Chapter 387

Chapter 387

“Hmm.”

I hadn’t received a response to the message I sent yet.

But let’s see.

The idol group Lee Sejin currently belonged to, Xyrop, would take a short break right after their tour. He probably had no idea that I was aware of this when I contacted him, but it meant that he would be able to set aside at least a day out of those few days of time off.

Thus, I’d thrown the bait—namely the actor who shared his name, Lee Sejin. He was extremely popular as an actor at the moment, and their names were the same, too. It meant Lee Sejin, the actor, was the perfect choice of a new friend. It would warrant a boost in my priority on the hypothetical list of potential friends Lee Sejin kept in his mind.

He could visit home, then maybe set aside half the day to meet us. He would probably think something along those lines himself. Lee Sejin was so eager, after all, that he’d tried to get the emcee’s number on an exclusive variety show after appearing on it for the first time.

It appeared I wasn’t wrong. My phone screen soon came alive again, vibrating noisily.

[Amazing Sejin: LOL how did you know that I was free? I can come!]

[Amazing Sejin: What date were you thinking?]

There we go.

Chungwoo smiled wryly at the screen and said, “You’re in contact with Sejin, too? That can’t have been easy.”

“Well… It was—”

I was about to say that it hadn’t been that hard when Eugene interrupted. “Moondae! Give me a cool name, too! How about Eugene the Tiger—”

“Shut up, you idiot— Oh!” Raebin said, catching himself.

But this is only meant as bait… never mind.

“Oh! Did you just call me an idiot, Raebin?”

“It was a mistake!”

Thanks to Raebin snatching up Eugene’s attention, I was able to avoid cluttering my contacts list any further.

A few days later, I arrived at a private room at a restaurant in Seoul.

“So Lee Sejin will be here soon? And he has no memories?” Bae Sejin asked.

“Yes, and no.”

Bae Sejin had arrived wearing sunglasses, a hat, and even gloves. Now that he’d sat down, he looked a little anxious as he drank from his glass of water. I wasn’t sure why he was acting this way when the two of them had been sharing a dorm not too long ago.

I suppose they really didn’t hit it off at first. Perhaps it was the stressful points in their relationship he was remembering now. In any case, it would be another thirty minutes before Lee Sejin arrived. His tension would likely melt away by then. I had invited Bae Sejin earlier with a purpose in mind.

“So, how are things at the agency, Sejin?” I asked.

I wanted to ask him why the president had prostrated himself at his feet. Bae Sejin’s face immediately filled with enthusiasm.

“Well… Things are not going bad.”

“Is that right?”

“All I did was renew the contract to match industry standards, replace my manager, and forbid them from filtering out any scripts offered to me on their end.”

“…?”

“I also have a recording and a written memorandum indicating that he will not do this to anybody else… So things are pretty good. Ahem.”

You’re bragging, aren’t you? It was obvious that he wanted praise for what he’d accomplished. I’ll bite.

I said, “That’s impressive. There weren’t any articles about it, either. It can’t have been easy to handle things so quietly.”

“Ahem. It wasn’t that hard. I simply employed… common sense and logic.”

“Wow.”

It was now time to reveal how he’d done it.

“The president used company funds to gamble abroad.”

“…!”

“And I have proof. Video proof!”

He hadn’t known it was proof at the time, but in the real world, he’d learned as much after a few years had passed when the press got wind.

Given his personality, I suppose he imagined himself being the one to expose the president instead… He had gotten the president to apologize so profusely that I supposed all those meetings with lawyers had not gone to waste.

“Of course, the best thing to do morally is to report him to the police and follow protocol… but that would force me to go on hiatus for a while,” he said.

“Oh.”

He fiddled with his water cup.

“I need to… help you win that daesang.”

“…!”

“If I’m going to do that, it’s best that I continue to be active. Even so! I think I have managed to ensure that the president wouldn’t dare to do anything like that ever again.”

Gosh. It was no wonder. It was only after he’d realized that this wasn’t reality that he’d suddenly lost all his inhibitions and come up with a realistic compromise.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Hem. Don’t mention it. It’s all so we can go back together!” he said.

