The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 72

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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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72

“‘Summer is in our hands’?”
“It’s refreshing and nice.”

A carbonated beverage commercial had come in. It was our first outdoor shoot in a while, and since it was our first major commercial, everyone was on edge.
Beside me, Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun were zipping around on a skateboard they’d chosen as a prop.

“Phew, I was going to use a stunt double, but he’s incredibly skilled!”

The commercial director looked thoroughly satisfied. Perhaps because Jung Da-jun was young, he recovered twice as fast as the doctor had predicted, and he was now darting around the filming set with his usual boundless energy.

“Tsk, I told him to be careful….”
“Looks like he wants to play around.”
“Watching him makes me anxious. He’s like a child left by the water’s edge.”

As I sighed, Sung Ji-won glanced at me with a subtle, pleased expression. What was that about?
His attitude toward me lately had been oddly irritating. When I shot him a look, Sung Ji-won quickly caught on and changed the subject.

“Ho-yoon, don’t you ride?”
“I’ve only ever ridden a regular skateboard.”
“Are you good at it?”
“No one in my neighborhood could beat me….”
“Sometimes I can’t tell if what you say is true or not….”

Regardless of Sung Ji-won’s vague mutterings, I continued reviewing the commercial storyboard written on the printout in my hands. Kang Yi-chae, who had been eagerly following Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun around with a camcorder to film behind-the-scenes content, now approached Sung Ji-won.

“Sung Ji-won! What are you doing right now~?”
“We’re currently filming the ‘Ranta’ commercial. I’m reviewing the storyboard with Seo Ho-yoon~.”
“Ranta is so delicious~! Give us your thoughts!”
“Yes, of course…! We’re grateful to be here thanks to Noeul’s support. We’ll do our best to show passionate performances so we don’t disappoint the advertisers who kindly invited us.”
“Wow… did you memorize that?”
“…What? I meant it sincerely.”
….

Kang Yi-chae, visibly flustered, grabbed me—his next target—standing beside him.

“Seo Ho-yoon. Do you drink Ranta often in your daily life?”
“In my daily life?”

I furrowed my brow, clearly displeased.

“Well, my blood is made of Ranta….”
“Oh my! My apologies.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d watch your words.”
“Ay, ay. I was wrong~.”

After playing along appropriately, Kang Yi-chae seemed satisfied and hummed as he moved on to find his next target. That guy—he’s not filming this to show anyone else. He’s doing it purely for his own satisfaction. I clicked my tongue and had just finished reviewing the entire storyboard when all the members gathered in one place.
I was grateful the schedule was packed this morning. Even if filming ran long, I’d be able to make it to the CEO’s Office.
It was fortunate that the schedule was set for the morning. Even if the shoot ran long, I thought I’d still be able to go to the CEO’s Office.

“Yeah, it’s today.”

No matter how much we could change them by mutual agreement, this was practically an extraordinary measure.
From what I could see, the company wasn’t doing much for us—we were a group that had grown through our own efforts and self-reliance—so the current profit-sharing ratio was absolutely absurd.
From what I’ve seen, considering that our Group is one that has grown through self-reliance, doing everything on our own without much support from the Entertainment Company, the percentage we’re currently receiving seemed absolutely unreasonable.

“They said filming is starting!”

True to a carbonated beverage shoot, the Broadcasting Staff was full of energy from the start. They answered loudly with repeated bows and entered the pre-arranged Skate Park.

“Yes.”
Yes.

The members’ faces were full of mischief, ready to tease since I wasn’t in the shot.
The camera slowly focused on the carbonated drink in my hand, then shifted to my face. I looked at the camera and slowly delivered the line I’d memorized.
The camera slowly focused on the carbonated drink in my hand, then quickly moved toward my face. I looked at the camera and slowly recited the lines I had memorized.

“Summer is in our hands.”

The Camera Director tilted the angle slightly upward. Taking a step forward, he smiled with the corners of his mouth raised while staring straight ahead.

“―Okay, cut!”
“Okay, cut!”

That came out pretty well.
We’ll need to do separate post-production voice recording anyway, but I’m delivering all the dialogue live.
The Director reviewing the footage tilted his head slightly.
Didn’t he like it?

“Seo Ho-yoon. Good. It came out well, but let’s do one more take from a different angle.”
“Yes, understood.”

