Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 328

Ryu Iden woke up early, as was his habit. He’d witnessed Ji Dong-hwa’s antics on the W app [a social media platform] with his own eyes the previous day, and now he was greeted by the refreshing morning sunlight.

‘As if something like that would change anything, Dong-hwa.’

The force of a giant wave can’t be altered by a single drop of water.

Ryu Iden cheerfully put on his hat. He planned a quick jog around the neighborhood before showering. He was flying to the next tour location today, so he wanted to keep it short.

Ryu Iden carefully stepped out of his room, trying not to wake Chae Ha-min, who was still asleep beside him.

He realized he’d left his earphones in his room. He also wondered if Dong-hwa was awake.

He went to the next room and knocked gently, hoping not to disturb him if he was still asleep.

‘Yes?’

‘It’s Iden.’

Footsteps, and then the door opened suddenly.

‘There’s a doorbell, you know.’

‘I thought you might be asleep.’

More importantly.

‘You’re not asleep? You look pale.’

‘Yeah.’

‘…Why?’

‘Studying and then working on a song. Today’s just travel anyway.’

Seriously, why couldn’t he just study or write songs and then get some sleep? Even though today’s schedule was just about traveling and managing his condition.

‘That thing you were supposed to release yesterday?’

Ji Dong-hwa nodded and stepped back.

The room was neat and tidy, with no signs of anyone having slept in the bed.

‘…You drank something with caffeine again, didn’t you?’

‘Yeah.’

‘It’s bad for your health.’

‘Your health is going to get worse too, Iden.’

A bright smile.

Usually, that’s when Ji Dong-hwa was on the verge of losing it. The purer Ji Dong-hwa’s smile, the more unhinged he was. A fake smile was better than that.

‘…What, am I going to drop dead right now?’

He hadn’t been targeted as much lately, but was Dong-hwa planning to make up for it all at once?

Ryu Iden quickly reviewed his recent misdeeds: splashing water on Ji Dong-hwa’s clothes during the performance, manipulating statistics, and many other things. Yeah, he deserved to die.

Ryu Iden quickly accepted it.

‘Yeah, if I die, it’s probably because of Ji Dong-hwa,’ he had thought since their debut.

Ji Dong-hwa proudly held up his phone screen.

‘…What is it?’

A statistics screen. Three hours before the end.

And in first place, himself.

‘…How?’

How was this possible? After seeing that spectacle, the votes should have gone to Dong-hwa. After witnessing Ji Dong-hwa’s pure madness on that crazy W app, how could he…

Ryu Iden couldn’t speak and took the phone with trembling hands.

‘No, this is ridiculous…’

‘Justice prevails.’

Ji Dong-hwa recited a Chinese idiom [惡有惡報, è yǒu è bào, meaning “evil will be repaid with evil”] and rubbed his eyes as if he were tired.

But the fire in his eyes seemed to explain how satisfied he was with the current situation.

‘…It’s not a big difference in votes.’

‘There are only three hours left, and it’s two hours earlier here than in Korea.’

Ryu Iden woke up at 5:30 AM. So, it was the early hours of the morning in Korea.

A time when everyone is asleep, and it’s Monday. No one could easily stay up all night.

‘The truth cannot be hidden, Dong-hwa. It doesn’t mean I’m the weirdest one just because of this.’

Ryu Iden sensed defeat and shouted through gritted teeth. He couldn’t yell because everyone else was asleep.

‘History is written by the victors, *hyung* [older brother or male friend].’

Sitting on the bed with a victor’s smile, resentment boiled in Ryu Iden’s chest.

He had won, but Hyun-jae had revealed it. Why did Hyun-jae only like Dong-hwa? It’s unfair; Ryu Iden was also serious about taking care of the *maknae* [youngest member], just like Ji Dong-hwa.

‘No, why would they vote for me after watching your broadcast yesterday?’

‘Check the official account.’

