Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 26

26. Overcoming with Fan Spirit

Kissing on the lips?

Rembrary stared at the door.

Seonwoo Shil’s manager was also standing there, surprised as he was leaving.

Through the half-open door, Jongwoo was seen tearing at his own hair.

“Say it again. Uh. Uh… So. Uh… Hey! Hey! Hey! Yeonwoo isn’t the problem, you are! You were the X-Man!”

Rembrary’s eyes widened.

Seonwoo Shil chuckled knowingly while opening a water bottle.

“Looks like you’ve caused an accident. Did your member get caught dating?”

He sounded amused.

“Things are going to get messy, huh? Isn’t your member’s partner Yuli?”

“You know her?”

“She’s been at the top of the girl group scene for two years, of course, I know her.”

The Emperor Penguin?

Rembrary recalled Keshi’s partner, who had been awkwardly fidgeting.

Seonwoo Shil took a sip of water and said casually.

“Girl groups that were treated as inferior due to long-distance relationships will try to rise up now.”

“Long distance?”

“The girl group Yuli is in. Long Distance. It’s long, so it’s called Long Distance.”

Rembrary already knew that Yuli’s group name was Long Distance because he had seen the list Jongwoo gave him before participating in the Sing Survival program.

Rembrary nodded.

“Ah.”

Then, he remembered what Seonwoo Shil had said earlier and asked.

“But why does it cause such a fuss when they get caught dating?”

Isn’t dating a good thing?

Dating isn’t good if it turns into an affair, cheating, or two-timing.

If it’s a normal relationship, there’s no reason to make a fuss, is there?

“Are you asking that sincerely?”

However, Seonwoo Shil was rather taken aback by Rembrary’s question.

Then, he clicked his tongue and warned.

“If you’re one of those who believe there’s no problem with idols dating, you debuted too early.”

“?”

“I’ve heard people say, ‘Idols are people too, what’s wrong with them dating?’ Don’t believe it. Those who say that are all non-stakeholders [people who don’t have a vested interest in the matter].”

“Non-stakeholders?”

“Idols are people, so they can date. They can date, but if they get caught, it’s obvious that their income will drop.”

“Ah.”

“Public opinion on idol dating is changing, but there’s still a big difference in income between when they’re dating and when they’re not. But I can’t just grab the fans who turn away because they don’t like dating by the collar and force them to continue being fans, can I?”

“Ah, I see.”

So, that’s why Jongwoo was so horrified and angry when I approached the actress I met at Seonwoo Shil’s agency before.

I wondered why he was like that over a handshake back then. It must be because of this reason.

Seonwoo Shil chuckled weakly and warned.

“But really be careful. Long Distance fans might tear apart Keshi and even your group.”

In the meantime, Jongwoo, who had finished his call, came in and apologized to Seonwoo Shil.

“I’m really sorry, Seonwoo Shil. Could you please take our Yeonwoo to the dorm after practice today?”

When Seonwoo Shil readily agreed, Jongwoo thanked him repeatedly and hurriedly ran out of the practice room.

* * *

Jongwoo headed straight to the agency building where ‘Long Distance’ was所属 [belonging].

Long Distance’s manager, who was standing at the entrance, fuming, started yelling as soon as he saw Jongwoo.

“Are you going to manage your artists like this?!”

The attitude of shouting from the start implied that all of this was Jongwoo’s fault.

Jongwoo was furious at the words he heard as soon as he got out of the car.

Dating is something they would have done because they liked each other.

In this case, shouldn’t the one who was in charge of the kids be responsible?

Why is he coming at me like that when his kids caused the accident while they were under his care?

But this was just his inner thoughts.

Jongwoo bowed repeatedly, saying he was sorry.

“I’m sorry. There must be some reason.”

“What reason? They were caught kissing on the lips!”

“!”

“It’s not just a photo, it’s a video! And it was filmed by a broadcasting station camera!”

Jongwoo apologized repeatedly to Yuli O’s manager, who was yelling at the top of his lungs, and barely managed to go to Keshi on the 3rd floor.

Keshi was sitting crouched on a long chair, looking dejected, and stood up abruptly when Jongwoo came.

