Chapter 217. Kingmaker (1)
*<The Beginning of the Incident>*
Doo-doong!
With a sound effect, white text flew across and embedded itself on the black background.
Then, with a rewind symbol (◀◀), the video showed the scene from the day when Dan Haru was recruited as a spy for Kairos’s experimental camera.
During a short break given for setup.
Main PD Kwon Myungeun asked a question to Dan Haru, who was happily munching on rice crackers provided by the production team.
“Ah, right. But who’s the leader of Kairos? Haven’t they decided yet?”
“Doesn’t the company usually decide that before debut?”
PD Kwon and Writer Go simultaneously turned their gazes to Haru.
Dan Haru, who had just finished eating a rice cracker and was about to open a Choco Pie package, paused at the question. He pondered something for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise.
“Huh? That’s right? Who is our leader…?”
Then, with a click, the screen transitioned.
This time, it showed the scene from the day when they were discussing the schedule for the experimental camera with Ji Suho.
<Production Team: Ah, Director, we were curious about something.>
<Kairos’s Director: Yes, yes. Go ahead.>
<Production Team: Doesn’t Kairos have a leader? Haru said he didn’t know…>
<Kairos’s Director: Ah, yes. There isn’t one yet.>
Ji Suho’s explanation followed immediately after.
<Kairos’s Director: We usually decide on a leader after observing how they work together. The person’s outward image might be different from their real personality.>
<Production Team: Ah, I see.>
<Kairos’s Director: In the case of Enderway, there still isn’t an official leader. Everyone thinks it’s Yeonwoo, but it’s not official.>
<Production Team: Oh, so that could happen with Kairos as well…?>
<Kairos’s Director: Well, it’s up to the boys. I think we’ll have a talk about it soon….>
At that, Writer Go, who was on the call, eagerly threw out a suggestion.
<Production Team: Director, how about deciding the leader with us?>
<Kairos’s Director: Pardon?>
<Production Team: Why not determine the Kairos leader on Today’s Kairos?>
<Kairos’s Director: Ah…. Sure, why not?>
Thus, the topic for today’s Kairos was decided!
*Kairos Leader Selection Grand Operation!*
And in small text beneath:
*…but since just that might not fill the screen time, we added a few more things ^♡^*
The screen changed again.
A classroom set decorated cutely came into view, and in front of the podium stood Seo Taehyun, dressed in a yellow tracksuit that seemed oddly familiar.
“Hmm… The boys should be arriving soon.”
Then, a cartoon graphic appeared over Taehyun’s close-up shot, like a character introduction, with subtitles.
*<Seo Taehyun, PE Teacher at Saegim High School>*
*<Special: Holds a record of 18 seconds in the 100m dash>*
*<Dislikes subject: PE>*
– Oh my gosh, Taehyun! LOL
– How can a PE teacher hate PE?! LOL
– The No. 1 idol who doesn’t worry about getting injured at the Idol Athletics Championship
Taehyun, playing the role of the teacher, tapped his shoulder with a back scratcher as he opened the attendance book.
Just then, the back door of the classroom swung open, and someone appeared.
“I’m here.”
*<Jung Siwoo, Returning Student at Saegim High School (Held back 3 years)>*
*<Specialty: Being handsome>*
*<Hobby: Being handsome>*
With messy hair and a band-aid on his nose, Jung Siwoo, wearing a white short-sleeve shirt and a loosely draped button-up, entered the scene with a beer-shaped lollipop in his mouth.
– Man, the first student already looks intense;
– Siwoo, have you been enjoying yourself again?
– If high school is 3 years and he was held back 3, isn’t that just not attending school at all…?
– His hobby is openly being handsome—Kairos’s eldest brother’s visual is insane.
└ But that’s what makes him ‘Jung Siwoo’…
Known for embodying the charms of every gentle and kind male character, from the school president senior, first love class representative, to the kind club leader, Jung Siwoo was now displaying his bad-boy persona for the first time, prompting a flood of real-time comments.
