X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the Server“So, what kind of food do you like best?”
Seo Jun-jae asked again, and after a moment’s thought, I answered.
“…Jokbal.”
I named a dish I’d heard was hard to make at home.
He burst out laughing.
“Then what if I actually succeed in making it?”
“Isn’t jokbal just too tempting?” he added, and in the end I couldn’t help laughing too.
It wasn’t so much that the conversation was funny, but rather that Jun-jae had kindly removed his own feelings from our talk, making me feel at ease.
…Which meant I really was a cowardly, terrible person.
***
After finishing the meal Jun-jae had prepared, I packed my bag and went to the bathroom.
I changed back into the clothes I’d worn yesterday, brushed my teeth with the toothbrush he’d given me, and came out.
“You’re leaving?
You could rest a little longer.”
“No, I have to pack my things.”
We had to move into the dorm right after the profile shoot scheduled for the day after tomorrow, so I needed to have my luggage ready by then.
Of course, I didn’t have much stuff, so it wouldn’t take long, but I’d planned to do it this morning anyway, so I wanted to get it over with.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Right.
That was the problem.
Honestly, walking, sitting, standing—everything was quite difficult.
“What’s your address?
I’ll call a taxi.”
I was just thinking that I probably couldn’t use public transit as usual and would have to call a taxi, so I immediately gave him my address.
Truth be told, under normal circumstances I would have managed on my own, but since the cause of my current state wasn’t entirely unrelated to him, it seemed only right that he take this much responsibility.
…If it was that big, he should have exercised some restraint.
“But don’t you know my address?”
I tilted my head as he shook his, saying he didn’t.
I’d thought it was Seo Jun-jae who had brought me home when I got drunk at the ‘July Snow’ team dinner…
“The taxi’s here.”
At his words, I put the thought aside, grabbed my bag, and headed to the front door.
After just managing to bend my aching waist to put on my sneakers, Jun-jae started putting his own feet into his shoes.
“You don’t have to come out.”
He let out a small laugh at my words.
When I asked why he was laughing, he answered that he’d figured I’d say that, then leaned back against the shoe cabinet and spoke.
“I’ll see you this far.”
“See you soon,” he added.
I replied that I’d see him the day after tomorrow, then opened the door and left his place.
I took out my phone from my pocket to check the time.
3:57 PM, Thursday, June 15th
And above that, in the status bar, I saw a notification from the [Please Take Care of My Idol] game.
Already guessing why the notification was there, I sighed involuntarily.
…Maybe the reason I ended up in this game world was actually because of me.
That a selfish, cowardly, trashy bad guy is the protagonist of a crazy perverted psycho game… it suited me all too well.
***
[Please Take Care of My Idol) Looks like the NUAVE kids signed their contracts today!]
I heard they signed with K-Dream!
An article came out after I posted this. They say a dedicated division for NUAVE has been established and they’re planning activities.
https://news.navum.com/entertain/article/0401/9729803727
[Comments]
Holy crap, K-Dream? Looks like they’re trying to gobble everything up this time lol
↳ Can you explain what “gobble everything up” means?
↳↳ The broadcaster that aired Please Take Care of My Idol 2, KMBS, is under JH M&E, and K-Dream is also a subsidiary of JH M&E, so yeah.
K-Dream already manages plenty of their own artists, why do they need to take NUAVE too?
Didn’t My Nine have their own dedicated agency? What happens if these kids get absorbed into K-Dream?ㅠㅠ
↳ No way lol Among K-Dream’s idols, there’s no team that makes as much money as NUAVE, so it’ll be fine lol
↳↳ Shit, you sure know how to be a cynical fan;
↳ They said K-Dream is setting up a dedicated division, so it’ll probably be okay?
K-Dream?? Is that for real??
↳ https://news.navum.com/entertain/article/0401/9729803727 Yeah, there’s an article.
I always thought K-Dream’s artists got good songs, so this is good? lol
Holy shit, I’m a Laterz fan and I’m so pissed. If my kids were 6th or 7th year idols, fine, but they’ve only been around for 2 years. They’re not even a girl group from a survival show, why bring in a boy group like this?
↳ Same, I’m furious;
↳ *333* These bastards always do things like idiots.
↳ *44* And suddenly switching to a division system is also making me seriously mad. Just do your own job properly first.
I’ve looked into survival show alumni before. Going to K-Dream is way better than being managed by some tiny new agency.
