The Idol Who Returned from Hell – Chapter 119

Author: Dawn

“It’s finally airing.”

After having a simple dinner with the members, we were sitting side by side on the sofa monitoring the live broadcast of 〈Weekly Idol〉.

I smiled slightly while looking at the expressions of the guys with their pupils expanded to maximum.

I was really out of my mind back then.

The aftermath of the dance mafia game hadn’t even settled when that thunderbolt-like news dropped.

“I really thought we’d have to eat using Indian-style methods.”

“I was already thinking of shouting to the staff for wet wipes. So I could clean my hands.”

Chae Ha-ru, whose eyes had already rolled back from the moment the word Korean beef was mentioned.

And Kang Seon-woo, who had tried to act with his usual quick wit, both nodded their heads simultaneously.

Honestly, I had also thought ‘the production team wants real wilderness,’ but still 〈Weekly Idol〉 had shown us meager mercy.

[Members without chopsticks and spoons will have no choice but to eat with their hands! Hey, Hwi! Don’t look at us with such contemptuous eyes!]

[Seong-hwi (listens well to parents): My mom said you shouldn’t play around with food…… (gritting teeth)]

[Now, now, so we’ll give you a choice! If you get one question right! Then you can either immediately enjoy eating with your hands without utensils or choose to accumulate. Ask one question and go double! If you get two questions right, we’ll provide all the utensils so you can eat comfortably. How about it, deal?]

[D-deal!]

[We’re hungry so let’s do it! Go go!]

[(Young lambs who fell for the devil’s whisper)]

Ryu Si-hwan in the video had a relatively relaxed expression.

Just before the random play quiz started, when the camera captured my triumphant appearance, the guys sent boos from all directions.

“Ugh, that smug smile is annoying, Ryu Si-hwan!”

“I couldn’t see Brother’s face back then, but you were sitting there so comfortably by yourself? How shameless?”

“Brother, I honestly almost asked if I could borrow at least a spoon since chopsticks were fine. But seeing Brother’s face, I felt like you’d definitely never lend them.”

“Hey, you guys. What did I do so wrong?”

“The crime of being triumphant alone while leaving your brothers to suffer in poverty!”

“If you’re going to argue like that, what about Ha-woon?”

“Uh, uh, so—.”

Seong-hwi, who had been trying to deal me serious teasing damage, glanced at the youngest who had been quietly holding his breath next to him.

Yu Ha-woon scratched his cheek and grinned sheepishly.

“Brother Si-hwan, I wasn’t caught in a one-shot, so isn’t it okay?”

“If you look closely, that guy is the worst one.”

“He’s deflecting this using Si-hwan as a shield. The youngest is the scariest—.”

“But setting everything aside.”

I slapped both knees with my hands and spoke energetically.

“It’s not my fault that you’re worse at games than me, right? If you were frustrated, you should have pointed to me as the mafia.”

“Breaking news! CENTIX leader Ryu Si-hwan deploys ‘If you’re jealous, get better at games’!”

“Ah, honestly that’s too accurate to argue against. Si-hyeok, in the end this was all your fault. Why did you act so suspiciously and make us get it wrong?”

“……How did the story suddenly turn like this?”

While Ma Si-hyeok, who had taken Seong-hwi’s arrows unilaterally, radiated a dazed look, I looked at MILLENNIUM’s real-time comments.

Since the genuine games had started airing, the comment regeneration had shot up to break through the ceiling, so the reactions were hot now too.

―Right, at least our babies are rookies, it’s too much to have them experience wilderness from their first variety show

―For a moment I really thought they’d eat with their hands?? Lol. Is this WI or Law of the Wild

―But I guarantee CENTIX might get just one question right and immediately film a hand mukbang, you absolutely can’t let your guard down

└Look, Ha-ru’s eyes have gotten completely vicious lol

└Today’s CENTIX tip gained: Chae Ha-ru gets a weird button pushed when just the word Korean beef appears

└Do even science high school brains become useless in front of delicious things

└’Primitive Regression Chae Ha-ru’

Of course, the majority opinion was engaged in heated debate over whether food demon Chae Ha-ru would or wouldn’t eat with his bare hands.

I watched the screen with interest, thinking about the development that would come next.

[First question coming up!]

[♪♩♬♪♩♪♩―.]

[Correct―.]

[Correct!]

