The Villainous Member Has Returned! Episode 152'Catch Me Catch You' took a rather ordinary format, with the main game only beginning after basic self-introductions and mini-games to break the ice.
"Then, let's form the teams for the main game starting now! As expected, it would be best for the two seniors to step forward to divide us into two teams, right? Yeonwoo, Juyeong! Would you two each pick your team members?"
Moreover, the program's progression was run half by the PD and half by the most veteran cast member.
For a program aired once a month, one might think the filming was conducted a bit too loosely, but….
There was a reason it still showed that staying power six years after its first pilot broadcast.
"Ah, but you can't pick someone who's been on the same team consecutively! You understand what I mean, right? If you pick Yuchan, you can't pick Siu! Once you've picked a T.O.J member, you absolutely must pick a WIZ member next!"
Namely, the fact that they shone a spotlight on every single idol who appeared, somehow.
SLEDIX fans watched the broadcast to see SLEDIX. The same went for Zenia and WIZ fans.
Honestly, they weren't very interested in anyone besides their own idol.
But what if their own idol looked charming even when together with other idols?
["The Teo Yebin combo on Catch Me Catch You is no joke... How are they like soulmames? I laughed so hard at those two the whole time my face pack fell off."]
[⎿"Fr they look alike too, my sibling asked if they're brother and sister."]
[⎿"I seriously thought Yebin was a princess because of her looks, but she's an older sister who teasers her dongsaeng well. Another new discovery."]
["Omg it looks like a pictorial with Leopold and 2OCD?? Guess they shot it with the Catch Me Catch You team combo lolol they really know how to row when the water comes in."]
[⎿"Lol I'm the water coming in right now, I pre-ordered both versions of the cover... Had a salary but now I don't, just became a total fan of 2OCD so I bought their album too."]
[⎿"Is buying a rival team's album something to brag about? Think about raising your own Leopold album sales instead, what's with those grades?"]
[⎿"You do your best. I'm happier that my idol made a friend so there ㅉㅉ"]
Even if not all of them. It was a happy two-birds-with-one-stone situation—fans discovering new sides of their idols, and production staff watching the rising rerun rankings on OTT.
So, good is good.
"Ah, so we absolutely have to mix the members? Haha…."
"Come on, Yeonwoo-hyung and I are on our third Catch Me Catch You filming already! Of course we know!"
The two of them, who could now naturally film this kind of variety show even while half-asleep, cracked jokes, and T.O.J and WIZ split in half with Jeong Yeonwoo and Juyeong at the center.
"……."
"Oh!? WIZ and T.O.J, why are their eyes already dripping honey? Wow, looks like they already have members they're eyeing!"
While tension flowed through the scene—which to viewers who would watch this later and to the production crew who didn't know the full story—would look like the resolve of rookies.
"Ah, then Yeonwoo-hyung and I should do rock-paper-scissors…."
"Juyeong, what are you saying? Of course the hyung should pick first."
Jeong Yeonwoo threw a stone into that subtle water.
"What? Where is there such a rule!"
"Right here. It's the order of seniority, Juyeong… You should respect your hyung, hm? Are you going to act like that in front of your juniors? If you really want to look mature, you need to know how to yield."
"Ugh, what kind of forced logic… W-where do you get off bringing up the juniors!"
"Yes. Juyeong yielded the turn to me willingly. Right? Then I'll pick first, PD-nim."
"Haha… Alright, alright!"
At Jeong Yeonwoo's forced-yet-not-forced insistence, flowers bloomed on the production crew's faces.
Ah, with a top-tier idol who had put in his years actively leading the program like that, who could dislike him?
Jeong Yeonwoo, who had once again flexibly steered the situation in a direction favorable to himself, smiled softly as he looked at the people lined up on both sides.
From Son Jaeha to Jang Siu.
From Han Danu to An Taei.
"Hm, who should I pick… I like winning, so preferably someone who seems like they can run well. Or someone who suits my fancy."
"No way, hyung is really picking first? Unfair! I looked up videos of all the T.O.J and WIZ members to pick my team well."
"I watched all of those too, Juyeong…."
Naturally ignoring Juyeong's grumbling, Jeong Yeonwoo's gaze finally landed on, perhaps inevitably, Kim Chunyong.
"Oh my god. I'm a bit nervous…!"
"Logan, you're fast at running. You'll probably be really good at this? How was it when you played cops and robbers?"
"I got caught fourth!"
"Ah, sorry. You're slow then. Well, you'll just get eliminated quickly."
His bright-red hair covering his neck half-tied back, Kim Chunyong—playfully teasing Logan with a cheerful face—strangely exuded leisure. A confidence that said, 'I am fully prepared.'
Seeing that face, Jeong Yeonwoo unknowingly let out a genuine *pfft.* He brushed off his hands and reached toward the person he'd had in mind from the very beginning.
"…I'll pick Taei first, haha."
