The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 167

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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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167

Kang Yi-chae was acting strange.

“Yi-chae, come on~, eat something. I got you your favorite hamburger!!”
“….”

No amount of food bribing would work.

“Brother! Do you want to play games? I topped up your account. Sung Ji-won said you could take a break!”
“…No….”

Even when I pushed that addictive game on him.

“Kang Yi-chae, um… want to go for a walk?”
“…No….”

Whatever I tried, he remained listless.

“…Should we just head to practice?”
“…Yeah.”

He only responded to the mention of practice.
Sung Ji-won watched Kang Yi-chae with a worried expression.
Even as we practiced for the final competition, Kang Yi-chae suddenly rushed forward and shut off the music, saying it sounded terrible.

“No, no, no, no, this isn’t it!”
“….”

What do you mean, no?
We were doing fine?
Everyone stared in shock, but Kang Yi-chae threw himself down and rolled across the practice room floor.

“Ah!! I’m going crazy worrying about myself!!”
“….”

Ding!

[Have I finally lost it?]

My thoughts exactly.

“…Let’s just leave it for now.”
“Y-yeah….”

Beyond the wilting and sudden manic episodes, there was a new pattern that had emerged.
I’d lock myself in the Entertainment Company’s Recording Studio or my Bedroom, headphones clamped on, bloodshot eyes fixed on whatever I was working on. And in between, I’d make these crying sounds.

“I’m so exhausted…. I want to cry….”
“….”

I could say with absolute certainty that not a single tear had touched the keyboard.
After watching silently for days, we quietly left Kang Yi-chae to his room and gathered in the Living Room for an emergency meeting.
While all the Members whispered in hushed tones, I pointed my thumb toward Kang Yi-chae’s room and spoke loudly.

“Does anyone know what’s wrong with him?”
“Didn’t we agree to keep our voices down?”

Kim Sung-hyun looked bewildered.
But when someone’s thrashing about like that for attention, isn’t it right to meet those expectations?
I scanned the Members, and Jung Da-jun suddenly raised his hand.

“Da-jun! Did he lose in the promotion match?”
“Hyun-sung. Is now really the time for games? Besides, Kang Yi-chae just laughs it off even when he loses. That doesn’t seem right.”

Kim Sung-hyun’s testimony silenced everyone. Then Sung Ji-won quietly raised his hand and spoke.

“Ji-won. He’s dissatisfied with his own skills.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
“…Yeah, sorry. Guess that’s not it.”

Sung Ji-won mumbled sheepishly, but something clicked in my mind.

“When did he start acting like this?”
“Two days ago… To be exact, 47 hours and 23 minutes ago!”
“Isn’t that around when we were filming?”

No, it was practically the final stretch of filming.
As I retraced my memories, I let out a sigh.

“You guys stay here for a moment.”
“Okay~.”

The culprit was one hundred percent certain.
It was Chung Beom and Lim Hyun-sung’s doing.

“I’ve never seen Kang Yi-chae say he was struggling before.”
“Should we try playing a game to change the mood??”
“Da-jun, not something you want to do.”

While the members continued chattering noisily about Kang Yi-chae in the living room, I stepped out to a corner of the balcony and made a call. The dial tone sounded, and shortly after, the call connected.

[Cute, pretty, gorgeous genius composer Lim Hyun-sung speaking~.]
“….”

I think I finally understood why Kang Yi-chae and she got along so perfectly from the start.

“Sigh….”

Even though I said nothing and merely sighed, Lim Hyun-sung seemed to already have an inkling of what was wrong, giggling cheerfully on the other end.

[So~, how’s Yi-chae doing?]
“What did you do to Kang Yi-chae?”
[I just told you I sent a song to our student, didn’t I?]

Student, my foot.
As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention—I was the one who ended up broaching the real subject.

“You’re telling me Kang Yi-chae is like that just because you sent him one song? There’s definitely something more going on.”
[What’s wrong with Yi-chae?]

