Chapter 14
"What's wrong? What's wrong? Wait, I'll call the doctor right away."
As soon as I made a face, Shin Yeon-woo asked in shock. Ah. I was a patient to those guys just now. I immediately cleared my mind.
"No, I was wondering what happened after that."
"Do you know how scared I was?! You don't answer the phone, I finally found you and both of you suddenly fainted!"
Kang Se-hyun groaned and buried his face in the bed.
He seemed angry, but his expression became gentler than usual because his eyes were swollen, so he actually looked kinder than usual.
'Well, it was a bit surprising to hear that.'
I coughed and apologized obediently.
"...I'm sorry."
"Well, you're not the one who should apologize."
Choi Seong-jun cut me off firmly.
"I contacted Manager Hyung."
"What did they say?"
Kang Se-hyun sniffed and asked, and Choi Sung-jun awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth.
"...Just, they said they'd come pick us up."
A moment of silence flowed between the members.
I could guess what Choi Sung-jun had heard from our manager.
The rules that our manager had emphasized every day until we were worn out. Return to the dorm right after practice, and refrain from going out outside of your schedule.
"But this isn't our fault, right?"
Kang Se-hyun said, slamming his fist on the bed.
"That's true."
Even so, Choi Sung-jun's voice was quieter than usual.
'Yeah, I can see how this will end.'
It wasn't unexpected.
Originally, UJ, where Choi Sung-jun and I were in, hated any noise before debut.
No matter whose fault it was.
From stealing artists' personal information to trespassing on their accommodations and vehicles, UJ's stance was cold to the sasaengs' actions that crossed the line.
— Sasaengs are customers too. And VIPs who spend a lot of money. Can't you handle that?
This was UJ's usual way of dealing with things.
The secret to Tighten's undiminished popularity.
They say it's just nonsense from the perspective of protecting artists from excellent customers.
'....That secret ended up being poisonous.'
TP probably isn't much different. But this time it has to be different.
'I don't plan on just letting this go quietly.'
The woman I saw in Kim Eden's memories was dangerous.
If we don't sort it out now, we don't know what she'll do in the future.
For the smooth completion of the quest and Kim Eden's mentality.
'We have to cut it off.'
"Yoo Hyun-ah, is it okay if you don't contact your parents?"
Shin Yeon-woo asked cautiously.
There was no need to reveal it at this time, so I just brushed it off.
"It's okay. What, for something like this."
"You're doing okay. Your face is as red as a sweet potato."
Why is that bastard Choi Sung-jun picking a fight?
'I'm already starting to feel anxious because the daily quests aren't coming.'
It should be a quest that can be completed before the limited lifespan runs out.
While I was lost in thought for a moment, Kim Eden, who had been tossing and turning, got up.
Shin Yeon-woo made me lean against Kang Se-hyun and moved to check on Kim Eden.
"Are you awake?"
Kim Eden, who had been blinking blankly at Shin Yeon-woo's question, nodded.
"...Yes."
"Thank goodness."
Kim Eden's face was still pale, but his condition seemed okay.
Then, his eyes met with mine. His eyes blinked a couple of times, then widened in an instant, and Kim Eden came crashing down onto my bed.
"Yoo-hyun hyung, arm!! Are you okay? Does it hurt?!"
"I'm fine."
"Still...."
Kim Eden's gaze was on the wound on my arm. It felt serious because the thing the woman was holding was a blade, but the wound itself wasn't deep. A slight graze would heal quickly. Rather, it was fortunate that it ended here.
The pungent smell of blood in my memory was still vivid.
'Fortunately, I avoided anything serious, but I bet you were really shocked.'
I pretended to be fine, but I wasn't. As I was choosing what to say to Kim Eden, whose eyes were drooping, the quest notification sounded.
[Daily Quest Arrived!]
: Persuade the company officials to make the stalker incident public! (0/1)
[Reward Life 24:00:00]
The system, this bastard, even gave this...…. I forced a smile and hid my miserable feelings. It's something that has to be done anyway. However.
[Remaining Life 08:47:51]
'Can that be done within this time?'
It was well past midnight.
There was no company official that could be contacted at this time.
A proper conversation would probably be possible only tomorrow morning. By then, there would probably be an hour left in life.
No, it might be too late.
'Then the only option left is the manager.'
The problem is that the manager doesn't have the authority to make such an important decision.
