The Malicious Member Has Returned! – Episode 69
When filming these kinds of programs, it was practically unheard of for a guest to "suddenly" show up.
Even if it was a surprise visit, the convention was that you'd be mic'd up in advance, have a camera crew with you, and the production team would tip you off with a "someone's about to come in, so please act surprised."
"Did anyone say Yeonwoo was coming?"
"No, not at all—I didn't hear anything!"
"Get a mic ready for him first. And ask the writer what's going on!"
However, seeing the completely flustered faces of the production team right now, it was clear this was not one of those times.
Jung Yeonwoo sunbae...
Well, with 'Yeonwoo hyung', this was pretty normal.
He's someone you can never predict, a temperament that births unexpected songs.
At the same time, the person who grabbed all those Sledix members by the scruff of their necks and dragged them to the top.
"...
Tsk."
I clicked my tongue softly and brought Siu back to the practice formation.
"Huh? Chunyong hyung? What's suddenly... Ah."
Siu looked a bit bewildered, but once he saw Yeonwoo hyung seated in the chair in front of the practice room mirror, he seemed to understand.
"Alright, shall we run through it quickly before the mic gets here? For private review. Honestly, that's what I'd rather see."
When selecting the team for 'Groggy', the song we're currently practicing, Yeonwoo hyung had the same vibe.
Like always.
* * *
Pyo Je-yeol, Lee Se-ryeong, Raki, and Jung Yeonwoo.
"W-Woah..."
The trainees, seeing the lineup of singers standing before them, forced smiles onto their faces while suppressing their tension.
With Leopold, 2OCD, or even Lady Swan, the trainees could still manage to wag their tails and say "sunbae-nim!"—at least a little.
After all, those were people who didn't yet have many years under their belt, or were just now stepping into the spotlight, or were sunbaes from the same agency ready to show some kindness.
But the people standing in front of them now were on a completely different level.
[Hip-hop singer-songwriter Raki wraps up North American tour for his 5th album successfully... "The next single will aim for Billboard."]
[Lee Se-ryeong chosen as OST singer for American animation studio Pixis... "A first for Korea."]
People who had made their songs hits not just in Korea but overseas, weathered all kinds of storms in the entertainment industry, and still held their place.
Among everyone the trainees had met so far, the only one at this level was Min Siyeong, so needless to say.
"You all seem a bit too stiff. Relax, everyone!"
"Yes, yes!"
"Oh! Everyone's voices—I'm hearing them for the first time outside of cheers. You really do sound like you'll sing my song well, though."
"Haha..."
Only after Lee Se-ryeong, the most senior among them, soothed them with her gentle voice did the atmosphere begin to ease a little.
"Haha, thank you, Se-ryeong sunbae-nim! The mood really brightened up thanks to you. So now... shall we formally split into teams?"
And seizing that opening, Choi Gaon, who had been watching the situation beside them, swiftly started the proceedings.
"Sunbae-nims! Please call out the name of one trainee you would like to sing your self-composed song, in order. Then, hand them your handkerchief."
Following Choi Gaon’s cue, assistant directors hurriedly ran over and placed handkerchiefs into each singer’s hands.
"Ah, if any of you happen to want the same trainee! In that case... we will leave it up to the trainee to choose. I'm really looking forward to this!"
A white one in Lee Se-ryeong's hand, blue for Pyo Je-yeol. Red for Raki, and...
"Well, this color suits me perfectly. Thank you."
Jung Yeonwoo had black.
As soon as Choi Gaon finished speaking, Jung Yeonwoo grinned and opened his mouth.
Immediately, the eyes of the other singers beside him darted around.
"Uh, Yeonwoo-ssi? Would you like to swap colors with me?"
"Oh, Raki-ssi... No, I'm fine. It's nothing."
"Ah, i-is that so. That's a relief! I can be such a busybody, haha!"
Was it because they were so used to broadcasting?
To someone who didn't know any better, it looked like awkward small talk meant to grab some screen time. Enough to get a caption like
But to Kim Chunyong, who already knew Jung Yeonwoo's temperament well, he could see everything.
Right now, Jung Yeonwoo's mood was far from good.
*'How could I not know? He's like this all the time.'*
A cold sweat trickled down the back of Kim Chunyong's neck as he faced his drinking buddy's prickly attitude once again.
How else would a top singer and the Malicious Member have ended up as drinking buddies in the first place?
"Seriously, there's not a single thing I like... Idols, the way my life's turned out..."
"Same here. That's why I'm drinking with a pathetic loser like you, Rex. Haha, that's not an insult."
"Even that's strange. Why do you drink, hyung? Usually, only dumb kids like me drink like this."
"You know the answer and you're still asking. It's to become dumb, obviously. When you're too smart, it's hard to keep going."
Even though they seemed to be running on parallel tracks, there was somewhere they'd gotten tangled, and that was why.
Kim Chunyong and Jung Yeonwoo, complete opposites, shared a friendship in the realm of their own self-destruction.
