Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: 14. Virtue Among Virtues (3)
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Jaha wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes after laughing his fill and spoke up.
“It seemed like a serious story at first, but sorry for laughing, hyung. It’s just too funny hearing you say you became a eunuch.”
Of course, I could understand Jaha’s reaction to some extent.
The other members had physically felt their internal energy building up.
But for Jaha, who hadn’t accumulated any at all, how preposterous must it have sounded?
“I know it’s hard to believe.”
“Um… sorry.”
Instead of pretending to believe it, Jaha apologized honestly first.
“How could I? That the CEO made us cultivate internal energy to summon Heavenly Demon hyung, and that’s why the kids who left had their bodies disappear.”
“Have you ever wondered why your hair and eye color changed, or how you can make plum blossoms bloom?”
“That’s because of internal energy? I thought it was like awakening superpowers or something…….”
“It shows up a lot in wuxia novels.”
“I don’t read wuxia much because it’s too hard for me.”
You’re a wuxia idol, but you don’t read wuxia?
“And last time it was a hidden camera prank too. I’m not falling for it twice.”
“To be honest, that one wasn’t a prank either.”
“Come on, now? If I believe you, then everyone else knew and I was the only idiot. That’d make me kinda mad, you know?”
“…….”
Strictly speaking, Jaha wasn’t the last one.
I hadn’t told the Alliance Leader or Nahani yet.
But I hadn’t told those two yet because I suspected one of them might be the Masked Expert.
If I carelessly brought up the Masked Expert, Jaha—who hated suspecting members more than anything—might impulsively explode.
At this rate, I couldn’t even bring up that Namgung Jun was actually missing and his twin brother Namgung Moo was pretending to be him.
I needed to change the subject.
“Do you remember that fan in the pink tracksuit at the fan meeting?”
“Pink tracksuit? Yeah, I do. The big guy. And they gave me a Post-it saying to hang in there.”
Did they give one to Jaha too in the meantime?
“That was Shin Tae-eul.”
“That was Shin Tae-eul……? Their tastes have changed a lot…….”
“It was a disguise. Couldn’t let the CEO spot them.”
Jaha’s expression turned subtly strange.
“Why are you like this? It’s creepy.”
“If you don’t trust me, I’ll call Jun or Tae-eok over.”
“No. I know. You’re not the type to lie to me while dragging Shin Tae-eul into it. But…….”
Jaha’s expression wasn’t one of distrusting my words.
Or just taking it as a joke.
“The CEO treats us so well… There’s no way.”
“Jaha.”
“You know, hyung? How I used to be super fat.”
“Yeah…….”
When Jaha first joined Kichi, he was over 100kg.
That’s exactly why I thought the CEO really had no biases.
The CEO said he saw potential in Jaha.
The current Jaha was truly a gem the CEO had unearthed, the product of thorough management.
“Before joining Kichi, I got bullied just for being fat. Someone leaked my photo online once. But now, you can’t even find my old photos anymore.”
Jaha’s voice grew more agitated and louder.
“Related photos, posts, even my graduation album! Nothing from my old self is left in the world. The CEO did that. I don’t think it was just because it might hurt my idol activities. Once the CEO sees you as his person, there’s no limit to what he’ll do for you. I really like Soeui hyung and Master too… but to me, the CEO is like a god.”
I understood.
I’d thought the CEO was a total asshole too.
Even so, I’d stayed by his side for eight years because I liked the guy.
Jaha kept going.
“I’m certain. Even if I caused a huge scandal that made it impossible for me to continue as an idol, the CEO wouldn’t abandon me. That’s my conviction.”
“But Jaha, it actually happened to the departed members.”
“There must’ve been some misunderstanding. It wasn’t the CEO.”
“…….”
“If you need my help, I’ll help. My hyungs not re-signing and leaving Kichi? I don’t care. Even if the team disbands, I won’t resent you. But I can’t betray the CEO first.”
I hadn’t expected Jaha to trust the CEO so blindly.
Jaha said he wouldn’t resent us even if we all left Kichi together.
But reality wasn’t that kind.
Jaha was the second most popular in Gupailbang.
He had the highest overseas recognition among the members.
And he was the team’s only vocalist.
It didn’t matter who stayed and who left.
If Jaha stayed at Kichi alone, the public would obviously side with him.
Trying to continue Gupailbang without Jaha would make it impossible to function as idols.
“I understand your stance.”
The Heavenly Demon, who had been listening with arms crossed, finally spoke.
“Do as you wish for now.”
“Sorry, Master.”
“But.”
The Heavenly Demon raised his calm gaze steadily to look at Jaha.
