The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 399

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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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399

With a disgruntled expression, Seo Ho-jin grumbled under his breath.
Yet something was clearly tense about him—as though there existed something he couldn’t let me discover.

“So if you’d just tell me why you’re acting like this in the first place….”

I let his complaints pass through one ear and out the other, my gaze drifting slowly across the room, examining every corner. And the moment my eyes landed back on Seo Ho-jin, realization struck like lightning.

‘Ah.’

December was nearly over, yet there hadn’t been a single mention of the Law School exam.

‘He must have failed the entrance exam.’

Why would he hide something so trivial from his older brother?
I clicked my tongue softly and looked at him, and Seo Ho-jin immediately shifted his hips backward, his brow furrowing.

“…What, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“….”
“I don’t like this feeling!”

If he failed, he could just take it again, or else abandon the whole thing.
His older brother would figure out how to feed him regardless.
Yet these words never left my lips. It was obvious he’d worked hard in his own way, and I couldn’t treat that sincerity lightly.

‘That’s right. If he doesn’t want to tell me, then pretending not to know is my way of showing consideration.’

As always, I reached a conclusion befitting an older brother—one full of affection—and grasped Seo Ho-jin’s shoulders firmly with both hands. Even as he flinched in surprise, I offered him a warm and harmless smile.

“Seo Ho-jin, a year passes in the blink of an eye.”
“…What?”

If that’s the case, just take the exam again next year.
While Seo Ho-jin blinked in confusion, unable to grasp my meaning, I pulled my wallet from my back pocket and held out a card.

“Come on. Let’s grab something delicious to eat today.”

My younger brother’s expression grew even more vacant. When he tried to pull his hand back to refuse, I tossed the card onto the sofa table and stood up.

“Whoa! Wait, Brother! What’s with that look?! Why are you getting up?! Hold on! Let’s talk—!”
“Sorry, I’m busy.”
“No, what is this—!”

I brushed off Seo Ho-jin, who was clinging to my pant leg and trying to continue the conversation, and immediately called a Kakao Taxi. Fortunately, one was nearby, so I was able to board quickly. After giving the driver the dormitory address, I leaned back against the seat. I noticed the taxi driver kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror, but I pretended not to see and turned my gaze out the window.

‘…What should I do.’

It was possible that Seo Ho-jin and that bastard hadn’t crossed paths yet. Though he might already be lurking around the area.
As I tapped the armrest by the car door with my index finger, deliberating on what to do, a name I’d seen in Seo Ho-jin’s message list suddenly came to mind.

‘Woo Kyung-un…that was it.’

The guy who’d cried his eyes out when Seo Ho-jin was rushed to the Emergency Room.
Despite paying close attention to my younger brother all this time, I’d never noticed anyone particularly close to him—at least not anyone memorable. Though it didn’t seem like he lacked people around him.
I didn’t have high expectations for Woo Kyung-un, but since he was someone Seo Ho-jin continued to contact even after seeing him collapse, and he seemed to have a pretty good personality, I thought maybe I could get some small piece of information from him.
I recalled that the Manager had given Woo Kyung-un his business card as thanks before. When I texted the Manager, Woo Kyung-un’s phone number arrived quickly. After reciting the eleven-digit number a few times and sending a brief introduction along with a question about whether he was available to talk, an answer came back in mere seconds.

[Woo Kyung-un: Whoa! Whoa whoa whoa! Of course I remember!!! It’s been so long!! How have you been?!]
[Woo Kyung-un: My phone is always open so feel free to contact me anytime!!!]

At this response speed, isn’t he basically an automated chatbot?
His writing style was oddly similar to Jung Da-jun’s. I noticed we’d arrived at the dormitory and got out of the taxi.
Then I immediately called Woo Kyung-un.

[Y-yes?!]
“Ah, Kyung-un.”

I deliberately injected warmth into my voice as I spoke.

“I’m sorry for being so sudden.”
[Brother, what are you saying! Don’t be like that~! I’m completely free so it’s fine!]
“…Haha, it’s not anything major, and though it’s quite late to be saying this, I wanted to thank you again. It’s embarrassing, but I only recently found out that you helped Ho-jin without receiving any reward in return.”

Before getting to the main point, I expressed the gratitude I’d genuinely wanted to convey for a while now.

‘What do kids this age usually like?’

There was also a small calculation involved—if I gave him the gifts I hadn’t been able to give before and put him in a good mood, maybe he wouldn’t be so difficult.
However, Woo Kyung-un shut me down decisively, as if he knew exactly what I was about to say.

[Ho-yoon, if I receive something from you, I’m seriously dead to Seo Ho-jin!]
“What?”
[No, actually, I do kind of covet Kang Yi-chae’s autograph from the collaboration song with IRIX… but, well, it’s not worth risking my precious life over!]

Life, of all things.
I thought he was being overly dramatic, but Woo Kyung-un’s murmur about not wanting to die at such a young age followed. I deleted everything I didn’t understand from my mind and entered only Kang Yi-chae’s autograph before speaking again.

