MIHM Ch 1
by mimi#Side–H
“Everyone worked hard until the last broadcast.”
“You worked hard.”
“Aren’t we having a wrap-up party? A wrap-up party?”
‘Right, you worked hard…….’
The choreography was already incredibly intense. Yujin muttered that much only in his mind while picking up his bag. He would have to remove his makeup when he got home.
“Where should we go? Gopchang?”
“How about the samgyeopsal place up ahead? With soju.”
Yujin quickly passed by the dancers chattering in the waiting room. No, he tried to pass by. Except that he was caught red-handed.
“Yujin, aren’t you going to the wrap-up party?”
The team leader asked Yujin. The nuance was clear that he wouldn’t let him off the hook if he skipped out this time, as he always did with drinking parties. The team leader’s outdated creed was that men must forge camaraderie through cigarettes and alcohol. Unfortunately, Yujin wasn’t interested in either.
“I’m going home.”
The room fell silent for a moment, then bursts of laughter erupted. If it had been anyone else, they wouldn’t have been able to avoid a cold response, but everyone accepted it because it was Yujin. Because he was always like that.
“Why! I’m really going to be upset?”
The team leader, who had been glaring fiercely at Yujin, yelled. His appearance reminded everyone of a sassy high school girl, causing another wave of small laughter.
“I have to manage my condition today.”
“That’s right. Yujin, what did you say you had to do again starting tomorrow?”
Someone else chimed in with a question after Yujin said he had to manage his condition. It was a dancer hyung who wasn’t particularly close to Yujin.
“Yes, that’s right.”
As Yujin quickly answered, the team leader tilted his head with a puzzled look.
“What is it? We don’t have anything for a while. Is it something personal?”
It was common for the dance team to take on backup schedules together when they received a song. But this case was a bit different. The singer’s side specifically requested Yujin. This kind of thing happened sometimes when you’ve been working in this field for a long time. Yujin hadn’t been working that long, but he had a certain level of recognition, so he figured that’s why he was contacted.
“You know, Baek Yoobin’s solo debut. I heard they’re doing that.”
“Whoa. Only Yujin?”
“They’re famous for only using handsome dancers. So the stage picture looks good.”
It was quite convenient that others were explaining everything without him having to say anything. Yujin simply nodded in agreement. Seeing this, the team leader moistened his eyes and muttered with a gloomy face.
“Getting old and sick is a sin……. I’m past my prime now.”
Perhaps because November was approaching and the year was about to change, the team leader had been increasingly concerned about the passage of time. He was only in his mid-thirties, still young, but it was because there were so many young people around him. Like Yujin, who was still twenty-two.
“Now that I think about it, didn’t Yujin say he knew Baek Yoobin before?”
A dancer’s question drew curious gazes towards Yujin. Yujin cursed his past self. It seemed that he had blabbed about useless things when he had been dragged to a drinking party before and got drunk.
“It’s not so much that we know each other, but we went to the same dance academy. In high school.”
“Then you know each other, don’t you. Will you try to reach out?”
“I don’t know. We barely talked.”
Yujin felt no certainty. He would have had some expectations if there had been any point of contact, but he really had no memorable episodes with Baek Yoobin. Telling him not to step on the newly renovated studio floor was probably the most they ever talked. Although there was the anecdote where Yujin himself ended up stepping on it because he forgot…….
Yujin racked his brain, trying to recall more of Baek Yoobin’s faint image. In the meantime, another question popped up.
“What was Baek Yoobin like in high school? I imagine he was completely different from the start. Did he have an aura or something back then?”
Yujin paused for a moment, choosing his answer. Now, Baek Yoobin was called a thousand-year idol, a ten-thousand-year idol, and other such names, but back then, he was an ordinary high school student. As for his skill……, the fact that Yujin couldn’t really remember it probably meant he wasn’t that impactful.
So, when Yujin first saw Baek Yoobin on television, he was quite surprised. Because he had become a completely different person. It was as if a person could change that much.
“He was handsome.”
Yujin gave his answer after a brief deliberation. He could have just admitted it in front of everyone, but his reluctance stemmed from a slight, almost imperceptible, contrariness. It was a definite feeling of jealousy, though Yujin himself was barely aware of it. Jealousy of their vastly different positions compared to the past.
The dance academy Yujin attended wasn’t that big originally, but now, with the reputation of “having produced Baek Yoobin,” it had added several more floors to its building. Not only that. It had become a large studio that everyone knew by name. The academy was bustling day and night with aspiring singers hoping, ‘Maybe I can become like Baek Yoobin.’
However, back when they were at the academy, Yujin was the one who received more anticipation. Though it was a fact that no one would be curious about, nor believe, anymore.
Yujin had been dancing since he was very young and had remarkable skills, to the point of being called a genius. On top of that, with his good looks, the academy tried to promote him, sending his profile to various agencies and having him audition. Though he didn’t tell anyone, he had even been a trainee for a while.
Of course, he was cut short not long after. The official reason was that his lack of social skills didn’t suit the temperament of an idol. It was a bit hurtful, but Yujin himself agreed. He was terrible at things like smiling brightly and catering to other people’s feelings without sincerity.
Yujin calmly accepted reality and naturally shifted his career path towards becoming a dancer. Fortunately, in this field, as long as you had the skills, your personality didn’t matter much. As long as he didn’t go overboard, he could act as he pleased, and the fact that he could continue to dance, which he loved, made it a decent choice.
“So, that Yoobin guy, is that his face without plastic surgery? I think he got his nose done.”
“No, I think Baek Yoobin got his eyes done. Can East Asians like us have eyes like that without surgery? If you look closely, his nose looks natural.”
“Maybe he got both his eyes and nose done? I heard plastic surgery is barely noticeable these days.”
While they were making meaningless speculations, Yujin was figuring out how to escape this situation. He absolutely did not want to get dragged into the wrap-up party.
It was when Yujin took a step back, gauging the timing. The team leader grabbed the strap of his crossbody bag. Honestly, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest in surprise. It was scary how perceptive the team leader was while pretending not to be.
“Have you never run into him at the broadcasting station?”
As expected, he was unnecessarily perceptive.
He had run into Baek Yoobin. A few months ago, in the hallway of the music show waiting rooms, along with other dancers, and unfortunately, while wearing ridiculously cute, kindergarten-uniform-like stage outfits in bright yellow.
At the time, Baek Yoobin was filming a challenge video with another singer, and even from afar, he could tell right away that he was a celebrity. He was indeed handsome.
With a small head and towering height, his silver hair curled dazzlingly bright, his skin shimmered like pearls, and his smiling face radiated light. It felt like he wasn’t the same kind of person as Yujin. He didn’t want to admit it, but the current Baek Yoobin was clearly different from the past Baek Yoobin.
Yujin wasn’t the type to easily feel inferior to others. He was rather easygoing, to the point that he slept soundly even the night he was cut from the agency. Most negative emotions quickly faded from his mind after a night’s sleep.
