The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 223

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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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223

Kim Deuk-pal, a manager with an impressive career at Dae Pa-sung, had been experiencing spectacularly eventful days ever since meeting Min Ji-heon, whose breathtaking visuals and innocent smile could captivate anyone at first glance.
It had been fortunate to gain the opportunity to build a solid career as Min Ji-heon’s manager after joining Dae Pa-sung.

Korean Wave star!
Ten-million-viewer actor!
Acting genius!

Any descriptor attached to Min Ji-heon felt perfectly natural.
With an icy impression when not smiling yet seemingly naive in reality, there had been times when I worried he might fall victim to a scam somewhere.
However, after several years together, I came to understand. It was a massive misconception.

“Aha ha.”

Always joking around so no one realized it, but he was stubborn and unyielding.
He approached acting with unwavering seriousness and treated staff kindly, yet remained indifferent to everything else—an iron wall, willful, and frequently went incommunicado.

“Brother, castella cake~.”
“Ji-heon, please! Can’t you at least tell me before you move, or take me with you?”
“Should I~?”

Grinning and answering with a question instead of a definitive response meant he had absolutely no intention of listening.

And truthfully, he had never behaved properly even once.
Disappearing on the way to filming sets, requiring dozens of searches to find him.
Leaving everyone behind while standing in front of the van with both hands full of snacks—the sight made his blood pressure skyrocket. Watching Min Ji-heon flash that angelic smile and ask “Brother, want some?”—that was his standard daily routine, hand pressed to the back of his neck in exasperation.

Even the previous manager, the head of the Dae Pa Sung Management Team, had transitioned from hypotension to hypertension before finally being able to step away from Min Ji-heon’s assignments.
That’s why within the team, taking on Min Ji-heon’s management was notorious for being hardcore work.
And he had inherited that burden.

‘But Ho-yoon is taking over managing our Ji-heon?’

Moreover, Min Ji-heon had taken the initiative to tell the CEO that he wanted to do a variety show, and specifically with Seo Ho-yoon.
I paused for a moment, wondering if the sun had risen in the west—the news was that shocking.

In any case, I could see the hardship ahead for Seo Ho-yoon, so I headed to the filming set while contemplating how to wrap up this program without damaging Min Ji-heon’s image.

‘Still, I should be the one driving, right?’

After all, broadcasting was all about maintaining appearances, so I figured the production staff would understand if I didn’t touch anything else but handled the driving myself.
After parking, I spun the car keys around my finger and walked toward Min Ji-heon’s home.

“Ji-heon, today….”
“Oh, hyung, hey.”

But Min Ji-heon’s face as he opened the entrance door seemed unusually tense for some reason.

‘Huh?’

“S-s-shall we go.”

An observation camera followed alongside him.
It seemed they had already finished filming Min Ji-heon’s spacious home with its clear Han River view and his fluffy white dog with its luxuriously thick coat.

‘Why is he so nervous?’

I had a smile on my lips, but having spent so much time together, I could tell it was a strained one. His fingertips were trembling slightly.
As I descended to the parking lot wondering if we should continue with the schedule as planned, a black van came to a precise stop in front of Min Ji-heon.

“…??”

Whirrrrr.

The window slowly descended, and Seo Ho-yoon appeared from the driver’s seat in a black hoodie. Despite his plain appearance without any makeup, he radiated a celebrity aura.
Seo Ho-yoon gestured toward Min Ji-heon with his chin.

“Get in.”
“…??”

What? Did The Dun’s Manager give him a heads-up first?
I was momentarily startled that he’d already taken the van and appeared without me even handing over the keys, but I felt satisfied knowing we’d captured a scene right from the start.
I thought Min Ji-heon would grin mischievously and quickly hop into the car, but he glanced at me, then at the van, then looked at the camera before gazing back at the van, and let out a long sigh. Then he slowly boarded the van.

“Good morning.”

