"Wow— now I feel like I can live again."
"Me too."
By the time we'd wolfed down our food, it was already 1 in the morning.
Debut or whatever, all I could think about was lying down in a bed right now. At this rate, I'd die of overwork before I even got recycled.
"How many people are in your room?"
"Huh? Um. Well, there were two bunk beds. Probably four? What about your room, hyung?"
"Four for us too. Maybe that's the standard?"
On top of that, just talking about beds with Jun-hyeok hyung seemed to make the sleepiness come pouring down even harder.
"I don't think so? I heard while we were eating earlier that some rooms have two people, and some are packed tight with six."
"Eh?"
Just then, Se-jun hyung, back from returning his tray, tilted his head and chimed in.
Six guys in one cramped room. More importantly, we'd definitely eaten at the same table, so how was Se-jun hyung the only one who'd managed to hear something like that?
"I see. Well, good work today, everyone. Sleep well, and see you tomorrow."
But it seemed I was the only one who found that strange. All Jun-hyeok hyung did was give a light nod.
Then again, maybe he was just too tired to hold out any longer.
"Okay. See you tomorrow!"
Of course, I didn't have the stamina left to talk any more either, so I chimed in and turned the handle of room 204.
"Hello."
But there was no one in the room, and while I stood there flustered, Se-jun hyung poked his head over my shoulder.
"There's nobody here?"
Agh— that scared me! I thought you were Super Strong Dragon!
"I! know. Maybe they haven't come back from the cafeteria yet?"
"Well, could be."
When I answered, letting out a short, deep breath so as not to look startled, Se-jun hyung let the words slip out lightly again, as if humming.
That's what makes him so appealing: he acts endlessly breezy like that, yet he can't stand it when his abilities get sold short. If I could just pull him onto my side, I think he'd be a huge help in all the projects to come.
"If you're curious about who we're sharing with, their names were stuck by the door, so go take a look."
Hyung, who'd gone into the room and was pressing down one by one on the mattresses of the bunk beds against both walls, just raised a hand and pointed outside.
"Really? I'll go check it out!"
I knew it! Between the talk he'd overheard in the cafeteria and the way he caught everything I missed, Se-jun hyung was talent I absolutely had to hang on to.
'Doesn't it ever occur to you that you're just oblivious to what's going on around you?'
This time it really was Super Strong Dragon's scolding ringing in my head, but anyway, as long as the result is good, that's all that matters, right?
"Oh......."
And so, out in the still-bustling hallway, I looked at the names stuck by the door and thought for a moment about how I should react.
I'd boasted that as long as the result is good, that's all that matters, but this was a little hard to judge from this alone.
[Room 204]
Kim Se-jun / Park Du-yeong / Yeo Eun-gi / Lee Jae-min
Since we'd be called by name from now on, leaving agencies out, I guess they just wrote them in Korean alphabetical order.
Still, being in the same room as Yeo Eun-gi was a stroke of luck. Unless the rooms changed, seeing each other's faces day in and day out whether we liked it or not, we'd grow some kind of bond, even a grudging one.
But....... Who on earth was Park Du-yeong?
"What? Why are you blocking the door?"
"Ah, I'm sor....... Huh?"
While I was still digging through my memory over a name that sounded like I'd heard it somewhere, a voice full of irritation made me blurt out an apology on reflex.
The problem was that before I could even finish it properly, my finger shot out at the other guy's face.
"Who are you to point at people? Eh? Magic wand?"
"......."
And who are you to remember people as 'magic wand'?
Sure, jabbing a finger at him out of nowhere was my fault, but this guy made even the urge to apologize vanish completely.
"That's weird. How did I end up sharing a room with the magic wand?"
"......."
I'm telling you! Quit it with the damn magic wand already!
***
Park Du-yeong of Vic.
He'd had no real presence, so I hadn't paid him any attention, in my past life or this one, and I'd figured I'd never have any particular reason to run into him going forward.
At least, not until that guy picked a fight over my introduction video.
I'd decided to torment him every time we ran into each other, but I didn't expect the chance to come this fast.
"Let's go in first and talk."
But right now I didn't want to draw pointless attention, and I didn't have the energy to argue, so I'd pass.
Maybe Park Du-yeong was low on energy too, because when he saw me step aside from the door, he turned the handle without a word. And a moment later, someone caught the closing door.
"Excuse me."
Yep. It's the national rule that the main character shows up last.
Our main rapper, Yeo Eun-gi, who'd left an intense impression at every turn since roll call!
It was a welcome enough entrance that I could lightly ignore Super Strong Dragon picking a fight, rattling my head over who said I could call him 'our main rapper.'
"Hello!"
Though sticking my hand out first, unable to contain how glad I was, was a bit of a hasty call.
Because Yeo Eun-gi glanced at my hand and, instead of shaking it, made an awkward face and turned his body slightly away.
"Uh, yes. Hel-lo."
"Jae-min, I don't think Trainee Yeo Eun-gi is doing all that well?"
Se-jun hyung's voice, tinged with laughter, followed.
I didn't notice at first, but the more I listen, the more his way of talking sounds like Super Strong Dragon's.......
"No, no. It's not that, I'm just a little shy around new people."
Glancing my way, Yeo Eun-gi hurriedly rattled off an excuse that didn't sound much like an excuse. It looked like my feelings were showing all over my face again.
Relax your face. Just finding out he's shy around new people is good news, after all. Corners of my mouth. Move.
"Aha! Then that's totally understandable. I'm Lee Jae-min."
"I'm Yeo Eun-gi."
