Idol Hides His Military Service Chapter 145: Group Trip

"Yunkyungie."

Now that it was basically a given, Lee Sion casually put a hand on Im Yunkyung’s head and called her in a familiar, affectionate way, and Yunkyung’s mind started spinning fast.

'So today’s a good-mood day for Captain.'

"Yunkyungie." It was one of the pet nicknas Lee Sion used for Yunkyung.

Lee Sion’s thing was that what she called soone changed depending on her mood.

"Yunkyungie" was usually a nickna she used when she was in a good mood, and another one was "our Yunkyung."

And when she was in a bad mood, it was Yoon Traitor, Yoon Lü Bu, Yoon Ingrate—nas that usually ca out when Yunkyung didn’t help with Lee Sion’s rampage and just stood by, or pretended not to see.

Of course there were plenty of other nicknas too, but these were the ones she used most often. Since you could usually tell what kind of mood Lee Sion was in just from whatever nickna ca out of her mouth, not only the mbers but even the managers paid attention to it.

"What did you do during your vacation?"

"Nothing special. My dad ca back to Korea for the first ti in a while, so we just had dinner as a family, went shopping with my mom, stuff like that."

"What is that, that normal everyday life?"

"Huh?"

"Like, there wasn’t so invisible sibling power struggle, or a cold dinner at a chaebol family table?"

Whew.

Seeing Lee Sion’s face like she was disappointed, Yunkyung let out a sigh and quietly shook her head.

"Captain watches way too many movies and dramas."

"No, but honestly, isn’t it worth expecting?"

"If I had sothing like that, how would I have gotten into an idol agency!"

"Hmm··· that’s too bad."

Maybe because she didn’t get the story she’d imagined, Lee Sion made a bored face and went hunting for new prey again.

Yunkyung had been watching Lee Sion up close for almost half a year now, but she still couldn’t figure out what kind of person Lee Sion was.

'She’s like a wild animal.'

Like soone who was born to prank people.

Like a lion roaming around looking for prey, she spent all day scouting for sothing entertaining.

"Yuri, did you have a good trip to Japan?"

"Yuri is shocked right now."

"Why?"

"Yuri’s Japanese got worse··· Yuri is zero languages now."

"You’re good at Korean."

"Yuri can’t speak Korean. Sion, are you stupid?"

"This is?"

The second Lee Sion found out Yunkyung’s vacation had been ordinary, she imdiately turned and started biting at Kurosawa Yuri, who’d gone to Japan.

"It felt really awkward trying to rest at ho again after so long."

"I was the sa. I don’t know why ho felt that awkward."

"I loved it! I saw my grandma for the first ti in a while and I went to Jeju too, so it was fun."

"Tangerine chocolate?"

"That’s what people in Seoul eat!"

"We’re people in Seoul."

"Ah···."

Even aside from Lee Sion, seeing the mbers she hadn’t seen for almost two weeks made Yunkyung finally feel a comfortable familiarity, like she’d co ho.

'At first, it was really uncomfortable.'

Back when she first joined Agbaek, Yunkyung was completely thrown off.

-This is a room? Not even alone, but four people in it?

-It’s small, but it looks cozy and nice.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say living with four people in a room smaller than the bathroom at Yunkyung’s house felt awkward.

Of course, she didn’t want to show it, so Yunkyung tried harder—like she had zero complaints and was adapting just fine.

And that was because,

-Yunkyung, can I ask you to do this for ?

Yunkyung had gone to elite private schools for kindergarten, elentary school, and now middle school.

Not sowhere like the New Wings Kindergarten Lee Sion called the pride of Gwangmyeong, but places that cost nearly a thousand a month—literal otherworlds.

So naturally, the people around Yunkyung were always the kind of kids everyone called "from good families."

And since Yunkyung’s family was especially unusual, it always stood out.

And back then, Yunkyung didn’t really push away the people who gathered around her.

She was still young, but at the ti, she thought it was all just her own ability, and she even felt proud watching friends hype her up.

But.

'That wasn’t sothing I earned.'

Watching the friends who crowded around her and tried to use her goodwill, Yunkyung eventually ca to her senses.

So started with requests that were basically orders from their parents, dumping things on her that felt burdenso. Other tis, it was people who acted like she knew nothing and tried to take advantage of her.

People doing things you couldn’t even call "friends" filled up Yunkyung’s surroundings.

So maybe that was why?

Yunkyung wanted to get sothing that she had earned herself.

Soone might call it childish, but she wanted people to take interest in her as she was, without the family background.

So despite her parents’ worries, Yunkyung started dreaming of becoming an idol.

"Yunkyung, do you know what you call gold in English?"

"Captain, do I look stupid? It’s gold."

"Right, gold. People treat gold like it’s a special tal."

As Yunkyung was briefly lost in old mories, Lee Sion ca back over and started talking again.

