Chapter 85

Sister…!

In Theo's reality show, the designated punishment for the members is 'cross-dressing.'

Coincidentally, the two members who ended up with the punishment, Oran and Hamiyuan, were the ones who would look the best in drag. The fans were eagerly waiting for the photos and videos to come out, knowing that even with a quick makeup job and a wig, they would look like two beautiful girls.

One of these fans, 'ComeSitNextToMeOran,' had been anxiously waiting and finally received a notification from Theo's official SNS account.

"Finally!"

She quickly went in and scanned through the post. In the group photo of Theo, there were two girls. Since she had already heard about the cross-dressing, she didn't misunderstand.

If someone who knew nothing about it saw the photo, they would have been shocked. They might have thought the idols were getting too close with some girls, causing a scandal.

She zoomed in to confirm the faces of the members. Apart from being a bit taller, there was no sense of incongruity.

"Wow! So cute!"

Oran looked like a pure and adorable girl. With a brown wig in braids and a flowy dress, she looked so cute that one might want to pinch her cheeks.

And Hamiyuan...

"Hamiyuan, sister…?"

With a long black ponytail and sharp eyeliner, she had transformed into a charismatic older sister. While Hamiyuan's beautiful face is acknowledged by anyone with eyes, this level of transformation was unexpected!

If a passerby saw her, they might have mistaken her for a girl.

"Sister…!"

Wearing a silky blouse that shone and a leather skirt with a slit that went down to her knees, the straight bangs and long eyeliner created a unique atmosphere. It was clear that the staff were professionals.

A charismatic cool beauty. If such a person really existed, she would have captivated the hearts of many fans.

"Why doesn't Oran or Hamiyuan have an older sister or a younger sister? These genes should be spread as much as possible!"

Oran has an older brother, but Hamiyuan is an only child. If she had a sibling, male or female, it would be worth bowing to the heavens.

Thinking about what Hamiyuan's sister would be like made her feel even more disappointed.

As she flipped through the photos, a solo shot of Oran and Hamiyuan wearing sunglasses appeared. However, the background was not inside a building but on the street.

"Did they go outside like this? They would make all the guys fall in love. No, even girls would fall for them, right?"

The original punishment was to walk around the company, but it seemed they performed an additional punishment. If so, some lucky fans might have seen the real-life female versions of Oran and Hamiyuan.

Feeling a bit envious of that hypothetical lucky fan, she noticed a new photo.

"Wow. Is today some special day?"

It was a photo of a boy making a V sign with both hands and smiling brightly. His bowl cut was adorable. Just by looking at his dimples, she knew whose childhood photo it was.

Below the photo was a short description: "Hong Oran, age 6. At the playground."

The photo of young Hong Oran was so cute that she wanted to pinch his cheeks. It was a miracle to see this cuteness grow into adulthood.

There were rumors that he had had plastic surgery, but with ordinary eyes, it was impossible to tell what had been altered.

'Natural beauty, that mixed vegetable!'

In the meantime, a new post appeared. Given that they were posted in quick succession, it seemed to be a series of childhood photos of Theo's members.

"As expected…? A girl?"

A photo of a young girl with a pink tank top, a pleated skirt, and a strawberry hair tie stood out.

She rubbed her eyes and double-checked the account, but it was indeed Theo's official account.

"Huh…?"

The girl, who looked exactly like Hamiyuan, was making a pouting face and looking at the camera with teary eyes.

Had she been misinformed that Hamiyuan was an only child? Or was there a tragic story about losing a sibling in childhood?

Below the photo, it said, "Hamiyuan, age 5."

"…Hamiyuan?"

She could easily pass as a younger sister. If this child grew up to be the Hamiyuan in drag, it all made sense.

If she showed these two photos to a friend, they would be completely fooled. She noted in her mind to do this the next day.

She could understand the feelings of Hamiyuan's parents. They must have wanted to dress her in even prettier clothes, as girls' clothes are generally more diverse and colorful.

But by the age of 5, children usually have strong opinions and refuse to wear clothes they don't like. Yet, this boy was dressed like a girl and had his photo taken.

"He must have been well-behaved even as a child. Unlike my nephew…"

She thought of her 5-year-old nephew, who always seemed to cause trouble whenever he visited.

The colorful tulips in the background suggested they might have been at a tulip festival.

There were not just one but four photos: Hamiyuan at 1, 3, and 7 years old. Each one depicted a perfect little girl.

At 1 year old, it was understandable to mistake Hamiyuan for a girl due to her natural beauty. Even as a baby, her features were well-defined, making her stand out.

Especially her long eyelashes, big eyes, and rosy lips made her look like a girl to anyone.

But the fact that there was a photo of her wearing a dress at 7 years old was surprising. At that age, it would be hard to force her to wear one.

