Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 49

#49.

Thanks to Do-jae and Woo-cheol, the five blue water bottles were quickly located.

Having departed five minutes earlier, and with Do-jae’s ‘gut feeling’ guiding them perfectly, they took the most direct route.

At this rate, winning this game seemed assured.

‘I’m getting further and further away from the penalty,’ Do-jae thought with relief.

Unlike Im Jun-hong or the PD [Production Director], who secretly hoped that Do-jae, with his handsome and upright image, would receive the penalty, Do-jae was inwardly pleased.

“Aigo. My knees hurt,” Im Jun-hong lamented, patting his knees.

Do-jae and Woo-cheol slowed their pace as Im Jun-hong stopped.

“Are you already tired?”

“Woo-cheol, aren’t you being a bit much? When you’re my age, you’ll understand why my knees hurt.”

“Is it because it’s a faster route? The path is incredibly steep.”

“Well, we have to climb this high to get to the cliff.”

“That’s right.”

Perhaps it was thanks to living among three older brothers with strong personalities—the aloof Gi-jun, the nagging Heung-min, and the taciturn Gyu-seong—that Woo-cheol could be so affable even with Im Jun-hong, who was in his fifties.

“Hang in there. We’re almost there,” Do-jae also said, comforting the tired Im Jun-hong.

The sight of the twenty and twenty-one-year-old young men coaxing and comforting Im Jun-hong, a veteran entertainer in his fifties, was quite comical.

The PD smiled, amused by the scene.

Im Jun-hong whined a bit more, jokingly asking them to carry him on their backs because he was old.

“That’s a bit…”

“Huh?”

Seeing the two flustered, Im Jun-hong playfully scolded them for being too harsh.

However, Do-jae and Woo-cheol spent about five minutes sitting on a bench to allow the tired Im Jun-hong to rest.

Since they were far ahead of the other teams, Im Jun-hong seemed to be taking his time leisurely.

Moreover, it seemed he wanted to create some tension because if they won first place too easily, there wouldn’t be much interesting footage.

He was indeed a seasoned entertainer.

“Alright, I’m all rested! Let’s go!”

It was as they started up the slope again that Im Jun-hong, walking without much thought, lost his footing.

“Ugh!”

There was a patch of ground that hadn’t melted and was still frozen.

Im Jun-hong, whose knees were genuinely not in good condition, lost his balance and fell forward.

It was Do-jae who prevented him from cracking his head open.

Instinctively, Do-jae turned around and grabbed Im Jun-hong’s wrist.

However, Im Jun-hong was an adult male weighing over 80kg [approximately 176 pounds].

He wasn’t huge, but he wasn’t light either.

Do-jae couldn’t withstand Im Jun-hong’s weight and slipped along with him.

The VJ’s [Video Journalist’s] camera shook from the sudden situation.

But even in that moment, they didn’t drop the camera and captured the scene.

“A-Are you okay?” the PD asked, surprised, looking at the two.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

It was a stroke of luck.

His buttocks were sore from landing on them, and his pants were covered in dirt, but that was it.

“Jun-hong, are you alright?”

“Kim PD, I think I sprained my ankle?”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh. I’m not kidding, it’s real,” Im Jun-hong said, frowning.

Do-jae and Woo-cheol looked at him worriedly.

“There’s a medical team waiting at the entrance, I’ll call them.”

“No… It hurts, but not that bad. Let’s finish filming and then I’ll get treatment after we go down.”

The PD hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Looking at Im Jun-hong’s condition, it didn’t seem like he was completely unable to film.

As it was an outdoor program involving physical activity, there had been minor and major accidents, but this was a small enough accident to breathe a sigh of relief.

With the help of Do-jae and Woo-cheol, Im Jun-hong stood up, limping.

“Are you really able to walk?” Do-jae asked with a worried expression.

Im Jun-hong replied, “I survived thanks to you. Ha… It would have been so anticlimactic to die from slipping!”

His effort to turn everything into a joke until the end was evident.

Do-jae inwardly admired him and held onto Im Jun-hong firmly.

“Even if things have turned out like this, we still have to go! We’ve come all this way. There’s really only a little bit left, right, Do-jae?”

“…Yes.”

“Then I’m trusting you, Do-jae!” Im Jun-hong shouted, having quickly switched back to entertainer mode.

