Chapter 52

Before Yusang could even think of a retort, Gowon left the practice room without looking back.

“Fucking asshole. He’s only a year older than me.”

Acting so goddamn mature....

Grumbling under his breath, Yusang warmed up and then turned on Newton’s follow-up track.

The choreography was so ingrained in his body that he could perform it even if someone nudged him awake, so he mechanically continued practicing. But it was nowhere near as exciting as dancing in formation with the other members.

And when he was with the others, they watched him carefully—especially Jeongho—and praised him too....

Thinking about it that way, Yusang found himself privately impressed by Gowon, who had been practicing alone in silence, and missed a step.

“Ah!”

With an irritated groan, Yusang turned off the music and sprawled out on the practice-room floor.

Jung Yusang searched Newton’s name and his own one after another on social media. Maybe because they had just finished making the rounds of the music shows, there were countless posts from fan accounts.

He smiled as he scrolled through posts uploaded by Newton’s fandom, Apples, until something he normally would have passed over caught his eye.

Trade Account @yangdogyejeong

Selling Newton prerecording photocards

Yusang (3.0)

Liam (1.5)

Eden (0.4)

Hyeonsol (0.2)

Jeongho (0.2)

Transactions available for purchases of 0.4 or more / Buy Yusang and receive one 0.2 photocard free

Newton Apple NEWTONE prerecording photocard photo card yousang liam eden.......

“.......”

Come to think of it, he vaguely remembered hearing that the response to his photocard from that day had been unusually good.

For a moment, he felt hurt that people who had cheered so passionately toward the stage at the prerecording were using the photocards as merchandise. But he could not help feeling smug when he saw his name at the very top.

“Everyone should treat me well. I’m working hard to raise Newton’s market value.”

But why was there such a huge gap in prices?

Yusang zoomed in heavily on the photograph attached to the sales post.

“Jeongho looks good in this one too... He even gave up his place in the hair and makeup order that day and kept checking whether everything turned out well....”

Maybe because Nam Jeongho had spent so many years as a trainee, he had a good eye. He often used that ability to identify the points that would make each member shine brightest.

On the other hand, he seemed rather harsh when evaluating himself, and that sometimes upset Yusang.

Yusang hoped Jeongho would never see this post.

“Buy Jeongho’s photocards for high prices too, Apples.”

He muttered at the screen, then simply set his phone down.

The more he thought about Nam Jeongho, the more desperately he wished the accommodations would return to the way they had been before.

They were the first group of people his own age with whom Yusang had ever felt that he belonged.

“...! No. No.”

For an instant, an old memory tried to surface. Yusang shook his head, forcing it away.

Normally, the practice room was so crowded with the members that there was no time for useless thoughts to arise.

The practice room felt especially empty now that he had been left there alone. The silent void seemed ready to swallow him, making it difficult to breathe.

He wanted to go back to the others.

To do that....

I should apologize to Jeongho. But how am I even supposed to...?

At that moment, the practice-room door opened.

Thinking that one of the members might have come looking for him, Yusang sat up eagerly, only for a trace of disappointment to cross his face when he saw that it was someone else.

“Yusang, you were here?”

“Yes.... Hello.”

It was an employee from Division Four’s management office. They had been with the company for a long time and no longer handled practical work, so they had rarely met Newton.

“They said you weren’t at the accommodations, so I thought I’d check. Good timing. The executive director would like to see you briefly about something good.”

“What? All of a sudden? Um... what about the others?”

“Right. Well, actually.”

The employee sidled closer to Yusang.

“The truth is, we received an offer for a travel program with a rookie actor from Somyeong Entertainment, and he specifically asked for you by name. So the executive director wants you to meet him and say hello.”

“.......”

I see.

...Still, I’d rather the others came with me than go alone.

Jung Yusang. You’re the only popular one, so you can’t see what’s happening right now, can you? You don’t care what the other members and I are worried about, do you?

