Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 189: A ’GOOD SHOW’
HANEUL blinked, feeling unsure at first. But as he watched Choi Yujin putting on an act right in front of him, looking at him with eyes full of tears as if he had really been pushed, and realizing all the other contestants staring directly at them, his mind started working much faster.
He did not know what Choi Yujin was trying to pull, but he would not just stand there and let the other make him look like the bad guy. Especially not in such an obvious and clumsy way. After all, two people could play this game.
Haneul’s expression shifted from confusion to wounded innocence. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, as if trying to clear his vision, and naturally slipped his glasses off in the process, holding them loosely in one hand. His pretty face appeared in everyone’s eyes and subconsciously drew their pity. After all, someone so beautiful would always have certain privileges.
"I... I don’t understand why you said that," he began in a soft and uncertain voice. He glanced around at the gathered contestants before looking back at Yujin, his eyes wide with confusion. "I saw you walking toward us and thought you wanted to speak with Seojun hyung. I just moved aside to give you room to pass. That’s all I was trying to do."
He ran a hand through his hair, appearing genuinely flustered. "We both moved at the same time, and our shoulders barely touched. It was such a light bump." His voice grew quieter, his confusion became even more prominent. "If I had pushed you hard enough to make you fall, wouldn’t the reaction force made me stumble back too? That’s just... how physics works, right?"
Haneul looked down at his empty hand, then back up at Yujin, his expression completely bewildered. "When I saw you falling, my hand moved on its own to try to catch you. Why would I do that if I had just pushed you? So, your accusation makes little sense to me."
Choi Yujin’s face flushed a deep, blotchy red, the heat of embarrassment spreading rapidly from his neck to his ears. He had clearly not expected Haneul to respond so calmly or logically. His plan was falling apart in real time, and the weight of everyone’s stares made him panic.
"Liar!" he spat out, his voice cracking with frustration as he shot to his feet and pointed a shaky finger at Haneul. "You’re lying! You’ve always had it out for me! Ever since I started spending time with Seojun, you’ve been trying to sabotage us!"
His accusation was loud, desperate, and completely lacked the finesse of Haneul’s quiet defense. And it sounded exactly like what it was. A weak, flailing attempt to save face.
Seojun, whose name had been unexpectedly dragged into the confrontation, felt a hot flush creep up his neck and spread across his cheeks. He stared at Yujin in disbelief, never imagining the other would resort to such a public and messy scene. But Yujin’s desperate shout made it painfully clear that he was doing it because of Seojun. A heavy sense of shame settled in his stomach, quickly followed by a sharp pang of guilt directed at Haneul, who was now suffering collateral damage from a situation he had unwittingly created. This entire embarrassing spectacle was his fault.
Haneul nearly sighed out loud right then. It was as if Choi Yujin had picked up a rock and dropped it directly on his own foot. He genuinely wondered what kind of mindset would lead someone to act this way? Choi Yujin struck him as one of those pampered young masters who was used to getting everything they wanted. Now that things weren’t going his way, his brain seemed to have shut down all logical thought and was just lashing out with the first reckless idea that came to mind.
Although he felt a little sorry for the other, he still needed to see this through to the end.
"I... I only spoke with you briefly three days ago, right?" he began, his tone suggesting he was genuinely puzzled. "I honestly don’t understand where you got the idea that I’m... after you." He paused, letting the absurdity of the claim hang in the air before adding, his voice laced with exhaustion. "Aren’t we all just too busy with training and practice to even have time for... scheming against each other?"
A distinct snort came from directly behind Haneul. It was unmistakably Robin, who then spoke up without even trying to hide his amusement.
"Sorry," Robin said, though he didn’t sound very sorry at all. "It’s just too funny. Please, carry on with your... dramatic moment."
Robin was clearly addressing Choi Yujin directly, and his blunt comment highlighted how ridiculous the entire situation was. The sheer absurdity of Choi Yujin’s dramatic accusation, contrasted with Haneul’s reasonable explanation and Robin’s open mockery, broke the tension.
Haneul bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing aloud. Showing any sign of amusement would only make him look like a bully. But the other contestants, who had been watching the awkward scene unfold, felt no such restraint. One person chuckled at Robin’s remark, then another joined in, until soon most of the surrounding crowd was laughing at this obvious farce.
Hearing the wave of laughter around him, Yujin’s face twisted with humiliation. He felt like every chuckle was a needle pricking his pride, and the sound seemed to be aimed directly at him. His anger, already simmering, boiled over. He glared at Kang Haneul, the source of all this shame. This time, the tears welling in his eyes were completely real, born from sheer frustration and rage.
Seeing this, Haneul sighed inwardly again. He was ready to end this, but then he saw Park Mirae walking toward Choi Yujin. His instincts warned him not to let the other interfere, knowing it would only complicate things further. So he hurried forward and stopped just a few steps away from Choi Yujin.
"If you believe I’ve offended you in any way, then I sincerely apologize. Let’s put this behind us. We’re all fellow trainees working toward the same dream, after all."
Haneul kept his voice even and sincere as he spoke. He then extended his hand toward Choi Yujin, a simple gesture offering peace.
