The Villainous Member Has Returned! Episode 75.
* * *
Fifth-year boy group, SLEDIX.
Leopold was swelling in size with fearsome momentum to threaten that stronghold, but in the public’s consciousness, SLEDIX remained the one and only male idol at the top.
With a whopping sixteen members. With the modifier “large-scale” attached to the group, they possessed a wide variety of units.
Dance unit, vocal unit, rap unit.
Even a band unit where every member could each handle an instrument.
“Hello, we are SLEDIX!”
When they had first stood before the public, various concerns had followed.
With so many members, wouldn’t they just play among themselves and feel disjointed as a group? With that many, how could anyone remember each of them?
However, those concerns were dispelled more easily than expected.
By a single person.
SLEDIX’s oldest member, their leader.
The person whom all fifteen other members unanimously said, “If it weren’t for that hyung, we would have fought and broken apart long ago.”
SLEDIX’s leader, spiritual pillar, workaholic. A songwriting genius acknowledged by the charts.
— Among the seniors appearing beyond the door, there is one who particularly stands out!
— “H-he was my role model, Senior Jeong Yeonu… When he came in through the door, really. I thought I’d gone blind because he was so cool.”
The subject of all those descriptors, Jeong Yeonu, was currently….
— “If possible, I wish you’d choose me.”
— A senior’s courtship toward trainee Gim Chunyong?! Where will the fate of this team decision go?!
“…
Pfft.”
Half-lying on the sofa in the dorm, he was checking the aired footage of
“…
What the hell.”
Juyeong, the SLEDIX member who shared the dorm with Jeong Yeonu and part of the vocal unit, blinked his eyes over and over to confirm if what he was seeing was reality.
‘That’ Jeong Yeonu bursting into laughter at such unnatural variety editing.
No, setting everything else aside, the fact that he was spending time and effort watching a mere idol survival program?
‘He has always been obsessive about monitoring, but to go out of his way for kids who haven’t even debuted yet…’
Juyeong cautiously sat down beside him on the sofa and carefully studied Jeong Yeonu’s expression.
Laughing, then going serious. Examining meticulously, then scratching his cheek.
“…
Really interesting.”
To the point of saying something like that.
Juyeong experienced confusion between the leader hyung he knew and the currently relaxed Jeong Yeonu, then chose to simply look at the TV.
On that screen, a trainee who had received Jeong Yeonu’s choice was smiling with an awkward expression.
Handsome, but with features sharp to excess.
If not for that, then fangs that subtly revealed themselves with every smile, as if they would feel slighted to be overlooked.
The trainee’s name in the caption beneath it was….
“…
Gim Chunyong? The trainee’s name is Gim Chunyong?”
“Oh, it’s Juyeong.”
Only after the flustered Juyeong mentioned the trainee’s name in a low voice did Jeong Yeonu slowly raise his head to greet him.
“I didn’t know you were already here. You said you’d be late because of your morning schedule.”
“Huh? …Uh. It-it just ended early, that’s all. Recording is like that.”
‘Actually, the date got ruined because of Billy’s schedule, but…’
Juyeong hid his guilty conscience and put on an indifferent face.
He was currently enjoying a secret romance with Billy, a member of the rookie girl group Lily J.
Though they prided themselves on being the most shining side of society, the entertainment industry was no different from an isolated island.
Within it, the most comfortable yet poisonous solution chosen by those who felt continuous loneliness was dating someone in the same industry.
He knew that if this fact were revealed, he would be pointed at by many people, including the fans who supported him.
‘But if I don’t get caught, it’s fine. I’m not betraying my fans.’
Just, because I’m lonely….
Juyeong glanced at the feet of the leader hyung sitting beside him and gulped.
Right now, even that Jeong Yeonu enjoyed drinking within bounds where he wouldn’t get caught, didn’t he?
‘No matter how sharp Hyung Yeonu is, there’s no way he knows about this. Billy and I are being so careful.’
Without knowing what the difference was between himself and Jeong Yeonu, Juyeong asserted so inwardly.
Not knowing that in about three months, Enter Gate alone would expose his secret relationship with Billy to the world.
Jeong Yeonu, who had been quietly watching Juyeong like that, shifted his gaze back to the TV and slowly opened his mouth.
