Chapter 171
Chapter 171
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: If You're Not Popular, You Get Scolded
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Executive Director Joo stretched out her arms and legs. She knew it. It was her turn to step in now.
"For now, Zenith. Good job."
She looked at each member one by one.
"You all did your best to rein in the maknae's rampage."
She knew how hard it was to hold back that beast of a guy.
"You've worked hard."
"Um, Executive Director Joo. It's not over yet?"
Ki Jaeyoon muttered softly.
"Honestly, I have no idea what that guy's gonna do when he wakes up."
"It's fine."
Executive Director Joo rolled her shoulders again.
"It's my turn now."
Yoo Hajin asked back.
"What do you mean?"
"I'll handle it. Looks like no one else can."
Three of them understood immediately, while one looked puzzled.
"I've managed groups once or twice, you know? Don't worry about it. Get back to work, Zenith."
"Ah...."
Yoo Hajin bowed his head right away.
"Please take care of it."
"Got it. Leave the rest to me."
Executive Director Joo surveyed the massive spread of food.
"But hey. What do we do with all this food?"
"Right?"
Executive Director Joo picked up her chopsticks.
"Let's eat first."
"Is that okay?"
"They made it for us to eat, didn't they? We'll scrape the plates clean, portion some out, and take the leftovers back to the company. Thanks to Dowon, we're in for a treat."
She popped a perilla leaf fritter into her mouth. It was so perfectly fried, savory beyond words.
Ki Jaeyoon bowed his head and said brightly.
"I'll eat well!"
"Jaeyoon."
Ki Jaeyoon's shoulders trembled violently.
"You know, right?"
"E-Executive Director Joo! That's too much!"
"What's too much is your body. You're not allowed. Go rest!"
"D-Do you have to be so cruel!"
"What's cruel is your body."
Executive Director Joo said with a smile.
"Right, Jaeyoon? If you gain weight, your family falls apart, society crumbles, and Zenith collapses...."
"Zenith collapses too?"
She dipped a fritter in vinegar soy sauce.
"Of course, Cha Dowon would lose it before Zenith falls, right?"
"Eek! I-I'll go rest."
"Good."
Ki Jaeyoon scampered back into the room. Executive Director Joo shook her head as she watched his retreating figure disappear.
"Poor kid. Diets are tough."
"No choice."
"True. Always suffering to hold him back. Hajin."
"I'm the leader."
Executive Director Joo shook her head and let out a long sigh.
"For now, let's eat moderately. It's still good even if it cools."
"Yes."
The four of them quietly moved their chopsticks. The food made by Zenith's maknae was exquisitely delicious, even in the midst of all that.
"Oh, I forgot. Silly me. Minje. Showcase tomorrow, right?"
Kang Minje chewed on a cheese fritter and replied.
"Yes."
"Scared?"
"More scared of the digital release than the showcase."
Executive Director Joo smiled softly.
"I told you it's fine."
"You get scolded if you're not popular."
"Who? Me? Scold you?"
"No. Our fierce maknae won't let it slide."
Executive Director Joo bit into a lotus root fritter and asked.
"Why?"
"He said we have to win."
"Oh my. You guys are playing so cute. He said win, so you have to win?"
Laughter bubbled up naturally.
"No, but what happens if you don't win?"
"W-Well...."
Kang Minje pondered seriously.
"We'll get scolded?"
Executive Director Joo couldn't hold back the laugh that burst out. She covered her mouth, tears streaming as she laughed.
"So cute. Adorable."
But the adorable Kang Minje shook his head seriously.
"I'm a little scared."
If we lose to VIP with a similar song, our maknae won't let me off easy.
His appetite suddenly vanished. Kang Minje sighed.
***
The light was blinding. Frowning at the sunlight, he heard the blinds being drawn.
'Morning?'
His whole body felt languid. He tried to open his eyes, but his muscles wouldn't respond.
'Today's schedule....'
Suddenly, I bolted upright in bed. I wasn't sure, but my schedule was packed. Even if I left now, I'd be late.
As I tried to get up, someone pressed down on my shoulder.
"Sleep more."
"I have work...."
"It's fine. I sent a sub."
No way, why send a sub for my precious schedule?
I glared at the person, then realized.
"Executive Director Joo?"
"Yeah. It's me."
"What's this? Where...."
I looked around. It was my room, shared with Lee Seungjun.
"My room, and I'm...."
I looked down at my palms.
"Cha Dowon, trendsetter idol, gotta go to schedule...."
"What are you doing?"
What the hell was going on?
I asked Executive Director Joo.
"Executive Director Joo, this isn't a dream, right?"
"Look at you."
I clenched and unclenched my fist. It moved freely, so probably not a dream.
"Ah, schedule...."
I got out of bed.
"I said it's fine."
"Didn't I have variety today?"
"Hajin and Jaeyoon went."
I glanced at the wall clock. Even if I rushed, recording would've started.
"Our rep's gonna tank."
"Told them you collapsed from overwork."
"Who's gonna buy that excuse?"
"If they don't, what're you gonna do?"
Would it really be okay?
'Well, Hajin hyung's fine, but Ki Jaeyoon....'
I let out a deep sigh. My head was a mess.
"What the hell happened?"
"What do you mean? I put you to sleep, you slept, now you're up."
I reached for my smartphone. The date had changed by a day.
"Yesterday's gone."
"You slept from dinner on."
"Fans must've been shocked seeing me vanish from broadcast."
"The kids handled it. It's fine."
Overslept or something? My back ached. No, tied up?
I twisted my body around.
'So yesterday... the members tied me up and left me on the bed, right?'
