Siblings Working in Business (237)
「“Do you find broadcasting annoying?”」
Do-jin’s words echoed in his mind.
Annoying…?
Haa, no.
He had to endure this.
This wasn’t the Do-jin he knew.
He shouldn’t argue.
Calm down, Lee Eun-ho.
Calm down.
He wasn’t sure how many times he chanted “patience” in his mind.
After taking a few deep breaths and regaining his composure…
He cautiously spoke,
“…Do I?”
“Ah, well, it-, not like that kind of annoying, um…”
Do-jin looked flustered.
Right.
This was how he was similar to Eun-ji.
“You mean… you chose the wrong word?”
“W-well… yes… I’m not good with euphemisms.”
If he didn’t know Do-jin, that would have sounded like he was picking a fight.
Actually, he had fought with Do-jin almost every day in their early debut days because of his bluntness.
He would fight with Do-jin at work and then fight with Eun-ji when he got home…
And on top of that, things weren’t going well, and unlike now, CEO Park was focusing on Eun-ji, saying he needed ‘time.’
Although he understood what that ‘time’ meant now, he had been hurt back then and poured all his time and energy into practicing.
So…
Just thinking about those days made him feel exhausted.
Seeing Eun-ho sigh, Do-jin hesitated, then apologized cautiously,
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. That’s why I called you.”
Just then, as Eun-ho pressed his hand to his temple, his head throbbing from the memories…
Do-jin tilted his head, his eyes and mouth forming perfect circles.
He looked strangely similar to Eun-ji when she tilted her head, although their faces were different.
Eun-ho had to control his annoyance again.
“Can you tell me what you find annoying about me, Hyung-nim?”
“No, not, annoying, it’s just…”
“It’s okay, just tell me.”
“Ah, okay. Then, first…”
There was one reason why he hadn’t replaced Do-jin despite their constant fighting.
Do-jin was good at identifying problems.
He would bluntly point out things that others were hesitant to mention.
He was direct, without any sugarcoating.
And Eun-ho liked that.
It wasn’t that he enjoyed being criticized. Who did?
But there were problems he needed to know about.
Problems that were the starting point, the key to solving everything else, like dominoes falling in a chain reaction.
When all the dominoes fell, thin lines became surfaces, filling with color.
And finally, a masterpiece was created.
He had been like someone who didn’t know the starting point and was clumsily trying to topple the dominoes from the middle.
「“Eun-ho, your vocals and dancing aren’t bad, but…”」
「“You’re not a bad singer, but… have you ever considered acting? Are you interested?”」
Not bad.
Not bad.
But if you couldn’t overcome that “not bad,” wasn’t it just… bad?
That’s how he felt when he heard those words back then.
That’s how he had to feel.
「“Hey, Eun-ho, are you sick or something?”」
「“What, are you picking a fight again?”」
「“No, it’s not that, it’s just… when you’re in the recording studio, you make these weird… off-key sounds? What do you call them? Anyway, I hear them.”」
At first, he had been offended.
What did he know?
He thought that.
But even as a non-expert, Do-jin’s ears and eyes were sharp.
Or rather, because he was just listening, he could see and hear things from a different perspective, more objectively.
Fixing the problems Do-jin identified changed many things.
“You seemed genuinely enthusiastic on Change Partner, and that was entertaining.”
“Yes.”
“But on other variety shows, it feels like you’re… trying to be enthusiastic…”
“Of course, I tried. It’s work.”
“Yes, but it shows.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
He felt his brow furrow.
Being told his efforts weren’t good enough wasn’t pleasant.
But he knew he had to listen.
He wanted to do well this time.
The E% had jokingly given him a ban.
‘Solo Appearance Ban.’
After appearing on a variety show without Eun-ji…
He hadn’t been able to engage with the show, his reactions not as exaggerated as Eun-ji’s, and he hadn’t been able to capture the camera’s attention. He couldn’t answer questions unless they were directed specifically at him.
That’s how he earned the nickname.
Since he was a regular member on ‘Let’s Live Together a Bit,’ he wanted to do well.
He wanted to shed the ‘No-Jam Eun-ho’ title.
Just then…
Do-jin, after a long pause, finally spoke,
“It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just… not fun.”
It felt like a dagger to the heart.
Damn it.
If this were a manga, he would be coughing up blood.
“Eun-ji seems to embrace and enjoy everything, but you, Eun-ho…”
Do-jin trailed off, as if hesitant to continue.
Eun-ho, knowing what he was going to say, spoke,
“It’s too obvious that I’m trying, that I’m making an effort, so it’s not fun, right?”
“Yes. To the point that it’s… pathetic.”
Pathetic…
‘Before and after the regression…’
Do-jin was still Do-jin.
Just as accurate as when he pointed out the problems with his vocals.
Every word was a painful jab.
‘Haha, damn it.’
Eun-ji treated every broadcast like a playground, exploring and experimenting.
And once she felt comfortable, she would let loose and enjoy herself.
He had tried to emulate her, to appear that way on every show.