With alcohol and the misuse of psychiatric drugs mixed in.
If there was a difference...
Jung Yeonwoo had never once had a single article leaked thanks to his divinely-managed private life, while Kim Chunyong didn't even have the presence of mind to care about things like that?
*'Ah. Just thinking about it gives me heartburn again. Damn it. How does just seeing his face bring back the smell of alcohol?'*
Listing all the things that happened while drinking with him in that club room would be endless.
Not even ten fingers would be enough to count them all.
*'Yeonwoo hyung isn't a fundamentally bad person, but... he can't live like that this time. He needs to atone.'*
Fortunately, right now, the two of them were simply a trainee and a top singer meeting for the first time.
Wiping away the cold sweat, Kim Chunyong straightened his broad shoulders once more and made a firm resolution.
This time, he absolutely would not let himself get tangled up with Jung Yeonwoo.
*'Anyway, there's no chance that hyung will take an interest in me during this competition.'*
After all, the trainees Jung Yeonwoo had chosen in the last survival show all shared one common trait.
"Lee Se-ryeong sunbae-nim has chosen trainee Son Jaeha first! Now, moving on, Jung Yeonwoo sunbae-nim? Please call out a trainee!"
That was...
"Hmm... Trainee Jang Siu?"
Being fully equipped with all the qualities an idol should have.
"Huh, yes?"
When his name was called, not the high-ranking Ji Hwaseong or Bang Yuchan with his overwhelming vocal skills, Jang Siu's face lit up with shock.
But that surprise was because Jang Siu hadn't grasped Jung Yeonwoo's temperament.
"Why so surprised? Come and take the handkerchief."
"Ah, th-thank... you."
"I wonder, is this something to be thankful for?"
Among the trainees appearing on
Of course, if you compared him to Jung Yeonwoo, the size of that hexagon was much smaller, but it was a gap that could be covered with potential.
"I chose trainee Jang Siu because I think he'll express my song well, so don't read into it for no reason."
In Jung Yeonwoo's mind, if an ideal trainee existed, it would be Jang Siu.
The trainees chosen after that were similar.
Trainees who had the qualities of all-rounders, even if their rankings were somewhat low.
What Jung Yeonwoo ultimately wanted was a team that could strike a balance across vocals, choreography, and stage direction.
"The Groggy team... is 3rd place! It was a truly amazing stage, but a really disappointing result."
In the end, because it came off as lacking in polish, they didn't get high marks. But the song itself, being Jung Yeonwoo's, was incredibly good.
Besides, most reactions were "it would have been better if they'd had more practice time," so you couldn't even say it was bad.
Anyway.
"Phew..."
Kim Chunyong glanced once at Jung Yeonwoo, then at Lee Se-ryeong, who would soon call his name, and rubbed his chest in relief.
In the last survival show, Kim Chunyong had secured a clear shot at debuting with Lee Se-ryeong's song 'Submerge'.
'Submerge', a song centered around Lee Se-ryeong's uniquely psychedelic sounds and dreamy performance, had meshed perfectly with the team consisting of Son Jaeha, Kim Chunyong, Seo Bin, and Lee Chae-hyeok.
*'If I can take on the dance break for 'Submerge' again this time, that'd be even better. I've done it once, so it'd cut down on practice time. I could invest more time into finding Liu Wei's fiancée.'*
Right now, when he had to catch two birds with one stone, there was no direction more fitting than this.
"Then, I... will pick trainee Kim Chunyong. Dance is once again a really important element in my song this time."
*'That's it!'*
Right after Jeong Daun chose Liu Wei, Lee Se-ryeong called out in a bright voice, and Kim Chunyong unconsciously clenched his fist.
*'Things have been way too twisted with nothing to show for it. Let me just take it a little easier this time.'*
As Kim Chunyong, thinking that, smiled brightly and stepped forward—
"...
H-Huh?"
Just as Kim Chunyong reached out his hand to receive Lee Se-ryeong's white handkerchief, a black handkerchief was placed over it.
There was no one here who didn't know who that handkerchief belonged to.
Jung Yeonwoo.
"This is incredible! Trainee Kim Chunyong has received interest from two sunbae singers! Jung Yeonwoo sunbae-nim, may I ask why you chose trainee Kim Chunyong?"
"Sure. I heard the trainee might get to choose too, and... I'm not the type to miss out on a broadcast moment like that."
Shrugging lightly at Choi Gaon's exaggerated fuss, Jung Yeonwoo looked at the chagrin on Kim Chunyong's face and added a trailing remark.
"And about trainee Kim Chunyong. He just seems... you know."
Like he'd be good at drinking.
"I tend to like that kind of vibe. I'm a little tempted."
*'Crazy. What is this guy even saying right now?'*
Sirens blared in Kim Chunyong's mind the moment he heard that.
A flood of thoughts and weighing of options.
The first thing that surfaced was, no way...
Did Jung Yeonwoo know that Kim Chunyong had returned?
