The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 372

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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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372

The day after Jung Da-jun stormed out, The Dun continued its schedule as usual.

“Ah, that pose was perfect just now. Look this way—!”
“Yes!”
“Wow, Jung Da-jun is absolutely flying through this.”

This morning’s schedule was an interview with a renowned Japanese fashion magazine.
Thanks to the interpreter who accompanied us, the photo shoot proceeded smoothly without any issues.
Jung Da-jun didn’t want to show his emotions, but he lacked the confidence to face Seo Ho-yoon calmly. So even when taking group shots with all the members, he positioned himself as far away as possible. Though Seo Ho-yoon surely noticed such behavior, he said nothing about it.
During the individual cuts, they took turns answering questions one by one.

“—The original track ‘Superhero’ is incredibly popular here in Japan right now! I listen to it frequently myself, and I was truly amazed by Seo Ho-yoon’s exceptional bass playing skills.”
“Ha, thank you.”

Seo Ho-yoon wore a polite business smile and spoke gently.

“I remember how hard all the members worked practicing their instruments. Still, since it was a new challenge, it was enjoyable.”
“Oh my, is that so!”
“Especially Da-jun worked incredibly hard. He’d never played drums before. Whenever he had a chance, he’d practice, and eventually he managed to play so naturally. I’m really proud of him.”

Jung Da-jun, who was touching up his makeup a short distance away, perked up his ears and felt a petty irritation prickle within him.

‘And he practiced until his fingers bled too.’

Even amid the busy schedule, Seo Ho-yoon never set his bass aside. When Kang Yi-chae offered advice from beside him, he’d listen quietly and then steadily repeat and correct his technique—Jung Da-jun had been inspired watching that.

‘What good does it do to praise him like that outside.’

When he didn’t even know what he himself truly wanted.
Seo Ho-yoon stood from his chair after finishing his answer. It was Jung Da-jun’s turn next, so he turned his head away to avoid eye contact and passed in front of him to sit before the interviewer.
Yet the more consciously he tried to ignore him, the more his attention kept gravitating toward Seo Ho-yoon.
He seemed to be conversing with Sung Ji-won in one corner of the studio now, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying at all.

“—Da-jun, Jung Da-jun?”
“Yes, yes! I’m sorry!”

Snapping back to attention, Jung Da-jun hastily apologized for missing the question.

“What did you say?”

He tried to focus on the task at hand, but his mind refused to cooperate.

“Thank you for your hard work….”

Barely managing to finish the interview, Jung Da-jun—looking utterly frayed—bowed repeatedly to the staff members before heading to the waiting room. After gathering his belongings and returning to the hotel, he was resting in his room before the next schedule when his door opened and Sung Ji-won peeked inside.
Packing up her things and returning to the hotel to rest briefly before the next schedule, the door to her room opened and Sung Ji-won peeked his face in.

“Da-jun, you worked hard.”
“…Ji-won.”

A radiant smile hit him directly.
Jung Da-jun’s head drooped involuntarily.
Even by his own assessment, he had acted childishly yesterday, storming out like that. Yet Sung Ji-won had followed him along with Kim Sung-hyun, offering comfort.

“Feeling better? I thought you’d been crying, but at least your eyes aren’t swollen.”
“…I didn’t cry.”
“Really?”

He’d actually cried a little.

“I talked with Ho-yoon for a bit, and it seems he didn’t really mean to say such harsh things to you.”
“…I see….”

The response came out blunt without thinking.
If that were true, Seo Ho-yoon should have told me directly.
Jung Da-jun, eyes downcast and cheeks puffed out, finally spat out what he’d been chewing over.

“…Hyung, hasn’t Ho-yoon been acting strange lately?”
“Huh?”
“Just… the atmosphere has changed, hasn’t it? He seems oddly more affectionate.”
“Haha, is that a bad thing?”

That wasn’t quite it.
Jung Da-jun, who had been muttering, raised his eyebrows sharply.

“But… hyung, we haven’t been together that long, and it’s obvious something’s off! That’s why I just wanted Ho-yoon to act like he normally does….”

Though I had certainly believed Sung Ji-won cared deeply for Seo Ho-yoon, his indifferent attitude left Jung Da-jun feeling suffocated and frustrated. Sung Ji-won, who had been stroking his chin, tilted his head and asked.

“Hmm, so what do you think would be best, Da-jun?”
“…Huh??”

Jung Da-jun’s eyes widened at the sudden question posed to him.

“Is it right to pick a fight with Seo Ho-yoon to grab his attention, like you did? Or should we pester him right now asking what he’s thinking?”
“…Uh….”

Recalling yesterday’s Seo Ho-yoon, my own approach didn’t seem right. But the latter method didn’t feel like the answer either….