“Well, hearing you talk about it, it seems like you’re getting along well with my younger brother these days?”
[Ah, yes! Who else could handle Seo Ho-jin except for a warm-hearted person like me?! He ignores nine out of every ten messages I send, but I’ve made peace with it now.]
“Ah… my brother is a bit shy.”

Instead of heading into the dormitory, I leaned against the wall beside the elevator and continued.

“He’s not very outgoing and lacks initiative, so he always needs looking after. Still, he doesn’t do anything with bad intentions, so please see him kindly.”
[…W, what?]
“I’d appreciate it if you continued to get along well with him.”

Woo Kyung-un, who had been chirping away incessantly like a chick until now, hesitated for the first time.

[Not outgoing…? Lacks initiative…?]
“He’s the type who requires a lot of attention.”

Only silence passed through the speaker. After a long pause, Woo Kyung-un asked hesitantly.

[…Um, hyung. We’re talking about the same Seo Ho-jin, right? The one at S University studying political science?]
“Yes.”

After my answer, Woo Kyung-un fumbled for a moment before abruptly changing the subject.

[Well, anyway, Seo Ho-jin is doing well enough that you don’t need to worry about him. Now that he’s been accepted to Law School, he shouldn’t be too busy, except for the fact that it’s hard to see his face—.]

But there was one phrase that stood out distinctly in what he said.

“Law School acceptance?”
[Yes! He’s not the type to waste time on frivolous things, so I thought he might be doing some extracurricular activities…]
“Wait, wait.”

The sudden revelation hit me like a typhoon, and I pressed my palm firmly against my trembling chest.

“Seo Ho-jin didn’t fail Law School, did he?”
[Huh? He got in!]
“What?!!”

My voice echoed like a reverberation as I rushed down the staircase connected to the hallway.
Through the phone, I could sense Woo Kyung-un’s bewildered expression.

[Huh?! You didn’t know?! He’s literally a legend in our department right now!!]
“Ha….”
[As Student Council President, he’s getting every scholarship available, he’s basically guaranteed to graduate top of his class, and now he’s gotten into Law School too—the guys joke that he has no conscience. But seeing your reaction, I guess he really didn’t tell you….]

After that, Woo Kyung-un launched into a detailed account of Seo Ho-jin’s university life like a man on a mission. Fortunately, there was no information about relatives mixed in.
I gave him some perfunctory responses before hanging up and pressing the elevator button.
The moment I stepped into the elevator that had arrived on the first floor, I smacked my head against the mirror facing me.

“Damn.”

I was genuinely so proud of my younger brother.

‘Ah, I really raised that kid well.’

My honest heart wanted to shout it from the rooftops and brag to everyone. I wanted to hang banners across the entire nation. Back in school, I’d always thought the praise directed at me was excessive, but now I finally understood that feeling.
Without even lifting my head, I could feel a smile spreading across my lips.
I belatedly pressed the button for the dormitory floor, and once I arrived, I opened the door with my key card and shouted.

“Hey guys, I’m home!”
“…!!”

Hmm, an acrid smell.
As I savored the pungent assault on my senses and removed my shoes, Jung Da-jun emerged from the kitchen with a spatula in hand.

“H-Ho, Ho-yoon! You’re here already! I can explain! I’ll clean it up right away! The smell should fade soon….”
“Ah, it’s fine. It smells nice.”
“…Huh, nice?”

As I hummed a tune and stepped inside, Jung Da-jun, who had been flustered, froze mid-motion with only his eyes rolling around.
Passing by him and walking further in, I could see the other members holding chopsticks, poking at charred lumps on plates sitting on the dining table.
Kang Yi-chae was the first to greet me with playful scolding.

“Well, well~why is the eldest coming in so late?”
“You guys haven’t eaten yet?”
“Mm. I just couldn’t bring myself to eat it… Today was really serious….”

‘Whether it’s basalt or kimchi stew.’ They had apparently been having a serious debate about it.
I sat down next to Kim Sung-hyun, who was gulping water as if parched, and picked up a spoon.

“The rice looks delicious though?”

The members stared at me in shock, but I simply scooped a spoonful and put it in my mouth.

“Ho-yoon, are you sick somewhere… Huh, he actually ate it.”
“…Are you in your right mind?”

I was the one chewing and swallowing, yet they all made pained expressions as if they were suffering. In the meantime, Sung Ji-won asked carefully.

“…Could it be that you’re shocked because we didn’t win David and Goliath today?”
“Wow, that sounds plausible….”
“That makes sense.”
“But even if you were shocked, eating this is a bit much….”

Ha ha ha, they’re misunderstanding me the same way I did with Seo Ho-jin.
At this point, I think I could smile and drink lye water—Jung Da-jun’s cooking is nothing.

“David and Goliath was fun.”
“…Oh, really?”
“I got to see people I hadn’t seen in a while.”