“Someday, a moment of choice will inevitably come. When it does, don’t hesitate.”
Jaha sensed the sincerity in the Heavenly Demon’s words and replied with a serious expression, softly.
“…Got it, Master.”
It seemed like convincing Jaha would require something else.
More solid proof.
Or some trigger to change his mind…….
‘Why isn’t Shin Tae-eul contacting me at a time like this?’
For now, Jaha’s participation was on hold.
All that remained was the Gupailbang leader and Alliance Leader, Supreme Sword.
And So-rim’s White Nahani.
Just the task of figuring out which one was the Masked Expert.
* * *
The Alliance Leader had a drama schedule, and Nahani had a variety show, so they’d already left the dorm.
The Heavenly Demon and Namgung Moo also had a recording for ‘Introducing My Favorite’s Favorite,’ so they’d finished preparing and come to the set…….
“Why are you here?”
“I thought you’d want to see me, but guess not?”
Lion CEO was plopped down in one corner of the set.
Had this woman watched all of Gupailbang’s U-Live until 6 a.m. too?
Anyway, since I had something to discuss, this was actually perfect.
“I have a question about the lettering service.”
“Business talk right away? What is it?”
“Has this been discussed with our CEO?”
“Of course. We watched it together.”
…She was watching U-Live with the CEO at that hour?
“You’re wondering what my relationship with CEO Sa is, right?”
“No.”
I said no because admitting curiosity felt like stepping into a trap, then got to my tasks.
I told Dangsa-cheon to distribute the catering to the staff, and as I was briefing the Heavenly Demon and Namgung Moo on today’s content and script, Lion CEO moved closer and watched what I was doing.
She looked like she’d charge admission if I asked.
“Why are you sticking around?”
As I moved for the shoot, I asked Lion CEO, who was still walking beside me, and she smiled awkwardly.
“I came because I have something for you, but Soeui-ssi keeps ignoring me.”
“…….”
I thought she just came to mess around, but she had business.
Had I shut her down too sharply before she could get to the point?
Now I felt bad.
“Sorry. I thought you were just teasing. Go ahead then…….”
“Kidding. I do have something, but just now I was just watching.”
Annoying.
Winking with the Heavenly Demon’s face was hard to get used to.
The Heavenly Demon was frowning too, so he must’ve realized how much he resembled her.
“You decapitated the Lion 6 I gave you on U-Live.”
“Ah, that…….”
The phone used for the sword test on U-Live was mine.
I already had a work phone.
And slashing a phone with the kids’ names on it didn’t seem like something fans would like.
“No need to apologize. We should be grateful for the promo. But that defeats the gift’s purpose, so I brought a new one.”
The CEO pulled a Lion 6 from her pocket and shook it briefly.
But it wasn’t just the Lion 6……
“What’s that?”
“A phone case.”
“…That?”
The phone Lion CEO held up… was mounted on some harness.
I took it from her and unfolded it: a triangular harness from neck to under the chest.
With a hook in the center to hang the Lion 6.
“It’s a sword-proof phone. No point keeping it in your pocket.”
“So… to protect your heart, you’re saying I need to wear something like this?”
“As expected, Soeui-ssi gets it right away. It’s Chochoso’s first variety after becoming the Lion 6 model. So I prepared something special.”
“You want… me to wear this on air?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
The Heavenly Demon spoke up suddenly, startling me as I looked over.
He was eyeing the phone harness with clear interest.
“…You’re going to wear it?”
“This Seat can pull it off.”
You serious?
When the Heavenly Demon actually put the phone harness over his wuxia robes, Lion CEO clapped smugly, looking very satisfied.
“OK, this works. It suits you.”
“It really suits you.”
Even Namgung Moo agreeing with Lion CEO.
“Manager, what do you think?”
“…….”
I couldn’t say a word for a moment.
It was obviously a ridiculous item called a phone harness.
Why did it look okay?
Was this the power of visuals?
“Even the manager thinks it’s fine.”
Pleased, the Heavenly Demon swapped his mounted Lion 6 for Namgung Moo’s phone and started taking selfies.
Lion CEO, staring blankly, asked.
“You don’t know about galpeace yet?”
“What’s that?”
“Like this, bend your arm and do a V.”
These two were casually dropping formalities now.
Lion CEO demonstrated the so-called galpeace with both hands out, and the Heavenly Demon nodded like he got it.
He stuck his index and middle fingers tight together, thrust them forward, and snapped a selfie.
“That’s not how you do galpeace.”
“It’s not galpeace.”
“Then?”
“It’s Heoseoppeace.”
“What’s that?”
“Empty Air Grasping Peace. Shortened to Heoseoppeace.”