Furthermore, given his usually old-fashioned personality, he probably wouldn't agree to making it public.
'I guess I'll have to somehow connect with the company people through the manager.'
"Did the manager arrive?"
Choi Sung-jun said while checking his smartphone.
"It's about time he came."
Okay.
I stretched my legs out of bed.
"Where are you going?"
"Hyung, you need to go to the bathroom? Put your arm around me. I'll help you up."
"No, we have to go to the dorm now."
"Huh?!"
Kang Se-hyun's mouth fell open.
Choi Seong-jun looked at me like I was crazy.
"Are you crazy? Your fever is 39. It doesn't make sense for you to say that and move like that right now."
"Wait a minute. My hyung might be crazy because of the fever... Ah, hyung!"
39 degrees?
I felt a little dizzy. I didn't care and put my shoes on in a hurry. Shin Yeon-woo intervened.
"Let's go get some IV fluids, Yoo Hyun-ah. You didn't even drop one."
Of course.
The system penalty can't be cured by sap. I can't tell you the truth.
After putting on my shoes, I pushed Kang Se-hyun away and stood up on my two feet.
"This won't do. Kwon Yoo-hyun isn't listening to us at all."
"...Hey, hey, wait."
But as soon as I stood up, hands reached out at the same time and I was instantly laid back down.
'These bastards...'
The members' attitudes were surprisingly strong.
They had no idea that lying here and resting would be threatening my life even more.
"Let's just get all the IVs. And let's go home together, Yoo Hyun-ah."
"I'll let you go once you get all that."
"That's right. You're already tied up, so give up and just take the IV!"
Kim E-den and Kang Se-hyun pretended to be assistants and blocked the escape route.
I clicked my tongue slightly as I looked up at the IV dripping down at a breakneck speed.
'We'll be held for hours at this rate.'
That's not possible.
I pretended to think about it and nodded.
"Okay, then."
The hands that had been holding my body down in case I woke up finally relaxed.
Aren't you the ones who are treating the patient too roughly?
"Ha… I thought we were subduing some wild beast."
"Are you really sick? Why is the strength so strong?!"
I said with a pretended gentle smile.
"I'll get the IV, so call the nurse."
"Why?! Where else are you uncomfortable?"
Kim Eden, who was lost in thought, quickly called out to the nurse who was passing by.
"Could you please increase the IV speed?"
The teacher readily adjusted the IV speed at my words.
The members exchanged glances with expressions filled with doubt.
"Is this okay?"
The IV drops were finally dripping down at a refreshing speed.
"Is it okay to get this much...?"
The teacher lightly answered Shin Yeon-woo's question.
"Young and healthy people are okay. But if you feel dizzy, please let me know."
"My hyung isn't healthy-."
"Yes, thank you."
I cut off Kang Se-hyun's words and thanked the teacher.
The members who had been dumbfounded began to come to their senses one by one.
"No, let's just rest and go!"
Kim E-den said urgently.
"Even if you drink water quickly, you'll get diarrhea, so what are we going to do if you get it this quickly? You should rest and take it slowly!"
That's useless talk. Still, it's dismissed. We need to move as quickly as possible.
"I'm healthy, so I'm fine."
At my words, the members furrowed their eyebrows and made strange expressions.
"...You?"
"Hyung?"
"...."
.....Yeah.
If you look at my record of getting a fever and getting a nosebleed at the slightest, it probably doesn't sound credible.
It's unfair, but I have nothing to say.
I cleared my throat at the persistent stares.
"It's more comfortable to go to the dorm and rest."
***
That's it. In the end, we left the emergency room much faster than expected.
"It's like 4x speed, who would put an IV in so rudely?"
Choi Sung-jun grumbled with a hollow laugh.
"Where's the car?"
When I asked him as if I didn't know, Choi Sung-jun sighed and nodded.
"They said they don't stop in front of the emergency room, so they parked it nearby. They'll be here soon."
"Yeah."
We walked toward the main road that the manager had mentioned.
"Eden, have you contacted your parents?"
"Yes! They happened to be nearby, so they signed the guardian confirmation box and left."
"They just left?"
That's it. I walked slowly and thought about what I wanted to say to the manager.
Kim Eden laughed awkwardly.
"Yes, they're busy. Haha!"
At that moment, Kim Eden, who was talking to Shin Yeon-woo, approached cautiously.
"Hyung."
"?"
"I'm sorry...because of me."
"What?"