*'If that's not it, there's no way he'd suddenly say something like that to a trainee he's meeting for the first time!'*
And the second was worry about how much this would derail his plans.
Kim Chunyong had a lot on his plate as he prepared for this competition.
He had to find Liu Wei's fiancée and ascertain the truth, and in case that didn't work out, he needed to persuade Li Mingshen.
Amidst all that, there was no reason for Kim Chunyong to give up Lee Se-ryeong's 'Submerge', which had already let him deliver a great stage, and deliberately choose Jung Yeonwoo.
*'I'll figure out why hyung is acting like this later. For now, stay calm.'*
Having quickly sorted his thoughts, Kim Chunyong swiftly composed his expression and opened his mouth with a smiling face. He was about to say, 'I'm grateful for Jung Yeonwoo sunbae-nim's choice, but I'd like to join Lee Se-ryeong's team, as I've been a fan of hers for a long time.'
No, to be precise, he was *about* to open his mouth.
"If you're going to choose, I'd appreciate it if you picked me."
That is, if Jung Yeonwoo hadn't said that while practically winding the black handkerchief around Kim Chunyong's hand.
"Sorry? What did you just say..."
"Haha, you heard me, but you're pretending you didn't. Choose me. Well, I'm not forcing you. But still."
That would be...
"More helpful for trainee Kim Chunyong."
"......"
The two's eyes met.
Jung Yeonwoo had thrown words with that kind of nuance at Kim Chunyong plenty of times before.
"Rex, you... if you just behaved a little more wisely, articles like that would decrease a bit."
"Wisely? I'm not sure what you mean."
"You don't? That's too bad. Maybe you've gotten too dumb from the alcohol. I remember you weren't originally that bad."
"Yeah, well. Even if you say that, hyung, what can I do about being dumb already?"
"I wonder. That doesn't mean the regret just disappears, though."
As if he was about to tell him something, but not quite. As if he knew everything.
Listening to those voices that sounded like all the answers were stored in that extraordinary mind of his, for some reason, it made you feel like it really might be helpful.
"......"
Staring intently at Jung Yeonwoo’s black handkerchief wrapped around his hand and Lee Se-ryeong’s white handkerchief, Kim Chunyong slowly opened his mouth.
"I..."
* * *
And one week after that, now.
I wiped the sweat streaming down my chin and caught my breath.
"Ah, a difficult decision... But still, I... will go with Jung Yeonwoo sunbae-nim's team!"
So that's how it happened.
“Yes, trainee Kim Chunyong, the first to earn the right to choose his team! Wow, may I ask why you picked senior Jeong Yeonu?”
“Haha, well, he’s a senior I’ve long respected. And, honestly… I thought senior Lee Seryeong’s song might be a bit too high for my tone!”
“Ah! In that case, we could have lowered the key for you. What a shame!”
“Could I take a rain check, senior?”
“Oh my, if trainee Kim Chunyong debuts, of course. I’ll be waiting.”
In the middle of all this grueling work, remembering that conversation made me feel a little wronged.
Too high, my ass. Senior Lee Seryeong would have adjusted the key to suit my voice perfectly.
And if it had been “Jamsoo,” I clearly wouldn’t need to be drilling the choreography and details from scratch like this.
But still…
The moment I heard Yeonu hyung say that choosing him would help me more, I just happened to catch a glimpse of someone.
“You did well. I didn’t expect you to already nail this much of the first verse details. Thank you, Dasol.”
“…
I’m just doing what I’m paid for… and, there are already skilled trainees on this team….”
“Haha, no. Especially trainee Kim Chunyong and trainee Li Mingshen. Their dance break synergy is great. It looks good to have a two-top system.”
Right.
The trainees Yeonu hyung picked—ones with all-rounder potential even if their rankings were somewhat low.
Li Mingshen was included among them.
After that conversation, running into Li Mingshen was rarer than finding a star in the daytime.
We didn’t share a room, our paths didn’t cross, and whenever I tried to pull him aside, his face just screamed awkwardness.
But once we were on the same team and practicing together, that was a different story.
“…
Thanks, Chunyong.”
“It’s nothing.”
I answered Li Mingshen with a grin, his cheeks still slightly flushed.
Anyway, when it came to the Liu Wei situation, I was the one who should be thanking him.
“Hoo.”
I wrapped up the brief exchange with Li Mingshen and turned my gaze toward Yeonu hyung, who was still sitting on the chair in front of the practice room mirror.
“…….”
Whether he’d been watching me this whole time, our eyes met the instant I glanced his way.
Yeonu hyung gave me a soft smile and mouthed silently, ‘You have something you want to say, don’t you?’I let out a dry laugh at that spotless face of his.
Yeah. I did need to talk to him.
About every action, every nuance, every look in that hyung’s eyes.
Whether he happened to know something, or what he was thinking when he picked me.
There’s no alcohol here, and I have no plans to drink in the future either, but…
Let’s share another reunion with my love-hate drinking buddy.