Hypnosis App, Proven Reliable – Late Lunch
While I was deep in work, the door opened and Im Haeun stepped in. "...You there?" Her footsteps and tone were uncharacteristically hesitant.
"Uh, yeah. What's up?" I kept my eyes glued to the monitor, not even glancing her way.
"Nothin'... just." Im Haeun averted her gaze and scratched her neck awkwardly, like she had nothing to say. Around her neck was a choker that suited her perfectly.
"Uh... hey, you got anything this afternoon?"
"Just one vocal training session."
"Not me, you dummy. You."
"New song concept sketches, sending the concept over to 'Day and Night', and then..."
"Yeah, yeah, you've got a shit-ton of work. Figures."
Im Haeun grumbled and plopped down on the sofa nearby. Her fingers fidgeted with the choker around her neck, looking oddly forlorn.
"...Nothin' besides company stuff?"
"Luckily, no. That's more than enough as it is."
I shrugged wearily, and her eyes lit up at my response.
"Really? Well, yeah, you said it ended yesterday..."
"Huh?"
"Nothin'. Anyway... no matter how busy you are, you've gotta have a little 'break time', right?" She leaned forward, making sure her neck was on full display, and asked me.
"I'd love a moment like that, but honestly, no gaps in the schedule... I'm beat."
"That tired, huh?"
"A bit... no, pretty damn tired. Feelin' off."
"Must've had a blast over the weekend, tsk tsk... had a real good time, didn't ya?"
She said it with a mocking edge, but I didn't respond. My exhausted demeanor made her feel awkwardly embarrassed for no reason.
"Uh, um... want me to grab you some coffee?"
"Nah. I'll just go myself..."
I trailed off mid-sentence, pressing a hand to my forehead and closing my eyes for a moment.
"W-what? What's wrong?"
"Whew... it's nothin'. Just dizzy from fatigue. Oh right, you've got a shoot this afternoon. Let's go."
As I stood, my movements were strangely sluggish. Watching me, Im Haeun finally noticed the pile of coffee cups stacked on the corner of my desk. A veritable mountain that I'd never let build up before. Since I'd been out of the office yesterday, that meant I'd chugged all of them today—and it was no small amount.
"...How much coffee have you had today?"
"More than usual, I think, but the caffeine's not hittin' yet. Maybe I need more."
"......."
I'd asked how much she'd had, and her answer was that it still wasn't enough. Im Haeun narrowed her eyes at my off-kilter response.
Is he really not feeling well?
He looked pretty wiped out this morning too. Guess his condition's really shit.
She started feeling a twinge of guilt for her earlier snark and whining.
No, no. Why should I feel bad?
She shook her head firmly, denying her own emotions, then kept watching me before speaking up.
"Hey, bring your car down to the first floor. I'll grab some meds."
"Huh? What meds?"
"You're already pounding that crap—what more do you wanna shove in? It'll do jack shit and just wreck your body. Saw some decent energy supplements mixed with stuff at the vending area; I'll get those. Just pull the car around."
"...Alright, fine."
With that, she headed for the elevator first. I watched her back, smirking faintly.
My fake-sick ploy was a simple two-step plan.
First: Lay the bait. Throughout the afternoon schedule, act dizzy in front of Shin Soye, Park Minji, and Im Haeun, emphasize how tough it's been, drop hints about being extra tired today.
Then, right after training ends and Shin Soye and Park Minji finish their lessons, stagger just so they see—perfect.
Second: The impactful finale. After all afternoon work wraps and just before clocking out for the evening, collapse in front of Shin Soye and Park Minji in the training room.
Don't half-ass the fake fall—full-on faint right there. No more, no less: exactly one hour.
That guarantees a peaceful evening off.
Hmm, nice.
No flaws no matter how I reviewed it. Perfect plan. And right on cue, Im Haeun showed up, so I amped up the tired act.
My performance must've been spot-on; despite her wearing the choker, she offered to buy me supplements instead of jumping me.
Just gotta keep up the weary act with the other two, then nail the climax.
Of course, fainting on command solo is tricky, but...
Time for the Hypnosis App to pull its weight.
Alone in the car, I pulled out my phone and opened the Hypnosis App.
"7:10 PM, faint for one hour."
7:10 PM—the exact moment I'd drag the two into the training room. The app should let me faint on a precise timer.
"Heh heh heh... heh heh heh heh...!"
I chuckled to myself, envisioning my flawless scheme and the serene evening ahead.
Late afternoon, at a studio in Seoul.
Having wrapped her pictorial shoot, Im Haeun stood with arms crossed, grumbling inwardly.
