Chapter 119: Praise Is the Loudest Kind of Storm

“Hyunjae!”

Aina’s manager burst through the door without even knocking.

“Yes?”

I thought he’d followed Aina, so why was he coming to me? 

Was he here to thank me or something?

“It’s just that I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention what happened a little while ago to anyone else.”

The fact that he’d come running to me just to say that was utterly ridiculous. What? 

Is he worried I’ll spread rumors somewhere? 

There were dozens of people on set.

Even with dozens of witnesses, he thought silencing me alone would fix it.

“It won’t happen, but sometimes people go around bragging like it’s some heroic tale. So, if you could keep it a secret…….”

“It won’t happen.”

Hayoon spoke up for me from beside me.

“It’s not something worth bragging about like a heroic tale, and he’s not the type to use a colleague’s illness to boost his image.”

Faced with Hayoon’s firm attitude, Aina’s manager backed off.

“Well, that’s a relief then. Since you’re still a rookie, I thought you might not know…….”

“Instead of doing this, you should go check on the celebrity you’re in charge of. Don’t worry about us.”

Hayoon was kind and gentle, but when he showed this side occasionally, even as a fellow guy, it looked cool.

“Ha…… Understood. Then.”

The manager, who had expected me to nod along with ‘yes, yes,’ didn’t hide his discomfort as he stormed out of the waiting room.

“What was that? What? What happened that he’d come all the way here to gag you?”

The first to speak as soon as he left was Yerin.

Hayoon answered her.

“It’s nothing big. She just collapsed on the way out after the broadcast ended.”

“Gasp! Aina collapsed?”

“Her condition must have been bad.”

“Wow~ And instead of going to his own celebrity, he comes to you and says that? That’s really ridiculous.”

Yerin got angry on my behalf.

“He’s definitely doing that because he sees you as an easy target since you’re a rookie.”

“Is that it?”

“Of course! Look! Articles are already out!”

Yerin showed me her smartphone, and the portal sites were already flooded with stories about Aina.

“That’s funny~ Oppa, you were cool earlier.”

“No…… I was just angry as a fellow manager…….”

“Angry?”

It was the first I’d heard that Hayoon was angry.

“He wasn’t checking his celebrity’s condition, but instead, he was just unnecessarily keeping an eye on you.”

“Ah~”

“If it was bad enough for you to notice, he must have known too, and yet he calls himself a manager…….”

I agreed with that opinion. If it was bad enough to suddenly faint, the people around her couldn’t have missed it.

“He probably only sees celebrities as money.”

“Sigh…….”

Both Hayoon and I were at a loss for words at Yerin’s remark.

I heard she’s younger than me…….

It made me feel uncomfortable for no reason.

“Hyunjae, change your clothes first. We need to vacate the music show waiting room quickly.”

“Okay.”

I hurriedly got ready to leave and exited the waiting room.

“Oh, Hyunjae!”

The writer who had guided me to the waiting room earlier spotted me in the hallway and called out.

“Ah, yes. Writer, good work today.”

“Because of the sudden incident, I couldn’t talk properly. You did really great today!”

“Really?”

“I was a bit worried, honestly, but you did so well that everyone was surprised.”

“Haha, thank you.”

The writer looked frazzled but didn’t hold back on the praise for me.

“And the PD asked me to tell you thanks so much for helping Aina earlier.”

“I was just the closest one. I only did what anyone would.”

“No! Thanks to you not panicking and handling it quickly, we wrapped up the scene fast.”

“Is Aina okay?”

“They said it was just a bit of poor condition, and she’s fine now.”

It didn’t look like just a bit, but if she’s fine, that’s a relief.

“That’s good.”

“Thanks so much for today, see you next week!”

“Yes! Good work!”

The writer hurried off somewhere, and I successfully wrapped up my first MC debut and headed home.

The next day, there was the first meeting for Collision, so Hayoon and I headed out early in the morning to meet Incheol.

“It’s been chaotic since yesterday.”

“Ah~ That incident?”

“Yes.”

Even now, the internet was buzzing with talk about Aina. As the hottest idol right now collapsed, countless related articles poured out.

[Harsh Schedules for Minor Idols: Is This Okay?]

[Idol Health Red Flags! Aina, Ji-en, Hyunwoo…… From Activity Halts to Withdrawals.]

Articles worrying about idols’ health flooded in, and Aina’s agency, as if anticipating this, shifted the blame to the artist.

[Aina: “I’m Fine!” Just a Happening Due to a Simple Cold.]

[Aina Appears with a Bright Smile, Showing Off Her Pure Charm Today.]

[Ent: “Our Fault for Not Stopping the Artist’s Passion.” Promises to Pay More Attention…….]

I didn’t think there’d be another place like DreamN Entertainment.

“There’s a lot of talk about you too?”

“Ah…….”

And along with those articles, there was a lot about me as well.

This isn’t what I wanted…….

The camera was on to broadcast the encore stage, and in the corner of the screen, the scene of Aina collapsing and me taking off my cape to cover her was captured.

It switched to a commercial screen belatedly, but it was already too late.

