Chapter 237

“Is this for real?”

The Home Mama had the terrifying word ‘cost-effectiveness’ pass through her mind.

Season 2 kicked off with a bizarre opening.

If the thumbnail that was full of laughter led to this, I didn’t even want to watch it.

[If the members face financial burdens, would you be willing to step up and help? Is this a psychological test?]

[Willing to help… of course, circle. But our members aren’t that type.]

Do-hee and Kim Seo-yoon, who had taken a survey in the meeting room.

Honestly, self-content based on cost-effectiveness was enough. Watching the members chat was already fun.

“But to take it even further on cost-effectiveness? Are you guys crazy?”

[The two of you have revealed that you are willing to bear the difference for today’s special episode for the members!]

But with a single remark from the Producer urging personal funds, the reaction from the Home Mama and fans was icy.

─ “I never imagined Topist would treat us like this, lol. They set the concept fancy and then, lol.”

─ “Getting backstabbed, turns out being small means being small, huh?”

─ “In the midst of it all, Do-hee and Kim Seo-yoon saying they’ll help right away just annoys me more, lol.”

─ “Who came up with this nonsense? From the way the Producer is talking, it sounds like they outsourced it!”

─ “Even if the planning was handled by outsiders, the fact that Topist approved this is legendary, lol.”

[But is the special we’re throwing even fun? Honestly, spending money for our Air is not at all~ a waste. Not at all. You know what my personality is like, right, older sister?]

[I know, I know. I know our Do-hee’s personality well. So, I’m asking, where can we find fun in spending money? Shouldn’t it be fun only if we’re in pain? We feel great!]

“I’m saying, is this even fun?”

[Glad the Chairmen are happy!]

“The subtitles are really hitting hard.”

Especially, the fact that only mentioning Kim Seo-yoon and Do-hee as Chairpeople, emphasizing their success as Seven, bothered me.

It’s been less than a year since the newly debuted girl group, so what’s the point of emphasizing that to create an atmosphere?

“What’s the Producer’s name again?”

The Home Mama tried to search where the Producer was from, but since no face appeared, it wasn’t easy to find.

Meanwhile, the two main characters seemed to care about the fans watching this self-content, showing lighthearted jokes without a wrinkle, which only added to my annoyance.

[Yes, if our Air watches a lot, we have no regrets. This time, it’s going to be me and Do-hee. We’re spending.]

[Suddenly whispering Chairpeople]

[…Should we start by reducing the staff? Restructuring.]

[Camera staff, can you turn off the camera for a second? It’s okay. No, my director and I obviously need to go together.]

[Hey, Producer first. High salary.]
D-san first. High salary.]

[PD: Huh? Me? Am I getting fired?]

[The Chairman indiscriminately throwing termination notices.]

[Yeah, I’m firing everyone, regardless of hierarchy. Chiyo Unni, behave yourself.]

[Wait? Am I getting fired too? I’m a member!]

[Yeah, sorry.]

“Ugh… What did the kids who want to have fun do wrong?”

And just like that, an eye-catching thumbnail was born.

Do-hee was passionately speaking.

[We’re pouring money, love, and passion into this. If no one watches, we’ll be super bummed!]

Seo-yoon chimed in.

[So we need to make it happen. A thumbnail that makes you want to click the moment you see it.]

[Ah, everyone should come in suits then. No help for it. Since Chiyo Unni wears black, let’s kneel as representatives.]

[Chiyo, you’re doing great!]

[…Chiyo, that’s not what you should be saying…]

*

With heavy footsteps that echoed against the floor, Jung So-hyun’s mood wasn’t as calm as it seemed.

As the Producer overseeing the music videos, choreography, concepts, albums, costumes, and schedules, Jung So-hyun felt the pressure every day.

Especially with double titles.

She was exhausted from handling tasks and meetings, leaving no time for daily content checks.

Of course, she hadn’t ignored the planning documents.

As the head of the Debonaire team, she had signed off on the initial content plan.

Right, the early plan was a real variety show featuring outdoor games in the morning for money, and then a party at a pension to heal.

Somehow, it had morphed into something that brewed discomfort without her realizing it.

“Director, you’ve arrived…”

“Team Leader.”

So Jung So-hyun pressed her brows together to hide her anger and asked the planning department head.

“Huh?”

“YouTube. Who approved this?”

This wasn’t something that should have been greenlit at the team leader level.

“Why has the outsourced PD changed? This person is from Mwave, LE.”

Though she tried to hold back, Jung So-hyun wasn’t quite aware of what kind of expression she was making.

“Um…”

It seemed the planning team leader was unusually cautious, so she suspected their expression was far from good.

“The department head…”

“Moon Kyu-cheol, right?”

“Yes, he told me to give you the documents…”

She was fed up with useless office politics getting in the way at such a critical time.

From then on, the head of department Moon Kyu-cheol who dished out sarcasm at every turn.

She thought to brush it off as a trivial power struggle and move on…

“They said the changes are confirmed…”

Seeing her subordinate making excuses, Jung So-hyun clenched her teeth, swallowed back her frustration.

“Got it. Next time, send it to me too. No exceptions.”
“Please raise your hand. No exceptions.”

“Yeah…”

I swallowed my frustration, but that didn’t mean I was holding back.

I pressed the internal phone number to the CEO’s office one by one.

*

“Seriously, our older sister is such a big-hearted person.”

Fortunately, as time went on, the self-content was filled only with the playful members, and the tense atmosphere at the beginning gradually eased.

