Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Flower's Choice Talk Show (2)
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Urami's efforts only made things more pitiful. Saheok's shit-eating expression showed no signs of improving. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward, and even the MC couldn't salvage it.
In the end, the main PD shouted.
“Ten-minute break!”
Oh no.
I stretched my shoulders and took a sip of water. That's when I exchanged light chit-chat with the other guests.
Even though I didn't want to hear it, her voice reached me.
“I'm sorry. Saheok-ssi.”
“You pig bitch. Lose some weight!”
Ah, that startled me.
I looked around, and all the guests were frozen in shock. I quietly covered A-yeon's ears.
‘Kids shouldn't hear stuff like this.’
I stared at the guy. Saheok, who had just spewed a torrent of unspeakable curses, was barely walking away with his manager's support.
“Wow, that's harsh.”
“She adjusted to match what he wanted!”
“You okay?”
Water droplets plopped onto the studio floor. Urami was trying to hold it in, but tears streamed down her face.
“I'm sorry.”
Urami ran off. I shook my head.
A-yeon pulled my hand away from her ears and said.
“That sister is so pitiful.”
“Yeah.”
“She wasn't even fat to begin with...”
“Even if she were, you don't say stuff like that.”
They were just fellow guests on a one-off show. Who cares if she's fat or skinny?
That's when it happened. The assistant director approached me.
“Dowon-ssi. Mind switching seats?”
“I'm fine with it, but where to?”
“Next to the MC.”
Suddenly, the spotlight was on me. Prime real estate, right there?
‘Ah!’
The reason was simple.
‘They were bored without me. Makes sense, they're all actors.’
None of them were used to variety shows. Honestly, in “Flower's Choice,” the only ones who knew variety were Saheok and me.
“Oh no, looks like I'll have to part from my A-yeon?”
A-yeon was struggling to twist open the cap of her water bottle. I popped it open for her right away.
“Thanks, oppa. Go on. A young man needs ambition.”
I couldn't help but chuckle. My princess was as generous as ever.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
I stood up to head to my assigned seat when the assistant director hesitantly spoke up again.
“Um, Dowon-ssi. One more favor?”
Again?
“Could you please comfort Urami-ssi?”
Huh, why me?
Plenty of people had already gone to console her. Wouldn't familiar colleagues be better than a stranger like me?
“Urami-ssi is a fan of yours, Dowon-ssi.”
No need to think twice. If she's a fan, of course I had to go.
I got right up.
“Where is she?”
“I'll show you.”
The assistant director smiled like he'd been spared and led the way. I followed, lost in thought.
‘But this is a problem.’
I'm not good at comforting people. What now?
‘Women are tricky.’
Unlike my members, who perk up with good food.
There she was at the end of the hallway. The guests who had been consoling her stepped back when they saw me. They looked at me with sparkling eyes.
‘Feels like I'm their last hope or something?’
The pressure was immense.
Urami was sitting on the stairs in the broadcasting station. I approached cautiously and sat beside her.
“Urami-ssi?”
Urami was surrounded by a mountain of tissues, sobbing.
“You okay?”
She shook her head.
“Not at all.”
Of course not. No way she was over it already.
Her face was a mess. I pulled out a fresh tissue and handed it to her. Urami blew her nose loudly into it.
“I, I...”
“Yeah.”
“I've been in broadcasting long enough, you know? Cold rice, hot rice, I've eaten it all. I even pick up spoiled rice pretty well.”
Oh dear.
“But hearing 'pig' just drives me insane. Fuck. Why do I have to take this shit? That goddamn bastard runs his mouth like his lips are glued open.”
Her language was getting rougher.
“That son of a bitch. I should slice him up and turn him into ham.”
I stopped her.
“No food products. What if someone eats it?”
“R-right?”
“Just dispose of it. But nowhere good to dump it. Burning pollutes the air, ocean pollutes the sea.”
Urami laughed through her wadded tissues.
“Yeah, burying it pollutes the soil!”
She laughed and cried at the same time.
‘Laughing at something so small. Poor thing.’
Urami blew her nose loudly again. I handed her another tissue.
“Not sure if this helps, but even if you were skinny as a rail, Saheok would've said something.”
Guys like that are predictable.
“He just can't admit his own waistline is the problem.”
He was hopelessly stupid. Taking it out on someone who did nothing wrong.
Urami laughed again.
“Dowon-ssi, you're in third year middle school, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Got a sister?”
“How'd you know?”
Yumi too—does having a sister show that much?
“You're close with her?”
“Yeah, you got me. Sharp as a tack.”
Urami burst out laughing from within her tissue fortress.
“Here I am getting comforted by a minor.”
“You said you were a fan.”
“Right. A fan. So you came to cheer me up?”
I nodded.
“Man, being a fan pays off!”
Urami emerged from her tissues, beaming.
“Thanks.”
“No big deal.”
“Dowon-ssi, could you help me up?”
I stood and offered my hand. The slightly plump woman rose effortlessly.
“Chin up.”
“Yeah. I'm Urami. Can't fall apart here.”
She's tough.
She marched off briskly. The staff huddled nearby welcomed her back.
‘Hope that helped.’
I let out a deep sigh. What part cheered her up? Women are tough.
Suddenly, Urami turned and shouted.
