The Trashy PD Has To Survive as an Idol - Chapter 80

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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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80

“What do you want to eat?”
“There are some wild vegetables in the field over there. We were just talking about making bibimbap like we mentioned earlier.”
“Sounds good.”

I wanted to immediately dispose of the t-shirt that Kang Yi-chae had specially made, but the production crew had laughed so hard they nearly collapsed, insisting I absolutely had to wear it. While there was certainly the thought that this would make for guaranteed content, it seemed their resentment toward me was the primary motivation.
In the end, I obediently put on the “troublemaker” t-shirt and gave up, setting the pot on the fire first.

“Do we have any kimchi?”
“Why are you asking a Korean that?”

Since we were always serious when it came to food, we conversed with an almost grave intensity, and the division of labor proceeded smoothly.
Jung Da-jun, who had apparently borrowed a lighter from the staff, lit the fire in the hearth and poured clean rice and water. Kang Yi-chae searching for kimchi beside him, Kim Sung-hyun neatly slicing pink sausages….

“Then I’ll go dig up some young radish greens with Ho-yoon.”
“See you soon!”

I was grateful for the comfortable clothing. Though the rain had stopped, the humid air made sweat bead up after just a few steps, even in the three-quarter length t-shirt Kang Yi-chae had made and shorts that reached my knees. A staff member carrying a camera hurried along behind me.

“This is my first time digging up young radish greens.”
“Really?”
“…What about you? Have you done it before?”
“I lived with my grandmother. She did a lot of fieldwork.”

Upon arriving at the field, Sung Ji-won set down the woven basket he’d been carrying at his side and put on work gloves with practiced ease. The staff member moved past me and drew close to Sung Ji-won, eager to capture even a single good shot. I was certain they’d add a caption like “the lead vocalist’s unexpected charm” later.
I’m willing to bet they definitely put a caption like “the main vocalist’s unexpected charm” or something along those lines.

“Thanks.”
“Thanks.”

I put on the work gloves I’d been handed and stood there blankly, when Sung Ji-won took his position, squatted down, and started digging up the young radishes with enthusiasm.
Well… I guess I just grab it from the top and pull it out. But strangely, whenever I tried to pull it, only the stem came off and the roots wouldn’t come out.

“Seo Ho-yoon.”
“Whoa, you startled me.”

I’d been concentrating intently, driven by a competitive spirit, when Sung Ji-won suddenly drew close beside me, his expression turning serious.

‘…No, calling me by my last name and making that face… really?’

I calmed my racing heart from the surprise and turned my head, only to have Sung Ji-won demonstrate how to pull up the young radish greens.

“Don’t just grab the top like that. Grab the root end at the bottom and pull it out smoothly. Not a jerk—a smooth pull.”
“A jerk… smooth?”
“Smooth.”
“…A jerk?”
“…Just come with me.”

Ding!

[Ah~, it’s been so long since I’ve seen something you can’t do~]

It was my first time doing farm work, so of course…
I closed my mouth and, following the example Sung Ji-won had shown, grabbed the roots and pulled up the radish greens with quick jerks. Then I remembered a song I’d heard from the vinyl record earlier and began humming it.

“My foolish self from back then~ how much~.”
“….”
“Could it possibly mean something~.”
“Ho-yoon… that doesn’t make sense.”

Since it was rare to see Sung Ji-won so exasperated, I actually sang even louder. With the Broadcasting Staff member who’d temporarily taken over camera duties cheering me on with their eyes, I stubbornly finished the first verse while Sung Ji-won sighed deeply and worked his hands busily.
After finishing the entire song, I pulled off my work gloves, which barely had any dirt on them, and wiped my forehead with satisfaction.

“So satisfying~.”
“….”

Sung Ji-won, holding a basket full of radish greens, quietly ignored me and brushed past. As I trailed after him down the path, a delicious aroma wafted over.

“Brothers! You’re back?”
“Making ham and egg pancakes!”

After returning, I trimmed and washed the radish greens, then mixed the fluffy cooked rice evenly and transferred it to a large basin, but strangely there was quite a lot of it.

“What’s this? Why did you make so much food?”
“You guys are the ones to talk. Young radish greens aren’t some kind of mountain, they’re a mountain.”
“Hyun-sung, the sausages… why are there so many? We don’t have enough dishes.”
“…It just happened?”

‘Ah, these guys… they’re Korean, alright.’

At this rate, we’re looking at fifteen servings instead of five. I discreetly counted the Broadcasting Staff members. This should be enough to feed everyone.

“Make it small so nobody sticks it on their nose~.”
“Just start mixing it already.”

