Second Try Idol

Chapter 238: Again After Rainfall (14)

The street performance, which lasted about thirty minutes, came to an end. The crowd, who had gathered as if at a festival, naturally dispersed to watch the next show. This cycle of gathering for an engaging performance, enjoying it to the fullest, and then scattering in search of new excitement seemed entirely normal and familiar on the street.

“Ah, that was so much fun! I thought I'd never get to do a street dance performance again."

“Yeah, right?"

Still sweating despite the cool air, Jin-Sung grinned widely. His smile was reminiscent of a high school student who had just relieved his study stress through some physical activity.

“Should we head back now? If you guys want to stop by somewhere, just let the production team know," asked Su-Hwan.

“What do you think, Jin-Sung?"

“About what?"

“Do you want to grab dinner with me before we head back?" I suggested. Even though we had come out mainly for the street performance, it was still our free time.

Considering the curfew set by the production team was around 10 PM, we had plenty of time to grab a meal. Jin-Sung was likely to be hungry after all the energetic dancing and would start whining back at the dorm. Therefore, I thought it'd be good to have a meal together right now.

After hearing Jin-Sung's eager response, Su-Hwan nodded in understanding and took out his phone. “Just text me the location and name of the restaurant. We will head off to the hotel then."

Our cameraman said, “Stay close to each other, and eat somewhere you can see the dorm from, okay? Don't wander off too far."

“Got it."

After taking note of the last piece of advice from our behind-the-scenes cameraman, I took Jin-Sung with me. I wanted to find a place that didn't serve alcohol at this hour, but I got worried as the area was surrounded by bars. Fortunately, we found a Korean restaurant run by the manager Choi Han-Son right in front of our accommodation.

“I will have the kimchi stew. Hyung, can we also get bulgogi?"

“Sure, but I will have the tteok-galbi[1]"

“What! I was actually craving tteok-galbi. How did you know?" Before we could even order, Jin-Sung was already planning to snag some of my dish.

I smiled and told him. “I am ordering it for you to enjoy."

I wasn't really hungry after the workout, so I ordered with Jin-Sung's preferences in mind. I was going to let him indulge in whatever he wanted.

Jin-Sung seemed delighted and happily ordered some stuff. Although he needed a bit of help understanding some of the server's questions, the quick-witted server pointed at the menu and helped Jin-Sung figure things out before going away. This seemed to be the only Korean restaurant on this street, likely popular among Korean tourists.

“This is perfect. I've been craving kimchi stew since lunch after eating all that bland bread. This place couldn't have been more perfect."

“I agree. Koreans need their rice," I said. Was this the first time Jin-Sung and I had a meal out together since our trainee days? Even back then, we either rushed or consumed our meals half-asleep at the dorm, so this outing was a first for us.

Jin-Sung's eyes kept darting back and forth between the menus until he suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" and looked at me with an excited expression.

“By the way, hyung."

“Yes?"

“Are you feeling okay?"

“...What do you mean?" I was taken aback by his sudden concern.

When I tilted my head as I didn’t grasp the meaning, Jin-Sung wore a worried look on his face. "I mean, about yesterday. When we arrived in the US."

“Oh, the flight? Ah, I'm fine."

“Are you sure?"

We had just danced together energetically, so of course, I was fine. Plus, a good night's rest had dispelled any lingering fatigue. Yet, Jin-Sung seemed to still be concerned about me. “You seem totally fine now, but Joo-Han hyung and Yoo-Joon hyung were really worried. So, I was debating whether to ask this or not."

He tightly closed his mouth, watching my every move. However, seeing that he seemed itching to ask something, I nodded for him to speak. I thought I could brush it off if it was too awkward to answer.

“Um, I was just wondering if... if you are feeling unwell or something... Remember how it was before you boarded the plane?"

“Uh..."

“Joo-Han hyung and Yoo-Joon hyung kept worrying even after coming here."

“It was nothing serious. Did Joo-Han and Yoo-Joon really worry about me?"

Jin-Sung nodded. “Even on the plane, there was a fight... um, never mind."

“They fought on the plane?" I asked, and Jin-Sung shook his head as if he had just said something he shouldn't have.

“No! Absolutely not. It was just a little argument... Just... I shouldn't have said that."

It seemed like Jin-Sung took the chance to ask about my condition while we were alone, but ended up blurting this out inadvertently. He asked me not to tell, concerned about Joo-Han and Yoo-Joon, who weren't even here.

I smiled slyly and nodded. “I won't tell. But did they fight or what?"

“Ah, why are you putting me in such a spot? It was just a small thing. That's all there is to it. I wasn't sitting with them, so I don't know the details.”

“What was the fight about? It's not like me being sick is anyone's fault."