"Wow! Me? Thank you!"
To be exact, toward the person Kim Chunyong had told him about beforehand.
"Ugh, no way! I wanted to be on the same team as Taei too!"
"People's hearts are all the same, Juyeong. If it's unfair, you should have been the hyung."
"One moment it's seniority, the next it's showing a mature example to the juniors…! You're too much!"
"Oh, Yeonwoo! Could you tell us why you picked Taei? It's quite special for Yeonwoo to show interest in a rookie!"
"Aah, the reason…."
Jeong Yeonwoo slowly looked An Taei up and down—who had come to stand beside him by his hand—and smacked his lips.
A face like porcelain, perfectly shaped from white clay and flawlessly fired.
A height to match the tall Jeong Yeonwoo and Jihwasung—or perhaps even slightly taller.
And eyes sparkling with pure curiosity about why he had been chosen.
"When we play the main game, just put WIZ's Taei in the senior's team. Well, the order doesn't matter… but if possible, dramatically."
"…You're not picking Chunyong? Why?"
"It might be a bit odd for me to say, but there's something natural for the senior to bring up. Since you've said before that you like movies."
Recalling what Kim Chunyong had whispered to him earlier, Jeong Yeonwoo looked straight into both eyes of An Taei standing beside him and spoke in a soft, affectionate voice.
"…Those who know me probably all know, but I really, really like movies. Especially, old Korean movies."
"O-oh, what Yeonwoo just said…!"
"Yes. Thinking of that, I just couldn't not pick this person. Isn't he the fruit of the century's love in the Korean film industry?"
And at that moment.
"…Aha."
Jeong Yeonwoo felt the curious gaze looking at him shift slightly.
To be sure, the words coming from his mouth and his actions were all still natural, innocent, and pure, but….
"Well, I am also the fruit of my parents' love! Haha, thank you for picking me. I'll work hard!"
Beneath that, a subtle emotion gently raised its head.
Jeong Yeonwoo observed everyone as if holding them in the palm of his hand, and Kim Chunyong, who was currently focused on An Taei, couldn't have missed it.
"Naturally bring up his parents and see his reaction just once. That's enough."
"Haha…."
Kim Chunyong clapped for the monumental first team member selection, his eyes curving into crescents while shining sharply.
Honestly speaking, Kim Chunyong had to do his best in everything after returning.
His abilities weren't so outstanding before returning or now, and the skills that could barely be called cheats were mostly stage-related, making them awkward to use on variety shows.
"In cases like this, usually your skills shoot up after just one practice…."
"Huh? Yongyong-hyung, what did you say?"
"…Nothing. Just, I think we should match the choreography five more times before going today. You know your bridge rhythm in the second verse is a bit slow, right?"
"…Devil! This devil! We've been practicing choreography for five hours already!"
"I… think… it looks… very… good…."
"Teacher Dasol should let us go, honestly! Ugh!"
However, there was exactly one card that even someone like Kim Chunyong could certainly use.
"Ugh, I'm drunk… Water, give me some water…."
"Rex. Sorry, but can you drink some by yourself? I heard a famous person arrived outside the room, so I want to go greet them?"
"You're the celebrity, what famous person could there be…."
"There is! You don't even know the celebrity of celebrities? I don't know why he came, but An Myeonguk came and told them to pass around a bottle of whiskey per room! What you're drinking right now too!"
"Why is actor An Myeonguk… ugh, ah, just give me water and go!"
The rumors people blabbered after drinking without knowing their limits, thinking 'They'll probably forget,' and the head that remembered them vividly.
That was Kim Chunyong's greatest weapon, one he himself didn't even know about.
"Ah, then this time I'll pick! Juyeong will choose! I'll go with… WIZ's Jaden! I saw his self-produced content, and he runs really well?!"
"Got it. It was actually a fluke."
"What the, you speak Korean better than me, a Korean!"
"…I just need to pick one more time, right? Chunyong, please come."
As promised beforehand, at Jeong Yeonwoo's gentle voice, Kim Chunyong slowly moved his steps toward An Taei's side.
His face was full of that same cheerful smile showing his canines.
"Hi, Taei."
"…Wow, you remembered we decided to drop honorifics? Thanks. I'll be counting on you too!"
He filmed well, and naturally handled the guy who kept throwing bombs into other teams.
"Alright, then! Now, after deciding which side hides and which side seeks! We'll start filming right away!"
So, today was Kim Chunyong's day.
* * *
After changing into the outfit provided by the production crew and adjusting his mic, Jang Siu looked quite nervous.
Given that he had come to the filming set with his members with the firm resolution to avoid WIZ members and Chunyong as much as possible, there wasn't much he could do.
"Chunyong… hyung! Where… are you going…."
"Uh, Siu. I'm not going anywhere. Really. When have I ever lied to you?"
"What? Right now, that is… a lie…!"
