The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 326

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

326

When multiple members came together to form a group, rumors of discord or ostracism would suddenly emerge around idols, sometimes fading away or sometimes leaving deep scars.
The Dun was no exception.

[Title: Seo Ho-yoon really doesn’t read the room at all

Or maybe he can’t read it..lol

Looking at it, Kang Yi-chae seems to hold back every time he’s about to say something.. and their agency doesn’t even give proper explanations..

└They used to do lives together often, but this time they seem to avoid being alone together
└└Something’s definitely going on
└No seriously, they’ll figure it out themselves, why would the agency explain about the members’ issues;;
└└Cool and calm lol]

Just as rumors of discord between Seo Ho-yoon and Kang Yi-chae were growing unexpectedly, Lee Ji-hyun was busily preparing for The Dun’s new in-house content shoot.
They’d promised to capture the most beautiful visuals possible today to help quell the controversy—surely things would work out somehow.

‘I’m counting on you, please… my five-star Knight of Roses, the bonus….’

She soothed her anxious heart by force and hurried the staff along.
The first scene began at the fan-shaped pavilion that had appeared in the “Lantern Festival” music video.

“Dun-gi-deok!”

Jung Da-jun, eyes gently closed, swung the janggu mallets and beat the drum with fervor.

“Dun! Gi-deok koong duh-duh-duh dun koong! Gi-deok koong duh-duh-duh dun…. Ehe~!! Athletes, take your positions!”

The members entered with swaying, graceful steps in time with the rhythm.
Sung Ji-won led the way in a neat coral-tinted pink durumagi, followed by Kim Sung-hyun in a grayish silk robe with blue undertones, Kang Yi-chae in a chestnut-brown damask robe woven with gold thread, and finally Seo Ho-yoon in a dark midnight-blue silk robe.

“The Dun’s beat… Seo Ho-yoon enters—!”
“Jung Da-jun. Quiet.”
“Yes. I’ll clean it up right away.”

Even a dog at a village school can recite poetry after three years.
The Dun’s Maknae, who had grown keenly attuned to when he could fool around and when he couldn’t, quickly put away the janggu drum.
Seo Ho-yoon tapped his own shoulder with the drumstick he’d snatched from Jung Da-jun.
In the meantime, Kim Sung-hyun, who had stepped forward, bowed respectfully and greeted them.

“The Dun has returned with our new album ‘Wish’. Please give us your support, at least out of courtesy. Yes, thank you for the members’ half-hearted responses. I, Leader Hyun-sung, will now briefly introduce the game we’ll be playing in today’s content!”

Then, on the darkened screen, the game rules appeared with a whoosh.

1. The member who wins through the game of Yut becomes the King, and the remaining members are given ranks according to their placement. The King receives a royal feast, and below that, the quality of meals is divided by rank, with the last-place slave receiving only plain rice.
2. The King may freely command all other ranks for the entire day.
3. Subjects with accumulated grievances may request a ‘Rebellion’ against the King at any time.
-A ‘Rebellion’ is when those of rank below the King rise up against them, conducted one-on-one only, using words to entice the opponent into surrendering or provoking them into agitation.
The conversation must continue while maintaining historical drama speech. Whoever determines that further conversation is impossible loses.
Those who succeed in rebellion rise in status to King regardless of rank, while the former King falls to the rank of their opponent. Those who have fallen from the throne cannot restore their kingship through ‘Rebellion’ again.

Kang Yi-chae whined while listening to the explanation.

“Ugh~, I’m not good at historical drama speech like that.”
“Well, if you use English or foreign words, I’ll give you a warning first. If you use them again despite the warning, then….”
“A famous historical drama line!!”

Jung Da-jun shouted with sparkling eyes, raising his right hand high.

“If you recite a famous historical drama line, I’ll just pretend I didn’t see it and let it slide.”

Thus, a fourth rule was suddenly added.

4. If rules are broken during a ‘Rebellion’, the first time results in a warning, and the second time, if you perform a famous historical drama line, you can pass without penalty just once.

Kang Yi-chae seemed unimpressed by the addition made because of him, but Jung Da-jun beside him was delighted and borrowed a sketchbook from the Staff Member, hastily writing down lines from his favorite historical drama.

