GIJS

Chapter 108 It seems you won't be apologizing.

After seeing the past through the status window, Gunja often suffered from nightmares.

Everything was a hazy and blurry dream. But there was one face that stood out clearly: Park Young-jae.

If you were to call a delinquent of this era an "Iljin," then Park Young-jae would fit that description well.

Despite his relentless tormenting of Gunja, he never resorted to violence. Instead, he mingled with those who were physically strong, subtly establishing his own power.

To Gunja, these were laughable scoundrels, but to the previous owner of this body, they must have been overwhelming.

They pressured and threatened Gunja in secret. They threatened to leave marks on his body if he did not comply.

If that happened, his parents would discover he was being bullied.

The previous owner of this body feared that. He didn't want to worry his parents. Park Young-jae's group knew this fear all too well.

In the end, he had no choice but to act as Park Young-jae's group commanded.

As if it were his own will, he had to dance and sing in the space at the back of the classroom.

The children's mockery shredded his self-esteem. Even without punches or kicks, Gunja's heart was mercilessly bruised.

After being torn apart like this, Park Young-jae would come up to him.

"Gunja, why are you dancing like that? Is that singing? Huh? Let me show you."

It was an unwelcome lesson. Naturally, this time was not for Gunja but a form of torture to satisfy Park Young-jae's ego and superiority.

Park Young-jae called him the "laughing shuttle." It was a term Gunja had never heard before. He understood "laughing," but what was a "shuttle"? However, it was clearly a derogatory term.

There was one time the previous owner of this body had confronted Park Young-jae.

"What's the reason for treating me like this? Huh?"

He said this through gritted teeth, his voice trembling, but Park Young-jae laughed as if asking such a question was absurd.

"What are you talking about, Gunja?

You say you want to be an idol. I'm just helping you as a senior.

If you didn't want that, you shouldn't have danced in front of me.

How can I tolerate someone who wants to be an idol but can't even do that?"

Park Young-jae completely shifted the blame onto Gunja. The previous owner of this body had no strength to refute his words.

Just watching was like a nightmare. It was a recurring nightmare, but he never saw the end. The pain felt by the previous owner of this body would surge, making him wake up in the middle of the night.

"···."

In the dream, Gunja instinctively knew it was not just a figment of imagination.

If it were something that never happened, his heart wouldn't ache so much. These were fragments of past memories he had not seen before.

"Park Young-jae..."

He truly was the worst scoundrel of all time. Regardless of tolerance or anything, this guy deserved to be punished.

The fact that Park Young-jae was subtly flaunting past friendships recently was incomprehensible to Gunja.

Is Park Young-jae a person with no conscience or shame? Is such a person even possible? How thick-skinned must one be to act like that?

Meanwhile, the second filming of [Sing Along Duo] took place in a quiet suburban valley. This episode was meant to capture the camaraderie among participants and the song sketching process, as planned by PD Kim Seok-hoon.

With the fortunate addition of Yeonguijeong, the goal was to stretch the broadcast as long as possible for profit.

"Today, you can freely use the valley, campsite, and accommodations. Think of it as a Song Camp. Don't think of it as a broadcast; just enjoy a relaxing vacation and freely exchange opinions with the participants."

Although the nominal purpose was a free Song Camp, it was clear to Young-jae that the PD had hastily extended the episode without preparation.

"PD Kim, you're trying to make a quick buck, aren't you?"

"Hehe, how did you know? I've always enjoyed extending episodes."

The 7IN team, which already had their song concept and sketch mostly done, didn't really need a Song Camp. Moreover, the 7IN members were uncomfortable being with Park Young-jae.

"Right now, just seeing that guy's face makes me feel uneasy."

"I feel the same. I don't even want to treat him like a senior."

"Haha, someone like him isn't even a proper senior~"

However, from Park Young-jae's perspective, it was an opportunity.

He had decided to pretend to be friendly with Gunja. If the competition had started right away, he wouldn't have had the chance to approach, but with this pretext, he could get close.

"Hmm, hmmm—"

In Park Young-jae's hand was a lunchbox he had prepared himself.

As he walked toward Gun-ja, Park Young-jae found himself smiling faintly without realizing it.

"I'm doing all this because of him. What a world we live in."

Finally arriving at the 7IN base camp, Park Young-jae called out to Gun-ja.

"Gun-ja."

"···?"

"Can we talk for a moment?"

The 7IN members quickly surrounded Gun-ja at Park Young-jae's sudden appearance. The first to stand up was Tae-woong.

"We were in the middle of a meeting."

"A meeting?"

"Yes. It's the song camp. We were discussing the concept for the new song."

"Really? It sounded like you were just chatting."

"Chatting is part of the meeting. You know, sometimes good ideas come up during those conversations."

"Then let me join the chat too, with Gun-ja."

"Uh, I don't think you're understanding—"

Tae-woong's tone rose slightly, but Gun-ja stepped in to stop him.

