Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 346

“Jun-hyung is the same! His values are just different from ordinary people. I’ve never seen Jun-hyung get angry at anyone in my life. When faced with a negative situation, he basically doesn’t even think about blaming anyone. That’s why I always feel more sorry!”

Is this a heartwarming story or an exposé?

The show is clearly called ‘Exposé Office,’ but listening to his passionate outpouring, you can’t help but wonder.

“Once, I accidentally broke the keyring that Jun-hyung carries on his bag. Of course, he would be angry, it was clearly my fault. But Jun-hyung, even while tearing up, only said nonsense to me like, ‘It’s okay, the present [the here and now] is more important.’ I couldn’t eat properly that day, I was so sorry. But then he came to me and told me to eat well! I wish he would have grabbed me by the collar since it was my fault!”

As a result, Lee Hyun-jae ended up empathizing with the frustrated younger sibling who, even when talking about ‘negative aspects of the family,’ only hears ‘You guys have a great relationship!’ from the people around him.

“I’m, I’m getting old. If I don’t die of natural causes, it’s all because of my hyungs [older brothers/male friends], you know?”

In a room at Nietzsche Corporation, while Lee Hyun-jae’s personal W app broadcast was in full swing, a small knock echoed. He took a deep breath.

“…Yes?”

Hoping that a company employee had come because of the serious stream of exposés, Lee Hyun-jae answered cautiously. When the door opened, Ryu Iden peeked his head in, smiling with a coffee tray in one hand.

“Can I make a special appearance? I want to do some exposing too.”

“…Everyone, it’s Iden-hyung [older brother/male friend].”

Slightly stepping aside and offering a chair, Ryu Iden greeted them smoothly and slyly handed Lee Hyun-jae a coffee.

“Calmed down a bit, maknae [youngest member]?”

“…Yes.”

Lee Hyun-jae took a sip of the coffee.

“I’m calming down.”

“Glad the coffee worked.”

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], I’m getting fired up again. Should we stop the broadcast and have a private talk?”

Kyaruru, Ryu Iden burst into laughter as if he lived for this.

Feeling the anger flare up again, Lee Hyun-jae clenched his fist and lightly tapped Ryu Iden’s arm. Unlike the other members, Lee Hyun-jae knew how to give way. However.

“Too bad, Hyun-jae, it doesn’t hurt at all.”

As much time as Lee Hyun-jae had spent holding books, Ryu Iden had spent holding dumbbells.

Ryu Iden looked at Lee Hyun-jae’s arm pitifully and said, “Too bad, there’s nothing but bone,” with a look of concern. No intention to tease, just pure worry that came out momentarily.

“…This is what this hyung [older brother/male friend] is like, Ruminuts [fans of the group].”

Lee Hyun-jae smiled as if resigned. It was a faint smile, like ashes left after all the burning was done.

“I’m, getting old, you know. Old age is the loss of youth, and I might end up strutting down the street in high fashion.”

“You know, Hyun-jae, you’re definitely the most normal one among us.”

“You’re saying that as if it’s not the case when compared to other people.”

“No…”

Ryu Iden, having said that, thought that Lee Hyun-jae would explode if he poked him any further, so he shut his mouth. And then.

“Honestly, Fairy Grandmother is the weirdest person. The reason I lost the vote is because of that grandmother.”

“…Ah, that nickname. Is it okay to tell them? I was the one who got hit first, so it’s self-defense.”

The comment section was filled with question marks.

Why does their list of nicknames keep growing every day? Why does the list that needs to be added to the guidebook for newbie fans keep getting updated?

Seeing the question marks filled with such questions, Lee Hyun-jae smiled.

“It’s Dong-hwa hyung’s [older brother/male friend] nickname. Ha-min hyung [older brother/male friend] started it, saying that Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] is like the Fairy Grandmother from Wizney [Disney].”

“But, isn’t it? Just a fairy is one thing. But as a grandmother, Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] has too much of a contemporary vibe.”

This hyung [older brother/male friend] is saying something fundamentally wrong again without even realizing it.

“More than that, I was wondering if Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] is the Fairy Grandmother, then who among us is the princess?”

Ryu Iden exclaimed in admiration and made a humming sound as if contemplating. But soon.

“Shouldn’t we see it as all of you?”

He came to a short conclusion.

“…Hmm, definitely.”

─ These guys are saying weird things again.

Lee Hyun-jae saw a comment that caught his eye, but he couldn’t stop himself from speaking.

“Everyone, should we tell you a secret?”

At the sudden remark, even Ryu Iden tilted his head, not knowing what was coming.

“Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] has saved each of our lives at least once.”

“Ah.”

A sound like a bomb going off came out involuntarily. At the renewed exposé, Ryu Iden’s eyes were filled with anxiety before calming down.

He knew that no matter how much Lee Hyun-jae lost his mind, there was a line he wouldn’t cross.

“All of us. Whether it was once or more than that. At least once for sure.”

“Dong-hwa cares about us the most anyway. If something happens, he rolls up his sleeves and tries to solve it with us no matter what.”

“It was Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] who persuaded my parents…nim [honorific suffix] too.”

Ryu Iden immediately opened his mouth to prevent the fans from focusing on the subtle blank space in Lee Hyun-jae’s words.

“That’s right, Dong-hwa was the one who cheered me on the most during the survival show.”

“But, if you say thank you to that hyung [older brother/male friend], he always says that you’re the one who did it, and he doesn’t even properly accept the thanks, you know?”

“That’s right. And he believes it like that. Not just saying it as a matter of course.”

