Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Genius Idol's Entertainment Conquest Method
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"Muk Hye-seong, you didn't make the kids cry, did you?"
"The kids like me."
"And they like you, looking like that?"
Oh my god. To think there existed someone in this world who could talk to Muk Hye-seong so bluntly without any filter.
It was such a shock that one of the Team Hye-seong trainees from Class 2, who had been sitting nearby, suddenly started hiccupping.
"They like me."
Muk Hye-seong turned to look at Joo Yeon-ho, his face slightly furrowed, but he didn't seem offended.
It felt like this kind of banter was their everyday routine. There was a reason they'd done group projects together for 20 years, after all.
"When I heard this guy was coming out here, I was worried something like this might happen."
"Why say that in front of the kids?"
Ah. I shouldn't laugh, but it's hilarious. He looks just like a big brother teasing his little sibling.
I'd learned during the investigation that Muk Hye-seong was the maknae of his group, but I hadn't expected him to be this much of a baby brother.
Before long, even the polite speech they'd been using for the cameras had been half-discarded.
'So Muk Hye-seong really is the maknae.'
A few people looked relieved, their expressions suggesting that exact thought, when...
In the brief moment he'd been bantering with Joo Yeon-ho, Muk Hye-seong, who now looked noticeably drained, pointed at me.
"Ra-on."
"Yes."
"As class leader, prove it to this guy here."
Jackpot.
I politely clasped my hands together and began.
"Yes. First off, Teacher Muk is my role model."
Thanks for everything, General Yi Sun-sin.
"He's a mentor I respect so much that when we were picking our song, I convinced all my teammates it had to be a Chronicle track. The main reason I wanted the center part was because it's Teacher Muk's part. I really, really like Teacher."
In truth, it was just to build the 'Muk Hye-seong-obsessed' character for the show. But let's judge by appearances only.
The system's half-hearted notification was secondary.
'When did his favorability hit +14?'
It was probably largely due to the blanket +10 favorability boost to all mentors from failing the "Zero F-Rank Trainees" quest last time.
What a joke. All those curses I'd muttered under my breath barely nudged it up a fingernail's width, but one failed quest shot it up by 10 in an instant.
The iron-walled Muk Hye-seong, who was so damn hard to crack, shot a smug look at Joo Yeon-ho as if to say, "See?"
"Hear that?"
"Ah, so you're stabbing me in the ribs to make me take it."
"Why'd I have to call this hyung of all people..."
Muk Hye-seong seemed to deeply regret it at Joo Yeon-ho's deadpan response. It looked genuine.
"Well, enough chit-chat."
Joo Yeon-ho glanced at the paper on the desk and began his feedback in that same gentle tone. In that short time, the atmosphere had loosened up remarkably.
If Muk Hye-seong was ten lashes of the whip and one carrot, Joo Yeon-ho was ten sugar cubes with a playful flick to the forehead.
"Ra-on's every move shows he's clearly studied and observed Hye-seong here closely. You can really feel that what you said earlier about liking and respecting him wasn't just empty words—the details are spot-on. Your basics are rock-solid, like you can tell you're from a major agency. Now you just need to add your own flavor. You can do that, right?"
"Yes!"
For me, who'd only dealt with spicy Muk Hye-seong, or the Team Hye-seong trainees like Ban Yo-han, it was pure healing.
Still, I prefer Muk Hye-seong's feedback. It boosts my comprehension like crazy.
Obviously, an NPC who acts like a foul-mouthed grandma but gives great rewards is better than one who just spouts nice words.
Ah, isn't there an NPC who gives great rewards and nice words?
Stay out of it.
Maybe because we'd done well, Team 2 started their lesson looking a bit deflated.
They seemed lacking in confidence, somehow.
At least Kim Jun-woo locked eyes with me during their practiced performance, suddenly amped up his voice, and carried the mood, so it wasn't a bad finish.
I felt weird, like I'd been used as an awakening potion.
"Looking forward to your stage, then."
"Thank you!"
In that short time, Joo Yeon-ho had boosted the trainees' favorability and left.
And just like that, time flew by until the last day of camp.
After a hazy breakfast, Teams 1 and 2 gathered in one practice room at the production team's direction.
Another lesson today? But no.
"Before practice, we're filming the Romantic Male Lead Selection Contest. This is for the first ranking announcement broadcast."
The production team handed out three script pages per team and told us to pick three people who fit each line.
"I can't do it. Absolutely not."
That was Song Jung-hwan's first reaction after reading the script.
It was understandable. If this aired, it'd be eternal black history GIFs on the internet for a thousand years.
But with my goal of escaping this game in the near future, I volunteered without hesitation.
"I'll do it."
"Alright, On Ra-on's one. Need two more."
I poked Ban Yo-han, who was spectating with a picturesque smile.
"You too, hyung."
"Why me?"
"This stuff is for good-looking guys."
