Chapter 55
“Hey, don’t be like that. Let’s date, okay? This is not a common opportunity!”
I spoke firmly to prevent any further comments.
“I’ll pass.”
“Why not? Despite how I look, I’m quite pretty. When I dress up, it’s no joke!”
I didn’t need to be told that.
“I’ve heard you have a good personality too. …Is that hard to prove?”
I already knew that as well.
“I’m aware. Ms. Han Gyeoul spends all her spare time practicing but still makes regular visits to this orphanage for volunteer work, so saying your personality is ‘just good’ isn’t enough. You are truly an attractive person in every way.”
“Whoa, you just swooped in without warning. That’s right. So, I don’t think I’m someone who would just be brushed off. But why are you rejecting me?”
Do I have to say this out loud to get it through?
“Where do you see a manager dating an idol? Moreover, Ms. Yoon Haneul is still a minor!”
“Aren’t you curious about the thrill of crossing that forbidden line?”
“Not at all.”
If I crossed that line, I’d end up like Ban Seong-cheol.
“I’m saying let’s date! Just date! Date!”
Yoon Haneul thrashed around on the floor like a kid throwing a tantrum.
Maybe it was amusing, but the kids around us started lying down and joining in the chorus of “Let’s date!” making a ruckus.
“Let’s date! Let’s date! Let’s date!”
Just then, Jin Yeoreum appeared again and grabbed the collar of Yoon Haneul, pulling her away.
“Looking closely, it seems that 60% of the incidents here are caused by you.”
“…Eek, wait a second, Yeoreum! My neck!”
And just like that, Yoon Haneul was dragged away like a garbage bag and tossed into the room where the middle school girls were.
“Eek, it’s Unni Han! What was that confession about? Explain yourself quickly!”
“Explain yourself!”
“Explain yourself!”
“Guys? Can you let me explain? I’m a little scared…”
Bang.
After tossing Yoon Haneul into that pink chaos and slamming the door shut, Jin Yeoreum walked back to me.
I couldn’t help but express my gratitude to her, maintaining grace even after tossing someone away.
“Thank you, Yeoreum. I appreciate your help.”
“Oh no, I’m actually sorry for putting you in such a predicament. Haneul isn’t one to shy away from anything once she gets fixated on it…”
“I found that aspect of her admirable. I have a feeling that her tenacity will lead her to success as an idol.”
“…Have you really already discussed it to that extent?”
“…Have you already talked that much about it?”
“I’m surprised too. Yoon Haneul’s charm is really impressive.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
As she said, we had covered a lot in less than 20 minutes of meeting each other.
“As you heard, Haneul dreams of becoming an idol. That’s why she practices more diligently than anyone else.”
Jin Yeoreum looked at me and said.
“Team Leader Seon.”
“Yes, Ms. Yeoreum.”
“Is just volunteering here really enough for me?”
“….”
Even though I had declared I would scout Jin Yeoreum for TwoBear, I wasn’t doing anything for her.
They weren’t taking her to the TwoBear office to sign a contract, nor was she joining the training that Gaeul and Gyeoul were receiving. I wasn’t even giving her a chance to take the entrance exam and assess her skills.
Right. I was neglecting her.
Yet I said it as if it were obvious.
“That’s right. For now, this is enough. You remember what we talked about, right?”
“…Yes. You said that this volunteer work is necessary to change your image.”
I told Jin Yeoreum she needed to film at the orphanage for a while instead of starting training.
It was under the argument that improving her image needed to take precedence over honing her skills.
“It’s a pretty rough method, but it was a good choice for you to pick volunteer work, Ms. Yeoreum. People don’t make it their number one choice for image improvement for nothing.”
Jin Yeoreum slightly nodded and said.
“Yes, I think so too. Even if it’s hypocritical, no one can deny that volunteering is good.”
“Therefore, I believe that your image makeover should be based on this volunteer work.”
I realized why she asked that question again.
She must have been anxious.
After all, she had decided to become an idol, yet nothing in her daily life had changed at all.
What I needed to do was to reassure her and minimize any variables.
“It may seem like nothing is changing right now, which can be unsettling. I hope Ms. Yeoreum can find comfort in this: I promise you, the photos taken during this time will have a significant impact on your image. You could even say it’s crucial.”
“….”
It’s definitely gonna be crucial. Though it won’t be positive for Jin Yeoreum.
