Chapter 123: Provocation

After finishing a lavish dinner with Senior Sung Jihoo, I returned home around ten at night.

I got a lot of advice on how to survive in this harsh industry and was able to glimpse the philosophy of a senior I personally respected. It was a pleasant time in many ways, but…

Separate from that, as soon as I arrived at the dorm, my body felt drowsy.

Even though I pretended not to, it seemed I had been quite nervous about facing my idol.

After kneading my tightly stiff shoulders with my hands, I quickly washed up and came out.

“Ugh… I’m tired.”

I was shaking off my dripping wet hair with a towel when Cha Seongbin quietly approached and stood next to me.

“How was it today? Your cozy dinner with Senior?”

“He seemed like a really good person.”

“That’s a relief, then.”

Cha Seongbin nodded, taking a toothbrush cup from the drawer and leaving.

Come to think of it, he had a Boy’s Dream shoot today too.

He must have met Jang Juwon, but I had no idea how it went.

I carefully broached the topic with a bit of concern.

“Hyung, were you okay?”

“Me? It was more fun than I thought.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, nothing happened at all. Don’t worry~.”

At least on the surface, his mentality seemed fine.

It didn’t seem like there had been any big problem, so I was relieved.

Rustle, rustle—

Without much thought, I shook my hair again, then went out and brought back an ion drink from the fridge.

“…?”

As soon as I returned, I caught Cha Seongbin’s fixed gaze on me.

“Why… are you looking at me like that?”

What was that uneasy look in his eyes?

He kept glancing at me, lips twitching as if trying to say something.

“But, Seohan.”

“Yes?”

Did this hyung cause some trouble?

Cha Seongbin dragged his words out enough to make me feel nervous.

And then—

What came out of his mouth was completely out of the blue.

“Why did you grow up so well?”

…Huh?

I was baffled, wondering if this was some kind of random stream of consciousness.

It sounded like a joke, but his subtly sincere expression made it even more confusing.

Was he serious?

“S-suddenly?”

Cha Seongbin’s eyes sparkled as he began to chatter.

“I went to that audition program today and suddenly realized it. Ah, our maknae grew up so well~. There were some kids your age there, but not a single normal one among them… Ah, no. I shouldn’t praise you too much.”

“Th-that’s… quite the compliment, thank you…?”

“Anyway, you really did grow up well. So, Seohan.”

“Yes?”

Cha Seongbin smiled warmly and patted my shoulder.

“Who raised you so well? Of course, it was us hyungs who raised—”

“My parents.”

“…!”

I quickly cut off the overly fond smile before it became burdensome.

Cha Seongbin soon nodded with a deflated look.

“That’s true.”

He seemed to have accepted it.

“You’re saying you’re going on a program with Senior Sung Jihoo?”

“Woooow, really?”

“You did it, Do Seohan~.”

“No wonder. The manager said you’d be busy in August. Guess they already knew.”

The whole group was gathered in the living room.

When I announced the biggest achievement from tonight’s dinner, a wave of excitement swept through.

A joint appearance on a dance program with Tiple’s Senior Sung Jihoo. A chance to stand on the same stage as my idol…

If possible, I really wanted to do it, and luckily, the company was also in favor.

Ha Junseo asked with a bright smile.

“So you’re going to perform a duet together?”

“Who else is appearing?”

“I don’t know the details, but the schedule’s a bit tight.”

“Tight?”

“Yes, I think I’ll have to start practicing soon.”

“It hasn’t been long since your promotions ended, you’re going to be busy again.”

The filming was set for late August, but since Tiple’s comeback was in September, the senior seemed to want to prepare a bit early.

Of course, I was in my downtime right now, so it didn’t matter much.

A chance to stand on stage with none other than Tiple’s Sung Jihoo?

An unemployed guy like me would agree any time.

Kang Siwoo clapped my hand and smiled.

“Anyway, congrats.”

“Thank you…”

It was a solo activity in a way, but the members supported me without any other intentions. I was grateful.

They really were good people in many ways.

Then, Seo Ian asked with wide eyes.

“Congrats. Is it going to be a cover song?”

“Yes, I think so for now. I was going to start with figuring out the concept.”

“What song do you want to do?”

“Is Do Seohan going sexy~?”

Before Seo Haim’s cheerful comment could settle, Ha Junseo cut in.

“But if you’re with Senior Sung Jihoo, wouldn’t it be like a wolf and a hamster kind of concept?”

“No, Senior’s a rabbit—”

“Huh?”

Ah.

“It’s nothing.”

“Who’s the rabbit?”

“The rabbit… is me. There are no others.”

Seo Ian spoke in a familiar-sounding tone to assert his presence.

Seo Haim shook his index finger, disagreeing with that opinion.

“Hyung, what rabbit? You’re totally Sundubu-jjigae.”

“Wait a second. Since when did I become a stew?”

“I don’t know… I’m innocent.”

Seo Ian’s sulky protest was quickly ignored.

Cha Seongbin changed the subject and asked me, also offering to help with the arrangement if possible.

“So, what concept are you two going for?”

