The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 262

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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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262

Since his solo debut, Joo Woo-sung had been steadily collecting trophies from every music broadcast.
As much as my stomach ached over it, fortunately, interest in Racing Me—the show Joo Woo-sung and I appeared on together—had skyrocketed as well.
Around that time, alongside our performances completing missions on Racing Me, a brief variety show PD experience segment we’d filmed during the final stages of shooting was edited and pre-released on YouTube.

[Seo Ho-yoon is seriously incredible at navigating social situations

└This generation’s perfectly prepared variety show machine…
The funniest part is how bewildered the people around me get lol they’re like “what if you actually manage to pull out the octopus too?” acting all exasperated
└└He must have done his homework at the fish market…]

[Joo Woo-sung… truly lived up to being a first-tier idol—so clever
He called Seo Ho-yoon because he didn’t want to get his hands wet

└That’s the way
└└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I like them because they both work so hard without missing anything ㅠ They’re cute ㅠㅠ]

What is this? Are you editing Hogung right now?? What are you editing?! Why won’t you show me, damn it!
“Hey, why is PD Jung Hoon doing his main job right now?”
That’s why I can’t let go of Cabu lololololol… Do I look like I’m crying because I like it so much..?
[Please release the full version soon]

“Hyung.”

I was checking fan reactions in the private room of the restaurant we’d reserved when the sound of the sliding door opening accompanied the voice of the person I’d been waiting for.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

It was Seo Ho-jin, breathing heavily as if he’d rushed over.

“It’s fine.”
“…I apologize.”

Before starting regular album activities, I decided to make time in my afternoon schedule to call out Seo Ho-jin and grab a meal with my younger brother.
Watching Seo Ho-jin take a seat and drink water first, I pushed forward the food I’d pre-ordered.
He seemed sheepish about being late, breaking into a grin before launching into some flattery.

“Brother, you’re becoming quite the celebrity these days.”
“I am a celebrity.”

Here I was, doing all this just to make a living, yet grabbing a single meal with Seo Ho-jin felt impossibly difficult.
I’d deliberately chosen a private restaurant that only took reservations.
The moment Seo Ho-jin picked up his spoon and began eating, he poured out his recent happenings without me even asking.

“Since it’s still winter break, I run into Yi-chae pretty often in games. That guy’s really something. He’s younger than me, but he’s sharp and quick to pick up on things….”
“Yeah, he’s quite a good kid.”
“…Is he? Well, anyway.”

Watching the boy in front of me fumble around so clumsily, I still found it hard to believe that Kang Yi-chae was actually younger than Seo Ho-jin.

“And these days, I’m preparing for graduate school.”
“Graduate school?”

I paused mid-spoonful of soup, my ears perking up at this news I was hearing for the first time.

“Yeah, law school.”

‘Thank goodness.’

I’d been nervous he might say he wanted to go into broadcasting, given his major.
I wouldn’t stop Seo Ho-jin from doing what he wanted, but when I returned, I’d still be a PD, and if he went that route, there would inevitably be plenty of gossip behind the scenes.
And I wanted to keep Seo Ho-jin safe and hidden as much as possible.
Concealing all these thoughts, I let out a satisfied chuckle.

“Is our family finally going to have someone with a job title ending in ‘sa’?”
“Wow, you really do sound like an old man when you say stuff like that.”

Grumbling even as he spoke, Seo Ho-jin busily worked his chopsticks. I watched my younger brother with his mouth full of food and asked.

“So, domestic Korea or overseas?”

While I believed studying abroad would be better for proper education, I wasn’t entirely comfortable sending him somewhere I couldn’t look after him.
I worried whether he’d eat properly on his own.

“Come on. Where would I get that kind of money?”

However, Seo Ho-jin dismissed it lightly.

“Damn it, why wouldn’t I have money?”
“No… why are you getting angry like that…?”

Seo Ho-jin, flustered mid-bite of a rib, set down his chopsticks and gulped down water.

“Hyung, I have money too. I’m planning to go with the money I’ve saved from tutoring.”

Since becoming a working adult, I’d become someone with nothing but wealth to my name, yet in that time, Seo Ho-jin had lost his parents too young and seemed to have developed the unfortunate habit of growing up too quickly.
Sinking back into my chair, I let slip words with an unnecessary edge.