Do-jae shook his head slightly and supported Im Jun-hong.

“There they are!”

“We’ll go ahead!”

“We passed the leading team, right?!”

Just then, another team came running from behind, noisily passing by the three of them.

The three had to watch the other team overtake them with wide eyes.

***

Shortly after.

In the end, the actor’s team, who had chosen the wrong path, and Im Jun-hong’s team were competing for last place.

“They say the other team is about the same distance away,” the PD informed them, having communicated with the other team’s staff via radio.

“Aigo… At this rate, I’m really going to end up in last place and get the penalty,” Im Jun-hong said, lamenting as if he was in despair, having been on the verge of winning.

If this happened, it would be an unfair situation for Do-jae alone.

“I’m going to end up getting the penalty because of me. I’m sorry. I really didn’t fall on purpose to make Do-jae get the penalty, okay? I didn’t add any MSG [Monosodium Glutamate – a food additive] to it!” Im Jun-hong preemptively protested, even though Do-jae hadn’t said anything.

Do-jae nodded as if he understood and cautiously asked, “Then the penalty isn’t for…”

“Ah. Do you want to do that to a sick person?” He had apologized a second ago, but now he was raising his voice again.

Do-jae lightly laughed, feeling like he understood Im Jun-hong’s entertainment persona perfectly.

Still, you never knew until the end.

Do-jae and Woo-cheol supported Im Jun-hong and moved without rest.

Im Jun-hong also walked as best as he could, as if his apology wasn’t a lie.

It was when they saw the flag signaling the finish line in the distance.

“Uh-oh!” Woo-cheol shouted.

Another team was coming from the opposite path.

“We’re not in last place yet!” Do-jae’s eyes lit up with hope at Woo-cheol’s voice.

“Woo-cheol.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s run.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t want to eat fish sauce.” Do-jae’s voice was quite determined.

Having become ‘Kang Do-jae’ in Korea, and as an idol, Do-jae knew that he had to endure hardships unlike when he was a prince.

But he wanted to avoid what he could, especially ‘that penalty’ that would ruin his mouth, which was praised for its ‘absolute taste’.

“W-Well, me too. But how?” Woo-cheol, wary of the overly determined Do-jae, looked towards Im Jun-hong.

“Get on my back, hyung [older brother/male friend].”

“Y-You’re going to carry me? On this uphill?”

Instead of answering, Do-jae turned his back to Im Jun-hong and crouched down.

Im Jun-hong was flustered but got on Do-jae’s back.

It was Do-jae who had suggested it first, and whether they won or lost, whether they got tired or not, it would make for a good scene.

“Let’s go!” With that, Do-jae started running with Im Jun-hong on his back.

“Uh-oh? He’s carrying Jun-hong hyung?”

“What? He did an elephant trunk spin with Jun-hong hyung on his back as a penalty before. Jun-hong hyung’s weight is no joke!”

“He’s going that far to avoid last place!”

Everyone, including the opposing team coming from the other side and the teams waiting at the finish line, was surprised.

Do-jae, not caring, gritted his teeth and ran.

Woo-cheol also sprinted with the blue bottles in his arms.

The opposing team, quickly regaining their senses, also started running.

***

Jeon Jin-hoon: What? Jun-hong hyung got hurt??

Jeon Jin-hoon Team VJ: He’s not hurt badly, he just sprained his ankle and can’t walk well.

Jerry: What, that team is in first place now?! Awesome!

Jeon Jin-hoon: Heaven is helping us! We avoided last place! Let’s go quickly!!

(Red Text Caption) A struggle to avoid the penalty!

Im Jun-hong: Y-You’re going to carry me?

(Blue Text Caption) He really carried him!!

Kim Jung-min: Uh-oh? He’s carrying Jun-hong hyung?

Lee Cheol: Crazy!

(Green Text Caption) The Jin-hoon team, who were sure they had avoided last place, also saw it!!!

(Green Text Caption) The finish line is getting closer and closer!

Lee Cheol: Wow!! Who will be in last place!! I don’t know! They’re really running!!

(Yellow Text Caption) The sound of breathing is getting rougher…!

..2 weeks later.

Broadcast Day.

MOST members gathered in front of the living room TV for the first time in a while.

“Wow. Amazing.”

“What? He really carried him and ran there?”

