> [LMAO please someone take care of me, this is too funny ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[I have to watch Episode 2 next week ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Seo Hoyun seems a bit lower energy than usual, but the way he just drops lines is too cuteㅋㅋㅋ]
[Jeong Dajun?? Where is he from?? He's so adorable. I couldn't stop laughing when his heart rate hit 150ㅋㅋㅋ]
"Please Take Care of Me" received a surprisingly positive response from the general public.
Riding that high, PD Choi got so excited that after wrapping up Episode 2 and the studio reaction shoot, he even decided to film a special clip.
"Hahaha! We'll definitely top the ratings again this time!"
"Whew, congratulations."
"Getting Min Jiheon on board, then adding Seo Hoyun and Jeong Dajun? That was pure genius, seriously!"
Watching the reactions being filmed, it was obvious—when Min Jiheon was alone, he barely moved.
He either read or silently gazed out the window.
Sure, many people would still love him even if all he did was breathe quietly, but that wasn't nearly enough for PD Choi.
(Though, to be fair, they milked everything they could out of it.)
"I still don't know why Min Jiheon even agreed to do this. Hahaha. But hey, I hope I've opened up a new path in variety shows for him. And Seo Hoyun too!"
"Aw, PD-nim, just call me anytime!"
"You're such a smooth talker~!"
Clearly in a great mood, PD Choi kept grinning.
I caught a glimpse of Min Jiheon trying to stand up quietly while his manager was distracted, talking to another staff member.
> 'Trying to sneak away, huh.'
But as soon as the manager turned his head, Jiheon calmly plopped back down and started pretending to be distracted.
I chuckled quietly to myself—then coughed deliberately.
Sure, I really was feeling like shit, but this time I didn't bother holding the cough back.
"Cough, cough!"
"Jeong Dajun was really adorable. If I'd known he was that funny, I would've brought him in for the reaction shoot too…"
"Cough, cough, hack…"
"…Hoyun? Are you dying over there??"
"Hey, PD-nim, please let Hoyun go already. He hasn't been feeling well throughout filming."
Bowing my head, I coughed a few more times before I finally spoke slowly.
"…It's nothing. I just always get sick during the season change. The coughing's just worse this year."
"Man, Hoyun, you're seriously such a pro~. Your complexion's paper-white, but you don't show it at all once the camera's rolling."
Some of the production staff who used to throw shade about "bundling casts" were now singing my praises behind my back.
As soon as I started acting polite on set and the ratings shot up, their attitudes flipped like a switch.
"I'll be heading out first, then. I've got another schedule."
"Yup, thanks for your hard work~!"
I walked briskly out the door.
I kept my face blank, but it felt like someone was splitting my head open with an axe.
I rushed to the farthest corner restroom, grabbed a toilet, and threw up. But there was nothing left to throw up—only a bit of bile came up.
"…Ha. Nothing left."
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I turned on the sink.
Whoooosh…
I tried to catch my breath while holding back another sudden fit of coughing.
'Well, at least I'm not coughing up blood this time.'
My stomach kept twisting, and my heart was pounding violently.
The cold water splashed on my face helped me settle down—just a bit.
"This is so f***ed…"
I glared at my pale face in the mirror and pushed my hair back.
'Still manageable. Just barely.'
My next schedule was a guest appearance on Rising Rookies, where Kang Ichae was a mentor.
Since the manager had gone to pick up the other members from the dorm, I decided to wait and passed the time by sitting on the sink edge, pulling up Kang Ichae's recent broadcast.
'It's not Kim Heeyoung producing?'
I'd assumed it would be Kim Heeyoung since it was another idol survival show with trainees, but a different name was listed.
I clicked on a 10-minute highlight clip from the first round. After the stage, the mentors each shared feedback.
[I get everything else, but Kang Ichae's the one that makes zero sense ㅋㅋㅋ Like… why her?]
[Even if the mentors are supposed to be a mix of newer and older idols, isn't Kang Ichae way too young?? She's only 22. Who's gonna take her seriously? They should've at least brought someone like Black Call.]
[tvK must still be hung up on the Shining Star effect ㅋㅋ But Rising Rookies is already dead. No way they can recreate the hypeㅋㅋ]
Scrolling through the comments, the reception was clearly rocky.
[This year's trainee pool is actually the worst… and their attitudes, too...]
[They scrambled too fast and just took whoever showed up.]
[They're supposed to be desperate, but they're not even trying ㅋㅋ ffs]
[Boy group survival shows need to squeeze out emotions, but this? You can't even squeeze it.
└ Sorry, but there's literally nothing to stan ㅜ]
The negative response was heavier than I expected.
Even with Kang Ichae's skills, it didn't seem like she could turn the tide easily.
> 'Will she be okay?'
She'd been working just as hard as I had lately, prepping for a comeback and year-end stages.
Outwardly she looked relaxed, but I could tell she was pushing herself too far.
And now she was appearing on a show and preparing a mentor performance?
> 'I've been too careless.'
I should've paid more attention to Kang Ichae.
