Chapter 55
Though the size of wounds can’t be compared, Metabolic was as big a wound to Juha as Youngin’s past was to him. It might even be better to exchange wound for wound.
“……It’s embarrassing, fuck……”
Since there was nothing wrong with Juha’s words, Youngin eventually hung his head low. Since Youngin had picked the fight first, he couldn’t really make excuses either.
“What’s embarrassing isn’t hyung’s past, but right now when you’ve decided to abandon the fans who are fighting and getting cursed at outside on your behalf. Those fans that other kids can’t have no matter how desperately they try.”
“Who would want to see a pig loser’s fatal decadent beauty! I absolutely can’t do it! Sob……”
Yoo Youngin spoke while sniffling, perhaps feeling sorry for the past days of starving and exercising to lose weight. Yoo Youngin, who had already exceeded 120 kilograms in his second year of high school, was told he could die young if he gained more weight. He started dieting to avoid dying at first, but his appearance had somehow become his only source of pride.
“If you’re embarrassed, then work hard. Don’t harm me and other trainees. If you know your past photos are embarrassing, you should also know your lacking skills are embarrassing. Don’t think of using tricks and do it fair and square. I’m ashamed of everything. Stop this self-pity too.”
Juha delivered his final blow.
Yoo Youngin was certainly far from being a skilled trainee. Compared to top-tier trainees like Choi Taeri and Na Junho who had both looks and skills to back them up, Lee Juha who had low rankings but satisfied both requirements, and Jang Chaemyeong who was a bit lacking in looks but had solid skills to back him up, Yoo Youngin had only climbed this far with minimal basics, his face, and pretending to be cute.
So he had no choice but to hate Lee Juha, who had skills, looks, and even a clean past, and who had even stolen Choi Taeri whom he used to like.
“Hyung, don’t live as such a victim complex. You’ll miss all the good opportunities because of that.”
Juha’s voice, which had been sharply honed, was now calm.
“……”
Yoo Youngin glared at him once more. Juha didn’t avoid his gaze either.
Eventually, Yoo Youngin, who lost the staring contest, gathered up the trash and put it in a bag. When Yoo Youngin got up from his seat, his face had changed like a different person.
“Where are you going?”
“To practice.”
“Good thinking.”
“You fucking bastard, promise me.”
“What?”
“If I do well and our team gets first place, delete that recording file.”
Juha held back internal laughter. Yoo Youngin still believed the recording file was real.
“That’s not difficult. You promise too, hyung. If our team gets first place because of me, you’ll properly apologize to me.”
“This son of a bitch, I’m going to beat you, fuck.”
“I’m going to beat you too, hyung.”
“Fucking bastard, your personality is really fucking nasty……”
Yoo Youngin cursed at Juha until the end as he slammed the emergency exit door and left.
At the same time, Juha let out the breath he’d been holding.
“Hahaha……”
His exhale still trembled as the tension hadn’t fully released. Juha sat down right there. He unconsciously rubbed his face with dry hands.
At least he’d convinced that bastard. Whether it was unfortunate or fortunate, he’d gained some fighting spirit, so he could only hope he wouldn’t ruin this stage.
‘Is this really fortunate……’
The second competition was only the middle of this program. If Yoo Youngin suddenly awakened and gained skills too, it would mean one more competitor, but Juha decided to only think about this stage for now.
They’d been branded as a team lacking teamwork in the mid-evaluation, so they couldn’t ruin the main stage too.
Just as Juha was about to lean his head against the stair railing due to overwhelming fatigue, he heard someone’s footsteps.
‘Ha, shit……’
Juha startled and straightened up. For a moment, he reviewed whether he’d said anything that might become controversial later. He recalled not only risky words like ‘recording’ but also how much he’d lashed out at Yoo Youngin. If he wasn’t careful, he might get caught while trying to catch Yoo Youngin.
“Lee Juha really has a sharp personality.”
The person who came trudging down the stairs was Choi Taeri. Seeing that face, Juha felt like he was seeing an angel sent from heaven to comfort him. Juha, whose strength left him with relief, sat back down.
