The Toxic Member Has Returned! Episode 236
The atmosphere at the KPCA Awards ceremony was heated.
“Yes! Jiwon-ssi. Please announce the winner.”
“Understood. This year, the winner of the ‘International Artist Female Group Award’ is….”
Finishing a year with the glory of a trophy gave the participants a special sentiment, and watching those overwhelming moments made one’s heart burn hot as well.
“…
Lily-J! Congratulations!”
Even if it was a special award rather than a main award, with a name so long and hard to remember— that remained true.
“Th-this award… thank you so much. Our fans! We could never have come this far without our fans.”
Billy of Lily-J, winning the ‘International Artist Female Group Award’ and standing on stage with her members shedding tears drop by drop, proved that very fact.
“I think this award means I should work harder. Really, I want to try harder until I reach my limits.”
Billy, who had cut her long, flowing hair into a sharp bob, wore a determined expression.
“My activities this year were truly a new year where I realized my fans’ love. I will become a Billy of Lily-J who works harder, even harder. Fans, members, mom, dad. I love you always….”
As if she would no longer be swayed by useless emotions.
The person who had greatly influenced her determination and change of heart had to do his best to manage his own expression each time Billy uttered a single word.
“Hoo….”
Juyeong, wearing an outfit that mixed a suit with a hanbok—a look that had people on social media and online communities clamoring that “you need to go that far to show sincerity in your styling”—sat with his members and trembled his legs anxiously while letting out a sigh.
‘Did she glare at me while giving that speech? Am I imagining things? No, she was really looking….’
They called this karmic retribution.
‘Ha, ever since we broke up, she’s been taking digs at me knowingly and unknowingly, so I’m already uncomfortable. But I can’t even avoid facing her at the awards ceremony, really!’
Was this the psychological suffering befitting someone who had done something they couldn’t properly handle, and which had been cleaned up by someone else’s hand?
‘I didn’t know Billy could be so scary. I feel like I’m going to cry, ugh….’
In truth, Billy hadn’t even looked toward where Sledix was sitting for three full seconds, but Juyeong acted as if that single gaze was an eternity.
“…
Ugh!”
Until someone sitting next to him for special management stomped hard on his foot to bring him back to his senses.
“Cover your mouth, Juyeong-ah. The camera will catch you. And wipe your tears quickly before they fall. I didn’t know I’d have to tell you even this.”
“You’re so mean….”
“The one being mean is you, acting worse than a rookie despite your years in the industry.”
Juyeong quickly brushed his watery eyes with his sleeve and pouted.
“I’m not going to check for cameras.”
“Eeeng….”
Though he had to switch back to a bright expression at the brief scolding, anyway.
Regardless of whether Juyeong showed various expressions, the man who landed devastatingly sharp one-liners maintained an astonishingly calm and handsome expression.
Perhaps one needed to lead by example to earn the right to lecture others?
Of course, more than that, it was simply because perfectionism was his innate disposition.
“…
Then, continuing on, we will have the presentation of the ‘International Artist Male Group Award.’ Actor Kwon Jiwon will kindly present this award as well.”
As the MC standing separately on stage, Min Siyeong also briefly cast her gaze toward him.
“…
Ah.”
The man who had been concentrating on the remarks she was delivering just then—Jeong Yeonu, leader of Sledix—waved his hand lightly toward her with a relaxed expression, and Min Siyeong quickly averted her eyes from the greeting.
Making it explicitly obvious that while she had looked at him, she had no intention of engaging in such an interaction.
That entire process was so clean and professional that unless one had been watching her gaze, it would have appeared as nothing more than a slight shake of the head.
“Yeonu-hyung, what? Did you just get snubbed by Min Siyeong-sunbaenim?”
“I think so, maybe.”
“You think so? Hyung… aren’t you spacing out because you’re tired?”
“No way. I am a bit hungry though. Should we all grab a meal together after this ends?”
“A meal? Bab? Hyung, you don’t really eat with us. You seem kind of weird today….”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Hyung, you don’t want to talk to me much….”
Despite Juyeong’s impudent reaction, Jeong Yeonu leaned back against the chair and put on a splendid smile.
His gaze remained fixed on the figure of Min Siyeong in her dress, who had quickly turned away from him.
“Ah, sunbaenim. We meet again like this. It’s been a while. I heard you were participating as an MC for this KPCA, so I came to greet you.”
“…
Hello, Yeonu-ssi.”
“Haha… it’s the first time since the survival program. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, yes. I need to check my script, so it would be good if you went to the waiting room first.”
“Hmm, your cute hoobae came to see you, yet you won’t give me any words of blessing.”
“Has the meaning of the word cute changed a lot without my knowledge?”
It wasn’t that he harbored any romantic feelings toward her; he simply found Min Siyeong’s reaction amusing—her treating him as if he were invisible.
“…
After the International Artist Group Award presentation, the final event of KPCA Part 1 will be the Male Group Rookie Award presentation. Candidates, let’s meet them first.”
Though nearly six months had passed since
And with good reason, since the very person who had caused their slight war of words back then was present at this event as an award nominee.
[ToZ (Target of Zenón)—‘Six-leaf Clover’]
To make matters worse, he had become part of a group with the very children she cherished so deeply.
That was one of the reasons Min Siyeong treated Jeong Yeonu like a transparent person, and at the same time, it put Jeong Yeonu in quite a good mood.
“Juyeong-ah.”
“Uh, uh?”
“Who do you think will win this year’s Male Rookie of the Year?”
Today would likely be the day he found out whether the new toy he had discovered this year was an ordinary toy or not.
“Male Rookie of the Year, well… their physical album sales are pretty even, um, between Wiz and ToZ, so. It’ll be one of the two.”
