Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Once I knocked Jo Yu-na out, Hee-ju returned to her expressionless state.
Team Leader Manager, huh.
It was certainly a cute title.
"Follow me."
"Yes."
I led Hee-ju out of the classroom, not even bothering to pay attention to the unconscious Jo Yu-na.
I couldn't just leave her to deal with the graduation ceremony and finding her own agency after causing all this mess, could I?
Eun Hee-ju had intended to get her diploma and leave today just like this.
Is that possible?
Usually, no.
But, contrary to what people think, there aren't many things that are impossible in this world.
Especially when I couldn't claim that she deserved a proper graduation ceremony when I was the one who had left Hee-ju neglected like this until now.
[Faculty Office]
"That's impossible. We can't give such special treatment to a single student. The graduation ceremony is tomorrow anyway. What kind of ridiculous request is this?"
I was listening to the teachers repeat the word "impossible" like parrots for almost 10 minutes, starting with her homeroom teacher, then adding the principal and vice-principal to the mix.
"Special treatment, huh."
I licked my lips like I was possessed by a thug, scanning the so-called teachers.
Sseuk.
If I could have used my killing intent this time, that would have been great.
Maybe I could have made these pathetic excuses for teachers piss themselves.
But that's impossible.
I borrowed quite a bit of power from Novel today.
I have to solve this situation on my own.
"Tsk. And a 'request'?"
I took out the phone I had in my pocket.
It had, surprisingly, recorded the whole scene of Eun Hee-ju getting kicked by Jo Yu-na, not to mention Jo Yu-na's insane ranting.
How did I prepare this?
Can't a guy prepare some insurance?
"......!!"
As Jo Yu-na's voice started playing, the adults' expressions changed in an instant, as if I were watching Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Damn, that's killer.
"It seems you mistook what I said for a request. It wasn't a request."
"Y-you human!"
The people who didn't even consider Eun Hee-ju a human were treating Jo Yu-na like something more than human.
It was perfect discrimination.
"Uh, well. I don't have a business card yet. You might not know N&P... but I'm a team leader at an entertainment agency. At that level, I happen to know quite a few reporters."
I showed them my favorites list in my contacts, not the recording file.
[Reporter Kim Dae-gwan]
[Reporter Seol In-seo]
[Reporter No Tae-ryong]
As the reporters' names were listed, the teachers' skin turned pale blue.
Damn, anyone would think I poisoned them.
In reality, they probably feel like their throats are clogged as if they had swallowed poison.
It's their own fault.
How could they be so confident when they stood by or even cooperated while Eun Hee-ju was suffering?
"Should I call an ambulance?"
"Is this guy threatening us right now?!"
"Oh, you know it. A threat."
I answered without a single tremor in my eyes.
"That's right. A threat. I'm threatening you right now. Give me Hee-ju's diploma. I don't want her to stay in this shitty school for even one more second."
The teachers looked at Eun Hee-ju at my words.
And Eun Hee-ju looked at me.
Huh?
What's with this puppy-like gaze?
"Let's be reasonable. What are you doing over one student?"
"Damn, goosebumps. Wait, aren't you totally on the same page as me? That's exactly what I wanted to say. What are you doing over one person? Let's finish this quickly. It's annoying. Or what? Should I make a call to a reporter right here?"
I actually pressed the call button on the reporter's name.
At the connecting tone, the teachers freaked out and quickly grabbed my wrist.
"A-alright! I understand!"
"Haha. Don't worry. I hung up right away. If I get the diploma, I'll leave quietly. As long as you don't mess with us first, I don't really have any intention of leaking this."
A moment later, Eun Hee-ju's diploma with the principal's seal was in my hand.
When I handed it to her, she kept looking at me with curious eyes even as she took it.
"What."
"Just because."
That's a dry answer.
Not something an idol would say.
"I'm not someone without ability. This much is nothing."
"Yes."
"Hmm. Yeah."
"Yes, Team Leader Manager-nim."
Is she actually an AI?
Her answers are so... dry.
Still.
"The life seems to have returned to your eyes a bit."
"Yes."
"......Maybe not."
Feeling awkward, I asked.
"Hmm. Where's your home? Well, I'm just asking. Do you have any guardians like parents, or maybe a grandfather or grandmother?"
Eun Hee-ju answered.
"I don't. I have family, but no one I live with."
I didn't intend to dig deep.
"Well. I'm not doing this because I feel bad for you. I don't intend to pity you. I just asked because I thought I should get permission from a guardian. So, let's see. You don't need permission, right? I can just pack your stuff and take you, right?"
"Yes, Team Leader Manager-nim."
"Haha......"
I laughed softly and stroked Eun Hee-ju's hair as I said,
"Then let's go home."
"Yes. But the school uniform I'm wearing right now is the most decent thing I own."
"Go anyway. I told you earlier. Do as I say."
"Ah."
Eun Hee-ju's eyes went wide as if she realized something important, and she nodded.
"Yes. I'm sorry."
Since I didn't have a car, I think we walked for about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Hanbit High School.
Are you crazy?
They assigned the high school to a really shitty place.
Still, watching the alleyways get shabbier the more we walked, like regressing into the past, wasn't boring.
-Woof woof!!
We entered a shabby alleyway that smelled like dog poop, the kind of place you wouldn't even take for free.
When we arrived in front of a green gate without a lock, the kind I only saw when I was young, Eun Hee-ju stared at me blankly.
"What."
"What should I do? We're here."
"What do you mean what. Open it."
"Yes."
Kkiiiiik!
With a terrible sound that scraped at my heartstrings, I entered a house perfect for a haunted house experience.
There seemed to be two rooms, including the bathroom.
"Hmm. You really don't have much to take."
