Cheating way through to Stardom chapter 41-There’s a sucker here

“Don’t try to take too much. You’re pathetic.”

“What do I have that’s so much? I’m starving to death.”

The road ahead is long, and even the beef has disappeared. Quietly, as I think about a piece of sirloin, Yoo Hajin put his arm around my shoulder.

“What were you going to do with ten thousand won?”

“Buy beef. For soup.”

“I’ll buy it for you.”

Oh.

I looked at Yoo Hajin. A pretty decent face was seen at a glance.

Now I understand.

‘We need this guy in Zenis.’

Why didn’t it work out? Is it because of lack of skill?

I looked at Kang Minjae, who was still holding the camera.

‘I know it too, that fox couldn’t have missed having him in the group.’

I followed the arm holding my shoulder with my eyes and whispered to Yoo Hajin.

“If you buy it for me, I’ll gladly accept.”

Yoo Hajin shouted with a friendly smile.

“The dance battle ends here!”

Everyone moved their chairs back to their places as if they had been waiting for this.

“You’re coming with me after practice today, okay?”

I nodded. Yoo Hajin smiled and let go of my shoulder. Then he walked towards Kang Minjae, who was holding the camera.

‘Unexpectedly, Kang Minjae’s presence doesn’t stand out in the debut group.’

Is it because of ‘Yoo Hajin’?

I couldn’t understand why this guy wasn’t in the group. I shook my head and loosened my muscles again. Practice started soon.

***

As soon as practice ended, Yoo Hajin shouted.

“Ambitious one (Ya Dowon)!”

“It’s Cha Dowon.”

“Yeah, yeah. Ya Dowon.”

I should punch the choreographer who first called me that nickname.

Damn it. I sighed and followed him.

“I’ll buy you beef. But why soup meat? What are you going to do with it?”

“I bought soup meat, so I have to make soup.”

“What kind of soup?”

I thought hard about the soup.

“Baechu soup? Cabbage is cheap this season.”

Yoo Hajin’s eyes widened.

“You’re an impressive guy!”

What? Making soup is impressive?

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

Yoo Hajin dragged me along. I obediently followed and grabbed his jacket.

“That’s not the way.”

“Isn’t this the way to the mart?”

“The butcher shop in that alley is cheaper and better.”

Yoo Hajin’s pupils shook again.

“You’re really an impressive guy!”

What?

“You know the market prices. Scary guy!”

It’s not that scary.

“You have to do what you have to survive. If no one takes care of me, I have to take care of myself.”

I looked down at my body. I’m definitely over 170 cm, but how much? Anyway, I still had about 10 cm to grow.

Yoo Hajin looked at me and said.

“Does no one take care of you, too?”

I’m not completely neglected.

I thought of Cha Sora, whom I respect and love.

“There is someone, but she’s busy. So I am taking care of myself now.”

Come to think of it, I’m worried. She shouldn’t study too much.

“Hey, you…….”

Yoo Hajin pretended to wipe his tears and said.

“I thought you were selfish, unreasonable, and greedy, making enemies everywhere. But you’re nicer than I thought.”

Thanks for the honest evaluation.

“But….”

I looked Yoo Hajin up and down. He looked clean and well-raised.

“Are you alone?”

“Huh?”

“You said earlier, ‘Does no one take care of you, too?’”

Yoo Hajin’s eyes shook. Right. There it is.

‘Unexpected.’

Judging by his appearance, he seemed like a typical middle-class second child.

“Oh, my family prioritizes my older brother, so I’m often neglected.”

I see.

“And I’m a bit lacking. I ran away to become a singer, but I’m still a trainee.”

It was getting tedious. And I wasn’t curious.

“At least I’m in the debut group, so I contribute some money…….”

“Wait a minute.”

I grabbed Yoo Hajin’s arm.

“You contribute money?”

“Huh? Debut group gets paid.”

Wow.

“You’re getting milked dry. Dude.”

