The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 167
Both men were well-acquainted with the layout of the station and the filming set. The only reason they hadn’t stepped out of their cars yet was simple:
Petty power play.
You could call it childish for grown men to behave this way, sure, but it was also true—things between them had grown tense lately.
Shin Ki Ho had tried to blindside Do Jae Chan over Logan’s departure.
And not to be outdone, Do had inserted himself into Targeting Star production—territory Shin had already claimed.
They were supposed to be reviving AG’s fallen prestige together, launching a successful idol.
Somehow, it had all gone sideways.
“God, they know the way. Could’ve come up on their own… but no, gotta make me play chauffeur.”
Of course, the poor underpaid junior writer had no idea about all that backstory.
“…Tch.”
When Ha Joon, unmistakably a member of the Targeting Star production staff, approached from the distance, the two men finally stepped out of their vehicles with identical clicks of the tongue.
They weren’t exactly eager to see each other either.
“…Didn’t expect the President to come to today’s show.”
“Yeah, well. Didn’t think Director Shin would grace us with his presence either.”
“I keep up with every one of our trainees’ performances. And I was given full oversight of this program within AG.”
“……”
Do Jae Chan’s expression wavered slightly, feigning ignorance by looking away.
His visit to the station had a simple purpose—
Yes, to support AG’s bloodline trainees before the live stage.
But more than that, it was Joo Cheol Yeong’s words that lingered in his head:
—You should come to the fourth round. We can finish that conversation.
“…But Logan isn’t leaving now. My part’s over, no?”
—No, sir. Think about it.
‘Director Shin tried to axe Logan, yet he’s still here, isn’t he?’
“…Tch.”
True to his brash personality and rash decision-making, Do Jae Chan was now clearly uneasy.
He should’ve avoided seeing Shin today.
Still, maybe by some stroke of luck—
“……”
Even the hyper-meticulous Shin Ki Ho didn’t have the energy today to jab at Do’s nervous face with a pointed “Are you scheming something?”
“He says he won’t respond to me anymore? …Ha. The little bastard’s getting cocky.”
“Um, Director Shin.”
“…Go ahead.”
“Uh, per Chief Choi… Liu Wei’s attitude on set lately hasn’t been great…”
“……”
‘I’ll go deal with it myself.’
He’d have to see Liu Wei’s face and give him a proper dressing-down.
“Right, I’ll head to the stage now then….”
And so, with very different motivations, the two AG titans followed behind Ha Joon as he led them cautiously toward the filming site.
“……”
“……”
Neither middle-aged man said a word, each lost in his own thoughts.
And the one suffering from that silence was already decided.
‘Should I say something? Is this normal? Ugh, if it weren’t for the PD, I’d still be on set right now!’
That was the lot of the youngest staff member.
You obeyed orders without question, stayed quiet when the mood called for it—
and when told to speak, you opened your mouth faster than a bullet.
Hang in there, youngest. Hang in there, Lee Ha Joon.
Could anyone have understood poor Ha Joon’s pitiful heart?
Just as the long, long journey of guiding them came to an end and they were steps away from the set—
Rrrrr─
The muffled ringtone blaring from someone’s pocket echoed loudly through the hallways of the broadcasting station.
Ha Joon, overwhelmed with relief at finally having a chance to speak, wiped away a near-tear and muttered with a puzzled face,
“…Um, I think… someone’s getting a call?”
Both of you.
“……”
Director Shin Ki Ho and President Do Jae Chan.
Both of their expressions stiffened in an oddly synchronized way.
Their schedules weren’t exactly classified—most people at the company knew where they’d be.
Meaning, unless it was a very urgent matter, no one would be calling now.
And that, indirectly, meant one thing: This call is urgent.
“It’s me. Talk. Make it quick—I’m just about to go watch our kids perform…”
Do Jae Chan was the first to speak.
But—
“Say that again.”
It was Director Shin whose face twisted first and most violently. Having quickly taken in the contents of the call, he hissed into the phone.
“…No article’s out yet, right? Keep the reporters on a tight leash. No sources, no quotes, understood? I’ll head back in. Tell Chief Choi too.”
“…Got it. I’ll double-check again before I come in. Yeah.”
Their expressions—once similar—split apart: one crumbling further, the other possibly even smiling faintly.
Click…
Even the act of answering, speaking, and ending the call had occurred almost simultaneously between the two men.
And then, they glanced at each other.
“……”
“……”
Each had plenty to say—but it was painfully clear neither could say it now.
“…It seems something urgent has come up. I won’t be able to stay for the performance. Apologies for the escort. I’ll be heading out.”
And it was Director Shin who raised the white flag first.
“Huh? You’re leaving, Director Shin…?”
Ha Joon, flustered by the sudden change of course, turned to President Do for some cue,
But President Do merely shrugged once and gently nudged Ha Joon’s shoulder.
“We’ll go in for now.”
Seems Director Shin has something pressing to attend to.
“It’s not my problem, so I’m fine.”
“……”
For a moment, did Director Shin’s face crumple miserably? Or was that just Ha Joon’s imagination?
But it wasn’t just imagination. The notification inside his pocket proved otherwise—
[Real-time SNS Trends – Trending near you]
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Especially if you caught that last one that had just begun climbing the ranks.
kcyfan1000
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Thanks for the translation <3
Randomusernamepls
HEHEHEHEHE I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE LIU(?) WEI’S FACE AFTER HIS RELATIONSHIP GETS LEAKED 😈