Becoming An Idol Wasn’T On My Plan [EN]: Chapter 64

64.

Manager Kang Seung-won said.

“First of all, moving the dorm is confirmed. And until then, I’ll park my car in front of the dorm for a while and sleep there myself.”

At the team leader’s strong declaration, the management team and we all fell silent.

“And I’m on my way back from telling the legal team not to show any mercy to those criminals. Ji Dong-hwa, please cooperate as much as possible with any related requests. You can refuse if it’s hard to answer or if you’re mentally distressed.”

And after sighing, he looks at me.

“The legal team said that what Ji Dong-hwa prepared could be used as evidence. Did you expect this?”

At that moment, I feel Chae Ha-min’s sharp gaze piercing my right cheek.

‘If you expected it, you should have shared it with us! Why do you keep trying to do it alone, Dong-hwa?’

…That’s the look in his eyes.

Surprisingly, Chae Ha-min’s anger hadn’t completely subsided because the agency called just as he was telling me to suffer together.

“…Yes, I expected it to some extent. When I came out at night, worked until dawn, and went home with the manager, there were traces of people coming and going in front of the door.”

Hearing that answer, Kang Seung-won replies with a stern expression.

“…First of all, we apologize for not noticing it, but you could have told our management team. Rather, you should have told us. It’s our job to keep the artist from worrying about things like this.”

So, I’m being scolded in the same vein as Chae Ha-min.

Okay, confirmed. Giseaeng [Korean courtesan], tell me how to turn back time. So I can kill myself from two hours ago.

Ding-!

[No remaining question tickets!]

‘…It was a joke.’

“From now on, if you expect something like this to happen, please tell our management team. The same goes for security products. We’ll take care of all purchases and installations.”

“…Okay. I’ll be sure to tell you next time.”

Only then does Manager Kang Seung-won’s expression return to his usual indifference, and Chae Ha-min also sighs in relief once.

Ah, I see. Only after experiencing those two’s subtle anger did I realize that being an idol is not a job where you should worry alone in the first place.

Facing my own stupidity and dullness in repeating the mistake I made during *Mokhwa* [Previous incident], I lowered my head.

I need to get used to colleagues and friends, but why does it feel so unfamiliar?

* * *

“Ha-min, I’m sorry.”

I lay in bed and apologized. Apologizing was awkward because I wasn’t used to it, but I did my best.

“I was short-sighted. It’s not that I didn’t trust you, I just thought it would be better for me to suffer alone. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Chae Ha-min is listening quietly as I quickly recite the apology I wrote down in advance.

And finally, when all the words are finished, Chae Ha-min proudly puffs out his chest and looks down at me.

“Okay, do you understand now?”

Chae Ha-min opens his mouth.

“That it’s okay to rely on us a little.”

“…Yeah.”

“Of course, I’m a little lacking to be trusted and relied on, but I hope you feel a little more comfortable, Dong-hwa.”

Only then does Chae Ha-min give his usual foolish, bright smile.

“I’ll cook for you to celebrate our reconciliation!”

Okay, I’ll gladly accept that level of punishment.

* * *

Time passed quickly even after the incident caused by the stalker. In particular, the newly arrived dorm through the move had better security, so there seemed to be no need to pay attention to surveillance separately. It’s a moment when I have some faith in the agency.

The roommate is the same as before, but I was swept back into a busy daily life to the point where there was no concept of hanging out in the room with my roommate.

“Why does it feel like we’re busier now than during *Eumbang* [Music show promotions], Iden hyung? It’s better than having nothing to do, though.”

Lee Hyun-jae mutters…….

“It’s a little tough because we’re doing *Jacheo Contents* [Self-produced content] filming and stage practice at the same time, right?”

Ryu Iden is smiling slyly.

The person who is saying those words, Ryu Iden, doesn’t seem tired at all thanks to his steel stamina, which he has been training from time to time.

“Oh, right. Guys. The venue for the *Gamsaje* [Appreciation festival] stage is changing because it looks like more people will gather than expected this time. To a slightly wider place.”

“By the way, why isn’t Dong-hwa hyung saying anything?”

I opened my mouth at Ryu Iden’s question.

“…I’m curious.”

“About what?”

“Why did humans create things like bungee jumping, which are extreme, dangerous, and have no practical value at the same time?”

The last part of today’s *Jacheo Contents* [Self-produced content] filming, the member who received the lowest score according to the results of the game that lasted all day has to bungee jump.

And very unfortunately, that last place is none other than Ryu Iden, not me.

“Wow! It’s a shame to be in last place! Right, Dong-hwa!”

Ryu Iden glares at me and puts a little strength into the hand he put on my shoulder. In response, I smiled at Ryu Iden and replied.

“Humans shouldn’t be easily trusted in the first place.”

It’s not for nothing that human haters are born.

* * *

This *Jacheo Contents* [Self-produced content] has a brain game concept, where we modify board games a little more dynamically to play the game, and then compare the total scores to give penalties.

“For reference, the penalty is bungee jumping!”

I don’t want to do such useless, worthless, and time-wasting things like bungee jumping.

…It’s not that I’m scared, it’s just a thought I had after a systematic, rational, and meticulous analysis.

As I was determined to get first place no matter what, the PD [Producer] in front of us said…….

“But everyone! We don’t stop you from lying or cheating, but we recommend you play the game fairly!”

…Um, so you’re saying we should cheat without blood or tears.

“The name of the game is Blossoms and Smugglers.”

The game rules were as follows.

We take turns being money-hungry supervisors, and the rest of us import goods to earn money.

If you put up to seven items to be imported in your personal pocket and submit it to the supervisor, he can decide whether to inspect the pocket or not.

