Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 326

Lee Hyun-jae lightly warmed up his voice.

Thanks to the free time given to the members, three of them were out on the street, except for the same-age member who had disappeared somewhere (rumor had it that he went to study, but with Ha-min *hyung* [older brother or male friend] involved, it had to be a lie; they probably had something to talk about).

Ryoo Iden was at the forefront, walking to protect Lee Hyun-jae and Seok-joon, who were surprised that people recognized them more often than expected.

“Should we go somewhere… secluded?”

“When you say it like that, I don’t want to follow you.”

However, Lee Hyun-jae knew that he was no longer afraid of people’s attention thanks to the counseling and his *hyungs*. He would probably follow them anywhere, anytime.

“More people recognize us than I thought.”

Later, when they go to Europe or somewhere, it would be okay to sing on the streets like a crazy person.

So, Lee Hyun-jae just hummed. Walking under the full moon with nothing to do made him excited.

“Come to think of it, what did those two go to do? Did you hear?”

“Study―.”

Joon *hyung* answered with a skewer of chicken in one hand. He looked as content as if he had the whole world.

“Dong-hwa is one thing, but what is Ha-min studying?”

“Well, maybe he went to study Dong-hwa *hyung’s* facial expressions while studying in depth.”

“That… makes sense.”

Iden *hyung* initially looked at him with an expression that said, ‘What nonsense,’ but soon nodded.

“It shouldn’t make sense, but it does.”

“Right, I’m the only normal one in our group.”

“…*Maknae* [youngest member]?”

Lee Hyun-jae turned around, meeting Iden *hyung’s* eyes, conveying the meaning of ‘What.’

“Me?”

“*Hyung* is just as weird as Dong-hwa *hyung*.”

“…As much as Dong-hwa?”

Iden *hyung* was filled with shock and horror. In his eyes, the emotions of someone whose lifelong belief had been questioned were raging.

“I know because I lived as *hyung* for a day. I can’t live like that.”

All that exercise, all that diet, all that opinion coordination, and all that trivial conflict mediation.

Looking at each one individually, it seems within the realm of humans, but when you put them all together, it’s not a task that a sane human can do.

In that sense, even if it’s not as much as Dong-hwa *hyung*, you can at least say he’s as weird as Dong-hwa *hyung*.

“Me, as much as Dong-hwa?”

“Of course. Actually, *hyung* has been halfway there since you enjoyed being grabbed by the collar by Dong-hwa *hyung*.”

Iden *hyung* opened his mouth in vain. He even stopped walking.

The trembling eyelids proved how shocked he was.

“It’s a bit of a shock. I thought I was the most normal in our group, me.”

“Can that be when I’m here?”

“No, Hyun-jae―. You’re weird. Actually, everyone is, including me―.”

Seok-joon smiled slyly, and Lee Hyun-jae stepped back in horror.

“I never want to hear that from *hyung*. Please exclude me!”

And with that, they stopped walking, two of them claiming to be normal, and one just eating chicken skewers with an expression that said, ‘Who cares?’

Beyond that, there was a small cafe. A quaint cafe on a secluded, deserted street, just as Ryoo Iden had said.

Lee Hyun-jae habitually took in the life inside.

And suddenly, his gaze stopped.

‘What is that?’ Lee Hyun-jae thought quietly.

“*Hyung*.”

“Yeah?”

“Dong-hwa *hyung* wore a black snapback today, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ha-min *hyung* too?”

“Yeah. Why? Should I tell you what they wore? I memorized it all.”

“…No, look over there.”

Lee Hyun-jae slowly pointed to two men sitting face to face in a corner of the cafe, meditating.

When Iden *hyung’s* gaze naturally followed his hand to the meditation duo, Lee Hyun-jae saw his puzzled expression and was convinced.

‘Those are our *hyungs*.’ Iden *hyung* wasn’t the type to easily show his bewilderment on his face just because someone else was doing that. According to the advanced course of social skills (taught by Ji Dong-hwa, attended by Lee Hyun-jae), that’s rude.

