Chapter 179: No Secret Lasts Forever

[Could I get Han Gabin sunbae-nim’s contact information?]

At Seohan’s words, Taekyung blinked slowly.

He was someone Taekyung had run into recently at an award show, but a junior with no particular connection to BK.

Though Taekyung had approached him a few times simply because he liked him, Seohan didn’t seem like the type to actively reach out to others.

Taekyung swallowed and smiled softly.

“Sure, I’ll give it to you. Gabin recently changed numbers because of a sasaeng.”

[Ah….]

A brief silence came through the receiver.

Then, Seohan spoke cautiously.

[Please tell him I’d like to have a meal with him.]

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

That was even more unexpected.

Well, it wasn’t too strange since it was Gabin who had first suggested getting a meal together.

Taekyung figured Seohan probably got interested after hearing that his teammate, Cha Seongbin, was working on Gabin’s solo album.

“Let’s meet up sometime, too.”

[Yes, sounds good. Ah, and sunbae-nim….]

Hm?

[It’s a bit late, but is Han Gabin sunbae-nim feeling okay?]

Ah.

He almost had to drop out of Surviving on a Deserted Island due to poor health, didn’t he?

Seohan must’ve remembered that and brought it up as a way of asking how he was doing.

Taekyung let out a faint laugh and adjusted the phone in his hand.

To get to the point—

He was still… in the worst shape.

“Not good.”

He couldn’t bring himself to lie.

“He’s really not doing well. I’m worried.”

Taekyung shook his head and let out a deep sigh.

“I don’t know how he plans to release a solo album in this condition….”

He met Han Gabin at a private Chinese restaurant in Seongsu-dong.

It was the same place he’d once visited with Sung Jihoo.

He didn’t care much about any rumors about the two of them going in together, but he didn’t want to draw unnecessary crowds, so he pulled his cap down low and entered.

“Have you been well?”

“Ah, yes. Well….”

After exchanging such dry greetings, silence followed.

Thankfully, the food they had ordered was brought out not long after.

Judging from Gabin’s pale, gaunt face, he didn’t look like he could eat much, but tangsuyuk, shrimp toast, and even jjamppong were unnecessarily laid out on the table.

Only after the staff left did Gabin cautiously pick up his chopsticks.

“…Let’s eat.”

Nibble, nibble.

Even just watching him eat was worrying.

In that state, it’d be hard to handle his schedule properly.

Wouldn’t he look like that in front of the camera too?

Even if there hadn’t been any controversy on the surface, it was obvious rumors about Gabin’s health and attitude were already spreading behind the scenes.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Mm, I’m fine.”

Gabin dragged out his words slowly and set his spoon down with a tap.

“Seohan-ssi. I have a question.”

“Yes.”

“What’s the reason for setting up this meal today?”

The blunt question caught him slightly off guard, but Gabin’s face didn’t show any discomfort.

“If it was just to have a simple meal, you would’ve invited Taekyung-hyung.

If it was about the solo album, you would’ve brought Cha Seongbin-ssi.

But you don’t seem to be comfortable enough with me to want a one-on-one meal….”

“…….”

“If anything, you’re the one who seems uncomfortable in this situation.”

Gabin’s piercing gaze landed squarely on him.

His eyes looked more curious than accusatory.

“So, why don’t you get straight to the point and be honest?”

“May I speak out of turn for a moment?”

“…Mm.”

Gabin’s brows furrowed slightly.

After a moment of consideration, his lower lip parted carefully.

“Go ahead.”

“It’s about what I heard back then.”

Gabin’s expression turned cold.

Even without further explanation, he probably guessed what moment Seohan was referring to.

The time during Surviving on a Deserted Island when he had borrowed money from a hyung he knew.

“…….”

But the next words were likely unexpected.

“It was because of your father, wasn’t it?”

Gabin’s eyes widened.

A moment ago he had looked displeased—now he looked genuinely shocked.

“…What?”

He was so flustered that the words stumbled out weakly.

With a trembling voice, Gabin stammered.

“How did you… where did you hear that?”

“From a reporter.”

“A reporter…?”

Gabin’s face darkened.

The fact that it had reached reporters meant it wouldn’t be surprising if it broke out in the news at any moment.

“I heard it indirectly. I didn’t think hiding it was the best idea.”

“…Haa.”

Gabin irritably swept his bangs back.

His deep sigh was filled with helplessness.

“Someone already leaked it to a reporter, huh….”

It seemed he had someone in mind.

“My father ended up in debt with someone in the industry.”

“Ah….”

“I think it’s probably that person.”

Holding his head, Gabin began to ramble.

“I wanted to cut ties. I really did—I even blocked all contact.

But he used my name to get money, and that money… I paid it all back.

Ha, but the debt just keeps growing. I can’t handle it anymore….”

It was clear to see how a person could slowly wither away.

It was clear that he was mentally overwhelmed, swaying under pressure he couldn’t handle.

He must’ve kept it to himself without even telling the other members.

It was heartbreaking to think that the situation pushed him to leave the team on his own.

