Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 333

I need to think.

Lost in thought, I moved my body on autopilot.

What should I do now that Lee Hyun-jae is on Ryu Iden’s side, and they’re whispering like crazy before the final game?

The final game is a haphazard mix of treasure hunt, tag, and memory test.

Lee Hyun-jae is cunning, and Ryu Iden is outstanding. Frankly, I’m confident I could win one-on-one in a fair game, as long as it doesn’t involve physical ability assessments, but the situation has taken a strange turn.

Since tag is involved, Ryu Iden will somehow share my location with Lee Hyun-jae.

I’ve given up on the idea of running away from Ryu Iden. Just watching him play with zombies, there’s no hope.

Hmm, I’m not confident. At this point, I don’t know if this is idol content or a Roman Colosseum experience.

I slowly approached PD-nim [Production Director].

“PD-nim.”

“Yes.”

“I have a serious request to make.”

“I didn’t expect Hyun-jae to get involved either, so I can’t do anything about it.”

As expected, PD Jung is too good of a talent to be tied to our company.

Originally, the intention was to film a battle where Ryu Iden would interfere and lead to my capture, which I would then figure out and evade, but Lee Hyun-jae’s betrayal is, as expected, fatal.

“It’s about the final penalty selection.”

Let’s put on a harmless smile.

According to Ryu Iden’s advanced social skills lecture, it’s best to appear harmless when approaching someone you’ve had past conflicts with.

* * *

Damn, he’s persistent. Isn’t it better to just lose?

Ryu Iden sprinted with all his might, gasping for breath.

Following the route agreed upon with Lee Hyun-jae in advance, he searched for treasure and repeatedly dropped it in front of Chae Ha-min and Lee Hyun-jae.

He subtly hinted at how the members could open the treasure chests and earn points, while also evading Chae Ha-min in a game of tag.

However, while these tasks were arduous, they weren’t a big deal.

Rather, the biggest reason Ryu Iden was running so hard, gasping for breath, was because of one man.

It was most challenging to keep Ji Dong-hwa in check, who was finding treasures at a frightening pace and skillfully avoiding them through some secret passage he had discovered.

‘…Does he know the treasure locations in advance?’

Of course not, but it’s hard to believe otherwise. I need to catch him at least once and steal his points.

Ryu Iden slowed down slightly to catch his breath.

In the gaps between thoughts, the question of how things ended up like this takes root in his mind.

He started it, but who fueled the fire? Honestly, he doesn’t know, but he’s just enjoying it.

He had been unknowingly quite stressed during the tour, and he was worried because he didn’t bring peppermint candies. He shouldn’t be acting prickly towards the members or staff, even a little bit.

But now there’s no need to worry. Our Dong-hwa hyung will be preparing to grab his collar and hit him as usual. It has somehow become the driving force of his life.

Rustle.

Ji Dong-hwa, who was opening a treasure chest and carrying out a mission, suddenly popped out of the bushes.

“…Iden.”

“Wow, it was hard to find you. Our hyung.”

Ryu Iden can say for sure. No matter how many times Ji Dong-hwa denies it, he can affirm it even more.

He wouldn’t have been able to handle his entertainment life without stress if it weren’t for Ji Dong-hwa. He probably would have been quite exhausted by now.

Of course, he wouldn’t have even become an idol if it weren’t for Ji Dong-hwa.

They’re in a relationship where they feed each other *yeot* [Korean taffy, symbolizing sticking together] to replenish their deficient sugar levels.

“There’s no peppermint candy needed, really!”

Certainly, he’s been secretly eating peppermint candies less often since debuting.

“…What.”

Ji Dong-hwa frowned unpleasantly, understanding the context.

“Anyway, why? I’m grateful that you came directly to me after avoiding me all this time.”

Ryu Iden naturally tapped his smartwatch a few times. Originally, it was provided for teammates to communicate with each other, but now it has been reduced to a means of sharing Ji Dong-hwa’s location in real-time.