I shook my head. There’s always one of these types.

“You’re a sucker. There’s a sucker here.”

“Um, Dowon?”

“Stop it now. You’re already anemic, why are you giving blood? Tell your successful brother to make money. How old are you, Hajin?”

“Huh? 20?”

“Your family takes the money you earn at 20? Wow, crazy. Cancel the automatic transfers immediately. You’re getting bled dry, sucking the life out of you.”

I hit Yoo Hajin’s shoulder hard.

“Wake up! You’re a sucker right now!”

Yoo Hajin scratched his head, embarrassed.

“Well…….”

“Do you know what happens if you keep getting milked?”

I thought of my past life before I returned.

‘No money, always tired…….’

Life didn’t improve. I couldn’t do anything.

“All that’s left is a shabby body. If you become broke and shabby, no one will look at you. You’ll just be trash.”

“But they’re family.”

This frustrating guy.

“That’s why it’s worse. It’s simple. Think of it this way. If you become a beggar, will your family feed you?”

Usually, yes, but not in your family.

Yoo Hajin’s pupils shook again.

‘Seems like he’s realizing something.’

Then Yoo Hajin suddenly grabbed my arm tightly.

“But my brother’s business is struggling…….”

What nonsense is this?

“I’m the only one who can help.”

“Hold on.”

Why is business suddenly involved?

“Did you cosign?”

“Not yet, but he’s bringing the papers tomorrow…….”

Suddenly, I felt dizzy. I put my hand on my forehead and sighed deeply.

‘So this was it.’

The reason Yoo Hajin didn’t make it into Zenis.

I took a deep breath. When I calmed down, a hot breath came out.

“So, you’re saying, despite being milked dry every month, you’re going to cosign?”

They’re making a 20-year-old cosign? What kind of family is this?

“You aren’t just a pushover. You are the craziest pushover in this neighborhood.”

“Hey…”

“A guarantor? If you do that, you can’t be an idol anymore.”

No matter how generous Friends Entertainment was, they wouldn’t use someone with bad credit.

“But if I don’t, my brother’s business will struggle…”

“Will you get any benefits if his business succeeds?”

I sighed involuntarily.

“No, right? Of course not. They only suck up to you when they need a loan. Have they ever given you anything? If you still think it’s a good idea, then go ahead, be the guarantor.”

I punched his shoulder.

“Wake up, man! Do you want to lose everything? Your dreams, your hopes, your future? All of it!”

Yoo Hajin grabbed my arm tightly.

“But he’s family.”

“A real family wouldn’t make a twenty-year-old be a guarantor. They’d handle it themselves.”

Silence lingered. My anger subsided, leaving emptiness.

‘Damn, how did I end up saying things like this?’

Even the Bible warns against being a guarantor.

‘What a messed-up family this is.’

Yoo Hajin remained silent. Would he come to his senses? I clicked my tongue and shook my head.

“Let’s go in.”

“What about the beef?”

Is meat really the issue right now?

“I don’t want to eat with a pushover.”

I sighed deeply. What is this guy’s deal, really?

‘I’ve never seen anyone like him.’

Is he too kind or just plain stupid?

“I’ll say it one last time.”

I punched his shoulder again, harder.

“If you sign those papers tomorrow, everything will be over.”

“But…”

“If you don’t want to ruin your life, don’t do it.”

I walked past him. The night air was cool, but it didn’t cool my heated head.

‘Damn idiot.’

What if he really signs those papers?

I sighed again and pulled out my smartphone.

When I glanced back, Yoo Hajin was standing there, staring blankly in the opposite direction.

‘Isn’t he necessary?’

Even a pushover like him is better than Kang Minjae.

‘Damn it.’

[cheat mode 1/3]

[Yoo Hajin will have severe hand tremors tomorrow]

That should stop him from signing.

[Changed.]

[Side effects: 30 seconds of breathlessness and temporary blindness.]

