The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 222

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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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222

On the day I was scheduled to have a pre-production meeting with Min Ji-heon for a variety show, I encountered a familiar face in the conference room.

“Wow! Seo Ho-yoon, it’s so great to see you like this!”

It was Choi PD, the producer from ‘Hyperfocus Master’ that I’d filmed with Yoo Ji-a and Joo Woo-sung. I’d heard he’d moved to a different program, but I hadn’t expected him to transition to overseeing a fixed variety show like this.
He broke into a wide smile when he saw me.

“Is it hard to see your face these days? Even when we first met, your popularity was on the rise, but now you’re absolutely skyrocketing.”
“Oh, that’s all thanks to you, PD. I really got my proper start in variety shows because of Hyperfocus Master.”
“You’re still as charming as ever, truly!”

With his innocent expression, he laughed heartily and rambled on about how I’d soar even higher, his manner unchanged from before.
The screenwriters beside him just rolled their eyes and kept their mouths firmly shut.

“Min Ji-heon’s flight was delayed today, so he’ll be a bit late. But it’s fine—we can get started without him. Alright then, let me explain this variety show, ‘Take Care of Me.'”

Min Ji-heon had been on an upward trajectory since his debut, and the company had kept him away from variety shows except for interviews and pictorials to manage his image.
‘Take Care of Me’ featured about three teams per episode, with each team composed of two stars, and one of them would become a temporary manager to look after the other—that was the concept of the program.

‘A mixed variety show, then.’

It blended together all the trendy elements that were popular these days.

“You have to follow trends, but there needs to be a special element, right? Seo Ho-yoon will be assigned as Min Ji-heon’s manager.”

Choi PD’s eyes gleamed as he said this.

“Honestly, I wanted to feature Min Ji-heon solo this time. It’s almost his first time doing a variety show like this, but if a junior from the same agency comes out to support him, it won’t be fun, right?”
“Yes.”
“With Min Ji-heon—whether you call him a hundred-million-viewer actor, a syndrome, a Korean Wave star—any title works.”

I thought he was trying to pressure me, but Choi PD suddenly thrust his thumb up.

“So the conclusion is Jin-i, got it! Please make it fun!!”
“….”
“I really enjoyed watching Seo Ho-yoon in The Dun’s solo variety show. How do I put it… Seo Ho-yoon is funny just looking at his face, but his sense of humor is refined to another level because of his shamelessness and impeccable timing? Absolutely the best!!”

Funny just looking at his face… was that an insult?
Suddenly, I recalled the time during my first music video shoot when I called myself handsome because of the System Window’s choices, and Director Jung complimented me for having a good sense of humor.

“PD, I won’t disappoint your expectations.”
“Kh! That’s refreshing!”

I smiled outwardly while my head spun with thoughts.

‘The CEO is forcing me into Min Ji-heon’s variety show?’

I tapped my fingers on the table as I looked at Min Ji-heon’s name written in the proposal the writers had handed me.

‘What’s he thinking?’

The CEO said the Management Team had requested it because they were worried about getting edited out, but that was complete nonsense.
Even if they just filmed Min Ji-heon’s face and uploaded it silent for 30 minutes, people would go crazy for it.

“Then I’ll see you on the filming day!”
“Yes, thank you so much~!”

In the end, the meeting ended without me catching even a glimpse of Min Ji-heon.
While waiting for my Manager, who said he’d go meet with a Broadcasting Station staff member, I was sipping on a Sol O from the vending machine when I spotted the writer and Assistant Director who had come in for the meeting.
I was about to greet them again, but they seemed too absorbed in their conversation to notice me.

“——It’s just a package deal, you know.”

My ears perked up at the interesting word.

“Apparently, that agency’s CEO said Min Ji-heon wouldn’t appear unless he was with Seo Ho-yoon. Does that even make sense?”

Huh?

“Why not? It’s totally possible. They’re close.”
“I have a feeling. Those two aren’t that close.”

My instincts were uncanny.
I casually turned my body away, continuing to fidget with my drink, when the conversation grew louder and clearer to my ears.

“There’s talk of Seo Ho-yoon getting fixed variety show offers lately—it’s not bad, but bundling him with Min Ji-heon is a different story, isn’t it?”
“Min Ji-heon is definitely in a different tier, you know?”
“Yeah, that’s true.”

‘Great, they’re talking behind my back.’

“How long will Seo Ho-yoon’s popularity last anyway? There are plenty of rookies who spike briefly and then fade.”

Well, they weren’t entirely wrong.
I remained in my awkward position, listening to the end, then downed my drink in one go.

“We don’t know what’ll happen, but how long has it been since debut and there are already several controversies. We’ve managed so far, but if one more thing explodes, everything could come crashing down. Everyone thinks that way, right? They just smile in front of you while they can use you.”
“Man, now that I think about it, Min Ji-heon really has it rough. Having to bring along a junior like that and appear on variety shows too.”

I’d heard enough. I crumpled the empty can and tossed it into the trash bin.
The sound of the can hitting the trash drew the eyes of the screenwriters and staff toward me.
Seeing them flinch, I smiled brightly.

“Ah, haha… Ho-yoon, you’re still here?”
“Yeah, well.”

But there was no reason to antagonize the staff, so I figured I’d just smooth things over and extract more information.
That’s when—

“Aw, come on, screenwriter.”

A familiar voice reached my ears from behind.

“Ji-heon?”

And with weight added to my shoulder, Min Ji-heon appeared beside me with an easy smile, his arm around my shoulders.
Even after all this time, his face still had that infuriating shine to it.

“I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”

The guy added an apology, though he didn’t look sorry in the slightest.

