The Malignant Member Has Returned! Chapter 231* * *Confusion and resolution were things Kim Chun-yong couldn’t speak of carelessly.
Where could he say that he had returned from the future, and that he was currently struggling to clean up the heaps of trash his future self had piled up in the front yard?
On top of that, reality was changing in real-time, unlike the past he had experienced, along with new problems he hadn’t even imagined.
It was only natural that his head ached.
Of course, he occasionally confided these worries to X, the only one he could discuss them with, but the replies he got were...
- X: Hey, I get that you’ve got a lot on your mind and it’s tough lol lol
- X: That’s why I’m trying to solve this together as your partner as much as possible, you know?
- X: I’m giving you skills right on schedule! And rewards right on schedule!
- X: But here’s the thing
- X: First, uh? How about settling your karmic debts first?
- X: Let’s focus properly on what we need to do -_-
- X: If you don’t win Rookie of the Year this time, it’s all for nothing
- X: Focus on not ending up back behind the bars of a police station you little shit
- X: Don’t go stirring things up looking for ‘other guys’ before I even tell you anything! Just work hard on the things in your contract!
- X: If you get caught pulling that, both you and I are gonna get torn to shreds by our company, you’re really out of your mind ¬_¬
Just indifferent lines that instinctively drew out the answer, ‘This app brat can’t even understand people’s feelings.’
“Hmm, Chun-yong. Just lower your head a little.”
“Yes.”
“That’s it. Oh, I don’t know if I should say this, but you’re so quiet compared to your looks... You’re different from Si-woo too!”
“Haha... Thank you, noona.”
Thanks to that, contrary to his appearance, his behavior and personality kept growing more cautious, and his thoughts grew heavier.
“Then let’s head out now. We’ll go straight into outfit fitting when we arrive, so try to get some rest now.”
“......”
“...
Um, Chun-yong-ssi?”
“Ah, yes! Yes. Haha, the snacks at this shop are just too good. I was eating and then...”
“Yong-yong hyung. That thing you’re holding isn’t a snack, it’s a sugar stick. You’re just gonna eat sugar?”
“Uh...”
At the same time, in moments when his tension eases or his thoughts are too heavy, he unconsciously makes mistakes that weren’t quite mistakes.
Year-end is a season of distress, and it was a known fact in the industry that idols, forced to live their busiest lives at year-end, had many worries, but Kim Chun-yong’s degree was a bit different.
He’s working hard, doing well, and absolutely never makes a mistake during crucial moments, but somehow, it was a little...
“Chun-yong, you want to sleep a bit? They said it’ll take about 30 minutes to get there.”
“Ah, yes. But I’m worried my makeup will get messed up...”
“Oh, Chun-yong hyung used to fall asleep anywhere he could rest his head. These days, he doesn’t even sleep well in the van.”
“Ah, that’s what I’m saying. Of course, I’m happy Yong-yong hyung is also on the list of people I get to prank!”
“Shut up, brat.”
Though he didn’t seem to feel it himself, you could say the atmosphere was precarious.
Yu Ho-bin, briefly looking at Kim Chun-yong, who seemed a little more tired today than usual, through the rearview mirror, checked the changed signal and smoothly pressed the van’s accelerator.‘Is it because there have been a lot of big stages lately? Still, something feels different.’Yet, he didn’t forget to prove his sharpness.‘You’ve always been like this, but these days, Chun-yong-ssi particularly has a lot on his mind... It’s not because of tension, so it seems like there might be another issue.’As expected of Yu Ho-bin, who constantly heard things on all sorts of SNS and communities like [T.O.Je’s manager seems to be damn good at his job], [T.O.Je’s 7th member revealed? Actually the manager...], his judgment was quite accurately grasping the core, even without knowing the essence.‘As I thought, is it because of that survival show appearance back then? You didn’t seem to want to do it much, but the image of you having to do it was strong. Since you said you’d do it yourself, I didn’t look for more things to align my words...’It was a manager’s duty to observe the assigned idol’s condition and state and to propose solutions.
Yu Ho-bin always strived to be faithful to that duty, and this was no different even during the year-end stage season, where he especially had to put effort into idol care.
“...
Hmm.”
Tapping the steering wheel with his fingers, Yu Ho-bin briefly glanced at his phone placed on the passenger seat.
Unlike Kim Chun-yong, who was incredibly busy with stages, thoughts, and practice, Yu Ho-bin, who focused solely on T.O.Je’s care, had one thing he remembered properly and acted on in time.
