The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 174

To mark the finale of the final mission, maybe, the <MISSION TIME> graphic on screen was oddly extra—its overworked typography and faux blood splatters making the trainees visibly hesitant.

“Why does it look so… ominous? Like, why is there fake blood? Isn’t this gonna get flagged in broadcast reviews?”

“It’s for WeTube Blue content, right? Stuff like this probably gets a pass.”

“Oh, Chunyong.”

When I answered Yu Chan hyung’s mutter like it was nothing, he slung an arm around my shoulder in return, flashing a wide grin.

“Damn, Kim Chunyong. You look good today. You could totally debut.”

“Hyung… that kinda sounds like you’re teasing me, though?”

“I’m being serious. The red hair suits you. Made me think about dyeing mine too.”

Fresh off a proud 1st place with his “Teen Spirit” stage in the 4th round, now even charting with the track, Yu Chan hyung really looked the part. Not just a trainee anymore.

He looked like an idol.

Bang Yu Chan, main vocalist of ARROWS.

I flicked a smile at him as he ruffled the ends of my hair and offered some heartfelt advice.

“Don’t dye it, hyung. Black hair suits you best in the whole world.”

“Whoa—what? Is this jealousy now? Is that it?”

“Nope. Just saying it ‘cause I like you, hyung. I really mean it.”

Jae Ha hyung, Yu Chan hyung, and I—we were part of the “rarely dyes hair” trio.

But really, it was because those two genuinely looked amazing in black hair.

Yu Chan hyung gave off this healthy, vibrant feel. Jae Ha hyung was all gentle hues and softness.

Fans loved how similar-yet-different they were as the oldest line, and our company caught on fast, applying that contrast to their image strategy like pros.

…As for me, well.

Standing out with my hair as a former “problematic” member wasn’t exactly helpful.

So yeah, this shock of bright red hair still felt weird.

I kept getting startled every morning just seeing it in the mirror.

Anyway, there were a few reasons I’d gone through with the dye this time.

First, Yeon Woo hyung had dropped a casual hint that I might want to try switching it up.

“Just saying… I think warm tones would suit you. Maybe pink.”

“Pink would definitely not work for me, though!”

“…That’s what gets you flustered? Geez. Okay then, what color do you want? If you’re not gonna listen to your mentor, you better at least come with a strong opinion.”

“Well, I was thinking…”

“Wait. I’m saying this now—no cold tones. Don’t even look at that part of the palette.”

“…Okay.”

Second reason: under the verbal bootcamp of our visual director Moon Yun Ha, I didn’t exactly have many choices.

No wonder she kept getting edited out of the show. I mean, I noticed back in the ARROWS days already.

And the third reason…

“This mission sounds cool and all, but what are we even—oh.”

Yu Chan hyung’s usual cheerful rambling stopped mid-sentence.

It wasn’t just him.

The staff running around setting up. The other trainees were joking and chatting.

The moment he walked in, everyone’s mouths snapped shut.

Hard not to, when the guy who’d taken over the entirety of the Targeting Star forums—enough to get them suspended—had just entered the main hall.

“……”

As always, Liu Wei strode in with a blank face, calmly took a seat, and read the screen in front of him.

He didn’t look like he was the center of a media storm, he just sat there looking confident and shameless.

But if you’d been watching him long enough like I’d been, you’d catch the difference.

Subtle, maybe, but on camera it’d show even more.

Tight jaw. Faint tension under his eyes.

Anxious. Unsettled. Angry.

“…So he can make that face.”

“Huh? What?”

“Ah, nothing.”

I quickly looked away, clicking my tongue.

Director Shin might’ve blocked every major press outlet from running the article, but they weren’t the ones voting.

And more importantly…

The identity of his fiancée, the one he’d been so worried about that he’d casually told a problematic member he couldn’t stand, had been revealed.

Yeah, it’s starting to show that he’s beginning to get worried about his future.

I watched as Choi Gaon seonbaenim stepped into the hall with her signature sparkle, and I pressed my lips shut.

When people get cornered—when they feel like their future’s slipping away—they make crazy choices.

But right now…

“Targeting Star trainees! Nice to see you all, even at this late hour! It’s me, Gaon!”

This was more important to pay attention to than Liu Wei.

Waaaaahhhhh!

The thought that this was the final mission had the trainees bouncing with energy as they roared in welcome for Choi Gaon.

I, too, joined in with Yu Chan hyung’s cheerful whistling, adding to the hype.

“Wow, the final mission, huh? This really feels special.”

Gaon seonbae, watching us with affection, couldn’t believe these were the same timid trainees from the beginning. He even dabbed the corners of his eyes with his sleeve.

“You all worked so hard. It’s not over yet, but! Why don’t we give each other a round of applause for making it this far?”

During a live broadcast, there was no time for moments like this—too risky. You’d have someone smiling, someone crying.

And someone else forcing out a bitter “congrats.”

Knowing that all too well, I clapped for every single trainee as hard as I could.

No need to point out the one person who didn’t move a muscle.

After a brief, warm moment, Gaon seonbae cleared his throat and stretched his arms out wide.

“Now then, it’s time for the mission! I always wondered why they never did this kind of thing before… but turns out, they really went all out. So, let me reveal it right now!”

As he spoke, the <MISSION TIME> logo on the screen faded out, replaced by a spooky-looking map.

A parking lot, some trees, and crooked, winding paths.

“…Wait, isn’t that around our dorm?”

One trainee mumbled, and Gaon seonbae’s eyes lit up as he raised his voice.

“Ooh! Lee Chae Hyuk trainee! You recognized it right away! Any particular reason?”

“Oh, I go running around there every morning…”

“Ah, classic answer from the athlete prodigy himself! So naturally, you’d think this mission would be in Chae Hyuk’s favor!”

But I wouldn’t count on it…

Suddenly, static crackled through his mic.

Then, animated red droplets began to spatter across the map on the screen.

The red droplets smeared on each section of the map, pointing toward specific locations like blood markers, saying, “Go here.”

“…Wait, are they trying to scare us? That’s not even—”