All he could do was physically huff and puff to block Kim Chunyong—who kept loitering and trying to head elsewhere for unknown reasons—with his whole body.
"Hey, Chunyong. Keep doing that and I'll tie you up, okay? I can do that much, you know?"
"Hyung, what exactly are you going to tie…."
"Hey. Think I can't? Tch. Stay still."
At least, Bang Yuchan, who had been assigned to the same team, could handle Kim Chunyong with a sterner expression, so the situation was better.
"Th-thank you. Yuchan-hyung…."
"No, it's nothing much. It's only natural since I'm a few years older."
Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu, who were the most incompatible within the team, still treated each other cautiously, but right now that wasn't noticeable at all.
"We need to… do well."
"Yeah. Don't worry. I got caught quickly during cops and robbers on Targeting Star, but I'm actually fast."
"I'll… trust you, hyung…."
Just as Kim Chunyong had the objective of thoroughly uncovering An Taei's true feelings today and making it so he couldn't squirm away anymore, they too had a clear objective.
"You all know… Chunyong tends to try to do things by himself if he can. Yeah. I don't think that's very good."
"Ah, wait! Yongyong-hyung did do that, but Jaeha-hyung did too, and he still does a bit… mmmph!"
"…Haha, Jaeha. So? What do you think we should do? Ah, don't mind Hwaseong. He said his mouth was a bit itchy earlier, so I'm just scratching it for him."
"…"
“Mm, it shouldn’t be hard. Yuchan hyung, we only need to remember one thing. So Chunyong doesn’t try to handle this on his own again….”
‘We just have to make sure he’s not left alone with the WIZ members.’
Recalling once more what Son Jaeha had said with a slightly troubled yet gentle expression, Bang Yuchan met Jang Siu’s eyes and nodded firmly.
“…
You remember, right?”
“Yees….”
It was supposedly a tag program, but dressed in outfits resembling special forces uniforms to satisfy the fans’ needs, they looked like people about to head out onto a battlefield, promising each other, “Let’s make it back safely.”
Judging by that resolve alone, it seemed as if Kim Chunyong would have no further chance to run into the WIZ members today, aside from having greeted them as a group earlier and exchanged a brief conversation after ending up on Jeong Yeonu’s team.…
However.
“Ah, TOJ members. You were all gathered here. Haha… Wait, could the WIZ members over there come too so we can have a bit of a strategy meeting?”
If there had been no spies in allied trenches, the word fragging would never have come into being.
Wearing a bright blue armband, Jeong Yeonu, the team leader of Team 1 for this month’s “Catch Me Catch You,” approached them and gathered them together, speaking in a gentle voice.
“If you’ve watched ‘Catch Me Catch You’ before, you’ll know this, but regardless of the concept, the rules are always simple. Rip off the opposing team’s armbands before they complete their mission, and complete our own mission. Everyone knows that, right?”
“…
Yes!”
“Haha… Is it because you’re rookies? Good answer….”
As if many thoughts were crossing his mind, Jeong Yeonu lightly rubbed his cheek with his hand, then curved his eyes kindly and continued.
“After appearing on this program a few times, I found there’s a surefire way to win. First, don’t move around all together. Second, focus more on ripping off the opponent’s armbands than on the mission.”
“…….”
“So there’s something I’d like to suggest. And I trust you’ll listen. I’m the team leader, after all.”
And then Jeong Yeonu promptly dropped the very bomb Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu had least wanted.
“…
Once we start, we’ll split up right away. Yuchan-ssi with Danwoo-ssi. Siu-ssi with Hawon-ssi. And lastly, I’ll join Taei-ssi and Chunyong-ssi’s team.”
“Uh, uhh….”
While Bang Yuchan and Jang Siu looked at each other in dismay, Kim Chunyong secretly gave Jeong Yeonu a thumbs-up.
“And all you need to do is keep me and my members apart for a little while. For the entire time we’re playing tag.”
“That’s a bit cold to your members. Not that I can say I’m any different….”
“Did you know? You’re supposed to spend some time apart to grow fonder. …
You really miss them like crazy. That’s why you want to treat them even better.”
In his Rex-trash days, Kim Chunyong had made his members suffer far too much, and now, laden with guilt, his behavioral pattern was simple.
Anyone who made my members worry about me—I’ll keep them by my side and crush them myself.
- “In ten minutes! The game will begin in ten minutes! Everyone, please check the missions you’ve been given, and complete your mission before the opposing team catches you!”
Kim Chunyong lightly counted off on his fingers what he had to do in this shoot, then smiled at the guy standing blankly beside him, staring at him.
“…
I’ll be counting on you, Taei.”
“Yeah, me too!”
All while thinking he’d like to see just how far that innocent smile would last.
- “…
The game begins!”
And together with the announcement signaling the start of the game…
“Run!”
“Let’s go!”
“U-uuh?!”
Kim Chunyong and Jeong Yeonu grabbed An Taei by both arms and immediately broke into a run.