For now, it’s definitely settled between us.
I can’t work with the current Cha Yujin—whether it’s a personal schedule, a short event, or even the group reality show shoot we barely managed to book.
“You can’t help it.”
“Hmm.”
...but are you really okay with ending all persuasion after just that ten-minute attempt on the balcony?
It’s convenient for me that things move fast, but it’s what's setting next month’s schedule now.
“Well, if Mundae won’t do it...”
“Right.”
“.......”
In that case—
“Let’s tell them next week it’s for health reasons and drop Yujin’s schedule entirely.”
“Got it. And if we push back the reality show a bit, we can film the returning Yujin separately later to add footage...”
“Exactly. I’ll call the PD first thing tomorrow morning about that.”
Now that we hold shares in the company, it’s a bit less upsetting that we have to handle these details ourselves.
After quickly sorting out the situation, I spoke to Bae Sejin, who was gathering the script.
I thought it might help.
“Hyung.”
“What, what?”
“Shall we switch rooms?”
“...What?”
“I thought you might be uncomfortable with a stranger in here. Your schedule’s busier now, so it’d be better if you were more at ease in your own space.”
That was half-true—I was worried that Cha Yujin would feel awkward, too, and the room would end up a mess.
But instead of the enthusiastic response I expected, Bae Sejin scoffed.
“No. I’m not that sensitive.”
“.......”
His self-awareness... whatever, fine.
Since we’re so busy filming, we mostly just sleep here anyway.
Chances are we’d both quietly do our own thing without speaking. Better to avoid forcing it and creating conflict.
‘As long as it doesn’t trigger any digestive issues, it should be fine.’
“Okay.”
I decided to leave it—for now. I’d keep the door open just in case.
What I didn’t anticipate was how confident and motivated Bae Sejin ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) had become in his role as eldest.
So when I heard a shout from that room late that night,
“...!!”
‘Fuck.’
“...Mundae just now,”
“Yes?”
I reflexively ran out, thinking,
‘Of course, shit.’
Cha Yujin must have finally snapped or misheard something in his sleep!
‘He said he’d keep his distance... was that all talk?’
But when everyone crowded into the room,
“Don’t talk to me like that!”
the shout came from Bae Sejin, aimed at Cha Yujin.
‘...?’
“What’s going on?”
What the hell?
A few days earlier.
‘Huh.’
Bae Sejin drew a short breath and stood before Yujin’s door.
Earlier he’d told Park Mundae, confidently, “It’s fine,” but in truth he was shaking.
Sharing a space with someone unfamiliar was still torture.
Cha Yujin was no exception—strangers, after all.
‘But... I’ve grown.’
He wasn’t a kid who’d spring up or run away at the first sign of discomfort anymore.
He could face the situation! And he’d been roommates with Yujin for over a year. Same body, same routine—that inertia would carry him through.
‘...Alright.’
He flung the door open.
Thud.
“.......”
Yujin didn’t even look back. He just lay on the bed, tossing and catching a football.
‘Ugh.’
Bae Sejin gave a quick nod to Yujin (immediately regretting it) and lay down on his own bed.
‘Huff....’
He opened the script, but his mind was elsewhere. Was he annoyed? Hurt? Obligated? Hard to tell.
Still... despite the feelings, he couldn’t help but wonder.
‘What was I like back then?’
I mean, the me who lived through the “Ajusa” without Park Mundae.
He guessed: if Yujin’s attitude was so distant, he probably never debuted. And since he’d been uncooperative all through “Ajusa,” Yujin might only remember him by that first impression.
No, it was likely.
‘Anyway, he’d have some recognition—maybe he’s acting now...’
But if he stayed with DreamK, it probably wasn’t much.
“.......”
He knew these thoughts were useless—this wasn’t his story.
‘It’s just speculation....’
Yet overthinking was Bae Sejin’s trait.
‘...Stop it!’
Now he’d learned to take on challenges! He drew another breath, pushed the thoughts away, read through the script, and went to sleep.
Calming himself, he tackled the schedule the next day—and, late that night, made his move.
He had a secret weapon ready.
“...Want some?”
He pulled an envelope of recycled-paper from the box by his pillow and handed it to Cha Yujin—Yujin’s favorite snack from Sejin’s homemade stash.
Homemade candy! His mother regularly sent it from a friend’s candy shop, a “taste of home” Yujin always adored.
“Oh, nope.”
“.......”
He reached for it... but Yujin refused.
“Sejin hyung buys a lot of these! I like them.”
“...I’ll mention it to my mom.”
“Oh!!”
‘...But you tried the brownies!’
He missed the noisy, talkative roommate terribly.
Suppressing the lump in his throat, he soldiered on.
“Also, under your bed are the snacks and hobby stuff you usually keep. If you’re bored... help yourself.”
“Okay.”
Yujin agreed—but didn’t move. He didn’t even pretend to look.
A polite cold-shoulder.
“.......”
Until now, busy group interactions had kept Bae Sejin from noticing. But in one-on-one conversation, his perceptive nature picked up Yujin’s subtle nonverbal cues immediately: contempt, hostility, condescension.
