Steer Cha Yoo jin spent his return day full of energy.
Not just hanging out.
“I’m going to practice!”
He checked choreography, worked out, even called the crying manager himself.
After talking with his family in the U.S., he started racing games with Kim Rae bin.
“Yeaaah!”
“Wait, wait!”
“Left! Press jump on the left!”
His whirlwind enthusiasm swept the other members along.
It was as if he were recalibrating his life and checking off a bucket list.
He even video-called Mungae at Bae Sejin’s parents’ house.
[Woof!]
“Ooooh. Hi, buddy!”
The furball that used to barely fit in one fist had grown too big for his hands—though he still flipped over his back.
‘Still looks stupidly adorable.’
On screen, his white head and wagging tail shook relentlessly.
“Since we moved, should we call Ggamhee over?”
“I’d love that!!”
He even video-called his own dog in the U.S., ready for a puppy housewarming party with the members.
“.......”
And I watched him quietly.
What surprised me was watching someone unexpected get caught up.
“Hey, Mundae. Do you... feel sad?”
“......?”
Seon Ah hyun asked gently.
“Me?”
“Mmh,”
He flushed slightly, then nodded firmly.
“Of course I’m glad and relieved Yoo jin’s back...but I could also be sad about saying goodbye again.”
“.......”
“Isn’t that natural?”
Well, that was exactly the ambiguity I’d been wrestling with.
Anyway, Seon Ah hyun also must’ve worried about Steer Cha Yoo jin disappearing.
‘I did explain a bit.’
That Cha Yoo jin himself asked me to notice his change and then the system ended.
Still, from their perspective, it was like he vanished without a farewell.
That morning, they’d been so happy Yoo jin was back, they hadn’t felt the discomfort—but now a little unease was natural.
Hmm.
“......Right. Thanks.”
“Oh, no!”
Maybe I should bring it up.
“Yeeees!!”
“Ugh!!”
Watching Cha Yoo jin’s victory ceremony with his game controller, I decided on the timing.
And it came sooner than I thought.
That evening.
“Oh, Yoo jin’s really good~”
“Hehe!”
After his whirlwind day, Cha Yoo jin was noodling around a guitar in Big Sejin’s solo room.
He’d eased off his previous pace, finally relaxing.
I called him.
“Yoo jin.”
“Umm?”
“I want to talk about Waterbomb.”
“OK!”
I led him to the balcony, planning to talk about Waterbomb and read his mind carefully.
‘I can stop if he’s not into it.’
But I didn’t even get that far.
As soon as Cha Yoo jin stepped onto the balcony, he spoke.
Directly.
“I remember.”
“...!”
What?
I turned.
“Bad Cha Yoo jin.”
He wore a calm expression.
He shrugged, stretched, and passed me to stand at the balcony railing.
“But it’s not precise. [It feels more like a vivid dream, or... a childhood memory.]”
He squinted one eye, as if recalling an elusive word.
“But the emotions that ‘that’ Cha Yoo jin felt—um, moving? touching? overwhelming? [It’s harder than I thought to find the right word! Anyway,]”
Leaning against the railing, he looked at me.
Just like one day when he was Steer Cha Yoo jin.
“I remember that.”
“.......”
I watched him.
The same positive, clear thinking; the friendly, assertive manner; the fact-first attitude.
This was Cha Yoo jin, the member of TeSTAR.
But it wasn’t as if he simply knew “Steer Cha Yoo jin” as abstract knowledge.
No... he was just himself.
And he spoke as himself.
“I think I was exhausted. Really exhausted.”
“.......”
[Maybe Bad Cha Yoo jin wouldn’t admit it, but it was a kind of burnout. And anyone can hit that wall.]
He cheerfully shrugged.
[Even I could. So it’s not especially shocking!]
I nodded.
But realizing his past self hadn’t succeeded couldn’t have felt great.
Despite performing spectacularly, he’d been ignored.
And to know he’d quit because he was burned out as an idol...
“...What do you think?”
“What? About what?”
“Just,”
That summer night air on the balcony was hot and stifling.
“Overall, how do you feel about this situation?”
“Oh... Are you worried about me, hyung?”
I nodded slightly.
He seemed surprised, then bowed his head—unexpectedly serious.
[I won’t lie. Honestly, when I woke this morning, I felt a bit confused.]
He continued calmly.
[At first, I felt like I was Bad Cha Yoo jin, and TeSTAR’s memories had returned.]
“...!”
[After a while, I came back to me. Hyung, it was kind of a trauma. Five years without being valued.]
...So that was it.
He sighed briefly. I took it in quietly.
But he didn’t stop.
“But, hyung, I know this.”
He raised his hand, then gently tapped my back.
“Time heals everything.”
“.......”
“So even if you hadn’t come in the past, I would’ve gone back onstage.”
I looked up.
He was smiling.
