Episode 49: Let’s Watch TV While Eating Fruit
by fnovelpia
Gansina, also known as:
Cho Seoyoung’s faithful dog.
Kang Jiwoo’s sniper.
The reckless congresswoman who hurls insults at elementary school students.
These were all nicknames referring to her.
Recently, she found herself in a dilemma.
“Has Cho Seoyoung gone senile or what?”
Gansina had attacked Kang Jiwoo and Cho Seoyoung’s advice, accepting the offer because of the promise of becoming a spokesperson.
But now, Cho Seoyoung has suddenly changed her stance.
“I went full negative like you kept nagging me to, and now you’re telling me to stop? What about my already tarnished image?”
Attacking Kang Jiwoo was a risky move, as expected.
The backlash was piling up against Gansina, and it was evident from the reactions in online communities and on social media.
“If I back down now, I’ll lose everything, including the spokesperson position. What’s left for me then?”
“Being obedient will get me rewarded?”
That softhearted thinking wouldn’t help anyone survive in politics.
Yeouido was a ruthless arena where you could lose everything in the blink of an eye.
Even now, Gansina was eyeing opportunities to cast aside her subordinates, so why wouldn’t Cho Seoyoung do the same?
In the end, she was heading toward being discarded after getting herself dirty.
“Ah, damn it!”
Bang!
She slammed her desk and stood up abruptly.
The lawmaker’s office fell silent.
Everyone knew Gansinaa had a foul temper.
“I’m stepping out for a bit. Don’t call unless it’s urgent.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Gansina left the office.
She crossed the corridor, trying to organize her thoughts.
“The party’s split into Cho Seoyoung’s faction and the senior members’ faction. For now, Cho Seoyoung seems strong, but there’s a stench of imminent collapse hanging in the air.”
That was her calculation.
No matter how much support Cho Seoyoung had, no one could withstand a coordinated attack.
Cho Seoyoung’s support base was also weaker compared to previous presidential candidates.
Why else would she be called an unlikeable candidate?
“If Cho Seoyoung wins, I’ll be discarded. If she loses, the old guard will take over the party, leaving no place for me. And even if there is, it’ll be at a lowly level.”
The worst-case scenario was Cho Seoyoung winning, while the second-worst was her losing.
Gansina’s prediction?
The winner of this presidential election would be…
“Ahhh!”
“Huh?”
As she exited the National Assembly building, she bumped into a man, spilling coffee on her clothes.
Gansina scanned the man in a second and yelled.
“You idiot! Are your eyes just for decoration?!”
“S-Sorry…”
“Just my luck. Tsk.”
The man seemed vaguely familiar, likely a staffer at some lawmaker’s office.
Judging by his youth, he could even be an intern.
He was, in any case, an insignificant extra.
As Gansina passed him, she resumed her thoughts.
“As much as I hate to admit it, that bastard Kang Jiwoo seems likely to win, doesn’t he?”
If 100 politicians had started with Gansina, she was the only one still holding a badge now.
How had she survived this far?
She had “insight”—the ability to objectively acknowledge unpleasant truths.
“Whether it’s a concrete support base or whatever, Kang Jiwoo’s going to break through it all. Voters are brainless, so what choice is there?”
The ability to foresee the future—that was how Gansinaa had kept her badge.
Oh, and one more thing:
She was shameless.
“Should I try to get closer to Kang Jiwoo’s side…?”
With that thought, her mind began spinning rapidly.
The face of the man she had bumped into earlier flashed in her mind, along with his name and title.
She quickly turned back and ran toward him.
“Kim Seoho, secretary to Rep. Park Seokji, right?”
“Uh, yes. About earlier, I’m really sorry—”
“Don’t be sorry! I should apologize! I’ve been so stressed lately that I lashed out. Haha!”
She plastered on a sly smile and casually wrapped her arm around his, pressing her chest against it.
“You spilled your coffee, right? Let me buy you another.”
