Chapter 84: Stress Abnormality

“Anyway, both interpretations are plausible, but since the rumor was proven to be fabricated, just ignore the people who insist it’s a problem.”

“But there are still so many people who don’t believe it.

What if our team’s image gets worse because of me…”

Still looking uneasy, Chae Han-ul mumbled and trailed off, his expression gloomy.

“If something like that could ruin our image, it would have gotten ruined somehow anyway, so don’t worry.

If you want to protect our image, first focus on doing well on today’s recording.”

He tapped the crumpled lyric sheet in front of Han-ul with his fingertip, and Han-ul’s head followed it down.

Still seeing his downcast expression, he decided to drive the point home.

“And if you’re the problem, then so am I.”

It was a bit sneaky, but he planned to take just a little advantage of Han-ul’s lovestruck heart.

“No!

Jae-seo hyung absolutely isn’t…

So I’ll decide I’m not either!”

The method worked like a charm.

“I’ll work super hard!”

Han-ul shouted with a determined face, then bowed his head as if diving into the lyrics and began to concentrate.

At least that’s one worry off my mind, he thought, and lowered his gaze to his own lyric sheet.

As he opened his mouth to loosen the surrounding muscles, a pen suddenly poked out from beside him and tapped his sheet.

He turned his head to see Kwak Jun-sung subtly raising his chin toward the far end of the table.

Following his gesture, he saw Park Seo-hu at the end, staring at his lyric sheet with a sharp expression.

He had been looking deflated all day; what was going on?

As he wondered, Jun-sung’s pen began writing something on the edge of his lyric sheet.

‘Seems like he snapped out of it after hearing what you told Han-ul.

The bit about focusing on the recording first.’

…Ah, so for Seo-hu, the words “just do well on the recording” were the catalyst, while for Han-ul it was the talk about “me”.

What was meant to cheer up Han-ul ended up improving Seo-hu’s mood too—an unexpected double whammy.

Jun-sung, who had seemed to be watching Seo-hu ever since, probably thinking Seo-hu’s deflated mood over the rumor was his own fault for mentioning it, wrote ‘Thanks’ on his lyric sheet.

He shook his head, meaning he hadn’t really done anything, and Jun-sung continued writing.

‘Anyway, after the recording, let’s talk.’

Jun-sung put down the pen and tilted his head toward the sofa where Seo Jun-jae was sitting.

Only then did he remember the phone call in the car, and a sigh escaped him.

He looked up from Jun-sung’s note, but Jun-sung had his face buried in his own lyric sheet, as if he’d never spoken to him.

He stared at Jun-sung with uneasy eyes, then let out a long exhale.

…At this rate, the one who would ruin their team’s image by messing up the recording might end up being him.

***

“Jae-seo hyung!”

Lee Chan-seo called his name as he came out of the recording booth.

At the added words “you’re next,” he immediately stood up.

After fluttering his lips one last time to loosen them, he entered the booth.

“Hello.”

As he stepped inside and greeted, Randy Kim turned to him and raised his hand.

“Oh!

Jae-seo!”

“Wow, it’s amazing to see you in person up close after only watching on TV.

I really enjoyed your ‘A Letter’ stage.”

“Ah, thank you!”

Flustered by the sudden compliment, he bowed again.

“Then shall we give recording a try?”

At Randy’s words, he approached the door leading to the inner booth.

Pushing open the heavy door, he headed toward the installed microphone.

He put on the mounted headphones, and soon after a few words of instruction, the accompaniment for ‘Me and Me’ began to play.

He opened his mouth to the beat.

“Hmm…”

After singing his part and the chorus, Randy let out a long sound of dissatisfaction.

And it made sense; even he thought his singing just now was terrible.

“Shall we try just the first part again?”

“Ah, yes!”

He thought he had sung just like usual, so why was this happening?

Tilting his head, he puffed out his cheeks to loosen the surrounding muscles.

Then the accompaniment started again, and at some point while singing,

“A brand new world unfolooolds!”

The ending note cracked horribly—a so-called voice crack, the first he’d experienced since starting to sing six months ago.

He hurriedly bowed his head toward Randy beyond the glass and spoke.

“I’m sorry.

Let me try again.”

Randy waved his hand as if to say it was fine, and soon the accompaniment started again.

And once more, he went off pitch on the same part.

It was a part he had sung without major issues even while dancing, so he was so flustered that he just stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face.

Randy’s voice came through the headphones, snapping him out of it.

“It’s okay, let’s try again!”

He sang the same part over and over, and each time, he kept going off pitch.

Even Randy, who had initially reassured and comforted him, was now looking just as flustered as he was.

“Jae-seo, are you feeling a bit off?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Do you want to rest a bit and try again?”

Though it sounded like a suggestion, the tone was firm, so he nodded and walked out of the booth.

He called Park Seo-hu, who was next, pointed to the booth, then quietly slipped out of the studio a little while later.

He thought about going down the stairs to get some fresh air.

Ding-

The 「Please Take Care of My Idol」 notification echoed through the empty building hallway.

Could the voice crack just now have been caused by something in the game?

He quickly turned around and headed for the bathroom inside the building.

He went into the farthest stall and launched the game.

Soon, a message window appeared over the familiar screen.

[Your stress is too high.

A status abnormality has occurred.]

It was a message he had received once before, after the grade re-evaluation video shoot during the first camp.

That time it was ‘fatigue’, but anyway.

…So what am I supposed to do?

Back then, an additional message saying he needed rest had appeared, but this time it was completely silent.

In 「Please Take Care of My Idol」, you could relieve stress by buying food or items from in-game shops or going out, but there was no shop function in this game, and going out was only possible on weekends.

He had to fix this somehow before his next turn came up…

After a moment’s thought, he decided to go to the convenience store and buy something like chocolate.

He stepped out of the stall, and at the same time, he heard the bathroom door open with a creak.

As he came out, he made eye contact with Yeo Hyun-tae, who was coming in.

“Jae-seo, there you are.

The composer was looking for you.”

The moment he heard that, his mind went blank.

He hadn’t even tried anything yet; what should he do?

As he stood there frozen with a flustered expression, Hyun-tae quickly added,

“Ah, Woo-rim went in first, so don’t worry.”

Not knowing the situation, Hyun-tae thought he was flustered because he couldn’t respond to Randy’s call, and told him there was still time.

The word ‘chocolate’ popped into his head.

He didn’t know if it would work, but he felt he had to try something.

Just as he was about to move quickly, his right foot slipped backward, and his upper body began to fall forward.

…Here we go again with this crazy perverted psycho game.

And of all times, at such a busy, stressful moment.

Unable to extend either leg to catch his balance or arm to brace the floor, he stiffened like a block of wood and started to topple over.

But the one silver lining was that Hyun-tae was right in front of him.

In situations like this, Hyun-tae had always caught him.

“Jae-seo, are you okay?”

Sure enough, Hyun-tae rushed over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him as if to prevent him from falling.

And at that moment,

Ding-

The 「Please Take Care of My Idol」 notification sound reached his ears, quiet but distinct.

…What notification is that all of a sudden?

He was curious, but with Hyun-tae standing right in front of him, he couldn’t check immediately.

Thinking he would send Hyun-tae off first and then check, he placed his hand over the large one still gripping his shoulder, intending to step back.

Ding-

Another notification rang.

…No way?

A strange thought suddenly crossed his mind.

In this crazy perverted psycho game, where he had to have s*x with men, the way to relieve stress might be…

Ding-

As he reached out and wrapped his arm around Hyun-tae’s waist, another notification sounded.

At that moment, he was certain.

…Ah, so the answer was physical touch, after all.

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