“Impressive. Looks like I won’t have to worry about my retirement.”
“Right, don’t worry. I’ll eat well and live well on my own.”

I clamped my mouth shut.
My younger brother, grumbling yet eating steadily, glanced at me through the prolonged silence, then slid the bill across the table.

“…Just buy me dinner.”
“Of course.”

After confirming Seo Ho-jin had finished most of his meal, I stood up first and settled the bill.
I’d fed him and heard what he’d been up to.
I was about to send Seo Ho-jin home after a brief pause when he hesitated for a moment and asked a question.

“Hyung, why haven’t you been coming home lately?”
“Why?”
“Well… you haven’t come once this year.”

The way he kept hedging suggested there was something else he really wanted to say beyond just asking why I hadn’t been home.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at Seo Ho-jin.

“If she’s your girlfriend, you can bring her home.”
“It’s not like that!”
“Why are you jumping around like that? You’re acting like it’s real.”

I chuckled and ruffled Seo Ho-jin’s hair vigorously, then pulled out a random card from my wallet and pressed it into his hand.

“Take this and go buy some bread.”
“I’m going to the department store and max out the card.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m going to treat my friends to drinks like a sucker too.”
“Sounds like you’re making lots of friends. That’s nice.”
“….”

As if I could drag him along and make him do anything.
I grabbed Seo Ho-jin’s cheeks with both hands as he stood there speechless, holding the card, and stretched them out.

“Aaaah!”
“Haha.”

His cheeks didn’t stretch soft and plump like when he was little, but they still had that familiar, satisfying feel in my palms.
I kicked his foot as he rubbed his aching cheeks and whined, “How does someone with such a terrible personality become an idol?!”

“Get going, you idiot.”
“I’m leaving!”

After parting with my foolish younger brother who scurried away, I turned around and found myself humming.

‘I’m in such a good mood today.’

His body had grown, but his innocent nature remained exactly the same as when he was little.

I made my way to the Company.
The other members seemed to have also used their free time to see family or take care of errands.
Jung Da-jun and Kang Yi-chae had gone out to play together and returned in high spirits.

“Ah, Seo Ho-yoon, you’re here?”
“Yeah.”

Kim Sung-hyun handed me a chocolate frappuccino.

“You seem to be in a good mood?”
“Do I?”

I answered while sucking on my drink through a straw.
Soon after, the Manager came down and led us to the schedule location.
The afternoon schedule was the United Charity Concert, held every year around the end of February.
After arriving and running through a quick rehearsal, I was heading back to the backstage when Sung Ji-won stood in the center of the stage and exclaimed in admiration.

“Wow, I’ve really wanted to perform on this concert hall stage….”

Last year we’d received an invitation too, but had to be removed from the lineup because of the Japan debut.

“We almost couldn’t make it this time either!”
“Ah, because of the overseas tour?”
“Yes!”

This year, Dae Pa-sung was also planning an overseas tour in February.

“I have no intention of going on a world tour in the first half of the year.”

And I shut it down.
I understood that the CEO wanted to generate revenue through concerts given our rising popularity, but my ambitions reached higher.
The CEO tried to tempt me by saying it would be nice to see overseas fans while doing a world tour.

“Why on earth not?”
“I don’t want to go.”
“….”

Usually I’d soften my words out of consideration for the CEO’s pride, but this time I threw it straight at him.

“…Ahem, ahem. Fine.”

The CEO was flustered but backed off for now.
Lately, rumors of acquisition and merger had been circulating within Dae Pa-sung.
So he couldn’t push too hard, not knowing what kind of chaos one crazy person might cause.

‘Well, at least he got the hint, whatever.’

“Oh, Seo Ho-yoon! It’s been so long!”
“Hello. How have you been, Director?”
“Haha, of course! Still as sharp as ever~.”

I smiled and greeted the familiar staff members who welcomed me warmly, then moved toward where the van was parked.
After checking costumes and makeup and running through one more rehearsal, I watched the other performers’ sets until it was finally our turn to take the stage.

“Ho-yoon! It’s our time now.”

Sung Ji-won said this with a bright smile on his face.
The pale, nervous version of Sung Ji-won from before the showcase had already become a distant memory.

“Waaaaaaaa!”