“What are they doing?”

“Communing―.”

Don’t nod while saying that, Joon *hyung*.

“Meditating, I guess?”

“No matter how you look at it, doesn’t this seem like it’ll go around?”

“…Some people recognized us even though we came out doing that.”

Iden *hyung*, still captivated by the bizarre sight that the two were creating, asked.

“Hyun-jae, *maknae*, tell me again, who’s the weirdest?”

“…Well. I guess there’s a chance to reconsider.”

Of course, even if he reconsiders, his mind won’t change. It’s not like those two doing weird things is a one- or two-day occurrence. In fact, he just thinks it’s cute.

“Review it thoroughly.”

However, Iden *hyung* urged confidently, unaware of that.

* * *

[I’ll stop here for today.]

‘Okay.’

Because I need time to organize my thoughts too.

[How is it? Are you feeling a bit more like giving up?]

‘What are the chances of me doing that?’

[It’s 0 within at least a year.]

‘What’s the point of the question?’

[What other intention could there be besides indirect criticism? You might as well mourn me during that time.]

Just because I have a lot of time doesn’t mean I can give up; I’m just taking it one step at a time.

Originally, when studying, you have to approach it with the feeling of catching a black cat in a black room.

[Damn it, how easy is it to listen compared to researching directly? You just listened to several years of my work in thirty minutes.]

But that’s still slow.

Gi-jisaeng [someone preparing for civil service exam], can’t I have eternal life or something? Just today’s tutoring alone made me realize that there’s a mountain of things I need to learn.

[Will you walk with me to the end of this universe?]

Not bad.

[Open your eyes. Today’s conversation was enjoyable. The main body is definitely better than the copy.]

That poor AI, show it some love.

[That’s my best.]

I have no choice but to cherish it.

I finished the short conversation and slowly opened my eyes. They must be blurry since I had them closed for so long. I squinted to adjust to the light slowly pouring in.

Then, what I saw were four figures.

As I gradually got used to the light and opened my eyes wider, the members were making flower poses. These morons. A burst of laughter naturally flowed out.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to ask you that, Dong-hwa *hyung*.”

“Studying.”

I drank a warm Americano. I had to grab and organize the knowledge flooding my head from time to time. The feeling of my brain melting after a long time is sweet.

“I gave up on understanding you a long time ago. The weirdest *hyung*.”

“The weirdest?”

“Yeah, the weirdest.”

Why are they so obsessed with revealing who’s the weirdest? It’s so obvious that it’s not me.

“Ask the Luminous [name of their fandom].”

I asserted.

“Who is the most mentally sound person in our group? I won’t be first in front or behind.”

“I trust the Lumnuts [shortened version of Luminous].”

Me too. Trust isn’t something you give easily.

* * *

There is a period when the table is only filled with self-produced content and the W App.

Once overseas schedules start in earnest, photos and videos will be uploaded to social media, but right now, they have to live the day by looking at past memories like dried fish.

Of course, the quality of the self-produced content is high, and thanks to some crazy PD’s [production director] insane obsession, it’s creating numerous memes and inflows, and the W App is still frequently accessed and for long periods.

However, at this point when the concert hype is dying down, their hungry stomachs are ready to chew, tear, taste, and enjoy even small crumbs.

[Is this Dong-hwa and Ha-min?]

(Photo of meditation in progress)

It’s on a foreign blue bird timeline, but no matter how you look at it…? I heard that two slender men suddenly entered a cafe and sat facing each other, meditating for thirty minutes.

Comments

―Dong-hwa again…?