Lim Hyun-sung, noticing that my irritation was reaching its peak, added her next words with a tone still tinged with amusement.

[I told you already. Among the unreleased tracks, there’s one that turned out really well, so I played a short clip of it for Kang Yi-chae. That’s all.]

But what on earth made you confident enough to send it to Kang Yi-chae?
Lim Hyun-sung primarily worked with major entertainment companies. She especially produced frequently for WH Entertainment’s idols.
There was even a possibility she’d handle High Five’s track for this final competition.

“Don’t tell me it’s a High Five song?”

Even so, I asked, wondering if Lim Hyun-sung—someone who was usually clear about such distinctions—would really do that, and I heard a snort through the phone.

[It’s not like that. Do you think I’m crazy?]
“What made you confident enough to send an unreleased track to Kang Yi-chae?”
[Why? Are you worried he’ll plagiarize it? Hey, do you think he’s me?]
“….”

Lim Hyun-sung, seriously….

[I’ve stepped back, really. I got a bit carried away for a moment. It was pathetic…. Chung Beom’s dignity completely shattered.]
“Your dignity’s been gone for a while now.”
[You bastard.]

Still, there’s no way the legendary Kang Yi-chae would be this gloomy just because he heard a song that didn’t quite work out.

“Can you do something about that? If he’s like this before the final competition, we can’t use him.”

Lim Hyun-sung burst into hearty laughter.

[Ahahaha, you really don’t get it.]
“Get what?”
[Hey, don’t you have any idea why he’s so gloomy right now? No one can help him. That’s a problem only Kang Yi-chae can solve.]
“….”
[In my opinion, the song turned out incredibly well. Hearing it will make Kang Yi-chae feel a bit bitter.]
“…Kang Yi-chae?”
[There aren’t many people who understand my music the way he does. The more you understand, the wider the spectrum of what you hear.]

A world unique to composers, something like that?
I still didn’t fully understand, but hearing Lim Hyun-sung’s explanation at least helped me make sense of it.
So basically, Kang Yi-chae heard Lim Hyun-sung’s track and felt the limits of his own talent, which is why he’s in this state—something like that, I suppose….

‘What a spoiled thing to say.’

Lim Hyun-sung’s mind couldn’t follow what foolish thing I was doing, so I just sighed again.

“So why did you send it to them in the first place?”
[He’s my student.]
“That’s enough. If it turned out well, you should’ve just been pleased with yourself. Why go out of your way to send it to Kang Yi-chae?”
[Wow. Seo Ho-yoon, you were pretending it wasn’t like that, but your arm’s bent inward.]

I hesitated for a moment before countering that it was only natural.
I recalled Lim Hyun-sung, who had been excessively melancholic over the phone back then.

[…Pffft.]

Of course, Lim Hyun-sung, whose mind worked exceptionally well and who had sharp instincts, couldn’t possibly have missed this.

[Hey, Seo Ho-yoon. Have you gotten soft?]
“….”
[I’m so damn proud. It’s like taming a stray cat without a collar on the street. Oh, sorry. You’re pushing the rabbit angle.]
“Are you joking right now?”

A faint tapping sound came from the phone. Without even looking, I could clearly picture Lim Hyun-sung tapping her desk with a cigarette pack.

[Why did I send it? Ho-yoon, you know. I suddenly became Salieri. Kang Yi-chae feels it, and he’s watching my every move, damn it.]
“….”
[But I’ve been there too. That moment when I was absolutely certain I was the best.]

Lim Hyun-sung murmured bitterly.

[And then I got hit with a massive reality check.]

She spoke with conviction.

[He’s not going to become like me. No, he shouldn’t. That’s why I’m setting his direction straight before it spirals out of control.]

So he could walk the rough path I’d already traveled a little more easily. She’d corrected Kang Yi-chae’s arrogance, made him unsatisfied with the present and push forward—that’s how she’d set his direction. Understanding that her actions stemmed from affection, I pressed my brow and muttered.
I muttered while pressing my brow firmly, unable to completely dismiss actions born from affection.