But that day, that moment when he ran into Baek Yoobin, why did it linger, bothering him?
Baek Yoobin, who had just finished filming, politely greeted the skinny female singer and turned around. Then he came face to face with Yujin, who was passing through.
‘Oh?!’
Baek Yoobin pointed at Yujin with an exaggeratedly loud voice. His reaction was as if he had seen someone who shouldn’t be there. At the time, Yujin wondered if he had recognized him.
But then, Baek Yoobin lowered his hand, smiled smoothly at Yujin, and bowed his head. And,
‘Ah, I’m sorry. I mistook you for someone else.’
he said, then muttered coldly, ‘He couldn’t possibly be here like this,’ and brushed past him. The picturesque side profile Yujin saw last was filled with a sneer. It wasn’t paranoia; it definitely happened.
Yujin couldn’t help but think, ‘……What’s wrong with being here like this?’
Did the current Baek Yoobin find Hong Yujin, who was ‘here like this,’ pathetic? Compared to the past, well, maybe. He felt a momentary surge of emotion, but Yujin soon came to terms with it. Because it was true that his current situation was worse than Baek Yoobin’s.
The unexpected reminiscence had become long because of the team leader’s question. Since he didn’t want to tell the truth, Yujin simply brushed it off.
“No, I haven’t.”
“Really? I thought our schedules overlapped once before.”
The team leader seemed to lose interest without any particular suspicion, but then suddenly grabbed Yujin’s shoulders and shook him vigorously.
“You, always, you go home and don’t hang out with us. Did you put honey on your house or something?!”
“……We went to eat hoe together before.”
“When?! Wasn’t that like two months ago?”
“Anyway, I really need to manage my condition today. I’ll go next time.”
“Always, next time. Next time.”
Yujin, who was being shaken limply in the team leader’s hands like laundry hung out to dry, twisted his body and escaped. His head was pounding and everything hurt from how vigorously he’d been shaken.
“It’s because I’m in the main spot. I can’t mess up the stage after drinking.”
Yujin said, pressing his throbbing temples. The main spot was right next to or behind the singer, a position always caught in the stage camera angle. If he made a mistake there, things would get serious.
“You’re even in the main spot? Baek Yoobin’s main spot?”
“Yeah, well. That’s what I heard.”
“They’re using you as the main dancer instead of their own company dancers? Something’s a little strange.”
Yujin agreed. He still didn’t know the reason. One of his stage videos became famous, and Yujin’s name became known, but he wasn’t so highly regarded in the industry that Baek Yoobin’s agency would specifically seek him out.
He was just at a level where work came in steadily. Sometimes videos of him circulated on social media with the title “handsome dancer,” but that didn’t really help. Being handsome didn’t mean he got paid more.
Well, whatever the reason, Yujin had no reason to refuse the offer. Being Baek Yoobin’s main dancer was a position anyone in this field would covet.
‘There’s no reason to refuse.’
Suppressing a strange awkwardness, Yujin repeated to himself.
#Side—B
Has he finally gone crazy?
Yoobin’s manager, Mr. Kang, clicked his tongue as he watched Yoobin giggle incessantly while getting his makeup done. It wasn’t like the brush strokes were tickling him now. Could he be dating someone?
Mr. Kang shuddered at the chilling thought. Dating, my foot. Even if that were the case, he only felt sorry for the unknown other party. They would be captivated by that appearance and wouldn’t have seen the truly important personality.
Baek Yoobin. A 3rd year idol.
These days, his popularity in the entertainment industry was arguably second to none. He possessed everything: stage presence and live performance skills that rivaled ten members, impeccable dancing, and visuals that were a feast for the eyes just to look at.
Thousand-year idol, ten-thousand-year idol, born-to-be idol, natural idol, etc. Various and colorful modifiers referred to him, but his fans beyond the screen didn’t know one thing. The real Baek Yoobin was surprisingly talkative and childish.
“Hyung, there was this kid who used to look down on me so much?”
He was laughing like a madman, and what was this nonsense again? In these sensitive times when the entertainment industry was on high alert about school violence, it was a relief that he wasn’t in the perpetrator position.
“It’s not like school violence, is it?”
“No……, if anything, it’s academy violence. I was a victim of academy violence.”
‘Shortened, it’s still violence.’
While Mr. Kang was having such soulless thoughts, Yoobin continued to talk.
“I quit sports and thought I’d try being an idol, so I briefly went to a dance academy. It was a pretty big place in the neighborhood……. Well, I ended up debuting through street casting later.”
It was a story that would make aspiring idols who practiced all day, hoping for their debut, speechless. If they knew that Baek Yoobin reached his current position with the mindset of, ‘I have nothing else to do, and I’m handsome, so why not try being a singer?’ they would feel more than a little relative deprivation.
His countless fans, who considered him a ‘natural idol,’ would also feel betrayed. Mr. Kang listened silently to Yoobin’s story, feeling like he was shouting “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
“Anyway, there was this kid at the academy who had a name similar to mine and was really popular.”
Popular, huh. It was a light word choice, very Baek Yoobin-like.
“He was kind of handsome and danced well. So the teachers favored him, and the other kids praised him a lot.”
“More than you, Yoobin?”
“Yeah. Back then, I had just started learning, so I wasn’t that good. It was also the biggest slump in my appearance.”
How much of a slump could he have had with that face? It was natural to be bad at something when you first started, but to think there was a talent that stood out more than Baek Yoobin. Thinking that, Mr. Kang’s curiosity arose, and he asked,
“Did that friend debut now?”
“No, he’s not the kind of person to be a celebrity. I told you, I was looked down on. He was a really mean kid.”
Yoobin turned his head abruptly towards Mr. Kang and spoke. The makeup artist, who was about to touch Yoobin’s pearly white skin, gave the manager a look of desperation. Mr. Kang deliberately ignored her gaze and opened his mouth.
“……What did he do?”
The makeup artist had just managed to steady Yoobin’s face again when he closed his eyes as if reminiscing about the past. The hand holding the brush paused awkwardly in midair. While Yoobin’s eyes were closed, Mr. Kang shook his head at the makeup artist.
“There were three other kids who hung around with him. Like it was a big deal that they had been at the academy a little longer, they were incredibly territorial. For example, they always had to secure the front spots in front of the mirror, things like that.”
Mr. Kang’s eyes narrowed. Academy violence because of such trivial things? He was definitely slandering friends who were simply passionate about dancing.
“His lackeys would always save his spot early, even though he hadn’t arrived yet……, how should I put it. It really bothered me.”
“…….”
“Common sense dictates that the person who arrives first gets the spot they want, right?”
Why am I here listening to childish complaints like these? Mr. Kang sighed softly, feeling indescribable skepticism about his job.
“I was so annoyed that one day I just stood in front of the mirror. Then he said to me,”
“…….”
“‘Why are you standing there? Go to the back.’”
“That would be a bit offensive.”