Recalling that damned bastard, I even finished the kimchi stew without leaving a single drop of broth. The guys’ faces wrinkled even more.
There’s no need to specifically warn Seo Ho-jin to avoid running into that bastard.

‘I can handle it on my end.’

First, I’d meet with them and listen to whatever nonsense they spout, confirm which version of Seo Ho-yoon they remember. Then I’d find their weakness or dirt and toss it to my company—after that, they’d tear themselves apart.

‘Two weeks should be more than enough.’

Year-end performances and events were still piled up on the schedule. There were plenty of concerns nagging at me, but right now my mood was exceptional.
I pressed close against Kang Yi-chae, who had begun to seriously worry about my mental health, linked arms with him, and grinned wickedly.

“Kang Yi-chae, sign something for me.”
“…What?”

.
.
.

The day after filming David and Goliath wrapped, around lunchtime, Seo Ho-yoon started a solo live stream from Kang Yi-chae’s Studio. The title was somewhat uncharacteristic of him: “I miss you—can you come?”

“Hey.”

The moment the fans connected to the stream and saw Seo Ho-yoon on screen, they were bewildered, flooding the chat with nothing but question marks.

[????]
[???]
[?????]

And for good reason—unlike usual, despite it not being an official schedule, he was wearing a pristine white crewneck sweater. His bottoms were even light-wash jeans.
But most striking of all was his expression. His eyes sparkled as if stars had been embedded in them, and a gentle smile naturally bloomed across his lips.

“Why are you all sending question marks?”

The way he tilted his head slightly to the right with curious inflection made it seem as though a halo of light was radiating from him.

[Yo… Seo Ho-yoon… what happened to your face??]
[Wait, it’s the same as yesterday… what… what is this?]
[What is it… something… something… the light is so bright I can’t even look at it]

The Noeul fans couldn’t pinpoint exactly why Seo Ho-yoon’s aura had shifted, but they were absolutely certain this was the critical moment to hit the screenshot button.

“There’s no official schedule. Oh, did I wear something bright?”

Seo Ho-yoon, who had been reading slowly, suddenly drooped the corners of his eyebrows.

“You don’t like it?”

[There’s no way you don’t like it, seriously]
[Dark-haired cool beauty’s charm really shines in white clothes]

In an instant, a flood of lavish praise washed over him, and the corners of Seo Ho-yoon’s eyes lifted brightly. And in that moment, though it shouldn’t have been possible, the somewhat dim work studio suddenly seemed to brighten.

“Good thing. I wore it hoping you’d like it.”

[?????????????]

This time, SNS was flooded with question marks.

[Why is he like that???]
[Seriously why is he like that???]
[No seriously why is he like that???]
[Ah you’re all saying the same thing lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol]

Seo Ho-yoon’s false modesty was nothing special within the fandom anymore. A handsome existence who looked sensitive and prickly at first glance, yet consistently used formal speech only for them and spoke only with kind words—there was no way they could dislike it. The fans had already grown completely accustomed to Seo Ho-yoon’s behavior.
But today, in particular, it had gone overboard. In a good way.

“What do you want to do together?”

Seeing Seo Ho-yoon in such a good mood, the starving hyenas seized the opportunity and rushed at him eagerly.

[Ho-yoon, Ho-yoon, can you tell us about the members’ sleeping habits??]

“Sure, sure?”

Seo Ho-yoon, who let out a giggle, took a sip of the Frappuccino placed beside his desk, then slowly opened his mouth.

[Yo emergency Seo Ho-yoon’s spilling The Dun tea]
[Crazy]

[Currently taking notes like crazy
Kang Yi-chae has a habit of hugging something when he sleeps
Jung Da-jun kicks off all his blankets while sleeping and sprawls out
Sung Ji-won sleeps so deeply we call him Sleeping Beauty Ji-won
Kim Sung-hyun says he’s never shared a room so he doesn’t know, but he’s seen himself closing the Maknae’s mouth when he sleeps with it open

Lol fuck, Kim Sung-hyun, what the hell?
Kim Sung-hyun really is raising Jung Da-jun lol

[Yo, Seo Ho-yoon must be crazy—when I asked where the members have moles, he laughed in disbelief
He asked why I was curious about that

└Ah, every time like this you really seem like an Oppa… even though you’re actually a nephew…
└And he’s literally telling me the mole locations right now
Lol knowing stuff is seriously hilarious lol
└└He’s tapping Ji-won’s nose bridge saying “You know this one, right? Here.” I’m dying]

Whenever I asked other questions, Seo Ho-yoon would answer with a soft smile. Occasionally, he would just stare at the comments appearing on the screen.

[I can’t stand the way Seo Ho-yoon looks at me so affectionately—it’s really frustrating]

[If any of the other guys did this I’d be like ugh gross; but why does it feel so good when Seo Ho-yoon does it…

└Because he doesn’t usually act like this…
└└He really looks happy…;; It’s making me feel weird too;;]

Already handsome, but with kindness seeping through, his entire expression seemed transformed.

[Yo, he’s even humming the rabbit song]

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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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