The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 216



Only Noblemtl

The Malicious Member Returns! Episode 216

* * *

Everything I was preparing for seemed to be going very smoothly.

“… This week’s first place candidate! Let’s meet again. First up is T.O.J., who has his last stage for the repackaged song ‘WoW’ today!”

By winning the first place nomination even on the last episode of Music Music Days, they successfully wrapped up their official promotions for ‘WoW’.

“God, this is the last episode. I feel so strange… Everyone, everyone worked really hard!”

“Hey, Logan. In this case, you don’t use the word ‘hard work’, right? You should say ‘good job’ to the members you work with! We’re not your subordinates!”

“What? Really? Oh, I didn’t know that… I’m sorry, did I offend you?”

“No. Actually, I could have said thank you for your hard work, but I just wanted to tease Logan.”

“Nooo! Mars, you shouldn’t tease people like this! Come here. I won’t leave you alone.”

“What, what. You want to have a game? Okay. Logan, let’s die to celebrate the last episode today.”

“Brother, brothers… .”

Immediately after that, Siwoo saw the light-hearted and bickering prank between Mars and Logan, and even tried to stop them, but ended up holding back.

“Uh, Tae… sir.”

“Hmm? Siwoo, what’s going on? I don’t think you’d ask me about choreography.”

“No, I have a question for Mr. Tae and Mr. Danwoo…”

“Hey, hey. Ask me anything.”

“Mr. Tae and Mr. Danwoo… are really close, right?”

“… Wait, wait. Mr. Siwoo. Me and Antae? Us? We were just arguing.”

“Uh, ah… yes. I thought that was what being close was like… .”

Even during the practice for the collaboration stage with Wiz right after the last episode, he showed interest in the relationship between An Tae-i and Han Dan-woo, who were in the same group.

It really went smoothly.

“Oh, is the upstairs practice done now? Everyone finished early today.”

“Well, I think it’s because things are starting to fit together.”

“Then… let’s rest for a bit, and then let’s break up…”

“Excuse me, Mr. Yoochan. If it’s okay with you, would you like to… play with our members?”

“yes?”

“I saw that during … RoR, he’s really good. Seonho and I play that game on our team. I wanted to play it together just once…”

“Ah! Ahaha, yes, yes! That’s right. Our Mars is doing that too! Let’s do it as a duo! Just a moment, I’ll go find my laptop!”

So after practice, before Tioje and Wiz each returned to their respective dorms.

A brief moment of fellowship.

Some people go out to play a round of RoR Duo together, while others go out to grab a quick snack.

“… Hmm. So Siwoo is starting to show interest in a relationship where you’re getting along well even if it doesn’t seem like you’re on good terms? That’s why you asked that question during practice earlier.”

“Yeah. Otherwise, Siwoo wouldn’t have suddenly started talking to you while you were arguing because of your personality.”

“Hahaha, Danwoo and I don’t really get along… I like Danwoo, but Danwoo gets angry whenever he sees me.”

“Well, anyway, you guys are doing well in your own way, right? Isn’t this progress by leaps and bounds?”

“Honestly, I don’t know… but, it’s just fun to hear things like this from you.”

“Do you find it fun to see other people grow, Taeya? I’m so proud I could die.”

“Uhm, okay, okay.”

Antae and I enjoyed my reactions while eating cup ramen in the break room next to the practice room.

“Anyway, I’m just starting to find the joy of listening to other people’s stories. I didn’t know it could be this much fun. It’s all thanks to your advice.”

“I’m not sure if that was advice, I….”

“Anyway, it was good for me, and I think Chun-yong is good for you too. Things are going well. So, now all I have to do is change the mind of that big brother, right?”

“Oh. Hyung Yoo-chan has a good personality and has probably been in this situation a lot. … I feel like it’ll go more smoothly.”

“Well… if that’s what you’re saying, then yes. But there is.”

An Tae-yi, who had downed a cup of ramen soup in one gulp, which did not match his neat and clean face, then immediately held out the chopsticks he was holding to me with a solemn expression.

“Chun-yong, you, if this goes well, you promised to grant me one wish, right? Don’t forget that, right?”

“…ah.”

Honestly, I remembered it.

But somehow it ended up being pushed to a lower priority.

The original plan was to use the opportunity of collaborating with Wiz on stage to find some ‘other guys’ through Ahn Tae-yi’s connections in the entertainment industry.

I feel like the purpose was a bit blurred by the sudden member issue.

Originally, I was the one who asked you to introduce me to your friend first.

Now the roles have been reversed and I am in the position of having to grant Antaei’s wish as well.

… I can’t help but feel like things are a bit tangled.

I shrugged my shoulders and lightly scratched my cheek, feeling the embarrassment creeping up my spine.

“… Yeah. I remembered thanks to you telling me. What is your wish?”

“You forgot? This is too much!”

An Tae-yi, who made a childish sound effect of “Pasha,” and threw the wooden chopsticks into the trash can, giggled with his usual neat smile.

“Well, it’s okay. I remembered. Um, so… before, Chun-yong, you asked me to introduce you to some friends, right?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“So I thought, I think it would be nice if my friends became friends with each other.”

“… … .”

After hearing Antaei’s words, I immediately sat up straight.

I don’t know why, but I feel like Antae is helping me a lot this time.

What the hell is going on with him, really?

Was there any major change of heart?

I opened my mouth cautiously, half hesitating, to confirm whether what Antae had just said was what I was thinking.

“…Your wish is to play with your friends? Is that right?”

If this is the case, it’s like I’m getting everything I wanted to get through this collaboration stage.

The buzz for winning the Rookie of the Year award, and the viral marketing to find the ‘other guys’.

At the same time, the members’ relationships are restored.