You mentioned the IV drip and ended up getting it?
"Hyung, you got hurt."
Oh, that.
'You thought it was your fault.'
Suddenly, Kim Eden's emotions came to mind. Agitation, fear, and... guilt.
It was something he couldn't blame himself for. I hesitated for a moment to choose what to say, then opened my mouth.
"It's not your fault."
A crack appeared on Kim Eden's face, which had maintained a bright expression the whole time.
I hoped you wouldn't be consumed by unnecessary guilt.
'I'm not qualified to say this.'
I wish I knew for sure.
When I recalled the fear I felt from this guy in my dream, my throat felt blocked. I couldn't bear to look into Kim Eden's wide eyes and continued.
"You didn't do anything wrong today."
"...."
"You don't have to be sorry."
Kim Eden didn't say anything.
Then he suddenly stopped walking.
"?"
"Keu...."
I heard a strange sound and looked back at Kim Eden.
Kim Eden was shaking his shoulders. Then when our eyes met, he pouted.
"Sob!"
"What? Are you crying?"
As if my words were a signal, Kim Eden started to shed tears.
"Huhh ..."
It's a sad cry.
"What?! Did you make him cry?"
Don't ask me. I'm embarrassed too.
"Ah, don't cry!"
...This is the first time I've actually seen someone cry like this. He's so big, but he's crying like a kid.
'Ah, he's a kid.'
Kim Eden is only 18 years old.
He's still a kid who hasn't even graduated from high school.
He's a mature guy despite his appearance, so I forgot about him for a moment.
I thought about what Kim Eden had experienced and almost experienced today, and I understood on my own.
"Eden, why are you crying?"
"Tteuheuiing ..."
Kim E-den's crying became even sadder as Shin Yeon-woo rubbed his back.
"Huh, Yoo-hyun... Hyuung... Thank you so much..., Heok... You're so affectionate and Hyuungg...!"
Just hearing it made my whole body tingle, so I shook my head and rubbed my arms.
"Hahak! Yoo-hyun Hyung is embarrassed!"
Kang Se-hyun, who saw me, laughed heartily without even thinking about how swollen his eyes were.
Then Kim E-den also burst out laughing after crying.
"Keuheup... Ahahaha!! Hyung, your expression is so funny! Are you that embarrassed to hear you're affectionate?"
"Affectionate! Affectionate!"
"Yoo-hyun hyung is so sweet!"
He's joking around with Kang Sehyun right away, but I wonder if he's the same kid who was crying just a moment ago.
He starts crying in an instant, and he stops in an instant.
'Well, it's better than continuing to cry.'
He's a kid. He starts giggling and clinging to me. I ended up laughing and pushing Kim E-den's head away.
At that moment, my pocket vibrated.
"Huh? What's wrong? Why is your phone broken?!"
"Oh. Hmm. I dropped it."
"Wow, it hasn't even been that long since you bought it!"
That's right.
Kang Se-hyun was shocked, asking if it worked.
Fortunately, the touch worked.
I smiled bitterly and checked the sender.
—Team Leader of the Rookie Development Team
"Huh?"
"Team Leader?"
The members who had gathered around began to express their doubts one by one.
The word had already reached the team leader. It was faster than I thought.
'It turned out well.'
I kept my lips tightly shut.
I calmly organized the list of things I wanted to tell the team leader in my head.
Just as I was about to take a quick breath and answer the phone, Choi Sung-jun stopped me.
"Use speakerphone."
You won't be able to hear anything good anyway, so it would be better if I were the only one listening.
I swallowed a sigh and pressed the receive button.
And after a while.
"Hey, Kwon Yoo-hyun."
"..... Yeah."
Choi Sung-jun opened his mouth with a serious expression.
"Are you the team leader's son?"
"...."
The Team leader is in her 30s. So am I her son?
Let's look at him silently. Choi Sung-jun smiled awkwardly and corrected himself.
"Then nephew?"
Say something that make sense.
At my gaze, Choi Sung-jun also laughed in vain as if he was also shocked.
I was equally flustered. I pressed my forehead and tilted my head.
'Is this...really real?'
—What!! They're hurt? Where are our kids!! What would have happened if their faces were hurt!!! What the hell are these fucking fans!! These X-like stalkers should be niped off in the first place!! Just wait!! I'll report them right now and ban them!!
Rather than trying to bury it quietly, an unexpected reaction came back.
—