[⚠️Warning Caution⚠️]
This content is written in homage to Suga's second mixtape, "Dear My Friend" and several characters.
Contains scenes of profanity and drug addiction.
(Those who are uncomfortable, please cut off your hands in advance)
Transferred from a collection of short stories.
(I modified it a little because there were some awkward parts)
*All stories come from the author's head.
Unauthorized distribution and reproduction are prohibited.
©️ Earthquake in My Head (2022)
Dear My Friend 8
In addition to some residents who have difficulty participating in external events, the charity performance was attended by NA (self-help group) participants and their families, so I was in a situation where I absolutely had to participate.
The NA meeting was held at a center that rented out a space, and I was the only one who knew the faces and names of all the participants, so there was nothing I could do.
. . .
Early in the morning on the day of the performance, the foundation's sound engineers arrived and began setting up the equipment.
"Oh my... you've worked hard~"
I greeted the staff. I also placed a lot of canned coffee in a corner. It's something I've felt before, but strangely, when I'm physically working, I prefer canned coffee that I can just drink and throw away rather than expensive takeout coffee... After I arranged the cans nicely on the desk, the delivery men started coming and going and taking the canned coffee.
Watching the housekeepers and assistants pulling large amplifiers on carts or carrying tall ladders, I briefly recalled the time when I was working on-site during my rehabilitation training at the center. I didn't know much about sound equipment and couldn't help, so I spent the morning hiding in a corner, afraid of being a nuisance, until I quickly ran over and answered their calls.
At around 9 am, Mr. Risoo came to work.
I told Mr. Lee Soo to rest in the office so he wouldn't be tired in the evening, but he pouted and said he would definitely be on site before the BTS members arrived.
Actually, I'm worried about my physical strength too.. haha
For some reason, I'm so tired today that I think I'll have to go home to sleep well.
I was thinking about not sparing myself too much.
Before we knew it, the sound installation was finished, and the lighting team was adding equipment and tinkering with various things. We stopped by the center for lunch, and then headed back to the small theater with Risu-sam, as the members were arriving soon.
"Team leader!! You're finally here! The members have arrived!!"
"I see... The center director said he would also say hello...
“Would you like to go with the members, Mr. Lee?”
"Team leader... Let's go together.. ㅜㅠㅜㅠㅠ
Yes, yes?? I think I might make a mistake..ㅜㅠ"
"Mr. Lee Soo... It's difficult for me to tell you the details, but
I'm really nervous too..
"Just don't feel too burdened, Mr. Lee. I'll introduce the center and give you a few of our essay collections and some leaflets. At the end, just go to the center director's office and say hello, so it won't be difficult."
"I'm the team leader~~~!!"
"oh my, ...Mr. Lee...Okay...Then let's go together.."
In the end, we decided to go to the center director's office together.
"hello?
This is Lee Ri-su, the person in charge of this event who sent an email to the foundation."
When the secretary got out of the car first, Lee Soo-sam greeted them brightly. BTS arrived in two large vans with the foundation secretary, without a personal manager. Lee Soo-sam and the secretary greeted each other and waited for a while until all the members got out.
My face was frozen with nervousness because I couldn't tell which car Yoongi would get out of. Was it the first car? The second car?
"But who is this person..?"
The secretary asked Mr. Lee to introduce me to Mr. Lee Su, who had a somewhat stiff expression on his face. Mr. Lee Su gave me a sidelong glance and told me not to be nervous as he introduced me.
"Oh, this is our center's team leader. He's an addiction counseling expert!"
Before I knew it, all the members had gotten out of the car. I introduced myself to Kim Namjoon, who was standing at the very front, and gave him my business card.
"Oh, I'm late in introducing myself...
Hello. I'm Taehoon Jeong, the head of the Addiction Center Counseling and Education Team. Thank you so much for coming all this way.."
Kim Nam-joon, the foundation's representative, handed the business card I'd given to the members standing behind him and offered me a handshake. I caught a glimpse of Yoon-gi, who was holding my business card, raising one eyebrow and looking at me intently. For some reason, I felt sweat trickle down my back.
"Welcome~
I think it would be good if you could stop by our center for a moment and then prepare for the performance comfortably.Let me introduce you to the center.