“I told you. Do-jae hyung was really awesome,” Woo-cheol replied in a tone as if he couldn’t help it, as Heung-min exclaimed in surprise.

Gyu-seong and Gi-jun were also surprised and looked back at Do-jae, who was sitting still.

Woo-cheol and Do-jae, who had returned after filming, had thoroughly kept the game’s contents and results a secret.

Thanks to that, the members’ eyes were sparkling as they watched the TV screen.

“Uh-oh!! Who’s winning, then? Tell me!”

“It’s no fun if I tell you. It’ll be out soon!”

“Wow. Is it because hyungs are on it? It’s so fun. Or is it because I haven’t watched TV in a while.”

“Roo-ah. Let’s enjoy this moment.”

It was the first time in fifteen days that the awards ceremony stage practice, which usually ended after midnight, had ended at six in the evening.

The members watched intently, focusing on the results.

“Wow!”

“They won!”

In the end, Jeon Jin-hoon’s team came in last.

Do-jae, who had run with Im Jun-hong on his back, wiped away the sweat streaming down his face, panting heavily.

Do-jae had never sweated that much even on stage.

Heung-min clicked his tongue.

“It looks hard just to walk up there.”

“That’s right. That place is really steep. Do-jae hyung must have really hated the penalty.”

“It’s not that, it’s just for entertainment… Uh, he was trying to show a cool side, wasn’t he?”

Do-jae awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth at Heung-min’s guess.

“What! He said he hated it so much because he was afraid of eating fish sauce. I thought he was the king of endurance. Do-jae hyung was also human.”

“Well, it’s understandable to hate it. Ugh… I hate it just imagining it.”

The two’s filming ended with showing the highlights behind the scenic Nakwaam cliff.

The scene, edited together with the city’s promotional video, was quite impressive.

***

-He ran like that?

-Amazing, lol. He looks so strong.

-Look at the thigh muscles when he runs. Is it because he’s an idol? Muscles trained from dancing?

-Am I the only one seeing his thighs…?

-He must work out hard usually.

-Wow, I thought idols these days were weak… He’s hitting my heart after a long time.

-Im Jun-hong also looks surprised, lol.

-Who is that sturdy young man? Kang Do-jae?

-MOST Kang Do-jae!! We’re currently voting for the rookie award at the Gayo Chukje [Music Festival] and N TV FESTA, so please vote if you like him!!

-Oh, really? Give me the coordinates and I’ll vote.

-http://svs.co.kr/gayochookje/vote/

-lol, this guy is hilarious. He thought of carrying him.

-He’s really working hard on the broadcast.

-Wow, look at the sweat, ㅠㅠㅠㅠ;;;

-That place is hard to just walk up!!! Crazy!!!

-I thought he was handsome since he greeted us earlier, but he’s sexy when he sweats.

-Eye purification properly. Is this entertainment? Is it a drama, ㅠㅠ

-It should have been me on Im Jun-hong’s back.

-2222

-333333 ㅅㅂ!!

-What about Woo-cheol next to him? He’s cute too? lol

-lol, his flustered expression is so funny.

-He’s been consistently funny since earlier, lol. He looks normal, but he seems to be an entertainment character.

-Do-jae… We made eye contact on the bus to school every morning…ㅠㅠ Then you ran past the stop and carried me and ran… Do you remember?..

-He must have taken the Gyeonggi bus? lol

-I just had my memory manipulated too, ㅠㅠ

-Is there anything these guys can’t do?

The reaction was explosive.

Even the fans, who had expressed concerns that it would be boring and only promote idols, were satisfied with the broadcast content.

Woo-cheol’s witty comments provided small moments of fun, and Do-jae’s self-sacrificing attitude for the game drew admiration.

Originally, was a show that had many clip videos and screenshots after the broadcast, but Do-jae and Woo-cheol’s appearance was beyond imagination.

Articles poured out, and Do-jae carrying Im Jun-hong was a hot topic in every community.

Thanks to that, MOST’s posts were frequently uploaded on the internet even though they had finished their activities.

In their first entertainment show, Do-jae had definitely made an impression, as he had hoped.

And without even tasting fish sauce.

And in the meantime.

MOST members practiced day and night for the awards ceremony stage.

***

Time flew by quickly, and the day of the N TV FESTA awards ceremony dawned.

It was MOST’s first awards ceremony.

Gocheok Sky Dome, where the N TV FESTA was held.