Chapter 135: An Inevitable Comparison

The photographer hurriedly wiped away his tears.

“S-Sorry. Why am I being like this?”

Until now, he had taken on almost all of URBAN CODE’s work, encountering many models.

Among them, there were quite a few models who were good at acting.

Even so, there was no model who drew tears from the photographer’s eyes so profusely.

To that extent, the atmosphere of the idol Demon God Sun-woo held something extraordinary.

‘Is this possible with just a facial expression? He is not a professional model, but an idol. Furthermore, I heard he is a rookie?’

The photographer was considerably flustered.

“Writer, what are you doing?”

“Ah.”

Only after Team Leader Kim Min-jun spoke to him from the side did he barely regain his senses.

Until now, he had put on airs, relying on his uncle who was a company executive.

Acting like this in front of Team Leader Kim Min-jun or the young idol kids was unsightly.

“Immersion!”

“Pardon?”

“It is because I too was immersed in the shoot. Do not break the emotion!”

“…Should a photographer not be objective?”

“What does an amateur know. Step back.”

Team Leader Kim Min-jun stepped back with a sour expression.

“Now, shall we go again?”

The photographer hardened his face and began to direct the work again.

‘At any rate, it is just acting. As long as I do not let my guard down, there won’t be another occasion for tears.’

It was this kind of thought, but.

But his opponent was the Demon God.

The acting was not simple acting.

‘He seems to have not regained his senses yet. Shall I slightly adjust the density of my Aura.’

To the extent that it was just slightly burdensome for a human to handle.

Of course, the “just slightly” thought of by the Demon God was a considerably burdensome level by actual human standards.

“Take this.”

“Sob, sob, sob!”

The moment he put the camera to his eye, tears poured out profusely.

Feeling somehow sad, a sense of loss rushing in, and sorrowful, random words began to flow out from the unknown emotion that just made tears fall.

“I was wrong! I was wrong!”

The photographer begged, not targeting anyone in particular.

It was a situation with no target and thus no one to answer—

“Yes, thou wert wrong.”

The Demon God nodded solemnly.

If the crying one is begging, naturally they are begging to the one who made them cry.

“Regain thy senses and engage in the work.”

The Demon God issued an irresistible command to the photographer’s shaken mind.

“Yes, yes!”

As if possessed by a demon, the photographer answered while standing at attention.

And, Team Leader Kim Min-jun and the staff who watched this sight were enveloped in shock.

‘What is this? How did he make that arrogant photographer cry and listen to him?’

‘With just facial expression acting? Does that make sense?’

‘But I saw it with my own two eyes just now, didn’t I?’

Team Leader Kim Min-jun searched for Oh Dae-ho’s position. He wanted to ask about this bizarre phenomenon.

But the moment he saw Oh Dae-ho, he lost the will to ask.

“Yaaawn.”

Oh Dae-ho was yawning nonchalantly.

Calmly, as if passing by a moment of daily life, without the slightest agitation.

“This is Demon God Sun-woo?”

Whenever he heard strange rumors about Sun-woo, he had considered them exaggerations, but now he came to know that wasn’t the case.

That photographer was working like a gentle sheep. Baaa—

‘Our company’s rumors couldn’t even capture all of it.’

Team Leader Kim Min-jun shook his head.

And on the other hand, a sense of expectation arose.

An idol who immediately draws tears from a person’s eyes.

What kind of result would come out of this URBAN CODE advertisement.

***

The night of the day the shoot was finished.

[Coming Soon]

A teaser was uploaded on URBAN CODE’s official SNS.

A portion of the photos and videos shot by Pantheon was uploaded.

All the members did their best to bring out the feeling of a winter city.

They did their best, but—

Perhaps because of that, there was a somewhat cringey feeling when they watched it themselves.

“C-Chiming— Ji-ho, that is a fatal expression, right?”

“Do not tease me! Ha-gyeom, you are in no position to speak of others either! What is this photo here?”

“What about it! It is just an expression full of emotion!”

“No! You are completely drunk on yourself!”

Ha-gyeom and Ji-ho bickered.

On the other hand, Tae-young and Yoon-seo let out sighs.

“We are moderate, right?”

“Phew, exactly.”