“If you had to choose between them?”
“Uh, it’s hard. Well… I talked with the kids earlier, and ToZ came up a lot.”
“Hmm, it’s fortunate our members aren’t complete fools, at least.”
And Jeong Yeonu had already reached his own conclusion on that matter.
“Ung? What?”
“I said I’m glad you’re our team member.”
Having answered Juyeong perfunctorily, Jeong Yeonu roughly withdrew his gaze and looked around the KPCA Awards venue.
The waiting area, decorated to look nice but inconvenient in practice, had an open layout with nothing but bench-style chairs—no tables to speak of—so if he set his mind to it, he could quickly find whatever he wished to see.
And Jeong Yeonu’s eyes turned toward the side where people were gathered noisily.
“Long time no…!”
“How’s practice….”
In the place where sporadic voices could be heard, roughly ten or so men in their early twenties huddled together, catching up with one another without disturbing the awards ceremony.
“This year’s opening act for the KPCA is the survival program boys who shone on Music Days! It’s ‘Aiming’ from
They were the trainees who had appeared on
Though not everyone could gather due to their individual circumstances, those who had debuted through the program were certainly able to hold their ground.
The one Jeong Yeonu had been pouring the most attention into lately was among them too.
“…….”
Kim Chunyong, with his bright red hair as always today, was mumbling something toward Gaoyan and Ryota, who had stuck to his side for the first time in a while.
“This year’s winner of the ‘International Artist Male Group Award’ is… 2OCD! Congratulations!”
“…….”
His expression was as usual, but the moment the name “2OCD” rang out and applause followed, his face subtly cracked.
A minuscule, microscopic crack that no one but someone paying very close attention to him, like Jeong Yeonu, would even notice.
“…
Oh.”
A strange smile rose on Jeong Yeonu’s face.
Unlike during
Jeong Yeonu couldn’t know all the inside details, but the fact was evident enough from the deal he had struck regarding Juyeong’s recent dating scandal alone.
At a glance, he seemed similar to Jeong Yeonu, but with more humanity—a shrewd move made while still considering others.
For someone who had grown that much to show such a reaction.
Jeong Yeonu’s gaze followed the direction Kim Chunyong was looking.
“Hello. I’m Nate of 2OCD! This kind of occasion is my first… no, not quite. I’m so honored to stand here again, thank you? And… uh….”
There stood Nate of 2OCD, Lee Hyojae, delivering his acceptance speech with a faltering, tearful voice.
“…
Hmm.”
Jeong Yeonu’s impression of Nate was nothing particularly special.
“Huk, Je-Jeong Yeonu-sunbaenim! Wow, hello. You might not remember me, but I’m from 2OCD….”
“Haha, I know. Nate-ssi. We greeted each other before. Right?”
“Yes, yes! Our promotions didn’t overlap so I didn’t have many chances to greet you. If it’s alright, I’ll buy a round….”
“It’s fine. I’m the sunbae, so I should be the one buying.”
A junior he had run into when going drinking before, wielding moderate popularity and possessing a light disposition to match.
A junior about whom he had recently heard rumors like “he seems to have changed a bit,” ever since Jeong Yeonu had cut back on drinking.
“…….”
Kim Chunyong’s gaze as he looked at that Nate wasn’t obvious, but it flickered slightly like a candle in the wind.
ToZ and 2OCD didn’t even have overlapping promotions, yet such an ardent gaze.
“…
Hmm.”
Jeong Yeonu lightly nodded, quickly sat down as if fleeing from the acceptance speech, and left a short message for someone via the smartwatch on his wrist, pretending to check the time.
[Jeong Yeonu: PD-nim]
[Jeong Yeonu: Could you send me]
[Jeong Yeonu: the first guest list for the program? ^^]
He wasn’t particularly interested in Nate, but…
“Yes, congratulations to 2OCD on your award. Then, after watching the stage of the International Artist winners! We will continue with the Male Group Rookie of the Year Award presentation.”
Because Jeong Yeonu had been investing considerable effort into that redhead, who would be receiving the next award.
[PD Joo: Why are you asking something like that during the awards ceremony, Yeonu-ssi?]
[Jeong Yeonu: ^^]
[PD Joo: I sent the file, so after work. Look at it after work.]
A brief vibration signaling a new email rang from Jeong Yeonu’s wrist, and he turned his head toward the stage once more, equipping his face with a smooth smile.
The stage, which had gone dark again before anyone knew it, held its breath as it waited for the idols who had won the International Artist Award.
There were a dime a dozen idols who couldn’t even receive that much, no matter how much some people muttered, “It’s not even a main award, what kind of award is that?”
The idol industry was a place where one had to constantly scream and prove that they weren’t dead yet.
Thus, no matter what one received, an award was proof.
Rookie of the Year, then a main award; a main award, then the Grand Prize.
One might say it was a place where the so-called royal route existed.
For Jeong Yeonu, who had grabbed Sledix by the scruff of their necks and dragged them down that path, a certain sense of anticipation existed.
The anticipation that there might be someone similar to him, yet different.
And curiosity about what thoughts that person harbored as he looked up at that stage.
To confirm that, he needed to keep that person by his side.
“…….”
In the darkened venue, Jeong Yeonu’s gaze turned toward Kim Chunyong once again.
Jeong Yeonu recalled the emotion he had felt when he first laid eyes on Kim Chunyong.
A trainee so anxious that one might have wondered if he had suffered from alcohol addiction in the past.
Now, he was a rookie idol on the verge of winning the Rookie of the Year award.
[International Artist Male Group – 2OCD]
Once this stage ended, Kim Chunyong—whom Jeong Yeonu found so endlessly fascinating—would come face to face with his first proof.