Hyun-jae and I know Morse code, so we can quietly exchange messages without arousing suspicion from the staff. He had memorized it in case it might be useful for teasing Ji Dong-hwa someday, and it came in handy like this.

“You understand even if I just send ‘left’?”

“I know, isn’t our *maknae* [youngest member] amazing.”

And you’re amazing too for understanding just by looking at the time I press it. I doubt if we are idols.

In fact, it would be more credible to say that this is a training center for agents created to become accustomed to schemes and betrayals.

“You’re not the one to talk.”

“You’re even less the one to talk? You’re the most outstanding among us.”

“Not when it comes to numbers.”

Ji Dong-hwa put the treasure chest down next to him. It seems he already got the points and it’s useless.

“Even if you calculate all the remaining treasures, our team loses.”

“Ha, hahaha, heu-heo.”

Ryu Iden let out a foolish laugh.

“I won. How does it feel, Dong-hwa hyung? To lose to a younger brother you looked down on! Ah, if I were making the penalty, I would have made a nickname out of peppermint candy!”

“How many nonsense things can you say in one sentence.”

Still an unpleasant expression. The meticulousness of conveying nonsense only with small lip movements so that it’s not properly picked up by the microphone. That’s Ji Dong-hwa himself.

“And, you’ve only lost this round.”

“Our team’s penalty is confirmed, so I won, Dong-hwa. You know.”

That Ryu Iden can’t lose at rock-paper-scissors.

“You have a shady side while pretending to be fair, Iden.”

“That’s why I purposely lose. When I’m with you guys.”

Ryu Iden can at least accurately discern whether the opponent is going to throw scissors or not. By comprehensively utilizing his dynamic visual acuity, reflexes, and observation and judgment skills.

Just knowing whether it’s scissors or not is enough to not lose. For Ryu Iden, rock-paper-scissors is a game where he can only draw or win if he’s determined.

Perhaps a secret that only Ji Dong-hwa vaguely notices.

So, in the previous game, he revealed his inferiority complex about peppermint candy and his father, but it was a secret that Ji Dong-hwa knew, so he couldn’t reveal it.

But that doesn’t mean he’s shady. In fact, Ryu Iden overwhelmingly goes on errands the most, and then everyone else is similar.

Ryu Iden decided to do the most errands based on his conscience.

“Aren’t you impressed?”

Ji Dong-hwa stared silently at Ryu Iden’s proud expression before bursting into a smirk.

“But Iden.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s barbaric.”

Ryu Iden tilted his head, puzzled by Ji Dong-hwa’s cryptic words, ‘Huh?’

But he didn’t get the answer. Lee Hyun-jae appeared, rubbing his hands together as he pushed through the bushes.

“I came to hunt for treasure.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

“…Ah?”

Lee Hyun-jae waited for Ryu Iden’s explanation, suspicious of Ji Dong-hwa’s overly calm reaction.

But Ryu Iden doesn’t know either. He doesn’t even know why he was suddenly accused of being barbaric.

“Let’s go.”

Amidst their silence, Ji Dong-hwa smiled serenely and calmly like a confessed criminal, and was taken away by Lee Hyun-jae.

“Hmm.”

Anxiety that doesn’t cease even as he walks towards a predetermined victory.

“Hmph, suspicious.”

Ryu Iden opened the treasure chest and muttered as he carried out the mission written inside.

He doesn’t know exactly what barbaric means, but he knows for sure that it’s not over yet.

“What are you going to do again?”

It’s right in front of him anyway. He’s on the verge of collapsing with Ji Dong-hwa.

And as he approached, the tension he hadn’t released all day finally eased a little.

“By the way, what kind of self-produced content is this?”

A hollow laugh. Why do we always end up like this when we’re together? Who is the cause of this situation?

Ryu Iden wants to point to Ji Dong-hwa, but after carefully recalling what happened today, he had a suspicion that it might not be the case.

“My mind occasionally snaps when I’m only with the members…….”

Ji Dong-hwa is a *gu* poison [a type of venomous poison made by sealing many poisonous insects in a container until one survives]. A *gu* poison that has gone uniquely crazy amidst all the crazy members.

