The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 364

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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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364

“Man, Sung Ji-won really is incredible.”
“See? He’s exactly the kind of person Ho-yoon would care about! He really knows his brother well!”

There really isn’t a single trustworthy person here.
Kim Sung-hyun, whom I’d teased relentlessly, and Kang Yi-chae, whom I’d picked on—I could understand them laughing. But watching even Jung Da-jun, whom I’d cherished so carefully, burst into laughter brought a flood of regret.
I lowered the note in my hand and turned to leave, but Sung Ji-won hurried after me.

“No, no, wait! Ho-yoon! Hold on! I can’t just take this note and bring someone else, can I? I… I had no choice but to come to you…”
“Yeah… I get it…”
“I really do respect you! Ho-yoon, you’re amazing!”
“Sure. I’m leaving now, you shameless guy.”
“Ah… Ho-yoon…”

When his excuses fell completely flat, Sung Ji-won didn’t know what to do. Kang Yi-chae, who had been laughing his head off the whole time, gestured for him to come back, and he eventually trudged back to rejoin the members.
When I returned to where Min Ji-heon and Joo Woo-sung were—those deadweights—they wore unpleasant smiles and snickered.

“Oh, the smartest junior here has arrived?”
“Seo Ho-yoon, I respect you too. Being handsome and shameless is Seo Ho-yoon’s obvious charm, haha!”
“Haha, Min Ji-heon, your sense of humor is incredible!”

These so-called top figures from various industries were giggling at such pathetic jokes.
Kang Yeon-hu, who had been called away by Chae Jung-woo in this round, muttered quietly from a step behind me.

“Even your own group members won’t cover for you…”
“…”

He’s not letting this opportunity slip away either.
Surrounded by piranhas who pounced at the slightest opening, I was contemplating how badly I’d messed up my life when Kim Hee-young announced the end of the “Conditional Relay Race” and revealed each team’s rankings.

“Now I’ll announce the scores. The Conditional Relay Race consisted of three rounds total. First place goes to The Dun Team with 6 points. Second place is High Five Team with 5 points, and Black Call and Seo Min-gang-ju Team are tied for last.”
“Seo Min-gang-ju, that’s a great name. Isn’t it cute?”

Before long, the Kkakdugi team—which had only gathered the four regular members of each team plus the remaining scraps—had transformed into the Seo Min-gang-ju team under Kim Hee-young’s official approval, thanks to Min Ji-heon’s pathetic naming sense.
1)
The Team, with Kim Hee-young’s approval, had been transformed into Min Ji-heon’s pathetically named Team “Seo Min-gang-ju.”

“For this game’s prizes, we’ll be distributing snacks only to the first and second place teams.”
“…!!”
“My apologies. Black Call team, Seo Min-gang-ju team.”

Next to Joo Woo-sung muttering, “I think I might’ve gotten the name wrong…,” Min Ji-heon wore an expression as if the world had crumbled around him.

‘Tsk, we can’t afford to mess this up.’

I shifted only my eyes to observe the two of them.
This mismatched team should work hard but remain unremarkable, showing just enough presence before fading away—that was the right approach.
Min Ji-heon would be distracted by food, and Joo Woo-sung, being the arrogant bastard he was by nature, wouldn’t understand, but Kang Yeon-hu and I had been extremely careful throughout the entire “conditional relay,” scrutinizing every combination to avoid controversy.

“—Next is a celebrity quiz! Look at the photo and answer the person’s name within three seconds.”

Min Ji-heon, now aware that food was on the line as prizes, burned with motivation.
Joo Woo-sung, who had somehow formed a bond with him through teasing, stood up from his seat and spoke.

“Senior Min Ji-heon, I’d like to take this round.”

Something felt considerably uneasy about this.
However, I had no valid reason to stop Joo Woo-sung, who had volunteered first. Kang Yeon-hu seemed hesitant, worried that if he participated, there might be a situation where he failed to recognize even one senior among the celebrities shown.

‘It should be fine….’

The guy lived with the television on whenever he wasn’t working.
Representatives from each team were selected, and Joo Woo-sung stepped forward as the first contestant.
Kim Hee-young lifted the prepared panel, and the celebrity quiz began immediately.

“Woo-sung! Ha Seo-yeon.”

Joo Woo-sung shouted the correct answer without even raising an eyebrow at Ha Seo-yeon’s latest autumn magazine cover.
I was impressed by how smoothly and effortlessly he rattled off the answers, but only for a moment.

“…Han Chae-ri… Lee Joo-kyung… Jung Joo-eun….”
“1 second, 2 seconds…!”
“…Kim Hae-young….”

With each photograph that flipped past, the faces displayed were all strangely familiar in some way.

