The Malicious Member Has Returned! Episode 119
* * *
“Then we’ll be off! You have to have lots ready before we get back, okay? I’m gonna eat a ton for breakfast!”
“Be careful! Buy Merona on your way back!”
And so, immediately after the grocery team left the campsite with the manager in tow.
“…
Hoo.”
Finally freed from the stress for a moment, Hobin rubbed his tired eyelids and let out a deep sigh.
‘How can someone be so careless, for heaven’s sake.’
It was training he had come to unavoidably, but even so, Hobin had been thinking of doing his best since he was here.
After all, he had already been told beforehand, “Since he’s an experienced hire, there probably won’t be much to train.”
However.
Rather than being a complete blank slate, the experienced hire Jo Taeuk, who had heard, seen, and experienced things here and there, was….
“Mr. Taeuk? You said you were going to the restroom, so what on earth are you doing here….”
“Ahh, sunbaenim. Care for a smoke? We’re busy too, so we have to catch our breath at times like this. Sit down, sit.”
“—Put out that cigarette! The filming set is right there; what on earth are you thinking?”
“Huh? Isn’t it fine? They won’t even be able to see us from here!”
“Put it out right now. Hurry.”
He was terribly disobedient, and just as much, he clashed with Hobin.
“Damn it….”
Perhaps recalling that slightly bluffing appearance and the foul smell of cigarettes, Hobin unconsciously furrowed his brow.
He really didn’t like him.
Whether it was Taeuk’s smooth but constantly line-crossing attitude, or his mindset that didn’t seem to take this work seriously at all.
And furthermore.
“Wow… They have it good. They’re handsome, tall. They already have tons of fans, right? Plus, they must meet so many female celebrities now. I’ve always envied that. That’s part of why I became a manager, haha!”
“…
People don’t usually try to become celebrities over such trivial things. There are so many things you have to sacrifice. Nevertheless, it must be because their desire to stand on stage is much greater.”
“Ah, it’s only like that at first. Once you get famous later, everything changes! Even the actress I used to work with….”
“—Let’s stop there. I think the members will be moving soon.”
“Ahem. Yup.”
It was also the fact that he held no expectations or hopes for the idol he would now take charge of.
Hobin was the type who earnestly helped his assigned entertainers and felt proud seeing them grow little by little.
Therefore, naturally, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable toward Taeuk.
“Make sure to use the navigation when coming and going. Since sound might get picked up on camera, keep your phones on silent….”
“Oh, sunbaenim, sunbaenim! I know all of that, I know. Haha. You don’t need to tell me such things.”
“…….”
“And, don’t you think you need to put that much strength into your shoulders?”
‘After all, we’re just living off our paychecks too, so just doing enough is fine.’
Recalling what Taeuk had said right before going to the mart with the grocery team members, Hobin clenched his fist tightly.
Just enough. Only as much as you can. Without overdoing it.
Honestly, if one asked whether Taeuk’s attitude was completely wrong, it wasn’t.
If you try too hard, you rather collapse too easily at the decisive moment.
There are things one must observe while keeping a distance.
In fact, Taeuk’s care itself wasn’t bad, and although he did as he pleased, his communication with the members was passably decent.
It just didn’t meet Hobin’s standards; one could say he was a manager who pulled his weight “just enough,” as he said.
Moreover, the fact that Taeuk had become Tioje’s manager had been considerably influenced by Hobin’s own issues, so he couldn’t say much more.
“Out of contact, really… There’s a limit to how much we can rotate staff to cover. I feel so sorry for the Tioje kids, really.”
“…
For now, I’ll try contacting them again later. Through the emergency contact network on their resume as well.”
“Yeah. If we still can’t reach them, call the experienced hires in order of priority. I’ll go to today’s filming set for care. Hobin, please keep an eye on things at the desk too. I’m asking you.”
“Yes.”
“…
Sigh, I wonder if a decent person might just drop out of nowhere somewhere.”
If one couldn’t read the “You’re the right person for the job, don’t you think about stepping up even now?” nuance in the team leader’s eyes as he said that, one would be a fool.
He was already acquainted with several members, had long field experience. With many years at the company, he knew the company atmosphere well.
On top of that, they could reduce labor costs from hiring someone new; what a perfectly fitting resource he was.
Because of that, they had assigned Hobin—who had repeatedly refused politely, insisting he had work to do—as Taeuk’s training supervisor.
