Chapter 146

"To cut to the chase, I didn't go to the hospital.

Kang Ichae may not be an easy person, but I wasn't the type to just sit back and do nothing either.

As I rambled on, trying to delay or go to the bathroom and not come out, or holding onto the bed and enduring, just as Kang Ichae's eyes were about to roll back, my body returned to its original state after a little over two hours.

I was almost dragged all the way to the door, but I managed to stop and stand my ground when they said I was fine.

Kang Ichae opened his eyes slightly and checked my body temperature and examined me thoroughly.

"36.2 degrees."

It wasn't a deadly disease, it wasn't a lie, and it wasn't something that was hurting me. Kang Ichae confirmed it several times and crossed his arms.

"...It's strange, isn't it?"

He still seemed skeptical, but his expression had improved.

Even though I suggested going to the hospital, there was no reason to create unnecessary risks.

"I'm not going."

As my condition returned and my head started to clear, I was pissed off, and eventually, after making an agreement to go to a familiar hospital in Korea arranged by the company, I was able to get out of the situation.

And after returning to Korea, Kang Ichae naturally tried to follow me to the hospital, but under the manager's objection that the more people knew, the more likely it would be to leak, only the road manager accompanied me.

We even used a taxi instead of a van.

However, somehow the road manager managed to come into all the examination rooms, as well as the doctor's office, and recorded everything, which was then passed on to Kang Ichae.

He was persistent, but after hearing that there was nothing wrong according to the diagnosis and the doctor's opinion, Kang Ichae finally fell silent.

I couldn't understand the reason, but for now, it seemed like he wanted to overlook this strange situation.

Just like during the hyperventilation incident.

"...It seems like all he cares about is the people around him being healthy."

Rather than understanding or logic, it seemed like the most important thing to him was that I was healthy.

"I'm glad you're not in pain."

"...."

"But let's get regular check-ups. The other members too."

I looked at Kang Ichae, who was smiling faintly, and I got annoyed.

"He's really not in his right mind."

And at the same time, I felt a little remorse.

There was another crazy person besides myself who I thought he was the only one.

As someone who had experienced Kang Ichae's firsthand tyranny, I felt a bit sorry for the other members. But of course, it didn't last long.

Knowing that I was fine, I quickly reassessed Kang Ichae as I saw his attitude soften.

"...Are you going to tell the other members?"

"Well..."

He vaguely answer, but Kang Ichae didn't tell the other members.

"Well... I guess I should be thankful."

"Hyung! Do you want to eat this?"

"I'm good."

Ignoring the Tokyo banana snack that Jeong Dajun, who was clueless, offered with both cheeks full, I turned my gaze out the window.

"Sariza..."

I resolved to avoid Kang Ichae's minefield as much as possible for a peaceful and comfortable idol life.

.

.

.

.

The Dawn's activities in Japan have all ended.

"[Hoyun looks good today, thankfully ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]"

"[Daepaseong's leaker caughtㄷㄷㄷ It was someone from within the companyㄷㄷ]"

The leaks, along with the items and setups I had planted, were eaten up nicely, and the leaker, who had been summoned for questioning by the police, went straight to the representative and begged for forgiveness, crying.

The representative, who wanted to quietly deal with the matter internally and wrap things up quickly, was not Seo Hoyun.

After the leak incident and the subsequent appearance on stage due to health issues, emails, calls, and faxes flooded in with protests and requests for statements. Even the hashtag campaign was still ongoing.

[#Daepaseong_Apologize]

[#Daepasaeong_Boycott]

With external pressure mounting, already unstable internal tensions escalated. I sarcastically remarked about how interesting it would be to see how things turned out if a member, weakened by a relentless schedule, broke down and revealed everything. Of course, Seo Hoyun had no intention of actually making such a revelation.

In response, the representative asked hesitantly,

"...What do you want?"

It was an expected response to the threat.

"I want to add a few more specialized personnel to replace the leaker."

"..."

He could only nod sadly, thinking, 'Did we go through all this trouble just for that?'

In the end, everything was neatly wrapped up, and a pleasant working environment was provided for Lee Jihyeon.

'I wanted to promote Lee Jihyeon to team leader.'

But that would have been too much. When a rat is cornered, it bites. I had to maintain boundaries, no matter what.

For now, I decided to be satisfied with creating a specialized planning team for the Dawn

If getting such a bargain required rolling over just once, it was a small price to pay.

The rumors about smoking have also subsided, and you can think of it as a few wasted days in life.

I created a pleasant planning team environment by reevaluating the situation and conditions to maximize efficiency.

If there was one unexpected variable, it was Kang Ichae.

"Ah, I'm a little thirsty."

