༺ Requesting Cloud Support from a Shooting Star – 2 ༻
“What?”
“Honestly, you don’t like hearing ‘Cha Yoon Min’s group’ either.”
As Yoon Min took a few more puffs of his cigarette, Hee-wook was frozen, unable to respond. Yoon Min extinguished his half-burned cigarette in the ashtray and stood up. He, about 5 cm taller than Hee-wook, gently patted Hee-wook’s shoulder with his palm.
“Let’s each go our separate ways now.”
Yoon Min, who dryly spit out these words, trudged to the rooftop door, opened it, and left without looking back. Clang, the sound of the iron door closing forcefully reverberated painfully in their ears.
“Separately?”
Hee-wook, left alone, murmured in a hollow voice.
Hee-wook thought he was fine just as he was. Until just a while ago, he was sure of it.
＊＊＊
The name of the group Hee-wook belonged to was ‘2Planet’.
However, there was a name more frequently used than the formal name ‘2Planet’, or abbreviations like ‘2Pl’ or ‘2P’. That name, even one letter longer than the four-letter official name, was ‘Cha Yoon Min’s group’.
“My name is Cha Yoon Min.”
Hee-wook remembered vividly the day Yoon Min first came to the company. Yoon Min was the last to join the 2Planet team.
His height of 183 cm, pale skin, and a handsome face with a gentle and soft impression somewhat made up for his lacking dance and singing skills, as he had been a trainee at a famous agency since he was young. Yoon Min was quickly set for debut, and the company had high expectations of him.
Although he was noticeably attractive, Yoon Min, who was weak at showing off on stage, did not gain much popularity in the early days of his debut despite the agency’s push. He also had fewer fans than the other members.
Then, during his third year since debut, he happened to star in a web drama which became very popular among the public, leading him to be cast in a mainstream drama in no time. With his decent looks and faultless acting skills, he received high praise and successfully drew attention to the group he came from.
Some members grumbled about the sudden drastic change in recognition, but Hee-wook had no complaint about Yoon Min shining as the group’s main attraction. Instead, he believed it was a positive signal, actively supporting Yoon Min’s acting career.
There were many regrettable aspects, but he believed everything would benefit ‘2Planet’. Even when their comeback was postponed due to Yoon Min’s schedule, or when mistakes occurred on stage due to lack of group practice time. Anyway, he kept thinking and enduring, considering everything to be beneficial when looking at the bigger picture.
However, all of this was applicable when ‘Cha Yoon Min’s Group’ had Cha Yoon Min. The variable of Yoon Min’s departure was something Hee-wook had never considered before.
“Wow, how could he wrap everything up without a single discussion with us? Even removing his stuff from the dorm right away? Cha Yoon Min, that heartless guy.”
Main rapper Jae Gyu slammed the floor. Lead vocalist Eun Sung, who was quietly opening a can of beer, furrowed his brows.
“He never really cared about being an idol from the beginning. He always half-assed the stage performances. He never even blinked when he was criticized for it. I knew this would happen someday.”
“I thought he wouldn’t renew the contract later. But I didn’t expect him to run away like this all of a sudden.”
Hee-wook thought the same. Yoon Min, who appeared on stage with half-closed, unenergetic eyes, couldn’t have such vibrant eyes in the dramas.
Still, there were no signs of wanting to quit being an idol, or disrupting the practice atmosphere openly, even though he made a lot of mistakes on stage. So, at least during the contract period, he thought Yoon Min would follow without complaint.
“What are we going to do now?”
Young Woo, the youngest member who had been nervously twitching his toes while the others were drinking, finally opened his mouth after a while. To Young Woo’s anxious voice, only twenty and fresh out of high school, Hee-wook put a piece of dry snack into his mouth and chewed thoroughly.
“What can we do. We’ll just have to do well on our own.”
“With just the four of us?”
At Young Woo’s question, Hee-wook looked around at the members. From the start, all of them were much more talented and passionate than Yoon Min. Among those who learned about 2Planet through actor Cha Yoon Min, the people who became fans after seeing their stage performances often chose members other than Yoon Min as their favorite.
“Yes, just the four of us.”
So even if Yoon Min left and there were only four of them left, fans who loved their performances would still be with them. Hee-wook tried hard not to waver, even to the end of his sentence. Strength was invested in the three words, ‘just us four’. Hee-wook stretched out his arm and patted Young Woo’s shoulder.
“It’s going to be okay. Don’t worry.”
Hee-wook said deliberately and emphatically. It was clearly a word thrown to the members, but it seemed to return to him like a boomerang. He opened another can of beer and looked back at Yoon Min’s empty bed.
The weight of Yoon Min’s luggage leaving the dorm felt heavy on his shoulders.
[Notice] Future Activities of 2Planet’s Yoon Min
Hello. This is ONETHING ENT.
We are here to inform you about the future activities of Yoon Min from 2Planet.
Currently, 2Planet is preparing for a comeback, putting a lot of effort to repay your support and love.
However, Yoon Min has been struggling with his singer activities due to continuous back pain and unstable conditions. Our company has been having serious discussions about the possibility of future activities with the artist and his family. After much consideration, Yoon Min has expressed his intention to stop group activities, and our company has decided to respect his wishes.
Today, Yoon Min has concluded his group activities with 2Planet, and we deeply apologize for having to deliver such news to the fans.
