Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 91

< 91. Going on a Virtual Dating Show.>

Jong-woo felt his heart sink. ‘He’s finally done it! He’s publicly announced he’s crazy!’ His legs gave way at the thought of what was to come.

However, the reporter laughed exaggeratedly, waving the script.

“Is this the upgraded version of the sloth concept?”

Yeon-woo shook his head, flustered.

But the reporter, having just met Woo Yeon-woo, didn’t think it was too strange. Woo Yeon-woo was famous for being a bit of a weirdo anyway.

On the other hand, Maeng Woo-shin, who knew that Woo Yeon-woo, though a weirdo, wasn’t the type to be so timid, looked at him strangely.

At that moment, Rembrary stretched his hand into the air and started imitating a sloth, “Aee. Aeeeee. Aeee.”

“Wow! Sloth possession!”

The reporter, quite pleased, laughed and waved the script.

After finishing his sloth imitation, Rembrary wore his usual gentle and benevolent smile.

The brief plea for help was quickly forgotten, and Jong-woo laughed, telling the staff that their Yeon-woo had so much talent, lightening the mood.

However, as soon as they got into the car after the interview, the atmosphere between Rembrary and Jong-woo changed instantly.

Jong-woo pressed the start button, anxiously asking,

“Before, you suddenly popped out during the performance. Then during the call, and now during the interview. What triggers the personality change?”

“How would I know?”

“You need to know! It’s your job!”

“More than that, I’m shocked that child called me a sloth.”

“No, that’s the smallest and least important problem!”

Rembrary leaned his head against the window, trying to recall when the real Woo Yeon-woo had appeared, as Jong-woo said.

The first time was during the performance. Just before the change, Rembrary saw an evil spirit strangling Woo Yeon-woo’s neck in the shadows. Afterward, Woo Yeon-woo came out, finished the performance, and asked Sagamjae for help. This was the longest change.

The second time was during the call. Rembrary had just heard the secret of his birth from Woo Sung-woo. He didn’t think much of it, but in that brief moment, Woo Yeon-woo popped out and said a few words.

The third time was during the interview…

‘This is the most puzzling.’

The first time, Woo Yeon-woo’s shadow was cornered, and the second time, he heard shocking news, but why did he pop out the third time?

‘Was it because the time difference from the second time wasn’t that great?’

“The CEO said he’s looking for a discreet and skilled doctor in that field, so it’s okay. Whether your memories come back or the switching stops, something will work out.”

***

Jong-woo and CEO Lim were very nervous, but fortunately, no one thought Rembrary was strange after seeing the interview that day.

Only CEO Lim muttered, “Mystery concept… mystery concept…” in distress.

But even CEO Lim thought it was better to be seen as an eccentric with a passion for variety shows than to have his multiple personalities exposed.

In the meantime, the continued positive response to [the show] was the only consolation for CEO Lim.

And finally, Friday arrived.

Friday was a day without any filming, and it was also the day Rembrary had made plans with Maeng Woo-shin.

Originally, there were two music shows on Friday, but both were recording summer special broadcasts today.

Rembrary woke up early in the morning, put on ordinary pants and a t-shirt, and pulled the black hat Jung Seo-ga had given him low to cover his face.

He had already told Jong-woo about going out with Maeng Woo-shin and received permission.

“You’re not going to fight him one-on-one, are you?”

Jong-woo was horrified that Rembrary was going out with Maeng Woo-shin, but after being told no several times, he reluctantly gave his permission.

The rumors circulating between Rembrary and Maeng Woo-shin were extreme: either they were on very bad terms, or they had a strange relationship.

Neither was good, but the broadcast date of [the show] was still far off, and the chemistry between the two was well-received by the public.

So, he hoped that they would hang out together, get their pictures taken, and naturally cover up the rumors by appearing as friendly juniors [junior colleagues].

Just as Rembrary was about to put on his shoes and leave,

Sagamjae’s face appeared as soon as he opened the door.

“You startled me.”

Rembrary took a half step back in surprise, and Sagamjae pointed to the elevator with his eyes.

“Jong-woo wants you to come with me.”

“I have plans with Maeng today.”

“He still wants you to come with me.”

***

“Why did you suddenly call me?”

Rembrary asked as he entered the CEO’s office.

He needed to meet Maeng Woo-shin quickly to find out if the Daeju he mentioned was related to Redrin. It was a pity to waste this golden time so uselessly.

CEO Lim answered,

“I found him. A psychiatrist who is discreet and skilled. He’s a great expert in dissociative identity disorder [multiple personality disorder]. It’ll work out well.”

“What does it matter to me that Harry is a eunuch?”

“Not sexual dysfunction, I’m talking about multiple personalities. You, the crazy personality, and the original Yeon-woo personality.”

“Ah.”

He couldn’t extract the existing soul just because an expert was coming. Rembrary nodded casually, though he was sulky inside, and then his eyes widened.

“You want me to get treatment now?”

“Not now, tomorrow. I called you in for something else.”

CEO Lim gestured to Jong-woo to explain instead.

Jong-woo, who had been hiding in the corner, quickly approached and said,

“You’ve been offered a virtual dating show.”

“Virtual dating?”

“Pretending to date for show.”

Rembrary jumped up.

“Didn’t I say! I have no interest in mating for reproductive activities!”

“Don’t say such a thing! Even if you’re interested, you can’t do that far on a show!”

“Then?”

“Just, you know. Romantically, cuddly, that kind of thing.”

“What do you mean by being cuddly?”

“Well… that cute bickering between lovers.”