And that was something whose results would be visible today.‘...Perhaps, this could be helpful.’If there was one thing Kim Chun-yong sometimes forgot, it was that there were people who wanted to help him, even if they didn’t know his circumstances.‘I can probably run into 2ODC today as well. I’ll just check on Hyo-jae hyung then. My thoughts could be wrong. Ah, I also need to properly hear what Si-woo and Yu-chan hyung have to say...’He himself was racking his not-so-good brain to the best of his ability to settle his karmic debts, as X had said, but.
“...Hmm. Logan. Logan. Look at the message I sent you. Quickly.”
“What? Hwa-seong, why are you sending a message when you’re right next to me...”
“Shh, shh. Just look from now on. Because it’s something fun.”
Ah, the things happening in places he didn’t know about...
“...Really? No, is it okay for us to do this first? If Ho-bin hyung finds out— Mph!”
“Huh? What did you just say, Logan-ssi?”
“Nothing! Haha, Logan, seriously. Why are you asking for water while Ho-bin hyung’s driving? Have some of mine, mine!”
“Cough, ugh, ah, Hwa-seong. Stop it! Makeup! My makeup’s getting wiped off!”
Sometimes they worked out in quite a good direction.* * *The K-Pop Culture Awards, or KPCA, the year-end music awards ceremony hosted by Music Days.
When KPCA was first unveiled to the world, people scoffed, saying, ‘Isn’t it just an awards ceremony made by a music specialty channel?’[Live KPCA Camera Status_jpg][⎿Seriously, what is this? You can’t even call this hand tremors][Min Si-young looks like 16 people, incredible, KPCA turning a solo singer into a large idol!][⎿Seriously, if you can’t film properly, at least fix the camera or something; Min Si-young is standing and singing, but it looks like she’s almost dancing][The KPCA trophy is designed so ugly, it really makes you not want to receive it, they expect you to display that at home?][⎿Moment of silence for M-XY, who have to keep four of those ugly KM trophies in their dorm...][⎿I acknowledge Jang Si-won as a real pro, receiving that with a bright smile while giving her acceptance speech, it’s no joke][No but, how does the Main Award come out before Rookie of the Year, seriously this is a total mess LOLOLOL is this even going to be able to be held next year...?][⎿They say they’ll return with improvements, please scroll down]
In reality, at first, the scale and quality were indeed shabby.
Camera wandering due to lack of experience, a messed-up ceremony order, even a trophy ugly compared to other awards ceremonies.
However, as days went by, KPCA’s status gradually rose.[KPCA, differentiation from other year-end music awards? ‘Evaluation process that the public can also watch’][‘Are all of these the judging criteria?’ Music Days, grand reveal of the 2nd KPCA evaluation process on the YouTube channel]
Thanks to fair awarding, to an extent that made you wonder if they invested here what they should have invested elsewhere.
It was an unavoidable custom to try to give at least one more award to an idol or singer who stood out on your broadcasting station.
Ah, so you shone a light on our broadcasting station?
We’re the ones giving the awards in the end, after all?
By sticking to such an attitude.
However, Music Days was strangely unambitious in this aspect, even gathering attention by sending awards to singers who didn’t participate in the awards ceremony.[KPCA absentee Lee Se-ryung, certifies the grand prize received from MD... ‘Will participate next year’][Is the reason for Lee Se-ryung joining Music Days’ program because of the KPCA grand prize? Year-end awards ceremony bits and pieces]
No matter how others see it, how others judge it, we uphold fairness.
That is the role of the awards ceremony and the awardees, and we will be faithful to it.
Thus, 10 years.
From being ridiculed as a shabby awards ceremony of a newly established music specialty channel to establishing itself as a major year-end awards ceremony, it took exactly 10 years for KPCA.
And now, at that awards ceremony, T.O.Je was in attendance.
“Please look this way!”
“Si-woo-ssi, please stick closer to Yu-chan-ssi! Yes! Everyone, just one heart each!”
Unlike the Sound Stage The Final that T.O.Je had previously stood on, at KPCA, an ambitious red carpet shooting site was also set up.
Though the colors were subdued, befitting a year-end stage, the sight of T.O.Je in group Boy Scout uniforms, flaunting their concept standing on the boundary between boys and young men.
“Chun-yong-ssi! Not a finger heart, a cheek heart!”
“Haha, yes!”
Amidst it all, Kim Chun-yong, feeling the cold sweat running down the back of his neck, kept smiling until a spasm reached his lips.
It was the same for the other members too, but for Kim Chun-yong, this KPCA spot had another special meaning.
