The Malicious Member Has Returned! Episode 214
* * *
Right after our third week of music broadcasts ended.
Now, with year-end collaboration stage practice with the Wiz members ahead of us once again.
"Jaeha, is it okay to give this kind of spoiler at AG? I was thinking that usually, the embargo is maintained until right before…."
"Hmm? Isn't it fine? It's not like we're showing our stage in advance, and I don't think it would be bad to let them know about the teams at least."
"…
Our manager hyung is holding his forehead right now, so I do feel a bit guilty. Yes. Let's proceed like this."
"Haha, Jenia. So, Danwoo and I split into different teams to proceed with the collaboration stage…."
"Ah! The song is a secret. Right, Joeun?"
"Well, Hwaseong said he wanted to tell them earlier. But he got scolded by our T.O.J manager…."
"You didn't have to say that!"
So now, I'd asked Jaeha-hyung to do a joint livestream with the Wiz members.
"Hoo…."
Listening to the boisterous chatter around me, I took a deep breath low enough that the livestream phone wouldn't pick it up.
This livestream all had a reason.
Maybe I should call it a planned event, one where I catch several rabbits at once.
My current situation felt rather complicated.
The subtle conflict between two members that absolutely needed resolving, and the year-end collaboration stage happening at the same time.
The "other bastards" I absolutely had to find, even for a personal grudge.
And at the end of it all, the contract clause with X regarding winning Rookie of the Year was waiting.
Do this, then do that, then come back to this again.
If I proceeded like this, it was obvious I'd fail to handle anything properly and everything would fizzle out.
So, I absolutely had to resolve it all at once.
- X: Do you think this will work?
- X: You're an idiot
- X: How are you going to resolve everything at once when doing them one by one wouldn't even be enough?
- X: Oh my god, my contractor is more of an idiot than I thought...
Of course, when X heard my resolve, he lambasted me non-stop the moment the message ended.[Do you think you're Jeong Yeonu?], [How did you become even more reckless than during the survival show after debuting?], and so on.
The bastard, tormenting me like that.
Of course, as X said, I wasn't the smart type.
But what could I do?
This was the only way.
Right now was the time to pour in my absolute best and make the impossible possible.
Anyway, the best method I'd squeezed out of my lacking brain was this joint livestream with Wiz, who were doing the collaboration stage with us this time.
"Jaeha-hyung. I've been thinking… How about we do a livestream together with the Wiz members? Turn on their live camera and ours too."
"Huh? A livestream all of a sudden…?"
"Yes. I heard the fans haven't gotten along very well since 'Catch Me, Catch You.' I thought if we showed them we're close, it might get better. Since we're doing the collab stage anyway…."
"Hmm, that makes sense. But wouldn't it give away too many hints about the collaboration stage and become an unnecessary spoiler? That's what I'm worried about. Also, there are fans who don't like us getting entangled with a rival group in the first place…."
"…Still, it'll become a hot topic, hyung."
When I thought about the connection between the year-end stage and winning the Rookie of the Year award, this was a very good opportunity.
Right now, our T.O.J had hit number one once with the repackaged activities of 'W.o.W,' and we were riding a strong upward trajectory.
If we performed a high-level collaboration stage with a rival team in the middle of that, the buzz would increase for both sides.
It was a good thing for T.O.J and for Wiz alike.
[Kim Chunyong get away get away get away get away from Taei, stop bothering our kid, move move move move]
[Hmm, seeing T.O.J and Wiz together makes me compare them ㅠ Their faces are really…]
[What's going on with Chunyong and Taei that they're stuck together again? Did Kim Chunyong catch Taei by some weakness?]
Of course, just as Jaeha-hyung had worried earlier, there were some fans showing negative reactions.
Especially the Wiz fans who had looked at me unfavorably during 'Catch Me, Catch You.'
Receiving criticism from other fans, they still wrote messages non-stop to stand out, got banned, and came back with different accounts to write again.
However….
[Ah, a crazy bastard appeared, what are the managers doing? Ban them quickly;]
[I think both the Wiz cam and T.O.J cam need to ban them…]
[Guys, keep your delusions in your heads, don't write them where the kids can see]
[Username Teiiii0612 < Please report them, they're really muddying the chat]
Those reactions were a very small minority, and as I had hoped, Jenia and Wiz's fans began to focus their attention elsewhere.
[Wow, I get to see these two stuck together again fck Taei-ya noona's here]
[Who's on what team? Can't you tell me one more time? Please, I joined late and missed it]
[Jeaha Please Say Hello to Qatar Today is my Birthday ♡♡♡]
[Since when did Joeun and Hwaseong get close? Why are those two together right now? Why are Jaiden and Logan close? Please answer me]
[Hahahaha the fans who used to fight like dogs between T.O.J and Wiz are on the verge of a seizure ㅠ See, I told you the kids are close]
[Yeah, whether they're close or not doesn't matter to me, what's important is that 12 handsome guys are on one screen ♡]
[Omg is he Chuchu? Long time no see, Super Sonic! Who‘s next to you?]
What kind of collaboration stage would take place.
Who from T.O.J and who from Wiz would be on the same team to show new chemistry.
The kind of things any idol fan would naturally look forward to.
Despite the viewers being split between our T.O.J cam and Wiz's cam, fiery reaction messages filled the screen.
I thought we might get cursed at more, but could I call this a passing grade?
"Wow, Chunyong-ah. It must be your overseas fan. They're calling you Chuchu? Hello, hello. I'm Taei from Wiz!"
"Haha, hello."
I lightly nodded at An Taei, who had thrown his arm around my shoulder and was in high spirits, and briefly thought about the results this livestream would bring.
