Chapter 378: Insomnia Smash Project (5)
‘What’s up with him?’
‘I have no idea.’
I turned my gaze toward the bear from next door, wondering if I was the only one confused by this situation, but he seemed just as lost as me. That reassured me.
Yeah, I wasn’t the only one who didn’t get what was up with him.
Thank goodness my 29+@ years’ worth of social radar wasn’t completely broken.
“Thanks, for worrying about me.”
Even though he had bombarded me and Lee Doha with a slew of question marks, Jung Siwoo, after laughing to his heart’s content, casually thanked us.
Sure, I was grateful he thanked me. I was grateful he didn’t twist my words and take them the wrong way like last time, but…!
Wasn’t this a moment where he should have given a more convincing explanation?
However, as always, Jung Siwoo wasn’t going to make things easy. He crossed his legs, fully relaxed now, and gave a response that was completely different from what I was expecting.
“But it’s fine. It’s temporary, and it happens every year around this time. It’s really not something to worry about.”
It was a gentle yet firm refusal.
Still, I instinctively knew that this rejection was different from the ‘You-Feel-Me-Event’ incident.
“You must have heard from Seok, but it’s almost the anniversary of my father’s death. It was a pretty chaotic time, and it seems like my body remembers that. When it’s bad, I even come down with a fever for days, so this is actually not too bad.”
Jung Siwoo explained his physical condition without hesitation. Unlike before, he wasn’t making up some excuse or avoiding the subject, nor did he seem uncomfortable talking to me or Lee Doha.
I still had no clue what part of my approach had made the difference, but this time, it felt like my strategy had been somewhat successful.
“I’m sure I’ll be fine once the rainy season passes and we’re preparing for our comeback, so don’t worry too much.”
And yet―.
Even so, Jung Siwoo’s answer was still a ‘NO.’
And that irked me.
‘Well, it’s not like we ended up just scratching at each other’s nerves like last time…. He says he’s fine, so there’s no need to push any further…’
He’s a smart guy, so I’m sure he knows what he’s doing.
Even as I thought that, the words that came out of my mouth were the complete opposite.
“Why?”
“…Huh?”
“Why shouldn’t I worry?”
“…….”
“You collapsed last time too. Fever of 39 degrees, burning up.”
I knew my retort was a bit rude, but my social radar, still alive and kicking, assured me this was safe territory. As my instincts predicted, Jung Siwoo just looked a little surprised and didn’t react beyond that.
He merely let out a small, resigned sigh and muttered in self-deprecation.
“…It’s not like you guys can do anything about it, can you? What’s done is done.”
It was only then, after hearing his response, that I realized what had been bugging me all along.
‘That attitude.’
That attitude was the problem.
No matter what cards he had, he acted like, ‘This is enough,’ and arbitrarily ended the game, satisfied with what he’d gotten.
‘So this is the line he’s drawn for himself.’
Convinced that no one else could solve his problems or offer any real help.
All he expected from friends his age was a bit of comfort and concern—nothing more, nothing less.
‘I finally understand why I found both this guy and Lee Yugeon so difficult.’
I’d always known that both of them had clear boundaries and were guarded around others.
Unlike Seo Taehyun or Joo Eunchan, who had high walls but once they liked someone, they pulled them in tightly, these two had close to zero dependency on others.
But this was the first time I had ever witnessed that fact so clearly in front of me.
‘Yeah, well…. I get it. Their mindset probably comes from the lives they’ve lived. I understand, really.’
I understood.
That there was no point in demanding more from people like them.
That even this much closeness was, in their minds, a sign of deep intimacy.
That if I responded with something like, ‘Okay, then. Take care of yourself,’ Jung Siwoo would nod in satisfaction and consider the conversation over.
But―.
“Wanna make a bet?”
I’d be pissed if I just walked away and let him draw the line here.
“A bet?”
“A bet on whether we can fix your insomnia or not.”
After all the effort I’d put in to be seen as approachable and close, now he wanted to draw the line again and tell me to back off?
Is that something you say to someone who’s thrown every last coin they had into trying to prevent your panic from spiraling?
To the guy who went as far as to call an older senior he wasn’t even close with just to ask for tips on dealing with insomnia for your sake?
‘Sorry, but I’m not going to do that.’
I didn’t go through all this trouble just to exchange a few casual greetings with Jung Siwoo.
“You don’t lose anything in this bet anyway, right? If we fix your insomnia, that’s great. If we don’t, things stay the same. If you win, I won’t say another word about your condition.”
“…….”
“But if we win….”
“……?”
Both Jung Siwoo and Lee Doha turned to look at me. Not missing the moment, I laid out my condition.
“If we win, you tell us why you quit playing the piano. And why you cut ties with your mother.”
This was a declaration of war.
From now on, I was declaring that I would jump rope over the line he’d drawn.
And there was no way smart Jung Siwoo wouldn’t catch on to that.
“…Fine. Give it a shot, then.”
For the first time, Jung Siwoo, who had always maintained a flawless poker face, looked visibly confused.
“So, what’s the plan?”
Gun Joo-dan’s room, which had most of its stuff packed up or sorted out for the move, now contained only the bare essentials. In this almost-empty room, all members except for Jung Siwoo—the one involved in the bet—and Seo Taehyun, who was out for a music show MC schedule, were gathered for a strategy meeting. Lee Doha, leaning against the bare wall, asked with a somewhat serious expression.
“Fixing insomnia isn’t as easy as it sounds, and Siwoo hyung’s got mental trauma tied to it, so it’ll be even harder. Do you have anything in mind?”
At Lee Doha’s question, Gun Joo-dan, who was lazily sprawled on the mattress, looked in my direction. Everyone but one had ‘As if’ written all over their faces, which was a bit annoying, but I didn’t care.
