Why am I stranded in this shitty Island again? chapter 49

“Where is everyone going…?”

Dansol’s face was puffy because Jisoo hadn’t woken him up until almost noon. Still half asleep, Dansol saw people walking around with their luggage.

“Dansol! Didn’t you hear?”

“Taeoh… Where are you going?”

“They postponed the announcement of those eliminated by a week.”

“What… Why?”

A large hand rubbed the back of Dansol’s head, which was tangled and messy. It was Jisoo .

“The Asian Games.”

“Oh…”

Although filming in advance would have made broadcasting easier, PD Choi, sensitive about spoilers, never stockpiled edited footage.

Dansol felt somewhat embarrassed for sleeping through everything, even though he had experienced it once before.

“Dansol, you always seem to be the last to know.”

“Huh?”

Taeoh frowned as he spoke.

“Isn’t your manager working too little? You’re getting by on your natural beauty, but it feels like your agency is neglecting you. How about switching to our agency since things are like this?”

“Uh… I still have a long time left on my contract…”

“Look, everyone else is already outside waiting. Do you realize your car is the only one not here?”

Taeoh wasn’t wrong, but Dansol felt embarrassed even though it wasn’t his fault.

Other people had two or three managers and coordinators each. Even if they were off the island during filming, they stayed nearby, no more than 30 minutes away.

Compared to others, who were cared for by several people, Gilsung had to manage all of Dansol’s needs alone and often forgot to inform Dansol about sudden schedule changes due to his forgetfulness.

“Say something! Be firm!”

Taeoh was furious as if it were his own manager who was late. While Dansol appreciated his concern, he couldn’t agree with Taeoh.

Since the first broadcast of ‘RO Match,’ DinoSoul’s schedule had long surpassed what Gilsung could handle alone.

The problem wasn’t Gilsung but the company that didn’t provide enough staff. Although they had hired one more manager, it was still insufficient for the increased schedule.

“…No, my manager hyung is a good person… I can just wait a bit at the dorm.”

“What… Did you forget we saw a ghost yesterday? Even the staff are all leaving. Just come with me.”

Dansol’s eyes wavered at Taeoh’s words. Although he often waited at the dorm, he didn’t want to stay alone after what happened yesterday.

“My car is probably roomier. I’ve modified the backseat so there are only two seats. How about it?”

“Uh… um… I…!”

Before Dansol could respond, Jisoo interjected. He put a reassuring hand on Dansol’s shoulder.

“You can stay with me.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t have a manager either.”

“Oh… yes, I’ll stay with Minhyuk hyung…”

Leaving behind Taeoh and Jisoo , who were glaring at each other, Dansol decided to stay at the dorm with Minhyuk. Minhyuk smiled victoriously at the chance to be alone with Dansol.

Jisoo and even Daesoo resisted leaving, but their managers, knowing about the delayed broadcast, dragged them away to handle pending schedules. Surprisingly, Taeoh gave up easily.

“We’re bound together by fate, so we’ll meet again soon. Don’t try any tricks.”

Taeoh left Dansol with an ambiguous comment aimed at Minhyuk, who just shrugged in response. Once everyone had left, it was just Dansol and Minhyuk remaining.

“By the way… why don’t you have a manager? Come to think of it… I don’t recall seeing your manager much.”

“I told him not to come. I find it annoying when someone nags me all the time. Unless something special happens, I usually go alone.”

“Someone nags you?”

Minhyuk, with his hermit-like personality, was the type to give advice rather than receive it. Although he had some eccentric habits, like climbing mountains at dawn or trying to communicate with animals, he never did anything wrong.

“Yeah. He kept telling me to cut my hair and shave my beard. He even got a barber license just to shave me.”

The beard he had shaved for a serenade for Dansol had already started growing back.

“At first, I thought I might as well shave, but his persistence made me want to resist more. It’s like a rebellious spirit… I guess I have a rock spirit too?”

“Uh… yes…”

“I knew you’d understand. Musicians like us get each other.”

Dansol felt sorry for Minhyuk’s manager, whom he had never met. While Minhyuk cared for animals and even inanimate objects like rocks and trees, he seemed oblivious to his manager’s feelings.

“I worry about these kittens whenever I leave the island. They’ve been around humans since birth… I wonder how they manage without us.”

“Why don’t you adopt them?”

“Hmm…”

Seeing Minhyuk’s troubled expression, Dansol realized he had spoken too hastily. Taking responsibility for a life wasn’t easy.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to burden you… I live in a dorm, so…”

“No, it’s okay. I actually looked into adopting them and their mother, but I need the island owner’s permission.”

“Aren’t they stray cats?”

“Even so, since this is private property, it could be an issue. But the island owner has been unreachable, like they’re overseas or something.”

While it might seem trivial for animals to wander anywhere, it was different when a famous celebrity like Minhyuk wanted to adopt them.

When ordinary people do something commendable, they receive praise, but when celebrities do the same, they often face criticism.

Minhyuk disliked the hassle, so he made a habit of avoiding actions that could cause problems, knowing that even donating hundreds of millions of won would draw criticism.

“It’s so unfair… The island owner probably doesn’t even know they’re living here…”

“True, but we’ll find a way to take them before it gets colder. What’s the worst that could happen? Get arrested for theft?”

“Hyung!”

“I’m kidding.”

Dansol shouted as Minhyuk, smiling mischievously, patted Dantanji. Dansol suddenly pictured Minhyuk locked up, finding something positive even in a jail cell.

“Sol! Joo Dansol!”

“Huh…? I think that’s our manager.”

To his surprise, Gilsung had arrived on time. Dansol blinked in confusion as Gilsung hurriedly approached from outside.

“Oh! Jaegal Minhyuk is here too!”

“Oh… Hello.”

Gilsung, looking like he had urgent matters to attend to, grabbed Dansol’s wrist and led him away quickly.

“Hyung! Why are you here so early? I haven’t even packed yet…”

“What? You haven’t packed? The kids are waiting!”

“You didn’t tell me the broadcast was postponed! Do we have a schedule?”

“Oh… Did I? Just borrow what you need from the kids and let’s go. Jaegal Minhyuk, nice to meet you!”

“Oh… Minhyuk hyung! See you next week!”

As he was being dragged away by Gilsung, Dansol managed to say goodbye to Minhyuk.

In front of him stood the old van DinoSoul had used since their trainee days.

When Dansol opened the passenger door, the members were crowded at the window, waiting for him.

“Wow… Hyung! Are you close with Jaegal Minhyuk? Amazing…”

“Gilsung hyung! Can we get off and take a picture with Jaegal Minhyuk? I’m a huge fan…”

“Later! Later! Every second counts now!”

As Gilsung drove away roughly, trying to catch a glimpse of Minhyuk, the members, all in stage costumes, looked like they had just come from an event.

“What event did you come from? Why did you bring the kids?”

“Don’t ask, hyung! We just came from the autumn mackerel festival.”

“Can’t you smell the grilled fish on me? We went all the way there and didn’t have time to eat anything.”

“Autumn means mackerel, mackerel means autumn. Hyung, tell Gilsung to slow down! He was driving over 100 km/h all the way here. This isn’t a van; it’s a jet.”

Despite the members’ complaints, Gilsung just kept smiling like he was in a good mood.

“Hyung! What’s going on? What’s our schedule?”

“Don’t be shocked, Sol. We… are performing at the Asian Games opening ceremony!”