When Jong-woo couldn’t explain properly, CEO Lim added an example.

“Like what Keshi often does to the camera.”

Rembrary frowned, recalling Keshi’s cringy aegyo [acting cute].

Jong-woo quickly waved his hand.

“You don’t have to go that far, ah, I don’t know. It doesn’t have to be cuddly, just pretend to date.”

Rembrary said firmly,

“I won’t do it. I don’t want to do such a thing, even if it’s fake!”

“We already accepted it.”

“What?”

Jong-woo avoided his gaze, looking a little sorry.

“You were going for a mysterious concept! You said you wouldn’t do variety shows!”

“I didn’t want to. But the director in charge is really the best. PD [Production Director] Kim Mu-rok doesn’t do evil editing, and he takes great care of the image.”

Feeling a bit wronged, Jong-woo frowned and protested,

“And who turned the image that was doing well with the mystery concept back into a sloth?”

“It wasn’t me! That was Woo Yeon-woo’s doing!”

“You are Woo Yeon-woo!”

“I’m… I’m a sloth!”

“Exactly!”

CEO Lim muttered, “God,” and rubbed his forehead.

“Anyway, we decided to go on. But the concept is quite interesting. Especially the role you’re playing, you can take good care of your image if you do it well.”

***

– I thought he was celibateㅠㅠ

– I thought we’d all be single togetherㅜㅜ

– He succumbed to capitalismㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– You fools are so naive. Don’t you know that celebrities who say they’re celibate and single in front of the camera are actually dating well?

– Our Yeon-woo was the real deal! He even rejected sponsorships because of his celibacy!

– Yeon-wooㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I wish Yeon-woo wouldn’t do something like thatㅠㅠ Stay as my weirdo…

ㄴ He’s already everyone’s weirdo.

– So who? Who is doing a virtual dating show with Woo Yeon-woo?

ㄴ I hope it’s Oh Jung-shinㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

ㄴ Are you an anti of Oh Jung-shin?

– Then Oh Jung-shin would be too pitiful… I can hear his mental breakdown from here.

– It would be fun if he did it with Im Yu-han.

ㄴ Is Im Yu-han even in the same league as Woo Yeon-woo? If you touch Im Yu-han, I’ll curse even Woo Yeon-woo.

ㄴ Woo Yeon-wooㅋㅋㅋ It doesn’t make a difference if you curse him once moreㅋㅋㅋ

– Why. He saved his life, so they could do it together.

ㄴ The role Woo Yeon-woo is playing is Maeng Woo-shin’s stalker, and Maeng Woo-shin is dating Im Yu-han. It would be weird if Im Yu-han did a virtual dating show with Woo Yeon-woo here.

ㄴ The person aboveㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Noㅋㅋㅋ Woo Yeon-woo’s role isn’t a stalkerㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– So who is he doing it with? Who else is coming out?

***

“A love triangle? The concept is a love triangle?”

Rembrary jumped up in surprise at Jong-woo’s explanation.

“Yeah, ordinary dating has already been shown in various programs. This time, they said they’re going to show various forms of dating.”

Rembrary opened his mouth in disbelief.

“No, since when has a love triangle been included in various forms of dating? Isn’t that just morally trashy? I may not date, but I know that love triangles are bad. I can’t be involved in a love triangle, even if it’s fake!”

“Ah, don’t worry. You’re the one being cheated on.”

“!”

“I think they’re deliberately using some unique concepts.”

Rembrary opened and closed his mouth a few times, barely calming down, and asked,

“Are other teams coming out too?”

“Several teams are coming out at the same time. All with different concepts, what was it? Ah. One team is a celebrity and fan dating concept. The fan here was actually cast as a fan of that celebrity.”

“That sounds interesting.”

“One team is a transfer concept.”

“Transfer?”

“Dating one person while flirting with another.”

“Isn’t that also a love triangle?”

“A love triangle is when you don’t want to break up with either, and a transfer is when you’re about to break up with one, that’s the difference?”

Rembrary’s expression twisted.

“It sounds like a cheating show, not a dating show.”

“There’s also a wealthy dating concept. Oh. This is a big deal? CEO Kang is coming out.”

“Who is that?”

“A very handsome CEO, someone entertainment people like even more. Oh oh. Wow. The other person is a self-made chaebol [conglomerate]? Who is it?”

Jong-woo continued, looking at the memo he had taken during the call earlier.

“There’s also a contract dating concept.”

“What? Contract dating?”

“Yeah. And a team with a concept of dating a foreigner who barely speaks Korean.”

Jong-woo counted one, two, three, four, and said,

“Six teams are coming out.”

After finishing speaking, Jong-woo confidently asked,

“The role you’re playing is weak, right? It’s better to be cheated on than to be the one cheating, isn’t it?”

“So. Who is going to be in a love triangle with me?”

“They’re casting.”

After finishing the explanation, Jong-woo smiled helplessly and said,

“I don’t know if we’ll get cursed or become popular, but I think everyone will watch the first episode out of curiosity, right?”

***

After hearing the explanation, he quickly moved by car, but when he arrived, he was 20 minutes late for the appointment.

Maeng Woo-shin, wearing sunglasses, was standing in front of the cafe with his arms crossed. When Rembrary got out of the car, he tried to hide his angry expression and sneered.

“You shouldn’t be late when meeting a senior [someone older/more experienced], even if you don’t come early.”

“Because of the love triangle.”

“What?”

“It’s something like that.”

Rembrary sighed weakly and asked,

“So, where is the person named Daeju?”

< 91. Going on a Virtual Dating Show > End