Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Truth Game
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“Back in elementary school.”
“With who?”
“With my desk mate.”
I pretended to listen to the leader’s words.
“Was it real? Did tongue come into play?”
Yoo Hajin flailed his hands in panic.
“W-what do you mean! No way!”
The MC smirked.
‘So that’s what he wanted to see.’
I glanced at the director. He looked satisfied, like he’d gotten the shot he wanted.
‘He doesn’t give a damn about our image.’
Not that it mattered—they wouldn’t even let us go to the hospital.
“Alright, next person up.”
This time it was Kang Minje. The MC jumped right in.
“Hand on the detector. Do you think you’re handsome or not? Hush?”
“Yes!”
Damn. I stared at the purple Hush member’s face.
‘You really think that?’
The MC asked again.
“You mean it?”
“Yeah! Why not? I’m handsome!”
Sure, whatever.
‘Beauty’s in the eye of the beholder.’
Not my problem. The MC turned to Kang Minje.
“What about you, Minje? Do you think you’re handsome or not?”
“No.”
No current flowed through the lie detector.
‘Didn’t see that coming.’
His face was ridiculously neat and tidy. I figured he knew it, but apparently not?
“Wow, really? But you are handsome, Minje!”
“Thanks. I just don’t like my face.”
I struggled to hide my twisted expression.
‘That’s kinda obnoxious in its own way.’
Sure enough, the purple Hush face in front of him crumpled.
“Really? For real?”
“Yeah.”
The lie detector stayed silent—truth.
“Wow, okay. Tie game, then—next question! Have you thought someone was pretty lately or not? Hush?”
“No!”
For a split second, current surged, and the purple Hush twitched like a fish out of water.
“Who? An idol? Actress?”
“Can’t say! I only have eyes for my Hush Hush!”
That just makes it more suspicious. Not my business, though.
The MC turned to Kang Minje.
“Have you thought someone was pretty lately or not?”
Kang Minje smiled as he answered.
“Yes!”
“Who?”
“One of our Zenith members.”
The MC suddenly looked our way. I kept my face neutral.
‘Master of deflection.’
Using the members as a shield—classic Kang Minje.
“Which member?”
“Dowon!”
I clenched my fist, then released. Barely held back from kicking him square in the solar plexus.
“Yeah, he’s kinda pretty. Prettier than most girl idols, even.”
I felt the camera zoom in on me. I shook my head frantically and shouted.
“Girl idols are prettier!”
Compare apples to apples! Don’t lump a dark-skinned guy like me with cotton-candy girl idols!
My irritation made the cold sweat worse. I took a quiet breath. A drop slid down my forehead to the floor.
‘This side effect is no joke.’
I was wiping it with the handkerchief the stylist had slipped me when the MC moved on.
“Zenith takes two rounds now. Hush, is this how you do it? Next member up!”
This time Ki Jaeyoon went out, sauntering casually—worrying, honestly.
“Did you go to the bathroom this morning or not?”
I furrowed my brow.
‘Answer carefully, Ki Jaeyoon.’
Don’t be too blunt. You’re an idol.
“Zenith first! Bathroom this morning or not?”
“Yeah!”
The lie detector stayed quiet.
“Did it go well?”
“Yeah! I go great every day! Super smooth and satisfying!”
I shook my head.
‘Maybe tone down the details.’
You want fans after that? Clueless idiot.
“Perfect poops every time, huh? Alright, Hush?”
This Hush had pink hair.
“I go great too. Ow!”
Lie. Huh.
‘An idol who struggles with constipation…’
Girls’ fantasies must be so pure.
“Sounds rough. Try some probiotics!”
“No! I’m fine! Ow!”
Confirmed.
“Zenith wins again. Hush, too much? Last round! Top-grade Hwangsung Hanwoo steak on the line!”
The Hushes yelled they couldn’t lose. Yoo Hajin eyed my cold sweat with concern.
“I’ll go next.”
“You okay?”
“Not really.”
I pretended to stumble forward. The MC’s eyes flickered with something complicated, then cleared.
“This could be the final round! Take a seat.”
The Hush in front of me had orange hair. He glared.
‘What’s his deal?’
I quietly turned to the MC.
“Sexy girls—yes or no? Hush?”
The Hush jumped up.
“No! Hate ‘em! Ow!”
“Lie!”
Huh.
‘Not a big deal, but tricky question.’
Say no and you’re a lying idol. Say yes and you’re spilling secrets.
Honesty’s probably safest here.
“Zenith?”
“Me too—no.”
My fingertips stung. But I didn’t flinch.
‘More bearable than I thought.’
No one noticed the shock. Right on plan.
“Really? Why? Hate them that much?”
I flashed a bright smile.
“I like a different type.”
The camera pressed in close. Obvious even without good eyesight—close-up.
‘Come on, MC. Play along.’
I’m setting up for a different question.
“Oh? What’s your ideal type?”
Bingo.
I looked straight at the camera.
“Not a specific type—older women.”
The writers murmured. The MC nicely followed my lead.
“Why?”
“They’d forgive obsession two or three times.”
The female writers gasped, hands over mouths. I shyly turned my head.
“No way! Why are the writers fangirling!”
The camera pulled back a step. The MC turned to Hush.
