Episode 201
Oh Yoori, who had been hanging out with Seon Taeyang until late, was walking back to her accommodation, trying to shake off the effects of the cold wind and alcohol.
This wasn’t the same accommodation where all the members of Girl Revolution used to stay together.
Well, that’s because they each got their own places about a year ago.
This was a request from the main sponsor, Jinkang, and TwoBear didn’t really have a solid reason to refuse.
As a result, they easily ended up living their personal lives.
For managing the agency’s convenience, they were all living right next door or extremely close neighbors, but still.
In fact, it wasn’t that special.
Once contracts end or the group hits a certain number of years, the agency no longer demands uncomfortable group living and starts respecting their personal lives more.
It was just a slightly early result.
Oh Yoori didn’t find it awkward at all.
In fact, she had quickly gotten used to it. Spending time alone suited her better than the noisy group life.
As she waddled toward her own cozy nest, she noticed some figures in front of her door.
“…What are you sisters doing here?”
It was Yeoreum, Gaeul, and Gyeoul, who should be resting after their exhausting concert.
“It’s already late, and the last train has long gone. Aren’t you tired? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“…I have something to ask.”
“Yeoreum unnie has something to ask me? …Are both of you on the same page with this?”
Gyeoul and Gaeul nodded.
From their actions, Oh Yoori guessed what was going on and casually opened her accommodation door.
“First, come in.”
Following Oh Yoori’s lead, they entered her colorless, odorless accommodation, devoid of anything but essential living items. After she sat on a small sofa, Jin Yeoreum took a seat at the dining chair, Gaeul remained standing, and Han Gyeoul plopped down on the floor.
The scene looked quite ordinary, but the atmosphere was completely different.
Even though just a moment ago, they had been on a gigantic stage, trusting and relying on each other, that connection seemed to have vanished, leaving a cold, harsh air hanging between them.
Accepting the atmosphere as if it didn’t bother her or was something she was used to, Oh Yoori casually asked.
“So, who’s going to speak first? …Or should I ask who will be the representative to talk?”
The one to respond was Han Gyeoul, crouched on the floor, glancing around nervously.
“Um, Yoori, sorry, but could you tell me what you talked about with Teacher Taeyang?”
“Oh, that.”
Oh Yoori nodded, as if she totally understood the reason. Then, she made a small smile that was hard to interpret and spoke.
She said.
“By now, you must have heard everything. You’re eavesdropping on us, aren’t you?”
At that, Gaeul and Yeoreum stiffened their faces and fell silent. Meanwhile, Gyeoul timidly mumbled, “…I’m just stalking, not eavesdropping.” But seeing the reactions, she too fell silent.
It was Jin Yeoreum who broke the silence.
“Before you and Team Leader Seon started your conversation, that is, when Team Leader Seon and Yuri were overlapping, the eavesdropping device was turned off. Team Leader Seon hasn’t manipulated that device separately, so I think you touched it.”
Oh Yoori kept her smile and said.
“Hmm… you guessed right. I turned it off.”
“Why….”
“Well, it’s natural that it feels bad to have someone eavesdropping on a private conversation, right? So, I turned it off.”
“‘….’”
It was a statement no one could refute.
“Honestly, Team Leader Seon knew about it and just let it be, so isn’t the moral compass completely gone? What you sisters are doing right now is just a crime.”
Gaeul didn’t deny Yuri’s words.
“Yeah, I know that, and Gyeoul knows it too, and so does Yeoreum. So right now… no, at least I didn’t come here to blame you or ask why you turned it off. I just…”
Finishing that thought was Yeoreum.
“I just came here to satisfy my curiosity about what you talked about during that time.”
Oh Yoori looked around at the eyes of her colleagues, who had spent seven years under the name of idols.
Ah, many things came to mind.
And the side profile of a man lingered in her mind like an echo.
So, Oh Yoori changed the subject.
“It seems like you’re expecting something special, but there wasn’t anything significant. After all, it was just a casual chat that lasted a little over two hours. Just some trivial jokes, childish pranks, stories about mundane happenings, and reflections on experiences while working as Girl Revolution under TwoBear Entertainment. That’s about it. Which of those would you like to hear about?”
“That’s all?”
“Yes, that’s all.”
“No way, Yuri. That can’t be true since Team Leader Seon cried during the conversation.”
“….”
“Team Leader Seon hasn’t cried in about five years, so it couldn’t have been a normal conversation, right?”
Feeling a chill run down her spine, Oh Yoori asked.
“How do you know that?”
“I saw it.”
“So how!”
“How what?”
Jin Yeoreum tilted her head as if asking why she was asking such an obvious question.
She tilted her head as if thinking and said,
“I’m watching Team Leader Seon anytime, anywhere, by any means.”
“…. ”
She turned her head and looked around.
