Survive! Foolish Bottom!

 

“Well, I mean, it makes sense if you worked hard but…” 

 

Seongjae trailed off, his mouth twitching as if he wanted to say more, then let out an irritated sigh. Giving up on trying to understand, Haeun spoke without filtering her thoughts.

 

“Is this about today’s interview?”

 

Seongjae lifted his head and stared incredulously at him. His look made Haeun feel awkward, as if he were saying, “What else would it be?” or “Isn’t it obvious?” 

 

When Haeun rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, Seongjae shook his head in clear frustration.

 

“Ugh… this feels like you’re trying to mess with me.”

 

He probably should have kept his mouth shut. Seongjae was acting like a subtly scolding teacher.

 

“If you improved because you practiced, then you should focus on dancing more.”

 

His indirect complaints were obvious.

 

“What is this about an attitude controversy, anyway?”

 

Originally, it was Seongjae, not Park Ha, who seemed more likely to be involved in an attitude controversy. Even when Haeun was called to the CEO’s office, the CEO had said, “Not even Seongjae would do such a thing,” implying that if anyone were to cause trouble, it would be Seongjae rather than Park Ha. It was embarrassing to have caused a scandal before Seongjae, who had a more troublesome reputation.

 

Anyway, Haeun had no idea what to say in this situation. If he said, “Screw you,” he would probably receive a penalty immediately. 

 

As he hesitated and looked for help, a notification popped up like a lifeline.

 

‣ I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention.

 

‣ Why are you being so petty about it?

 

The options were a relief compared to the ones during the interview that suggested him to act cute. He was worried about encountering similar options again, but thankfully, these were fairly reasonable. He carefully read through the options multiple times.

 

Of course, Park Haeun’s true feelings leaned toward the second option.

 

“…I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention.”

 

But he chose the first one, apologizing gently to move on quickly. However, after selecting this option, his mouth kept moving. It turned out there was more to the dialogue hidden behind the choice.

 

‣ “I guess I must have been feeling anxious. Maybe I wanted to use noise marketing to get attention. I shouldn’t have done that… You and the other members worked really hard this time… I just wanted our efforts to be rewarded.”

 

The text filled the notification window and even required scrolling down. Before Haeun could finish reading the entire message, his mouth was already reciting the lines.

 

“I must have been feeling anxious. Maybe I wanted to use noise marketing to get attention. I shouldn’t have done that… You and the other members worked really hard this time… I just wanted our efforts to be rewarded.”

 

Seongjae’s expression softened slightly as he listened to his unexpected yet sincere confession.

 

By the time Haeun finished speaking, his head hung despondently. He hadn’t intended to offer such a lengthy explanation. For someone like Haeun, who never knew how to apologize properly, these were words he would never have said on his own volition.

 

Yet, upon hearing them, they seemed somewhat convincing. He didn’t like appearing so pathetic, but it wasn’t a bad excuse.

 

“…….”

 

『‘Seong-jae’s’ likability has increased by 2 points!』

 

It appeared that there was someone else as easily swayed as Park Haeun. Instead of cursing him out for nonsense, his likability rose, which was fortunate. Maybe now he could wrap up this conversation with a simple “I’m sorry. I’ll be careful from now on!”

 

Surprisingly, the script wasn’t finished yet.

 

‣ “But I ruined everything.”

 

“But I ruined everything.”

 

‣ “I’m sorry… I know you don’t like me. I wanted to get along somehow, but I guess it was too much to hope for.”

 

“I’m sorry… I know you don’t like me.”

 

He wanted to slap his mouth for babbling on endlessly. Why did the apology have to turn into self-flagellation? Seongjae was bound to be bewildered. He had just asked for an explanation, and here he was, acting as if he had harshly criticized him.

 

“I wanted to get along somehow, but I guess it was too much to hope for.”

 

“You…”

 

But Haeun was wrong again. Seongjae was staring at him with slightly trembling pupils.

 

『‘Seong-jae’s’ likability has increased by 4 points!』

 

『Impressive~』

 

No, look at this ridiculous guy. Does he enjoy seeing me cry?

 

Despite having some meaningful conversations with Il-hyun, his likability hadn’t increased at all; in fact, it had dropped by 10 points, resulting in a penalty. So, the fact that Seongjae’s likability was rising so easily was genuinely laughable.

 

Haeun looked away from Seongjae, pondering the absurdity of the situation. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. He had vowed not to pursue his route, yet here he was, steadily increasing his likability through encounters that didn’t even exist in the original game. It all felt wrong.

 

Even the system’s praise felt annoying. He was just following the obvious choices to avoid penalties, and now it seemed like the game was mocking her for it.