As I climbed the staircase to the stage one step at a time, blue inverted triangle light sticks gradually came into view.

【THE DAWN】

Our name appeared on the VCR,

【I keep touching because of curiosity
You make me wonder about you】

The melody of ‘Fall’ flowed.
We were given a total of four songs today.
But it was such a short time that it could have been considered just three songs.
Falling, Connected which opens the Rix Cup, Stardust, and 23:59.
Early darkness blanketed everything, and the flickering lights from the audience seats shone even brighter.

【Stardust Stars are embroidered on the night sea
Stardust, stars are embroidered across the night sea.

As I sang Stardust, my eyes were caught by a sparkle that was blue like dawn and red like sunset.

All the way to the end
No matter what awaits】
Even if I don’t know what it might be】

All the way to the end

【The brilliant light that is with you
And the moment 23:59 appeared, the voice being transmitted from the audience seating grew even louder.

【The radiant light I share with you

I looked at the audience through the paper flowers fluttering like snowflakes.
‘…Hmm.’
I knew that 23:59 had achieved some level of success with the public, but I felt strange because it was the first song performed at a concert.

Fans of other idols swayed their light sticks in time with the song, singing along in unison.
I knew that “23:59” had achieved a certain level of public success, but since this was the song’s concert debut, my feelings were complicated.

【White snowflakes drifting down
Your warm gaze looking at me】

As Jung Da-jun led the choreography flawlessly, paper flowers stuck to his nose, causing the members to stifle their laughter.
The bright, warm song made the spreading smiles fit perfectly with the moment.

【Always be by my side
I’m too shy to say I love you】

I waved toward the section where Noel was standing until the very end, then descended from the stage.
Jung Da-jun, covered entirely in paper flowers, shook his head vigorously. I leaned against his shoulder with my arm and removed the paper flowers stuck to his cheek while cracking a joke.

“Popcorn. Did you stick these all over yourself to snack on later?”

“What kind of dinner is this! But when I put this on my nose earlier, I sneezed so hard I thought I was going to die!”

The youngest, who couldn’t even nod at this level of teasing, looked back towards the stage where cheers were still ringing and said to me.

“Hoyoon, wasn’t it really, really good?”

I could see the members smiling behind Jeong Da-jun.
“Ho-yoon, wasn’t that really, really good?”
Even though you are running forward as if you are being chased, your steps suddenly slow down, you see the surrounding scenery, and you feel like you can catch your breath.
I caught sight of the members smiling behind Jung Da-jun.

Even while rushing forward relentlessly, there were moments when my pace suddenly slowed, the surrounding scenery came into focus, and my breath opened up.

Like today.

I laughed, ruffling Jeong Da-jun’s hair as he waited for my answer with gory eyes.

“My brother feels good too.”

I greeted the staff politely and headed to the van noisily with the members.
“I’m in a good mood too.”

I bowed respectfully to the staff members and headed noisily toward the van with the other members.

At that time, a voice caught my ear through the loud noise.

“I didn’t hear anything in particular… um.”

It was a manager.
“I haven’t heard anything specific about it…. Hmm.”

It was the Manager.

I had a bad feeling about something.
“No, why would you need to hide that? Why on earth?”

Something felt wrong.
Kang Yi-chae, noticing my reaction, turned to look at me.

“Hyung?”

Strangely enough, my heart was beating vigorously as if I was excited.
Thump, thump.
Anxiety consumed my entire body.
My heart pounded violently as if seized by excitement.
Yet my body grew cold in the opposite direction.

It shouldn’t be this way—I’d been so careful.

I passed Kang Yi-chae, who was one step closer, and walked towards the manager.
“What’s wrong?”

Passing by Kang Yi-chae, who had stepped closer, I walked toward the Manager.

“Manager.”

No way, I was so careful.

“What’s going on?”

I asked, deliberately smiling more gently.

“Uh… that’s….”

When the manager saw me, his eyes widened in surprise and he quickly hung up.
“Uh… well…”

The Manager’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of me, and he quickly ended the call.

On the screen was a picture of me leaving the restaurant this morning.

‘Fuck.’

The moment I grabbed the manager’s phone and scrolled a little further, my fingertips became cold.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“—Did you have a brother?”

Seo Ho-jin was in another photo that followed.

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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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