Chapter 24

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 024

Chapter Title: My Blood's Starting to Dry Up

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Novia Entertainment practice room.

I was currently watching LUNIQUE go through their choreography practice.

Originally, there was no reason for me to be here. A manager's job was basically just waiting hand and foot on the artists they managed.

But the reason I was here today was because the trainer had called me in.

-♬♪

The debut track poured out from the practice room speakers.

The LUNIQUE girls stretched out their long arms and legs, twisting their slim waists as they flowed through the routine.

And watching them were me and the choreography trainer, her jet-black hair tied up high.

Jeong Tae-mi's sharp eyes were locked on one person: Ji-woo.

"Ji-woo. Don't do it like that—do it like this."

'Caught again.'

It had been two hours since they started practicing the debut choreography.

In those two hours, Jeong Tae-mi had been piling feedback exclusively on Ji-woo.

From the thirty minutes ago when I'd arrived to watch until now, I couldn't even count how many times she'd heard "Again."

It couldn't be helped—Ji-woo's bigger frame was drawing all the aggro.

"Ji-woo, shall we try that part one more time?"

"It feels like just a bit more and it'll click, so let's do it once more."

"Hold on. Try this part again."

"Ji-woo, wait a sec. Just one more time..."

She wasn't cursing, and her tone was all gentle, but it was brutal.

Still, Jeong Tae-mi's pointers were spot on.

Even to my untrained eyes when it came to dance, all I could see was Ji-woo.

Of course, I didn't think Ji-woo's moves were a mess.

It was because she'd plumped up so nicely.

'Man, I wanna bury my face in it.'

Her thighs especially—they were so thick and juicy now that I couldn't help imagining pressing my nose into them and dying happy from the scent.

And that made sense, because a ton of time had already passed.

Four days had passed since I'd added the new option to the Trainer Program's overall evaluation.

Ji-woo had already gained exactly 2kg.

Tomorrow, another 0.5kg would bring her to a total of 2.5kg.

'Oh, Ji-woo. What are we gonna do?'

My blood's starting to dry up.

She's only eating grass every day, but her weight keeps climbing by the day.

"You need to be sharper there. You're off-beat from the others. Can you do it again?"

"I'm sorry..."

Every time Ji-woo repeated the move alone at Jeong Tae-mi's command, her springy thighs rippled like waves.

'Looks so good.'

It was a feast for my eyes, but from an idol's perspective, it was a total bombshell.

So, Ji-woo.

Let's see how long you can hold out.

After the morning session ended.

"Manager. A word?"

I was handing out water to the girls when Jeong Tae-mi called me over.

"What's up?"

As I approached her, Jeong Tae-mi crooked her index finger and headed out of the practice room.

I followed her out, and unlike the tiger she'd been inside all day, her face was now full of despair.

"Manager. Now do you get why I asked you to come watch?"

"...If it's about Ji-woo's weight gain, I have no excuses."

"Comeback's next month—how are we supposed to fix that? She's in big trouble right now...!"

Jeong Tae-mi shuddered.

"Manager, I'm trying so hard here? But she looks sluggish from the fat, and it's not improving no matter what. I've trained Ji-woo forever and this has never happened, so I don't even know if I should be mad..."

"Sorry, Tae-mi."

"It's not your fault to apologize for... I'm not asking to make you feel bad. Just checking— you're not slacking on managing her, right? Right?"

How could she say something so hurtful!

I'm managing Ji-woo harder than ever!

Heading straight for plus-size glory!

"Absolutely not. Both me and Ji-woo, we're dieting hard."

"Liar. I heard from the department head you were sneaking Nutella in the practice room. Two jars."

"......"

The Lock & Lock Nutella story had spread like wildfire.

I bowed my head awkwardly.

"I'll find a way. Sorry, Tae-mi. I'll get her to lose it as fast as possible."

"Sigh... Why would Ji-woo, who always stayed at 44kg, suddenly..."

Jeong Tae-mi let out a long, frustrated sigh, said she needed to cool off, and left.

Right after.

"Manager oppa..."

Ji-woo cracked open the practice room door and slipped out.

Over her shoulder, the other members were peeking at me cautiously.

They must think I'd gotten chewed out in her place.

'And Shin Ye-rin's splitting her sides laughing.'

She's got that smug look imagining me taking the heat.

I'll remember you.

"Ji-woo. Why'd you come out?"

"What did the trainer say?"

"Well..."