Through the photos I take, Jin Yeoreum will once again face the bombardment of public opinion. Meanwhile, Gaeul and Gyeoul’s images will be highlighted and take flight amid the controversy.
To make that happen, Jin Yeoreum needs to comply as quietly as possible. Until the moment the quest is deemed complete, that is.
I’ve planted poison in her mind with my sweet tongue.
“Please trust me, Ms. Jin Yeoreum. Everything is for you and TwoBear’s success.”
“…I don’t trust people who only ask for empty faith. I’ve been used too much for those thoughts to turn into beliefs.”
Jin Yeoreum said, looking straight at me.
“Still, I’ll trust Team Leader Seon.”
That was heartwarming to hear. It would make deceiving Jin Yeoreum much easier.
But I wanted to know why.
I didn’t think I had shown a side worthy enough for her to build such trust.
So I asked.
“It’s not really my place to say as someone who’s trusted, but why are you giving me such special treatment?”
Jin Yeoreum replied, letting her unique smile radiate warmth.
“I simply want to.”
“…..”
I have no intention of officially recruiting Jin Yeoreum.
The moment the quest is completed, I’ll make a lame excuse and pretend there was no recruitment.
Since we haven’t even signed a contract, that wouldn’t be hard.
And by the time Jin Yeoreum reminisces about being an idol as a summer dream, the chaebol 3rd generation gate will explode. At that moment, I will stab the sharpest dagger into her heart.
Because that’s the way to succeed.
“…Just because.”
“Yes, just because.”
The goal was clear.
The means trusted me.
The future was bright.
But it didn’t feel cheerful.
*
Filming continued smoothly.
“Gyeoul, it’s good to use potato peels to remove water stains from stainless steel. I saved some from the curry I made yesterday. Want to give it a try?”
“Wow, it really works! Amazing, Yeoreum!”
“Well, I won’t be humble in that regard. I always choose the best methods. Cleaning won’t change that.”
“By the way, Yeoreum, can’t you just use stainless steel cleaner instead of potato peels? It seems easier to store and use.”
Gyeoul pulled out a stainless steel cleaner from the cleaning supplies and started easily cleaning the kitchen.
Eul pulled out a stainless steel cleaner from the cleaning supplies and began to effortlessly clean the kitchen.
Yeoreum stared blankly at the scene before her, her expression turning somewhat gloomy. She continued her cleaning with a potato peel.
“…Potato peels are more economical. I’m sure I made the right choice.”
Gyeoul, catch a clue! Just wipe it with the potato peels!
Anyway, the sight of the two of them sitting together cleaning the kitchen was quite a lovely scene.
I took various angles, determined to salvage at least one decent shot out of a hundred.
Suddenly, a woman appeared beside me, leaning in.
“Yo! Team Leader Seon!”
It was Yoon Haneul.
“Did you think about dating me today?”
“Not today either.”
“…The guard is still thick, huh?”
Yoon Haneul surveyed the scene, looking at me, Gyeoul, and Yeoreum before speaking.
“Is the shoot going well?”
“Yes, it’s going well. But…”
Maybe because the models were great or perhaps because I surprisingly had a knack for photography, the results were actually quite nice.
However, there was no sign of the quest being completed.
I was randomly shooting away, but it was puzzling what kind of photos and how many were actually required.
“I feel like something is missing. I can’t pinpoint what it is, which is a bit frustrating.”
Yoon Haneul closed her eyes, resting her chin thoughtfully, and said, “So, Team Leader Seon, you’re shooting to change Yeoreum’s image, right?”
I nonchalantly lied again, acting as if nothing was wrong.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then how about shooting from a more dramatic angle?”
“Dramatic? How so?”
“To be honest, typical volunteer activity photos of cleaning and cooking are quite cliché, right? No matter how well they turn out, they’re boring. While we do need some documentation of the volunteer activity, it still feels a bit lacking.”
Yoon Haneul said with a refreshing smile, “We need something that makes people want to click.”
Only after hearing that did it hit me.
‘For controversy, we need evidence. Let’s deceive them into thinking we’re recruiting Jin Yeoreum as a member, and then Gyeoul and Gaeul can leave numerous spicy photos of their volunteer activities with Jin Yeoreum.’
This was the very photo that would become a meme on the internet, sparking the bubble shower craze and a very enticing shot the quest desired.
That was what I needed to capture.
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