Pushed Onto the Stage

Danyeong, who had been speechless watching Hanbyeol’s generally pale face sparkle, smiled and raised his hand, slowly stroking Hanbyeol’s head.

“So, any other reasons, Hanbyeol-ah?”

Hanbyeol somehow felt like Danyeong’s hand was filled with strength.

‘What does this stroke mean? Does it mean if I don’t come up with a proper reason, this hand will split my head in two?’

For some reason, the touch felt full of the intent to not let it go if he said anything more nonsensical, so Hanbyeol hesitantly opened his mouth again.

“I can’t sing or dance. I really have no talent.”

It was embarrassing to say himself, but it was true.

And those two things were the most important for an idol.

Hanbyeol couldn’t understand at all how to move the muscles in his arms and legs to dance like that.

Also, he didn’t understand how applying force to the vocal cords could move pitch.

Danyeong tilted his head with a curious expression.

It was a shining movement, to the point one wouldn’t think it was the same person who had just spoken.

‘Right, this is the kind of person who should be an idol.’

Hanbyeol was strict with his own brother, but lenient with his brother’s members.

“Still, with practice…….”

“No, it won’t work. And I’m going to be a composer.”

Hanbyeol could also do quite a bit of arranging.

Of course, he hadn’t shown it to professionals yet, only dabbling at the academy, and his goal was to show his songs to professionals to debut, but his most immediate goal right now was…… college.

“Then…….”

Danyeong trailed off.

Hanbyeol’s eyes and ears focused on him.

‘See, this is the kind of person who draws people in to be an idol.’

Danyeong, watching Hanbyeol’s focused expression, suddenly smiled brightly.

“Let’s do a test first. I really think you have good potential, Hanbyeol-ah.”

‘I don’t.’

‘Really, I probably don’t…….’

****

In conclusion, the one who was happiest to see Hanbyeol come to the practice room was, of course, his brother Yuseong, followed by the other members.

It was a situation where all the members were gathered at the company for recording songs for their next full album.

Once the full album promotions ended, they would have to start the procedures for establishing their label in earnest, so things were even more chaotic.

“My little brother!”

‘This isn’t the time to be welcoming like that, you bastard.’

As Hanbyeol glared, Yuseong nodded with an awkward face.

The reason Hanbyeol had come, putting up with Danyeong’s random idol proposal, was originally because of this troublemaker brother.

Operation Name: 「This Scent is Only Here Because I Visited the Practice Room!」

The idea was for Yuseong to subtly release his pheromones while they were together, imprinting it as if it were Hanbyeol’s scent.

Even though Danyeong had suddenly proposed becoming an idol to Hanbyeol, aiming for a firm producer position within the label, they couldn’t forget the original goal.

As Hanbyeol scurried over closer to Yuseong, Yuseong hugged him and patted his back.

Yuseong was definitely tall.

But Hanbyeol was also on the taller side compared to the average Korean male height.

Contrary to the stereotype of omegas being small and delicate.

“As expected,…… family lineage matters more than genetic traits.”

Yechan gauged the heights of Yuseong and Hanbyeol with a wistful look.

“Definitely tall for an omega.”

Sehyeon, wearing an amazed expression, came over and lightly stroked Hanbyeol’s head.

“But brother, aren’t you afraid of spoiling the album? You’re bringing our Hanbyeol so coolly?”

Hanbyeol felt Yuseong hug him tighter, pulling him into his embrace, and gritted his teeth.

He knew why he was doing this.

To transfer his pheromones onto Hanbyeol just a little, really just a tiny bit.

‘I’ll kill him.’

‘That damn pheromone, if it transfers too strongly, I’ll really kill him.’

As if sensing Hanbyeol’s gaze, Yuseong’s arms tightened more.

“They’ll notice, little brother…….”

‘If they notice, you do the explaining.’

To act the part of a good younger brother, Hanbyeol tightly hugged his brother’s waist.

“Who do you think I’m in this state because of? Do I have to help you hide it here too?”

“Nope…….”

At Hanbyeol’s gritted words, Yuseong calmly patted his pretty younger brother’s back.

“Yuseong and his brother still get along so well~.”

‘Sure. Enough to want to kill him.’

Yuseong flinched as if he heard Hanbyeol’s small voice.

“There’s just one thing I’m curious about. Hanbyeol-ah’s skills.”

“……Danyeong brother, that really won’t work.”

“What’s this, Yuseong, are you trying to keep your brother locked up because you debuted and he can’t?”

That’s not right~ You have to let your brother spread his wings too!

The Channel members playfully scolded Yuseong.

They thought he was trying to keep him from people’s sight because he cherished his brother too much.

