Siblings Work in Business (61)
Sense and Hunch
「“What if it’s not a love song?”」
Just the day before, we had fought because the music from my room was too loud, and then the next day…
Lee Eun-ho said that, like a different person, after the CEO suggested the sibling duo.
「“The melody you were humming earlier felt like… cat footsteps.”」
He gave me advice on the song, even though he had never done that before in his life.
That single, insignificant comment was enough to break down the wall I had been facing.
「“Why can you rap in English?”」
When I asked Lee Eun-ho, who was casually singing a pop song, he suddenly exclaimed, “I studied!”
I dismissed his lame excuse back then, but come to think of it, I had never seen him studying at home.
The instruments in my head played a dissonant melody.
For now, performing well on our first broadcast was the priority.
‘Focus.’
Don’t miss the red light of the camera.
I didn’t want the discord in my head to ruin “DUO.”
I forced myself to calm down, and as my mind settled, the instruments in my head stopped their chaotic playing and started playing the familiar melody of “DUO.”
The heavy bass drum and wobble bass signaled the intro, followed by the clean verse A, with only bass and drums.
I had a dream, a dream where you disappeared
Somehow it’s strange
The space is quiet
I tried to clear my head, but I failed, because of “DUO.”
That evening, under the bright moon, I asked him for more advice, since his “cat footsteps” comment helped me.
Lee Eun-ho suddenly brought up the theme of separation and asked,
「“How would you feel if I suddenly disappeared?”」
Embarrassed that I had misunderstood it as a romantic breakup, I jokingly said I would be relieved, but I stayed up all night.
I wrote in my diary, unable to sleep.
And what I wrote in my diary became the foundation for the lyrics of “DUO.”
‘…It’s a good thing we practiced so much.’
I danced to the familiar rhythm, held Lee Eun-ho’s outstretched hand, gauged the distance, and continued the choreography.
Thanks to the repetitive practice, my body moved on its own, despite my confused mind.
Even if death separates us, we’ll always be together
I smiled and jumped lightly, holding Lee Eun-ho’s hand.
Hand in hand, we’ve faced it
Following Lee Eun-ho’s singing, the Cloud team members stretched out their arms, forming a large, black mass.
Was this the choreography that symbolized a nightmare?
‘When I first wrote these lyrics, I was thinking about our childhood, when death was always close…’
After the showcase, that evening, at the barbecue restaurant, I fell asleep, full and drowsy.
I had a vivid dream of dying in a car accident, even though I had no memory of it.
Why am I remembering that car accident now?
It was just a dream, a nightmare.
「“Why, my dear sister? What has angered you so?”」
His sudden kindness, as if he had done something wrong…
Once the doubt arose, the moments of dissonance and incongruity I had been ignoring came flooding back.
「“Hey, do you happen to know my locker combination?”」
Why did he ask me for the combination to his locker, which he used every day?
「“CEO! Something’s strange about Lee Eun-ho lately.”」
When I told the CEO, he also said that Lee Eun-ho seemed to have changed recently.
「“Don’t say things like that and just be careful.”」
「“Why are you being so creepy all of a sudden? I don’t care if other people die.”」
That time we bickered about the seatbelt.
‘I don’t care if other people die.’
Lee Eun-ho’s expression turned menacing at those words.
If it were before…
Or rather, just two months ago, he casually joked about death, saying “I don’t care if I die on the road.”
Then why did he suddenly get angry?
「“Just sing. You’re a professional.”」
My ultimate goal.
The end of my ambition.
Lee Eun-ho used the word “professional” when I complained about singing a love song.
And then?
「“You don’t want to remain an amateur, do you?”」
Even mentioning my biggest fear, remaining an ‘amateur.’
Lee Eun-ho spoke as if he had secretly read my diary without my knowledge.
Come to think of it, the day we visited the CK E&M building for the OST recording…
That day was also strange.
We were looked down upon by someone because we were just trainees.
What did Lee Eun-ho say back then?
「“As you said, we’ll do our best to sing it ‘properly.’”」
Strange.
Many things were strange.
If it were the Lee Eun-ho I knew, he would have been more emotional or angry than me.
He might not have gotten angry, but…
‘Anyway!’
He was definitely not the type to act so politely.
But he was still Lee Eun-ho.