I hesitated a bit before answering her probing question.

"She said you need to lose a little weight. It's not the dancing itself, but the lines have changed."

"Ah..."

Ji-woo gave an embarrassed half-smile, chin dropping slightly, then hung her head.

In that moment, her inner thoughts filled with nothing but negatives.

[Inner Thoughts: Embarrassment, Regret, Shame, Guilt]

"How... because of me... I'm really sorry."

Guilt.

Just as I thought—Ji-woo's a good kid with a conscience.

I shook my head with a gentle smile.

"It's fine. But Ji-woo, you are losing weight properly, right?"

"Huh?"

Her eyes went wide at my question, and I laid on the trust thick.

Of course, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to poke at her guilt.

"Like I said before, I trust you. Just hang in there a little longer."

"Ah... Yeah..."

Hit her with that nice-guy smile and trust talk, and she'd always shoulder the leader/big-sister burden.

This time was no different.

"Um... oppa... that is..."

"Yeah? What?"

"Well... you know..."

Ji-woo hemmed and hawed like she wanted to say something.

Looking down at her, I noticed her bowed face with its plump cheeks.

And her even bigger chest than usual.

Ji-woo suddenly snapped her head up.

"Never mind. Thanks for trusting me."

No problem.

Heh heh.

The next morning.

Ji-woo stepped onto ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the scale and held her breath.

She couldn't believe her eyes, hopping on and off over and over, but it didn't change.

-58.5kg

She felt like she was going insane.

'...What do I do? What should I really do?'

Ji-woo stepped off the scale gingerly.

She wanted to shove it back under the bed, but even touching it scared her.

She didn't want to see that number representing her body anymore.

Her heart pounded.

She kept gaining weight.

She hadn't even glanced at the snacks in the cupboard, but it kept piling on.

Why?

'Should I tell him now? The manager oppa?'

Her trembling hands fumbled for her phone, but she didn't have the guts to call Kim Sung-woo.

She'd already gained way more than at first—if she spoke up now, wouldn't he accuse her of waiting too long?

"Ah..."

Fear blanked her mind.

Her vision flickered with static.

Why wouldn't it come off?

Yesterday and the day before, she'd skipped even salads and just danced nonstop.

She'd barely drunk water and nearly collapsed.

So why had she gained?

Why on earth.

Why.

"What am I gonna do now..."

Ji-woo sniffled to herself.

This wasn't her body.

Not since debut—or even trainee days—had she hit a peak like this since seven years ago.

Seven years ago, right before debut, when she'd blown it: 58.5kg.

And now she was about to surpass that post-debut.

"Sob..."

Slumped on the floor, Ji-woo quietly burst into tears.

She didn't dare make a sound, stifling her sobs.

Depression gripped her mind.

She wanted to die.

Ji-woo's status had changed.

The "cannot control appetite" note was gone from her mental analysis, but since the weight still wouldn't budge, she was drowning in serious depression.

Depression on top of this situation probably meant she was fantasizing about giving up on life.

This was exactly the right moment for me.

-♬♪

I made the call. It barely rang three times before Choi Hyeong-gyu, the department head, picked up.

"Department Head. Kim Sung-woo here. Can you talk?"

-Yeah, kid. I've been waiting for you to call.

His voice was thick with pity.

He clicked his tongue and asked.

-Trainers say Ji-woo's gaining by the day.

"Seems that way."

-"Seems"? Come on. Anyway, you calling to say you're switching managers?

His tone was certain, like he figured I'd decided to cut and run.

Not even close.

"No. I need to play one last card."

He went quiet at my words, pausing for about three seconds before responding.

-...What is it?

"Act it out one more time, like last time."

-You little— Argh, no, seriously, Kim Sung-woo! Ugh!

Choi sounded like he'd hoped it wouldn't come to this, sputtering incoherently.

-This... ugh, ugh!!

Then he blew up with a huge sigh.

-I told you not to overuse that!

"Sorry. But this is as serious as last time. They'll buy the justification if you chew me out again."

No kid would believe the manager walks away unscathed while their leader balloons daily right in front of them.

Ye-rin suffered a bit more last time, but... Ji-woo feels guilt as heavy as her responsibility, so this act would bring massive gains. I could feel it.

-Haa... You're gonna make me lose it.

I heard him scratching his head furiously.

I smiled slyly and coaxed him.

"We have to get the girls their comeback, right, Department Head? Let ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me take responsibility."