#42. Arcus (4)
“Seowoo-ssi, are you all ready?”
The moment Yoon Seowoo’s hand, wearing large goggles and looking around anxiously, fumbled through the air.
“I, I have to get through the maze like this?”
A flustered voice rang out, and the screen paused for a moment before starting to rewind at high speed.
Soon it rewound completely to the meeting for the Jeju Island location shoot and the screen changed. Na Jihan, who had been carefully examining documents in the meeting room, asked in a puzzled voice.
“We have to get through the maze like this?”
“That’s right. As written there, unlike the other members, you two will start with one constraint each instead of accompanying each other.”
The staff explained in a calm voice.
“In Seowoo-ssi’s case, he won’t be able to see ahead because he’ll be wearing goggles. Naturally, it would be difficult for him to get through the maze with just his own strength, right? So Jihan-ssi will follow along and tell Seowoo-ssi the way. However, you can’t communicate directly.”
“You mean we can’t talk to each other?”
“Yes. And you can’t touch either.”
Na Jihan became quite serious, fidgeting with the small tablet he received from the production team.
“You’re saying I should manipulate this to display messages at appropriate times.”
He frowned deeply.
“What if Seowoo falls?”
“Uh…”
“I can’t catch him even then?”
In the end, after the meeting concluded, it was decided that he should try not to be caught if possible, but step in if a situation arose where Yoon Seowoo might get hurt.
Of course, Na Jihan was frowning as if he didn’t like even that, but his attitude was that he would follow the rules since rules were rules.
The screen fast-forwarded again, and the location changed to the maze park. Na Jihan stood behind Yoon Seowoo, who was wearing goggles and looking around anxiously.
Exactly two steps. A distance where he could immediately run and grab him if anything happened. Maintaining that distance, Na Jihan began to follow behind Yoon Seowoo.
[I think it’s an honor that among all the countless people in this world, we happened to meet and can start something new together. So don’t be afraid, shall we keep walking straight ahead?]
– I wasn’t afraid.
Na Jihan followed behind the carefully walking Yoon Seowoo like a shadow. His gaze, so intense it felt almost scorching, was constantly fixed on his childhood friend.
Every time a message appeared before Yoon Seowoo’s eyes, words that Na Jihan had said in his interview flowed out.
– I thought that was just my temperament. It probably is right. But that wasn’t everything. Actually, I wasn’t scared because Seowoo was by my side. Because I had someone who would celebrate, cheer for, help, and comfort me no matter what I did.
That’s right. Yoon Seowoo is ground to me.
[Even if you feel lost, don’t worry too much. We have plenty of time. First… um, shall we turn back and retrace the path we came from?]
– So when I heard we might not be able to debut with Seowoo… I was disappointed. Yoon Seowoo is number one to me, but I needed time to accept the fact that it wasn’t the same for him. Does that sound too childish? Haha.
When Yoon Seowoo stumbled slightly after tripping on a stone, Na Jihan’s arm cut through the air. His hand, which stopped just before touching, gripped the empty air tightly.
– I want to do everything for him. It would be nice if I could take responsibility for everything so he wouldn’t have to face anything difficult, hard, or heartbreaking. I think about that too.
But I know that’s not entirely desirable. Sometimes I need to trust that he’ll do well on his own and leave him be.
He gazed quietly at Yoon Seowoo’s back as he stood at a crossroads. Then, he manipulated the device in his hand and sent a message he had written.
[I believe in you. That you’ll always do your best. For yourself, and for us. So act like yourself. Can you do that?]
The moment Yoon Seowoo, who received that message, stepped toward the right path, a bright smile bloomed on Na Jihan’s face as he stared intently at him.
– I’m looking forward to it. What we’ll be able to do from now on, how much we’ll be able to do. Would it be too optimistic to say we feel like we can accomplish anything? But that’s how I feel right now.
[Hey ㅅㅂ]
[Wow… what a wicked bastard (+)]
[Na Jihan loves Yoon Seowoo too much, is this right?]
└ You guys that lo… lo… ㅅ… lo… no that’s right sigh
[(Photo) (Photo) (Photo) No matter where you look, he’s just completely smitten with Yoon Seowoo right now]
└ (Video) Reaching out his hand then gripping tight in midair, isn’t that too much like a romance movie?