When Mr. Kang replied with some sincerity, Yoobin’s lips curled into a wide smile. He looked like an angel, regardless of the substance of his words. Mr. Kang saw an illusion of glitter sparkling around him.
“Right? How wronged I felt.”
“Are we almost finished?”
“Yes, just the lips and we’re done.”
The makeup artist, after a quick exchange with the manager, touched Yoobin’s lips with a small brush. A reddish vitality, like flower petals blooming, was added to the smooth, soft lips. Meanwhile, Baek Yoobin’s talented mouth showed no signs of stopping.
“……But I ran into him at the broadcasting station a few months ago. Well, I’d been so busy that I’d forgotten about him. But seeing his face, I remembered how angry I was back then. Isn’t that amazing?”
“Amazing.”
“I know, right?”
Mr. Kang found it even more amazing how he could chatter on and on by himself. Fans brainwashed by his image would probably never know this side of him, even in their wildest dreams.
“So, why was that friend at the broadcasting station?”
“At first, I thought he might have debuted as an idol, but no. He’s a backup dancer.”
“Really? He’s doing well, using his skills.”
Mr. Kang replied casually while checking his watch. He’d have to get Yoobin in the car soon to be on time for the next schedule. He muttered absently, and then, noticing a prickly sensation on his skin, he lifted his head. Yoobin’s eyes were filled with some kind of dissatisfaction.
“What is it now?”
“He’s doing well. He looked like he was doing well.”
Yoobin mumbled with an unreadable nuance, his expression sulky. If his fans saw him, they would go crazy taking pictures, saying, “Pouting Yoobin❤.” Then, Yoobin grinned mischievously again. It was an astonishing emotional rollercoaster.
“So, I’m thinking of tormenting him a little.”
“……What?”
Mr. Kang doubted his ears at the clear voice. At this point, he couldn’t tell who was the worse person. Was he saying he was going to get revenge now for something that happened when they were young?
Baek Yoobin, who was at the top of the idol world, against a mere dancer? Walnut wrinkles naturally formed on Mr. Kang’s chin. Whether to call it pathetic or not. He couldn’t figure out his personality at all.
“I’m kidding. Hyung, I wouldn’t do that over something from when we were young, would I? That’d be too mean.”
Yoobin stood up, spitting out exactly what Mr. Kang had been thinking. Then, he smiled and bowed his head towards the makeup artist.
“Thank you.”
Even in this situation, he didn’t forget to be polite. His image management was already ruined anyway.
Yoobin grabbed the manager’s shoulders, who was at least twenty centimeters shorter than him, and pushed him out of the shop. It was extremely rude behavior towards an adult ten years older than him, but Mr. Kang walked resignedly, as if he was used to it.
Yoobin’s mouth opened again after they got into the dark van.
“I was just curious about how he’s doing.”
Mr. Kang thought it was a nonsensical remark, but soon realized it was a continuation of their earlier conversation. Yoobin, sitting in the back seat, clasped his hands behind his head like a pillow and continued speaking.
“Life’s been a bit boring lately. I feel like I’ve achieved everything I could, but I feel empty. I wonder what I’m working for.”
His tone was light, but the content was unusually serious. Mr. Kang glanced at Yoobin through the rearview mirror. His face, staring blankly at the ceiling, was expressionless.
“But he looked happy. He looked like he didn’t have a care in the world.”
Yoobin recalled the moment he ran into Yujin in the hallway of the waiting room. The moment Yujin walked towards him, laughing and chatting while wearing a bright yellow, kindergarten-uniform-like outfit, was still etched in his memory. Hong Yujin only smiled slightly in response to another dancer’s words, but still.
With ridiculous orange blush on both cheeks, what was so funny? Actually, Yoobin recognized Hong Yujin quite early on, but he pretended not to.
Hong Yujin showed no particular reaction. So, he even made sure to show his face properly, but Yujin’s indifferent attitude didn’t sit well with him.
“……How do you know that from just a brief encounter? You look like you don’t have a care in the world either.”
“That’s right. I don’t have any worries.”
“…….”
“That’s why life is no fun.”
Mr. Kang, who had been glancing at Yoobin, finally shook his head. If he caused a controversy like this, his life would become quite spectacular right away. He swallowed these words and shrugged. He was also a pitiful office worker who had to navigate social life.
Yoobin turned his gaze to the window. The four-lane road was jammed, and the cars showed no signs of moving forward. Despite the closed window, acrid exhaust fumes seemed to permeate his nostrils. It was unpleasant.
“I think I’ll just sleep.”
After that, Yoobin, as if cutting himself off from the world, found his eye mask and put it on. A tranquil peace descended upon the car.
🎤
#Side—H
“Hello.”
When Baek Yoobin entered, it felt as if the waiting room had brightened by three levels of lighting. Even though he was barefaced and only wearing his stage outfit, an idol was an idol. He towered over others by at least a head.
His dazzling silver hair was now covered in black. It must have been difficult to maintain that brightness, considering how many times it must have been bleached. His hair must be quite damaged.
Yujin had such thoughts as he remained quietly rooted to his seat. The dancers all flocked towards Baek Yoobin. He wasn’t their boss, so was there a need to rush over and greet him like puppies waiting for their owner?
“Yoobin, it’s been a while. You seem to have gotten even more handsome.”
“Hyung, you’ve gotten more handsome too.”
“Oh, you dyed your hair? Black hair suits you well.”
“Ah, my hair was unmanageable. I just covered it this time. Noona, you dyed your hair too.”
“Baek Yoobin! It’s good to see you in person after so long. Take a picture with me later.”
“After I’m all set up. Ah, Jonghyo hyung. The video later……”
The scene of him sincerely responding to each person was like a small fan signing event. Singers and dancers each did their part on equal footing, so why did being a celebrity attract that much exaggerated attention? Yujin couldn’t understand.
Yujin watched Baek Yoobin conversing with the bustling dancers. Looking closely, his hair had a slight bluish tinge under the light. Perhaps because of that, his already bright skin tone appeared even paler.
He was indeed handsome. This was his second encounter with Baek Yoobin today, but Yujin felt the same impression as before. Did celebrities receive some special treatment? Everything about him felt different from ordinary people.
He inadvertently stared too intently and ended up making eye contact with Baek Yoobin. He averted his gaze the moment their eyes met, but……. Did Baek Yoobin notice? Then, Yujin suddenly felt a pang of self-disgust, wondering why he cared about such things.
Let’s just ignore him. He looked down at his phone to check his unread messages, and a large shadow fell over him. Baek Yoobin was standing in front of him.
“You’re a dancer I haven’t seen before?”
Baek Yoobin spoke with a polite and affable smile. Haven’t seen before? Was he serious? Yujin’s eyes narrowed slightly. He could understand forgetting about their time at the same academy, but shouldn’t he remember pointing at him in the waiting room hallway? It was quite rude.
“Yes, hello.”
“What’s your name?”
“Hong Yujin.”
“Our names are similar. Yujin, Yoobin.”
“…….”
