The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 12

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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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12

I furrowed my brow. The special rewards always seemed to arrive a bit late.

‘What is this new system?’

[You can earn points by completing Quests.
Collect those points and purchase items needed for scenario progression from the Item Shop.]

“Seriously, look at this thing….”

Well, if it’s a tycoon game, it does have that management game feel to it. I think you could buy items when needed back then too.
But… shouldn’t you have given this from the start then?

[Better late than never!]

“Open it.”

In that instant, the System Window opened. I was genuinely impressed by the game-like UI.
No matter how I looked at it, it felt surreal. I couldn’t help but hope there might be an item that could instantly boost my dance stats.

[There’s no way such an item exists! You’ll have to work hard and improve naturally!]

‘What did I expect….’

I scanned through the items. Except for a few, everything was empty. All that remained were the words “[Under Update]”—honestly, it wasn’t very encouraging.
There was only one item that really caught my eye.

[Serenity Pill
Completely relieves tension.
Points: 300p]

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy it just in case. It’s not something I would write about.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to purchase it just in case. Not that I’d use it myself.

“Quests where you can get points start now?”

[yep!]

okay. That’s enough.
Okay. That’s good enough.

***

“Ta-dan, ta-dan, ta-da-dan!”
“Ddan, dda-dan, dda-da-dan!”
“Huff, huh…”
“That’s not ddan—it’s dda-dan, Ho-yoon!”
“Dda-dan… what even is that?”

Seong Ji-won was a tiger teacher more than I thought. When I first met him, he wasn’t the type of guy who gave up or said anything.
Sung Ji-won turned out to be a far more demanding instructor than I’d anticipated. This wasn’t the same person who’d talked about giving up when we first met.

“It’s strange, bro… I’m sure I memorized it, but why can’t I do this?”
“This doesn’t make sense, Hyung… I know I memorized it, so why can’t I get it right?”

Dajun Jeong asked, but I shook my head. The system window kept popping up, as if responding to Seong Ji-won’s intensive guidance.

[Dance +1]
[Dance +1]
[Dance +1]
[Dance +0.5]
[Dance +0.4]
[Dance +0.2]

I don’t know why it’s going down, but damn. It was increasing. somehow.
I wasn’t sure why the gains kept decreasing, but damn it—I was improving. Somehow.

“Let’s get some rest.”
“Let’s take a break.”
“Why? I feel like I could keep going.”

As Kim Seong-hyeon spoke, Seong Ji-won suddenly looked at his watch. And he scratched his head shyly.

“I see. Maybe I pushed too hard.”
“Yeah, I think I was pushing too hard.”
“Let’s take a break.”
“I’m fine.”

Jeong Da-jun was shocked and tried to dissuade me.
Jung Da-jun grabbed me in protest, his eyes wide with alarm.
But still… I had to keep practicing anyway.
Jung Da-jun, who’d been dragging me back, was already melting into the floor like he’d run out of stamina. He looked like a melting ice cream.
The Manager had already left for the day, so only we remained in the Practice Room.

“No. Resting is also practice.”
“No. Rest is part of training too.”
“Wow, words of wisdom.”

When Kang I-chae and Jeong Da-jun laughed, Kim Seong-hyun seemed to be annoyed and threw a water bottle at them. Kim Seong-hyun, who saw even Seong Ji-won giggling, let out a small sigh, shrugged his shoulders, and stood up.

“I’m going to the convenience store. I’m out of water.”
“I’m going to the Convenience Store for a bit. We’re out of water.”
“Get me a Melona.”
“Aren’t you tired of that?”
“Please buy it for me~!”

I jumped up. If I don’t need to practice more, I’ll have to go to the convenience store and get some fresh air. I could still see Seonghyun Kim feeling awkward around me, but it was none of my business.

“Come on, brothers!”
“We’ll be back soon, hyungs!”
“Da-jun. Let’s try that part again. I think your right hand could be a bit faster….”

Seong Ji-won, who must have gotten used to bullying the youngest members, did not give up and continued teaching the choreography.
Sung Ji-won, having gotten a taste for tormenting the younger members, continued his choreography instruction without mercy.

Seonghyun Kim was really quiet. I had no intention of talking either, so there was only silence between us.
Kim Sung-hyun was truly silent. I had no intention of starting a conversation either, so between us there was nothing but silence.

“Welcome-.”

I arrived at the convenience store and went to the area where the ionic drinks were displayed.

“What should I buy?”
“What are you getting?”

Kim Seong-hyun picked a drink as he was used to and took a drink. Then he moved slightly out of the way and told me to choose.
Kim Sung-hyun expertly selected the drinks and pulled them out. Then he stepped aside slightly, giving me a look that said I should pick something too.

“…Are you really going to drink that?”
“…You’re really going to drink that?”

What I held in my hand was Sol’s O. As it was a pine bud extract drink, I didn’t like it a bit, but I really liked the pine scent and sour taste.
In my hand was a pine sprout extract drink. It was the kind of beverage with fairly polarizing tastes, but I loved the pine scent and the tangy flavor.

