Chapter 69
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Threats and the Interview
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After filming wrapped up, Lee Jun-hyung met the woman again.
Unlike yesterday, he set out just one glass and asked in a menacing tone.
"Did you do it right?"
"That bastard's the weird one, I told you? Didn't you see what I did at the end?"
The woman continued in a curt tone.
"And you said you'd pull him aside separately, but you didn't. That moment earlier was barely a gap I found. How am I supposed to seduce him in that short time?"
"That was because of Seo Ji-hye...! Ah, fuck!"
I'd even seen Lee Do-jun sighing like he could barely hold it in. He looked ready to explode if prodded just a little more, but of all times, that's when Writer Seo Ji-hye had to show up.
The woman raised both hands and said,
"I want to quit now. I don't think I can pull this off."
Seduction was a lost cause anyway. Things had gone this far, her pride was wounded, and it didn't seem like he'd come around no matter what.
A handsome idol boyfriend and the role Lee Jun-hyung had promised to hook her up with next were tempting, but she'd have to let them go.
But.
"Quit? If we made a deal, you see it through."
"You saw it yourself—he's not biting. What more am I supposed to do?"
"Then do it until he does. Backing out now?"
"Your words don't match up. You said it'd be a piece of cake! I just wasted my time. I trusted you and passed on two auditions!"
"Fuck!"
Crash!
"Eek!"
"Fucking whiny bitch!"
The thick glass tumbler grazed past her ear and shattered as she screamed and curled up.
Gulp, gulp.
Lee Jun-hyung, chugging whiskey straight from the bottle, spoke in a chilling voice.
"Hey."
"......"
Trembling in terror, the woman couldn't respond.
"Pamper you too much and you forget your place? And you're already an accomplice, got it? If you wanna crash and burn in this industry for life, go ahead and do whatever."
"Th-that was because of you..."
"Yeah, I asked you to. So what? Think you can dump it all on me and walk? Like you couldn't have just said no?"
Tap, tap.
He drummed on the phone sitting on the table.
"Use your fucking head. If someone's gotta take the fall, it's you. You think I haven't handled shit like this before?"
Under the blatant threat, she couldn't even open her mouth.
"So shut up and finish the job. Then I'll give you what we agreed on, no issues."
Finishing on that menacing note, Lee Jun-hyung paused for a moment before snapping his fingers.
"Ah, right! Drinks!"
The woman eyed him anxiously.
"We're all gathering for a cast dinner on the drama's premiere night. You know booze turns everyone the same—men, women, doesn't matter."
"Dinner?"
"Yeah, dinner."
"I didn't hear anything about that..."
"Of course not. You think we'd invite trash like you? Head just for show? Think."
Stung by the blatant insult, she flared up for a second. But recalling how dangerous his eyes had looked when he hurled the glass earlier, she held it in.
"......Anyway, that means I can't go."
At her words, Lee Jun-hyung's narrowed eyes gleamed with something sinister.
"I'll handle that. You just do your part right. I'll even call a reporter buddy ahead of time."
It had been a while since the group had a full schedule.
While waiting for Kim Han-soo in the living room with the members, Kim Ha-woon—who'd been unusually hyped since yesterday—glanced at his watch and muttered,
"When's Team Leader coming?"
No sooner had he said it than the beeps sounded, and the door lock clicked open. Kim Ha-woon practically leaped up and rushed to greet him at the entrance.
"Team Leader!"
"Good morning, everyone."
Behind the impeccably dressed Kim Han-soo as always stood Road, who now actually looked the part of a manager unlike his first impression, bowing in greeting.
"Any issues overnight?"
Kim Han-soo asked dutifully, even though he knew there weren't. Everyone nodded, but then Kim Ha-woon abruptly raised his hand and shouted,
"There was!"
Caught off guard by the sudden outburst, Kim Han-soo asked,
"What happened?"
"I was too excited to sleep!"
Hm.
I wasn't the only one who felt the dorm's vibe chill instantly.
Park Tae-hoo scolded him pityingly.
"Don't spout stupid shit, you idiot. You scared Team Leader."
"He asked, so I answered! Why?"
"You think that's the kinda thing he meant?"
"Not sleeping's a problem too, right? You were excited and up till dawn yesterday!"
Kim Ha-woon fired back sharply in his own way. But Park Tae-hoo parried slyly.
"That was 'cause my roommate kept fidgeting, so I couldn't sleep either."
"At dawn you said you were excited too!"
The two started bickering like always. No one even bothered stopping them anymore. We just let it slide.
Kim Han-soo looked away from them and checked his watch.
"Shall we head out now?"
"Ah, lemme just grab my sunglasses."
Even after I'd popped into my room to grab my stuff, Kim Ha-woon and Park Tae-hoo were still at it.
"Liar!"
"Idiot!"
Their squabbling dragged on even after we piled into the van, until Lee Jae-ha finally let out a deep sigh.
And then.
Thwack!
"Ow!"
"Both of you, shut it. We're in the car."
He quelled them by force. He'd hit so hard it sounded like a watermelon splitting. The two finally went quiet, shooting teary, aggrieved looks.
Kim Han-soo, in the passenger seat, chuckled at the sight.
"Haha, Jae-ha really is the drill sergeant around here."