"Tae-woong, it's okay."

"···."

"Do you think a senior would really try to eat me up?"

"Well, that's true."

"I'll be right back."

After briefly greeting the members, Gun-ja followed Park Young-jae. The other members anxiously followed, but Kim Seok-hoon PD prevented them from getting too close.

"Since the current situation is favorable for a Gun-ja and Young-jae interaction, let's have the other members step back for now."

"But we're still a team..."

"They have a backstory of being high school classmates. If anything happens, we'll step in immediately, so don't worry. Understood?"

Thus, Park Young-jae and Gun-ja finally had their one-on-one time. As Park Young-jae checked the cameras around, he put on a highly affected smile.

"Thinking back, I guess I was too rigid last time."

"···."

"I'm sorry. You've become such an outstanding person, and I guess I was a bit envious without realizing it."

"···."

"Forget what I said back then. Let's just be friends, not senior and junior."

As he spoke, Park Young-jae handed over the lunchbox.

"You haven't eaten yet, right? I prepared this for you."

"···."

"I've never really done this lunch shuttle thing before, haha."

Gun-ja, who had been frowning until then, immediately brightened up when Park Young-jae mentioned "shuttle."

"Shuttle?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you just say 'shuttle,' senior?"

"Oh? Uh, yeah, why...?"

"Yes, 'shuttle'! You always called me that in the past, didn't you!"

"!"

"I've always wondered what that meant, and now I understand. It means someone who brings something to you, right?"

"Y-you, what are you talking about, haha—"

Park Young-jae began to sweat nervously at the unexpected turn of events. Kim Seok-hoon PD also focused on the monitor, sensing it might reveal the nature of the relationship between the two.

"What is he saying now..."

Was Park Young-jae really a bully back then?

Does this mean Park Young-jae did something bad?

"PD, isn't this dangerous?"

"Hm."

"Should we separate them?"

"No, just let it be. They're not fighting or anything."

Kim Seok-hoon decided to observe the situation further. It might just be a prank.

Meanwhile, Park Young-jae couldn't hide his embarrassment. In fact, he didn't even remember calling Gun-ja a "shuttle."

But hearing Gun-ja's words, he vaguely recalled something.

"Hey, when did I say that..."

"Don't you remember? You called me your 'laugh shuttle.'"

"Ah, did I...?"

Yes, I did remember calling him that when he was so amusing to watch dance.

But bringing it up now? Is he out of his mind?

"W-well... I only called you that because you made me laugh and feel so good."

"Hmm."

"W-we were friends, right? Haha—"

"Really? But back then, you clearly said there was a difference in status between us, didn't you?"

"!"

"Usually, friends don't have different statuses. Didn't we abolish the class system?"

"Hey, what are you—"

"But if there is a difference in status... hmm, is a 'shuttle' like a servant? Since I lived separately from you, I guess I was an external shuttle, not a domestic one."

"N-no, what are you saying..."

"But now you're the shuttle? Haha, why has someone who used to be in charge of servants now become a servant themselves?"

Gun-ja muttered, looking at Park Young-jae with a worried expression.

"Did you perhaps commit treason or something?"

"—!?"

Park Young-jae felt like he was losing his mind listening to Gun-ja's words.

What the hell is this lunatic saying?

Shuttle? Servant? Does this guy even realize this is being broadcast?

Whether it was crossing the line or a serious psychological battle, Park Young-jae couldn't figure it out.

But it's a broadcast, so they wouldn't show this as it is, right? Even though he believed it, Gun-ja's attitude was absurd.

This jerk, he's really set on burying me with past issues.

At this point, Park Young-jae, who had come with lunchboxes trying to be friendly, felt utterly insignificant. It seemed Gun-ja had no intention of resolving things with Park Young-jae.

This idiot, still holding a grudge over old issues.

Suddenly, Park Young-jae's eyes grew fierce.

Lowering his voice so only Gun-ja could hear, Park Young-jae muttered.

"Hey, enough already."

"···."

"Stay quiet. You're making me angry."

If you remember those times so well, then you should remember this fear as well.

But what Gun-ja remembered wasn't fear but something else.

"Pardon? Stay quiet?"

"Yes."

"That's strange, you definitely told me to dance back then. With the exact same expression."

"!"

"Back then, you'd get angry if I just stayed still."

"—!?"

"The instructions have changed, so the former 'shuttle' is quite confused."

"···You..."

At that moment, unable to control his anger, Park Young-jae reached for Gun-ja's shoulder.

Thud—

But Gun-ja grabbed Park Young-jae's wrist and spoke in a low voice.

"By the way, it seems you're not going to apologize."

"What?"

"Though, it wouldn't change anything now if you did."

"You, you..."

"Thinking that just because you've forgotten, everyone else would have forgotten is a mistake. I had nightmares just last night."

"!"

"You will have to pay for your sins."