↳ Right lolㅠㅠ Besides, K-Dream is a subsidiary of a major corporation lol
Do K-Stars take good care of their artists?
↳ Not K-Stars, K-Dream lol. Their care depends on how well the artist is doing.
↳↳ Ah lol lol lol lol Right, K-Stars is Jae-seo and Hyun-tae’s team lol lol lol lol
***
[Please Take Care of My Idol) Did you guys see the exposé post about Producer Muk Sahyeon on another site?]
[(screenshot.jpg)]
It’s deleted now, but the post claimed that GS, a participant on Please Take Care of My Idol 2, was assaulted by the PD during filming.;
[Comments]
That bastard Muk Sahyeon, I knew it ㅉㅉ
Holy crap, he hit a trainee??
I saw the original post. There was no proof at all.
↳ *22* Plus, when people asked for proof in the comments, the poster deleted it lol
↳ But how are they supposed to prove they’re a participant? What if that reveals who they are?
↳↳ Still, you can’t just believe an exposé with no evidence, can you?
No, the content is so sketchy lol lol lol lol
↳ Sounds like that old rumor from 20 years ago about beating trainees with a belt if they messed up lol
…Are there people who seriously believe this?
***
[Please Take Care of My Idol) The Muk Sahyeon incident is getting bigger than I thought]
[[‘Please Take Care of My Idol 2’ Producer Muk Sahyeon questioned by police over participant assault allegations… Will this affect NUAVE’s activities?]
https://news.navum.com/entertain/article/0401/9529817835
He allegedly assaulted a trainee while filming Please Take Care of My Idol 2.
People treated it as a rumor because there was no proof, but the police are investigating?]
[Comments]
Holy crap… So it was true?
What the hell is going on,,
So there are actually trainees who were physically abused??
↳ Holy crap, yeahㅠㅠ
↳ Ah f*ck..
That crazy bastard;
Wait, what does NUAVE have to do with it?
↳ Muk Sahyeon and KMBS are both under JH M&E, right? And NUAVE signed with a subsidiary under that same group.
↳ If it’s true, then the group was formed from a program where the PD committed assault, so of course it’s a problem.
↳ People are throwing shade at NUAVE because the exposé mentioned a predetermined debut lineupㅠㅠ
↳↳ “Throwing shade”… lol
In that exposé, it allegedly said they decided the debut lineup in advance and only beat the kids who weren’t in it… is that true?
↳ Was that in there???
↳ Holy crap;;
↳ I’m not saying I believe the post, but there was a lot of talk about PD picks this season, unusually so.
↳↳ Fr, without naming names, we all pretty much know who they are lol Honestly, there are a few who give you that creepy feeling lol
↳↳↳ *222* One of them has been obvious since episode 1.
***
[A statement has been released regarding the assault controversy surrounding Please Take Care of My Idol 2 Producer Muk Sahyeon]
[(Muk_Sahyeon_statement.jpg)]
To summarize: The participant assault allegations are completely false.
He did receive police questioning, but it’s unrelated to this controversy.
The allegations that the Please Take Care of My Idol 2 debut lineup was pre‑determined are absolutely not true.
[Comments]
I’m staying neutral for now.
The original exposé had no proof and was deleted, and there have been no further revelations. It’s amazing this has dragged on so long..
↳ *22* It’s absurd how people insist on that one post and create hate groups for the NUAVE kids.
↳↳ Fr, there were barely any articles about the police questioning, so there was zero credibility. What’s all the fuss about?
Wouldn’t it be solved if they just revealed why he was actually questioned by the police?
The people who leave hate comments on posts like this, supposedly criticizing the PD or NUAVE members, never show up here lol
↳ *22* They only see what they want to see.
↳↳ Fr, they believe an exposé with no proof and two unverified articles, but they don’t believe the person actually denying it lol
(screenshot.jpg) Park Kang-hoon liked Muk’s statement.
↳ Holy crap, so Muk Sahyeon is telling the truth? Those who believe the exposé were saying Park Kang-hoon was forced to get eliminated, right?
↳↳ Well, we don’t know that. Muk Sahyeon is a PD at KMBS, and KMBS produces tons of music shows and variety programs for idols. Even if he were a real victim, he couldn’t come forward.
↳↳↳ Then he wouldn’t have liked the post. Would he really press like just to curry favor with the PD who supposedly forced him out?
***
[Please Take Care of My Idol) Looks like the kids’ debut might be delayed..]
