ID Chapter 2

As soon as I got out of the car, I took a deep breath. The refreshing air filled my lungs, making me feel a little better. If I had been even three seconds slower getting out, I would have caused a ‘tornado’. The thought of photos of an idol spraying vomit circulating around sent shivers down my spine.

“Don’t block the way, move it.”

“Ah, damn it. Say it with words, you punk.”

As I was catching my breath, Jae-yi pushed my butt with his foot. I wanted to trap him in an Oil Car forever, but out of consideration for the other members, I moved aside. I glared at him, and Han-sae, who came out next, said some nonsense about whether I was acting cute by saying sorry. I considered really turning into a dog, but there were too many eyes watching, so I stopped.

“Ira, are you carsick? You should have told me, I have motion sickness medicine.”

“No, I’m not carsick, it’s just been a while since I’ve been in an Oil Car.”

“We’ll be taking this car back too, so make sure to take motion sickness medicine then.”

“I said I’m not carsick.”

Mun hyung kindly gave me squeeze-pack motion sickness medicine.

Can I take this on an empty stomach? Well, it’s better than not eating at all, I guess. Mun hyung, who always takes care of me despite me being a nuisance, is definitely an angel.

We left the All-Electric Vibration Car behind and traveled uncomfortably in an Oil Car to get here, Watson Studio in the Mahanbinya Western Region. We came here to film the MV for our 3rd album’s title track.

While I was getting my makeup lightly retouched, our manager hyung came in.

“We’ll start with Individual Shots, then move on to Group Choreography. Let’s go in order: Mun, Jae-yi, Han-sae, Ira, Yadan.”

“Oh, why? I want to go first.”

“Han-sae, you’re going to make a lot of NGs. You should go later. Be grateful we’re not putting you last.”

“What?! I won’t make any NGs and I’ll finish in one take! I want to go first. It’s hard to wait.”

“Just put that guy last. What did Yadan ever do to deserve that?”

“Oh, why! No, I don’t want to! I want to go first. I absolutely don’t want to be last!!”

“Then go fourth.”

“I don’t want to be fourth either. I can finish quickly without mistakes. My condition is good today! I want to go first~~!!”

As Jae-yi interjected, Han-sae turned into a Whiny Child, practically ready to roll on the floor. In truth, Han-sae has so many NGs that nobody wants to film after him. Even the kind Mun hyung remained silent, so there was nothing to say.

Manager Yong-jun hyung tried to soothe Han-sae with an awkward expression. Mun hyung also looked troubled. Han-sae and Jae-yi bicker whenever they get a chance, and Jae-yi usually wins. Jae-yi will probably win this time too, right?

“Hey, Ira. What do you think?”

“Huh?”

Han-sae dragged me into it. He must have anticipated losing this power struggle.

“Do you want me to go last too?”

Yes.

I couldn’t bring myself to say it, so I just sighed.

“Hey, it’s fine. This hyung will go last. Geez.”

“Oh, really?”

“Try to finish quickly, if possible?”

“Got it. Haha. Thanks.”

Han-sae ruffled my hair once. He couldn’t treat me like an elder, but still…

I glared, but he didn’t notice my gaze and just hummed happily to himself. The manager hyung winked a thank you and left. I regretted my good deed from a moment ago out of disgust, but Mun hyung approached me with a worried look.

“Are you going to be okay? You were carsick, weren’t you?”

“Ah, it’s not carsickness, I just don’t like Oil Cars.”

“Your face is pale…”

“When isn’t that guy pale?”

Jae-yi poured cold water on Mun hyung’s worried words. Jae-yi had a disapproving look on his face. When he gives such a chilling gaze, I can understand why fans call him the Black Panther.

“Ira. If you’re not feeling well, tell me anytime. You keep too much to yourself…”

“Okay. Go get your makeup fixed quickly. You’re first, hyung.”

Mun hyung sat next to Han-sae with a disappointed expression. Han-sae, meanwhile, had cheered up and was making a fuss with the makeup artist noona, asking for eyeshadow and a winged eyeliner.

Now, as I was sitting on the sofa about to start a phone game, Yadan quietly came and sat beside me.

“Hyung… I’ll go last. You’re tired, aren’t you?”

He’s usually so quiet, but whenever he opens his mouth, he always says something thoughtful.

I gently stroked Yadan’s hair.

“You’re tired too, aren’t you? Last time you went last because you’re the maknae. It’s okay, just rest.”

“……Yes.”

Yadan nodded, his face slightly flushed. Cute kid. I grinned and was about to actually start my phone game when the left side of the sofa dipped. Jae-yi, with his large body, was pressing down on the poor sofa.

“Don’t indulge Han-sae too much. He’ll get bad habits.”

“Hey, that punk is already a lost cause. He’s already got bad habits, so we just have to adjust to him.”

Han-sae was an only child and grew up receiving too much love at home. What could be done? His personality wouldn’t change now.

“You didn’t get a wink of sleep in the car, did you? Just get some sleep while we wait.”

“After I play some games.”

“Just go to sleep.”

That bastard Jae-yi took my phone. I tried to snatch it back, but he just used his large physique and long arms to mock me. Eventually, my nose was buried in his chest.

Wow, I was fuming and huffing, and laughter erupted from all over the waiting room. Even the youngest manager hyung, the stylist noona, and… Han-sae and Mun hyung were laughing. They must have seen everything, how embarrassing.

“Damn it, fine. I’ll just sleep, so when I wake up, put my phone exactly back where it belongs.”

“Just close your eyes.”

“I said I got it!!”

