#073
“Hyung, what’s this?”
“A new schedule. You learn quickly, so I don’t think you need such an unnecessarily demanding schedule.”
“Oh, really? That’s great for me. Then I can spend the remaining time however I want, right?”
When Cheonghyeon broke into a bright smile, Changsik also gave an awkward ahem and added with a smile.
“And today, let’s have you take an MBTI test too. Once you get the results, make sure you tell hyung first.”
Cheonghyeon had been grinning happily over his newly increased free time, but Changsik’s words startled him into vigorously shaking his head. He did not know exactly what it was, but it was clearly some kind of psychological test.
For Cheonghyeon, who had lost his memory immediately after his soul changed, the company had commissioned an in-depth psychiatric evaluation from a highly respected doctor.
‘The test results are a little unusual. Looking at this section… it would not be unreasonable to say that the patient has gone beyond merely losing his memories and has become an entirely different person. I believe we should conduct an assessment for dissociative identity disorder. In simpler terms, it is also called multiple personality disorder. It is normally associated with traumatic experiences during childhood, but it can also emerge suddenly in adulthood after a severe shock….’
He had never imagined that a questionnaire he had filled out without much thought would come back to him like this.
He had been even less wary because the test had consisted entirely of incomprehensible questions, such as what color balloon he would most like to pop and which shape appealed to him most.
‘Your attachment relationship with your mother appears to be well established. With your father, however, there seems to be a little… hmm, emotional distance….’
As an added bonus, Changsik and Hyeongwang, who knew that Cheonghyeon had been out of contact with his mother for a long time, looked at the doctor as though he were a quack.
Although he did not show it openly, it was at that point that Hyeongwang decided no further examinations seemed necessary and proceeded with Cheonghyeon’s discharge.
Had the doctor not added that remark, Cheonghyeon might have been forced to experience modern medicine with his entire body and ended up confessing that he was Isaac, the thirteenth prince of Mashilburg. Merely remembering that time made him shudder.
“You still don’t want to do it even though it’s for the fans? This has been incredibly popular since last year. You have no idea how many people have been asking what your MBTI is.”
“I don’t want to. While filming the reality show, we revealed the dorm, and at the end we even did interviews about our innermost thoughts. If I tell them everything, won’t I lose too much of my mystique? You’re the one who always says that. That I need to maintain some distance from the fans.”
Changsik had expected Cheonghyeon to agree immediately, so he was flustered when Cheonghyeon proved unexpectedly adamant. Then he reflected on himself.
‘I really don’t know anything about Cheonghyeon.’
He had assumed Cheonghyeon would eagerly do it if the fans wanted it, but this side of him was also unexpected. Changsik carefully committed Cheonghyeon’s likes and dislikes to memory.
“All right. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. Still, we need to know what you like and what you’re good at. I reduced your schedule a little, so during your free time, try experiencing different things and write your impressions here yourself. Write down what you had the most fun doing and what bored you the most. The idea is to gradually figure out your tendencies.”
Cheonghyeon held the white sheet of A4 paper and stared blankly at Changsik. His mind was currently as empty as the pristine sheet of paper.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“Don’t make it complicated. Start with very simple things. Sitting still, reading, watching movies or dramas, and so on. Those can actually be divided into very specific preferences.”
Cheonghyeon listened to Changsik’s explanation and diligently wrote it down on the paper. Smiling at how much he resembled an honor student, Changsik continued.
“For example, some people like going out and having fun, while others prefer staying home, right? Let’s say you like staying at home. That doesn’t mean everyone who enjoys staying home has the same disposition. Some people simply like lying in bed at home, while others enjoy cooking, making things, or doing other activities at home.”
Cheonghyeon wore a puzzled expression, as though he almost understood but not quite, so Changsik continued explaining.
“And even if someone says watching videos is their hobby, that can be divided further. Some people like movies with long running times and complete, self-contained stories. Others don’t particularly like concentrating for long periods and prefer stories that continue from episode to episode, like dramas. Some prefer seasonal foreign dramas instead of Korean dramas that run for around twenty episodes. Others dislike all of those and only enjoy short video clips.”
“If you try a variety of experiences, you’ll be able to learn your own preferences and discover what you like most. As you follow those preferences, it will also become easier to recognize your talents. If you have no idea where to start, try going to a movie theater, since watching movies is one of the most universal hobbies.”
After hearing Changsik’s entire explanation, Cheonghyeon found it easy to understand. That meant he needed to go out and watch a movie, but going to the theater alone felt rather awkward. Ever since his days as a prince, he had almost never done anything by himself.
He had been about to ask Changsik to accompany him, but Changsik was scheduled to accompany Yoonwoo to his activities that day.
Once Changsik finished explaining, he hurried out of the dorm. Cheonghyeon lay still for a while before deciding to pass the time by filling out the A4 sheet Changsik had given him.