Hoping he would say “I’ll do it” even now.
“…….”
Hobin had no choice but to pretend as much as possible not to notice that gaze.
Relying on the consideration that had been shown to him all this time along with the pitiful looks directed his way.
Sliding the subtly pushed manager assignment documents onto someone else’s desk, covering his ears.
Doing his utmost to avoid having his current seat forcibly taken from him.
He knew the current situation was difficult, and he knew that if they forced him into it, he would have no choice but to pick between resignation and a department transfer, yet he still did so.
Because….
If even Hobin left for Tioje, it would be no different from there no longer being anyone in charge of Lady Swan’s schedules and itinerary.
“We did renew our contracts, but honestly, I don’t think we’ll do more album promotions. Maybe very far down the line….”
“…
Noonas.”
“You know what I’m trying to say, right? We’ll all be focusing on individual schedules now, so we won’t need to coordinate group schedules anymore. Booking schedules too.”
“Right. In the first place, there’s probably no one calling for us. Ahaha….”
“…….”
“Hobin, you don’t have the seniority to be our road manager yet. And we feel sorry keeping you tied up when we don’t even know when we’ll have group schedules.”
“No, no. I’d rather do other work for a while and then come back when you noonas are active—”
“How would you know when that will be. Hobin.”
‘…
The CEO said he’d help you transfer to the administrative side. I think it’d be good for you to go there.’
It had been three years since Hobin had moved his desk to the PR and booking side, thanks to the company’s consideration in understanding the bond between Hobin and Lady Swan and their circumstances.
While doing the work assigned to him, Hobin secretly worked hard to book schedules related to Lady Swan.
Since someone might call for them somewhere.
“Be your swan! Hello, we are Lady Swan!”
Because someone might recognize his truly cool, talented, and wonderful noonas.
However, no matter how hard he tried, such a thing never happened.
Their most recent group schedule had been a surprise appearance on Targeting Star, and even that had been a schedule completely unrelated to Hobin.
One could say all had been said.
“…….”
Amidst a whirlwind of emotions, Hobin pressed his forehead and quietly groaned.
Longing for Lady Swan, with whom he had chased dreams, who had shone brighter than anyone else.
The base relief that his position had been preserved this time too because Taeuk, who had a mindset completely opposite to his, had taken the Tioje manager spot in his stead, despite finding Taeuk uncomfortable.
Anxiety toward the “It would be best to think it over carefully even now,” the final consideration the company had given him.
And shame and guilt toward the Tioje members, who had gone through all sorts of unnecessary hardships because of him and would now be accompanying Taeuk.
All these things mixed together jumbled, deepening Hobin’s darkly shadowed eyes.
“Ha….”
And then.
“Ah, so this is where you were. You were here.”
“Huh?”
Someone approached Hobin, who had been on the verge of burying his head into the ground, with cheerful steps and a bright voice.
“Hobin… nim. Is that right? May I call you Hobin hyung?”
“…
Yes. Please speak comfortably. But why me all of a sudden…?”
“Ah, it’s nothing else. The remaining cooking team played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would fetch water, and I lost. But there’s a lot of water to bring, and the water supply is far….”
“You must need help. Yes.”
“Yup. Ideally, it would be good for broadcast footage if two members went together, haha. I wish I hadn’t bluffed about being strong….”
“—I’ll help you. Yes. And I think you can carry it alone from where the cameras can see.”
Upon facing the very person he had just been feeling sorry and guilty toward, Hobin’s words naturally sped up.
Was it because he strongly wanted to get away from the person he was talking to as quickly as possible?
“Let’s go. I’ve checked the shortcut.”
Thus, the moment Hobin took the bucket the other had brought into his own hand and tried to head toward the water supply ten minutes away.
Whoosh—a cool breeze blew from beyond the campsite, making the other person’s hair flutter splendidly.
“…
Hobin hyung. But do you know my name?”
“Huh? Ah, of course I know….”
“Since you didn’t call me by it, I thought you didn’t know.”
The man slowly took back the bucket Hobin had snatched away, his eyes gleaming beneath the crimson hair cascading over his forehead as he spoke.
Eyes that could seem very sharp and perhaps even scary, but were gently curved kindly.
“Don’t use honorifics. Speak comfortably.”
Chunyong, he said.
