Chapter 12 - The Conditions for Becoming a Gentle Idol Leader - Episode 12

12

“‘Pyo Jae-ho, change your hairstyle already. For a kid, you look older than the hyungs.’ He doesn’t really seem that young, though.”

“……”

The studio had fallen into an awkward silence. The problem was that the very reason for that silence looked utterly unfazed.

It had happened too fast for anyone to stop it. Go Young-in stared at Pyo Jae-ho with disbelief, managing to keep his expression in check only because the camera was rolling. You’re a minor… no, fuck, that wasn’t the point. Forget all that—what the hell kind of comment had he just read, anyway?

Couldn’t he see the staff’s horrified faces beyond the camera? It was his own hate comment, too, but for some reason Pyo Jae-ho only went one step further.

After running a hand through his hair once, Pyo Jae-ho turned toward the staff with a genuinely curious expression and said,

“If I’m changing it anyway, I’d have to discuss it with the company. I’ll reject this one. But do people normally ask the company directly about stuff like this?”

He skimmed the live comments on the tablet PC and went on.

“‘Oppa, you’re giving your fans attitude right now.’ Why would I give my fans attitude? ‘Please dye it already.’ That’s the same kind of question. I’d have to ask the company.”

How the hell am I supposed to clean this up?

Go Young-in genuinely felt like crying.

No, it wasn’t that he wanted to cry. It was the damn status window flashing so hard it hurt his eyes, which was making him imagine things. Fuck, don’t go weak. Let’s stay positive.

Of all things, the comments Pyo Jae-ho had read were nothing but hate comments or obvious bait. What a crazy bastard. How did he even manage to pick only those to read? Did he have an endless supply of mental stamina or something? Why was he reading insults directed at himself like it was nothing?

Just read the comments that say something nice.

The kinds of comments that, to anyone else, were clearly impossible to mistake for pure praise. Honestly, who wouldn’t know it at a glance?

…Except for Pyo Jae-ho. Ha, he really was exactly the type to care about nothing except music. Go Young-in had already been wondering if it was fine to leave the group’s sole minor member like that, but Pyo Jae-ho himself looked completely unbothered. Maybe he was overreacting for no reason.

“‘Jae-ho, I’m eighteen, let’s speak casually.’ Why ask if you’re already speaking casually? Of course not.”

…Was he actually doing this knowing full well what he was reading? That was practically intentional negligence.

On top of that, Pyo Jae-ho already had a history of ending up with the disgraceful title of an idol who hated fans—something an idol should never be called—and the nickname of a bait-comment magnet.

It hadn’t ended as a simple little incident; it kept getting dragged back into the light every time people almost forgot about it. There was no way Go Young-in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could forget.

So, more than anyone else, he’d have to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠keep an eye on Pyo Jae-ho and make sure nobody picked a fight for no reason.

Most fans weren’t the kind to attack the artist for snapping at bait comments; rather, they were rooting for him. Push it too far and problems would arise, of course, but a measured, satisfying clapback was something they actually loved.

Still, today was Zero One’s second anniversary, which made it a special case, and Pyo Jae-ho was, among all those comments, completely skipping over the fans’ heartfelt support and selecting only the insane ones. That was definitely a problem.

At least let me know why you’re doing it. You’re not just being careless, right? Surely not.

Why did it keep talking nonsense? One moment it was throwing a fit about making them into a perfect idol group; now it wanted him to overlook even the members’ personalities? That couldn’t be right.

...So this doesn’t count as a social controversy, which means it’s fine?

He wished someone would tell him that the brighter-than-usual glow was just his imagination. My peace and quiet were not fine at all.

It would’ve been better if this had happened off-camera. Doing it in front of the camera was just... right now it was barely at the level of harmless cuteness, so it felt manageable; if he took even one step farther than this...

Go Young-in silently compared the current Pyo Jae-ho with the fight between Cheon Sa-yoon and Kyeon In-woo from earlier. …No.

They’re all awful.

Go Young-in’s muttering was corrected almost immediately.

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