Seo Ho-yoon greeted him while catching a glimpse of Min Ji-heon in the rearview mirror. Min Ji-heon blinked several times before letting out a small murmur.

“Ah, ah, good morning. Ho-yoon.”
“Hmm?”

At that, Seo Ho-yoon lowered his head slightly and burst out laughing.

“Didn’t you say you’d call me Ho-yoon like always?”
“….”

I couldn’t understand why Min Ji-heon, usually so glib, looked so deflated, but in any case, the Manager crouched in the back seat to avoid being caught on camera, prepared for any unexpected accidents.

‘The vehicle size is different, so driving a van is different from driving a regular car.’

But defying expectations, Seo Ho-yoon smoothly shifted gears and, turning his head, lightly reversed out.

“…??”

And since it was still early morning with cars parked in layers, he swiftly navigated out of the maze-like parking lot.

“Senior, is it okay if I play a song?”
“…Sure!”

The moment Min Ji-heon gave his approval, Seo Ho-yoon connected his phone via Bluetooth and started the music.
A smooth, comfortable ride with no jolts.
Moreover, he navigated the route skillfully even before the navigation system could guide him.
Usually Min Ji-heon would ramble about what he wanted to eat or suggest stopping somewhere to grab food, but today, perhaps because Seo Ho-yoon was acting as his manager, he fastened his seatbelt, kept his mouth shut, and simply gazed out the window.

‘So our Ji-heon can be composed too!’

While the Manager was moved by the sight of Min Ji-heon being unusually well-behaved, music began to play.

【I guess my world goes around you
Like the moon orbits the earth】

“…Ho-yoon, isn’t this one of your songs?”
“Yes, it’s a fan song. Why? Should I play something else?”
“No?! No, it just sounded like such a beautiful angelic melody that I had to ask. Aha ha.”

‘What’s gotten into him?’

For a moment, the Manager doubted his own ears.
It was strange to see Min Ji-heon speaking earnestly and sincerely to the other person without his usual sarcasm, nodding his head enthusiastically.

【I’ve never actually thought badly of it】

“Always, uh, being dragged along~.”
“Wow, you even know the lyrics to our songs, senior.”
“Actually, I’ve never really hated it~.”
“I got the lyrics wrong.”

Min Ji-heon recited The Dun’s song lyrics, albeit awkwardly, as if he’d studied them beforehand. The Manager, who had been swaying his head to the beat with half-lidded eyes, thought to himself.

‘I’m not sure what’s going on, but at least the program filming will wrap up without any major issues.’

Being a manager could be exhausting.
But this was just the beginning of the day. Today’s schedule was a photo shoot.
This was one of the tasks Min Ji-heon found least interesting among his mandatory duties.

“Min Ji-heon today, right?”

However, ten minutes into the shoot.
Min Ji-heon, who had been sitting in a chair holding an armful of flowers and staring blankly, seemed to flinch at the sound of Seo Ho-yoon’s sigh as he slightly furrowed his brow, then began earnestly striking poses and performing expressions.

“Ooh!! Perfect! Gorgeous~. My goodness! Beautiful!”

Behind the Photographer who kept exclaiming his praise, Seo Ho-yoon stood waiting with a water bottle, while Min Ji-heon poured his passion into his poses as if he were practically rolling on the floor.

“Hold the flowers behind your back and turn your chin this way! Ah~, perfect! Wow, you’re really committed! What’s gotten into you, Min Ji-heon? If you always gave me this much effort, I’d have nothing left to wish for.”

Since meeting Min Ji-heon, I had never conducted a pictorial shoot with such meticulous dedication.
He was someone who immersed himself like a man who had sold his very soul to acting, yet showed no interest in anything else—a perpetual headache.

‘What on earth is this?’

Min Ji-heon’s Manager scrutinized him carefully as he monitored the photos just taken and listened intently to the Photographer’s remarks.
Just then, someone from the Magazine Company mentioned they would take a brief rest before changing into the next outfit and resuming the shoot. Simultaneously, lunch boxes prepared by the Magazine Company were delivered.

