Chapter 3: Things That Don’t Make Sense

Minjeong, who belatedly turned to look at Jungwon, wore a completely different expression than when she spoke to me and pointed beyond the glass door in the hallway.

She didn’t even use her finger—she politely gestured with her palm.

“Jungwon oppa.
CEO Shin is looking for you.”

“Why.”

“I don’t know.
He just came by earlier and told me to pass it along.”

“Okay.”

If he had answered, he should have left, but Jungwon didn’t move.

His unnecessary staring made Minjeong unsure of where to look.

Just as it seemed like he might pass by, he suddenly stopped again and asked with a glance,

“What’s with the hat.”

“It’s a sponsored item this time, so you need to try it on at least once—”

Before Minjeong could even finish her sentence, Jungwon stared intently at the pink hat on my head.

Then, suddenly, he raised his hand and reached toward me.

Not understanding what he was doing, I stayed still.

His hand stopped right in front of my forehead, grabbed the brim, and pulled the hat off my head.

As the hat came off, my bangs fell messily, slightly blocking my vision.

Then he pressed it firmly onto his own head and started walking away.

“I’ll wear this.”

“Huh?
O-Okay… sure.”

Jungwon pushed the door open and disappeared out into the hallway.

I stared blankly at his back as he walked away.

Broad shoulders.

A long, straight neck.

And the pink hat pulled down over his jet-black hair.

The pink hat didn’t quite suit him, yet didn’t completely clash either—it just felt out of place.

For someone that tall and well-built, it looked too cute, which made it definitely not suit him.

Maybe Minjeong really was a stylist after all.

She clearly had an eye for things.

Still, that didn’t mean I had to wear something I didn’t like.

A stylist should at least listen to their artist’s opinion to some extent.

I gestured toward Minjeong, who silently gathered the remaining hats in her arms.

“Minjeong.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you so intimidated by Jungwon?”

“He’s intimidating.”

“What is.”

“You don’t know anything, oppa.”

“Seriously.
Then at least be a little intimidated by me too.”

“There are three colors anyway, so there’s another pink one.”

“Hey.
I’m seriously going to retire.”

“Yes, yes, go ahead.”

Even my decisive statement was brushed off as Minjeong hugged the hats and ran off to the other coordinators.

I watched the glass door swing back and forth before closing, then turned back toward the meeting room.

But more than that, Jungwon, who had gone out earlier, lingered in my mind.

Even though he shouldn’t have.

Ah.

A confession?

Our Jungwon confessed?

That’s seriously strange.

Could anything be stranger than this?

Why me?

My thoughts were completely stuck on that.

The meeting room was even more chaotic than before.

I glanced over the papers left on my seat and sat down.

It was a rough comeback schedule.

Even knowing that only the reserved items would actually be followed and everything else would fall apart, I read through it anyway.

Recording schedule.

Fittings.

Planned appearances.

Even the music video schedule.

When was the music video shoot again?

When were we doing hair?

As I was going through those small details, Yeonho hyung, who had been sitting across from me, stood up.

Hyuk hyung, our manager, took off his glasses and wiped them as he asked,

“Yeonho, where are you going?”

“I have an appointment.”

“What appointment?”

“It’s something important, but the meeting went on longer than expected, so I’ll head out first.”

“How can the leader leave already?
We’re not done yet.”

“I won’t be late next time.”

“Are you serious right now?”

Yeonho hyung smoothly brushed it off, gave each of us a gentle farewell, and then quickly walked out the door.

I could faintly hear the manager hyung sigh.

We had all grown too independent, and a single road manager couldn’t control us anymore.

Even Hwan, who had been sitting properly, slouched almost instantly.

There was another new tattoo on his rolled-up sleeve.

If the team leader saw that, there’d be another lecture.

Thinking that, I looked around again, but the team leader didn’t seem like they were coming back anytime soon either.

Well, they were busy taking care of the new trainees debuting soon, so why would they pay much attention here?

They probably only showed up earlier because of Jungwon.

And now even Jungwon had gone up to the CEO’s office.

Anyway, the atmosphere had already turned into an informal dismissal, so I stood up again.

I still stuffed the schedule sheet into my pocket.

“Jaeha, where are you going now?”

“I’ve got somewhere to be too.”

“What appointment do you have?”

“Seungwoo.”

“Don’t drink and go home.
You need to manage yourself.”

“Yeees.”

Why was I always the one getting told to shrivel myself down?

I almost argued back, but instead just gave a faint smile.

‘I’m definitely going to drink.’

‘Why am I always the one getting told what to do?’

Why not say something to the leader who already left?

