The Youngest Master wants to be exorcised! chapter 20

* * *

Hyunsoo detailed the series of events to Jaeyoon, seeking his opinion.

Honestly, he hoped Jaeyoon could use his influence to cancel the shoot, even if it meant pressuring the center.

According to the project’s scale and programming, Jaehee’s face would be exposed to an unspecified number of people.

Jaeyoon wouldn’t be happy seeing his precious son used for promotional purposes after barely accepting someone else acting as the youngest son.

However…

‘It’s become difficult for us to intervene in internal center matters. After a violent incident, the center has been very wary of outside interference. There’s talk of corporate overreach, and meddling could backfire, so we’re being cautious.’

Jaeyoon’s response was unexpected. When Hyunsoo hinted that it was surprising for a conglomerate to lack such influence, Jaeyoon responded with a reasonable explanation.

‘Of course, we could forcefully cancel the broadcast. But with the various intertwined interests at the center, it’s not simple. If any false information or defamation arises, we will respond strongly.’

Hyunsoo couldn’t push further after hearing Jaeyoon’s troubled tone, ending the call with a promise to get back in touch. Despite thinking that conglomerates could do anything, it didn’t seem to be the case.

‘Maybe I’ve watched too many dramas and movies…’

Hyunsoo sighed.

* * *

“Prepare monitoring and a dedicated team to respond immediately to any situations that may arise after Jaehee’s exposure to the media.”

Jaeyoon issued the instructions while gazing at a framed family photo on his desk. He slowly closed his eyes, his gaze lingering on his youngest brother’s smiling face.

As the family’s representative, Jaeyoon sometimes contacted Park Hyunsoo.

Despite all the efforts to find his brother’s soul, they were unsuccessful, causing him great distress. His parents suffered even more.

However, the fact that they could at least see their son’s physical form, though not his soul, helped mend their broken hearts a little.

To them, Park Hyunsoo was a cherished ghost inhabiting their son’s body and living on in his place.

Park Hyunsoo, now known as Jaehee, lived a diligent life instead of leading a reckless one, which made it harder for them to harbor resentment.

He felt sorry for Jaehee’s family, despite occupying Jaehee’s body.

Initially, when they learned that Jaehee’s soul was missing, the family was devastated and wanted to give up.

But Hyunsoo showed a desire to be exorcised, indirectly encouraging them not to lose hope.

The family needed someone to blame. Thus, they sometimes investigated Hyunsoo’s background, trying to justify their resentment towards him.

Yet, Park Hyunsoo had lived a hard life, abandoned as a child in front of an orphanage, working as a guide for ten years.

He was seen as tough but dependable and kind-hearted. His consistent behavior made it difficult to hate him.

Even after claiming to be Park Hyunsoo, his actions showed he wanted to be exorcised, persistently visiting shamans and churches.

Despite being deceived by a fraudulent shaman, he made sincere efforts to prove the truth and get exorcised.

The family sometimes worried they were imposing by wanting to see their living son, forcing Hyunsoo to continue living in Jaehee’s body.

Exorcism would leave the body vulnerable to other spirits, and they couldn’t bear the thought of that.

Their feelings were a constant struggle, needing to choose a stance to avoid self-destruction.

Ultimately, they decided not to hate Park Hyunsoo.

While they couldn’t treat him as a real family member, they chose not to harbor negative emotions towards him.

* * *

Minchan’s use of the wish voucher brought the proposal for Special D Team’s variety show to the meeting.

“A variety show? What nonsense is this? Why are we doing this?”

Jiwon immediately reacted with annoyance upon hearing the proposal.

Given that even short interview clips attracted negative comments, his reaction was understandable.

Yoon also doubted the idea, questioning why the promotion team wasn’t handling it.

“I know you all dislike this idea. But there are various interests involved…”

Team Leader Kim Soojung awkwardly explained the situation.

The center’s high-ranking officials were determined to proceed with the variety show, willing to do anything to improve the center’s declining image.

“No, how can you just force people to go when they clearly don’t want to? Is money all that matters? This shitty center, maybe I should just quit.”

Jiwon grumbled, frowning. Yoon, resting his chin on his hand, looked at Minchan, who had brought up the issue in the meeting.

“Chan hyung. Why did you bring this up in the meeting?”

“I just heard from the broadcasting station that they wanted to film Jaehee, so I thought I’d try it out.”

“Oh?”