After scribbling diligently on the paper, Cheonghyeon seemed to remember something and went into his room to retrieve a small notebook. Since he was going to write down the things he liked, he wanted to put them in a notebook he treasured.
It was also portable, so he could carry it anywhere and immediately write down anything that appealed to him. Cheonghyeon wrote a large number “1,” then began making a list titled “Things I Like.”
‘The japchae Hando made. That was really delicious.’
Of all the foods he had eaten since arriving here, it had suited his palate best. Once he began thinking about food, Cheonghyeon’s hand moved faster. It was not only the meals the members had cooked.
Most of the food Changsik bought for him outside had also been delicious. The doughnuts covered in sugar cream, in particular, had perfectly matched his tastes. Cheonghyeon even wrote down the brand’s name in detail.
‘The fresh strawberry juice was delicious too, but the strawberry milk tasted bad. Strawberry juice made from frozen strawberries isn’t very good either.’
Before he knew it, his notes had spilled onto another page. The range of things he liked also gradually expanded.
‘I really like the fans too… and Ihwa noona! I like noona and manager hyung. The members are kind too… Yeonhee and Yeonha are nice. Come to think of it, their names are similar.’
Yeonhee and Yeonha did not merely have similar names. Their personalities also seemed likely to suit each other. Yeonha tended to indulge other people, while Yeonhee was accustomed to pouting and making demands.
Had Yeonha appeared in <Uyeonri> instead of Cheonghyeon, the show might truly have achieved the fresh and innocent atmosphere the PD had intended.
‘It would be fun for the three of us to hang out next time. I should casually ask them and introduce them to each other.’
Thinking about Yeonhee reminded him of the Yeonhee fan who had attended the Cheongsansu signing event.
‘Right, Yeo Jiseong-ssi. Because of that person, I thought I wanted a trustworthy fan with whom I could form such a deep relationship too.’
The branches of his thoughts continued spreading until his hand suddenly stopped at the face of one particular person. He had remembered the fiftieth fan, the most beautiful and kind person he knew, who had appeared in a camel-colored coat and drawn everyone’s attention.
‘Could you write Hyeonbaragi instead of my name?’
‘I told you. Even if you don’t believe me, it really was the heart of a fan.’
‘Then why don’t we start by speaking casually to each other, with the concept that we’re like a hyung and younger brother who have known each other for a long time?’
Seoan’s voice naturally floated into his mind.
Then Cheonghyeon suddenly looked at his notebook and found that it was filled almost entirely with stories about Seoan. The earlier pages had contained nothing but wholesome things such as japchae, strawberry juice, and watching the fans enjoy themselves.
Once he reached the later pages, however, he found Seoan hyung in the camel-colored coat, Seoan hyung helping him with landscaping, Rich Gold pizza, and honey water.
He had even pitifully added explanations in parentheses beside the later foods, such as, “Seoan hyung bought this for me, and it suited my tastes perfectly,” and, “I was suffering from a hangover, and hyung made this for me.”
He buried his burning face against the desk.
Once he began thinking about Seoan, the memories they had made together returned to him one after another. He also remembered the letters Seoan had written to him so thoughtfully.
Before they became acquainted, the letters had merely taken the form of letters. After Seoan came to know him, however, secret codes seemed to be hidden throughout them, making them enjoyable to read. For example, the day after they ate pizza together, a pizza emoticon would appear.
After the night when they stayed up concentrating at Seoan’s house to work on the landscaping proposal, a leaf emoticon would appear.
Like the protagonists of the fairy tale <Hansel and Gretel>, Cheonghyeon followed along, diligently gathering the small emoticons Seoan left behind.
The difference from the fairy tale was that their destination was not a comfortable home, but a sweet candy house inhabited by a beautiful, witch-like man.
‘The way he always tries to feed me whenever I visit is exactly like a witch too.’
Cheonghyeon chuckled as he thought of Seoan, who was always inviting him over and trying to feed him one thing after another. But a bitter feeling soon followed.
‘I hope hyung isn’t a witch.’
The witch in the fairy tale probably would not have cared whether the children were Hansel and Gretel, as long as they were children.
Cheonghyeon did not want to become someone Seoan could replace with anyone else. He wished there was a special reason why the person who visited Seoan’s candy house had to be Cheonghyeon.
Once hyung became a professor, Cheonghyeon would no longer be able to hold on to him through his connection with his father.
After Seoan received his appointment, Cheonghyeon’s father would become his colleague rather than his superior.
Furthermore, when he met Seoan for the second time, Cheonghyeon himself had specified that his request was directed not toward Hyeonbaragi, but toward teaching assistant Kim Seoan.
The thought that his relationship with Seoan might end once Seoan was no longer a teaching assistant weighed heavily on Cheonghyeon’s heart.
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