“Dowon-ssi, look forward to it!”
To what?
“I'll be the magpie that repays the favor!”
Ah.
I chuckled. I bowed quietly.
“Honored.”
“Caw caw, he bowed! So cute.”
I blinked. That wasn't meant to be cute.
‘Can't she see me as cool instead?’
Women really are tricky.
***
Urami returned fully revived. After washing up and perfecting her makeup, she sat back next to Saheok.
‘She's tough.’
Saheok looked extremely uncomfortable. Maybe that's why he avoided looking anywhere but straight ahead, MC aside.
‘But what now?’
Somehow, it felt like the staff were on my side. The writers checked their mics, and I could sense the cameras angling toward me.
“Back on! Standby! Cue!”
I quietly faced the camera.
“Joy, talking corner! I've even tried this!”
The MC was still corny. I clapped anyway.
“Got a note. Wow! Cha Do, Cha Do, Cha Dowon-ssi!”
Me already?
I smiled brightly.
“Have you ever boiled tteokbokki in a bear pot?”
Decent variety material, ruined horribly.
“Yeah. Made about 30 servings once.”
“What, you in business?”
Urami jumped right in.
“Who'd you give it to?”
Nice assist.
“Oh, my members.”
Everyone reacted lively. Urami assisted again.
“You made that much to feed the members?”
“Yeah. When I said tteokbokki, they all requested stuff to add. Fish cakes were basic, boiled eggs, broccoli—total chaos.”
“Oh my! Broccoli?!”
I pretended to count on my fingers what I'd added.
“Oh, that was Minje hyung's order.”
Weirdo tastes.
“Anyway, threw it all in a regular pot, but it wasn't enough. Went big: bear pot.”
Urami asked immediately.
“Did they eat it all?”
“Yeah. Added three ramen packs too. Still, members hugged their plates like they were starving. No one stealing, but their eyes were wild.”
Around now, my SNS tteokbokki pic would pop up on air.
“Told them to eat slower, but Jaeyoon said, ‘Did you spike the tteokbokki with drug powder?’”
Everyone burst out laughing.
“Well, I did add something special.”
Urami shot back.
“What was it?”
“Secret.”
“Come on, tell us.”
I turned away laughing. Several cameras caught it.
‘Yeah. Film me good.’
I'm working hard to make this boring talk show watchable.
“Mushroom powder and shrimp powder.”
“Powders, huh!”
Urami-ssi's assists were top-notch. I gave her a grateful look, and she flashed a V-sign.
‘She's amazing.’
Talk moved on. I sipped water.
Felt eyes on me.
‘Stings.’
No need to check. Saheok.
Ignoring him, I chatted lightly with others. Helped guests struggling with stiff bottle caps.
Just as I unscrewed one for a middle-aged actress, the MC said.
“Hey! Flower's Choice team! Stop staring at Dowon-ssi and focus on me!”
I laughed awkwardly.
‘That's an attack.’
Sure enough, Saheok followed up.
“MC's talking, but local broadcast steals the show!”
“Right! What if everyone's eyes are on Dowon-ssi only!”
Hard to respond.
This talk show didn't do wide shots well. Plus, this was individual screen time.
Casual chat was fine.
Then Urami yelled.
“Can't help it!”
She clawed at her hair.
“Can't look away!”
Over the top, but good reactions. Laughter from the cast.
Sure enough, another guest reined her in.
“Hey, reel it in!”
“Urami-ssi, calm down!”
“Cha Dowon! I love you to death!”
“Just drag her out! Dangerous! Dowon-ssi, watch out! Scary lady here!”
I laughed, looking around. Staff gazes were friendly.
This won't get edited out.
‘Made one good scene.’
Urami's antics ended soon. As cameras rolled, I quietly thumbs-upped. She hearted back with her hands.
The talk show dragged on. Honestly, painfully boring.
***
“Gah!”
The manager stumbled, clutching his shin. Saheok trembled, clutching his head.
“Fuck! Cha Dowon!”
The manager glanced around the room. The latest casualty: the TV. The pricey screen lay cracked on the floor.
‘Am I next?’
The manager turned on the recorder, body shaking. Another loud crash.
“That damn punk!”
Saheok wailed about his back pain.
“Fuck. Fuck!”
The manager adjusted his glasses. He'd watched the show too.
‘We lost.’
Badly.
The manager pictured the middle schooler. Cha Dowon oozed sense from his opening line.
But the real kicker?
‘He pulls people to his side.’
No one disliked Cha Dowon. Staff, guests—all ended up liking the kid.
Even him.
The manager eyed the recorder in his pocket.
‘Not exactly nice, but kind-hearted.’
A boy with strange charm.
Then Saheok yelled.
“Hey!”
“Y-yes!”
“Where's your head at? Cha Dowon got nothing else coming up, right?”
Manager quickly searched his smartphone. Rising star—his name pulled up related searches galore.
‘Normally, no.’
But Cha Dowon was anything but normal.
Manager groaned softly.
“What?”
“He's in a movie?”
Cha Dowon_Gwiju Victory, Cha Dowon_Movie
Something flew again. Manager dodged. The already smashed TV clanged loudly.
“That's set?”
“Press conference today already...”
“Shit! Hey, poke around. Say I'll take his spot!”
“Right, on it.”