[cheat mode 2/3]

Thirty seconds passed quickly. I stood still until my vision returned. I took a deep breath and exhaled.

‘I go to such lengths.’

I turned back towards the dorm. My anger had mostly subsided, but I still felt uneasy.

‘This is a dog-eat-dog world.’

What kind of family asks a twenty-year-old to be a guarantor?

“Disgusting. Just disgusting.”

I kicked a stone hard and sighed. This world really sucks.

***

Yoo Hajin was a lacking child.

He was placed where his parents wanted him.

There were many reasons he was lacking. He was bad at studying. He always listened to music. He danced with his friends.

There were so many reasons that Yoo Hajin considered himself lacking.

His brother was his perfect counterpart.

His brother had good grades. He was a class president and attended a good school.

The talented brother and the lacking younger brother.

Yoo Hajin thought this would never change.

But when he passed an audition he attended with a friend, something changed.

The look in his brother’s eyes changed. A month later, after his brother broke up with his long-term girlfriend, he confessed.

Yoo Hajin realized when he looked in the mirror.

He was taller than his brother.

And much more handsome.

Even then, his family still called him lacking. This made Yoo Hajin cling to the practice room. Strangely, it was more comfortable than home.

Since he spent so much time in the practice room, he became a debut candidate. As he started making money, his parents’ attitude changed.

‘Your brother needs tuition money.’

‘Your brother needs living expenses for his studies.’

‘It’s only right for a younger brother to support his elder brother.’

‘Because you’re lacking.’

Even though he knew this wasn’t normal, he couldn’t do anything about it.

Time passed.

And finally, that conversation happened.

‘Your brother’s business is struggling. Can you help? I’ll bring the paperwork tomorrow.’

They weren’t asking for money. They said they’d bring the paperwork.

Yoo Hajin clenched and unclenched his fists. He looked out the window; it was already ten in the morning. He felt like he’d done something, but he couldn’t remember what.

He clenched and unclenched his fists again.

The trembling wouldn’t stop.

“I have to go.”

His parents said they were coming. Where were they coming again? Oh, the café nearby.

He walked to the front door weakly. His body kept trembling, and when he opened his eyes, his parents were handing him the paperwork.

‘Hmph.’

He couldn’t hold the pen. His hand trembled. He quietly looked at the papers again. The number fifty million caught his eye.

“Your brother will pay it all back.”

“You should help your brother.”

“Because you’re lacking.”

Yoo Hajin exhaled softly.

Suddenly, he remembered the words he heard yesterday.

– Wake up! Do you want to lose everything? Your dreams, your hopes, your future? All of it!

He chuckled involuntarily.

“Hajin?”

Yoo Hajin threw the pen. What a disrespectful brat. Even if he was four years older.

“I’m not doing it. Are you crazy?”

His hands were still trembling. His parents only tried to hand him the pen again, not asking why his hands were shaking.

“Why ask a lacking child for help.”

Yoo Hajin stood up. Strangely, his hands trembled, but his legs were fine.

“Let my brother handle it himself. If it’s a successful business, he can do it without a guarantor.”

His parents yelled behind him. Their voices were loud, but he couldn’t hear them well. He could only laugh.

‘What a strange guy.’

Talking about the guarantor was purely impulsive yesterday. No one knew about it except Kang Minjae.

‘Why did I bring it up?’

Maybe because he seemed oddly mature.

‘Come to think of it, Minjae also tried to stop me.’

But he was the one who insisted, “They’re still my parents.”

His father grabbed his overly tense shoulders and shouted.

‘Strange.’

Even as his parents screamed before him, he couldn’t hear what they were saying. Come to think of it, it seemed like it had been this way for quite a long time.

Yoo Hajin smiled.

“It feels refreshing inside.”

Anyway, he couldn’t hear their words.

Yoo Hajin lightly released the hand holding him and moved forward. It was as refreshing as if the patient had recovered.