“Uh, how long were you there?”
“I told you this was my hideout. I still come here alone sometimes. In case Lee Juha might come too. Seeing how we’ve never met, we’re not at the telepathy level yet. Try harder.”
Taeri chuckled and sat next to Juha.
“Sounds like you’re saying you have telepathy with Yoo Youngin.”
“Lee Juha came too. I always send frequencies only to you, but you came too late.”
Taeri’s hand poked Juha’s cheek. This teasing, this way of speaking – Choi Taeri came to Juha at the most needed moment.
Juha leaned his head on Taeri’s shoulder as if he’d been waiting.
“Mmm…… just a little……”
“You can lean for a long time.”
When Taeri stroked Juha’s head, his pounding heart gradually slowed down.
This was it. Not only had he joined the team with damn Yoo Youngin and Jo Munseok, but even Metabolic’s debut song was full of things that tormented Juha. Every time the prelude of ‘Butterfly Dream’ flowed, Juha felt like the music’s vibrations were digging into his wounds. But Juha had to pretend to be calm. By performing this song, Juha would receive attention that others would envy, so he had to endure that much pain.
It wouldn’t have been this hard if only Taeri was there.
He came here thinking it was the end of his life, but reality was more fierce.
He hadn’t even debuted yet. What scared Juha most was that this was only the beginning.
As if understanding that feeling, Taeri slowly lowered his hand and intertwined their fingers. It felt like he was getting a blood transfusion through his fingers. Just by offering his shoulder and holding his hand, Juha’s whole body became soft as if lying on clouds.
“Can we really debut together?”
Juha asked as if muttering.
Suddenly he was scared.
That Taeri might not be beside him for the countless things that would happen in the future.
From the day Juha’s dream changed from ‘debut’ to ‘debuting together with Choi Taeri,’ Juha decided to become strong.
For Juha, who had experienced having his dream stolen and having Choi Taeri stolen, the troublemaker Yoo Youngin was rather a good example.
“Don’t think we can do it?”
Looking at Taeri’s smile, all the previous events seemed like a dream. The sweeter it was, the greater the burden of having to protect it became.
“What if you’re not there?”
Juha’s eyes, which had spat harsh words at Yoo Youngin without batting an eye just moments ago, trembled vulnerably.
“We can debut together and overcome difficult things together. I’ll do things like this for you so people don’t find out our Juha has a sharp personality.”
Taeri gently stroked Juha’s cheek. Juha’s lips, which had lost strength from relief, curved up.
Taeri watched from afar, second by second, how hard Juha was struggling. He wanted to hug him once and waited for an opportunity, but it wasn’t easy.
It hurt his heart even more to know that the reason Juha sweated trying to overcome complex situations through practice was all to debut with Taeri.
Taeri squeezed their interlocked hands and stroked the back of Juha’s hand. Not satisfied with that, he pressed his lips to the back of his hand with a soft sound.
“Anyway, you’re so pretty I can’t get angry.”
“Why would you be angry at me?”
Juha, whose fatigue and sensitivity had disappeared, blinked and asked.
“You accepted and drank from the water bottle Junho hyung gave you last time.”
“You saw that?”
“I was about to run over if you put your lips to it.”
“If I want to see you, I should steal any water bottle and put my lips to it.”
“Lee Juha, really……”
Juha looked at Taeri with a grin.
Choi Taeri transforming into the embodiment of jealousy was quite fun to tease.
“Wow, Choi Taeri, looking at you now, you’re totally the type to control people. You’re kind of tiring.”
“Hey you, would I control other people? It’s because it’s you……”
Taeri looked up with aggrieved eyes.
“Because it’s me, what?”
“You bewitch people just by breathing.”
Taeri spoke too confidently.
“Where do you get such nonsense……”
“So Lee Juha, don’t let your fingertips touch other guys, no, don’t even give them a glance. Junho hyung is the most dangerous!”
