Chapter 374
Chapter 374
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 374
Chapter Title: Idol Maker (12)
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"Haaah... Jinhee, if something like this happens again, you need to learn to shut it down flat-out. What if you run into someone really bad? Huh?"
"Uh... huh?"
"Didn't Team Leader Lee teach you anything about this?"
"V-Vice President?"
"What's with that reaction? You didn't actually think I was serious, did you?"
As he said that, the Vice President handed me a cup of warm black tea. The intimidating atmosphere vanished in an instant. So... he was just messing with me? No, not messing with—testing me. Ugh, I must've looked like such a fool, standing there all dumbfounded.
The Vice President... he must be disappointed in me now, right?
I was too embarrassed to lift my head. Thinking back, there's no way he'd force something like that on me... I just got the wrong idea from what Euna told me.
"I'm sorry..."
"Jinhee, the one who should apologize is me. I sexually harassed you, after all."
"B-But that was..."
"Hoo... you're really hopeless."
"Ugh..."
"Tsk, first off, my apologies. You were pretty shocked, huh? Jinhee, I was just curious how you'd react, so I tested you. The wording was a bit crude... but this is a lesson skill I use on rookies sometimes. It lets you gauge their ego."
"Lesson... skill?"
"Yeah, mostly to check how much they love themselves."
"Aah..."
"Normally, you'd reject it right away... but kids lacking confidence try to negotiate with me. They don't even realize how precious they are."
"...Like me?"
"Huh? Nah, no way. You were just slow to respond, but you were gonna reject me, right?"
"...??"
"Right?"
"...Y-Yeah."
Was he trying to console me in his own way? I was so flustered I couldn't even think straight... but the Vice President saw me in a good light. He knew everything... and just let it slide. Despite his tough exterior, he had a surprisingly kind side.
"But Jinhee, being slow to respond is still a problem."
"Ugh..."
"You're an idol."
"...Yes."
"An idol who shines brighter than anyone on stage. So you need to love yourself. When something like this happens, you have to reject it immediately."
"S-Sorry..."
"If you don't love yourself, why would the fans?"
"Aah..."
"I get that Gaeun's growth is making you anxious, but first, you need to change your mindset. And you're misunderstanding something—I mostly taught Euna stuff like this. Mindset stuff. She had such a short trainee period, she needed a lot of guidance."
"..."
I see... It was so obvious, but my impatience made me forget the basics. First, I need to love myself. After hearing his tough love, a bit of confidence started to bubble up. If he's telling me this straight, it means he believes in me that much.
For all my worries, I'm glad I mustered the courage to come here.
"But I didn't expect to have to spell it out for the leader, of all people."
"Ugh..."
"Jinhee."
"Y-Yes...?"
"No matter what anyone says, you're Citrus's leader."
"...Yes."
"Have some pride."
"Yes..."
"But just saying it and moving on won't help."
"Huh?"
"So here are some tips from me."
"R-Really?!"
"Simple stuff, so listen up."
"Th-Thank you!"
Tiny ways to build self-esteem. But as I listened to advice that clearly seemed helpful, I couldn't help but smile. I'd barged in without warning and whined... yet here he was, helping me so earnestly.
The Vice President, whom I'd disliked before, suddenly felt like a really good guy today.
Maybe my preconceptions had blinded me to his good side.
"And Jinhee, do you think you debuted just because your time was up?"
"Well..."
"I'll let you in on this now—you had the highest average scores among GSB trainees. Out of all those kids, you were the closest to a finished product."
"Ah..."
"And Jinhee, don't think you lack personality. Not excelling in one area means you can be anything. Think about it: an actor who can only play villains versus one who can play any role. Who's better?"
"Aah..."
"Don't get anxious—change your perspective."
"...Yes!"
He knew my worries from the start... The Vice President comforted me in his calm, matter-of-fact voice. I had to stay on guard or tears would've spilled. This man... he saw me not as ordinary, but as an idol.
No wonder... Euna changed so much. With someone like the Vice President cheering her on, it'd be weirder if her confidence didn't grow. Better late than never—I finally understood Euna's transformation.
"Oh, and this... it's a script I'm reading lately. Give it a look when you have time."
"A script?"
"Yeah, no law says idols can't act. Who knows? You might have talent for it. When you're stuck, expanding your paths is a good move. Practice it."
"Y-Yes... Thank you."
"You have a week."
"...?!"
"The character's name is 'Jiyeon,' so don't forget to practice."
"R-Really?!"
He really meant it about Citrus... My heart raced at the words "acting lesson." The Vice President was a famous acting coach at GSB. To get lessons from him... I could hardly believe it.
"No, just come so I can check."
"I'll work hard!"
The heavy burden on my shoulders had long vanished.
With Citrus members too precious to settle for just one main heroine, I'd been plotting NTR angles for a few more besides Gaeun. Luckily, today Jinhee came to me on her own—adorably asking for lessons, no less.
Was this the snowball of Euna's growth rolling along?
From my position, it was an ideal situation. I'd overheard recently that leader Jinhee had acting talent. She was next on my list after Gaeun, and the timing was perfect.
'What's with that reaction? You didn't actually think I was serious, did you?'
'Yeah, mostly to check how much they love themselves.'
'Oh, and this... it's a script I'm reading lately. Give it a look when you have time.'
So first, I poked at Jinhee's mentality to make her easy to gaslight. Then I tossed out some impressive-sounding lines to play the trustworthy guy. Finally, I slipped in the real point and pushed acting lessons on her.
This should have her coming back eagerly for more, right?
All that was left was ramping up skinship time under the guise of acting lessons.
Obviously a total virgin, so I could approach with "you need dating experience." Heh... after that, just play it by the book. Idols might seem glamorous, but they're shut-ins, half-sociopaths. Toying with one kid was child's play.
The only tricky part now was the tutoring pace... Without Sexual Stimulation, I had no feel for when to advance. And since it had to be pure skill on my part, gauging if she was really feeling it was tough.
Hmm, plenty of time though... Take it slow? Comeback was still far off, so I could savor it, stepping up stage by stage.
"Um, Team Leader?"
"Yeah? What's up?"
"Lately, Jinhee's seemed kinda down... Probably anxious with Euna pushing ahead. She's not focusing in lessons... Felt bad for her. You think she'll be okay?"
"Just as expected."
"Pardon?"
"She's fine. Just leave her be."
"But... is that really okay?"
"I told you. Jinhee's a slow starter. It'll sort itself out later."
"Still, even so..."
"And for this music video, Jinhee's going main."
"...?!"
"I mentioned this. She has acting talent, even if she doesn't know it. I'll show her during the MV shoot. It's a gift the others don't have—once she realizes, her confidence will skyrocket."
"Aha... As expected, Team Leader has it all planned!"
"Save the flattery and go look after the girls."
"Hahaha, got it."
"And sneaking snacks is fine, but calculate the calories. Gaining is less stress than losing."
"Ah, hahaha... R-Right."
Siwoo sighed as the manager fled. From his reply, he'd probably offered some high-calorie treat. Man, all that size for nothing. Cursing the manager inwardly, he stood up.
Time to finalize the song concept. It was 90% done, but getting input was smart. A true producer, emphasizing member autonomy.