“…
Juyeong, you’ll manage your own schedule well, won’t you.”
“O-of course. Obviously. You know me, hyung. Whenever I have anything going on, I write everything down in my calendar.”
“Yeah. It seems some schedules I don’t know about have popped up there lately, but I won’t ask what they are.”
As long as you don’t cause harm to SLEDIX.
“I don’t care.”
“……”
At Jeong Yeonu’s pointed words, cold sweat trickled down Juyeong’s nape.
Those were words Jeong Yeonu had spoken before.
That is, on the day when such a diverse and large number of members had gathered in one place for the first time.
Even the CEO and manager had stepped aside, leaving him to stand proudly alone before the practice room mirror.
“It’s the first time so many people are debuting as one group like us. Right?”
“…….”
“We’ll be met with a lot of doubt. There will be concerns. But there’s no need to worry.”
“…….”
“We’re singing my songs, so there’s absolutely no way we could fail. We’ll definitely take first place. We’ll go to the very top, and we’ll always stay there.”
“…….”
“So, just remember one thing. Don’t take the position we’ve risen to lightly, and don’t tarnish the name SLEDIX. As long as it’s not that, I’ll trust, support, and push you no matter what you do.”
“Wh-what if something like that happens…?”
A member who had joined the debut team late and still didn’t know well what kind of person Jeong Yeonu was.
To that, Jeong Yeonu answered with a bright smile.
“That probably… shouldn’t happen, but….”
‘You’ll just have to see what happens to the first person who does something like that.’
Whether it was because of Jeong Yeonu’s charisma or because of the docility of the SLEDIX members.
Even after five years, no significant scandal had ever attached itself to SLEDIX.
The protagonist of that very first scandal was currently reading Jeong Yeonu’s mood in the living room, but well.
That was a matter for later.
“…
So hyung is watching the whole survival show. Well, I heard you provided a song, but still. I never thought AG would put out another idol.”
“Especially that trainee. You picked him specifically. Was it because he really looked like he’d hold his liquor well?”
“Ahh… Trainee Gim Chunyong.”
On the dorm TV, Gim Chunyong, who had chosen Jeong Yeonu’s team, was earnestly explaining why he had made such a choice.
— “Haha, it’s also because he’s a senior I’ve always respected. Somehow… I thought Senior Seryeong’s song might be too high in tone for me!”
— Trainee Gim Chunyong attaching a reason after the fact….
— ※ The production team is speculating it’s due to Trainee Gim Chunyong’s fan feelings toward Yeonu!
Seeing that, Jeong Yeonu smiled faintly and muttered.
“Well, he looked like he’d hold his liquor too. And it was funny how he told such an obvious lie….”
“A lie?”
“Tone-wise, he would have suited Senior Seryeong’s song better. I listened to the track and thought it would suit him fine. My song this time requires more effort.”
Tapping the TV remote with his fingers and falling into thought for a moment, Jeong Yeonu quickly added as if something had suddenly come to mind.
“—Anyway. That’s why I picked him, but he was better than expected.”
“…
I looked it up and his mid-rank is eighth. If he doesn’t do really well in this stage, isn’t he hopeless?”
Hyung isn’t interested in anyone unless they’re good.
While one might say his screws were slightly loose after being blinded by love, Juyeong still demonstrated the sharpness befitting a member of Jeong Yeonu’s group and spoke the obvious.
All that remained now were tomorrow’s fourth competition stage and the live broadcast stage.
Trainees’ personal interviews and broadcast footage filmed in preparation for the live show would air in between, but….
If you asked whether he could really turn things around in that time.
“…
Hyung?”
“Ah, uh.”
When no answer came from Jeong Yeonu, Juyeong called out to him again, reminding him of the conversation.
As if he had been deep in thought, Jeong Yeonu—his face somehow full of smiles—stretched out his long legs and chuckled.
“He’ll probably do well, I suppose. I’m a bit more ruthless, and he’s more the kind type, but….”
He resembles me a bit.
“In decisive moments, he pushes through with his own thoughts.”
“…….”
At Jeong Yeonu’s meaningful words, Juyeong merely nodded and pretended to understand.