I crossed my arms and deliberately squeezed my eyes shut.

That bastard still doesn’t know. That I can’t sleep in crowded places. I don’t do stupid things like falling asleep defenselessly in a place with so many people. What kind of trouble would I get into then?

So, I was extremely tired now, but sleep wouldn’t come, so I just closed my eyes and thought about this and that. While I was pretending to sleep, a hand gently stroked my bangs. Since I didn’t feel any movement on either side, it had to be either Yadan or that bastard Jae-yi…

I almost opened my eyes, but I held back, considering the other person’s embarrassment. Phew, my patience is out of this world…

After finishing my last individual shot, I returned to the waiting room. It was 11 PM. Mun hyung and Han-sae, looking as if they’d had a deep sleep, greeted me with puffy eyes. Jae-yi and Yadan, true to their Motioner nature, watched my entire shoot without a hint of fatigue.

Ugh…

It was hard to suppress a groan as I sat on the sofa.

Jae-yi and Yadan simply looked fine. Motion Aura Users are truly resilient. I wish I had been a Motion Aura User. Still, my stamina wasn’t this low before…

Yong-jun hyung told me to wait and left, soon returning with other older female and male staff members, carrying delicious-looking lunch boxes. My neck felt cold because I knew what they were.

“Dopamine sent these as support today. Your names are written on the lunch boxes, so don’t get them mixed up, and there are plenty of extras, so let us know if you need more.”

“Wow, lunch boxes! I was hungry, this is perfect.”

“Right, I saw Dopamine post a notice about raising funds to support us. They’re always such grateful people.”

Mun hyung suggested a proof shot. Each of us, holding our lunch boxes with our stickers, sat in a row on the sofa. Squeezed between the giants Jae-yi and Han-sae, I barely managed a smile.

Click.

As soon as the photo was taken, the members were busy opening their lunch boxes.

“There are handwritten letters too. Awesome. ‘Beagle Han-sae oppa. We love how energetic and bright you always are. Please continue to act like a beagle, even if it means not acting your age’…? What is this? Is it a compliment?”

Han-sae, curious about what was written for the other members, peered around.

‘Reliable eldest brother Mun oppa. We’re always lost in your gentle, melodramatic gaze and can’t escape. If you get a girlfriend, we’ll kill you…’

‘Calm maknae Yadan. Our Yadan, so quiet we worry spiders will spin webs in your mouth. Please let us hear your voice more often.’

‘Black Panther Jae-yi nim. We hope this lunch box suits your taste, and we look forward to your cool sword dance in the future.’

Unlike the other members’ letters, Jae-yi’s handwritten letter was ridiculously polite, which was very funny. What is Jae-yi’s presence to his fans?

“What about Ira’s?”

“Indeed. Ira, where did you hide yours? Let’s see it.”

“Hey, we all shared ours. What are you hiding? Hurry up and show us.”

Mun hyung and Han-sae thought I was hiding the letter, but that wasn’t true. I hadn’t received a letter in the first place. As I stood there awkwardly, Mun hyung asked, looking puzzled.

“You… you didn’t have a letter, did you?”

“…Uh, I didn’t see one.”

“Why isn’t there one…? Everyone else got one.”

I was a little surprised too. I didn’t expect it to be this blatant. Until now, they had always given me a letter.

“Maybe they forgot. Just leave it.”

“That’s strange. The fan club president there seemed like a very meticulous person. Check if it fell somewhere.”

At Mun hyung’s words, Yong-jun hyung and even the stylists searched through all the lunch boxes, but nothing came out. Han-sae grinned slyly and teased me that I’d have bad luck today. Jae-yi clicked his tongue. Mun hyung felt sorry for the fans who had lost their carefully written letters. I felt sorry for myself. What else could I do but pity myself?

“Ah, whatever. Just eat your food.”

Everyone started eating their lunch boxes. I also opened the lid of the lunch box with my sticker on it.

Pork hock kimchi stew and short rib soup were the main dishes. There were also many side dishes, like stir-fried fish cakes and green onion pancakes. Various seasonal fruits also boasted their luscious appearance.

I don’t eat anything given by fans.

As I closed the lid, the waiting room instantly fell silent and all eyes were on me. I closed it quietly, but it seemed everyone was watching whether I would eat or not.

“Ira.”

“Hey, aren’t you eating again? Just eat something, please.”

“I feel nauseous from motion sickness. I’ll eat it later.”

“When did you say you weren’t getting motion sickness? Unless you’re going to delay the shoot later by saying you’re dizzy, eat it quickly.”

Jae-yi sharply hit the nail on the head. It was very true, but I conspicuously put the lunch box into my backpack.

“I’ll eat it later. If I eat it now, I’ll just upset my stomach.”

“Eat it while it’s warm, you idiot. You’re always like this, aren’t you? Think of the fans and eat something.”

“You eat well at other times, but you never eat when it’s a shoot day.”

“I’m just nervous on shoot days, and if it gets cold, I can just microwave it. What’s the big deal? I’m going to the restroom. Enjoy your meal.”

“Ira!”

Mun hyung called out, but I ignored him and left. The members worried about me not eating, but Yong-jun hyung, who knew why I wasn’t eating, just looked at me pitifully.

As soon as I closed the door and came out, my stomach rumbled. Delicious smells wafted through the crack in the door.

I really love kimchi stew. It looked so tempting and delicious. I even mentioned it a few times on broadcast, so kimchi stew often comes as a tribute. It’s all bait. Bait to make me eat it. I’m sorry, but I’ll never fall for it.