“Then let’s begin.”

After a rough explanation of the rules, the game began.
Seo Ho-yoon, still tapping various parts of his plump body with a stick, approached the members with sluggish movements.

“Aaahhh!!”

And moments later, he had devoured all the game pieces by himself.

“Huh! What, what?!”
“Hey, Ho-yoon, weren’t those pieces just here?”
“You bastard, what kind of trick did you pull?!”
“Haha.”

‘Wow, Seo Ho-yoon. You’re seriously insane.’

Since Seo Ho-yoon always dominated games that required strategy, I had expected him to do well this time too. However, because the game of Yut required luck as well, and I had experienced multiple times how terrible his coordination was—something he couldn’t fix—I had harbored slight hope that he might struggle a bit.
But his mental processing speed was so overwhelming that it surpassed everything, and his strategy was exceptionally well-crafted.

“Seo Ho-yoon, you’re insane.”

As all the staff members marveled at how he flipped the entire game board, naturally the victory went to Seo Ho-yoon.

“Isn’t that only natural?”

With the corners of his mouth raised, he blew a kiss to the camera while holding the Yut sticks.
Only the king Seo Ho-yoon’s meal was laid out on the fan-shaped pavilion, while the rest were placed in order on the staircase and floor.
Jung Da-jun, who came in fifth place, sniffled through his nose as he looked down at his meal table with nothing but a mound of rice. Then he stuffed a large spoonful of rice into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out, and Seo Ho-yoon, who had been eating neatly with his chopsticks, called out to the youngest member.

“You there at the very end, come over here.”
“Yesssss!!”

As soon as Seo Ho-yoon pushed over the braised short ribs that crumbled softly with just a light touch of chopsticks, Jung Da-jun ate away endlessly while expressing his gratitude. Kim Sung-hyun, who found that sight utterly unpleasant, spoke while chewing his spinach side dish.

“Who’s going to cut off the manager’s head right now?”

With a nonchalant expression, Seo Ho-yoon retorted while picking at his ear.

“Well, I suppose I should consider the plight of lowly commoners who can’t even afford a proper meal. Go ahead, speak your mind freely.”

Everyone’s faces grew emotional.
Even Jung Da-jun, who had been given the braised short ribs.

“Let’s stage a rebellion!”
“Let’s go for it!”

Kim Sung-hyun and Kang Yi-chae, their spirits ignited, were about to jump to their feet, but Sung Ji-won was faster.

“Your Majesty! I shall rebel on your behalf!”
“Hmm?”

Sung Ji-won quickly walked into the pavilion and took a seat.

“Now, as I mentioned earlier, the method of staging a ‘rebellion’ is simple. You merely need to provoke the other person in any way possible. Whoever gives up first or becomes so agitated they can no longer continue the conversation loses.”
“Yes! I accept the challenge!!”

Once Sung Ji-won had finished explaining the ‘rebellion’ once more, he turned his gaze toward Seo Ho-yoon.

“Your Majesty, I truly believe you are a genuinely good person… ah, I mean to say, I think so. You’re handsome, you care for the members with such delicate consideration, you’re always warm and kind and….”
“Ji-won, aren’t you just spouting empty flattery like a scheming courtier?”
“He needs to be cast out to come to his senses. Besides, that’s not even a provocation.”

The dancers whispered among themselves, supposedly quietly, but everyone heard them. Ignoring them entirely, Sung Ji-won continued his barrage of “I love everything about you from head to toe” for several minutes, his cheeks flushing slightly red.

“Haha, I’ll stop here.”

How thick is that infatuation?
Lee Ji-hyun and all the staff members looked at Sung Ji-won with genuine concern.
Seo Ho-yoon, who had been listening quietly, leaned his upper body forward slightly and asked.

“Thanks. Is it my turn now?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, I wish you hadn’t removed that mole on your nose. It suits you very well.”

‘He’s ruthless, truly!’

Though I was already used to it and knew it was for broadcast, I still couldn’t adapt to seeing Seo Ho-yoon act this way every single time.

“Huh?? Oh… really, is that so?”

Of course, unlike her, Sung Ji-won felt embarrassed yet pleased.

