The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 164
5-year veteran boy group, SLEDIX.
Even with Leopold charging forward at full speed to rival their throne, they remained unrivaled in the public’s mind as the undisputed top boy idol group.
With 16 members, it was only natural the descriptor “large-scale” always preceded their name, and accordingly, the group had a wide range of sub-units.
Dance unit, vocal unit, rap unit—
Even a full band unit where every member could play an instrument.
“Hello, we are SLEDIX!”
When they first stood before the public, the worries were many.
Wouldn’t such a large group feel disjointed? Wouldn’t they just stick to their own cliques?
How was anyone supposed to remember all their names, anyway?
But those worries were quickly put to rest…
Because of just one person.
The oldest of the sixteen, the leader—
The one every single member unanimously claimed with a laugh, “If it weren’t for him, we’d have all fought and disbanded ages ago.”
SLEDIX’s leader, emotional anchor, workaholic.
The genius composer certified by the charts.
– Among the senior idols entering through the studio doors, one figure in particular draws all eyes!
– “My…my role model has always been Jeong Yeon Woo seonbae… The way he walked in through the door, it was… it was so cool it nearly blinded me.”
The man behind every one of those titles, Jeong Yeon Woo, was now…
– “I’d really like it if you chose me, actually.”
– A senior idol courting trainee Kim Chunyong?! Which way will this team decision go?!
“…Pffft.”
Half-sprawled on their dorm’s living room couch, Jeong Yeon Woo chuckled as he watched his own broadcast footage from Targeting Star.
‘…What the hell is this?’
SLEDIX’s vocal unit member Joo Young, who shared the dorm with him, blinked rapidly—trying to confirm if what he was seeing was real.
That Jeong Yeon Woo was laughing at that half-baked variety segment edit?
No—but… He was watching an idol survival program? Really spending his time on it, focusing on it?
‘Well, he does monitor like a man possessed, but… those kids haven’t even debuted yet.’
Joo Young cautiously lowered himself onto the other end of the couch, sneaking glances at his leader’s face.
Laughing, then serious. Sharp-eyed, then absentmindedly scratching his cheek.
“…That’s really fascinating.”
To even mutter that aloud.
Joo Young couldn’t reconcile the easygoing Yeon Woo in front of him with the strict, composed leader he knew. So he just stared at the TV instead.
Onscreen, the trainee Yeon Woo had picked wore a sheepish smile.
Good-looking, sure, but those sharp features made him look almost too severe.
And if that wasn’t enough, his smile flashed a glimpse of pointed canines every time.
The name in the subtitle below him read…
“…Kim Chunyong? That’s the trainee’s name?”
“Oh, Joo Young. You’re back.”
Startled, Joo Young only realized he’d spoken aloud when Yeon Woo finally turned to greet him.
“Didn’t expect you so soon. Thought your schedule this morning ran late?”
“Oh? Ah… yeah. It, uh, wrapped early. Recording ended faster than expected.”
Though in reality, his date with Billie fell through thanks to her schedule.
Joo Young kept his face carefully blank, hiding his feelings.
He was currently in the middle of a quiet relationship with Billie, a member of rookie girl group LilyJ.
The entertainment world—often seen as the pinnacle of glamour—was, in truth, an isolated island.
Romance between idols was a dangerous comfort for people who lived in constant loneliness.
He knew if it ever got out, he’d be branded a traitor by fans and critics alike.
But as long as no one finds out… it’s not betrayal.
It was just… loneliness.
Joo Young stole a glance at Yeon Woo’s feet next to him and swallowed hard.
Even Yeon Woo, that model of restraint, still drank—just carefully, without ever getting caught.
He’d never figure it out. There’s no way Yeon Woo knows how careful I’ve been, how careful Billie’s been.
Joo Young had no idea what truly set him apart from Yeon Woo.
Nor did he know that in about three months, Ent-Gate would break the news of his secret relationship with Billie wide open.
Yeon Woo, still watching him in silence, eventually turned back to the screen and spoke quietly.
“…Joo Young. You’re managing your schedule properly, right?”
“O-of course. You know me, hyung. I write everything in my calendar, color-coded and all.”
“Good. Seems like there’ve been a few… new entries I didn’t recognize lately. But I won’t ask what they are.”
As long as you’re not hurting SLEDIX…
“I don’t care.”
“…….”
There was weight behind Yeon Woo’s words. A familiar, pointed warning. Joo Young broke out in a cold sweat.
It was something Yeon Woo had said before.
That day. The very first time all sixteen members gathered together.
Even the CEO and managers had stepped aside as Yeon Woo stood alone before the practice room mirror and declared:
“It’s the first time a group with this many members is debuting together, right?”
“……”
“There’ll be a lot of doubt. Concerns too. But don’t worry.”
“……”
“You’ll be singing my songs. And with that, failure isn’t even an option. We’ll hit number one. We’ll stay on top—always.”
“……”
“So just remember one thing. Don’t take the place you’ve climbed to lightly, and never tarnish the name of SLEDIX. As long as you don’t do that, I’ll trust you, support you, and back you up—no matter what you do.”
“W-What if something does happen…?”
A question from one of the members who’d joined the debut lineup late, still unsure of what kind of person Jeong Yeon Woo really was.
To that, Yeon Woo had smiled warmly as he replied—
“Something like that… shouldn’t ever happen, but…”
‘If it does, you’ll find out what happens to the very first person who screws up.’
Maybe it was that charisma of his. Maybe it was how tame the members of SLEDIX were.
But even after five years, there hadn’t been a single major scandal tied to them.
Even though the one most likely to be their first scandal was sitting right there, glancing at Yeon Woo from the living room.
Well. That was a problem for another day.
“…Didn’t think you’d watch the whole survival show. I heard you gave them a song, sure, but I didn’t think AG would launch another idol group already.”
Thinking silence would only get him in trouble, Joo Young rushed to steer the topic elsewhere.
“Especially that trainee. You picked him yourself, didn’t you? Was it really because he looked like he could handle his liquor?”
“Ah… Trainee Kim Chunyong.”
On the dorm TV, Kim Chunyong was busy explaining why he’d chosen Yeon Woo’s team.
Bees
Rest in peace Joo Young. The rest of SLEDIX will remember you, as a warning tho.
So Jeong Yeon Woo is only like an ignored puppy with Chunyong? Lol
kcyfan1000
RIP bro, it was nice knowing you
Another male mentor crushing on KCY, lol
Thanks for the translation <3