The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 35

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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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35

“What? An audio malfunction?”
“This is insane.”

The fans stirred restlessly. From the stage, I could see the staff rushing about in panic.
I quickly grabbed the microphone. It wasn’t my part, but—.

[Come to me, Come to me, Don’t be afraid]

Let’s keep going, guys.
Audio malfunction or not, we can’t stop here.

[I have my second chance]

Sung Ji-won caught on immediately and hastily layered harmonies beneath my line. It wasn’t part of the original arrangement, but without the backing track, we had to enrich the sound however we could.
Kim Sung-hyun followed suit, waving reassuringly to the fans before singing his part.

[No need to worry]

That’s when the fans began singing along with us.
As we moved slowly in time with the beat, the tangled choreography unraveled instantly. In that moment, Kang Yi-chae ghosted in with perfect timing.

“Everyone, sing with us!”

[Stand up with conviction, I have confidence]

Even with the audio malfunction, Kang Yi-chae’s confidence was overflowing.
If anything, without the backing track, he bounded across the stage like an untamed colt. As Kang Yi-chae bounced with infectious energy, the fans shed their tension and erupted in cheers.

[I ain’t gonna miss this time!]

Jung Da-jun was swept up in the momentum and stepped forward. As if thinking “we’ve come this far,” everyone began ad-libbing wildly, reshaping the song on the fly.
At the climax, Sung Ji-won and I lifted the final note cleanly together. Despite the lack of backing track, Sung Ji-won sounded like he’d swallowed a CD—flawless, not a single deviation.
Kim Sung-hyun deliberately grinned and approached the edge of the stage. He pointed at individual audience members one by one, then raised one eyebrow with a wink.

[Give me, Give me, Give me Second Chance]

The song ended just like that. My ragged breathing came through clearly in the microphone.
The backing track stuttered slightly afterward, and the audience booed the production crew, but Jung Da-jun gripped the microphone, panting heavily.

“We… pant… practiced hard, and it paid off.”
“Wasn’t this a grand strategy to prove our live vocals?”
“Absolutely, absolutely. I knew all along.”
“You looked pretty panicked for someone who knew.”
“Ah, come on!”

As we smoothly glossed over it, the jeers died down immediately. Amid the warm and favorable gazes, countless light sticks swayed affectionately.
We bowed with bright smiles.
No pitch issues, perfect rhythm.

‘Actually, that went pretty well. Maybe I should draw some attention with an acapella live performance certification.’

I grasped the microphone, my mind spinning with satisfaction.

“All our recent hard practice is really paying off. Some of you might already know this, but we’re currently filming Shining Star.”

I deliberately emphasized Shining Star.

“The first episode hasn’t aired yet, but we’re doing our absolute best every single time so we won’t have any regrets.”
“The Dun, fighting!”
“Thank you. We’re working hard so we can stand on stage proudly alongside the other groups…”

I was in the middle of saying that when a voice suddenly rang out, dripping with malice.

“Rigged group, get out!!”

Crack!!!

“Kyaaaa!”

Someone screamed. Something struck my head and shattered.
Ah… this feeling is very, very familiar.
I slowly brushed back the side of my head where I’d been hit. On my fingers was a sticky, yellowish liquid along with finely broken thin shells.
…It was an egg.

“What the hell, are you insane?”
“Who is that!”

The audience stirred. Not just fans, but passersby who had stopped to watch were startled, glancing at each other in confusion.
But the person had already slipped between the crowd and vanished from sight. The members approached me with hardened expressions, but I raised my hand to stop them.

“Here, use this to wipe yourself off.”
“Thank you.”

A staff member rushed over and handed me a towel, which I used to hastily wipe my hair.
Everyone’s faces had gone pale.

‘Ah, I see….’

Everything happens. An audio malfunction and now an egg. The situation became clear.
I’d heard that talk about the PD’s favoritism or whatever had spread through the Community, but I didn’t expect it to escalate like this.
I heard that last time some talk about PD’s pick or whatever spread around in the Community, but I didn’t expect it to be this big.

“Whether it’s a corrupt PD or an Idol, eggs are still eggs.”

It was a new discovery. I picked up the microphone with a slight smile and laughed.

“It seems the Program is already quite popular even before it airs.”

I thought they’d expect me to cry or show a dejected expression.
I thought you would at least show me tears or a dejected expression.

But what can I do, that’s not me.

“To continue what we were talking about earlier, we are making a lot of preparations so that we can proudly take the stage together with other groups.”

And truthfully, if a video of me getting hit with an egg spread widely and became controversial, it would be useful in various ways.
And honestly, I thought if a video of getting hit with an egg went viral and caused some controversy, it would be useful to have for various purposes.

I want to repay the time and hearts that fans show their love with a stage performance so good that there will be no regrets later. I ask for your continued support.

The faces of the members below the Stage, which looked ready to kill someone at any moment, gradually transformed into expressions of concern. I flashed them a reassuring smile.
Beneath the stage, faces that looked ready to kill someone at any moment gradually transformed into expressions of sorrow. I gave him a reassuring smile.