The dam had burst, as it were, and he told me about how he’d neatly fired the manager and a malicious employee. The way he had done things was slightly clumsy, but he’d moved with drive and done his best to be meticulous. It didn’t seem necessary for me to get involved in any way.

Not bad. He told me that he wanted to change his name to Bae Sejin, but for the sake of his already established popularity, he’d held back for now.

Oh, right…

“How are things with your father?” I asked.

The drug dealer.

Bae Sejin looked slightly uncertain as he said, “He’s missing, apparently.”

“…?”

What is with this place?

“He’s already divorced my mother. It’s all over. Things are fine,” he said.

“Oh. Okay.”

If you say so. The topic of conversation returned to the current situation as well as our plan.

“Yes! A movie is premiering soon. I thought we might promote it around the same time as your survival show’s debut team—”

We were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Oh,” I said.

That can’t be an employee.

I checked the time, which gave me a hint as to who it likely was.

“Come in,” I said.

It was four minutes before the agreed upon time.

Lee Sejin stepped through the door.

“Hey, Gunwoo! Hi, hello!”

He had worn a hood to hide his colorful hair, and took his mask off as he greeted us.

“Hey there,” I said.

“My place is nearby, so I arrived just in time! Looks like you’re both here early.”

Nearby, my ass. You probably waited nearby and made sure to arrive exactly four minutes before. I pointed to the seat opposite where he’d sat.

“This is Lee Sejin. He’s an actor.”

“Oh! I’ve enjoyed quite a few of your movies!” Lee Sejin said.

“Oh, right,” Bae Sejin said, nodding.

This situation reminded me of Idol Inc.

“I found your recent movie, Seahorse, impressive,” Lee Sejin said. It was just like him to do his research before a meeting like this. “You really sold the part of a scary medical student. He gave me the shivers. It’s surprising how well you pulled it off!”

Bae Sejin, who had played the role of psychopath for four movies in a row now, replied tensely, “Well, I play the same part every time… Uh, yeah.”

Even Lee Sejin seemed almost not to know what to say to that, but he recovered quickly with a smile and said, “Don’t say that! You probably feel that way because you do great every single time!”

“That’s probably not true… but thank you,” Lee Sejin said.

“Hahaha! Don’t mention it!”

Lee Sejin seemed to abandon engaging in career related small talk at this point. He asked a variety of personal questions after that, only to be met with the stone wall that was Bae Sejin.

“That’s a nice coat! Do you wear coats often?”

“Uh… My manager gave it to me.”

“Your manager seems to have good taste.”

Bae Sejin, upon hearing a compliment about the manager he had fired that very morning, replied, “I don’t know about that…” He wasn’t good at ignoring the truth and responding with a lie, so he kept on falling into awkward silence.

Darn it. I had to admit it at this point. The two of them simply did not get along. Do I have to smooth things out for you two again?

“We can talk while we eat. You must be hungry,” I said.

“That sounds good! What did you order, Gunwoo?”

We were served a Korean set menu, and I began to make small talk—not exactly something I had been expecting to do.

***

This isn’t going to work, Lee Sejin thought as he ate his food. It would be too difficult to create a connection with the actor sitting across the table.

Did he not want to come? What’s the matter with him? Lee Sejin knew he could force it if he really wanted to, doggedly making conversation so that they would eventually become friends, but he didn’t want to, for some reason.

It’s not like I need an actor on my friends list. It would be at least a few more years before he got into acting. He had no reason to hurry. Probably not, anyway.

Or am I being too complacent? Based on the way their group was doing, there was no way their contract would be renewed. It left a bitter taste in his mouth that in a few years, he would have to strike out on his own.

But that’s a problem for later. It was amusing that he was taking this so seriously. His group was doing well at the moment, at least.

“The ribs here are great,” Gunwoo said.

“You’re right! Why didn’t I know about such a nice place already?” Lee Sejin replied.

“I heard that fans like to upload hashtags for you to tell you about places like this.”

“Yes, yes! That they do.”

Ryu Gunwoo gently took things into his own hands when he realized that the two Sejins were struggling. He seemed eager, which wasn’t like him.