I nodded and returned to my original position, settling into the stance. The members who had been planning to tease me seemed to have changed their minds, watching silently instead.
After the Director called cut again, he stroked his chin while monitoring, then turned his gaze toward me.

“Seo Ho-yoon.”

What didn’t he like?

“Yes, please tell me.”

I steeled myself to do whatever he asked, but the Director said something completely unexpected.

“Your diction is really good. Like a professional actor.”
“…Pardon?”
“Your expressions are solid too. I’m just curious—do you take acting lessons?”

What is this now?
Lately, people kept bringing up acting from all directions. I wondered if the CEO had pulled strings here too, so I answered reflexively while remaining slightly cautious.

“Ha, not really. I’m just following the detailed direction you’re giving me.”
“Wow, you’re quite eloquent too.”

The Director didn’t say anything more. I was relieved he didn’t ask, “Want to try acting?” like I half-expected.
At least Dae Pa-sung was a mid-sized company, so this CF director couldn’t exert overwhelming influence…

“Wow!”

Suddenly, an exclamation burst from the staff. Wondering what was happening, I turned my head and saw Kim Sung-hyun gesturing from a short distance away.

“Seo Ho-yoon. Look at this.”
“What?”

Kim Sung-hyun poured a drink into a paper cup, then stepped onto his skateboard while holding it. He descended sharply down the halfpipe
1)
in one fluid motion.

“…What?”

*Whoosh!*

Using the rebound from the opposite wall, as he rode his skateboard back down, he grabbed the cup mid-air at the peak of the halfpipe and spun it gracefully
2)
through the air with a flick of his wrist.

“Wow….”

Kang Yi-chae gasped in genuine admiration. Kim Sung-hyun returned to his starting position and lifted the cup. Not a single drop of liquid had spilled.

“Not bad.”
“Sung-hyun! Can we get an interview? Please give us an interview!”

As Kim Sung-hyun casually strolled over, sipping his drink from the paper cup, Kang Yi-chae cheered and thrust the camera eagerly toward him.
This guy could’ve skipped being an idol altogether, honestly.

“Sung-hyun! That! We should use that in an advertisement!”

The Director, having witnessed the moment, rushed over excitedly. Though Kim Sung-hyun seemed slightly flustered by the spontaneous attention, he ultimately agreed to include it in the final cut.

“I want to try it too!!”
“Don’t.”
“Ugh.”

I shut down Jung Da-jun’s attempt to follow Kim Sung-hyun’s lead before he could even grab a board. What was he thinking, trying something like that while injured?
After that, it was Kim Sung-hyun’s moment to shine. The staff showered him with praise and applause. The excellent footage combined with the accelerated filming schedule only amplified their enthusiasm.
While turning my head to take a brief rest, my eyes met Sung Ji-won’s.

“Ho-yoon.”
“…Yeah. What is it?”

There was something unsettling about that expression on his face.
Especially coming from Sung Ji-won—someone who could kill you with the sheer volume of his practice regimen while wearing a smile.

“I heard everything you said earlier. Are you going to act?”
“Why are you doing this too?”

I furrowed my brow and clicked my tongue softly.

“Who else told you?”
“The Manager said so. Seo Ho-yoon even got a recommendation from Min Ji-heon, but didn’t like it, so he just turned it down flat.”
“That’s an exaggeration, isn’t it?”
“So?”

What do I have to like or dislike? I’m the kind of person who has to do what I’m told to do. …But not this. I pulled a training jersey over my shirt and gulped down carbonated soda.

“I’m not doing it.”
“Why? The Director just asked too, didn’t he? Whether you’d act. From what I can see, you have talent.”
“Does everyone have talent? That’s just something people say.”
“No, I was at a major company before. I received acting training and saw a lot of kids who actually did shoots.”
“Sung Ji-won.”

I gave a warning that meant ‘stop it already,’ and Sung Ji-won shrank back slightly before chuckling and continuing to hover beside me.

“Did the Manager tell you to? To try convincing me?”
“No, it’s not like that. I’m just saying it because you seem to be thinking about something else.”

Something else?
Not understanding what he meant, I asked, and Sung Ji-won plopped down beside me and cracked open a carbonated drink as well.

“Ho-yoon, I can see exactly what you’re thinking. Right now our group doesn’t even have seniority yet, and since we’re a group that hit number one off the back of the viral trend, we should avoid individual activities until we build recognition steadily. With mediocre acting skills, if just one person stands out, it could cause internal conflict again.”
“….”

