Holy Idol [EN]: Chapter 97

Date: July 15th

Weather: Looks clear to me, but Hye-gyeol says it’s cloudy.

I was practicing the script when Jong-woo *hyung* [older brother or male friend] appeared with pizzas in both hands.

I thought he was just going to let me smell them again and leave, so I tried to ignore him, but he opened the pizza box right away.

He’s not usually like this. I looked at him, puzzled, and he confessed readily.

“A fan who owns a pizza place sent it.”

Good heavens!

I protested, asking why he hadn’t told me there was such a person, and he asked how he would know my fan’s occupation when he didn’t even know I had fans.

That’s a lie. It has to be a lie. Jong-woo *hyung* has already seen some of my fans, hasn’t he?

He even talked to Gwan-woo… Wait. I got a text.

The text was from Shin Jo-woon.

He asks if he’ll become more familiar than Jang Tae-ri if he sends 159 pizzas.

Just nibbling away at a single slice and comparing like that.

His generosity is as flimsy as a fish bone.

I told him to send them anyway.

***

Date: July 16th

Shin Jo-woon sent 159 pizzas to the set.

I was thinking his generosity was as thin as a fish bone, but then a coffee truck followed.

Forget the fish bone.

That person… from now on, he’s a whale! [In Korean slang, a “whale” refers to someone who spends a lot of money, especially on supporting a celebrity or cause.]

Two hours later

The whale texted me, asking me to express my feelings right now.

I said I felt like I caught a whale, and he asked if the pizza wasn’t good.

I said it was delicious, but then he asked why I felt like I caught a whale.

“Because I’ve decided to make Shin Jo-woon my whale from now on.”

I complimented him honestly, and he asked in a flustered voice what I meant.

***

11 PM. Arrived home.

I’m in the bathroom now… sleepy. A little tired.

I’m always tired on days when there’s filming.

Oh, Jung-seo made me tomato juice earlier, so I drank the juice and asked.

If ‘feeling like catching a whale’ is used in a bad way here, I’m actually very smart, but I’m not quite familiar with Korean expressions.

So, I asked to make sure. I shouldn’t make a slip of the tongue unintentionally.

Jung-seo closed her lips and stared at me for a moment, then asked who I said that to.

After explaining the situation, she told me that ‘feeling like catching a whale’ is a terrible and painful sense of loss here.

Good heavens. Did I say something bad to the benefactor who bought me pizza and coffee!

I never meant to say anything bad to Shin Jo-woon.

In the end, I called Shin Jo-woon right away and gave him a further explanation.

“I treat whales very carefully.”

***

15 minutes later, continuing on.

Shin Jo-woon and Jang Tae-ri must be together often.

Before, when I sent a text, it seemed like they were together. It’s clear they’re together this time too.

It was obvious when Jang Tae-ri called me right after I finished talking to Shin Jo-woon.

So, I asked if they were at a restaurant without me right now, and Jang Tae-ri said that wasn’t important and asked this.

“If Jo-woon is a whale, what am I?”

I remembered her buying me shrimp pizza, so I answered, “A shrimp.” She said she didn’t like that.

So, I asked what she wanted to be, and after thinking for a moment, she said she’d be a giant squid living in the deep sea.

I told her to do that.

She’s a bit of a strange person.

***

“Did you write in your video diary?”

As Rembrary came out of the bathroom with the camera, Jung-seo asked as she walked to the kitchen.

“Yeah.”

“You write diligently.”

“It’s kind of fun. It reminds me of the old days.”

Rembrary answered casually, yawned, and put the camera down on the table.

In fact, he had done something similar before. Recording a diary in words to the air.

To be precise, it’s more of an act somewhere between confession and prayer, going into an empty room and reporting the day’s events to God.

It was a duty he had always done since he was an assistant priest, and it was a duty he had to do even after becoming a high priest.

Perhaps that’s why. Rembrary didn’t find writing a video diary that uncomfortable.

“That entertainment show, is it called ?”

“I think so.”

“They said the main filming starts tomorrow, right?”

Rembrary nodded, taking out a lemon-flavored, zero-calorie sparkling water from the refrigerator and drinking it.

“What about you? How is your mother these days?”

A faint, soft smile appeared on Jung-seo’s usually expressionless face.

“She’s excited. She hasn’t been able to go out much for a long time.”

“She says ‘The world has changed so much!’ every day. She must find everything fun just by seeing, hearing, and living.”

“That’s a relief.”

“It is a relief.”

Rembrary threw the empty sparkling water into the recycling bin and yawned.

But is there something else she wants to say?

Jung-seo, who would normally go silently to do her own thing, was awkwardly lingering around today.

“Why are you doing that?”

When Rembrary asked, Jung-seo pulled out a chair from the table with a troubled expression and sat down.

“Jung-seo. Why are you doing that? Is something really wrong?”

Rembrary asked seriously and sat across from Jung-seo.

Jung-seo moved her lips a few times.

But in the end, she couldn’t say anything and forced a smile, ending the situation.

“I’ll tell you when I’m more sure later.”

***

The next day.

Rembrary went to the shop in comfortable casual clothes as requested in advance.

His hair, which he had always kept neat and tidy to play the role of a priest and a cynical demon, was also permed into a frizzy shape today.

“What is this? Is it a sheep?”

When it was finished, it looked similar to a sheep’s head, but the hair designer insisted it was a baby perm.

“Isn’t it a sheep perm?”

Rembrary asked again, not quite convinced, but Jong-woo apologized, so he couldn’t ask more about the name of the hairstyle.

