Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Did I fall into a light sleep?
I realized right now that I was dreaming.
No, to be precise, I am witnessing a scene just like a dream.
[Well, you could say it's half a dream.]
I wanted to answer Novel's voice that pierced my ears, but my mouth wouldn't even budge.
Anyway, what I see in front of my eyes right now is.
"Aaaaaack!!! Fuck!!!"
A space where the size of one room was as wide as the living room of an average house.
A clean and tidy Hanbit High School female uniform for graduation, already hanging in a luxurious closet.
And on the wall hung a photo of Jo Yu-na when she was a young child.
「Riiip!! Rip!!」
Jo Yu-na is having a fit, tearing her bag.
Tearing her textbooks.
Tearing her workbooks.
I almost laughed without thinking.
'Still, a kid is a kid.'
Considering what she did to Hee-ju, it's not something that can be brushed off as just being a kid.
But the act of taking out her anger itself was inevitably a bit low-level.
However, that low-level tantrum might be a bit different depending on the other person's family background.
"Daddy's home."
A man who looks exactly like Jo Yu-na opens the door and enters.
And he didn't even twitch an eyebrow at the scene Jo Yu-na had created. From my perspective watching it, it was fucking creepy.
Isn't he a psychopath?
"Hoo, hoo......."
Jo Yu-na didn't seem to have any intention of hiding her current state from her dad either.
Rather.
"Why aren't you asking! Your daughter is this angry!"
"Because it's cute. I was just thinking about how my daughter is so cute and lovely even when she's angry. Sorry."
Crazy.......
Jo Yu-na's father was none other than Jo Go-gwang.
He was the chairman of a conglomerate that ranked in the top ten in South Korea, to the point where even I, who doesn't really care about others, knew him.
I wondered how great of a backer he was.
He really is a great backer.
"What could have happened to make my daughter this angry? Tell me what it is. Daddy will take care of everything."
Jo Go-gwang's voice was filled with confidence.
As if he would really do anything. To the point where he might even put out a hit on me for embarrassing his daughter today if things went south.
"No! You see!"
Jo Yu-na told her dad everything that happened at school today, conveniently leaving out the part where she peed herself, twisting it to her advantage.
Jo Go-gwang nods after hearing the story.
"N&P, huh. If it's an entertainment agency, our company must have placed advertisements or sponsorships here and there. Wait a moment. Daddy's going to make a phone call."
"Okay, Daddy!"
Jo Yu-na smiled happily, thinking I was screwed now.
Sitting on the edge of the bed and swinging her legs is fucking scary.
At the same time, it was genuinely scary.
Because.......
"Ah, is that the CEO? This is Jo Go-gwang from BE Electronics."
Jo Go-gwang had called Cheon Tae-o.
And at that moment.
My vision flipped, and the place and person I was seeing changed.
It was none other than Cheon Tae-o.
"Ah. Chairman Jo. To what do I owe the honor of a call from you to the CEO of a shabby small-to-medium agency?"
Click, Cheon Tae-o, who had a cigarette in his mouth, asks cautiously.
Just looking at this, you could tell how low of a profile Cheon Tae-o was keeping in front of Jo Go-gwang.
It was natural. As I said before, it was a company that ranked in the top ten in South Korea.
It meant that no matter how great Cheon Tae-o was, he couldn't ignore him.
"Yes, Manager Kim Hyun-woo... Ah, are you talking about Team Leader Kim Hyun-woo?"
It seems my name finally popped out of Jo Go-gwang's mouth.
But that wasn't the surprising part.
"I think you have some misunderstanding."
-What did you say?
"Team Leader Kim Hyun-woo. He's a friend with outstanding abilities. So, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the request you made a moment ago."
-......Are you daring to refuse my suggestion? You insist on drinking the punishment liquor?
Suggestion, my ass.
At Jo Go-gwang's blatant threat, Cheon Tae-o took a long drag of cigarette smoke and then smiled slightly.
"Let me say it one more time. It seems you are misunderstanding again."
Cheon Tae-o said.
"I've only been drinking punishment liquor all this time. Now I'm craving some sweet liquor. I'll hang up now."
And then, click, Cheon Tae-o really coolly hangs up the phone.
Wow.
This guy is quite the madman too.