As I pulled the door open, it opened from the other side first, and Jungwon walked in.

Seeing me about to leave, he asked,

“Where are you going?”

“Just.”

“He’s going to see Ji Seungwoo.”

Hyuk hyung, who was tidying up, answered in an unnecessarily annoyed tone.

Muttered complaints followed behind it.

Things like how could I be thinking of meeting another group’s member when our comeback was coming up.

Even though Yeonho hyung was the one who had already left, somehow I ended up taking the heat.

Using that voice as background noise, I waved my phone and stepped out into the hallway, typing a message.

[Finished early]

I had originally planned to meet after the meeting ended anyway, but I felt too unsettled.

‘Guess I’ll start drinking early.’

As if he had just finished working out, Seungwoo showed up quickly in his car.

His hair was slightly damp, and he was dressed in a tracksuit, looking like an unemployed guy from the neighborhood.

Well, when we didn’t have work, we were basically no different from that anyway.

There was a time when I stayed home for a while, and I looked exactly like my younger sibling who had been idly preparing for civil service exams for years.

Thinking about home gave me a headache again.

After riding in Seungwoo’s car and circling a few alleys, we found a bar that had opened early.

The place had just started business, and there wasn’t a single person inside as we entered a partitioned booth in the corner.

Before the food even arrived, I opened the soju and poured a glass.

Seungwoo, who had been drinking water, raised an eyebrow dramatically as he watched me.

“Wow.
How much are you planning to drink?”

“Just because.”

“Why.
Something bothering you?”

“No.”

“What did you do today?”

“Our album meeting.”

“How was it?”

“It was whatever.”

Not that things weren’t going well, but…

I paused, trying to find the right words.

It felt like everything was twisted beyond recognition, with no clear beginning or end.

After taking a sip, I fiddled with the bottle cap before tossing out the words.

“You know.”

“Yeah?”

“Should I retire?”

“What would you even do if you retire?”

“Hmm….”

Seungwoo asked casually while chewing on the basic side dish.

Good question.

What would I do?

I hadn’t thought that far.

As I tried to pour another drink, he raised his hand to stop me.

“Yeah, what would I do?”

“You’re retiring without even thinking about it?”

“I’ll figure something out.
Or maybe I’ll just spend a thousand won a day with what I’ve saved.”

“As if.”

Yeah, a thousand won a day was a bit much.

Just as I thought he was taking the bottle away, he ended up pouring me a drink himself.

I thought he was going to tell me to slow down, but apparently not.

He downed a shot, grimaced, then after some thought said,

“Hey.
Compose songs for me.”

“How would I even make a living doing that?”

“I’ll provide room and board.”

“You?”

“Yeah.
I’ll clear out my workspace, so you can compose there.”

“You bastard, that’s basically making me a live-in maid.”

At my words, he just laughed like an idiot.

So he was serious.

What a guy, trying to make me work for him.

Before the food even arrived, we had already finished almost a bottle of soju.

It wasn’t like I was drinking completely on an empty stomach.

I had peeled some beans and picked at them, trying at least a little not to get drunk too fast.

But when the dish turned out to be spicy fish roe soup, I stared at the steaming broth and set my spoon back down.

Seeing that, Seungwoo quickly pressed the call button to summon staff again.

“You’re not eating the soup?”

“Yeah.
I bloat easily.
You okay?”

“I just wrapped up a variety show recently.
I do have a photoshoot next week, but I’ll just bulk up right before it.”

“Must be nice.
I want chicken skewers.”

“At this rate, you’ll turn into a chicken.
Just eat and burn it off.”

Seungwoo always said things like that even while ordering extra food for me.

Strictly speaking, I should be drinking without eating at all, but I didn’t feel like doing that.

I stared blankly at the spoon he held out right in front of my mouth, then shook my head.

The spicy aroma already felt like it was irritating my bitter mouth.

“Forget it.
I’ll just manage things properly this one last time.”

“You’re really going to retire?”

“I told you, I am.”

“Then composing is the way to go.
Right, Mr. Lead Vocal?”

“Since when does being a lead vocal mean you can compose?
And apparently, I don’t have talent.”

“Who said that?”

Well…

Do I really have to say that myself?

Just to ruin the mood?

Plenty of people had said it.

I stirred the untouched soup absentmindedly as I thought about it.

Every comment section online said the same thing.

Even the company’s composer had told me I wasn’t good enough.

“Everyone says that.”

“You always remember stuff like that but forget when people praise you.
Then again, we’re all like that.”

“I really don’t remember.”

“Not even when I was practically spitting while praising your guide recording?”

“Did you?”