Save a Failed Idol’s Life

#019. Guardian’s Heart 

“You’re here?”

Srrk, when I opened the door to the single room, which was maintained at the standard of a hotel, an elderly woman in her 70s opened her eyes.

In front of the old woman, there was a caregiver who was peeling fruits.

“Ung~. Grandma, this is our team leader. It’s your first time meeting in person, right?”

We’ve worked together for 5 years, but this is the first time we’ve met a family that lives together.

Even if their relationship isn’t anything special, I was surprised Cheon Yise could maintain the relationship with such a random behavior unexpectedly like this. 

“Hello, I’m Cheon Yise.” 

I naturally nodded to say hello and held out a mango I had bought at the fruit shop in front of the hospital.

The quality is not bad, but the price is filthy expensive, so it was a product that I would never have bought when I was ‘Lim Hyunsung.’ 

Since she was an old woman, I thought apples or grapes would be better, but Oh Yejun picked up a mango casually.

‘My grandmother likes expensive fruits~.’

I was embarrassed when he said that, like it was nothing. 

However, when I came to the hospital room, I understood.

No matter how much insurance money came out, it was a high-class hospital room that would have been too much to pay for a week’s hospitalization in an ordinary house. 

“Why did you bring all your friends without contacting me today?”

“He helps feed the kids. I thought Grandma would like it if I showed it to you while we’re together.” 

“Aigoo, why did you bother to ask for help with that again?”

Then Oh Yejun replied with a bright smile. 

“I didn’t forcefully bring him out to help! It was because my Hyung really likes cats.”

Yejun’s lies made my eyebrows twitch reflexively. 

‘Me?’

I don’t particularly hate animals, but I hated having a furry animal come close to me. 

Wang–!

Even though the status window wasn’t floating, were you listening to everything I thought? 

I could hear Posil barking like a ghost after reading my mind, but it didn’t matter.

 “Is that so? I didn’t know that Chairman Cheon’s youngest son was a cat lover.” 

Hmm? I was going to sit still and say hello and go, but I heard a word that popped out of my ear.

“Do you know my father?”

When I was living as Lim Hyunsung, I used to click my tongue when I saw Chairman Cheon getting involved in various political scandals.

People who have a lot of things are so greedy that when they’re old, they keep going back and forth to court.

It was heartbreaking to call such a person a father.

Because he’s my father now, anyway.

When I asked with a somewhat bewildered expression, the old woman laughed lightly. 

“Of course, I knew. It’s been a while since I retired, so I don’t see each other these days. Until about 10 years ago, we probably should have run into each other once or twice.” 

I reflexively recalled Oh Yejun’s behavior at the dorm. Come to think of it, the things and clothes that this guy also uses.  

None of them was cheap.

When I was in the dorm, I thought he would get sponsored because he’s a celebrity.

Looking at the sleek I felt from his grandmother, it seemed highly likely that they were just made with her own money. (t/n: 부티 describe someone as sleek, which means that they look rich and stylish. She is as sleek and elegant as any other millionaire businessman.) 

“Ah… I see…” 

“How nice to see your face and say hello like this. Come hang out with Yejun often.”

“Yes, I will visit often.” 

While searching for Climax at the time, a comment I saw first came to me.

[They’re a golden spoon group, so you don’t have to worry if they fail.]

At that time, I thought that such a word came out because of the background of Cheon Yise. It seemed that the words didn’t come out simply because of Cheon Yise. 

“It’s okay, Grandma. We’re busy. We’re going to start preparing for our comeback soon.”

Then his grandmother threw a dagger with a smile.

“Yeah, no matter what, even these failed idol kids have a reason to make a fuss for nothing. Tsk tsk. Don’t pretend to be cute only when your grandmother is sick, be good at normal times!” 

The word ‘failed idol’ coming out of her mouth as an elderly person was unrealistic. 

It looked like her caretaker, who shrugged her shoulders, was also trying not to laugh.

“Ah, we’re not a failed idol, you know? We’re going to make it big this time.” 

“How many times have you blown an empty promise like that? It’s not like Grandma can’t support you in whatever you want to do, so what if you’re a failed idol?” 

It must have been a funny and kind way to cheer up his grandmother, but when she heard the word “failed idol,” it broke her heart.

“This time will be very different. I will prepare hard so as not to be ashamed in front of the elders.” 

When I helped him out, Yejun quickly shrugged and continued.

“Did you hear that? Please look forward to it.”

 “Aigoo, yeah, yeah. Do well so you don’t humiliated your Grandma.” 

I was a little envious of seeing him fighting and acting like a fool. I realized that’s what a family is like.

Time passed as we ate fruits and talked about this and that until dinner. 

“Grandma, I will go now. Don’t worry about the kids starving because I’ll be back tomorrow too.” 

I bowed my head to her as I watched the sunset turn yellow outside the window, and the old woman grabbed my hand tightly.

“Inseok has lived with me since he was young without his parents, so he’s a bit immature. I know you’ve had a hard time so far, but I’ll have to ask for it in the future.”

Only then did I feel that I could understand the close relationship between Oh Yejun and his grandmother.

Either his parents died in an accident, or they got divorced. Or maybe they didn’t have time to take care of him because they were working two jobs. It’s one of the three. 

In fact, I don’t think Cheon Yise has put much effort into it.

