#53. The Duration of Affection (8)
“Me?”
Bae Jonghwi let out a hollow laugh and pointed at himself with his index finger.
“You want me to apologize? To you?”
“At least you’re using honorifics this time.”
I answered with a slight frown.
“You dropped formalities before we even introduced ourselves, so I thought you didn’t know about such things.”
Even though there were people around, Bae Jonghwi’s attitude wasn’t much different from earlier. Most of the people around seemed to be trainees, and he appeared to be acting as quite the focal point among them.
Whatever the case, it didn’t give me a reason to back down. Normally, I would have either handled it moderately to avoid making noise, or at least moved to have a private conversation.
‘This probably isn’t the first time he’s done this.’
I had only heard a very brief part of the three people’s conversation, but that small portion was enough to tell me what they were usually like. They were people who could be rudely disrespectful not just to me, but to anyone.
Of course, however thoughtlessly they lived their lives, it had nothing to do with me.
“You seem to not know why you should apologize, so let me tell you. First, calling people in the same industry ‘this bastard’ and ‘that bastard’ behind their backs. Second, criticizing someone based on groundless rumors.”
“Huh……”
“And third. Even after being caught doing that by someone else……”
“Are you angry because I didn’t widen my eyes and apologize?”
Bae Jonghwi came closer to me. As he bent his waist, an ashen shadow fell over me. I swallowed dry saliva at the pressure I instinctively felt.
Don’t be scared. Don’t cower. You did nothing wrong.
“Well… even His Majesty would be ‘this bastard’ and ‘that bastard’ when he’s not around, and it’s not like I said anything completely untrue. Still, I guess I was a bit unlucky?”
Bae Jonghwi giggled, saying that even factual defamation is still defamation if you really think about it.
“It’s true that I don’t like that you debuted. So I deliberately brought up uncomfortable truths……”
“No.”
I cut off his words decisively.
“Not about me.”
“……”
“Apologize for cursing at my members.”
I had heard that Hapil Jae only acts playful with us, and that he has quite a picky personality with people who aren’t members.
But that doesn’t mean he’s rude. Hapil Jae was thoroughly indifferent to people he didn’t like, which meant he didn’t bother to act rudely like that.
There was no reason for Hapil Jae to be cursed at as ‘this bastard’ and ‘that bastard’ by someone like Bae Jonghwi.
“I don’t care whether you acknowledge me or not. Whatever you think, I’ve already joined Arcus, and we’ve debuted. That also means I’m your industry senior, Bae Jonghwi-ssi.”
“What the……”
“Hapil and Jihan are even former Midnight trainees. You call your seniors ‘bastards,’ and when you see seniors getting along well, you mock it as ‘pretending to be family’?”
I held up my phone and spoke in a cold tone.
“Yes. I coincidentally overheard it, and as you said, I didn’t go in and stood there creepily recording it.”
“……”
“You want me to take this to the members and tattle? For whose benefit?”
Such conversations with no nutritional value would only dirty your ears if you listened to them.
“If I’m going to take it somewhere, I should take it to a better place. For example… to your label’s CEO.”
“Hey, fuck.”
Bae Jonghwi brought his face close to mine and growled.
“Is self-destruction your hobby? You’ve already debuted, so what do you gain from dealing with one trainee? Wouldn’t it just be adding fuel to controversies that were already spinning out of control?”
“……”
“Why. You said you’re an industry senior. Is this what you think being a senior means? Ah, where did this kind of thing come from, muddying the waters of the company……”
“Jonghwi-ya.”
It was instantaneous. Not only mine and Bae Jonghwi’s gazes, but even the eyes of people around us all turned at once.
“……Dojin hyung.”
“Bae Dojin sunbae-nim.”
Bae Dojin was standing not far away. Due to his sharply honed atmosphere, Bae Jonghwi hesitated and stepped back.
“I’d like to ask what’s going on.”
