Hajun lay on his bed, playing with the plush toys while waiting for the others to return. Among the cheap plushies, a teddy bear stood out—the late birthday present he had given Keun Sejin. Deep olive peridot gems formed its glittering eyes. Because it was custom-made, he hadn’t managed to deliver it right on his birthday, though that kept it from drawing extra attention. Keun Sejin assumed it was just a pricey stuffed toy, even if he felt a bit hesitant. He had asked a dozen times if it was a curse doll before accepting it with thanks once Hajun assured him no talismans hid inside.
Either way, Hajun remembered that peridot formed the bear’s eyes. As the birthstone of August, people long believed this gem retained its inner shine even in darkness, shielding its bearer from dark spirits. Belief built over centuries held real power. Placing a hand over the bear’s eyes, Hajun muttered, addressing Keun Sejin more than the plush toy. “I’ll recharge it for you once I recover.”
No answer came. Taking energy as if eating a packed lunch, Hajun noted the gem eyes growing dim. He patted the bear’s head twice and set it aside. While far from a full meal, it brought back his energy. Reaching for his phone, Hajun opened the W-Live app. He hadn’t checked with the agency or his team, but details like that mattered little to him.
One by one, comments flooded in as confused fans joined the stream. Holding the phone so just his eyes showed on camera, Hajun scanned the chat.
– ?? Got a notification and ran straight here!
– What’s going on? Did he turn it on by mistake?
– Was there an announcement for this?
– Crazy! What’s with the title???
– Screaming as I enter!
He had felt too lazy to come up with a title and typed “I miss you,” wondering why that made everyone scream. After a moment, as comments begged him to show his full face, Hajun lowered the phone.
“Hello.”
– Look at that face!
– I love you!
– Wait, are you lying down right now…?
– Sasaeng vibes?
– Lying-down stream?
– Where are the others???
– Show us your abs!
– Today is my birthday, please say happy birthday just once!
“Yeah, I’m lying down. The others went to practice, and I’m resting because I caught a cold.”
Comments filled the chat, splitting between fans worried for his health and trolls accusing him of poor self-care.
– Are you sick???
– Eat well, my baby! Don’t eat like a bird!
– A cold right before the comeback?
– Please don’t be sick!
“Don’t cry over nothing. I’ll recover soon.”
Even with his sharp eyes, the comments scrolled past in a blur. Among them, a few highlighted messages caught his eye.
– Hajun, answer the phone right now!
– Hyung, if you’re feeling better, come to the practice room.
Member comments. The first came from Ryu Cheongwoo, and the second belonged to Park Moondae. Reading the text aloud, Hajun smirked, knowing they were watching.
“No way. You guys come here.”
– So blunt!
– Hahaha!
– He opened a live stream just to call them back because he’s bored alone… So cute!
– Pure chaos!
– English please!
Meanwhile, in the practice room, the remaining members gathered around a phone in tense silence while Ryu Cheongwoo handled calls from the PR team.
“Yes. No, he isn’t answering my calls either… Eugene and Sejin are on their way to the dorm, so…”
On screen, the troublemaker kept dropping bombs without a care for his team’s rising blood pressure.
“Ah, right. Let’s turn this stream into a tell-all session.”
– What?!
– A tell-all? Is he spoiling the comeback…?
Cheongwoo snatched the phone from Moondae’s hand, typing fast in the chat to stop him. It had the opposite effect.
“Let’s start with Ryu Cheongwoo. He nags way too much. If someone marries him, they’ll…”
– Is he… proposing to Loviewers…?
– Cough!
Lee Sejin choked on his water. Watching a sick guy launch a live stream out of nowhere and throw flirtatious lines at fans left him stunned. Overlapping with the line Hajun had dropped before practice—’That man made you cry’—Sejin wondered if falling sick turned Hajun into a romantic drama lead. The other members wore similar, dazed expressions.
Cheongwoo sighed, holding the phone. “The PR team says to leave him be. Sejin and the manager are almost there, so let me get back to practice—”
“Hold on, just a second,” Hajun’s voice cut through from the screen. Everyone froze, sensing trouble.
“Someone keeps asking to see my abs. Do you want to see them that bad?”
– WHAT?!
– Crazy!
Lee Sejin leaped up in shock, twisting his ankle with a sharp cry. As the others rushed to help him, Sejin turned beet red from embarrassment.
“Are you alright??”
“Sejin, stay still!”
“Forget me! Stop him!” Sejin yelled, pointing at the screen three seconds away from a full strip show.
Cheongwoo checked Sejin’s ankle while Seon Ahyun brought over cooling spray. On screen, Hajun lifted the hem of his shirt, teasing the viewers before catching a comment Moondae had typed in haste.
Hajun smirked, letting the shirt drop. “The members say no.”
Of course they say no! Is an idol supposed to strip on a live stream?!
Teasing Sejin, Hajun lowered the shirt and brought the camera close to his face, sticking his red tongue out.
“Perverts.”
The stream ended right after. Cheongwoo blinked at the dark screen. “…He turned it off.”