“…2 seconds! 3 seconds!! Time’s up!! Joo Woo-sung. You don’t know them?”
“…Yes, I’m not sure….”

I was inwardly shocked.

‘Is this some kind of setup?’

However, even if I’d been consistently attending the Seo Ho-yoon Criticism Group, considering the number of participants, the probability of dating-related stories even being mentioned was low, so the current parade of Joo Woo-sung’s exes was likely just coincidence.
Still, Joo Woo-sung, already caught red-handed, was too busy stammering with an expression that screamed “Am I screwed?”

“Ah, the usually unstoppable Joo Woo-sung suddenly crumbles here—unfortunately stopping at just 5 points.”

Lee Se-hyun from High Five and Jung Da-jun from The Dun put up a decent fight, but ultimately couldn’t overcome Black Call’s accumulated experience.

“My, why is this team’s atmosphere like this?”

Min Ji-heon, having narrowly missed snacks twice, had become increasingly irritable, and Joo Woo-sung, who’d taken a direct hit in the character quiz, sat hunched in the corner with a dark cloud hanging over his head. On top of that, Kang Yeon-hu was picking up on their mood and looked uncomfortable.
Kim Hee-young widened her eyes and raised her eyebrows briefly before continuing in a soft, soothing tone.

“Since we have the amusement park rental time coming up soon, we’ll be moving locations from here on to continue filming.”
“…Yes.”
“Come on now, cheer up. The next game is ‘Thrilling Ferris Wheel’!”

The upcoming game was a one-on-one competition where one representative from each team would board the Ferris Wheel for approximately 10 minutes and provoke their opponent to see who could raise their heart rate higher.
Cameras were installed inside the Ferris Wheel, so from the waiting area set up with a tent below, real-time monitoring was possible and advice could be given via walkie-talkie.

“Black Call and High Five will face off, and The Dun and Seo Min-gang-ju will compete.”

If it’s The Dun, it’ll be a piece of cake.
I was observing the situation while debating whether it was best to continue sticking with the “hit and run” strategy, when Kim Hee-young’s explanation struck my ears precisely.

“——The fourth-place penalty is entering the Haunted House!”
“Kyaaah!”
“What?”

I quickly suppressed the expression that was about to change across my face.

‘This changes everything.’

I had to win no matter what.
If I ended up in fourth place and got extra screen time entangled with Kang Yeon-hu, all the careful distance I’d maintained would go up in smoke.
I turned my head toward Kang Yeon-hu. For some reason, his complexion looked pale.
When I nudged him with my elbow, I felt his gaze shift toward me.

‘The Dun has to lose no matter what.’
‘Agreed.’

Our agreement was reached in a single moment.
In the meantime, Jung Da-jun was clinging to Kang Yi-chae and whining, and even Kim Sung-hyun joined in with wide, pleading eyes.

“Hyungs, hyung, I really, I mean, I’ll do my best if I have to…! But still, if possible…!”
“Hahaha, our Da-jun, you really don’t want to go in?”
“…Is there any way to avoid this?”

When Kang Yi-chae, grinning with amusement, led the two away for a strategy meeting, Black Call and High Five boarded the Ferris Wheel first.
Jung Chae-hyung from High Five was so nervous just being in the same place as Lee Han-joo from Black Call that he trembled the entire time. In the end, Black Call won effortlessly without doing anything.
Lee Han-joo stepped out the door and swept his hair back with a flourish.

“L-Lee Han-joo sunbae, it was an honor!”
“Hmm, you did well.”
“Why is he really like that?”

Joo Woo-sung, standing beside me, frowned and muttered, apparently not thinking about his own behavior and finding the sight quite distasteful.
I could see Chae Jung-woo offering a faint smile of encouragement to Lee Han-joo. While they seemed at ease, anxiety crept over me.

“Now, The Dun, please come forward.”
“Jung Da-jun, reporting for duty.”

At Kim Hee-young’s words, Jung Da-jun sprang forward with both hands raised. I noticed Kang Yi-chae quietly standing up behind him, suggesting he was playing an advisory role.

“Oh! Jung Da-jun?! Then is Seo Min-gang-ju Team led by Seo Ho-yoon?”

Kim Hee-young asked as I straightened up abruptly.

“No.”

Over the past three years of dealing with me, Jung Da-jun had developed immunity and rarely showed agitation over trivial matters.
But if the opponent was our youngest member, our team had the strongest rival.

“Min Ji-heon, senior.”
“Yes, I’ll go.”

Min Ji-heon’s expression looked slightly stiff, perhaps from not having eaten.
I went to the tent prepared beside the Ferris Wheel entrance and alternated between watching the monitor screen and heart rate measurement data.
Jung Da-jun, an enthusiastic fan of Min Ji-heon, hadn’t even started yet but was already showing quite elevated readings.

