August was a good month for ruining reputations.
“Gasp! Did you see this?”
Other good months for ruining reputations included July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, October, and February.
《Idol boy group Today, drug scandal?!》
《‘Assaulting a civilian’ D.go’s Today Yuhyuk, shocking CCTV footage!》
“Are they fucking crazy?!”
“Damn, I really liked Today’s songs, I listened to them all the time....”
First, I pushed far away the group that had been ignoring Sung Jiwon.
[Title: I’m exposing the real Yoon Heeon
...I dated Yoon Heeon for a long time, but he kept seeing other women.
‘You’re the only one. You’re different from the others.’
I believed that nonsense and kept pouring money on him. What a fool I was....
(omitted)
...He would make up lies about idols or juniors he didn’t like and trash them.
My hands still shake when I see him shamelessly smiling on TV—...
(omitted)
└How many exposés like this are we at now lmaooo how many girls was he juggling hahahahahahaha
└Is this a serialized series?? LOLOLOLOL this is basically a parade of current girlfriends exposing him
└Congratulations on setting a new record for the worst K-pop scandal of the year]
“What?! Yoon Heeon got exposed too?!”
“Wow... that’s such a turn-off.”
I took care of that annoying pest on the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) side too.
《Phantom entertainment company A revealed... scam contracts with minors?!》
《Double contracts rampant among aspiring entertainers!》
The scammer who tormented Jung Dajun was cleaned up too.
Meanwhile, I was living as usual.
[What about naming your cat Seo..?]
My fans were as consistent as always.
“Why does everything feel so grim lately?”
“Right? The entertainment industry always has scandals, but lately it’s been major ones every single day.”
The staff murmured among themselves about the endless big headlines.
“Hello.”
I entered the filming set with a bright smile on my face.
“Seo Hoyun, you look cheerful today. Why so fresh with your greeting?”
“The weather’s beautiful and sunny.”
“Haha, Hoyun, you’re the vitamin of our drama. Always so bright, it’s good to see.”
Ding!
[Vitamin;;]
[Are there vitamins that kill you if you take them?]
They said the bitter stuff was good for your health.
I told the system window to shut up with a glance and kept walking.
“Hyung, hello~!”
Shin Heechan, who spotted me first, waved his arm enthusiastically. Standing beside him, Ha Seoyeon gave a polite nod.
“I’m so looking forward to today’s shoot!”
Shin Heechan’s eyes sparkled like Jung Dajun staring at snacks.
“Every time it’s your scene, I feel like I’m at a concert, hyung!”
“Haha, aren’t you overpraising me?”
I laughed humbly, but it was only natural.
Even if my idol-level skills were just decent, as an actor playing an idol role I was overflowing with capability.
“Seriously, Hoyun! Did you take lessons or something?! Your dancing is insane!”
Dance? Check.
“Seo Hoyun’s voice is so sweet. Your pitch and rhythm are machine-like!”
Singing? Check.
“And your camera gaze is perfect, I thought you were a real idol!”
Even the camera work.
Everything was flawless.
The system window blared alarms calling me a con artist of the century, but I didn’t care.
“Hyung, if you could act like this, why did you mess up so much on the first day?!”
“...Hahaha.”
I couldn’t exactly say it was because I’d been thrown off by the unfamiliar face of Joo Woosung and by Ha Seoyeon who looked far too much like my ex.
Thankfully, humans were adaptable.
After struggling for a few days, I was back to my usual pace.
I smiled at Shin Heechan, whose round eyes blinked curiously, when Director Joo called me over.
“Ah! Seo Hoyun, there you are! Come here, I’ve been waiting~.”
Other actors’ sharp gazes brushed against me and then withdrew.
The reason was obvious.
I kept a calm face and approached the director.
“Honestly, this is the hardest time I’ve had finding an emotional line for a work. Hoyun, what do you think of this scene?”
The director pointed to a section of the script and asked me.
All I had done was casually give Shin Heechan some advice about Jung Dajun, but Director Joo overheard and started asking me questions until it snowballed into this.
From then on, whenever the actors’ performances didn’t satisfy him, the director called my name.
Since a director’s favor often influenced how an actor’s charm was captured on camera, it was no wonder daggers were in the others’ eyes.
“As you can see from the phone scene with Lee Hyuk, Ji Yeongwon is kind but very firm with his boundaries. If someone crosses that line, he cuts them off cold. He looks soft but has a surprisingly cold streak.”
Well, I didn’t care.
They were people I’d never have to see again once the error was fixed.
“Really? Isn’t that more like Seong Juhyeon’s character?”
“If you look at how he cares for the cast or the Seong Juhyeon-centered episodes later, you’ll see he’s very kind. Even his sharp behavior at first had a reason.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Hoyun, your character interpretations always click perfectly!”
Praising me with a thumbs up, the director flipped through the script, then lifted his head to look at me.
“Then what about Seo Uiyoung PD? What do you think?”
“I don’t know.”
“...Huh?”
“I don’t really remember.”
“...Eh?”
The director tilted his head, puzzled by my refusal to answer when I usually spoke fluently like a vending machine dispensing the right answer.
‘Though it really is strange.’
The more we filmed Shining Star, the stranger it felt. The fact that Kim Sunghyun, Sung Jiwon, Kang Ichae, and Jung Dajun were grouped together under Daepaseong.
In the drama, the characters that seemed to be them gained popularity fast through the survival program and quickly built a foundation for success.