If he was pretending not to know him, it was worthy of a Best Actor award. Yujin felt suspicious, but he didn’t want to bother asking, ‘Don’t you know me?’ As long as the stage went well, that was all that mattered.
“Hong Yujin. Pretty name.”
Hong Yujin. Yujin used to be dissatisfied with his androgynous name when he was young, but now he felt nothing about it. Was it because he often heard compliments like ‘pretty’ or ‘suits you well’ these days? No, it was because he realized that names weren’t important in life.
As Yujin continued his thoughts, a memory suddenly surfaced. The husky voice of his dance academy teacher seemed to brush past his ears.
‘Yoobin, Yujin. Your names are similar, but your dancing skills are completely different. Our Yoobin needs to practice a lot more.’
Right. He used to compare them like that. It was such a perfect coincidence that Yujin chuckled. Although it unintentionally came out as a twisted smirk.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-two.”
“Oh, we’re the same age.”
Yujin didn’t know how to react. It would have been the same even if it wasn’t Baek Yoobin. Things like similar names or being the same age. He didn’t like this act of finding unsurprising and useless commonalities.
“But have we really never met before? Your face looks so familiar.”
Now Baek Yoobin sat down next to Yujin. It seemed like he was going to start a conversation, so Yujin had to hide his discomfort. What was he trying to do?
“I guess I have a common face.”
“I don’t think so……. Hmm, where have I seen you before?”
Unable to watch Baek Yoobin pretend to ponder while stroking his chin, Yujin finally spoke.
“We ran into each other once before in the hallway of the Music Bank waiting room. You seemed to have mistaken me for someone else.”
“Ah……!”
At Yujin’s words, Baek Yoobin slapped his thigh. Then, as if he had finally remembered, he extended his hand and politely pointed at Yujin. Thankfully, he wasn’t pointing this time.
“That’s right. Back then, during the Blooming promotions.”
It was really tiring, I couldn’t even sleep. Baek Yoobin continued to chatter about information Yujin didn’t need to know. He talked quite a lot, unlike his appearance. Yujin sighed inwardly at the encroaching fatigue.
“I’m sorry about that time. I thought you were a friend I knew. Come to think of it, that friend’s name was also Yujin……”
Baek Yoobin trailed off meaningfully, smiling brightly. Seeing that, Yujin became certain.
‘This bastard, he remembers me.’
If so, why didn’t he just say so and greet him casually? Why was he pretending not to know and striking up a conversation?
It wasn’t that Yujin felt uncomfortable or disliked him. It was because they genuinely had no connection back when they were at the academy. They were just people who passed each other, aware of each other’s existence. Just that much. It wouldn’t be strange at all if Baek Yoobin didn’t remember him.
Yujin, who boasted a limited social circle, had no close acquaintances other than his three friends, then and now. Even at the dance academy, he barely spoke to anyone besides those friends. Most people found him difficult to approach or disliked him.
Because of his characteristically honest personality, Yujin was often misunderstood. In fact, he was even more so when he was younger, which made it easy to make enemies. Yujin didn’t intend to, but there were times when others took his words the wrong way.
Something about him seemed particularly disrespectful, even when he said the same things as others. Ong Seungchan, one of his three friends, often told Yujin, “You really have a knack for pissing people off.”
But Yujin believed he was a pretty decent person. He simply found it difficult to socialize, and he had always lived with a generally common-sense way of thinking.
He wasn’t friendly, but he never did anything that would harm others. It must have been the same for Baek Yoobin back then.
But why did he get this strange feeling that Baek Yoobin disliked him? It might just be his imagination, but his gut told him otherwise. Although he was smiling, there was something about his eyes and tone that seemed to grate on him…….
‘It must be my imagination.’
Even if he tried not to, it seemed that seeing Baek Yoobin made him compare himself and feel inwardly irritated. It was pathetic to be envious of his accomplishments without knowing the effort he put in to reach that position.
“I see, it’s alright.”
Yujin replied perfunctorily and looked down at his phone. He figured that Baek Yoobin would back off after he showed this much disinterest. However, Baek Yoobin was a tougher opponent than Yujin expected.
“We’re the same age, so how about we drop the formalities? We’ll be seeing each other throughout this promotion. It’d be nice to get close.”
From the pointing incident last time to this inexplicable attempt to find common ground and the sudden request to drop formalities—though they weren’t exactly strangers—Baek Yoobin was doing everything Yujin hated. The word ‘no’ almost slipped out of Yujin’s mouth, but he swallowed it down.
Even Yujin had learned some life lessons. He had learned that acting on his feelings and being difficult only made things harder for himself. Right now, that was more bothersome than dealing with Baek Yoobin.
“……Okay.”
“Okay!” Baek Yoobin echoed Yujin’s reply. Unlike Yujin’s curt tone, his voice was full of amusement. In the ensuing silence, Yujin, sensing a gaze on him, stopped looking at his phone and raised his head. Baek Yoobin was staring at him with his handsome face.
“……Why?”
“No, it’s just. It’s a small world.”
At this point, it seemed Baek Yoobin was expressing with his whole being that he remembered Yujin. So, what was the point of continuing to pretend otherwise? Did he want Yujin to recognize him first?
‘Did you go to Beat Dance Studio in high school? It’s me, Yujin. Hong Yujin! Do you remember?’
……Did he want Yujin to do something like that? Yujin had absolutely no intention of playing along.
“I think they’re calling you over there.”
Yujin pointed with his eyes to the stylist who was gesturing with a hairbrush. Baek Yoobin flinched and looked to the side before fixing his gaze back on Yujin. His expression was somewhat displeased.
“Aren’t you going?”
“……I have to. See you later.”
Baek Yoobin replied sullenly, glanced at Yujin, and walked past him. The scent of Baek Yoobin’s perfume lingered in the air like an afterimage. It was a soapy scent, which didn’t suit him. Thinking that, Yujin turned his attention back to his phone.
🎤
#Side—B
Yoobin stared at his changing reflection in the mirror. His frizzy hair, which had only been washed and dried, was magically becoming smooth under the hair stylist’s touch. Another staff member suddenly grabbed Yoobin’s wrist and fastened an accessory.
He showed no surprise and meekly submitted his body. Being touched by others had become as natural as breathing. These days, he felt awkward getting ready to go out by himself.
Yoobin, who was impassively observing his features, suddenly recalled a question he had heard on a variety show.
‘Yoobin, what do you think when you look in the mirror?’
‘If I had Yoobin’s face, I don’t think I’d ever get tired of looking at it. Honestly, isn’t it fun looking in the mirror?’
At the time, he had just agreed to go along with the flow of the show, but Yoobin honestly felt nothing about the face he saw every day. However, he knew he was good-looking, incredibly so, because of the reactions he received.
Yoobin’s appearance captivated people regardless of age or gender. Even outside of romantic contexts, his outstanding looks had never been a disadvantage in his relationships. Furthermore, with his fame as an idol, everyone wanted to get close to him.
