Chapter 60
The corrected photo of him as a cool-toned lighting trainer, the tremendously brilliantly corrected crying Lee Juha, and even his bright smile on stage. It was amazing where they had gotten such photos to edit.
Moreover, the text surrounding them was:
[♡Please immigrate to Lee Juha♡]
[♡This is where you belong♡]
‘What is that.’
Juha doubted what he was seeing. There were also small letters that read ‘In the warm embrace of Junim.’
‘Who the hell……’
The bus received a signal and disappeared far away, but Juha’s steps wouldn’t move.
When Juha stood in place without moving, the car in front of London Tart honked loudly. When he came to his senses, the crosswalk signal had already turned green. Juha hurriedly crossed the crosswalk.
Unable to endure that moment, Lee Yunha opened the window and shouted:
“Lee Juha! Hurry up and get in!”
Juha got in the car still looking dazed as if he’d seen a ghost. As soon as he got in the car, Lee Yunha’s giggling voice hit his ears.
“Ahahahaha, did you see that bus earlier? It’s been going around the city for a few days? It’s not just one or two. They say there’s one in Busan too. I thought it was some cult missionary activity.”
“For a few days now?”
“Yeah. The president of ‘Lee Juha-da’ must be really capable. You know ‘Lee Juha-da’, right? Your fan club.”
“……”
Juha had been so busy he didn’t even know his own fan club had been created.
‘Then ‘Please immigrate to Lee Juha.’ That couldn’t possibly be……’
Juha recalled the slogans he had seen on stage. Come to think of it, that level of support was only possible with organized movement.
“They collected money in just two days and did what other fan clubs spend over ten million won on for half the price, even posting the amount publicly. They really work well. I’m impressed.”
“Did you join too? My fan club?”
Juha asked casually.
“Would I join because I’m a fan?”
“True……”
Unable to contain themselves, Juha and Yunha bickered.
Listening to their conversation while driving, their mother’s lips curved into a ready smile. Mother’s gaze kept turning toward the direction where the wrapped bus had gone in the side mirror. Even without saying anything, mother was clearly in a good mood.
Juha also couldn’t believe it even after seeing that bus with his own eyes. People whose faces he didn’t even know had raised funds close to ten million won, not for underprivileged neighbors, but for Lee Juha. Was he someone worthy of receiving such a big gift? Juha even came to doubt his own existence.
The elation he had felt on stage came back to Juha’s mind. The countless people who had waved slogans and cheered for him. Seeing them, Juha had resolved to show the best stage. He had also thought that he absolutely didn’t want to disappoint them.
But those people who had never even met Juha had prepared even more gifts for him. Juha’s heart pounded as if he was in debt, wondering if it was okay to just keep receiving like this.
“If you happen to join Lee Juha-da, don’t act up and be active. Just lurk.”
“Why?”
As if reading Juha’s mind, Yunha struck first.
“You have no way with words and your personality shows through, so you’re perfect for making mistakes. Don’t cause a scandal.”
“Lee Yunha! To oppa again.”
At Yunha’s words, mother scolded again.
Those words weren’t wrong either. Quietly until he was ready. Still, if he got the chance, he resolved that he must definitely convey his thanks.
As Juha shifted his gaze to the window, his phone vibrated with a buzz.
[I don’t think I’m standing up in the mornings anymore……]
It was a text from Choi Taeri.
‘Huh?’
That couldn’t be.
[Can’t you fix me?]
Ugh, this guy sends such erotic texts when he wants to meet.
Juha burst into laughter with a snort.
[I’ll come tomorrow, so call Jeongnam and wait.]
Juha sent a reply while calculating the time.
Father would be waiting at home too, so rushing over right away would be difficult. Taeri would also be with his family after the camp ended, so meeting tomorrow morning would be fastest.
‘Will Taeri meet with his family too?’
Come to think of it, unlike Taeri’s glamorous background, he extremely avoided talking about his family.
He had also said things like ‘they’re not free enough to watch idol audition programs.’ Whenever Taeri talked about family, his expression rapidly worsened, so Juha held back his words.
No matter how close they were, family matters were difficult to touch carelessly. He could only wait for when Taeri would tell him himself someday.
‘I really miss him.’
He had planned to meet Taeri after filming the Vlog with his team members, but it seemed he couldn’t wait until then.