There was no guarantee this story was based on reality, but given the parallels with Bring Me the Camera and Dead after Hope, it was highly possible.
“Ah, also, the investors suggested sprinkling a bit of romance into Seo Uiyoung PD’s story, like with Kang Jiseong...”
“Investors are important, but I think a solid narrative is more important. I trust the writer will handle it well.”
“...Oh, I see.”
With a small smile, I indirectly signaled I didn’t want to discuss it further. The director scratched his chin and reluctantly agreed.
“Well, yeah. It’d be awkward to shove in romance now. Don’t worry, half-joking anyway. Relax, haha.”
“...Hahaha!”
‘Hell of a joke.’
Romance didn’t pay the bills.
I swallowed the retort with laughter instead.
The director, rolling his script, suddenly turned back and tapped my shoulder.
“Oh, by the way, another coffee truck came in your name today. You’re gonna become the king of food trucks at this rate.”
“...Haha, king of food trucks, huh.”
I had been deliberately ignoring the coffee truck parked at the set.
But Director Joo pushed me to go show my face, so I had no choice but to step over.
Before, they’d come from The Dawn members, Lim Hyunsu, or Joo Woosung. But lately...
“Well, hello there.”
...It was that bastard again.
Leaning against the truck with sunglasses and a smug grin—Min Jiheon. Sliding his glasses down his nose with long fingers, he greeted me.
“‘Archery Ace Seo Hoyun, fighting on set’....”
I read aloud the ridiculous words written on the giant panel.
“How’s that?”
“Don’t you feel sick writing crap like this?”
“Ah, I’ve got a strong stomach.”
The smug bastard must have searched the internet for the most annoying phrase he could find.
Today marked the third time Min Jiheon had sent catering.
Even the normal messages like ‘Min Jiheon supports you!’ or ‘Actor Seo Hoyun, all the way to Best Supporting Actor!’ annoyed me.
“It’s my new hobby. Sending coffee trucks to my close juniors and watching their reactions. Satisfying, huh?”
“You’re ruining my good day.”
“Perfect.”
I ordered a lemonade and glared at him.
“So why are you here? PR stunt?”
“—Disguised as bonding time. Also, I’m a bit curious about you.”
He’d gotten used to my coldness. Jiheon removed his sunglasses as he spoke.
“Things have been messy lately, don’t you know anything?”
Even without a subject, I knew what he meant.
Clicking my tongue, I grabbed my drink and started walking, Jiheon trailing right behind.
“Min Jiheon.”
I’d already wrung everything useful out of him.
There was no reason to endure the nuisance anymore.
“Bored?”
“...Hm?”
“Or holding a grudge?”
Jiheon blinked slowly like he was digesting my words, then burst out laughing.
“Come on, a grudge? I mean, yeah, I was a little pissed.”
“...”
“I thought, ‘What the hell kind of guy is this?’ Got heated, felt my blood boiling....”
Sure sounded like he was pissed.
“But no, that’s not why I’m doing this. I’m just interested in you, Hoyun.”
Chills ran up my arms.
Interested? INTERESTED? From the guy who slipped away clean while I was coughing up blood?
Even as I grimaced, Jiheon casually sipped his coffee.
“So, Hoyun. Do you and Joo Woosung know each other?”
One eyebrow twitched slightly.
Catching it instantly, Jiheon smirked.
“Watching for a few days while sending food trucks, I noticed you avoid him every time he shows up.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Did you borrow money from him?”
I crossed my arms, watching how far he’d go. This bastard just kept running his mouth.
“Woosung doesn’t seem bothered. It feels one-sided, like you know him but he doesn’t know you.”
“I’m his fan.”
“Oh, so you like idols?”
“Yeah, I even collect photocards.”
Nonsense for nonsense.
Jiheon’s eyes curved with quiet amusement.
“Squirming and denying after making it so obvious. You can’t just ignore it.”
Clearly, he was just testing how I’d react.
I crunched on the ice in my lemonade, glaring back at him.
“You’re gonna keep pretending not to know? I don’t think I can.”
What do you mean you can’t?
In life, everything’s about pretending you know when you don’t, and pretending you don’t when you do. That’s how people survive.
I was thinking that when the assistant director’s voice called everyone back to set.
It wasn’t Jiheon’s scene, but I wanted nothing more to do with him, so I waved him off and started to leave—only for him to grab my shoulder.
“Alright, alright, I get it. No more nonsense. My bad. But we still need a photo for Stargram. Gotta brag about our friendship~.”
“This bastard really does everything.”
It wasn’t even for himself.
Probably for his sibling—the one who mentioned Noeul in “Nugu Actor Tycoon.”
I sighed, asked the coffee truck owner for another cup, and beckoned Jiheon over.
“Come here.”
“...Huh? For real?”
He looked confused as I opened his camera app, told him to smile, and snapped the picture. Then I uploaded it to Stargram with a caption.
[(Black cat emoji) Meow^^]
“......”
“......”
“...Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you just have a strong stomach?”
An idol must always give their best to their fans, anytime, anywhere.
Seeing Jiheon scowl like I had earlier was refreshing.
Leaving him behind, I walked away, though our conversation lingered oddly in my head.
‘Whatever. Life’s lived alone anyway.’
I picked at my ear with a finger, brushing it off.
Though thinking of our precious kids still made anger boil in me.
Well, what else could happen? It’d be fine.
...Probably.
