Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 205

205. Shin Jo-woon’s Request

“What is that?”

Rembrary asked, and the demon Labrum replied in his head.

[Now, our favorite thing is about to happen.]

Tae-in, who couldn’t hear Labrum’s voice and didn’t even know Labrum was there, looked at Rembrary, confused.

“What?”

He seemed to think Rembrary was asking him.

Instead of answering, Rembrary approached the crack and reached out his hand.

A very faint breeze was felt. A breeze blowing from the inside.

He didn’t know what it was, but Rembrary felt uneasy for no reason.

As if something… something that would shatter the peace was about to happen.

“What are you doing?”

Tae-in chased after him and asked, and Rembrary pointed to the air.

“Can you see it?”

He wondered if it was only visible to him, or perhaps it was something created with the unique technology of this place. But Tae-in recoiled in disgust.

“Ah, don’t play those kinds of jokes! I really hate that!”

Jong-woo wasn’t even coming close.

“Yeon-woo. Is there anything floating there without a head, or just a head, or anything like that?”

Rembrary lowered his finger. He didn’t answer.

The demon looked at Rembrary and smiled.

* * *

Backstage at the year-end awards ceremony. In the days that followed, I couldn’t properly engage in social media activities because I was so bothered by that strange sight I had seen there.

“I have a favor to ask.”

Suddenly, Shin Jo-woon came to find me.

“What is it?”

Rembrary asked, feeling reluctant. In his mind, he was thinking, ‘This time, it’s probably about Nakru or the Saint again, right?’

Then what kind of answer should he give? What kind of lie should he tell? Even when he told the truth, people didn’t really accept it, so what kind of reaction should he show?

“My parents watched TV and seem a bit worried.”

But what Shin Jo-woon said was completely out of the blue. What TV? And worried?

“Then they should just not watch TV.”

“……Why don’t you ask what they’re worried about first?”

“What are they worried about?”

“That the three of us, Tae-ri, you, and I, are really dating.”

“They’re open-minded.”

Rembrary exclaimed, and Shin Jo-woon sighed, pressing his temple.

“They don’t usually watch variety shows, so they’re confused about whether it’s a setup or not.”

“Okay. So what’s the favor?”

“My parents want to see you once.”

“Me?”

“They might ask, even jokingly, if you’re really dating. Don’t take it as a joke and joke back. Absolutely say no.”

“Shin Jo-woon, you’re a really picky person.”

“……Please, just do it.”

Annoyed, Rembrary eventually agreed.

“Okay.”

Meeting people outside might help when he was feeling troubled.

* * *

When he returned to the dorm, Jung-seo was in the kitchen, holding her phone in one hand and looking at it while cooking.

When she heard the sound of the door closing, she turned around and asked.

“You’re back? I heard you were meeting President Shin, but you’re back early? Did you eat anything?”

Her voice was surprised.

Hye-gyeol also passed by and asked Rembrary.

“What did you eat today?”

Why were they all asking what he ate? Rembrary pulled out a chair at the table and sat down, answering.

“I didn’t eat anything. I just went to talk.”

“What did you talk about?”

Hye-gyeol immediately walked to the refrigerator, took out some grapes, and placed them in the middle of the table, chuckling.

“You got paid, so now it’s your turn to treat us to pizza?”

“That guy doesn’t know I got paid yet.”

“Wow. Look at our leader *hyung* [older brother/male friend], Yeon-woo *hyung*, scheming.”

“It’s not that I didn’t tell him on purpose.”

This time, Keishi grabbed the back of the chair from behind and leaned in.

“So what did you talk about?”

“Where did you pop out from?”

Keishi had been listening from behind; he wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, he just couldn’t help but hear it.

But Rembrary kept changing the subject, so he couldn’t resist his curiosity and approached.

“So what did you talk about?”

Rembrary was about to answer but frowned.

Jung-seo stopped pouring oil into the frying pan. Hye-gyeol had a grape in her mouth. Keishi was holding the chair from behind, all waiting for the rest of the story.

“Why are you all so curious?”

Rembrary asked, dumbfounded, and Jung-seo quickly finished pouring the oil, answering.

“No, whenever you go out, you always eat something delicious or go somewhere fun. You came back empty-handed so quickly.”

“He didn’t say much. His parents are curious about me, so he told me to tell them that we’re just pretending to date for the show.”

Hye-gyeol immediately gasped.

“There are people who don’t know that?”

“His parents don’t watch TV much. They seem to doubt whether the three of us dating is definitely just for the show.”

Keishi chuckled.

“So what Shin Jo-woon is saying is that his parents would dislike it if they misunderstood that you’re dating?”

Amused by that, Hye-gyeol pretended to take out money from her wallet and asked.

“Aren’t they going to offer you a money envelope?”

Rembrary frowned and asked back.

“Why a money envelope all of a sudden?”

Thinking about the money envelope reminded him of Shin Jo-woon. He had been tricked by Shin Jo-woon with a money envelope before. Could Shin Jo-woon’s parents also give him a money envelope?

Hye-gyeol and Keishi looked at each other again and giggled, saying.

“They usually offer a money envelope in situations like that.”

“Then you take the money envelope.”

* * *

The next day.

Shin Jo-woon took him to a Korean restaurant, which had private rooms for dining.

Before entering the restaurant, Shin Jo-woon repeatedly told Rembrary.

“Don’t joke around, they don’t understand jokes.”

“Okay.”

Then, when they entered the room, a couple was already sitting there.

When Rembrary bowed, Shin Jo-woon’s mother exclaimed.

“You look much better in person than on TV.”

“Everyone says that.”

Rembrary humbly replied.

