Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Contagious Aggression
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That was spot on.
I nodded, and Leader Hyung looked at Kang Minje with betrayed eyes.
"Minje, why?"
Kang Minje grinned like a fox.
"Why?"
"Why are even you turning into a fighting cock...."
Oh boy.
'But more than that, does Leader Hyung think I'm a fighting cock?'
Yoo Hajin said cautiously.
"Aren't we being too aggressive?"
Kang Minje gently persuaded Leader Hyung.
"It's not a world where you can survive easily, Hajin."
Unfortunately, he was right.
"I realized it when Dowon got attacked. Even if you're flawless, you can still get hit. Honestly, Dowon pulled through because it's Dowon. None of us could ever use a method like that."
"Well, sure, but...."
"Jenis has to climb up. And eventually, we'll bump into the top dogs."
The fox cub chuckled slyly.
"Whether it's soon or late."
I narrowed my eyes.
'Why is Kang Minje thinking the same as me?'
Did he eat something weird?
Yoo Hajin said pitifully.
"W-what crazy thing are you gonna do?"
"What's there to be scared of, Hajin Hyung?"
Leader Hyung's pupils trembled like there was an earthquake.
"It's something we have to do anyway. Let's just go at it more aggressively."
"Hmm, can't we take it easy? Dowon?"
"We're the challengers. How can we take it easy?"
Screams from the audience and the sound of fireworks exploding hit at the same time.
'Finale's starting soon, huh.'
I sighed and whispered.
"See? We barely had one, but they've got multiple fireworks over there."
That was reality.
'Without Yumi sunbaenim, we wouldn't even be at this time slot.'
East or west, ancient or modern, broadcasters were the best at lining up the hot stuff.
"It's a cutthroat world, even if it's fierce, Hajin Hyung."
What do you need to get to the top?
I was lost in thought for a moment when Ki Jaeyun's voice rang out.
"Ah! It's snowing!"
White snowflakes were visible below the small waiting room window. I shook my head while changing clothes.
The manager grumbled, jiggling his belly fat.
"Aigoo, gotta drive extra safe today."
I carefully lowered the window. The world below was already white.
"Let's do a little shoot."
Lee Seungjun, now fully changed, tilted his head.
"What kind of shoot?"
"Snow fight scene. Fans love it when we look close."
Kang Minje smiled and replied.
"Not bad."
"Just take some pics. Around here if possible."
Idols have to keep churning out content. I smiled and grabbed my smartphone.
***
Executive Director Joo spun once in her chair. Her eyes were dry from staring at screens, but she couldn't miss this moment.
"They're rising, rising!"
Photos of Jenis kept updating on SNS. Executive Director Joo smiled as she scrolled through them one by one. Lots of good shots, thanks to all the big cameras.
"Uhahahaha!"
Executive Director Joo spun twice in her chair. A bit dizzy, but she didn't care.
Then, she heard footsteps. She didn't even check who it was.
"Sister-in-law, you look thrilled."
"Thrilled? Look at this!"
Executive Director Joo pulled up the SNS search results, sorted by category.
"Our kids are dominating the talk!"
"Good for them."
"Of course! VIP's a solid group, but they've been spinning their wheels in Japan too long—they're losing momentum!"
Executive Director Joo spun three times this time. The president looked worried at the monitor his sister-in-law was showing.
"Everyone's saying Jenis will hit the top."
"I heard that too."
"Honestly, when that madman cornered us, it was touch and go."
"Dowon must be strong in crises."
Executive Director Joo lowered the wheel on a photo. The frozen screen showed Cha Dowon, who was called the trendsetter.
"Times like this call for caution on top of caution. What do you think, sister-in-law? Next album gonna succeed?"
"You heard it too. Why ask when you know?"
"We might like it, but who knows how it'll land."
Executive Director Joo rested her chin and replied.
"I trust Minje."
"I trust Minje too."
"Plus, even if Minje slips up. I have a gut feeling this guy in the screen will pull them through."
She said it herself and burst out laughing.
"Funny, right? As if one idol can do that much. Not dissing effort—there's limits. Wow, hilarious. We're the planners saying this!"
"That's how high the expectations are."
"Products are products. Knew it from the start when we scouted him. Tough as nails~"
Executive Director Joo turned to her brother-in-law.
"Sometimes I think it, but that kid Dowon is way too mature mentally."
"Not like a middle schooler."
"His speech isn't even teenage-like. Aren't kids that age half curses?"
Executive Director Joo scrolled down the mouse wheel. A bit lower, and there was Cha Dowon grinning like he wanted to devour someone.
"Oh, that's him alright."
"Brother-in-law felt it too? I thought the same. Cha Dowon's always got that hungry look."
"Yeah."
"This guy's the heart of Jenis."
"Funny it's not Minje. We built this group for Minje."
"Minje's important too. But I can't imagine Jenis without Cha Dowon."
The president nodded. Executive Director Joo smiled and scrolled up again.
"Huh?"
A new photo popped up. Jenis having a snowball fight.
"What's this?"
"Snow fight?"
There was a video too. Executive Director Joo clicked it hastily.
It was dark, hard to see. But the voices were full.
-Take this! Cha Dowon! Ack! Too hard! Ack! I surrender! Surrender!
-Oh man, Jaeyun. Why'd you throw first? You wouldn't have gotten hit.
Under the streetlight, Cha Dowon laughed. He was handsome, so any expression suited him, but maybe because it was dark.
"He's laughing kinda scary."
"I'll bet one vote on 'pissed off.' Sister-in-law."
