Debut or Die

“Raebin, what’s wrong? Hyung, what’s going on?”

When Ryu Chungwoo approached and asked quietly, the manager took Ryu Chungwoo with him and left somewhere.

“…”

If complicated personal circumstances occurred, there was a high probability that he would be reluctant if anyone interfered.

It was fine with Ryu Chungwoo because he had a strong sense of leadership, but I didn’t know what Kim Raebin would think if other members interfered.

‘First of all, let’s look into the situation some more.’

Sure enough, after a while, the manager returned with Ryu Chungwoo.

Kim Raebin had already disappeared.

“…What about Raebin?”

“Wait. Let’s talk after the filming is over.”

The manager seemed to be concerned about the staff around us. Having grasped the situation, the members kept their mouths shut and continued what they were doing. Then, after a short farewell with the production team, we got into the car and heard the whole story.

“His grandmother collapsed?”

“Yes, so he went to the hospital right away.”

“…”

The members’ faces changed because they already knew that Kim Raebin lived with his grandparents.

I clicked my tongue. …I didn’t feel good.

‘…Still, you let him go.’

It was the end of the activity, and it seemed he was contacted at the end of the day’s schedule, so they sent him off right away without complaints. I wouldn’t say anything unnecessary.

…Wait a minute.

The bad news was well-timed… Was it possible?

“Hyung, when did you get contacted?”

“W-What?”

“When did you get contacted when Kim Raebin’s grandmother collapsed?”

“…”

The manager had a slightly sad face.

“…I was contacted at the end of your valley rafting, but my phone was turned off and left behind… It was only when the shoot was over that I checked.”

“…!”

The atmosphere froze.

“Then… Even if Raebin already left.”

“M-Maybe it’s too late…”

“That won’t happen! I’ve been getting in touch.”

The manager hastily added an explanation.

“…Yes.”

At least, the atmosphere in the car eased.

I observed the manager.

‘Could it be that you’d checked beforehand and didn’t tell him?’

It was possible.

‘The shooting was going to be over, so in order to pick out the cut, you could pretend and send him off.’

Anyway, whether Kim Raebin left or not, if they rationalized that his grandmother wouldn’t just suddenly get better…

No. It was too much. Whether it was the manager or the company, they weren’t that unethical.

Besides, if it was really the case, he wouldn’t have told us honestly like this.

I held back my sigh and leaned back.

“…Grandmother, what should I do?”

I heard a sniffle next to me.

Cha Eugene was crumpled in the corner with a gloomy face.

‘You must have met her in person.’

Ryu Chungwoo struggled to open his mouth.

“It will be fine. Later… Let’s call Raebin.”

“Yes…”

The atmosphere in the car was gloomy. Even Keun Sejin shook his head when his eyes met mine as if he didn’t know what to say.

“Hmm…”

Lee Sejin turned his head out the window as if suffocated by the atmosphere.

In such a gloomy atmosphere, the car ran and headed to the dorm.

The insanely lively schedule for the past two days and one night ended as if it was all a lie.

* * *

It was dawn past midnight when Kim Raebin returned to the dorm.

“…!”

“You’re here.”

Some of the members sitting in the living room were still up.

Seon Ahyeon and Lee Sejin, who had photo schedules tomorrow morning, went to sleep at the manager’s insistence.

‘It was wise because we didn’t know when Kim Raebin would come in.’

And the judgment was correct. It was now half past three in the morning.

“Did you take a taxi?”

“…Yes.”

Kim Raebin’s face was swollen from crying, but he didn’t look particularly upset.

‘I guess it wasn’t a big deal.’

I opened my mouth.

“Is your grandmother okay?”

“Yes… She went to the hospital right away, and she’ll have almost no side effects.”

As it turned out, his grandmother had collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage. Fortunately, Kim Raebin’s sister found her quickly and the treatment was over within the golden hour.

“Thank God…”

“Really, I am glad, Raebin.”

“You must have had a hard time. It was hard, right? Good work.”

“…Thank you.”

Perhaps he was crying again, Raebin came into the living room rubbing his eyes hard. The welcome and consolation continued.

“Did you have dinner?”

“…No.”

“Ugh.”

“You must have had a hard time, but it would be better to eat something and sleep.”

It was true.

‘…It can’t be helped.’

I sighed and volunteered. With this lineup, I was the fastest among them.

“…Sit down. I’ll warm up something.”

“I-It’s fine!”

“It’s dawn. Lower your voice.”

“Yes…”

After confirming that the situation was okay, the members got up with more relaxed faces and stretched out.

“Then Raebin, get some rest. Moondae, take care~”

“Yes…”

“Eat well and go to sleep.”

“Great job.”

Finally, Cha Eugene tapped Kim Raebin on the shoulder and entered his room.

There was another group schedule tomorrow afternoon.

Once we confirmed that it wasn’t a big deal, it would be more burdensome to sit as a group in front of the kid and watch him eat.

‘I should finish this quickly and go back.’

I heated up the instant rice and stew in moderation and served them. It was a wise decision to order another one for dinner just in case.

“Here.”

“Thank you…”

After confirming that Kim Raebin was eating, I turned around to enter my room and realized.

‘…Isn’t it strange to eat alone at dawn in this situation?’

It was good to be sad. So one or two people staying would be right.