“Dojin hyung, that’s……”
“I wasn’t asking you, Jonghwi.”
Bae Dojin, who had approached with large steps, looked at me and asked quietly.
“What happened? Yoon Seowoo hubae-nim.”
I was flustered by his unexpected appearance, but there was nothing to be embarrassed about. I quickly collected myself and spoke clearly.
“I was demanding an apology from Bae Jonghwi-ssi. I heard him speaking badly about my members in private.”
It was okay for me to be cursed at. Actually, it wasn’t entirely okay, but I still didn’t want to make a fuss over such things every time.
But the members were different. I couldn’t just let slide people being put down because they were close to me. Especially Na Jihan.
Bae Dojin remained silent for a moment with his arms crossed. I could clearly see other trainees fidgeting and watching his mood.
Eventually his mouth opened, and cold but clean words fell.
“What are you doing? Not apologizing.”
“Hyung.”
“This isn’t me as your hyung, but an instruction as an industry senior, trainee Bae Jonghwi.”
Reading the sense of defeat on Bae Jonghwi’s face, I let out a small “Ah” and sighed. I thought I understood why he particularly disliked me.
Bae Jonghwi would have admired his cousin hyung Bae Dojin. Since he had already entered the same company, he would inevitably want to be connected to him.
In that sense, he would have coveted the vacant spot in Arcus. The next-generation five-member group following Days, and even the position of main vocalist.
Not only did I quickly take the seat he couldn’t have, but he had even seen Bae Dojin taking care of me in the documentary. His insides must have twisted.
‘Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to act like this……’
While I was lost in thought, Bae Dojin’s merciless voice continued.
“Cursing at seniors in private. Fine, let’s say you can do that. But carelessly speaking where the person in question might hear it – isn’t brushing that off too complacent a way of thinking?”
“……”
“And being blatantly rude on top of that. Does trainee Bae Jonghwi look down on seniors in the same industry?”
“N-no, I don’t.”
Bae Dojin nodded toward me. It meant hurry up and apologize if you understand.
As Bae Jonghwi held onto his petty pride and made a last stand, he even added one more thing.
“If you want to take the hard way around something that could be resolved easily, fine. I’ll report this matter to the CEO.”
In the end, he had no choice but to mumble an apology with an ashen face.
“……I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on.”
I received the apology but didn’t feel refreshed. I smacked my lips, which somehow felt bitter, and answered briefly, “Yes.”
“Since we’re not exactly pleased to see each other, let’s both be careful not to run into each other as much as possible.”
It was about time for Na Jihan to come looking for me. I should go back before it gets too late, and then tell him about today’s events in a brief, condensed version.
Just as I was thinking that and about to turn around.
“Seowoo hubae-nim.”
At Bae Dojin’s soft voice, I had no choice but to stop abruptly.
“Let’s talk for a moment.”
While I hesitated without answering immediately, the people around us scattered. Bae Jonghwi glared at me secretly until the very end, then hurried away for fear that Bae Dojin might catch his glare.
Only after the group of trainees had completely disappeared did Bae Dojin open his mouth.
“I’m sorry.”
“……I don’t think this is something for sunbae-nim to apologize for.”
I should have thanked him instead. He had appropriately stepped in to resolve what could have become a tiresome situation.
“I can’t say I have no responsibility for Jonghwi acting like that.”
He smiled smoothly, narrowing his eyes.
“He was sickly as a child, so the adults in the family coddled him. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t mature well.”
Calling that physique weak. Not everything sounds convincing just because you say it seriously.
“I knew his way of speaking was nasty. I also knew he was probably feeling triumphant because he had reliable backing.”
He pointed to himself with his thumb as he said this.
Indeed, the influence that came from being ‘Days member Bae Dojin’s cousin’ among the trainees couldn’t be ignored. Bae Dojin also knew that this had become Bae Jonghwi’s source of power.
Bae Dojin said to me.
“Will you let me compensate you?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