I cut the fresh young radish greens to size, then mixed them thoroughly with kimchi, sesame oil, and gochujang. The savory aroma hit my nose. As I mixed, I fed a spoonful to Jung Da-jun, who was drooling beside me. The quantity was so enormous that my arms grew tired from mixing before I finally managed to transfer it all to bowls—and sure enough, we had enough for fifteen people. I handed the rest over to the Broadcasting Staff.
There were so many that I had to rub them together until my arms got tired just to barely fit them in the bowl, and it really made 15 servings, so I gave the rest to the Broadcasting Staff.

“You should eat before we continue. Oh, have you already eaten?”
“Ah, no. Not yet….”
“Then it’s good we made so much.”
“Then it’s good that I did plenty of it.”

I knew all too well how heartbreaking it was to watch the cast eat delicious meals while the Broadcasting Staff stood there with rumbling stomachs….
I still remembered my rookie days, running around the filming set on nothing but a single triangle kimbap.
I actually got a little teary remembering those days when I was a newbie, living off a single triangle kimbap while running around the Filming Set.

Ding!

2. I, uh, I… I really love the fresh green young radish greens. Eat it deliciously (green drink ver)]
I, uh, I… I really love the fresh, tangy green yeolmu. Eat it deliciously for me (green drink ver.)

“…Th, thank you?”
“…thank you?”

Yeah… thanks for not saying anything weird.
We spread out a table of our own and laid out the bibimbap, ham and egg pancakes, and utensils.
We also spread out a table and laid out bibimbap, ham and egg pancakes, and utensils.

“Wow, this really tastes amazing. Did our cooking skills actually improve?”
“That’s all thanks to Seo Ho-yoon. He nagged us so much about eating properly.”
“So you don’t want to add the fried egg?”
“My apologies!”

They all shook their heads in unison.
The crowning touch of bibimbap was naturally a soft-boiled fried egg. I carefully plated the fried eggs I’d prepared and placed one on each member’s bowl.

“It’s nice and fresh. It’s a bit warm, but the breeze is nice….”
“If you sit still, it’ll cool down.”
“That’s what my grandmother always says…!!”

Sung Ji-won rubbed his arms as if he had goosebumps. Looking at the members, I felt my mood lift slightly.

Ding!

[You look happy. Is it because the kids are eating well?]

No.
I gazed at them with quiet contentment.

“I’m looking forward to what comes next….”

[…Character….]

The System Window grumbled.
Well. What can I do about it.
Well.

“Thank you for the meal~.”

After finishing our meal, we even polished off the ice cream I’d prepared in the refrigerator beforehand. Since it was a healing variety show concept, we proceeded without any special missions.
Then Lee Ji-hyun from the Planning Team stepped forward and handed blank papers to the members.

“Everyone, we still have some time before evening, don’t we?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like to write something for our time capsule?”

My eyebrow twitched. I didn’t think I’d written down a plan like that…. As I sent a questioning look, Lee Ji-hyun quickly caught on.

‘It’s just filler for time.’
‘Good.’

With that kind of approach, they were clearly determined to squeeze out emotional moments from every last second of airtime.
Only the oblivious members chatted away cheerfully.

“A time capsule? What’s that again?”
“It’s a letter you send to your future self. I used to do it a lot when I was younger….”
“Oh, that.”

Lee Ji-hyun smiled brightly as she spoke.

“For the time capsule, you just write down what you think you’ll look like in five years and what The Dun will be like.”
“Five years? Not ten?”
“Yes, five years.”

In ten years, most of the members would be in their thirties, and there was no guarantee the group would even still exist in its current form. The intention was to revisit them during their prime and create material for future content.

‘Wow, that’s clever.’

I nodded and slowly accepted the paper. Some members wrote thoughtfully, while others scribbled excitedly, but staring at the blank page, my mind went completely blank. I jotted down some pointless remarks directed at the members, then paused.

‘Will I even be here in five years?’

No, that couldn’t be right. According to the System, once the main scenario was complete, I had a high probability of leaving this world and returning to my original one.
So far, resolving Kim Sung-hyun and Jung Da-jun’s scenarios had taken only half a year. With two remaining members, even accounting for various contingencies, it shouldn’t take more than a year.
Sure, it might take longer for The Dun to reach the top tier, but….
I had no intention of staying for five years anyway.
I stared at what I’d written, sighed, and drew two thick lines through it. Then I added something below.

[Everything back to normal.]

I had no intention of living like this.
I must have gotten too absorbed during these past six months.
Even if the camera filmed the paper again later, they’d just interpret it as ‘our Ho-yoon wants to find his original purpose,’ so it didn’t really matter.
I folded the paper twice, held it in my hand, and wandered over near the other members.

“Hey, what did you write?”
“Whoa!”

Jung Da-jun hastily shielded the paper with both arms, hiding it. He only lifted his head slightly, glaring at me as if I were some shameless pervert.

