By Zephyria ‘Stop threatening me.’
My body, which had been retreating as if running away, froze.
‘Hit me instead. Why are you destroying valuable furniture?’
I hurriedly covered my mouth. I couldn’t miss a single word of Sung Se-han’s voice because of my own.
‘Why do I have to live the way you want me to?’
‘Fuck!’
‘Why me!’
I couldn’t bear to hear Sung Se-han’s scream for the first time and collapsed.
Step. Step. Step…
The sound of footsteps walking somewhere continued endlessly.
I could tell. Sung Se-han was walking somewhere.
‘What about Lee Tae-kyung?’
“Gasp…!”
A groan burst out the moment my name was called.
‘I should have stopped him from becoming an idol in the first place.’
‘I can’t stand to see Lee Tae-kyung create a team without me.’
‘Should I cut everything off right now so he can’t do anything…?’
It was a frighteningly cold voice that didn’t convey any emotion.
I couldn’t believe Sung Se-han’s unfamiliar way of speaking, and my body trembled. I grabbed something to support my body. It was a cold stone floor.
“Se-han…!”
What is all this…? What, what is this…
[Well, that’s all!]
[The genius idol Sung Se-han’s debut celebration event has been successfully completed!]
[We will reward you with better items next time…]
“Wait, wait! Just a moment!”
My will to get up was thwarted by my trembling legs. I glared at the Status Window while sitting down pathetically.
“What is all that about? If it’s a reward, you should tell me what it means!”
[Warning.]
The red letters of the Status Window grew larger. I swallowed nervously.
[Lee Tae-kyung is advised not to attempt to communicate with the Status Window.]
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
This time, I got up and clenched my fists.
“You can say whatever you want, but why can’t I!”
‘Why do I have to live the way you want me to?’
Sung Se-han’s cry echoed louder and louder in my ears.
‘Why me!’
My heart felt like it was going to explode, so I grabbed my chest, but it was no use. I felt like I couldn’t bear it unless I resolved this uneasy question right away.
“You have to tell me why Se-han is suffering so much! You have to tell me what happened so I can help Se-han…”
[We will now inform you of Lee Tae-kyung’s Inferiority Score.]
[Congratulations! 11 points!]
[We will reduce Lee Tae-kyung’s inferiority to 0 (zero) to avoid the risk of an accident.]
I glared at the Status Window, which told me to shut up and reduce my inferiority to 0, and let out a hollow laugh.
“Do you have any proof?”
[……]
The moment I felt the Status Window waver, I raised my voice even more.
“Se-han has never spoken in that voice before. Do you have any proof that that’s Se-han’s voice?”
[A penalty will be given to Lee Tae-kyung for violating the warning.]
“Wait, what?”
Penalty…? You’re giving me a penalty for trying to communicate?
[Choose: Lee Tae-kyung’s face / Lee Tae-kyung’s hand]
You’ve got to be kidding me. At this point, I was also filled with spite.
“Anything. Face or hand, choose whatever you want.”
[If you have difficulty choosing, we will do it for you. Drum roll.]
[Congratulations! Lee Tae-kyung’s face!]
I clenched my fists and approached the Status Window.
“Okay, good job. From now on, give me any penalty you want. If you hurt Sung Se-han again, I will never let you get away with it.”
[……]
I felt like I could only calm down if I made even a ridiculous threat.
I glared at the Status Window and turned around. I was confident in my stamina, but if I held on any longer, I felt like I would collapse here and end up homeless.
Step by step. The sound of footsteps leaving the park echoed loudly.
[How to prevent the death of the genius idol Sung Se-han.]
Pause. The moment I stopped, silence fell.
[Nothing can be obtained for free.]
I frowned and turned around. The red Status Window was still there.
“What did I get for free…”
[You can pay the price with your heart or will.]
[You can receive one more reward with Lee Tae-kyung’s will to ‘I will get hurt instead of Sung Se-han’.]
I can get one more reward with my will?
[We will inform you of the three most precious things to the genius idol Sung Se-han.]
My heart, which had gradually been finding peace, thumped again. The three most precious things to Sung Se-han…!
I quickly checked the Status Window with urgent eyes.
[Lim Hyun-jung]
Ah, Auntie. What Sung Se-han cherishes the most… Of course. Auntie raised Se-han like her own son…
[Kang Robin]
Huh? The expression on my excited face disappeared in an instant.