“Others are the same as me.”
No way.
Before I could ask, he mouthed “Steer.”
“...!”
[Five years. Feeling undervalued is how Cha Yoo jin felt then. Who knows what happened after?]
Life is long; chances keep coming, he shrugged.
[Maybe two years later I’d return to Korea and debut with Kim Rae bin’s killer track... Or maybe we’d release an album in the U.S.]
He wasn’t talking about huge success.
Just that the Cha Yoo jin who’d given up idols and gone home to the U.S....
Wouldn’t have given up forever.
[We’d kept doing it somehow. Because we loved it too much.]
“.......”
Oddly, I thought of my own experience.
My first concert.
– Countless voices harmonized, shooting from every direction like stardust in the lights.
My breath caught.
Knowing the impact it had on me, I understood him.
And understood the next line.
[Waterbomb made Bad Cha Yoo jin realize it sooner.]
‘Right.’
So... that’s why he became so cooperative.
[But even without Waterbomb, whether I ran a repair shop or surfboard store in the U.S., I eventually would’ve realized it. I know me.]
He spoke confidently and laughed.
“Because I believe me, I believe you, hyung. That’s good.”
“.......”
So that was that.
Had Ryu Geon woo not... died and held on for years, they’d have another stage somewhere.
I would believe that, too.
Whoosh.
A breeze blew.
I looked at the starlit city from the balcony and spoke.
“...Yeah. Thanks for telling me.”
“Don't mention it!”
A slightly more polite phrase than he usually used—“my pleasure.”
I realized he wasn’t saying it to his older brother Park Mundae, but to the younger Ryu Geon woo he’d cheered on.
Silent nod, I lingered a while longer with him on the AC-less balcony.
“So... I have something to say.”
“What is it?”
“Hyung, I’m your fan.”
“No you’re not.”
“I am! I do fan service! Then cook me dak galbi.”
“Fan service that charges money?”
“That’s Konglish. Service originally means you pay money!”
Oh boy.
Moments later, having dropped back into the youngest-kid role, he chattered away—and I, used to being drained, left the balcony.
‘Dak galbi.’
Haven’t we eaten too much chicken lately?
But watching him head for his room, a thought struck me.
‘Oh right.’
I hurried back.
“By the way, about Sejin hyung.”
“Oh.”
Bae Sejin, of course.
I worried how he’d regard the recovered memory....
“I don’t know!”
He’d already begun to forget details of the drug scandal, only vaguely recalling the chaos of Sejin’s arrest.
And yet—
“But I think there was a misunderstanding. [Honestly, he’d have joined the military before dealing drugs, wouldn’t he?]”
“.......”
Cha Yoo jin’s faith in Sejin’s character (and perhaps in the legal outcome) had hardened over the years.
“You’re right.”
“Sure. I’m always right.”
“Sometimes you’re wrong.”
“At the moment, maybe. But in the end, I’m right!”
Oh ho.
I laughed and ruffled his hair.
“Alright. We’ll see.”
“Hehe.”
And truly, completely, Cha Yoo jin was back.
The next day, he loaded up on homemade candy from Bae Sejin and posted on SNS:
Love you, it’s Cha Yoo jin!
Sorry I was late. I’m all better now. T.T
I’m totally healthy (sunglasses emoji)
Can’t wait to get back on stage. Thanks for worrying. I’ll find you cooler performances!
(photo)
‘Feedback’s hot.’
Comments and shares exploded °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° positively. I nodded, ended my call with the company, and saw Ryu Geon woo approaching.
Now everything was ready.
“We’re filming the reality show as scheduled, right?”
“Yes. Our talk went well.”
That’s right.
With Cha Yoo jin safely returned, it was the perfect time to shoot group reality content.
“Next week.”
We’re on track.
“Yes.”
Satisfied, I gathered my thoughts.
All priority tasks were done.
‘Nothing left... but to handle this.’
Taking a deep breath, it was time to face it.
“...Status window.”
Ding.
Brilliant lines began to appear on the screen.
[New! Update Completion Reward]
[New! Features Unlocked]
[New! Survey]
......
The items flashed, tempting—as if they were great benefits, which was suspicious.
As I examined them carefully—
A strange word caught my eye.
[New! Survey]
“...Survey?”
What did that mean?
I considered several possibilities, rubbing my chin.
One thing was certain.
‘I’m not getting fooled.’
I wouldn’t click. I’d call Big Sejin and tear it apart from inside. No real risk there, right?
‘Hurry up and cancel this damned system.’
‘Big....’
At that moment—
Ziiing—
My smartphone buzzed.
A text.
‘Hmm.’
Thinking it might be from the company, I opened it:
– VTIC Applicant Senior: Junior, are you interested in featuring?
“.......”
Wait.
Reading it again, the sender and the message were correct.
‘What?’
The start of an offer I’d never imagined.