“Hyung!”

Jongwoo suppressed the urge to hit Keshi on the back of the head and asked.

“What happened? Tell me again in detail.”

He had heard it once on the phone, but he couldn’t hear it properly because Keshi was crying.

Keshi said, sobbing.

“I started having a thing with Yuli while practicing…”

“You started having a thing and kissed her on the lips first?!”

“No, we were about to date, we were that close!”

“Is that what you call it?”

“…We kissed very lightly. And it was caught on camera.”

“Whose camera? Your 담당 [assigned] camera?”

“No. Yuli’s camera.”

Jongwoo pounded his chest with his hand.

Yeonwoo is being harassed by Oh Jungshin’s fans because he asked him to do an errand.

He couldn’t let Keshi be harassed by Yuli O’s fans as well.

“What should I do, hyung?”

Keshi asked Jongwoo with a frightened face.

He seemed very scared of this situation because he was greedy for activities in the entertainment industry.

Even though he was the one who caused this accident, Jongwoo pushed the words that were about to come out back into his throat.

Now was not the time to scold him.

“Stay here. And don’t text Yuli!”

Jongwoo said firmly and went to find Yuli O’s camera 담당 [person in charge].

It wasn’t difficult to find Yuli O’s camera 담당 [person in charge].

That’s because Yuli O’s manager and Long Distance’s team leader had already come out and were trying to persuade him.

“Please think about it one more time, Yeon-gang.”

“What good would it do for Yeon-gang to broadcast this scene?”

“Yeon-gang, I heard you’re a fan of the other Long Distance members. If this blows up, not only Yuli but also the other members will be affected.”

“Wild Animal is just starting to get popular, and they might go down because of one person, Yeon-gang.”

There were mostly persuasions appealing to emotions.

Jongwoo quickly joined in and begged the cameraman to delete only that scene.

“It’s okay to include the flirting, so please delete only that part. I beg you.”

Yuli O’s team leader, who was watching this, finally took out the last card.

“If you delete only the kissing scene, we will give you corresponding compensation.”

He was saying he would give money.

But that cameraman was thoroughly professional in unnecessary ways.

“I understand the situation. But this is my job and my profession. I’m just doing my job, and I can’t ruin my career here because of sympathy.”

In the end, the cameraman rejected not only Jongwoo but also Yuli O’s team leader’s proposal.

* * *

Later, when CEO Im heard this news, he was so angry that the veins in his neck stood out.

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Jongwoo hung his head.

“I’m sorry.”

“Is this something that can be solved with an apology? How are you managing the kids that a rookie, well, not a rookie. Anyway, how are you managing the kids that they’re dating in front of the camera!”

“Keshi said it wasn’t in front, but on the stairs…”

“Is that an excuse? If you meet on the stairs, it’s a secret meeting, so it’s not dating?”

CEO Im shouted.

Jongwoo lowered his head even further. He was억울 [feeling wronged] as before, but he couldn’t show it.

He was also furious when he first heard this from Keshi.

CEO Im was furious, but he couldn’t control his anger and looked for the sealed cigarettes.

“There are only five idols. Two of them are taking turns causing accidents!”

CEO Im, who was huffing and puffing, put a cigarette in his mouth, but fortunately, he calmed down before lighting it and sighed.

“Well. It’s not like it happened where you were, so what could you do? It’s not your fault.”

CEO Im, who had regained his reason, put the cigarette back in the cigarette case and tore off a new sealing sticker and attached it to the surface.

“First of all… I need to hire one more manager. The Sing Survival seems like it will last for a few months at least, and Yeonwoo and Keshi are both people to watch out for. I can’t keep neglecting the other kids.”

“Yes.”

* * *

That evening, Jongwoo gathered the members and told them about this incident, and then urged them to be more careful in the future.

“Jungseo. Take good care of the kids.”

“Yes.”

“I’m Jungseo, I’m relieved that you’re here.”

Jongwoo sighed as he looked at Jungseo, who was sitting calmly.

Then, he told Keshi and Rembrary to go to bed early because tomorrow was the 경연 [competition] day and went back.

But even after Jongwoo left, the atmosphere in the dorm was 냉랭 [icy].

