Chapter 191
Whereas Joo Cheol Yeong saw the trainees as pawns for ratings, Lee Hyeon Jeong still treated each and every one of them like people.
Gently pulling them aside to explain what not to do, quickly teaching them before they could slip up.
Things that Joo Cheol Yeong had never even considered doing, nor had any reason to.
But because of that, there was an undeniable synergy. Joo Cheol Yeong was the provocation, Lee Hyeon Jeong the heart.
And Joo Cheol Yeong had no intention of letting go of someone like her.
Above all else, he was sure she’d stay with him for one reason in particular….
“You care about those kids too much now. How could you leave them and move on? And what if my next survival show is for girl idols? Ha!”
“…When you put it like that… ”
“I’m not trying to tease you. Anyway, you got attached to them, didn’t you? My next gig is already set: I’m filming a documentary of their debut prep.”
For a moment, all the trainees on the verge of debut flickered through Lee Hyeon Jeong’s mind.
And the ones who’d eventually get cut.
“…….”
If they were to be filmed by Joo Cheol Yeong again…
If they were to throw themselves into another survival show, desperately hoping as much as ever…
“Well, if you can hear all that and still want to quit… I’d be sad, but…”
Judging by her expression now…
“I don’t think you’re going anywhere.”
Lee Hyeon Jeong could only let out a defeated laugh at his smug expression.
‘You piece of trash.’
But the words that came out of her mouth were far more restrained.
“PD-nim… as a person, you’re really the worst.”
“I know. But as a producer, I’m pretty damn close to perfect.”
Lee Hyeon Jeong thought of all the things she’d planned to do after Targeting Star ended.
A warm trip with family, sleeping for a week straight with no dreams.
Finding a place far enough where she wouldn’t even hear the word “entertainment” and eating something delicious indulgently.
All those little bucket list items she’d made to soothe her mind and body.
She tucked a strand of her newly grown hair behind her ear and whispered quietly.
“…Looks like the trip is off.”
And of course, Joo Cheol Yeong just smiled wickedly in response.
“Yeah. Gotta work hard and earn while you’re young. You can rest when you’re old.”
Joo Cheol Yeong’s promise of a long vacation after the program ended had been a lie from the start.
“For now, at least drink some water. Who knows if you’ll even have time for that later today.”
“After all that’s already happened? That’d be nothing.”
As they took a brief pause to bask in the feeling of the “last broadcast,” they allowed themselves to bask in the short leisure that other staff members didn’t have.
Bang!
The office door burst open, a single staffer too aggrieved to work alone.
“…What’s this, Ha Joon?”
“Uh, Writer Lee. And PD-nim.”
“The stage set-up should still be in progress. What’s so urgent? Is it something we need to handle?”
Ha Joon hesitated, unsure of how to relay the situation. He opened his mouth, his left hand trembling lightly as he slowly spoke.
“It’s… in the waiting room…”
And the chatter that had just filled the office fell into a heavy silence.
“…Ha, I really thought the last one would just go smoothly. But no, here we go again.”
For those words to come out of Joo Cheol Yeong’s mouth?
Something had gone very, very wrong.
* * *
Everyone knew that this survival show’s real stars were none other than the trainees.
No matter how immature, how prone to jealousy, how quick to say cruel things, they were just young boys.
“Ugh, I feel like I’m dying… Can someone get me some water?”
“We’re out in our waiting room too, we should probably ask for more, huh?”
“Ugh, seriously! Why does my makeup look so off today? They say live broadcast cameras are different from pre-recorded ones… am I going to look like a ghost?”
That lurking fear and anxiety of what might come next, and the hopeful spark that maybe, just maybe, they’d debut.
“I’ve worked hard this whole time! That’s why I’m not ashamed at all.”
“I agree, Ryota. As a fellow trainee from the same region. If we’d been in the same room, we could’ve talked even more… but I’m still glad we got to be here together.”
Or maybe it was that faint relief of “we’ve made it this far after all.”
All of it combined to give the waiting room an oddly high-strung tension as trainees came and went.
And amidst it all, there were a few people slipping away for brief conversations outside.
“Chunyong hyung, come on! Gao Yan needs to get into the right mindset! To imagine the silk road ahead of him. The vibe-building can come later!”
“Pfft, you… honestly.”
These two had formed a secret alliance during the survival show that no one else knew about.
Kim Chunyong looked at the ever-confident Gao Yan, letting out an exasperated laugh before reaching out to clap his shoulder with a bright grin.
“I just… wanted to say thank you.”
“Out of nowhere? Chunyong hyung, don’t you know that if you do something you never do, you’ll suddenly drop dead—”
“No need to pretend it’s not embarrassing. It’s just something I wanted to say.”
Gao Yan had grown so much through Targeting Star.
Enough to sing and dance on stage without hesitation.
And with that unparalleled character and star power, he drew every eye.
But that didn’t necessarily mean he’d debut.
That’s why, before they might have to part ways soon, Kim Chunyong felt he had to express his gratitude.
Thanks for stepping up for me, even when it wasn’t your problem.
Thanks to you, I got to dream of debuting again.
He couldn’t put it all into words, but there was no mistaking the feeling that came through.
“…….”
A gentle smile flickered across Gao Yan’s face as he watched Kim Chunyong thanking him again and again.
Not that slightly exaggerated, almost comically serious expression he usually wore.
But instead, a quiet, ordinary smile that any boy his age might make.
“…Sorry, Chunyong hyung. But for Gao Yan, there’s no other way but up. You’d better save that thank you for when I’m a superstar. Not just the Gao Yan of Hong Kong, but Gao Yan of the world.”
“You punk… after all this, you’re still…”
And just then…
Bang!
The easy laughter of the moment, the excitement of measuring themselves one last time before whatever came next, was shattered.
The noise came from the waiting room where Kim Chunyong’s team had been chatting.
Thud, thud.
And one figure bolting out, breathless.
Kim Chunyong’s embarrassed smile, echoing Gao Yan’s, slowly fell away, his canines disappearing behind pressed lips.
“…Seriously….”
Just this once, couldn’t the end be a little more heartwarming?
Guess not?
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