The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 146

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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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146

To cut to the chase, I never went to the hospital.
Kang Yi-chae wasn’t the type to give up easily, but I wasn’t the kind of person to sit idle either.
I dragged things out by rambling endlessly, locked myself in the bathroom and refused to come out, or clung to the bed and held my ground until Kang Yi-chae’s eyes practically rolled back in his head. After a little over two hours, my body had completely returned to normal.
I was nearly dragged all the way to the door before I managed to convince him I was fine and get him to stop.
Kang Yi-chae, eyes narrowed, took my temperature and thoroughly examined every inch of my body.

“36.2 degrees.”

After repeatedly confirming multiple times that it wasn’t a terminal illness, that I wasn’t lying, and that I really wasn’t sick, Kang Yi-chae crossed his arms.

“…That’s strange.”

He still seemed suspicious, but his expression had improved considerably.
He kept insisting I go to the hospital, but there was no point in creating unnecessary risk of becoming tabloid material.

“I’m not going.”

With my condition restored and my mind sharp again, I was incredibly stubborn. In the end, I only managed to get released after promising to visit a hospital the company knew once I returned to Korea.
After returning home, Kang Yi-chae naturally tried to insist on following me to the hospital again, but under the Manager’s persuasion that more people would only increase the risk of exposure, only the Road Manager accompanied me.
And we even took a taxi instead of the van.
However, somehow the Road Manager managed to follow me into every examination room and even the doctor’s office, recording everything before relaying it all to Kang Yi-chae.
I thought it was excessively persistent, but once Kang Yi-chae heard the diagnosis and the doctor’s assessment that there was nothing wrong,
he finally settled down.
For reasons unknown, it seemed he had decided to overlook this strange situation for now.
Just as he had during the hyperventilation incident.

‘…This guy really just needs the people around him to be healthy.’

It seemed that my simply being alive and well mattered to him far more than understanding or logic.

“I’m glad you’re not sick.”
“….”
“Still, let’s get regular checkups. All the members too.”

Watching Kang Yi-chae smile faintly, I felt utterly exhausted.

‘This guy’s not in his right mind either.’

And at the same time, I reflected a little.
I’d thought The Dun only had one lunatic, but there was another one.
Having directly experienced Kang Yi-chae’s tyranny, I’d learned a cautionary lesson, and I felt slightly sorry toward the other members. Though of course, even that feeling didn’t last long.

Watching Kang Yi-chae’s demeanor soften in an instant once he realized I was fine,
I found myself reassessing him.

“…Are you going to tell the members?”
“Who knows?”

I gave an ambiguous answer, but Kang Yi-chae didn’t tell the members.

‘Well….’

For whatever reason, I was grateful.

“Hyung! Do you want some of this?”
“No thanks.”

I declined the snack Jung Da-jun offered, his cheeks stuffed full of Tokyo Banana as he chewed away obliviously, and turned my gaze toward the window.

‘Stay out of trouble….’

For the sake of a peaceful and comfortable idol life, I resolved to avoid stepping on Kang Yi-chae’s landmines as much as possible going forward.

***

The Dun’s activities in Japan had all come to an end.

[I’m glad Hoyun looks good today ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
Dae Pa-sung’s leaker got caught lol so it was actually someone inside the company lol

The trap we’d laid and the bait we’d used worked perfectly—the leaker, who’d been brought in for questioning at the police station, went straight to the CEO and tearfully begged for forgiveness.
The CEO, who’d wanted to quietly bury the matter, tried to handle it quietly within the company and wrap it up quickly, but I wasn’t the type to let that slide.
Following the leak incident and performing on stage despite poor condition, complaints and requests for an official statement regarding Dae Pa-sung poured in via email, phone calls, and faxes. The coordinated hashtag campaign was still ongoing.

[#Dae Pa-sung Apologizes]
[#Dae Pa-sung Boycott]

With external pressure mounting and the company atmosphere already tense, I sarcastically remarked how entertaining it would be if word got out that a fragile member had coughed up blood due to an overloaded schedule.
Of course, Seo Ho-yoon had no intention of actually exposing anything.
The CEO then asked in a trembling voice.

“…What do you want?”

The answer to blackmail was obvious.

“Remove the leaker and add a few more people to my position—bring in specialized The Dun personnel.”
“….”

He wanted to ask, ‘Did you pull all this just for that?’ but the CEO had no choice but to nod grimly.
In the end, everything was cleanly resolved, and I was able to provide Lee Ji-hyun with a pleasant work environment.

‘I wanted to promote Lee Ji-hyun to Planning Team Lead.’

But going that far would have been overstepping. Even a cornered mouse will bite. I had to know my limits.
For now, I was satisfied with establishing a specialized The Dun planning division.
For one physical effort, I’d gotten a pretty good return.