“Wow, food, food, food~!”

Min Ji-heon reacted first with enthusiasm.
However, Seo Ho-yoon blocked his path with a bright smile.

“Senior, where are you going?”
“Huh? The food’s here, isn’t it?”
“How about we take a selfie first?”
“…Huh?”

Min Ji-heon’s eyes widened like saucers, but Seo Ho-yoon continued firmly.

“I noticed you don’t take many photos of yourself or upload to SNS much, and that disappoints your fans.”

‘This won’t do! Min Ji-heon hates having his photos taken anyway, and if you bother him while he’s eating, he becomes a madman!’

Because the camera for “Take Care of Me” was rolling smoothly, the Manager couldn’t shout it aloud, but his insides burned black with dread at the backlash to come.

“Wait, Ho-yoon. What about my meal?”
“Who eats during a pictorial shoot? That’s the staff’s portion.”
“But I have no strength if I don’t eat….”
“Nonsense. Eat after the shoot. Come on, hurry.”

Yet despite his shocked expression, Min Ji-heon squeezed his eyes shut once, then opened them and obediently launched the camera app.
After that.

“Why do you keep closing your eyes?”
“I’m hungry and have no strength….”
“Open them wide.”

Idol’s passionate selfie tutorial continued.
Min Ji-heon, who only used his phone for calls, awkwardly followed Seo Ho-yoon’s instructions and struck poses. After hundreds of shots, Min Ji-heon barely received approval for a single photo and slumped in defeat.
Seo Ho-yoon examined the result and let out a small whistle.

“He just bulldozes through with his face and aura.”

I couldn’t agree more.
Seo Ho-yoon asked to upload the photo, then walked over to Choi PD for a brief conversation.
Soon laughter was exchanged, and Seo Ho-yoon approached me again.

“Manager, I think it would be great to film a YouTube behind-the-scenes for Min Ji-heon. Could you prepare just two cameras? The manager and I can split the filming.”
“Huh? Is that okay? There will be variety show content included, won’t there?”
“I already talked it over with Choi PD. He said it’s perfect for a sneak peek before airing—actually, he seemed really excited about it.”

When the manager glanced toward Choi PD, he gave a thumbs up with a sharp gesture while filming.
We decided to go ahead with it, and while the manager called the Planning Team, Min Ji-heon’s pictorial shoot began again.
Deep green walls were surrounded by vibrant autumn flowers, and Min Ji-heon sitting among them looked like a masterpiece painting.

“Wow, Min Ji-heon, that sensitive vibe is totally awesome!”
“Haha…”

His eyes gleamed with hunger—he was clearly on edge from not eating, his mind focused solely on finishing work and getting food.
Like when acting, Min Ji-heon gradually became absorbed in the shoot.
The final cut was praised by the photographer as one of his best works to date.
Standing behind him, Seo Ho-yoon’s lips curved up with quiet satisfaction.

“Good work. Have some kimbap.”
“…Just one roll?”
“Five rolls later.”
“Yes!”

‘…What is this?’

Watching Seo Ho-yoon hand Min Ji-heon one roll of kimbap as praise and then drive the van again, I felt overwhelmed by defeat.
Min Ji-heon, carefully savoring the single roll of kimbap, looked a bit pitiful, yet he seemed happy.

‘Driving, content creation, pictorial advice… he does it all better than me. And Ji-heon seems to follow him well too.’

The Idol was more capable than I was.
I shuffled along behind the camera with a sullen expression, careful to stay out of frame, until we reached the entrance door.
The moment Min Ji-heon entered the password and opened the entrance door, I heard rapid pitter-pattering—the sound of movement.
It was Min Ji-heon’s dog, Malang.
I’d been following Min Ji-heon whenever he had time for volunteer work at the animal shelter, watching Malang since the days when the puppy couldn’t even open its eyes.

