Chapter 128
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 128
Screams erupted from the fans.
[Aaaaaaaah!!!!!!!]
[Whoaaaaaa! I seriously didn't see this coming! Fck fck fck fck! Aaaah, Ji-won-ah!]
Could this really be happening?
"Huh? What???"
"Seong Ji-won!! It’s you! It’s you!"
"Me? Is it really me?"
An excited Kim Seong-hyeon grabbed Seong Ji-won’s shoulders and shook him. Ji-won had been nominated, but he never imagined he’d actually win an award for the Please Take Care of the Camera OST. Truly stunned this time, he stumbled back.
"Hurry, go."
"Ah, right..."
Only after the members pushed him forward did Ji-won snap out of it. He bowed repeatedly to the pouring applause as he made his way up to the stage.
He was smiling, but the members, who spent nearly twenty-four hours a day with him, could tell. Seong Ji-won’s face was filled with question marks.
Fortunately, by the time he stood before the microphone, he seemed to have calmed down enough to look composed.
"Congratulations, Seong Ji-won!"
Yoo Ji-ah handed him the flowers, and Min Ji-heon presented the trophy.
As he received the flowers, Ji-won looked so overwhelmed with emotion he didn't know what to do with himself.
I didn't think it meant much at the time, but I suddenly remembered how Ji-won had clapped so hard the moment Yoo Ji-ah appeared during Shining Star.
"T-thank you. I’m Seong Ji-won. This is an award I truly didn't expect to receive... Um, I’m very happy."
While Ji-won gave his acceptance speech, the members beside me were fidgeting with excitement. On the outside, I maintained a faint, gentle smile, but inside, my mind was racing.
Seong Ji-won won Best OST?
Could The Dawn’s awareness alone really secure an OST award?
No, Ji-won couldn't have done it by himself.
Granted, dramas and OSTs had been generally lackluster this year. Please Take Care of the Camera was a bit of an exception; the script was incredibly well-written, and as a drama by Writer Kim Suk-hee, it already had a dedicated fanbase. However, Min Ji-heon and Yoo Ji-ah’s acting had carried the show, playing a huge role in its high viewership. Thanks to that, "Shabby Confession" had been camped out at the top of the charts for ages.
Since it was the song that played every time Min Ji-heon shed tears, it was also the track that almost always closed out each episode.
If you factor in the drama’s popularity, does that mean it achieved a certain level of public recognition?
...Hmm.
Actually, my thoughts were drifting in a different direction.
The camera work had been far too blatant for a while now.
Min Ji-heon and Yoo Ji-ah as presenters, the Please Take Care of the Camera OST, and the occasional shots of me, who played the role of PD Lee Jeong-hun.
...Is this rigged?
...I didn't know how they did it.
Even if rigging the votes was a stretch, it seemed certain that some strings had been pulled.
From the moment Min Ji-heon—who was usually strictly professional—pointed to The Dawn as the winners and mentioned "a group we have deep ties with," it was clear they weren't even trying to hide that this was a Please Take Care of the Camera victory lap.
This feels dirty—
"...I am truly happy. I will become a Seong Ji-won who works even harder in the future."
—Actually, let’s not overthink it!
I wiped the thought from my mind as I watched Ji-won smiling bashfully.
Who cares!
I had sold my conscience to the devil a long time ago.
If they’re giving it to us, we might as well take it.
Since "Shabby Confession" performed well on the digital charts, looked the part, and there had been a drought of idol OST awards lately, I decided to bury my suspicions quickly.
As I finished that thought and turned my head, I locked eyes with Kang Yi-chae. He gave me a knowing smirk, as if he were thinking the same thing.
"I'm happy for him."
= This is definitely a push, right?
"I guess so, right?"
= Obviously, lol.
While Yi-chae and I exchanged glances, Ji-won returned from the stage. He had spoken well enough in front of the mic, but as soon as he sat down, he tilted his head, still looking bewildered.
Yi-chae and I quickly wiped our expressions and spoke to him.
"Congratulations."
"Ah, thanks...!"
"The composer gets to eat thanks to having a good vocalist~."
"Ahaha."
Ji-won looked down and toyed with the flower petals. There was no need to tell him the background details. Even if he knew, nothing would change, and an award was an award.
