The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 314

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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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314

How was I supposed to know that?
How else would I know? You’ve been singing about green tea lattes so constantly that it’s practically embedded itself in my eardrums.

“….”

Of course, that was something I could only say to myself.
Joo Woo-sung, observing my reaction, lifted the corners of his mouth slightly.

“A new manager who joined recently suddenly handed me a green tea latte instead of my usual Americano. That seemed odd, so I asked about it. Turns out Seo Ho-yoon gave it to me, didn’t he?”
“…How long have you known?”
“Well, a few months now, I’d say?”

That meant he’d known from the beginning that something was off about me.
Our gazes met in silence.
I turned my head first, lifted one hand, and exhaled a sigh.

“…Let’s go inside first. We can finish this conversation in there.”

Getting caught in a debate on the main road near the hotel would be a disaster.
Joo Woo-sung seemed to agree, following without resistance.
I took the elevator, swiped the hotel key, and pressed the floor button. The doors closed, and a suffocating silence descended between us.

“….”
“….”

Since I wouldn’t be staying here anyway, I wondered if there was any point in making excuses, yet my mind scrambled frantically for something to say.
I entered the room, immediately sat on the sofa, and cracked open a can of beer.

“Ahh.”
“….”

Even after doing something foolish, beer tasted like honey.
I gestured toward the sofa across from me, addressing Joo Woo-sung, who remained motionless near the entrance.

“Joo Woo-sung, you asked how I knew.”
“Yes.”
“I’m Bloy.”
“…What?”

The first strike was always the winning move.
Even Min Ji-heon didn’t seem convinced, but I dredged up the same excuse I’d used on him before.
I was sensitive to Black Call’s album release dates and his concept photos, teasers, and music videos—I watched them all without fail. I’d listened to several of his songs too, so depending on how you looked at it, it wasn’t entirely a lie.

“I show this much interest and attention, yet you don’t think I’m a fan? That’s a bit hurtful.”
“…You know my taste because you’re my fan?”
“Of course.”

In reality, even if Joo Woo-sung had hidden his preferences, fans would have likely already discovered them.
Fans wanted to know everything about their favorite idols, no matter how trivial. Even if it was just the brand of a phone case that appeared briefly during a live broadcast before disappearing.
I leaned back against the sofa with confident swagger when Joo Woo-sung murmured softly.

“…That’s strange.”

He stopped rubbing his chin and looked directly at me.

“If Seo Ho-yoon were my fan, there would’ve been some talk about it. I don’t remember hearing anything.”
“I didn’t reveal it publicly and just cheered quietly from my room alone. I’m a bit shy, you see.”
“…Quite shy.”
“I collect photo cards and have all your albums.”

To be precise, he forced them on me even though I said I didn’t need them.

“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then name one of my popular photo cards.”

What variety show am I filming right now?
Do I really need to know the preferences of your photo cards?
If this were actually a problem on broadcast, the cast would roast me for the insane difficulty level.

“Well… all of Joo Woo-sung’s photo cards are expensive and hard to find….”
“So what’s your point?”
“….”

I’d tried to brush past it vaguely, but Joo Woo-sung clung to the inconsistency with stubborn persistence.
During my PD days, I’d memorized the careers of every active star, but I’d never paid attention to photocard records.
Scrambling to piece together fragmented memories, I suddenly recalled Black Call’s Christmas album from two years ago.

“…Christmas photocard?”
“….”
“That… one with the red knit and fairy lights.”

I’d actually fumed when I saw the album composition—they’d clearly put serious thought and effort into it.
Thinking back on it now, it was utterly shameless.
Anyway, Ji-hyun had mentioned that Joo Woo-sung’s photocard from that time was called the ‘Banpo Bridge photocard’ and was extremely hard to find.

After hearing my answer, Joo Woo-sung fell silent for a moment, then narrowed his eyes and spoke.

“We never released a Christmas album.”
“…What?”

…Damn it, this version of Black Call actually had a conscience.
They’d never even planned something like a special Christmas album.