“It’s too overwhelming.”

The video, combined with accounts from people on site, had somehow turned me into a real prince who saved a princess.

“But the reactions are good, so…….”

“That’s what scares me more.”

They praise you saying it’s good, but I knew all too well that they could turn in an instant, so these praises weren’t entirely welcome.

“Scared?”

“Yes, scared.”

At my words about being scared, Hayoon glanced at me in the rearview mirror. He probably couldn’t understand why I’d be scared of this reaction.

“But didn’t you say it was the office?”

This place was a residential area, which didn’t seem like an office at all.

“The address he gave is here……. Haha.”

“Then it must be right. Let’s go check.”

“Ah…… I don’t think the car can go any further. I’ll park nearby and we can walk.”

Because of the narrow alley, the car couldn’t proceed, so we parked nearby and walked.

“Wow…… This is my first time in a place like this.”

It looked like a shantytown straight out of a drama, and an exclamation slipped out involuntarily.

“There are quite a few places like this in Seoul.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Hayoon seemed familiar with such places as he checked the address labels on each house to find the office.

“Did you live in a place like this too?”

“Yeah, until recently, I lived in one like this.”

“And now?”

Come to think of it, I’d never been to Hayoon’s house.

“The CEO said commuting was tough, so he supported the rent for a studio, and I moved to one near the company.”

“Really? You live near the company?”

“Yeah. It’s convenient…….”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

I always got dropped off first, so I had no way of knowing about Hayoon’s house.

“Huh?”

“If I’d known, I would’ve gotten you a housewarming gift.”

“It’s, it’s fine.”

“Invite me over sometime. I’ll come with both hands full!”

I was willing to go anytime.

“This is it…….”

After climbing diligently, we arrived at the address Incheol had given.

“Is this the office, or did he just give us his home address?”

The quaint brown brick house didn’t look like an office at all.

“Hyunjae~”

While we were hesitating, Incheol’s voice came from above our heads.

“Director?”

“Come around this way and up the stairs!”

It seemed we’d come to the right place…… but why here? As we went where Incheol said, an open rooftop room came into view.

“You must’ve had a hard time finding this place?”

“Director…… no way?”

I asked with a sinking feeling.

“What’s no way?”

“You’re not saying you live here…….”

“You’re right, this is my home.”

My worst suspicion was confirmed.

Even though he dressed shabbily during the ad shoot, he didn’t look poor……..

“If I’d known, I would’ve brought some daily necessities.”

“What did you bring?”

“Ah, this, I felt bad coming empty-handed, so I bought a plant…….”

Hayoon handed the gift he was holding to Incheol.

“It’d be perfect in the yard.”

“It’s a money tree.”

“Thanks. Come in first. Come in.”

The rooftop room looked small from outside, and inside wasn’t much different.

“Is this the office?”

No matter how I looked, it was Incheol’s home, not an office.

“Yeah, making a movie requires more than a little money. So I pulled out everything from my apartment deposit.”

“Director!”

I couldn’t help but be shocked. Pulling out a perfectly good apartment deposit to make a movie.

“My entire deposit went to you. So you have to do well.”

“Did I take a lot?”

Since Hyungkyu handled the guarantee talks, I didn’t know the details.

“The actor’s guarantee takes up the most in the original production budget. It’s money you deserve, so don’t feel burdened.”

How could I not feel burdened? He gave me his deposit, and now the director is living in a rooftop room.

I need to talk to the CEO.

With the ad fee coming in and drama appearance fees, I wasn’t short on money.

“So you have to do well.”

“Director, when does filming start?”

“Probably next month at the earliest? Locations and staff schedules aren’t set yet. Have you read the script?”

“Yes, I have.”

Naturally, the conversation flowed to the script.

“Actually, I had a few questions about Juho…….”

Hayoon stepped out to the yard briefly to take Hyungkyu’s call.

-Why does that kid seem to attract incidents?

“It’s not Hyunjae’s fault…….”

-That’s true, but.

To Hyungkyu, it felt like the whole world was moving to boost Hyunjae; his luck was almost too good.

Of all places to collapse, and Hyunjae being the first to help.

It was an unwritten rule for male idols not to touch female idols, and compared to them hesitating and watching, Hyunjae’s immediate action earned him even more praise.

-Anyway, the vibe is good, so let’s just sit back and pick up the scraps.

“Yes.”

I’m not booking any other schedules besides the music show. They’re boosting him on their own, so no need to overexpose and wear out the image for now.

Hyungkyu thought this was the time for mystique, and Hayoon was impressed by his words.

The CEO is really amazing……..

He seemed to see several steps ahead.

-Today’s the Collision meeting, right?

“Yes, we’re here for the meeting now.”

-How’s the meeting? Going well?

“Uh…….”

-It’s obvious. The director and that guy have similar eyes for scripts, so they’ll click perfectly.

Hyungkyu spoke as if it were a given.

“No…….”

But Hayoon cautiously refuted him.

Huh? No?

“Well…… Hyunjae and the director are fighting right now.”

-What? Fighting?