[Whoa, wait time out! What just went by!]

[We’re going to video review. Director, please check who was faster between Si-hwan and Ha-ru!]

Me and Chae Ha-ru raising our hands almost simultaneously.

Since it couldn’t be confirmed with the naked eye, we had to leave the judgment to the camera director.

[Review results show Ha-ru was slightly faster! So what’s the answer?]

[Senior Magnus’s 〈Cold Hot Cold〉. If I dance the choreography too, I can eat Korean beef, right?]

[Correct, but wait, Ha-ru? You’re not going to ask a question and go double—?]

[Give me the music.]

Chae Ha-ru’s straightforward judgment that broke everyone’s expectations.

For a rookie male idol group appearing on official variety for the first time, naturally managing their image would be the right choice.

However, the smell of Korean beef already sizzling on the grill next to us was too destructive.

[She’s cold, hot cold, that mood like I’ll get cut by those eyes—.]

[Wow, good job! How do you even know the choreography for this!]

[Ah, I feel like I cooked rice and gave it to someone else. That’s a song I showed him videos of all the time.]

[(A somewhat large ball shot up by someone from BK background)]

Chae Ha-ru, who had perfectly remembered the video Kang Seon-woo had personally shown him on his phone, leisurely even did an ending fairy pose and earned a passing grade.

Seeing the blazing eyes that were 180 degrees different from usual, we all burst out laughing as a group.

“Ha-ru, weren’t you way too serious? That wasn’t an ending fairy, that was an ending tyrant, tyrant.”

“He looks like he’s about to devour the camera.”

“I only had thoughts of eating meat in my head.”

“So that’s how you rebelled against our leader and boldly seized victory. Ah, I should learn from this too! Why can I never beat Si-hwan!”

“You just lose for life.”

Chae Ha-ru, who made eye contact with the intensity to pierce through the camera lens, immediately rushed to the table prepared on the side.

After wiping his hands with a wet towel, he threw out a single “I’ll eat well” and picked up the freshly grilled Korean beef with his hands, putting it straight into his mouth.

If it had been someone else, they might have been portrayed as a pathetic immature person eating without even using utensils.

However, all events are determined by who the subject is.

When Chae Ha-ru showed off his high-class visuals while eating meat, it was like a single CF.

[Th-this isn’t the picture I was drawing.]

[No, Writer. Didn’t we put this setting in to create humiliating shots of the kids? But why are they filming a CF instead of humiliation?]

[Chae Ha-ru: (Silently continuing his mukbang with no expression change regardless of what the two MCs are chattering about)]

[Why does he look so handsome even eating with his hands……?]

MILLENNIUM’s reactions were fun too.

―What are you doing, Daegwallyeong, why aren’t you appointing Chae Ha-ru as Daegwallyeong promotional ambassador right now

―Daegwallyeong and Hoengseong officials watching this broadcast are grinning (+) ^[1]

―I just finished planning a whole CF in my head. Peaceful Daegwallyeong mountain valley ranch, Chae Ha-ru taking a leisurely walk leading a reliable Korean beef cow…… My mouth is watering thinking about seeing that natural light-touched beauty

└Isn’t your mouth watering because of the Korean beef?

└What if we slaughter that cow and eat it

└Damn it, don’t break my emotion, you crazy bastards

―LOL Ha-ru must have been seriously hungry, the kid who usually just sits with no expression suddenly transformed into a passion man, shouting loudly and even eating with his hands lol

└Ah but I would have gone crazy and jumped around too if Korean beef was grilling next to me while filming so hard

└Can’t agree more, absolutely couldn’t stand that smell

└Ugh, you’d need to add just one shot of soju there to get the real taste

└When will we be able to see our CENTIX drinking mukbang…….

└Still have to wait 2 more years T_T. Until even the youngest becomes an adult

└They’re already this chaotic in a non-alcoholic state, I can’t imagine how much of a mess it would be if alcohol got involved

Meanwhile, on the sofa, a discussion about grabbing meat with bare hands was unfolding.

“I also thought about following Ha-ru and just eating with my hands. But no matter how I looked at it, taking it straight from the grill seemed hot, so I couldn’t do it.”

“It wasn’t that hot. The time to grab the meat was very short from the start. You just lightly pinch it with your fingertips and put it straight in your mouth.”