Besides, I was entrusted with this.

‘…Still, this is right.’

I sat across from him.

Kim Raebin was eating quietly.

Then, he couldn’t finish half of it and put down his spoon.

“…It doesn’t taste good?”

“No…”

Kim Raebin lowered his head and murmured.

“Grandmother, I made sure she’s okay… Still… I feel strange.”

“…Why?”

“N-Next time, this situation happens again, and if I see her late again, and… Back then, it was really… If it was real.”

“…Um.”

“Even if I am not late, during the performance, during the filming… Is it right to stop and leave? But then… I feel like I lack professional skills.”

“…”

“Continuously… I can’t stop thinking about that.”

…It was a reasonable concern.

And it was also a concern that anyone who separated their jobs from their lives would have.

You were busy working, and then one day, something fatal happened… What would you do if you were doing something very important when you got the call?

The problem was that Kim Raebin wasn’t even an adult yet.

Was this the kind of work environment where it was normal to worry about that at the age where you couldn’t even drink legally… I didn’t know, honestly.

‘I have nothing to say if you ask whether we’re pro because we made money.’

That kind of call… Those who hadn’t experienced it didn’t understand.

“…”

This was difficult. I never thought I’d say this at dawn.

After thinking about it, I opened my mouth.

“When I got the call… I was at school.”

“…!”

“I was in class, so I put my phone on silent… I didn’t see it until quite a while later. The exam was just around the corner.”

“…”

There were 24 absences.

I still thought about it. What if I hadn’t gone to school…

I wonder what would have changed if I hadn’t gone to school and tagged along to that family event… It was a meaningless thought.

“At that time, I was so much less busy than you are, and I was just a student. So this… I think the problem of the timing is, in fact, a matter of luck.”

“…Ah.”

“Besides, you’re not going to live on a schedule like this for the rest of your life. If you have more experience, you can adjust the schedule as much as you want.”

I rubbed the back of my neck and continued

“But if you’re still worried, when your family contacts you, tell the manager to check it out. Besides, there’s no problem even if you leave in the middle of work.”

“…!”

“Everyone lives like that. If anyone curses at you, they’re a psychopath so just sue them.”

“…”

Kim Raebin, who hadn’t answered for a long time, eventually nodded.

“…Yes.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“…Yes!”

Kim Raebin replied slightly more forcefully. And he lifted the spoon again. …It was a relief that he seemed to have gained some energy.

‘Looking at the speed, I can go to my room in five minutes.’

I felt relieved and checked my watch. …Um, it looked like the sun would rise when I went in.

‘Day and night are switching once again…’

I heard my body’s internal clock shattering. When I got a vacation, I had to set a pattern of going to bed at 9:00 pm and waking up at 9:00 the next day.

“Hyung.”

“What is it?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“…You can.”

Kim Raebin cleaned up the table after finishing his food and carefully opened his mouth.

“I think you said you have amnesia, but I am not sure how you can remember the incident from that time…”

“…I suddenly remembered in my sleep.”

“Ah, I see.”

He was really a consistent guy.

* * *

Testar’s reality travel episode sparked cheers from fans as soon as the news article came out.

– Hurray! Travel!

– It was so much fun at the beginning of Testar’s reality show, but these days, it’s so boring that I only watched the clips. The production team finally come back to their senses

-There’s a talk about a sighting in a valley, it seems to be a healing content and playing together in the countrysideㅠㅠ I am looking forward to it

And when the trailer came out, the reaction doubled.

– ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋCrazy extreme!

– Skydiving and playing in a haunted house? Wow, you really save up the most important thingsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– Moondae and a Haunted House? This is where the stocks all poured in!

– Heol… I think they made the fan song at this time tooㅠㅠ – Even though they only show one cut of the kids making it, it’s so cute

– As expected, Raebin was the one leading. The bastards who tried to beat down Raebin saying they all did it together, go die

– They seem to eat well, I am relieved

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋThis was completely my reactionㅋㅋㅋ

– ㄹㅇI was worried that they weren’t fed well, but a whole pig came outㅋㅋㅋ

Fans looked forward to the first episode of the reality trip which came out in a few days.

And at the same time, they scraped together the rumors and speculations with regret, wondering if there was any other entertainment content.

Then they saw an unverified anonymous post.

: <Let’s Get Close First> This time, the guests are VT Chgry and Tst Pk Mdae. ㅊㄹ One was cast and personally nominated the other. Everyone is whispering that the ratings will be good.

It was saying that VTIC Cheongryeo was filming a variety show with Park Moondae.

Under this absurd claim, of course, there were mocking reactions.

– ? What kind of bullshit is this

– I saw a good delusion

– This bastard thought they were best friends after seeing Cheongryeo and Park Moondae greet each other

– Kya these days, the reaction to low-level aggro is different, the world is getting better

Of course, the fans didn’t believe it either and skipped it over.

But a few days later.

An official article was published.

[<Let’s Get Close First>, Next guest is VTIC and Testar? (Exclusive)]

: According to an MBS official on the 21st, <Let’s Get Close First> recently announced that VTIC’s Cheongryeo and Testar’s Park Moondae are scheduled to be filmed as guests…

-???

– What’s this

– For real?

It was real.

After a while, a preview video produced by <Let’s Get Close First> appeared.