“Okay. I’ll get that next time.”

‘hmm.’

Kim Seong-hyun answered and went on his way, picking up a bandage and patch at a convenience store. It seemed like they noticed that Jeong Da-jun was wincing in pain after practicing for a long time.

‘ah… ‘I see.’

I felt like I knew why Seonghyun Kim became the leader. Even though he looks blunt, that kid is more delicate than I thought.

“Yes, I will calculate it for you.”
“Yes, I’ll ring that up for you.”
“Actually, could I get some cigarettes—”

Almost as a habit, I stopped while trying to order cigarettes. This is because Seonghyun Kim was glaring at me so much that the system window even popped up.

Wow!

[warning]
[Warning]

Cigarettes are of no use to anyone.
Cigarettes are harmful to everyone, really.
Besides, I had a recording session tomorrow, and I needed to quit anyway….

“Malbo….”

Wow!

[warning]
[Warning]

“Just pay for it.”
“Just ring it up for me.”

Seonghyun Kim quickly interrupted me. I fell back sullenly.
Kim Sung-hyun quickly cut me off. I retreated dejectedly.
The cigarettes I’d been chain-smoking while editing were genuinely amazing. Now I couldn’t even do that….
Honestly, it was a shock comparable to when I’d been possessed by this obscure game. The Convenience Store Clerk proceeded with the transaction, his expression unenthusiastic.

“Please calculate this too.”

Chestnut-flavored ice cream that so-called fathers buy for their children after work, only to be rejected. Kim Seong-hyun clicked his tongue, but steadfastly stood by his side. The only consolation was that I got it for free.
The so-called midnight ice cream that fathers buy for their kids after work, only to get rejected. Kim Sung-hyun clicked his tongue, but he stubbornly stood by my side. At least getting a free snack was some consolation.

“Fuck, life is hard… I can’t even smoke anymore.”
“Damn, life’s rough…. Can’t even smoke anymore.”
“Don’t.”
“Why.”

Seonghyun Kim admonished. I can’t refute it because it’s true, but it still irritates me.
Kim Sung-hyun was lecturing me. He had a point, so I couldn’t argue back, but I was still annoyed.
Kim Sung-hyun quietly pulled an ice cream from the bag. I’d bought it for Jung Da-jun, who’d been going on about ice cream earlier.

“Destruction of evidence.”
“Destroying evidence.”

admit. Because idols have to diet. Once the recording and plan are decided, we also have to shoot the jacket and music video. There was urgent work to do.
Fair point. Idols have to watch their weight, after all. Once recording and the concept are finalized, we’ll need to do jacket shoots and music video shoots too. There was a lot on my plate.

“What did you talk about in the representative office?”

‘Hmm.’

It was clear that if we talked about settlement or penalties, the trust relationship would plummet.

“I said I was going to ruin the plan.”
“You said you’d overhaul the concept.”
“Yeah?”
“Right. So I coordinated with the Planning Team.”
“It seems to be progressing better than expected. Though I’m not sure if it’ll be finalized by tomorrow.”

I don’t know what the result will be, but it seemed like they would do some rough research on time and meet the deadline.
I wasn’t sure what the final product would look like, but it seemed they’d at least manage to gather research materials within the deadline.

“I have a plan for tomorrow, Mr. Lim Hyun-soo… No, I have to go to Blue Tiger and ask him to edit the lyrics.”
“Tomorrow I need to take the concept to Lim Hyun-sung—no, Blue Tiger—and ask them to revise the lyrics.”
“Work’s moving fast.”

If things weren’t done quickly, the comeback itself, let alone the quality, might have to be postponed. If the comeback is delayed, it will cost money again, and the CEO will no longer be willing to invest in The Dawn, which has an uncertain future.
If we didn’t move quickly, we wouldn’t just compromise on quality—we might have to postpone the comeback entirely. And if we postponed, that meant more money spent, and the CEO wouldn’t invest further in The Dun’s uncertain future.

“It’s a little different.”

Seonghyun Kim blurted out.

“what?”
“Changed how?”

It stung. It wasn’t someone else, but I was rejuvenated and pretending to be an idol that didn’t even exist, so it was different.
That stung. I wasn’t a different person, but having been reborn and now pretending to be an idol—something that was never in my cards—meant he was right to notice the difference.

“You have to put your mind to it and do it well.”
“You have to approach it with the right mindset.”

It’s quite sharp. Through choreography practice, I was able to understand the characteristics of the members with whom I will have ups and downs in the future. Overall, everyone was pretty quick-witted.
He was subtly sharp. Through dance practice, I was getting a sense of the members I’d be going through thick and thin with. Overall, they all had keen instincts.

“Thank you, though.”
“Still, thanks.”
“…?”

Kim Seong-hyun pretended to be calm, but he seemed embarrassed after saying everything. I shrugged my shoulders and answered with all my sincerity.

“Thank you, I only have one…,”
“If you’re grateful, just let me have one cigarette—”

So resolute… . With tears in my eyes, I smoked the cigarette away from my mind.

“Is practice okay?”
“How’s practice going?”
“Sung Ji-won is terrifying.”

