Chapter 34

Chapter 34

After discussing the contract with Cheon Aram, Gaeul headed to greet Gyeoul first and I set off to look for her in the practice room.

Through the small window of the practice room, I could see Gyeoul crouching and Gaeul standing, seemingly having a conversation. They appeared to be bonding fast and it was a heartwarming sight.

I barged in and asked, “Did you have a good chat?”

“…Huh? Oh, yeah. Gyeoul was really friendly and we had a fun conversation!”

Gaeul looked momentarily flustered but broke into a bright smile as she said that. It was nice to see that she seemed to have forgotten about yesterday.

However, Gyeoul’s reaction was a bit strange. She was shivering and looking at me with desperation in her eyes.

Now that I thought about it, the situation looked peculiar too. Gaeul towered over Gyeoul while she trembled. The whole scene felt very meaningful.

I questioned Gaeul, not really believing she would do something like that, but just in case, I asked, “Gaeul, you’re not bullying Gyeoul, are you?”

Both girls shared a dazed look at my question and then reacted dramatically. Gyeoul shook her head like a bobblehead, and Gaeul went pale as she exclaimed, “Absolutely not!”

“Then what was that weird dynamic? Gyeoul, you tell me why you were shaking!”

“Ah… it wasn’t bullying at all. Gaeul unnie approached me kindly. …I just felt small because I’m a dark and gloomy social misfit and Gaeul is so bright.”

Oh dear, our little nerd. Making friends wasn’t so easy, was it?

It occurred to me that putting super extroverted Gaeul with Gyeoul might’ve been a bit of a stretch.

“Well, we have to work together in the same team, so let’s try to make it work. We just need to hang in there a bit. Gaeul will help you too.”

“Yeah… I’m sorry.”

While Gyeoul and I were having this conversation, Gaeul squeezed her eyes shut and said, “No! It’s not Gyeoul’s fault!”

Gaeul spoke with her head hanging low like a prisoner before her executioner.

“It’s probably because I felt jealous. I didn’t say or do anything special, but feelings can be communicated, you know?”

So, you’re saying she shivered with jealousy without even a word? Is that even possible?

…But for Gyeoul, that could be believable, I guess? Knowing our natural-born nerd, it might be enough for her to shake like a leaf.

If Gaeul had genuinely wronged her, Gyeoul would probably be crying her eyes out right now.

Still, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed in Gaeul. Of course, I understood.

I sometimes feel jealous too, so how could little Gaeul suppress such feelings? Spending 24/7 together would definitely stir up even stronger emotions.

Plus, the fact that she could honestly express those feelings was commendable.
It was worth overestimating the fact that it might be possible.

The cause of a big fight usually happens when you’ve held it in for too long and finally blow up.

With Gaeul like this, it didn’t seem likely that it would lead to a big fight.

But why on earth would Gaeul feel jealousy over something?

“Gaeul, where did you feel that jealousy?”

Gaeul looked at the black Adidas jersey I was wearing that Gyeoul had stolen and said,

“Well, it’s about the clothes…”

“About the clothes?”

Gaeul kept nodding her head up and down, glancing at me like she was going crazy, and then said,

“…I felt jealous because you looked so pretty in that outfit.”

I let out a laugh that was more like air escaping from a balloon.

“Seriously, is that really why? You’re just as beautiful as Gyeoul!”

Gaeul’s face turned red at my nonchalant reaction.

Instead of Gaeul, it was Gyeoul who answered in the silence.

“…Am I really that pretty?”

“Yeah, you’re pretty! You could be called the best in the world.”

Then Gyeoul’s face turned red as well.

I thought it was funny that despite hearing compliments about their looks all their lives, they still reacted like this.

I decided to change the awkward atmosphere.

“Okay, the dance trainer will be here in 30 minutes. Let’s take a short break and stretch so we can start the class right away.”

Gaeul, with her flushed face, nodded and said, “Okay, I will.”

“Her name is Lee Hyerin, and she’s the top trainer when it comes to fundamentals. The President specially invited her, so make sure to learn as much as you can.”

Also, passing the smell test from Cheon Aram, she was a wonderful talent in terms of personality as well.

She could teach them a lot.

“Gyeoul, who has already attended a class, even if it’s awkward, please let Gaeul know what kind of training schedule to go through.”

Gyeoul nodded with a resolute expression as if she was determined to handle it.

“Yes, Teacher Taeyang.”

Her overly serious expression looked like she was off to commit a crime or something.

But at least she seemed motivated, so that was good.

“Alright, as long as you complete today’s scheduled training, you can head back to the accommodation and rest. Just call if anything comes up.”

Gaeul raised her hand, as if asking the teacher a question.

“…Um, Team Leader Seon?”

“Yeah? What are you curious about, Gaeul?”

“Is Team Leader Seon not in the office?”

“Right. To scout, I have to go outside.”

This time, Gyeoul shot her hand up and asked.

Did they agree on raising their hands to ask questions or something?

