Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity
Chapter 298
"...Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
Noh Bi-hyuk asked with a pale face.
When I explained it was because of the photo cards that would go into the album, his expression instantly changed.
"Ah, the photo cards..."
He blinked blankly and then sighed deeply.
"Haa, you should have told me it was because of the photo cards first."
"What did you think it was?"
"I thought you suddenly got into the hobby of taking selfies or something. Wow, I was really shocked."
"......"
Noh Bi-hyuk wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, saying his heart was still racing.
‘Unbelievable.’
Thinking about how genuinely freaked out he looked made it even more ridiculous.
"I was really shocked. For a moment, I thought I was watching a horror movie."
"Stop making a fuss. If you're not going to help, get out."
"Who said I'm not going to help? I'm just happy to have something to tease you about after a long time."
Noh Bi-hyuk chuckled.
"By the way, I didn't know you acknowledged my selfie skills."
"There you go again with the nonsense."
"Why? You have plenty of people around you to help. You have Space seniors too. Yet you specifically called me first?"
He looked proud.
"That means you acknowledge my skills. Ah, it's a proud moment for Bi-hyuk to be recognized by Lee Yeon-jae."
Noh Bi-hyuk started boasting again after a long time.
I shook my head.
‘I called him just to see his face.’
As Noh Bi-hyuk said, there were plenty of people I could ask for help.
Even Jung-hyun hyung, who practically lived at our house, was pretty good at taking pictures.
But since Noh Bi-hyuk debuted with Nade, I couldn't see his face unless we met like this.
However.
‘...I'll take this to my grave.’
I didn't want to honestly tell this excited kid the real reason.
Feeling annoyed, I smacked him on the back.
"Ouch, that hurts."
"If you're going to help, then help quickly."
"Got it. First, sit down."
He smiled and patted the seat next to him.
He asked me to show him any selfies I had taken alone, and after a moment of hesitation, I handed over my phone.
‘What if he gets shocked too?’
Considering how the staff reacted so dramatically, I felt anxious.
"Just as expected."
However, he was calmer than I thought.
"You expected this?"
"Yeah. You always use this angle when we video call."
Noh Bi-hyuk replied in a nonchalant voice.
As he scrutinized the photos from different angles, I quietly asked.
"But is it that bad? I think it's pretty decent."
"It's not bad. It just looks about a tenth as good as you do in person."
"...So you're saying it's bad."
"Exactly."
This guy.
When I felt a surge of irritation, he just grinned slyly.
"If you're going to keep joking around, just leave."
"Alright. Listen, taking selfies is all about making yourself look handsome, pretty, cute, or cool, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, the key to taking good selfies is simple. You just need to figure out how to bring out those qualities."
He took out his phone.
"Look, this is what I took."
Oh.
"It's good."
"Right?"
"I have slightly upturned eyes, so my impression changes a lot depending on the angle. Look at this photo. It feels different when taken from below, right?"
"Yeah."
Noh Bi-hyuk explained his complex about his thick eyebrows, showing several photos as examples.
"So, I twist my hand while taking the photo. It makes my eyebrows look relatively thinner. Or I frown my eyebrows on purpose."
"Oh, I see. I get what you mean."
It turned out there were a lot more things to consider than I thought.
I carefully listened to everything Noh Bi-hyuk said.
"You can't take good selfies because you've never thought about how your face would look best. You've only studied the expressions for your characters."
"That's right."
I nodded vigorously at his words.
‘It was a good call to bring him.’
Feeling better with his unexpectedly clear explanation, I smiled.
"If you understand, let's get into practice right away. Try taking one."
"Now?"
"Yeah. When else?"
He looked at me blankly.
Embarrassed, I mumbled.
"Do we really have to take one now?"
"What do you mean? You asked for help."
"No, it's just..."
Ugh.
"Alright. Can you at least look somewhere else while I take it? Or go to another room?"
"Why? Are you embarrassed?"
Of course I'm embarrassed, you fool.
While having a camera in front of me didn't bother me, performing in front of it was a different story.
But having someone openly watch me while I did that?
‘Might as well be telling me to just die.’
However, Noh Bi-hyuk scolded me, saying there were plenty of things to be embarrassed about.
“You should take at least one more shot while I'm here. Think about the fans waiting.”
That snapped me out of it.
‘Hoo.’
Right. Think about Byeon.
The embarrassment would be temporary, but the results would remain forever.
I picked up my phone, thinking about the fans who would be happy to receive the photo cards.
“You’re taking it head-on again. Are you taking an ID photo or something?”
“Stop nagging, Bi-hyuk.”
Though he nagged intermittently, it was definitely helpful.
I could feel my photos improving the more I took them.
“Oh, this photo looks good. But relax your eyes a bit. You’re putting too much strain on them.”
“You told me to emphasize my eyelashes.”
“That’s to highlight your strength. When did I ever say to glare at the camera?”
“......”
“We don't have time. Pick up your phone again.”
He was particularly annoying today.
But since he was my teacher, I couldn’t argue back and just held up my phone quietly.
‘Wait until class is over.’
I was going to bury him right after.
* * *
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to bury Noh Bi-hyuk.
The results of the session were more satisfying than I had imagined.
‘I can’t bury him after getting so much help.’
Even I had a conscience.
“Ha, make sure you tell your fans about me. They’ll be moved when they see the before and after shots.”
