Chapter 19.1

“Sun Ye Jin.”

His voice, calling my name with blame, was painfully familiar. In our past life, Cheon Tae Rim always called me like that—somewhere between worry and accusation, always oddly angry when addressing me.

From the third year after our debut, Tae Rim never smiled at me again. His expression always turned cold whenever he saw me, as if hiding his true thoughts and pushing me away.

I suppose it was understandable. Tae Rim was hardworking in everything, and at some point, I’d just drifted into being the group’s resident controversy with dead eyes. I probably looked pathetic to him.

So, I didn’t really care how Tae Rim treated me. At least he wasn’t openly hostile like Myeong In Woo. I’d always convinced myself he cared, due to lingering affection from our early days.

“Why did you step in?”

“…What?”

“You… Why did you take that hit?”

But judging by his reaction, Tae Rim really did despise me—even after I’d taken a punch for him.

“You didn’t need to do that.”

After shaking off Kim Sung Hoon, Cheon Tae Rim suddenly grabbed me. His large hand gripped my shoulder and pulled me so roughly that my nose almost touched his chest. Honestly, this hurt more than getting hit by Shin Ji Oh.

It was nothing serious, yet strangely I felt like crying. Why are you always so angry only with me? You never get this angry with anyone else, never call their names with such coldness.

Not even with Myeong In Woo… You treated me as if I was the absolute worst…

“What are you guys doing right now?”

Fortunately—or unfortunately—an agency employee burst open the practice room door. It was inevitable; we’d been fighting loudly right by the entrance.

I put on a pitiful face to cosplay the victim, feeling deeply ashamed that I almost cried. A look of defeat passed over Kim Sung Hoon and Shin Ji Oh’s faces. I could clearly see Go Ha Ram and Jang Hye Joon thinking they were screwed. 

Yet, even as we were being yelled at to come out and follow them, Tae Rim kept staring at me, his expression unreadable.

I genuinely had no idea just how much he hated me. I realized it would be best to not say anything about regressing together. 

It still seemed that Cheon Tae Rim had no intention to debut alongside me.

* * *

“Cheon Tae Rim, temporary demotion to Class B.”

“Yes.”

“Shin Ji Oh, one more warning and you’re out.”

“…Yes.”

“And Sun Ye Jin, Go Ha Ram, Jang Hye Joon. Unauthorized entry into another group’s practice room. If this happens again, you’ll be disciplined.”

“I understand.”

“Kim Sung Hoon, as for you, you were slacking off in the A-class studio during regular hours with Shin Ji Oh. You’ll also spend a week demoted temporarily to Class B.”

The rarely-seen Head Manager called us into the small conference room and gave us a thorough dressing down. Sure, trainees fight sometimes, but he made it seem as if we’d committed a huge crime.

Even if Shin Ji Oh and Cheon Tae Rim were like that, it was unfair to Ha Ram and Hye Joon. It was alright for me, because I used to do it, but I couldn’t help but feel bad.

While we walked out, Jang Hye Joon stopped me and Go Ha Ram to apologize. He repeatedly said sorry, convinced it was all because he asked for extra practice.

Ha Ram shook his head so hard it looked like it might fall off, and I too reassured Hye Joon by telling him it was fine. Hye Joon quickly bounced back as if he’d never been upset at all and took my number, inviting me to visit his private practice room if I had time on the weekend.

His mental resilience truly was overwhelming. Honestly, I felt a bit envious of Hye Joon—not just because of his private studio or wealthy parents, but because his ability to bounce back was something genuinely admirable.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you already know Tae Rim hyung?”

“No?”

Right before we returned to the dorm, Ha Ram, who’d been quiet until now, suddenly brought up Tae Rim.

In our past lives, I knew you too… But of course, I couldn’t say that, so I immediately denied it.

But Ha Ram didn’t look like he believed me at all.

“Really? It just seems like Tae Rim hyung acts a little weak only toward you.”

“Weak?”

“Yeah. He’s especially… How should I put this?”

Ha Ram hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words.

“I think he likes you?”

How could someone carefully choose words and still be so completely wrong?

I was dumbfounded.

I couldn’t even think of how to respond or deny it properly. Can’t you tell the difference between affection and hatred? I wanted to grab Ha Ram by the shoulders and shout that Tae Rim absolutely hated me.

But since I was busy pretending to be nice and hiding my true personality, it was impossible to scold Ha Ram openly. Instead, I cautiously asked him why he would even think that way.

“Tae Rim hyung is actually pretty thoughtful, taking care of everyone else, but he’s particularly…”

“Drawing a line with me.”

“No…”

“He’s especially mean to me.”

“……”

“You even noticed how much he dislikes me.”

“Could you let me finish what I’m saying?”

“Fine. Finish, then.”

“I’m saying he seems especially concerned about you. I don’t think he dislikes you. Last time, he treated me to a meal and asked me privately to make sure you didn’t feel left out.”

“Cheon Tae Rim said that?”

“Yeah. Not just me, he said the same thing to Hyun Hee hyung. I overheard him talking to Tiki hyung, too.”

Hearing that he’d been secretly asking other trainees to take care of me when he himself never approached me didn’t make me feel grateful at all—instead, it made my head throb.

“If Tae Rim hyung hadn’t smoothed things over everywhere, Ji Oh hyung would have probably bothered you way earlier. Ji Oh hyung gets jealous pretty easily.”

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