“Then, will you come by before clocking out?”

“That’s what I have to do. I need to report to President Cheon about the work progress.”

Cheon Aram said it was fine to clock out directly from the site, but I thought that wasn’t the right way to go.
Although it was said that it would be fine to leave right away, I thought that shouldn’t be the case.

It was a basic policy for building trust, and it was my pride as someone who had lived as a salaryman for over ten years.

When Gyeoul and Gaeul heard my answer, they burst into bright smiles. Despite not having seen each other’s faces, their laughter was surprisingly similar.

It was nice to see that they had something in common.

“Alright, let’s both work hard together.”

“Take care, Team Leader Seon!”

Gyeoul said energetically, glancing at Gaeul, who was waving her hands in greeting.

“…Take care, Teacher Taeyang.”

I gave them a small smile as I left the training room.

*

I raised my hand in surrender and said,

“So I’m not a strange person; I work for the agency. I didn’t follow you; I approached you because I want to cast you!”

Park Jina, who was pressing a pink taser against my neck, looked at my face blankly before lowering the taser.

“…Well, you don’t really have a stalker’s face, I guess. I’ll believe you.”

Stepping back a bit, Park Jina examined my face as if analyzing it and muttered quietly.

“It’s a bit disappointing with the dark circles, but they give off a certain decadent vibe, so….”

Then she nodded to herself and said,

“I apologize for reacting so sensitively. I’ve been stalked a lot lately.”

“It’s okay. I’m not hurt, after all.”

“As a token of my apology, I’ll seriously listen to what you were going to say.”

In any case, it was a relief that I could clear the misunderstanding and discuss the casting.

“Thank you. This is who I am.”

I handed her my business card and said.

“I want to create the best girl group with you, Jina.”

Park Jina looked closely at the business card and said,

“…TwoBear Entertainment Team Leader Seon Taeyang?”

Then she snickered slightly and continued,

“Since you don’t even know my name, it seems this might be a small company, huh? I’m not really interested in places like this.”

With that, Park Jina casually brushed her hand across her face to emphasize her beauty.

“Look at me. With a face like this, I could aim for one of the big three agencies, right? But for a company that’s not even medium-sized to want to recruit me seems like a pipe dream, don’t you think?”

Her words came off a bit rude, but I understood why she felt that way.

It was natural for someone looking to invest their prime years in an agency they hadn’t even heard of to respond like that.

With beauty rated A and potential A, her pride must be overflowing.

Yet, it was my job to deflate the ego of such a high-flying kid and bring her to TwoBear so that Cheon Aram could catch a whiff of her talent.

I prepared to paint a golden sheen on TwoBear’s future, as I’ve always blabbed about.

“Our TwoBear Entertainment might seem like just another run-of-the-mill new company since our name isn’t well known, but actually….”
“Although it may feel like a new company…”

Just then, my smartphone rang from my pocket.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

It was Gaeul on the line.

She must be in the middle of training; I wonder what’s up?

“Hey Gaeul, what’s going on?”

“…”

“Gaeul?”

“…Team Leader Seon.”

“Yeah, Gaeul, go ahead and tell me. Do you need my help?”

“…I need your help.”

That’s when I realized her voice was shaky.

“Please help me.”

It sounded like she was holding back tears.

“…Gaeul, could you slowly tell me where you are and what’s happening?”

My head was heating up.

But I tried to stay calm.

“I’ll help you.”

As I hit record on the call, Gaeul clearly explained her situation and location.

“Got it, I’m on my way.”

I ended the call, quickly put on my clothes, and began preparing to leave.

Just then, Park Jina asked in a panic, “Wait! You’re leaving like this?”

I expressed my deep apologies.

“Yes, it seems something has happened to one of my trainees, and I need to leave immediately. I’m really sorry, but I’d like to continue this conversation later.”

“I’m not planning on that.”

As I slung my bag over my shoulder and looked at Park Jina, she said, “What I’m doing right now is my way of apologizing. It’s just a chance I’m giving you. I have no intention of discussing this further later.”

“…”

“If you want to persuade me, do it now. My time is precious.”

…Oh, this girl. Does she think her time is the only precious one?

Gaeul is going through something right now…

That brat shouldn’t even get a whiff of it; she seems loaded with the greed to sacrifice others.

The moment she catches a whiff, Cheon Aram will probably scream and break a window to escape.

Last time she was trying to make a name for herself as a donating angel idol, and it looks like that’s going down the drain.

I ignored her and walked toward where I parked my car.

“Hey! Are you ignoring me?”

Park Jina chased after me and spoke up.

Ah, why is she so clingy?

“You said your time is precious. My time is precious too. Let’s save each other’s time.”

I waved my hand like I was shooing away a fly.

But then Park Jina grabbed me firmly and said, “So, I’m telling you that I’ll use this precious time with you right now! Don’t you see the meaning in that? Why are people so dense?”

I raised my middle finger and replied.

“Fuck off.”

I’m busy, so just back off.

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