“…Uh, that’s….”

Watching Jung Da-jun hesitate for a long while, Sung Ji-won burst into laughter and added cheerfully.

“Actually, I don’t know what the right answer is either.”
“….”
“So I’m just going to wait.”

My frustration deepened even more.
Whether he knew my feelings or not, the person before me simply patted my back and pushed me forward.

“Go on, talk it out with him.”

He informed me that Seo Ho-yoon was waiting and dragged me outside. Then he pressed the hotel room key into my hand and said he’d rest first before moving ahead. Watching his retreating figure, Jung Da-jun scratched the back of his head.
No matter how mature I became, I didn’t think I could ever possess the kind of broad compassion that Sung Ji-won had. Despite only a few years difference, that gap felt so much wider today.
As I slowly made my way to the room where Seo Ho-yoon was staying, my heart trembled slightly. I took a deep breath and knocked, unusually hesitant. But I heard no response. I knocked once more, yet again there was no answer.
Opening the door with the key I’d been given, bright sunlight streaming through the large window illuminated the interior clearly.
As soon as I opened the door with the key I had received and stepped inside, bright sunlight streaming through the large window illuminated the interior clearly.

“Brother…”

Just as the Protagonist was about to search for the owner himself since they were nowhere to be seen,

“—You should understand by now.”

A sharp, blade-like tone cut through the air and pierced my ears.
For a moment, Jung Da-jun thought the words were directed at him and flinched in surprise, but when he caught the shadow reflected on the terrace, he realized Seo Ho-yoon was standing there. As Jung Da-jun crept closer, Seo Ho-yoon came into view, leaning against the metal railing and gazing down at the city below.

“Jung Won-ha, I warned you clearly. Don’t do this.”

…Jung Won-ha?
Jung Da-jun instinctively clamped his mouth shut to stifle the scream threatening to escape.

“You dare touch our maknae? And you think you can still keep your footing in this industry after that?”

His brow was deeply furrowed, his words spat out with irritation, grinding them between his teeth.

“Tch, you’re not getting the message.”

Seo Ho-yoon exhaled a sigh as if suppressing his temper, then twisted one corner of his mouth into a sneer.

“That’s enough. Don’t contact Da-jun again. It’ll stop being fun.”

With that, he ended the call immediately and tossed his phone onto the small table beside him, then roughly swept his bangs upward.

“…Damn, that wasn’t like me.”

Jung Da-jun gripped his hands tighter as he watched the eerily similar Han Chae-hyuk impression unfold in real time.

‘…Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?’

Just then, as Seo Ho-yoon turned his head, their eyes met directly.
While Jung Da-jun stood frozen in confusion, Seo Ho-yoon walked closer and slid open the terrace door.

“…Da-jun?”
“…Y-yes, hyung! Ha, haha. I heard you were waiting, so… but who were you talking to?”

Jung Da-jun quickly straightened up and glanced at Seo Ho-yoon as if gauging his reaction.
Seo Ho-yoon then stepped past Jung Da-jun and entered the interior, answering calmly.

“It’s really nothing.”
“Really, truly?”
“Yeah.”
“Is that so?!”

Gradually, Da-jun’s cheekbones rose and his cheeks flushed with color.
Of course, he believed he wasn’t showing it well. After all, there wasn’t the slightest change in Ho-yoon’s expression.

“Da-jun, come sit here.”

Ho-yoon, who had flopped onto the sofa, gestured toward the spot beside him. As if he’d never been upset, Da-jun quickly took a seat next to him.

“About yesterday—I thought there might be a misunderstanding, so I wanted to clear it up.”
“Yes!”

Ho-yoon’s eyes narrowed slightly before returning to their normal state.
Wondering if he’d seemed too eager just then, Da-jun bit his lip subtly and exerted mental effort to compose himself a bit more.

“First, let me be clear about one thing. Da-jun, I don’t enjoy getting into conflicts.”
“…But—.”
“Answer me.”
“…Yes.”

Even as he was delighted.

“So you don’t need to go out of your way to create such situations just to come see me. It doesn’t make me happy at all when you do that.”

Da-jun merely fidgeted with his fingers.

“And how could I be indifferent when you’ve been criticized? I only thought it would be fine because I trusted you.”
“…Me?”
“Yes.”

There was no excessively glittering smile he usually wore when manipulating someone, nor the soft tone he used when coaxing.
So Da-jun naturally accepted that Ho-yoon was speaking with sincerity.

“I knew you could handle things well on your own.”

Jung Da-jun’s eyelids opened and closed slowly.
His chest felt buoyant beneath that unwavering gaze of trust. If someone believed in him and held such expectations, he felt he could move forward endlessly.
Only then did Jung Da-jun carefully reveal his honest feelings.