Though Taeri’s unreasonable demands were absurd, they looked cute deep down.
“Ah, um……”
Recalling this stage’s choreography, Juha couldn’t answer.
“Answer!”
“I know, so stop controlling me.”
Taeri finally smiled with satisfaction. Seeing that face, Juha’s resolution solidified.
They had to debut together.
They had to make it reality, not just a wish.
The two looked at each other and made their vow.
* * *
Though Yoo Youngin’s face looked like nothing had happened, Team 1’s dinner atmosphere was deathly. Not only the Myeongwon twins and Jo Munseok, but even Na Junho watched Youngin’s reactions.
The more he felt the gazes, the more vigorously Youngin pushed rice into his mouth. Usually he ate counting rice grains like bird feed, but today he scooped rice with a spoon. It seemed like the words ‘so what’ were floating above his head.
Everyone was at a loss about the discomfort created by that forced composure.
As they were finishing their meal, Na Junho seemed to make up his mind, put down his spoon, and spoke.
“Let’s all sleep in my room starting today.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Yes?”
It was unimaginable to hear such words from Na Junho, who usually just did his work and went up to the penthouse alone.
“Even if it’s uncomfortable, it can’t be helped. We need to create a picture at least. No one here doesn’t want to debut.”
Na Junho glanced at his speechless teammates and quietly continued his argument.
“Ah……”
“……”
At the word ‘picture,’ not only Juha, Youngin, and Munseok, but even the young but smart Myeongwon twins immediately understood Na Junho’s meaning.
The production team had decided Team 1’s concept was ‘individualism.’ It was a concept that perfectly opposed this assignment of ‘one body.’
The picture the production team wanted was either team members who ignored teamwork during the mid-evaluation and played separately becoming one through practice and showing perfect teamwork on stage, or ultimately failing to overcome it and receiving harsh criticism from judges while shedding tears.
If the production team was more vicious, they would openly ask team members about ‘Yoo Youngin’s personal history’ and create a picture of them protecting him. With the title ‘Team 1 members who became stronger in crisis.’
Na Junho’s meaning was that if the production team wanted it, they should create a proper picture so their team could secure screen time.
Yoo Youngin stepped forward saying he wasn’t hurt and that such a past meant nothing, shouting with his whole body. So the team members gave up early on consolation they didn’t mean.
The person involved, Yoo Youngin, also seemed to plan to brazenly ignore his embarrassing past that he wanted to hide, thanks to Juha’s scratching. So pulling this situation to the most advantageous side would be the method that benefited everyone.
Turning crisis into opportunity. It was a clever plan.
“Okay.”
Juha answered first. The situation had taken an interesting turn.
Now that it had come to this, Team 1 members had to take what Yoo Youngin currently had. Yoo Youngin’s weapon was fan firepower. It was an advantage no one could easily have and was the best among My Idol trainees in that regard.
If they used Yoo Youngin well, Team 1 could bring enormous streaming scores.
Since Yoo Youngin was in a difficult situation now, fans would put their strength into boosting his spirits.
If that happened, perhaps Metabolic’s failed song ‘Butterfly Dream’ might even reach the top of the charts.
That was exactly what Juha hoped for.
“Sure, why not.”
Yoo Youngin answered without backing down.
“Me too.”
“Me too.”
“Me too.”
The rest of the team members nodded and agreed.
They couldn’t be given breaks for being young or minors, nor should they be intimidated by being with older hyungs.
This battlefield was full of trainees who wanted to draw attention even through aggro, get noticed by production staff, and create stories. But not picking up such good prey would be like a stubborn scholar who won’t run even when it rains for fear of losing face.
Juha decided to acknowledge it now. The place he’d jumped into wasn’t where scholars elegantly competed in poetry, calligraphy, and painting, but a real bloody battlefield. While he ran toward enemy lines, enemies shot machine guns from both sides. To survive, he had to steal and shoot even his neighbor’s machine gun. He decided to put petty pride battles aside and only pretend to be good and clean when cameras were rolling.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
