Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: An Uncomfortable Truth
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I came straight to the company after getting my hair done.
We needed to practice the group choreography that was only going to be shown in the music video.
“One, two. One, two.”
The dance practice began with the dancer’s count.
“Looks like we’ll be done soon?”
“That’s seriously good news.”
Haru said playfully.
“Alright, let’s go again.”
True to the dancer’s word, we ran through it two or three more times before practice was over.
“Good work, everyone.”
“You all worked hard!”
After the dancers said their goodbyes and left the practice room, we all collapsed on the spot.
“Hoo…”
The only sound that filled the practice room was that of ragged breathing.
“Let’s just lie down until our manager gets here.”
“Good idea. I seriously can’t get up right now.”
“I’m gonna go to the restroom.”
I’d been sweating so much that I wanted to at least splash some water on my face, so I got up and said.
“Okay.”
Everyone was so drained that they just waved a hand from their spots on the floor.
I left the practice room and headed straight for the restroom.
It was around 8 PM, so the inside of the company was very quiet.
The practice rooms used by the trainees were in a separate basement area, so there was no sign of anyone around.
‘It feels strange for there to be no one here. The area around the practice rooms used to be packed with people.’
I went into the restroom and washed my face with water.
“So refreshing.”
After roughly drying my face, I looked in the mirror.
My curly hair felt incredibly awkward.
“This is weird.”
Since our concept was ‘gangster,’ I was styled to look as tough and intense as possible.
Because of that, this was my first time getting a perm like this.
The company had always been against it, saying that my features were already on the soft side and a perm would only make my image even softer.
‘I only ever had perms that made me look like a scientist who’d singed his hair in an explosion.’
The comment I heard most often from the company back then was about how awkward I looked.
‘Of course it was awkward. I was wearing clothes that didn't fit.’
Nothing, from my vocal tone to my style, was a good match, but they had slotted me in because they needed a main vocalist.
Because there was no one else to fill the spot.
‘Is that why it was never my place to begin with?’
Without realizing it, I kept thinking back to that time, making comparisons.
‘No. Let’s just stop thinking about back then.’
For reasons I didn't understand, I had experienced the worst and returned to the past.
And I had escaped GANGSTER-M.
Not only that, but I also participated in a survival show for a second debut, RED CUBE.
I had changed so many things with my own hands.
And, as a result, I had made it into the final lineup and was now on the verge of debuting with RE-V.
It wasn't good to keep dwelling on the past in a situation like this.
‘Let’s just think about doing well from now on.’
After steeling my resolve, I left the restroom.
“Working overtime is always the worst.”
“I know, right? Still, I’m glad we’re getting off before 10.”
“You can say that again.”
A few employees who had worked late were chatting as they headed home.
“Oh, right! Did you hear about that?”
“About what?”
The two of them kept glancing around as if sharing a secret, but they didn't lower their voices at all.
It seemed they had decided they were the only ones left in the company.
I wasn't particularly curious about what they were talking about, so I just started to walk past them.
“It’s about RE-V’s debut song.”
I froze.
My feet stopped in their tracks.
I couldn’t care less if it was about someone else, but it was a different story if it was about me.
‘What? Is there some kind of problem with our debut song?’
My body tensed up as the employee dragged it out, like they were an MC on RED CUBE.
“Apparently, that song was originally supposed to go to Creatin.”
“Creatin?”
“Yes.”
I couldn’t believe it.
‘Why is that name suddenly coming up here?’
“I heard Leon knows Creatin’s leader? What was it? His friend’s younger brother, I think?”
“I mean, giving away a song can happen, but why did it suddenly go to RE-V?”
The employee once again scanned the area cautiously.
Just in case, I pressed myself flat against the wall.
“I heard the company was being stubborn about it.”
“But Leon isn’t in a position where he has to listen just because the company is being stubborn.”
The other employee was right.
Leon was basically the one holding all the power at JR Entertainment right now.
An unlisted director.
There was no way someone like him would hand over a song to someone else just because the company insisted.
‘If Leon threatened to leave, the agency would be the one in trouble.’
“Creatin may only be in their first year, but their public recognition is rock bottom. And that’s after the company invested a ton into promoting them.”
“That’s true.”
“To cover those losses, they obviously have to push RE-V, and it’s pretty clear what will happen to Creatin then.”
“Ah…”
I had unintentionally learned an uncomfortable truth.
I wanted to run away from this place right now.
“So I heard Leon used that as a bargaining chip.”
“But Ms. Hye-joo, how do you know all this?”
