The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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103

Jung Da-jun being rude?!
Our kindhearted maknae hamster to his favorite?
This was something that would turn the world upside down, yet Jung Da-jun simply gazed at Min Ji-heon with an unfazed expression. It was so different from his adoring attitude last time that not just I, but the other members were taken aback.

“Hmm….”

And Min Ji-heon, despite looking slow-witted, was sharp enough not to miss that. He smirked and glanced back and forth between the members before simply tilting his head.

“Seo Ho-yoon sure has it good~.”
“….”

Don’t say pointless things.

“Well, I’ll be going….”
“Yes, please leave quickly.”
“Aha. See you later.”

I watched him with indifference, and as Min Ji-heon moved away, I turned my head toward Jung Da-jun.
…Jung Da-jun had his face covered with both hands.

“Jung Da-jun… what’s wrong with you?”
“…Give me a moment, I’m sublimating this sadness.”

If he was going to be this sad over being ignored once, why did he do it in the first place?
Jung Da-jun washed his face with his hands for a while before suddenly lifting his head.

“Phew, okay. Jung Da-jun, you did well. Choosing the troublemaker over your favorite… I was pretty cool there, wasn’t I, brother?”
“…I’m your favorite?”
“Brother, why are you like this to me??”

Jung Da-jun was genuinely annoyed for once. I accepted his irritation awkwardly, then something suddenly flashed through my mind. Come to think of it, I think I had spouted nonsense to Jung Da-jun.
Right after that incident, I had asked him who he would choose between Min Ji-heon and me. I let out a feeble laugh and poked Jung Da-jun’s cheek.

“Between Min Ji-heon and me, did you pick me?”
“…Brother, now that I think about it. Do you remember the fan meeting back then?”

Jung Da-jun spoke with a sly smile.

“I’m going to choose versus….”
“….”

Kim Sung-hyun was so proud of Jung Da-jun’s bold move that he put his arm around his shoulder and ruffled his hair vigorously.
Hmm. I never expected even Jung Da-jun to be like that.
The guys above all look out for themselves, so I suppose that’s just how it is, but Jung Da-jun is somewhat… I’d always thought of him as a child left by the water’s edge, so the feeling was strange.

“Where on earth did he learn such an attitude….”

[For the past six months, I’ve only seen Seo Ho-yoon, so what else would I have learned from?]

…Is that so?
It seemed that my aversion to Min Ji-heon was already confirmed within The Dun.
Kang Yi-chae definitely wouldn’t miss it. Kim Sung-hyun and Sung Ji-won must have picked up on it to some degree. And looking at Jung Da-jun now, he has too.

‘…But how much do they actually know?’

…Let me try once? I gathered my thoughts and opened my mouth, but…

“You guys, listen….”
“Ho-yoon, what do you want to eat?”

…Sung Ji-won quickly intercepted the conversation. As I raised my eyebrows, Kang Yi-chae jumped in rapidly.

“Foie gras.”
“Pork belly? Got it.”
“Hmph, Ji-won hyung, you’re too much, really~.”
“Bounce bounce~.”

The sudden commotion made me miss my timing again. In the blink of an eye, the members who had been chattering away cheerfully were already far ahead. Kim Sung-hyun glanced back.

“What are you doing? Come on.”
“…Yeah.”

I nodded along while deliberately falling a step behind, slowing my pace so my words wouldn’t carry to them. I quietly asked the System Window a question that only it could hear.

“You cut me off just now—I’m not imagining that, right?”

Ding!

[Yes!]

“…Are you sulking?”

I stared blankly, and the System Window, apparently exasperated, vented its frustration.

[I really… Sung Ji-won is so cool… Kang Yi-chae is so amazing… Jung Da-jun is so cute… Kim Sung-hyun is just pure light…]

“What are you, Noel?”

[Seo Ho-yoon is the most annoying….]

When I deliberately pushed past the System Window, it hurriedly resurfaced.

[From the members’ perspective, they all saw through what Seo Ho-yoon was testing.]

“…So?”

[Please, come to your senses in this harsh world.]

If I hadn’t come to my senses, who would have?
As I stared back irritably, the System Window offered further explanation.