“Ugh, I thought if I touched meat with my bare hands, it would be slippery because of the oil.”

“You can just wash your hands after eating.”

“Guys. Was this topic really worth discussing this deeply?”

It was so CENTIX to keep chattering according to their stream of consciousness when they got fixated on one thing.

After foodie Chae Ha-ru, I came next, shouting answers at overwhelming speed with most idol songs stored in my brain.

Following that, Kang Seon-woo and Seong-hwi took turns getting 2 correct answers each, amicably sharing them before moving to the table to fill their hungry stomachs.

The ones left until the end were Yu Ha-woon and Ma Si-hyeok.

[If I can’t get this question right, am I the only one who can’t eat?]

[Since there’s no time, let’s just go all-in on this question. Whoever gets it right can go enjoy their meal, and whoever doesn’t can stay here and dance with us, okay?]

[What will be the outcome of this showdown with Korean beef at stake……?]

The match ended rather anticlimactically.

Ma Si-hyeok, who hadn’t been able to properly open his mouth throughout the game, could only stand there dazed and defeated by Yu Ha-woon’s quick reflexes in the final round too.

[There’s no time, Ha-woon! Come eat quickly!]

[Time to chew is precious, just put as much as you can in your mouth! Hey, everyone put it in! Just stuff it in and think later!]

[Ma mouf ish gon eksplo!(My mouth is going to explode!)]

[Ah whatever~ Just shove it all in your mouth and chew~!]

[I finished a whole bowl of rice.]

[(No way…… Chae Ha-ru finished a whole bowl of rice with his bare hands?)]

[I secretly used a trick for the rice. Brother Si-hwan spoon chance. (Innocent)]

I thought so. At some point my spoon wasn’t in front of me.

Chae Ha-ru looked at me and gave a thumbs up.

“I was thinking of asking to borrow utensils, but since the production staff didn’t seem to be paying attention here anyway, I secretly used brother’s.”

“Good job.”

“I felt like I ate about 2 servings by myself.”

MILLENNIUM watching the broadcast might feel sorry for Ma Si-hyeok, who couldn’t eat anything alone.

So we, who had anticipated several moves ahead, acted quickly before Jung Hang-seok and Tycoon could stop us.

[Ma Si-hyeok! Open your mouth!]

[Yes?]

[Si-hyeok, are you lettuce or perilla leaf!]

[I do like lettuce—.]

[Good, good! Hey, Seon-woo, keep blocking the way well!]

[Kang Seon-woo: (Suddenly giving free hugs to Jung Hang-seok with both arms) Ah, it’s truly an honor to meet you!]

[Taking advantage of that gap, Hwan-father’s rocket delivery!]

[Lettuce wrap: Safely arrived at Si-hyeok’s mouth!]

Ma Si-hyeok, who had been watching the broadcast, clapped with emotion.

“Everyone…… That wrap was the most delicious wrap I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

“I’m only saying this because filming is all over, Si-hyeok.”

“Yes?”

“I was actually seriously considering putting a ton of gochujang in that wrap.”

“……Hwi said not to joke around with food, Brother Seon-woo.”

“Ahaha! Hey, but I didn’t do it in the end—.”

“If I hadn’t stopped you, you would have done it.”

“Ryu Si-hwan, shh! Shhh!”

It was so like Kang Seon-woo to break the touching atmosphere every time.

〈Weekly Idol〉 successfully concluded with the full version of the 〈Chronic〉 2x speed challenge.

I stretched fully while watching our music video that came on right after the broadcast ended.

“It seems like it came out fun and well-made. I was a bit worried while filming, but as expected, a major variety show is a major variety show.”

“We really have variety sense again, brother!”

“I hope not just MILLENNIUM but other people also see us favorably……”

Everyone became quiet for a moment at Ma Si-hyeok’s words.

Then Seong-hwi laughed and patted his back.

“Well, we’ll find out how well we did on the broadcast in a few days. It’s our second week of activities now. The rankings that reflect our initial sales and music chart positions will be calculated, so let’s watch the results.”

It was exactly as Seong-hwi said.

The second week music broadcasts where CENTIX’s monster-like data that set new rookie male idol records would be applied.

I fell asleep that night thinking I could probably make it to the first place candidates, but.

On the day KNet’s 〈Music K Showdown〉 was broadcast, I had no idea what kind of future was waiting for us.