Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus Chapter 74

It was likely from Idol Classism. I didn’t remember exactly, but I was certain he was in the Noble class. 

 

Actually, even that wasn’t for sure. He just looked to be around my age, and since his visuals were clearly top-tier, I had simply deduced he was a trainee appearing on the show. After all…

 

‘What kind of lunatic walks around wearing a cap, sunglasses, and a mask all at once?’

 

When the guy lowered his mask slightly and took off his sunglasses, I nodded once more. not because I recognized his face from somewhere.

 

‘He’s handsome.’

 

It was the kind of conclusion you could only reach because he was anything but ordinary-looking. At the very least, he wasn’t the kind of face you’d casually come across on the street. Like most aspiring idols, he didn’t have the kind of appearance you’d call average. I studied his face carefully. But no matter how slowly I looked him over, I couldn’t remember his name.

 

‘No, looking closely… I feel like I really have seen him before.’

 

While I was deliberating, his voice reached me again.

 

“What? You seriously don’t remember me?”

 

‘I mean… who on earth are you?’

 

“…….”

 

“Wow… you… how could you…”

 

“No, I feel like I’ve seen you…”

 

‘So, I’m asking who you are.’

 

“Ah, right?”

 

‘No, I actually don’t know.’

 

I didn’t know how to keep the conversation going. For now, glossing over it was the priority.

 

“Sorry for not saying hello sooner. It’s not that I was avoiding you on purpose, but somehow there was never a time for us to run into each other. Our dorms were on completely opposite sides. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

 

“Ah… yeah. Long time.”

 

“You’ve changed so much, Unha. Your image feels completely different from before…”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah. When we were trainees together, you felt a bit more… timid… no, more like the quiet type.”

 

‘Ah.’

 

Finally, his face began to click in my memory.

 

‘Trainees together…’

 

Since it felt like a lifetime ago to me, it took a while to match the image, but the picture was slowly coming together. Of course, the name still escaped me. Only his image was being drawn in my head.

 

“Anyway, you’re quite reckless.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“How do you just open an impromptu fan signing in the middle of a subway? Do you have any idea how much influence you have right now?”

 

“I didn’t mean to start one. I was just worried about a potential ‘poor fan service’ controversy, so I tried to just sign for the people who recognized me first and then leave. I didn’t know it would turn into that… Anyway, thanks.”

 

“It’s not like I did anything amazing. If you’re that grateful, at least buy me a meal. Oh, right. You don’t have any money, do you?”

 

“Huh? Uh…”

 

‘What? Is this guy… crazy? He just blurted that out to my face?’

 

“You used to be poor, didn’t you? Or am I remembering wrong?”

 

‘No, really, is he just a lunatic?’

 

“Let’s go. I’ll buy you food.”

 

‘Oh… he’s not a lunatic.’

 

“I wonder if there’s anywhere we can eat in peace right now. Should we just go to my place? Follow me.”

 

Naturally, I had no choice but to keep digging through my memories. Setting everything else aside…

 

‘There’s no way I could forget a guy like this…’

 

That was the thought that struck me. If nothing else, there was no way I’d forget a kind friend who bought me meals.

 

In fact, we must have been pretty close. I felt a surge of disgust at my own patheticness for not remembering him after only seven years, but I comforted myself by thinking that I hadn’t exactly been in a normal environment.

 

Meanwhile, he just kept talking. He was much chattier than I’d expected. In fact, he didn’t even seem like he was listening to what I was saying. He just kept talking without checking my reaction. There were stories about memories I didn’t recall, but most of it was about himself.

 

“Come in.”

 

And the moment I stepped into his home—or more accurately, a palace-like apartment—all the fog in my mind vanished.

 

“Baek Suhyeon…?”

 

“What? You say it like it’s a surprise.”

 

“You were on Idol Classism too?”

 

“Wait, you really didn’t recognize me? I was in the Noble class.”

 

The familiar scenery of the house I’d visited several times came flooding back with perfect clarity. Seven years ago—no, a few years ago—when I first came to this house, I remembered my jaw dropping.

 

Wasn’t this what they called a penthouse? I remembered thinking it was ridiculously spacious. A housekeeper even came by twice a week to take care of the place for him, so I’d thought there was nothing ordinary about him.

 

Hadn’t he said his father was the director of a hospital that occupied an entire building? No, was he a university professor? Or was it the CEO of a mid-sized company? I didn’t remember exactly, but he was a guy born with a silver—no, a gold spoon. His whole family was just loaded.

 

Given his background, I remembered the agency treating him pretty well, too…

 

“Did you leave QR?”

 

“What are you talking about? I left before you did.”

