Chapter 332

Chapter 332

What on earth had just happened? I was lying in bed, though I didn’t have any intention of sleeping. I was just going through what had happened in my head. Just now, I’d gone after Big Sejin, who had stormed from the hotel room that we’d set aside for the retreat.

I’d pushed the bell for his personal hotel room, but he hadn’t responded. I’d considered that maybe he wasn’t in his room, but he wasn’t the sort of person who would leave while upset and give people something to gossip about. I was sure he was inside.

“Lee Sejin.”

I waited for a bit, then pushed the bell again. That was when he reacted. It was my phone that vibrated, however.

The door didn’t budge.

[Moondae, we can talk later. I’m kind of tired right now]

That was it. I moved my hands away from my pillow, glanced at a text notification, and swiped it away.

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah.”

Ryu Gunwoo’s face was on the screen, since I was continuing the call that I’d ended earlier.

There’s work… work to do…

“What were you going to say?”

“One second…” He moved on the screen, then raised his hands, pointing toward empty space. “Do you see this?”

“See what?”

He lowered his hands carefully. “So you can’t see it… Well, after I tried to get rid of your “receiving reward” pop-up, I did some research.”

Did you?

“I was able to call up your status window on my end and view it starting a few days ago. So I was wondering if you could see it on screen…”

“Right.”

This was something that warranted a video call. I could see that. I said nothing more, however, and silence returned.

He said cautiously, “Uh, Gunwoo. Something happened earlier, didn’t it?”

“No.”

Why wouldn’t he stop asking? I nearly lashed out at him, but I was keenly aware it was unnecessary, and repressed the urge. It wasn’t surprising that he’d ask about it. The phone call had ended abruptly on his end, and he had no clue why.

“Someone who didn’t know the situation showed up, and there was a bit of a misunderstanding,” I said.

“Oh…” He went quiet, seemingly realizing what was going on.

So I guess that’s it, then. I was starting to think I should hang up soon.

“Uh… Why don’t you tell him the situation, then?”

“What?”

“It’s Lee Sejin, right? He’s a close friend of yours. In that case—”

“Just tell him that I was sent back in time in someone else’s body to become an idol? That I’ve leveled up and gotten to this point because otherwise I would have ended up dead? How is that reasonable by any stretch of the— No, I’m sorry.”

I suddenly understood why Big Sejin had stopped the conversation and simply left the room. He had been trying not to shout.

I shook my head and continued, “I’ll give some thought to the status window issue and analyze it. So why don’t you get some rest today—”

“No, Gunwoo.” He cut me off. “I think this is the first time that you’ve been unable to pay attention when we’ve talked about the system. You’d usually have asked me a lot of questions. That’s how bothered you are about this situation.”

I said nothing.

He continued in a low voice, “Why don’t you just tell him… So you’ll feel better?”

I balled my hands into fists. Suddenly a thought occurred to me, forcing me to reevaluate the past—the mistakes that he’d made every time that he’d been in a situation where he met other people with me involved.

“Gunwoo!”

“Well, Gunwoo, he…”

He always called me Gunwoo or something similar by mistake. I’d assumed it was because he was such a bad liar, but in hindsight, he’d lived years in Ryu Gunwoo’s body. It seemed unnatural that he’d made such a mistake so often.

“All those times you called me the wrong name around my members… Don’t tell me… You wanted me to be found out?”

There was a momentary silence, then his voice said, “Probably…”

“…!”

“I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but I think I wanted it subconsciously, since I thought it would probably help you.”

“Help me?”

“You’ve known them for years. You and they are very close. I wanted you to tell them your secret and be more at ease…”

His actions had been based on goodwill, but the fact that he hadn’t taken what I wanted or how I felt into account at all brought to mind something else. He seemed aware of this.

“But that’s what the system does.”

Yes.

“Ignoring your opinions and thoughts.”

It had been far too robotic and inhuman an impulse for a softie like him.

I spoke slowly. “So… That’s why you assumed you’re being influenced by the system?”

He had seemed quite scared of the system last time we met.

“I can feel that my link with the system is getting stronger. It must impact me in some way even if I’m in a different body.”

His voice sounded bitter and rather put out. “Yes. Ever since I noticed, I’ve really been trying not to slip up anymore… It wasn’t on purpose. I promise. I know it must have inconvenienced you, and I apologize. I’ll do my best to keep it from controlling me…”

“Right.”

I heard a sigh of relief from the phone.

That sounds tough. It would probably feel awful to be influenced by something he had no control over or understanding of.

I’ll have to keep an eye on him too, from now on. I stared at Big Moon, feeling as though someone had thrown a bucket of water in my face. We soon reverted to the original subject, however.

“B-but Gunwoo, this suggestion is coming from me. I have a feeling your friend will believe you.”

This is driving me nuts.

I held back a groan and said, “If he were the sort of guy to believe in this science fiction nonsense, I would have spoken to him already.”

Lee Sejin was one of the most pragmatic among us. I had to acknowledge this.

