The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 156

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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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156

“Thank you for your hard work~.”
“Yes! Thank you for your hard work.”

After the performance ended, The Dun returned to the waiting room and gulped down water.
I finished my own bottle of water and set the empty container on the table before collapsing onto the sofa. The costume coordinator, who had appeared at some point, took the velvet ribbon I’d brought and retied it into a bow, when Kang Yi-chae nudged me from beside me.

“Easy guy~. Could you untie the ribbon one more time~.”
“Once is enough, isn’t it?”

When I shot back smoothly, Kang Yi-chae let out a snort of laughter.
Sung Ji-won and Kim Sung-hyun, who had tried to remove their crowns or headbands because they found them cumbersome and gotten scolded for it, had to have their outfits adjusted again, while Jung Da-jun simply wandered around unbothered.

“Hyung hyung! When are you showing off your abs??”
“…Jung Da-jun, stop playing around with Kang Yi-chae too.”

The maknae was increasingly resembling Kang Yi-chae.
Kim Sung-hyun was watching Jung Da-jun, who had stuck himself to his side and was teasing him relentlessly, with an expression of clear exasperation.

“Oh! High Five sunbae is starting!”

The members gathered and sat down, conscious of the camera following them to capture reactions.
This group’s song was equally famous.

[We go High
We go High]

“Isn’t this a Black Call sunbae’s B-side track?”

How did they pick exactly that?
This song was a Black Call B-side that, despite never being promoted, had gained considerable popularity, so a dance video was uploaded to YouTube as fan service.
Try had definitely been the one to select it, but the song had been taken by High Five.
I bet the editing would include that viral clip of the raccoon washing cotton candy.

I’d overheard the broadcasting staff casually mentioning that Joo Woo-sung had given advice to High Five as well, but it was so perfunctory and brief that they figured it would end up on the cutting room floor.

[Are you ready, my friend
Now it’s time for me to soar]

Yet High Five absolutely flew across that stage.

“Is this a pilot concept?”
“Seems like it.”

With a pilot concept, their uniforms were perfectly tailored to drive the fanatics wild, and true to their major agency pedigree, each member’s abilities were exceptionally balanced.
If they were from the same agency as Black Call, there would be plenty of people to offer advice besides Joo Woo-sung, and they had a solid fanbase and massive capital backing them.
Honestly, no matter what song they’d chosen, they could have delivered a spectacular performance without breaking a sweat.

‘I’m envious.’

Kang Yeon-hu, their leader, stood out especially.
Setting aside my initial personal impression of him as somewhat gloomy, his vocals were far better than I’d expected.
Sung Ji-won stared intently at the monitoring screen.

[If fear grips you, don’t step forward
Just stay there and watch my move]

‘…They’re good.’

The title of next-generation representatives wasn’t undeserved, it seemed.
The three groups before them had delivered solid performances too. But High Five’s stage had a different density to it.
If The Dun had gone with a similar concept….

‘We would’ve been buried.’

Squeezed from above and below, crushed under the weight.
No matter how skilled you were, the game was rigged—agency backing, connections, capital, everything counted against you.
If something was lacking, you had to compensate with something else.

[We go High
We go High]

“We’ll check the rankings soon!”

At the staff member’s words, Jung Da-jun clasped his hands tightly together.
There wasn’t a single group here that hadn’t worked hard, but under Joo Woo-sung’s guidance, we’d practiced until we were practically retching, so the members’ faces carried a subtle sense of anticipation.
Meanwhile, I was too preoccupied with other thoughts.

“Only on-site voting and expert voting are being counted?”

After the meet-and-greet—before selecting the first competition song—I sought out Lee Ji-hyun.
Despite the workload still being no joke, the problems that had been plaguing her seemed to have cleared up entirely, and her face radiated vitality.
She tilted her head in thought before responding.