 

“Ah. Was that how it went?”

 

“Anyway… so, I’m just going to order something, okay? What do you want? Actually, never mind. There was that thing you used to like. That family restaurant—didn’t you say you really wanted to try their steak? Mmm… I’ll just order that. I’m too lazy to pick anything else. Not many places to order from anyway.”

 

“Yeah. Thanks.”

 

“Why are you being so formal? Anyway, you were amazing, Unha.”

 

“In what way?”

 

“What do you mean? Your performance in Idol Classism. Everyone’s talking about you. From where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re almost guaranteed to debut.”

 

“I am not sure. You never know how these things go. No one knows what the actual voting will be like… And since you’re in the Noble class, wouldn’t your chances be high too?”

 

“Well… if anything, I feel like being in the Noble class makes it harder. So far, the reaction to the Nobles has been good, but people usually end up rooting for the underdog. Unless you’re overwhelmingly good like Joo Wooyoung or Hwi Hyung. Trainees like me, who are stuck somewhere in the middle of the Noble class, have it even worse. Like that kid who clashed with your group in the Citizen Revolution mission. It’s basically our fate to be the backdrop for the underdogs before sinking.”

 

“That’s…”

 

“We’re kind of the villains, you know? Stories about growth are always more fun. Anyway, want to watch some anime?”

 

Just then, another detail about him came back to me.

 

‘Ah… he liked anime, didn’t he?’

 

He used to mainly watch those shows where robots beat each other up—strange cartoons where they shouted loudly and made battle cries. In fact, his room was filled with all sorts of robot figures on display. They weren’t made of ordinary materials, and I remembered him explaining in detail about which ones were limited editions.

 

“There was that one you stopped watching last time. Drill Breakthrough… want to watch that…?”

 

“Ah… yeah. Anything’s fine.”

 

“Actually, it might be better to watch something from this season.”

 

“…….”

 

“Look at this. This part is important…”

 

“…….”

 

I had no idea what was supposed to be so important, what exactly was ‘burning with spirit’, or why those characters kept screaming at the top of their lungs, but since steak from the family restaurant was on its way, I responded appropriately and kept the conversation going.

 

I remembered it being like this before too. Yeah, maybe…

 

‘Were we friends?’

 

He was a guy I could have called a friend. Even if it was only for a few months. He suddenly left QR at some point, and we had lost contact ever since….

 

‘And now I suddenly see him in Idol Classism.’

 

Now I noticed things I hadn’t when I was younger. For instance…

 

‘He really lives alone, doesn’t he?’

 

There wasn’t the slightest trace of anyone else living in the apartment. It was obvious the house had been empty for a long time. Beyond just being neatly managed, there was nothing in the living room.

 

‘Where are his father and mother… and didn’t he say he had successful older brothers?’

 

Where had they all gone? Why was he here by himself? There were too many things bothering me for me to just sit here smiling and eating beef.

 

Baek Suhyeon, sitting right in front of me, was the most concerning part.

 

‘He seems a little…’

 

Didn’t he look emotionally unstable? Not in the ordinary way teenage boys usually were—he himself seemed unstable. Like constantly on edge. Somehow, I saw traces of my own former self, back when I’d been on the verge of panic attacks. I couldn’t tell what he was anxious about yet… but as time passed, that nervousness seemed to intensify.

 

Even while we were eating, he would steal glances at me…. The moment I stood up to go to the bathroom, his eyes immediately followed me.

 

Naturally…

 

‘He… doesn’t want to be alone here, does he?’

 

I realized that Baek Suhyeon hated being alone in this place. Come to think of it…

 

‘I think it was the same back then.’

 

I remembered it being similar in the past. The darker it got outside, the darker his expression became. Wondering if I should test my suspicion, I casually opened my mouth.

 

“I think… I should probably head home soon…”

 

As expected.

 

“Uh, why…? Why? Stay for dinner too…”

 

I saw his face react immediately.

 

“You said your place was small… and hot…. It’s cool and spacious here, so you can just sleep over if you want…”

 

“Huh?”

 

“What? It’s uncomfortable if your place is cramped. You can stay here for a few days; there are plenty of spare rooms. I’ll buy you delicious food every day. Oh! Or should we monitor Idol Classism together? You said you haven’t seen the Slave Auction yet, right? Let’s watch that. I’ve only skimmed it. We can monitor together and give each other feedback. What do you think?”

 

“No, but…”

 

“Don’t go.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I mean… go tomorrow! Okay?”

 

It was an expression I’d grown sick of seeing back in the other world.

 

The expressions of those who were just about to surrender their sense of self and depend entirely on the Master were exactly like that.