‘He’s still the same, Hong Yujin.’
He had hoped to see a slightly different attitude compared to the past, but Hong Yujin was consistent. He still seemed uninterested in Yoobin. As if he genuinely didn’t know him.
‘Does he not recognize me?’
Yoobin frowned slightly. It wasn’t impossible. Hong Yujin was always indifferent to others. But to Yoobin, Hong Yujin was a significant presence.
The reason he started going to the dance academy was simple. After quitting short track due to an unexpected incident, he figured he might as well try being a celebrity since he had nothing else to do. He knew he wasn’t academically gifted, and all he had was his above-average appearance.
Dancing, which he had started with such a lighthearted attitude, was more difficult than he expected. He had thought it would be easy since it involved using his body, but he was mistaken. It was a completely different realm from the muscles he had used so far.
Then Yoobin had a chance to properly witness Hong Yujin’s dance. It was a rehearsal of a performance for a competition, held at the academy.
From the beginning to the end of the song. Yoobin couldn’t take his eyes off him.
It was a fresh shock. There wasn’t a single wasted movement, with strength and relaxation applied perfectly. It was intense yet smooth at the same time. Could these two feelings coexist?
Hong Yujin seemed to enjoy dancing. His usually stoic face would subtly contort, sometimes even smiling, his expressions constantly changing. Even the beads of sweat scattering in the air from his vigorous movements felt like an intentional part of the dance.
Yoobin’s heart raced as he watched, mesmerized. He felt a yearning to dance like that.
Yoobin had also put in tremendous effort to get where he was now. He was never outdone in dance, even among renowned idols. The foundation of his dance always stemmed from Hong Yujin. He had never told anyone, and he didn’t plan to, but he still hadn’t forgotten the impact Hong Yujin had on him back then.
“That dancer you were talking to earlier, do you know him?”
A woman’s high-pitched voice snapped Yoobin out of his reverie. Yoobin grinned playfully and spoke to the hair stylist.
“Why, are you interested?”
“Come on, you. How old do you think I am? I was just asking because I thought he was someone I hadn’t seen during the music video shoot.”
Yoobin smiled quietly as he watched the woman wave her hands dismissively in the mirror. It was funny how she picked out Hong Yujin specifically among so many dancers. It made him think that he stood out wherever he went.
“We learned to dance at the same place when we were young. But I know him, and he doesn’t seem to know me.”
“Is that even possible?”
The hair stylist scoffed as if it was absurd. It was natural. Even before his debut, Baek Yoobin’s face wasn’t one that could be easily forgotten.
“It is. He completely ignored me back then.”
The word “ignored” was heavily emphasized in his clear voice. Leaving the flustered woman behind, Yoobin fell into reminiscence again. The youthful face of Hong Yujin was still vivid.
Hong Yujin was quite popular. Back then, there were at least four girls who liked him. Although he didn’t seem interested in dating and Yoobin never saw him go out with anyone.
Ever since he first saw his dance, Yoobin’s eyes always followed Hong Yujin. He was curious about where he took group lessons, how he expressed the same movements, which hall he usually practiced in, and so on.
Yoobin’s interest gradually shifted from such trivial details to Hong Yujin himself. ‘How did he start dancing?’ ‘He seems to practice all day, does he not date?’ ‘Is his light brown hair dyed or natural?’ ‘He smells good even when I’m just near him, does he pour fabric softener all over his clothes?’
Then Yoobin realized. I want to be friends with him.
One day, he ran into Hong Yujin in his school uniform as he was entering the academy. Yoobin greeted him first, and Hong Yujin looked at him. But Hong Yujin just walked past. He was completely ignored.
Hong Yujin was infamous for his difficult personality, so it wasn’t anything new. He was indeed quite popular, but if there were rumors of fights at the academy, most of the time, Hong Yujin was the culprit.
‘If you’re not going to practice, why do you reserve the practice room? Do you own this academy?’
‘Don’t bring food into the practice room. Please. Bugs crawl out.’
‘Hey, you’re leaving fingerprints on the mirror. Are you going to clean them?’
There was nothing wrong with what he said. It was just that his tone was too sharp. Being reprimanded like that would make anyone annoyed, even if they were in the wrong. Several students left the academy because they disliked Hong Yujin for that reason.
But Yoobin wasn’t discouraged. He felt a sense of defiance, like he was trying to conquer a difficult boss monster. Let’s see how far he’ll ignore me. That was his mindset.
Perhaps because his school was far away, Hong Yujin was always five minutes late for lesson time. It was routine for him to open the door and appear in the middle of class, shamelessly taking the spot his lackeys had saved. Even though he was late, he always took a spot in front of Yoobin.
The three people Yoobin referred to as “lackeys” were the ones who stuck to Hong Yujin like glue. They were the ones who chimed in whenever Hong Yujin picked fights. Hong Yujin even smiled often when he was with those three.
He couldn’t understand why he was so friendly to them while ignoring Yoobin. That was what bothered Yoobin the most.
And Hong Yujin never even glanced at him. He ignored Yoobin when he greeted him and refused when he offered him a drink. The lackeys surrounded him like they were playing Ganggangsullae, giving Yoobin no chance to approach.
Had he ever tried so hard to get someone’s attention in his life? It was astonishing and ridiculous to think about it now. He must have been possessed or something.
And the decisive incident happened next. It was the day Hong Yujin, for once, arrived on time for the lesson. He spoke coldly to Yoobin.
‘Why are you standing there? Go to the back.’
The spot Yoobin was standing in was the one Hong Yujin always used for lessons. The front spot his lackeys always secured. Yoobin had stood there on purpose that day.
Even so, he hadn’t expected Hong Yujin to be so assertive. It was the ultimate territorial behavior. Hong Yujin gestured for him to come forward. Yoobin, dumbfounded, asked,
‘Why should I?’
Hong Yujin’s reply was drowned out by the loud music. The two faced each other in a standoff for a while. Then, as if exasperated, Hong Yujin pulled Yoobin’s arm and moved him to the back.
When Yoobin saw Hong Yujin standing firmly in that spot not long after, he was so speechless he couldn’t even speak.
“……Is it even possible to not remember?”
The hair stylist quickly responded to Yoobin’s unintentional murmur.
“No way. He’s probably pretending not to know you because he’s intimidated. Is it even possible to forget your face?”
‘He doesn’t seem like the considerate type.’
If it was because he felt guilty, then maybe. Yoobin scoffed. He must feel embarrassed about how badly he treated Yoobin in the past.
Thinking about the old days made him want to tease him a little, but Yoobin was glad to see Hong Yujin.
Academy violence or whatever, Hong Yujin was a figure who brought about a big change in Yoobin’s life. Reuniting with Hong Yujin was a small amusement in Yoobin’s boring life.
Would Hong Yujin still be indifferent to the current Baek Yoobin? Could he ignore him like before? He genuinely wanted to know.