 

Seongjae seemed like he had something to say. However, his official character description included “grumpy and inarticulate,” which was accurate. Although he usually had no problem throwing out rude remarks, now he was struggling to find the words, proving the description wasn’t entirely incorrect.

 

Eventually, Seongjae swallowed his words and stood up.

 

“…Are you leaving?” Haeun asked hesitantly.

 

Looking down at the seated Haeun, Seongjae slowly spoke. “You’re right.”

 

“…”

 

“I never liked you.”

 

『‘Seong-jae’s’ likability has increased by 1 point!』

 

Make up your mind, seriously.

 

Haeun had to try his best not to show his bewilderment. If he hadn’t been able to see the likability system, he would have been convinced that Seong-jae genuinely disliked him, based solely on his words.

 

“But…”

 

He was both curious and apprehensive about what he might say next. The thought of him possibly, albeit irrationally, confessing something like, “But now I love you!” was terrifying.

 

But Seongjae, after some hesitation, ultimately didn’t reveal what he was going to say.

 

“

Haah

, Never mind.”

 

He muttered, heaving a sigh. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration and left the practice room.

 

“…….”

 

Park Haeun who was left alone was annoyed for so many reasons. After suddenly being asked to dance and then being criticized for dancing well, he apologized as the system instructed, only for his likability to rise significantly. Then, Seongjae had muttered something about disliking him from the start before storming out.

 

“What kind of guy is that?” 

 

He murmured, staring at the closed door with a blank expression. Suddenly, he remembered something. 

 

‘Did he say he never liked me?’

 

The phrase felt strangely familiar. Why did it feel so familiar? Had it been a line from the ‘Eu-Idol’ game? He had rushed through the dialogue related to the character routes because they creeped him out, so he couldn’t remember clearly.

 

Tilting his head cutely without realizing it, Haeun got up. Despite the commotion, he intended to practice as planned. He began setting up the music, still unable to clear his confused mind.

 

‘When did I hear that line…?’

 

???

 

A few days later, filled with non-stop busy schedules, Haeun, living as the idol ‘Park Ha,’ had two main thoughts.

 

First, he felt guilty for having treated the character Park Ha too harshly in ‘Eu-Idol.’

 

He was shocked to see a 5 a.m. pre-recording schedule on the second day, but the subsequent music show schedules were even worse. All the pre-recordings had to be done between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., leaving no time for proper sleep. He had to take quick naps while getting his hair done, and it was a nightmare if he drooled during those naps.

 

Having to be at the broadcasting station at such an early hour and staying there until the live broadcast ended was a terribly painful experience. If the group had good relations among its members, it might have been different, but Stone Cherry was not a group where the members could spend idle time together amicably. Not only was the relationship with Haeun awkward, but the members didn’t talk much amongst themselves either.

 

A brief silence in the waiting room felt excruciatingly painful to recall. Despite the grueling schedules, even after finishing a hectic schedule, they were expected to diligently practice, polishing their choreography even after completing a music show. 

 

The first day was odd in many ways: no pre-recording, a live comeback stage, and no mandatory practice afterward. It was probably a setting to ease into the game’s start.

 

‘Is that what they call poetic acceptance?’ 

 

Haeun thought, feeling pleased with his metaphor, even though it wasn’t entirely accurate.

 

Still, this was a bit more manageable. Although tiring, it was rewarding in a way. Even Haeun, who loved slacking off, found standing on stage quite enjoyable. Seeing a few dedicated fans waiting in the early morning for the pre-recording was deeply moving. The compliments from the dance instructor and other members about his improved skills were also gratifying.

 

However, there was a serious concern. This was the second realization.

 

‘Why do I feel…..like a child these days?’

 

Ever since he inhabited this body, Haeun felt something was off about himself. Things that would have been unimaginable for the old Haeun kept happening. He found himself absentmindedly munching on sweet treats, letting out shy and happy sounds like ‘Mm~’. He would stumble over his own feet, exclaiming ‘Oops!’ in a cutesy manner, or clasp his hands and shiver whenever someone bumped into him and started picking a fight in the hallway………

 

Initially, Haeun didn’t even realize he was acting this way. It wasn’t until Seongjae scolded him for gaining weight while he was eating cake that he had an epiphany. 

 

The shock of the realization left Haeun so distraught that he stopped eating for an entire day. Seongjae, perhaps feeling guilty for his harsh words, had awkwardly tried to comfort him by saying he hadn’t gained that much weight.

 

But it wasn’t about the weight. 

 

It was about how he was behaving like the overly delicate protagonist from “Eu-Idol.”

Updates will be every Sunday and Monday starting from today's chapter! <333