“Mi-jeong told me. She said Creatin was already in the middle of comeback preparations with ‘MESS’ when it was taken from them.”
“What?”
“She said they had already finished the choreography practice and recording.”
If it had gone that far, then the news had likely already spread quietly within the company.
‘So everyone knew except for us, the people actually involved.’
A sense of betrayal toward the company washed over me.
Truthfully, it’s not that uncommon for a song to be passed to a different artist.
If it had come from another artist under JR Entertainment and not Creatin, I probably wouldn't have cared much and would have just gone back to the practice room.
‘But if it’s Creatin, that’s a different story.’
If Creatin were to achieve great success later on, even without this song, then it wouldn’t be a problem.
But the future I knew was the exact opposite.
They disappeared so quietly that no one even knew what happened to them.
That was the end of Creatin.
‘What am I supposed to do, hearing something like this in a place where anyone could walk by?’
My head throbbed.
‘Hah… this is driving me crazy.’
If I just pretended not to know, I felt like Creatin would be on my mind throughout our entire promotion period.
‘But what can I possibly do to help?’
The debut date was set long ago.
To meet the schedule, we had already finished the concept photo shoot and the recording.
All that was left was the music video shoot.
‘In a situation like this, what could I possibly change?’
Besides, even if nothing had progressed that far, I had neither a reason nor the ability to suddenly overturn our title track.
Things might have been better if I were a member who could compose.
Having a member with composing skills was a huge advantage.
They could create the song that best suited their group for a comeback.
‘I’m seriously losing my mind.’
With heavy steps, I returned to the practice room.
The members were now sitting in a circle, talking.
“Oh? You’re back? The manager said he has something to take care of and to wait for ten minutes.”
“Alright.”
I casually sat down next to them.
“Yoon-seul.”
“Yeah?”
“Why do you look so down? Are you sick?”
Park Ji-ham asked, studying my face.
I thought I was managing my expression, but it seems like it showed.
“Huh? You’re right. You were fine just a little while ago.”
“Did you go to the restroom because you weren’t feeling well? Were you trying to hide it?”
“What? That’s not it, is it?”
Suddenly, all the members’ attention was on me.
“It’s not like that.”
I hurriedly waved my hands, trying to prove my innocence.
“What do you mean, it’s not like that.”
Park Ji-ham grabbed my hand and said in a firm voice.
“You. You did the same thing during the RED CUBE filming.”
“Yoon-seul, you’ve done this before?”
“Two days before the final stage. He suddenly had an upset stomach but was acting like nothing was wrong.”
Park Ji-ham’s story made the situation even more serious.
Back then, it was genuinely bearable, so I endured it.
My stomach was just a little upset, but when I suddenly tried to dance, I felt the urge to throw up. That was all.
I ran to the restroom as soon as the break started, but I happened to run into Park Ji-ham then, leading to a huge misunderstanding.
‘I barely managed to convince him not to take me to the hospital back then, too…’
“If you’re not feeling well, you should have said so!”
Haru, unlike his usual self, scolded me in a loud voice.
“I’m really not sick. I’m fine.”
‘Just heard some troublesome news, that’s all.’
I couldn't bring myself to say the last part and swallowed the words.
Nothing good would come from telling the members about this.
I was enough to carry the burden of a problem that couldn't be solved.
“If you’re not sick, then what’s wrong?”
Jung Eun-woo’s question left me speechless.
Two thoughts began to clash in my head.
One was to tell them the whole truth, and the other was that it might be better to just pretend to be sick.
“My, my head just hurts a little.”
In the end, the words that came out of my mouth were that I was sick.
‘It’s better than telling the truth.’
“Are you okay? Shouldn’t you go to the hospital?”
“It’s not that bad. It just happens when I have a lot on my mind. A stress headache, I guess? It’ll get better soon.”
“Really?”
Haru looked at me with suspicious eyes.
“Really. What would I gain by lying more here? If it gets unbearable, I’ll go to the hospital then.”
“Okay. Fine. I’ll let it slide this time.”
I let out a sigh of relief internally and nodded my head repeatedly.
“If your head hurts, stop moving so much. And you guys, too, if you’re sick, say so immediately. The director told us when we signed our contracts not to let illnesses get worse. That’s what’s actually best for the team. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
It seemed I had managed to get through it somehow.
‘What a relief. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. Nothing good will come from the members knowing. I’ll just bury it. I just have to be the one to quietly bury it.’
And so, I decided to keep the truth about Creatin to myself.