He tried to participate in conversations, to engage with everything.
But the result?
Most of his scenes were edited out.
The reason?
‘Boring.’
Eun-ji regularly updated E-FAN.
And the E% had been looking forward to his appearances with Eun-ji.
But only Eun-ji appeared on screen. His scenes, where he just stood there looking stoic, were only briefly shown if they fit the situation.
Other than that, he only appeared in two-shots with Eun-ji, usually when they were bickering.
As a result, despite appearing on several variety shows, the only one that had a positive promotional impact for E-UNG was Change Partner.
Come to think of it, that was also the only variety show he had genuinely enjoyed.
‘How did I do it back then?’
Just then, as Eun-ho pondered…
A sizzling image of a beef sirloin steak being cooked in a buttered pan flashed through his mind.
‘Ah, that’s it.’
Eureka.
That was it.
The reason he had poured his heart and soul into that show.
The beef, the prize for winning.
He had a clear goal on Change Partner, but on other shows, the prizes either didn’t interest him, or there was no objective at all.
Since he wasn’t motivated, no matter how hard he tried, his enthusiasm was naturally lower compared to those who were genuinely invested.
So, naturally, his reactions weren’t big enough to be caught on camera, and even if he was lucky enough to be filmed…
…it would have been obvious to perceptive viewers like Do-jin.
Viewers wouldn’t enjoy watching someone who brought down the energy of a show meant to be entertaining.
And that someone ‘trying’ to be entertaining, to the point that it was ‘pathetic’…
‘Wow.’
Even he thought it was terrible.
‘Let’s Live Together a Bit’ was a variety show.
‘Fun’ was the most important element.
And ‘pathetic,’ the opposite of ‘fun,’ was something to be avoided.
And he… was being ‘pathetic.’
‘Bittersweet’ meant there was still some ‘sweetness,’ some ‘fun.’
“But, with Eun-ji, that, um, what do you call it, tiki-taka? The scenes where you two bickered were funny.”
“Haha… haa…”
Although he meant it as a compliment, Do-jin’s words felt like another dagger to the heart.
It sounded like he was saying Eun-ho wasn’t funny without Eun-ji.
Eun-ji would call him “twisted” when he thought like this.
‘But what can I do? That’s how it sounds.’
As he sighed, his head in his hands, he could see Do-jin’s discomfort.
But Do-jin, true to his nature, didn’t offer any empty platitudes like, ‘It wasn’t that bad.’
Even before the regression, he was like that… and that was…
He was grateful, truly, but it was…
‘A bit much.’
Even he, as a human…
Eun-ji was at the studio for composing work, so he ordered an oven-baked chicken for himself and a fried chicken for Do-jin, which he knew he liked before the regression, to thank him and for his “management.”
‘His taste hasn’t changed.’
Do-jin devoured the fried chicken, leaving only the bones, while Eun-ho had the oven-baked chicken.
“Thank you, Hyung… nim.”
“Just call me hyung. You keep making mistakes. Haha.”
“Okay. Hyung.”
“That sounds much better!”
“Haha.”
“Then I’ll be going now.”
“Okay. Thanks for your help today.”
“Don’t mention it. Thanks for the chicken!”
After their filling meal, they exchanged brief goodbyes at the door.
After seeing him off, late that night…
He lay sprawled out on his mat, thinking…
‘Even when I try, it’s obvious…’
And it was less entertaining because he was trying…
‘Hmm.’
Was there a way to genuinely immerse himself in ‘Let’s Live Together a Bit’?
Should he suggest creating a goal to motivate them?
He continued to ponder this until the day of filming.
And then, later, as the male members were arguing over the sarangchae… it came to him.
A capitalist point system.
“Points…”
“We’ll have to revise the plan significantly. Director-nim, but you said the show’s concept was ‘healing.’ Wouldn’t this deviate from that?”
“Well, yes, the concept is ‘healing.’ Not for the cast members, but for the viewers.”
PD Yoo smiled and looked at Writer Kim.
The meeting went on.
Not only did they have to discuss the changes, but they also had to establish new rules and prepare props.
Since they hadn’t reached a conclusion by nightfall, filming was postponed that day.
That evening…
The male members, still arguing over the sarangchae, decided to split into groups of three and two for the night.
Seo Seung-yeon, Choi Si-woo, and Ryu Seok-hyun shared the main room…
And Eun-ho and Tae-hyun took the smaller sarangchae.
The next morning.
6:00 AM, still dark outside.
Eun-ho, having woken up early as usual, tiptoed towards the small bathroom attached to the sarangchae, careful not to wake Tae-hyun.
Although it was smaller than the bathroom on the other side, it was spacious enough to wash his hair comfortably while squatting.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen a stainless steel tub.’
Just as Eun-ho turned on the water, admiring the tub…
‘Ah, I’m screwed.’
Splash!
The powerful stream of water, much louder than he intended, hit the stainless steel tub.
Although the sound quieted down as the tub filled with water, the damage was done; he had woken everyone up.