With a calm, composed face, Seo Hojin looked straight at me, then slowly turned his back.
“Ah, wait. Greet me again.”
Then, clearing his throat with a small “ahem,” he spoke softly.
“...Yes, uncle.”
“......”
“The moment I received this case file, I felt it deep in my bones... No matter how much I twist and turn, I can’t win this trial... Ack!”
This bastard...
I pressed down on the back of his head and sat down next to the bench. Seo Hojin snickered.
‘...He actually startled me for a second.’
He’d said he enjoyed Vile Trial, and the bastard who got a kick out of mocking me rubbed the back of his head, grumbling.
“It creeps me out when you act like this with me and then pretend to be all polite with other people.”
“Then stop paying attention to it, you brat.”
“I’d love to ignore it. But these days, I see your face every three steps I take in Korea.”
Well, I’d hate it ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) too if I were in his position. If the older cousin who’d always tormented me kept showing up everywhere.
Hojin wound up his MP3 earphones and muttered,
“...It’ll get better soon anyway, since I’m leaving the country.”
“What?”
“I’m thinking of going abroad for a while after the semester ends.”
I glanced slowly at Hojin, who was holding a bouquet of yellow flowers tight in his arms—probably for our parents.
“...Didn’t you usually do internships during breaks?”
“Yeah, but this might be my last chance to relax for a while. You seem really busy lately.”
“...Where are you going?”
“Hmm, haven’t decided yet.”
He kicked at a discarded cigarette butt and joked that he might just spin a globe and pick somewhere at random. I pulled my wallet from my jacket pocket and handed him a card.
“Do as you like.”
“...Huh, seriously?”
“Why not?”
When he hesitated to take it, I forced the card into his hand and added lightly,
“But come back when I get my award.”
By then, everything will be over.
Hojin blinked once, then smiled and agreed without hesitation. I gave his shoulder a pat and headed into the building first.
I walked slowly to where our parents’ urns were placed and stopped in front of them. As I stood there, Hojin followed behind me, bouncing lightly on his feet—then suddenly stretched out a hand against my chest and shouted confidently,
“Here stands the greatest entertainer in Korea!”
Please, just shut up...
“He’s even been nominated for a Best Actor award!! I bet early next year he’ll take home an Idol Grand Prize too!!”
How the hell did he even know that?
Even though I knew no one else was around, I felt a stupid wave of embarrassment and quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, sneaking a glance at the picture beside the urn.
The two of them hadn’t gotten along well in life, but now they were in the same box, looking oddly at peace together.
This place never held good memories.
The ten-year-old Hojin who cried, the fifteen-year-old who stared at the ground with a sulky face, the twenty-year-old who chattered nonstop trying to lighten the mood—
He had always been there, always watching me carefully.
“......”
When I noticed how still the air had become, I turned to the side. Hojin was standing there with his fingers interlaced as if in prayer, eyelashes lowered.
It was an unfamiliar sight—so much that my chest tightened too much.
Sensing my gaze, Hojin lifted his head and smiled.
“...Hey, what do people usually say in their acceptance speeches?”
I steadied myself and answered a beat later.
“...Just thank the people you’re not really thankful for.”
“And what about me?”
“...What?”
For a second, I didn’t understand.
It took a few more seconds to realize—he was hinting that he wanted me to mention him in my speech.
“...You’ve lost your damn mind.”
He’d already been dragged into public scandal during Shining Star Season 2, and rumors had once again spread about his private life. The moment I mentioned him, the vultures waiting for blood would rush in.
“Don’t cross the line.”
Even though I said it forcefully, Hojin didn’t flinch—he just looked straight at me.
“Yeah. Guess that’d be a bit much, huh?”
“......”
“Sorry.”
He apologized softly, smiled, and brushed my arm.
“I just wanted to be remembered as your little brother.”
Then he left the building first, set the bouquet down on the ground, and started walking toward the parking lot. He didn’t seem angry. On the way back, he talked endlessly about his plans for his trip abroad, full of excitement.
My mind was tangled, so I only half listened. By the time we crossed the big bridge, he’d fallen quiet—asleep, probably.
