There Are Four Top Idol Uncles - Chapter 177
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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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Part 2, Episode 3
* * *
By now, Yewon’s filmography was exactly what every child actress dreamed of.
Thanks to her knowledge of the future, she’d managed to cherry-pick nothing but exceptional projects.
But there was one problem—just one.
‘There was no role for a child actress that would win the Best Actress Award.’
In the first place, there weren’t many projects featuring child actors at all.
And a child actor as the lead? On top of that, work with enough artistic merit to win at a film festival?
There was simply no project that combined all three perfectly.
‘…There’s no getting around it. The only option is to chase after that same project that gave me the Best Actress Award in my past life.’
And so she had no choice but to reach this conclusion.
‘I wanted to accelerate the Quest completion by even a bit with some other role….’
But the world wasn’t about to hand her that.
Yewon’s eyes grew darker.
‘Still.’
She would complete that Quest no matter what. No matter what happened.
She stepped slightly away from Lee Doha and nodded with unwavering confidence.
“Yeah. Really, it’s fine. I’m only fourteen, after all. Good opportunities will keep coming, I’m sure of it!”
“!”
Lee Doha nodded, his expression visibly moved by how much Yewon seemed to have grown.
“You’re right, Yewon. Yes. Your future is so bright… there’ll be plenty of wonderful opportunities ahead….”
“Mm-hmm.”
Yewon nodded firmly and added, “Which is why I’m going to choose my next project in Korea.”
Where she could be at Uncle’s side.
And take on ‘that project’—the one that could save him.
“But, Yewon.”
“Yeah?”
Lee Doha’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“Have you checked your class assignment? You need to see if you’re in the same class as your friends.”
“Oh, that.”
Yewon frowned slightly, realizing she’d forgotten.
Since she’d been abroad the whole time, she hadn’t been able to check which class she’d been assigned to.
The Acting Department at Hyunbong Arts Middle School had two classes: Class 1 and Class 2.
“Well, apparently Baek Yun, Jeongyun, and Harin all got into the same class. Class 2.”
“They…did?”
Lee Doha’s expression fell in real time, for some reason uneasy.
If at least one of them had been placed in Class 1, Yewon would have a friend no matter which class she ended up in…!
“Don’t worry, Uncle. Even if I’m in a different class, I can just make new friends and get along fine.”
“Right, that’s true…. You’ll be loved wherever you go, Yewon….”
“That’s not the point…. Uncle, I’m a middle school student now. If you keep saying things like that, everyone will really think I’m weird. Please don’t talk like that.”
At Yewon’s words, Lee Doha slumped noticeably.
But he was only speaking the truth… and now he was getting scolded for it….
“Anyway. It’ll be fine.”
* * *
But two days later, Yewon was anything but fine.
“….”
She was the only one placed in a different class!
The moment she arrived home and checked her class assignment, Yewon fell into despair.
Hyunbong Arts Middle School Freshman Class Assignment Results
…
Name: Yewon
Department: Theatre and Film—Acting Major
Class: 1
…
Yewon deeply regretted the confident words she’d boasted to Lee Doha—’It’s fine! I adapted well enough among foreign adults! Of course I’ll do even better among Korean classmates my own age. Child’s play, really.’ She knew better than anyone that facing Korean pubescent classmates was harder than dealing with a hundred million foreign adults.
Uncertain how she would appear to classmates hit head-on by adolescence, Yewon heaved a long sigh.
And so, on her way to the entrance ceremony—
‘Take care of yourself, Yewon.’
With Lee Doha’s help, Yewon got out of the car and joined Harin, Jeongyun, and Yoo Baekwoon on the walk to school.
Lee Doha had insisted on driving them all the way to the school gates, but Yewon refused firmly.
She’d already draw enough attention just by enrolling; she didn’t want to stand out even more because of him.
“Y-Yewon. Stay strong. No wait! Don’t worry! We’ll come to your classroom every break. The second lunch starts, we’ll sprint over. We can all go to the cafeteria together. What? They won’t even know we’re from a different class, right? Besides, you’re a model student anyway—just focus in class, and then focus on us during breaks!!”
“Right. We’ll just keep coming to find you.”
Despite Jeongyun and Harin’s continued reassurances, Yewon shook her head with a bright smile.
“No, come on, you two. Be realistic—it’ll be a burden on your classmates. You both need to settle into your own classes. I’m really fine. It’s a little sad, I guess, but that doesn’t mean we’re not friends anymore. We can hang out after school!”
“But….”
At her words, Harin and Jeongyun both drooped simultaneously.
This wasn’t the school life they’d imagined at all!
‘~A thrilling, joyful middle school life with Yewon, Harin, and Jeongyun~ Friendship forever☆’
Their dream shattered like glass.
Then.
“Can I… go too?”
Yoo Baekwoon, who had been pushed into silence by the girls’ momentum, ventured timidly into the conversation.
“Huh?”
