Chapter 142

"....Wow."

Kang Ichae also slightly opened his mouth as he watched the scene.

He had simulated various lines, but he didn't expect such a response.

Naturally, the Noels who witnessed it together were going crazy in the comments.

["Crazy bastard."]

"How can he say he dislikes it???? Seo Hoyun? Speaking in that atmosphere??"

["Look at the effect of these words...."]

Seo Hoyun looked at Jeong Dajun, who tightly closed his lips (there was no separate stage direction afterward), and let out a small sigh before lowering his gaze.

["Got it."]

And then, swiftly, he turned around and left.

No matter how much Jeong Dajun tried to catch up, he was still in the palm of Seo Hoyun's hand.

He had thought that Seo Hoyun would either get angry or sulk, one of the two. He had never expected this kind of reaction, so the innocent youngest member Jeong Dajun was trembling with nervousness.

The Noels were no different.

["Hoony is leaving."]

["What do we do here?"]

"It's okay. Don't worry."

Kang Ichae calmly responded and covered his ear with his hand.

It was Sung Jiwon's turn to go out.

"Okay, Sung Jiwon, change of plan to Operation D."

They entered Phase 3.

The "Let's reconcile" operation.

Seo Hoyun, walking through the corridor after leaving the hotel room, was caught on the CCTV that had been installed in advance. Soon after, Sung Jiwon hurriedly followed behind.

"Hoyun!"

When Sung Jiwon called out, Seo Hoyun's footsteps stopped. Sung Jiwon, with a perplexed expression, cautiously approached Seo Hoyun's side.

"Just a moment."

"Why?"

"...I understand that you're angry, but it's not right to leave Dajun like that."

Sung Jiwon gently scolded Seo Hoyun, furrowing his eyebrows. Since there were many variables in the changed "Operation D," he hadn't prepared any specific lines, but his ad-lib was spot-on.

"Let's go back."

"Wow... Look at this ad-lib."

[Is that an ad-lib?ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ ]

Kang Ichae exclaimed in admiration, raising his thumbs up at the well-directed scene.

["Go and talk to him calmly..."]

["Why should I?"]

["...Huh?"]

["Do I have to care just because he said he dislikes it?"]

However, Seo Hoyun crossed his arms and expressed genuine annoyance. Kang Ichae admired him.

"The acting here is amazing too."

If it were Seo Hoyun, he would have suspected up to this point, but seeing him full of annoyance from his eyes, he also seemed genuinely angry.

[Ichae ah ㅠㅠㅠ;;;]

[It's not Ichae ah it seems like Hoyun is really angryㅠㅠ]

[Let's not go too farㅠㅠ;;;]

However, Kang Ichae didn't waver at all.

"What are you talking about? That's acting."

[???]

"Hoyun hyung doesn't speak like that when he's really upset, everyone~."

[..... Wow]

He said that he was acting because he was in front of the camera.

Even the Noels, who had a rough understanding of Seo Hoyun's personality, were surprised and speechless.

Kang Ichae quickly turned his head.

"I have to confuse Hoyun hyung."

Although Sung Jiwon did a great job acting, he couldn't be a match for Seo Hoyun, who had finished a project with Min Jiheon.

"Um."

Sung Jiwon knew that fact, so he just smiled awkwardly and remained silent.

So Kang Ichae decided to use his ultimate move at this moment.

"Jiwon hyung, Seonghyeon hyung, go!"

Respond to a handshake with a handshake.

He threw an acting stat E- bomb.

Seong Ji-won lowered his gaze for a moment to avoid being caught singing, then raised it again and said,

"Wait a minute then, I'll talk to Dajun."

After Sung Jiwon left, Seo Hoyun was seen leaning against the wall in the hallway, fidgeting with his lips.

A moment later, Kim Seonghyeon, who was genuinely concerned about the situation, came out, trying to calm down the truly absent-minded Jeong Dajun.

"Seo Hoyun."

When Seo Hoyun raised one eyebrow in response to the call, Kim Seonghyeon pressed his temples with a flustered face.

"You... Ah, well, I know that Jeong Dajun's words were a bit harsh."

"..."

"But he is still young and he's really hurt right now."

Seo Hoyun's calm expression, which had been indifferent to Kim Seonghyeon's natural acting, cracked slightly.

"..."

It was a face that seemed to say, "No way, this guy can't act this well."

Seeing him, Kang ichae burst into laughter that she had been holding back.

"Hahaha!!"

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋwow Seo Hoyun's acting was really good hahaha]

[Look at the confused expression ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Ah, goosebumps hahaha, is this group really giving me goosebumps hahaha]

"I told you!"

The comments section was filled with laughter.

Kang ichae continued to laugh, entering full popcorn mode to enjoy the show.

["Let's go back... Let's go back in."]

Kim Seonghyeon, who knew nothing, carefully chose his words, seemingly trying to resolve the situation.

["Honestly...You wouldn't usually care about this kind of thing, but because Dajun said it, you got upset, right?"]

"..."

["Because you care."]

"Ah, Seonghyeon hyung, really...."

Unable to help it, Kang ichae couldn't hold back her laughter and continued to let it out.

As the atmosphere heightened with the entertaining content, Seo Hoyun looked away.

["Kim Seonghyeon."]

His voice sounded weary.

"..."

"Caring... let's just say I'm conceding for the sake of argument. But how long do I have to keep doing this? He should start understanding by now too. We can't always overlook it and move on."

The unsettling turn of events caused Kang Ichae's eyebrows to twitch slightly.

["Uh... uh... guys, can we livestream this? Seo Hoyun's going to be really upset later when he finds out."]

[".....;;;;;; I don't think I'll survive this."]