Instead of driving to the dorm, I pulled into the apartment parking lot and turned off the engine. Hojin still hadn’t woken up. His sleeping face was the same as it used to be.
“...Show me Seo Hojin’s stats.”
Ding!
[Seo Hojin
Singing: None
Dancing: None
Variety: None
Acting: None
Charm: None
Contribution: 0%]
I let out a faint sigh. Seeing that he wasn’t leeching off me gave me a small bit of relief.
Then, as if caught in a nightmare, Hojin’s brows furrowed and his lips began to move. For a moment, he looked like the young Hojin from years ago, and I smiled faintly.
“What kind of dream are you having...”
Without thinking, I brushed the hair off his forehead—like he was still a kid.
‘...He said he’s leaving soon.’
My hand stopped.
Hojin wasn’t a baby. I couldn’t keep him close forever.
Normally, I’d tell him to go—tell him he’d earned it, that he should relax and enjoy himself.
“You said you only have me now, right?”
Maybe the reason I couldn’t say it this time was because I felt the same.
It had been a long time since our parents’ absence stopped hurting quite so sharply—but the scar was still there.
“Hojin.”
I withdrew my hand from his head, rested mine against the steering wheel, and murmured,
“Do you want to stay with me?”
Just like you only have me left—
I only have you.
***
The season when the wind turns chilly came again.
The Dawn crossed the sea and made a safe comeback with their “Flight” album, finishing their two-day concert successfully.
【Just as we were born into this world by chance
Perhaps this too was inevitable
Even if I’m not your No.1
You’re still my one and only bittersweet feeling】
Held in a huge baseball stadium, the concert’s setlist was packed with not only their title songs but also popular B-sides, and even their hit tracks in Japan, with each member performing solo stages.
[Legendary,,,,,,
Just a legend,,,,,,]
[I’m just so damn happy and overwhelmed..]
The lead vocal, Seo Hoyun, was expected to choose something intense, fitting his image—
but surprisingly, he came out with a ballad.
As the acoustic guitar intro began, screams erupted throughout the dome. Sitting on a bench designed like a railway crossing, Seo Hoyun raised the mic.
【What must I do to be forgiven
I stayed silent for a long time, blaming my lack of resolve】
It was “Lamp,” the OST of a famous 1990s anime—so iconic it had become a national song.
【If a lamp that could grant wishes appeared
All I’d want is to be by your side】
As the grand orchestral bridge swelled, Hoyun lowered the mic in his hand.
At the same time, thousands of shooting stars poured down from the VCR screens surrounding the stage. Under that rain of light, Hoyun tilted his head back, gazing upward—the live broadcast capturing him framed beneath the cascade of stars.
Within minutes, fan cams flooded SNS, and reactions spread like wildfire.
[Seo Hoyun’s seriously at his peak,,,,,
He turned “Lamp” into a full cinematic experience]
[The directing was so damn beautiful T_T This man... he’s the lead in every melodrama and action film rolled into one, my star, my boyfriend,
└“My boyfriend,”
└└I tried to slip that in casually like diced carrots but failed miserably]
[Title: Honest opinion on Seo Hoyun this time..;
I just want him to be happy
└I came here to talk shit but ended up crying
└└Sorry for the clickbait
Be happy this year...
└└What are these wholesome comments.. sniff
└└Guys, what are you even doing..]
Soon after the concert ended, the news hit—Seo Hoyun, for his role as prosecutor Kang Giyeong in Vile Trial, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Baekchun Film Awards.
[Title: Kang Giyeong from Vile Trial was legendary...
The “Kang Giyeong Syndrome” going around isn’t even an exaggeration lol]
[Title: Will Hoyun win this time?
Vile Trial passed ten million tickets ages ago, right?
└Yeah lol it even broke the fastest-to-ten-million record
└└Then yeah, give him the award already lol]
The other nominees were strong, but most predictions favored Seo Hoyun.
Even aside from his current red-hot popularity, the film’s performance was overwhelming compared to others.