The smoking rumor had died down, and coughing up blood was just a few days I’d written off from my life.
Weighing the situation and conditions, I maximized efficiency and created a pleasant Planning Team environment.
There was just one variable I hadn’t anticipated.

“Ah~, my throat’s getting dry~.”

Kang Yi-chae.

“Yi-chae wants banana milk~.”
“…I’ll buy it for you.”
“Just kidding. Yi-chae wants sikhye with egg yolk floating in it~.”
“Where am I supposed to get that?”
“Yi-chae hopes his brother—the one who’d never hurt him—would make it homemade~.”

Kang Yi-chae sat on the recording studio sofa, snapping his gum loudly as he spoke. I, who’d been catering to his whims for days, ground my teeth.

‘If only that bastard hadn’t found out.’

If that were the case, this whole situation—where I’d sacrificed my own flesh and aimed for his throat—would have wrapped up beautifully.

“You… didn’t tell the kids because you’re planning to use it to blackmail me, right?”
“That’s such a typical Seo Ho-yoon way of thinking.”
“I should have just smashed your head back then and made you lose your memory.”
“Kyaa~.”

Separate from the fact that the rumors, the leaker, and the Planning Team’s issues had all been resolved, I laughed brightly knowing my health was fine, but Kang Yi-chae continued to grill me relentlessly as if his irritation still hadn’t been vented.
I’d felt somewhat guilty and made some verbal missteps, so I was suppressing my nasty temperament and holding on, but I was nearly at my limit.

“Looks like you’re healthy since you’re being so rude. How wonderful.”
“Crazy bastard.”

After that, Kang Yi-chae pretended to be fine, but his eyes gleamed. Madness overflowed from his tone of voice.
He’d definitely crossed my threshold back then, and now he was misbehaving under the guise of all sorts of complaints.
Banana milk and ssanghwa tea were nothing. He made snide remarks in front of the members as standard, and whenever I tried to get angry at him for crossing the line, he’d take a step back and play weak.

“Hyung is being too harsh on Yi-chae.”
“….”

That cunning bastard!
Watching Kang Yi-chae turn the tables and make me out to be the angry one, my insides boiled with rage.

‘Just two more days. That’s all I can take.’

If he was still like this in two days, I decided I’d just expose everything, kill Kang Yi-chae, and figure out how to survive myself.
Thanks to Kang Yi-chae, I was sharpened to a razor’s edge, my venom rising so high that I looked ready to kill anyone who crossed my path.
Not just the company staff but even my Manager kept his distance, watching carefully, but regardless, I couldn’t avoid work.
Then Lee Ji-hyun, who unlike me wore a very happy expression in her improved work environment, thrust a proposal document at me.
It was a proposal for original content that would conclude the Apocalypse trilogy following the year-end stage performance.

[The Dawn – The Rising Dawn and the Fallen Self]

I took the materials and skimmed through them once with a whoosh, then let out a cheer.
I couldn’t miss this opportunity that seemed like a gift from heaven itself.

.
.
.

And so, before entering Shining Star Season 2,
The Dun’s first in-house produced content of the year was uploaded as a teaser through YouTube.

[Oh wow, a teaser for original content after so long lol]

It was mid-February. The shoot took place indoors because the weather was still cold.

[Looks like they’re really getting into the apocalypse concept;;]
[Wow, I’m so excited ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

[But how exactly do you get so into an apocalypse concept..? Do you just scream that the world is ending?

└Jung Da-jun’s probably gonna kill it
└└Yeah, we already knew the maknae’s sensitivity from the birthday party]

But Seo Ho-yoon though…lol

The Noeul fans realized it when they saw Seo Ho-yoon at the surprise birthday party.
He was shameless enough to have a poker face welded onto his features, so he’d definitely pop out with that smooth grin this time too.

[This bastard’s probably gonna come out with his hands in his pockets all casual-like, just like during the student council election]

[Seo Ho-yoon the burnt-out soldier

Oh my god, hahahahahahahaha

On the day the in-house produced content was released, the Noeul fans who clicked play dropped their jaws.

[My goodness]

From the very beginning, Seo Ho-yoon appeared dressed in black techwear modified to resemble the outfit of the United States’ elite S.W.A.T. unit.
With the heavy thud of military boots, the camera slowly panned upward from below, revealing Seo Ho-yoon’s expressionless face beneath a black tactical vest and a cap pulled low.

[Oh my god, thank you heavens]
[Bowing toward where Dae Pa-sung is]

During Second Chance, Seo Ho-yoon had played a government soldier, so fans had seen him in various uniforms before, but this was the first time he’d worn full tactical gear, and they couldn’t help but scream.
Then Seo Ho-yoon stepped onto the stage. Behind him, a banner emblazoned with The Dun’s logo fluttered in the wind.

[And he’s not even a veteran sergeant!!!!]
[What the hell, Seo Ho-yoon you madman, where did this intensity come from??]

