Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: 11. A Hair's Breadth Between Idol and Fraud (3)
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[Confirming Heavenly Demon hasn't gone to China yet lololol (photo)]
[Where's this?]
[Zhu Zaha Road. They said it's MV filming.]
[Isn't that guy the Heavenly Demon's stunt double?]
[You believe that lololol What stunt shoot has the CEO and head manager both showing up? It's the Heavenly Demon for sure, pretending otherwise because of the controversy lololol]
[Fr, anyone can tell it's him, but CEO shamelessly goes "This is the Heavenly Demon's stunt double."]
[It was so ridiculous I pretended to buy it lololol]
[Is there another guy in Korea with that height and hair like that? ㅠㅠ]
[What's that in the Heavenly Demon's hand? It's the official color—don't tell me it's official merch.]
[Looks like a fan? Probably selling ones with the members' names randomly scribbled on them again.]
[Don't release merch for a member about to leave soon. Even on Carrot Market, Tang Clan merch doesn't sell.]
[But is that Tang Clan kid back as a Kichi trainee?]
[Who's the Tang Clan kid?]
[The one cosplaying Heavenly Demon on set.]
[Late fans wouldn't know. Tang Fourth Heaven, the one who trained forever. Heard she left when Namgung Jun debuted, but seeing her today, looks like she's back?]
[With that name, where else could she go if not Kichi lolol]
[Heavenly Demon must be leaving soon. Spot opened up, so Tang Fourth Heaven's back. Fans still believing in Heavenly Demon after this, wake up lololol Your oppa's here to earn foreign currency lololol]
[Accounts stirring shit are from 'that' fandom. If you're another fandom, mind your own business?]
[You guys nitpick our oppas all the time, you xx fans.]
[Said "'that' fandom" and you freak out? lololol]
[You quoted and replied to my post, asshole.]
[Plagiarist group fans sure talk a lot lololol]
[This concept, Green Forest did it first, okay?]
[Yeah, next they'll get sued by the Jogye Order like that male idol^^]
[After Green Forest, Heavenly Demon looks like a fairy. At least she gives hit songs before leaving lololol]
I let out a sigh of relief after scrolling through tweets from a few name Beggar Clan Disciples I followed.
'Fandom fights can be a welcome sight sometimes.'
As the CEO said, sightings of the Heavenly Demon spread like wildfire across SNS.
The Beggar Clan Disciples still seemed distrustful of her.
But thankfully, one of the Green Forest fandom names was pulling aggro, and reevaluation posts for the Heavenly Demon started popping up fast.
'Blood is thicker than water, huh.'
I couldn't stand seeing the Green Forest kids get all cocky from this.
I was pondering how to turn this around when Dang Sa-cheon, who kept glancing at my phone screen while driving, cautiously spoke up.
"Um... I have an idea for you, family head. Care to hear it?"
Dang Sa-cheon without the Heavenly Demon wig had blue-dyed hair.
He looked exhausted with dark circles under his eyes, but he had that distinctive sensitive charm they called the "Kichi look."
Seeing him like this really drove home that he used to be a Kichi trainee.
Dang Sa-cheon, who had appointed himself my lackey and driver, spilled his plan smoothly on the way to the Gu Pa Il Bang dorm.
From leaking the recording to lure the Heavenly Demon, he seemed like a schemer in his own right, so no harm in hearing him out.
"Speak."
"Why not just reveal that you're the real Heavenly Demon?"
Stopping at a light, Dang Sa-cheon continued with a serious face.
"If you come clean about being from another world, at least you can clear up the China rumors. Call it the 'I Am Iron Man' strategy."
I figured he'd spout nonsense, but it was a pretty solid idea.
He was the type to spike the CEO's tea with laxatives, but that took planning and execution too.
Being able to slip something into the CEO's tea without anyone noticing was impressive in itself.
But.
"Not the right time yet."
The 'I Am Iron Man' strategy was for after leaving Kichi smoothly without renewing.
To use when debuting under my own agency.
"So you do plan to reveal your identity someday?"
"That, and the Heavenly Demon has no intention of hiding anyway. She'll get found out even if we do nothing."
"Fair enough."
Dang Sa-cheon nodded in agreement, probably recalling how she smacked him with the fan.
The Heavenly Demon, arms crossed in the back seat, grumbled.
"Why's this guy coming along?"
"Because he knows your identity."
"Knows it?"
"And he listens well."
"Are you saying this seat doesn't listen to you?"
How'd his instincts get so sharp?
I shook my head politely and added.
"I'm asking the CEO to assign him as assistant manager."
Dang Sa-cheon, driving, jumped in surprise.
"Me?!"
"You trust this sketchy guy to manage things?"
He was sketchy, true.
But leaving a guy with internal energy out of sight made me uneasy.
And from what he'd done, leaving him alone would lead to bigger trouble.
Better to keep him close.
"Think of him as a bodyguard."
"This seat needs no bodyguard."
"What are you talking about? He's my bodyguard, obviously."
"M-me, your bodyguard...!!"
Hiring a bodyguard on the CEO's dime?
Sweet deal.
But the Heavenly Demon scoffed.
"A guy who drops after two million volts? Some bodyguard."