Contrary to her expectations, Gyeoul and Gaeul were not reacting much to Yeoreum’s words.
Oh Yoori quickly assessed the situation.
‘Ah, so they were all watching.’
She exhaled like a sigh.
“…You guys are truly insane.”
They did not deny it.
Seeing this, Oh Yoori bitterly smiled and asked,
“Yeoreum, let’s say you have someone followed, how did Gaeul and Gyeoul see it?”
“I’m sorry to say it’s different from what you expected, but I can also follow someone. After receiving the settlement, I have more than enough funds for that.”
“…Huh? Was I the only one who saw it directly?”
“‘….’”
Ignoring Gyeoul’s words, Jin Yeoreum returned to the previous atmosphere and spoke earnestly.
“Yuri, I know it’s hard for you to understand, but I want to know everything about Team Leader Seon. Can’t you tell me?”
Oh Yoori firmly cut her off.
“That’s possible. I don’t know much, but I understand. …But just endure it. You’re an adult now, right?”
“…Adult? I misspoke. Let me correct that.”
With Oh Yoori’s blunt response, Jin Yeoreum twisted her lips into a crooked smile and said,
“I need to know everything about Team Leader Seon.”
“….”
The meaning behind that statement was entirely different.
“…Do you all think the same?”
“If that’s about Brother Taeyang.”
“…I also want to know why Teacher Taeyang did that.”
“Sigh…, even so, just wait patiently. It’s something you’ll all learn about soon.”
Gyeoul, who had been fidgeting with her hands, suddenly gasped and asked,
“…Is it a story related to us?”
“Yes, it’s both your story and Team Leader Seon’s story. …And it’s a story that only Team Leader Seon can tell. So trust Team Leader Seon, not me…”
“…Are we annoying them?”
At Han Gyeoul’s tearful question, Oh Yoori was taken aback and asked back.
“Pardon?”
“…You’re crying because it’s too hard for you since we always tag along, obsess over you, and steal your time?”
Just as Oh Yoori was about to correct something strange about this response, Gaeul also spoke nervously with a pale face.
“Brother Taeyang is crying and saying something related to us? And we’ll learn about it soon? …Could it be that they’re planning to leave TwoBear? …No way.”
Yeoreum also trembled her eyelashes and spoke while sweating.
“If… if Team Leader Seon plans to leave, I’ll chase after them…”
“Um… even if Team Leader Seon goes out, if I chase after them…”
“Then they might just go somewhere else, right? …They must have already grown tired of us.”
“Ugh, well then, I want to go to that other place too… I want to go where Teacher Taeyang goes…”
“Wait, sisters? Calm down, what Team Leader Seon said isn’t about that…”
“I shouldn’t have deceived them back then; Team Leader Seon is charming in every way, but because I acted so poorly, they got tired of me.”
“I’ve been hurt. It’s such a huge wound. How could they treat the kindest Brother Taeyang like that using my life as leverage…”
“Waaah, I want to go to Teacher Taeyang too.”
“Since I caused Team Leader Seon trauma with a little airplane, someone like me…”
“Hah… Hah, I’m sorry, Brother Taeyang. I’m, I’m…”
“Wah…, Teacher Taeyang can’t leave. Ugh, wah…”
“No, sisters, please listen to me. That’s not what I meant…”
Seeing Yeoreum collapsing as if having another panic attack, Gaeul silently screaming without a sound, and Han Gyeoul banging her head on the floor while crying, Oh Yoori revealed the truth she had been hiding with a scream-like utterance.
“I said I would choose one of you three on the last day of the contract and confess! That’s not what it’s about!”
*
Back at her accommodation, Yoo Gaeul was echoing Oh Yoori’s revelation of Seon Taeyang’s words.
“‘Choosing one?’”
It was something that perhaps should have been expected.
But it was also something she had been trying to ignore.
Because she simply couldn’t imagine a future without being with Taeyang.
And now she was finally facing that question.
“What if Brother Taeyang chooses someone else… what will happen to me?”
Thud.
The moment she imagined that future, Yoo Gaeul felt the strength leave her body, collapsing onto the floor. And she threw up.
Since she hadn’t eaten anything to appear perfect at the concert, only gastric juices came up.
Her body started trembling. Her heart felt like it was about to burst.
She felt like she might die. Or perhaps dying would be better.
That future was that terrifying.
In her hazy mind, Yoo Gaeul picked up her smartphone. And she dialed someone.
“Oh, Yoo Gaeul, what brings you to call so late?”
“…Reporter Yang.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“Are you thinking of writing a dating article?”
“Hm… Since Yoo Gaeul wouldn’t talk to me about someone vague, I’m intrigued… Is the source reliable?”
“…Yes, it’s reliable.”
And despite her pain, Yoo Gaeul unknowingly wore a faint smile as she spoke.
“Because it’s my story.”
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