That’s why I’ve been putting it off. I’d told myself we had work to do, that the timing was wrong—thereby dragging things out and telling myself I had reasons for bottling the truth and doing nothing. In a moment of impulsiveness, I’d said that I’d tell him when the time was right, which meant that I would have to get around to it at some point. But it seemed overly likely he wouldn’t believe me, no matter how I phrased the information.

I sighed. On the other end of the phone, Big Moon almost seemed flabbergasted.

Wait, flabbergasted?

“Gunwoo, just in case you’ve forgotten… I used to be your status window.”

I knew that.

“I know how things have been between you and Lee Sejin! About the fighting and everything… In any case, I’m telling you this from the point of view of a third party who has all the information. Please believe me!”

It was quite embarrassing to think he’d seen everything that had happened. My embarrassment aside, Big Moon was almost imploring me now.

“As practical as he is, he knows you very well! You trust each other a lot.”

Hilariously enough, I was listening.

“If you give him a serious explanation, and be honest with him, he’ll believe you.”

I lay back, my head resting against one of my arms.

“Gunwoo…”

I had no idea what to do.

“I don’t even know where to begin, after what happened.”

“Oh…”

“Let me keep an eye on the situation for now.”

I didn’t even know how Big Sejin would react tomorrow. I couldn’t even consider confessing the truth now. Though emotions were running high at the moment, there was a chance that this was no big deal. Perhaps I could explain the misunderstanding after his temper cooled a little. Maybe the whole situation would end with nothing more than a little embarrassment.

“Gunwoo, I mean…”

He seemed to be trying to encourage me in his own way, but it really didn’t help much.

“Sure.”

I soon ended the call, and after debating for a bit, responded to Big Sejin’s text.

[Sorry. Get some rest.]

Oddly, it really did end up being no big deal, the next day of our overnight retreat went without a hitch.

***

“I added explosions to the beat. What do you think?” Kim Raebin asked.

“It sounds good. Why don’t we only add it to the chorus, though, and replace it with a different sound in the verses? It could easily become repetitive.”

“Right!”

Big Sejin gave feedback just like he’d done the day before, keeping the process running smoothly. He supported good ideas and rejected the bad ones.

“Why don’t we make a song based on the fourth demo?”

“That sounds all right… But I think the third one is better.”

“Sure.”

He wasn’t just smiling at me and pretending to be nice, like he had when I’d been angry before and things had gotten awkward between us. It was just that… a distance had grown between us.

Damn it. He wasn’t giving me a chance to have a personal conversation. It was difficult to even apologize with the way things were. It would be impossible to reach a proper resolution of any kind, given the situation.

“Let’s take a short break.”

“Okay!”

It was now break time, and I followed the members with my eyes, all of them scattering throughout the suite with more ease than yesterday. I stood up.

I’ll throw some cold water on my face. It would be stupid of me to lose focus because I was frustrated. I’d use cold water if necessary to force myself back into the zone and work on the album.

On my back after using the sink next to the front door, I heard a voice.

“Lee Sejin…”

“Yes?”

The conversation was coming from the kitchen, which was just off the hallway. Bae Sejin was initiating a conversation with Big Sejin, which was rare. I was reminded right away of the conversation I’d had with Bae Sejin right after Big Sejin had left.

“Is it something I said?”

“No. There’s been a bit of a misunderstanding between me and him. Sorry you got involved.”

“No, don’t mention it.”

It seemed obvious that this was about to be brought up. I listened to the two members with the same name talking from around the corner.

“Uh… about yesterday. If I made a mistake, I want to say I’m sorry.”

“What? No. Not at all. I’m the one who made a scene.”

“But I thought there was a problem?”

“If there is one, it’s mine. I was a bit rude, wasn’t I? Sorry about that.”

“That’s not a problem…”

There was a brief lull.

“Uh, Sejin. I have something I need to do. Mind if I get going?” Big Sejin said.

“One second…” I could hear that Bae Sejin was trying not to groan. “About yesterday… The person that Park Moondae was looking for? I didn’t learn about him because Park Moondae told me. I was simply there by coincidence. He probably wouldn’t have—”

“Sejin,” Big Sejin said, cutting him off. “Moondae should probably be the one to explain this. I don’t think you did anything wrong at all. So don’t worry. In fact, you cleared something up.”

Bae Sejin groaned. He probably wanted to explain more, but a part of him was being held back by the thought that if he did, he would be meddling. In the end, he said, “Right. I hope you can talk it out with Moondae.”

Big Sejin would usually have responded with a simple, “Okay” or something similar, but this time he spat in a tired, sharp tone, “Who knows if I will?”

“…!”

“In any case, yeah. Thanks.”

I knew then that he was being far more sensitive than was warranted about this situation. Even though he was extremely upset at the moment, he was also interested in hearing more.

In that case… I was suddenly reminded of what Big Moon had said toward the end of our conversation yesterday when I’d said that I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. The words really hadn’t impressed me at the time.