But that doesn’t mean he’s not responsible.

* * *

The moment Team Eohwadongdongji’s defeat was confirmed, Ji Dong-hwa took out a handkerchief and dabbed the sweat on his forehead a couple of times.

Ryu Iden rolled up his sleeves and cheered. Chae Ha-min and Seok-jun, who still didn’t know the situation, heard the cheers from afar and mistook them for Ryu Iden’s frustration.

“I’m going to hell with Dong-hwa.”

Ryu Iden waved his hand at the camera with a refreshing smile like an ion drink CF model.

“Ah, it’s actually a success. I’m actually really good at rock-paper-scissors?”

On the way to witness Ji Dong-hwa’s frustration up close with a cheerful step, a strange atmosphere lingered at the ending filming location.

A table covered with a layer of cloth, two sets of three cards placed on it, and Ji Dong-hwa sitting on one side, looking at Ryu Iden expressionlessly.

Ji Dong-hwa, who was fiddling with the cards with one hand on the table, pointed to the opposite side and welcomed Ryu Iden.

“…What is it.”

“We have to play rock-paper-scissors.”

Ji Dong-hwa elegantly spread out the cards. There was one card each with scissors, rock, and paper drawn in a very formal style.

Why are you doing rock-paper-scissors so formally, Dong-hwa? Why do you always prove yourself to be a *gu* poison?

Just be peppermint or poison, Dong-hwa.

Ryu Iden sat across from him and grabbed the cards.

Not only the appearance but also the material is luxurious. Why is something like this prepared?

“I made it.”

“…Don’t lie.”

Who would make something like this DIY [Do It Yourself] ?

“Waiting for the moment when I can play rock-paper-scissors with you fairly, stitch by stitch.”

Why do you live worrying about everything so much? It’s not some program, but you’re considering every single cause of even trivial accidents.

“I made them all and put them in a brick.”

I thought that zipper was for washing it.

“We’re idols, Dong-hwa hyung.”

Don’t call it a brick.

But Ji Dong-hwa turned over a card expressionlessly and held it out.

“Three consecutive wins.”

The park was enveloped in silence the moment he declared.

An inexplicable sense of solemnity. Ji Dong-hwa was doing his best to get along with Ryu Iden. Even though he thought he was an idiot, well, if Ryu Iden was happy doing this.

And as he thought, Ryu Iden slowly raised the corners of his lips.

Wow, this is the first time I’m playing rock-paper-scissors with a chance of losing since middle school. I’m nervous.

It feels more unfamiliar to put down a card instead of using my hand. It doesn’t feel like I’m playing rock-paper-scissors.

“For reference, this is scissors.”

That’s a lie. If I can’t even notice this much, I’d be too sorry to Chae Ha-min, who gave a lecture on Ji Dong-hwa’s expressions.

The corners of his lips are very slightly stiff, and the short moment of closing and opening his eyes is a sign of a lie.

Ryu Iden stopped for a moment, about to turn over the paper to put it down.

But, there’s no way Ji Dong-hwa wouldn’t know that.

It’s a well-known fact that his expressions were analyzed frame by frame by Chae Ha-min, and that all of our members except Ji Dong-hwa share it (of course, the fans don’t know, Ryu Iden, Ji Dong-hwa, and Lee Hyun-jae didn’t have the courage to tell them, and Chae Ha-min and Seok-jun didn’t think much of it).

That’s strange. Why?

Ryu Iden slowly closed and opened his eyes once.

“…That’s scissors.”

Chae Ha-min, who was quietly watching from the side, tilted his head once.

In front of the hopeless Ji Dong-hwa, Ryu Iden quietly put down the rock.

“Okay, let’s reveal it.”

One, two, three, the card revealed after counting the numbers. Ji Dong-hwa was holding out scissors.

Chae Ha-min covered his mouth and leaned back, falling off the chair.

“…You’re really crazy.”

A crazy guy who analyzes his habits when he lies and acts it out, seriously.

“No.”

The sign of a lie.