That’s not true!

I think about the others all the time, and I want all of Newton to succeed....

But what if not only Jeongho, but the other members as well, thought the same thing about him?

Was it really okay to tell them that, in a situation like this, he alone had received an offer for a program?

“Then let’s get going.”

“Is it okay for me to go to a meeting dressed like this?”

“Today is just a casual introduction.”

“.......”

Yusang followed behind the employee, then cautiously spoke.

“About that program... if it goes well, could we film another one next time where I travel with the members?”

“Of course. Naturally. Don’t you think the executive director would give it his full support if you asked?”

“.......”

Truthfully, he did not want to meet someone his age outside the group, but if enduring it could lead to another opportunity, he could manage.

Then maybe Jeongho will feel a little better too.

It was late, so most of the company building was dim, but the hallway around the division head’s office alone was brightly lit. He did not think he had ever felt this nervous when walking this path with the others.

Executive Director Choi and several unfamiliar people were inside the office.

Of the two people sitting on the sofa with their backs to the door, the one with dyed hair appeared to be the actor who wanted the collaboration.

“Ah, looks like he’s finally here.”

At Executive Director Choi’s voice, the two turned their heads.

“Yusang, hello. It’s been a long time.”

“......!”

Yusang froze, unable to answer.

Kang Jaeyoung.

I’m not going if Jung Yusang is going.

Let’s get together separately, just us.

“.......”

“Jung Yusang, why are you standing there like that? Come sit down.”

“...Director, why is he here...?”

“Ah, so you two really do know each other.”

Seen from the front, his face unmistakably retained the features Yusang remembered.

Go around saying I hit you. How many people do you think will believe you?

“...I don’t want to do this.”

“What?”

A polite voice slipped between the startled gazes of the adults.

“Yusang transferred schools when the two of us became slightly estranged.”

“.......”

“It was in our first year of middle school, but I suppose he still remembers it.”

Yusang clenched his hands tightly. Cold sweat had already pooled in his palms.

But he was different from how he had been back then.

“...I guess you’ve forgotten why I transferred. It was because I was being bullied.”

“Ah.......”

He was supposedly a rookie actor, but his expression of sympathy was first-rate. At the same moment, Executive Director Choi and the representative from the other company exchanged meaningful looks.

“Right. We parted ways because of that misunderstanding.”

“.......”

“But now that we’ve both debuted, I’d like us to get along again.”

You fucking moron. Can’t you understand what I’m saying?

“I may have made mistakes because I was young, so I’d like to apologize too....”

“Your friend is very mature. Maybe because Yusang is the youngest in his group, he still seems like nothing but a child.”

“I think he was a little like that back then too. He liked drawing attention. Maybe that’s why he became an idol.”

At those words, Yusang’s body stiffened without his realizing it.

“Yusang, sit down. What are you doing?”

The employee tapped and pushed at Yusang’s back, guiding him toward the sofa while he stood frozen, unable to move.

“Then shall we discuss the program? The format is that two friends travel around to famous restaurants, bakeries, and cafés across the country, filming each other and writing reviews. Like the videos you see all over YouTube these days.”

The sample materials they presented featured close celebrity friends and even couples who made videos together.

“These are the locations we’ve already finished booking.”

“Wow, you’re certainly well prepared.”

“Jaeyoung is especially close with our director, so Somyeong will provide as much support as possible.”

“We’re very grateful. Aren’t we, Yusang?”

The adults’ voices, excluding his wishes entirely, seemed to fracture into dizzying pieces and gnaw away at his mind.

Yusang squeezed his eyes shut, opened them again, and answered.

“...If I just finish this one successfully, I really can do another one with the members next time, right?”

“What? Come on, what are you talking about? This format absolutely requires a two-person setup.”

“What? But earlier, you told me that if it went well, you’d support a program where I could travel with the members....”

“Me? When did I say that? I don’t think I did.”

