Chapter 36
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Gwigok Lodge Special (3)
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I took Eun Hae-sol back to the room with me.
As soon as I opened the door, a lavish antique-style interior came into view.
"The first-place room really is something else."
I muttered around a cookie I'd popped into my mouth from the plate on the wooden table.
"Not sure what the other rooms are like."
I chewed on the cookie for a bit, then locked eyes with Eun Hae-sol.
"Want one?"
"No."
No wonder he had no appetite.
After swallowing my bite, I sat down on the sofa opposite where Eun Hae-sol was seated.
I slowly opened my mouth as I looked at his darkened expression.
"Alright, looks like we're in for a heavy talk."
I pulled up the fan sign event behind-the-scenes self-cam video on my smartphone and set it on the table.
[Right. You're taking good care of Sophia, yeah? Since you kept going on about...]
[...when did you give it?]
[Like three days ago?]
I stopped the video and spoke up.
"That's the part they're twisting into their rumor fodder, right?"
I snapped my fingers in front of Eun Hae-sol's thoughtful face.
"Don't worry too much. Once it's clear Sophia's a plant, the rumor will vanish."
Eun Hae-sol nodded.
"The issue is how we prove Sophia's a plant."
"Should I just clarify it on SNS?"
"No. If we say it's a plant with no evidence, they'll only dig in harder. We need something solid."
The guys who'd already cemented the rumor calling Sophia his foreign girlfriend would just mock us if we posted something like 'Sophia's a plant.' Hell, it might even spawn suspicions like 'Caught dating, so he bought a plant to fake it?'
In a situation like this, we needed ironclad proof.
"Any old photos from before the rumor? Like pre-rumor shots."
Eun Hae-sol shook his head with a troubled look.
"I don't really take photos."
"Think hard. You've raised it for months—no way there's not a single pic."
"Sorry, there really aren't any."
Silence fell.
I'd figured since he'd had it since before the dorm, there'd at least be a photo.
My throat felt parched. If there was anything, I could've figured something out.
It felt like being trapped on a completely gridlocked highway.
'I told him to come clean confidently, so I can't back out now.'
I'd gotten too fired up reading those posts and spoken too rashly.
No photos? Then we'd have to find another way...
Just then, Eun Hae-sol lifted his head like something had occurred to him.
"Ah. Come to think of it, I do have footage."
Eun Hae-sol started rummaging through something on his smartphone. Soon, he handed it over with an unidentified video playing.
[October 5th. Weather's clear today.]
In the frame, Eun Hae-sol stood leaning against the window.
Sophia sat on the windowsill.
[Today, I adopted a plant. I named it Sophia. Worried I'd forget, so I wrote 'Sophia' big on the pot. I'll talk nicely to it a lot and play music for it too.]
The video ended after a few minutes of him explaining his daily routine.
I leaned back against the sofa and closed my eyes. A sigh of relief escaped me soon after.
'We're good.'
I handed the smartphone back and asked Eun Hae-sol.
"When did you film this? You do vlogs or something?"
"I never posted it online. My counselor suggested filming a daily diary video once a day, so I did."
"You went to counseling too?"
Eun Hae-sol hesitated before answering.
"Yeah. First time telling you, hyung. I was going secretly."
Makes sense. From what I remembered last time, Eun Seong-sik had been dead set against psych ward admission, so sneaking around fit.
"Alright, now..."
All that was left was smashing the rumor those bastards had so painstakingly built—in one blow.
"Time to show them that all their energy went into piling up nothing but a sandcastle."
I'd racked my brain on how to dunk on them perfectly, and came up with a plan.
It was simple.
"Can I post something on the official account for you?"
* * *
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat a few times and leaned into the mic on my desk.
"Hey there, Ttaldeok Party TV subscribers. Your host from Ttaldeok Party here~"
I'm what people call a cyberlekka. I deal in hot-button idol drama that racks up views.
I started my cyberlekka channel in earnest last year.
Last year, after graduating college, my unemployed life kicked off.
Tried job hunting, but nothing for the resume. GPA in the toilet. TOEIC score trash. No certifications. Zero awards.
Figured a diploma was enough for some mid-tier company, right? But the place I landed was crawling with asshole boomers.
Every slip-up, they nitpicked with their smug faces.
'Fucking hell. People make mistakes. What makes you so perfect, boss?'
Got fired after two months, and that's when I realized the world is a filthy unfair place.
After that, holed up at home gaming, eating junk, loafing. Snapped to one day—bank account at zero.
Hunt for a job again? Beg under some schmuck?
Meanwhile, idols my age rake in billions, living that "glow-up" life everyone's yapping about. And me?
'Life's fucked!'
Pondering easy money gigs, it hit me.
'What if I upload videos and get ad revenue?'
Made the channel. Nine subscribers. Videos? Crickets.
'Something more clickbaity?'
One day, saw an idol flub a stage.
