Chapter 81
“Why, why? Say it here.”
Nam Suchang stuttered while stepping backwards. Before opening his mouth, Jo Munseok first looked around at the camera positions. The filming director had now moved to Na Junho and Yoo Youngin’s team, and only observation cameras remained around Team 1. Jo Munseok turned his back to several cameras with his large frame and glared at Nam Suchang with fierce eyes. Unable to meet his gaze, Nam Suchang’s pupils just trembled.
“Don’t you know the fundamental principle of democracy, majority rule?”
Watching Jo Munseok pronounce each word with emphasis, for a moment “the fundamental principle of democracy, majority rule” sounded like the most terrifying words in the world.
“…”
With just one statement, Nam Suchang’s eyes instantly dimmed. Standing before Nam Suchang, who was around 170cm tall, Jo Munseok was intimidating just from his height, build, and expression alone.
“So, who’s doing the opening center?”
Jo Munseok looked directly at Choi Musin and asked.
“I-I hadn’t thought about center…”
Choi Musin also got scared for a moment and stuttered. Teenagers Baek Cheonsan and Go Suhyeok were also busy avoiding Jo Munseok’s menacing eyes. Taeri seemed to be silently weighing the gravity of this situation first. Though someone should intervene, no one readily stepped forward.
Here, the only person who knew Jo Munseok’s character well and had a friendship with him was Juha. If everyone kept their mouths shut, they’d just waste time, so someone had to handle it.
‘I’ll speak up.’
Juha took responsibility and opened his mouth.
“I think Taeri should do the opening center. After all, his face is the most recognized among us, and when people search ‘My Idol,’ ‘Choi Taeri’ comes up as a recommended search term, so that’s how people will gather, right? Since our team needs to place 1st in the mission for each of us to get 10,000 votes, we should decide well.”
Jo Munseok listened to Juha’s words, nodded, then turned his gaze to the team members. A threat not to harbor vain ambitions was already cold in his eyes.
“Answer.”
When Jo Munseok gestured with his chin toward Baek Cheonsan and Go Suhyeok, they nodded like bobblehead dolls in cars.
“Answer.”
This time Jo Munseok asked Choi Musin and Taeri.
“Yes, yes. G-good.”
“I agree too.”
Taeri accepted the opinion with a chuckle as if finding this situation amusing. It was quite a creative meeting process. Hearing their answers, Jo Munseok finally looked at Nam Suchang and asked.
“Answer.”
“Uh, y-yes.”
Nam Suchang nodded reluctantly while terrified.
“Good then. Let’s start practice.”
Jo Munseok cleanly ended the meeting and stood up. Everyone stood up following him in bewilderment.
“What, what the hell, that bastard, even gangsters wouldn’t hold meetings like this…”
Nam Suchang muttered in a voice small enough that Jo Munseok couldn’t hear.
“What? Got something to say?”
When Jo Munseok suddenly turned around, Nam Suchang startled and shouted “No, no.” The young team members followed Jo Munseok out with dazed expressions.
Juha sat and watched them in dismay. He was simply amazed that the complicated situation had been resolved so quickly.
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
Taeri extended his hand to Juha.
“Ah, yeah.”
Juha took his hand, stood up, and headed toward the mirror where the team members were standing.
‘But aren’t those two sharing a room?’
Juha looked between Jo Munseok and Nam Suchang who had become hostile and suddenly felt worried. Since Nam Suchang was 7th place and Jo Munseok was 8th place, they were definitely roommates.
But seeing Jo Munseok’s fierce expression, Juha felt strangely reassured. The other team members seemed to think the same – though everyone looked tense watching the two opposing sides, relief was evident.
Simple-minded Jo Munseok who liked showing off his strength seemed like a strange character who was worrying when he was an enemy but reliable when on your side.
‘Is it fortunate that it passed like this?’
Juha fell into thought watching Nam Suchang’s even more shrunken back.
* * *
The first practice ended with making basic formations and matching choreography. Rather than typical idol formations where one person comes to center then disappears while others support, it was definitely unfamiliar – cheerleader formations that gathered and scattered spectacularly, or dance lines that focused on angles rather than style.
‘Damn hard.’
After practice ended, Juha exhaled deeply and wiped his tired face. He had sweated so much that if he dried his clothes, he could probably sell salt. Taeri, who was heading to their room together, looked equally exhausted.
They weren’t people Taeri had chosen, but team members selected by AI, so they weren’t close and still clashed since it was the first day. As team leader, he felt heavy responsibility, plus with Taeri’s family matters entangled, his mind must be noisy.
“Lee Juha, are you okay? Earlier because of Suchang hyung…”
Taeri, walking alongside him, glanced at Juha and asked.
“What? Ah…”
Juha finally understood what Taeri was talking about. Taeri still remembered Nam Suchang disrespecting Juha for not debuting.
After Jo Munseok made his threat, Nam Suchang had shut his mouth. Thanks to that the atmosphere became tense, but everyone was so busy with practice that even Juha, the person involved, had already forgotten about it.
Nam Suchang, who had the experience of debuting once and failing, must also be desperate for re-debut, as he surprisingly focused on practice without complaints.
“It’s nothing much. That type of person is common.”
Juha answered as if it was no big deal. Nam Suchang was a familiar type of young old-timer common among trainees.
If he provoked again tomorrow, Juha could just pretend to be appropriately affected. Nam Suchang’s type of human thought putting others down would elevate themselves, but to others they appeared as the worst kind of person. If he stayed moderate, Juha would gain sympathy votes while only Nam Suchang would get criticized.