“But it sounds like you were telling an interesting story?”
“Huh?”

Min Ji-heon tapped my shoulder lightly and spoke in a casual tone.

“Right, right. I heard that an investor pushed his nephew into this variety show… but that’s different from this, isn’t it?”
“J-J-Ji-heon!”

The Assistant Director grabbed Min Ji-heon’s arm in shock.

What the hell was he doing?
I narrowed my eyes and watched what Min Ji-heon was up to.

“Huh~? Is this a secret?! No, that nephew actor came running up to me asking for an autograph and told me everything, so I thought it was fine?”
“Th-That’s not what I meant!”
“Oh, I see. I was being insensitive. Everything the nephew said on set was supposed to be a secret~!”

‘Ah.’

His skill at feigning obliviousness was truly exquisite.
True to his nature as an actor, he’d used a resonant voice to turn the secret into something that was no longer a secret.
The Assistant Director and screenwriters exchanged glances with me, their faces pale as they fumbled nervously.

“Min Ji-heon! Shh! Shh shh!”
“Sorry, the nephew’s story is a secret! Don’t worry. I absolutely won’t say that the nephew got pushed in or anything.”

As Min Ji-heon continued speaking loudly while winking, the Assistant Director looked like he was barely holding back a stream of curses. He gathered the screenwriters and left first.

“Thanks for the variety show~.”

The guy waved his hand, shouting toward their retreating figures until the end, then turned to look at me and smiled smoothly.
His light-colored eyes, like sunflowers, sparkled.

“Hey, Ho-yoon.”

And this bastard was taking the opportunity to drop the formal speech.

“Senior.”

Born in a land of propriety and courtesy, I simply moved past Min Ji-heon’s rudeness—despite him being considerably younger—and asked my question with measured politeness instead of cursing him out.

“What brings you all the way here?”
“I thought I’d join the meeting, even if I’m late~. And see the junior who’s been piggy-backing on my success.”

What was he thinking, covering for me like that?
Min Ji-heon trailed behind me. As we walked, he responded warmly to anyone who greeted him or spoke to him.

‘Judging by his behavior, he doesn’t seem to lack friends.’

Actually, even if they weren’t friends, how many people could refuse Min Ji-heon if he asked?
I deliberately took a roundabout path through the hallway to find the vending machine in the most secluded corner of the broadcasting station. The last time I’d visited this station, there hadn’t been any CCTV here.
I inserted another bill into the vending machine and pressed the button for the drink labeled Sol O.

“Hyung, you drink that kind of thing?”

I ignored Min Ji-heon’s comment and gulped down the beverage.
If I had my way, I’d chain-smoke, add some Sol O to my diet, sprawl out in a jjimjilbang, and sleep for hours.
But smoking aside, I had a feeling the Noeul fans would hate the rest of it, thinking it made me seem like an old man.

‘That won’t do.’

I probably wouldn’t be able to indulge until I quit being an idol.
I smacked my lips in regret, and Min Ji-heon shoved money into the vending machine while asking a question.

“What did you hear?”
“What you heard, senior.”
“People are really terrible. If you can’t say something to someone’s face, you shouldn’t say it behind their back either.”

I’d heard that line before, somewhere.
I squinted at him, and even though Min Ji-heon pressed the button for the orange juice labeled “100% Fresh Fruit,” nothing came out.

“Ugh, why isn’t this working?”
“Did you tell them you wouldn’t appear without me?”
“The person who relayed the message probably didn’t say it so sweetly.”
“It amounts to the same thing.”

Just as I was watching Min Ji-heon furrow his brow and inspect the bill slot, my nose suddenly burned. Blood was flowing again.

“So, why?”

I cursed under my breath and pulled out the handkerchief I now carried with me everywhere, pressing it against my nose.
Min Ji-heon, turning away from the vending machine, looked me over.

“…Uh, um.”

The guy, rolling his eyes slightly, seemed reluctant to explain. He turned his body away and jabbed the vending machine buttons several more times.

“Haha. Hyung, you’re really good at variety shows. I thought it’d be nice if we did something together.”
“….”
“It’d look better if we seemed close. Should we come up with a couple nickname?”

I pulled the handkerchief away from my nose as I watched him suggest couple names like “HoHo” or something reminiscent of “Please Camera.”

Fortunately, the nosebleed had stopped and wasn’t flowing anymore.

“Why won’t this thing come out?”

The broadcasting station’s vending machine was always acting up.
I remembered Kim Hee-young kicking it in frustration back in the day, and it lifted my mood a little.

“Ji-heon.”

And I smoothly curved my lips into a smile.

“Yeah!!”

Min Ji-heon turned to look at me at my call, tilted his head slightly, and smiled back at me.

“I don’t know what you’re scheming, but—.”

I lifted my foot.

BANG!!

I kicked the vending machine’s body hard, right next to Min Ji-heon.

“…!”

Clunk, clunk….

The vending machine dropped several beverages with a soft cascade.
I reached beneath the machine, retrieved one drink, and pressed it into Min Ji-heon’s hand.

“Stop wasting time on pointless things.”

It was a kindness of sorts, but this guy only settled down when I made a show of it like this.

“Enjoy your orange juice.”
“….”
“Hmm?”
“…Mm.”

I patted the back of Min Ji-heon’s hand a few times as he stood there blinking in surprise, then turned to leave without hesitation.
Behind me, I heard Min Ji-heon murmuring something about how it was actually apple juice, but I ignored it.

‘I’m not sure why he’s been fussing around me like this.’

It was fine.
I was beginning to understand how to handle Min Ji-heon.

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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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