"I'll bet two. Brother-in-law."
They shook their heads at each other.
"Anyway, what's with them? Why a snow fight!"
"Looks like they're posting on their own SNS?"
"Sheesh. What if they catch colds."
The president sighed and swiped his smartphone screen. Manager's number came right up.
"Manager Heo, the kids caught colds."
-Ah, sorry! Hey, Jenis! Let's go in! Why're you excited like dogs seeing snow! Ack! Hey, I got hit!
The call ended. The president alternated between his smartphone and the monitor.
"They look busy."
"Yeah."
Executive Director Joo quietly refreshed the screen. Reactions were explosive. Fans were loving it, plain to see.
"Not bad."
"Very boyish."
"Yeah. Brother-in-law, especially Cha Dowon—he seems my age."
"He's grown a lot lately?"
"Yeah. Shoulders got broader too."
Executive Director Joo chuckled.
"Soon he'll be a young man, not a boy."
"Excited?"
"Of course. A bright pretty boy turning into a handsome youth. Though part of me wants this phase to last forever."
The president scratched his chin and nodded.
"Well, sometimes I wish my kid wouldn't grow up either."
"That's different. Or is it a bit similar?"
"Anyway, that's why you nabbed the school uniform CF?"
Executive Director Joo blinked wide.
"Brother-in-law, I don't mix personal bias with business. We took the school uniform CF purely because they paid well."
"Puhahaha! That's my sister-in-law."
"Well, I'll enjoy the photos when they come out. If not, I shouldn't be executive director. Work isn't a hobby."
The president nodded.
"So, just waiting on Chunhyang then?"
"Our MV turned out awesome. Our Dowon's acting is top-notch."
"I'll give you that. Honestly, without him, the concept would've been lame."
"I'm excited. Chunhyang feels like a key song in Jenis's journey."
Brother-in-law and sister-in-law smiled at each other.
"Got it. I'll head out then. Good work, sister-in-law."
"Yeah. See you, brother-in-law."
Executive Director Joo refreshed again. The moving pic from the [Year-End Music Festival] video climbed back up top.
The boy on the monitor bared emotions and laughed.
"Ambitious bastard fits you perfectly!"
Executive Director Joo muttered and shook her head.
***
I rubbed my hair with a towel and stepped into the living room. Maybe from flipping out in the snow earlier. I figured I'd make something warm to share with the members.
That's when it happened. A voice came from the dark living room.
"Make me some sangria."
Ah, startled me!
I dropped the towel in shock. Kang Minje approached like a ghost and grinned annoyingly.
"You know how to make sangria?"
My brow furrowed on its own.
"Boil wine and fruit? I know how, but not the taste."
And why should I make it for you?
"Oh, right, you don't drink, Dowon."
"No wine in the dorm anyway."
"Huh? There is—gimme one of mine?"
I shook my head.
"Drinking in the dorm. Real smart move."
Kang Minje shrugged and beamed.
"Sometimes you just wanna drink."
He did smell like booze. I shook my head. The guy who barely slept, now pounding alcohol.
'Don't we have a schedule tomorrow?'
Ignoring his staggering, I boiled water in the electric kettle.
"What're you making?"
"Ginger tea. Everyone's cold."
"Yeah. The snowball fight was intense."
"Crazy, snowball fighting in this weather...."
He'd totally forgotten it was my idea for content, and it turned into chaos fast.
I shook my head and rummaged through the cupboard. Kang Minje watched me quietly and chuckled.
"Actually, I felt chilly, so I had some whiskey."
Whether he drank whiskey or vodka, none of my business.
"You drank for no reason."
"Booze isn't great anyway."
"Right? There's Dowon to make tea—why'd I drink?"
What?
Chills shot up my spine.
"Now I'm not alone, but I forget sometimes."
Just stay alone then.
A sigh escaped me.
'He's so annoying....'
I shook my head and opened the ginger tea lid. Glancing back, Kang Minje was still grinning irritatingly.
"Dowon. VIP's no joke."
"I know."
"Roughly. Wrote them a song once."
Not really curious.
"How's their skill?"
"Honestly, average. You know this industry runs on planning. VIP's got good planning. Company's loaded."
"Didn't they try casting you?"
"Huh, how'd you know?"
Obvious.
"Why didn't you go?"
"Their president's intense. Should know limits, but... uh...."
His slightly flushed face tilted.
"President's son was in the office. Kid was about five."
Bringing a kid to work.
'Not company welfare, that's for sure.'
Kang Minje sat at the table and said.
"Saw the kid and said, 'Hi, say hello. This one's my successor to inherit my kingdom.'"
My brow furrowed.
"Kingdom?"
"Company's his kingdom, I guess."
"Crazy."
"That's why I didn't go. Liked our company too...."
I quietly recalled pre-regression memories.
'Come to think, VIP's company was HL?'
Ah, forgot.
'HL rebranded to TIP and tanked, right?'
Yeah, big scandal. TIP was hot, but turns out they did all the dirty deeds solo.
'Remember it crashed hard.'
Protests everywhere, tax audits galore, president fled to the US.
'When did it blow up?'
Exact timing fuzzy, but chaos for sure.
"Honestly, regretted it a bit. VIP blew up."
I shook my head.
"After seeing that, how could you join? Calling a 5-year-old successor to the kingdom. What are their singers then? Serfs?"
Kang Minje nodded.
"Right? But now, no regrets."
What now?
"Because of you, Dowon?"
Damn, what?!
'Wanna punch him.'
Chills prickled my scalp. I forcibly clenched and unclenched my fist.