If you don’t inspect it, the import proceeds without any problems and you soon earn money, and if there are illegal items in your pocket when you inspect it, the person who submitted it pays a fine, and if there are no illegal items, the person who supervised it pays a fine.

And you can bribe the supervisor, and if the bribe is accepted, you must keep it within the limits you can keep.

I listened to the game rules, and as soon as I confirmed that I was the first supervisor, I approached Ryu Iden without the other members knowing and persuaded him.

“Since we’re in charge of the supervisor three times in the game, we can fill each of our pockets with smuggled goods to get points when we’re the supervisor.”

Ryu Iden looks at me suspiciously at that moment.

“Hey, you’re the least trustworthy person in our team during the game?”

“Hmm… Then I’ll give you 3 gold coins as soon as the game starts.”

“…Really? Really? Do you believe me?”

And I repeated the above process to all the members.

“Oh! Dong-hwa, so it’s a secret alliance, something like that?”

Chae Ha-min.

“…Hyung, can I really trust you?”

Lee Hyun-jae.

“Good―! Hyung-nim [Term of respect]!”

Seok-jun.

And during the first supervisor’s turn, everyone passed the smuggled goods without bribes, and the members who thought my words were true passed me when it was their turn as supervisors, and then it was my turn to be the supervisor.

After all the members submitted their items, I declared.

“I will inspect everyone.”

The most interesting part of the game rules is that the fine must be paid to the inspector.

“…Wow, this *ssi* [polite, but can be sarcastic, term for ‘person’].”

Ryu Iden runs up at that moment, grabs my shoulder, and shouts for me to return the money.

“Dong-hwa! You’re real, you, real! Real!”

Chae Ha-min stutters, looking at me with an unbelievable expression.

“…Ha, judging by the reaction, it wasn’t just me.”

Lee Hyun-jae is impressed by the fact that it was a larger-scale scam than expected, although he expected it.

“Wow― Hyung-nim [Term of respect], betrayal! Awesome―!”

And crazy Seok-jun.

I just stood silently in the midst of that chaos with a blank expression.

After a moment of commotion, I open my pocket wide and take out a bunch of smuggled goods.

The siren sounds at that moment.

“…It’s really heartbreaking as a supervisor that you’re committing so many illegal acts, merchants.”

I patted the smuggled goods and smiled.

“It’s unfortunate for me too, but the law is the law, so I’ll take the fine.”

“Dong-hwa…….”

Chae Ha-min makes a hollow expression at my words, and Ryu Iden becomes like a 40-year-old head of household who has lost his slyness and failed in his investment.

“…What are you doing? You have to pay.”

The game after that was simple.

The score difference had already widened enough, so from then on, I submitted only general imports without a single lie and earned money ‘honestly’.

However, there was a little side income.

During Ryu Iden’s last supervisor turn, after everyone submitted their pockets, Ryu Iden glares at me and asks.

“Dong-hwa… What did you import this time?”

“…Four boxes of apples, Supervisor.”

I told the truth, but I deliberately took a little strength out of my voice and stuttered a little more.

“Hmm… I should do an inspection this time?”

Normally, these tricks wouldn’t work on Ryu Iden, but he was so annoyed with me that he fell for the idea of ​​getting back at me.

“…I’ll give you 3 gold coins as a bribe, so please just pass this time.”

Giving 3 gold coins as a bribe is nothing, and if I inspect it, it will be more profitable, so when I deliberately say that I’m giving a bribe, Ryu Iden nods and shouts.

“I will inspect it!”

Then you can confirm that there are four boxes of apples in my pocket.

“Oh dear, you couldn’t believe my words.”

“…Dong-hwa, you! Are you even acting when you lie now?”

It’s more like I used Ryu Iden’s suspicion than acting a lie, but whatever.

“I suffered mental damage from the inspection, so give me damages.”

“Ugh! Really, you’re so annoying, really.”

The game flowed smoothly with Ryu Iden suffering quite a bit of loss due to me, and we reached a happy ending with me in 1st place and Ryu Iden in last place.

* * *

Filming resumed at the bungee jumping site.

We stood in a row with a huge lake in the background.

“Okay! As a result of the game, Ryu Iden will be bungee jumping!”

I slowly clapped and enjoyed the results I had achieved.

“But it’s lonely to jump alone, right?”

…Wait, what did you say, PD [Producer]?

I felt a strange anxiety at the PD’s declaration and…….

“Wow! Are you jumping with 1st place? I really hope so!”

Ryu Iden with an expression that he is so looking forward to what will happen in the future.

The PD [Producer] said in a cheerful voice.

“Do you remember what I said when I started the game?”

…Of course I remember.

“I clearly said that I recommend playing the game as honestly as possible.”

…That’s not what the nuance was, PD [Producer]. The nuance was to cheat. I can even prove it academically.

The PD [Producer], who wouldn’t care about my inner cries, declared.

“The person who came in last place can pick one person to jump with!”

“Wow! Rewarding good and punishing evil! Down with! Cruel monarch Ji Dong-hwa!”

While the other members were clapping, Ryu Iden was jumping around like a half-crazy person.

“Luminous! Look at Dong-hwa’s expression! Watch the downfall of Ji Dong-hwa, who is engaged in corruption!”

When I looked at the PD [Producer] silently, the PD [Producer] just smiled and left the words ‘Fighting!’.

“Then Ryu Iden, who are you going to jump with?”

“What do you mean! Our official corrupt supervisor, our team’s only cat! I’ll jump with Ji Dong-hwa!”

…Ha, damn it.

“It’s unfair!”

I shouted, but no one paid any attention.

“Did you see that! Ji Dong-hwa! This is what you call justice!”

“Don’t say that without ever reading *What is Justice*.”