As he muttered softly while looking at the ceiling, for a moment, I thought we made eye contact.
"Team Leader Kim Hyun-woo. You're already entertaining me. I'm really looking forward to it."
Bubble bubble-.
I thought I had returned to my parents' house for the first time in a while.
The familiar sound of soup boiling is heard from the living room.
I carefully sat up, rubbing my crusty eyes, and asked.
"Was what I saw while sleeping yesterday real?"
[Are you the type of person who can have such detailed dreams, Master?]
[It's like a special service.]
[A service regarding how the process is unfolding.]
Jo Yu-na, who tried to cause harm despite having just graduated high school, and Cheon Tae-o, who brushed it off like it was nothing.
Why are there so many truly scary bastards in this world?
"Ah. Team Leader Manager-nim."
"Yeah."
As I looked to the side in my disheveled state, Eun Hee-ju, still wearing her school uniform, was looking at me with a ladle in her hand.
"I prepared a light meal of soybean paste stew, fried eggs, and some Vienna sausages. Is it okay?"
"Where did you get the ingredients?"
"I went grocery shopping at dawn."
"Money?"
"......."
Seeing that she's not answering, she must have paid with her own money.
"Ah. You could have just made do with the leftover chicken from yesterday."
That's why I didn't go grocery shopping in the first place and just laid down.
Not only did she diligently wake up at dawn to go shopping, but she even prepared breakfast?
"I'm sorry. It's a habit."
"No, no. I'm actually grateful. Why are you apologizing when you did a good job?"
I habitually sat up and ended up stroking Eun Hee-ju's hair.
I apologized belatedly.
"Ah. Sorry. This is a habit for me too."
"No. It's okay."
[I don't know if you know this. Just now, Eun Hee-ju subtly.]
Hm?
[No. It's nothing. As expected of an SS-grade.]
What is it talking about?
If you're going to tell me, tell me the whole thing.
Maybe it's because I just woke up. I'm out of it too, so if you say it like that, I won't understand a thing.
"Yawn. I'm worried, I'm worried."
"Yes?"
"Whether an innocent kid like you can really reach the pinnacle of the entertainment industry."
At my words, Eun Hee-ju stared blankly at me without a single change in expression and answered.
"Isn't it enough if I just do as Team Leader Manager-nim tells me to?"
"Well. That's not wrong."
"I'll do it."
"Yeah! You have to do it for revenge, at least."
"......Yes. For revenge."
It's a strangely delayed answer.
I lifted my spoon while organizing Eun Hee-ju's schedule for today in my head. The start is, of course, taking a sip of the soup.
"Oh! What the? This soybean paste stew is fucking delicious?"
"Ah. Please eat more."
"Huh?"
I only said one word.
The amount of soybean paste stew in my bowl increased by 1.5 times.
Well, it's delicious so it's fine.
"Oh! What the? Was Vienna sausage always this delicious? Wow, did you put ketchup in every single slit?"
"Eat a lot. Team Leader Manager-nim."
"Huh?"
I can pick them up myself.
"Oh! What the? The fried egg......."
"Here you go."
I quietly shut my mouth while looking at the two fried eggs on top of my rice.
I don't know what it is.
But when eating with Eun Hee-ju, it's better to just keep my mouth shut. At this rate, I'll gain weight like a pig eating feed before I even know it.
Especially since I'm nearing 30 and gaining weight easier than before.
"We need to move busily today. Since it's the first day. Let's see. We need to go to the dermatology clinic. We need to buy some clothes for training. And buy some cosmetics based on what the dermatology clinic tells us."
"Team Leader Manager-nim is coming with me, right?"
"Huh?"
I tapped my chin slightly and answered.
"Well. As of now, I'm the only person on the Idol Team 4, so you'll have to move with me. You're not used to things yet. Like the location of the hospital, or the dermatology clinic. For now, there are things I need to be by your side for."
"Yes."
She looks strangely happy.
"Still, well. Later, when more members join, you guys will probably stick together more often."
"Are you picking other members too?"
"Of course. Who debuts as a solo artist and succeeds these days? Such people are really rare. Unless they are lucky, or have talent that would surprise even God. Especially here, in South Korea. Not Billboard."
"Ah. Yes."
Eun Hee-ju's voice seems to have stiffened a bit all of a sudden.
