Chapter 70

  At Deuk-yong’s question, everyone’s gaze turned simultaneously to Ji-ho, who was in the midst of filming. For a moment, everyone looked at him in silence.

Today, his unusually curly bright hair looked as if it had been squeezed out like chocolate cream. In contrast to others, his shoot was proceeding very quickly and smoothly.

The photos of Ji-ho that appeared on the monitor felt quite different from his actual appearance. In reality, he had a softer, rounder look, but in the photos, he appeared more elegant and fox-like.

Even though he wasn’t showing any expression, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, giving the impression that he was smiling.

“Ji-ho hyung, I think he’s doing really well...” said Sol, expressing pure admiration as he looked at Ji-ho. Then, glancing at Deuk-yong, he awkwardly finished his sentence. His response was so awkward that Ga-ram, standing next to him, burst into laughter.

Worried that Sol might feel bad, Ga-ram covered his mouth and turned away to stifle his laughter, but Tae-oh saw him laughing directly.

“Oh, indeed. As expected from a Top 10 audition contestant.”

“Ji-ho hyung, you look cool,” Sol said, raising both hands. He was trying to do something, but the more he added, the more awkward it became. Sol, with both thumbs up, made a ‘haha’ sound and smiled at the camera. Tae-oh, unable to bear it, put his hand to his forehead.

Even interviewing ordinary citizens in front of a popular restaurant would look more natural than that. Eventually, Deuk-yong pouted and made a comment.

“Ah... What’s with the double thumbs up, hyung? It’s so tacky!”

“Tacky? Tacky?” Sol, as if deeply shocked by Deuk-yong’s words, looked at him with wide eyes. He had mustered up the courage to do something, but the feedback was harsh.

“Yes. That’s a bit much.”

“There’s no such thing as too much. Sol can do whatever he wants.”

“Ga-ram hyung, why do you always make me out to be the bad guy? And I know you’ve been laughing since a while ago.”

Ga-ram, who had barely managed to stifle his laughter, tried to rebut Deuk-yong’s words, but his voice trembled. While the two bickered, Sol still had his thumbs raised, but then let his hands drop limply.

“Hmm. Sorry. Sol, I laughed because it was cute.”

“Anyway, you laughed! Hyung, you’re worse.”

Sol let his arms hang down and looked up at Ji-ho, responding to Ga-ram’s supposed consolation. Although everything looked white before his eyes and he couldn’t recall exactly what had happened, the photographer was smiling at Ji-ho, contrasting with his seemingly bad mood during Sol’s shoot.

Ji-ho was sly. He smiled warmly, but changed his expression as soon as the camera approached. When he slightly tilted his head up and his eyes looked down, his raised corners of the mouth and elongated eye shape became more prominent.

Sol was momentarily mesmerized, staring blankly at Ji-ho’s adept demeanor. Everything Ji-ho did seemed so easy and natural.

Sol felt envious and a bit angry. It was frustrating and unfair that something so effortless for Ji-ho was so difficult for him. Was his gaze too intense? Ji-ho, who was still in the middle of the shoot, suddenly looked at Sol.

Caught off guard by Ji-ho’s gaze, Sol quickly averted his eyes. He caught a glimpse of Ji-ho’s eyes crinkling with a wide smile and his eyebrows lifting.

The shoot continued. From the photographer’s enthusiastic profile shots to Deuk-yong’s self-cam, acting like a one-day reporter. Once Ji-ho finished his shoot and returned to the group, it was Ga-ram’s turn.

Ji-ho, being quite lively, tried to liven up the awkward interview by adding various comments. Thanks to his efforts, the self-cam shoot became a bit more dynamic, but the more Ji-ho talked, the more Sol’s awkwardness stood out.

“Let’s go with the mysterious fairy concept.”

“What?”

Sol looked at Ji-ho with a dumbfounded face at his sudden outburst.

“I mean, be mysterious and talk less.”

“Ji-ho hyung, do you really think that will work?”

Deuk-yong, who had been focused on the conversation, shook his head at the absurdity of the suggestion, but Tae-oh, who had been listening nearby, nodded with a serious expression.

“…It might be better than saying something wrong or causing controversy.”

“Even you, Tae-oh hyung?”

Why were there people who were told that opening their mouths ruined things? Of course, it wasn’t that Sol was like that, but it seemed that Sol felt pressured to answer well at that moment. Tae-oh thought that gradually getting used to the camera and becoming more comfortable would not have been a bad way for him to increase his speaking.

Ji-ho also seemed to have the same thought and nodded while facing Tae-oh.

“Try to keep your answers as short as possible. Right now, the longer you talk, the more the atmosphere sinks and it just seems more awkward.”

“I agree. It might help lessen the burden. Short answers instead of long explanations.”

When Ji-ho added his explanation, Tae-oh agreed as well. Only Deuk-yong and Sol looked at the two with half-doubtful expressions.

“But won’t it look rude?”

“Honestly, with your face, does it matter?”

