Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 244

Today is the day we’re filming our first meeting.

It’s a meal setting that will be released online before the first episode airs, designed to showcase the chemistry between the members.

So, here I am at a barbecue restaurant. Filming is proceeding with small cameras only, no boom mics.

Arriving earlier than expected, I sat down and stared blankly at the ceiling, with nothing else to do.

“Hello.”

“Ah, it’s chilly. If you act like we’re strangers, I’ll be hurt.”

“Oh, come on, if you do that, the kid will freeze up…”

It’s those two from ‘Run Away!’

One of the *chulyeonha* [cast members]—whose name was Jin-hwa, but he hadn’t matured much—caused trouble and left, and the show almost lost its popularity. But I heard these two worked hard to turn things around.

Lee Kyung-woo and Ryu Han-ho.

Lee Kyung-woo, dressed smartly as always, hair neatly styled, and Ryu Han-ho, looking like he’s just trying to survive the day, waving with a worn-out expression.

“How many shows are you doing with me, *hyung* [older brother/male friend] ?”

“It’s proof that I can’t make a living without you, what else could it be?”

“Don’t say that. Someone might misunderstand, Dong-hwa might misunderstand you.”

“About 80% of my shows are with you, and you’re in about 40%, right? That’s not a misunderstanding, it’s the plain truth.”

Wow, he appears twice as much as me just by simple calculation.

Not wanting to delve too deeply into my seniors’ broadcasting situations, I grabbed the tongs and started grilling the meat.

“So, how have you been, Dong-hwa?”

“Yes, I’ve been doing broadcasts and stuff. How about you, *sunbaenim* [senior/respected colleague]?”

“We’ve been through some tough times.”

“Some jerk only did things he was told not to do.”

Wow. Definitely not for broadcast.

“Oh, watch your mouth… But *hyung* knew about it, right?”

“Everyone knew about the bad rumors. If you want to last long in this industry, just hearing the rumors is half the battle.”

“Why didn’t I know?”

“You don’t see the bad sides of people at all. I’ve said it before, you’re destined to have a short life. When you die, your tombstone will say, ‘A man with a narrow view, finally gone.'”

Making jokes with a tombstone, definitely not for broadcast…

“Then *hyung* won’t come to the funeral. Everyone who comes will be like that.”

Wow, talking about his own funeral.

“Still, it’s your funeral, I should be the chief mourner.”

“You’ll be looking at people like they’re bugs from the chief mourner’s seat. They still came, you can’t do that.”

The two of them, spitting out words without any smile, seem like they’re just having a casual conversation.

And it seems like these two don’t know one thing yet.

“But there are more people, they haven’t arrived yet.”

“Dong-hwa was here first, were you the first?”

“Yes, and we’re still recording.”

Right now, with a small camera, filming is going on in this restaurant. I thought they would know, of course.

“Oh my, our funeral talk is all out there.”

Han-ho *sunbaenim* casually spat out the words and drank a glass of water.

“…Isn’t that not the problem?”

Exactly. I tried to strongly empathize with Lee Kyung-woo’s words but held back.

The senior, who was mumbling blankly, put on a polite smile, stood up, and looked around. Then he approached one of the staff and started explaining something politely—roughly, please edit it out.

The senior sat back down and smiled awkwardly. What a nice, approachable smile.

“I didn’t think it started because everyone wasn’t here yet.”

Wow, he’s trying to reassure his junior somehow.

“There’s no big camera either.”

Leaving only a short word, Han-ho nonchalantly picked up lettuce and ate it in one bite.

Without meat, without even *ssamjang* [Korean spicy dipping sauce].

* * *

When I first heard the plan, the most impressive thing was the members. Two active idols, it’s kind of profound.

“Sorry I’m late! Because of my schedule!”

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“Yeah. It’s not even that late to begin with.”

Jun-sung *sunbae*, whom I haven’t seen in a while, came running in a hurry.

Sitting at the table where we were grilling meat, Jun-sung waved at me. Seeing him politely bowing to the other two seniors, I thought he was amazing.

“There are still people who haven’t come.”

“Are you gossiping, *hyung*?”

“Oh, Kang-hee, while you’re coming in, go get some water.”

Three *chulyeonha* from ‘Run Away!’, one former ‘Detection’ *chulyeonha*, and me with no background.

Looking at the members, it’s quite fancy. Even Kang-hee is a former idol. What is this…

“Oh, seeing you *hyungs* outside of ‘Run Away!’ is kind of terrible?”

“Right. I told the PD [Producer/Director] to take one of us two out.”

Han-ho took a cucumber with *ssamjang* and ate it.

“When they said they’d take me out, I just shut my mouth. I’ve grown up to be such a pathetic adult.”

“It’s an age where you can even sit at the same table with your enemy.”

While we were laughing, Jang PD-nim approached and sat down as if he had been waiting for all the members to gather.

“Everyone, are you having fun?”

What is that, something a manager would say at a company dinner? If Team Leader Jang Hae-jin heard that, she would have a fit.

“Ah, PD-nim. What kind of program is this, by the way?”

“*Hyung*, you confirmed your appearance without even knowing that?”

“I have to make money. I have to make a living, and later I have to enjoy wealth and glory.”

Han-ho *sunbae* naturally threw out the topic.

Rather than not knowing, it’s probably a way of clarifying the concept of the show before the first episode.

Jang PD-nim knows that too.

“Well, to put it simply, you guys are errand runners who solve big problems.”

“Errand runners?”

“Yes. People who solve everything they’re asked to do when their lives are cornered?”

What is that? I thought it was a quiz show. Just listening to it, it’s no different from illegal outsourcing.

“But we don’t commit serious crimes. We’re like conscientious thieves.”