“No, I don’t.”
Because, honestly, I hadn’t thought of anything.
At my brutally innocent response, both Lee Yugeon and Dan Haru sighed at the same time. As if he expected this, Lee Yugeon dryly wiped his face with his hands, then nudged Dan Haru sitting next to him, who had a similar look on his face.
“Hey, can’t you do something?”
“What can I do?”
“Didn’t you say you can turn back time? Can’t you go back to when that hyung’s father passed away and fix it somehow?”
“…Do you think that’s possible? And I can’t even do that anymore.”
Dan Haru, who switched to his delinquent mode in an instant, replied brusquely with a ‘Do you really think that would work?’ look on his face.
Lee Yugeon, who thought he had gotten used to Dan Haru’s rebellious mode over the past few months, seemed too shocked by the bunny-like maknae’s expression to respond.
Joo Eunchan, sitting in the center of the room lost in thought, finally offered an idea.
“Well… bad memories are forgotten when they’re replaced by new ones, right? Siwoo hyung’s birthday is coming up soon, so how about we create some good memories for him?”
Immediately, everyone except for Dan Haru’s eyes sparkled, and they started teasing Joo Eunchan.
“Oh~ Joo Eunchan~ You’re better than me~”
“Oh wow, Joo Eunchan. You’re better than Hajin hyung.”
“I always thought Eunchan was better than the hyungs.”
“…You guys are teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Oh~ You’ve awakened and now you’re quick-witted too~”
As they laughed and praised the newly sharp Joo Eunchan, his ears flushed red with frustration, and he pressed them down with his hands.
Whether it was because he wasn’t too affected by the past timeline or because that’s just how he’s always been, Joo Eunchan hadn’t changed much even after his awakening.
But it was fun to tease him, so I kept letting out weird exclamations like “Yay~” and “Kya~,” which led to Dan Haru, unable to stand it, kicking the chair I was sitting on.
“Ahh—!”
“Cut it out already.”
“Hey, Sparkling! This is attempted murder!”
“Then go ahead and call the cops.”
“Ugh, you delinquent…”
“So, what’s your actual plan? You didn’t just blurt this out without any thought, did you?”
Though his tone was a contradictory mix of doubt and blind faith, I didn’t care.
Lowering the phone I’d been fiddling with, I answered brightly.
“I’m serious. I really have no plan. We’re just going to give it a shot.”
“What, are you planning to sing him a lullaby or something?”
“Why not?”
“You’re serious…?”
“Winning or losing the bet isn’t what’s important.”
“…?”
“What’s important is showing him that ‘this is an option too.’”
I turned my gaze to Lee Yugeon.
Like how, before our trip to Jeju Island, going on a trip wasn’t even a choice in Lee Yugeon’s life, the purpose of this bet was to give Jung Siwoo a new option.
It was like storming into Jung Siwoo’s boundary, one that no one had dared to cross, with a mortar.
“Even if we fail to cure his insomnia, Siwoo hyung won’t think much of it. He won’t be disappointed or think, ‘Of course, that’s how it goes,’ or feel regret like, ‘I thought this time might be different.’ That’s just the kind of person he is.”
“…….”
“But at least, he’ll acknowledge it.”
“…….”
“That there are about six people in this world who are willing to help him figure it out.”
I had said that Jung Siwoo wouldn’t lose anything from this bet, but in reality, the ones who truly had nothing to lose were us.
I shot Dan Haru a look, full of ‘Do you understand now?’ He averted his gaze and answered sullenly.
“You set up the bet and naturally dragged us into it.”
“So, you’re not going to do it?”
“…….”
“You’re going to do it.”
Like the other members, Dan Haru also carried a sense of debt regarding Jung Siwoo’s trauma. Resigned, he nodded. None of the other guys would oppose the plan, and I’d already spoken with Seo Taehyun, so all the members were on board.
I tossed the phone I had lowered earlier onto the mattress, where the group was huddled.
“Alright then, from now on, take a look and pick what you’ll do.”
“…? What is this?”
Lee Yugeon, who was sitting closest, picked up my phone. He started reading out loud the post I had just uploaded to the fan community.
“‘Requesting ideas: Best tips for putting Jung Siwoo to sleep…?’”
[HAJIN]
※Requesting Ideas※
<Best Tips for Putting Jung Siwoo to Sleep Challenge>
We’re gathering the best tips to help Siwoo hyung, who’s been struggling with insomnia due to the summer heat, sleep soundly.
Please share the most effective sleep methods you’ve personally experienced.
The members will try out the tips one by one.
The person who submits the most effective method will receive:
A signed album of Kairos’s <Youth Apocalypse>
A Polaroid of Siwoo hyung in his pajamas (handmade)
More details will be announced by the Miro Content Team (wink)
“Honestly, brute-forcing it with sheer numbers is the best strategy. Let’s borrow the power of five million Destis.”
“Are you going to go head-to-head with insomnia or something? And since when did Destis become five million people?!”
“No, no, no…! More importantly, did you clear this with the company? Does Siwoo hyung know about the Polaroid in his pajamas? It doesn’t sound like you talked this through at all.”
“Oh, hey, there’s ASMR on here too. Chan-ni, Eun-chan-ni, with your good voices, why don’t you give it a shot? I like listening more than recording.”
“Wow. I’ve always wanted to try that.”
“Hey, Kang Hajin!!!!!! Are you listening!?!?”
Lee Yugeon and Dan Haru were practically yelling on behalf of Seo Taehyun, who wasn’t present, but I wasn’t bothered at all.
“Oh, come on, seriously.”
I’ve got it all figured out, guys. Just trust me a little.