“Don’t you think he might actually believe you more because of the situation you’re in right now? You’re not the sort of person who’d spin some fantastic tale to placate an angry person.”

“…!”

“Knowing you, the stranger it sounds, the less he will think that it’s an excuse or a joke!”

I considered this.

F*ck. Fine. I picked up my phone and texted the manager. There was no other way. I would give it a go.

***

Lee Sejin liked concerts, though those who knew him might believe that he preferred appearances on variety shows or famous WeTube channels. People were bound to be different creatures, emotionally, from their logical counterparts. Concerts were basically a form of proving oneself as an idol—the embodiment of their dreams and ambitions.

That’s why I like them… But today, he hadn’t been able to enjoy the concert to the fullest. Usually, by the encore, the members reunited and enjoyed themselves on the center stage. And even if that didn’t happen, when there were instances of fantastic teamwork between the members on the stage here and there, it added to the immersion and sense of belonging. That seemed to be impossible today.

Ha… Ever since the incident a few days back, he hadn’t had a proper conversation with Park Moondae. Then this concert happened. It bothered him like a piece of gravel in his shoe, forcing his mood constantly down.

Why… He’d known that Moondae wasn’t as generous with him as he was with the other members. In fact, he’d welcomed it, since it felt like the right thing for them.

We’re equals and friends. It had made him feel a bit proud, even. He’d been certain that he and Moondae would continue to work together and be friends even if the group were to vanish—even if nothing of the sort happened with everyone else. It had felt so reassuring.

But learning that he’d been mistaken about the strength of their friendship, all that reassurance turned into a stinging sense of betrayal.

Hilarious. Moondae hadn’t ever told him that he was the person Moondae most trusted. What right did he have to feel betrayed? Lee Sejin laughed incredulously. He knew that people could easily play nice depending on their environment, and there was nothing to feel upset about here.

That’s even more true in this industry. That was why he couldn’t understand why he felt so upset, like he’d actually been amazing friends with Moondae or something. On the other hand, however, perhaps it was natural.

It’s not like we’re like every other group. They’d talked to each other about all sorts of concerns, been through so much together, and told each other their personal histories.

Even so… Lee Sejin balled his hands into fists.

All he did was send me a text apology, and that was it. Moondae didn’t see the need to do any more. More hilarious still, he was thinking about whether he should go to Moondae first and try to talk this out.

Watching as a cloud of confetti exploded next to the stage, Lee Sejin took a deep breath. It wasn’t just because he was out of breath.

Annoying. Today was a great day, and there were countless people in the audience in front of him, but his condition was suffering because he’d had a falling out with a single member. He’d always despised idiots who couldn’t keep personal affairs separate from work—that was why he’d always been so careful when it came to performances and anything done live. If he wasn’t immersed enough, the least he could do was be elaborate.

“Good work, everyone!”

“Great work!”

That was why he felt hollow rather than the usual brimming joy after the concert was over. The energy that he’d been able to show on stage at least, was gone.

“Huh? Where’s Moondae?”

“He left! He said he had something to do!”

It was even more upsetting to learn that Moondae had apparently left without experiencing any discomfort at all.

Why am I the only one affected here? Lee Sejin, feeling torn between anger and fatigue, repressed a sigh and left. He planned to ride the van back to the hotel and get some sleep.

The moment he entered his hotel room, however, a voice said, “You’re back.”

Someone was sitting inside.

“The manager gave me the key.”

Park Moondae was sitting in his hotel room, his hand on the table. Lee Sejin couldn’t believe his eyes.

What… in the world? Moondae had left before the others. What was he doing here? A thought came to him.

Don’t tell me… Is he going to apologize properly?

“Sorry I came in without asking.”

“Oh, you’re sorry about that, are you?”

F*ck. F*ck. Big Sejin felt the urge to slap a hand over his mouth. He had no idea why he was talking like this—in fact, revealing that he was upset at all felt like losing. He was also afraid of what it would do to their relationship.

“Yes, and about other things, too,” Moondae said calmly.

That only pissed Lee Sejin off more. “What other things?”

Is he really this calm? Lee Sejin almost lashed out, but he noticed Moondae’s face and the way he was sitting. His expression was serious, but he was fidgeting with his hands, and his shoulders were rising and falling as he shifted awkwardly—Moondae was extremely nervous.

“Things I couldn’t explain properly to you yesterday.”

Lee Sejin said nothing.

“Chungwoo and Bae Sejin don’t know everything about my situation. They simply… found out some of it incidentally.”

“Found out?”

“Yes. This is my first time ever telling anyone of my own accord.”

Lee Sejin forgot all his irritation and complicated emotions and focused on the conversation. What was Moondae about to say?

“First of all, I should probably start with this.” Moondae’s eyes gleamed. “I’m not Park Moondae.”

“…?”

“And I traveled back in time.”

Lee Sejin began to wonder if he’d fallen asleep in the van, and this was just a dream.