Ryu Iden went to SNS [social networking service] on Ji Dong-hwa’s phone. He had uploaded unreleased childhood photos with the following message:

‘This is Dong-hwa. I’m uploading this photo with the hope that I can be with you in whatever you are doing to (wrap up) the day. It’s a (cliché)d (exp)ression, but I hope you are happy at this moment where the end and the beginning of the week meet. Bye!’

That’s so blatant. He put those words in parentheses like that. Ryu Iden closed his gaping mouth.

‘…You timed the upload for when I was asleep, *hyung*?’

‘Yes, *hyung*.’

Ji Dong-hwa stretched leisurely on the bed. Then, as if the water for tea had finished boiling, he got up.

‘Kant would have been easy to assassinate.’

Being so regular makes it easier to read his movements and set traps.

‘…It’s not fair; I deserve at least one chance to do a W app broadcast!’

‘Ask Hyun-jae.’

And the look in his eyes said that would never happen. He’s already been bought off, Hyun-jae.

Ryu Iden’s hands trembled again. Until yesterday, he hadn’t felt any competitive spirit, but why was he so upset now?

‘How!’

‘A duet with me.’

Watching Ji Dong-hwa peacefully brew tea, Ryu Iden finally realized.

‘He really hated me. And he hated me a lot.’

‘…Why me? Just tell me that.’

‘Why else?’

Ji Dong-hwa, holding a teacup, turned around and took a leisurely sip.

Ryu Iden quietly waited for the rest of the sentence.

‘Because it’s you, *hyung*.’

The hidden meaning in that short sentence was quite deep.

First, the atmosphere within the fandom that it was natural for Ryu Iden to be targeted. Second, their public relationship, where it was natural for them to bicker like enemies.

And finally.

‘Who else can I screw over without feeling guilty?’

That made sense. Hyun-jae is the *maknae*, and the other two are too innocent. He was sure that he would have targeted Dong-hwa if he were in his position.

‘Shall we play another round, Dong-hwa *hyung*?’

But Ryu Iden, who had lost his composure, smiled brightly.

He had no more face to save with Ji Dong-hwa. He felt like he understood why Mok-hwa wanted to beat him so badly.

‘To aim for two consecutive wins already, how bold.’

Ji Dong-hwa took a sip of tea and brushed past Ryu Iden.

He sat upright in his chair and smiled at Ryu Iden.

‘We’ll see about that, Dong-hwa *hyung*.’

‘But will there even be a second vote?’

That’s up to our *maknae*. Ji Dong-hwa looked at Ryu Iden with those eyes.

A look that provoked guilt, as if saying, ‘Are you trying to steal Hyun-jae’s role?’ Ryu Iden smiled as much as he could.

‘Ah, I want to see that face full of anger so badly,’ Ryu Iden thought, clenching his fists.

* * *

‘I don’t know what happened, but Iden *hyung* came in first in the Blossoms’ crazy ranking vote last night. Congratulations. Bye!

(A selfie of the two. Ryu Iden is slightly sulky and doesn’t actively participate in the selfie with Ji Dong-hwa. On the other hand, Ji Dong-hwa’s smile is radiant.)’

‘Roommates, Iden! Unbelievable, but I’m in first place! I can accept it because you guys decided! It’s okay! Except for one person, of course.

(A photo of Ryu Iden glaring at Ji Dong-hwa while he drinks tea. He’s wearing a crown made of origami by Ji Dong-hwa—with the words “Crazy Human” written in Ji Dong-hwa’s handwriting.)’

How sweet.

I smiled as I looked at the two SNS posts that went up one after another. Now, all I had to do was wait. In three years, there would be a photo of Ryu Iden in first place.

I had written the posts as soon as I got off the plane and arrived in another country, so they were probably spreading everywhere in real-time. What a beautiful sight.

‘*Hyung*-nim—’

‘Yeah, Jun.’

‘What should we film tomorrow—’

That’s right. We were supposed to film our own content (a utopia version without that awful PD [production director]) while we were abroad. Wouldn’t it be paradise wherever we went without that guy?

