[Jaewon Kim, what's wrong? You can't concentrate at all in practice]
[We have to shoot a music video right now, and the K-POP summer concert is just around the corner. But don't you know that if you, the main vocalist and lead dancer, collapse like that, the damage goes to the entire team?]
[A rookie who has just debuted is going to fall to it.]
Jaewon could not refute a single word from director Gong Seok-ho. Because that's all true.
[Tell me what's going on. You have to tell us so we can help you.]
[Nothing happened. Nothing... Sir. It's really okay.]
I said it was fine, but in fact it wasn't.
But I don't know what's good and what's not.
I couldn't and didn't want to confide in Director Gong, so I just repeated that it was okay and left the room.
In fact, who can I confide this to?
No one is here.
Even though I said that I hate my mother, but I feel sorry for her.
And dad... ... ... ... . I can't blame you even though I'm resentful. The source of all these problems is Kim Jae-won, me.
I'm so ugly, but today is my birthday.
In fact, I don't think I deserve to be congratulated.
So I turned off my phone all day.
However, when I turned off the phone, no one really wished me a happy birthday.
The seventeenth birthday passed by so lonely.
"What's lonely? You don't deserve to be lonely."
It was when Jae-Won, who trudged down the emergency stairs, had just reached the third floor.
"Jaewon."
Kyu-hyung was waiting for him in front of the elevator.
Gyu-hyeong, who had a black face and a rough beard, looked at him with a worried face.
"Are you okay?"
"What."
"Did you get scolded a lot by the director?"
In a few short words, something in his chest momentarily trembled and rose up.
Are you okay? Did you get scolded a lot? It's definitely a word that he's worried about me, but suddenly I'm upset.
I know how selfish and ugly this is, but I can't control it.
"Why? Do you think I'll get in hyungs' way because of me?"
"what?"
It's my birthday, really... What's wrong with my birthday? It's messy.
"Do no harm. I don't even need help."
Why are you pouring out your upset about other things to your loved ones? Is it easy to say that tl Kyu-hyung hyung?
"And I.................. I know everything about me is ugly."
Eventually, tears burst out.
"Jae Won......ah."
Surprised Kyu-hyung called his name, but Jae-won turned around and left.
I hate Kyu-hyung too. You say you're the manager, but you don't even know the birthday of your artist in charge.
Members too...... I hate everything
How can you not say happy birthday?
***
Roa's face became contemplative.
"What should I do? Jae-won seems to have been hurt a lot."
The other team members who heard the story from Kyu-hyung were in a similar situation.
"We didn't say congratulations on purpose for a surprise party..."
Siwoo, who was putting candles on the cake, also gave up what he was doing and started mending.
"Isn't it even more upsetting because we don't know it's his birthday? Is that why he cried?"
"I guess we poured oil on the kid who is already upset."
At Siwoo's words, Roa lowered his head.
It was Roa who first suggested how to make Jaewon's birthday party a surprise.
It was because of the idea that he wanted to give something new pleasure to Jaewon, who was dying due to personal problems.
However, as things progressed like this, Loa was also about to die.
Then Hanjun intervened.
"Youngest guy, he's not like that."
And he made it simple.
"He's not that petty."
It seems that even Hanjun knows that although he is the youngest and acts 4th-dimensional and immature, he is full of heart.
"First of all, we need to find Jaewon."
Roa asked with a serious face at Hanjun's words.
"He said he went outside. How do we find him?"
That was the problem. The sun has already set and it is dark, and the outside is extremely busy due to the nature of the neighborhood.
Everyone is very worried about where and how to find the youngest.
"I'll come find him."
I just watched the children from behind, but now it seems it's my turn to step out.
"So everyone, do your usual preparations."
After finding a hat and putting it on my head, I looked back as I left the practice room.
"If possible, set a table. Let's eat braised short ribs here too."
All three children nodded at the same time.
***
It is not difficult to find human signs.
If that person is someone you normally know, things are a lot easier.
I went outside and quietly activated my magic.
Then I pulled out a thread of memory from my body.
A thread of memory that shimmers with blue light. It would be completely invisible to the ordinary human eye. I blew the thread of that memory into the sky and quietly gave an order to the mana that gathered around me.
"Find him."
At my word, the quiet mana changed its form and began to move dynamically.
"The kids in this neighborhood listen well, too."