It was Kang Ichae.

"I want to drink banana milk."

"I'll get it for you."

"Just kidding. I want handmade Ssanghwa tea with whole dried eggs."

"Where would I get that?"

"I wish you would make it for your poor brother who can't even get something in his eye~."

Kang Ichae said, sitting on the couch in the recording studio, chewing gum leisurely. I had been catering to his whims for days.

'If only he didn't know...'

this matter would have been beautifully resolved by me sacrificing my life and breaking his neck.'

"You... did you not tell others to take advantage of me?"

"That's just Seo Hoyun's style of thinking."

"I should have knocked you out cold back then so you'd forget everything."

"Kya~."

Despite knowing that the rumors, the leaker, and the issues with the planning team had all been resolved and that my health was fine, I laughed heartily but still felt the anger simmering inside as Kang Ichae continued to prod at me.

I was trying to suppress my dirty temper and withstand it, having felt a pang of guilt and having made a slip of the tongue, but I was almost at my limit.

"It's good to see you acting like your usual despicable self. It's quite enjoyable."

"You bastard."

After that, Kang Ichae acted fine, but his eyes were burning. Madness oozed from his tone.

Certainly, at that moment, I had crossed his threshold, resorting to a diabolical tantrum disguised as a temper.

Banana milk and Ssanghwa tea were a placebo. Making a scene in front of the members was a given, and if I wanted to get angry, I would step back and pretend to be weak.

"Hyung is too kind to Ichae."

"..."

That fox!

Watching Kang Ichae, who was leading me to my boiling point, I felt my insides churning.

'Just! Hold out for two more days.'

If he's still in that state after two days, I'll just expose everything, kill Kang Ichae, and figure out a way to survive.

Anyway, thanks to Kang Ichae, I, who was basking in the sun, felt like killing anyone who got in my way.

Not only the people in the company, but even the manager kept a close eye on me and gradually distanced themselves, but I couldn't just not work.

At that moment, Lee Jihyeon, who was very happy with the improved working environment, handed me a proposal with a very happy face.

The Dawn - Rising Dawn and Fallen jacob," was a self-produced content proposal that aimed to conclude the Apocalypse trilogy, following the year-end stage performance.

Receiving the materials and quickly skimming through them, I summoned the creativity. I couldn't afford to miss such a golden opportunity.

...

Thus, before entering Shining Star Season 2, The Dawn's first self-produced content advertisement was released on YouTube.

["It's been a while since we've seen a falling jacob teaser!"]

It was mid-February, and due to the cold weather, the shooting took place indoors.

["Seems like the kids are really immersed in the Apocalypse concept."]

["I'm so excited!"]

["How do they get so immersed in the Apocalypse concept? Do they just have to scream that the world is ending?"

└"Jeong Dajun is going to be amazing. Already knew from his emotional performance on his birthday."]

["But what about Seo Hoyun... lol."]

During the surprise birthday party, the members realized something about Seo Hoyun. Knowing how shameless he was, it was clear that he would pop out with a smile even this time.

["This guy, like during the student council election, will probably have his hands in his pockets and confidently walk out."]

["Retiring Sergeant Seo Hoyun

└Ah lol."]

On the day of the self-produced content's release, fans were left speechless as they watched the video.

["Unbelievable."]

From the beginning, Seo Hoyun appeared wearing black techwear, reminiscent of the SWAT team's attire, modified from the American police force. As the sound of sturdy military boots echoed, the screen slowly revealed Seo Hoyun from bottom to top, clad in black tactical gear and a cap, with an expressionless face.

["Oh my god, thank you, gods of the world."]

["Paying my respects to the place of the Great Parsnip."]

In Second Chance, Seo Hoyun had always been associated with the military, so fans had seen him in various uniforms, but seeing him in full techwear for the first time caused a frenzy among fans.

At that moment, Seo Hoyun stepped onto the stage. And then, a flag with The Dawn's logo fluttered in the air.

[Moreover, he's not just a retired sergeant!!!!]

[Wow, what's wrong with Seo Hoyun? this confidence??]

Seo Hoyun glanced coldly at the four members who were huddled together in front of the stage, seemingly unaware of what was happening. He casually recited the script while swinging the proposal document.

"Hello."

He was in a heightened state of sensitivity, so he was very pleased with the opportunity to create a self-produced content about an overzealous Apocalypse military unit that could legally interrogate the members.

With a face that had turned red enough to be felt even by himself in the past few days, Seo Hoyun gritted his teeth and obediently played along as Kang I-chae leaned forward.

'Kang I-chae, you bastard.'

"Starting today, I will be in charge of training," said Seo Hoyun.