Tae-young, who originally had a serious atmosphere, and Yoon-seo, who liked fashion, finished the shoot without overdoing it themselves.

“Actually, Ha-gyeom Hyung’s and Ji-ho Hyung’s photos are good too. It is only because they are acting like that on their own.”

“That is so. The problem is Sun-woo.”

“Yes, as always.”

Tae-young and Yoon-seo stared at Sun-woo’s photo while stroking their chins simultaneously.

It was a problem. A serious problem.

Even Ha-gyeom and Ji-ho approached and looked together, gathering their opinions.

““Is this kind of thing not bad for the heart?””

“Hmph, because I am such an existence.”

Pantheon’s opinions were in agreement.

And, that the Demon God’s photo was a problem was something the fans who watched the teaser agreed on as well.

[Bad for the heart…]

[Tears just well up?]

[The atmosphere is crazy]

[The expression is crazy too]

[He is crazy in many ways, our Demon God-nim]

[Is it okay to release something like this? But please release more]

[Because the CF will come out officially soon!]

[Praise URBAN CODE for uploading the teaser before that! W season goes with this]

[When is the CF released?]

[It’ll probably be after that broadcast]

[That broadcast?]

That broadcast.

It was none other than *I Live in Nature*.

[Ah… what did Sun-woo do after going there again?]

[He definitely wouldn’t have stayed still, though?]

[Keep the live broadcast lock!!!!]

The live broadcast was exactly two weeks later.

***

On that day, the members also gathered and sat before the large TV screen to monitor—

“Sun-woo Hyung, should I bring you more?”

“No, it is sufficient.”

The snacks Yoon-seo gave were piled in front of the Demon God.

Cookies, muffins, brownies, tarts, and so forth. Sweet baked goods that couldn’t be thought of as snacks for an active idol.

However, Yoon-seo did not stop.

“Please leave this in front of you too.”

“Hm? I told you it is sufficient?”

“Even after saying that, you ask for more. Take it all at once!”

“Shall I?”

The Demon God smiled contentedly and accepted.

“Beginning.”

At Tae-young’s announcement, crunch, everyone picked up and ate a cookie one by one while focusing on the broadcast.

[Today is the day special guests join us]

The three appeared from the opening.

“Pfft.”

Ha-gyeom burst into laughter seeing Ji-ho’s fully heavy-armed state.

“It was cold over there, you know!”

“Even so, that is too much.”

In the screen, after the scene of *Na-Jayeon*’s MC Oh Sung-hyun experiencing a pupil earthquake was caught, the Demon God appeared in casual wear.

Namely, URBAN CODE’s hoodie and t-shirt.

“The brand team leader over there said so. That the higher-ups viewed it extremely favorably that we went on a variety show wearing that.”

“Because you, Yoon-seo, earnestly wished for it. Responding to a subordinate’s desire is also this body’s task, after all.”

The photo Ji-ho took itself had him wearing the brand’s clothes.

It was certain that URBAN CODE was also monitoring the broadcast right now.

Since they appeared on the broadcast wearing their company’s clothes from the start, they must be excited.

Meanwhile, inside the screen, conversation was going back and forth saying they shouldn’t dress like that.

[Seems they do not know the difficulties of hiking yet]

A subtitle lightly entering.

The events that unfolded afterwards were well known.

Ji-ho was carried on top of the Demon God’s luggage and delivered.

“Ugh! I looked like that?”

“Yes. Regrettably.”

Seeing himself in a package state on the screen for the first time, Ji-ho didn’t know what to do out of embarrassment.

“Editing! Why didn’t they edit that out?”

“But Ji-ho, is that state not exceedingly laughable?”

“That’s why they should edit it!”

“No? If I were the PD, I would make sure to broadcast it.”

The Demon God solemn nodded his head.

“Wow—, it’s a relief Sun-woo Hyung didn’t choose a career path as a PD.”

“Tell me about it. How much evil editing would he have done? His personality is already like that anyway.”

Yoon-seo and Ha-gyeom shuddered.

Inside the broadcast, a serious conversation between the Demon God and the natural person was flowing.

[The natural person seriously contemplating something at the end of the conversation with Sun-woo.]

“Wait? This editing flow is?”

“Uh-oh?”

Ji-ho and Yoon-seo let out surprised sounds.