The first spot where he might achieve the second contract condition with X, the ‘Rookie of the Year award’.
On top of that, a spot where he might run into his past drinking buddy, Nate of 2OCD, Lee Hyo-jae, who could be one of those ‘other guys’.
“Um, Ho-bin hyung. Would it be okay if I visit other waiting rooms while we’re... waiting?”
“Huh? Other waiting rooms... You mean other idols? Well. Sometimes they wait in their vans too... Of course, there’s no problem with you visiting. Since the standby time will be long anyway.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“...
Still, when I call for you, please be in the waiting room. Uh, there’s something I need to prepare.”
“Hmm? Yes. Alright.”
Before standing on the red carpet spot, Kim Chun-yong had already gotten a reply from Yu Ho-bin that he could visit the waiting rooms where other singers were.‘Just... let’s confirm. Just confirm, like Yoo said, whether Hyo-jae hyung has changed or not.’Since it was a time when he had to be on edge with his members about winning the Rookie of the Year award, Kim Chun-yong also had no intention of making any special gestures.
Well, and what would he do if he knew?
Preparation was needed before making any gesture.
A definitive gesture to deal with the other party.
Kim Chun-yong, who had been busy lately with the trouble between Bang Yu-chan and Jang Si-woo and the year-end stage preparations, hadn’t yet thought out that kind of response.
So, today was just going to be reconnaissance, he thought.
“Hoo...”
Kim Chun-yong, finally freed from the red carpet shooting site and able to sit in a waiting room chair, quickly checked on the other members’ states and picked the timing to go find 2OCD’s waiting room.
“Hmm, Si-woo. You... want to eat this?”
“Yes, yes? Uh, this. Yakgwa (Korean honey pastry)...”
“Ah, no, by chance! I brought some from the dorm. I was going to eat it, but it seemed too sweet to me. Oh, and I have to manage my weight too. You eat it. You!”
“...
Thank you, Yu-chan hyung. I’ll... eat it well.”
Bang Yu-chan and Jang Si-woo, who were finally shedding a layer from each other, were still slightly awkward but were carrying on short, brief conversations.
“Hmm, the order is... a bit late, so it’s burdensome. Everyone, drink lots of water, and make sure to warm up your voices...”
As always, Son Jae-ha was checking the cue sheet and focusing on the members’ best condition and stage preparation.
And the two same-aged friends, Logan and Ji Hwa-seong, who seemed to be getting even closer these days...
“...
Huh?”
Kim Chun-yong’s eyes widened at the sight of the two slowly approaching him.
What’s this, those guys.
Why are they walking with that weird smirk.
Why are they... coming to me?
Before Kim Chun-yong could fully organize his thoughts.
“Hey, Chun-yong hyung.”
“Hey. Yong-yong hyung.”
The two people’s hands simultaneously landed on Kim Chun-yong’s shoulders.
The sight of the two tallest members of T.O.Je surrounding one person looked quite threatening but also funny.
“...
Did you two plan this? Hey, it’s cheesy. What are you doing.”
“Chee... What? I don’t know that word. But, that’s not what’s important right now, Chun-yong hyung.”
“That’s right, that’s right. Because something else is important. Pfft, ah, just thinking about Yong-yong hyung’s reaction makes me laugh!”
“Are you guys nervous about the awards ceremony and losing your minds...?”
“No. I said it’s not, see.”
With Kim Chun-yong in the middle, Logan and Ji Hwa-seong chuckled among themselves for a moment, briefly high-fived, and then...
“...
Let’s go!”
Before Kim Chun-yong could even reply, they grabbed his arms and dashed quickly out of the waiting room.
“What is it. What is it! Hey, you guys. You should at least explain...!”
Flustered and swept up in the two’s pace, Kim Chun-yong urgently raised his voice, but Logan and Ji Hwa-seong just giggled.
“We can’t just outright say what the surprise is. Right?”
“Ah, that’s what I’m saying!”
Exchanging a conversation only they understood, which Kim Chun-yong couldn’t fully grasp.
And, the place they were leading Kim Chun-yong to as they ran was...
“Ah, you’re here. Hello. I’m Yu Ho-bin, Chun-yong-ssi’s manager. It’s my first time meeting you like this. Really, pleased to meet you.”
“Ah, hello! You really work so hard. I’m... Chun-yong’s older sister, Kim Bo-mi. And this here is our youngest...”
“Heok, it’s really T.O.Je’s manager...!”
“Kim Na-ri, please show some manners!”
Also, something Kim Chun-yong had briefly forgotten was unfolding in full swing.