“No, really, it’s fine…”
“Wow, your arm’s so toned! Do you work out?”
“I’m actually a bit busy…”
“Then I’ll bring it to your office. How many people are there?”
“Really, you don’t need to—”
“I need a favor.”
“…What?”
“Han Seoyoung’s personal phone number. One she actually uses and answers. Don’t worry, I won’t say you gave it to me. I’m in a bit of a rush~”
Gansina’s face was exceptionally bright.
It was a hopeful expression, completely devoid of any shame.
“Gansina? No matter how desperate we are for people, do we really need to join hands with someone of such low quality?”
“Exactly, Chief Han! Gansina is out of the question! These days, every time I turn on the TV, she’s busy badmouthing our Jiwoo!”
An alliance of convenience with Gansina.
The reactions of the party members were just as Han Seoyoung had expected.
“Let’s just reject her outright.”
“There’s no reason for us to accommodate someone like her.”
“Just imagining it gives me heartburn…”
The opposition was extreme.
However, Han Seoyoung thought differently.
In fact, she hadn’t brought the proposal this far to gather opinions—it was to persuade the party members.
“Gansina is an opportunist. Whether the party collapses or her benefactor dies, she only cares about finding her own path to survival. The surprising thing is, she’s so good at it that she even managed to secure a badge of office.”
A capable, insane opportunist.
That was Han Seoyoung’s evaluation of Gansina.
If she were a tool, she’d be a sharp double-edged sword—potentially a great weapon depending on the wielder, or a tool for self-destruction.
“Gansina is also a weather vane.”
“A weather vane…?”
“She’s someone who shows the shifts in power within the Saeminju Party faster than anyone else.”
Politics is often likened to flowing water and the wind.
No matter how capable or popular someone is, a bird that flies against the wind won’t get far.
A politician must ride the current.
They must read the wind.
Gansina was, in a way, an indicator of that wind’s direction.
Her changes in attitude would influence countless others.
“If Gansina switches sides, it’ll give analysts at the leading candidate’s camp a headache. It’ll signal that there’s discord within their camp.”
“She’ll shake up the board.”
“Exactly. And she’s useful as a speaker too. If there’s one thing she’s good at, it’s irritating people.”
Han Seoyoung could see it—a way to wield Gansina as an effective weapon.
“Well, having that annoying person on our side would certainly be reassuring…”
Emotionally, opinions varied, but no one denied that she could be helpful.
“But why did Gansina contact us all of a sudden? Did she have a falling-out with her party?”
“She probably caught a whiff of power or is trying to keep a foot in both camps.”
“Our approval ratings are definitely high. Who knew talent acquisition would get this easy?”
“It’s all thanks to our candidate.”
At the mention of “candidate,” Kang Jiwoo turned around.
Even when deeply engrossed in a tangram puzzle, she would whip her head around whenever she heard her name.
“Am I perfect?”
“Of course!”
“Perfect…!”
“Absolutely perfect! It’s all thanks to you that our party is doing so well!”
Muttering to herself, she grinned.
Today, she seemed fixated on the word “perfect.”
The meeting wrapped up quickly, as they had a street campaign scheduled.
“Well then, everyone, let’s do our best! See you back at the office later!”
“Let’s do it!”
“Candidate, are you leaving your toys behind today?”
“Oh, right!”
“Hurry and grab them.”
“Dolly!”
As always, it was chaos.
That evening, Han Seoyoung, Kang Jiwoo, and the other party members gathered again at the office.
Park Seokji had brought several boxes of apples.
“Wow, what’s all this?”
“Oh, some came into the house, so I brought a few. Let’s share them while we watch.”
The staff took the fruit to the pantry.
The reason for the gathering was simple.
“Has it started?”
“Still in commercials!”
“Better hurry and peel these!”
It was the night of Young Quiz.
“Everyone, help yourselves while we watch.”
“Sitting here eating fruit while watching TV feels like a holiday.”
“Haha, who would’ve thought our party would ever feel this family-like?”
