Chapter 65

“Oh? Tell me. Do you have someone you like?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“Yes…”

Su-Gyeom, who was trying to answer Lee-Gyeom’s question, was speechless. It was because he didn’t know what to say. If Su-Gyeom had to say it, it was just curiosity, and he was worried that Lee-Gyeom might be involved in a scandal same to their previous life.

As the complex emotions deepened, he asked.

“Are you worried?”

“Huh? That’s….”

Su-Gyeom couldn’t readily answer back. Of course, he was worried, but it was also true that he felt sorry for asking him to tell him.

Su-Gyeom couldn’t say anything for a moment and only his lips were moving. Thanks to this, there was an awkward silence between the two. Lee-Gyeom opened his mouth when the cold atmosphere was felt, he doesn’t know if it was because of the wind from the veranda or because of the heavy silence.

“Song Su-Gyeom.”

“What?”

At his call, Su-Gyeom asked back, “What’s wrong?” Lee-Gyeom’s eyes followed closely. Somehow, there was a strange look in his eyes, Su-Gyeom swallowed his dry saliva without realizing it.

“I told you.”

“……what?”

Su-Gyeom tilted his head at his cryptic word. He couldn’t understand the meaning of what he said, but somehow his heart was pounding.

Su-Gyeom looked at Lee-Gyeom, feeling the beating of his heart. He wanted to avoid his eyes, but on the other hand, he felt that he had no reason to avoid his eyes. Therefore, Su-Gyeom held his trembling chest and did not take his eyes off Lee-Gyeom.

“……never mind.”

“What’s the point of being able to do it?”

Su-Gyeom stared at Lee-Gyeom feeling angry. Why did you stop talking? He called me out first and brought it up!

“Hey, do you know what makes people angry the most?”

“To stop talking in the middle?”

Lee-Gyeom said with a snort. Su-Gyeom gritted his teeth at his words.

“What, so you know?”

“Of course.”

“So you know but still did it?”

“I already said everything.”

Lee-Gyeom answered without much consideration. Su-Gyeom breathed heavily at his shameless attitude.

“What do you mean? You didn’t tell anything!”

“That’s what you think.”

“Ah! Lee-Gyeom is so annoying!”

“Whatever.”

He really shrugged lightly as if he didn’t care whether Su-Gyeom found him annoying or not. Su-Gyeom took a deep breath to calm his boiling anger.

“Go away, I’m going in.”

“Song Su-Gyeom.”

“Why again?”

Su-Gyeom hit his shoulder hard as soon as he passed by. Lee-Gyeom laughed, his relaxed attitude forced Su-Gyeom to soothe his boiling stomach again.

“What do you want for dinner?”

“……will you cook it if I tell you?”

“I’m not going cook but I’ll buy, so tell me.”

“……Lee-Gyeom is really annoying, but he knows what I like.”

Su-Gyeom muttered resentfully. He seemed to know how to handle him. On one side, he was angry at Lee-Gyeom’s proficiency, but on the other hand, he was agonizing over what to eat.

“……… Vietnamese rolls. Shrimp, meat, crab meat, and pineapple are essential. Other vegetables are fine.”

“All right.”

Lee-Gyeom nodded lightly. He acted like it isn’t a hard job. Thanks to this, Su-Gyeom’s anger vanished.

“Yes, Vietnamese spring rolls.”

Su-Gyeom smiled and left the veranda. Han-Sol, who was in the living room, saw Su-Gyeom and naturally followed him into the room.

“What did Lee-Gyeom say?”

“I don’t know, he said nothing and said he’d make spring rolls for me.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Su-Gyeom lay on his back on the bed, answering Han-Sol’s question. As soon as he lay down on a cozy bed, he felt drowsy. The drowsiness returned.

Just in time, Han-Sol swept his hair gently, and Su-Gyeom tilted like a cat under the sun because the touch felt good.

“Are you sleeping?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“I see…”

“Good night.”

Han-Sol burst out laughing happily at Su-Gyeom’s answer, and soon pulled up the blanket and covered Su-Gyeom.

***

“Hahaha.”

Su-Gyeom took a deep breath. Today was the day of the stage of “Wish Petal”. His heart was pounding after being away from the stage for a long time. It was even more important because now, not only “Wish Petals” but also U-PITE itself is receiving a good response.

Wearing white pants and light pink jackets with slightly different details for each member, U-PITE waited calmly beside the stage.

“How’s my hair?”

Su-Gyeom fiddled with his pink hair, which was clearly lighter than before. It’s almost rose gold.

“Pretty.”

“Really?”

“Yes, indeed.”

Su-Gyeom nodded in relief because he felt more comfortable at Yoo-Chan’s confident words.

“It’s been a while since I’ve performed on stage. Let’s do our best.”

The members nodded lightly at the words of the leader Tae-Won. Tae-won looked rather nervous, but he did not show any signs. It was probably because of his position as a leader.

Su-Gyeom secretly stood next to Tae-Won. When Tae-won’s eyes were wide open, Su-Gyeom smiled. Tae-Won only smiled as if he was speechless for a moment.

“Way to go!”

“……Yes, fighting.”

At Su-Gyeom’s words, Tae-won smiled and answered. While the two were smiling facing each other, a music program staff shouted, ‘You’re going up U-PITE!’

“Hello!”

Su-Gyeom picked his breath for a while, and then took a slow step.

As it was a pre-recording, the audience was full of fans. As the members came up, the fans screamed coolly.

“U-PITE!”

“Guys~!!!”

“Caaaaaaaa!”

“I love you!”

“Su-Gyeom!”

“Tae-Won!!!”

“Oh, my!”

“Yoo-Chan!!”

“Han-Sol, Han-Sol!!!”

Su-Gyeom smiled and waved at the scream that continued for a while. It wasn’t long before the staff calmed down the excited fans.

Each fan cherished the slogan produced by the agency and the gift box prepared by U-PITE. The gift box contained chocolate, warm coffee, and a portable hand wash.

Thanks to the signal from the staff, there was a short silence in the space. Subsequently, the prelude of “Wish Petal” flowed out.

Su-Gyeom grabbed the standing microphone. He smiled calmly as he looked at the fans who came into view, and then smiled as he looked at Yoo-Chan singing the beginning of the song.

Yoo-Chan noticed Su-Gyeom’s gaze, lowered his eyes shyly for a while, and smiled brightly at Su-Gyeom again.

Subsequently, Su-Gyeom looked at Han-Sol, the next part. Then Han-Sol also looked at Su-Gyeom and made eye contact.

Meanwhile, the song gradually ran toward the highlight. It became the part of lead vocalist Lee-Gyeom, and Su-Gyeom held his hand for a while in the part where he brushed past Lee-Gyeom while changing his movement.

Lee-Gyeom looked at Su-Gyeom as if surprised, and soon smiled professionally, stretching the corners of his mouth.

Su-Gyeom entered his part, satisfied with the fact that he did another good job.

After a total of four stages, the pre-recording ended. Su-Gyeom left the stage, waving lightly at the fans who were shouting and seeing them off.

U-PITE then immediately moved to a prearranged magazine interview. Although it is a digital single album, the schedule was quite tight as it was a full-fledged activity.

In the car moving to the interview location, Su-Gyeom glanced through the questionnaire he received through Min-Seung two days ago.

Several interesting-looking questions stood out among the modest ones.

Su-Gyeom began to write his answers on the questionnaire, determining that he should properly attract the attention after a long time.