The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 138
With Gao Yan by my side, I carefully began analyzing the rumors as they scrolled across his screen.
Not the comments.
The comments on my own Outgram post had to be left for last.
That’s how I could keep my mind calm.
Gao Yan, standing next to him, made it difficult to focus, though.
“Chunyong hyung, did you really scam people in a game? You can tell me. When Gao Yan first came to Korea, I accidentally bought something for 50,000 won that was worth only 5,000!”
Dealing with Gao Yan’s presence certainly didn’t make things any easier.
“No, you idiot. Just be quiet!”
“Mmph!”
Once his mouth was covered, Gao Yan squirmed for a moment, but when he realized no response was coming from Chunyong, he quickly fell silent.
For all his unpredictable behavior, he had an uncanny ability to read the room when necessary.
[Targeting Star contestant K’s secret life… spending holidays and nights at the trainee dorm with his girlfriend?]
[I was scammed by a jerk trainee from that idol show… it was for a game item, but still 100% sure it was K.C.Y.] [1]
The two biggest accusations circulating were related to dating rumors and an in-game scam.
Dating? A scam with game items?
Two out of the three things idols should never be involved in.
“It was five fucking minutes ago…”
“Dog? Does that mean there are a lot of dogs [2] involved? Interesting.”
“It’s not that kind of ‘dog…’ But never mind.”
It wasn’t the time to worry about things like that.
I opened my mouth to say something to Gao Yan, but quickly shut it again.
It wasn’t that I was trying to feign ignorance—it was more that I didn’t want to direct my mounting frustration at Gao Yan.
This wasn’t good.
The Targeting Star viewers’ forums had always been clean. There were even posts like, *”I guess none of these guys have a dirty past, huh? No scandals? That’s kind of disappointing.”*
Now, thanks to me, everything was spiraling out of control. It was absurd.
As my fingers paused over the screen, Gao Yan suddenly sprang to his feet, bursting with energy.
“Chunyong hyung, since you didn’t scam anyone in that game, I’m going to say what I’ve been meaning to say!”
“You know people outside can hear—”
“Even if I scream, no one can hear! There’s soundproofing! So this is what Gao Yan wants to say!”
Gao Yan, shoulders rising and falling with determination, lowered his voice.
The dim lighting of the vocal room cast shadows on his sharp features, and for once, his expression was serious, filled with genuine concern rather than his usual confidence.
“Someone malicious is doing this, and there’s only one person who could. If you don’t have a mortal enemy I don’t know about, then it has to be Liu Wei, just like I said earlier.”
“……”
“It has to be him. You can’t deny it.”
He was right.
Earlier, I had only shut him up because I was worried someone outside might hear.
But the idea that Liu Wei was behind this? That wasn’t far-fetched at all.
After all, Liu Wei had already contacted my former agency and QUINCE, trying to dig up dirt on him.
If something like this didn’t happen, that would have been strange.
“…Yeah, I think you’re right. This is definitely Liu Wei’s doing.”
“I knew you’d agree! So, where should I start?”
“Huh? Start what?”
“We need to start your defense and revenge! I’m ready, just leave it to me!”
Ah, If I knew he’d react this way, I wouldn’t have agreed right away.
I rubbed my forehead, unable to hide my exasperation.
As if this wasn’t complicated enough, it just got more complicated.
With the mid-ranking announcement coming up, it was inevitable that this scandal would affect my rising rank, which had been boosted by my Outgram and WeTube efforts.
There would be no escaping the comments, the looks from others, or the label that would follow me throughout the show.
Personally, I wasn’t too shaken—I’d been through worse—but the real problem was elsewhere.
I opened the scandal portal site again, biting down on my lip.
[(Photo) Alleged image of Trainee K with his father and girlfriend. They seem to know each other well, indicating the families are already close.
(Photo) Trainee K spotted moving with his girlfriend right after their second holiday break during the survival show.]
The blurred figures in the photos were none other than my sister, Kim Bomi, and my father.
It was from the day they had come to drop me off at the dorm, when we bumped into Logan in the parking lot.
My grip on the phone tightened.
“These idiots can’t even get the holiday date right….”
This happened during the first break, and during the second break, I was with Jae Ha hyung the whole time.
“Chunyong hyung, did you just say you’re going to get your revenge right away? That you’ll start with an explanation video? Wow, your resolve is incredible!”
“No!”
The biggest difference between me now and when I was a problematic member is that my family is still living their normal lives.
This rumor wasn’t like the others made up just to tear me down.
The real reason I decided to come back was to atone for my family and the Arrows members.
But now…
I can’t believe my family was getting dragged into this mess because of me.
Liu Wei, you bastard.
I swallowed the surge of anger, forcing my voice to remain calm as I turned to Gao Yan.
“I hear what you’re saying, Gao Yan. But… I’m not going to explain myself. I’m not going to go to the production team either.”
“What?!”
Gao Yan’s face flashed every possible emotion—anger, disbelief, and even a hint of, ‘Has hyung given up?’
“Chunyong hyung, are you a man? I can’t believe you’re like this. .You’re a good guy, but Chunyong hyung, you’re an idiot!”
Wait, he actually said that out loud.
“…Hey! There’s a time and place for your words! What’s with calling me an idiot when I’m going through this?”
“I said ‘idiot’ because I know you won’t understand my swearing in Cantonese!”
“Just listen to me, alright? I’m not explaining this. Understand?”
“…What do you mean?”
I patted his shoulder, trying to calm him down before continuing.
“These rumors, they’re weak. There’s no solid proof, not even a single credible piece of evidence. It’s all tabloid garbage. If I respond to this, I’m just fanning the flames.”
Some rumors thrive on the target’s attempt to clarify.
They want to see the target’s anxiety, hoping to see them react with fear, sadness, or worry.
And once someone denies the rumor, people just assume, ‘They’re lying to cover it up. They must’ve really done it.’
That’s why I had no intention of responding to every single one of these ridiculous rumors.
Of course not.
But that didn’t mean I was just going to sit back and cry, get drunk, and down antidepressants like candy either.
“Let me tell you why I was trying to persuade Li Ming Shen: it’s because it was the most peaceful way to handle Liu Wei.”
“…Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I’m not using that method anymore.”
I’ll need your help instead. Haha….
Seeing me smile, Gao Yan shuddered slightly and furrowed his brows.
Maybe I looked a little too intimidating.
I clicked my tongue, rubbing the stiffness from my face.
Yeah, it was true. When I’m angry, even smiling doesn’t make it better.
And I was angry.
T/N:
[1] ↩
[2] ↩
