Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Are You Really Worrying?
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“You're really worrying about this, right?”
“What, it's not like going to the National Assembly means they can rewrite the laws.”
It would be faster to just stick my aunt—who lost the election—into the Assembly.
My chest boiled with anger. I took a quiet deep breath.
“These bastards definitely aren't doing this for the first time.”
I let out heavy breaths, and the manager pulled out some chilled water.
“Want cola instead?”
“Water's fine.”
“You seem to hate carbonation. And sweet stuff too.”
Did I? I'd never really thought about it.
“That's why you don't gain weight?”
“You hoping I do?”
“No, no! You're perfect as is! Just managing Jae Yoon's diet is enough to drive me crazy. Hell, it's hard enough stopping myself. Thanks to you guys, I can't even snack.”
So he does try to stop them. I thought he was eating with them.
“Don't worry too much. This won't happen again.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Gut feeling.”
Oh boy, a manager's gut feeling? Not exactly trustworthy.
“Well, it's not me saying it—it's the president. They won't use the same trick twice. They'd get punished.”
“Someone else could just crash into us and bail.”
“Then the police would investigate.”
“The police might take bribes and not investigate properly.”
“You're surprisingly pessimistic, Dowon. Aren't you an idol? A trending one at that?”
Well, for now, yeah. I nodded.
“When the spotlight's on them, they'll investigate. And fast.”
A wry smile crept onto my face. Yeah, probably. I got it right away. Being a celebrity could actually help.
“Still frustrating, though. Can't resolve this quickly.”
I shrugged. Staring at the wavy pattern on the hospital ceiling, the manager spoke up.
“Well, let's just be glad we're all safe. Man, that day was seriously jinxed. Guess warding off bad luck really is the best.”
I frowned, thinking of the manager crushing instant noodles.
“Thanks to that, I couldn't keep my promise to the fans. I said I wouldn't get hurt!”
“Oh, right. Apologize on the fan cafe.”
“Already did on SNS.”
“How's the reaction?”
“Just tons of crying emojis.”
I tapped my half-casted arm.
“It's nothing major, but they're so sad.”
“Nothing major? Have you gotten hurt much before?”
“Well, fans gonna fan, but seriously...”
I let out another sigh. Those walls still loomed in my mind.
“What? Something happen?”
“No. The hyungs are just worried.”
“Zenith guys? Let me think. Hajin, Minje, Seungjun—they must've all freaked out, huh?”
I nodded. The round-faced manager patted the bed and burst out laughing.
“Puhahaha! You had it rough!”
Was he teasing me?
I narrowed my eyes, and he suddenly cleared his throat.
“Of course. Wouldn't you worry?”
“If I got hurt? Sure, they'd take care of me.”
I'd just use my cheat to heal right away, though.
“Ah, but they don't know I have cheats.”
Hajin hyung and Lee Seungjun might not suspect, but that sly fox probably had a hunch. Like how I'm sometimes in pain but not really.
“He just stood by when I was puking blood, so why now?”
My brow furrowed on its own. That guy seemed to have some misunderstanding...
“Should I say something? Even though I just left it alone?”
It was incredibly complicated. I groaned and hung my head. Explaining to the members felt harder than crushing VIP.
“Can't cover it up forever.”
I needed some fundamental fix.
That's when it happened. As I brooded seriously, a frivolous laugh rang out.
“Puhahahaha! You're really worrying about this, right?”
“You mocking me?”
“Ahem. Well. Cha Dowon, you don't get the root problem.”
“What's the root problem, then?”
The manager crossed his arms and said solemnly.
“You don't open your heart.”
It felt like a punch to the solar plexus. I stared at him with wide eyes.
“Right?”
“No, I do open up.”
“We all know you don't. Not saying you're bad, Dowon. Or maybe you are a bit mean? Nah, you do your part in your own way. But you don't open up.”
I blinked.
“Open my heart? What is this, some teen drama? Oh, wait, I am a teen.”
It was shockingly profound.
“Do I have to?”
The members were decent enough as colleagues.
“Of course. Hard to find guys this dedicated.”
Finding people who actually follow through when you tell them to do something is tough. I wasn't involved in picking them, but I trusted Deputy Director Joo's eye for talent.
“You like the guys, right?”
What was this now?
“Well, yeah, I like them?”
Not like I hated them. Except the sly fox.
“You can tell from how you cook and look after them. Can't you open up just a little more? Cha Dowon. Then you'd get why the members are upset you didn't tell them you got hurt. Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine Minje got hurt and didn't tell you. How'd that feel?”
No big deal? I'd just cheat-heal him if I knew. He's our golden goose. Who'd write our songs if he got hurt?
“I'd want him to tell me quick.”
“Why?”
“So he can recover fast. Send him to the hospital right away, nurse him.”
The manager shook his head.
“Yeah, that's you—always looking out. But doesn't it suck that he's hurt in the first place?”
“It'd suck, yeah.”
“But if he doesn't tell you? It doesn't even start. Sure, you'd feel bad for him. Plus, Dowon, you're the maknae. Maknaes usually rely on their hyungs.”
If they relied on me, fine—but why should I rely on them?
A sigh escaped me. This was the first real hurdle since regressing. It was genuinely tough.
