Chapter 190
Translator: penny
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Something Between Chaos and Harmony
When the thing covering his face was completely removed, groans escaped from those around.
Of course, C felt the same as she filmed the video.
‘Different.’
His face was clearly unlike an ordinary person’s.
‘Cha Dowon isn’t on TV for nothing.’
She knew from filming videos herself. His arms, legs, shoulders, and waist—they were all different.
But that wasn’t the problem right now.
C quietly rubbed her eyes.
‘What am I looking at?’
The music was excessively upbeat. Even passersby twitched their wrists, if not their shoulders.
‘Dance?’
Suddenly, Cha Dowon thrust his arms straight out amid the crowd. Maybe because he was an idol. The moment he snapped his index finger, he surrendered his body to the music.
‘He dances well?’
Perhaps due to the excessively fast rhythm. He stuck to simple moves. But the issue was that every angle was perfectly aligned.
People gathered in an instant. Shoulders bumped, but C kept filming.
Whispers reached her ears.
“Crazy? Cha Dowon?”
“Really?”
“Yeah, but he dances well.”
Even those watching awkwardly soon changed under Cha Dowon’s passionate dance. Cha Dowon kept giving himself to the music. Then, the dreaded situation finally occurred.
“Kyaa!”
“So exciting!”
A few grandmas from the nearby welfare center dashed out. C quietly made the sign of the cross in her mind. It had been ten years since she last went to church, but it felt necessary.
Bam-bam-bam—
Her hunch was spot on. Cha Dowon began dancing among the grandmas. He even occasionally took their hands. As the grandmas wildly flailed their arms, everyone else started swaying their shoulders in moments.
‘What am I watching right now?’
An election, elders, and a dancing idol? A top idol at that?
Suddenly, the street by the election promo truck turned into an outdoor dance floor. Grandmas danced, so uncles joined; moms danced, so babies danced too.
Bam—bam—bam!
The feverish vibe crossed the line. Neighborhood ladies peering out at the commotion joined the dance whirlwind. C realized.
‘Those zumba ladies from upstairs…’
Not content with studio practice, they stomped passionately outdoors.
Cha Dowon danced unfazed in the pandemonium. A smile even played on his lips. Maybe it looked too good. Grandmas occasionally grabbed his arms and shoulders.
‘I can’t tell what’s what.’
Exciting, fun, handsome. Yet dancing to election truck music.
‘Something between chaos and harmony…’
For some odd reason, C wanted to chant Namu Amida Butsu.
But every festival ends. The wildly upbeat music finally stopped. Cha Dowon grinned and bowed from the waist. For no clear reason, those around clapped. Strangely, C wanted to clap too.
Clap-clap-clap—
The election promo committee shouted the candidate number at the top of their lungs. Cha Dowon walked off slowly, utterly nonchalant.
C captured every bit on camera.
That’s when it happened.
‘Huh?’
She felt Cha Dowon’s eyes meet hers.
‘He won’t like unauthorized filming, right?’
She debated shutting off the camera when, through the lens, the hottest idol winked faintly.
“Hik!”
C gasped without thinking. Cha Dowon beamed and strode away, asphalt like a red carpet underfoot.
“C-crazy!”
As abruptly as he’d arrived, Cha Dowon vanished. Surroundings slowly regained sanity. But C’s heart still thundered.
Only then did the thought return.
‘What did I just witness?’
Her mind blanked for some reason. Unconsciously, she made the sign of the cross again. Even C didn’t know why.
***
I wiped sweat and climbed into the van’s back seat. The manager drove off as if waiting.
‘The locals are more passionate than expected?’
I figured I’d dance solo and wrap up.
‘Music lovers?’
When elders suddenly joined the dance, the mood flipped instantly.
‘Auntie, this district’s one of a kind.’
Mid-thoughts, the manager asked cautiously.
“Um…”
“Yes. Speak.”
“May I talk?”
What’s up?
“Of course.”
“Um…”
The manager swallowed dryly, oddly.
“T-the dance…”
“Ah, the mood overheated, huh?”
“No, well… Mind if I ask why?”
Why so tentative?
I nodded.
“Ah, why I danced? Hmm, wanted to be the kindness-repaying magpie.”
“Huh? Meaning?”
“Mom passed, leaving Sis and me. Auntie was our only real adult. For her to run for National Assembly…”
Yet she hadn’t leveraged her celebrity nephew.
‘Classic Auntie.’
I covered my mouth, chuckling.
“She’s incredible. Mentioning Cha Dowon kin would draw eyes.”
“Yeah. So I advertised it myself today.”
“Auntie didn’t know you’d dance?”
“Nope.”