Back at the dorm, the door lock chimed, and Keun Sejin and Cha Eugene almost slid through the entrance. Hajun raised a hand in greeting.
“Yo.”
Catching his breath, Keun Sejin panted. “We… we came running after hearing reports that you were doing a wild exposure stream on W-Live!!!”
“S-Stream!!” Eugene gasped, collapsing onto the floor beside him.
Hajun waved his dark phone screen in front of Keun Sejin’s searching eyes. “I turned it off a moment ago.”
“Ah, for real!!!” Keun Sejin groaned, clutching his head.
Ignoring the lecture, Hajun pointed at the bag in Eugene’s hand. “What’s that?”
“Listen when people talk!”
“I listened. So, W-Live requires permission, at least two members present, and no exposure. Now, what’s in the bag?”
Keun Sejin let out a deep sigh, giving up. He pulled out a sealed plastic container from the bag. “Red bean porridge. Eat up.”
“How did you get that so fast?” Hajun asked. Even if they left the moment the stream started, the timing made no sense.
Eugene sat up, answering in English. “Moondae hyung asked us to buy it in advance! We finished practice ahead of time and bought it on the way back, but then you started streaming!”
“I see.”
So Moondae had planned ahead, and the two had rushed over upon seeing the live stream alert. Hajun nodded, catching the full picture.
Eugene pouted. “You did something fun without me! No fair!”
Hajun swung his legs off the bed to mess up Eugene’s hair, but a wave of dizziness made him sway. Keun Sejin caught his arm. “Whoa, stay down. I’ll get a bowl from the kitchen.”
“Careful!!” Eugene urged, shoving Hajun back onto the bed while Keun Sejin retrieved a spoon and bowl.
“Treating me like a patient, huh?” Hajun muttered in English.
“You ARE a patient!” Eugene shot back. “You look sick! We got worried!”
Eugene rattled on in English, scolding Hajun for his poor appetite before the warm bowl of porridge arrived.
“Here’s your porridge.”
Hajun took a slow spoonful. He had to force it down for his body’s sake.
Eugene leaned in, curious. “Moondae hyung said this red bean soup would help you. Is that true?”
“Better than nothing.”
“Why??”
“Spirits hate red beans.”
“Why? Why do they hate it??”
Hajun stared at him, tempted to pour the bowl over Eugene’s head to quiet him down. Instead, he asked in a low voice, “Want me to make you hate red beans too?”
“…No!”
“Then quiet down.”
A short while later, the rest of the team arrived carrying a large box of peaches. Hajun offered a bright smile to Ryu Cheongwoo as he walked in.
Cheongwoo let out a dry laugh. “Weren’t you the one who called me a nagger on live stream?”
“I said I was fine, but Keun Sejin already nagged me enough,” Hajun claimed, pointing at Keun Sejin as he took the box of peaches to the kitchen.
Keun Sejin shouted from the kitchen, “You didn’t even listen!”
Hajun ignored him, noticing a missing face. “Where’s Lee Sejin?”
Moondae answered, “He sprained his ankle and went to the hospital with the manager.”
“What? How? Is he hurt bad?”
How? Because he panicked thinking you were going to strip on live TV! Moondae kept that to himself, shaking his head. “Just a light sprain. He wanted to skip the hospital, but we insisted.”
“That guy is such a weakling,” Hajun muttered.
Cheongwoo handed Hajun a slice of peeled peach. “Don’t worry too much. A day or two of rest should do it.”
Hajun accepted the peach and ate it. Seeing him take food from Cheongwoo without fuss after refusing to eat if not fed earlier, Keun Sejin gasped in outrage. “This is blatant discrimination! You wouldn’t even open your mouth when I gave you porridge!”
“Earlier I lacked the strength. Now I’m feeling better,” Hajun gave a smooth answer.
Cheongwoo asked, “Should we stock up on peaches, salt, and red beans just in case?”
“Forget it,” Hajun cut him off. “If I don’t break a prohibition, this won’t happen often. Besides, salt and peaches are just temporary aids. They aren’t the real solution.”
“Then what works better?”
“Being around you guys,” Hajun stated in a firm tone. “Human energy works far better than objects or plants. In particular you, Moondae, and Ahyun—your Yang energy is quite strong for ordinary people.”
Eugene swallowed a mouthful of peach, asking, “Yang energy? What’s that?”
“Yin and Yang,” Hajun explained.
“Oooh, Orientalism,” Eugene nodded, satisfied.
Cheongwoo thought for a moment. “So just staying near you helps? What about holding hands?”
Hajun gave him a flat look. “I like you well enough, but I don’t need to hold your hand.”
“No, I meant last night… You held my hand and Moondae’s hand.”
Recalling the night before, Hajun rubbed his temples. “I’ll take what I need if necessary.”
Moondae watched the shameless exchange in silence, then asked, “Are there any side effects to taking this energy?”
“I won’t drain your life force. I’m not that crazy,” Hajun replied. He then looked at Moondae. “Did Randy stay by my side when this happened in America?”
“No,” Hajun answered, closing his mouth as the front door opened and Lee Sejin walked in.