Kim Seonghyeon was deeply taken aback by Seo Hoyun's unfamiliar vulnerable state. But as the designated caregiver, he gently inquired, "What's wrong?"

Seo Hoyun, upon seeing his reaction, awkwardly blinked his eyes.

["He didn't listen to me."]

["...What?"]

"...Hm?"

By now, even Kang Ichae was starting to feel confused.

Is he really upset?

Should I wrap this up now and prevent a broadcast disaster?

As he hesitated, the screen showed Seo Hoyun letting out a deep sigh.

"[Ugh... Hey."]

"..."

Then, he met Kim Seonghyeon's eyes,  Kim Seonghyeon swallowed nervously, as if in anticipation, Seo Hoyun spoke up.

["I... I want to eat cream cake."]

"...What?"

For a moment, everyone, including Kang Ichae, the comments, and social media, fell silent.

Their brains seemed to glitch as they struggled to process what they had just heard. Kim Seonghyeon, too, seemed to be in the same boat, with a giant question mark hanging over his head as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

"...Huh?"

["Jung Dajun, he just won't listen anyway..."]

Regardless, Seo Hoyun just turned his head with a bitter expression. It was an unnecessarily nostalgic atmosphere.

["I, I want strawberries on the cake."]

["...S-Strawberries."]

Seo Hoyun was insane,

"...Uhuhu, strawberries..."

Of course, there was no way such a surprise camera would go unnoticed.

The comment section lit up again.

[Hahaha! Oh my god!]

[Seo Hoyun, do you want to die for real? Haha!]

Seo Hoyun already knew everything.

Kang Ichae couldn't hold back the laughter streaming down his face as he collapsed onto the table.

"Uhuhu... Ah..."

"W-What's that supposed to mean?"

"Strawberries and cream... Or at least cranberries."

"Ah, I lost... Damn it! I lost!"

Shouting "damn it" before realizing it was on the V-app, Kang Ichae quickly covered his mouth, then leaned back on the table, sulking.

Despite wounded pride, realizing there was no way to turn back the situation, he couldn't help but admit defeat to Seo Hoyun.

["W-What, what's going on?"]

["Phew. Should I tell you?"]

Leaving Kim Seonghyeon, who still didn't know anything, behind, Seo Hoyun returned to Kim Seonghyeon, Seong Jiwon, and Jeong Dajun's room.

Then, just when it seemed like Seo Hoyun was the only one coming out of that room for a while, a few minutes later, Kang Ichae's hotel room opened wide.

"Ichae ah~."

It was the birthday boy's appearance.

"Tell Seonghyun where Hoyuni's strawberries went!!"

"..."

"Uhuhu... Th-They're, um, in the fridge..."

"Ahahaha~, really?"

[Argh, so annoying!!!!]

[Haha, Seo Hoyun , ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ is hilarious lol]

After sorting out the situation of being caught by the surprise camera, Kang Ichae called all the members together.

"...It was fake?"

"Ahaha, sorry, Seonghyeon."

Worried that the team might fall apart, Kang Ichae, trembling, confessed everything to the leader, and,

"No, why would you say it like that? Do you know how scared I was??"

"You said you hated me."

"T-That's... "

"Our youngest... drawing the line with the older brother as soon as he becomes an adult?"

"...."

Jeong Dajun choked up and truly got upset.

But no one had any intention of comforting him.

Seo Hoyun, as if watching a fire across the river, just rolled his eyes and scratched at the cake.

"Too bad~. Mission failed!!"

Anyway, after some small talk, the other members closed the V-app. As the other members tidied up, Kang Ichae approached Seo Hoyun and asked sneakily.

"Hyung, but how did you know? Honestly, weren't you a bit confused?"

He had a point, even Kim Seonghyeon, who had no acting skills whatsoever, was thrown into the mix to add a touch of realism, yet Seo Hoyun still figured it out.

Reflecting on the recent situation, Kang Ichae wondered where the flaw in the otherwise flawless plan was.

Seo Hoyun calmly replied.

"Uh, I was a bit confused."

"...But why?"

"Just wanted to test it out."

"While having cranberries? What if it was real? How would you handle the aftermath?"

"Oh well."

Seeing Seo Hoyun's twisted lips, Kang Ichae's eyebrows twitched.

If there was one thing Kang Ichae hadn't considered -.

"Even if it was a real fight, Kim Sunghyeon would eventually let it slide no matter what I said."

"...."

Seo Hoyun remained the same asshole.

After demolishing the cake, I drank lemonade, pretending to be oblivious like Jeong Dajun, and watched Kim Seonhyun get frustrated that he got deceived

It feels so refreshing, like it's not my  birthday.

"Sometimes I get tired of you, hyung."

"I feel happiest when I hear stuff like that…."

"Seriously annoying, really really…."

"Even this makes me flutter~."

I poked at the inflated youngest member's cheek and gently scratched his nerves, giggling.

"I won't talk to you anymore."

"Whatever~."

At two in the morning, the joy of the day increased as the members' prepared birthday gifts turned out to be complete failures.

And, there was one more thing to anticipate.

"…Huh?"

It was late at night. Everyone's attention turned to Sung Jiwon.

Just as I was about to set down my glass after taking another sip of lemonade, my phone vibrated.

"[Ms. Seo Hoyun, sorry for the late hour.]"

It was a message from the management team.

[I think it's best if we don't go on Pop Pop today.]

[For now, please refrain from checking the internet. We'll let you know the details as they are sorted out.]

"Why?"

"…Uh, well."

Sung Jiwon couldn't easily answer Jeong Dajun's question.

I immediately accessed a portal site and searched for my name. And seeing the top post, I smiled satisfactorily.

It's here.

[Title: Seo Hoyoon smoking?]

My self-birthday present.

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