Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 164

#164.

“To me?”

Heungmin blinked rapidly, asking again.

The concert had been a success, and the response to , which aired immediately after, was great, so all the members were in high spirits.

He thought they would be even happier to hear the news, but Heungmin didn’t seem as pleased as he expected.

Instead, he tilted his head, looking puzzled, as if he didn’t understand something.

Team Leader Jung Heeyeong looked at Heungmin with a puzzled expression and nodded.

“Yes, to you…….”

Back when they debuted, Heungmin had his reasons for not wanting to be a model for the cultural heritage promotion video filmed by the city.

Other than that, Heungmin had always been thrilled with any advertising or broadcast appearance opportunities.

Moreover, the offer Heungmin received was such a great opportunity that anyone would instinctively say, ‘I’ll do it!’

It was an opportunity to appear on Hong Junsoo PD’s next program, .

“Why? Don’t you want to do it?”

Team Leader Jung Heeyeong asked, a little flustered.

She was even more puzzled because she thought he would be more excited, as he was a member who had some ambition for variety shows.

“It’s not that I don’t want to do it. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Doesn’t make sense?”

“I think Dojae, Woocheol, or maybe Louie would be better suited…. I don’t understand why they specifically want to cast me out of all the members…….”

Heungmin honestly revealed his thoughts.

It wasn’t to put himself down, but the result of a fairly objective analysis.

Up until now, most appearance offers were mainly for the three he mentioned.

That was because the three younger members, known as the ‘Most Visual Triangle Zone,’ were not only outstanding in appearance but also had excellent entertainment skills with their lively personalities and unique charms.

They were the members who mainly played active roles in as well.

‘Of course, if there’s a part where I have to break down for the sake of comedy, I might be better than Dojae in terms of personality…….’

However, Dojae was a human whose face was extremely ‘fun’.

On top of that, he often showed quirky and spontaneous actions, even though he himself was indifferent and serious.

The small amount of fun Heungmin could provide was on a different level.

“Ha, I was wondering what it was. Why have you lost so much confidence?”

“It’s not that I’ve lost confidence, it’s just that’s how it is. And I’m only saying that among the members, I’m confident I wouldn’t be inferior to anyone else!”

Team Leader Jung Heeyeong chuckled at Heungmin’s slightly aggrieved protest.

It was a smile that couldn’t hide her inner satisfaction.

MOST was a team where all the members respected and acknowledged each other’s abilities.

Even though they bickered every day, even scolded each other, Heungmin knew Woocheol’s talent and abilities well.

By greatly acknowledging each other’s strengths and compensating for each other’s weaknesses in that way, they couldn’t help but become an outstanding team.

It was also the secret to boasting solid teamwork no matter what happened.

“Hong PD specifically wanted you. He thought you were the most suitable member for .”

Hearing that, Heungmin thought about the program .

was a program that invited people with special stories, regardless of whether they were celebrities or ordinary people, and treated them to a meal.

The cast for seasons 1 and 2 included someone who could be called the godfather of the entertainment industry, a veteran entertainer who hosted three variety shows, and a singer-turned-entertainer who was actively appearing as a scene-stealer here and there.

If the cast for season 3 didn’t change much either, it was clear that Heungmin’s role would be the youngest member who got along with the older members.

‘I see…….’

Thinking it over, he seemed to understand why the offer was made to him and not the other members.

He must have seen how Heungmin played a pivotal role between his older brother Gijun and the younger members during the filming of .

‘The existing cast members will provide the big laughs anyway…. I just need to assist them well from the side and provide small bits of fun to do my part, right?’

Heungmin’s thoughts were half right.

What Hong Junsoo PD wanted in a new member for was someone who could blend in well with the existing cast members rather than stand out too much on their own.

While watching Heungmin coordinate relationships well within the group and prevent the atmosphere from becoming too excessive or static, he thought Heungmin was the right person.

He also liked his diligent attitude and willingness to go all out for the broadcast.

And one more thing.

Hong Junsoo PD thought Heungmin would be a little more charming if he was with people other than the members.

He seemed like the type of person who would struggle to find his role when placed in a new relationship rather than a stable one, and he thought that would naturally lead to him showing off his charm and being funny.

Heungmin didn’t know about Hong Junsoo PD’s big picture, but he belatedly brightened up after roughly understanding why he was needed on .

“I’m really going to be on ……!”

“You’ll do it, right?”

“Of course! It’s not that I didn’t want to from the beginning, I just didn’t understand! There’s no way I can’t do it!”

Heungmin shouted excitedly.

Team Leader Jung Heeyeong raised the corners of her mouth as if she knew it would be like this and continued.

“Yeah. I thought you would definitely do it too. It’s a great opportunity for you, Heungmin.”

To Team Leader Jung Heeyeong, Heungmin was a member she had known for as long as Gijun.

She was grateful that he had steadily come this far without any major issues between the picky Gijun and the young Woocheol, so she was happy about the opportunity that came to Heungmin as if it were her own.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have worked harder during the filming.”

“Didn’t you work hard?”

“No, it’s not that! I’m just so grateful…….”

“You worked hard, so Hong PD must have seen you well.”

