Siblings Work in Business (60)
I seriously considered playing dead, as if I couldn’t see or hear the staff member’s dumbfounded expression.
“I wish I had a handsome older brother like Eun-ji…”
“…Unnie, you can take him anytime.”
“Really? Hehe, you’ll miss him when he’s gone—”
The playful staff member continued to tease Lee Eun-ji.
Eun-ji’s expression, which seemed impossible to contort any further, somehow did, thanks to the wonders of human facial muscles.
Her inner thoughts, ‘What kind of nonsense is that?’, were clearly written all over her face.
Meanwhile, the staff member seemed to be enjoying Eun-ji’s reaction.
“Eun-ji, look at your brother. He’s embarrassed. Hehe.”
Ugh, I couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Excuse me…”
I couldn’t stand the staff member’s teasing more than Eun-ji could, so I got up.
“Eun-ho, your shir—”
“I’ll go put it on!”
Just as I was desperately looking for an excuse to escape, another staff member called out.
I rushed over to them before they could even finish the word “shirt.”
The changing room was small and quiet.
It was a closed space, blocking out even the faintest noises from outside.
“What’s your ideal type, Eun-ji? Someone like your brother?”
“No way…”
“Oh my, really?”
“Of course not.”
It seemed like the staff member was just teasing Eun-ji for fun, as they continued to bombard her with questions after I left.
When I came out, wearing the white shirt, Eun-ji was staring intently at her hands, seemingly having completely forgotten about the staff member’s teasing, a bright smile on her face.
“Done with your hair?”
“Yeah, yeah. Hey, hey.”
“At least use proper honorifics in front of other people.”
“Fine, fine. Anyway, Oppa, look at this.”
Eun-ji wiggled her fingers like spider legs and held them up to my face.
“What? What about your hands?”
“This!”
“What am I supposed to…”
I couldn’t see any difference at first, but then I noticed a change.
The jeweled Wolverine was gone.
Now, she had simple black nails of a reasonable length.
They seemed to have a soft, matte finish.
“How is it?”
“How is what?”
“My nails.”
They weren’t as flashy as before…
But they suited Lee Eun-ji’s image better than the jeweled Wolverine nails.
“No matter how hungry you are, you shouldn’t dip your fingers in jjajang (black bean sauce), Eun-ji.”
“…Asshole.”
“Hey, don’t you remember the CEO telling you not to curse?”
“No, asshole.”
I meant it when I said they looked good.
But I didn’t want to say it out loud.
If I complimented her, she would show off her nails all day.
And also, for Lee Eun-ji’s angry expression, which was one of the joys of my life.
I could feel her intense glare on the back of my head.
I savored the small victory and finished getting ready.
As we got in the car, Hyun-woo, who had already warmed up the engine, quickly drove out of the alley.
Perhaps because of the CEO’s strict warning about not being late, hyung seemed to be driving faster than usual.
Thanks to his speeding, we arrived more than 30 minutes early.
Growl—
Rumble—
The problem was our rumbling stomachs.
It was lunchtime, so it was understandable.
‘All we had since waking up early this morning was a cup of coffee at the shop…’
I looked back at Lee Eun-ji after we arrived at the waiting room.
As expected…
At least I was in better shape than her.
There was a zombie sprawled out on the small sofa.
‘She’s sitting upright to protect her hairstyle…’
Seeing her endure her hunger like that reminded me of Lee Eun-ji before the regression, who always emphasized professionalism.
Groooooowl—
A strange sound echoed through the waiting room from Lee Eun-ji’s stomach.
I felt a pang of sympathy.
Growl—
Of course, I was also hungry.
Too hungry to think.
“You arrived early.”
“CEO…”
“You’re here…”
As we greeted him weakly, the CEO quietly handed me a camera.
“What’s this?”
“You don’t know?”
I used the last of my energy to process the CEO’s question, and the word “O-Tube” came to mind.
“Ah…”
I listlessly took the camera and pointed it at Lee Eun-ji.
“I don’t think we should film her like this…”
I said cautiously to the CEO, looking at Lee Eun-ji’s image on the camera with a serious expression.
The CEO, about to ask “Why?”, seemed to notice Lee Eun-ji’s state and sighed briefly.
“Filming…”
The CEO started to speak, then sighed and continued,
“Judging by your condition, you should at least eat something before filming. Hyun-woo will be here with kimbap soon, so just hold on. Especially you, Eun-ji.”
Kimbap.
At those two words, as if a battery had been inserted, Lee Eun-ji and I felt a surge of energy.
Knock, knock.