'Tsk tsk, deserves the hate.'
But comments? All 'It happens.' 'You did great ㅠㅠ' shielding bullshit.
'I fuck up, boss chews me out, fired. He fucks up, swims in cash and fan shields. Easy fucking life.'
Pissed, I dropped a savage roast video on the idol's stage fuckup. Views and subs skyrocketed.
Seemed like his haters jumped on board.
'Huh? This is sweet.'
That's how the cyberlekka grind began. People call it leeching off others' lives, trash. But I'm proud of my work.
'I make objective content videos, you mutts!'
Gotta upload diligently today too.
"Today's hot topic: Rising rookie group Manwol's Boys member Eun Hae-sol's dating scandal~"
Spent about seven hours recording narration, slapping on subtitles, editing. Done.
'Kid already got a foreign gf? Time he ate some shit.'
About to upload when an SNS alert pinged.
Notification from the Manwol's Boys account I followed for lekka fuel.
'What? What's up?'
Tapped the popup.
[Manwol's Boys Official]
Moon Rabbits! How've you been? Dropping an old vlog ♥
Hit play.
[Today, I adopted a plant. I named it Sophia. Worried I'd forget, so I wrote 'Sophia' big on the pot. I'll talk nicely to it a lot and play music for it too.]
'What the hell.'
My hands started shaking.
'Sophia's the plant's name? So what the fuck did I waste seven hours on?'
Slammed my fist on the desk, roaring.
"Fuck!"
Jumped on Yeonjapge, rage-typing a comment.
- Putting on a whole show to dodge the dating rumor lol where's proof that's from back then? Idols gotta eat rumors like that, explaining every one looks so desperate lololol kek
Leg bouncing, watched the likes climb in real-time. Calmed me down.
"Yeah. I can remake the video."
Back to the channel—ad revenue suspended due to mass reports.
* * *
Eun Hae-sol stood up.
"Thanks, hyung."
Used to only see him all prickly, but lately his personality seemed way more relaxed.
I shrugged.
"No biggie. I should've watched my words on camera from the start."
"No. Not your fault, hyung."
In the warm vibe, Eun Hae-sol gave a quick bow and headed out.
"See ya later."
"Yeah, you too."
As soon as he was gone, my face hardened. Grabbed my smartphone.
Opened the messaging app.
[Jeong Eun-ho]
Heo Seung-tae. Got a sec?
Reply came quick.
[Heo Seung-tae]
What's up?
[Jeong Eun-ho]
You know how to check a video's filming date?
[Heo Seung-tae]
Oh, that? Easy~ Just check the metadata.
[Jeong Eun-ho]
Mind doing me a favor?
Explained the whole deal to Heo Seung-tae. Instant reply.
[Heo Seung-tae]
Thought I was saving the world! Wasting premium talent on this ㅉㅉ
Grumbled but agreed anyway—that's Heo Seung-tae.
[Jeong Eun-ho]
Thanks man. I'll pay you back later.
[Heo Seung-tae]
What're friends for~ Fighting!
Thirty minutes later.
A post presumed from Heo Seung-tae popped up on Commudakota.
[Title]
Manwol's Boys: First Idol to Date a Plant (feat. Sophia's a Dicot)
[Body]
Rumor hit Yeonjapge recently. Fake post claiming Eun Hae-sol dating some foreign gf named Sophia lol
Then today's Manwol's Boys official drops a vlog revealing Sophia's a plant ㄷㄷ
Yeonjapge clowns twisted 'When'd you give it water?' into 'When'd you give her the talk?' for their bullshit.
Noise reduction on QA, amp that part's volume—clear as day 'When'd you water it?' lololol
Yeonjapge fucks got ears and brains for show? Denying the vlog's old footage lol
Checked myself—it's def from way back ㅇㅇ
Just in case lol IT perks, no edit traces either ㅎ Stop the hateboners y'all^^
[Comments]
- lololololololol
- pfft lololololol
- Plant lolololol built it up so hard and the gf's a plant lmao present af lololol
- Yeonjapge? Place full of celeb-hating trash anyway.
- Ugh! Embarrassing. Why live like that?
- Manwol's Boys fandom gets sadder the more I see... Stuck with weirdos
- World's first celeb to date a plant: Manwol's Boys...
- Eun Hae-sol rumor too but dude just turned adult? No time for clubs post-debut, so pre-debut sighting? Remembers a face from brushing past in the bathroom lolol
└ Total fake lol
└ People buy that shit?
- Yeonjapge: Stomping rising rookies for kicks... Normies don't care
- Don't drag Yeonjapge posts here, gross
It's over.
Don't care how Yeonjapge reacts—obvious.
Probably shaking, consoling each other right now.
'Should be quiet for a while.'
Stretching when a knock came from outside.
"Filming resumes!"
Heart swelling with anticipation for whatever game awaited, I headed out.