I thought there would be some cosmetics or clothes since she's a girl, but there wasn't even common skin lotion, and the rags that were barely worthy of being called clothes were definitely not things to be shown in front of others.
'Is a kid like this really SS-grade?'
Honestly, I'm doubtful.
Of course, everyone has different innate talents and environments. But celebrities and idols are jobs that fundamentally require maintenance.
Even if you practice as a trainee from a young age, it's a toss-up if you'll become a popular idol.
That effort basically includes skincare and body management.
Thinking about that, Eun Hee-ju wouldn't even be B-grade at best.
"Well. If I wash her and dress her up, she might look pretty."
As I muttered while pulling on Eun Hee-ju's cheek, she asked me in a voice devoid of any emotion.
"Should I take them off now?"
"Are you going to take them off if I tell you to?"
"If Team Leader Manager-nim tells me to take them off. I will. If I just do as you say, I can get revenge, right?"
"......."
If this is acting.
If it's really acting.
Then I have to admit it. I'd believe it even if she said she was SSS-grade, not SS.
"Forget it."
I like women.
And I did bring Eun Hee-ju with the intention of sleeping with her eventually.
But I didn't want to do it right now.
"You're not that attractive yet. That's enough, so wait here quietly."
As I turned my back, tak, Eun Hee-ju quickly grabbed my collar.
"What."
"They might come to me first. In the short time Team Leader Manager-nim is away, I might get murdered."
"Ah...... right."
Jo Yu-na.
That crazy bitch wouldn't just let Eun Hee-ju go like this. It was a sharper opinion than I thought.
"Uh, then. Let's go together for now. I don't know if the dorm has been assigned yet. Since it's only my first day as a team leader."
"It's okay. I only met Team Leader Manager-nim today too."
I called the agency with a feeling of uncertainty, and I heard an unexpected answer.
-Yes, Team Leader Kim Hyun-woo. We were actually thinking of contacting you because the dorm for the trainees has been assigned.
"Excuse me?"
It's too fast, isn't it?
Because we hadn't even found any trainees. They assigned a dorm before I even cast Eun Hee-ju?
-It's an apartment in Pilmuk-dong. It's not that big, but it's a space where up to 5 people can live. It's a monthly rental. We finished the contract today under the CEO's instructions. I'll give you the front door password, so please keep it a secret.
In the midst of my confusion, a word popped out that made me snap to attention.
"......Ah, is it the CEO's instruction?"
-Yes. That's correct.
I got goosebumps.
Cold sweat ran down my back.
CEO Cheon Tae-o.
That man is really expecting something from me.
It's scary, but also a little happy.
Because I realized that I am receiving expectations from someone. And not just anyone, but the CEO.
-For your information, I believe a car was also purchased today for Team Leader Kim Hyun-woo to use. A Carnival. It's a clean, new one. I'll give you the car keys when you come to the company tomorrow.
A house.
Even a car.
It's burdensome, but it wasn't an unpleasant burden at all.
"Yes. Understood. Then please send me the exact location of the apartment."
-Yes.
The call ended with a ttuk, and a text message arrived on my phone in less than 5 seconds.
I nodded and took a taxi to move there with Eun Hee-ju.
[Saessak Apartment]
It was a pretty decent apartment.
When I found the building and unit number they told me and entered the password, the front door opened smoothly.
"Go in. And pick a decent room. That's the space you'll be living in from now on."
"Yes. What about Team Leader Manager-nim?"
"Hmm. I have some business to take care of, so I'll be going out for a bit. There are no toiletries like shampoo or foam cleanser, but just wash up lightly with water for now."
"Yes."
On Eun Hee-ju's face, even though she tried to wipe it off, the shoe marks from Jo Yu-na's kick and the redness remained.
Watching that, I left the dorm and bought chicken at a nearby chicken place.
And a cake at a bakery.
When I returned to the dorm, Eun Hee-ju, who hadn't even been able to dry her hair properly, was crouching in the living room waiting for me blankly.
She's like a wild animal.
"......."
"You can be happy."
"What is this?"
"You graduated, so we should at least celebrate."
"Yes. Team Leader Manager-nim."
She's expressionless, as if not a drop of blood would come out if you pricked her with a needle.
I really don't think she's a kid who should be an idol.
I doubt if a kid like this can really smile brightly, sing, and dance in front of fans.
"You worked hard, and congratulations on your graduation."
Pang pang-!
I even set off the disposable party popper I got while buying the cake and handed her the cake and chicken.
"Is it tasty?"
"Yes. It's tasty."
I can't tell if it's really tasty.
It's rare to see a kid who shows so little emotion.
Whatever.
"We're just letting it slide like this today. But from tomorrow, it's going to be really tough. You want revenge, right?"
"......Yes."
The answer was a beat late, though.
"Then just do as I say."
"Yes."
This time, the answer is fast.
"Then I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow."
I intended to leave.
I didn't have any intention of sleeping with Eun Hee-ju right now. I'd have to do it eventually since I have to use the Blessing of Sex, but at least not today.
If I slept with her on a day like today, I'd be a human worse than a beast.
However.
Tak, Eun Hee-ju grabbed my collar again.
"Why?"
"Jo Yu-na......"
"No matter how great she is, she can't track the dorm we entered today and come to kill you. Sleep with your legs stretched out comfortably."
As I turned around, Eun Hee-ju grabbed me one more time.
"I'm anxious, so... couldn't Team Leader-nim just sleep here?"
I looked at Eun Hee-ju, who had puppy-like eyes, and nodded.
"You must be anxious. Alright, fine. Should I sleep here tonight too? There were beds in every room anyway."
Only then did Eun Hee-ju let go of my collar and nod.
"Yes. Team Leader Manager-nim."