“I’ve prepared hard for the next performance too. You’ll watch it, right?”
“Seo Ho-yoon, I love you!”
“Thank you. I really love you all too.”

After finishing my words, I bowed deeply, and in an instant the members rushed over and surrounded me. They looked me over from every angle, whispering anxiously.

“Are you okay? Ho-yoon?”
“We need to find out who really did this.”
“Hyung, are you really okay?”
“If it’s too hard, let’s get you off stage, hyung.”

I shrugged and gently tapped the shoulders of my worried members.

“My hair came loose during the performance earlier anyway, so this works out. It’ll stay like this now.”
“Hyung, are you seriously insane?”

Kang Yi-chae’s expression hardened, but I flicked each of my gloomy members on the forehead with my finger. That meant everyone.

“Ow, that hurts!”

Don’t make those pathetic faces. I finished wiping my hands and returned to the stage to work through my movements, and I could see Kim Sung-hyun gritting his teeth beside me. He must have felt wronged—frustrated enough to go mad—but now his expression showed a determination to perform even better. I nudged Kim Sung-hyun.
I finished wiping my hands and went back to the stage to work out the blocking, and I could see Kim Sung-hyun gritting his teeth beside me.
“Let’s do this well.”
I poked Kim Sung-hyun lightly.

As I came down from the stage, the members clung to my sides and wouldn’t let go.

***
As I was coming down from the stage, for some reason the members stayed right by my side and wouldn’t leave.

***

[There are actually people from Today laughing and saying this is refreshing. Now this is just a declaration of war]
“I’m suing all the malicious commenters right now. I guess staying quiet made me look like a pushover. See you all in court, you bastards.”
In the midst of all this, why is Ho-yoon being so calm? But seeing him like that actually makes me tear up even more… I wonder how much he must have suffered at such a young age to seem so unfazed by going through something like this.
“There are actually people laughing and saying they feel refreshed after seeing this from Today, but at this point, this is just a declaration of war.”

ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ

[Title: Today Fans, Seriously

They really crossed the line this time
It’s obvious the one who threw the egg at Seo Ho-yoon is a Today fan
Do they actually have a brain, or are they just thoughtless?
And there are so many people laughing at this video—seriously, there are way too many crazy people out there;;

└Do you have proof the egg thrower is a Today fan? There’s no evidence, and the person involved said it’s fine. You’re overreacting, lolol
└People like you who spout off without using your brain are the proof]

Social media and online communities erupted into flames.
Whispers of “PD’s pick” and other gossip had been spreading quietly among the fandoms of those who appeared on Shining Star, but the guerrilla concert and the egg incident had made it a hot topic across other K-pop fandoms as well.
At the same time, it climbed to number two on YouTube’s trending videos.

[‘The Dun Sanghoe-dong Hosang Park Guerrilla Concert Direct Cam’

└Wow;; Seo Ho-yoon’s mental fortitude is insane… I would’ve cried right there, but he’s so composed (Likes 492)
└└Seo Ho-yoon? Yeah, he’s really incredible.. I heard he even caught a robber last time
└└Now I understand why Joo Woo-sung cares so much about Seo Ho-yoon
└└Legendary top-tier mental strength, no question
└Throwing an egg really isn’t excessive? Shouldn’t the agency be pressing charges?
└└If I were a fan, I would have cried after hearing Seo Ho-yoon’s comment ㅠㅠ Even though he was the one who got hit, he actually comforted me.
└└I’m becoming a Seo Ho-yoon fan..
└I haven’t cared about idols lately, but these young men are truly remarkable. They performed flawlessly despite the sound accident and getting hit with an egg. I’m a 49-year-old man, but I think I’m becoming an uncle fan. I support The Dun (Likes 1249)
└Is it really true the egg thrower is a Today fan?
└└Don’t feed the trolls, don’t feed the trolls, don’t feed the trolls
└└It’s a straight-up fact, so why are you saying not to feed them? lolol Are you so blinded by jealousy that you can’t see anything?]

‘Everything went exactly as I wanted.’

I honestly hadn’t anticipated the sound accident or the egg, but thanks to handling it well, our popularity actually increased. On top of that, we even created a rival image with Today.

‘This is a total win.’

Through YouTube’s algorithm, the view count skyrocketed to hundreds of thousands in just a short span of time. It was easy to see that we’d hit the million mark soon enough.
Moreover, thanks to successfully pulling off the guerrilla performance, my stats had improved as well.

[Dance: C+]

To put it plainly, it was an absolute windfall.

‘The problem, though….’

“What is it? Did you just cough?”
“What?”

These guys had gotten strange over the past few days. I’d only let out a small cough from a slight tickle in my throat, and the members immediately sprang to their feet.

“Turn off the air conditioning over there~. Ho-yoon’s coughing.”
“Ho-yoon, did you just cough? Should I bring you some warm water?”
“Is Ho-yoon sick? Is it because of that cold air from before?”
“Hey, didn’t I tell you to take your vitamins?”

It was overprotectiveness.

