Ch.11011. Ideal Type Talk is Difficult!

“Still a long way to go.”

Depending on who heard it, the tone could come across as dismissive.

Maintaining an appropriate distance.

For Suhyeok, that meant not automatically saying “yes” to everything.

He wanted to say encouraging things like “You guys are really doing well!” or “Actually, this is my first time too, so I’m no different from you!” But that wouldn’t do.

That wasn’t the image of a cool, distant senior.

“What exactly is still a long way to go?”

Gunwoo, the male vocalist from the 24th batch who had been staring at Suhyeok, asked him.

“That… is something you’ll all gradually come to understand.”

The only line he had thought of was to coolly say they still had a long way to go.

Suhyeok hadn’t figured out what to say after that.

Inwardly, he was flustered because he hadn’t thought that far ahead, but his improvisation didn’t seem too bad.

However, the juniors meeting their new senior with a strong rocker vibe for the first time had varying reactions.

‘What’s with this senior?’

‘Yes. I’m sure he’s disappointed in my guitar skills, just like Hana noona!!!’

‘It’s true… since we’re just starting, we do have a long way to go…’

Hana sighed, brushing her bangs upward.

She thought Suhyeok probably needed feedback on how to give feedback.

* * *

“Suhyeok hyung! You’ll eat with us, right?”

Park Taeho, the 24th batch guitarist who had been scolded by Hana.

He was quite intimidated after the recent practice session.

But he didn’t want to appear awkward and unsociable without even practicing properly.

A friendly junior recognized by seniors.

For the band club, one of the jewels among performance clubs, this wasn’t how the first step should be taken.

[If you lack skill, overcome it with social skills!]

This could generally be an effective approach, but the problem was that the other party was Suhyeok.

‘Does being a cool senior mean… not eating together?’

As Suhyeok stood with his arms crossed, lost in thought without answering, Taeho began to feel increasingly anxious.

‘Was I so terrible that he doesn’t even want to eat with me…?’

The conflicting thoughts of these two fools.

What put an end to their dilemma wasn’t a guitarist but a drummer.

“Spirit members! Dinner is bulgogi rice bowls!”

This man announced the menu to everyone as if there was an official meal schedule.

His rounded head briefly reflected in the fluorescent light.

Hana, who had been fiddling with her phone on the sofa, stretched languidly.

“Going there again?”

The bulgogi rice bowl restaurant that Choegang regularly visited was about 15 minutes from the main gate.

It was quite a distance, but Hana had no reason to refuse since it was almost on her way home.

Of course, the food was also decent.

And so, everyone except Jiho, the 24th batch bassist who had a part-time job, decided to have dinner together.

Like a meeting, the 23rd batch sat in one row.

The 24th batch filled the opposite row.

Suhyeok, sandwiched between Hana and Choegang, was starting to feel his limits.

‘I… want to go home.’

Suhyeok was quite exhausted from spending so much time with people he’d just met.

The things he wanted to say and his “cool senior” persona were constantly clashing in his mind, making him function like a malfunctioning robot.

“Suhyeok hyung, what was the most fun part of last year’s festival?”

The juniors’ questions poured down like a waterfall.

From their perspective, wanting to get closer to their senior, this was natural.

“At festivals, of course.”

I went home early alone, so I don’t know what was there.

“The food!”

Though he hadn’t tried them, Suhyeok had seen chicken skewers and sausage-rice cake skewers being sold as he passed by.

He wanted to tell them which activities were the most fun, where to go, and which department had the cutest girls, but he couldn’t because he didn’t know.

“What did you eat?”

“I had sausage-rice cake skewers.”

“Oh, what? From in front of the Engineering Building?”

Suhyeok nodded at Hana’s interested response.

“Yeah, I think so…?”

He didn’t actually remember clearly since he hadn’t bought any, but he was just going along with it.

“I was selling those!”

Hana looked up at Suhyeok with a bright smile.

“Ah~ So I helped boost our department’s sales~”

Hana had a proud expression.

“Wow. So Suhyeok hyung, did you go all the way there targeting Hana noona from back then?”

The 20-year-olds, who couldn’t resist a hint of romance, pounced on Suhyeok like piranhas.

“Huh? No. I don’t think I saw Hana there?”

With his guard down, cool senior persona forgotten, Suhyeok was genuinely denying their suggestion.