Mr. Lee Soo, shall we go in then..?"
I felt like I had to hurry before Yoongi could look at me any further. I briefly passed the center introduction on to Risoo. Risoo introduced the center's activity room and program room, briefly showed the rehabilitation center residents' activities, and then headed to the center director's office.
. . .
"The world has really changed a lot.In the past, addiction treatment was an institution that celebrities avoided...Certainly, BTS seems to have a very unique way of thinking, perhaps because they have traveled all over the world."
The center director warmly welcomed the members. With his gray hair and small, sturdy build, the center director was also the mentor who led me down this path.
"After we established the social welfare foundation, we discussed and decided on all external events together, and this place was chosen unanimously. We felt that help was desperately needed."
Leader Kim Nam-joon answered.
"Oho.. Our Lee Soo-sam really worked hard~
And it's unanimous,
whatThank you for your willingness to accept my request.Thank you so much."
We sat across from each other at a table with the members in the middle, each drinking a cup of tea and chatting for a while.
"When our teacher Lee Su-sam first applied for the event,
Sorry, I didn't have high expectations.
In fact, since they are such great people, there must have been many requests from other organizations.
There must have been many institutions that were much larger in scale,
I knew it would fall...
By the way, our Sam is such a big fan that he often plays old BTS music when he hosts the program or in the counseling room."
When it was revealed that Lee Soo-sam was a fan, he felt a little embarrassed.
"Oh, I'm a fan, but BTS's songs are liked by everyone from young people to old people, and the lyrics are positive, so they're perfect to play in the center...:)
I plan to continue using it in the future.
I think the songs will feel more special after today passes."
I tried to focus on the other members except for the talking Risoo and Yoongi, but I couldn't help but keep looking at Yoongi.
“By the way, did you introduce our team leader too...?
This is Team Leader Jeong Tae-hoon, an addiction counseling expert.
In fact, this field
It is very important to establish a healer among the recovering people.
In that respect, our teacher Jeong Tae-hoon can be said to be the light of this field."He is a very dedicated person to the center."
When the center director introduced me and praised me, my face flushed for some reason. I try not to stand in front because I feel uncomfortable with all the attention... but I felt sweat running down my forehead, so I wiped it away with a handkerchief.
"Um... I guess you'll need some time to prepare before the performance. Should I get up around now...?"
I hurried to finish the seat.
However, contrary to my concerns, BTS didn't seem to have much to prepare, so the members freely roamed around the center, saying they were taking a short break. The foundation's representative, Namjoon, the public relations director, Seokjin, and the office manager, Yoongi, stayed in the center director's office because they wanted to hear more about the center, while the rest of the members, along with Risoo, started looking at the activity photos, guidelines for residents, and artwork hanging on the bulletin boards here and there at the center.
I tried to sneak up to the dormitory to get away, but the center director called me again.
"These people are asking if there's anything else the center needs, but honestly, Team Leader Jeong knows more about practical matters, right...? Could you please tell us a little bit more?"
"Oh, yes yes... I need it..."
Oh my god... I should have taken sick leave...
I never thought we'd meet this close... Hehe...
Since the new residents were not in the dormitory at the time, I stopped by for a moment.
"Well, you all know this because you've lived in a dorm...
It is not easy for these people to live in groups here.
There are many people here who have difficulty adapting to society, so there are many who have difficulty maintaining their residential life.
shipThere are a lot of people who come here after sleeping, so I'm trying to make sure they eat enough... Even if they adapt here, it's difficult for those recovering to do rehabilitation training because the social perception isn't good."
While talking, Yoon-gi's forehead was furrowed.
"Oh, was my story a bit boring...?"
"No! .. haha I think it's time for us to go to the small theater to get ready.."
Fortunately, Seokjin Kim finished the position.
"Yoongi, why are you like that..?"
"No, I was just thinking about something..."
As Seokjin was leaving, he saw Yoongi talking to him with a hardened expression. Well, anyway, the meeting ended without much conversation.
"Yes yes hahaha please do well in the performance. Anyway, we are very happy with just the charity performance.There are so many people who have had a hard life... I think this will be a great comfort to them."
I thanked the members again as they headed to the waiting room at the center entrance and then immediately turned around.