Originally, I just thought it was a waste of Seongbin-hyung’s song.

But now, I couldn’t stand how someone’s life was reduced to just a fragment in memory, left as a single line in an article about quitting.

At last, I opened my mouth.

“Be the first to break the news.”

It was the only breakthrough that could get us through this situation.

He may have been too scared to make that choice himself, but maybe in this case, it was the only option that wasn’t the worst.

“Draw the line yourself before it’s too late.”

Better that than wasting away, constantly worried about when the article would drop.

Wouldn’t that be better?

“You can’t bury it forever.”

I made the suggestion.

[‘Don’t lend money to my father’ — Summary of Han Gabin’s Stargram statement]

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To summarize, Han Gabin’s father has accrued over 70 million won in debt using Gabin’s name.

Gabin paid off most of it, but now his father is committing investment fraud using his name.

He has cut ties with his father.

(Named) — do not lend him money, ever.

Reading each word in the long, handwritten post….

Why did it hurt so much? ㅠㅠ

BK probably only recently got their earnings settled, and it seems all that money went into cleaning up that mess.

I can’t help but wonder how long he endured before it became too much, for him to post that on his own account.

Maybe it’s just because he was my bias, but reading the article made me feel really strange.

.

.

.

Han Gabin posted a handwritten statement on his Stargram.

It was hard to even guess how much worry was packed into that calm message.

-Ah ㅠㅠ Gabin-ah, cut ties and live your life ㅠㅠ

-Seventy million won in debt? I couldn’t believe my eyes reading that it kept growing even after he paid it back—how can a family do that, seriously lol is that really his birth father?

└It is his birth father ㅠㅠ

└Apparently he said, “I deserve this much because I made my child a celebrity” >> that’s a real quote

└Where was that posted?

└From someone who knows them… made me furious

-Who’s Han Gabin? Is this some kind of noise marketing?

└Never heard of them

-Why brag about having a debt-ridden dad like that, posting it online lol

-If you’re paying anyway, cover the rest too lol why not say anything about that?

There were the usual trolls showing up to insult someone whenever an issue broke out, but their comments soon got buried by those of supportive fans.

-We’re cheering for you, Gabin-ssi!

-I don’t really know this idol, but this is heartbreaking… how can someone go through that, especially at such a young age?

-Hope you find happiness after cutting tiesㅠㅠ

The public mostly responded with anger and sympathy toward the story of a family sucking someone dry.

Han Gabin’s issue was noisy for a few days and then slowly died down.

Some people may try to nitpick about the issue or frame him for sympathy votes.

But either way, he must’ve felt much more at ease.

“Hyung, did you finish the song?”

“Yeah, it’s been confirmed as the title track~.”

“Damn, Cha Seongbin killed it!”

Han Gabin’s solo debut date was delayed a bit, but fortunately, the project was still going forward.

“That’s a relief….”

Cha Seongbin was relieved that the song he produced, now chosen as the title track, wouldn’t go to waste.

Considering the whole situation had escalated to the point of him almost quitting due to mental health issues, it truly was a big sigh of relief.

At the same time, we were completely absorbed in concert practice.

Even while the entertainment world was in chaos over Han Gabin’s issue, we were too busy spending ten hours a day in meetings and rehearsals to notice.

Today’s practice ended close to 3 a.m. again.

“Aaaargh….”

One of us groaned like a zombie as we staggered around.

Cha Seongbin limped along, muttering under his breath.

“Ugh, Ha Junseo, seriously….”

“Me? Why?”

“I said let’s wrap up around 2, but you had to say, ‘just once more, just once more’… Now look at us. Cha Seongbin needs saving~. Save me!”

Our team’s official practice maniac was in full form again today.

Even Jin Sehyun joined in with a tired complaint this time.

“Hyung must be surviving off caffeine.”

“No way. You guys are doing fine too.”

“This is us doing fine?”

Stumble—

Seo Haim swayed with a bag of Choco Haims in both hands.

“My sugar’s low. Am I getting old? I’m crashing….”

Ever since aging up a year, she’d been leaning into the age jokes.

Anyway, I was feeling my sugar drop too, so I pulled out a glucose candy from my pocket and popped it into my mouth.

“I’m going to sleep as soon as we get back to the dorm.”

“Today we’re collapsing, no doubt.”

“We’ve agreed to call that ‘passing out’~.”

Though everyone claimed to be exhausted, their mouths didn’t stop moving for even a second.

Chattering as a group, before we knew it, we had arrived in front of our dorm.

“Ah, let’s go in.”

“Okaay….”

Ding-dong—

Jin Sehyun reached for the doorknob with a tired face.

And.

Slam.

He immediately shut it again.

“Hmm?”

“What’s wrong?”

The members behind him looked confused.

And no wonder—Jin Sehyun’s hand, still on the doorknob, was trembling.

The moment I saw his pale, frightened face, I was wide awake.

“I felt someone inside.”

“What?”

Not quite understanding what he meant, I turned to Jin Sehyun.

With a face gone cold, he spoke.

“There was someone inside.”

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