Noh Bi-hyuk stroked his forehead with a proud look.
His every gesture was irritating, but just for today, I could forgive him.
‘It definitely looks much better.’
I sighed with relief, looking at the selfies that were different from before.
Now, I just had to change my clothes and location and take about five hundred more shots.
“Thanks for the help.”
“Buy me something delicious later.”
Noh Bi-hyuk laughed and sprawled out on the bed.
“Ah~. It feels good to talk a lot after a long time. I don't remember the last time I chatted this much.”
“Don't you talk a lot at the dorm?”
“I do. We're filming a reality show right now.”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“To get even one more shot on camera, there's no other way.”
“I meant with the members. Don’t you talk with them?”
Noh Bi-hyuk had an ambiguous expression.
“It’s not that we don’t talk, but it feels a bit...”
“What feels?”
“I guess there’s a sense of distance. They’re all good people, though. Except for Eun-taek hyung?”
He laughed slyly, clearly trying to change the subject.
I didn’t let it slide and asked again.
“Why do you feel distant?”
“......”
“Don’t you want to talk about it?”
Noh Bi-hyuk sighed softly.
“It’s not that I don’t want to. I just feel like I’ll look really pathetic if I do.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s really not.”
“Yeah, it might be for you, but I think it’s okay.”
“Ha.”
He let out a dry laugh.
I kept a shameless expression until he gave up and started speaking slowly.
“They all have good relationships with their parents. Especially my roommate hyung.”
Noh Bi-hyuk scratched his temple.
“He talks to his parents every day, tells them he misses them. They all do that. Whenever something good happens, they talk about their parents first. But for me, it’s a bit...”
“......”
“Of course, Eun-taek hyung is less so, but even his parents visit the dorm often. They bring side dishes and everything.”
He mumbled softly that he was the only one whose parents never visited the dorm.
“I thought if I did well after debuting, they’d show some interest at least once. I guess I expected too much. It’s my own fault.”
“How is that your fault?”
I frowned.
“Everyone has expectations. That’s just human nature, whether intentional or not.”
When I told him he hadn't done anything wrong, he gave an embarrassed smile.
“I know. Ugh, the atmosphere's gotten too heavy. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize for silly things.”
“Isn't that something you should be hearing?”
I clicked my tongue at his chuckling.
‘Why do they leave him alone?’
Anger bubbled inside me.
Noh Bi-hyuk’s parents didn’t show up at Naid's comeback showcase either.
As soon as he saw me then, he hastily explained.
Both of them had surgery scheduled, so they couldn’t come.
From his elementary school graduation to his first debut showcase.
It was the same story I’d heard countless times.
‘What should I say to comfort him?’
But I knew.
The comfort he needed wasn't something I could provide.
‘Only the person who caused the wound can heal it.’
There are some wounds like that.
No matter how much I cared for him, this was one area where I couldn't intervene.
I looked at him quietly.
“Bi-hyuk.”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll be living in the dorm for about five more years, right?”
“Huh?”
It was such a sudden question that he looked puzzled but answered straightforwardly.
“Probably? Usually, you build up experience and then move out. Some people go independent when they renew their contracts.”
“When do you want to move out?”
“I haven’t really thought about it. But probably after I become an adult?”
I spoke to him as he tilted his head.
“Then, when you move out of the dorm, come live with me.”
“......”
He looked at me with a curious expression.
“With Jin-bae hyung?”
“Maybe, maybe not. Hyung might get married.”
“Do you think Jin-bae hyung will get married without you? I don’t think he will.”
“Then we can live together, the three of us.”
At my simple suggestion, he hesitated.
“...Why are you saying this all of a sudden?”
It was the same question he had asked hours earlier.
But now, Noh Bi-hyuk didn’t look pale, nor did he look like someone watching a horror movie.
He looked somewhat embarrassed and somewhat desperate.
I spoke calmly to him.
“Because it’s the only thing I can do.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t claim to be your parent. I can’t forge your family register.”
“What?”
“There are things parents should do for their children. This is the only one I can help with.”
Living together.
“......”
He looked blankly at me after my words.
It took him a long time before he let out a laugh.
“You’re really... Ha, you’re such a strange person.”
“You always say that, but remember, people flock together.”
“You’re saying I’m like you?”
He lightly punched my arm, saying I had a unique way of insulting him.
His laughter, thankfully, sounded much lighter than before.
* * *
We had been chatting for a long while.
“Ah, the manager hyung must be downstairs. He just called.”
“Looks like you have to go now.”
“Sigh.”
Noh Bi-hyuk got up with a look of sheer reluctance.
I quietly packed his bag for him.
“Do well at the shoot. Don’t overwork yourself.”
“Yeah...”
Noh Bi-hyuk trudged out slowly.
‘He really doesn’t want to go.’
Watching his back, he suddenly turned around.
“By the way, what are you going to do about Eun-taek hyung’s birthday next week?”
“What about it?”
“We’re planning to order chicken and have a small party at the dorm. Hyung asked if he could invite you.”
Ah, that.
“I can’t go that day. I have something to do.”
“Really? Hyung will be upset again. He’s got a pretty small heart.”
“It’s fine. I told him I’d visit the day before.”
“Huh? You’re coming to our dorm?”
I quietly shook my head and told him.
“No. To his parents’ house.”
I said I’d be visiting Eun-taek’s family home.