└ Seriously toxic, so toxic. You don’t need to try this hard to show what real love isㅎ
[Omg Seowoo crying breaks my heart]
└ Jihan hugs him like he knew it would happen
└ Don’t cry (┬┬﹏┬┬)
[Arcus is family, they debuted now but still said that anyway]
└ It’s not forced praise, it’s actually true… The kids are literally >>>family<<< right now
[If I said I wasn’t worried about ㅅㅈㅎ, it would be a lie, but after the documentary came out everything was resolved… Good looks + decent skills + gentle personality + good adaptability = impossible to dislike]
[I just love Seowoo’s gentle and easygoing personality that comes through even in small things ㅠ.ㅠ]
└ 222 If we can feel it through the screen, how much more must the members feel… I 100% understand picky Hapil-ssi being clingy
[At first I thought he was a bit bland? But I’m looking forward to it because it seems like he can handle any concept well]
└ He’s got the material lol A person who briefly helped senior Doyoung from ㄷㅇㅈ scandal got their footing this time
└└ Wow;
[I went to a music show pre-recording and decided to devote my life to Arcus]
[(Photo) ㅇㄹㅋㅅ first pre-recording fan gifts]
└ ? How many are those
└ Wow crazy, why did they prepare so many things… This makes me want to stan
[Now I can say it: Ahn Haesol + school look = winning combination]
└ Even during For Stadium, Haesol’s fancam from this time ate everything up and got 1st place in viewsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[This debut single’s first week sales are good too, how many weeks until a music show win?]
└ 1st place isn’t given for free, right? Streaming and voting ㄱ_ㄱ It’s explained in detail on the fan cafe (link)
└ I’m not sure if it’ll be okay since it overlaps with the seniors’ b-side activitiesㅠ Let’s work hard~
[(Photo) (Photo) I’m holding my breath until the day they perform in these outfits on music shows]
└ Please
└ Please……!!!!!!!!!
└ Na Jihan harness please it has to be me, it can’t be anyone but me
└ Until the day we get a two-shot of Seowoo and Jihan in shirts + harness…
* * *
Near the end of winter. Arcus successfully finished their first stage.
They got up at the crack of dawn and moved frantically. It was a schedule so packed that even grasping what was happening was overwhelming.
But they didn’t make mistakes just because they were tired and distracted. It was the result of intense training to be able to move in any situation. It proved with their whole bodies that Na Jihan’s words about not always being able to be in good condition were right.
The waiting room they returned to after safely completing their first recording.
“…”
I began to pace around the not-so-spacious waiting room.
It wasn’t because I had energy left. On the contrary, there wasn’t a joint that didn’t ache. I had even stuck pain patches all over my shoulders and back where they could be hidden by clothes.
Even in that state, the reason I couldn’t just sit still and rest was.
‘I successfully debuted.’
It was because of that overwhelming feeling of finally taking a big step toward my dream after years of effort and waiting.
It was a moment I had only vaguely imagined. It felt like all the moments I had worried about were being rewarded at once. Even the fact that this stage wasn’t the end felt like tremendous good fortune.
“I should have brought a door stopper or something. Is it too small to hug…”
When my heart felt this full, I wanted to hug something tight. Because it felt like that was the only way I could release this energy that seemed about to overflow.
Given the situation, there wasn’t anything suitable to hug around, so I was thinking it was a shame when.
Click. I heard the sound of a door opening, and a familiar figure came into view. It was Na Jihan, who had come in after finishing monitoring.
He looked at me standing alone in the center of the waiting room, then grinned as if he understood the reason.
“Haha.”
“…Why. What. Why…”
“No… When I see you like this, I think you’re still like a kid.”
He smiled refreshingly and spread his arms wide.
“Come here.”
I approached him without hesitation and hugged him tightly. I buried my head in his broad chest and wrapped my arms around his waist. He patted my back and slowly stroked my nape as if he was used to me being like this.
“Congratulations, Yoon Seowoo.”
Na Jihan’s gentle voice settled softly over my head.
“You debuted.”
“Yeah.”
“You wanted to do it so much. Are you happy?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll be even happier from now on.”
He said it like a prophecy, and like a promise.
“You’ll get 1st place on music shows, release a full album. Have solo concerts, attend year-end award ceremonies, do lives, photo shoots…”
“…”
“Let’s do everything we can.”
“Together with you?”
“Yeah.”
Na Jihan answered, hugging me tighter.
“I’ll be there for all your moments.”
Notes:
- ㅅㅂ – Abbreviated swear word
- ㅅㅈㅎ – Abbreviated reference to a member or situation
- ㅇㄹㅋㅅ – Abbreviated reference, likely to Arcus
- ㄷㅇㅈ – Abbreviated reference to someone/something
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