Since I'd be getting makeup again anyway, I splashed cold water on my face one more time and ruffled my hair.
Just then, my phone vibrated.
I dried my hands with a paper towel and checked—it was a message from my manager.
[Manager: Hoyun-ah, I'll be there in about 15 minutes. Hang in there!]
I sent back an "OK" and stepped out of the broadcasting building, heading down to the staff-only parking lot.
That's when I saw it—a yellow sports car I'd seen back at Min Jiheon's house during the "Please Take Care of Me" shoot.
Pretty sure he came with his manager in a van this morning… so when did this get here?
My head pounding, I leaned against a parking pillar.
Then someone appeared.
"…Whoa! You scared me."
It was Min Jiheon, sipping iced tea and twirling car keys.
Our eyes locked, and he flinched slightly.
"Why are you standing here alone like some horror movie ghost?"
He'd been fidgeting since earlier—guess he was trying to sneak out behind his manager's back.
"Yellow doesn't suit you."
"I know. But the face makes up for it, apparently."
"Who told you that?"
"…The person who sold it to me."
I clicked my tongue. Jiheon pouted slightly.
He muttered something about his younger brother liking the color, but I didn't care.
"Hey."
Even in this short conversation, I felt cold sweat beading on my forehead.
"You know something, don't you?"
I cut straight to the point.
"Lately I feel like I'm dying."
During filming, Jiheon always jumped in at just the right moments to cover for me.
After two weeks of this, I got the feeling.
"You knew. That's why you suggested doing variety together."
"Ahaha… no. I just wanted to share my cuteness with the world."
Cuteness, my ass.
Ignoring him, I pushed off the pillar.
"Thinking about it… it's like you knew this would happen to me."
"What are you talking about?"
"You told me, 'If something ever happens, call me.' Remember?"
That was back when Shining Star Season 2's performance unit had ended and the final stage was approaching.
We ran into each other at the agency, and that's what Jiheon said.
I always found it odd that my memories from that time were so hazy, even though the stress was bad.
And now I had completely forgotten that Kang Ichae was appearing as a mentor on this show.
coincidence?
No way.
I'd been through too much to naively chalk it up to chance.
No matter how many times I went over it, something felt off.
"You… The thoughts you see from me. Is there something wrong with them?"
Up until now, the only times I received physical penalties were when Min Jiheon forcibly removed the system window from me, when I took out a loan, or when I failed a quest.
But lately?
I haven't done anything.
And yet, it felt like the world itself was rejecting me—just like when I got penalized.
I didn't spit blood, but everything else was the same.
It's unnatural.
So, taking the system message that had directly stated I was in an "unstable state" as a clue, I assumed that the occasional ERROR messages I'd seen were causing my body to overload—and everything started to make sense.
"Hyung, you…"
"I, what?"
Min Jiheon hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and added casually.
"You seriously overestimate me. I'm nothing special, but you act like I'm the answer to everything."
"Just answer the question, will you?"
"I just observe. If I were you, I'd already be home, lying on the heated floor, getting some solid rest. For at least a week."
He plopped his half-finished iced tea down carelessly on the car hood and stepped closer.
Strangely, just like last time, being near him helped me calm my breathing.
He scanned me up and down and opened his mouth again.
"Don't go to the schedule."
"You think that's possible? You've been acting chill lately, but you're still full of crap."
If I was the only one missing from an event that all the other members were attending, people would start talking.
Besides, I was confident I could at least pretend to be fine while the cameras were rolling.
— Brrrzzzzz.
Reflexively, I checked my phone. It was my manager calling.
"Alright, I'm off th— Ack!"
"Jiheon."
As he reached for his iced tea and made to sit in the driver's seat of his sports car, I grabbed him by the back of the neck.
My tone was unnervingly gentle.
With some experience now in dealing with me, Min Jiheon flinched, visibly alarmed.
"The shoot will finish around 3 a.m. See you then."
"No thanks, I'll be asleep."
"Did I sound like I was asking?"
Jiheon's face twisted into a deep frown.
He looked like he regretted everything.
"Ugh… I'm a morning person, you know?"
"Oh yeah?"
"What's with the 'oh yeah?'"
He grumbled, then shook off my hand and got in the car.
I took it as a yes and smiled slightly.
As he started the engine, I tapped the roof of his car.
"See you later."
"...You're seriously the worst."
He took a sip of his iced tea and let out a long sigh.
Then he waved his hand dismissively like he wanted me gone and drove off out of the parking lot.
I had a strong feeling I'd be learning something soon.
Whatever it is, even just a bit of new info will help.
It felt like the immediate crisis had been handled for now.
Now, it was time to face our health-obsessed, overpowered rapper.
I crouched down slowly, waiting for my manager to arrive, when suddenly—
Screeeeeeeeech——!
A harsh tire-scraping sound tore through the ground behind me.
Startled, I whipped my head around—but there was nothing there.
I was alone in the parking lot.
A chill ran down my arms.
> "...What the fuck…"
It was a horribly familiar sound.