Ding!</

[Is this person the Talmud or something?]

I closed my mouth, struck at my core. I had been confident I could refute whatever was said, but having my true intentions laid bare like this left me with nothing to say.

"But me, I just want you to do what you want. Don't worry about what others think."
"…."
"Ho-yoon, you have more than enough qualifications to do that."

Doesn't this guy feel wronged at all? He'd devoted his youth and practiced for all that time, yet Sung Ji-won prioritized the members first. Perhaps noticing my reluctant expression, he deliberately threw out a joke.

"And if you become even more popular, we can benefit more too, right?"
"…How far are you really willing to compromise?"
"Huh? Ha ha… I'm not compromising, Ho-yoon."

Sung Ji-won wrinkled his nose, tidied up the beverage can he'd been drinking from, and left. But the fundamental issue underlying this part was something else entirely. Sung Ji-won and everyone else were all under a misunderstanding….

"…I'm not even interested in acting?"

Ding!

[I gave you that trait for a reason!!]

Why does everyone think I want to act?
That's not it at all. I have no talent for it. Min Ji-heon didn't even know until he exposed it.
I clicked my tongue and tossed the empty can in my hand into the trash bin.

"Really, there's no way to know."

For now, I set aside the unsolvable problem and proceeded with monitoring. Kim Sung-hyun's stunt looked even more artistic as the sunlight reflected off it.

'That shot turned out really well.'

"We'll wrap up filming here. Thank you for your hard work!"
"Thank you for your hard work~."

Everyone applauded at the early wrap and exchanged greetings with the staff.
After shaking hands with the youngest props assistant, just as I was about to leave, my phone suddenly rang.

"…."

It was the CEO. For some reason, an ominous premonition made me stare at my phone for a moment before I pressed the answer button and slowly brought it to my ear.

"Yes, this is Seo Ho-yoon."
[Oh, Ho-yoon.]

A low sigh came through, along with a slightly apologetic tone.

[I'm sorry, but it looks like I won't be able to renew this time.]
"…What?"
[I've already discussed it with the Manager. Let's talk about it again later.]

I was about to ask what kind of nonsense that was when the Manager came rushing frantically onto the filming set. At the same time, the CEO let out a sigh and hung up the phone.

'…What now?'

"Hey, you guys!"

Anyone could tell from that expression that something had happened. All the members stood frozen, waiting for the Manager's next words.
Unlike his frantic entrance, the Manager carefully looked around before cautiously grabbing Jung Da-jun.

"Da-jun, I'm sorry to do this right after filming, but we need to head to the company quickly."
"Why is that?"
"Sung-hyun, we'll talk later…."
"Why."

As the leader, Kim Sung-hyun stepped forward first, blocking the space between the Manager and Jung Da-jun. Jung Da-jun stared at the Manager with a bewildered expression, clearly confused. I also strode over in that direction, trying to piece things together.
I too walked briskly in that direction while organizing my thoughts.

"Jung Da-jun? Why Jung Da-jun?"

Then what could it be….
Then what…

Ding!

I stopped in my tracks and glanced upward, and upon seeing the message that appeared, I let out a sigh.
I stopped and glanced up, then let out a sigh at the explanation that appeared there.

"Sigh…"

Meanwhile, Kim Sung-hyun, still unaware of the situation, held onto the Manager and asked carefully.
Meanwhile, Kim Sung-hyun, still unable to grasp the situation, was holding onto the Manager and asking him questions in a calm, measured tone.

"That's… Ah, this shouldn't be happening."
"That's… Ah, this shouldn't be happening."

The Manager fidgeted nervously, eventually covering his mouth with his hand and whispering so quietly that no one else could hear.

"An exclusive contract issue has surfaced."
"…What?"
"Jung Da-jun. It turns out Jung Da-jun had a dual exclusive contract. So you need to go explain things quickly. The CEO is really angry right now…."

Jung Da-jun's eyes grew wider and wider. I gazed at the System Window, lamenting my cursed fate.

['Dual Exclusive Contract'
Resolve Jung Da-jun's dual exclusive contract issue!
Success: 10,000 Points
Failure: Jung Da-jun's withdrawal, main scenario progression impossible]

How is it that not a single day passes without some crisis?

1) An inclined half-pipe slope.
2) Halfpipe wall surface.

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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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