I naturally nodded and smiled.

“It’s nothing. I’ll ask Yejun to take good care of me. We will do our best to show good results until the end.”

With a bowed head, the visit of the guardian (?), which was short or long, came to an end.

Slowly, as the door closed and I came out into the hallway, Yejun grinned at me.

“What do you think? My grandmother is a funny person, right?” 

I only heard curse words. I was dumbfounded and swallowed what I was about to laugh and replied. 

“Just because. I think your personality didn’t just fall out of the sky.”

“What do you mean!” 

Yejun put his arms around the back of my neck and my shoulders and smiled casually. 

“After my mom and dad left in an accident, it must have been hard for my grandma, too. She is the one who raised me and never let me feel alone when I was young. Sometimes she speaks a little harshly, but you can just think of her as that kind of person.” 

Yejun didn’t have a shadow on his face as he talked about his dark family history.

“Well…It must have been hard for you too.”

“It’s hard. But I don’t even remember it anymore, so it doesn’t matter. I didn’t grow up alone without a guardian at all.” 

Lastly, Yejun added as he bravely walked out of the hospital lobby.

Growing up in Korean society, I knew very well how harsh the environment is when the primary caregiver is not the biological parent.

Even though he said that a lot of difficult things must have happened in many ways, it’s fortunate that they seem to be doing well financially, but—there are things in the world that cannot be solved with money alone.

“Ah. I’m hungry. We’re going to go back after eating, right? My stomach will stick to my back.”

I ended up bursting into laughter at the lightness that popped up again in an instant before the atmosphere had a chance to get darker again.

“Yeah. Instead, what we eat is a secret to Sunwoo.” 

I felt as if the distance between me and the type I thought I would never get close to had diminished just a little bit.

 * * *

The sun was setting when Yejun and I came out of a famous pork cutlet restaurant near the hospital after filling our stomachs.

I wanted to get a taxi right away, but Yejun suggested we walk to help our stomachs digest the food. 

Even if I walked, it wouldn’t take too long, so I nodded my head willingly.

“Hyung, it sure seems like a person has changed a bit.”

Of course, since the contents have changed. People can’t figure out what it is if it’s not me, so I answered appropriately.

“Maybe it feels that way now that I’ve changed my mindset.” 

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Pause

Unmute

“What should I say…Does it feel like we can communicate well more than before? Should I say that you draw less lines?…” 

This? I walked ahead pretending to be okay, but inside, a hundred question marks were floating around. 

“If I had known I would be able to talk to Hyung so openly, I should have gotten closer to you earlier.”

Yejun’s voice, mixed with regret, gave me a strange feeling. 

“Still, it’s fortunate that the two of us have the opportunity to play separately like this before the group completely disbands.” 

The original Chen Yise was already dead. 

Even if he became close with Cheon Yise, who changed to Lim Hyunsung, I was a fundamentally different person from the original Cheon Yise. 

This secret probably won’t be revealed even after Cheon Yise’s quest is over. 

Then all I could do was adjust it properly. I answered, trying not to hesitate in awkwardness.

“Don’t talk nonsense. When preparations for a comeback begin in earnest, I will torment you so that you can’t come out with such words.” 

He was excluded from the center candidate, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be used. 

It was more unrealistic that the members who can produce their own songs have never been used properly so far.

My revenge will be in vain if I don’t perform well here.

Everything that was available had to be used thoroughly.

“You scare me because you’re shy for no reason.” 

“I told you not to talk nonsense.”

Yejun smiled, showing his white teeth. Anyway, it was not to the extent of Seongwon or Sunwoo, but he had a handsome face that made him look cheeky. 

Then, he jumped and took a few light steps to get to the entrance of the dorm before I did.

Is it because it’s summer now? The night air was damp and humid, as if it had been soaked.

The season of Climax and my revenge was about to begin.

* * *

Time passed, and on the day of the first concept meeting. In the meantime, Sunwoo succeeded in losing another 2kg, and I was on my way to the agency’s office with Kyunghwa. 

“About Sunwoo…how much more does he have to lose in the future?”

Kyunghwa, sitting in the back seat of the taxi, asked with a nervous look.

“I think he will be in his early 70s if he loses about 15 kg.” 

“Considering how fast he’s losing weight, he can do it in a month and a half, right? 

Hmm…Kyunghwa’s expression was very uneasy as if he was feeling the pressure of thinking this was the last time. 

I decided to give a positive answer as much as possible to comfort him. 

“As long as it doesn’t come out, he can pull it off. Don’t worry too much because I’m definitely controlling his diet so that it doesn’t come out.” 

Sunwoo, who lost weight in a month, has definitely changed his outline.

It’s still far from a slim look, but—.

Still, thanks to his success in losing more than 10kg, his body fat percentage went down, and he looked healthier on the outside. 

At this level, it seemed that he could definitely regain his original appearance before the comeback. 

“Because Sunwoo is also working hard in his own way. We just have to work hard at what we do.”

It was the right thing to say, but there was no comfort to give other than that right now.

Whoo, whoo.

When I saw Kyunghwa take a deep breath and get his thoughts under control, I thought I had to be careful.

At that moment. It occurred to me that I should have asked before entering the meeting.

“By the way, how did you end up being an idol?”

When I asked to get to the basics without blinking, I heard something rattle and drop from behind.