And today, the answer I had been hoping for came from An Tae-i, who often showed me a smile as bright as the flower garden in my head.

“Yeah! Well, he’s not an idol, but he’s a male actor around our age. You said you weren’t looking for a girlfriend, right? Well, I think he’ll be okay.”

… This is like a dud bomb that I like!

An Tae-yi, who knew my suddenly surging heart or not, smiled brightly and quickly scrolled down on his phone, then shook a message window in front of my face.

[Antaei: If you’re coming as an award presenter then, do you want to play with one of my friends?]

[Antaei: Go to your house >< ]

[Antaei: You're a really good friend, you'll be surprised too]

[Yoo: Please, say something that people can expect and don't just drop bombs all the time.]

[Yoo: Why am I playing with your friend?]

[Yoo: And why are you coming to my house??]

[Antaei: Because you are my friend]

[Antaei: I wish all my friends were friends.]

[Yoo: kkj]

…what is this?

An Tae-yi, who saw my puzzled expression, continued to speak fluently with a bright smile.

“The last thing he said was ‘get out’, which meant he wanted to play together. He’s a bit like this. He’s a bit prickly. He resembles Danwoo.”

“… When you say ‘get out’, doesn’t that mean just ‘get out’?”

“Hey, if you really wanted me to turn it off, you wouldn’t have even replied. Let’s go to their house that day and hang out. They have a huge projector at their house.”

Even though he is Antaei's friend, he goes to the house of someone he has never met before.

Back in the days of trash, we limited ourselves to clubs, bars, or our lodgings, so this is a first for me.

“…Okay. Okay. If that’s okay with him.”

However, now was not the time for me to be picky about such things.

I needed at least a little clue.

This is a clue to finding the 'other guys' through the friend that Antae will introduce this time.

It wasn’t the other person who approached them first, but Antae who introduced them first, so the possibility that this ‘Yu’ was one of the ‘other guys’ was very low… .

Anyway, I needed this opportunity.

“… … .”

I glanced at my still phone screen and smacked my lips.

Winning the Rookie of the Year award, finding other guys, and restoring the relationship between Yoochan and Siwoo.

Although it was a bit bothersome that X's contact had decreased a bit, everything was going really well.

I know very well that I shouldn't let my guard down in times like this, but, uhm…

I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy moments like this.

"after…."

I let out a small sigh of relief, my sweaty t-shirt flapping.

Let's just keep going like this.

Really, just like this.

I continue to atone for my sins, my surroundings are getting better and better, and I'm getting rid of the guy who did something bad to my family.

How perfect is that, really?

I slowly blinked my eyes again, feeling the thrill of the euphoria creeping up my body from head to toe.

Even though it's the middle of winter, I feel hot and bothered at moments like this.

“Ah… Chun-yong, you too… .”

Antae-i rolled his eyes and looked at me like that.

It seems like he wants to say something, but it doesn't seem like he wants to.

Well, it's nothing particularly special.

– “―Wiz! Guys! Let’s go to the dorms now! No matter what you do, it seems like you can’t beat Yuchan, so next time, raise your rank and try again!”

– “Ah, bro…! Why are you saying that so loudly? It’s embarrassing!”

– “I have to go, but you guys keep lingering. Huh? Seonho, you bastard. Get up, get up!”

– “T, just this…! Ouch, I died again!”

– “Haha, goodbye, Seonho!”

From afar, I could hear Lee Seon-ho's scream after being heroically killed by Yoo Chan-hyung and Yoo Chan-hyung's laughter, and I could see signs that he was slowly preparing to return to the dorm.

And then.

Now, Antae, who was about to open the break room door and leave, scratched his cheek and whispered to me in a low voice.

“Um, Chun-yong. I was wondering if I should tell you or not….”

"uh?"

“Hey, you guys have an older brother. He might be harder than you think, so be careful.”

…what is he talking about?

Despite my pale expression, Ahn Tae-yi continued to mumble and say what he wanted to say.

“I’ve seen quite a few people when I’ve been following my mom and dad around on set. People with good personalities tend to be more stubborn. You shouldn’t forget that.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Ah, don’t just listen to me!”

How could I not hear about your unexploded bomb when it's a fact?

From the beginning, I knew Yoo Chan hyung well.

I knew what kindness that hyung had, I knew the cheerfulness with which he wanted to get along with the members, and I also knew what kind of mindset he had when he wanted to be an idol.

Honestly, I appreciate your concern, but since it's something Tae-yi says while still not knowing much about Yoo-chan hyung… I'm not sure.

I nodded and waved my hand at An Tae-i, who was pouting with a look of utter injustice on his face.

“Okay, I understand what you’re saying. Since you’ve helped me so far, you want to help me with this too, right? Thank you.”

“Oh, that’s not all… Okay.”

Just then, as Antae was about to step out of the break room.

The guy came towards me again in a hurry and stared at me with a serious expression.

It wasn't the brightly smiling face from before, nor the childishly pouting face from just now, but a face with its mouth tightly shut, like porcelain molded with a brush.

“… … .”

The guy who had been hesitating in front of me with such an unfamiliar face soon opened his mouth slowly again.

“Chun-yong, you, you… Don’t forget that you decided to play with my friend.”

It was a tone similar to that of a child throwing a tantrum.

As always, but especially this time.

Just as I was about to giggle at her audacity, what she said next quite flustered me.

“So, until then, take care of yourself! Let the members know!”

Then, with a bang, the break room door slams shut.

"…what?"

I couldn't hide my embarrassment and had to blink my eyes for a long time.

So, what he just said was… .

“… … .”

My hand automatically rose to my forehead.

My red hair, now drained of water and a vague wine-colored sheen, covered my forehead.

"her…."

I lowered my head and sighed in frustration, wondering why I didn't notice this.

My forehead was hot.

… that too, huge.