Unfortunately, he can’t be with 2Planet, but we ask for your warm interest and support for Yoon Min’s future endeavors.
Thank you.
chacha! @**
Guys, the departure notice has been posted….
93 retweets
ILoveYoonMin @**
Did Yoon Min finally leave? ㅜㅜ
ApologyCat @**
Crazy, is Cha really quitting??? 2Planet is ruined, what should we do?
Seo You @HW_YK00
Cha is running away??? I’m so shocked I can’t even speak. If he’s going to slack off on stage, quit being an idol. I told him repeatedly, but I can’t believe he’s really abandoning the group.
Cha Daram @**
I.. like his acting too butㅠㅠ I want to see more of Idol Cha, why is this happening??ㅠㅠ
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
Just when 2Planet was finally seeing the light, he’s toppling everything like this???? Cha Yoon Min, you betrayer. I’m shakingㅗ^^ㅗ We were soiled by being together, let’s never meet again.
31 retweets 9 likes
⤷ ILoveYoonMin @**
@woogieloversclub Well^^; who made that honor possible in the first place?
⤷ Ddadda Gongdyu @**
@woogieloversclub Our Min isn’t a character to rot in such a crap place, okay?
⤷ CODEBLUE @**
@woogieloversclub I guess I’d be desperate too ㅠㅠ Yoon Min group without Yoon Min ㅠ But honestly, Yoon Min shouldn’t have to sacrifice for the group, right..?
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
Ah… chazoomma fans, just be quiet, I’m so pissed I could die. I’m not responding, blocking all of you.
hanwoo @**
Let 2Planet become a big successㅠ Let’s really succeed to show them, Cha Dove!!!!!
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
Yesㅠㅠ Let’s make our 2Planet succeed in a big way! He was a member we didn’t need from the beginning. Lacking skills and taking all the parts making the song lose its power, everyone knew except Cha fans ㅋ He couldn’t even get the choreography down until the end of the activity. But we tried to carry him and look at this..spit.
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
Please make our Hee-wook successful. Only Wook!!!!!!!!
Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
Honestly, 2Planet can only succeed!!!!
1 like
⤷ YA @**
@woogieloversclub Ah, this is really true, as long as there isn’t a disaster in K-pop itself, our kids will succeed
⤷ Cinnamon @woogieloversclub
@** Yes, that’s right. They will do even better. Unless a sudden epidemic spreads and all the stages disappearㅋ 2Planet will be top tier. If not, I’ll do twerking standing on a tree at Sangam Mulbit Park.
Seong Ttotto @**
#LetterToHeeWook @2_planet_official ㅠㅠ Hope you have a night where you can sleep well without thinking too much. Don’t take the harsh words to heart, just hold onto the support and love, and rest well, Hee-wook
Seo You @HW_YK00
@2_planet_official Are you okay, Hee-wook oppa? #LetterToHeeWook
Seo You @HW_YK00
@2_planet_official Don’t collapse. Trust your fans and keep running. Always supporting you.ㅠㅠ #LetterToHeeWook
A few hours after Yoon Min’s withdrawal announcement, Hee-wook checked the fans’ reactions on the internet.
As expected, the reactions of Yoon Min’s personal fandom, who had joined due to the drama, and the existing fans of 2Planet were completely divergent. Those who loved actor Yoon Min more than the singer expressed welcome, while those who wished for continuous idol activities expressed shock and disappointment.
His heart tightened at the words speaking ill of 2Planet while supporting Yoon Min. Hee-wook quickly tried to close his SNS but ended up clicking on a hashtag that was left in the recent search history. ‘#LetterToHeeWook’. It was a tag that Hee-wook’s fans used when they wanted to leave messages for Hee-wook on SNS.
Unlike the usual posts about daily life or expressions of missing him, many posts worried about Hee-wook’s state as the leader. Familiar profile pictures and nicknames. Hee-wook’s hand slowed and eventually stopped while scrolling through and reading the worried short letters.
Fans often took the group’s issues as their own, or even more seriously than the members themselves. Thinking about how those who had supported him since debut would feel, he felt even more apologetic and awkward. Reading the encouraging message a fan left out loud, Hee-wook clenched his fist.
“Keep on……”
There were many hardships and adversities during his trainee period, and even after his debut. He would face obstacles continuously in the future, and Yoon Min’s withdrawal was just one of the inevitable adversities. Telling himself not to get too discouraged, he hardened his resolve and touched his forehead.
‘I can do it.’
To clear his complex mind, Hee-wook left the dorm to get some fresh air. His casual walk gradually turned into a fast pace. He ended up running through the chilly night streets and ultimately arrived at the practice room.
In the completely empty practice room, Hee-wook committed himself to practice alone. Over time, he stayed in the practice room more than in his dorm room.
After Yoon Min’s withdrawal, 2Planet, now a four-member group, put all their efforts into releasing a new album.
In December 2019, 2Planet’s new song was released after three months. It was the first album presented after Yoon Min, who had less dance skill than the other members, left, so they deliberately composed a highly difficult choreography. They intended to properly showcase the members’ skills with an impressive performance.
“Let’s do well!”
Right before getting on the comeback showcase stage, Hee-wook shouted while looking at his members.
“We have to do well.”
At Hee-wook’s grave words, everyone nodded with tense expressions.
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