‘That’s right! Malang! You’re my healing!’

Just as the Manager naturally spread both arms wide as if it were obvious,

“Oh no.”

The white fluffy ball spun in circles, hesitating for a moment, then quickly bounded over and nuzzled against Seo Ho-yoon.

“…??”

This wasn’t our first meeting, was it?
As if I’d coated myself in treats, the dog wagged its tail enthusiastically and licked Seo Ho-yoon’s face eagerly.

‘Even you, Malang!’

After all the kilograms of food I’d fed this dog and all the walks I’d taken it on.

“It’s cute. What’s its name?”
“Malang.”

Min Ji-heon, who answered, also wore an expression of betrayal. He hadn’t received a single glance either.

“Ho-yoon, do you… walk around with catnip or something?”

Min Ji-heon’s muttering—’Is catnip even added to Sol○’s eyes?’—was lightly brushed off by everyone.

After that, a brief interview shoot followed with Min Ji-heon’s Han River View as the backdrop.
Once Min Ji-heon had regained some composure, he cleared his throat and answered a question about how the two of us usually got along.

“Haha! Ho-yoon suggested we do this together voluntarily. I’m grateful that he likes me so much.”

Min Ji-heon’s cheeks flushed red as he smiled brightly.

“I suppose I must be his closest senior, wouldn’t you say?”

Next came Seo Ho-yoon’s turn.
Seo Ho-yoon, faced with the identical question that Min Ji-heon had received, tilted his head in confusion.

“Min Ji-heon, senior?”

It was a subtle form of pressure—a request to emphasize the warm bond between senior and junior.

“Your senior’s dog is incredibly cute, isn’t it?”
“….”

There was no mention of Min Ji-heon anywhere.
Seo Ho-yoon shrugged nonchalantly and asked Malang, who was sitting on his lap, affectionately, “Want to come back to our dormitory with me?” Malang’s tail wagged with particular enthusiasm.
Malang’s tail wagged with particular enthusiasm.

***

“Wow, this little one really is affectionate.”

I lifted Min Ji-heon’s dog with both hands and gazed at it intently, as it constantly licked my hands, feet, nose, and lips without warning.
A black nose, long white fur, and perky, large ears.

‘This is rather soothing.’

Moreover, it was remarkably peaceful.
My polite warning seemed to have worked—Min Ji-heon was far quieter than expected. Occasionally, Min Ji-heon’s Manager would glance at me with a sorrowful expression, but I ignored it.

“Malang, how old are you?”

I pressed my index finger against its moist, glossy nose when Min Ji-heon suddenly plopped down beside me and said,

“Ho-yoon, Malang is four years old.”
“Malang, isn’t it really tough living with this uncle Ji-heon who talks like that?”
“Besides, Ho-yoon has to film with Ji-heon for two weeks straight anyway.”
“That’s really tough for me too.”

Just moments ago, Choi PD had announced a brief break and ushered the staff outside in a hurried procession. Min Ji-heon’s Manager had gone with them, saying he’d just smoke a cigarette.
Still, cameras were installed everywhere, so caution remained necessary regardless.
Suddenly, my nose itched, and when I wiped it with my hand, blood came away on my fingers.

“Ah, damn.”

Lately, it was almost a nosebleed every single day.
As I sighed and searched for tissues, Min Ji-heon held Malang and handed me a box of tissues.

“Here.”

Not a trace of alarm crossed his face.
At his composed demeanor, I pressed the tissue to my nose and looked at him.
In that same moment, our eyes met.
The instant I saw his pupils contract sharply, my body felt lighter, and breathing became easier.

“You….”

Just as I furrowed my brows and tried to grab Min Ji-heon, the sound of the door opening came, followed by Min Ji-heon’s Manager and the filming staff entering.
Min Ji-heon stood up, still holding Malang, and looked down at me with a smile.

“Thanks for taking care of things while I’m away?”

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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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