Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: First Day, First Fights
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A makeup artist wrote their names on individual containers and handed them over with cotton swabs.
“Seol-ah and Yi-na, you two use the same shade, so it's fine if you share.”
“Thank you, unni.”
I and the members of Answer got into the van. Park Timjang, sitting in the passenger seat, shot me a disdainful look as I got into the driver's seat.
“Did you get in through connections? The Doksan-dong connection?”
What the hell is a Doksan-dong connection? Are the company's biggest shareholders loan sharks from Doksan-dong or something?
“…And what if I do have connections?”
I said curtly, heading toward the next destination.
“Ha! No wonder I didn't like the look in your eyes. So you had someone backing you up, huh? Then do whatever the hell you want.”
There's no need to be polite to a thug. The best approach is to go all out, no holds barred.
“The artists are here. You should watch your language.”
“Ha!”
“Aren't you embarrassed, a grown man acting like this? It's obvious you weren't raised right.”
“W-what did you say?”
Park Timjang was flustered.
“Can't you hear me? I said it shows you're uneducated.”
“Pfft!”
From behind the curtain, the Answer members choked back laughter. Park Timjang, seemingly caught off guard by such an attack, just stammered, his face turning red.
What's he going to do? Right now, I'm the one with the Doksan-dong connection. If you don't have backing, you should just stay quiet.
The sight of Park Timjang's face flushing as his mind raced, wondering if I really had connections, was quite something. The thought of having crushed his pride to the ground felt more satisfying than landing a punch.
* * *
I arrived at the broadcasting station expecting cheers of 'Kyaaak!', but reality was starkly quiet.
Of course, I hadn't expected a devoted fandom to follow the members of Answer, who hadn't even made it big yet, but as someone who once dreamed of being an idol, I had my own fantasies about broadcasting stations.
Still, this was too much.
There are usually fans who follow and support idols from their unknown days, thinking of them as artists they're helping to grow, but Answer didn't even have that. I'd have to analyze what the problem was after today's schedule.
The numerous cameras waiting to film other idols didn't turn toward Answer. There was just a low murmur.
‘I'm the one getting nervous.’
As I stepped into the building, I took a deep breath to calm my pounding heart.
After all, this was once my dream.
But as we headed to the waiting room, my excitement quickly deflated.
Countless men and women were sitting on mats in the waiting room hallway. From their attire, I immediately recognized them as backup dance teams.
This is harsh.
They're all people, yet some get to be inside a waiting room while others have to sit in a public hallway like vagrants.
Dancers, who tell stories through innovative choreography and movement, were artists in their own right. Many of them probably even taught at universities or dance schools.
The thought that my respected choreography teacher might have once sat on a floor like this, treated like baggage, was so disgusting I could hardly bear it. If I ever succeed, I want to solve these problems once and for all.
We unpacked our things in a shabby communal waiting room sectioned off by partitions.
“I'm going to meet the head producer, so just know that. Mi-ji, you come with me.”
“Yes!”
Mi-ji followed Park Timjang, who glared at me on his way out, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Knowing Mi-ji's future, I could see her dark intentions—she clearly thought of herself as a separate entity from Answer.
Her heart is already with SJ.
“Haaah.”
Seol-ah sighed and sat down on an old folding chair.
*Creeak.*
The chair screamed in protest, even though Seol-ah clearly weighed less than 50 kilograms. Her ears turning red, Seol-ah shot up from the seat.
“Damn it…”
I brought her another chair that was folded up in a corner, suppressing a chuckle. It was strange that I could find something to laugh about in such a dismal situation.
“Do I look fat?”
Fanning her flushed face, Seol-ah glanced at me before asking Seul-bi.
“Unni, you're the best at sticking to your diet. You're pretty, you're pretty.”
Seul-bi said half-heartedly, her eyes glued to her phone. Her tone suggested, 'Can you please stop asking?'
“Aren't we going to greet the senior artists?”
“The seonbae-nims come in late…”
The youngest, Yi-na, answered my question.