He had recently pulled some strings to put Hong Yujin in the vacant spot of a dancer who had to drop out due to a herniated disc. Hong Yujin probably thought the agency called him, but in reality, Yoobin’s influence played a significant role. Yoobin’s company, whose stock price had skyrocketed thanks to him, listened to everything he said.
The lengthy stage setup was finished. With an even more stunning, unreal appearance, Yoobin grinned and stood up from his chair. His tall stature, which made the ceiling seem lower, exuded presence.
Yoobin turned his head and looked around the waiting room. The face he was looking for was nowhere to be seen in the messy room.
🎤
#Side—H
While Baek Yoobin was preparing for the stage, surrounded by numerous staff members, Yujin stared meaninglessly at his phone. There was nothing else to do. He was surrounded by unfamiliar dancers, so there was no one to talk to.
A message from Son Gyoyoung popped up at the top of the screen. Although Yujin was usually slow to reply, he felt better checking it since he had seen it. He tapped on the notification, and the conversation continued below their last exchange a week ago.
[Gyoyoung: You at the Music Bank waiting room?]
[Gyoyoung: Come out to the hallway for a sec]
[Why?]
[Gyoyoung: Got something to give you]
‘Suddenly?’
Yujin had no idea what it was, but he got up and left the waiting room. There was nothing to do sitting there anyway.
The hallway was chaotic. It was bustling with various people: hair and makeup staff, broadcasting officials, dancers, singers, and their managers. Among the ordinary clothes, colorful stage outfits occasionally caught the eye, like color-processed scenes in a black-and-white movie.
And at the end of Yujin’s gaze, a familiar face came into view. A female idol with short hair, dressed in a white stage outfit.
It was Son Gyoyoung, a member of the group ‘Angel Wings.’ Coincidentally, the end of Angel Wings’ promotions overlapped with Baek Yoobin’s comeback, allowing them to meet at the broadcasting station.
Son Gyoyoung was wearing a sleeveless top that revealed most of her upper body and short shorts. Somehow, more of her skin color was visible than the white of her stage outfit. Yujin frowned and asked,
“Aren’t you cold?”
“Is that even a question? I haven’t eaten, so I’m even colder.”
It was a blunt tone that didn’t match her innocent appearance. Son Gyoyoung, as if truly cold, stomped her feet in her high-heeled worker boots. Perhaps because she was thin, she looked even colder.
Son Gyoyoung was one of Yujin’s three friends—whom Baek Yoobin referred to as “lackeys.” She was also from the same dance academy as Baek Yoobin. In her senior year of high school, she passed an open audition she participated in for fun and became an idol. She was gaining recognition, considering she was from a small- to medium-sized agency.
“What is it that you want to give me?”
“This.”
“Macarons?”
What she handed to Yujin were two individually wrapped macarons, one orange and one chocolate.
Why macarons? Yujin looked at Son Gyoyoung with questioning eyes.
“I received them as a gift, and I brought them for you. Eat something sweet and calm down a bit.”
“……Isn’t this from a fan?”
Yujin asked suspiciously. He felt uneasy thinking about eating macarons that a fan might have bought with excitement. Son Gyoyoung smiled, her signature dimples showing.
“We can’t accept food from fans. This is from an advertiser. It just so happens to be ridiculously high in calories, so no one eats them.”
Only then did Yujin accept the macarons. His hand was filled with the two treats. Yujin, surprisingly, liked sweet things.
“The members didn’t want to eat them, so I gave some to the staff, but there were still some left. I was about to throw them away, so I’m throwing them to you. I remembered you were here.”
Despite being treated like a trash can, Yujin put the macarons in his pocket without a flinch. As he talked with Son Gyoyoung in the hallway, he felt strange glances around them. Female idols were particularly sensitive to scandals, so it was best to avoid any unnecessary rumors.
“I’m going.”
He tried to leave, but Son Gyoyoung didn’t give him a chance to turn around and asked,
“Did you greet Baek Yoobin? Did he recognize you?”
“I don’t know. It seems like he’s pretending not to know me, even though he does.”
At his casual reply, one corner of Son Gyoyoung’s lips lifted. Having encountered him several times in the same industry, Son Gyoyoung had come to dislike Baek Yoobin. Because he had a severe case of celebrity disease. When Angel Wings debuted, she had greeted him, but he ignored her. It was understandably offensive.
“Well, he’s so popular. He might not want to acknowledge us.”
Son Gyoyoung clicked her tongue softly, then quickly changed her expression. As if she remembered something, she clapped her hands and changed the subject.
“Oh, right. Did you see the message about meeting up with Ong, Seulgi, and me? You have to come.”
“When?”
“Didn’t you read the group chat?”
“You guys talk too much.”
The group chat with the four of them never stopped buzzing, so Yujin had turned off notifications a long time ago. But lately, they kept tagging him, which was annoying. He had left the chat a few times, but he kept getting added back, like a Möbius strip, so he had given up.
Son Gyoyoung made a displeased face and then sighed. It was an expression that said, ‘Typical Hong Yujin.’ Yujin’s eyebrows twitched.
“When are we meeting?”
“Next Tuesday at 7 p.m. Konkuk University entrance.”
It was quite an awkward time to schedule a meeting, but Yujin understood. They were all so busy that finding a time that worked for everyone was no easy task. Son Gyoyoung was an idol, so it went without saying, and Ong Seungchan was extremely busy with a new movie. Yujin was also in his busy season, making it difficult to find time.
“That’s a bit awkward.”
Yujin had a schedule with Baek Yoobin that day. It would most likely be over by 7 p.m., but he couldn’t guarantee he’d be there on time. After a brief deliberation, Yujin added,
“I’ll go if I can, even if I’m late.”
“‘If you can’ isn’t an option. You have to come. We’re meeting for your birthday. What’s a Hong Yujin birthday party without Hong Yujin?”
“Why are you guys deciding my birthday party?”
“You haven’t even checked the group chat, and you’re complaining.”
Yujin stopped arguing, dumbfounded. He was grateful they were thinking of him, but it seemed his opinion as the birthday person wasn’t that important. Honestly, Yujin didn’t care much about birthdays or anything.
“Oh, right!”
Son Gyoyoung suddenly exclaimed, her eyes widening. Yujin looked at her calmly, wondering what it was this time.
“Give me that back for a second.”
“The macaron?”
“Hurry up.”
At her urging, Yujin handed her back the macarons. Did she suddenly feel bad about giving them away? It didn’t matter to him.
“You have allergies.”
Son Gyoyoung said, picking up the orange macaron with her fingers.
As she said, Yujin had a citrus allergy and couldn’t eat fruits like oranges or lemons. But he was fine with processed foods that contained flavoring.
“It’s not that serious.”
“What if something happens? Just eat this one, just in case.”
In the end, Yujin was left with only the chocolate macaron. Son Gyoyoung patted her chest as if relieved.
Just then, someone stopped in front of them and spoke.
“Yujin, I’ve been looking for you.”
It was Baek Yoobin. He smiled prettily, looking dashing after finishing his stage setup. Yujin frowned slightly.