Lee Seungjun had told me to rest.
'Damn.'
Shouldn't have fallen asleep.
This time, I really tried to get out of bed. But Executive Director Joo spoke up right away.
"By the way, you can sleep more."
"I'm already up."
"Young folks recover fast, huh."
"I'm baffled that I even fell asleep."
Executive Director Joo shook her head.
"Don't you remember not sleeping for days?"
Honestly, it didn't matter. I'd been restoring stamina with cheats steadily.
'But falling asleep the moment I lay down....'
What was the reason?
As I pondered, Executive Director Joo's voice came.
"Dowon."
"Yes."
"I know a lot of celebrities who suffer from sleep deprivation."
Wasn't that a different reason?
"Not my case."
"That's how insomnia starts. I've seen it plenty."
Executive Director Joo handed me water. One sip, and it tasted incredibly sweet.
"Do you know why people can't sleep?"
"Too many worries?"
"You get it."
Before regression, Kang Minje suffered from insomnia for that reason.
"Heard from Seungjun. You worked to clear your head?"
"Yeah."
"So you."
Executive Director Joo chuckled.
"Thanks to that, boom times."
"Of course."
"First kid I've seen nailing personal broadcasts like you. You draw lines but highlight the good stuff."
"What."
"Honestly, Zenith benefited big from your three-week chaos. You know that, right?"
"Yeah."
Executive Director Joo suddenly grabbed my shoulders.
"But, Dowon."
"Yes."
"You think work's a game?"
I was a bit startled.
"You're good. Really good. Too good. But work isn't a game?"
It hit me out of nowhere.
"What if you take out frustrations on work? Especially pushing this hard."
"I wasn't pushing that hard."
"I know. Your complexion's fine. Think I haven't seen idols wrecked by diets and overwork? Still, this ain't it."
Executive Director Joo gripped my shoulders tight.
"Repeat after me, Dowon."
"W-What?"
"I won't overwork as escapism again."
"I won't overwork."
"Not overwork—the escapism part's key?"
I stared at her blankly. She said it lightly, but she was dead serious.
"I won't overwork as escapism."
"Good boy!"
Executive Director Joo released her grip and patted my shoulders.
"Treating me like a kid."
"You are one."
Am I?
"The kids were really worried."
"No need...."
"Overwork's self-harm. Of course they'd worry."
Crazy. It wasn't that serious.
"Zenith's weird."
"How?"
"They'd profit way more leaving me alone."
I recalled Lee Seungjun threatening Kao. That guy was always like that.
'Why stick together or hold back?'
Executive Director Joo chuckled.
"Our kids are good, huh?"
I smiled wryly.
"Lucky to have kids like this. So many weirdos out there."
"Didn't assemble a team of weirdos."
"Busted. Well, you're good too. In your way."
Oops.
"Thanks. Feels like bowing on the floor."
"But it's true. Considered all angles, but...."
Executive Director Joo sighed.
"Yeah, I picked good kids and tied 'em together."
"I see."
Surprising. Not obedient types, but good ones.
'No, even then. Jaeyoon too?'
As I stared, she confessed first.
"That one's obedient enough."
"Doesn't seem so."
"That's obedient in this world."
Well, okay.
'If the manager says so.'
Executive Director Joo beamed. I smiled back and said.
"What about schedules?"
"Gotta go."
"You sent subs."
"Subs need subs."
What now?
"Truth is, Hajin and Jaeyoon were set to go cheer at Minje's showcase. But they took your schedules?"
Damn.
"I'm... going to Minje hyung's showcase?"
"Yeah. Gotta bring flowers. Our Dowon."
Of all people, Kang Minje?
'Can't skip.'
First solo from Zenith. Plus, we'd hyped our good relations on shows.
'Gotta go.'
I knew, but dreaded it.
"Dowon."
"Yes, Executive Director Joo."
"Stop hating on Minje already."
What now.
"Why would I hate Minje hyung?"
"It shows. Gotta look close, but. Not executive for nothing."
Damn.
"Left it since you don't stir trouble despite the hate, but it peeks sometimes."
Executive Director Joo chuckled.
"Still, you two seem close."
So absurd. Nothing but eagle-eyed folks around.
"Probably just me and the president who notice."
Lee Seungjun too, one more.
"Whatever it is, talk it out. Minje's not bad."
A sigh escaped naturally.
"Well, you're not bad either. Not exactly good."
"Insult? Compliment?"
"That's you. Polite but spineless, sharp but oblivious to surroundings."
Executive Director Joo smacked my back laughing.
"Complicated kid."
"You seem amused."
"Yeah. Kinda fun."
Crazy.
"Anyway, patch it up. You'll see each other long-term, you two."
"Can't patch."
I stood up.
"The one's to patch with is far away."
"Huh? What? You live with Minje."
A wry smile formed.
"I'll get ready. Schedule time."
"Oh, you're banned from live streams for two weeks?"
"Why? Everyone loved 'em."
"Too much all at once. Idols need mystery."
Mystery my ass.
'Well, kinda true.'
I shook my head. Nothing to argue; planner in this field knows best.
"Still, you killed it. Scary good."
"Honor."
"Go to work. Salon too."
I nodded, and she opened the door first. So honored, I bowed to let her out.
Dorm was quiet.
'Showcase means first digital reveal, huh.'
I thought of pre-regression Kang Minje. His debut solo flopped.
'If it succeeds now, future's totally changed.'
Then what about him?
'The Kang Minje I know ditches the group for solo on success...?'
But current Kang Minje said weird stuff.
'Zenith's Kang Minje worth more than genius producer Kang Minje....'
Would he still turn out the same?