The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 349

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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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349

Kang Yi-chae’s pupils dilated, his gaze turning glacial.

“I had no idea Ho-yoon moved without telling us.”

How are you even here?
Min Ji-heon’s Apartment was renowned for its rigorous security. External visitors couldn’t even pass through the complex entrance without explicit permission from the resident in question.
I hadn’t chosen this location by accident.
My thoughts stuttered like a buffering program, refusing to connect properly. I simply watched as Kang Yi-chae walked past me toward the sofa, crossing his legs as he sat down.

“Why are you just standing there? Want me to help you up?”

I heard the peculiar twist in Kang Yi-chae’s voice and squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them again.

‘…Damn it. Why the hell is he here.’

I pushed through the dizziness and forced myself to appear composed, rising to my feet and walking toward the kitchen. As I opened the refrigerator and pulled out a water bottle, my hands trembled. I steadied them with effort, stealing a glance toward Kang Yi-chae.
He tilted his head, tapping his index finger against the sofa’s armrest as if counting candles.

‘How did he find out where I am? Did he follow me?’

But I’d clearly confirmed that the Members left the Company first. Besides, Kang Yi-chae’s clothes were different too.

I swallowed a mouthful of water, set the bottle down on the Dining Table, and asked flatly.

“…How did you know the password?”

Kang Yi-chae’s finger movements stopped.
He tilted his head innocently.

“Min Ji-heon kindly told me?”

Right. Who else would it be?
This bastard doesn’t have a shred of loyalty in him.
I suppressed the fury bubbling up inside me and tried to continue with the next question calmly.

“That’s strange though. How’s your contact with Min Ji-heon sunbae been—.”
“Is that what matters?”

Kang Yi-chae cut me off and deliberately turned his head slowly, surveying the interior of the home.

“Nice place. Brother, you’ve been managing okay for a few weeks?”

I decided to attempt an escape route.

“Kang Yi-chae, I think there’s a misunderstanding… I just stopped by briefly because I had something to take care of.”
“Min Ji-heon sunbae told me everything. That you’ve been staying at their place for a few weeks.”
“….”

This damned bastard!
Only now could I fully grasp the meaning of the text I’d received from Min Ji-heon earlier.
He’d mentioned something about bringing even a puppy along.

‘Damn it, let me handle what’s in front of me first.’

I began recalling Kang Yi-chae’s impressive track record and retracing through today’s words to see if I’d said anything that might have triggered him.

“Kang Yi-chae, that’s….”

Just as I was contemplating how to handle this situation, Kang Yi-chae’s head tilted slightly. His increasingly long red hair fell around his cheek.

“Just be honest with me. I already know everything.”

This isn’t the first or second time you’ve tried to pull something over on me.
As I clamped my mouth shut at his transparent scheme, he shrugged and continued.

“When I heard that Ho-jin hyung had collapsed, it didn’t seem strange that you’d go home.”
“….”
“But if you were going to make up a story, you should’ve been more thorough about it. According to Ho-jin hyung, you’ve been so busy you haven’t even seen each other since the hospital.”

Kang Yi-chae’s eyes, which had been fixed on me with relentless intensity, took on an even colder gleam.

“Why would you tell a lie that’s so easy to see through?”

Of course I couldn’t go see Seo Ho-jin. I couldn’t let him see me like this.
I mainly checked on him through texts, and occasionally called to hear his voice when his condition improved.
I exhaled softly.

‘I completely let my guard down.’

I already knew that Kang Yi-chae, my gaming friend, and my younger brother exchanged messages fairly often. I also knew that a shallow lie like this would be exposed eventually.
But standing before Seo Ho-jin with his eyes closed like that, my options were limited.
Even if I could go back to that moment, I’d make the same choice.

‘…Never mind, I’ll think about it later. The biggest problem right now is….’

Kang Yi-chae getting furious and postponing our activities.
If he exposed through SNS or a live stream that the members or he himself were sick, it would all be over. Evidence could be fabricated easily enough anyway.
Normally, he wouldn’t even consider doing something like that, but Kang Yi-chae was someone who’d crossed lines before.

‘I need to handle this carefully.’

After organizing my thoughts that far, I forcibly ignored the sharp headache throbbing relentlessly and swallowed more water down my throat.

“…Were you very worried?”

I closed the water bottle cap and took a careful step forward.

“Yi-chae, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, brother.”

Then I sat down on the single-seater sofa placed diagonally across from him. His attention naturally followed.

“But this decision wasn’t easy for me either. I’ve already caused the members worry multiple times, and I didn’t want to make them anxious again over something trivial.”

There was genuine sincerity in that.
Kang Yi-chae narrowed his eyes slightly as if telling me to continue, and remained silent.

“This album is incredibly important to us, and you know that well. So—.”

It was truly something I desperately needed.
At this crucial moment where whether I could overcome this hurdle would determine everything, my nose felt warm, and I felt a hot liquid sliding down. Blood droplets fell onto my palm held below in rapid succession.

‘Damn it.’

A nosebleed poured out at the most inopportune moment imaginable.
I frantically searched for tissues, then pressed my T-shirt against my nose and continued speaking.

“—…so there absolutely cannot be any complications. That’s what matters to me.”

I met his gaze with desperation in my eyes.

“You understand that, right?”
“….”