Ji-ho’s answer brought an end to Deuk-yong’s question. Before they knew it, Deuk-yong was nodding in agreement, too. Only Sol, who was not convinced, had a dark expression.

While trying various things and filming their self-cam, the profile shoot order went from Tae-oh to Deuk-yong. As Sol’s turn approached, he felt his body tense up even before starting, and he swallowed hard.

Soon, Yeong-ho called Sol’s name.

“Sol-ah!”

“Yes!”

At Yeong-ho’s call, Sol stood up stiffly, like a soldier on high alert, and approached the photographer and Yeong-ho. All the members’ eyes followed Sol, filled with concern.

When Sol approached, Yeong-ho put his hand on Sol’s shoulder and patted him a few times. Then he whispered softly, so the photographer couldn’t hear.

“Sol-ah, are you feeling a bit better?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Doesn’t seem like it. You can tell me if you’re not.”

Yeong-ho got so close that Sol’s body tensed up even more. It wasn’t Yeong-ho’s fault. Sol thought the problem lay within himself. He repeated in his mind that he must take a <Stability Potion> before the shoot started.

[Would you like to use the ‘Stability Potion’?]

The system displayed a notification, reading Sol’s thoughts, but he shook his head. Not yet.

“Even if the director says something harsh, don’t take it to heart. Just focus on the shoot. Just relax your face and take one shot with a neutral expression.”

“Okay….”

“If it doesn’t work out, we’ll fix it in post-editing. I’ll do my best to take care of it. Oh, look at your shoulders, so tense.”

Yeong-ho massaged Sol’s stiff shoulders. Although such contact was uncomfortable, Sol didn’t push him away. He could sense Yeong-ho’s concern and his efforts to lighten the mood. It was something Sol couldn’t have imagined before coming here. He nodded. He was changing slowly but surely. He resolved to believe that he could succeed with a bit of help.

[Would you like to use the ‘Stability Potion’?]

[ Yes | No ]

As the mint-colored window appeared again, Sol said, “Yes” in his mind this time.

[Trauma Resistance 00:59:59]

He felt his cluttered mind and stiff body lighten instantly. It was a refreshing feeling like no other. Feeling like a new person, Sol walked briskly towards the shooting booth that was still being set up.

“Let’s focus and finish quickly this time.”

“...Okay!”

The light shining directly on his face was still bright, but this time, he could hear the voices clearly. He could also see the faces of the staff coming to adjust his hair and makeup. The suffocating tightness in his chest and the pounding heartbeat in his ears were gone.

Thus, Sol’s profile photo shoot began once again.

“Sung Sol!”

As the photographer approached with the camera, Sol, who was trying to focus, heard a low but clear voice. Turning his head toward the voice, he saw the members standing there. This time, he could see everyone clearly.

“Can you turn slightly to the left?”

As soon as the photographer finished speaking, Tae-oh gestured with one hand, as if telling them to move aside. Curious about what he was doing, Sol widened his eyes and stared intently.

Tae-oh mimicked moving Ga-ram, who was standing in front of him, to the left as if he were shifting a heavy package. Only then did Sol let out a small exclamation inside.

The members were acting this way because he had failed the first shoot, and it was due to something Sol had said. He had mentioned that he couldn’t hear or understand the instructions due to his extreme nervousness. A smile crept onto his face. He thought that maybe, even without taking a Stability Potion, he could have gotten through it with the help of the members.

Sol slightly turned his body to the left, as per the photographer’s instructions. Although it was difficult to do it as skillfully as Ji-ho, at least he didn’t frown.

Instead, every time the photographer gave instructions during the shoot, the sight of the members using all sorts of gestures and movements to convey the message to Sol made him laugh, and he had a hard time holding back his laughter.

It was especially funny to see Tae-oh, who was usually very serious, moving Ga-ram around like a package, making it hard for him to suppress his laughter.

“Could you lift your head a little more?”

There wasn’t any grand acting or directing, but the photographer’s tone softened considerably at Sol’s improved posture. Sol lifted his chin slightly as instructed.

When a strong light fell on his white, delicate face, his sharp and tender jawline and long eyelashes became more prominent. Sol, who had lowered his eyes slightly, looked at the members at the edge of his vision. He should have been looking at the camera, but he couldn’t help but be curious about the four men who were moving restlessly.

Perhaps noticing that Sol was looking at them instead of the camera, all four of them made a gesture as if poking their eyes with two fingers. It was a sign for him to look at the camera, but due to Deuk-yong and Tae-oh’s thick eyebrows and unique atmosphere, the simple gesture looked much more intense.

Seeing them standing in a line and poking their own eyes, Sol finally burst into laughter.

He heard the photographer’s instruction not to laugh in his ear, but he couldn’t help it and laughed heartily and as loudly as he could.

Immediately, all the members waved their hands and made an ‘X’ in front of their chins with their palms. Unable to hold back his laughter, Sol laughed even more brightly and heartily.

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