Realizing my slip wouldn’t be easy to recover from, I was already mentally preparing to kick him out with a “one more question and I’m done with you” attitude when Joo Woo-sung, catching sight of my expression, burst out laughing.

“Ah, that’s pretty funny?”
“….”
“Hey, you think I wouldn’t recognize a fan?”

He then rummaged through the plastic bag on the table and pulled out a can.

“You know what your eyes looked like just now? Like you’d kill me if I asked one more question. Is that what a fan looks like?”

The guy gulped down the beer in one go, then crumpled the can in one hand with a crunch.

“You don’t need to make excuses. I’m not the type to pry into someone who clearly doesn’t want to talk.”
“I appreciate that.”

And immediately he reached for the next beer.

“I just wanted to know why Seo Ho-yoon did what he did. So many people approach me under various pretexts.”
“Doesn’t that sound cringe to you?”
“Why? It’s the truth.”

That was all he managed before taking a sip.
Joo Woo-sung didn’t stop and cracked open a fresh can.

“I mean, you clearly aren’t the type obsessed with popularity, so it’s weird seeing you suddenly accelerate like that. I’m just curious what the reason was.”
“….”
“Ah, I said I won’t ask anymore. Relax your eyes a bit.”

I raised my eyebrows and pointed at the scattered debris.

“You drank all my beer.”
“Getting petty over just beer? I’ll buy more.”

Joo Woo-sung grumbled and went to the mini bar, returning with additional beers. A strong premonition washed over me that this drinking session would continue.

“I was planning to drink alone today anyway.”
“….”
“It’s nice having someone to talk to.”

The corners of his mouth lifted as he picked up the phone to order room service.

“You don’t have any schedule tomorrow morning, right?”

Now he was starting to seem like the guy I actually knew.

.
.
.

“—And that’s why~! I just said it right there! I mean, I can do live vocals, so why would they make me lip-sync?”
“Sometimes the Agency does stupid things like that.”
“Exactly! It’s so frustrating!!”

Joo Woo-sung single-handedly demolished five cans of beer and even sipped on the wine ordered through room service, getting thoroughly drunk in the process.
It seemed he’d had frustrations building up while fulfilling his schedule before visiting the Studio.

“Either way, I’m the one who gets criticized, so why can’t you just let me do what I do best…?”

Beneath the grumbling lay a bitter, melancholic undertone.
Right—if every idol were like you, lip-syncing wouldn’t even exist.
I let Joo Woo-sung’s lament pass in one ear and out the other, pouring beer down my own throat.

“Ah, but saying it out loud does feel a bit refreshing. I have nowhere else to vent about this stuff…”
“Still, for someone with so many complaints, you work incredibly hard.”

Joo Woo-sung tilted his head slightly, then flopped backward with a sigh.

“It’s just momentum, I guess.”
“Momentum?”
“Just because I’ve always done it. It’s a job with ups and downs, so my mood fluctuates a bit.”

He lay there with a flushed face, staring blankly at the hotel ceiling and muttering.

“…But the problem is, even what I’ve always done isn’t working well anymore.”

Then he squeezed his eyes shut once before opening them and speaking to me.

“When you see me drinking like this with someone I’m not even close to, you can tell how unlucky my life is, right?”
“You do look a bit pathetic.”
“Your tone’s getting worse…”

His endless chattering with a furrowed brow was getting on my nerves, so I decided to give him what he wanted to hear.

“Well, how unlucky is it?”
“Just… even with nothing special happening, some days I’m suddenly irritated out of nowhere, and other times I hate everything. Then I fall into endless anxiety. Most of all, the fact that none of this has an end is what’s hardest. …Now that I say it out loud, I’m just rambling nonsense.”

I rested my chin in my hand and simply listened to his story like it was bar snacks.
He didn’t seem to expect me to chime in, so Joo Woo-sung continued slowly.

“But while working, sometimes there are unexpectedly good moments. Like meeting a fan who’s supported me since the beginning after a long time, or finally nailing a choreography I’d been struggling with.”
“…”
“Those moments are probably why I can’t escape and end up staying here.”

Just as a brief silence settled over the room, Joo Woo-sung suddenly sat up and asked me something.

