Today's Chicken Mukbang W 14 - Hyacinth in Bloom

#14

“…What?”

“You’re not bothered at all that I’m an idol?”

“Ah, your photos—you looked cool!”

“…Haha.”

“Why… are you laughing?”

“Nothing. You’re still the same, hyung.”

Imun laughed weakly before clearing his throat awkwardly. The story he shared afterward was nothing short of surprising.

The times he revealed his occupation to people he became friends with through gaming, how everyone who learned he was an idol changed their attitude as if it were a lie. Every anecdote was relatable.

To think that he felt the same betrayal and emptiness that I had felt. I was beyond hurt—I was furious.

“Wow, they asked you to introduce them to female idols? And even threatened you to borrow money? They’re really freaking psychos…”

Having unconsciously uttered harsh words, Hajun quickly swallowed his breath. Imun laughed louder than before and teasingly said, “Hyung, you’re good at swearing too.”

“Actually, I’ve had similar experiences… That’s why. That’s why I deceived you too. But after we became close, I kept thinking I should reveal it, I should reveal it… I was planning to tell you soon… Really.”

“I really thought my heart would drop. What happened today?”

“Ah… well, the fans said if I wanted to stay close with you, any kind of lie isn’t good, so I decided, ‘Let’s tell him!’ I had just made up my mind, not even a few minutes had passed, and your call came right in! So… somehow it just…?”

“…Wow, you’re going to stay close with me in the future? I’m the one who… completely deceived you, but still?”

His previously calm voice was trembling again. Though he tried to act unbothered, it seemed he too had been struggling mentally.

I hope he’s not crying. Furrowing my brow at this recurring concern, I imitated a spirited tone.

“It’s not like I’m the only one who deceived you—we both lied to each other, so let’s just move on. If you have any lies, spill them all today! Do you have anything else?”

“Haha, um… As you know, I’m not a college student. So I live with the members, not classmates. I’ve been learning Japanese since before for overseas expansion. And… I don’t attend any academy.”

“Ah, the boarding academy?”

“And… THATMOON isn’t my main account.”

“Wow, I knew it!”

An exclamation escaped me without realizing it. It was the moment I finally learned the truth behind an incident that I had reluctantly accepted, despite thinking there was no way THATMOON could be his main account, yet seeing him diligently logging in with that account. My entire body tingled with extreme surprise.

“No matter how good at games you are, a beginner couldn’t have that physique! Then what’s your main account? No, what tier is your main account?!”

“I have a game name I usually use, but it spread a lot among fans, so I played a little and just quit. The account I’m using now, probably because I talked about Legend of Legend on the radio, fans started adding me as friends…”

Were all the people who sent friend requests to Imun really his fans? I swallowed hard as I recalled a buried memory. The truth was something no one would know.

“Not your main account… Now some questions are being answered. This is more surprising than you being an idol. I’m completely shocked.”

“The account we’ve raised together is now higher tier than the one I used to use, so this is my main account now.”

“Wow, that’s not funny at all.”

When I snorted in objection, Imun laughed even louder.

“What about you? Is there anything you’ve hidden?”

“Me, well, besides my occupation… Ah, there is one thing. I don’t really have almost no friends. Actually… I only have you. This is a bit sad… Why am I tearing up?”

“I’ll have to… do better then.”

After confessing our secrets, my heart felt like it could float away like a feather. It felt like we had become even closer than before.

Indeed, the wisdom of crowds is different. Recalling the viewers’ words, I briefly raised the corners of my mouth, when a lingering question arose.

“By the way… how did people recognize you just by your voice? Are you very famous?”

“…I’ll try to become famous enough for you to know me, hyung.”

“Ah… No, I was just asking because I don’t know well. I’m absolutely not being sarcastic, so don’t misunderstand.”

I frantically comforted Imun, who instantly became downcast. Whether he was a popular idol or not was of no importance whatsoever. I just hoped that my one and only friend’s feelings wouldn’t get hurt.

“I think people just don’t know your charm yet. Don’t worry too much. I’ll… buy 500 copies of your album.”

“…I appreciate just the thought.”

“Cheer up… You’ll definitely succeed.”

Although I encouraged him sincerely, he only laughed lowly, his throat rumbling. While contemplating ways to boost Imun’s spirits, he changed the subject.

“I need to go now. Actually, our comeback is only a week away, so I really won’t be able to play games for a while. I logged in briefly to play one last game with you, but-“

“Ah, the boarding academy?”

“…I’m sorry for lying. Please stop teasing me now.”

“Pfft, just joking. Fighting!”

After hanging up, I giggled for a moment and shook my warm palm in the air. As if protesting the long conversation, my phone was already quite heated. Looking sheepishly at the call that lasted over two hours, I closed my eyes.