‘Our debut survival PD-nim wouldn’t make anything difficult, right?’

‘Yeah.’

We don’t have to consider viewership for our own content. We just need to show the idols’ charms well.

Looking out at the exotic streets, I hummed.

‘Dong-hwa *hyung*, how can you hum with that thing on your head?’

‘It’s thanks to you.’

How could anyone not be happy when the sweet fruit of victory coincidentally fell right in front of their eyes?

‘I’ll definitely get my revenge.’

‘Yeah.’

Ryu Iden writhed and groaned in pain, disgusted by my calm face. He was wearing the ‘Crazy Human Certification Crown’ that I had personally folded on his head.

In exchange for holding another vote next time, Ryu Iden had to wear that crown whenever he went out until tomorrow.

I hoped that as many fans as possible would see it and produce more eyewitness accounts to prove that Ryu Iden was crazy.

‘…Sometimes, I think *hyungs*…’

Lee Hyun-jae started to say something but stopped. He was probably going to say something pretty harsh. Then, he carefully pondered, as if searching for the right word.

‘I’m worried that you have too many troubles in your lives.’

Oh dear, that was quite direct for something he had carefully chosen.

‘*Maknae*, we don’t have a lot of troubles. This is a kind of play culture? We get rid of our troubles with this.’

It’s true. Me trying my best to mess with that guy who tries to tease me is Blossoms’ traditional play culture. Its history is so long that it dates back to our debut survival show.

‘…Of course, I’ll work hard this time too.’

‘Were you going easy on me before?’

‘I always go easy on my younger siblings.’

‘So, that’s why I’m your *hyung*, Iden.’

‘Ah! Ah! What should I do!’

Ryu Iden carefully covered his face, making sure not to crush the crown.

Listening to his painful voice, Lee Hyun-jae spoke to me.

‘I think these strange eyewitness accounts that keep popping up during this tour are…’

Pondering again.

‘I’m worried. I’m afraid that strange eyewitness accounts will happen to me too.’

‘Ugh, why?’

Chae Ha-min, who had been dozing off, woke up with a start at the *maknae*’s word ‘worried’ and asked.

‘Everyone except me and Jun *hyung* are making strange eyewitness accounts.’

‘…Me?’

Chae Ha-min tilted his head.

‘Meditation group.’

‘Wasn’t that cute?’

‘Ah, then what about that?’

Lee Hyun-jae pointed to the crown on Ryu Iden’s head.

A quick change of topic with no intention of trying to persuade him. He understood Chae Ha-min well. He was my tutor after all.

‘That’s a little envious. Dong-hwa made it for him. You can’t buy it anywhere.’

And that’s Chae Ha-min. I realize it every time, but it’s always new.

He’s not in his right mind either. The reality that Lee Hyun-jae is the only normal member like me is regrettable.

* * *

PD Jung Kyung-woo stretched leisurely and finished his preliminary survey.

He had made a contract over the phone in advance, but he had confirmed over several days that all filming locations were available.

The keywords for this self-produced content were growth and stability.

Since the content would be uploaded after the concert, he planned to make it heartwarming and beautiful.

Content that reminisced about how much they had grown and left behind memories. Jung Kyung-woo was better suited to this kind of program.

—*Hyung*, seriously? Can’t I give you any ideas? I really have a lot of ideas. Please look at my messages. Can’t you use just one of them? (Crying emoticons)

This was possible because the junior PD wasn’t there.

He was still sending him ideas steadily through messages, but he was ignoring them all without reading them.

If he didn’t keep his promise, Dong-hwa would smile scarily again. He didn’t want to see that again.

‘PD-nim.’

‘What?’

‘Should I really ignore PD Lee’s calls?’

‘Yes.’

Isolation to create a clean zone. Jung Kyung-woo loved all of this.

Unfortunately, everything went wrong on the day of filming.