Crunch, crunch.
As Kang Jiwoo nibbled on an apple, she asked, “Siljangping, what’s a holiday?”
“It’s when families…?”
“On holidays like Seollal or Chuseok, families gather to prepare offerings for ancestors, eat together, and exchange warm words.”
Kang Jiwoo tilted her head in curiosity.
Meanwhile, Young Quiz began.
“Everyone, hurry over! It’s starting!”
“Candidate, come sit and watch too!”
“Yes…!”
Han Seoyoung placed Kang Jiwoo on her lap.
The party members squeezed onto the sofa, some even dragging over chairs due to the lack of space.
Even then, there wasn’t enough room, so a few stood to watch.
“Oh! It’s starting!”
The atmosphere in front of the TV resembled that of a large family gathering.
With smiles of pride, as if they were witnessing a family member’s accomplishment, the party members wore contented expressions.
Ahead of the airing of Young Quiz, the online community was flooded with related posts.
Title: So hyped for Young Quiz!
“This is the most anticipated show lately, LOL.
I was on edge waiting for it, almost lost my mind.
Even from the teaser, you could tell it’s going to be hilarious, LOL.
The MCs were genuinely cracking up—no fake laughter there.
You just can’t watch Jiwooping without laughing, LOL.
Even Choo Seyoung and Yoo Hangcheol barely held it together during debates, LOL.”
Title: I’m so nervous…
“Do you think Jiwooping did well on Young Quiz?
We really need to win over the middle-aged demographic to lock in second place…
Just clear your mind and enjoy it.
Trust blindly. LOL.
If they surpass Yoo Hangcheol this time, I might actually cry…
No need to stress. Even without Young Quiz, surpassing Yoo Hangcheol is inevitable, LOL.”
Title: Wait, but Yoo Hangcheol is on today too?
“Don’t tell me they split the airtime 50-50 with him?
Ugh, I’d be pretty annoyed if that’s the case.
Even Cho Seyoung only got about 20 minutes of screen time.
If the producers know what they’re doing, they’ll upload all the unaired cuts on YouTube!”
The buzz around Young Quiz was immense even before it aired.
The show was receiving explosive attention.
Of course, not everyone was looking forward to Kang Jiwoo’s performance.
One community was buzzing with expectations of a very different kind.
Title: Must-watch Young Quiz with Yoo Hangcheol!
“Predicted to dominate the show with sharp, refreshing remarks, LOL.
Cho Seoyoung: Lacks a sense of humor.
Kang Jiwoo: Relies solely on being cute. Terrible at speaking.
Yoo Hangcheol: Articulate. A human soda. Witty.
Am I right, LOL?”
Title: Breaking news—Kang Jiwoo edited out of Young Quiz!
“Freedom Protectors TV revealed Kang Jiwoo’s TS is a scam….
Thus, tonight’s Young Quiz will air as a Yoo Hangcheol special instead.
The production team apparently struggled to include Kang Jiwoo’s segments, so they’re relieved, LOL.
Investigate Kang Jiwoo now!
What a celebration~”
“But where’s the evidence? Isn’t this just conjecture?
Wasn’t Yoo Hangcheol’s airtime much smaller even in the teaser?
What kind of nonsense is this? Are you Jiwoo-haters? LOL.
Yoo Hangcheol had less airtime, LOL. Get over it.”
Title: Why I’m looking forward to tomorrow
“Total edit-out > Interest spikes over the reasons behind the cut > Kang Jiwoo TS scam revealed -> Support plummets
Kang Jiwoo’s supporters evaporate.
Yoo Hangcheol absorbs them.
Justice prevails in the end…
That’s the story.
If Yoo Hangcheol absorbs Jiwoo’s support base, he might be able to challenge Jo Seyoung.
A thrilling comeback victory!”
Among Yoo Hangcheol’s supporters, absurd rumors spread about Kang Jiwoo’s segments being cut entirely.
As the show began airing, their inflated expectations were utterly crushed.
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