When I belatedly said hello, I was relieved to see some of the tension drain from Yeo Eun-gi's shoulders.
Just as the mood was loosening up a little, Park Du-yeong, whom we'd all been forgetting, clapped his hands to draw our attention.
"I remember now. You're the one who rapped earlier, right?"
"I don't know when earlier was, but I did do rap for my evaluation."
"Then it's you. I remember because you were the best of everyone who prepared rap today. I'm Park Du-yeong."
"Ah....... Thank you."
I'd been bracing myself in case he spouted some nonsense the way he'd harped on the magic wand with me, but what came out of Park Du-yeong's mouth was ordinary praise.
Hm. Was I worrying for nothing? He's saying exactly what I wanted to say. And Se-jun hyung didn't seem interested in this side of the room anymore.......
Seeing Se-jun hyung, who'd already claimed one of the bottom bunks, I thought I'd better unpack my suitcase quickly too, and I was just about to turn around.
"But if you're that good at rap, why'd you come on an idol survival show instead of Show Me the Car?"
People can't go against their nature, or so they say. Park Du-yeong, who'd picked a fight with me over the magic wand too, spouted nonsense at Yeo Eun-gi, whom he'd been praising only a moment ago.
"What are you......!"
And I, who'd opened my mouth in place of the flustered Yeo Eun-gi, couldn't finish what I was going to say.
"As long as you're bound by a contract with your agency, if they tell you to go on, you have to, even if you don't want to. You know that much, right?"
It was because of what Super Strong Dragon had said to me when I panicked because Yeo Eun-gi hadn't shown up at the first roll call today.
Don't tell me he actually wanted to go on Show Me the Car, but got forced onto Recycle because of his agency? Last time, too, he came out as a solo rapper right after Recycle ended, so who's to say he wasn't planning to slip off to the hip-hop side from the start?
Even though Super Strong Dragon kept its mouth shut and stayed still, my head was in an uproar.
I wanted Yeo Eun-gi's rap skills, but if he said he didn't want to be an idol, I'd have no choice but to give up on him here and find another way.
"......."
While I just blinked, swamped by bewilderment and confusion, Se-jun hyung, who'd finished unpacking his bag at some point, plopped down on his bed, tilted his head, and spoke.
"But what's it to you if you know that?"
"Sorry?"
"Huh?"
At that, a dumbfounded sound burst from Park Du-yeong's mouth and mine at the same time. Then hyung quickly winked at me with one eye, jutted his chin at Park Du-yeong, and went on.
"I mean— was your name Park Du-yeong? Trainee Yeo Eun-gi has already finished the grade test and even been assigned a room, so I'm just wondering if you really need to know why. At this point? Seriously? When you only met today?"
"Th-That's......."
Flustered, Park Du-yeong stumbled, unable to find a suitable answer, and Yeo Eun-gi just stared wide-eyed without saying a word.
Is there really any need to push him that far? At this rate, Se-jun hyung comes off as more of a villain than Park Du-yeong.
"It's weird. Right, Jae-min?"
"Ahaha—"
Ah, shit— why is the arrow suddenly pointing at me? Well, fine. Let's just rack up some points while we're at it.
"I know. It's obvious everyone here came on because they want to become idols. So wouldn't Trainee Yeo Eun-gi be here for the same reason?"
I'm saying it lightly, but my heart is heavy. Maybe it's because deep down, I'm hoping Yeo Eun-gi will say he came here because he wants to be an idol.
"Why are you two getting all worked up? I was asking him, though?"
But Yeo Eun-gi still said nothing, and Park Du-yeong, having pulled himself together, started to go off.
"I'm not worked up, though? More importantly, why are you talking down to me?"
The important thing here is that Se-jun hyung's way with words is a step above Park Du-yeong's. No, wait. More like five steps above.
"......There's no talking to you. I'm washing up first."
In the end, Park Du-yeong, out of things to say, turned around and went into the combined toilet and bathroom attached to the room.
A moment later, when the sound of water started up inside, Yeo Eun-gi hung his head and mumbled.
"I'm sorry. We have to keep sharing a room from now on, and because of me, for no reason......."
The strange thing was that Se-jun hyung, who'd pushed Park Du-yeong that hard, had no reaction at all to what Yeo Eun-gi said. I decided to wrap things up in place of Se-jun hyung, who'd already done his part in this.
"It's not something you need to apologize for, Trainee Yeo Eun-gi. With that type, it's easier for everyone to squash them early, so don't worry about it. Right, Se-jun hyung?"
I never said I wouldn't drag him into it, though.
"We-ell. Once he's out, I'll wash up next."
"Okay!"
And having naturally claimed a bottom bunk like hyung, I spoke to Yeo Eun-gi's back as he climbed to the top bunk across from me.
"The guy who went to the bathroom without even saying his own name is Park Du-yeong. That hyung, who put him in his place, is Kim Se-jun. And like I said a moment ago, I'm Lee Jae-min. Let's get along from now on."
"I look forward to it."
Park Du-yeong came out of the bathroom not long after and muttered about why he had to take a top bunk, but the grumbling didn't last long.
"Lights off."
Because by the time I came out, the last to wash up, and turned off the light, everyone except me was already fast asleep.
"......."
It had been a way too long day, and now I didn't even have the strength to lift my eyelids. Still, would it sound crazy if I said I was looking forward to tomorrow?
'Hey. Do you know how much you've got to do starting tomorrow? Stop thinking useless thoughts and hurry up and sleep.'
Yeah, yeah. Thanks for today, you too. Sleep well.