Genius Idol’s Strategy to Conquer the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 272

On Raon and Ban Yo-han, both exhausted from standing and confronting each other for a long time, appeared noticeably less tense than when they first began.

“……”

After their initial exchange, the narrow and dark vocal practice room was filled with an unusually quiet atmosphere, broken only by a rustling sound.

On Raon, whose senses were on high alert, flinched and turned his head towards the direction of the noise.

He realized that Ban Yo-han had touched the packaging of the snacks he had brought, which were on one side of the practice room.

“Don’t touch those. I bought them for the staff who are working.”

On Raon had bought the large, flat, homemade cookies from a store he discovered on his way back to the company alone, after hearing about it from a resident on the first floor.

Despite the sharp warning, Ban Yo-han calmly responded.

“Aren’t these set aside for the members?”

“……”

He marveled at how Ban Yo-han could notice something like that in such darkness.

Initially, he planned to order only four cookies, but it felt too petty to be stingy about food, so he exercised immense patience and bought enough to include Ban Yo-han’s share.

However, he couldn’t help but find it annoying that Ban Yo-han still insisted on getting his share even in this situation.

Can you even swallow those cookies now?

“Don’t eat them.”

“But you’re going to give them to the others. I’m a member too, isn’t this at least fair?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Treat me equally with them, okay?”
“Are you the same as the other members right now?”

On Raon, who had quickly realized that Ban Yo-han was not particularly angry, noticed his soft demeanor as he lightly removed his hand from the paper bag he had been fiddling with.

“How am I different from the others?”

“I don’t think you’re so clueless that you can’t figure that out.”

“It’s more important for you to tell me than for me to guess.”

“……”

Had this rude brat eaten something wrong?

Or maybe these cookies contained some strange ingredient that changed people just by smelling them.

Contrary to these ridiculous thoughts, On Raon calmly replied.

“The other members don’t sound as annoying as you do.”

“So I’m annoying right now too?”

“Yeah. From the moment I first saw your face today until now, there hasn’t been a single second where you weren’t annoying.”

He wondered if his words were a bit harsh, but considering he’d already cursed at him, it wasn’t something he couldn’t say.

“Mm, I must have been really annoying then.”

Ban Yo-han responded with the same bland reaction as before.

“Why do you sound like you just realized that?”

“I just realized I was more annoying to you than I thought.”

Seeing him say something like that made On Raon think he must really want to eat those cookies.

Amid such absurd speculation, On Raon thought it might be better to just let him have what he originally intended to give.

“If you want to eat it, go ahead.”

On Raon, slightly grimacing, turned his head away from the direction where the cookies were, granting permission to eat.

“Thanks.”

“Just one.”

“Yeah. Just one.”

The rustling of the packaging resumed.

The sweet scent wafted stronger than before, perhaps because the lid had been opened.

“……?”

As On Raon stood there blankly, he suddenly felt the rough yet moist touch of a cookie against his lips.

“You eat too.”

The close proximity of the smell made On Raon frown.

The sweet scent of the cookies in such a small space had a powerful effect.

Just as he was about to refuse, resisting the temptation, he suddenly felt hungry.

Having only eaten some cereal at Muk Hye-sung’s house and having expended a lot of energy in the confrontation, he was feeling the hunger.

On Raon grumpily replied, thinking there was no reason he couldn’t eat what he had bought if Ban Yo-han was eating it too.

“I don’t really like this flavor.”

The cookie Ban Yo-han offered contained walnuts, which was the one flavor On Raon didn’t particularly like among the ones he had bought.

“Really? I didn’t realize it was walnut because I couldn’t see well.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just eat it.”

“Just give it to me, and you can have this one.”

Ban Yo-han casually took back the walnut cookie and handed him another one. This time, On Raon confirmed it was a flavor he liked and accepted it without further complaint.

When On Raon took a bite of the edge of the cookie and chewed, his previously tense nerves completely relaxed in the peaceful air.

“But you know, right? Every time you talk to me, you get really sharp?”

Ban Yo-han threw a stone into the still pond without warning.

“Like the things you say to me usually, or the name you have me saved as in your phone.”

“……”

On Raon felt as uncomfortable as if he were chewing mud instead of a delicious chocolate cookie.

Ban Yo-han continued.

“Things like that don’t really bother me much.”

His words sounded too leisurely to be considered as something made up to mend their relationship.

“Unless it happens when I’m already in a particularly bad mood for some other reason, I’ve never thought badly of it. Really.”