“Kang Robin…?”
I couldn’t hide my embarrassment because such an unexpected name came up.
It seemed like Sung Se-han made friends easily, but he mostly treated them superficially and rarely gave his heart to anyone. I knew that fact best, having watched him.
But in that short amount of time, Kang Robin became one of Sung Se-han’s most precious people…
[Lee Tae-kyung]
Ah…! The moment I confirmed my name, something hot was poured over my heart. It spread throughout my body in an instant.
I pressed down on my chest, trying to calm the unnamable trembling.
Sung Se-han’s most precious thing. Lee Tae-kyung among them.
For some reason, I can’t breathe properly.
[See you again soon with better events!]
The Status Window disappeared, but my fluttering heart didn’t calm down.
“No, wait a minute…! Lee Tae-kyung, this is not the time to be like this.”
There are more than one or two things I need to think about calmly. Let’s cool down my head.
“Now… let’s think.”
I walked unsteadily and sat down on a nearby bench.
I had to start by organizing the noise I heard first. It was definitely the sound of throwing or breaking something heavy.
‘Stop threatening me.’
Was Sung Se-han being threatened…?
‘Hit me instead. Why are you destroying valuable furniture?’
“Crazy, don’t say such ridiculous things!”
Someone physically assaulting Sung Se-han…? I shuddered at the terrible thought.
I couldn’t bear the fact that Se-han was being threatened. It felt like a chill was running through my body.
“I’m really going crazy…”
Why wasn’t I there?
Why wasn’t I by Se-han’s side? We were always together.
“Sung Se-han, what am I to you anyway?”
He makes me think we’re the closest, but he doesn’t tell me anything important.
Maybe… an adult like Kang Robin would be more reliable than me.
“Stop.”
Let’s stop here before I have any more ridiculous thoughts.
Contrary to my will to get up, I couldn’t put any strength into my body. I grabbed the cold bench and got up, but I had to pull myself together because my legs kept collapsing.
“It’s too late. I have to go back quickly.”
I had to go back to where the members were waiting, to the practice room where I should be. I took a strong step, but a chilly wind blew somewhere in my heart.
I hate that I have no ability.
I just felt that way.
*
When I arrived at the practice room, it was already close to 2 a.m.
When I opened the door to the lit practice room, my younger brothers, who were wiping the floor, greeted me.
“Tae-kyung Hyung!”
“Tae-kyung Hyung! You’re here?”
“Hyung, you came early?”
I felt guilty when I saw my younger brothers putting on brighter faces. But I smiled with a bright face as if there was nothing to worry about.
“What’s wrong, guys? Are you already cleaning up before 2 o’clock?”
“I told them to stop here for today.”
Gun-woo Hyung, who had gone to the bathroom, followed me in.
“Ah, Gun-woo Hyung. I’m back.”
“Okay, Tae-kyung. You must be tired too, so for today…”
Gun-woo Hyung, who was patting my shoulder, suddenly hardened his face.
“Tae-kyung! You…”
“Yes? Gun-woo Hyung…?”
I was surprised by Gun-woo Hyung’s shout and looked around.
“Gun-woo Hyung, what’s wrong…”
Gun-woo Hyung grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the practice room. I was dragged out into the hallway in a daze, and Gun-woo Hyung’s face was flushed red.
“Gun-woo Hyung, what’s wrong all of a sudden?”
“Come here.”
Gun-woo Hyung took me to the bathroom. I was dragged to the bathroom and was still clueless.
“Hyung, what’s wrong? Why are you doing this?”
“Tae-kyung, look in the mirror.”
Gun-woo Hyung, who was holding my shoulders from behind, pushed my body towards the mirror.
Why the mirror…? I looked around, wondering if there was something on my face, but there was nothing particularly strange.
“Gun-woo Hyung, there’s nothing on my face…”
The moment I was about to turn around to look at Gun-woo Hyung, my gaze suddenly fell on one spot.
“Huh?”
What caught my eye was the red marks on the left side of my neck.
“Why is this happening…?”
I pulled down my hood and leaned my shoulder towards the mirror to see it in more detail.
“Is it hives? It doesn’t itch… it’s a little sore?”
Huff. Gun-woo Hyung sighed from behind.
“Tae-kyung, isn’t that a hickey?”