“Why does he even live like that?”
“Right?”

Even as the other members frowned and rubbed their stomachs or complained of nausea, Seo Ho-yoon paid them no mind.

“Truly, Your Majesty is a wise and virtuous ruler. This humble servant shall take his leave.”

Just as Leader Kim Sung-hyun was about to ask the staff for assistance, Sung Ji-won voluntarily conceded and descended from the pavilion. Though he hadn’t obtained a side dish or become king, he appeared satisfied.
Seo Ho-yoon’s gaze drifted from Sung Ji-won, passed over Kim Sung-hyun, and landed on Kang Yi-chae.
Then,

“Your Majesty.”

Kang Yi-chae brushed off his clothes and rose to his feet.
Jung Da-jun dropped the spoon he’d been holding in his mouth. Kim Sung-hyun’s Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably.

“Shall we have ourselves a rousing game together?”
“…Very well.”

It had come.
Lee Ji-hyun swallowed hard.
She needed to establish a gentle atmosphere here.
With such earnest hope, she shot an intense gaze at Seo Ho-yoon.

“You compose well. You earn good money, and your captivating charm is equally exceptional. I’ve always held you in the highest regard.”

Fortunately, the start went very smoothly.

“If you continue to stand by my side as a dependable younger brother, I would be truly grateful.”

Seo Ho-yoon smiled brightly as he enumerated Kang Yi-chae’s strengths.
But then,

“However, Your Majesty—.”

The moment Lee Ji-hyun saw Kang Yi-chae’s lips twist, she sensed the situation would not unfold smoothly.

“—My goodness, where does all that venom come from? You’ve gone from a carpenter to a dancer. Truly remarkable.”
“…That doesn’t sound like praise at all.”
“And with such a low, rough tone that’s quite distinctive, yet every word out of your mouth is nothing but nonsense. Truly remarkable.”
“Blasphemy against the king! Off with his head!”

Having snagged a few pieces of meat, Jung Da-jun became a loyal subject and lunged at Kang Yi-chae. Seo Ho-yoon’s brow twitched as well—he didn’t approve of Yi-chae’s attitude either.

“…And you have such keen instincts that you act perfectly without needing to be told.”
“Your Majesty is equally quick to read the room while pretending not to notice—truly a skill that rivals a real actor’s, would you not say?”
“An actor, you say….”

Still, he managed to compose his expression, holding back for the moment.

“Sigh… you….”

Seo Ho-yoon exhaled a deep, bone-weary sigh from the depths of his being, and forced the corners of his mouth upward as he watched Kang Yi-chae resting his chin at an angle.

“Your humor is quite delightful.”
“How amusing, that you’d take that as a joke. Truly, you are at peace with the world. How carefree and unburdened you are.”

The atmosphere warped in an instant.
Lee Ji-hyun couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but from that moment on, it became a battlefield without bullets.

“Are we really going to see this through?!”
“Of course! You’re the one who’s been getting under my skin, so what did you expect me to do? And why were you pretending to accept everything?! With such a meager measure of generosity!”
“My heart is as vast as the ocean, and you dare question it?! Do you even know the saying about eyes that see nothing but themselves?”

Lee Ji-hyun was shocked.
Shocked enough to consider turning off the camera and pausing filming.

“Talking with Your Majesty is so frustrating—why don’t you drink some enlightenment tea and open your mind a bit!”
“Then why don’t you dunk yourself in broth every time! You’re missing 2% of your common sense!”
“I may be missing 2%, but aren’t you missing 98%!!”

While the two bickered back and forth, the other members rolled their eyes and ate their meals with practiced efficiency.

“Where is this even going? Isn’t that English percentages?”
“They each get one warning~. Next time it’s definitely a famous line.”
“They don’t seem to be giving up at all yet. They’re keeping the speech pattern consistent too.”

When Jung Da-jun slyly extended his chopsticks toward a side dish that Seo Ho-yoon hadn’t pushed his way, Kim Sung-hyun and Sung Ji-won casually joined in.
In that moment,

“Seriously, this…! Ugh.”

Kang Yi-chae, who had lifted both hands in frustration, clenched and unclenched his fists before letting out a sigh.