And the things I needed to steer to make that happen.
"……."
My gaze naturally fixed on Yuchan-hyung and Siu.
Because this livestream absolutely had to help those two.
"U-um, Siu. That water… the one next to Yuchan. May I ask you for it?"
"Y-yes. E-excuse me, Yuchan-hyung. Could I… have some water?"
"Oh, oh, I'll give it to Hawon right away. Here!"
The two in front of the camera showed absolutely no sign that there was any problem.
Since I knew everything, I thought they seemed conscious of each other, but to anyone who didn't know, it would just look normal.
"…Tch."
I clicked my tongue lightly but put on a wide grin for the camera.
Thinking was thinking, and what showed was what showed.
What did it even mean to not get along in the first place?
Feeling uncomfortable around someone, being conscious of them, wishing to avoid bumping into them if possible.
Was that what it meant to not get along?
If you put it that way, then there wasn't a single Arrows member who got along with me back in the Arrows days.
Ah, honestly, if it were me, I wouldn't have wanted to get close to me either.
Always going out drinking. Causing accidents as if a day couldn't pass by, creating rumors.
Who would want to get close to a guy like that?
But our Arrows members didn't do that.
"Chunyong-ah, let's go eat!"
"I… I, my stomach doesn't feel good. Hyung, eat by yourself."
"No, of course I'm not eating alone… I'm going to eat with Hwaseong and Jaeha. But I think it'd be good if you came too. My aunt said she made hangover soup."
"Sigh…."
"Ah, Rex-hyung. Please wake up! The sun is at its zenith! I said zenith!"
They constantly led me along, knocking on the shell I'd covered myself with so I could break out of it myself.
They really did, I tell you.
But Yuchan-hyung and Siu?
"Siu, are you not going to drink water? I think you said you were thirsty earlier."
"I-I'm fine. Thank you, Yuchan-hyung…."
At that level, it's practically gentlemanly. Gentlemanly, I tell you.
There was room.
If there was only an opportunity to carefully reconsider their feelings toward each other, there was a possibility to move forward step by step.
I realized from my conversation with Yuchan-hyung that putting Yuchan-hyung and Siu together alone and using a situation like "Now, on the count of three, make up" wouldn't work.
Then what should I do?…
I had to tackle them one by one.
And the target of my approach through today's livestream was none other than Siu.
Since I'd talked to Yuchan-hyung last time, approaching Siu this time was the right thing to do….
Because this side would be much more effective.
"Ah, Jaeha-hyung. Danwoo!"
I quickly put on a brazenly innocent expression and raised my voice.
From now on, it was necessary to proceed with the livestream in earnest.
"Hmm? Chunyong-ah, what is it?"
"If it's okay, shall we switch seats for a moment? Let's sit mixed in with the Wiz members."
"Ah, that's nice. Jenia, just a moment…."
While several people got up in a rush and sat here and there, I quickly claimed the seat next to Siu.
"Ah, Eun. You sit there. That chair has a comfortable back."
"Really? Then… Ah, Jaiden, go away."
"No. I want to sit in the comfortable chair too."
And naturally, I guided it so that Joeun and Jaiden sat beside us.
"Siu, this is an hour and a half long, so let's have fun. Okay?"
"Ah, yes…."
Siu smiled shyly at the fact that we were in front of the camera, then soon began directing his gaze toward Joeun and Jaiden, who sat beside me.
Since they were Wiz members he hadn't seen often, unlike Han Danwoo, An Taei, or Park Hawon, whom he'd been seeing constantly while practicing together.
And that was exactly what I wanted.
"Eun. T.O.J is really handsome. Unlike you."
"Jaiden… Did you really have to say that during the livestream?"
"I always say what I want to say. Whether it's in front of a camera, in the bathroom, or in bed."
"You really—!"
"Ugh! Don't choke me!"
Because Siu needed to see a relationship like that.
"……."
The bright and shy smile he'd worn in front of the camera moments ago was nowhere to be found, and an expression like a cat with its fur standing on end appeared on Siu's face.
And I couldn't help but naturally break into a fang-baring grin.
That's right. It's your first time seeing a relationship like that, isn't it?
All the relationships Siu had experienced and seen until now had been cautious.
Understanding each other, approaching each other, deciding whether to get involved with someone or not, or pushing away.
Even the most playful ones on our team, Hwaseong and Logan, played while considering each other, so that says it all.
"Eun. You're dead when we get back to the dorm later."
"Eolssigu."
"'Eolssigu' is a rhythmic chant. I learned it when studying Korean at the language institute."
"Huh, jeolssigu."
But what if he saw a relationship where they didn't match well but still got along bickering?
This was the solution I'd come up with.
First, Yuchan-hyung and Siu.
Tackle them one at a time.
And I'd take this opportunity with today's livestream to show Siu, who had grown up prettily in AG's flower garden, a type of relationship he'd never seen before.
"…Shall we play a simple game? Our manager hyung brought something like Yutnori earlier."
"Oh, that sounds fun! Quickly, quickly, our team is definitely going to win."
"Ehem, Taei-ssi. That's premature. We're no pushovers either."
The joint livestream between Wiz and T.O.J had only reached the 15-minute mark.
There was still over an hour left, and during that time, Siu….
"Eun, you bastard. You dared to roll a baekdo. I won't let you off."
"Anyone would think you did great, Jaiden. This is your fourth do in a row, you know?"
"U-um, Eun-ssi. Jaiden. You shouldn't fight…."
"Hmm, we're not fighting, Siu. We're close."
"Y-yes!?"
He was fated to have a very pleasant experience—one he himself hadn't wished for.