These guys, who were practically ten years younger—like nephews—were smothering me with excessive care.
They’d cling to me asking where I was going after just three steps, and whenever I coughed once, they’d panic as if I’d caught the plague and rush to bring me water.
It was the same just yesterday. We were watching Episode 1 together and talking, but the moment my face appeared on screen, the atmosphere turned solemn.
Even during the talent show segment where Lim Hyun-sung did an impression….

“Yeah, Ho-yoon’s so desperate too….”
“Are you joking?”

I tried to protest mildly, but even Sung Ji-won wouldn’t listen to me. He was the final boss of overprotectiveness.
Anyway, I looked up some reactions after Episode 1 aired, and they weren’t bad.

[Title: Hey guys, let me summarize Episode 1 for you

The Dun is so damn handsome
That’s it lol

└So when they performed, Sung Ji-won-Kim Sung-hyun-Seo Ho-yoon-Jung Da-jun-Kang Yi-chae came out like that? Isn’t that insane?
└How do faces like that exist in a small company.. The greatest miracle since Moses
└└There’s a theory that they all got blackmailed
└└This has to be it]

[Title: Hey, Sung Ji-won is a D.go rookie, right???

I thought I’d seen him somewhere…
There can’t be two people in the world this pure

└That’s him
└└Yeah, I knew it
I miss that mole on your nose so damn much.
└└Where do I report this, to D.go or Dae Pa-sung?
Hahahahaha I’m not the only one thinking this way!!

[Title: Seo Ho-yoon is a rookie but

He’s close with both Joo Woo-sung and Lim Hyun-sung??
That’s interesting, what is it? Plus, both of them are famous for not doing any networking.
Is he originally just super rich?? Like a child of some high-ranking entertainment executive??

└Isn’t Seo Ho-yoon just showing off? I wasn’t impressed with his impressions either, Lim Hyun-sung would probably hate it
└└You haven’t watched Chung Beom-haeng’s StarStar yet, they deliberately filmed the impression reaction and posted it
└Then what about Joo Woo-sung??
└└Juseong is surprisingly famous for not having any friends ㅠ Seo Ho-yoon is his only friend, so Joo Woo-sung tends to be a nuisance ㅠ
Hahaha that’s hilarious lol

Hmm, I thought Lim Hyun-sung’s impression could get some criticism, but it seemed he’d deliberately taken care of it himself.

‘As expected, he has a soft side.’

[Lim Hyun-sung: Hey hey hey did you watch my StarStar]
Lim Hyun-sung: I’m seriously holding back from cursing right now lol
[Lim Hyun-sung: So.. at least comfort me, yeah?]
[Me: No]
Lim Hyun-sung: Ugh, you bastard.

I sent a casual text and scrolled through my phone records.

[Joo Woo-sung: 2 missed calls]
[Seo Ho-jin: 5 missed calls]

They were really going at it. I simply powered off my phone. I appreciated their concern, but honestly, it was overkill.

[Kim Hee-young PD: 1 missed call]

The moment I sprang to my feet, everyone jumped in alarm.

“Where are you going?”
“Hyung! Let me assist you.”
“Everyone, shut it. You’re making too much noise—just stay put.”

I pretended to head to the bathroom while discreetly searching for a secluded spot. I already knew this broadcasting station like the back of my hand.
If I needed a place with minimal CCTV coverage, few people around, and where I could instantly detect eavesdropping, the smoking room adjacent area was the obvious choice.
I pressed the call button on my phone there, and the dial tone rang out. For some reason, I felt oddly tense.

[…Hello?]
“Yes, this is Seo Ho-yoon.”
[Ah, Ho-yoon.]

It was Kim Hee-young. After calling my name, she hesitated in silence for a long moment. Then she let out a small groan before finally speaking.

[…Normally, it would be better to tell you in person, but there seem to be some strange rumors circulating, so I’m calling instead.]
“Yes, that’s fine.”
[I saw the article and the video. Whether you’re okay or not—that’s not something I should brazenly ask about.]

Kim Hee-young exhaled deeply.

[I’m sorry. It’s my fault.]
“….”
[We did intend to pit you two against each other and create controversy, but I never expected the fallout to be this direct. You must be furious, Ho-yoon.]
“It’s okay. I would have done the same thing in your position, honestly.”
[…Ho-yoon, are you a bodhisattva? Or are you living your second life? Why are you so mature?]

Kim Hee-young was oddly soft toward me. Or perhaps she was feeling a twinge of guilt because I was young enough that my ID card’s ink hadn’t even dried yet. Either way, if your own choices resulted in someone getting hit with eggs, you’d feel some guilt too.

[Anyway, I’m thinking we should bury this. No more incidents like this going forward. Besides, we’ve already generated plenty of buzz this time, and the ratings should be solid. I know I’m being shameless and tactless, but… it shouldn’t be bad for Seo Ho-yoon either.]
“….”
[We won’t create any more confrontational narratives going forward, so keep that in mind.]
“No.”

I slowly crouched down on the floor. Burying my face in the crook of one arm, I listened to Kim Hee-young’s voice.

“Please keep that dynamic going.”

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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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