“Brother! Don’t look.”
“What, is it a diary or something?”

I hadn’t thought much of it, but seeing him hide it like that piqued my curiosity. When I approached Kang Yi-chae, he too widened his eyes, folded the paper, and fluttered it away.

“Want to see it?”
“Yeah.”
“Then show me yours too.”
….
“You don’t want to?”

Kang Yi-chae, whose rhetoric had grown sharper lately, was a lost cause.
When I went to Kim Sung-hyun, he was predictably defenseless. I crept closer and snatched it away.

“Hey!”

Leaving the flustered Kim Sung-hyun behind, I slowly read the contents.

“Still maintaining composure, and hoping our fans can be happy~.”
“Ugh, don’t read it out loud!”
“Aha ha.”
“You jerk… that t-shirt really suits you….”
“You shine, Kim Sung-hyun.”

He was doing exactly what suited the t-shirt. There was more content below, but I didn’t get to see all of it. Chuckling, I handed it back and looked toward Sung Ji-won, who had already finished and was folding his paper.

“Ho-yoon, what did you write?”
“Nothing special.”
“Well, if everyone’s done, please put them in this box~.”

Once all the members had finished, a Staff Member approached. The members neatly placed their papers into the box he offered, and we made our way around the courtyard.

“Should we bury it around here?”
“How deep do we need to dig?”
“Just dig casually, casually.”

Answering, I gently dug with the shovel and buried the box.

“Alright, let’s do some individual interviews~.”
“Sure~.”

As if unwilling to miss this emotional moment, the production staff requested interviews from each of us.
They called me first, apparently planning to take us one by one.

“I’m heading out.”
“Who wants to watch a horror movie with Yi-chae here~?”
“There’s a horror movie?”

‘Wow.’

That’s Kang Yi-chae for you. He catches onto everything and naturally sets the mood.

‘Well….’

Still, what could I do?
I smiled softly.

“Yeah, I’ll be back soon.”
“Hyung, grab a Melona on your way back~.”

I brushed off Jung Da-jun’s habitual ice cream request and stepped outside.
A light drizzle was falling again. When I turned my head, Lee Ji-hyun appeared in the opposite room, her index finger pressed to her lips as she gestured silently for me to come.

“We need to film the time capsule cut, but… Seo Ho-yoon, you’ll need a more special interview.”
“Of course.”

Lee Ji-hyun and I locked eyes and chuckled mischievously. The moment we positioned ourselves in front of the camera, we instantly switched to composed expressions.
The interview began.

Q. Seo Ho-yoon, how are you feeling right now?
“Fantastic, my heart is racing.”

Q. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
“…Well. Probably teasing my members.”

Q. Finally, a message for the members who will watch this video.
“You guys.”

I flashed a friendly smile toward the camera.

“Surprises aren’t something only you guys know how to pull off.”

Lee Ji-hyun gave a thumbs up, approving.

Ding!

[Wow… what a follow-up….]

Yeah, I’m looking forward to this too.
After calling cut, I headed back and threw the door open, startling the guys inside.

“Whoa! Give us some warning before you burst in!”
“That actually scared me.”
“Why are you all so jumpy?”
“We’re at the climax of a horror movie right now.”

Kim Sung-hyun grumbled as he squeezed in next to the others, who had already gathered a pile of snacks and were munching away contentedly.

“Kim Sung-hyun, go grab the cut footage.”
“Why do I hate going alone so much….”

Seeing him anxiously hesitate warmed my heart. The horror film had already passed the first half and was producing increasingly eerie sounds. Jung Da-jun, trembling in fear, deliberately squeezed himself between me and Sung Ji-won.

“Move over.”
“No way!! I don’t want to be at the end. I feel like something’s going to grab me.”
“You get grabbed from the middle too….”
“Ahhhhh!”

I deliberately said that while slyly tugging at Jung Da-jun’s shirt from behind, and he shrieked and scrambled away in panic.
I genuinely enjoyed his endless whining—”Stop living like that, hyung is really terrible!”—while Sung Ji-won remained surprisingly composed, and Kang Yi-chae let out a scream mixed with genuine enjoyment.

‘Things are going to change for you guys from now on.’

“See you in a bit~.”

It was just as Jung Da-jun, the last one, was heading out.

“U-ugh, I’ll go check….”
“There’s Broadcasting Staff outside anyway.”
“Oh, right… of course.”

Still, Jung Da-jun would undoubtedly be pure terror itself.
I waited three minutes with anticipation, pouring water into my instant ramen as if timing it. Exactly two minutes and forty-one seconds passed when I heard Jung Da-jun’s scream from outside.

“AAAAHHHHH!!”

Wow, Jung Da-jun’s faster than instant ramen.

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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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