In the end, I had nothing to show for it, completely empty-handed, so I was ready to shut my mouth. But Joo Woosung, thrilled at having new material to tease me with, wouldn’t stop.
“Hey, of course. Do you even know how much he pestered me just to give you that? I begged and begged and finally went on stage with him, and then what? This brat suddenly switched our parts however he pleased, right there in front of everyone?!”
Listening to Woosung’s sarcastic drawl, Kang Ichae scratched the bridge of his nose with his index finger.
“Hyung, seriously... sometimes I really can’t tell what you’re thinking.”
“......”
“Where do you even get the idea that you can smooth things over with a CD?”
He glanced down at the CD in his hand, flipping it back and forth, then asked:
“By the way, hyung, has Sunghyun-hyung ever told you this?”
“What?”
“That this place... feels comfortable, like coming back ho—”
Com... coming back?
“......”
He didn’t finish. Instead, he brushed back his red hair with a faint sigh.
“Hyung, you’re too materialistic.”
“...Why do you think the word ‘materialism’ even exists?”
From the side, Woosung muttered under his breath, “You should probably just keep quiet.” The other members were glancing over, gauging the tension.
“I don’t care about presents or CDs.”
Ichae exaggeratedly waved the CD.
“What I’d like is for us to take photos together every year as members. Something to look back on.”
“Every year?”
“Yeah.”
We already saw each other every single day—why?
But remembering Woosung’s advice, I held my tongue. A beat later, Ichae added:
“For five years... no, maybe ten.”
“That’s pretty long.”
“Until the day we don’t even have the strength to press the shutter anymore.”
“......”
“......”
Woosung looked away into the distance, and I opened my mouth but ended up closing it again without a reply.
“Anyway, thanks~.”
Ichae grinned, tapped my arm with the CD, and went back to the others. He leaned on Jiwon’s shoulder, making a fuss over the studs on his jacket as if they’d poked him.
‘I really have no idea what you’re thinking either.’
How the hell was I supposed to handle him?
As I frowned, Woosung poked me.
“Kang Ichae is creepy as hell... but did you do something to him? Why are you walking on eggshells?”
“...I did do something.”
“Really?”
Surprised I admitted it so easily, Woosung widened his eyes a little, then shrugged.
“The way he looks at you... it’s kinda like how Chae Jungwoo used to look at me back then.”
Why compare my situation to the gaze that lunatic sunbae gave you?
Woosung picked up the prize panel and pushed it at me.
“Well, whatever. Since we’re going anyway, let’s just enjoy it. You’re free these days, right?”
“I’ll see if there’s a refund option.”
“I wanna refund our whole relationship, you bastard.”
As if we even had anything worth refunding.
I ignored his grumbling and looked toward the bustle near the entrance—people crowding for the afterparty.
“Hyung!”
Black Call was no different. Their youngest, Lee Hanju, waved both arms high, calling Woosung.
“...Hmph, let’s talk later. They’re calling me.”
Woosung, embarrassed but puffed up with pride, straightened his shoulders to walk over.
“I wanna know your eye color!”
“That little punk Lee Hanju—”
Annoyed at the teasing shout, Woosung half-ran toward them, yelling.
“You think I’m easy now?! Huh?!”
“Ahaha, Woosung-hyung~! You were amazing! Let’s grab drinks later!”
Mixed back into Black Call’s members, Woosung no longer looked out of place. Chae Jungwoo, worn out from MCing, smiled quietly and gave me a nod.
I returned it and turned around.
“Hoyun-hyung! Hurry up!”
Of course, The Dawn was waiting for me.
“I’m gonna see Min Jiheon for a bit. You guys go ahead to the dorm.”
“What, to get an autograph?!”
I chuckled at Dajun’s exclamation and walked off.
The stage area was deserted now. Jiheon sat on the stairs up to the stage, beside stacks of Hanwoo beef sets.
“Our PD-nim has arrived.”
Even though he was the type never to regret, he’d probably regret working with me on a drama forever.
Jiheon shifted over, patting the seat beside him, but I just stood crooked, staring.
“This almost feels like I’m back in my theater days.”
“What you said earlier.”
With no one around, I didn’t need to be polite.
“Say it again.”
“...Man, you really don’t know small talk. Fine. Remember last year, when we filmed that variety show together, and you collapsed at the station coughing blood?”
Like I could forget. I’d nearly died.
“You look the same now. Or more precisely, it’s the stuff clinging around you. Sticky, heavy. You were always strange, but now it feels even more unstable, more twisted.”
“......”
I remembered it clearly—the system malfunction caused by excessive loans and nearly being caught by Sung Jiwon. I’d only managed to reset it through unconscious intervention.
And now, I could guess what this current instability stemmed from.
‘Kang Ichae...’
I thought cutting it off decisively would solve it, but the system clearly wasn’t patient enough to wait.
“...But you look way too fine, so—”
“So what?”
Jiheon tapped a Hanwoo box with his finger, looking away with an uncharacteristic, sheepish smile.
“Maybe check your surroundings. Like when I shared your pain back then, maybe someone else is shouldering your burden now.”
His words overlapped with what he’d once said during Nugu Actor Tycoon: that any gift of importance would always demand a price.
He stood, dusted himself off, then sighed at me.
“Live long.”
I stopped him as he tried to take the Hanwoo away.
“Min Jiheon.”
“What.”
“Leave the beef.”
“......”