“You guys lost this one.”
“Hey, seriously! Isn’t their lie detector busted?”
I quietly slipped my hand out and put the detector on the orange Hush’s hand.
“Hush, sexy girls—yes or no?”
“I only have eyes for my Hush Hush. Ow!”
Orange twitched like tuna. Felt pretty zappy—he couldn’t take it.
The MC pressed on.
“Our idols! Zenith wins!”
I gave a soulless reaction, pretending to cheer. Didn’t forget to wipe sweat and tremble a bit.
“How’s the match today, Hush?”
“Rematch! No way! Invalid!”
“Zenith?”
Yoo Hajin awkwardly smiled with the Hanwoo set.
“Honored to compete with the seniors.”
Hushes screamed lie.
“Our idols! Everyone, bow!”
I bowed to them. Soon, the director called cut.
Cameras off, I actually stumbled. Lee Seungjun grabbed my shoulder.
“Hospital, now.”
I gave an awkward smile.
“Gotta say hi first. What’s the rush?”
I wiped sweat and greeted the staff one by one. Some looked unsure, but the director took it casually.
“Good work.”
Good work my ass.
‘Get ready to eat shit.’
Broadcast execs might be untouchable, but they gotta take responsibility. Right?
I exhaled hot breath and bowed deeper. Greeting everyone eventually led me to the Hushes.
They couldn’t meet my eyes. Total one-eighty from their variety antics earlier.
“Good work, seniors.”
Now eat shit.
Not one apologized to the end. Yeah, they’re done for.
Finished greetings and turned—manager rushed over.
“Crazy ambitious bastard! Hospital! Car’s waiting! Lobby, quick!”
“Manager, that our last schedule today?”
“Yeah. Skipped ‘Immortal Song’ practice for it.”
“Then tomorrow—what time’s the first?”
“Music show by 10. Salon first? Why?”
“No reason.”
I pulled out the smartphone from my pocket.
[Cheat Mode 1/3]
[Cha Dowon: Pass out for 3 hours starting in 5 minutes]
[Change complete. Body altered.]
[Side effect: Extreme hunger 3 hours later.]
[Cheat Mode 2/3]
Down the elevator to the lobby—way more people than usual.
“What’s going on today?”
“Oh, L Broadcasting Station president took lobby money from a politician. Social and political reporters everywhere.”
Wow, live right and God provides.
Right in the lobby center—vision went black like it was waiting.
Thud—
I deliberately hit hard. Let everyone see.
Eyes gathered a bit. I twitched my lips.
‘Now.’
I slowly collapsed to the floor.
“Dowon!”
Lee Seungjun’s shout. I clenched my fist.
‘Dear reporters in the lobby, please—just one—take interest.’
Even a generic celeb article online works. With that wish, I blacked out.
***
L Broadcasting Station lobby buzzed. Most reporters sat on the marble floor, eating or drinking.
“Ugh, when’s that president asshole coming out?”
Three days holed up already.
Kim the reporter tsked at the rookie.
“Who knows, not showing. Hey! ‘Asshole’ and ‘bastard’—keep it clean, please. Rookie.”
“‘Bastard’ doesn’t cut it. Been here two days. Sick of crashing! Wanna shower so bad.”
“Journalist’s fate—suck it up.”
Rookie pouted with a sigh. Then, amid the drab crowd, a shiny celeb walked out.
“Whoa! Zenith!”
Senior reporter next to him asked.
“What?”
“Hot idols lately. Fun MV. Noobs to boobs?”
“What’s boobs. Keep it classy.”
“‘Wet dolls’ ‘cause they’re drenched—pervy senior’s dirty mind gets smacked. Whoa, first time IRL—handsome as hell.”
Kim eyed the idol from the elevator.
“Eh, lanky.”
“Huh?”
Thud—
Sudden noise—he turned. The shortest member slowly fell forward.
Kim snorted snotty breath.
‘What the.’
Buff member behind caught him, but he looked out cold.
Rookie pointed.
“Hey, isn’t that Dowon?”
“He collapsed? What? Malnutrition?”
Whatever, the fallen idol looked bad. Manager yelled frantically.
“Hey! Crazy ambitious bastard! Wake up!”
Rookie tilted head.
“Crazy? Ambitious?”
“Nickname? Wet dolls too—their nicknames are all weird.”
Crowd lost it one fainted—murmurs exploded. Not just him—lots of reporters eyed the idol.
“Manager bro, Dowon’s feverish!”
“Burnout spread? Damn! That director wouldn’t let him to hospital!”
Rookie’s eyes sparkled.
‘Smells like a story.’
Better than some station prez lobby scandal.
Another member looked at murmuring lobby.
“Hospital first!”
“Yeah!”
Buff guy hoisted the crazy ambitious one.
Rookie watching it all said.
“Senior, I’ll tail ‘em!”
“Hey! You’re not entertainment desk!”
“Who knows when prez shows! That’s juicier! Be back soon!”
“Hey!!!”
Rookie bolted. Senior sighed deep.
“Probably nothing…”
He trusted rookie instinct somewhat as senior. But one fainting celeb—what’s the big deal?
Kim tilted head. Wanted to stop him, but bus had sailed.