IWDAR Chapter 23

Even though the cast had been removed, walking properly still felt awkward. Wooyoung was certainly stepping on the ground, yet he felt as though he were floating as he went up to the CEO’s office. After a light knock, Wooyoung entered the office where Tae-uk was waiting, habitually lowering his head.

 

“Hello, CEO Mo.”

 

The sense that something was subtly different hit him as he raised his head. Tae-uk wasn’t alone in the office. A boy sat on the guest sofa, staring blankly at him, momentarily flustering Wooyoung.

 

“Just how far has the rumor about the CEO being scary spread? Even a newly arrived trainee is on edge.”

 

A clear, cheerful voice resonated with distinct laughter. Wooyoung’s eyes slowly widened as he looked at the boy. Clear surprise, and then joy, welled up in his eyes.

 

Han Wooyoung in his past life hadn’t particularly enjoyed watching TV. It wasn’t that he lacked interest—in fact, he was always curious about various programs—but he simply didn’t have the time to leisurely watch TV. 

 

Wooyoung’s days were scheduled down to the minute, and most of them were spent in lessons. Singing consumed a lot of energy. After long, extensive lessons, he often collapsed into bed, exhausted. 

 

By then, the desire to chat with friends or even keep up with current events in the world, vanished. He hadn’t really had any close friends anyway, so socializing with his peers was a distant concept.

 

It was pure coincidence that Wooyoung saw ‘that kid.’ The university Wooyoung attended was a prestigious one, among the top in the country, but what people actually raved about as its claim to fame wasn’t the countless elites it produced, but the spring festival held every year. 

 

Its scale was comparable to large-scale festivals, attracting significant interest not only from students but also from outsiders. Students who had spent their entire lives studying hard were eager to enjoy the festival more than anyone else, but among them, Wooyoung was like an isolated island.

 

 He could freely use the individual practice rooms in the College of Arts, which were usually difficult to book during the festival season. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, everyone seemed happy. He wasn’t particularly envious or anything. Wooyoung simply focused on keeping up with his packed schedule.

 

That day was no different. The practice room was soundproof, so he hadn’t realized, but the moment he left the building, a roar of cheers erupted, as if it would burst his eardrums. As if possessed, his legs began to move towards the noise. 

 

He couldn’t quite recall why he felt compelled to see the ongoing performance, but… The grand concert hall, M University’s pride and joy, wasn’t far from the College of Music. As if afraid the cheers might subside, Wooyoung’s quick steps turned into a run. 

 

And what he saw, with his breath catching in his throat, was…

 

“Wow…”

 

Boys about his age, dancing and singing amidst a sea of white light.

 

He didn’t know who they were, how many there were, or what song they were singing. But the moment his eyes met those of the boy in the center, projected on the large screens surrounding the concert hall…

 

My every reason,

Was only you…

 

“…Beautiful.”

 

Wooyoung murmured unconsciously. Everything was beautiful. Everything about the boy singing in the center. It made his own seemingly perfect life feel insignificant.

 

That was why, when their eyes met, Wooyoung didn’t recognize ‘that kid’ immediately. He had looked up videos of ‘that kid’ and his group singing and dancing a few times after the festival, but their costumes and makeup had always been flamboyant. Moreover, he’d vaguely assumed everyone he encountered here would be strangers.

 

But that thought changed after he took in the three dots speckled on the boy’s cheek, beneath his dark eyes. The combination of his slightly tanned skin and dark hair was stylish even here. Wooyoung still remembered ‘that kid’s’ name.

 

“Sunwoo…”

 

Yoo Sunwoo. His stage name was the same as his real name, if he recalled correctly.

 

“You know my name?”

 

At the question laced with curiosity, Wooyoung snapped out of his wandering thoughts. The boy, now standing, approached him. The boy in front of him looked a bit younger than he remembered.

 

‘Right, it really is Yoo Sunwoo.’

 

It was the same face, the same voice he had seen countless times in the media. Yoo Sunwoo’s sharp eyes curved into a smile as he examined Wooyoung’s face up close. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the fleeting surprise in those dark eyes and their shape reminded him of someone.

 

“Did the CEO tell you?”

 

“No.”

