The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 7
I vividly remember the day my last Top Seed Home closed.
It was just like any other day—drinking, going up on stage, and busting out the dance breaks.
And it happened to be my birthday.
[Shooting_REX @Shooting_REX
201×0710~202×0406: Close]
When I saw those words, I thought, “Finally, it’s happening.”
However, beneath that, there was a long letter addressed to me.
[⎿Shooting_REX @Shooting_REX
Rex, I’ve liked you for a really long time. Do you remember when you got selected as the last member of <Targeting Star>, and you promised to work really hard, crying and all? You didn’t seem to be working hard at all today.]
Was each sentence meant to strike at my core?
[⎿Shooting_REX @Shooting_REX
You don’t seem to be the same as you were back then. Tough times for you? Of course, I know. That’s why I won’t blame you. But I don’t think I can cheer for you anymore. It’s the last bit of self-respect this fool can maintain.]
Even as I read that, I found myself opening a beer can with a cloudy mind. Looking back, it was probably a form of self-defense, done because I was confident enough to do it sober.
…There’s no one else.
[⎿Shooting_REX @Shooting_REX
Honestly, I’m worried even as I write this. What if no one is left by your side? What if no one understands your heart?]
The long letter ended like this.
[⌎Shooting_REX @Shooting_REX
I hope the day comes when we can start everything anew. For both me and you.]
After that day, I thought I would never be loved by anyone again. And, to some extent, I was right.
The video titled ‘Trash Top Seed Home: Blunt Criticism and Birthday Celebration DD’ with nearly 2 million views had comments like ‘Lime is killing it, lol’ ‘Isn’t that intentional?’ or ‘This is his karma,’ mocking me.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Oh? Yes, yes! I’m fine. Should I sign it for you?”
Two part-time workers who had gone outside returned without me noticing.
I smiled brightly and signed the paper they had brought, after erasing all the gloom that filled my thoughts just moments ago.
A cute dragon exhaling spring flames over the Chinese characters of Chun (春)— that was my signature.
“Wow, you already prepared signatures? So cute… This is a dragon!”
“Oh, yes. Well, I’m a trainee, so I’m going to participate in a survival show soon. It’s called <Targeting Star>…”
“Oh, that AG Entertainment idol survival show, right? I read an article about it!”
“Yes, that’s the one. If you happen to watch it, please cheer for me.”
This time, I’ll really, really work hard.
I waved goodbye to the two people leaving the practice room and the first fan, alternating my gaze between them and the text on my phone.
No matter what happens, I have to do better. I shouldn’t repeat such mistakes.
Not as the malicious member, Trash-Rex but as Kim Chunyong.
* * *
In the evening, I headed home an hour early for tomorrow’s pre-interview.
Of course, I didn’t forget to thank the part-time workers who became my fans. I had a bag full of snacks that my family loves in my hands.
After disappearing once and reappearing, I found myself constantly concerned. I wanted to do something more. I didn’t know that the human heart was so crafty.
It was a day when I keenly felt the meaning of the phrase “You should do well when you have the chance.”
*Ding!*
– X: Even if that’s the case, behave a bit more naturally, naturally, lol.
– X: Kim Chunyong, don’t you know your family is probably thinking weirdly about you right now? Pay attention;
What are you talking about? My family thinks I’m acting weird?
It’s nonsense that doesn’t make sense.
I easily ignored the malicious messages from X and cautiously opened the front door.
“I’m back… What?”
The house was eerily quiet.
Normally, on Saturday nights, the family would gather to watch a movie together. However, unlike usual, there wasn’t even the sound of movie effects in the living room.
Did they all go to bed early? Or did they go out?
I approached with careful and quiet footsteps due to the unnecessary tension, I could soon see the back of my family members. They were having a cautious conversation in the dark, with only a cat-shaped mood lamp turned on.
“What’s with everyone…”
“Kim Chunyong, no matter how you think about it, he’s been acting weird lately, right?”
I closed my half-open mouth. Then, I carefully leaned against the corridor wall and started listening intently.
…What are they talking about now?
“Why, yesterday, when I went into the practice room, I told Kim Chunyong to buy me ice cream.”
“But?”
“He really bought it.”
“…Our son, who used to know nothing but himself, did that?”
“That’s what I’m saying! Moreover, he even registered the points under my name. Is Kim Chunyong normally like this? No way.”
As I listened to the conversation, my face turned crimson. Is it really so crazy for me to do something right? Huh? Whether I thought so or not, their serious discussion showed no sign of ending.
“What should we do… seriously, is he sick? Should we feed him something like a deer antler?”
“No, it’s because my brother is an attention-seeker, Dad. Don’t worry; it’s on purpose. It’s probably a bribe to ask us to promote him to our classmates, buying ice cream for us.”
“Well, still…”
“No, it could be that he’s actually like that! Why is everyone acting like this? You shouldn’t distort Chunyong’s feelings that way.”
Mom is indeed the only one protecting me.
“No matter how sick the child seems to be…”
No, it wasn’t that.
Swallowing back tears, I quickly turned on the living room light before Mom could say something strange about me. My family blinked their eyes and looked around for the person who turned on the light.
I cleared my throat and spoke naturally,
“Why is everyone sitting in the dark? It’s not like there’s a ghost.”
“You’re here so suddenly!”
With my words, my family, who had gathered together, scattered and posed like they were preparing for something. Well, they were just leaning against the dark corners of the living room.
“Oh, our son is here?”
Mom pretended to smile as if nothing happened and welcomed me. In her hand, she awkwardly held the cat-shaped mood lamp that Kim Nari bought.
“You came home early today? Usually, you come back when it’s almost dawn.”
“Oh, yeah. They said there’s a preliminary interview tomorrow afternoon, so…”
With determined strides, I crossed the living room, pretending not to have heard anything. Among them, I casually placed a convenience store bag filled with snacks.
“Later, the four of you are watching a movie, right? Have this while watching.”
“…Did our son buy this?”
“Yeah. I bought it for myself, but I thought I might get bloated for the interview tomorrow. Share it among yourselves.”
With those words, I quickly headed to my room. In that brief moment, the astonished voices of my family struck me mercilessly from behind.
“Why did he buy something he’s going to eat for us… Wait a minute. Aren’t there only things we like?!”
“Not even one of these is his favorite snacks…”
“Oh my, oh my. Unbelievable.”
“What should we do? It seems like Kim Chunyong has lost his mind.”
Closing the door with Kim Nari’s disheartened declaration, I leaned against it, holding my face in my hands.
Is this how my family sees me?