[Think about it from the members’ perspective. Since Shining Star, Seo Ho-yoon has handled everything unilaterally and shouldered every burden. The members, including Sung Ji-won, already understand and accept that this is who Seo Ho-yoon is.]

“Then why did he do that just now?”

[That was Sung Ji-won’s consideration. It meant: you don’t have to explain, and if you’re not going to explain properly, don’t test us either. …In exchange, we’ll share the burden with you.]

I couldn’t quite grasp it at first.
…Anyone who’s worked a job would understand. When someone shoulders every burden and handles everything without being asked, only a handful actually appreciate it—99% either don’t know or pretend not to. You just end up bleeding yourself dry, alone.
But here, they were saying they’d share the burden instead?

‘Why?’

[Why don’t you just be honest about it?]

“What, so you want me to tell them I talk to the System Window and that I actually came from a parallel world?”

[That would be difficult, but….]

“Look.”

I clicked my tongue.

“If I say anything, I’m just the crazy one. Straight to the hospital for delusions of grandeur.”

[….]

There was nothing to say about my situation, and there never would be. My conviction on that matter hadn’t wavered.

[Suit yourself.]

But strangely, the System Window seemed offended.

“…What, why.”

[Just live like this forever then….]

“Hey. Hey.”

No matter how much I called, it wouldn’t appear again. It clearly seemed to be listening but refusing to show itself. I sighed briefly and approached the members, only to find them bickering over what to order for dinner.

‘What’s the point?’

There wouldn’t be anything good about it anyway. With my arms crossed, I watched as Sung Ji-won, who had been pushing back against Kang Yi-chae’s stubborn insistence on foie gras for dinner, suddenly lifted his head.

“Right, Ho-yoon. I forgot to mention something.”
“…What is it?”

Bracing myself for potential criticism, I looked at him, but Sung Ji-won tilted his head slightly.

“Ho-yoon’s acting is really impressive.”
“What?”

Then, with a smile, he said something I never expected.

“We’re really proud of you.”
“….”

I… lost my words for a moment at Sung Ji-won’s sudden praise, my lips trembling slightly before I simply turned my head away without saying anything. Still, Sung Ji-won just smiled.
Kang Yi-chae and Jung Da-jun, who witnessed the scene from the side, muttered.

“Wow… Ho-yoon’s expression is almost exorcised….”
“It was the warm sunlight that stripped the wanderer of his clothes….”
“…Shut up.”

***

As the drama gradually moved into its second half, PD Lee Jung-hoon’s filming was nearly complete. As a supporting actor, that level of screen time was the most appropriate anyway. It was also a signal that it was time to gradually return to idol activities.
Of course, an 18% viewership rating was my primary concern… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried, but at this point, there was nothing I could do except give my best performance. Though admittedly, there weren’t no other options….
In any case, the consolation was that even Jung Da-jun, who was notoriously picky about dramas, was so deeply invested that “Please Camera” was incredibly entertaining.

[Jung Da-jun: Da-jun’s theory on the culprit]

See, even now as we ride in the van, messages keep pouring in from Jung Da-jun.
Already knowing how the plot unfolds, I tried to ignore them, but the notifications just kept ringing relentlessly.

[Jung Da-jun: That manager is the culprit]
[Kang Yi-chae: Ah]
[Kang Yi-chae: Joking? Nah, I’m betting on the neighbor guy next door]
[Jung Da-jun: Nah, it’s suspicious. Min Seung-tae trusts the manager, right?]
[Jung Da-jun: Min Seung-tae gets kidnapped because of that, and Yoo Jung-hwa has a Class 1 license, right?? She’d probably show up with a truck and ram it to rescue him]
[Jung Da-jun: Trust my 18 years of drama enthusiast experience]
[Kang Yi-chae: Damn]
[Kang Yi-chae: Actually pretty convincing]

‘…Jung Da-jun is terrifying.’

About 90% of it is correct. The part where Yoo Jung-hwa, having learned all the facts, gets angry and hits Min Seung-tae before they reconcile was missing…. I shook my head and gazed out the window.

“Ah, please drop me off here.”
“Ho-yoon, let’s go together!”
“No, could you buy us some coffee with this? Get yourself a cup too, Manager.”
“…!! So touching!! Thank you!”

I handed my card to the Manager, who was easily moved to tears as always, and casually stepped out of the car. I’d deliberately left him behind so I could wander around alone.