Don't tell me.
"Thinking about what you went through at school, I know you have some distance from people other than me. But don't worry too much. I don't know about other things, but I don't pick people with character issues. You saw it right in front of you, didn't you? I filtered out Jo Yu-na immediately and took your hand."
"Yes. Don't worry. I'll do well."
It seemed like Eun Hee-ju muttered something softly while saying that, but it didn't reach my ears.
"Alright. Then shall we start the day right away?"
The day that started like that had to be busy as I had said beforehand. Still, I stopped by the company and got the car keys right away, so it was manageable.
Rather.
'Hmm.'
I bought her new clothes.
Visited the dermatology clinic and booked some urgent medicine and procedures.
Even if it's not as much as when she debuts.
Basically, I even changed her hairstyle to be neat.
"You... are pretty, though?"
Eun Hee-ju was a style that suited short hair well.
Honestly, it's a bit awkward to say this.
Maybe it's because she couldn't eat much, but her body is a bit thin, and cutting it into a bob makes the charm of that thin body stand out, I guess?
Nevertheless, looking only at appearance, Jo Yu-na was still better.
No, leaving appearance aside.
"Thank you."
"......."
What is an idol?
Basically, they were beings meant to deliver joy, energy, and charm to fans. But I questioned whether this expressionless, doll-like woman could really show such things.
While waiting for a moment after returning to the company to assign a training teacher to Hee-ju.
"Hee-ju."
"Yes. Team Leader Manager-nim."
"Try smiling once."
"Yes."
The corners of her mouth go up with a smile.
The expression that changed as soon as I asked was certainly not bad.
The problem is that the expression is no different from the smile she was throwing at Jo Yu-na yesterday.
"Wait. Wait! That's not it. If you show that smile to fans, you're done for immediately."
"Is that so? I thought it was the best smile I could make."
"Why?"
"I felt good for the first time in a while."
"Ah. That can happen. Hmm."
I'm going crazy.
SS isn't an abbreviation for Special Psychopath, is it?
"What should I do? Hmm. Like this? This kind of feeling?"
I thought I had to loosen those stiff facial muscles even if I had to force it, so I touched them with my hands, and then.
"Oh! Oh! That. Yeah, that!"
For the first time, a proper smile blooms on Eun Hee-ju's lips.
"Wow. Yeah. This is it. This is a smile. This is an idol's smile. It's a smile that makes even the viewer happy."
"Because Team Leader Manager-nim told me to."
"Yeah, yeah. Well done."
But even while smiling, as soon as she turns her head, the expression disappears instantly, that's Eun Hee-ju.
Isn't she a real robot?
It was then.
"Oh my, Team Leader Kim Hyun-woo. I heard you already brought a trainee. Surely that's not the kid, right?"
Park Ju-yong enters with three trainees.
The kids I saw yesterday.
So.......
"Ah, hello! I'm Mina, the leader of Oasis, who is preparing for debut."
"Likewise, I'm Serina."
"I'm Lee So-ra! One, two, three."
The three of them bow their heads in unison and give me a deep bow.
"We are Oasis."
Seeing that the name is already decided, it seems their debut isn't that far off.
Still, it seems like they will practice for a few more months.
"Go inside and practice."
"Yes. Team Leader-nim."
As if I'm not even worth greeting for a guy like me, Park Ju-yong quickly sends the kids into the practice room.
Did they say Oasis?
Those kids also looked at Park Ju-yong and quickly went in.
Well, what can you do.
From the perspective of a trainee who has worked hard for over 5 years, they would naturally be desperate. They would want to stick to someone with a higher probability. Someone with more power.
Because as of now, Park Ju-yong's ability and recognition at N&P were much higher than mine.
I didn't really care.
Rather than that, this human in front of me is the problem.
"They said you had a good eye for talent. This is... wow. Hahaha. Well, that's what you'd do. Tsk tsk. Hahahaha!"
I quietly shut my mouth while watching Park Ju-yong, who finally threw a sneer and left.
Instead, Eun Hee-ju said.
"I think that person needs to go to an ophthalmologist."
"I know, right?"
"Ah. And."
Eun Hee-ju, who was watching the Oasis kids warming up in the practice room for a moment, shook her head.
"No. It's nothing."