T/N: whelp, I’ll do my best to get to the last translated chapter xD
Heewook was doing all right in his own way.
The idol group he belonged to, Two Planet (2Planet), was in a situation where it was hard to say their prospects were bright, even as a lie. Even so, he was not depressed.
Even when the new song they had spent months preparing failed to enter the top 100 of the charts, even when repeated comebacks brought almost no new faces and even the number of existing fans visibly declined, even when a peer group that debuted the same time took first place on a music show and he could only clap from the dark.
Heewook believed things would be fine as they were. Realistically, out of one hundred idol teams that debuted, maybe one or two barely became known to the public, and the bottom several dozen could scarcely even stand on the opening stage of music shows.
Now in their fourth year since debut, Two Planet had steadily put out albums and always performed in the middle order of all the music shows, including the three major terrestrial broadcasters, during promotion periods. Outside of broadcasts, they were invited to stand on stage at all kinds of local events.
Although every album release cost a tremendous amount of money, they could cover a certain amount of debt with event fees. It was not at the level of worrying about tomorrow.
He was sure they were in the upper middle tier of the industry, and if they kept working hard, Two Planet would go from strength to strength. Heewook firmly believed that.
“Off work!”
At an event venue in Paju, the members of Two Planet, having finished their stage, hurried toward the parking lot. Among them, Jaegyu stretched and shouted loudly.
Heewook got into the car and leaned his body deep into the seat. The intro of a girl group’s new song, along with cheers, faintly rang in his ears. The majority of the audience filling the large venue had been waiting for them.
Having slept barely at all the previous night, Heewook squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. The manager was the last to climb into the van and started the engine. Heewook looked around at the members. Everyone was busy staring at their own phones. Heewook also took out his phone and opened SNS.
Not long ago, with the company’s permission, all the members had opened personal SNS accounts. There were DMs from fans again today. Heewook opened the message at the very top.
[YK_woogie: Heewook oppa! You worked so hard on today’s schedule too. I am in the United States, so I cannot go in person, so I kept looking up photos and fancams, and you were really cool today as well. I hope you come back soon so I can see you on music shows! I really really love you ㅠ I always support you! -Yoo-gyeong-]
As he skimmed the various hearts attached to the exclamation points, Heewook closed his eyes.
He mentally gauged the age of the fan named Yoo-gyeong. About to enter high school, maybe. A strange smile lingered at the corner of his mouth, like when you see a cousin who grows a bunch every holiday. Heewook recalled when his ardent fan, Yoo-gyeong, used to come to see him in person.
It was less than a month after Two Planet debuted, and at the time, Yoo-gyeong was only fourteen.
“I want oppa to be loved more than you are now.”
The girl with her cap pulled low spoke from in front of Heewook, who had just finished signing and lifted his head. Skin that looked tanned by the sun, straight black hair down to her shoulders. A husky voice flowed from between cherry-like lips.
“Because I want to see you for a very long time.”
“Yoo-gyeong…”
When Heewook called her name, the girl snapped her head up. On the day she first came to a fansign, when he asked the timid kid her name, she had mumbled “Yoo-gyeong…” So Heewook did not know her family name. Usually, when writing “To” above a signature, he wrote only the two characters of the given name without the family name, so there was no way to know fans’ surnames, and it was not especially important anyway.
“If you promise you will keep cheering for me, maybe it will be possible, right?”
The clear eyes hidden in the shade of the cap sparkled. Strength returned to shoulders that had been drooping without energy. Clenching her fist tight on the table, Yoo-gyeong nodded hard.
“Of course. Even if Two Planet becomes so insanely popular that it is hard to come see you, I will keep liking you.”
At the resolute look in her eyes, Heewook held his breath for a moment. It felt like starlight was pouring from the black, bright eyes.
She was a young and small kid, but the great affection and adoration he felt from the fan hit Heewook with a thud, as if overwhelming him. His chest swelled up and he almost choked, but he steadied his breathing as if nothing were wrong and smiled gently.
“Right. When you become an adult, you have to keep liking me, okay, Yoo-gyeong?”
She quickly nodded.
“It will be forever.”
The intense affirmation was gratifying, but in truth, Heewook did not believe the word forever one hundred percent.
Yoo-gyeong was a kid who had come following her older sister, a fan of Two Planet. She was only fourteen, just out of elementary school, so as she interacted with friends, her interests would diversify, and as she focused on her studies, it would be hard to continue active fan activities. Then as she got older, she would surely forget a male idol nine years older than herself.
However, unexpectedly, Yoo-gyeong kept coming regularly for a year. She attended every fansign along with her older sister, Kyungjin. She always pulled her cap low, wore a baggy hoodie, and let her straight hair hang over her shoulders.
The last time Heewook saw Yoo-gyeong was when she was fifteen and he was twenty-four.
“Yoo-gyeong, you have gotten really tall. You might be taller than our youngest member.”
It was the first fansign after releasing their third mini album. After about three months between promotions when they had not seen each other, the Yoo-gyeong he met after a while looked depressed that day. When he casually said it looked like her face was higher than before as she came over from the next member, she flinched and then let out a big sigh.