“Unnie! Did you get guys asking for your number while preparing for that?”

“Well, yes… There were quite a few people who came back and forth with that kind of intention.”

“Wow. So did you start any relationships that way?”

Suhyeok felt relieved as the spotlight shifted from him to Hana, but he still kept his ears perked up.

Since he wasn’t even 100% close with his own batch yet, he was curious about them.

“Nah. I rejected them all because I was busy working. We actually had to help with that and do our own performance too.”

This was evidence of a youthful experience completely opposite to Suhyeok, who went straight home after classes.

“Besides, they all played guitar worse than me anyway.”

Hana’s somewhat abrupt statement raised question marks above the juniors’ heads.

“So you don’t give your number to people who can’t play guitar well?”

Gunwoo, sitting across from her, asked.

“I have very firm standards for my ideal type.”

Hana’s words were filled with conviction.

“I’m not interested in men who play guitar worse than me.”

Whether this applied to him or not, Suhyeok completely agreed that people who play guitar well are cool.

“Then doesn’t that mean you have to date a guitarist, unnie?”

Hana waved her hand at the teasing comments.

“No way~ That’s not necessarily true~ Sohye, what’s your ideal type?”

Hana passed the baton to her, now that the topic had come up.

Discussing ideal types was traditionally a common topic when young people gathered.

However, for Jisohye, the 24th batch drummer, this moment was not one for a casual answer.

Her ideal man was sitting right across from her.

Choegang, who was stoically enjoying his bulgogi rice bowl as if he had no interest in the girls’ ideal type talk.

Every time he moved his spoon, his visible veins made her heart flutter.

No. How can he be so handsome?

It was important to drop a hint without being too obvious.

“I like… manly men? That kind of feeling? Is that how I should put it…”

Though she acted shy after speaking, Choegang, the actual target, was showing no interest as he put kimchi in his mouth.

“By manly, do you mean personality-wise? Or like… physically?”

Hana dug deeper after hearing her answer.

“Both!”

Sohye, feeling that saying more would make it too obvious who she meant, quickly tried to pass the baton.

“Suhyeok oppa, what’s your type?”

He, who had been praying that this tragic game of hot potato wouldn’t land on him, sighed at his misfortune.

A rounded answer.

Something not too provocative seemed best.

Comments about facial features or body types would only invite controversy.

In these situations, talking about “personality” was always the wisest choice.

“I… find people who passionately pursue what they love attractive.”

It was more about admirable human qualities than characteristics of a potential romantic interest.

“Ohh… Yeah, I get what you mean.”

Everyone seemed to agree with the sentiment.

Fortunately, they didn’t seem interested in conducting an in-depth interview, and the conversation naturally moved on. The Spirit members chatted energetically until their bowls were empty.

“Let’s go!”

At Choegang’s sudden command, everyone rushed outside.

As they were saying goodbye with promises to meet again, Hana grabbed Suhyeok’s wrist.

“Lee Suhyeok.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have a moment?”

“Uh, sure.”

Under the darkened night sky.

As they entered the alley toward Hana’s house, a reddish light illuminated the two of them.

“What do you think of the kids?”

Hana stopped walking and looked up at him.

“They all seem nice. And they practice hard too.”

His expression didn’t look bad.

Rather, he seemed to like them a bit. Hearing his answer, Hana confirmed that her prediction wasn’t wrong.

“Then you can just express that honestly. To the kids.”

“Huh?”

“Just because we give harsh feedback doesn’t mean you have to force yourself to act that way too.”

Leaning against a utility pole, a faint smile appeared on Hana’s lips.

“The reason I speak harshly is because I want them to develop good practice habits and fundamentals from the beginning.”

“But that’s just my personal wish, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

Hana’s face filled Suhyeok’s eyes beyond his bangs.

“No, I think what you say is really helpful.”

This was clear.

These were feedbacks Suhyeok wanted to give but couldn’t, and they were definitely helpful for the juniors.

“I’ll practice harder too, so I can give good feedback.”

She told him he could speak comfortably.

Why is he saying he’ll work harder?

Though she found Suhyeok’s thought process silly, she couldn’t dislike his enthusiasm.

“Do whatever you want.”

As she turned around abruptly to leave, Suhyeok smiled and waved, telling her to get home safely.