“…Truth is, I wasn’t really that angry.”
“I know.”
“Now I can just let it go….”
“You’ve grown a lot, our maknae.”

Jung Da-jun laughed brightly at Seo Ho-yoon’s agreement, but soon his expression hardened again, and he spoke with some hesitation.

“…But hyung, why did you seem different lately?”

Seo Ho-yoon tilted his chin as if asking him to explain what he meant.

“I mean, you’ve been treating me so gently these days… it’s not like you usually are….”
“Why, is that a complaint?”

A soft chuckle echoed and faded away.
Seo Ho-yoon, wearing a mischievous smile, raised his hand and ruffled Jung Da-jun’s hair without restraint.

“I didn’t know you had a hobby of getting cursed at by Bangsang.”
“That’s not it at all?!”
“Good then.”

Though it seemed like the topic had been glossed over just now, Jung Da-jun, delighted to confirm that he was receiving attention, let it pass without concern.

“So, are we done talking?”
“…Yes.”
“You’ve settled your mind?”
“Yes… I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
“Okay.”

Jung Da-jun, whose eyes had been rolling around beneath that simple forgiveness, suddenly sprang to his feet.

“Um, ahem, hyung! We have another schedule soon—aren’t you tired?! Should I grab some snacks to boost your energy?”
“Whatever works.”

Jung Da-jun reached the door with hurried, clumsy movements, then suddenly stopped. He turned back and called out to Seo Ho-yoon.

“…—Ho-yoon!”

At the same moment, a bright and pure smile bloomed across Da-jun’s face.

“I’m really glad our group has an older brother like you!”

Soon after came the sound of a door handle twisting and the patter of rushing footsteps.

“Phew….”

Left alone, Seo Ho-yoon exhaled a sigh and made his way to the terrace, retrieving his phone that buzzed and vibrated insistently. Messages from Lim Hyun-sung were streaming in real-time.

[Lim Hyun-sung: You crazy bastard]
[Lim Hyun-sung: You didn’t lose your mind, right? I just asked you to grab some sake and Japanese cigarettes, so why the hell are you spouting nonsense on the phone out of nowhere???]
[Lim Hyun-sung: Jung Won-ha? What’s that about? Don’t bother a busy person with this crap]

“I’m having a hard time playing with the puppy too.”

Seo Ho-yoon glanced at the messages and answered with a sigh instead.
Between staying up all night watching “Campus Thrill Love” and mimicking Han Chae-hyuk’s cringeworthy manner of speaking that Da-jun had adored, both his body and mind were already exhausted.

“How the hell does Min Ji-heon pull off acting in a role like that?”

Clicking his tongue, he moved back toward the bedroom when suddenly Da-jun’s phone caught his eye, sitting on the table in front of the living room sofa. Just as he decided to leave it since Da-jun would be bursting back in soon anyway, the screen lit up.

[Jung Won-ha Senior]

It was a call from Jung Won-ha of TEW.
After counting a few seconds in his mind, Seo Ho-yoon pressed the answer button.

[Finally you picked up. Hey, Da-jun. You keep ignoring your senior’s words—.]
“Won-ha, hey.”
[…Huh?]
“It’s me, Seo Ho-yoon.”

A brief silence hung over the receiver.
Soon after came a soft cough followed by a lukewarm greeting.

[Ah… yes. It’s been a while.]
“Right. Have you been well?”

I could feel Jung Won-ha’s breathing grow ragged, as if he found it absurd that I was now offering warm pleasantries after ignoring his calls countless times.

[…Seo Ho-yoon, I’m quite confused. What does that greeting have to do with anything now?]
“Why are you angry?”
[Is that even something you should be saying…!]

I pressed my fingers against my throbbing temples, fatigue weighing down on me, and deliberately infused my voice with laughter.

“Is this because of what happened with the Maknae?”
[You know.]
“Well, I heard some of it.”

Jung Won-ha’s response came back even sharper than before.

[Whatever Da-jun said, don’t blame me. It’s rather because you all just went along with it that he became someone who couldn’t recognize his senior and turned into a mess. Besides, you don’t have the right to talk down to me, do you? You made a mistake before too.]
“A mistake?”
[You don’t remember?]

He let out a scoff as if he found it ridiculous, and Jung Won-ha’s voice grew increasingly louder.

[Right before the Shining Star unit competition, you asked if I was dating. Because of that, I completely botched the stage. Even now, thinking back to that time makes my teeth grind. I trusted you, Seo Ho-yoon!]

There’s no human who goes through life without making a mistake.
I was no exception.
—However, I could say with certainty that the incident Jung Won-ha was referring to was not a mistake.

“Won-ha.”

And I had no intention of hiding that fact.

“That wasn’t a mistake. It was intentional.”

—————
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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