―Why are Dong-hwa sightings always… ㅋㅋㅋㅌㅋㅋㅋㅌㅋㅋㅋ

└Number of normal sightings: 0, Number of bizarre sightings: Most

―If Dong-hwa is stepping into meditation, that’s beyond bizarre, it’s some kind of…

└Ji Eun-gwang

└That’s not subtle at all ㅋㅌㅋㅋㅋㅌ

[Now that it’s come to this, let’s make a thread of Ji Dong-hwa’s strange sightings]

Let’s write down what we remember as much as possible.

Comments

―I still haven’t forgotten Ji Dong-hwa, whom I accidentally met on my way to school, knitting in the middle of Hongdae [area in Seoul known for arts and indie culture] while enjoying tea with classical music. That’s how I became a fan.

―Brick.

└Short but intense sighting. Dong-hwa What’s In My Bag result = 애착 cushion [cherished cushion], brick-shaped, handmade, self-made

―I have a story about preaching at Korea University… There was someone who looked like Ji Dong-hwa, so I preached hard and got my heart pounding…

└What is this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅌㅋㅋㅋㅋㅌㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└DGSS) I said without much thought, ‘You look like my favorite idol!’ and he took off his mask and asked, ‘Does that person look like this?’ It was my first time preaching as a substitute at my mother’s request, and I’ll never do it again. Ji Dong-hwa, you made me an unfilial daughter!!! Take responsibility!!!

└No, this is a bit exciting…?

―In the early days of their debut, Ji Dong-hwa, who came to film in my seaside neighborhood by chance, was sitting arrogantly on a chair wearing see-through clothes, it was summer

―When I ran for a public broadcast, I directly witnessed Dong-hwa standing still for 30 seconds in the middle of a hallway with one side made of glass while closing his eyes.

└…? Why..? I’m a late fan, so I don’t know

└No one knows Ji Dong-hwa.

└Blossense’s incomprehensibility is #1

A small piece of *tteokbokki* [spicy rice cake dish] rolled down and swelled up.

It takes a while for celebrity-related memes to change.

Once the meme ‘Blossense’s hidden madness’ took root, the image of ‘outright madness’ couldn’t push out the original meme, even if it was mentioned.

However, one photo that helped with that pushing force was uploaded to Blossense’s official account.

Bouncing, photo drop! For those of you spending a lovely night, we brought cute Dong-hwa and the members!!

(A photo of Ji Dong-hwa meditating on the table with his eyes closed, 채하민 [Chae Ha-min’s name] took secretly after shouting ‘Shh!’ when another member came.)

(A selfie of all the members taking a picture with Ji Dong-hwa meditating in the background. Ji Dong-hwa is in a state of concentration.)

A very clear picture.

It’s weird if he’s sleeping like that, and it’s even weirder if he’s not sleeping like that. They’re making such a fuss in front of him, so how deeply is he meditating?

While questions about what he’s doing are flooding in, Ji Dong-hwa is just nobly closing his eyes and meditating.

As if he can know without seeing anything, like a noble hermit.

* * *

The next morning, Ji Dong-hwa woke up at 6 a.m. as usual. Considering the time difference, he just woke up at 6 a.m. local time.

Ji Dong-hwa, who woke up refreshed, made his bed, immediately went into the bathroom to wash his body simply, and gently brewed a tea bag he had brought instead of the coffee provided in the hotel and poured it into a cup.

He sits at a small table and leisurely checks his phone. He checks only if there is any contact from *Mok-hwa* [likely a person’s name or a significant term], puts it down, and takes out the book he put in his bag.

[Well, wouldn’t you like to look at your phone a little more?]

‘Why.’

He naturally put the letters in his eyes and continued the Q&A with Gi-jisaeng in his head.

[Because I want to see you flustered.]

‘Again, what have these guys done.’

There’s no need to see it, he thought briefly and while reading the book again, on various sites, a ‘Ji Dong-hwa Madness Moment’ thread was opened, and on X-tube, ‘Ji Dong-hwa Madness Collection’ edited videos began to appear one by one.

While the image was changing from a relatively normal human, even if a little strange, to just a strange human, Ji Dong-hwa was having a peaceful morning.