Chapter 69
“Hello! I’m Oh Yoori, the refreshing and lively vitamin everyone wants!”
As Ban Seong-cheol finished his greeting, a trainee with pink pigtails joined in with a cute, cheerful introduction.
But I couldn’t pay attention to that at all. The only thing in my line of sight was Ban Seong-cheol’s creepy grin.
“Teacher Taeyang, are you okay?”
Gyeoul looked at me with concern.
“Yeah, Gyeoul. I’m totally fine. Why do you ask?”
“…Your expression seemed a bit angry. I thought you might be upset with me.”
“…”
Seeing her anxiousness helped me snap out of it. I was here to work. I couldn’t afford to be swayed as a dormitory attendant when I should be supporting Gyeoul.
“I’m sorry. I suddenly remembered something worrisome, so my reaction was a bit delayed. Nice to meet you, Oh Yoori. This is trainee Han Gyeoul, and I’m the team leader Seon Taeyang.”
“Nice to meet you! I’m Gyeoul!”
Oh Yoori smiled brightly, clasping her hands cutely.
“It’s totally fine! We barged in while you were chatting!”
It was impressive to see a kid who looked between middle school and high school speak so well.
…But where did Flower Entertainment find someone like her?
Thinking back, I realized that during this period, Flower Entertainment’s ‘Girl 100’ featured only Seo Eunbyeol, who I had a strong connection with—even to the point of becoming lovers.
Yet now, instead of Ban Seong-cheol and Eunbyeol, it was this girl, Oh Yoori, appearing.
It felt like my decision not to go to Flower Entertainment had somehow altered the future.
“Our Yuri is very nervous for her first official schedule. Please forgive her if she makes any mistakes; it would be great if you could see it cutely.”
Ban Seong-cheol looked at Yoori proudly as he said that.
I had an incredibly strange feeling. This sensation of regression hit me harder than when I was offered to join Flower by my brother Dongwoo or even when I saw my sister.
My actions were changing the future. That realization hit me hard.
“So cute! How old are you, Yoori?”
“Hehe, thank you! I’m 15 years old!”
“Wow, so you’re in 3rd year middle school? I’m 16!”
“You’re an unnie! I thought you had some charisma going on! It’s the blonde hair and those fierce eyes!”
“Fierce? …Oh, I’m not that cool or anything.”
While the two chatted, Ban Seong-cheol chimed in.
“Our Yoori is just so warm-hearted that she seems to have already become friends! I think we can expect some awesome chemistry on the show. We could lightly showcase a capitalism-driven GL vibe. Fans will adore that!”
“I think it’s okay to get your hopes up. It shows a light-hearted, capitalist GL vibe. Fans will go crazy over it.”
“…But that’s really a love-it-or-hate-it situation, isn’t it?”
“…Haha, that’s right. But the problem is, Gyeoul lacks talent for acting, so I’m not sure how well she’ll fit in.”
“Oh come on, someone at your level as Team Leader should know this by now… Idol business is all about selling fantasy, and right now, this is the hottest fantasy on the market!”
Suddenly, I found myself questioning how I should treat that guy.
Ban Seong-cheol would hit me from behind ten years later. Back during the last episode, I had built a surprisingly cordial relationship with him in the present.
He did have some tendency to push work onto me, but it was nothing more than a slightly annoying trait. Becoming enemies was still a long way off.
But my feelings weren’t settling easily.
“By the way, you mentioned you’re the Team Leader? What brings you all the way to the scene? …Ah, is it because it’s the first day and you want to boost the trainees’ spirits?”
I could have pretended to be all impressive, but I didn’t put on a show.
“I did have that thought, but our company is running a bit short on staff, so I had to come myself.”
This industry is small. If TwoBear starts becoming active, the staffing situation will blow up in no time.
There was no need to concoct a lie that would be discovered so easily just to look good.
“…If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the name of your company again?”
“TwoBear Entertainment.”
“…TwoBear, ah, so it’s a new company.”
Ban Seong-cheol’s gaze changed as he looked at me.
It was a low and flippant look.
Having seen that guy for a long time, I immediately understood what that gaze meant.
It was the look he gave when he thought he was looking down on someone.
“You’re still as rude as ever, Seong-cheol.”
“You’ve heard of our Flower Entertainment, right? We’re the company that produced MilKiz, after all.”
Of course I know; who wouldn’t know Flower?
MilKiz was a seven-member boy group—though they didn’t quite make it to the top of music show rankings, they managed to carve out a decent fanbase and pull in some modest revenue. They weren’t a bad group, but they didn’t exactly level up to being boasted about in front of others.