At this, Yuseong looked at Hanbyeol with a flustered face.

“Hanbyeol-ah. Do you maybe want to be an idol?”

“No.”

“Then, why did you come all the way here…….”

“Um~ To see brother.”

‘Who do you think I came all the way here for? Why are you pretending not to know?’

Hanbyeol met his eyes with a smile.

“They really get along so well~.”

“Is it even possible for siblings to get along like that normally?”

“It’s more that Yuseong and Hanbyeol are special.”

“Yeah, I only have memories of fighting with my brother.”

‘Looks good, does it? Hahaha, that’s an afterimage.’

Yuseong was busy trying to hide the pissed-off look in Hanbyeol’s eyes, and Hanbyeol was busy silently cursing at Yuseong.

Normally, he would never have followed.

He only came on purpose to make Yuseong’s pheromones feel like Hanbyeol’s.

‘That damn idol thing, I have no intention of doing it!’

“You really have no intention of being an idol? I was secretly hoping since you came…….”

“I really can’t sing or dance.”

“Aish.”

‘I’m serious.’

Danyeong laughed and shook his head.

“I don’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes.”

“No, Danyeong brother. Our Hanbyeol doesn’t lie.”

“Usually if the older sibling is good, the younger is too. There’s such a thing as genes. Siblings usually learn together by watching. If an older sister or brother sings and dances well, the younger siblings unconsciously learn by following. It’s like that for my brother, but my cousins are good at singing too.”

‘That’s a prejudice.’

Hanbyeol and Yuseong made eye contact.

‘This is all because of you, brother.’
‘I’m sorry.’

Hanbyeol felt Yuseong’s pheromones slightly clinging to his body and gritted his teeth.

‘Why! Am I! Doing this annoying thing!’

“Uhm…… Then, can I go out for a moment?”

When Hanbyeol asked cautiously, Danyeong, who was looking at him, jumped in surprise and nodded.

Yoonsoo, who was standing a bit away, also seemed to sense the pheromones and took a breath.

“Ah, ah! Go ahead. Anyway, we need to prepare stuff too!”

As Danyeong spoke urgently and gestured, Yoonsoo walked over and opened the practice room door.

‘Thank you.’

Hanbyeol nodded and grabbed the back of Yuseong’s collar.

‘Tell me where the bathroom is, quick.’

It was a whisper, but since the practice room was quiet, it was audible to everyone.

“Brother, I’ll go with Hanbyeol and come back too!”

Danyeong nodded.

****

The place the two headed to afterwards was not the bathroom, but the company rooftop garden, which had very good ventilation.

Hanbyeol, who had been touching his own body with his hands, glared at Yuseong.

‘Should I kill him or bring him back to life?’

As if reading Hanbyeol’s thoughts, Yuseong neatly clasped his hands together.

“What can I do to fix this?”

Hanbyeol’s voice was cool.

At the stern voice of his revered younger brother, Yuseong, standing neatly with his hands together, bowed his head, sweating cold sweat.

“I can’t sing or dance?”

“W-well, Danyeong brother is just too full of expectations…….”

“Your younger brother is a student preparing for the college entrance exam right now, so how did it come to this?”

“I’m sorry my health isn’t good.”

“Sigh…….”

He couldn’t say anything to the sick person.

To be honest, it wasn’t Yuseong’s fault that the agency was a mess, leading to thoughts of establishing a label, that the workload became excessive because of it, and that he had to keep up with schedules to fulfill the contract with the agency.

It was truly a dilemma.

Even though he intended to reject the idol proposal, the reason he had listened to Danyeong’s lengthy explanation all the way to the company was for his brother’s sake, to set foot in the company even briefly.

So he couldn’t drag it out too long.

Hanbyeol held his throbbing forehead.

“Right now, our company only has people from Pick My Dol. There’s no junior group that entered as trainees and debuted…….”

He could see that there was a grand goal for a group that prepared step by step from the trainee stage to build a worldview.

By that same token, he could also see that there was no place for him in that dream.

“A composer, maybe…….”

“You, you don’t have the specs, so no.”

“Who said they’re applying?”

“No……. Anyway, when we go back down, he’s going to ask to see your singing or dancing…….”

‘Brother, you shouldn’t say that! You should stop him!’

As Hanbyeol panicked, Yuseong scratched his cheek awkwardly.

“Just, let’s see it once.”

“…….”

“He’ll probably give up quickly…….”

‘Who’s going to compensate for my embarrassment!’

But there was no more certain way than an immediate rejection.

At Yuseong’s words, Hanbyeol eventually headed back to the practice room, like swallowing a bitter pill.