Though he was annoying during discussions, he practiced hard, so dealing with Nam Suchang wasn’t particularly difficult. Moreover, Nam Suchang with 7th place in the 2nd ranking wasn’t in the debut safe zone, so fire had fallen on his feet.
“That’s a relief.”
Taeri answered quietly and fell into thought. Juha’s heart ached seeing Taeri with his head down. Taeri must be the most troubled right now, yet he was gently worrying about Juha like this.
“Choi Taeri.”
Juha stopped walking and looked at Taeri.
“Huh? Yeah.”
Taeri couldn’t focus on the conversation and reacted belatedly.
“I hope you won’t suffer alone too much.”
Juha spoke while lightly taking Taeri’s hand.
“I’m fine.”
Taeri looked down at their clasped hands.
“Don’t just say you’re fine.”
“Then give me a hug or something.”
At Taeri’s words thrown out like a joke, Juha immediately grabbed Taeri’s wrist and pulled him into a tight embrace. As if completely unexpected, Taeri’s body instantly stiffened. Juha could feel Taeri’s accelerating heartbeat from the body touching his.
“The k-kids are watching.”
Taeri said embarrassedly. It felt strange hearing from Taeri’s mouth words he himself always used to say.
“It’s because we’re being conscious about it – Chaemyeong and Eunwon are always hugging too.”
Juha held Taeri tightly regardless and patted his back. When Taeri glanced around, there were participants everywhere exchanging goodnight hugs.
Among them were those genuinely close like Chaemyeong and Eunwon, and others aiming for subtle fan service.
Still, it was fortunate. If they mixed in with that crowd, it wouldn’t stand out.
Finally reassured, the strength gradually left Taeri’s stiffly tensed body. Taeri’s chin naturally rested on Juha’s shoulder. Lee Juha was shorter than him, pale and thin enough to trigger protective instincts, yet had never once appeared weak. On days like today when he seemed strong, Taeri would helplessly flutter for him.
“I feel a bit sorry.”
Juha murmured like talking to himself while holding Taeri.
“About what?”
“That there’s nothing I can do for you.”
At Juha’s answer, Taeri chuckled.
“What more are you trying to do?”
“Just, I can’t fight for you instead, and I’m really upset about that.”
Juha’s words were sincere. Though he didn’t make a fuss openly worrying about Taeri’s family, that made his concern for Taeri feel even more serious. Juha was being careful with each word, afraid of accidentally hurting Taeri. Apart from feelings of liking and love, the feeling that Juha genuinely cared for him was always moving to Taeri. It was an emotion he had never felt even from his parents.
“Haah, when will I be able to stop fluttering over Lee Juha?”
Taeri whispered quietly with a laugh.
“What? You don’t want to flutter over me?”
“No, I’m worried I might die young if my heart gets bad from this.”
“You never run out of things to say.”
Juha separated from Taeri’s body and lightly punched his stomach with his fist.
“Ow, Lee Juha! Have you been working out lately? Why is your punch so strong?”
“Does it hurt?”
At Taeri’s teasing, Juha startled and seriously rubbed Taeri’s stomach. Finding that cute, Taeri burst out laughing.
“Ah, really. Now I can’t even tease Lee Juha. I’ll take you to your room. Rest quickly.”
“No, I’ll take you.”
Despite Taeri’s words, Juha remained serious.
Though it was just the next room, Juha and Taeri bickered in the hallway about taking each other. Though cameras were concerning, most trainees remaining in the hallway were aiming for this kind of chemistry, so it didn’t stand out much. Finally the argument ended when Juha pushed Taeri into his room first. Taeri’s roommate Junho was showering, as water sounds came from the bathroom.
“Go now. You’re tired too.”
“I’ll take you every day. Even if I’m tired, I have strength to take you.”
Even when Taeri issued an eviction order at the door, Juha rather spiritedly comforted him.
“Acting tough.”
Taeri answered with a chuckle, not disliking Juha’s words.
After standing at the door without cameras for a while, holding hands and swinging them back and forth, Juha finally returned to his room as if chased out.
The time he arrived at his room was 9:30. Yoo Youngin had just finished washing and was drying his hair.
“What are you looking at? Go wash.”
Youngin gestured toward the bathroom.
“Ah, yes.”
Juha gathered clothes to change into and entered the bathroom.
When warm water hit his body with a whoosh, his body finally relaxed. He had sweated enough to think he could sell salt, but while fooling around with Taeri, he had forgotten the discomfort.
After washing away his worries about Taeri and Nam Suchang with water and collecting himself, he felt much better.
Even when Juha finished washing, Youngin was still applying cosmetics. Conscious of the observation camera that hadn’t turned off yet, Youngin wore pajamas with a cat-eared headband and tomatoes printed on them. Even with a bare face and his hair pushed back with the headband revealing his entire forehead, Yoo Youngin’s characteristically pretty appearance couldn’t be hidden.
‘He brought quite a lot.’
Juha dried his hair while looking at Youngin’s cosmetics lined up on the vanity as if it were his private room.
Taeri and Chaemyeong, who had been Juha’s previous roommates, weren’t that type at all, and Juha himself had never had acne so wasn’t particularly interested in skincare. Even his mother and Yunha weren’t to that extent, so the array of cosmetics was unfamiliar.
Since it seemed like the final step, Youngin took out a face mask.
Juha dabbed on his all-in-one skin lotion cosmetic while glancing at Youngin. Feeling his gaze, Youngin frowned and looked up, then suddenly stared at the all-in-one cosmetic in Juha’s hand.
“Ugh, how can someone who calls himself an idol not take care of himself like that? At least put this on.”
Youngin clicked his tongue as if pathetic and tossed over a face mask.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