Shin Jo-woon’s father also greeted Rembrary and then asked Shin Jo-woon.

“Where’s Tae-ri?”

‘Did he invite Tae-ri too?’

Shin Jo-woon checked his watch and answered.

“She said she’ll be about 40 minutes late because of a meeting, and she’ll come and greet you separately later.”

“Have you met Jang Tae-ri before?”

Rembrary asked, and Shin Jo-woon’s mother told him a story he had never heard before.

“They’ve been friends since school.”

Rembrary was surprised and looked at Shin Jo-woon, asking again.

“Really?”

No wonder they seemed particularly close, but they were classmates?

This time, Shin Jo-woon’s mother answered.

“All through elementary, middle, high school, and university.”

“So you’ve been friends since high school. Longtime friends.”

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Shin Jo-woon’s mother looked puzzled, and Shin Jo-woon quickly handed her the menu.

“Please order.”

Fortunately, Rembrary’s slip of the tongue was naturally glossed over thanks to Shin Jo-woon’s quick thinking.

While Shin Jo-woon’s parents were choosing their dishes, Rembrary also wanted to choose his own, so his fingers twitched, but he remained still to save face.

At that moment, Shin Jo-woon’s father suddenly offered a compliment.

“Ah, I’m enjoying the show.”

He wondered if he was talking to Shin Jo-woon, but his eyes were directed this way.

“Thank you.”

Rembrary took the initiative to thank him, and Shin Jo-woon’s father looked back down at the menu and asked.

“But you’re not really dating, are you? It’s just a concept, right?”

It was a casual remark, but Rembrary had already heard from Shin Jo-woon what his parents were worried about.

Shin Jo-woon sighed.

“I told you, it’s not. How many times do I have to say it?”

“It’s not like there aren’t cases where people appear on those kinds of programs and actually become couples and get married. That’s why I’m saying it.”

Rembrary quickly said in a confident voice, as he had heard from Shin Jo-woon.

“It’s not like that, so you don’t have to worry.”

At that firm voice, Shin Jo-woon’s parents finally seemed relieved.

Shin Jo-woon smiled awkwardly at Rembrary, apologizing, but Rembrary signaled that it was okay and waited patiently. For Shin Jo-woon’s parents to offer him a money envelope.

Which one of them would give it to him?

But no matter how long he waited, there was no money envelope. They just handed over the menu after choosing all the dishes.

Then, Shin Jo-woon’s mother belatedly noticed Rembrary’s gaze and asked.

“What’s wrong? You look like you have something to say?”

Rembrary cautiously asked.

“Don’t you have anything to give me besides the menu?”

Shin Jo-woon looked down at the menu and then suddenly raised his head.

Shin Jo-woon’s mother looked puzzled, saying, “Huh?”

“Like what?”

“An envelope—”

At that moment, Shin Jo-woon covered Rembrary’s mouth.

Rembrary looked at him as if protesting, but Shin Jo-woon signaled to his parents that he would be back in a moment and dragged Rembrary out.

As soon as they were in the hallway, Shin Jo-woon protested to Rembrary, dumbfounded.

“What’s with the envelope all of a sudden?”

“I heard that they usually talk about envelopes in situations like this.”

Hearing Rembrary’s answer, Shin Jo-woon opened his mouth in even greater disbelief.

“Who brings up envelopes in situations like this?”

“The members…….”

“You don’t have a good relationship with the members. They’re only telling you strange things.”

“We’re just moderately distant.”

Shin Jo-woon sighed.

“You really like envelopes.”

“It’s not that I like envelopes, it’s that I like the money inside.”

At that moment, an employee who was carrying side dishes on a food cart stopped and covered her mouth after hearing their conversation.

Shin Jo-woon noticed the employee and, after smiling awkwardly, took care of Rembrary and went back inside.

* * *

Title: OMG I saw Woo Yeon-woo and Shin Jo-woon fighting ㄷㄷ [onomatopoeia for trembling/shock] ;;

Shin Jo-woon’s parents gave Woo Yeon-woo a money envelope (this is just my guess) and told him to break up with their son

But Woo Yeon-woo took it

Shin Jo-woon got so angry, saying how could he do that ㅠ [onomatopoeia for crying]

Woo Yeon-woo said he liked money, not appearances……

Shin Jo-woon looked so hurt after hearing that ㅠㅠ

―Is it real?

―Lies

―I don’t believe it without proof

―I can smell a self-made story from here.

―Let’s ignore the bait

* * *

“Do you know that Christmas is a day for giving and receiving gifts?”

It was a rare day with no schedules at all. Rembrary was searching the internet for ‘void,’ ‘crack,’ ‘dimension,’ ‘demon,’ etc., when he put down his phone. Jung-seo was standing there with a small box in her hand.

“What is it?”

“A gift from President Jang. It came by *택배* [Taekbae, delivery service].”

When Rembrary reached out his hand, Jung-seo put down the box and left. Rembrary opened the box. It was a music box.

Rembrary placed the music box on the edge of the desk and stared blankly at it, listening to the stuttering, broken music coming from it.

Outside the window, he could hear carols from what he guessed was the house next door, and Keishi had gone out early in the morning without Jong-woo knowing, saying she was going on a date.

For now, it was peaceful. But why was his heart so troubled?

Rembrary listened to the music blankly and looked at Woo Yeon-woo’s shadow.

Woo Yeon-woo’s shadow, as always, looked like an ordinary shadow in times like these. Who could guess that there was an evil spirit inside, presumed to be a fragment of the Demon King?

Rembrary sighed and turned off the music box.

At that moment. A red finger popped out from the shadows.