“Well, I mean..."

Once the words were out, there was no taking them back. Jin-Sung resignedly smiled and took a swig of his soda as if it were alcohol. “Yoo-Joon hyung was going to ask you about your condition. So, Joo-Han hyung was like, 'Leave it be! Don't ask.' Something like that... It was just about whether to ask you directly or not. That's all it was."

Ah… So, Yoo-Joon wanted to outright ask about my condition, but Joo-Han preferred not to pry until I spoke up myself. Given the distinct personalities of Yoo-Joon and Joo-Han, their approaches to uncovering the truth were bound to differ.

‘Oh…’

Perhaps that was why Joo-Han wanted to separate me and Yoo-Joon when we chose our room.

I remembered the moment when Joo-Han suddenly proposed to either Goh Yoo-Joon or I to share a room with him.

As I pondered seriously, Jin-Sung glanced at me from the corner of his eye and said, “Hyung, I know I'm not really of any help, but..."

“…What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why are you saying that you are not helpful?"

“Still, could you tell me if something's wrong? I was really shocked at the airport actually."

I couldn't say anything. They must have sensed something off about the incident at the airport, though they hadn't spoken about it.

As Jin-Sung said, pretending not to know at Joo-Han's behest only meant they were aware that there was something more than just a fear of flying. I didn't want to voice it out loud, so I pretended not to notice their concerns.

“Wouldn't we be able to help you better if we know what's going on with you? I was really scared something bad had happened to you then..." Jin-Sung suddenly stopped talking. When I looked at him, he was gnawing on his lip and looking at me with eyes that seemed on the verge of tears.

“…Are you about to cry?" I asked

“Ah, shoot, I'm not going to cry. This is not a time for jokes."

Jin-Sung seemed about to cry, which was amusing in many ways. Therefore, I had thought of taking a photo if he really cried, but my words seemed to have stopped his tears.

“All of us were worried. There hasn't been anything like this before. Anyway, what I mean is—"

“I get it. You want me to rely on you guys if anything happens, right?" I cut Jin-Sung off before he could delve deeper, and he let it pass though he seemed dissatisfied.

Right then, our food arrived, and Jin-Sung cheerfully started eating as if he had never been sad. I looked at him and thought to myself. ‘I should tell them.’

Even if I couldn't tell everything, I had to tell them as they would take a great part in my future. I had to speak up, so we could brace for the chaos and panic when it happened again.

***

“Hyun-Woo and Jin-Sung already experienced the spotlight here. How was it?" Reina's question hung in the air as she awaited my response.

“The crowd here was absolutely electric, and the vibe was unmatched," I answered. Of course, we were in a different position than other amateur artists as we were accompanied by multiple filming gear. However, the essence of good performance remained unchanged.

Reina surveyed the bustling performance space with a seasoned eye and then decisively stepped forward.

“Shall we then?" She proposed with an adventurous twinkle in her eye.

The day of the performance dawned in, brimming with a chaotic energy. As a result, from the crack of dawn, the air was already thick with anticipation. Callia Lawrence, who was scheduled to meet us for the first time today, had unexpectedly posted a fancam video of Jin-Sung and me on Stagram. Also, the official video that was uploaded afterward saw its views soar to rival those of music videos.

Perhaps because of this, or simply because there were more travelers today, the street where the performance was held was literally bursting with people. It was definitely a perfect day for a performance.

“It looks like you guys are lucky with the weather."

“Haha, thank you."

“Now, go to your positions and get ready, everyone. Warm up your voices."

Reina pointed to an area barricaded off for the performers. Though there was no real stage since it was just a street performance, the barricaded spot was wide enough, so we could bring in instruments and prepare for the performance with ease. The band setup was already in place, so we just had to hold the microphones and sing.

“How is it? Did I prepare well?" asked Reina.

“Wow, I'm starting to get excited," Goh Yoo-Joon whispered as he looked at the well-set area.

Following Reina's lead, we each went to our positions and picked up the microphones. When we showed signs of starting something, the gazes of passersby started to gather one by one, as expected.

“Are you ready?" Joo-Han asked, casting a glance at the members and the band. Afterward, everyone nodded in readiness.

“Then, let's start. Yoo-Joon, go ahead and greet them. Introduce us."

“Okay."

The first stage was Goh Yoo-Joon's solo. Hence, he stood up and moved forward.

1. 떡갈비 is a delicious Korean dish made from seasoned ground meat, usually beef or pork, mixed with various ingredients like garlic, onions, and soy sauce. It is then shaped into thick patties and grilled to perfection, resulting in juicy and flavorful bites that are perfect for a hearty meal. I personally prefer this over bulgogi. ☜