[FNL was fucking hilarious LOOOOOOOOLLLLL] After “Wanna Sing With Me?” the number of variety and commercial offers had already skyrocketed, and now with FNL added to the mix, our promotion period had been extended. [Title: The 5-Minute Boyfriend Was Insane... Kim Sunghyun acted like the perfect boyfriend, but then he’d run off to help someone every chance he got—cool as hell but also so fucking annoying< LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Comedian Ji Yujeong was hilarious too. Ji Yujeong: What the... why are you helping me all of a sudden? Ji Yujeong: What is this... why are you helping everyone every 0.5 seconds? Ji Yujeong: What the hell... why do you look so proud of yourself? LOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLL So he’s basically running around like a superhero. Completely absurd humor, I swear. └As expected, our Sunghyun. └└Sunghyun? Who? There was only light shining there. └└LOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL] [Title: How Do the FNL Producers Pinpoint the Most Infuriating Points So Well? Jung Dajun’s 5-Minute Boyfriend was annoying as hell too. Even if it’s scripted, I’ve never seen an idol pull off schoolboy slang this naturally before. Jung Dajun: Whaaat? Oh, carry~ Ji Yujeong: (shaking in anger) Jung Dajun: Onion? Oh, ni-on~ Ji Yujeong: We’re breaking up. Jung Dajun: Aww, princess, are you mad~? Ji Yujeong: (fuck, we’re breaking up right now) Guys... yeah, you’re idols, but... You crazy bastards LOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL] As expected from FNL, which stirred up issues every episode, the skits highlighted each member’s charm and quirks, earning praise from fans. [What do you think it means that S.J.W. trained for seven years?l olol He’s already seen everything, stop pretending he’s clean.] [Just enlist already, cowardㅠ] Sung Jiwon’s rumors weren’t dying down as easily as expected. It didn’t feel natural at all. It felt like someone was continuously throwing in firewood to keep the flames burning. ‘Well, I already told Kim Jaeyeon to look into it.’ For now, I just had to focus on my own work. After finishing a magazine interview, we arrived at our last schedule—a pension shoot. The two-story white building had a Southeast Asian vibe, with large pots of palm trees placed around, and the turquoise pool sparkled under the clear summer sky. “Ichae, we’re starting the interview now~.” The backdrop was perfect for Kang Ichae’s “inner thoughts” interview to be uploaded on YouTube. The planning team had learned that fans loved videos showing idols’ candid thoughts, so they added this light content as a wrap-up for our promotions. Since the staff had already worked with us on self-produced content many times, the atmosphere naturally turned warm thanks to Kang Ichae’s witty answers. ‘Well, it’s Ichae, after all.’ I glanced at Sung Jiwon, who was watching with a pleased expression. His face looked as usual. He wasn’t the type to search the internet obsessively, and even if he did, the Sung Jiwon I knew these days would probably brush things off. Still, Chae Jungwoo’s words nagged at the back of my mind. “...Why are you looking at me like that?” Noticing my stare, Sung Jiwon tilted his head, puzzled. “You’ve been staring a lot lately.” Since I was already labeled “overprotective,” I decided to act boldly. “What? You got a problem with it?” Caught up in my pace, Sung Jiwon gave an awkward smile and scratched his neck, about to say something when laughter burst from the filming set. “Oh no, you’re laughing too much~.” Apparently, Kang Ichae had cracked another joke, making the staff giggle. “Last question: there’s been talk that your composing style has become more mainstream lately. What do you think about that?” Expecting the question, Kang Ichae rested his chin on his hand and answered calmly. Then he smirked playfully. “I’m just thinking about how to be loved even more.” Kang Ichae, smooth as ever. That interview marked the end of the shoot. The planning team quickly packed up their gear, shouting excitedly about going home, while we headed toward the van—only for the manager to block us. He spread his arms wide, shaking his head. “You’re staying here tonight!” I narrowed my eyes, glancing at the road manager, who nodded. Passing by, Lee Jihyun chimed in, “There’s no schedule tomorrow until late, so we booked this place specifically for you to relax!” “We could just rest at the dorm.” “Come on, Hoyun. You should relax somewhere different and unwind properly!” I just stared at her silently, but Lee Jihyun only stretched her arms out wider, looking shameless. “Of course, that includes taking 100 natural-looking photos.” “Summer vibes! Youth of our lives! Photos that make people feel guilty ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) for peeking into such a precious memory—just 100 of those, not too many.” Obviously, she planned to upload them on SNS. Fine. There’s no such thing as a free favor in this world. Rumors had been going around lately that The Dawn’s schedule was too grueling, and Daepaseong wasn’t exactly beloved by Noeul. They were clearly trying to use this as an opportunity to win fans over with a “vacation” at a luxury resort and pretty photos. Seeing Lee Jihyun’s prim expression, I smirked. It wasn’t a hard request, so I agreed, and the road manager handed us cameras. I didn’t bother interrupting Lee Jihyun as she went on about angles and how to take good shots. “You don’t waste opportunities, huh? You’ll get promoted fast, Jihyun.” “Of course. Why else would I work day and night? I’ll swallow this place whole soon.” Flashing a confident smile, Lee Jihyun bowed and left quickly with the staff. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by Novᴇ(l)Fɪre .ɴᴇt The manager and road manager repeated several times to call if we needed anything before finally driving off. “Okay~, we’ll go grocery shopping!” Though it was already evening, the summer sky still held a faint light. I flopped onto a bed in an empty room. Ichae would handle the photos, and dinner would come from the groceries Dajun and Sung Jiwon excitedly went to buy, so all I had to do was rest... It had been nonstop work lately. Usually, I passed out as soon as we got back to the dorm, so just lying here felt strange. ‘Should I do something?’ I was considering sketching out a quick content idea when the door burst open. “Seo Hoyun, what are you doing?” “Good. Keep breathing diligently.” I decided to throw one of my ideas at him. “What about filming a cooking content?” “What nonsense. Just rest.” “Then what about a prank video?” “You should clean your ears instead.” Like our little dumpling that sometimes had hidden peppers, his sharp remarks were rare but sharp. As I was savoring his comeback, Kim Sunghyun threw a blanket over me and wrapped me up, then sat in a chair, looking down at me. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard. You need days off sometimes.” “We had a break after Shining Star.” “Hoyun, you weren’t fine then.” Clicking his tongue, Kim Sunghyun shook his head. “You really don’t know how to rest.” I stayed put since I had no intention of getting up anyway. Sunghyun randomly pulled books off the shelf, flipping through them without really reading. “...About Ichae. Did you watch his interview?” After a long silence broken only by the sound of pages flipping, Sunghyun finally spoke quietly. “Doesn’t he seem... different lately?” Glancing up, I saw him pulling another book off the shelf without even pretending to read. So this was the real reason he came. “He’s always been the type who just wants to have fun and be happy.” Kang Ichae had never been the type to crave love or attention from others, nor did he care much about people’s opinions. “But lately, he seems different. His composing style has changed, and... he looks like he’s paying more attention to what others think of his songs.” I had noticed that too. Kim Sunghyun snapped his book shut with a loud thud and looked me straight in the eye. “He’s always so laid-back and acts mature, so we tend to just let things slide.” “I’m just saying... maybe we should pay more attention to Ichae.” What a complicated way to state something so simple. All my focus had long been directed at Seo Hojin and The Dawn. But I hid my thoughts and asked playfully, “Leader’s sense of responsibility talking?” Kim Sunghyun smiled, clear and sincere. “Just... as an older brother, I care.” He placed the book back on the shelf, and just then, noise drifted in from outside. “Sounds like they’re back. Let’s eat.” I pushed off the blanket, messing up my hair as I got up, only to meet Kim Sunghyun’s clear gaze again. I hurried out of the room—staying there any longer might make me feel cleansed. “The meat’s delicious!!” Like typical guys our age, the plastic bags they brought back were stuffed full of meat. After grilling it on the barbecue grill in one corner of the pension, we ate until we were stuffed. By then, night had fallen, and darkness surrounded us. “Hyung, hyung, you know what~.” “You’re seriously the king of shutting people down.” The maknae had been chattering all through dinner and still wasn’t done, wandering around like an overexcited puppy. Eventually, he dashed to the corner of the living room cabinet and came running back, holding something. “Shocking true story!!” “Why’s he been saying that so much lately?” “He wants to be a trendsetter.” Wasn’t he the same kid who used to spout fancy words he didn’t even understand just to sound mature? “Look what I found!!” Jung Dajun proudly held out what he had been hiding behind his back. “Wow, your reactions are so soulless! Barbecue! Pension! Sparklers! It’s perfect!” The small sparklers, crackling with yellow sparks, were usually used at the end of gatherings for atmosphere. I dug at my ear lazily and stared at him. “Isn’t that illegal?” “Maybe at the beach, but private property’s fine if the owner allows it.” “The notice by the TV said it’s okay!” Clearly desperate to do it, Dajun whined, shaking the bag of sparklers. Sung Jiwon was the first to surrender. “Let’s go, Hoyun. We’ll take some nice pictures.” “...What’s so great about fireworks?” I dragged my feet, but under Sung Jiwon’s insistence, even Kim Sunghyun, Kang Ichae, and I eventually headed to the poolside. “Uh, how do we even light this?” Though the heat had eased a bit, the humid summer air still clung to our skin. What, did they think I carried one around? As everyone stared at me, Kang Ichae chuckled. “Come here. If the sparks jump, you might burn your hand. Let’s use the torch instead.” Holding the barbecue torch, Kang Ichae lit the sparklers and handed them out. We crouched in a circle as the sparklers sizzled to life. Golden sparks bloomed at the tips. Dajun squealed, shifting too much, and Kang Ichae scolded him to hold it properly. “Eh? Hyung, you’ve done this before?” Kang Ichae kept his eyes on the glowing sparkler as he spoke, “My mom and I used to do this sometimes. I whined until she let me.” He had never talked about his family before. The other members looked just as surprised, staring wide-eyed at him. “She liked it. Thought it was pretty.” Why was he suddenly talking about this now, of all times? As I narrowed my eyes, Sung Jiwon and Kim Sunghyun shuffled closer cautiously. “Then should we take a picture and show her?” “But isn’t she overseas? Wouldn’t she be asleep now? Where is she?” So they didn’t know his family situation either. I was about to cut them off before they dug too deep, but suddenly, Jung Dajun jumped up. “Gasp, shocking true story!!” “I forgot to put the ice cream in the freezer!” Declaring that now was the perfect time to eat ice cream, he shoved all the sparklers into my hands, dragged Sunghyun and Jiwon, and bolted inside. Now I was holding two sparklers in each hand. At the sound of a quiet chuckle, I turned my head to see Kang Ichae smiling in the direction Dajun had gone. “The first thing Dajun did when we got back from the store was put the ice cream in the freezer.” “He said letting it melt even for a moment would be disrespectful to the ice cream.” So that’s why he made such a fuss over perfectly fine ice cream. “Hyung, you know what?” Kang Ichae met my gaze, his eyes curved in a smile. “Maybe Dajun’s the most mature of us all.”