[Even if Baekchun claims to value professionalism, lol Seo Hoyun was Kang Giyeong,
└He’s probably already writing his speech
└└Can’t wait to hear what he says
└└Bet he’ll only thank Noeul lol
└└Knowing his personality, he’ll skip anyone he dislikes at WH Entertainment lol]
Just as Vile Trial became a trending topic again, a notification popped up on my phone—The Dawn’s live broadcast.
【Breaking☆Not Clickbait☆Unlimited Ski Trip Live Access☆】
[Get off the internet, Dajun]
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
As the Noeul fandom rushed in, they saw Jung Dajun bouncing around in a snow-covered field, wearing goggles and a beanie, waving enthusiastically.
“This is Dajun! Reporting live!!”
[Look at him saying “Ski-ski!” just because they’re at a ski resort LOLOLOL his broken Japanese is too cute]
[Pretty sure Kim Sunghyun just muttered ‘That damn brat...’ under his breath]
[I can hear it lol perfect rhyme LOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL]
Talking at machine-gun speed, Dajun explained they’d finished their Japan schedule and were headed to a ski resort for a short trip. He showed off the scenery, struggling to walk through the snow.
The camera briefly caught Seo Hoyun and Sung Jiwon chatting quietly in the background.
“Wow, the snow’s taller than me. Be careful, guys—Aang Ichae!!”
“Snow dive!!!”
“Ja~mp!!”
As “Kang Ichae” jumped, Dajun burst into laughter and followed him into the snow. Kim Sunghyun, panicking, threw away his umbrella and grabbed both Ichae and Dajun—one in each hand—hauling them out.
“You two! Seriously!! Cut it out!!”
“Yessir~.”
[Their caretaker’s got his hands full LOLOLOLOLOL]
[Zero remorse, clearly]
[They’re totally doing it just to see Sunghyun’s reaction]
Pouting, Dajun pretended to listen to Sunghyun’s lecture, then ran off ahead, leaving Ichae behind. The camera, still streaming, caught Seo Hoyun standing near a snowy corner, holding a steaming cup and sharing an umbrella with Sung Jiwon. Unlike his usual sly grin, he was expressionless, staring off toward the distant highlands.
[I want to film a melodrama with that man
Prepare yourself, it might happen]
[Now I understand why every director lists him as their next pick..T_T Did something happen there before?]
[Oh god I’m getting Kang Giyeong prosecutor flashbacks, can’t handle this T_T]
But the veteran four-year Noeul fans reacted coolly.
[Look at his face. He clearly just wants to go home.]
[What’s he thinking? Probably imagining eating a hot bowl of sundae-gukbap back in Korea.]
[You can tell by his aura—he’s wondering why he agreed to this trip at all.]
[Yeah lol pure “I wanna go home” energy.]
Unaware that the mischievous elephant rolling through the snow (Dajun) was coming his way, Sung Jiwon asked gently,
“This is our first trip together in the snow, right? How do you feel, Hoyun?”
“Yeah, it’s definitely... snowing trash from the—”
“—Say something to Noeul since we’re live!!”
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO oh my god Seo Hoyun]
[Of course, Dajun, the MC genius, cuts him off perfectly]
Interrupting right on cue, Dajun shoved the camera in his face. Hoyun laughed softly, took it, and switched to selfie mode.
Then, burying his nose in his scarf shyly, he said,
“...Hmm, I’m a little sad.”
“Pardon?”
“I wanted to come here with Noeul... to see this beautiful scenery together.”
[Oh my,,~!! T_ So cute..]
[Buying the next Japan ticket RIGHT NOW bucket-list moment]
[Ah baby T.T look how shy he is]
The longtime fans, however, only scoffed.
[Didn’t he just say it’s snowing trash from the sky?]
[Mr. Seo Hoyun, your acting is top-tier as always.]
[Such immaculate professionalism.]
[A true idol indeed.]
Reading the teasing comments that playfully scolded him, Hoyun blinked in silence—then his expression froze, lips pressed tight.
Even though fans were sure he wouldn’t actually take it to heart, panic flared in the chat as they flooded messages trying to reassure him.
Then Hoyun raised one eyebrow slightly.
And with a small tap, he said,
“If you keep this up, I’ll get upset.”