“Even so, with the final competition right around the corner, why now?”
[Aha, sorry for being petty. But isn’t that how heroes are born from hardship? That’s how it works in comics, right?]

Hardship my ass.
Delighted by my reaction, Lim Hyun-sung hummed as she spoke.

[Naa took over half a year to recover while sharing love in California, so I’m really curious how long it’ll take Kang Yi-chae~.]
“Just say you wanted to go on vacation. Don’t use other members as an excuse.”
[Is Seo Ho-yoon so clueless about love that you’re being this prickly~?]
“….”

Damn that California.
Listening to Lim Hyun-sung’s voice, fully recovered and now teasing me relentlessly, I recalled those grueling days back in Korea and rubbed the back of my neck.

[I’ll buy you a drink later, okay? Don’t be mad at me, our Ho-yoon.]
“I’m already mad.”

And without hearing another word, I hung up abruptly. My hand instinctively reached for my pocket before I let it drop, exhaling heavily in succession.

“Ugh.”

Mozart and Salieri my ass.
This is more like… yeah.

“This is what they call self-reliance through adversity.”

But there’s one thing Lim Hyun-sung doesn’t know.
That guy is Kang Yi-chae.

***

There wasn’t much time left until the final competition.
After hanging up and organizing my thoughts, I decided to handle things quickly.

“Kang Yi-chae. We need to talk.”
“….”

Entering the bedroom, I removed Kang Yi-chae’s headset as I spoke. Kang Yi-chae, slouched in his chair like a wilted leek, drooped listlessly.
Kim Sung-hyun, catching my glance, quickly pulled Kang Yi-chae to his feet.

“Why~? I’m going through puberty, just leave me alone….”

His nonsense remained consistent, but his energy seemed depleted.
Concerned, Sung Ji-won glanced around nervously.

“The Composer told me about it.”
“…!”

Kang Yi-chae’s eyes, which had been lying limp on his side, suddenly gleamed with alertness.
I dragged over a small folding stool and sat down in front of Kang Yi-chae.

“What’s the problem?”

After keeping his mouth firmly shut for a long while, Kang Yi-chae lowered his head and muttered.

“…Don’t want to.”
“….”

In that instant, I reflexively turned my gaze toward Kim Sung-hyun. Kim Sung-hyun was already looking at me.

-You too?
-Yeah.

Sung Ji-won, who had grown up in his grandmother’s care, and Jung Da-jun, an only child, wore serious expressions as they sank into thought. But Kim Sung-hyun and I, having younger siblings, immediately recognized the source of Kang Yi-chae’s reaction.
Kang Yi-chae was currently

‘throwing a tantrum.’

He was being petulant.
It was on the same level as not wanting to go to school, not wanting to go to taekwondo class, or not wanting to play the recorder for tomorrow’s performance evaluation.
That tone and expression when something feels vaguely off about a task that’s actually simple once you start, so irritation flares up and you complain first—that was exactly it.
Kim Sung-hyun wore an expression suggesting he’d reached a similar conclusion. We locked eyes and nodded slightly.

-Let’s go.
-Yeah.

There was a special measure for situations like this.

“Really?”

I leaned my chin on my hand, my legs crossed, and spoke.

“Then don’t do it.”
“…Huh?”
“If it’s hard, you shouldn’t do it. You’ve worked hard enough.”

No matter how much of a child they were, when they sulked, they clearly knew they were doing something wrong.
So even while throwing a tantrum, the moment the other person suddenly shifted their stance and agreed that they were right, they’d become flustered and restless.
Looking at Kang Yi-chae now, I was reminded of a younger Seo Ho-jin.
That kid who cried and wailed for days about not wanting to go to school—when I actually told him not to go if he hated it that much, he’d shouted “Hyung, you never listen to me, you’re the worst!” before sniffling and trudging off to school anyway. Later, he’d come home with an embarrassed expression, holding a Pikachu pork cutlet.

‘He was cute back then.’

Nostalgia.
Anyway, the sulking was real, but there was one thing that bothered me.