‘...What’s his deal?’
Instead of anger, Sejin turned to the script, heart pounding.
‘Why is he like this? Maybe he remembers me as that pathetic guy who failed to debut...’
He’d singled him out all along.
‘Stop it.’
He realized it was paranoia—he refused to let one person’s attitude sway him anymore.
He steadied himself and turned back to the script—
Then Yujin spoke.
“Are you close with the guy who lives here?”
“...!”
Yujin—almost as a mutter, indifferent and incredulous.
Sejin answered earnestly.
“We’re in the same group... and we’ve been roommates.”
“Umm, isn’t this the new dorm?”
He meant they’d only been together a few days in this new place.
But Sejin shook his head.
“We just moved, but we were roommates for over a year before. So we’re still using the same roommate set-up.”
“.......”
Yujin fell silent, but Sejin’s mind clicked.
‘Huh?’
As if fitting dialogue into place, an idea formed.
‘Then...’
Maybe this was his chance.
“Actually, we’ll change it soon.”
He swallowed and spoke up again, mimicking Ryu Cheong woo’s smooth style.
“When reality filming starts, they’ll probably switch roommates.”
A brief “and?” glance met him.
Sejin pressed on as gently as he could.
“So, if there’s a room you’d like, would you join that shoot for us?”
“.......”
“I’ll do my best to get you the room you want during filming...”
“I don’t care. Any room, any roommate.”
Damn, why does he speak Korean so well!
Sejin squeezed his eyes shut but pushed on—the real point was next.
“Okay. But it’s uncomfortable, right? You’d have to stay somewhere else during filming. You couldn’t go out much.”
They’d say he was unwell, so he’d need to stay in a hotel or hospital.
‘That would be stifling—better to rest an injured leg and skip the stage but still join one group reality show... would that suit Yujin?’
He tried to explain calmly—
Laughter.
A mocking laugh.
“Why me?”
...What?
“Leaving the dorm is fine.”
Yujin looked at Sejin, expressionless.
“But where I live then is up to me. It’s my body, and I’ll do as I please. OK?”
“.......”
Sejin was momentarily speechless—but not because he had nothing to say.
‘This is...’
He’d tried to understand Yujin’s confusion as someone dropped into an alien environment without familiar faces. During “Ajusa,” Yujin had it easier.
But declaring you can do whatever you want, even if it harms the original occupant—that’s... violence.
‘Taking someone’s coat because you’re cold isn’t natural.’
It’s selfishness, not individuality.
He thought so. And so—
“No.”
Sejin spoke with firm seriousness.
“What are you talking about?”
Dawn.
Sejin’s voice echoed through the room.
“I understand you’re confused and upset. But you can’t just do whatever you want.”
“.......”
“I’ve also vented stress at others and apologized. I’m telling you from experience.”
“Um, hyung?”
Big Sejin (the eldest) interjected cautiously.
“What did Yujin say? Um...”
“He said he’d skip the reality shoot. Then he’d have to leave the dorm...”
Sejin clenched his fist.
“And he said he’d wander around as he pleased.”
“...!”
“And that for the next month he’d do whatever he wanted!”
Damn.
I looked at Cha Yujin—he was still staring at Sejin. They must have argued a few rounds.
I decided to clarify first, rather than punish.
Calmly ignoring Sejin’s anger, I addressed Yujin.
“We told people you’d be out for ‘health reasons.’ That’s the best excuse, right?”
“.......”
Even an idol like Yujin would admit that.
“So if it’s okay, I’d like you to at least act accordingly.”
[Whatever you want, just say so.]
Yujin replied in a low voice,
[I’ll do that too.]
Fuck. He’s pissed off as well.
‘This crossed a line.’
I struggled to think of a sure but moderate solution—
Then Seon Ah hyun spoke in calm English.
[We didn’t drag you into this situation. We’re just as caught up as you are.]
She chose her words courteously.
[We’ve done our best to show consideration. If there were shortcomings, aren’t you willing to discuss them?]
“.......”
Yujin was silent, then sighed softly.
“Your consideration has an agenda. It’s not care—it’s control. Control.”
What?
[Simply put: ‘Don’t do anything that could harm career prospects when our Cha Yujin returns.’]
“...!”
[All eyes are on me. I’m not blaming you. But you can’t blame me either. So...]
He moved his neck.
[Testa? I’m sorry, but that’s none of my business.]
And in the next moment—
“...!!”
He strode past us toward the front door.
“Wait,”
“What is he doing?”
Everyone reacted a beat too slowly—Ryu Cheong woo was standing at the edge and froze.
‘Damn.’
I tried to lock the door with my pad, but Yujin opened it first.
He called the elevator and hit close.
“Hey!”
Which meant—
‘...He’d already called the elevator.’
That bastard... had he planned to leave all along?
I ground my teeth as I turned back—
“Cha Yujin!”
“.......”
The elevator doors stayed shut, and I heard Kim Rae bin ask,
“Where are you going?”
His lips moved, but I didn’t know.
And the elevator descended—
Cha Yujin had left the dorm.