“Hello.”
“Why does your voice sound like that? Did you catch a cold?”
“No!”
Her voice had always been husky, but as it sounded particularly hoarse, he asked, and she started in surprise. Seeing Heewook’s widened eyes, she hastily waved her hands.
“No, yes. That is right.”
Quickly correcting herself, she took a deep breath. Heewook smiled and signed the album.
“To. Always pretty Yoo-gyeong.” As he carefully wrote even adjectives she had not specifically asked for above the signature, a heavy voice dropped over his head.
“Oppa.”
“Yeah?”
“I cannot come anymore.”
Startled by the gloomy voice, Heewook lifted his face.
“Because of studying?”
“No, more like…”
With her head down, she bit her lower lip.
“I am going somewhere. Not moving houses. Stu…studying abroad.”
“Studying abroad?”
While nodding her head as she looked at the floor, she suddenly met his eyes.
“Even so, I am not quitting being your fan. I will keep supporting you. I will write letters too.”
It was a great pity to hear a farewell from a fan who had come consistently, but as an adult, he could not make a young fan feel uncomfortable. Heewook smiled faintly.
“Studying abroad sounds cool. I am jealous. You have to let me know how you are doing.”
“Yes…”
“When you visit Korea later, you must come see me. I will not forget your face until then.”
“…Really?”
With a face that looked like she might cry, she stared straight at him.
“Of course.”
When Heewook held out his pinky finger, she hesitated for a moment and then hooked her finger with his. Usually chatty about all sorts of things, she was quiet that day, looked only at his face, and then left.
After that, instead of coming in person, she left messages every day.
She wrote letters on the “To. 2Planet” board of the official fan cafe and left secret comments on the posts Heewook put up on “From. 2Planet.” In various ways, her messages piled up day after day without a single miss.
[Thank you for uploading a selfie, Heewook oppa. You are really handsome. Thanks to you, today looks like it will be a refreshing day too. Thank you!]
After Heewook opened his personal SNS, DMs began to arrive.
[YK_woogie: The outfit was really pretty! As expected, Sung Heewook fits red perfectly. The new choreography must have been hard to get used to, but you did it so naturally without awkwardness. Really.. there is nothing you cannot do, cute and sexy ㅠㅠ]
On days with stage schedules, feedback on his stages flew in.
[YK_woogie: How was your day today? I was so busy and tired today… ㅠ I even got scolded by the teacher… ha ㅠㅠ I want to go see 2Planet]
On days without content to leave impressions on, there were small stories from her daily life.
[YK_woogie: I am sorry, I feel like when something depressing happens I keep coming here to whine… ㅠ Even so, I always hope only good things happen to oppa]
He could not reply, but Heewook read the fans’ messages every day.
He had never once found it bothersome. At the enthusiastic words of support, he forgot his fatigue and laughed, and when something depressing came in, he frowned with worry, and at words wishing him luck, his chest tightened.
Reading the supportive messages sent by fans, including Yoo-gyeong, was the strength that sustained each of Heewook’s days.
“Arrived. Everybody out. Good work.”
In front of the villa where Two Planet’s dorm was located. The members got out of the car one after another. Heewook was the last to get out and glanced toward the passenger side. It was only when the members who got out first were at the front door entering the passcode that the passenger door finally opened late.
Unlike the other members, whose whole bodies were soaked with sweat from dancing, who fell asleep like they had passed out during the ride so their hair and clothes were all a mess, Yoonmin got out of the passenger seat neat from head to toe.
Watching him leisurely fasten his shirt cuff buttons, Heewook took a step closer. Yoonmin lifted his eyes smoothly to identify who it was.
“Cha Yoonmin, talk with me for a bit.”
Yoonmin turned his head and gave a cursory once-over to the members who were waiting. With expressions half sleepy, half curious, the members who had been watching the two of them quietly slipped inside the entrance.
“Sure. I was dying to smoke a cigarette anyway.”
Seeing Yoonmin smile faintly, Heewook started walking first.
Sitting on a bench set up on the rooftop and staring as Yoonmin lit a cigarette, Heewook spoke.
“You made a lot of mistakes on stage today. You muddled the lyrics too.”
“Did I? Was it noticeable?”
Exhaling smoke languidly, Yoonmin asked back like it was no big deal. Heewook knit his brows.
“I know you are busy these days because of the new drama you are shooting, but this is our current promotion song. You cannot mess up like that.”
“Ah, true. It is a release from this year. I did go too far.”
“…If you know, practice on your own time. Next time, just do not make mistakes.”
“Yeah, but hyung…”
Answering smoothly, Yoonmin drew deeply on the cigarette and exhaled with a breath. The smoke spread like clouds in the air. With a frown, Heewook stared at his sleekly handsome face. The most popular member of Two Planet smiled, showing white teeth.
“There will be no next time.”
The tone was far from resolute, slack and enervated, but to Heewook it lashed like a whip. He froze with his eyes wide. Seizing the moment, Yoonmin added one more line.
“I am going to quit being an idol.”
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