“Then it’ll be impossible. We can’t compete with The Dun in terms of recognition.”
“Right, that’s what worries me.”
“Then don’t overextend yourself in the first competition. Or do something so compelling that people can’t help but vote.”
“…Does something like that even exist?”

At my lukewarm question, Lee Ji-hyun clicked her tongue and explained.

“Tsk tsk, Seo Ho-yoon. You’re still quite naive, aren’t you….”
“….”
“Go get yourself ready and steel your resolve.”

As a former PD, those words stung my pride a little.

‘Well, in the end, Lee Ji-hyun was right.’

The on-site reaction had been incredible.
At the time, Lee Ji-hyun had added that there might be some scandal attached to it.

‘No.’

There was no need to worry about that.

“Brother! The rankings are out!”

The reactions later would prove it.

“Starting from third place!!”

While Jung Da-jun flailed about and made a fuss, I tore open a fresh water bottle.
The monitoring screen displayed the brilliant Shining Star logo.

[3rd place, TEW! TEW! Audience votes: 3,100 points! Expert votes: 1,000 points for a total of 4,100 points!]

As expected.
Next.

[Now announcing 4th and 5th place!]

Since Kim Sung-hyun had predicted our ranking at 3rd place, everyone tensed at that announcement.
None of us had anticipated placing 4th or 5th.

[4th place, Verse!]

A scream erupted from the adjacent waiting room.

[5th place, Try!]

That was fine too.

“…What?”

I alone remained calm in this place.
The announcements for 3rd through 5th place had concluded.

[We’re left with only 1st and 2nd place….]

My members’ expressions gradually shifted to shock.
Brief clips of High Five and our performance alternated on screen.

“…What, what is this?”

[1st place is———!!]

Jung Da-jun gripped my sleeve, his body rigid with tension.
The camera operator in front focused intently on Jung Da-jun, whose reactions were excellent.

[—With 4,200 audience votes and 1,200 expert votes for a total of 5,400 points, it’s High Five! Congratulations!!]

The members remained silent, as if the results hadn’t fully registered in their minds yet.
Then a small gasp escaped from Jung Da-jun’s lips.

“…Wow.”

[Automatically, The Dun’s ranking becomes 2nd place. Thank you for your hard work!]

2nd place.
The ranking The Dun earned in the first round of competition.

“…Insane!!”

And I shot to my feet.

‘See?’

The ranking proved the audience’s response to our stage performance.
I hadn’t given up on aiming for 1st place, but I knew it would be difficult.
Each audience member received two votes, and the rules prevented them from casting all their votes for a single group.
Ultimately, it meant they had to cast one vote outside their own group, and we benefited greatly from taking a completely different approach than High Five, who finished with a spectacular finale.

‘There wasn’t much strategic voting against us.’

Beyond the response itself, the fact that The Dun’s expected ranking had been 5th place likely made people feel comfortable voting for us without hesitation.

“Woohoo~~!!”
“2nd place, we did it~!!”

Whether High Five took 1st or not, the excited members gathered in a circle and began dancing in celebration. Even the composed and reserved Sung Ji-won was caught up in it.

“Come on, let’s go.”

It was time to head to the stage for our greeting.

“Yeah, let’s go!”

Sung Ji-won patted Kim Sung-hyun on the back as he still seemed dazed, and we left the waiting room.
As we all passed through the backstage area, I felt TEW, who placed 3rd, glancing sideways at us.

“….”

Particularly, the TEW vocalist’s expression was far from pleased. Jung Da-jun glanced at him, then turned his head away with an uncharacteristic coldness.
I observed the situation carefully while maintaining a smile on my face as I greeted them.

“Thank you for your hard work.”
“…Yes, thank you as well.”
“…Congratulations!”

The cameras were rolling.
Naturally, the TEW members glanced at us briefly before offering their congratulations.
Coming from WH, a major agency just like Black Call’s company, TEW had secured second place in the predicted rankings and received votes similar to High Five.
They had a considerable fanbase and significant popularity, yet today they’d been surpassed by us.