“Mom, I’m going to go out early tomorrow morning somewhere, then meet the kids. We have something to film with the kids.”
“Where are you going in the morning?”
At Juha’s words, mother asked back.
“Just, there’s somewhere I need to stop by.”
“Ugh, you just came back from hard work, you should rest a bit……”
“It’s fine. There’s somewhere I absolutely have to go.”
Juha answered and smiled slightly while looking out the window.
* * *
“Haah……”
Cool air poured over Taeri’s head as he opened his drowsy eyes. Contrary to his cooling hair, his body was still warm.
In his arms, Lee Juha was sleeping soundly. Taeri slowly stroked his hair. His lips kept rising uncontrollably.
Juha, who had promised to come early today, had burst in at 7 AM. It was before Taeri had even fully woken up. Even in his sleep, at the thought that Lee Juha was right in front of him, they couldn’t even make it to the bedroom and resolved the matter in the living room, then fell asleep embracing on the sofa.
“Mmm……”
Feeling Taeri’s breath, Juha stirred.
“Sleep more.”
Taeri said while kissing Juha’s hair. Juha’s hair, shining brightly in the natural light, felt softer against his lips today.
“Hmm…… aren’t you already awake?”
Juha looked at Taeri with half-opened eyes. Juha with sleepiness all over his face looked even cuter today. He said he had woken up at six and rushed over to see Taeri.
“No. I was going to watch you and then go back to sleep.”
Taeri smiled and this time kissed Juha’s forehead with a peck.
“Mmm…… then watch a little more and then sleep. You should rest before going out.”
“Okay.”
After finishing his words, Juha burrowed into Taeri’s arms. Even after being in the air conditioner breeze for a long time, Lee Juha’s body was warm. Was even his body temperature something to fall for? Taeri smiled briefly while looking at him.
That day, Taeri had received a strange stimulation watching Juha’s stage from behind. Lee Juha was much more solid and talented than Taeri had thought. At first, he had just worried whether he wouldn’t get along well with other trainees, but later, Team 1 couldn’t see an inch ahead because of Yoo Youngin’s incident. However, Lee Juha resolved it calmly enough to exceed Taeri’s expectations.
Every time Lee Juha with flowers appeared on screen, Taeri’s heart nearly jumped out from falling for him. Juha, who had completed such a splendid stage, was now sleeping soundly while nuzzling in his arms. Looking at him, Taeri wanted to put this sweet Lee Juha in his mouth and slowly swallow until he melted.
The hellish first competition was over, and the difficult second competition was also over. While preparing with other trainees, Taeri’s thoughts became clearer.
He absolutely had to debut with Lee Juha. Going through this team, he had met people he got along with here and there, but forming a team was definitely not easy.
Taeri kissed Juha’s nose with a peck, then pecked his long curled eyebrows once each, and finally kissed his lips with a peck.
Juha, waking from sleep, smiled as if in a good mood and pushed out his lips. Taeri, as if he had been waiting, entered with his tongue, parting his lips.
“Mmng……”
Juha accepted Taeri with a low moan.
After the kiss continued for a while, their lips separated leaving a deep wet sound.
“But your team all got along well, right?”
Juha’s eyes snapped open as if remembering something forgotten.
“Where is there a team that only gets along well.”
“I wish you at least could have had it easier.”
Now fully awake, Juha stroked Taeri’s face.
“Getting along isn’t always good. It means someone is holding back what they want to say.”
“Ah……”
“Getting along would be better than not getting along, but matching hearts is most important. That’s why I really like Lee Juha.”
Taeri looked at Juha with sparkling eyes.
“At this timing?”
Juha burst into incredulous laughter.
“You don’t hold back what you want to say. I feel at ease thinking you won’t do anything to lose out anywhere. But don’t try to endure everything alone. Then I’ll be disappointed. Got it?”
Taeri’s gentle tone flowed like a pleasant song.
“Got it. Let’s get up now. We’ll be late.”
Juha sat up from the sofa where he had been lying. Then Taeri pulled his legs to lie down with Juha’s thigh as a pillow.
When Juha gently rubbed Taeri’s cheek, Taeri pleasantly rubbed his opposite cheek against Juha’s thigh. Just watching Choi Taeri act cute made Juha keep laughing.