Keshi was biting his fingernails and holding his cell phone the whole time.

“You idiot, are you still dating in this situation?”

Taein, who couldn’t stand it, cursed and snatched Keshi’s cell phone, and a fistfight broke out between the two.

“Why did Yuli date that hyung [older brother/male friend]?”

Hye-gyeol, who was a fan of Yuli, was doubly upset and fumed, and Jungseo coldly instructed Keshi and Taein.

“Don’t touch each other’s faces.”

* * *

The 경연 [competition] day approached without the incident regarding Keshi being resolved at all.

Unlike the last 경연 [competition], all the members had sullen faces due to the aftermath of yesterday.

However, under Jongwoo’s instructions, Taein, Jungseo, and Hye-gyeol had no choice but to make cheering cards and 도시락 [lunch boxes] for Rembrary and Keshi in order to film the cheering scene.

The situation was that later, the three of them would make a ‘surprise’ visit with these, and Keshi and Rembrary would be happy to receive them…

“Okay, hurry, hurry.”

Jongwoo took care of Keshi and Rembrary and urged the remaining three members.

“The CEO will take care of you today, so be polite. Got it?”

“Hyung, isn’t there anyone other than the CEO? It’s too much of a burden.”

“No. But there will be one more soon.”

“Is a manager being added?”

“Who?”

“I don’t know either.”

Leaving behind the endless stream of questions, Rembrary got into the car following Jongwoo.

After going to the studio where the 경연 [competition] was taking place, it was the same familiar procedure.

The only difference was that this time, he and Seonwoo Shil were using the waiting room together.

Jongwoo said that Keshi and Yuli O couldn’t be left alone and went to their waiting room.

Rembrary ate the 도시락 [lunch box] that Seonwoo Shil’s manager had brought and talked with Seonwoo Shil and practiced.

“Good. At this rate, we’ll be number one again.”

Seonwoo Shil was pleased.

But Rembrary was a little worried about Keshi.

‘I wonder if he’s throwing up again this time.’

The evening of the day the kissing scene was filmed.

Keshi fought with Taein, punching each other.

But after that, he paced around the living room for several hours and repeatedly threw up in the bathroom.

His mind was as thin as paper.

It seemed hard to bear just imagining what would happen in the future.

‘Should I just stabilize his mind with 신성력 [divine power] again this time?’

Rembrary looked at the door several times and 고민 [agonized], but eventually left the waiting room, saying he was going to the bathroom.

“Just remember that everyone on stage is an enemy and a rival.”

Seonwoo Shil muttered as if he knew he wasn’t going to the bathroom, but he didn’t bother to stop him.

However, it was Jongwoo who sent Rembrary, who had come to find him, away.

“It’s better to just go now. The atmosphere is 살벌 [intense/fierce].”

In the end, Rembrary couldn’t meet Keshi and returned to his room.

But unlike 예상 [expected], Keshi completed the stage without 실수 [mistakes] in the 본방 [main broadcast].

“You look like real lovers.”

So much so that the host said this.

Rembrary was relieved, but Seonwoo Shil watched the stage on TV in the waiting room and snorted.

“Smiling and throwing 밑밥 [chum/bait].”

“밑밥 [chum/bait]?”

“That host.”

“?”

“When the broadcast goes out, viewers will see the flirting and 경연 [competition] scenes in a row. What the host just said was throwing 장작 [firewood] to make the viewers even more excited at that time.”

Rembrary clicked his tongue inwardly.

He was amazed at the host who threw such intentional words with a kind face, and he was also amazed at Seonwoo Shil who noticed it right away.

In the meantime, it was the two people’s turn.

“Please go out and wait now.”

After the staff told them their turn and left, Rembrary and Seonwoo Shil walked to the back of the stage.

As they went to the back of the stage, the loud microphone sound was heard loudly.

While another staff member came to check the microphone, Rembrary and Seonwoo Shil did a small final practice together.

Unlike before, Jongwoo still hadn’t come.

‘Is he still 감시 [monitoring] Keshi?’

Just before going on stage. Rembrary glanced back 괜히 [for no particular reason].

Jongwoo was still not there.

* * *