The medical team diagnosed Cha Yoo jin’s condition as stress-induced delirium.
Because being an entertainer means facing every kind of absurdity, there have been several similar cases in the past.
“Because he couldn’t sleep, he suddenly snapped awake and started throwing things...”
In any case, since he’s regained consciousness and the tests show he’s physically healthy, they gave an inconclusive but optimistic verdict: once his mind and body calm down, he’ll likely recover fully.
“I understand. Thank you...!”
Just the fact that a professional commented on “previous cases” seemed to ease Kim Rae bin’s expression a bit.
“Um, excuse me, could I have a moment...?”
Big Sejin then began a separate conversation with the medical staff—probably asking what steps to take if Yoo jin didn’t improve on his own within a few hours.
Around them, company staff ran back and forth, phones pressed to ears, scrambling to reschedule everything. Half of them were booking meetings, the other half rearranging shoots.
‘What a madhouse.’
By then, even this “Steer” Cha Yoo jin seemed to notice something was off. At least he must have realized that this wasn’t America, the moment Korean staff in Korean hurried in.
“Mundae, could you stay here with Yoo jin? It seems better to split up that way.”
“...Okay.”
He probably also noticed that all these strangers were acting like they knew him well. Yet during the examinations he didn’t throw a single tantrum.
—“You want me to explain TeSTAR? I guess not.”
—“Oh... no. I was asleep.”
He simply answered their questions with minimal cooperation.
‘Sizing up the situation.’
Then—
Bang!
“Hey, you guys!”
“...!”
The door burst open and in ran another member who was on schedule. But it wasn’t Ryu Cheong woo, whom Big Sejin said would arrive soon.
It was Bae Sejin, panting for breath. He’d sprinted so hard his face was flushed as he gripped the doorknob.
“My... my shoot wrapped early, so I came as fast as I could... Yoo jin woke up?!”
“Yes!”
He must have dropped everything and come straight here, no matter what. He greeted Kim Rae bin and strode over to Cha Yoo jin.
‘I thought Ryu Cheong woo would be first.’
Apparently Bae Sejin’s shoot location was closer...
Wait.
‘...Bae Sejin?’
I suddenly realized something about the life before I entered Park Mundae’s body and joined . Back then, Bae Sejin had also debuted as a member of Steer—for a short time.
—“Former Idol Company member Lee Sejin arrested on drug distribution charges.”
That was before the 9 o’clock news revealed him as a drug supplier.
Of course, Steer’s early career had already struggled with agency and fandom issues. But that drug scandal was undeniably the turning point that wrecked their trajectory.
And now, sitting here in this hospital bed...
...If this really is the Steer incarnation of Cha Yoo jin.
‘Fuck.’
I moved closer to the bed. From where I stood, I heard Bae Sejin ask, concerned, “Are you... okay?”
Cha Yoo jin didn’t reply. He stared at Bae Sejin as if spotting something bizarre in this unexpected setting. Then he spoke.
“Lee Sejin?”
“...!? Why are you calling me that...?”
[Honestly, I think you guys picked the wrong person. You really wanted this junkie...]
“...!”
[Shut up.]
I hurriedly leaned down, whispered to Cha Yoo jin, then turned to Bae Sejin.
“He just woke up and he’s acting strange—he thinks he’s in America.”
“Y-yes, that’s right!”
Kim Rae bin nodded vigorously.
“He mentioned brownies or chocolate chip cookies! Could his stress from dieting be the cause?”
That wasn’t it. Yet Bae Sejin’s eyes grew serious.
“Really? Oh! There’s a bakery nearby—I’ll get something right away!”
“...! Great! I’ll come too!”
The two of them thundered out of the room, determined to grab every brownie and cookie in sight.
Thud!
“.......”
‘Maybe that’s for the best.’
I watched the closed door, exhaled, and sank into the caregiver’s chair. I couldn’t make sense of any of it.
‘Well... I should start talking, at least.’
It was quiet now—seemed like the right moment. But I wasn’t the only one watching for an opening.
Outside, each staff member was busy with their task. Inside, after they left, the room fell silent. Cha Yoo jin assessed the situation... then struck while attention was divided.
“Um, ‘Mundae hyung’?”
“....”
He used my name ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) exactly as Kim Rae bin had—“Mundae hyung”—and broke the quiet from his bedside.
[Do you even know what kind of crazy shit is happening here?]
“.......”
[I might be tripping on special brownies, hallucinating a K-pop fantasy.]
He tapped his finger against his hair—blond.
Then he reached out, grabbed my shoulder, and suddenly shoved his head forward, extremely forceful.
“...!”
[And you recognized me. Every time I said “Steer” or “junkie,” you knew exactly who I was.]
“.......”
He didn’t release his grip. Staring me down, he tapped my arm’s bicep with his other hand.
[Fucking whatever “TeSTAR” is—I don’t care. If this is some kind of prank show, you better prepare for a lawsuit. I never signed anything.]
“.......”
I took a deep breath. This was complicated. I couldn’t just punch him. The situation... was too strange.
‘This is all fucked up.’
I pressed my temples, then spoke.
“First of all—”
[Hmm?]
