Idol Hides His Military Service

"Yunkyungie."

Now that it was basically a given, Lee Sion casually put a hand on Im Yunkyung’s head and called her in a familiar, affectionate way, and Yunkyung’s mind started spinning fast.

'So today’s a good-mood day for Captain.'

"Yunkyungie." It was one of the pet nicknames Lee Sion used for Yunkyung.

Lee Sion’s thing was that what she called someone changed depending on her mood.

"Yunkyungie" was usually a nickname she used when she was in a good mood, and another one was "our Yunkyung."

And when she was in a bad mood, it was Yoon Traitor, Yoon Lü Bu, Yoon Ingrate—names that usually came out when Yunkyung didn’t help with Lee Sion’s rampage and just stood by, or pretended not to see.

Of course there were plenty of other nicknames too, but these were the ones she used most often. Since you could usually tell what kind of mood Lee Sion was in just from whatever nickname came out of her mouth, not only the members but even the managers paid attention to it.

"What did you do during your vacation?"

"Nothing special. My dad came back to Korea for the first time in a while, so we just had dinner as a family, went shopping with my mom, stuff like that."

"What is that, that normal everyday life?"

"Huh?"

"Like, there wasn’t some invisible sibling power struggle, or a cold dinner at a chaebol family table?"

Whew.

Seeing Lee Sion’s face like she was disappointed, Yunkyung let out a sigh and quietly shook her head.

"Captain watches way too many movies and dramas."

"No, but honestly, isn’t it worth expecting?"

"If I had something like that, how would I have gotten into an idol agency!"

"Hmm··· that’s too bad."

Maybe because she didn’t get the story she’d imagined, Lee Sion made a bored face and went hunting for new prey again.

Yunkyung had been watching Lee Sion up close for almost half a year now, but she still couldn’t figure out what kind of person Lee Sion was.

'She’s like a wild animal.'

Like someone who was born to prank people.

Like a lion roaming around looking for prey, she spent all day scouting for something entertaining.

"Yuri, did you have a good trip to Japan?"

"Yuri is shocked right now."

"Why?"

"Yuri’s Japanese got worse··· Yuri is zero languages now."

"You’re good at Korean."

"Yuri can’t speak Korean. Sion, are you stupid?"

"This is?"

The second Lee Sion found out Yunkyung’s vacation had been ordinary, she immediately turned and started biting at Kurosawa Yuri, who’d gone to Japan.

"It felt really awkward trying to rest at home again after so long."

"I was the same. I don’t know why home felt that awkward."

"I loved it! I saw my grandma for the first time in a while and I went to Jeju too, so it was fun."

"Tangerine chocolate?"

"That’s what people in Seoul eat!"

"We’re people in Seoul."

"Ah···."

Even aside from Lee Sion, seeing the members she hadn’t seen for almost two weeks made Yunkyung finally feel a comfortable familiarity, like she’d come home.

'At first, it was really uncomfortable.'

Back when she first joined Agbaek, Yunkyung was completely thrown off.

-This is a room? Not even alone, but four people in it?

-It’s small, but it looks cozy and nice.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say living with four people in a room smaller than the bathroom at Yunkyung’s house felt awkward.

Of course, she didn’t want to show it, so Yunkyung tried harder—like she had zero complaints and was adapting just fine.

And that was because,

-Yunkyung, can I ask you to do this for me?

Yunkyung had gone to elite private schools for kindergarten, elementary school, and now middle school.

Not somewhere like the New Wings Kindergarten Lee Sion called the pride of Gwangmyeong, but places that cost nearly a thousand a month—literal otherworlds.

So naturally, the people around Yunkyung were always the kind of kids everyone called "from good families."

And since Yunkyung’s family was especially unusual, it always stood out.

And back then, Yunkyung didn’t really push away the people who gathered around her.

She was still young, but at the time, she thought it was all just her own ability, and she even felt proud watching friends hype her up.

But.

'That wasn’t something I earned.'

Watching the friends who crowded around her and tried to use her goodwill, Yunkyung eventually came to her senses.

Some started with requests that were basically orders from their parents, dumping things on her that felt burdensome. Other times, it was people who acted like she knew nothing and tried to take advantage of her.

People doing things you couldn’t even call "friends" filled up Yunkyung’s surroundings.

So maybe that was why?

Yunkyung wanted to get something that she had earned herself.

Someone might call it childish, but she wanted people to take interest in her as she was, without the family background.

So despite her parents’ worries, Yunkyung started dreaming of becoming an idol.

"Yunkyung, do you know what you call gold in English?"

"Captain, do I look stupid? It’s gold."

"Right, gold. People treat gold like it’s a special metal."

As Yunkyung was briefly lost in old memories, Lee Sion came back over and started talking again.

Thanks to that, Yunkyung snapped back into the present.