Still, I decided not to point that out and just reacted blandly.
“Yeah, I heard you did pretty well with ‘Leviathan’ this time.”
“That’s right. Our current performance isn’t bad, but MilKiz is on a clear upward trend. We’re not like those random agencies that haven’t achieved anything.”
While Ban Seong-cheol rambled on about MilKiz’s achievements and his contributions, a small-framed girl in glasses entered and called for Gyeoul.
While everyone was chatting away, a small-framed woman with glasses walked in and called for Gyeoul.
“Is this Ms. Han Gyeoul?”
“Yes! That’s me!”
As she turned on her smartphone to check something, she said, “Please get ready. Your test is scheduled early, so you need to head out now.”
“Whaaaat, already?”
I followed Gyeoul outside. Since shooting had started, I couldn’t accompany her all the way, but I wanted to see her off a bit.
Noticing my gaze, Gyeoul asked the woman with glasses, “Is there no rehearsal?”
Without even glancing at her, the woman replied while peering at her smartphone. “With 100 people waiting, there’s no time for rehearsals, just go ahead.”
“…Okay.”
After fiddling with her phone, the woman seemed done and put it away, saying, “I’m Ye Han-na, the writer. Most of the miscellaneous stuff will go through me from now on.”
“Nice to meet you, Writer Ye Han-na!”
Ye Han-na looked at me and said, “I heard you already talked with PD Kim. Naturally, this information was conveyed to the idol in question, right?”
It seemed she was referring to using Gyeoul as a variety show character.
“Are you expecting to get a funny scene from Gyeoul at the test?”
“Exactly. That’s partly why I’m here as the writer.”
She spoke as if she couldn’t care less, “Well, don’t get your hopes up too high just because a writer is attached. The fact that I’m the one on board means that much. It’s take it or leave it. You get what I mean?”
“I understand.”
“Good to hear. But don’t overthink it. Just show your usual skills, maybe get some constructive criticism from the judges, and that’s it. You’re responsible for making them laugh.”
Through her glasses, the dark circles under her eyes indicated she found the whole situation annoying and dull.
“That’s what you want, right? To somehow get on air and create some buzz. But looking at it from a writer’s perspective, I’m not so sure an extra cracking a joke could actually become an issue. And even if it does, will it benefit you? What if you end up getting roasted online?”
“I’m confident I can steer that issue into a positive direction.”
“Of course, you would think so. That’s why you’re here. But honestly, I don’t see any major significance in this ‘Girl 100.’ It’s not as romantic and dream-filled a success story as it looks, especially with PD Kim around.”
“That doesn’t seem to hold much meaning. This place isn’t exactly a romantic success story entwined with dreams, you know? At least not while PD Kim Seon-ye is around.”
“…Is that woman possibly aware of the vote rigging?”
“The incidents related to the upcoming vote manipulation were not something an underling could comprehend. It was highly unlikely for someone in the upper echelons to be guiding Gyeoul.”
“But the way Ye Han-na carries herself and what she says is quite significant, not something to just brush off.”
“Honestly, that’s not the attitude a sane broadcast writer should show the cast, right? It’s more like someone who’s ready to quit their job and just let things go wherever.”
“To my suspicions, Ye Han-na sarcastically mentioned, ‘…Well, that’s true for me as well. Whether I get some laughs or face cuts in editing, it all means nothing. Nothing comes back to me. No matter how hard I try, things never change. So, I’m out of this bleak and hope-less gig once this is over.'”
“She’s definitely aware of something. Whether it’s about vote rigging remains unclear.”
“Ye Han-na took out her smartphone again, turning her gaze away from us, focusing solely on the screen as she spoke. ‘You know what kind of person I am, right? Unfortunately for you, you got stuck with a writer who won’t be of any help. Better hope I don’t get in the way, really. Just stay low-key until retirement. That’s all I ask of you.'”
“And she looked at us with pity, adding, ‘And that’ll be more convenient for the manager and the trainees too. It hurts too much when expectations turn into disappointments… I really don’t want to see that anymore.'”
As Ye Han-na walked ahead, Gyeoul cautiously leaned in and whispered to me, “…Teacher Taeyang, are we done for?”
“Why’s that?”
“…I feel like we just met a terrifying writer.”
I smiled reassuringly at her and replied, “To me, it feels like we just met the best writer we could!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you know what they say, ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend?’ People bond easily over shared dislikes.”
I hated PD Kim Seon-ye, and it looked like Ye Han-na did too. What better common ground for friendship could there be?
After getting to know her a bit more, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to make a proposal. A plan to smack the back of the head of voters’ manipulation PD Kim Seon-ye.
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