“Who the hell spends their time messing with a disbanded K-pop group in America?”
“...!!”
“And you didn’t take any drugs. Neither did Kim Rae bin.”
I didn’t know why they lace brownies in America, but...
Cha Yoo jin’s grip loosened just enough for me to free my shoulder.
“But there is one thing you’re right about.”
“What?”
“Something really crazy did happen.”
“...huh?”
I let his hand drop back onto the bed—a measure of courtesy.
A new member. New activities. A new turn of events.
Before Bae Sejin and Ryu Cheong woo returned with bakery goods, I briefly outlined how TeSTAR has been operating—not Steer, but TeSTAR. As expected, his response was:
[Well, I see three possibilities. Want to hear them?]
“What.”
[Either you took drugs, or I did.]
“There are only two options.”
[Or we both did.]
Fuck.
‘Why is this junkie so obsessed with drugs?’
I fought the urge to smack my own head.
“Why are all your guesses about drugs? Because I’m hallucinating? Is that a drug symptom?”
[That’s what they say.]
He’d never actually done it, apparently. So at least he wasn’t that reckless.
[So I’m the crazy one? Listen, do you know how much an ER visit costs in America? Bringing a crazy person here was crazy in itself.]
“I told you it’s not that.”
I pressed my forehead, silent for a moment.
“Look outside.”
“What?”
“You just need to turn your head. Look.”
I cracked open the blinds. Cha Yoo jin shifted his gaze just enough to see outside...
“...!”
“Yep, that’s Korea.”
The familiar cityscape and Hangul signs outside confirmed it. Seoul. He’d said he was in America, but he’d clearly lived in Seoul long enough to recognize it.
“Holy....”
Clatter.
He opened the window to verify the surroundings, then softened slightly.
[You’re serious?]
“Yes.”
That must mean he was starting to consider the possibility that I was telling the truth.
“So we don’t have to worry about hospital bills. We’re a K-pop boy group. The company covers it.”
“.......”
“You’re in a group called TeSTAR. And we’re your members.”
[That’s bullshit.]
[No, it’s not.]
I heard footsteps approaching with bakery bags—Bae Sejin and Ryu Cheong woo returning—and murmured evenly:
“Just wait half a day. You’ll believe me by then.”
“Let’s go.”
“Nep!”
Since he was physically healthy and showed no violent outbursts or seizures, Cha Yoo jin was discharged. Of course, his next three days of scheduled activities were all canceled.
“Yoo jin, any discomfort?”
“No. I’m fine.”
In the front seat, Ryu Cheong woo gently asked—and Cha Yoo jin replied calmly. But soon he turned his head, wearing a pained expression, and muttered:
[This fucking weird world...]
“What was that?”
He looked at me as if to ask “what right do you have?” but then answered politely.
“Sorry. I’ve only been free for a few months.”
I remembered: the three who’d continued activities as Steer until the end—Ryu Cheong woo, Kim Rae bin, and Cha Yoo jin—had all disappeared from the public eye after disbandment. And this Steer incarnation of Cha Yoo jin had immediately returned to his home country, the United States.
Yet... “freedom.”
‘He must’ve hated idol life that much.’
After all, doing one’s job properly doesn’t mean one enjoys it.
‘Although, the whole situation was pretty fucked up.’
Still, a bitter aftertaste lingered.
“This is the new dorm we moved into. If it’s too unfamiliar, let me know—it should help you settle in.”
“OK.”
Cha Yoo jin stared out the window in silence throughout the drive, and even at the dorm he said little—just gave the place a cursory glance.
Then this happened.
“We brought our music video playlist—I thought maybe watching TeSTAR’s videos would help you snap back to reality.”
“Nice!”
“It’s been a while—we’ll watch with you.”
So we started a continuous marathon from TeSTAR’s debut video “Magic Boy.”
“.......”
Honestly, I hesitated whether this was the right move...
‘But if I didn’t show it, he’d never buy it.’
Contrary to appearances, Cha Yoo jin was a hardcore realist. With no personal bond, he needed tangible proof to even pretend cooperation.
Sure enough:
“...This is...”
“Yoo jin! Anything you want to say about this song?”
“How did you do this?”
“...?”
[a headache buzzes]
He was watching the “High Five” video—a school playground under a bright blue sky, TeSTAR in baseball uniforms dancing and laughing. “High Five” had been the title track originally planned in disco style for the debut group.
But:
“The company wanted disco, but I convinced them—slides and all—that rock was better.”
“.......”
“And Rae bin did the rearrangement.”
Cha Yoo jin watched the entire “High Five” video without comment. Then the next, and the next. By the time we reached “Better Me”:
“OK, I admit it.”
“...?”
“TeSTAR.”
When Steer Cha Yoo jin uttered “TeSTAR” in a Korean accent, his expression held something neither realization nor embarrassment—but a heavy weight, like a shadow.
“......”
I didn’t exactly feel refreshed.
‘At least he’s at the starting line now.’
From now on, I just needed to keep him from any more surprises...
“...??”
“What exactly is Cha Yoo jin saying?”
Of course, I still had some explaining to do before that.