Seonghyun Kim seemed to have relaxed a little before entering the practice room and spoke to me easily. In that choreography, it is easier to make bigger movements, or it is easier to push hard in this hidden choreography, etc. There were a lot of useful tips, so I took them to heart.
Before entering the Practice Room, Kim Sung-hyun seemed to have relaxed somewhat, speaking to me with ease. He offered tips—how making the choreography movements bigger would be easier, or how breathing through the routine in a certain way was more comfortable. There were quite a few hidden gems of advice that I absorbed carefully.

“Brother, ice cream!”
“Hyung, ice cream!”

When I saw that, I felt a little strange. As a producer, it was a sensation that could not be felt by a third party.
Seeing that scene, my feelings became strangely complicated. It was a sensation I couldn’t have felt as a PD, as a third party.

“Hey, let’s sleep all night tonight.”
“Hey, let’s pull an all-nighter tonight.”
“I’m in.”
“I’m in.”

***

“Oh, and you’re not Mr. Seo Ho-yoon.”
“Ah―goodness, the shameless Seo Ho-yoon, aren’t you―.”
“Have you already had a drink?”

Hyunsoo Lim welcomed me sarcastically. I calmly shouted back at him and entered the recording studio, and the members behind me looked at me and Lim Hyun-soo in turn.
Lim Hyun-sung greeted me with a jab. I fired back with equal wit as we entered the Recording Studio, and the members behind us had their eyes widening as they looked between Lim Hyun-sung and me alternately.

[‘First recording!’
[‘First Recording!’
Complete the first recording successfully.
Continues until Lim Hyun-sung is satisfied.
Success: 300 points

It will proceed until it suits Lim Hyun-sung’s taste.
Success: 300 points

“Hello! Please take care of me.”
Between choreography practice and snatching moments to sing along with the guide track lyrics, it was already 7 a.m. Of course, since I was hopeless at dancing, I hadn’t managed to sing even a single verse.
After catching a couple hours of sleep in the Rest Room and heading straight to Lim Hyun-sung’s Work Studio, the members looked absolutely exhausted.

“Hello! Thank you for having us.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

I glanced at the members. And he took the cigarette from Lim Hyun-soo’s mouth. Lim Hyun-soo had an absurd expression.

….
[UNTRANSLATED LINE 289]
I glanced at the members, then snatched the cigarette from Lim Hyun-sung’s lips. She looked utterly bewildered.

“No thanks.”

“There’s a minor here.”
“I’m going to hang up.”

So, in fact, it was snatched away just when Lim Hyun-soo was about to smoke it. When I see Hyunsoo Lim smoke, I feel like I want to smoke too. But I can’t do that before recording… .
“So you’re quitting entirely?”

“It’s three days, Ho-yoon.”
That’s partly why I snatched it just as she was about to light up. Watching her smoke would make me want to smoke too. But I can’t do that before recording….
Lim Hyun-sung’s eyes widened and she shook her head.

“Three days of determination, Ho-yoon.”

“…Disrespectful bastard. Show me what you’ve prepared.”

Lim Hyun-sung tapped her foot and extended her hand for the plan. I handed over the printout from the Planning Team I’d prepared beforehand, and she nodded.

“Oh… hmm. So this is the concept.”
….
“Mm-hmm.”

With each nod from Lim Hyun-sung, I could feel the members tensing up even more. It looked like they’d collapse instantly if she even frowned once.
Lim Hyun-sung, come on. Don’t scare them.
After reading through the entire printout, Lim Hyun-sung nodded.
“That’s right. Since we distributed the parts, I think we can write the lyrics while paying attention to that as well.”
“Not bad at all?”
“Phew, thank goodness….”
“The overall planning is solid. This concept really works for a song like this. You’ve woven in trendy elements throughout… as long as the lyrics convey the meaning clearly, we’re good.”

“Hey, that’s obvious. I’m Lim Hyun-sung.”
“Of course, our Blue Tiger.”

“This is a bit more reminiscing about the past….”
Lim Hyun-sung seemed to like the planning far more than expected, and despite her constant cursing, she helped us earnestly.
I gestured to the members hovering uncertainly beside me. I needed to pour out all the ideas I’d prepared beforehand.

“This part needs more reminiscence about the past….”

“For this section, it would be better to use ‘I definitely remember you’ rather than vague wording….”
“Ah, the word target is okay.”
Once the members got going, they chattered endlessly about their impressions and comments on their respective parts, as if they’d never been nervous at all. Lim Hyun-sung answered them faithfully.

“That’s tacky.”
“Ah, the word ‘target’ actually works.”

“Okay, the lyrics are enough… they can be modified again anyway, so this time, just think of it as a guide and sing it once.”
About thirty minutes passed like this, and Lim Hyun-sung became even more excited than the members. This is exactly why I like her.
As I stood watching with my arms crossed, Lim Hyun-sung, having roughly finished organizing the lyrics, looked around at the members and spoke.
“yes!”

“Yes! Understood.”
“The opening should… yeah, the main vocalist definitely needs to come in.”

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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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