“…Second place—.”
“Real—play…. —The Dun…—.”

As they passed us, I caught fragments of whispered words mixed with quiet sighs.

“…Hmm.”

I noticed our youngest member, whose face never seemed to rest, watching TEW move ahead with an expressionless gaze, and I wiped the corner of my mouth.

Was he mocking their pathetic display?
Or was he suppressing a satisfied smile?

They couldn’t comprehend how we, who were supposed to finish last and be completely buried, had achieved such a high ranking with a song that had failed commercially. Watching them struggle to maintain their composure in front of the cameras, forcing an awkward smile—

‘This is entertaining.’

“Kim Sung-hyun, let’s head up.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”

I had kept my promise to Kim Sung-hyun when we selected the song.

“But why do you look so satisfied?”
“We came in second.”
“…Well, that’s true!”

However, Kim Sung-hyun, unaware of my true thoughts, simply pressed forward with an elated expression at the high ranking. I matched his stride, careful not to fall too far behind, and climbed onto the stage.
Unlike the excited members, I felt a different kind of joy—anticipation for what was about to unfold.

Boom!

In that moment, confetti cannons erupted, scattering ribbons of color through the air.
It was a celebration for High Five, who had claimed first place in the preliminary round.
And—,

“….”

—my gaze locked with Kang Yeon-hu’s at the center of it all.
I couldn’t help but admire it.

‘Wow….’

The message in his eyes wasn’t the envious wariness other groups sent—resentment that someone beneath them had earned a higher ranking.
It was something purer: a sharp, cutting vigilance directed at a true rival.

‘Now that’s different, isn’t it?’

But even that vanished in a blink, replaced by the glittering idol smile that materialized in its place.
I smiled back and ushered the members down to the waiting room.

“You all did great. Let’s head out.”
“Yay~.”

Jung Da-jun bounced excitedly and sidled up next to me, eager to talk.

“Ho-yoon, you know?”
“Hmm?”
“We really, really, really worked hard! And it feels amazing that people recognized it!”

His still-chubby cheeks flushed crimson with excitement.

“You’re that happy about it?”
“Yes!!”

We’d delivered solid results in the blind test and proven our skills, but with our low recognition, we’d been crushed in the pre-voting and landed dead last—which made this current result all the more satisfying.

“Of course, I don’t know what’ll happen next. But we still have to give it our all. If we work hard, it’ll definitely come back to us!”
“….”
“…No? U-us, we might not be able to get first place?”

Jung Da-jun finished speaking and belatedly glanced at my expression.

“Right, yeah. That… I might’ve gotten a little too excited and said something like a dream just now….”

And I didn’t particularly like that.

“Jung Da-jun, come here for a second.”
“…?”

I felt like I’d been nurturing his spirit so carefully, yet it still seemed lacking. Was he still not there?
I smoothly untied the velvet ribbon and wrapped it around Jung Da-jun’s head in a circle. Then I tied it into a pretty bow.
It matched his cat ears perfectly.

“…???”
“Hehe.”

Jung Da-jun stared at me with a bewildered expression.
Recalling my own twenty-year-old self, I put my arm around the shoulder of Jung Da-jun, who still seemed so childlike.

“…What are you doing right now?”
“Jung Da-jun, what are you talking about?”
“Huh?”

Thinking how nice it would be to take a photo like this and post it on The Dun’s official StarStar, I poked the maknae’s chubby cheeks playfully.

“I’m Seo Ho-yoon.”
“…S-so?”
“You still don’t get it?”

When I decide to do something, I do it.

“Maknae, let’s prepare your final comments.”

Jung Da-jun’s large eyes widened even more.
Then, moved by emotion, he covered his mouth with the ribbon still tied around his head.

“I’m seriously getting excited about this….”
“Why are you making such a big deal out of this?”

I’ll take you on a rollercoaster ride all the way to first place in the Shining Star finals.

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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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