Chapter 188

Episode 188

After ranking first in Girl Revolution, I was unexpectedly thrilled to be sent to a Marine Corps camp for the shooting of ‘Girls in Road’.

Thinking about the four entertainment idols from Girls in Road, who usually act like playful puppies, rolling on the ground doing PT exercises, made me smile.

Sipping on cocoa while braving the icy wind, the thought of watching those kids suffer like it’s none of my business warmed my heart.

That was until Ye Han-na suddenly said, “But Team Leader Seon is joining too, you know?”

“…Oh dear, my back. I’m really going to die.”

I thought the smell of muscle ointment might turn the kids off, but I didn’t have the luxury to care about that right now.

First, I had to make sure I was still breathing.

So, clutching my back and groaning, I was walking to the office when I spotted Oh Yoori, who was dramatically holding her head and sighing deeply.

“What are you doing not practicing? Taking a break?”

“Oh, Team Leader Seon.”

Oh Yoori looked at my face and let out another big sigh.

…Why is she sighing at me? That makes me nervous.

“Um… so…”

“Uh, what is it?”

“Fighting!”

“….”

Having said that, Oh Yoori dashed off like she was fleeing the scene.

…What was that about?

Recalling her usual behavior, this was pretty unsettling. Honestly, I wanted to chase after her and ask what she meant, but I decided to just let it go.

She’s a smart girl, so it must have been something she thought was necessary. Whatever.

The truth is, that wasn’t what I needed to focus on right now.

At this crucial moment for Girl Revolution, there were plenty of other things to keep my mind busy.

Just like the saying goes, “Row the boat when the tide is high,” Girl Revolution was truly paddling like crazy right now.

That meant our schedule was packed to the brim.

Naturally, every employee, including me, was on the grind without a single break.

One of those caught in the whirlwind, Seok Hyun-woo, looked like a zombie from pulling all-nighters.

When he saw me, his eyes lit up and he quickly greeted me.

“Team Leader Seon, you’re here? I thought you’d be taking it easy today after the Girls in Road shoot.”

“Oh, Manager Seok. I figured I’d feel too restless just staying home. Besides, we’re short-staffed, so I should pitch in.”

“Oh, but you should take care of yourself too.”

“This is manageable. So today, I’ll handle Gyeoul’s schedule. You can comfortably take care of the remaining tasks, Manager Seok.”

“…Oh, well. I feel guilty, but thank you so much.”
“That’s what you said.”

Seok Hyun-woo happily brushed off his promise to repay the favor someday and went to find Gyeoul.

“Gyeoul, I’m going with you today.”

“Really?”

Gyeoul, who seemed thrilled, suddenly became gloomy as if remembering something and glanced at me.

“Could you hang out with me for a bit after your schedule?”

“…..”

I didn’t know how long “a bit” was, but considering my hectic work tasks, it was a difficult request.

Thinking logically, it might be better to say I’d take some time for her when I was less busy next time.

“Of course, I can hang out with you anytime, Gyeoul.”

However, the words that actually left my mouth were entirely different.

“Really? Really?”

“Of course, it’s not just anyone else, it’s you.”

Gyeoul smiled at that.

Her smile felt cute, so I couldn’t help but smile back.

I thought to myself how I casually made it easy for myself, but I realized that giving a little time to such a kid who brings out such smiles in me was far more important than anything else.

Well, our little dork is just too cute.

*

After enjoying a mango frappuccino at the café where Gaeul worked, catching a breeze on the bridge, visiting the practice room near the house we rented, and finally stopping by my place to have mala soup with my older sister, we started our travel down memory lane, following Gyeoul’s wishes until we reached the motel street we had passed before.

I couldn’t refrain from asking if we really had to stop here, but Gyeoul’s response was that she wanted to visit because it was a memorable place, so I quietly accepted reality.

Well, it is somewhat monumental in its own way.

“Over there in the middle, I begged Teacher Taeyang, remember?”

I chuckled lightly while watching Gyeoul point at the center of the street, bouncing around in her big hat, sunglasses, and mask.

“Right! You said, ‘Since you helped me out, could you help me just a little more? I won’t forget this favor!’”

Thinking about it, those were both funny and pitiful words.

How desperate must she have been to say something like that?

As I recalled the image of Gyeoul shouting, “You said it was okay to ask!” I couldn’t help but stifle my laughter.

Seeing me, Gyeoul shyly looked down and spun around, speaking cautiously.

“…I still haven’t forgotten the favor. The kindness Teacher Taeyang showed me when no one else paid attention to me is something I can never forget.”

“…..”