Not like him? Lee Sejin wasn’t sure why he’d thought such a thing, when this was only his second time meeting Gunwoo.

I suppose it’s just because he doesn’t seem like the outgoing type, Lee Sejin concluded, moving on.

Why did he suggest this meeting at all? We could have hung out by ourselves instead… Or perhaps I wouldn’t have come if not for this actor. This was true. I probably only agreed because I was going to be introduced to someone new.

Oh, I don’t know. His thoughts felt all mixed up, for some reason. Though he did not show it, he was a little confused.

Strange. He continued to chat, however. Oddly, he found talking to Gunwoo fun and… comfortable.

“How was the tour?” Gunwoo asked.

They began to talk about idols, promotions, and the survival show, and the conversation started to come more naturally.

“The tour was fun! You’ll get to do one soon. I know how good you are, and Wise is very popular, too,” Lee Sejin said.

“But when you debut, the landscape within the industry matters, as does the music. There is no guarantee that we’ll be a success…”

Gunwoo said. His pessimistic way of speaking was similar to the actor across the table, but at least Gunwoo smiled as he said it.

“But still, I think it would be nice if you got to tour. It’s satisfying,” Lee Sejin said.

“Hmm… Yes. The performances are difficult, but the work is really fun,” Gunwoo said.

“Yes.”

The question had been exactly the sort that a survival contestant with an uncertain future might ask, but there was nothing desperate or insistent about him. The guy was pretty chill.

“Your agency is well known for arranging tours often. Things will work out,” Lee Sejin said.

Perhaps that was the reason Lee Sejin found himself being a little more honest instead of giving his usual well-thought-out responses aimed at maintaining relationships. Naturally, the topic of the conversation grew a little more serious. Eventually, they reached an interesting question.

“Come to think of it, I wanted to ask you what it feels like to debut,” Ryu Gunwoo asked.

To debut?

“It feels pretty surreal. At the same time, it was very chaotic. You will probably be too busy to sit down and think about how you’re feeling, you know?” Lee Sejin said.

This was true, but he continued speaking, saying more than was required of him.

“It might not feel like you expect, though.”

He wanted to advise Gunwoo to quit trying if he was after burning passion, the fun of taking on new challenges, and the stability of remaining in a well-earned position.

Gunwoo asked quietly, “Do you have any regrets?”

Regret?

“I don’t think I really regret anything. Of course, there are difficulties that pop up when you least expect them to.”

Like your group members, whom you can’t do anything about since you debuted with them.

“Like what?” Gunwoo asked.

“Well, you see…” Lee Sejin said. Then he realized that he was being unnecessarily honest.

Why am I saying all this? He forded himself to smoothly change track.

“Well, making money is never easy, right?”

“Yeah… I guess so,” Gunwoo said.

He did not ask any more questions. He had definitely noticed something odd about Lee Sejin’s reaction. It felt like he was being considerate by not pursuing the topic any further.

Oh. Lee Sejin was a little disappointed, but also relieved.

Huh? Disappointed?

The actor, who had been focused on eating with gusto, suddenly said, “Yes. Making money is never easy.”

“…?”

“A person has to earn it.”

That was sudden. It was unclear what the guy was even trying to say, but he was definitely older than Lee Sejin.

Lee Sejin replied smoothly, “Yes… of course.”

The actor gripped his chopsticks so hard the veins on his hands stood out. “People who just try to hold on to their jobs, doing nothing to innovate and eventually allowing themselves to do things they shouldn’t… Those sorts of people don’t deserve to make money,” Bae Sejin said.

“That would be unacceptable. Totally,” Lee Sejin said. He found himself agreeing wholeheartedly without really thinking, his mind automatically drifting to the people around him that were like this. Just the thought of them made him upset.

Thinking of one of his members, who had gotten drunk the day before their tour started and failed to bring his A-game, Lee Sejin said coldly, “There’s a level of professionalism required of people. And if a member of a team fails to show professionalism, the entire team suffers.”

“Yes! I don’t care how good they are at what they do! I would rather have people who are less skilled but more eager to do their job properly!” Lee Sejin shouted.

Then he suddenly flinched, adding, “Though perhaps you prefer people who are good at their job, even if they aren’t very moral or hardworking.” He quickly added, “Most people are like that!”