“I mean, you guys can just play together, right? But I don’t have any friends. It can’t be helped. You… you should hang out with me instead.”
As Yoo Baekwoon spoke while deliberately avoiding her gaze, Yewon blinked.
Could it really work like that? But middle schoolers should be old enough to fend for themselves, shouldn’t they…?
Besides, if a boy kept showing up to visit a girl in the next class over….
‘Wouldn’t that draw all kinds of unwanted attention…?’
Kids this age hated standing out. One wrong move, and the jealousy and gossip would target you as an outcast in no time.
Yewon couldn’t bring herself to voice these thoughts, so she just laughed awkwardly.
‘Yoo Baekwoon seemed more professional when he was seven….’
The ambitious, business-minded Yoo Baekwoon from back then seemed better somehow….
“Wow. Yoo Baekwoon’s legendary smooth-talking disaster. Harin, are you seeing this? You have to admit it’s completely ridiculous, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I honestly can’t believe this guy is my blood relative. Mom and Dad’s genes totally failed.”
“I told you to give him some proper education.”
“I’m sorry. National apology incoming.”
In the meantime, Jeongyun couldn’t quite bring herself to complain loudly, so she whispered quietly to Harin instead.
“Why not? If I go, you won’t be bored either.”
No matter what harsh criticism erupted beside him, Yoo Baekwoon pressed forward stubbornly.
“Mm.”
Yewon watched him for a moment, then—
“No way. It’s fine!”
“!”
She refused with a carefree laugh.
“If you do that, Yoo Baekwoon, you won’t make any friends in class two—and I won’t allow it. You’ll see us after school like Harin and Jeongyun do.”
“…….…”
And so one boy’s bright hopes came crashing down.
* * *
At the same moment.
Behind the Hyunbong Arts Middle School Main Building stood the Wisteria Shelter, where gnarled wisteria vines wrapped around the wooden beams.
Tucked away in a shadier spot than expected, the place saw few student visitors—and there were two figures present.
“I knew you’d be here.”
“!”
One regular visitor and one uninvited guest.
At Eunoh’s sudden voice, Hyuk opened his eyes and looked at him.
“Hiding again, huh?”
Eunoh looked down at Hyuk with disdain as he lay on the shelter’s bench, his arm shielding his face.
If you were going to show up for school, you should be heading straight to class—not lying around like some delinquent.
“…You’re the one who said ‘don’t stand out’ in this school.”
At Hyuk’s quiet voice, Eunoh’s lips curved into a bitter smile.
Right. I did say that clearly enough.
“And you think this doesn’t stand out?”
“At least I can stay off the radar of those guys in your crowd.”
“…….…”
Instead of responding, Eunoh leaned his shoulder against one of the wisteria pillars.
“‘My crowd’?”
“Right. Those bastards don’t even realize you won’t treat them as friends. But yeah, they’re definitely your crowd.”
As Hyuk scratched his neck, Eunoh pulled one corner of his mouth up into a smile.
‘Does this idiot think he’s filming a drama right now? He’s literally scratching his voice. Then again, the guy can’t read reality—he’s living inside a drama all by himself.’
Eunoh muttered to himself and rolled his eyes slightly.
“This year they’re admitting another one like you, I hear.”
“!”
At Eunoh’s words, Hyuk’s face hardened with startling speed.
“You probably know who it is. Their name is—”
“Leave that kid alone. They’re two years younger than you.”
“Ah, you’re talking to ‘me’ now?”
…….
At Eunoh’s words, Hyuk rose to his feet and bit his lip.
“…You can tell your followers to leave them alone. They’ll listen to you. They do whatever you say.”
…….
At Hyuk’s plaintive request, Eunoh looked down at him with eyes gone even colder.
Normally, Hyuk would have looked away from that gaze. He understood all too well what those eyes meant.
But….
Not Yewon.
Hyuk met Eunoh’s eyes head-on without flinching.
“If you want to keep playing the hero of justice so badly,”
“!”
“Then do it yourself. And stop sacrificing a reputation that someone else worked hard to build.”
With that, Eunoh turned and left without waiting for a response.
But Hyuk couldn’t reach out and hold him back.
He had no right to.
Hyuk thought back to that day.
‘What, Eunoh? You defending that attention-seeking bastard now?’
‘I’m just explaining that it’s not good when things blow up. The way you’re talking about it, if they really are an attention-seeker, then the public will focus on them. You want that attention on yourself?’
‘…Damn it. So what? You gonna act like you’re the good guy all of a sudden?’
‘Just leave them alone. Before this becomes a pain for everyone.’
When no one took his side and everyone shut him out completely.
Eunoh had been the only one to stand in his way.
…Though it wasn’t exactly kindly done.
In the end, Hyuk called out after Eunoh’s retreating form.
“Thank you! And thanks for worrying about me!”
The distant figure of Eunoh paused for a moment.
Then he simply pretended not to hear and continued on his way.
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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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