“This is also an exposé.”

A pleasant laugh burst out. Lee Hyun-jae also knew what Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend] was thinking and what he wanted to say.

No matter what favor you receive, no matter what benefactor you meet, you must ultimately stand on your own to make it possible. And you have to be upright enough to want to do a favor.

All of that is the person’s ability, it’s not that the person who did the favor is an exceptionally great human being.

It’s agreeable. You have to walk to meet other people.

Ji Dong-hwa’s values were always like that. Individualistic and respecting all choices.

However, there is one problem.

“That hyung [older brother/male friend] is only strict with himself.”

When he’s the one giving, he maintains those values well, but when he’s the one receiving, he throws them away as if they’re worthless.

According to what Iden-hyung [older brother/male friend] heard, he’s someone who’s willing to throw away his own ethics if there’s a reason to. Of course, ‘there’s a reason to’ isn’t rationalization. It’s just a judgment that it’s more important to him.

“If I were to talk about Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend], I wouldn’t be able to finish even if I talked all night.”

There’s a double standard, for that hyung [older brother/male friend]. More precisely, there are two kinds inside him. People he wants to care for even if he abandons his beliefs, and people he doesn’t. And he probably belongs to the latter.

“Even for a moment, we need to talk about Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend].”

It’s a hasty conclusion, but he said he made a selfish choice while looking at another version of himself above, but shouldn’t we see it as him being worried about his younger sibling? The fact that he tried until the end even though he realized that he couldn’t come himself, it’s probably because of that.

Lee Hyun-jae built up his logic like putting together a puzzle with his own guesses about the parts that Ji Dong-hwa didn’t tell him. The roughly built logic shook back and forth. This is all Ji Dong-hwa’s fault.

“That hyung [older brother/male friend] loses objectivity when he talks about himself.”

Because he can’t explain it honestly himself.

“That’s right. Even though the direction is the opposite of other people.”

Ryu Iden agreed without much thought. Because he often thought that way.

Lee Hyun-jae, as if gaining momentum from Ryu Iden’s agreement, put his hand on the desk. (Ki-jisaeng missed this sight, saying, ‘…That’s the posture he had when he was lecturing as a professor.’)

“So let’s talk. Let’s expose everything about Dong-hwa hyung [older brother/male friend].”

Ryu Iden realized that Lee Hyun-jae’s eyes were full of madness. More intense than any other member. As if he was thrilled to death.

Ji Dong-hwa had said that Lee Hyun-jae fundamentally enjoys seeing other people twisted. That’s probably why he likes novels.

At first, Ryu Iden didn’t agree. How could such a kind kid be our maknae [youngest member]? He’s already suffering a lot as the only normal person in the team.

Then Ji Dong-hwa casually trailed off, saying, ‘If Hyun-jae really hated it…’

Thus began Lee Hyun-jae’s second exposé war.

A collection of Ji Dong-hwa’s principles and actions that contradicted those principles (which was actually a collection of heartwarming stories). As if to officially make Ji Dong-hwa the ‘Fairy Grandmother’ at this meeting, he continuously poured out stories such as lying to protect Chae Ha-min’s mental health and then later making it a reality himself.

Ryu Iden was just listening to the outpouring of words without being able to ask questions or concentrate, like a student auditing a class. And finally, when Lee Hyun-jae paused for a moment.

“…Maknae [youngest member], just a small question.”

Ryu Iden barely managed to ask a question.

“Yes?”

“Why do you like novels?”

He tilted his head once, as if he didn’t understand the intention at all.

“Well. Is it because others were hell?”

“…What are you talking about?”

A short knock, and then a burst.

“It means that novels are a means to escape the fear of the subject being objectified.”

Ji Dong-hwa, wearing a black hat, came in with slightly reddened ears. In his hand was a cell phone displaying the W app screen.

“Hyun-jae, you’re shady.”

“Wow! Look!”

Lee Hyun-jae raised the corners of his mouth as much as possible.

“Everyone, it’s been a while since Dong-hwa hyung’s [older brother/male friend] ears turned red! Even when he cosplayed as the mental health class professor last time, his ears didn’t turn red!”

Ji Dong-hwa politely bowed his head towards the screen, apologizing for the rude entrance.

“Anyway, what’s going on?”

“I came to ask you to stop. And, to correct the reason why you like novels.”

“Wow, he must have been very embarrassed, everyone. What should I do, I’m getting a little excited. And this proves that it was all true!”

Ji Dong-hwa handed out five-grain cookies and chocolate cookies to Ryu Iden and Lee Hyun-jae, respectively, as if he had already gone to the cafe.

“Luminous [Name of their fandom], I will only briefly expose one thing about Lee Hyun-jae and leave.”

After clearing his throat once.

“The reason why Lee Hyun-jae likes novels is because he enjoys seeing strange humans.”

“It’s not wrong, is it?”

“The reason why Lee Hyun-jae cherishes the members is the same. Because he wants to keep them by his side and see them up close.”

“…That’s quite different from the truth, isn’t it?”

Ignore.

“For the next madness election, please cast your vote for Lee Hyun-jae. He’s more serious than Ryu Iden.”

He got up from his seat as if he had finished speaking, opened the door, and left.

And that night, Ji Dong-hwa left a short post on his official account saying, ‘Hello, this is Dong-hwa. I think the members are Fairy Grandmothers,’ and a selfie taken with Chae Ha-min, and Lee Hyun-jae burst into laughter again while watching it.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend] is, really, so harsh on himself.”

Ji Dong-hwa simply.

“I wonder.”

Only left a short reply.