By Zephyria “Mi-jin Noona, I’m asking you a favor.””
Mi-jin Noona, who manages our team’s SNS in the content team, was meticulous in filtering posts.
“Tae-kyung, the pictures you took with Yeon-du have already been around the community several times yesterday. It’s old news now. Got it?”
“I know that too. I just want to upload one picture. Please upload just one that you like, Noona. Okay?”
“Okay. Since Tae-kyung wants it, I’ll do it.”
Perhaps because it was my request, as I usually didn’t make any special requests, the photo was uploaded quickly.
#SweetGirls #Yeon-du #SameAgeFriends
Fortunately, the fans’ reactions were not bad. Many fans seemed to find it admirable that I was building connections in the entertainment industry.
And 30 minutes after the photo was uploaded, I received a call from Sung Se-han.
―Tae-kyung, you don’t have any special schedule this evening, right?
Today, I had no other schedule other than filming dance content in the afternoon. But hearing Sung Se-han’s shameless tone, the anger that I thought had already died down flared up again.
“I do.”
―Then I’ll wait until you’re done.
Sung Se-han continued to speak calmly despite my sarcastic tone.
―Let’s have dinner together and talk. We haven’t finished our conversation from yesterday.
Suddenly, I got angry because that Sung Se-han bastard brought up yesterday’s events. Scenes that I had been trying not to think about came to mind, and I shook my head urgently.
No. I won’t be swayed by this guy anymore.
“That’s my schedule. I’m going to have dinner with Yeon-du.”
I even threw in a reckless lie because I was annoyed that he had called after seeing the Instagram upload but didn’t even mention it.
―Wow. You’ve grown a lot, Lee Tae-kyung. Eating dinner with a female idol.
I clenched the phone in my hand because I was angry at his relaxed voice.
“Yeah. I’m going to have dinner with Yeon-du, so I don’t have time to meet you.”
―But, didn’t Sweet Girls go to Japan this morning for their schedule?
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head and closed my eyes tightly. Ha…! Damn it.
―Ah, did Yeon-du Sunbae stay in Korea? To have dinner with you?
“Sung Se-han.”
I pressed my fingertip against the bridge of my nose and calmed my head.
“I’m saying I don’t want to meet you. Can’t you understand?”
Hmm. Sung Se-han let out a light breath. At that moment, I was annoyed at myself for being nervous and roughly swept back my hair.
“Yeon-du is a new friend I’ve made, so I’m going to pay attention to her from now on. So, even if the time I spend with you decreases a bit, I hope you understand.”
The childish Sung Se-han who especially hated me making other friends.
I remembered the twelve-year-old Sung Se-han who only wanted me to look at him and listen to his performances and songs.
I wanted to torment Sung Se-han even more childishly than that.
It was too unfair that I was always the only one worrying and having a hard time. So, I wanted him to be troubled by me even a little bit.
“Yeon-du is the first girlfriend I’ve made.”
―…….
My heart was pounding while Sung Se-han remained silent. Like someone waiting for a verdict.
―I really can’t listen to this.
Sung Se-han’s tone, which had lost its smile, became prickly. Without realizing it, I licked my dry lips with my tongue.
“What…?”
―Tae-kyung. Do you like making me feel bad so deliberately, so deliberately?
“Is it my fault that your mood fluctuates?”
―If you come out like this, I can’t stay gentle either, Tae-kyung.
“Wow, were you being gentle?”
It was really funny, but I couldn’t laugh. It was because what Sung Se-han was saying didn’t sound like an empty threat.
―Tae-kyung, I’ll be in the studio, so come as soon as your schedule is over.
I snorted at his arrogant tone, as if he was giving me a chance.
“I said 1 minute ago that I don’t want to meet you.”
―Okay.
I looked at the phone with a dazed feeling after the call was abruptly cut off.
I felt relieved because it seemed like I had gotten one over on Sung Se-han… but somehow, a sense of unease remained. In fact, Sung Se-han was one step ahead of me when it came to holding grudges. And it was quite childish….
“Damn it, what is he going to do.”
Leaving behind the uneasiness, I moved to the studio for my afternoon schedule. After finishing filming the dance video content, we immediately returned to the practice room.
I stayed until the very end to forget my distractions and devoted myself to practice until I collapsed.
It was after 3 AM when I turned on my phone that I realized what Sung Se-han had done.
He had brazenly uploaded a rap containing curses on Dream, the app for communicating with fans.
I shuddered at the chilling sensation that countless people I couldn’t identify were criticizing me.
Because of that damn Sung Se-han bastard’s rap.