“…….”
In that moment, the thought that briefly crossed Yu Hobin’s mind—‘Even if I avoid him now, I might keep seeing him’—.
Perhaps, might not have been a mistake.
* * *
It really didn’t take long to reach the water supply.
I had thought it would take at least twenty minutes round trip, but it took less than ten minutes even to get there.
Thanks to that, my plan to get to know him through personal conversation was foiled.
“I think we can fetch water here. Will four be enough?”
“…
Ah, yes. We can each carry one. Haha, hyung can take just one too.”
“No. I said I would help you, Chunyong-ssi. I’ll carry two.”
Besides, I had clearly told him to speak comfortably, yet he was still using such stiff honorifics.
“…
Well. We’re combining our strength while we’re at it, right. Yes.”
This, this won’t be easy no matter how I look at it.
I clicked my tongue secretly behind Hobin’s back and started chatting away at the handycam I had brought.
I had brought him with intention, but anyway, it was true that we were filming.
“Yes, everyone. I’ve come to fetch water now. I bluffed to my hyungs that I could carry all four by myself… but honestly, it seemed tough, so I called in some reinforcements. Shh. It’s a secret from the hyungs.”
Now that I’ve made up my mind to replace our former manager hyung.
Without fail, by the time this filming ended, Hobin hyung had to have a favorable impression of me and the Tioje members.
I couldn’t know the full circumstances, but recalling what Jaeha hyung had said, the company had definitely been hoping inwardly for Hobin hyung to take the manager position.
Which meant if he just changed his mind here, there was more than enough possibility.
- X: What do you want to ask -_- If it’s something pointless
- Kim Chunyong: What if it’s pointless
- Kim Chunyong: What
- X: There’s nothing I can do about it, ha, you really annoy me
- X: Just get to the point, hurry
- Kim Chunyong: I’m talking about the skills I have
- Kim Chunyong: These two, “But You Like Me, Right?” and “No, But Listen to Me”
- X: Yeah, they’re C-rank, but they’re okay ones
- X: So why??
- Kim Chunyong: Is synthesis or something possible?
- Kim Chunyong: It worked in a game I played before
- X: Synthesis? What kind of bullshit is this?
- X: But it’s interesting, keep talking
After quietly recalling yesterday’s messages with X, I cleared my throat and shouted, acting as cheerful as possible.
“Hobin hyung! Please say hi to this cam once. For the fans.”
“Huh? …
I’m not even your manager. It’ll be edited out anyway.”
“Aw, still.”
I put on a pathetic expression that didn’t suit me and lightly shoved the camera toward hyung.
Well, it might get edited out. My cut might not be used at all.
But that wasn’t the important thing.
- X: So you’re asking to switch the two skills into a different one? With the combined attributes of both?
- X: Have I seen all the nutjobs there are, this is really fucking hilarious lolololol
- X: A contractor like you is really a first for me ;-D
- X: But I fucking love it, hey this idea is good, if I suggest it I might get a bonus?? This is daebak??
- X: Let’s just go for it first, what skill do you want? Tell me in more detail so I can check if it’s on the list
- Kim Chunyong: So like, roughly, when the other person hears or sees me
- Kim Chunyong: If it’s similar to a situation they liked in the past, it immediately comes to mind… something like that
- X: Ah shit, you want so much, just wait a sec
- X: Oh but there is one, crazy, your luck is insane?? You should buy a lottery ticket??
- X: Hmm but the rank is low, it’s F, is that okay?
- Kim Chunyong: Hand it over right now
Hobin hyung’s lips, which had hesitated briefly, moved slowly.
“Uh, um. Ah, hello. I’m, uh. Someone who’s temporarily taking care of Tioje….”
Got him.
I flashed a bright smile at hyung and spat out a single phrase.
Last night.
The exact same words as Seonbae Suin from the Lady Swan self-produced content I had stayed up all night watching.
“Haha! Who greets people like that, Hobin hyung!”
“Ah, hello… I’m, uh. Taking care of the Lady Swan noonas…
Yes. That’s the kind of person I am.”
“Ahaha! Who says hello like that!”
“…
Ah.”
Seeing Hobin hyung’s eyes widen hugely in that instant, I was certain that this had hit the mark perfectly.
Hobin hyung.
You must still miss the Lady Swan noonas terribly….
Our team works really hard too.