Thanks to that, Yunkyung snapped back into the present.

"If you think about the history and tradition, you could say it’s a mineral with more aning than a diamond."

"Hmm··· is it really that serious?"

"Yeah, it is."

Tap.

With Yunkyung reacting like she didn’t really care, Lee Sion shoved her phone’s photo gallery right in front of Yunkyung’s eyes and kept talking.

"Gold. People act like it’s a joke tier, but that’s the wrong way to think."

"Huh? People say even gold is a tier you can’t even do."

"That’s bullshit. If you’re Gold, you’re in the top 20 percent of people who play Legend of Valley. You think 20 percent is a joke?"

"That’s higher than I thought?"

"Right? So during this vacation, to put on this Gold···."

When Yunkyung looked a little surprised at "top 20 percent," Lee Sion got excited and launched into a ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) full-blown speech about what she did on vacation to hit Gold tier in Legend of Valley.

"Captain, why do you look more excited than when you took first place on Agbaek?"

"All I have to do now is et Seiker! I can finally get an autograph!"

"Do you know how many people want your autograph right now?"

"Seiker is different. No—Seiker is different."

Watching Lee Sion brag proudly about doing nothing but gaming during vacation, Yunkyung couldn’t help laughing.

That damn Three Kingdoms, that damn Legend of Valley.

Soone prettier than anyone Yunkyung had ever seen, but the things she did and liked were like a childish guy—half a year of watching it still wasn’t easy to get used to.

'That’s why I like her.'

And Yunkyung liked it so much.

The first ti Yunkyung saw Lee Sion, she was so pretty that Yunkyung walked over without even realizing it.

Like spotting sothing you loved while shopping at a departnt store.

After that, Yunkyung learned Lee Sion’s personality and tastes were nothing like what she’d expected, but one thing was certain.

'When I’m next to Captain, I don’t worry about anything.'

Worrying about how other people would judge her, or thinking, 'There’s this problem—what do I do?' Lee Sion made all those everyday worries feel endlessly light.

For so reason, when Yunkyung was with Lee Sion, it felt like anything could be solved.

And that wasn’t all.

-Kid, this is a gift.

-Huh? Where did this jelly co from?

-I just went to the convenience store.

-You didn’t get caught by the employees?

-If you can’t break through just because soone blocks you, France wouldn’t have gotten occupied in six weeks either.

-Huh?

-That’s a thing.

It wasn’t like she was a ti bomb, but being around Lee Sion—soone who never stopped doing sothing every single day—ant there was never ti to get bored.

"So how do I et Seiker? Should I film one more comrcial?"

More than anything,

Yunkyung liked that Lee Sion and the mbers didn’t change even after they knew about Yunkyung’s background.

The mbers still treated her like the Youngest, and even when Yunkyung ssed up sotis, they’d brush it off with one joke. They didn’t expect anything from her, and they didn’t demand anything either.

They just treated her as one of them.

"Guys, filming’s about to start. Get ready."

"Yes!"

Yunkyung liked Iam, and she liked KJ Entertainnt, the new agency too.

***

"Did everyone have a good vacation?"

"Yes!"

The kids we were seeing again after two weeks were ridiculously energetic.

'People really do need rest.'

I didn’t notice when we were together, but seeing them again after a break, their expressions were definitely brighter than before.

It really must not have been easy—running nonstop from debut straight through promotions.

If we hadn’t gotten rest at the right ti, sothing could’ve gone wrong.

"Today, for you, we prepared a short one-night, two-day trip."

"A trip?"

"Yes. We rented a pension on the East Sea, and it’s Iam vacation content where you can rest freely there among yourselves."

"Wow!!!!"

But that short rest was over too, and we had to get ready to move again.

'Sothing stinks.'

With two days left before vacation ended, the company content team called us in.

They said they wanted to turn our vacation into content, and they’d already booked a pension on the East Sea—sweet whispering like that had the other mbers all excited, but not .

[Iam Extre Part-Ti Job: Lee Gahyeon Episode]

(A scene where Lee Gahyeon steals a custor’s pork cutlet and eats it)

↳lol is the filming team a Gahyeon anti? making her do that

↳Gahyeon seriously looked like she didn’t know anything until filming. she ca all excited and even dressed cute

↳lol that’s why it’s funnier. why is she going so hard frying pork cutlet in pretty clothes

↳but Lee Gahyeon, the more you watch, the more unexpected she is. she works insanely hard and does it well

↳there’s a reason she’s popular with fans

The mont vacation started, the production team sweet-talked Lee Gahyeon into working part-ti at a pork cutlet place.

Lee Gahyeon’s Extre Part-Ti Job got a huge response.

From her stealing custors’ pork cutlets, to her doing service while morizing the kind of order chant you’d only see at a maid café—people found it all really fresh.