Kang Yi-chae brushed his jaw once, then rose slowly. He retrieved tissues from near the TV and handed them to me.

“Hyung, I think you’re misunderstanding something right now.”

My head snapped up at his suddenly gentle tone. His narrowed eyes felt oddly unsettling.

“I didn’t come here to criticize you about anything.”
“…What?”
“Well, it’s not that I’m not disappointed.”

Settling back onto the sofa, he simply watched me in silence before tearing off tissues and pressing them into my hand.

“I have no intention of telling Seo Ho-jin or the members that you’re lying and suffering alone here.”

What on earth was he scheming?
As I clumsily wiped beneath my nose with furrowed brows, Kang Yi-chae smiled faintly and added more.

“I just came to help.”
“….”
“See how obedient your younger brother is.”

Why is he like this?
He clearly knew my current state, yet Kang Yi-chae’s gentle tone felt unfamiliar—almost alien.
Unable to respond immediately and merely staring at him, Kang Yi-chae smiled faintly.

“You asked me for a favor before, remember? You asked me.”
“….”
“I’ll do it. I’ll clean up the mess.”

I remained tense, desperately trying not to lose the thread of this situation spiraling in unexpected directions.
As if Kang Yi-chae understood my predicament entirely, he leaned back with unhurried composure and propped his feet up on the table, swinging them idly.

“But I’m not the type to do favors out of the goodness of my heart.”
“…Would you at least co-sign a loan?”
“Hyung, do you have more money than me?”

There was no need to calculate—I didn’t come close.
I maintained my silence despite the frustration churning inside, and he spoke as if requesting something trivial.

“It’s nothing much. Just promise you’ll do me a favor later.”

Yet a strange chill ran down my spine, accompanied by a cold sweat.
I couldn’t tell if it stemmed from the pain or from what Kang Yi-chae had just said. Given who I was dealing with, my mouth wouldn’t open easily.

“…That….”
“Yeah.”
“….”

After several moments of hesitation, only a counter-question escaped my lips.

“…What kind of favor?”
“Worried? It’s fine, Hyung. If it doesn’t feel right when the time comes, you can refuse.”

Then couldn’t I just refuse right now?
Why attach such a condition?
The moment confusion struck me,

“Why?”

I saw Kang Yi-chae’s eyes gleam, and understanding dawned.

“You don’t like that either?”

He’s pretending to be composed, but his mind isn’t sound.
Having experienced Kang Yi-chae losing his reason multiple times already, I knew that look in his eyes better than anyone.

‘Damn it.’

If I ignored even this proposal, he’d really run wild on his own terms.
I rubbed my throbbing forehead, swept back my bangs, and reluctantly gave my answer.

“…Fine. I’ll listen to it.”
“Good.”

Kang Yi-chae’s expression brightened instantly, transforming into something like a satisfied cat. My unease only intensified.
He seemed content with having gotten his answer and shifted the topic.

“Anyway, Brother, will the activities be okay? How are you feeling—do you think you’ll be in pain then too?”

Ordinary people can’t control their own health conditions, or so they say.
Was he fishing for something with this question?

“I’m not sure…but even if it hurts, I have to take the stage.”
“How long until you’re completely fine?”
“How would I know that?”

I responded calmly, careful not to get swept up in his absurd nonsense that defied common sense.

“So when are you coming back to the dormitory?”
“…Before the comeback show.”

By then I should be fine.

“Ah, is that so?”

Kang Yi-chae lowered his feet from the table, straightening his body with a playful smile.

“Then Yi-chae will have to come here every day starting tomorrow.”
“What?!”
“The hospital—you’ll just refuse to go anyway. But if you’re sick, you need someone to take care of you.”
“…What….”
“Eat well, take your medicine on schedule, and let’s make a strong comeback together.”
“…No….”
“Wow, the view from here is amazing! Min Ji-heon must be loaded.”

He rattled off his piece and then gazed out at the balcony with an air of nonchalance.

“Why are you even here….”

My mind, pounding like it was being struck by a hammer, couldn’t keep pace with the rapidly shifting situation.

‘The hospital—he’ll just refuse to go anyway?’

So he’s saying he won’t take me? Seriously? And it’s Kang Yi-chae saying this?
I wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, demanding to know why he was acting this way.
But reality was just my lips moving soundlessly. If Kang Yi-chae changed his mind and decided to back out now, it would be my loss.

“Anyway, I’ll come back tomorrow.”
“…Yeah….”
“Aren’t you going to say goodbye?”
“….”

Seeing me not respond, Kang Yi-chae let out a soft laugh.

“See you, hyung.”

Then he waved his hand cheerfully and headed toward the door.
Soon I heard the sound of the electronic lock engaging. All strength drained from my body at once.
I leaned my back against the sofa and stared at the ceiling, muttering to myself.

“Damn it….”

Even with my scrambled mind, I could tell something was off about Kang Yi-chae.
That bastard wouldn’t let this slide so easily.

“Damn, what is this.”

It was clear that something was digging a trap.

Ding!

[I was so scared I couldn’t even breathe properly….]

Something without substance making breathing sounds—how absurd.

“This is all your fault.”

I grumbled and slumped sideways. A moment later, the blood-stained tissue tumbled from my hand.

“Ugh, this is infuriating, Min Ji-heon you bastard….”

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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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