“What are you doing here?”
Although they knew each other, it hadn’t even been two hours since they had officially dropped formalities. It was excessive familiarity.
Son Gyoyoung looked at Yujin, as if asking for an explanation. Her eyes said, ‘Didn’t you say Baek Yoobin was pretending not to know you?’ Then, she politely bowed to Baek Yoobin.
“Hello, sunbaenim.”
Yujin felt like he was unintentionally witnessing his friend’s difficult work life. It was the first time he had seen her use such a high-pitched voice. She even smiled sweetly, showing her signature dimples.
“Hello. I really enjoy your music. It’s your last week of promotions, right?”
Baek Yoobin also received the greeting more kindly than expected. He even seemed like a decent senior who took an interest in his junior’s stage. Taken aback by his unexpected attitude, Son Gyoyoung replied, flustered,
“Ah, yes! I also really enjoy your stages. I love this new song.”
“Let’s film a challenge together sometime.”
“Oh, sure.”
These two, who also knew each other from high school, were politely pretending not to know each other, not much different from Yujin. Yujin suddenly found the situation amusing.
“Let’s definitely film it together sometime. Okay, I’m going. See you on Tuesday.”
After a heartwarming conclusion, Son Gyoyoung waved at Yujin and disappeared. It was a rather hasty exit. And Yujin was left alone in the hallway with Baek Yoobin.
“Why were you looking for me?”
Yujin asked, recalling his earlier words. Baek Yoobin spoke after a brief silence.
“I was looking for you because I want to film a challenge with you.”
🎤
#Side–B
Yoobin, puzzled by Hong Yujin’s absence from the waiting room, had come out to the hallway to get a drink from the vending machine. And he happened to witness it. The scene of Hong Yujin sweetly exchanging macarons with a female idol.
Moreover, that female idol was clearly one of the three siblings—the “lackeys” who annoyed Yoobin so much. To think they were still close. It was truly touching friendship.
Yoobin was gripped by an unknown displeasure. Annoyed for no reason, he had interrupted them, pretending to be friendly and overdoing it. Saying things like he had been looking for him, asking what he was doing here.
“Why were you looking for me?”
Hong Yujin asked when he was left alone with Yoobin. Yoobin had to come up with an excuse for his behavior. He recalled what he had just said.
‘Let’s film a challenge together sometime.’
It was a perfunctory greeting in this industry, on par with ‘Let’s grab a meal sometime.’ A lightbulb went off in Yoobin’s head.
“I was looking for you because I want to film a challenge with you.”
“……With me? Why?”
Hong Yujin asked, flustered by the unexpected suggestion. It was a hastily made excuse, but Yoobin seriously considered the reason. The answer came easily.
“I think it’ll look good if I film it with you.”
Hong Yujin immediately gave him a look that said, ‘How would you know?’ Probably, if it were back in high school, he would have just said that and left it at that. Yoobin was prepared to be reprimanded, but there was no such reaction. Had Hong Yujin developed patience as he grew older? He couldn’t believe it.
“Where are we filming?”
Now that he was asked, Yoobin felt a strange sense of excitement. It was a new feeling that the person who used to ignore him no matter what he did was now going to film a challenge with him at his request. As expected, success changed everything.
“There’s a place where people usually film it……. Ah, let’s do it by the stairs over there. I’ll find someone to film us.”
Yoobin grabbed a male junior who happened to be passing by and put his phone in his hand. The junior, who had run into Yoobin a few times on set, showed enthusiasm, boasting that he was an expert at filming challenges. He even added that he was in charge of filming for his members.
The junior didn’t stop talking even as they went to the challenge spot and positioned themselves with Hong Yujin. He was known for being talkative on variety shows, but it seemed like it wasn’t entirely an act. He kept asking questions even as he adjusted the camera app settings.
“It would be good if both of your faces are visible, should I film closer? Or from further away, so the background is more visible?”
“It would be good if you film right there.”
“What about movement? Do you prefer something dynamic?”
“Hmm. We’ll just film it without any of that. Just press record and hold it there.”
“……Yes, sir.”
“Thanks.”
The junior, who had been burning with passion and bright eyes, was reduced to a tripod. Whether to call it admirable or not, he set the frame carefully to make their legs look long, even as he replied dejectedly. After briefly adjusting his appearance, Yoobin asked Hong Yujin, who was marking the choreography next to him,
“Is it okay with you?”
“……? What is?”
“Filming it simply like that. Should we add camera movement?”
“Ah, it’s fine.”
It meant he was confident even without any fancy tricks. Yoobin knew Hong Yujin would answer like that. Of course, Yoobin was equally confident.
“Recording!”
The filming ended quickly in a single take. There were no mistakes, so there was no need to retake it. Yoobin, monitoring the filmed footage, glanced at Hong Yujin. Even though he had moved quite vigorously, he maintained a clear complexion without any signs of being ruffled.
“Wow……”
The junior singer, watching the video together, gasped in admiration. It was a genuine reaction, not feigned. Yoobin caught his breath and focused on the screen again.
There were three versions of the challenge choreography for Yoobin’s new song, ‘ENVY,’ according to difficulty level. The regular version, an easier version modified for everyone, and the one he filmed with Hong Yujin, the most difficult chorus version of the third verse.
Yoobin had filmed the challenge with quite a few people recently. It would be uploaded gradually, but only two idols, known for their professional-dancer-level skills, had filmed this difficult version. Even they complained about the difficulty of capturing the right feel and had to retake it several times.
“You two really……. It’s like, you’re one team. You’re really good.”
As the junior said, the two in the video moved in perfect synchronization, as if they had practiced beforehand. Unless they specifically coordinated the details, there were bound to be discrepancies, no matter how good they were, but there were none. It was similar to the feeling of a long-time group whose dance lines had become similar to each other.
And for some reason, Yoobin seemed to know why. Because he had countless times thought about how Hong Yujin would express these movements. He had always practiced while recalling his ingrained movements.
Even so, Yoobin had wondered if he was overestimating Hong Yujin. He had seen Hong Yujin when he was just starting out. It was entirely possible that the strong impact from that time had distorted his memory. He thought that he might not feel the same awe now.
But seeing him again like this, it was the same. Hong Yujin was still a great dancer. Even though he had been brought in late due to a dancer dropping out and had to learn the choreography on his own, his movements were flawless.
Suddenly, Yoobin felt an unusual tremor. It was the same sensation as when he first saw Hong Yujin dance. He placed a hand over his left chest, and the thump-thump of his heartbeat was transmitted through his skin.
“Sunbaenim. Are you alright? Are you sick?”
The junior’s eyes widened at Yoobin’s sudden action of clutching his chest. Hong Yujin, who was next to him, also looked at Yoobin, wondering what was wrong.
“What should I do. I’m so nervous about the stage.”
Yoobin felt a strange flutter. It had been a long time since he had been this nervous before a stage. These days, he didn’t even get this flustered when he won first place on music shows. It was strange.