More than anything...
"...This is really great."
"Is it?"
"Yeah."
How could I say anything to a kid who was smiling while hugging his flowers so dearly?
Ji-won, who would normally have been quick to realize why he won, just smiled with a flushed face for now.
He might find out someday, but it didn't have to be today.
...Wow, the stares are no joke.
Discovery of the Year, and now Best OST. People who had been unsure until now were gradually turning hostile.
Whether they did or not, I just joked around with Ji-won.
If you're jealous, you should've taken 'Mang-Mang-Mang' and acted like me.
Don't talk to me unless you've survived "Mang-Mang-Mang," you punks.
Anyway, the members hugged the trophy and enjoyed the rest of the performances.
After a short break, the second half of the show neared its end.
The stage plunged into darkness. Even so, the fans were quick to realize who was next and began to scream.
It was time for the collaboration stage between the top-tier idol groups, Black Call and White Cherry.
[You make me anxious
Please tell me, whether this is love
No, this might be calamity]
Ju Woo-seong was working hard, striking while the iron was hot (though I wondered why someone so successful needed to strike every single time). Needless to say, the loudest cheers erupted when his face appeared on the digital billboard.
[Fireworks exploding endlessly
This is just like destiny]
...Their synchronization is insane.
These guys don't even need to worry about scandals.
They crushed everything with such overwhelming skill that there was no reason to scheme like I did. It was the kind of performance that would enchant anyone who saw it.
Black Call and White Cherry were already top-tier groups. Moreover, they had done countless co-ed collaborations throughout their careers, so their fandoms weren't easily shaken.
As if proving that thought, the reactions popping up on the system window were generally favorable.
[Wow.... There's a reason people keep talking about Ju Woo-seong, seriously]
[That guy... he was born to be an idol. How did he get even better than six months ago?]
[LOL wow, White Cherry's live is insane..... how can it be better than the recording?
└ I love this unnie so much ㅜ She's the type to always cling to the members off-stage, but on-stage she just eats it up
└└ There's a reason the group name is White Cherry...]
[All the collabs this year are legendary ㄷㄷ The Dawn & Lia Purple, Black Call & White Cherry...
└ The battle of the century between the Aegyo Machine and Kimchi Fried Rice
└└ LMAO Ho-yun is one thing, but is Ju-seong just food now? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
As the EX-rank dancers struck their ending poses and the digital billboard captured them amidst thunderous cheers, I clicked my tongue inwardly. The members, who had been watching without even breathing, finally exhaled.
"—Wow, that was truly amazing."
"How do they do that?"
Even Kang Yi-chae stroked his chin, his eyes sparkling. Beside him, Jeong Da-jun nodded his head vigorously before tilting it in confusion.
"But didn't the atmosphere feel a bit chilling when they were coming down?"
"Right? Was it because of the song concept?"
Of course it was.
Anyone would look chilling if they were told to stand on the same stage as their ex-boyfriend.
You should've lived a kinder life, Ju Woo-seong.
If even I’m saying that, it’s pretty serious.
Just then, as I took a sip from a half-empty water bottle on the table and scanned the surroundings, I locked eyes with someone.
I naturally turned my head away, and they shifted their gaze just as fleetingly.
Right.
I thought as I closed the bottle cap.
It wouldn't be an awards ceremony without some kind of incident, would it?
.
.
.
After the year-end stage ended, we returned to the van, changed into comfortable clothes, and came back out. Using the excuse of having something to take care of, I headed to a restroom a bit away from the parking lot. Soon after, someone followed me in.
"Good work today."
"Ah, good work."
It was that male idol who had the scandal with Lia Purple. He was in his third... no, fourth year since debut.
I think his name was Yun Hee-eon.
He felt a bit more composed than I expected.
Waiting for him to speak first, I turned on the faucet to wash my hands while scanning the restroom. First of all, there was no one else, and as for recordings...
[No people nearby, no recording, no filming! All clear!]
If you had a function like that, you should've let me use it sooner.
I clicked my tongue softly and roughly pulled out a paper towel. As I slowly dried my hands, he finally spoke, leaning crookedly against the sink.