With her thin hair down to her shoulders and a uniform pink outfit, she was smiling brightly while being held by a man.

The man, who was likely Hamiyuan's father, looked handsome even from the back. His tall stature and broad shoulders were evident. Though there was no concrete evidence, it was clear.

'Hamiyuan's beauty didn't just fall from the sky. Her mother must have been a beauty too. Like mother, like daughter.'

Perhaps the person who looked most like the drag version of Hamiyuan was her mother, and the person who looked most like the current Hamiyuan was her father.

"Such genes should be spread widely…"

With a hint of sadness, she checked the new photo. She expected that photos of other members' childhoods would also be posted. If only two members' photos were posted on Theo's official account, there would be an explosion of complaints.

Everyone guessed that Hamiyuan had the most individual fans, but the fans of Theo were generally all-fan type, and all the members were equally charming.

The other members were also unique and captivating, so it would be a shame to leave them out.

Next was Seohun. Although he started acting as a child actor, there were no public photos of him at 2 years old.

The photo of 2-year-old Seohun holding a rabbit doll in his mouth showed unexpected cuteness. His distinctive eyebrows and large eyes without double eyelids were the same even as a child.

"He really grew up well."

She had heard that child actors suffer from the image they had when they were young. But Seohun, after taking a break, returned with a completely different image, so there was no need to worry. He had acquired a mature charm.

Namchulok had grown up with only the best features from his childhood. However, the photo of Namchulok at 4 years old was surprising for another reason: the vast house in the background.

"…Is Namchulok from a wealthy family?"

She reviewed the known information about Chulok, but there wasn't much. He had a younger sister and attended the same high school as Hamiyuan.

Even if Chulok wasn't from a wealthy family, it seemed his family was very rich. Living in a house that required a maid was impressive.

While checking the next photo, she couldn't help but exclaim. Parkha had a perfect face even at 4 years old.

She expected a mischievous pose, but instead, she was making a shy V sign with her small hands. She looked dejected, as if something had happened.

Even when zooming in, it was clear why she was called the visual of Theo.

If someone had such a face from childhood, it was understandable to have infinite confidence in their appearance. It was as natural as rain falling from the sky and water flowing downhill.

'That's why Hamiyuan is such a rare character!'

The last photo was of Jeton.

Unlike the other members who posted photos from before elementary school, Jeton was 12 years old in the photo.

"The photo isn't from when he was a baby like the others?"

Jeton was wearing a navy school uniform, holding a trophy in one hand, and looking solemnly at the camera. It seemed to be a day like a graduation ceremony or an award ceremony.

The clean school uniform, typical of British dramas, suited Jeton well. He had the air of a proud noble's child.

"Jeton, you have a subtle elite vibe."

It might be due to the vague fantasy of Britain. When he was young, he had a more mixed-race look.

She wondered if living abroad could change someone like that, but quickly concluded it was unlikely.

She had been on a working holiday in Australia for 2 years, but instead of becoming more sophisticated, her face had only tanned.

"These kids are a different species from me. Or maybe a different race…"

She didn't know why her vision kept blurring.

* * *

Theo's dormitory had been bustling since yesterday due to the members' secret plotting.

Since yesterday, the members of Theo had been whispering among themselves, excluding her. They seemed to want to keep something a secret from her, but it was a complete failure.

I'm not that forgetful that I would forget my own birthday. Although, my parents did call to wish me a happy birthday last night.

"I'm going to the studio. It might take a couple of hours."

There was no specific song she was working on. It was a considerate move to give the members some space to prepare a surprise birthday party.

"Have a good trip. Let us know when you're coming back."

The request for updates was also for the surprise birthday party, but it was also because of something she had done.

She often walked alone, even for distances less than 5 minutes, but she had been caught by a young woman waiting near the dormitory.

Fortunately, her manager, who was just arriving, noticed and managed to defuse the situation. Since then, the members had been extra cautious about her safety.

It took a lot of effort to convince them that she could go to the studio and back alone, with just regular updates and pick-ups.

"I'll call while I'm on my way, so you don't need to come pick me up."

The members were so busy they didn't even respond. How grand would the birthday party be? Were they planning to ambush her with hidden cameras? She wondered if she should mentally prepare.

The studio, which she had visited yesterday, had no changes. Since she had been too busy to clean up after renting the studio, it would take a while to tidy up.

Unpacking Hyunoh's luggage, which was piled up on one wall, took over 2 hours. She would have to come back tomorrow to finish cleaning.

– I'm leaving now

She left a message in the group chat, gathered her bag, and left the studio. It had only been two hours, but it was already getting dark outside.

"I need to hurry."

If she was late, she would get scolded by Chulok. As she quickened her pace, she heard a faint crying sound from somewhere nearby.

Huh?