But it seemed like the kimbap would have to wait.
The CEO opened the waiting room door at the knock.
“E-UNG team, please get ready for camera rehearsal!”
“Okay.”
A broadcasting station staff member gave us a brief explanation and talked to the CEO for a moment.
After the staff member left, the CEO shrugged apologetically.
“It seems like it’s not possible now. I’ll tell Hyun-woo to set up the kimbap so you can eat as soon as you get back.”
“Okay.”
Work comes first, I replied, and Lee Eun-ji nodded a beat later.
“Now, you have to go up there. Greet everyone properly, and since this is your chance to make a good impression, always stay focused, even during rehearsal.”
“Yes!”
“But don’t use up all your energy for the live show. Okay?”
“Yes.”
“I feel like I’m sending little kids to the river. Sigh.”
“…”
His worried nagging seemed long, so even the CEO must have been nervous.
“I’m worried I might be poisoning the broadcasting station, guys.”
Haha.
Lee Eun-ji and I chuckled quietly at the CEO’s half-joking remark.
Lee Eun-ji seemed to be laughing because she found it funny, but my reason was slightly different.
「“Forget it. Forget it. I’d rather poison the broadcasting station.”」
Before the regression, when the CEO suggested a sibling debut, and we threw a fit…
I remembered his joke, said out of desperation.
Looking back, I realized how much had changed.
“I’m just saying, do as well as you did yesterday, don’t feel pressured.”
“Yes, we’ll do well.”
“Okay. I trust you both.”
The CEO patted our backs as he attached our name tags.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
We left the room with the CEO and the Cloud members.
Step by step.
As we headed towards the stage…
Perhaps I was too preoccupied during the dry rehearsal…
“E-UNG is here!”
A staff member who came to find us called out from afar.
“Let’s go.”
As we went on stage at the staff’s signal, there were several white and black doors arranged haphazardly, in addition to the screens covering the floor and walls.
‘…It’s not my first time at a broadcasting station…’
It was still just a rehearsal, not the live show, but I suddenly felt a wave of nervousness.
Of course, the O-Tube videos were also filmed, but…
The broadcasting station cameras felt strangely pressuring.
3, 2, 1.
The signal was given, and the familiar red light came on.
I focused, determined not to ruin the performance because of my sudden nervousness.
I thought it was just me during the dry rehearsal, but during the camera rehearsal, I was certain.
Something was off about Lee Eun-ho.
It wasn’t my first time performing with him.
We had done busking performances, the Twenties Live Bar performance in Hongdae, and even the busking/surprise showcase just yesterday, so I could tell.
Back then, Lee Eun-ho was just Lee Eun-ho.
But today, during both the dry and camera rehearsals, Lee Eun-ho was somehow different, not like the Lee Eun-ho I knew, although it sounded crazy.
He was too…
Cold.
The intro to “DUO” began, regardless of my unsettling feeling.
The bass drum rhythm followed the refreshing sound of waves.
Same day, same time
Same other…
As the decadent, slow jazz keyboard melody joined in, Lee Eun-ho’s voice layered over it.
A calm, emotionless voice.
A voice that made my heart ache.
I hated to admit it, but Lee Eun-ho knew how to sing with emotions.
And it was definitely a remarkable skill.
Static—
The pleasant melody was cut off by a static noise, like a broken audio device.
As the static faded, it was my turn to sing.
Ah, this…
Reality is setting in
I placed my hand on my forehead, then turned it over and covered my eye.
It was DUO’s signature move.
Originally, we were supposed to start the choreography back-to-back.
But for today’s broadcast, we decided to focus more on the performance, considering the pre-recording.
I glanced at Lee Eun-ho as I danced, and he was mirroring my movements perfectly, creating a mirror image effect.
The room I found is empty
I sang, lowering my hand gracefully.
Thump.
The intro ended with a heavy thud.
“Let’s continue!”
“Okay!”
As someone, either a staff member or the director, yelled after the intro rehearsal, Lee Eun-ho and the Cloud members quickly got back into formation.
Just as I was getting into position…
“Lee Eun-ji.”
“Huh?”
I turned to Lee Eun-ho, slightly startled, and he pointed out the problem with an emotionless voice, just like when he sang.
“During the actual performance, take one more step to the side when you start.”
“Huh?”
“You tend to drift slightly to the left. If you move half a step further from where you think the center is, it will be perfect.”
“Oh…”
Lee Eun-ho’s correction, although I didn’t want to admit it, was accurate.
I felt a sense of déjà vu, perhaps because he had pointed out a similar problem during the dry rehearsal.
‘Or…’