After that, he received light makeup and went to the filming location.

Jang Tae-ri and the VJ had already arrived there and were checking the script.

“I’m sorry every time. You’re always here first.”

“Oh, it’s okay. I had something to do nearby, so I came early.”

“Still…”

“It’s really okay.”

While Jang Tae-ri and Jong-woo bowed to each other.

The VJ handed the script to Rembrary this time.

“This is it. Just memorize it.”

“Yes.”

“Today, the two of you will be on a date, and Shin Jo-woon will call.”

Rembrary opened the script the VJ handed him.

Perhaps because there were too many lines during the first filming and he stumbled over his words, this time there were only two simple lines.

1. (After Jang Tae-ri hangs up) It’s hard even though I knew it from the beginning. Tae-ri is the only one by my side. I feel lonely every time.

2. (Before parting) Tell that person for me.

While Rembrary was checking the script, Jang Tae-ri also checked her script again.

Jang Tae-ri’s script was also very simple, with only one instruction and one line.

1. (While talking to Shin Jo-woon, a happy expression, while also checking Woo Yeon-woo from time to time, after hanging up, deliberately showing a confident *femme fatale* [an attractive and seductive woman, especially one who is likely to cause distress or disaster to a man who becomes involved with her] smile)

2. What did you like about me?

Rembrary and Jang Tae-ri don’t know, but what’s different about this script isn’t just the shortened lines.

The lines that used to be exchanged were also treated separately.

This was to make up for the fact that Jang Tae-ri and Rembrary combined their lines in a strange order, creating an unexpectedly vulgar entertainment show.

It was fun, but basically, the concept of this entertainment show is ‘Love Process,’ and the two are in charge of the two-timing concept.

The VJ looked at Rembrary and Jang Tae-ri alternately and said with emphasis.

“Jang Tae-ri, Woo Yeon-woo, the teaser response was very good this time. Especially the two-timing team’s response was the best. The PD is expecting a lot. Fighting!”

The VJ, who put his hands together and made a fighting gesture, grabbed the camera.

Finally, the second date filming began.

***

This date location was an ordinary park.

Rembrary was disappointed that it wasn’t a restaurant, but Rembrary had no say in deciding the date course.

If Rembrary kept singing about restaurants to the self-cam this time, there might be a possibility, but unfortunately, Rembrary didn’t know that.

Anyway, as decided, Rembrary stood behind the building, counted to ten, and ran to the bench where Jang Tae-ri was sitting, calling out, “Tae-ri!”

Jang Tae-ri slammed the book shut and got up from the bench.

From here on out, it was free again, and all they had to do was say the necessary lines at the right time.

Still, is it because they’ve done it twice that they’ve become familiar with it?

Instead of standing awkwardly like before, Rembrary naturally started talking to Jang Tae-ri.

“I saw a dog with the same hair as me on the way here.”

“Really? A poodle?”

“I don’t know dog breeds very well.”

“It must be a poodle. Your hairstyle is cute. Can I touch your hair?”

“You can.”

Jang Tae-ri reached out and lightly touched Rembrary’s curly hair and smiled.

Thanks to her fan-equipped eyes, Rembrary looked cuter than a poodle in Jang Tae-ri’s eyes.

After that, the two walked around the park a few times, exchanging a few meaningless conversations.

“Thank you for sending the pizza a few days ago.”

“We’re lovers. Of course, I have to send it.”

“Send it to the dorm next time. I was upset that I had to share it with people.”

“Do you like eating alone?”

“Up to two members is okay.”

“Why two people?”

“Because I’m not close to two of them.”

“!”

“Don’t you have any colleagues you’re not close to, Tae-ri?”

“Oh, if they’re not close to me, it’s hard for them to stay at my company.”

It was a line that didn’t have the fatal and secretive, dangerous feeling of love felt in a love triangle, nor did it have the fluffy and sweet feeling like cotton candy between ordinary lovers.

The VJ sighed inwardly and picked up his phone.

He will now text Shin Jo-woon and instruct him to call Jang Tae-ri.

Shin Jo-woon doesn’t have filming today, but he had already received permission to record his voice in this part.

The VJ quickly sent a text.

About 30 seconds later, Jang Tae-ri’s phone rang.

“Just a moment.”

Jang Tae-ri, who was expecting someone to call after seeing the script instructions, quickly pressed the call button and put the phone to her ear.

– Oh, it’s me.

Shin Jo-woon’s voice was heard right away.

“Oh my gosh, Jo-woon.”

– Oh. Tae-ri. It’s me.

“What’s up at this hour?”

– I just wanted to see you more. Where are you?

“Near the company.”

“I’m near there too, should we meet right now?”

“Ah, not right now…”

– Why?

“I came out because I have something to do.”

– That thing, it’s not meeting a pizza addict, is it?

“No. I came to see a poodle.”

While Jang Tae-ri was awkwardly acting out the lines set with Shin Jo-woon, Rembrary scanned the park with his eyes, waiting for the call to end.

Once that call ends, he just has to throw out the set line.

After that, the line to say just before parting didn’t feel burdensome.

And seeing that unburdened expression, Jong-woo sighed inwardly.

His lover is talking affectionately with another man, but why is he looking around like a loafer?

It would be better if he made a jealous or worried expression!

Besides, he’s now whistling at the flying birds.

Jong-woo was overwhelmed with the urge to pull that protruding snout that was whistling.

However, the impulse soon disappeared in the face of the unfolding situation.

The pigeons that were pecking at the feed in the park suddenly rushed at Rembrary at the same time.