‘Today I need to go lay some groundwork with the staff!’

I still couldn’t figure out what Min Ji-heon was thinking, but as I always said, insurance was essential for anyone in the industry. There was no harm in it.

“Oh! Ho-yoon, you’re here.”
“Hello.”

Ho-yoon’s groundwork begins~!
As I exchanged greetings while the engine rumbled to life, the Camera Director, who’d grown somewhat closer over the past few weeks, held up the coffee cup in his hand.

“The coffee emperor has arrived! Nothing today?”
“Aren’t I a walking coffee shop myself?”
“Haha, you’ve got quite the wit.”

In front of the camera, Min Ji-heon was speaking with Director Yu. They seemed to be discussing the scene they’d just filmed.
After watching for a moment, I chatted casually with the Camera Director as he left to swap out equipment on his way to the Makeup Room.

“PD Lee Jung-hoon was really popular in the episode that aired this time too. Though he didn’t have that many scenes….”
“That’s all thanks to the staff filming it so beautifully.”
“Haha. The Screenwriter really agonized over it—whether to make Lee Jung-hoon a secondary lead or not.”
“I really hope you’ll spare me from that….”

I scratched my head with a slightly troubled expression, and the Camera Director seemed a bit disappointed as he fiddled with his equipment.
That’s when my instincts kicked in.

‘Okay.’

Now was the perfect moment to drop some bait.

“The viewership ratings this time are really good, aren’t they?”
“They sure are. 12 percent! And this isn’t even a weekend drama. These days everyone’s moving to cable or OTT services, so those numbers are solid.”
“We’re already beating the other dramas airing in the same time slot.”
“Ah, right there~.”

The Director suddenly burst out laughing.

“You’re talking about where Lee Kang-seok rushed in as the secondary male lead, right?”
“Rushed in?”
“Yeah. Lee Kang-seok was basically already half-decided for the Lee Jung-hoon role, but it was just a formality audition. Then when you came on board, that was the end of it.”

I’d already heard something along those lines.

“But it was good we didn’t work with Lee Kang-seok.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, you’re a lucky charm and all, but….”

The Director trailed off slightly, then checked that no one was around before playfully winking.

“Lee Kang-seok has some pretty bad rumors floating around.”
“What kind of….”

I threw in an appropriate response and waited. People tend to get more excited and spill the beans when you play dumb and show genuine interest rather than eagerly pressing for information.
Sure enough, the answer came quickly.

“Power tripping. Toward his own manager.”

‘I knew it! I freaking knew it!’

I silently celebrated. I had to admit it—I was incredibly lucky.
The System Window appeared as if reading my mind without a word.

Ding!

[Seo Ho-yoon, you’re really luuucky….]

“I mean, celebrities act up once or twice, that’s normal… but Lee Kang-seok takes it too far. He’s got a serious case of star syndrome—he’s even verbally abusive to his manager.”
“Oh my, is that so….”
“The more rice ripens, the lower it bows its head, you know? Right?”

I organized my thoughts. I wondered why Kim Jae-yeon hadn’t shared such useful information, but apparently this kind of manager abuse controversy wasn’t even worth the paparazzi’s attention.

‘Or maybe he was just pretending not to know.’

“I’m so glad you’re working with Seo Ho-yoon~. We don’t have much filming left, so let’s push through just a bit more!”
“Once we’re done, Director, let’s grab a meal together. You mentioned you liked Chinese food last time, didn’t you?”
“…Wow, you remember that too? Seo Ho-yoon, you’re really thoughtful.”

The Camera Director said filming was resuming and left to swap out equipment. I headed into the Makeup Room and got my makeup done. As I changed into my costume and rolled up my sleeves, I pondered.

‘If the manager abuse scandal breaks… their ratings will naturally plummet.’

There were various variables to consider, but if the competing drama’s ratings dropped during the same time slot, the odds were high that ours would rise naturally.
The conclusion was clear, but what troubled me was… the method.

‘Should I do it or not?’

Could I benefit from this without being the one to expose it? I was organizing my thoughts when…

“Ho-yoon, buddy~.”
“…!”

…Suddenly, someone grabbed my shoulder.
With staff members crowded all around, Min Geu-ro—the one I called Hyung—appeared.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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