The current image of the soft-hearted crybaby Yi-na overlapped with her future self who cursed it as a 'total train wreck,' creating a strange feeling.
People change depending on the path they've walked.
“The more senior artists' rehearsals are usually scheduled for the end, so they come in late.”
Seol-ah said with a listless expression.
Dammit.
Of all people, my superior is a complete scoundrel, so I can't even learn the job properly. Is there no system to teach you how to be a manager?
I slipped out of the partitioned waiting room and quietly summoned the system. I scanned the traits available for purchase with points, but there was nothing as straightforward as 'Best Driver' that would teach me the manager's job.
[Tip. Trust your instincts.]
Great tip. Thanks a lot.
I need to instill some faith in the girls.
After a moment's thought, I spoke.
“My dear artists.”
The three pairs of eyes widened and focused on me.
“I was originally in the final debut lineup for SJ Enter.”
“?”
“For real?”
All three looked shocked.
“Are you talking about Fire Emblem?”
Seul-bi asked tentatively.
“…Is the teaser already out?”
“Yeah. It came out this week. But is it true?”
A sigh escaped me at the news of Fire Emblem, the group I was supposed to debut in as the main vocalist.
“That's such a waste. Why didn't you debut? That group seems like it's going to be a huge hit.”
“That's right! The teaser alone already has 5 million views!”
“But you were in the final lineup… so why…?”
Their faces seemed to ask why I was here. The atmosphere became one where I felt I had to explain myself.
“…I just really didn't like SJ.”
The truth was I got pushed out by someone with connections, but I couldn't bring myself to say I was kicked out. No matter the reason, getting pushed out was still getting pushed out.
“I'll prove it to you over time, but my goal right now is to become a producer.”
“Ah…”
[Seul-bi and Yi-na completely believe your words. Their trust level increases.]
What about Seol-ah? Why isn't her trust level going up?
Come to think of it, Seol-ah is the same age as me. Being older and more experienced than the other members, she probably doesn't take people's words at face value.
I pulled up the Fire Emblem group chat on my phone and showed it to the three of them.
-The new main vocal who replaced Jun is all autotune
-Yeah, I miss Jun… How's the manager job?
-Fucking busy, no time to grab a drink with you
The original members of Fire Emblem were loyal guys, so we were still in touch.
Seol-ah searched the members' names and her eyes went wide.
“You seem like you could have debuted somewhere else. Why didn't you?”
“As a condition of termination, there's a clause that forbids me from debuting with another company for the remaining three years of my contract.”
[Seol-ah now trusts your words.]
To survive in this cruel world, it's better to be like Seol-ah, someone with a healthy dose of skepticism.
“I didn't show you that to brag. It just means I know a thing or two about how the entertainment industry works.”
“That's amazing.”
Seeing the sparkle in the members' eyes made me puff my chest out a little.
“That's why I joined JD Enter. And since this is my first time as a manager, I'm going to need a lot of your help.”
“How can we help?”
“I don't really know what services you need right away, so feel free to ask me for anything. Coffee runs, meals, whatever. And it would be even better if you could tell me what I should be doing in certain situations.”
“Okay.”
Seul-bi's and Yi-na's expressions seemed a little brighter.
“I'm not your official manager yet and it's only my first day, so I'm still figuring things out, but I'll study up whenever I can and make sure I become a real help to your success.”
“Ooh. This oppa is cool!”
As a rapper, Seul-bi seemed more honest and direct than the other members.
[The members are moved by your sincerity.]
[The members' affection and trust levels have increased significantly.]
A new glimmer of hope appeared in the members' eyes. Even Yi-na, who had looked so gloomy just five minutes ago, was now nodding with a wide grin.
Yeah, you're much prettier when you smile like that.
In any group, the youngest member's role is crucial. The group's entire atmosphere can change depending on their energy.
Despite her bubbly way of talking, fitting for a 17-year-old, there was a shadow about Yi-na that made me want to root for her even more. Keep smiling like that, Yi-na.
Park Timjang was nowhere to be seen; only Mi-ji returned. Answer then went up for their rehearsal. I moved to a central spot with a clear view of them to identify their problem areas.