Yoobin didn’t hear the junior’s words, something like, ‘……Sunbaenim is nervous? Is it because it’s the first stage today?’ Then, Yoobin suddenly placed his hand on Hong Yujin’s chest as well. Perhaps because of the thickness of his clothes, he couldn’t feel the heartbeat as strongly, so he had to focus his senses.
But that was only for a moment. Hong Yujin flinched, stepped back, and frowned.
“Hey…… what are you doing?”
It was a chillingly low voice, as if he was about to curse. Unlike Yoobin, who wasn’t particularly flustered, the junior’s eyes darted around, his face pale. It was understandable, as Hong Yujin’s appearance was rather proper and pretty, which didn’t match his personality.
“My heart’s beating so fast. I wanted to compare.”
“Why are you comparing with me…… ha, whatever.”
His rising voice was replaced by a sigh. Hong Yujin’s lips moved a few times before he muttered, “It’s natural to be nervous before a stage.” Was it natural?
“Anyway, we’re done, right? I’m leaving.”
Hong Yujin spoke in a strangely cold tone, briefly greeted the junior who helped with the filming, and left. The junior bowed his head in greeting, looking bewildered. As the back of Hong Yujin’s light brown head disappeared around the corner, the junior asked Yoobin,
“Sunbaenim. Are you close with that dancer?”
He had thought the junior was scared, but his eyes were shining with curiosity. It was a simple question with an obvious answer, but Yoobin couldn’t answer immediately. It would be a lie to say they were close, but he also felt strangely reluctant to say they weren’t.
“I also want to ask him to do a challenge with me later. Sunbaenim, I think the video is going to be a huge hit.”
‘I’m someone who knew—?—Hong Yujin before, and I’m on the same stage with him, but what are you?’
Yoobin stared at the junior, feeling inexplicably annoyed. The junior, perhaps sensing Yoobin’s discomfort, awkwardly touched the back of his head and spoke.
“Ah, if you’re not close, I can talk to him myself later! Don’t worry about it.”
Yoobin was about to retort, but he missed the timing. The junior had answered a call from his member and left. He waved his hands, saying he would ask Yoobin for a challenge later, and disappeared.
‘Not close…….’
Even after being left alone, the words lingered in Yoobin’s mind, hurting his pride and bothering him. He pondered the source of this unknown discomfort, but couldn’t pinpoint it. Why did it matter if he wasn’t close with someone who didn’t even recognize him? Moreover, hadn’t Hong Yujin only left him with bad impressions, aside from his dance?
Yoobin couldn’t understand why he still cared about Hong Yujin. It was true that he had been a significant influence on his dance, but the gap between them couldn’t be that big anymore.
He was interested in seeing Hong Yujin again after so long, but he was merely curious about how he would treat him now. That’s what he thought.
‘But what is this feeling?’
What was he disappointed about? As if he had expected a different outcome, Yoobin was dissatisfied with Hong Yujin’s indifferent attitude.
Yoobin sighed softly and turned towards the waiting room. With each step down the hallway, his thoughts also progressed.
‘……No, let’s admit it.’
He had expected Hong Yujin to be a bit more friendly. He wanted to feel validated by seeing a changed attitude compared to the past.
But Hong Yujin hadn’t changed, and neither had Yoobin. What was the difference between now and when he was a high school student, desperately trying to get Hong Yujin’s attention by suddenly suggesting they drop formalities or film a challenge?
No. Still, Hong Yujin wouldn’t be able to ignore him outright like he used to. Yoobin had reached a certain position, and Hong Yujin was his dancer.
Yoobin decided not to think too deeply.
He was simply feeling competitive towards Hong Yujin. Because he was someone he couldn’t befriend no matter what he did in the past. He subconsciously still clung to that goal and wanted to achieve it now.
‘It’s different from before.’
During the time Hong Yujin might have developed patience, Yoobin hadn’t remained stagnant either. Debuting and rising from the bottom, he had naturally learned how to make others like him.
Would Hong Yujin be any different?
First, to resolve this unease, he needed to become friends with Hong Yujin. He felt that gaining his favor and making him like him would make him feel better.
A smile suddenly bloomed on Yoobin’s face. If Manager Kang saw him, he would click his tongue and say, ‘Has he gone crazy?’ Even Yoobin himself couldn’t understand his train of thought, but he found the situation quite amusing.
How could he gain Hong Yujin’s favor? Yoobin racked his brain. The possibility of losing interest after achieving his goal was irrelevant.
🎤
yanyanssu @yanyan__121
Baek Yoobin X Dancer Hong Yujin ENVY Challenge is out!
(Video)
❤7.2K
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⤷ Wow.. I can’t get out of here
⤷ Why didn’t Yujin oppa debut as an idol??????
⤷ A dancer is a dancer. He’s the best so far, really
⤷ The taste of controlled sexiness that Baek Yoobin serves….
⤷ God of Wave, Standard of Wave, Emperor of Wave, Legend of Wave, Ruler of Wave, Terminator of Wave, Master of Wave, Legend of Wave etc.
⤷ The dancer is more idol-like than most idols
⤷ What’s with the black hair? What is it really???; Did you decide to seduce all the girls who like white?
⤷ It looks like they filmed it casually but the quality is crazy ㄷㄷㄷ
⤷ Baek Yoobin arson case. It is a case where Baek Yoobin set my heart on fire with his face
⤷ But…. Don’t their dance lines look similar?!
K—POP Category
Discussion ┃ Who’s the dancer who filmed the challenge with Baek Yoobin??
Is he famous?
It seems like everyone knows him but me…
He dances really well.
(Challenge video)
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Comments
—Yeah, he was a little popular in the summer with Choi Woochan’s Waterbomb stage.
—neotube.comrkW—kwn1th2o
He did a legendary Waterbomb stage before, check this out lol. There’s a fancam.
⤷ Wow….. Thanks for the good video
⤷ My porn was here
⤷ It looks like the person filming was trying to film Choi Woochan but the camera turned lol
—He dances really well, and he’s handsome, so he stands out on stage.
⤷ Really, he’s very pretty and handsome.
—I’m originally interested in dancer videos, so I often look them up. No lie, every time I see Hong Yujin dance, I thought his lines were similar to Baek Yoobin’s, but I was so surprised when they filmed the challenge together lol. Were they close before?.. So fascinating
—Yoobin is also really, really, really good on stage, but my eyes keep going to the dancer… Why me..?
⤷ I’m not the only one lol. He’s so handsome ㅠ
⤷ Their visuals together are crazy.
—Please film another one properly later… Really.. My wish..
—Baek Yoobin’s features are so sharp, black hair really suits him.. The concept is good, the choreography is crazy, this whole promotion seems legendary. Honestly, that kind of dance could be a bit much for a male idol, but there’s none of that.. It’s like watching a work of art.
⤷ 22222 I agree with everything.
—They look a little awkward before the choreography starts lol I wonder how they ended up filming together. Tell us the story.