‘This is Kang Yi-chae.’

The guy standing in front of me wasn’t ten-year-old Seo Ho-jin—it was Kang Yi-chae, who had incredibly sharp instincts. He’d probably already figured out that I knew he was exaggerating his tantrum.

‘Like how he was subtly gauging my reaction earlier.’

I dangled the bait and waited for his reaction, staying still. Then Kang Yi-chae blinked.

“…Huh?”

And he genuinely seemed flustered, momentarily forgetting that he was even sulking as he stared at me. That’s when I was certain.

‘This bastard….’

He wasn’t flustered because I told him to stop—he was flustered wondering if I’d actually fallen for his act. Because even he thought his tantrum was painfully obvious.
It was that transparent.
By this point, Sung Ji-won seemed to have grasped the situation and wore a subtle smile, while Jung Da-jun, seeing Kang Yi-chae’s expression change, thought he’d regained his spirits and brightened up.
But if we stopped here, it would all fall apart.
Kim Sung-hyun stepped in right on cue to add some force.

“It’s. O.kay. Yi.chae.”
“….”
“I. Re.spect. You. Too.”

Kim Sung-hyun from Acting E was almost like a broken record.
The way he spoke in choppy bursts made even Jung Da-jun stare at him with a puzzled expression.

“…Ah.”

Kang Yi-chae fell silent for a moment, then swept his hair back with a hollow laugh.

“…I got fooled. I almost forgot for a second that this guy was an actor.”

Kang Yi-chae pouted in my direction.
I responded to his expectation with a pretty answer.

“There you go, attention-seeker.”
“…You’re seriously annoying sometimes, hyung.”
“Only sometimes? I’m grateful.”

Kang Yi-chae pushed out his lips and cupped his chin with both hands. He still seemed to want to sulk at the other members, tapping the floor lightly with his toes.

“I don’t know… It’s just… This is the first time I’ve felt such a wall when listening to the Composer’s song….”

This much was probably true.
But the Kang Yi-chae I knew—though I didn’t think that was all there was to him—had such a strong personal philosophy that as long as he and the people he cared about were happy, nothing else mattered. Even if he hit a slump, I didn’t think he’d let it shake his daily life like this.
Moreover, having unintentionally witnessed several facets of Kang Yi-chae, I could clearly see the incongruity emanating from him now.

‘Compared to what happened in Japan, this is nothing.’

If he were truly struggling to the point of being overwhelmed, he would clam up instead, and the atmosphere around him would shift entirely.

‘At this level, he still has some composure left.’

I was debating whether to play along with his sulking act and satisfy him, or simply ignore it, when Jung Da-jun approached Kang Yi-chae.

“Yi-chae hyung, you know what?”
“What.”
“It’s better not to worry about the rest.”
“…!”

We all stared at Jung Da-jun in shock.

“I felt the same way this time. During the performance competition, I realized it. …I was so immersed that I couldn’t even see what was around me.”

Under the weight of everyone’s attention, the youngest member’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“That’s why you shouldn’t compare yourself either. Like you always used to say, what matters is whether you’re having fun doing it.”

The youngest had landed a solid blow.
Jung Da-jun’s earnest advice had clearly struck home with the immature kid who’d been whining moments before. Kang Yi-chae fell silent for a while.
I held back the urge to giggle from the sidelines.
A small response came belatedly.

“…Yeah.”

Jung Da-jun smiled slightly.
In any case, Lim Hyun-sung was right. The fact remained that he’d felt his own limits.

“Let’s just eat.”

The rest was something Kang Yi-chae would have to do on his own.
Just as Jung Da-jun had done.

“…Sigh.”

With a heavy sigh, Kang Yi-chae trudged along and sat at the dining table, wolfing down the rice set before him. He emptied three bowls before heading back to his room.

The guy, who’d been earnestly scribbling something on paper with a pen, his expression serious, finally opened his laptop a few hours later and didn’t close the screen even as the sun rose and set again.

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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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