"If you think about the history and tradition, you could say it’s a mineral with more meaning than a diamond."

"Hmm··· is it really that serious?"

"Yeah, it is."

Tap.

With Yunkyung reacting like she didn’t really care, Lee Sion shoved her phone’s photo gallery right in front of Yunkyung’s eyes and kept talking.

"Gold. People act like it’s a joke tier, but that’s the wrong way to think."

"Huh? People say even gold is a tier you can’t even do."

"That’s bullshit. If you’re Gold, you’re in the top 20 percent of people who play Legend of Valley. You think 20 percent is a joke?"

"That’s higher than I thought?"

"Right? So during this vacation, to put on this Gold···."

When Yunkyung looked a little surprised at "top 20 percent," Lee Sion got excited and launched into a ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) full-blown speech about what she did on vacation to hit Gold tier in Legend of Valley.

"Captain, why do you look more excited than when you took first place on Agbaek?"

"All I have to do now is meet Seiker! I can finally get an autograph!"

"Do you know how many people want your autograph right now?"

"Seiker is different. No—Seiker is different."

Watching Lee Sion brag proudly about doing nothing but gaming during vacation, Yunkyung couldn’t help laughing.

That damn Three Kingdoms, that damn Legend of Valley.

Someone prettier than anyone Yunkyung had ever seen, but the things she did and liked were like a childish guy—half a year of watching it still wasn’t easy to get used to.

'That’s why I like her.'

And Yunkyung liked it so much.

The first time Yunkyung saw Lee Sion, she was so pretty that Yunkyung walked over without even realizing it.

Like spotting something you loved while shopping at a department store.

After that, Yunkyung learned Lee Sion’s personality and tastes were nothing like what she’d expected, but one thing was certain.

'When I’m next to Captain, I don’t worry about anything.'

Worrying about how other people would judge her, or thinking, 'There’s this problem—what do I do?' Lee Sion made all those everyday worries feel endlessly light.

For some reason, when Yunkyung was with Lee Sion, it felt like anything could be solved.

And that wasn’t all.

-Kid, this is a gift.

-Huh? Where did this jelly come from?

-I just went to the convenience store.

-You didn’t get caught by the employees?

-If you can’t break through just because someone blocks you, France wouldn’t have gotten occupied in six weeks either.

-Huh?

-That’s a thing.

It wasn’t like she was a time bomb, but being around Lee Sion—someone who never stopped doing something every single day—meant there was never time to get bored.

"So how do I meet Seiker? Should I film one more commercial?"

More than anything,

Yunkyung liked that Lee Sion and the members didn’t change even after they knew about Yunkyung’s background.

The members still treated her like the Youngest, and even when Yunkyung messed up sometimes, they’d brush it off with one joke. They didn’t expect anything from her, and they didn’t demand anything either.

They just treated her as one of them.

"Guys, filming’s about to start. Get ready."

"Yes!"

Yunkyung liked Iam, and she liked KJ Entertainment, the new agency too.

***

"Did everyone have a good vacation?"

"Yes!"

The kids we were seeing again after two weeks were ridiculously energetic.

'People really do need rest.'

I didn’t notice when we were together, but seeing them again after a break, their expressions were definitely brighter than before.

It really must not have been easy—running nonstop from debut straight through promotions.

If we hadn’t gotten rest at the right time, something could’ve gone wrong.

"Today, for you, we prepared a short one-night, two-day trip."

"A trip?"

"Yes. We rented a pension on the East Sea, and it’s Iam vacation content where you can rest freely there among yourselves."

"Wow!!!!"

But that short rest was over too, and we had to get ready to move again.

'Something stinks.'

With two days left before vacation ended, the company content team called us in.

They said they wanted to turn our vacation into content, and they’d already booked a pension on the East Sea—sweet whispering like that had the other members all excited, but not me.

[Iam Extreme Part-Time Job: Lee Gahyeon Episode]

(A scene where Lee Gahyeon steals a customer’s pork cutlet and eats it)

↳lol is the filming team a Gahyeon anti? making her do that

↳Gahyeon seriously looked like she didn’t know anything until filming. she came all excited and even dressed cute

↳lol that’s why it’s funnier. why is she going so hard frying pork cutlet in pretty clothes

↳but Lee Gahyeon, the more you watch, the more unexpected she is. she works insanely hard and does it well

↳there’s a reason she’s popular with fans

The moment vacation started, the production team sweet-talked Lee Gahyeon into working part-time at a pork cutlet place.

Lee Gahyeon’s Extreme Part-Time Job got a huge response.

From her stealing customers’ pork cutlets, to her doing service while memorizing the kind of order chant you’d only see at a maid café—people found it all really fresh.