Ban Yo-han nodded like, got it.
"Uh, then I'll do it too."
With Oh Hyun-jin, who wasn't far behind in looks, joining, we quickly finished selecting our players.
The exact rules of the Romantic Male Lead Selection Contest were as follows.
One player per team steps up for a staring contest. They take turns delivering lines, and closing your eyes, looking away, or laughing means you lose.
The more serious you got, the more torture it was for the opponent's straight face.
"...Do it."
"No, heh. Can't hear you."
"......Do it."
"I said I can't hear?"
"I love you! You idiot moron sea anemone sea cucumber!"
The opposing trainee bellowed the childish line, and we burst out laughing. Even our team's player, Oh Hyun-jin, couldn't hold it in.
But that was just the weakest one.
"If God asked me what my sin was, I'd say my only crime is loving the President with all my life."
"I won't say 'hang in there' or anything irresponsible like that. Instead... from now on, this chest is exclusively for the President. Cry on it, cling to it, do both."
"Have you ever seen me smile for anyone but the President? Have I ever hugged anyone else? This is Ban Yo-han saying he loves the President right now."
It was so suspiciously like a male lead from early 2000s web novels that it wasn't funny.
And the honorific "President" made it even more hilarious.
Still, since the trainees were here to rack up screen time, risking eternal black history, they all gave it their all.
Two cameras captured it diligently. Probably close-ups for broadcast.
"Ugh, heh, I'm dizzy from lack of oxygen."
"Hahaha! These kids are crazy, seriously losing it!"
I hadn't thought much of it, but seeing a few up front go all out unexpectedly made me feel the pressure.
My turn. I faced off against Kim Jun-woo, their player. Of all people, you?
Maybe because we knew each other a bit, just eye contact had me fighting laughter. Same for him.
I took a deep breath, suppressed my grin as much as possible, and recited the line.
"I'm sorry. I won't get the surgery. I'd rather die right now than lose my memories of the President. What meaning is there in a life without the President?"
Then something unexpected happened. Kim Jun-woo's bloodshot eyes welled up with physiological tears. Dry eyes, maybe?
No, that's not the point.
'...If I do this well, he might actually cry.'
I wasn't the only one who thought that. Kim Jun-woo's expression flickered oddly for a split second before resetting.
We exchanged a silent signal with our eyes.
I paused, stared into his suspiciously dry eyes, timed it, then delivered the final line with emotion.
"During this one month allowed to me, look only at me. That's my final wish."
As the trait effect popped up—felt like ages since the last one—and I finished, Kim Jun-woo teared up like he'd been waiting.
'Are you the heroine?'
Everyone else lost it. From the moment tears welled in his eyes, people were elbowing each other, rolling on the floor, chaos. When they actually streamed down, they were gasping and choking on laughter.
Even the camera director in the room was covering their mouth, stifling laughs.
"Whoa. He cried, no, you made him cry."
"Crying or getting cried at by this—it's a talent either way."
"I get laughing loses, but what if you cry?"
"No idea, but I'm dying laughing. Seriously, why's he crying?"
Kim Jun-woo blinked a few more times, letting the remaining tears pour out, then wiped his eyes with some tissue he'd scrounged up, his eyes, ears, and cheeks all flushed red.
"No, really, at first it was just eye pain, but by the end, I was genuinely sad and my chest hurt. Why do you make people cry like that, On Ra-on..."
"Hyung, you cried from dry eyes—why blame me?!"
"Shut up, don't ruin the emotion."
"I gave you that emotion!"
Good thing this footage is too good not to air.
As I thought that, our eyes met, and we both cracked up at the same time.
The camp schedule wrapped up around noon.
Vans that had arrived early picked up the trainees one by one as they dragged out their suitcases.
Watching them, I fell into the expected dilemma.
'Where do I sleep this time?'
When the hell can I secure a stable place to live in this game?
I didn't even have the energy to rage at this godforsaken game anymore.
That was when it happened.
Oh?
I mulled over the explanation, hesitated, then dismissed the window without choosing.
This game was so brazenly shitty, but my conscience and sense of propriety were that of an upstanding citizen.
Already realistic enough—having grandpa take me in as a freeloader because of the system felt too icky.
Not quite right. I sent away that one option and lost track of time.
As I sat there spacing out, a shadow fell over me. Probably not too long.
"On Ra-on."
Ban Yo-han in casual clothes, and Seo Moon-gyeol from the same agency.
"Last time, you seemed like you didn't have a proper place to crash."
Ban Yo-han started casually, and the statue-still Seo Moon-gyeol ended it as a question.
"If you're okay with it, wanna stay with us for a while?"
...Is that light? My eyes are suddenly dazzling.
"It's 'cause we're facing the sun."
"...Did I say that out loud?"
"Yeah."
To me, Ban Yo-han was a fox kit who got on my nerves at every turn, but at this moment, I couldn't deny he looked like a damn savior.