"He held out once, didn't he? That's enough."
"Hmph... Fine. Handle your bodyguard however. Sometimes crazy needs crazy."
Was the CEO one of the crazies she meant?
Dang Sa-cheon gripped the wheel tightly, face flushed with excitement.
"You're hiring me as bodyguard even after what I did!"
"Opposite. I'm doing it because of what you did."
"Honestly, quitting Kichi left me with no prospects. Getting this chance... I must be lucky...!"
He was lucky.
Did Dang Sa-cheon know?
Failing to debut in Gu Pa Il Bang was his greatest stroke of luck.
Without the laxatives, the CEO would've never let him go, even over her dead body.
No better type to groom as a murim man.
But something felt off.
"Our agency pays trainees monthly, right? Provides food and board too, so no real expenses. You must've saved up."
Dang Sa-cheon chuckled and replied proudly.
"Spent it all stalking the Heavenly Demon."
The Heavenly Demon turned to me.
"Still hiring this guy?"
"I'm regretting it a bit, so zip it."
Maybe I should cancel now.
But for now, I needed Dang Sa-cheon.
Because...
* * *
We arrived at the Gu Pa Il Bang dorm.
Namgung Jun and Dang Sa-cheon spotted each other and freaked.
"Whoa!!"
"Dang Sa-cheon?!"
The Heavenly Demon smirked at the sight.
"Namgung scum's surprise makes sense. But why are you shocked? I told you we were meeting Namgung Jun."
"No... You said meeting Namgung Jun, so of course I'm shocked...?!"
The Heavenly Demon raised one eyebrow like what the hell, while Namgung Jun visibly panicked and grabbed Dang Sa-cheon's shoulder.
"D-Dang Sa-cheon! Long time no see. Remember me? Namgung Jun."
"What? Why are you here...?"
"Why am I here? I'm a Gu Pa Il Bang member."
I answered flatly for Namgung Jun, and Dang Sa-cheon's expression turned weird.
The Heavenly Demon frowned at me.
[What's with these idiots?]
To her telepathy, I shrugged like just watch.
"Let's head to my room first. Cameras here."
The idol-murim cohabitation chaos show was still airing popular, so cameras lingered in the dorm.
Dang Sa-cheon passed shyly, flashing a small V-sign.
The Heavenly Demon, trailing last, shook her head.
In the room, Namgung Jun spoke first.
"Um... I actually need to talk to Dang Sa-cheon. Mind if we step out?"
Unexpectedly, Dang Sa-cheon agreed.
"I need to talk to Namgung... Jun first too."
"Yeah?"
I stared at them blankly, then nodded like go ahead.
Namgung Jun couldn't hide his relief, gesturing to Dang Sa-cheon.
Dang Sa-cheon glanced at me before following, but.
My casual question froze them both.
"Not Namgung Jun, right?"
"......!"
Dang Sa-cheon and Namgung Jun whipped around, startled.
Can't let these two act.
"M-manager hyung... What do you mean? If I'm not Namgung Jun, who am I...?"
"Dang Sa-cheon."
Ignoring Namgung Jun, I asked Dang Sa-cheon.
"You trained with Namgung Jun for five years, right? So you'd recognize him anywhere. Yeah?"
"Y-yeah."
"Then tell me. Is that guy Namgung Jun?"
"......"
Dang Sa-cheon hesitated, sweating bullets.
Namgung Jun glanced nervously, forcing an awkward smile.
"Manager hyung, why say weird stuff... Y-you promised to help me..."
"I did. But Dang Sa-cheon says he saw you with a recorder at the hot springs that day. What do I make of that?"
Namgung Jun paled, staring at Dang Sa-cheon.
Dang Sa-cheon laughed awkwardly, rubbing his head.
"Uh, well... See, with my brilliant mind thinking it over! It's not Namgung Jun. Haha."
"Sa-cheon-ah."
"Yes."
"I'm quitting Kichi."
"What?!"
"Huh?!"
Namgung Jun gawked too.
I kept going.
"I'll leave here and start my own agency."
"......!!"
"You know, anyone with two-plus years in an agency can start one. I've done eight at Kichi. Got the connections, the money."
Salary doubled handling the Heavenly Demon.
Severance will be hefty.
"Hyung... You've been plotting something way bigger than I thought...!"
I stared at awestruck Dang Sa-cheon, then smiled.
"I'll debut you there as one of the Five Great Clans."
Dang Sa-cheon's eyes widened.
"D-debut? As Five Great Clans concept...?"
"You want to be an idol again."
That's why you stalked the Heavenly Demon to stir controversy.
Dang Sa-cheon's eyes shook hard.
"You can do it. Idol."
"Hyung...!"
"But tell me. Is he really Namgung Jun?"
"No way!"
Dang Sa-cheon agonized, then bowed his head.
'Hmm. Unexpected.'
Thought he'd spill immediately.
Even this nutjob had a tight lip sometimes.
I turned to target Namgung Jun.
But Dang Sa-cheon muttered softly, head down.
"That guy's name is Namgung Mu..."
Dang Sa-cheon snapped his head up, pointing sharply at Namgung Jun—no, Namgung Mu.
"He's Namgung Jun's twin brother!"