-I like Iam’s in-house content because of this. instead of trying to make them look pretty, it feels like it brings out their characters

-yeah. the Iam girls are good too, but the content team basically has sense

-other idols’ in-house content, i watch with fan goggles on, but this one i just end up watching

-next episode! KJ, give us the next episode!!!

Maybe because of that, I heard while talking with the filming team today that a solo pork cutlet commercial had come in for Lee Gahyeon.

Anyway, our production team chased fun just as hard as I did—no, even harder than I did.

Even scenes that, normally, you’d edit out for "idol image,"

-This seems like it’ll be funny.

-If it’s our girls, won’t it be fine?

They’d think like that and toss them in without holding back.

'There’s no way people like that are suddenly filming normal idol content now.'

I shot a suspicious look at Lee Hakyoon, the content team lead, but Lee Hakyoon—being a veteran—took my stare without batting an eye.

"Alright, then we’re moving."

If anything, Lee Hakyoon hurried the members like Lee Hakyoon was busy and shoved everyone into the van.

Even more suspicious behavior, considering we didn’t have any schedule and vacation lasted through tomorrow.

But,

"It’s so unfair. Only Gahyeon and Captain filmed something fun."

"Seriously. They filmed content just the two of them behind our backs. I’m sad."

Once we got in the van, the members’ conversation made it impossible for me to keep digging into the doubts.

"It was my solo shoot, and Sion forced her way in!"

"Then how did Sion even know where Gahyeon was filming and show up?"

"That?"

The members looked curious about how I found the place, but honestly, it wasn’t that hard.

-Whoa! Lee Gahyeon showed up at the pork cutlet place in my neighborhood!

Stuff about us went up all the time on the fan community I checked every day, and once I saw that, I couldn’t stand it.

'How am I supposed to pass up a legal chance to mess with her.'

So I bolted out and stormed the pork cutlet place where Lee Gahyeon was filming. After hearing that, the members all made horrified faces.

"You had to go that far?"

"Yeah. What else am I going to do?"

"But how did you do that nightmare-customer act so well?"

"Ah, that?"

That one was kind of hard to explain.

-You served in the 7th Division, right, you little punk! I’m connected with your division commander’s hometown friend—who the hell do you think you’re getting cute with?!

When you’re in the military, you meet all kinds of human beings.

From people who cut through the unit’s barbed wire because they "just wanted to pick some mountain greens," to parents asking if we could give their kid a private room because the kid is sensitive when sleeping.

If you deal with enough people who make you wonder whether you’re a soldier or a local district office clerk, you can’t help but learn to imitate them.

Didn’t Nietzsche say that if you stare into the abyss for a long time, the abyss stares back into you too?

Later on, even troublemakers would click their tongues and run off if they got stuck with me.

What I showed Lee Gahyeon was a tiny piece of that, and I didn’t think they’d be this shocked over it.

[Is this an idol, or is this a nightmare customer?]

(A clip of Lee Sion pulling nightmare-customer crap on Lee Gahyeon)

↳this is giving me PTSD. why is it so real?

↳it’s the exact vibe of the grandpa who comes to our convenience store though?

↳lmao i’m losing it. even doing nightmare-customer stuff, with that face she’s cute

↳when she messes with Lee Gahyeon, she seriously goes all-out

↳i was there as a customer. i watched them and laughed so hard pork cutlet shot out of my mouth

↳i’m so jealous. it’s miserable being Yours who lives outside Seoul

"Hmm···."

"What now. What do you not like this time?"

"Gahyeon got a pork cutlet ad, so why isn’t anything coming in for me?"

"What?"

Now that I thought about it, I showed up too and made a splash, so it felt unfair that nothing came in.

"You got public service ads."

"Ah."

It wasn’t like nothing happened. Surprisingly, I’d gotten offers for two public service ads.

-It’s a public service ad about ending school violence and preventing stalking. There’s no separate ad fee, but it’s good for your image, and it’s literally for the public good, so if you don’t hate it, it’d be good to do it.

Since subduing the attacker who caused a scene at the last fan signing was still a hot topic, it seemed like the government department making those ads had taken interest.

On top of that, the old video from the school violence controversy was trending again too, so it was a headache.

-Wow!!! It’s Lee Sion!! Punch me once!

-I want a hip toss!

-Then kick me!

The little boys I ran into at the convenience store near my place clung to me, begging me to hit them just once, and it wasn’t easy.

"Our Shinyu is really okay now, right?"

"Of course! From now on, I’m going to become like Sion, so I’m thinking of learning boxing too."

"Excellent. Sometimes there are moments in this world you have to solve with your fists, not words."

"That’s right!"

Luckily, Shinyu wasn’t just okay—she was so fired up she was talking about learning martial arts.

"The ocean!"

Between talking about this and that with the members, and dozing off for a bit, the coastline finally came into view.

Iam vacation content was finally announcing its real beginning.