Yoon’s eyes sparkled like Minchan’s did when he listened to Team Leader Kim Soojung’s explanation.

“Why use a broadcasting station’s camera when you can film it on a phone? This is going to be broadcasted to an unspecified large audience?”

Hyunsoo sighed.

“Now that I think about it, you’re right. Since everyone hates it so much, let’s just forget about it. I don’t want to push something everyone’s against.”

Minchan folded the issue away without hesitation. Team Leader Kim Soojung looked distraught.

“Well, if everyone’s against it, there’s nothing we can do. I’ll try to talk it out with the higher-ups… They wouldn’t seriously cause trouble to cover up the violence incident in the center, right? Haha.”

Kim Soojung forced a bright smile.

* * *

“What?”

Hyunsoo heard shocking news a few days later.

“I’m sorry. I really tried to cover it up, but the higher-ups were too adamant. Our variety show filming schedule is fixed. What should we do?”

Team Leader Kim Soojung slumped in the meeting room with a haggard expression.

“The Central Center Director is that firm?”

She nodded at Hyunsoo’s question. A man who lived and died by honor. The Central Center Director was a person who would sell out his nephew to reclaim his tarnished honor.

“Chan hyung, where’s Chan hyung?”

“Where do you think? He’s probably in the director’s office trying to overturn it.”

“Oh…”

As Hyunsoo debated whether to go to the director’s office, Minchan returned with a grim expression. His eyes half-rolled back, suggesting the deal hadn’t gone well.

“Jaehee, when does your mandatory service end?”

“There’s still… over a year left…”

“Got it.”

Since Jaehee had over a year left in his mandatory service, he couldn’t even quit. Minchan ground his teeth and muttered.

“We couldn’t cancel the variety show filming. I’m sorry.”

“Oh… It’s okay. If they say jump, we have to jump…”

Hyunsoo awkwardly laughed, rubbing his forehead.

With no help from Jaeyoon, they were stuck in this shitty center’s image restoration variety show.

He could only hope no one would watch it.

* * *

[HOT] Awakened Management Center Promo Variety Show [D Team Inquiry], Finally Unveiled… “Four members, four colors of charm”]

[Daily Esper=Reporter Bae Chaehyun]

The Awakened Management Center’s promotional variety show [D Team Inquiry] has finally been unveiled.

The promotional variety show [D Team Inquiry], planned jointly by the Awakened Management Center’s PR team and ABS, has finally released its trailer.

The special D Team from the Central Center, which has recorded the highest achievements since its inception, will meet the public through the new medium of variety shows.

[D Team Inquiry] is the first observational variety show presented by the Awakened Management Center PR team this year, consisting of four episodes. It naturally unfolds the daily lives of four main part members in an observational format. Directed by PD Jung Manho and PD Hwang Hyunjung, known for hit variety shows like “Soju on a Blue Night,” “The Man by the Beach,” and “The Awakened Are Too Much.” It will be released every Wednesday.

Many are paying attention to this opportunity to get a glimpse into the daily lives of the Central Center’s representative attack team, whose details have been mostly unknown.

[D Team Inquiry] will be aired simultaneously on terrestrial channel ABS and the Awakened Management Center’s official iTube channel this Wednesday. / [email protected], photos provided by Awakened Management Center PR team.

Since the promotional articles flooded in from the moment the filming was decided, the trailer’s release garnered more attention than Jaehee expected.

– Just from the trailer, it looks like an idol reality showㅋㅋㅋ What’s with their visuals;; My heart is racing watching these espers as a long-time fangirl, is this normal?

– I thought it would be boring since it’s a promotional variety show, but the kids seem kinda crazyㅋㅋㅋㅋ For some reason, it’s making me look forward to itㅋㅋ

– They’re trying so hard to fix their fucked-up image after getting sued for hazing, but no matter how much they try, the atmosphere is already ruinedㅋㅋ

– I wish they’d stop making these shows that glorify espers;;; I appreciate them protecting the country from monsters, but the over-praising feels too muchㅋ… They get paid a lot, so they should do that much at least. All this ‘wow amazing’ is disgusting.

– At 00:22, this guy definitely looks like an idol. If he wasn’t an esper, MZ would have locked him in a basement to debut.

* * *

Hyunsoo sighed as he looked at the cameras, microphones, and lights set up in the meeting room.

“Hello, D Team. We look forward to working with you on today’s shoot.”

The dreaded variety show filming had begun.

* * *