Behind the staff busy with the setup, I saw some familiar faces. One of the groups gathered in twos and threes consisted of SJ's Gyeon Sang-jin, along with other planning directors and producers.
They didn't seem to be there to support their own artists... Were they scouting idols from other companies? It suddenly occurred to me that this might be the starting point of Answer becoming victims of SJ in the future.
SJ Enter was notorious for stopping at nothing if it meant making money. But perhaps due to some powerful protection, their scandals rarely came to light. They were a villainous agency that, strangely enough, only ever continued to grow.
Just then, my eyes met Gyeon Sang-jin's. Recognizing me, he strode over alone.
Dammit.
If they find out this early, it could restrict my activities. What a terrible fate. Since it's already happened, I'll just have to face him head-on.
“Well, well, look who it is. Isn't it Jun?”
I had no choice but to give a slight nod.
“After storming out and making a scene, is this the best you could do? A broadcast station FD?”
A broadcast station FD? And what's wrong with being an FD? It was so absurd I let out a small laugh. He didn't seem to even consider that I might be Answer's manager.
This made me even more certain of the connection between Park Timjang and Gyeon Sang-jin. Gyeon Sang-jin, who knew Park Timjang was Answer's manager, couldn't even imagine that *I* would be a manager.
It was a logical deduction: Park Timjang didn't know I was from SJ, so he would have had no reason to report it to his boss.
“A man's gotta eat.”
“Pfft! Well, eat well then. Who knows? If you hang around here long enough, maybe someone will cast you for your looks.”
“…”
“Ah! Whoops! You can't debut for three years, right? Did I give you false hope? Sorry 'bout that.”
Look at him, mocking me so openly. Even if I did cause a small scene on my way out, this was going too far. I guess we're not 'family' anymore, huh?
The guy was trying to get a rise out of me, but I wasn't provoked at all. In fact, seeing him barking up the wrong tree, lost in his own delusion, was actually quite satisfying.
“Maybe you can try to become a celebrity when you're old and gray? Tsk, tsk. If you had just done as I said, you could've lived comfortably.”
I hadn't said a single lie, yet he was jumping to his own conclusions. The guy, who had been running his mouth, suddenly pulled out his wallet.
“It must be hard to make ends meet. I guess I should help you out a bit.”
About ten 50,000-won bills were wedged arrogantly between Gyeon Sang-jin's index and middle fingers.
“…”
“Ha! You bastard.”
When I showed no sign of taking it, he pulled out another ten or so bills, stuck them between his fingers, and waved them around. His actions screamed, 'You're still not going to take it?'
‘Unbelievable.’
What does he take me for? I have my pride. This kind of money…
I'll take it and put it to good use.
I snatched the money from Gyeon Sang-jin's hand.
“Since you're offering, I should take it. I'll consider it payment for past royalties.”
“Puh… hahaha! You looked like you weren't going to take it, but you have no pride, you bastard. Hahaha!”
Gyeon Sang-jin clutched his stomach and laughed for a long time.
“Right, you gotta throw away your pride to survive. But… what? Royalties?”
Gyeon Sang-jin tried to recall what I was talking about, but his past self couldn't possibly know the meaning of those words. However, for someone like him, who ripped people off for a living, it was sure to make him feel uneasy.
“You don't remember? Oh well, can't be helped.”
“…What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”
Leaving Gyeon Sang-jin with a lingering sense of unease behind his sneer, I casually slipped away.
I inwardly mocked the guy who was probably staring at the back of my head with a dumbfounded expression. What an idiot.
He's putting on a whole one-man show.
Thanks to him, I got through that without telling a single lie. You probably can't even imagine that the music you taught me and this small sum of money you gave me mockingly will be what drives you to despair.
Right now, it's only a million won in cash, but in the future, this money will multiply tens, hundreds of times over and come back to slap Gyeon Sang-jin in the face.
Ignoring the fool who was still staring this way with a stupid look on his face, I turned my attention to the stage.
Answer's performance was just about to begin. Time to focus on my first monitoring session as a manager.