Siwoo, who had burst through the back door, greeted Taehyun with the lollipop still in his mouth.
“Hello, teacher.”
“Oh, h-hello, Siwoo…. You’re early. Sit wherever you like.”
Siwoo, after a brief moment of thought, walked to the very front and sat directly in front of the podium. Taehyun whispered in a startled voice.
“…Hyung. If you’re playing the bad-boy role, shouldn’t you sit at the back?”
“Really? I’ve never played a bad-boy role before, so I wouldn’t know.”
“Well, I haven’t either, but usually, that’s how it goes… Why did you agree to do it if you didn’t know?”
“It just seemed like it would be fun. Aren’t I just supposed to cause trouble?”
“…That’s a gangster, not a bad boy.”
“Is it?”
Siwoo, who answered innocently, shrugged his shoulders and pushed his chair back to cross his legs. He showed no intention of moving, prompting Taehyun to ask in a puzzled voice.
“Aren’t you going to move to the back?”
“Nope. I like it here.”
“Why…?”
“I just like this spot.”
“Ah, I see….”
Taehyun nodded as if he understood.
At that moment, the next student walked in through the door Siwoo had left open.
“What’s that supposed to be…?”
“Sorry, but could you not disturb me? It’s interfering with my reading.”
Kang Hajin, with his red hair neatly straightened and parted with a round pair of glasses perched on his nose, pushed up his glasses and replied irritably. Holding a book in one hand, Hajin was the epitome of a model student, with his shirt buttoned all the way up, a tie, a knit vest, and a perfectly worn school blazer.
Hajin naturally sat down by the window in the back row, and another subtitle appeared beside him.
*<Kang Hajin, Top Student at Saegim High School>*
*<Personal claim: First time ever buttoning up his school shirt>*
*<He insisted on doing this concept>*
Taehyun, with a bewildered expression, asked.
“Hyung, what kind of concept is this…?”
Hajin, placing his book on the desk, pushed up his glasses again. It sounded like a “Bachin!” sound effect came from somewhere. Hajin replied nonchalantly.
“Nerd concept.”
“What?”
“Nerd. N-E-R-D.”
“……”
“But I’m good at studying. There’s also a cliché where my personality changes when I take off my glasses.”
– No, Hajin, you can’t just insist you’re a nerd and become one!
– No matter how you look at it, that’s just an otaku.
– The fact that he insisted on this is what’s killing me! LOL
– Kang Hajin, you don’t know how to act like a model student, do you?
The remaining members continued to appear one by one.
“Is it you? The nerd of Saegim High?”
“What’s with this crazy guy?”
Lee Yugeon appeared with a rose in his mouth, leaning against the back door, running his fingers through his hair, playing the role of the school’s king. Although he seemed to find it humiliating, by the end, he was even ripping off the petals of the rose and throwing them over himself. (Was that enlightenment…?)
“What’s with Eunchan now?”
“His concept is ‘Music is My Life,’ a boy from the band club.”
“Who started this weird concept trend? Was it you, Kang Hajin?”
Joo Eunchan appeared as a band boy with a headset around his neck and a mint-colored electric guitar slung over his shoulder. However, not knowing how to play the guitar, he struggled with it until Siwoo snatched it away.
The rest of the members took their seats as Lee Doha appeared in a hoodie as the dance club boy, and Dan Haru was introduced as the boy whose bag was filled with endless snacks.
Once everyone was seated, and it seemed like it was time to move on to the next scene, Seo Taehyun tapped the podium with his back scratcher.
“Alright, alright. We’ve been in the same class for 7 years, so let’s start with introductions. Class president, stand up.”
“Ah! Teacher! We haven’t chosen a class president yet!”
Dan Haru, who was holding a cream bun, quickly raised his hand, reminding everyone of today’s topic. Taehyun nodded and read his next line.
“Really? Then
we’ll have to start with the class president election. So, who wants to lead this class for the next 7 years?”