 

The answer came not from Wooyoung, but from up ahead. Tae-uk, who had been silently observing the two, answered instead. Tae-uk, who had been leisurely resting his chin on his hand while sitting on the sofa, looked at Wooyoung with calm eyes. Only when Wooyoung’s innocent gaze, which had been fixed on Yoo Sunwoo since he entered, shifted to him, did Tae-uk relax the corners of his lips.

 

“I thought you two were meeting for the first time today.”

 

At Tae-uk’s low voice, Wooyoung nodded.

 

“F-First time meeting… That’s right. Mr. Sunwoo is… just…”

 

At the excessively formal address coming from someone his age, Sunwoo’s sharp eyes widened even further. Wooyoung, whose lips parted as he felt the gazes of the two men on him, blushed slightly and whispered,

 

“Just… I’m a fan…”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“……”

 

A heavy silence filled the room. Tae-uk broke the chilling silence.

 

“To think he’d already have such a devoted fan.”

 

“Don’t tease me, CEO Mo. I almost thought he was serious for a second.”

 

Sunwoo shook his head and wrinkled his nose slightly as he looked at Wooyoung, a playful expression on his face. He seemed to take Wooyoung’s confession of admiration as half-hearted. 

 

Yoo Sunwoo was a public trainee whom ON Entertainment was particularly invested in. He assumed Wooyoung knew his name because of that.

 

Frankly, Wooyoung didn’t care what Sunwoo thought. He was more concerned about the relationship between Yoo Sunwoo and CEO Mo Tae-uk. 

 

Wooyoung hadn’t met all the ON Entertainment employees, but generally, they were quite intimidated by Tae-uk. Yet, Sunwoo, despite being much younger, seemed strangely comfortable with him. 

 

While he maintained a respectful demeanor due to Tae-uk’s position, the underlying atmosphere felt remarkably relaxed.

 

“First, have a seat, Wooyoung.”

 

Tae-uk addressed Wooyoung, who had been restlessly shifting his gaze. Tae-uk’s dark eyes briefly landed on Wooyoung’s legs before moving away. Until now, he hadn’t been self-conscious about his exposed skin, but for some reason, the thought of Tae-uk’s eyes on him made him feel a little embarrassed.

 

“Oh, come to think of it, I’ve kept you standing for too long. You injured your leg, right?”

 

Startled, Sunwoo quickly pulled Wooyoung down onto the sofa. He seemed to have been briefed by Tae-uk beforehand. To Wooyoung, the sight of Sunwoo sitting opposite him with a gentle smile felt strangely unreal.

 

‘Could Mr. Sunwoo be the person the CEO said he’d introduce me to today?’

 

Wooyoung looked at Tae-uk with a questioning gaze. The moment he turned his head, he met Tae-uk’s eyes and was startled. Tae-uk’s eyes had been fixed on Wooyoung since who knows when.

 

“Seeing as you know Sunwoo’s name, I assume you received the information from Director Park in advance.”

 

“What information are you referring to…?”

 

Having heard nothing, Wooyoung blinked blankly. With a dazed expression. Realizing Wooyoung was completely clueless, Tae-uk furrowed his brow.

 

“Are you really a fan, by any chance?”

 

After a moment of contemplation, Wooyoung slowly shook his head. His feelings were too complex to be simply defined as ‘fan.’ More than that, he had a feeling he shouldn’t answer truthfully in this situation.

 

“Now that I think about it… I think I might have heard something…”

 

At Wooyoung’s vague response, Tae-uk’s brow furrowed momentarily. Sensing the strange shift in atmosphere, Sunwoo instinctively glanced at Tae-uk. 

 

Knowing Mo Tae-uk’s usual temperament, it was better to just keep his mouth shut in situations like this, but…

 

‘He looks so innocent.’

 

Yes, that face was the problem. Seeing Wooyoung sitting there with his baby fat still clinging to his cheeks, he couldn’t just sit back and watch the drama unfold like he usually would.

 

“Um, CEO Mo. Can you please formally introduce the new member now?”

 

At the words ‘new member,’ Wooyoung blinked a few times.

 

‘New member?’

 

Wooyoung’s bewildered gaze landed on Tae-uk, as if asking for confirmation of what he’d just heard. Lost in thought, Tae-uk tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa before finally nodding.

 

“This is the friend I mentioned yesterday, the one I said I’d introduce today. His name is Yoo Sunwoo, and he’s the leader of ‘Eden,’ the group you’ll be promoting with, Wooyoung. So, exchange greetings.”