Of course, the duo trying to lighten the mood, Seo-yoon and Do-hee, were doing their thing.

[Do-hee: But we have to be funny during lunch too, right, guys? So let’s take bets on lunch!]

[Seo-yoon: Okay! Not the company card, though. Let’s do it with our own personal cards and cover all the staff too. What do you think?]

─ Meanwhile, the staff are covered too, so generous! ㅜ

─ Do-hee meeting the camera director, 100 times more excited, haha! Nice!

─ (Average net worth of teens is 86 million won)

└ What nonsense is this? Exclude Seven!

The members were also instinctively laughing and chatting just like usual.

[Chiyo: Our settlement hasn’t been done yet… (Balance 0 won)]

[Na-eun: I feel sorry for Do-hee and Seo-yoon, so I’ll pull out the bankbook for the new year money! It’s okay!]

[Woo-ah: If we lose, I’ll just have to borrow from Mom… Sorry, Mom…]

─ A bankbook for new year money…? Na-eun, this isn’t the one you gave your mom to keep, right?

└???: Mom says she’s gonna keep this money and give it back to you.

─ What’s with Woo-ah’s expressive acting, haha!

“This is what a team is! It feels like family…!”

In the end, Young-and-Rich Seo-yoon and Do-hee’s head-to-head match for soft tofu jjampong happened, and from that point on, it was nonstop laughter.

[Seo-yoon: Can you hit?]

[Chiyo: In Japan, girls are also good at baseball. Boys are in baseball club, girls in softball club. Don’t you know?]

─ Did Chiyo play softball? Haha!

─ If Debonaire goes to pitch, Chiyo should throw!

└ Hey, are you aiming to hit Do-hee right now?

[Seo-yoon: …You really are good. Ugh, that makes our team unfair… I wasn’t expecting anything from our older sister in the first place… ]

─ Thud!

[Na-eun: Wow! I-I hit it! Seo-yoon, did you see? I hit it!]

[Seo-yoon: I knew I could count on you, Na-eun unni!]

─ Hahaha, Seo-yoon’s sudden change in attitude!

─ Na-eun being so naïve and blissfully happy is adorable.

[Woo-ah: But Chiyo, you really did play softball?]

[Chiyo: No.]

< Lies coming out as easily as breathing >

─ Hahaha, was that a lie?

The members tricking each other continued.

[Seo-yoon: Wow, when Do-hee threw the ball at Sara, it was thrilling.]

The scene from that day flashed through my mind.

The position of the batter, Do-hee’s unexpected athletic ability at the plate.

[─ Whack!]
[Do-hee: If they call me at the baseball field this time, should I try hitting instead of pitching?]

─Yeah, that sounds good, Do-hee.

─There mustn’t be a second victim…

─Sara cried that day because she was hurt.

─Lol, I’ve seen that baseball helmet spinning somewhere.

Meanwhile, Do-hee’s team (Chiyo) and Seo-yoon’s team (Seo-yoon) were plotting together.

[Seo-yoon: Let’s provide dessert.]

[Chiyo: Ooh…]

[Scene of Agreement]

[Do-hee: What are you two doing?]

[Chiyo: Nothing at all! (innocent)]

[The Team Leader Sensed Something]

─Scene of Agreement, LOL.

─Hahaha, but all the members here are really good at facial expressions.

Anyway, Do-hee managed to pull off two consecutive hits with a rather cool and skilled stance.

Before that, she had been continuously slandered.

[Seo-yoon: Watch them throw a ball at Sara like that!]

[Woo-ah: Senior Sara looked really hurt.]

[Seo-yoon: She had a bruise back then.]

─A memorable incident from that day.

─The pitcher’s wild pitch, LOL, a past that can’t be erased.

─But seriously, is it your first time holding a bat? Why are you hitting so well? Wow, you really have good athletic skills.

└Then why that day…

─Do-hee’s actually good at baseball, oh man, if only our Eagles hit as well as Do-hee, we wouldn’t have come in last place, lol, these stupid idiots aren’t pros, how can you be this bad?!

└Why are you suddenly getting angry…

And even at this moment, the plotting continued.

[Seo-yoon: Ugh, what’s up with Do-hee’s athletic skills? At this point, I’m counting on you, Chiyo.]

[Chiyo: Don’t worry.]

[Unceasing Harmony]

[Do-hee: What are you two doing?]

[Chiyo: Nothing at all.]

[Spies giving signals without any intention of hiding]

─Chiyo blatantly giving a thumbs up to Seo-yoon is hilarious, LOL.

[Do-hee: If I don’t hit on purpose, you definitely won’t treat me to a meal, older sister.]

[Chiyo: (nods)]

And despite her brave entrance, Chiyo trembled as she held the bat, busy dodging balls.

[Chiyo: Kyaah!]

[Switching from baseball to dodgeball]

Even those watching closely couldn’t tell if her intense swing was serious or method acting.

[Do-hee: Seriously, play properly!]

[Chiyo: I-I’m really holding a bat for the first time! Seriously.]

Afterward, Woo-ah also showed her skills without holding back.

[Woo-ah: This is harder than I thought~?]

[Do-hee: Ah, please just hit one ball…!]

[Do-hee’s team loses]

[Do-hee (Team Leader/2 at-bats 2 hits): Ah.]

[Seo-yoon (Team Leader/2 at-bats 1 hit): Ahh.]

─LOL, that’s how team games go!

With Na-eun and Seo-yoon’s loud celebration of victory, the shaky first chapter came to a close.

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