ask at least once. During that interview, he said he liked his song, but there was no need to act like a puppy following around like this.
Jaekyung briefly checked the time and looked at the sun that had set outside. At this time, all restaurants would be closed, so maybe a convenience store would be appropriate? Having roughly organized his thoughts, Jaekyung spoke to Jungwoo first.
“Are you going straight home?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“Then do you want to eat with me?”
Seeing Jungwoo’s eyes widen, Jaekyung looked away and back again, embarrassed.
‘Was I too sudden?’
“I’m just asking if you want to eat together, what’s strange about it?”
When Jungwoo’s answer was slow, embarrassed Jaekyung added words.
“Why?”
“What?”
Jaekyung was rather flustered by Jungwoo’s wary question. Then he realized he was being too conceited. Maybe Jungwoo didn’t follow him out but just came out to go home. It was embarrassing to think that because they went around together during communal living, it would be the same this time.
Actually, he knew he was being stricter with Jungwoo than with others. There was jealousy toward him who became a star through an audition program, he had done group activities, and he was hurt by his attitude of ignoring him. But maybe he thought Jungwoo would accept everything since he stayed by his side regardless of how he was. What kind of confidence was this? Jaekyung belatedly felt heated and stepped back from him.
“Sorry.”
Jaekyung hurriedly tried to say something but couldn’t think of anything and just apologized.
“I’m going.”
“Wait a minute.”
Jungwoo grabbed Jaekyung’s arm. Jaekyung, who had half-turned around, looked at the hand holding his arm and then raised his head.
“Let’s eat together. But there’s a condition.”
“It’s okay. I’ll eat separately.”
Jaekyung looked at Jungwoo incredulously. Anyone would think he had begged to eat together. Was it something to attach conditions to?
“Let’s just eat separately.”
“Are you leaving without even listening to what the condition is?”
“I think it would be better to refuse without listening.”
Jaekyung raised his hand as if telling him not to speak. He wished an invisible barrier would form so Jungwoo’s voice wouldn’t reach him. But regrettably, Jungwoo took Jaekyung’s hand and lowered it.
“How about eating together when we do episode 2?”
Jungwoo’s request wasn’t much. Instead of today, let’s eat together when they do episode 2.
Jaekyung thought for a moment and eventually nodded. Actually, he couldn’t think of words to refuse. There were no cameras, and he had suggested eating together first.
“Then let’s see each other that day.”
Jungwoo let go of Jaekyung’s hand and created distance. Jaekyung felt the warmth that had touched his hand and raised his eyes.
25-year-old Lee Jungwoo and 19-year-old Lee Jungwoo. The temperature of how the two looked at him was clearly different. Jaekyung couldn’t deny that he had at least become on good terms with Lee Jungwoo by participating in the audition.
With the thought that they could get along quite well, other expectations quietly arose. Maybe even if he didn’t become an idol, at least Jungwoo would remain as a friend. When they meet again, it would be good to have a slightly more serious conversation and conclude to get along moderately well from now on. Since there would be no chance of meeting him again as members anyway, it wouldn’t matter.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