Seo Ho-yoon swept his cold gaze over the four members huddled together in front of the stage, still unaware of how the situation was unfolding, and recited calmly while fluttering the planning document.

“Good day.”

He was on edge because of Kang Yi-chae, so he was genuinely delighted to have this over-the-top apocalypse military content that he could legally use to mess with the members.
With his face flushed red from the past few days, Seo Ho-yoon suppressed his anger and played along perfectly, and Kang Yi-chae’s face was all smiles.

‘Kang Yi-chae, you bastard.’

“I’m Seo Ho-yoon, assigned to oversee your training from today.”

‘You’re done for today.’

The filming day came two days after he’d said he would hold back.

“Wow~!! You’re so handsome~!”
“Kyaa~ah~!”

As Jung Da-jun, who had recently been particularly taken with Kang Yi-chae, started clowning around, Seo Ho-yoon’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“…!”

Kim Sung-hyun and Sung Ji-won exchanged glances.
They left Jung Da-jun, who still hadn’t grasped the situation, alone, but the older members realized in that moment that things were taking a serious turn.

“…Today’s content will proceed according to the apocalypse worldview. Any actions that fail to meet those standards will result in penalties.”

Haha, but seriously though, how are we supposed to pull off this concept? Lol
[Da-jun let’s destroy everything]
[But I thought Seo Ho-yoon would come with his hands in his pockets… I really like the cool-headed angle. Is this an idol who has completed his military service?? Tsk tsk]

[that natural formal speech is insane…

└It reminds me a little of PD Lee Jeong-hoon againㅠㅠ]

Seo Ho-yoon was an idol who operated with meticulous business-like precision, but today was different—this wasn’t an act.

[Ho-yoon’s cold performance leaking through]

It was genuine.
He was genuinely in a terrible mood.

“What’s the punishment?”

When Sung Ji-won raised his hand to ask, the corners of Seo Ho-yoon’s mouth lifted slightly.

“Jung Da-jun was whisking meringue an hour ago, apparently not realizing it was a dessert-making content shoot.”
“Really?”
“Seriously?! That’s why I was so confused!!”

Jung Da-jun pressed his palm against Kim Sung-hyun’s nose, saying it still smelled sweet. At the same moment, someone wheeled over a mobile cart from a distance. On top sat a plate covered with a stainless steel lid.
When Seo Ho-yoon lifted the cover, the food was revealed.
It was a dish Jung Da-jun had made.
It was a dish made by Jung Da-jun.

“Ugh!”
“Da-jun, what on earth were you thinking?”
“Dajun, why on earth did you do that?”

At Sung Ji-won’s gentle yet infinitely sincere question, Jung Da-jun cried out indignantly.

“You could’ve just made a tuna sandwich….”
“…!!”
“…!!”

Jung Da-jun slapped his forehead with a look of sudden realization.

[Hey you idiot hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I can’t eat tuna macarons
I can’t eat tuna macarons for you.

└It’d be madness if you ate it..]

When matching the penalty with Jung Da-jun’s food, Kim Sung-hyun raised his hand with an anxious expression.

“So what’s the penalty?”
“That one.”
“…Pardon?”
“Eating the dessert Jung Da-jun made.”

Everyone’s face went pale,

“―Or run on the treadmill for ten minutes and do a sexy dance.”
“I’ll do the sexy dance.”

Their expressions brightened immediately.
At Kim Sung-hyun’s sharp, decisive answer, Jung Da-jun glared with a pout, but he couldn’t sway his hyungs’ unwavering resolve.
For reasons unknown, Jung Da-jun had been throwing himself into cooking as a coming-of-age celebration. He was particularly passionate about fusion cuisine.

“Jung Da-jun, if I gave you jjajangmyeon with strawberry jam mixed in, could you eat it?”
“Ugh….”
“Ah, that’s so unfair!! I usually do well! And strawberry jam could taste good with jjajangmyeon!”
“….”
“You narrow-minded people, why don’t you try it before deciding it tastes bad?”

[Da-jun,
you have to taste it to know if it’s shit or soybean paste, right?

└I guess I want to try it with black bean paste or strawberry dip…
Looks like they want to dip it and taste it to see if it’s black bean sauce or strawberry…

No one listened to Jeong Da-jun.
No one heard Jung Da-jun’s words.

“It’s okay to overindulge, but who decides?”
“Isn’t that too much? That’s basically just Ho-yoon’s hyung doing whatever he wants.”
I’ll do it.

Seo Ho-yoon tapped the podium with his finger and grinned at the members.

“If you’re dissatisfied, you should have taken over my concept a long time ago.”
“If you’re dissatisfied, you should have taken over my concept from the start.”
“Huh~.”

Seo Ho-yoon looked at Kang Yi-chae and asked.

“Kang Yi-chae, are you still speaking informally?”

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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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