-I like Iam’s in-house content because of this. instead of trying to make them look pretty, it feels like it brings out their characters

-yeah. the Iam girls are good too, but the content team basically has sense

-other idols’ in-house content, i watch with fan goggles on, but this one i just end up watching

-next episode! KJ, give us the next episode!!!

Maybe because of that, I heard while talking with the filming team today that a solo pork cutlet comrcial had co in for Lee Gahyeon.

Anyway, our production team chased fun just as hard as I did—no, even harder than I did.

Even scenes that, normally, you’d edit out for "idol image,"

-This seems like it’ll be funny.

-If it’s our girls, won’t it be fine?

They’d think like that and toss them in without holding back.

'There’s no way people like that are suddenly filming normal idol content now.'

I shot a suspicious look at Lee Hakyoon, the content team lead, but Lee Hakyoon—being a veteran—took my stare without batting an eye.

"Alright, then we’re moving."

If anything, Lee Hakyoon hurried the mbers like Lee Hakyoon was busy and shoved everyone into the van.

Even more suspicious behavior, considering we didn’t have any schedule and vacation lasted through tomorrow.

But,

"It’s so unfair. Only Gahyeon and Captain fild sothing fun."

"Seriously. They fild content just the two of them behind our backs. I’m sad."

Once we got in the van, the mbers’ conversation made it impossible for to keep digging into the doubts.

"It was my solo shoot, and Sion forced her way in!"

"Then how did Sion even know where Gahyeon was filming and show up?"

"That?"

The mbers looked curious about how I found the place, but honestly, it wasn’t that hard.

-Whoa! Lee Gahyeon showed up at the pork cutlet place in my neighborhood!

Stuff about us went up all the ti on the fan community I checked every day, and once I saw that, I couldn’t stand it.

'How am I supposed to pass up a legal chance to ss with her.'

So I bolted out and stord the pork cutlet place where Lee Gahyeon was filming. After hearing that, the mbers all made horrified faces.

"You had to go that far?"

"Yeah. What else am I going to do?"

"But how did you do that nightmare-custor act so well?"

"Ah, that?"

That one was kind of hard to explain.

-You served in the 7th Division, right, you little punk! I’m connected with your division commander’s hotown friend—who the hell do you think you’re getting cute with?!

When you’re in the military, you et all kinds of human beings.

From people who cut through the unit’s barbed wire because they "just wanted to pick so mountain greens," to parents asking if we could give their kid a private room because the kid is sensitive when sleeping.

If you deal with enough people who make you wonder whether you’re a soldier or a local district office clerk, you can’t help but learn to imitate them.

Didn’t Nietzsche say that if you stare into the abyss for a long ti, the abyss stares back into you too?

Later on, even troublemakers would click their tongues and run off if they got stuck with .

What I showed Lee Gahyeon was a tiny piece of that, and I didn’t think they’d be this shocked over it.

[Is this an idol, or is this a nightmare custor?]

(A clip of Lee Sion pulling nightmare-custor crap on Lee Gahyeon)

↳this is giving PTSD. why is it so real?

↳it’s the exact vibe of the grandpa who cos to our convenience store though?

↳lmao i’m losing it. even doing nightmare-custor stuff, with that face she’s cute

↳when she sses with Lee Gahyeon, she seriously goes all-out

↳i was there as a custor. i watched them and laughed so hard pork cutlet shot out of my mouth

↳i’m so jealous. it’s miserable being Yours who lives outside Seoul

"Hmm···."

"What now. What do you not like this ti?"

"Gahyeon got a pork cutlet ad, so why isn’t anything coming in for ?"

"What?"

Now that I thought about it, I showed up too and made a splash, so it felt unfair that nothing ca in.

"You got public service ads."

"Ah."

It wasn’t like nothing happened. Surprisingly, I’d gotten offers for two public service ads.

-It’s a public service ad about ending school violence and preventing stalking. There’s no separate ad fee, but it’s good for your image, and it’s literally for the public good, so if you don’t hate it, it’d be good to do it.

Since subduing the attacker who caused a scene at the last fan signing was still a hot topic, it seed like the governnt departnt making those ads had taken interest.

On top of that, the old video from the school violence controversy was trending again too, so it was a headache.

-Wow!!! It’s Lee Sion!! Punch once!

-I want a hip toss!

-Then kick !

The little boys I ran into at the convenience store near my place clung to , begging to hit them just once, and it wasn’t easy.

"Our Shinyu is really okay now, right?"

"Of course! From now on, I’m going to beco like Sion, so I’m thinking of learning boxing too."

"Excellent. Sotis there are monts in this world you have to solve with your fists, not words."

"That’s right!"

Luckily, Shinyu wasn’t just okay—she was so fired up she was talking about learning martial arts.

"The ocean!"

Between talking about this and that with the mbers, and dozing off for a bit, the coastline finally ca into view.

Iam vacation content was finally announcing its real beginning.