"Right? Those two can't move an inch if Jae-ha says so. Makes him seem more like the leader sometimes."
It was true—they only listened after a good smack. Naturally, the smacked duo protested.
"No way. What leader's that violent?"
"Yeah! Jae-ha hyung as leader would be a disaster!"
"No leader and it'd still be a disaster?"
Lee Jae-ha turned around, and Kim Ha-woon's mouth snapped shut. He looked like he'd seen something he shouldn't.
I was a little curious what it was, but Jae-ha's face was the same as always when he turned back. Looking at me calmly, he said,
"I like you as leader, hyung. You're solid."
Jae-ha said that, but seeing how the van went dead silent in an instant made me think he fit the role even better than me.
'I thought Jae-ha was the right pick from the start anyway.'
When the offer came, I'd been blinded by the coins and grabbed leader. But thinking about it now, Jae-ha—who'd been with Pida longer—made more sense.
And hey, no reward needed since coins weren't an issue.
Be recognized as leader by members of the same group!
1/3
That quest was still stuck at 1 with zero signs of budging. Stingy as hell for just 80 coins.
'Hey, wanna cancel this?'
No response came back.
Look at this punk pretending not to hear.
While I wrestled with trying to cancel it myself, the van pulled up to the shop. Kim Ha-woon and Park Tae-hoo had already started bickering again, unable to stay still for a second.
Because of that, by the time Jae-ha and I finished makeup and hair, they still weren't done prepping.
Kim Han-soo handed me a drink Road had picked up and sat beside me.
"Anyone'd think you two were best friends."
"Yeah, kinda."
"And... I looked into what Writer Seo mentioned."
"Really? What'd you find?"
I perked up my ears.
How bad did he have to be messing around with women for her to call it out like that? Some dirty rumor I'd only heard whispers of...
"Nothing solid yet."
But Kim Han-soo's words weren't what I'd expected. It was a total letdown.
Did he even dig properly? Still, if Writer Seo said it, she wouldn't base it on empty gossip.
Sensing my doubts, he lowered his voice with a serious look.
"But there's definitely something. When I fished around, even the reporters seemed awkward about it. Like they were hesitant to spill."
"Ah..."
"Nothing worth reporting yet, and since we're working on the same project, they're probably worried we might spread it."
"Makes sense."
"I figured an article might drop soon if she'd heard it, but apparently not."
True—reporters didn't turn every scrap into headlines. Especially not with someone as popular as Lee Jun-hyung.
Celebs, ads, sponsors, media—it was a tangled web.
Trading info for favors, timing articles, holding back. Pre-debut, I had no clue, but after some activity, it clicked.
From sponsorships to PPL, everything needed caution.
"I'll keep digging for now."
"Thanks."
What kind of messy woman troubles did he have to get rumors to even Writer Seo?
To see him shut down speechless, seemed like the only way. Guess I'd trust Kim Han-soo and the company and wait.
"Nail that interview! If they say the makeup's pretty, plug our shop too!"
With cheers from the shop staff, we hopped back in the van.
Smooth sailing got us to the media outlet quick. While Road found parking, Kim Han-soo made a call.
"Pida Entertainment Team Leader Kim Han-soo. Is this Reporter Kim I-seul...? Yes? Understood. We're in the lot now. Got it—we'll head straight to the third floor."
Okay, third floor.
We followed him out and up to three. The elevator doors opened to a scene that made me doubt my eyes.
Piles of documents and books stacked higher than the partitions. Magazines and papers crammed even next to the elevator.
Kim Ha-woon said, wide-eyed in shock,
"Doesn't this look messier than our room?"
No, not even close. How filthy is yours for Park Tae-hoo—who shares it—to make that face?
"Ah! Over here! This way!"
A bright voice called out from somewhere.
Neat ponytail, light makeup, crisp casual suit. And oddly, comfy slippers that didn't match.
The woman's ID badge around her neck clearly read her name in three letters.
Kim I-seul. Guess she was our interviewer today.
"Wow! Do-jun! We finally meet!"
Before we could greet her, Reporter Kim I-seul grabbed and shook my hand. Then she let go, flustered herself.
"Oh gosh, sorry. I'm just so grateful."
Grateful? Not glad to meet?
"It's fine. Nice to meet you too."
"No, no, it's not just nice to meet..."
As she started to explain, a guy appeared looking like he might keel over to the hospital any second.
"This the idol she was always singing about?"
"Yes, Director."
"Heh heh, Briefing's Lee Sun-yong, section chief. Pulled an all-nighter—look at this mess."
He wiped his hands on his pants and stuck one out to me.
......Why the sudden wipe? Makes me uneasy. He didn't just come from the bathroom, right?
"B.O.Y's Lee Do-jun. These are my members and our team leader."
"Pida Entertainment Team Leader Kim Han-soo."
Perfectly timed, he stepped forward with his business card. Reporter Lee Sun-yong swapped cards with a friendly grin.
"Hahaha, Team Leader looks like a model too. Come on our office worker special next time. I'll reach out."
Then he patted Reporter Kim I-seul's shoulder and shambled off down the hall.
"Our section chief's pretty friendly, huh?"
"Kind and nice."
"Ahaha, only to guests, actually. Ah! Shall we move? Follow me."
We followed Reporter Kim I-seul into the interview room.