She’s swamped now, probably.
“She’ll win.”
“Nah.”
I shook my head at once.
“Voters aren’t fools. They won’t pick her just for celebrity ties.”
“Then why…”
“Auntie’s good people. Lived righteously.”
Once was enough.
“Wanted folks to notice her life.”
That’d open future doors, even if not this time.
“I see.”
“Anyway, no vote from me yet.”
Hope it trends. These things thrive on hype.
“Photos’ll hit SNS.”
“Someone filmed video earlier.”
Fingers crossed it’s good.
I smiled lightly amid thoughts.
***
Program concept: simple.
‘Idol minds kid while Mom’s out.’
Intent: family value stuff, etc. But who reads it? Section chief skips.
‘This extreme, though?’
I smiled awkwardly at camera. Under lights and reflectors, raw questions hit.
“Got a little sib?”
Pre-investigated, yet obvious query.
“I’m the maknae. So, PD-nim. Really okay?”
Worriedly, to camera:
“I know zilch about kids.”
Front PD laughed. Seeing station smiles, I inwardly yelled.
Damn.
‘This is it.’
Fumbling idol newbie parenting—that’s the hook.
‘Zenith from jump.’
Wondered why; now clear.
‘Folks like Jeremy sunbae wouldn’t flinch.’
Grab footage, toss to writers, done.
‘Zenith for raw reactions.’
My flustered face? Their cheers tingled.
‘What if I screw up on baby?’
Deep sigh. Queried daughter-dad managers; meh.
‘Prep never enough…’
PD asked:
“Prepped much?”
Awkward smile.
“Practiced formula, baby food. Starving’s bad.”
PD surprised.
“Hence asking: flag allergies ahead.”
PD rummaged.
“No special ones.”
“No atopy?”
“Nope.”
Healthy, whatever kid.
Camera smile.
“Relief.”
“Prepped tons.”
Shook head pronto.
“This prep? Nah. Clueless, so feeding/sleeping only.”
“Who’d you ask?”
“Managers. Kids grown; forgot heaps.”
PD laughed. Troubled face:
“But us caretaking okay?”
“Dowon-ssi seems fine. One issue, though.”
These punks.
Faux tense, camera gulp.
“Baby’s stranger-shy.”
Damn.
‘Their aim: clear.’
Wailing kid panic—me, Lee Seungjun.
Station tastes, man.
“W-what now?”
“Time’ll ease it.”
One night, yeah. Meets build familiarity; start’s hell.
“If cries buckets?”
Naive act: smartphone out.
“Cha Dowon-ssi, whatcha doing?”
“Video site search: kid-bonding ways.”
Cast covered laughs.
‘Laugh it up.’
Line-drawing tough here.
‘Grab essentials, though.’
Parenting variety goals: two.
‘Seungjun rawness, Zenith image.’
Good, diligent. Profitable haul.
‘Scandal hits Seungjun? “No way” buzz.’
Actual search; PD:
“Ease up, Dowon-ssi.”
“Ah, worried sick. Can I manage?”
Troubled act; station laughs.
‘Fresh visuals, sure.’
Always competent on varieties.
‘Damn.’
Parenting variety? Naive play?
‘Viewers dig this more?’
Ponder-worthy.
“Dowon-ssi. Shoot in week.”
“Yes. Please.”
“Later.”
“Yes.”
Smile-bow; camera off. To PD:
“Baby tiny?”
PD grinned.
“Cha Dowon-ssi, mega-worried.”
“Yeah. Baby.”
“No sweat. Writers tag along.”
“Entrusting us, though. Baby, not kid.”
That; PD stared hard.
“Heard Zenith rumors; legit.”
What rumors, PD-nim?
“Dismissed gossip; whoa.”
Odd noise. Blink; PD:
“Unexpected; hyped now.”
Huh?
“Parenting shows peaked years back. This? No big plan. Long meetings squeezed it out.”
Cheat fault? Stretched those endless.
“But Dowon-ssi attitude? Wanna nail it.”
Trouble.
‘Bad vibe.’
Image-grab ditched. Grin.
Greed time.
“Director-nim. Count me in.”
“Huh?”
“Your masterpiece.”
Still climbing; road long.
“Joking, obvs.”
“Ah.”
“Help, though. PD-nim. I’ll grind.”
Pupils flared.
“Variety ratings topper.”
Long-jawed. Stroked chin, head-scratch.
“Suddenly serious.”
“Wish now. But Director-nim: evergreen talker, video-site smash.”
Mutual wins best. No half-ass.
Jaw quivered.
“Parenting format? Not stale to me.”
Even if; whatever.
‘I’ll force it.’
Grin. Director: long sigh.