I knew that quite a few of Sung Se-han’s fans were subscribed to my Dream, but I didn’t know that the number was this high.
Sung Se-han’s fans even pay for content, and only today did I realize that confirming my dream isn’t just because they like me.
For some reason, I felt a chill down my spine.
[Inferiority Score has increased by +1.]
[Inferiority Score has increased by +1.]
[Current Inferiority Score for Lee Tae-kyung is being provided.]
[Congratulations! 13 points!]
[Reduce Lee Tae-kyung’s inferiority to 0 (zero) to escape the risk of death.]
Moreover, my Inferiority Score, which had been quiet, even rose, making me feel like I would collapse from stress.
But.
Still, I calm my mind. Even today.
Until Sung Se-han is out of danger, I have to live with the mind of a Taoist.
‘Jae-yi,’ the center of ‘Secret Garden,’ was the most noticed man wherever he went.
From the time he started walking until now, at 23, when he became an idol.
People’s attention was always focused on him, so it was so natural that he never felt uncomfortable, nor did he particularly show off.
However, Jae-yi always had to experience the unpleasant feeling of people’s attention leaving him and being greatly dispersed whenever he met Sung Se-han.
Also, he always had to maintain his composure while watching Sung Se-han suck up the ardent gazes that should have been directed at him like a funnel.
As Grandmother taught, he shouldn’t lose his dignity.
Just like right now.
Jae-yi was currently attending the ‘Adrian Cole,’ a high-end watch brand, VIP dinner party.
Adrian Cole was Jae-yi’s favorite brand, as he loved watches. He had been waiting for this opportunity to try on the rumored new product first, but he didn’t expect to meet Sung Se-han here.
Of course, even if he had known, he wouldn’t have been absent.
He couldn’t miss Adrian Cole’s dinner party, which selects and invites only 50 celebrities, just because he wanted to avoid Sung Se-han.
From the moment he entered the large party hall with a black concept, Jae-yi enjoyed everything about the party.
He felt on top of the world when he drank champagne and listened to the speech by the CEO from the Swiss headquarters. However, his mood began to decline when the CEO came to the center table, toasted with Kang Robin, and finished the opening.
Kang Robin and Sung Se-han appeared wearing matching black suits, as if competing to see who was more outstanding.
Due to the aura of the two, an optical illusion unfolded where the nearby celebrities, including the models, were all downgraded to below average.
Very unpleasantly, Jae-yi was not confident that he could receive attention even if he stood side by side with those two. That fact made him genuinely unpleasant.
Well, it would have been overwhelming to deal with Sung Se-han alone, but what more could be said when he appeared as a set with Kang Robin?
“Jae-yi, it’s been a long time.”
Just as Jae-yi was about to put a piece of tenderloin steak in his mouth, thinking he should just have a quiet meal, someone came to the table.
It was Seul-bi Noona, the youngest daughter of Jeong Yu-seon, the President of the leading fashion industry, who was five years older than Jae-yi. They had known each other since they were young, but he couldn’t say they were close, so Jae-yi gave her a perfunctory smile.
“Seul-bi Noona, it’s been a while.”
“Jae-yi.”
Seul-bi, who was sitting on an oval sofa, moved closer to Jae-yi and whispered.
“You’re close to Sung Se-han, right?”
He sighed inwardly at the question that didn’t deviate from his expectations. When he put down his knife and fork, Seul-bi Noona looked at him with an expectant face.
She was already pretty, but Seul-bi Noona, who was adorned with luxury brands from her mini dress to her jewelry, was truly a dazzling beauty today.
But even so, she wouldn’t be able to attract Sung Se-han’s attention.
“Seul-bi Noona, I think Robin Sunbae is more suitable for Noona than Se-han?”
“Why? Do I look old?”
Jae-yi whispered kindly to Seul-bi Noona, who was surprised.
“Old? Noona. Don’t you know Sunbae has a lot of teenage fans?”
“I used to think Kang Robin was the most handsome.”
Suddenly, Seul-bi Noona looked back with a tearful face. Jae-yi followed Seul-bi’s gaze and looked at Kang Robin and Sung Se-han, who were drinking wine in the center.
They were just leaning back on the sofa, but people were constantly coming and going from the table to greet them.
Seeing the general manager paying the most attention to the center table, it was almost as if they were the hosts of this party.
“But seeing Sung Se-han in person is really unbelievable. He’s so my type…!”
Seul-bi whispered, linking her arm with Jae-yi’s.
“Jae-yi, tell me honestly. Does Sung Se-han have a girlfriend?”