Lee Sejin remained silent.

He was about to say, “Yes, most people are like that,” but thought better of it. He was upset, for some reason.

I agreed to what you were saying… Don’t assume that I am as pessimistic as you are.

“No. I think I would also prefer people who work hard, even if they are not the best at what they do,” Lee Sejin said.

“Oh?”

“Yes. If they’re a hard worker, they’ll eventually become good at their job in the long term.”

“…!”

Lee Sejin found himself concluding, “If you have to work together with someone, people like that are best.”

It felt satisfying to say it out loud. The actor nearly dropped his chopsticks.

What’s the matter with him?

Bae Sejin soon adjusted his grip, however, and muttered in a much more cheerful voice, “Yes. You’re right.”

“I know, right?”

The two had agreed on something for the first time today. Lee Sejin adjusted his opinion of the actor. He seemed to have an unpleasant personality, but he had a solid work ethic.

He’s not too bad… Gunwoo, who had been eating without interrupting the conversation, finally resumed speaking.

“Speaking of work, how much practice do you think is adequate? Though I suppose being an actor is quite different from being an idol.”

“Hmm. I suppose consistency is what matters most,” Lee Sejin said.

“Yeah… I mean, habits become ingrained in you,” Bae Sejin said.

The conversation began to flow smoothly between the three of them.

“…!”

Wait a second. Did he steer the conversation to this topic on purpose? Lee Sejin wondered. The actor seemed to only speak when the conversation was serious. Lee Sejin himself had given up on small talk with him because he found it too vexing, but serious conversation was acceptable to him, too. Perhaps Gunwoo was making sure that things did not become any more strained between the two Sejins.

Lee Sejin felt slightly embarrassed, for some reason, and stared down at his bowl. He might be younger, but he had more work experience. It felt odd to be on the receiving end of such considerate actions. Despite this, he felt relaxed. It was reassuring, in a way.

What has gotten into me today? He gave up trying to figure it out. It seemed that he wanted to make friends with this Gunwoo.

An idol friend. Not a bad idea. Lee Sejin bit back a sigh and ate some of his soybean noodles. They tasted great.

***

The meal with the two Sejins went well in the end.

As soon as Lee Sejin left, Bae Sejin shouted in shock.

“He might be younger, but he hasn’t changed a bit!”

That wasn’t all, of course.

“Still… that wasn’t bad.”

Given that their situations were different now, he seemed to be thinking about how they’d often clashed with each other back when they’d debuted. He seemed to be thinking that the conflict might have been resolved sooner under different circumstances.

[I think they will get along better after all this…]

Maybe. In any case, I saw Bae Sejin off as he marched off to deal with his president again. I joined the three others, who had gone to pick out piercings for Raebin.

“Did you meet both Sejins? Invite me, too, next time!” Eugene said before running off to buy pizza with Raebin.

Chungwoo said, “You met up with Lee Sejin because… you don’t want him to feel hurt when his memories come back later?”

I put down my phone.

“No. I just thought it would be convenient to be acquainted with an actual popular idol with experience.”

I had all the information I needed about him, so I had no reason not to use him. That, and we got along pretty well.

Chungwoo fell silent for a moment, then burst out laughing.

“Okay! Moondae, you’re the same as ever, just like Raebin.”

“…!”

“Here come the kids. Let me get the pizza.”

“Wait…”

This bastard isn’t listening. Again.

In any case, we had pizza for dinner and hung out in the studio apartment, just the four of us.

What is this, a day of meetings? Raebin was asking me if I would prefer that he called me Moondae, and I was trying to think of an acceptable excuse, when a new rumor began to spread across the internet about the LeTi survival show. And people did not like what they heard.

=======================

[See the spoilers regarding the disqualified members?]

Choi Taejun was disqualified because RC appeared

=======================

-??

- What the hell

- Who is RC?

└ The gold medalist. The archer. You know him. He’s related to Gunwoo

- Why would he appear on this show?

- This sounds so corrupt…

As the embers of a new controversy began to burn, another day of filming for the show began. A completely unexpected coincidence turned out to be waiting for us on set.