“Your Majesty, I already know full well that you’re handsome and skilled at composing without needing to hear such remarks.”
“….”
“What I wish to hear is not such talk.”

His voice was measured, yet between his words came the faint, grinding sound of teeth clenching—a subtle noise caught by the microphone.

“Listen….”

Kang Yi-chae fixed his gaze on Lee Ji-hyun. It was a signal of sorts—let’s end this here.

“Hey, stop.”

Just as Lee Ji-hyun was about to raise her hand, a cold voice suddenly cut through the air.
Seo Ho-yoon’s icy gaze was directed at Kang Yi-chae.
Then,

“Ah, Your Majesty, you just used English.”

Jung Da-jun, carefully gauging the current situation while crawling forward on his knees, poked Seo Ho-yoon’s elbow repeatedly.

“What’s that supposed to mean.”
“W-well, you must deliver the iconic line before we can move forward!”

Despite Seo Ho-yoon’s cold demeanor causing his words to stumble, Jung Da-jun clung on and blurted out the very part he had been most anticipating all along.
Seo Ho-yoon, exasperated, ran his hand through his neatly arranged hair, deliberately mussing it.

“Kang Yi-chae!”
“T-the iconic line…!”
“Tch.”

Lee Ji-hyun could read Seo Ho-yoon’s intent—he figured editing could fix it later.
He tried to stand up, ignoring Jung Da-jun’s nonsense. But even as he groaned, Jung Da-jun refused to back down and thrust a sketchbook toward him.

“…Ugh, seriously….”

As the pages flipped past at increasing speed, multiple lines of dialogue blurred together.
Seo Ho-yoon swept back his fallen bangs and exhaled sharply. Deciding it would be better to simply keep pace with the Maknae’s rhythm, he snatched the sketchbook from Jung Da-jun’s hands.
And he immediately read aloud the first line he could see.

“I never told you to distance yourself!!
1)
”

—Never!!
—…self…
…self…
…self…
…self….

The echo wrapped around the pavilion once before fading away.
Only Seo Ho-yoon, oblivious to the suddenly hushed atmosphere, shot to his feet.

“Kang Yi-chae, then what am I supposed to…!”

Seo Ho-yoon, who had been growling with his neck tensed and veins bulging, suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Then he slowly turned his head to look around.

“Heh….”

Every staff member was either gritting their teeth or shaking their shoulders, desperately trying to hold back laughter.

“…Did I just….”

You’ve just accumulated another embarrassing memory.

“Sh….”

The first syllable of a curse word barely slipped out before Seo Ho-yoon caught himself, his mouth opening and closing silently without continuing.

“Wait, hold on, can you edit that out? Just a moment, please.”

With every visible inch of his skin flushed crimson, he pleaded while running his hands over his face—but there was no way they were letting go of such perfect material.
Kim Sung-hyun, laughing loudly with excitement, threw an arm around Seo Ho-yoon’s shoulder and spoke.

“Zueoeeun-ha, the editing angle has already been pulled out, sir.”
“Hey! No way, seriously! I hate it!”
“Please be understanding!!”

Jung Da-jun, already clinging to Kang Yi-chae and munching on yuggwa, muttered under his breath.

“I’m sorry… I tried to forget, but I couldn’t forget you…”
2)
”
“…”

Despite his exasperation, Kang Yi-chae eventually burst into a quiet laugh.

‘What a mess…’

Before long, the members had returned to their usual selves as The Dun, creating a heartwarming scene.
Lee Ji-hyun, who had been checking the rough editing framework and captions, closed her eyes with a subtly strained smile.

‘There’s no way I can upload this as is…’

If I uploaded these guys making such blatant jabs at me, it would only pour fuel on the discord rumors.

“Lee Ji-hyun, please cut out that famous line…”

Seo Ho-yoon’s sharp voice reached her ears.
Lee Ji-hyun shook her head firmly.
Even if she deleted and cut everything else, she was determined to upload that one famous line from Seo Ho-yoon.

1) A line from Episode 12 of the MBC drama The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012.01.04.~2012.03.15.)
1) A line from Episode 3 of the MBC drama The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012.01.04.~2012.03.15.)

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————