"I enjoyed the collab and the stage. It was very impressive."
"Ah, really?"
"Congratulations on the award, too."
"Thank you."
I gave a half-hearted response and was about to leave without even a polite lie like "I enjoyed your stage too," when he blocked my path, looking slightly flustered.
"Um... Junior Seo Ho-yun."
"Yes?"
I looked back with an innocent expression, as if I knew nothing.
"There's something I want to ask you briefly. Do you have five minutes?"
"...Sure, go ahead."
When I spoke with a hint of reluctance, Yun Hee-eon’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but he soon let a smile slip onto his lips as if it were nothing.
I watched him, making a comprehensive assessment.
Well-groomed hair and style, smooth attitude.
He’s calm, but...
"You have Composer Im Hyeon-su’s contact information, right?"
"......?"
But this?
When I didn't answer and just stared at him, Yun Hee-eon laughed, pretending to be embarrassed.
"Haha, I could get it through someone else, but I thought contacting her through you would be the easiest."
"...Excuse me?"
"There’s been a lot of talk about plagiarism and whatnot lately. So I heard the composer is very sensitive. Some say if you contact her directly, she’ll just cut you off entirely."
Ah, Im Hyeon-su.
I scratched my cheek slightly at those words.
So it turned out like this.
I expected the aftermath to be rough, but since the industry is so small, word must have spread quickly.
It can't be helped.
That’s her karma.
No news is good news.
Thinking of Im Hyeon-su, who was probably enduring countless moments of existential dread in California while vigorously searching for love, I began to speak.
"But why through me..."
"Ah, well, Junior Seo Ho-yun has received a lot of songs from her..."
"Yes."
"And you know, that thing?"
What thing.
As I remained indifferent, Yun Hee-eon flashed a smile.
A smile that was perfectly smooth, yet felt like a mask forged through countless trials and errors.
I had seen it so many times, and that’s why it made me feel even more disgusted.
"You two are special, aren't you?"
"......."
"I, well, I had someone looking out for me this time, but that’s not enough. The company keeps making suggestions, but I don't like any of them, and I’m getting a bit bored. If I’m being honest, I’d like at least a bit of my own style to be included."
I stared at him, stroking my lips.
"Ah, so what Senior is saying is..."
"Yes."
"Since you think I sold my body to get songs, you're dying to do the same?"
"......."
I smiled as I rephrased and summarized his words.
However, my internal thoughts were different.
What a load of bull...
It had been a while since I’d heard something like this.
Even back in my PD days, I’d occasionally hear whispers behind my back that I got jobs because of my decent face. Or conversely, people would offer me things, asking for favors. But those offers usually vanished the moment they actually met me face-to-face.
After my recognition grew, I made sure no one could ever utter such nonsense in front of me from my position of absolute power.
Filthy.
I finally understood where that smile from earlier came from. It came from that foul unpleasantness—the feeling that if you faced it and took just one more step, you’d sink into a muddy swamp.
"...If you want to speak so crudely, then go ahead?"
Yun Hee-eon, smoothing out his slightly furrowed brow, tilted his head.
"There aren't many reasons for someone to blow up suddenly in this business. Seeing you win like that today confirmed it. So I thought Junior Seo Ho-yun would be the same."
"......."
"...Well, I was like that too. The hit I took after the scandal with Lia Purple was pretty big."
I stared at him for a moment, then pulled out my phone.
"Oh, you're fast."
Thinking I was going to kindly contact her for him, Yun Hee-eon smiled brightly.
"Thank you. Next time, I'll tell you something even better..."
Ignoring his words, I pressed the numbers so he could see them, then raised the phone to my ear.
"—Yes, hello~!"
"....?!"
"Hey, Composer-nim."
Yun Hee-eon stood in front of me, his mouth agape in confusion. I scanned his stupid face from top to bottom and continued.
"Wh-what are you doing now..."
"Ah, it’s nothing much... I’m here with Senior Yun Hee-eon right now, and he asked me something. But it seemed like a question I couldn't answer on my own."
I pulled the corners of my mouth into a smirk.
"He asked if I got my songs through a sponsor?"
"....!!"
Yun Hee-eon’s face turned pale in an instant.