– Wow, 7 years as class president? Just kill me now.
– This makes me realize how amazing idol leaders are. How did Seo Taeil do it for 13 years?
While the fans buzzed, Kang Hajin, who had been stealing Dan Haru’s snacks from the back row, raised his hand.
“Uh, yes, Hajin.”
“I nominate Jung Siwoo.”
“Siwoo?”
“Siwoo has been held back for 3 years, so he’s been attending this school for 6 years. He must know this school very well and will surely lead us with that experience and skill.”
The members responded with a chorus of “Ohhh~” at the logical argument. Lee Yugeon, who had been chosen as the class secretary due to his neat handwriting, wrote Jung Siwoo’s name on the chalkboard with white chalk.
Not to be outdone, Jung Siwoo raised his hand.
“Teacher. Our class president must be Hajin.”
“Oh, why’s that?”
Jung Siwoo, with his sleeves rolled up, gazed at Taehyun with an unnecessarily handsome face and placed a hand on his chest.
“I want to play.”
“Sorry…?”
“The reason I haven’t graduated and have been attending this school for 6 years? It’s because I want to play. How can a delinquent like me, who is irresponsibly enjoying being a student, become the class president?”
“Uh, uh?”
“On the other hand, despite being a transfer student, Hajin has already achieved the incredible feat of becoming the top student. Therefore, I think Hajin should be the class president.”
“Ohhh….”
This time, there was a round of applause and admiration among the members. Only Seo Taehyun, who understood Siwoo’s real meaning of ‘I want to play, so make him the leader,’ was left speechless, biting his lips in silence.
In any case, the chalkboard now had the names <Jung Siwoo> and <Kang Hajin> written on it.
“Okay. So, are there any other nominations or candidates? If not, should we go with these two?”
– As expected, it’s a Siwoo vs. Hajin showdown, LOL.
– Am I the only one who thinks Taehyun should be the leader? Both of those guys are a bit off.
– Siwoo, stop saying you want to play with such a dreamy look on your face.
– Wouldn’t Hajin be better? It’s too hard for the eldest brother to be the leader.
Opinions were divided in the comments as well.
Just as the flow seemed to be heading towards a leader showdown between Siwoo and Hajin.
“Me!”
Dan Haru, who had already finished a cream bun and was sharing a Choco Pie, suddenly raised his hand.
“Yes, Haru.”
“I want to run for it too!”
“…Haru, you?”
All the members’ gazes turned to Haru at the unexpected declaration.
Did our youngest always have an ambition for power?
Amid the confused looks, Dan Haru boldly declared.
“Watching the hyungs, it looks fun! I want to do it too!”
“Oh, okay.”
Lee Yugeon, with a bewildered expression, wrote down Dan Haru’s name as well.
But the nominations didn’t stop there.
“Me too!”
“Eunchan…?”
“It feels like I’ll lose if I don’t do it. I want to run too…!”
Joo Eunchan, suddenly driven by a competitive spirit, also declared his candidacy.
Now, there were four candidates. This resulted in a situation where there were fewer voters than candidates.
Lee Yugeon, who was throwing chalk around, tapped Seo Taehyun’s back.
“You should run too.”
“What?”
“I don’t trust those two hyungs.”
And so, Seo Taehyun’s name was added to the chalkboard.
A flustered Seo Taehyun smacked Lee Yugeon’s shoulder and protested.
“What the heck! Then you should run too!”
“Why should I? Are you crazy?”
“Then take my name off!”
“No.”
“Then you run too!”
Thus, thanks to Seo Taehyun’s suggestion, Lee Yugeon’s name was also added.
Now, there were six candidates.
“……”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the only person whose name wasn’t on the chalkboard.
“So, if Doha hyung chooses, it’s over?”
Lee Doha, who had been quietly watching the situation unfold, leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.
“Then, let’s hear your campaign promises.”
“……!?”
Thus began… the era of Kingmaker (!) Lee Doha.