It was true back then. I had been trying hard to win over that little girl’s favor while hiding my dark intentions, only thinking of how to use her. I pretended to be a good person, treating her like a conveniently useful tool.
He had been hiding his dark intentions, only thinking of using her, pretending to be a nice guy.

But now, I hoped that the actions I took with such thoughts wouldn’t weigh on her like a debt.

I wanted it to be something light, just a trivial tale.

So I became a bit more honest.

“Back then, approaching you like that wasn’t purely out of goodwill.”

“…What? Really?”

“I saw your talent and wanted to use it. I wanted to get into a good agency, you see. So I thought if I could ride on your talent, it would help me out. Everything I’ve done—approaching you, helping you, teaching you—was all under that context.”

“…”

“So, you don’t owe me any favors. Everything was done for my own sake.”

From Gyeoul’s perspective, my approach must have seemed suspiciously friendly, but it was the truth.

Just one man obsessed with success and a talented girl—that was the entire character description.

“No.”

But Gyeoul denied my words.

“Absolutely not.”

I was thrown off and protested.

“…No, I’m telling you, that’s how it was.”

“Just saying you acted to use a talented kid doesn’t explain Teacher Taeyang’s actions.”

Gyeoul looked at me over her sunglasses that covered her small face.

“If that’s the case, then why did you give me advice on the direction I should go, instead of just correcting my bad habits? What made you encourage me to enjoy dancing and singing?”

“…”

“Then what’s behind you rushing to see me even after Grandpa called you repeatedly, once the contract was sealed?”

“…”

“Why did you risk yourself to save me when I was being bullied like a fool?”

“That’s because I needed to get you out of there to negotiate again…”

“Then you should have accepted Team Leader Cheon Jong-hoon’s proposal back then.”

“No, that was just my pride. I didn’t want to bow my head to Cheon Jong-hoon in that situation.”

“Was that really all?”

“…”

“No. It can’t be. A normal person wouldn’t make such sacrifices just based on the thought it could help them, especially when they’re not sure of getting anything in return. That’s frustrating, stupidly kind, and self-sacrificing. Only someone critically devoted to themselves would do that.”

Gyeoul spoke with conviction, as if she wouldn’t allow any rebuttals.

“And I love that side of you, Teacher Taeyang.”

She stopped and grabbed my hand tightly, saying,

“Please date me.”

“…”

The response was the same as before.
It was the same as before.

The relationship was already ruined, but I couldn’t ruin it any further.

“I’m sorry. I can’t date you.”

Then, a drop of tears began to flow down Gyeoul’s cheek, starting from behind her sunglasses.

Gyeoul, hesitating and fearful, still tightly grasped my hand as if she would never let it go and said, “Please date me too.”

“….”

Just one word.

The meaning changed completely with just an added particle.

It seemed Gyeoul had figured out my relationship with Gaeul and Yeoreum.

“Wah…, sniff…, promise me that once the contract is over, you’ll be my romantic partner, just like older sister Gaeul and older sister Yeoreum. …sniff.”

My head was spinning.

I felt like my heart was going to explode.

“Gyeoul, you know how absurd my situation is right now. Of course, I refuse…”

Despite that, as I tried to calmly explain the situation and persuade her, Gyeoul threw off her mask, sunglasses, and beret.

Suddenly, her unforgettable unique winter blonde hair and violet eyes appeared on the motel street.

Curiosity began to creep into the gazes of passersby who were increasingly gathering around the commotion of the couple.

“Wahh, I want to be a couple too! I want to date Teacher Taeyang!”

People around began murmuring, “What’s that? Are they a couple?”, “The girl is clinging to him?”

In my head, articles like “Famous idol manager entangles in forbidden relationship with a minor idol” automatically edited themselves and spilled into my mind.

“I’ll listen to everything Teacher Taeyang says and follow all his orders, so please! Let’s be a couple!”

“W-wait a second, Gyeoul, cover your face first.”

Gyeoul dodged my attempts to cover her face, clinging to my pants and sobbing dramatically.

“…sniff wahh, please let us be a couple. Let me cuddle with Teacher Taeyang on the bed instead of Ryuuko-chan! Kiss my stomach!”

“But I feel like I’ve seen this somewhere?”

“Oh! Come to think of it, that person seems like an idol….”

I could see a passerby pulling out their smartphone camera.

This is bad.

“Let’s date! We’ll date, so cover your face already!”

*

While I ran away, covering Gyeoul’s face and escaping the motel street, I barely caught my breath.

Gyeoul, still clinging to my back, wiped her tears on my suit and said,

“Sniff…, sniff, I’m sorry. Sniff…, I love you. …I love you so much.”

“….”

I don’t even know anymore.

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