Regardless, I brushed back my bangs that kept falling down and intentionally raised my voice, speaking with exaggeration.
"Wha~t? Are you crazy? How daaaare he bring that up? You're telling him to get lost right now with his filthy talk~?!"
"......."
"Oops, I guess that’s a no~. Sorry for dirtying your ears~."
I chuckled and glanced at Yun Hee-eon. Now practically turning blue, he frantically snatched my phone away.
Whoops.
"Composer-nim! Hello, this is Yun Hee-eon."
I didn't bother stopping him and let him take it. I guess he was worried about being cut off forever?
"What I said earlier wasn't my own words, it was..."
As Yun Hee-eon scrambled to make excuses, his expression soured. He realized that even after waiting a long time, he couldn't hear the other person's voice.
Sensing something was wrong, he blinked, pulled the phone away from his ear, and looked at the screen.
It was just the home screen with apps.
No call in progress.
Meaning?
Obviously.
I never called Im Hyeon-su.
"Ahaha, Senior, you're quite good at talking to yourself."
"......."
"Ah, I guess I am too?"
I crossed my arms and mocked him, including my own self-introduction.
Yun Hee-eon, who stared at me while blinking a few more times, soon began to tremble. I snatched the phone back from his hand and shoved it into my pocket.
"...You didn't call her?"
"Of course I didn't."
Why would I be crazy enough to let someone who’s living a good life hear such filthy talk?
My acting skills have really peaked lately.
Ha, seriously. At this point, don't I actually have a talent for acting?
With that absurd thought, I picked at my ear.
"Have we cleared up the misunderstanding now...?"
"......."
"Unlike Senior, I’m quite innocent, so hearing things like that makes me feel a bit wronged."
Im Hyeon-su should live a leisurely life in California, knowing nothing. That way, she can return as a genius composer and be worked to the bone by me again.
I scanned him from head to toe; his face was now a traffic light of red and blue.
They say you only see what you are...
I just felt sorry for Lia Purple for being linked to a guy like this, even if it was just a rumor.
Sponsor?
Don't make me laugh.
She doesn't do dirty things like that, you bastard.
"If you're done with the call, I'll be going now?"
"......Wow, I can't believe this."
As I twisted my head and mocked him, Yun Hee-eon, who had been gritting his teeth for a while, shook his clenched fists.
But what was he going to do?
He probably couldn't record or film anything because he had his own skeletons in the closet, and he was getting cursed at for doing something that deserved it. What could he possibly do to me?
I came here thinking there might be something, but it was just a ridiculous incident that couldn't be used anywhere.
"Keep up the good work~."
Not wanting to waste any more time, I sneered and tried to pass him, but Yun Hee-eon burst into a disbelieving laugh.
"Birds of a feather really do flock together."
"......?"
"Your main vocal is quite something too..."
My head slowly turned back.
Releasing the restroom doorknob, I turned around. Yun Hee-eon curled one side of his lip and muttered, "Now that's a face worth seeing."
"They say Daepasung originally specialized in actors, is that why? You both are so good at playing innocent."
...Is he saying he asked Seong Ji-won first?
That kid?
I thought of today’s Seong Ji-won, who had been smiling while hugging his flowers without showing a single hint of distress.
"...To Seong Ji-won?"
It’s one thing to do it to me, but to him?
You asked a kid ten years younger than me something like that?
My mind was gradually turning cold, but Yun Hee-eon brushed his hair back roughly and sneered.
"Why? You didn't know? That guy also had a blade in his tongue."
"......."
"I guess he’s good at acting coy."
He passed me and headed for the door, stopping to add one last comment.
"He’s probably already done it too, yet he acts so clean..."
It seemed he said that because Ji-won’s former agency was D.go, implying he knew everything without even looking.
I remembered Ji-won, who had stepped back with a troubled smile in front of me while we were talking about the sasaeng incident a few weeks ago...
...As my thoughts reached that point, I truly lost my cool for the first time in a long while.
Bang.
I threw the restroom door open, stepped out, and stared in the direction he had gone before heading to the parking lot.
Kang Yi-chae, who happened to be wandering nearby, spotted me and approached.
"Hyung. I was looking for you."