Asshole, can't even manage my work properly?
On the way to the shoot, Lee Sejin had asked her to handle it solo today—too swamped. She'd agreed in front of him since he looked drained, but honestly, it stung.
After ignoring her for a week, now ditching work stuff too?
This is bullshit.
She'd get revenge later, for sure. As she stewed, the magazine PD approached.
"Haeun-ssi, great work! You killed it today."
"...Thanks."
"Man, we knew you were sexy, but you've leveled up lately. Insane."
"Appreciate the kind words."
"Not just flattery! You're seriously amazing."
The PD hyped her up, thinking she doubted him.
"Uh, one more thing—I'd like to pitch something else... Your manager didn't come today, huh?"
"Well..."
He dropped me off and rushed back to the office 'cause he's busy. What a jerk, right?
The words tickled in her mouth, begging to spill.
"...He's probably at the office, swamped."
"Aigoo, got it! Mind asking him to give me a call when you see him?"
That sparked an idea in her head.
I could force that bastard to come here.
"I'll text him too, but face-to-face is always best for this sorta thing..."
"Hold on, I'll call him."
She was already miffed—no, pissed—that he'd left her alone at the shoot. Using this chance to make him sweat a bit, just a little, would feel great. Plus, it'd carve out some alone time.
"PD-nim's got a great offer—better talk ASAP."
"Haha, seriously! Thanks a ton, Haeun-ssi."
Oblivious to her scheming, the PD just grinned. She flashed a mechanical smile back and dialed Lee Sejin right away.
Ring ring.
"Yo, what's up?"
"Yeah. You need to come here now. PD wants to talk to the manager."
"Now...?"
He hesitated, but she pressed on.
"They pitched another shoot. Wants to discuss direct with you if possible... I wanna do it too."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Sounds like other candidates too—better hash it out quick. Don't wanna miss this."
She fibbed a bit to sell it.
"...Okay, headin' over now."
He pondered briefly before agreeing. His reluctance stung a little.
Even for something I wanna do, he hesitates over a quick trip? Too much?
"Hurry up."
Beep.
She hung up and approached the waiting PD.
"PD-nim, he's coming soon. Just a bit longer."
"Ooh, thanks, Haeun-ssi! No prob, I'll wait."
He chuckled heartily. She smiled along, thinking:
He looked tired, but... a little mischief won't hurt.
After a week of them three having fun without her, plus teasing her mid-act over the phone... This was just playful compared to that.
Or so Im Haeun convinced herself.
When Im Haeun called and I rushed over to chat with the PD, I figured I'd wrap it quick and bounce.
Bust through the talk in 30 mins, head back, and I'll hit the timing just right!
But plans never go smooth, huh.
"Exactly, yeah—the model's so good, fantasy themes work too! That's the vibe, haha!"
"Got it. So for the next schedule..."
"What about a fashion show!?"
"Fashion show...?"
"Yep, thanks to the Hallyu wave, got an offer from France. All-idol models, modern icons and expressions of worship..."
"Aren't those folks kinda highbrow?"
"Not the traditional ones—they wanna try new stuff. So we're co-hosting..."
The PD's pitches chained into more pitches, all solid stuff that could lead to new gigs for Im Haeun or even The Queens. Had to respond and vet every one, right here, right now.
Fucked.
I nodded along to everything, streamlining his ramble, and finally wrapped at 7:09 PM.
One minute! Faint in one.
I'd layered commands like 'don't faint' or 'wake right up' as backups, but no confidence it'd stick.
Hypnosis cancel... never pulled that off.
The app can't do the impossible. No faking out of a faint or waking early.
Whatever, can't be helped.
This was about Im Haeun's next shoot, and she said she wanted it—plans take a backseat. Heroic of me to spam 'yes, yes, yes' and end it pre-faint.
I'll make her pay when I wake.
Turns out some didn't need hashing now anyway. Bitch pulled the 'come now 'cause I'm pissy' card—first thing after waking, it's discipline time.
"Yo, good work."
The PD chat done, Im Haeun sidled up as I stood. Speak of the devil.
"Callin' you when you're beat, and you come runnin'—best manager ever~ heh heh heh."
"Hey... you..."
I opened my mouth, and dizziness hit hard. The world spun uncontrollably, darkness closing in.
"Huh? What's wrong all sudden?"
"Ugh..."
Hypnosis App, performance confirmed.
That was my last thought. Words failed as my body crumpled.
"Hey!? ...Wha... how... sle... Hey!? ......."
Im Haeun's distant voice faded, and my consciousness snapped off.