“Taeri, really get up now. My team is meeting at 12.”
At Juha’s words, Taeri looked at the clock. It seemed like they hadn’t done anything, but it was already past 10.
“If you tell me where you’re going and what you’re doing today.”
Taeri started whining again.
“We’re meeting at Some Place, then going to Mara Manna, taking some pictures and going to karaoke, I think.”
“You guys eat maratang?”
“We failed the draw.”
Juha answered indifferently as if he hadn’t expected anything.
Right after yesterday’s filming, the production team had received PPL from 8 restaurants and did a lottery. There were various options like gamjatang, dakgalbi, chicken, Italian, snack food, but unlucky Yoo Youngin had to draw the most difficult maratang. Seeing the production team even handle menu selection rights as PPL, he thought they really extracted everything without leaving anything behind, but decided it was fortunate since it didn’t cost money.
“Which karaoke are you going to?”
Taeri continued asking.
“Soso Karaoke? They say that’s the biggest in that neighborhood? What about you guys? Didn’t you draw the Italian restaurant?”
“Our schedule is secret.”
Taeri grinned and buried his face in Juha’s thigh.
“This guy……”
“Ugh, I should get ready too.”
Taeri pretended not to hear Juha’s anger and got up.
Juha was incredulous but didn’t have time to bicker. Taeri’s team was also filming a Vlog today, so they had to go out together.
They immediately got up, and Juha used the living room bathroom while Taeri used the bedroom bathroom, showering simultaneously.
‘Ah, I didn’t bring clothes.’
While washing, Juha remembered what he had forgotten. To leave early in the morning, Juha had prepared clothes to wear when filming the Vlog the night before. But he had left without taking them because he came out while still half asleep at dawn.
The clothes he was wearing now were a black training suit set with a baseball cap, inappropriate for filming a Vlog.
‘Should I buy something to wear……’
Taeri’s clothes were too big to borrow. But buying something to wear would be burdensome with people’s stares. He was grateful for people who recognized Juha, but receiving attention at department stores or clothing stores could cause trouble for other people.
The outfit he had prepared to wear today wasn’t particularly good clothes either, and since it wasn’t official filming, let’s go with a casual but put-together look. Roughly finishing his thoughts, Juha turned off the shower.
When Juha came out after washing, there was a gift box placed in front of the door.
‘What is this?’
Juha wondered while looking at the box that wasn’t his. Then Taeri, who had showered in the opposite bathroom, came out shaking his hair.
“Wear that when you go out.”
“Why?”
Juha blinked at Taeri as if he didn’t understand.
“If you go out in training clothes, it’ll hide your pretty face, so wear this.”
“What are you talking about. Why…… huh?”
Juha moved away the towel he was using to dry his hair and opened the box.
It was a product from the brand that was said to be the hippest these days, which he had seen in passing a few days ago. It was a brand created by a collaboration between a visual artist, music video director, and famous dancer. Although it wasn’t mainstream yet, he remembered it because the peach pattern logo was particularly impressive, and the design and promotion were so stylish.
“There’s a necklace and ring too……”
It was a black coin-patterned necklace and a ring with a black band around rose gold.
Even to Juha, who usually didn’t wear accessories, it was pretty.
While Juha was looking at the gift, Taeri came over after changing clothes.
“You didn’t possibly get couple outfits……”
When Taeri approached and Juha looked up, he couldn’t continue his words. It was clearly a different design, just the same brand.
“Who does tacky couple outfits these days. My name is embroidered right there, so wear this.”
Taeri said while showing his collar. JHL for Juha Lee was embroidered there.
Juha hurriedly looked through the clothes in the box.
On the inside of the pants waistband and collar, the initials TRC for Taeri Choi were embroidered, and TRC was also engraved inside the necklace pendant and ring.
“Tch, what’s with this childish stuff?”
While Juha was scolding, he couldn’t hide his rising lips.
“You’re going to eat and play with other guys, how am I supposed to watch that.”
“But isn’t this too expensive? It looks like it would cost over a million won?”
Thinking about it afterward, he was suddenly worried about the amount. To Juha, who was still an ordinary twenty-year-old, it seemed quite pricey.
“If you have a capable boyfriend, you should enjoy this much.”
Taeri finished speaking and kissed him with a smacking sound.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
as expected from Choi Taeri