"Is Seong Ji-won in the van?"
"......Ah."
"......."
"Aah."
I had only said one sentence, but Yi-chae realized what I was going to say. He rolled his eyes and asked cautiously.
"Did that guy finally...?"
"You... know?"
"I overheard it in passing. I didn't know he’d go this far with you, though."
Yi-chae, who scratched and messed up his styled hair, stood facing me with his arms crossed.
I hesitated for a moment. Not only did I not want to tell Yi-chae such filthy stories, but I also wanted to ask why he had pretended not to know... but that wasn't what was important right now.
The moment I tried to pass him to have a calm talk with Ji-won, Yi-chae quickly grabbed my arm.
"Stop, stop."
I looked down at my captured arm, my eyebrows twitching, but Yi-chae gave a gentle smile as if to soothe me.
"Don't go to Ji-won hyung."
"What?"
"He probably didn't say anything because he had his reasons, right? Don't go poking a hornet's nest for no reason."
...The choice of words was very bothersome, but since Yi-chae, who usually stepped back and laughed everything off, was being this firm, I felt there must be a reason. I had no choice but to stop.
"Whew..."
I let out a sigh, gathered my last shred of patience, and pulled my arm from Yi-chae’s hand.
"...Yi-chae. I’m not going to scold Ji-won."
"Hmm?"
"He’s the type to just let things like this slide if I don't bring it up first. So I’m just going to ask him."
Seong Ji-won is sharp.
Objectively, he was. But he was also incredibly soft toward the members.
Ji-won was the first and most active supporter of my acting career. He was the kind of guy who would act as if it were only natural to smile and let anything slide if it were for The Dawn or the members.
So, how much had Ji-won lost until now?
That’s how he is.
He’s so damn kind it makes me feel disgusted.
"Oh..."
An exclamation came from in front of me.
"Um, Hyung. I think you’re seriously mistaken about something."
When I looked up, Yi-chae, with a mysterious expression, stroked his lips and muttered.
"It’s true that Ji-won hyung is unusually kind for his age, but he’s not soft."
"......?"
"Wow, look at your face. If you heard what Ji-won hyung said back to Yun Hee-eon when he asked, you’d be absolutely floored."
Yi-chae scratched his cheek and burst into laughter as he looked at me.
"Ji-won hyung must have been really good to you all this time, huh? Enough for you to see him in such a positive light."
—Those words meant that Ji-won was also selective about who he was kind and soft toward.
I didn't know what kind of expression I was making, but Yi-chae, realizing I wouldn't say anything more to Ji-won, curled his lips like a fox.
"Right?"
"......."
"He has his reasons, so let’s just leave it be."
Quick-witted brat.
I pressed my brow hard and swallowed a sigh.
I walked past Yi-chae—who was so perceptive for his age I couldn't imagine how he’d lived—and strode forward. Yi-chae followed close behind.
"I wonder what it was?"
"What."
“I wonder what you’re thinking to make a face like that? What could it beee?”
As if he didn't already know.
Setting aside the fact that I wasn't going to confront Seong Ji-won directly, it wasn't like I wasn't pissed at Yun Hee-eon for acting like a total prick based on his own delusions.
“I need to get back to my roots,” I replied.
I gave a half-hearted answer, and Kang Yi-chae let out a dry laugh.
Regardless of his reaction, I kept walking, mentally mapping out how to handle this mess.
Im Hyeon-su, then Seong Ji-won. A double whammy.
It was honestly impressive how much they managed to get under my skin in such a short amount of time.
‘How long will it take?’
He has backing, so it’ll take a while.
Can I ruin that bastard?
Even in the same gutter, the muddier and filthier things are, the harder they are to blow wide open. Especially when the power behind them is substantial.
But there’s always a way. Always.
[Wow...]
As I formulated a plan to thoroughly ruin Yun Hee-eon, I decided to contact Kim Jae-yeon as soon as I got back.
[He really had to go and poke the sleeping bear...]
Right. A person should live the way they’ve always lived.
I’d been too soft lately. It was time to get back to my roots and do what I do best.
Kang Yi-chae muttered, almost as if he were rhyming.
“Our bunny’s about to go berserk again...”
I’m talking about being a total bastard.