“Why… why…?”

Even if hating someone’s behavior and occasionally cursing them inwardly is understandable, wouldn’t it be upsetting if it was evident enough that the person themselves was somewhat aware of it, and his reaction confirmed it?

On Raon swallowed what was in his mouth and asked sullenly.

“If I say it’s okay, why are you making a fuss?”

“Seriously, why?”

“Just because that’s how I feel. Isn’t that reason enough?”

Ban Yo-han paused briefly before adding, “The point is.”

“If someone else did that to me, of course, I’d be angry. If you did to someone else what you do to me and they felt bad, that would also be a problem.”

“……”

“But this is about you and me, our problem. The important thing is that I’m okay with it.”

If Ban Yo-han could see a system window, On Raon thought absently that it might show something like, ‘On Raon thinks you’re a weirdo.’

“But you.”

Ban Yo-han, after hesitating for a very short moment, finally asked.

“Does my consideration bother you that much?”

He wasn’t questioning why it was bothersome, but On Raon calmed himself by slowly blinking his eyes and asked back calmly.

“Do you still think what you did was consideration?”

“About that part. Just…”

“What.”

“Can’t you just consider it as consideration?”

Before On Raon could say anything, Ban Yo-han quickly continued.

“The ring incident, yes. That was definitely my fault. I’m sorry.”

“…But.”

“But honestly, to be blunt.”

On Raon wondered what he was trying to say with such a prelude.

“I don’t understand why you hate me trying to make things comfortable for you.”

Of course, Ban Yo-han wasn’t the type to be considerate in the dictionary sense, nor was he someone who genuinely catered to others.

However, just because Ban Yo-han wasn’t that kind of person didn’t mean he lacked the ability to react sensitively to others’ states and act appropriately.

“I don’t get it…. Do I have to start pointing out one by one how many times you’ve manipulated things even after coming in here?”

From the moment he entered the vocal practice room until the conversation they were having now, Ban Yo-han’s words and actions had a certain degree of intention behind them.

The act of embedding that intention didn’t involve any strong or particularly uneasy will.

This series of actions was merely a part of his natural functioning thought process, which made things difficult for Ban Yo-han.

“Is the act of taking care of parts I didn’t mention while being kind to you first inherently wrong and mistaken?”

Aside from his peculiar nature that occasionally made one want to punch him.

Most people who received Ban Yo-han’s so-called consideration would merely respond with something like, ‘Ah, he remembered and took care of me.’

After all, having someone understand without saying anything was convenient.

On the other hand, On Raon perceived and judged each aspect of Ban Yo-han’s words and actions, even those that could be passed off as mere kindness, deeply and sharply.

Ban Yo-han was curious.

“Or do you just hate it because it’s me doing it?”

Would he have reacted so sharply if other members or acquaintances with whom he had close relationships did the same thing?

“If that’s the case, I’ll stop. As I said, in our problem, your opinion is the most important. It’s right for me to change.”

Ban Yo-han had decided to listen to On Raon and accept it as much as possible.

Meanwhile, On Raon felt strangely heated by Ban Yo-han’s annoyingly gentle attitude.

After all the teasing and provoking, now you stop?

Again, doing things your way?

“Why do you stop on your own terms?”

His words flowed out so quickly that if he lost focus for even a moment, a few words would slip past unnoticed.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Acting like you’re considering me… That’s even worse. Keep staring at things with no answers for the rest of your life like you’ve been doing. See if anything comes out. And feel it directly. It seems like you still think you’re right.”

The mixture of anger and fear caused his form of address to fluctuate.

“Then I’ll change my words.”

“……”

“Can’t you understand me just a little?”

“What?”

“It’s not like you only hate me, right? Isn’t that true?”

“Well…”

“Isn’t that why you took me along back then?”

When Ban Yo-han softly pressed his weak spot, On Raon let out a small groan.

“I want to continue getting along with you in the future.”

Those simple words.

“Haha…”

On Raon inadvertently let out a resigned laugh and shoved the piece of cookie in his hand roughly in the direction of Ban Yo-han’s mouth.

“Ah, I really want to be strangers…”

After swallowing what was in his mouth and brushing off the crumbs from his lips, Ban Yo-han lightly tapped On Raon’s leg with his own, as if saying he understood.

It was strange. He had entered this room prepared for their relationship to collapse.

But now, it felt like they could finally start a real relationship.

It was truly a strange thing, just like Ban Yo-han.