I smiled softly and followed the flow of mana. In an alley about two blocks away from the company, I found Jaewon.
Jaewon was sitting curled up in a dark place where not even the light of the streetlights could shine.
His face tucked between his knees looked pathetic.
《What the hell are you doing like an idiot?》
《You're not even a child anymore, are you still spoiled because you're 17?》
《Because you are like this, your father and mother couldn't be happy either.》
Tsutsuk, he's still fighting, thinking it's all his fault. Slowly crossing the alley, I approached Jaewon and sat down next to him in silence. Then the guy's shoulders twitched and stiffened, and his head slowly raised.
His eyes, wet from crying, contorted as if in dismay when he found me.
.. 《Oh my God, I'm surprised. why is this hyung here ? How did he know?》
He opened his mouth again, chasing the face that disappeared between his knees.
"Did you all cry?"
No answer.
"It's OK to cry more, so I'm listening."
Jaewon, who is crouching without a slight movement, seems to have stopped even in his heart.
"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for everything that happens to you."
Then the boy quietly lifted his head.
"There is no human more arrogant than the one who blames himself for everything that goes on in the world. He thinks that this great universe revolves around him."
Wouldn't that be an authority that only those who can move and wield this huge world as they please? So to speak, like a god.
"There's nothing more stupid than that."
Yes, it is a divine category, not a human category.
"You are not the center of the universe. So you don't have to be responsible for everything that happens to you."
He subtly frowned at the corners of his eyes, which had become sore from crying, and spit out his inner thoughts.
《Hyung. Do you know the story of my parents?》
Jaewon's heart trembled wildly. He still have a strong feeling that he doesn't want anyone to know about his family affairs.
I heard another excuse of this kid.
"I'm talking about teacher Gong. You are responsible for not paying attention during practice time. That's one. You are only responsible for your part. I mean, don't think about whether it will harm your teammates or not."
"But if I make a mistake, I'll damage the team."
"Do we look so insignificant in your eyes?"
The boy's eyes twitched slightly. I don't think he have ever thought of it that way.
"If you collapse alone, do you think everything will collapse?"
Then the youngest shook his head quickly.
"no."
"We are well equipped to wait for you to regroup and return."
The boy's eyes started to turn red again.
"I mean don't ignore it."
His big, round eyes were flooded with all sorts of emotions.
《Hey, really. I don't want to cry. Hyung, why are you like this?》
A guy who is still only 17 years old is quite strong.
"If you're shaken, we'll be shaken too?"
The guy who held back his tears was just admirable.
"Then the responsibility lies with each of us."
I raised my left hand and placed it on the boy's head. And I gently activated my magical power. It is a blessing magic that gives comfort and courage.
"You take responsibility for your part."
I tap his round head and he buries his face even deeper between his knees.
"You understand?"
"Yes."
The end of Jaewon's voice trembled slightly.
"But why did you sit like this? I have to go take responsibility."
***
Guys.
It was like a fish out of water.
Even the lights were turned off and the surprise was properly prepared.
A whopping three cakes.
The one prepared by Roa, the one prepared by the PR team, and the one Jaewon's mother brought were placed side by side on the floor of the practice room.
They set off firecrackers here and there, and mercilessly slapped Jaewon's relentlessly, saying it was a "birthday punch."
"Oh, what is it?"
Jae-won, who rolled up his body and gave up his back, did not run away or avoid even though he was in pain.
"What is all this?"
When the lights came on and the situation was settled, Jaewon asked with his eyes wide open.
On the mirror in the practice room, the three letters <celebration, birthday day> were pasted colorfully, and a large picture of Jaewon was pasted underneath. And they decorated colored balloons around it.
Above all, what stood out the most was the birthday table set in the middle of the practice room.
Three cakes, chicken, pizza, braised short ribs, seaweed soup, and even japchae.
"Weren't you sad that we pretended not to know?"
Manager Hyerim stepped out with a big smile.
"Roa, Siwoo, and Hanjun did the decorations, and Mr. Gong bought the chicken and pizza. The rest of the food was prepared by the management team...... Oh my, Jaewon."
Jaewon, unable to bear Hyerim's words, lowered his head and covered his eyes with the back of his hand.
"Ah. I tried not to cry because it is embarrassing, but I still cry."
Eventually, the youngest burst into tears that he had been holding back.
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