'You're dead today.'

The shooting day was two days after he promised to cooperate.

"Wow~!! You're handsome~!"

"Kyaa~!"

When Jung Dajun, who had recently been particularly close to Kang Ichae, made a sarcastic remark, Seo Hoyun's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"...!"

Kim Seonghyeon and Seong Jiwon exchanged glances.

Jung Dajun, who still hadn't grasped the situation, was left alone, but the hyung line realized that something unusual was happening at that moment.

"…Today, in accordance with the Apocalypse universe, we will act. If you fail to meet the criteria for these actions, you will be punished."

[Hahaha, but seriously, how are we supposed to do this concept]

[Let's just destroy everything, Dajun]

[But Seo Hoyun, I thought he would be nonchalant, but it's great that he's playing along so wellㅠ Is this what they call a soldier-idol? So cool]

[The natural honorifics are crazy.....

└Reminds me a bit of PD Lee Jeonghoon ㅠㅠ]

Seo Hoyun was an idol who moved with a thorough business performance, but today was different. It wasn't acting.

[His chilling acting is amazing]

He meant it...

And I really felt bad.

"What is the punishment?"

When Sung Jiwon raised his hand to ask a question, the corners of Seo Hoyun's mouth slightly lifted.

"Jeong Dajun was making desserts and whipping meringue until an hour ago."

"Really?"

"Ah! So that's why I asked what was going on?"

Still smelling sweet, Jung Dajun pressed his palm against Kim Seonghyeon's nose.

At the same time, someone came from afar, pulling a portable tray. On top of it were plates covered with stainless steel lids.

When Seo Hoyun removed the lid, the food was revealed.

It was a dish made by Jeong Dajun.

"Tuna macarons, gochujang sandwiches, and more...."

"Euaah!"

"Dajun, why did you do that?"

In response to Seong Jiwon's gentle yet serious question, Jeong Dajun shouted in frustration.

"Well, I wanted to make something unique and creative! And those were the only ingredients available?? I mean, you can't make gochujang macarons, right?!"

"...."

"Why do these narrow-minded people judge without even trying it and thinking it's not good?"

[Should we try eating it to see if it's poop or soybean paste?

└I wonder if it's black bean sauce or strawberry... I want to try tasting it...

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Ah, lolㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

No one listened to Jeong Dajun's words.

Beside him, Kang >chae smirked.

"It's good to be fully committed, but who decides that?"

"I do."

"Isn't that too much? It's just Hoyun hyung doing whatever he wants."

Seo Hoyun tapped his finger on the table and smiled at the members.

"If you have any complaints, you should have taken charge of my concept earlier."

"Huh~."

"But...."

Seo Hoyun looked at Kang Ichae and asked, "Are you still using informal speech Kang ichae?"

"Just make a tuna sandwich...."

"....!!"

Only now did Jeong Dajun realize it and slapped his forehead with an expression of realization.

"[Hey, what an idiotㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]"

[I love Dajun, but I can't eat tuna macarons └If I eat them, it might drive me crazy..]

When punishments and Jung Dajun's dishes were matched up, Kim Sung-hyun raised his hand with an uneasy look.

"So, what's the punishment?"

"That one."

"...Yes?"

"Eating dessert made by Jeong Dajun."

Everyone's complexion turned pale, then,

"...Or do ten minutes on the treadmill and do a sexy dance."

"We'll go with the sexy dance."

Their expressions brightened again.

Despite Jeong Dajun glaring fiercely at Kim Seonghyeon's firm answer, he couldn't sway his brothers' determined hearts.

Although the relevance was unclear, Jeong Dajun was celebrating becoming an adult by throwing himself into cooking. He was particularly passionate about fusion cuisine.

"Dajun, if someone told you to put strawberry jam in black bean noodles, would you eat it?"

"Ew...."

"Oh, that's unfair!! I'm good at cooking normally! And strawberry jam might be delicious with black bean noodles!"

"...."

"Why do you think it's gross without even trying, like these narrow-minded people?"

[Dajun, do you want to taste whether it's poop or soybean paste?

└You should taste whether it's black bean or strawberry...

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋLet's taste it, lqkfㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

No one was listening to what Jeong Dajun said.

Next to him, Kang Ichae raised his head and looked puzzled.

"It's good , but who decides that?"

"I do."

"Isn't that too much? It's just Hyun hyung doing whatever he wants."

Seo Hoyun tapped his finger on the table and smiled at the members.

"If you have any complaints, you should have taken charge of my concept earlier."

"Huh~."

"But..."

Seo Hoyun looked at Kang I-chae and asked.

"Are you going to keep using informal speech, Kang Ichae?"

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