His face soured.
My conscience hadn’t returned, so I was fine.
“This was my rightful prize.”
“Yeah. Thanks. I’ll eat it well.”
“You save a drowning man and he demands your bundle... old sayings never lie.”
Half mine anyway, since he’d won it shouting “Hoyun” and “daffodils.”
The pig looked back every three steps, but in the end, he had to leave it behind.
Left alone, I fiddled with my phone for a long while before dialing a number. The call connected after a few rings.
[Huh, what’s up?]
The voice was similar to mine yet unfamiliar. Seo Hojin.
“Can’t I call?”
[Didn’t you say you were busy today? Didn’t you have a schedule?]
“Just finished. Did you eat?”
[There you go again. Of course I ate. What about you?]
“Had some wine.”
[What? Alcohol? You need to eat food!]
He assumed I’d skipped meals. His nagging went on and on.
“Hojin, you’re not sick, right?”
[Sick? No.]
“Really?”
[Why? What’s going on? I said I’m fine.]
“Be honest. I won’t scold you if you admit it.”
From raising him, I knew—Hojin endured pain in silence so I wouldn’t worry.
[...I’m serious, I’m fine. And what’s this about scolding? I’m twenty-five, you know.]
“You just graduated from bottles yesterday.”
[God, seriously...]
He grumbled on the other end.
[We’re the same age, stop acting up.]
To avoid awkward silence, I changed the subject.
“Don’t you want Hanwoo?”
[Hanwoo?]
“Wanna see it now?”
[Uh?]
I told him to come to the dorm, all wrapped up, and hung up. At least [N O V E L I G H T] he sounded healthy.
Scratching my head, I left the hall. Nearby, I heard chatter.
“So Jiwon, why’d you even go on stage? Ichae said it was for Composer Hyunsu.”
“Haha, I got our precious memories, didn’t I?”
“Man... I actually trusted you...”
I’d told them to go first, but of course.
“Well, Hoyun-hyung got the travel ticket! Hawaii, I’m so jealous. Can’t we all go for our debut anniversary?!”
“We’ll think about it... wait, Ichae reeks of alcohol. Who gave it to him?”
“He was drinking with Jiwon after the talent show.”
“Jiwon...”
“Ah, Ichae suggested it first!”
As I got closer, Dajun noticed and bolted toward me.
“Our Hawaii ticket is here!! Hyung! Hoyun-hyung!! Pack me in your luggage!!”
“You’re too heavy now.”
I pushed his forehead back and held out the Hanwoo instead.
“I called Hojin. Let’s eat it together.”
“Deal.”
The others, waiting for me, matched my steps as we walked noisily back together.
***
After WH Entertainment’s workshop ended and Hi-Five wrapped up promotions, things looked harmonious on the surface.
[Even on hiatus, Black Call still delivers live stages and ads. Otherwise, WH would’ve burned down.]
[Three months since I stanned them... and now a hiatus? My oppas really train me hard.]
[Joo Woosung is insanely, insanely, insanely handsome.]
Black Call’s fandom, Bloys, was calm—too calm. Fans had nothing to chew on.
Until suddenly—
[Heard WH held a workshop]
A fresh, juicy piece of bait dropped: WH Entertainment’s workshop.
[What, a workshop?! We always cursed them for “working” without actually working, but suddenly I desperately wanna see itㅜ
└No way, Woosung would never want that released...
└└Right, he hates workshops. Cross-dressed as a rookie lol
└└That video WH needs to release #1
Now it’s urban legend... rookie Joo Woosung’s workshop video, only rumors left...
└└He really lived hard since then... lol]
[Ugh I’m dying to know who went, what they did, what they ate, who they talked to...]
Just as interest peaked, a post appeared on an anonymous board:
[Title: My cousin works at WH
Almost all the idols went hahaha
The Dawn all present, Black Call all except Beomhyeon (Japan schedule)!
Talent show was fierce lol
└Who performed?? No photos at all this time
└└Lots of staff too, but idols I know: Joo Woosung, Seo Hoyun, Kang Yeonhoo, Sung Jiwon, Kang Ichae < 3 pairs!!
MC was Chae Jungwoo, and Min Jiheon popped in too]
Replies exploded in disbelief.
[Joo Woosung at a workshop? Bullshit.]
[Lost all credibility right there.]
[If he really went with Seo Hoyun, I’ll eat my hat. That would be the funniest, most consistent friendship ever.]
The thread died down as a lie—until the OP posted again.
[Title: Pried more from my cousin
Joo Woosung & Seo Hoyun
They did ‘Eye Color’
Woosung was the backup dancer]
└HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
└You mean that “Eye Color”??? lol
└No way. Woosung as backup dancer? He despises workshops...
└└They said the video might drop later. Just wait.
└└If this is real, pilgrimage site confirmed.
Some Hi-Five fans frowned in frustration.
[Why the fuck do a workshop during promotions]
[These assholes just wanna play. Sue the haters instead.]
[No awareness at all...]
With no solid info, fandoms spun in chaos.
Then suddenly—
[What the fuck is this]
Airport departure photos.
Of Seo Hoyun and Joo Woosung.
Hoyun in all black, Woosung in all white, standing side by side, each looking away.
The article headline read:
《WH Entertainment’s stars off to Hawaii... “We’ll return healthy”》
[Excuse me??]
And so began the Hawaii vlog of Seo Hoyun and Joo Woosung.