“.......”

The employee who had met him in the practice room played innocent. Executive Director Choi sighed loudly enough for Yusang to hear.

“Think carefully. The music in the practice room was too loud, so you must have misheard.”

“.......”

Again.

Newton had been subjected to countless reversals like this from Executive Director Choi and the Division Four employees. They would see a glimmer of hope and struggle desperately toward it, only for them to suddenly deny everything by saying they had never made such a promise.

“Jung Yusang, you really haven’t changed.”

“.......”

“Idols are probably supposed to be good at exaggerating and lying... Well, when I think of it that way, I guess you found a career that suits you.”

“.......”

Even though the words were clearly sarcastic, Yusang could not make his mouth open. Unable to turn his gaze toward the other side, he looked desperately at the people from K-Dom.

After seeing him treat me like this, you still want to put Kang Jaeyoung and me on a program together?

But perhaps that thought belonged to Yusang alone.

“Wow, their images fit together well too. What do you think about taking a photo now and uploading it as a spoiler that isn’t quite a spoiler?”

“Sounds good. The fans will really look forward to it.”

Executive Director Choi squeezed Yusang’s shoulder hard.

“You can show that you’ve been close since childhood, and it’ll be useful for heading off any unnecessary rumors before they start.”

“.......”

“That’s what Actor Kang Jaeyoung and Somyeong Entertainment want too, isn’t it?”

“...Ha ha, yes. Well, let’s leave the adult discussions to the adults.”

Amid the strange atmosphere, Executive Director Choi patted Yusang’s back.

“Yusang, come on. Sit over there.”

Everyone in the division head’s office except Yusang smiled, as though it were contagious.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go to him.”

Kang Jaeyoung came closer.

Then sat down right beside him.

“Yusang.”

His voice pierced Yusang’s ear like an awl.

“You can’t exactly tell people that an idol used to get beaten up like a pathetic loser.”

“......!”

“If you understand the situation, smile. I fucking hate this too, so let’s use this to bury the whole thing and move on.”

The representative from the other agency held up a phone camera with a delighted expression.

Once, on an outdoor year-end stage, Yusang had smiled brightly even while wearing nothing but a thin stage outfit.

He had been photographed so many times that the corners of his mouth rose automatically whenever he saw a camera.

It was a profession where he practically had no portrait rights, but he did not want to be captured by that camera.

If that photograph remained.

Did that mean everything that had happened to him before would simply be “buried” and forgotten?

But there was no one here who would take his side.

“I’m taking it. One, two.”

“Wait.”

Yusang slapped away the hand on his shoulder and rose from his seat.

“The bathroom.... I need to go.”

“Yusang. Jung Yusang!”

Without looking back, Yusang fled the division head’s office at a near run.

“Ugh...!”

His stomach churned. But he did not want anyone to see him like this either.

“It’s all... in the past....”

Let’s use this to bury the whole thing and move on.

“It’s all... in the past. Fuck, ah...!”

“Yusang?”

Ah.

Yusang raised his head at the familiar voice. A familiar face stood there.

It was a manager who had accompanied Newton several times during their current promotional cycle.

“Weren’t you supposed to be meeting with the division head?”

“I’m leaving.”

“Hm?”

“I said I’m not doing it!”

At his fierce reaction, the manager followed him with a confused expression.

“Oh dear. What happened?”

“He bullied me in middle school and stole money from me...!”

And they expect me to be used to clean up that bastard’s past?

His insides burned hot, but at the same time, he realized that the manager was not the person he should be lashing out at.

“...Anyway, please tell them I refuse to appear on that kind of program.”

Yusang turned away.

At that moment, a hand clamped around his arm.

“You can’t do that. What position would that leave the executive director and the rest of us in if you walked away like this?”

“...What?”

“You’re not a child anymore. If you can’t endure something this minor, you won’t survive in the entertainment industry.”