Wow, it’s not illegal outsourcing. No, it’s outsourcing that *is* illegal.

All the *chulyeonha* were staring blankly at PD-nim, probably thinking the same thing as me.

“What nonsense…”

Han-ho *sunbae*’s reasonable question.

“Anyway, today is a bit of a warm-up time. I brought a problem, and I’d like you to solve it.”

And Jang PD-nim lightly dismisses such questions.

“When you’re a conscientious problem solver, you’ll have to use your head more than your body.”

Who is like that? Problem solvers are people who find money that’s been taken away, I don’t know if they use their heads a lot.

“So today, we’re going to warm up our heads simply, so listen carefully to the following story and explain the reason. The first is the math area.”

“…PD-nim, why are you saying such things while we’re eating *samgyeopsal* [Korean grilled pork belly]?”

Jun-sung mumbled with a tearful look, chewing the food that was full in both cheeks. Hmm, cuteness that is not like a senior.

However, not seeing such cuteness, Jang PD-nim poured out the problem like a runaway train.

“There are four pairs of shoes with different colors, and four bags with the same colors as each of those shoes. When you close your eyes and put ‘all’ the shoes into one bag at a time, what is the probability that exactly three pairs of the four shoes will be in the same color bag!”

Jun-sung swallowed hard, passing the rice down his throat, and mumbled.

“Probability is something over something. How do you calculate it, Dong-hwa?”

Wow, you must have slept a little during probability and statistics class. I answered in a whisper without saying anything.

“It’s 50/50. Originally, everything in the world either happens or doesn’t happen, so it’s 50/50.”

In the meantime, the wise Han-ho teacher left a wise answer to a foolish question.

“No, why is that person putting them in with their eyes closed? They live a really difficult life.”

“I know.”

I sat still and wrapped a *ssam* [Korean lettuce wrap] and put it in my mouth.

Let’s not forget the fact that PD-nim warned, I don’t know anything.

I enjoyed the taste bursting from the meat and swallowed it down.

“I’m curious about our youngest’s opinion!”

“That’s right. Our Dong-hwa junior is also very smart. He even knows what probability is.”

Since when, wherever I go, I’m in the position of the youngest, so maybe that’s why. For some reason, it feels like they keep treating me like a baby.

I swallowed what was left in my throat.

“It’s 0.”

“0?”

“Yes, you can’t put only three pairs of the four into the same color bag.”

These people must not have been thinking about it at all. Everyone must have been too busy eating to even listen to the problem properly.

“Oh? Can’t you?”

Kang-hee *sunbae*, who was eating rice hard like the others, asked slyly.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“…Yes?”

“Why can’t you?”

This person must really not be thinking about it at all.

It’s not a sin to ask what you don’t know philosophically, but not thinking can be a sin, so Kang-hee *sunbae* is definitely a sinner.

I made eye contact with Kang-hee *sunbae* for a moment with a shocked expression. Question and astonishment crossed in that gaze.

Not only that, but now everyone else was also staring at Kang-hee *sunbae* with surprised eyes, astonished.

“You really chose your job well, Kang-hee.”

Lee Kyung-woo *sunbae*, who was watching it, smiled happily and stroked Kang-hee *sunbae*’s head. There was a fatherly kindness in looking at a child who had grown up admirably.

“If you had chosen a job that used your head, you would have suffered a lot by now.”

“…Why, am I the only one who doesn’t know now?”

After the eye contact ended, my eyes naturally turned to PD-nim. Following, the lip shape that said, ‘I told you.’

And naturally, my head returned to its original position, and the faces of the seniors sitting at the table and putting meat in their cheeks and chewing in similar shapes came into view.

“Wow, I’m already looking forward to the first filming? Dong-hwa is the only one taking a solo hard carry when it’s quiet!”

Kyung-woo *sunbae*, who is very excited.

“I know. Dong-hwa will grab us by the collar and pull us along. I think we can coast on this show a little?”

Han-ho *sunbae*, who is just trying to live a comfortable life somehow.

“Our proud junior.”

Jun-sung *sunbae*, speaking with a handsome smile and looking at me with affectionate eyes as if he were looking at a child he had raised.

Then all the *hyungs* smiled happily and gave me a thumbs up.

It seemed like their eyes were filled with the conviction that ‘We believe in you!’

“No, can’t you?”

In the meantime, Kang-hee *sunbae* is still thinking about why it can’t be done.

Because he’s thinking, he’s not guilty, but there’s a small wish that he would rather be a sinner.

“…I don’t think I’ll be able to do this when I’m nervous during the actual filming.”

“Weak words! We didn’t raise you like that!”

That’s right, you didn’t raise me, I grew up alone for a considerable period of time.

* * *

On the way back after filming.

Jun-sung *sunbae* got in the same car. It seems like a natural thing because it’s more efficient.

“It’s been a long time, our junior.”

“…Yes.”

“Wow, even though I know you have a warm heart, I’m still scared.”

Perhaps because Jun-sung *sunbae* had a ‘minor’ conflict with me in the distant past, he’s thanking me while also being scared of me at the same time.

I don’t know what he’s afraid of in a warm-hearted country grandmother.

“Are all the TOT *sunbaenims* doing well?”

“Yeah, I renewed my contract last time, and I also got a solo contract? And then I’m just cruising along like a ship with the wind.”

“…Yes.”

A heavy silence. I carefully opened my mouth.

“If the group disbands, can I ask what your plans are?”

“Wow, that’s very direct?”

Unlike his words, Jun-sung didn’t show any signs of trouble at all. He was just looking at me and carefully thinking about something.

“Hmm… well, maybe I’ll stay as a duet after consulting with Ye-eon?”

That wasn’t the direction I wanted at all, so I didn’t have much to say.

“What about you?”

Our eyes meet.