With that kind of editing, it felt as if Sun-woo had influenced the descent from the mountain.

– I shall descend.

Following that, a scene appeared where the natural person dreamed of his family and resolved to descend.

– The family members in the dream told me to convey their gratitude to Sun-woo.

Along with that line.

“Ugh! It really looks as if Sun-woo Hyung influenced him, right?”

“Exactly! It’s just that it became time for him to leave, so he left!”

Yoon-seo and Ji-ho shouted simultaneously.

“I did not, though? It is true that I gave a very large influence, though?”

“What kind of influence did you give?”

He had dissipated the shadow, and lent power to the weakened spirits of his family.

But because he couldn’t speak of that honestly.

“A candid conversation?”

Instead, the conversation shared with the natural person was candid.

“You know not, indeed. How much communion went back and forth between him and me.”

“Communion? You know words like that too?”

“Leaving aside knowing the word, you do such a thing?”

“Insolent….”

Although they had seen the conversation between the Demon God and the natural person, they couldn’t believe he had given an influence just by that.

But what happened had happened.

The broadcast proceeded to the process of descending.

Since it was footage shot after the Demon God’s group departed, these were scenes they were seeing for the first time.

Stack by stack. Packing only the items to definitely take inside a few boxes.

Items containing memories, such as frames or diaries, were packed in separate bags.

There was a photo sticking out of the diary, so the natural person pulled it out and looked at it.

And, startled, he quickly pushed it back into the diary so it wouldn’t be reflected on the camera.

Yoon-seo and Ji-ho, who were quietly watching, opened their mouths at an unknown ominousness.

“Sun-woo Hyung, don’t tell me.”

“Sun-woo, by any chance is that….”

“Hm? Is that not obvious. It is Pantheon’s photo.”

Along with a memo telling him to paste it above his bed wherever he went.

“Because it will block miscellaneous bad luck.”

““…….””

They were members who couldn’t say any words.

Right, it’s better for that photo not to appear on camera.

In the meantime, the rest of the luggage was all distributed to nearby residents, and even the cabin was disposed of.

– Even if I return, I won’t stay here, after all. I have packed everything I must take.

Doing so, the natural person placed his hand on his chest.

Memories, love, all taken by containing them inside.

[Thereafter, Min-su descended the mountain and began a new life.]

The ending alone was enough to plant emotion in all of Pantheon.

All the members stared at the TV with choked-up expressions.

‘That is good. Try living a new life.’

Only the Demon God was wearing a bright smile.

***

The next day.

The Demon God’s influence filled up the real-time trends completely.

#Na-Jayeon #Pantheon #Sun-woo Casual Wear #URBAN CODE Activity

“Guys, the reaction is hit!”

The CEO personally came up and poured out praises endlessly.

“*Na-Jayeon* also recorded its highest viewership rating. A natural person descending the mountain, this can’t not be watched, after all! Furthermore, because you guys, Sun-woo, Ji-ho, and Yoon-seo, played active roles.”

The CEO had a simply happy face.

“I received a call from URBAN CODE since morning.”

At the unexpected promotion, the URBAN CODE side also let out happy screams.

Since the advertisement is scheduled to go out before this influence disappears, that synergy effect was tremendous just to imagine.

“CEO, do not make a fuss. All of this was an expected result.”

“Really?”

The Demon God looked out the window for a moment.

In reality, there aren’t many things he does knowing. But he always thinks things will work out well—.

“In any case. With this, we have come to compete a step ahead.”

“?”

The Demon God looked at the CEO again.

“A step ahead? Competition?”

“Yes. I told you at first, didn’t I. That there are various brands under the upper clothing company that includes URBAN CODE. Do you remember me saying there is a brand called NEXT among them?”

The Demon God retraced his deleted memory.

“Was it the brand that EXI is modeling for?”

“Yes. As a matter of course, it meant that comparison was inevitable.”

The Demon God smiled slightly.

At the time, it was before the commercial shoot, and the emotional line of sorrow was unfamiliar.

Now it is different.

“So? When do EXI’s and our advertisements overlap?”

As the Demon God asked confidently, the CEO answered.

“Since the winter season is the same, the advertisements will be released simultaneously.”

It meant that comparison was even more inevitable.

The Demon God was confident.

The time to suppress them once more had come.

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