He was still the ‘Lee Eun-ho’ I knew when we were alone.
He joked and played pranks with me, but he still acted all nice and well-behaved in front of others, putting on a sickeningly fake persona.
And he was only strange during that time.
As time passed, Lee Eun-ho returned to the familiar Lee Eun-ho.
‘It’s unsettling.’
It was a gut feeling.
An unpleasant feeling that I was missing something important.
I kept feeling bothered by Lee Eun-ho during ‘that period.’
But why aren’t you saying anything today
Ah, this, reality is setting in
As I relaxed the forced smile on my face, my true expression was revealed.
I continued the mirror dance, which we practiced countless times back-to-back.
The room I found is empty
I thought it was a dream, I wished it were a dream
Why don’t you answer beyond the door
Perhaps because of the lyrics, my gaze lingered on the doors scattered around the stage.
‘Door.’
Thump, thump.
I didn’t know if it was my heartbeat or the bass drum from the speakers.
My body instinctively moved, my limbs following the familiar choreography.
「“You, why are you here?”」
A ridiculous thought, but what if…
That day…
The day before Lee Eun-ho, who always woke up around the same time as me or later, suddenly woke up early…
What if the nightmare where I died in a car accident actually happened, or was about to happen?
‘And Lee Eun-ho…’
So, if he came here before ‘that’ happened…
I can’t hear your usual “Why?”
I’m sad, this quiet, empty room is silent
Thump, thump.
I can’t see your gentle hand opening the door
I cry
Because only one of our paired things remains
I couldn’t tell if my heart was pounding because of the bass drum or because of my ridiculous assumptions.
Or maybe it was just from the strenuous choreography.
I thought it was a dream, I wished it were a dream
Why don’t you answer beyond the door
I couldn’t just pretend I didn’t know anything anymore; my suspicions would only deepen.
A cold, windy attic room
Here, I look at the moon alone
Lee Eun-ho and I, having finished the performance of “DUO,” were entering the final stage.
Hoping for you to come
Hoping for you to dream
I wasn’t good at hinting or subtly probing.
I didn’t have the skill. So…
I was already used to being treated like a crazy bitch, right?
Right there
Right here
So, I would just ask him directly.
Lee Eun-ho.
I needed to have a conversation with my idiot brother.
I took the final pose, my breath hitching from the intense choreography.
The camera director must have been paying close attention, as there were no problems with the angles or the choreography being obscured. It was a successful performance.
We were about to start the pre-recording, but…
“This isn’t going to be quick…”
“E-UNG team, please wait in the waiting room for a moment…”
Was there a problem with the equipment?
A staff member told us to go back to the waiting room and rest.
I wanted to finish everything at once, but I had no choice.
We headed to the waiting room to check our outfits and makeup.
“Eun-ho always becomes sharp whenever he’s on stage.”
“Oh, right. I thought I was the only one who noticed!”
As we walked down the familiar hallway, Hyun-ji and Yeong-guk from Cloud Dance Team said that.
Lee Eun-ho, walking ahead of us, turned around in surprise.
“Me?”
“Yeah. You were great. By the way, unnie, did you see the video Cloud uploaded yesterday?”
Hyun-ji quickly changed the subject after briefly answering Lee Eun-ho’s question.
“…”
Unlike Hyun-ji, who seemed nonchalant, Lee Eun-ho looked shocked.
‘Is this also related to what I’m suspecting?’
I was suspicious, but it wasn’t the right time to ask.
Back in the waiting room, I immediately reviewed the rehearsal footage.
Despite my complicated thoughts, I had done my best.
Even though it was just a rehearsal, I wanted to make sure there were no mistakes, so I could perform perfectly during the live show.
‘…’
I froze as I watched the monitor.
I had planned to ask Lee Eun-ho about my ‘nightmare’ suspicions after the pre-recording, which was scheduled to happen soon.
Especially after seeing his shocked expression earlier.
But watching the rehearsal footage changed my mind.
Lee Eun-ho was amazing on stage.
Not an exaggeration, but his rhythm, breathing, even his choreography and expressions…
No matter how much I practiced, I couldn’t reach his level, and it was clearly visible on screen.
I was being carried by Lee Eun-ho.
Oh my gosh what the freakies guys 😂💔💔