【…Da-jun, it’s been a while.】
【Ah, yes. Yes.】

Min Ji-heon softly narrowed his eyes and greeted Jung Da-jun first. Having sharpened himself considerably, he launched an aggressive approach with sincerity, like during acting.

【I’ve always wanted to talk more with Da-jun, but we were both so busy that our schedules never aligned.】

His intention was so transparent that I felt embarrassed on his behalf.
However, Jung Da-jun didn’t notice. Rather, it worked perfectly. His face flushed red as he fumbled without meeting his eyes.
Just when I thought he’d grown up, seeing our innocent youngest member like this again, I picked up the radio.

“…Senior. We don’t have time, so let’s proceed quickly. Give the ‘Please Camera’ line.”

Min Ji-heon, receiving the instruction through his earpiece, loosely raised the corners of his mouth and crossed his legs while staring directly at Jung Da-jun.

【Da-jun, I treat people I like well.】
【Yes… Yes, yes?】
【But you need to come over a bit faster.】

Excellent.
His heart rate fluctuated like waves.

【I don’t have the patience to just stand by and watch someone take what’s mine.】

It was a line from Min Ji-heon, who played the role of Min Seung-tae in the drama “Please Camera”.
Jung Da-jun, a devoted fan witnessing the vivid performance up close, covered his mouth with his hand and couldn’t tear his eyes away.
I judged that I needed to capitalize on this momentum and seize complete victory.

“Senior Min Ji-heon, next up is a rapid-fire round. Please deliver the famous line from ‘The Day the Daffodils Bloom’.”
【Da-jun….】
【Sniff…. This is insane….】

The moment the words left my mouth, Min Ji-heon immediately infused emotion into his delivery, uttering “Da-jun….” With that, Jung Da-jun’s eyes began to glisten with tears as if he were under a spell.
I smiled with my eyes toward Kang Yi-chae, confident in my victory.

“It looks like we’re going to win.”

Then Kang Yi-chae, who had been quietly observing until now, turned his head slightly and looked at me.

“…Really?”

He picked up the walkie-talkie and opened his mouth leisurely.

“—Maknae, can you hear me?”
【…Y-yes, yes, I can!】
“Can you tell me any menu you’re craving right now?”
【Any menu??】

At the same moment I thought this was absurd advice,

【K-kimchi stew…?】

A sudden realization struck me like lightning.

“…Wait—surely not—!”

I quickly checked the heart rate monitor.
Even if he’s a food lover, there’s no way just that would….

“Wow, no way!”
“The numbers are going up!”

Damn it.
I’d overlooked the fact that Hyun-sung’s stomach was currently empty.

【Oxtail soup, blood sausage soup, kimbap….】
【…ah….】
【Potato soup?!】
【That’s the most delicious….】

“Wait, wait! Senior, can you hear me?”

【I, I can hear you….】
【Omelette rice, broth tteokbokki, jjolmyeon….】
【Ugh….】

He could hear words, but clearly wasn’t actually listening.
As I watched the numbers climbing in real-time, I forced down a sigh, when something tapped against my shoulder. It was Kang Yi-chae’s hand.

“Sorry, the Maknae and Eldest Brother really don’t want to go in.”

It wasn’t entirely wrong, but when I’d explained the first mission of Shining Star Season 2 and the ghost had dropped, I’d seen Kang Yi-chae flinch too—so I knew his excuse wasn’t the only reason.

“Sigh….”

I pretended to blow my bangs aside to hide my irritation, and focused on strategizing what to do next, even though the Ferris Wheel hadn’t come down yet.
I coldly brushed off Min Ji-heon, who came bursting out whining about being hungry, and as we moved to the filming location to carry out the penalty, I approached Kang Yeon-hu and spoke.

“Senior, let’s cooperate.”
“….”
“Once we enter the Haunted House, the corridors will be narrow and we’ll have to move in single file. Let’s try to stay as far apart as possible. If we stick together and react, we might accidentally make unwanted sounds—….”
“….”

What’s with him? His expression was almost ghastly enough that he could double as the ghost himself.

“—But if something serious happens, Senior Joo Woo-sung has plenty of experience, so he’ll cover for us. Don’t worry too much.”
“…Yes….”

Strangely, Kang Yeon-hu, who was always enthusiastic about his own affairs, was listening half-heartedly, staring blankly at the Haunted House.
I asked, wondering if perhaps—

“…Kang Yeon-hu, Senior.”
“…Yes?”
“Is it possible that you’re afraid of the Haunted House?”
“What?!”

Kang Yeon-hu literally jumped—and I mean literally bounced into the air.

“T-that’s not possible?!”

Did he get caught in a lag?

1) Kkakdugi: A metaphorical term for someone who doesn’t fit into either side, or such a predicament.

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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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