“But wait! Seo Ho-yoon, why did you help me?”
“You said you wouldn’t ask.”
“It doesn’t seem like you did it because you like me that much. We’re not even close.”
“So?”
“Is it because of Ho-gun?”
“This is seriously pissing me off….”

As if he’d been building up to that word, Joo Woo-sung broke into a giggle.
Since we were already here, I decided to satisfy my curiosity about something I’d been wondering.

“Hey, did you see my dance?”
“Huh? Suddenly speaking casually?”

Wasn’t I his older brother? Joo Woo-sung frowned and grumbled, glancing at me sideways.

“Well… I did see it.”
“How was it?”
“…Do I really have to say?”

When I just stared at him, he scratched his cheek.
That bastard really wanted to hear me say I was talented. At least he wouldn’t be able to call me a hack here.

“It wasn’t bad, but….”

Joo Woo-sung’s eyes rolled around as he trailed off awkwardly.

“Well, it’s like… someone working hard but still coming across as a bit of a hack, you know?”
“….”

Son of a bitch….

***

The moment I came to, my head throbbed as if it might split open. Tracing back my last memories, I recalled Joo Woo-sung stumbling out of the room, muttering something about heading back around the time we’d finished three bottles of wine.
Checking the time, I was relieved to see it was still early morning.
Since filming started in the afternoon, I had to pull myself together somehow by then.

‘They told me to really focus on wardrobe and makeup….’

My throat felt parched, as if it were burning away.
I drained an entire bottle of water and flopped back onto the bed, picking up my phone.

[Title: Real-time Joo Woo-sung Japan

Japan_Woosung&Hoyoon.png

Apparently having a meal with Seo Ho-yoon

└What???
└Are they close????]

Sightings of Joo Woo-sung were already circulating across various community sites. There were no dating-related issues.

‘We made it through safely.’

It probably would’ve been fine even without my interference.

‘It’s really over. Done.’

The system error would be resolved soon, and Joo Woo-sung seemed like he’d be fine.
Getting any more involved wouldn’t gain me anything anyway.

“Tsk.”

I hadn’t been expecting anything or helping him for a reward, but I’d gained absolutely nothing from it.
Still, I found myself understanding—albeit unpleasantly—why Joo Woo-sung wanted to help me.

“Most of all, what makes this so difficult is that there’s no end to any of it.”

Joo Woo-sung, who’d reached the top from his debut, had never found a path forward. Naturally, he couldn’t find an end for himself either.
Perhaps that’s why he was curious—what would happen if I, who seemed to have a clear goal, reached my end?

Would the version of Joo Woo-sung here—who laid anxiety thick on the distant floor below and cherished those occasional glimmering moments—find happiness?
Or would the other version of Joo Woo-sung—who threw himself into anxiety and struggled to forge his own path—be better off?

At least, I couldn’t carelessly judge which one was right.
After all, it was his life.

“…I guess I really am getting old.”

I have the luxury of worrying about others now.
I rubbed my throbbing forehead with my index finger, when a text message appeared on my phone screen.

[Genius Dancer Top Senior: (photo)]
[Genius Med Dan Il Best Senior: I dug around and found there was a Christmas album lol]

When did I even save this number?
And what’s with this contact name?
Didn’t they say there was no Christmas album?
I immediately accessed the Portal Website and searched, and a familiar Christmas album cover appeared.

“…This bastard.”

I got completely hooked.
I suppressed the rising anger and steadied my breathing, but the notifications kept coming.

[Genius Dancer Top Senior: You’re ignoring me]
[Genius Dancer Top Senior: (photo)]

I pressed the photo with my finger to enlarge it.
Beneath cascading fragments of brilliant light, a figure hunched forward with an expressionless gaze—as if poised on the brink of a magnificent ascent—burned itself into my mind.

“…Damn.”

Fuck, they’re absolutely radiant.

[Me: I’m reporting this as a leak]
[Genius Med Senior: hahahahahahahaha]

I clicked my tongue softly and turned off my phone.

“A true Idol through and through.”

Someone who doesn’t need my concern—a born Idol.
I genuinely hoped they would always remain that way.

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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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