“Well, you're no typical maknae. More like the hidden leader. We all know you dragged the group by the collar—me, Zenith, Friends, the fans.”
Lots of people knew.
“It's complicated.”
“So, when something happens, talk about it. Even to just one person.”
Damn.
“I prefer handling things alone.”
Felt like nagging in the weirdest way.
“If you don't next time, the hyungs will get mad.”
“They already kinda did.”
Thinking of those three walls made my head ache.
“It's tough.”
“Group life is tough by nature. Yours is tough in other ways, though. Anyway, it'll take you forever.”
The manager looked me up and down.
“Tough nut.”
“I'm pretty straightforward, though.”
“Yeah, right. Probably from the trauma, so I can't really say much. Hard to find kids who do their job as well as you. And you're not the one causing accidents. You just get hit.”
The manager kept grumbling oddly.
“Anyway, listen to me. Talk to the members.”
Did I have to?
“Or they'll get mad?”
This was driving me nuts.
I sighed deeply. Fine, talking it is. I could manage.
“Doesn't seem like it'd change much.”
Why were coworkers so hard? They do their jobs well, synergize when needed—clean and good.
“Look, idol group members are in the same boat. Rely on them a bit.”
Rely, my ass.
“Members are always helpful.”
The manager showed me an article on his smartphone. I glanced at the screen.
Zenith's Ki Jaeyoon Devours 2kg of Ice Cream
-My stomach's fine.
Zenith's Ki Jaeyoon Does Mukbang on Variety Show
-I eat pretty well, actually!
'Pretty well'? You eat like a horse, dude.
I forced back a grimace. Useless articles piled up.
I knew exactly what this was.
“They buried the story.”
“Deputy Director Joo—or wait, the president? Someone pulled strings. Classic move, but effective.”
A hollow laugh escaped me. Wow, really? Jaeyoon actually useful. Who knew.
Once the laughter started, it kept going. I covered my mouth and bowed my head. The situation felt ridiculously funny.
“What is this?”
Why so amusing? Why was I laughing?
After laughing for a while, I felt eyes on me. I turned casually, and chills ran down my spine.
“What the—!”
The plump manager's eyes sparkled. No, why were his eyes like that! I startled and inched away, but his gaze didn't change.
“M-M-Manager?”
“You can laugh like that too, huh. Touching. Sniff. Makes me wanna cry.”
What was touching about it?
Bewildered, I just rolled my eyes. Then the next bed got noisy. I jumped up fast. Business was done.
“I'm heading out.”
“Yeah, take care. Wait—no!”
The manager, still weirdly emotional and creepy, grabbed my clothes in a panic.
“How'd you get here?”
“Bus, obviously?”
“What? Dude! What if fans swarm you!”
“Mask worked fine.”
And celebs don't get mobbed that bad. Everyone's too busy with their own lives.
“Aigoo, Dowon, you naive kid. If your luck's bad, you'll get properly swarmed.”
Really?
“If it's fans, isn't that okay?”
“Aigoo! That's why it's scarier, you fool! Dowon! The people who like you aren't all doing it for you!”
Ah, right. Some get intense. Kinda scary sometimes.
“Got it. I'll be careful.”
“I'm calling Manager Han right now. You're gonna cause a disaster.”
“I can just take the bus back.”
“Crazy! No way!”
Oh.
“Better listen to this one.”
I nodded, and the manager sighed heavily. He looked serious, so I just smiled a little.
***
‘That's that, and this is this.’
The hit-and-run perp getting probation? Fine, whatever. But wanting to pulverize VIP? Separate issue.
‘They'll be fine later, but it's still iffy.’
If it happens again, the members get hurt this time. No matter what, I had to settle this.
‘They say no investigation, but can I trust that?’
How to crush VIP while ensuring Zenith's safety? I lacked info first.
‘Best to blackmail one and make him spill.’
Grab some leverage too.
‘With cheats, I could probably pull it off.’
The guy grants whatever, but he's oddly lenient on this stuff.
Then the director's voice rang out.
“Alright, shooting.”
Crap. Focus.
I crossed my legs and jumped. Camera flashes exploded wildly.
“Good. Dowon, you've grown a bit. One more.”
How'd he know? Makes sense—photo directors have sharp eyes. I smiled and jumped again, changing my leg pose.
“OK! Youth is great. Jumps so well. Knees like springs.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, arm okay? Took off the cast for the shoot—go straight to the hospital and re-cast.”
Thoughtful director. Whatever, cheat already fixed it—felt stuffy now.
“It's fine.”
Better re-do it, though. Quick ones like Yumiho would be trouble. I grinned and bowed.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Greeted the staff and opened the waiting room door. In the spotless new studio lounge, Lee Seungjun was drinking water.
“Want some?”
I nodded. He tossed me a bottle. I caught it lightly. As I twisted the cap—
“Didn't get lost to the lounge. I did.”
“Place is kinda maze-like.”
“Why build a new studio like a labyrinth?”
I smiled wryly. Old memories surfaced. This place actually burned down in 10 years.
‘Kinda shoddy. CCTV was a mess too.’
I took a sip, and Lee Seungjun said,
“Got lost and found out. VIP's here too.”