[(screenshot.jpg)]
A post from a K-Dream Entertainment employee went up on Blabla.
Apparently, some schedules related to NUAVE are being postponed..
[Comments]
You don’t think they might not be able to debut at all, do you..?
↳ That’s ridiculous lol
Holy crap, why?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Looks like Muk’s statement wasn’t true after all.
↳ Just f*ck off.
↳ You’re just hoping it isn’t true.
↳↳ Neither side has evidence, right? You’re hoping the exposé isn’t true too lol
Holy crap, this wouldn’t have anything to do with those kids’ fan cafe closing, would it?ㅠㅠ
But K-Dream set up a dedicated NUAVE division. That employee probably isn’t even in charge of NUAVE, so no need to worry just based on that post.
↳ Fr, K-Dream isn’t a small company. How would one employee know everything? lol
***
“We’re not going to be unable to debut, are we?”
Lee Woo‑rim whispered to me with a terribly gloomy face.
Whether it was natural or because singing had improved his projection, the sound came out louder than intended, making the heads of nearby staff members momentarily turn toward us.
“We’re here working on a schedule right now.”
I meant it as reassurance—since we were currently working as NUAVE, there was nothing to worry about—but it didn’t seem to help.
Woo‑rim immediately let out a deep sigh.
“Hyung, didn’t you see that Blabla post?
It said all our schedules are getting postponed.
In fact, we’re not even moving into the dorm today, right?”
It was true that moving into the dorm had been postponed.
Abruptly, just yesterday afternoon.
“Even our team leader won’t tell us the details, so of course I’m anxious.”
Woo‑rim buried his face in his arms on the desk and let out another unusually heavy sigh.
I’d heard about the whole situation from Kwak Jun‑sung three days ago, after a certain exposé appeared online.
The writer claimed to be an unknown participant who had been physically assaulted by Producer Muk Sahyeon while filming Please Take Care of My Idol 2.
At first it was treated as a rumor, but when it was revealed that Muk Sahyeon had been questioned by the police the day before yesterday, it became accepted as fact.
‘So what does that have to do with us?’
Park Seo‑hu, who had been listening with me, had asked Jun‑sung.
‘Because we’re the group formed from a program where the PD assaulted a participant.
Our image is bound to take a hit.’
‘Of course, that’s assuming the allegations are true,’ he added.
I nodded slowly.
Wasn’t it a huge leap to say that just because Muk Sahyeon was questioned two days ago, the exposé from three days ago must be true?
‘Man, come on.
Have you ever seen anyone get beaten around us?’
Seo‑hu had let out a disbelieving laugh, and I sympathized.
Considering the time we’d all spent physically together during the camp, it would have been hard not to notice if someone came back from a beating.
‘Anyway, the PD himself has denied it.’
‘Then what’s the problem?’
When Seo‑hu asked that, Jun‑sung shot both of us a quick glance, sighed quietly, and continued.
What had become problematic was that the exposé also claimed the final debut members were pre‑selected to some degree, and that only the non‑selected participants were assaulted.
When news broke that Muk Sahyeon had been questioned by the police, that part started being accepted as fact too.
And according to Jun‑sung, people who believed the exposé were pointing to me, Park Seo‑hu, and Chae Han‑ul as the beneficiaries of that pre‑selection.
I’d long been called a “PD pick” in hate comments, so I could let that slide, but why Seo‑hu and Han‑ul?
As I wondered, Park Seo‑hu muttered, as if providing the answer, ‘Because we’d never made it into the debut ranks before…’
Then he raised his hand and roughly ruffled his own hair.
‘…I’ve always felt a bit uneasy about it too, so I can’t even argue.’
Jun‑sung’s face scrunched up at Seo‑hu’s words.
‘Hey, it’s just a rumor.
The PD himself said it’s not true.’
Seo‑hu nodded at that, answering, ‘Well, he and the company have a lot to lose, so they would say that,’ and I thought I saw his shoulders sink ever so slightly.
That ended our three‑way conversation.
Shortly afterward, when only Jun‑sung and I were left, I scolded him for bringing it up.
He sighed deeply, saying he already regretted it.
‘I purposely only told you two because I didn’t want to involve Han‑ul.
I didn’t expect Seo‑hu to react that way either,’ he added weakly, and in the end, both of us sighed at the same time.
Loving this chapter? You'll be hooked on Looking For My Child's Father! Click to explore more!
Read : Looking For My Child's Father
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