The concept, huh…

I trailed off and smirked.

“I’ve got a killer one in mind.”

Anyway, not sexy.

At the same time, Jang Juwon, who was preparing for the second evaluation of Boy’s Dream, let out a deep sigh as he stared out the window.

“Haa…”

The elimination cut-off for the next ranking announcement was 28th place. His current rank was exactly 28th.

Would he be able to make it safely to the semi-finals?

With not even a shred of certainty, that especially irritating guy appeared.

Stardust’s Cha Seongbin.

It felt like just yesterday they had been trainees together, but now the guy had debuted after taking second place on an audition program, already becoming a rising star with a record of 300,000 in first-week sales.

Had that bastard always been that good at writing songs?

Listening to the arrangement Cha Seongbin had brought today for Spacewalk, Jang Juwon felt that uncomfortable emotion squirming up again from deep inside.

‘It’s not something the company prepared for him, right?’

I almost hoped it was.

Because if it really was his talent, I didn’t think I could swallow this twisting feeling.

It was an awful sensation—like facing an unscalable wall.

“A disgustingly talented bastard.”

I admitted it. Even three years ago, that guy had been disgustingly talented.

No matter how much I hustled, I felt like I could never even step on his shadow.

It annoyed me so much that I clenched my teeth and ignored him all this time.

But now—

‘Why, of all times, now?’

Why did he have to show up right in front of me and get under my skin?

His very existence irritated me enough that I wanted to demand what his game was.

And the second evaluation… right in front of Cha Seongbin.

Could I overcome that pressure?

Even in today’s mid-term check, my mentality had crashed and I’d made mistakes I normally didn’t.

‘Juwon, what’s wrong with you today?’

‘At this rate, your team won’t be able to stand on stage. You know your skills are lacking, right? Especially you, Juwon.’

To think I’d have to hear that in front of Cha Seongbin.

With a flushed face, Jang Juwon clenched his fist tight.

‘Damn it, can’t you help me out even once? Can’t you just disappear from my sight?’

Now as then, Cha Seongbin was unbearably irritating.

That disgustingly talented bastard, Cha Seongbin.

I was grinding my teeth, thinking of that name, when a voice snapped me out of it.

“Why are you zoning out like that?”

“Huh? Ah…”

It was Lee Dokyung.

This guy also seemed to have something shady about him, not unlike Cha Seongbin, so I didn’t want to get close. We had kept our distance, and this was the first time he approached me.

“Something wrong?”

His face shifted slightly, as if he’d called my name multiple times.

Jang Juwon forced himself to turn his head calmly and gave an awkward smile.

“Ah, I was just thinking about the feedback from the mid-term evaluation. Wondering how I could improve…”

“Is it because of Cha Seongbin, by any chance?”

“…What?”

At the sudden mention of that name from Lee Dokyung’s mouth, Jang Juwon’s mood went cold.

He tried to recover his expression but failed.

There weren’t any cameras around, so it didn’t matter, but the fact that he’d been baited by Lee Dokyung already put him in a foul mood.

“Why are you suddenly bringing up that name…?”

Lee Dokyung shrugged with a grin.

“Ah, it just seemed like you were really conscious of him during our team feedback earlier. You two know each other, right?”

“What?”

Jang Juwon’s brow furrowed sharply.

‘Where the hell did this guy hear that?’

People with wide networks were always a pain. He was clearly probing me, knowing something.

Had he somehow heard about me badmouthing Cha Seongbin back in my trainee days?

Forcing his temper down, Jang Juwon spoke evenly.

“Ah, we’re not that close.”

“Oh, I see. Well, you don’t look close. Hahaha…”

“I’m a bit tired. Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m young, so I’ve got good stamina.”

“Lucky you.”

It was my way of saying I wished he’d just get lost.

There’s nothing to gain from rubbing each other the wrong way, right?

But then—

There was a strange curiosity in Lee Dokyung’s eyes.

“I’ve got something I’m curious about…”

The corner of his mouth tilted slightly.

“You know how before Stardust’s debut, Cha Seongbin hyung’s secret account got exposed? That wasn’t… you, right?”

“…What?”

At the completely unexpected provocation, Jang Juwon’s face froze over.

Seeing his reaction, Lee Dokyung let out a hollow laugh and waved his hands.

“Ah… hahaha… I’m joking, joking. Of course, that could never be true~.”

Does this bastard know something?

Unconsciously, Jang Juwon bit his lower lip hard enough to draw blood.

He was sure this guy was fishing for information.

Still grinning, Lee Dokyung kept chattering. Then, stroking his chin, he added something even more irritating.

“Seeing Seongbin hyung today, he was really impressive.”

“……”

“He’s definitely a hyung with a lot to learn from. I felt that back in Starf too, haha. Geniuses like that really make you feel the wall, you know~?”

How the hell does he know?

I couldn’t shake the feeling that every single word from Lee Dokyung was aimed at me.

It wasn’t just a feeling—it was certainty.

The corners of his eyes curved unpleasantly as he looked at me.

“Hyung should try harder too.”

That son of a—

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