In truth, my mind was still just as confused. As if the heat from the phone had invaded my brain, a stabbing pain arose in my temple.

What an eventful day. Hajun dragged his tired body back to the bedroom and threw himself on the mattress. As soon as he smelled the fabric softener from the pillowcase, fatigue rushed over him.

Regardless of how it happened, I was so relieved that things worked out well with him. There’s something I need to do. Resisting my increasingly heavy eyelids, I fell into a deep sleep.

**[On The Sky Community]**

Title: I’ll summarize today’s Seo Imun Twitch appearance incident ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

There’s this handsome streamer called Gangha who just plays games all day ㅋㅋㅋ

Personally, I’m a fan so I watch his streams regularly ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Anyway, Gangha kept playing games with a mysterious acquaintance while keeping it hush-hush from fans

But recently, he’s been bragging a lot about his friend on stream? Saying he’s a complete gaming genius ㅋㅋㅋㅋ That he raised him to Master tier ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

And guess what ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It turned out to be Seo Imun ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Seeing Gangha’s reaction today, he seemed to have no idea about On The Sky itself ㅋㅋㅋ

And it seemed like Imun didn’t know Gangha was a streamer either ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Thinking about them playing duo while hiding their identities from each other makes me laugh out loud ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Why are you two so cute ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

(Imun live stream voice confirmation.gif)

(Gangha’s pupil earthquake moment.gif)

Since it would be a shame to leave without showing you, here’s cute Gangha ㅋㅋ

(Gangha mischievously smiling at the screen.gif)

Summary: I want to destroy the earth because Imun is too cute

Comments(135)

– Seriously, who recognized Haneul just by his voice ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ I was in the live stream and honestly I had a feeling as soon as I heard the voice

└ 22222 Isn’t Imun’s voice almost like a fingerprint? Many people probably knew ㅋㅋㅋ

– Not knowing On The Sky hurts my pride ㅠㅠㅠ My babies aren’t that low-level;;;

└ Gangha probably lives abroad? He’s a game nerd who surpasses even Imun, so he might not know ㅋㅋㅋ Look at his face and forgive him

(Compilation of Gangha’s awkward aegyo.gif)

└ Okay I agree;;;; I forgive his sin

└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– ㅋㅋㅋ Master tier is crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ What does that mean, please explain;;;;

└ It’s Imun’s game level ㅋㅋㅋ It’s super high-tier, to make it easy to understand, it’s like Seoul National University Medical School or Samsung Electronics former Future Strategy Office level ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– Imun’s trembling voice is amazing;;;; Similar to when he got his first #1 on a music show? ㅋㅋㅋ

– He used to play as thismoon every day, but isn’t the change in game name because of sasaeng fans;;;

└ Isn’t that too much speculation?;;; He could just change it

└ This is 100% true;; Posts guessing Imun’s game account based on what he said on Vlive have come up several times before

└ Please stop harassing Imun even in games;; Let him enjoy his only hobby ㅠㅠ

[See more comments]

Title: Seo Imun and Gang Hajun #1 on the real-time trending ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The title says it all

Comments(127)

– This I can agree with ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ 22222 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Looks like Gangha’s side also has some firepower ㅋㅋ From what I hear, he’s like an idol in the streaming world ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– How much everyone must have missed Imun ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Imun, please appear on broadcasts more ㅠㅠㅠ

└ Everyone’s busy gobbling up crumbs ㅜㅜㅜㅜ

└ If I had that face and that physique, I’d be on broadcasts and doing V Lives every day ㅠㅠ Imun… noona… are you doing well? ㅠㅠ

– By the way, do their faces match? ㅋㅋㅋ Their styles match perfectly;;; They both live in a different world

(Gangha wearing a hoodie.jpg)

(Imun looking to the side.jpg)

└ 2222 I hope he becomes closer with Gangha-nim ㅠㅠㅠ

└ Just how close are they? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ Seems like they played games together almost throughout his hiatus ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ I hope they get closer and date ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└ ㅋㅋㅋ? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ?? He may be a streamer but he’s still a regular person, show some restraint ㅋㅋ;;;;

[See more comments]

The Streamer and the Idol

Early morning. Thanks to a good night’s sleep, I didn’t have the same headache as yesterday. My mind, which had been in disarray from the sporadic shocks, seemed naturally organized.

Buried in the blanket while blankly staring at the ceiling, Hajun suddenly burst into refreshing laughter.

Right, whether he’s an idol or whatever, Imun is still Imun. Now that there’s nothing they’re hiding from each other, all that’s left is to become even closer. From the morning, a humming tune naturally flowed out.

“I wonder if it’ll come up if I search… It should, right?”