“That’s so absurd it’s funny.”
A bad feeling crept in.
The phone harness, Heoseoppeace.
They both felt like they’d get way too popular.
* * *
WeTaxi nickname ‘WuxiaIdolWhat10덕아’.
Shortened to Wuxia10덕, waiting for the live broadcast of ‘Introducing My Favorite’s Favorite’.
Nicknamed Chochoso, this idol variety show had a documentary concept.
For one hour, two performers praised and fanned over each other unedited—that was the main content.
No malicious edits, so fans couldn’t help loving it.
And now, his fave, Namgung Jun, and Heavenly Demon were on Chochoso as fan partners.
Wuxia10덕 clasped his hands and offered a prayer of thanks.
“I trust Heavenly Demon-nim. Mamen.”
His past self, jealous and scheming because Heavenly Demon was getting more push than his baby Namgung Jun, had been so foolish.
While he wallowed in useless anguish, Heavenly Demon-nim had slotted his baby into Lion ads and set him on the god-variety path.
“From today, I withdraw my support for Heavenly Demon. No—from now on, I escape the fan dynamic and become one with Heavenly Demon. Attacks on Heavenly Demon are attacks on me.”
“You’re such a clown.”
Saying that while coming in with freshly delivered chicken.
WeTaxi nickname ‘JahaYaMarryMe’.
It was JahaMarry, who’d keyboard-battled with Wuxia10덕 before.
At the last fan meeting, they’d both bawled seeing the Paemun disciples’ spirit links and exchanged Twitter IDs.
Now they were inseparable fanning mates.
Since their faves didn’t overlap, they surprisingly had lots to help each other with.
JahaMarry plopped the chicken down and slumped next to Wuxia10덕 on the sofa, yawning hugely.
“Fanning is fucking exhausting, seriously. Who does U-Live till 6 a.m.? Filibuster or what?”
“Right? No broadcasts or even WeTaxi posts for weeks, then bam, U-Live all-nighter.”
“Your fave goes and does Chochoso the same morning after streaming till 6. Legend.”
“Jaha got no schedule today?”
“Nope. Jaha’s the weakest link in Gupailbang, needs rest.”
“Won’t Heavenly Demon-nim get tired?”
“‘Two kids’ my ass, now it’s Heavenly Demon-nim.”
“Heavenly Demon-nim is the dove of peace.”
“Bullshit. He’s the villain in the ads too.”
“Yeah. No wings, jumping off the table at dawn.”
Remembering Heavenly Demon’s blank face jumping off the table to recreate the ad during the all-nighter U-Live, the two burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs.
Just then, Chochoso’s opening played, and the two Beggar Clan disciples—barely calming down—wiped tears from their eyes and leaned back on the sofa.
“Haa… Don’t mock our Heavenly Demon-nim. Jaha’s dances were all taught by him.”
“What’s Heavenly Demon’s real deal? Thought he just danced okay, then he drops compositions outta nowhere. Gets us recording without warning. But he seems serious about idol stuff…….”
“Heavenly Demon-nim is Heavenly Demon-nim. Just accept it. His greatness.”
“You switching faves to Heavenly Demon?”
“No?”
JahaMarry glared at the vehemently denying Wuxia10덕 and opened the chicken box lid.
The golden fried chicken, fried in olive oil, glistened lusciously.
She carefully picked one up, feeling the well-fried batter crunch crisply under her fingers.
As JahaMarry brought the drumstick to her mouth, she froze at Heavenly Demon on screen.
Wuxia10덕 froze solid too.
“…What’s that thing around his neck?”
“Dunno?”
In the now-familiar wuxia robes.
Heavenly Demon’s long hair stylishly whipping around, but with some bizarre harness strapped across his chest.
Spotting the Lion 6 hooked in the harness center, JahaMarry doubted her eyes.
-Wi Hwajin: Nice to see you. Heavenly Demon style. This is a phone harness. And this is Heoseoppeace.
Heavenly Demon showed the camera his index and middle fingers stuck tight—Namgung Jun next to him hurriedly blocking it.
-Namgung Jun: H-Hyung, not like that, I think.
-Wi Hwajin: What. You said it was cool earlier.
-Namgung Jun: W-Well, it might look like you’re flipping the bird.
-Wi Hwajin: What’s the problem with this?
-Namgung Jun: Oh god! Straighten your index! N-Not just the middle one!!
“…….”
Over the chaotic screen, the subtitle ‘First time considering edits on our show’ flashed by.
JahaMarry stared at the screen with hazy eyes, then asked Wuxia10덕.
“You really think that looks great?”
“…Let’s just eat chicken.”