Because what occupied the most space in Juyeong’s brain right now wasn’t fear toward the leader hyung, but the message from his girlfriend.
— The final competition of
— With the benefit of official registration on music sites for the competition songs on the line, where will first place go?
— “We have to do well, no matter what.”
— “At this rate, debut is probably….”
— Catch the live broadcast next week too!
— ※ Team name submission is taking place on the official site. We look forward to much participation from our Star Shooters.
After the ninety-minute regular broadcast of
“Hmm….”
Jeong Yeonu glanced at Juyeong, who was leaning away from him and absorbed in KakaoTalk, then soon took out his own phone and began composing a message to someone.
— Jeong Yeonu: Do well in tomorrow’s competition
— Jeong Yeonu: I’ll come watch
— Jeong Yeonu: Ah, and about your hair
— Jeong Yeonu: How about trying to dye it
— Jeong Yeonu: Your name being what it is, how about pink? ^^
The recipient shuddered, complaining that he was sending stuff like this at an important time again and giving him the creeps, but.
Anyway, they were words of support.
* * *
“Trainees. Please take off your smartwatches and fitness bands before going on stage. And please check your in-ears and mics once each!”
“Yes!”
In the waiting room of the fourth competition venue, where the youngest writer was going around to each waiting room announcing notices that had become quite familiar by now.
“I can finally take this off….”
Among them, I muttered something close to a sigh as I took off the smartwatch wrapped around my wrist.
All the trainees had been wearing these, so it had been awkward to take it off alone.
For the past week, whenever a message from Hyung Yeonu came in, my heart rate would spike, resulting in double the notifications.
“Still, he gave something this expensive as a gift, so it’s best to use it well since I’m using it anyway.”
“That’s true too, but well.”
At Jinu’s smooth words, I smacked my lips and rolled my eyes.
Right now, the rehearsal of Senior Rocky’s ‘Teen Spirit’ team, composed of Hwaseong, Yuchan hyung, Tsubasa, Gong Minho, and Gao Yan, had just ended.
After this, Senior Seryeong’s ‘Dive’ team rehearsal was being prepared, so I had to move quickly to do what I had prepared.
“Our rehearsal is last, right? There’s still some time.”
“Ah, yes. So if you need to go to the bathroom, they said… the writer said it’s okay to go now.”
I had brought it up just to confirm something I already knew, but our kind youngest answered me diligently.
“Chunyong hyung, if you’re thirsty… shall I buy you a drink? Since, um, you’ve only been buying them for me.”
Still bashful, but perhaps trying to show sincerity to me, who had helped him.
Seeing him muster his strength and speak earnestly, I felt something welling up inside.
It wasn’t something a villainous member should say, but….
I’ll properly take care of the bastard who runs away to China, Siwoo.
“…
No. I was thinking of going to the bathroom. Still, thanks, Siwoo. Over there, if you look in my bag, there should be things like red bean jelly or yakgwa. Eat some if you want.”
“Ah, th-thank you….”
After confirming that Siwoo was cautiously approaching my bag, I quickly opened the waiting room door and headed toward the broadcast station bathroom.
Inside my locked phone, I was already logged into communities and various SNS.
“Chunyong hyung!”
“…
Gao Yan.”
Gao Yan’s face, having just finished rehearsal and come down, was glistening with sweat.
But what shone brighter than that was Gao Yan’s eyes.
Expectation, and more than that, worry. The question of whether this was really okay.
And rightfully so.
Because when I had first told Gao Yan about my plan, Gao Yan had seemed somewhat uncomfortable.
“Chunyong hyung, are you a fool? Rumors don’t spread that fast even if you post on SNS! And what do you plan to do if people can identify you? It’s sloppy. So, so sloppy. Even Sun Quan wasn’t this sloppy!”
“Sun Quan… Hey. I know Romance of the Three Kingdoms roughly too. You want to get scolded? You?”
“What is Hyung doing now that’s any different from Sun Quan! Liu Bei at least used the people behind him, but Hyung is walking into a trap himself!”
“It’s true that I’m the one going in, but it’s also not me.”
“…
What are you talking about?”
However, what Gao Yan was worried about was unlikely to happen.
Posting on SNS was certainly a risk to take, but….
Because SNS was also a place where you could be anyone in the world.