“Haha. I guess so? I’m really ready to break down! Although it’s not that kind of variety show…. I’ve even bled from both nostrils on stage.”

Heungmin, unable to hide his excitement, rambled and laughed with a silly grin.

Then, as if he suddenly realized something, he asked, “Huh?”

“But when is the filming?! My album preparations…….”

No matter how good an individual opportunity was, if it affected MOST’s activities, the priority would naturally be pushed back.

The company had obviously thought about that, but Heungmin checked the schedule just in case.

MOST was planning to release another album at the end of August, not long after ended in July, continuing the momentum that had started at the beginning of the year.

“The filming period is about ten days in early July. If we adjust the recording schedule, there won’t be any problems with the practice schedule. It might be tough for you, Heungmin.”

“Ah…….”

Heungmin nodded after roughly calculating the dates.

“I have to do it even if it’s tough! No, I don’t think it will be tough at all!”

“Okay. I’ll contact you through Manager Jung when the meeting schedule with Hong PD is set.”

“Yes! Oh, but Manager Jung? Did Gilju hyung [older brother/male friend] get promoted?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow…….”

In the recent internal personnel reshuffle, Jung Gilju was promoted to manager, and Team Leader Jung Heeyeong and Team Leader Kim Seokcheol were promoted to director.

It was all thanks to MOST’s good performance.

“Then I’ll be going!”

“Okay!”

Team Leader Jung Heeyeong looked at Heungmin’s back as he left the meeting room with a proud look.

***

“Hyung [older brother/male friend]! This is really amazing!”

“Congratulation, Bro!”

Woocheol and Louie, who heard the news, congratulated Heungmin.

Other members also conveyed their words of congratulations in succession.

“A solo fixed spot on a variety show…. That’s amazing.”

“Amazing, what.”

Heungmin said modestly to Gyusung’s words, but he couldn’t hide the corners of his mouth that were excited.

“Isn’t a very popular program? It originally had higher viewership ratings than .”

Gijun’s words were correct.

The corners of Heungmin’s mouth, which felt burdened, quickly hardened awkwardly.

There was about a month left until filming, but he wondered if it would be better to be dragged along without knowing anything like he did during .

Also, he felt nervous because he felt like he was representing MOST by going out alone without the members.

He also thought that Louie, who was hosting music shows with other singers by himself, was amazing.

“Was this not the time to be happy…….”

Woocheol said with a smile at Heungmin’s muttering.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], you’ll do well if you don’t get too nervous.”

“You’ll do well, hyung [older brother/male friend].”

Heungmin made eye contact with Dojae’s words and tried to relieve the burden.

“Wouldn’t it help if you were good at cooking?”

“Wow. Heungmin hyung [older brother/male friend] is so bad at it!”

“Hey, ‘so bad’ is too harsh!”

Woocheol and Heungmin bickered with Gyusung’s words.

“I’m just calling it as it is!”

“Coming from a blockhead!”

“Ah, a blockheadddd!”

After the first episode of aired, Woocheol and Gijun were being called ‘Dolmeriz’ among fans.

Of course, fans said that ‘dol’ wasn’t stone, but ‘dol’ from idol…….

Gijun, who had been watching the two, tapped Heungmin on the shoulder.

“Lee Heungmin.”

“Uh, huh?”

“Learn to cook from me starting today.”

“Ah! Then that’s great! I’ll learn from Gijun hyung [older brother/male friend]!”

“Wow. That’s really good?!”

Woocheol and Louie were delighted and excited, but Heungmin, who had already received rap lessons from Gijun, turned pale.

He wouldn’t be as strict as when he was teaching rap, but…….

Even half of that would surely bring a harsh scolding that would make his ears tingle.

But what could he do? He had to do it if he needed to.

“Okay…….”

He was even going to take the time out of his busy schedule to work on the song.

He was so grateful that the words ‘I’d rather learn from Mr. Baek on MyTube’ didn’t come out.

***

Before the members started preparing for the next album in earnest, the second episode of aired during their few days of rest.

The second episode showed scenes of fishing, making cauldron chicken [a Korean chicken stew], dancing in the middle of the night, and suddenly making a mess of the house to eat late-night snacks.

The various charms of each member were revealed, and the sight of the members working hard at whatever they did made viewers smile.

The response to the second episode was even more explosive than the first.

Viewers who already liked MOST were completely charmed.

MOST realized their popularity as they did a backlog of interviews, photo shoots, and various commercials.

In the meantime, Woocheol received a personal schedule following Heungmin.

It was an offer to appear in a drama.

“Louie…. What should I do?”

Two of them, in fact.

Even though Woocheol didn’t participate in album work as much as Gijun or Dojae, it was impossible to appear in both dramas.

Therefore, Woocheol was in a happy dilemma over which work to appear in.

Louie, who was a drama mania, was also worried about it as if it were his own business.

Two scripts were neatly placed on the living room table, and Louie looked at the two scripts alternately with sharp eyes.

“Gosh. They’re all good…. But in my opinion.”

“Yeah.”

“This one.”

Louie pointed to the left script.

Dojae’s gaze, who was sitting on the sofa watching Woocheol and Louie’s conversation, also turned to the script that Louie was pointing to.