Chapter 141
Chapter 141
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: First Paycheck
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Answer was doing an N Live from their dorm, and Seol-ah, sitting in the center of the members, spoke.
“Everyone, thank you so much for the gifts you sent. But really, I have to say this one more time, gifts are too much for us.”
-What? Why?
-Why would gifts be too much?
-Sending gifts is our right!
“We want to show you every single thing we use, but the people whose gifts we can’t show might feel disappointed…”
-Don't worry about that.
-Yeah, that really seems like a needless worry.
“We’re so grateful for these gifts, but… honestly, just your interest and support is enough to make us happy. How about donating to people who are having a harder time than us? And then you can show us proof. We’d feel so rewarded and happy about that!”
-Why is our Answer so kind?
-True. If fans keep sending gifts like this, it'd probably be difficult for Answer to handle. They can't use all of it. And they can't just pile it up in a warehouse either.
-Yeah, eventually they'd probably give it away at a charity bazaar or something.
-I think something like that has happened before. A custom-made necklace that turned out to be a dog collar? Or a cat collar? Anyway, it was super expensive, and some celebrity got caught reselling it and was torn to shreds online.
-Did it get out through a charity bazaar?
-Dunno?
This time, Yi-na stepped in.
“We’d never, ever become resellers, ya know. But still~ like with the rumors this time, people just see what they wanna see, right? Huh?”
Seol-ah gave Yi-na a light smack on the butt. Yi-na, getting the hint to speak properly, cleared her throat and spoke again.
“If the fans who give us so much love were to misunderstand us like that, I think it would be really, really hard on us. I can say this now, but we had such a tough time because of the rumors during this showcase.”
-You were really hurt.
-It's okay. You have us now.
-But I still wanna send gifts…….
-Other idols accept them without any trouble, so just take them without feeling burdened.
-lol am I the only one who finds this funny? Her saying "resellers" with such a serious face?
“Ah, the most important thing!”
Seizing the moment while Seol-ah hesitated, Seul-bi exclaimed.
“We got our first paycheck today!”
“Wooo!”
“Sniffle. I’m so moved.”
-Wow congrats congrats
-That must be so touching. It's been almost 4 years since the auditions, right? And a year and a half since your debut?
-Huh? If they're getting paid, doesn't that mean the company made a lot of money too? Then they should get a new dorm.
“Yes. Isa-nim Lee Sun said they’re looking into a new dorm for us.”
-Ooh, "Isa-nim Lee Sun" sounds different somehow.
-Right, Lee Sun is a director at JD.
-Let's not use her name so casually. She's still Answer's director.
-lol what's with the buzzkillㅋㅋ
-It's true. Who calls her Lee Sun-ssi or Lee Sun-nim in private?
-lol did we come here to see Answer or Lee Sun?
Sensing the mood turning strange, Seol-ah tried to change the subject.
“To commemorate our first paycheck, we will now have a dance time.”
“Suddenly?”
Seul-bi asked with a baffled expression, while a nervous Ro-si looked confused. But Yi-na, who had been lost in thought, broke into a wide smile and said.
“How about the song our Isa-nim used to sing?”
“Oh! Sounds good! Ro-si, you know it too, right?”
“Yeah! I know that dance.”
-Oh, awesome!
-I need to record this, but the quality is trash. So annoying.
-Yo, this is a cover you won't see anywhere else. I hit the jackpot!
-Sing it for us too!
-Seriously, I'm more excited for Seol-ah's vocals than the original main vocal.
“Here we go!”
“Ikuzo!”
-lol do you not say "ikuyo" anymore?
-lol ikuyo has more punch than ikuzo
-A girl should say ikimasu lol
-Ah, I'm dying, why do I find this so funny?
-Beep! You are perfectly normal!
-I'll say it instead, ikuyooooot!
The chat lit up at Yi-na’s Japanese exclamation.
From the Bluetooth speaker played “You Up?”, a massive hit from Isa-nim Lee Sun’s group days, and one of the very first songs they had learned as trainees.
A pop ballad played with piano and strings.
The Answer members all put on melancholic expressions, and Seol-ah, setting the mood, began to sing with a sorrowful voice.
♪♬
I told you not to leave
You told me not to call
Are you really going to leave like this? This isn’t right
Afraid today might be the end
Afraid I’d lose you for good
My pillow’s soaked with tears as sorrow piles up inside
I’d finally forgotten you
It was so hard letting you go
But now you call me up and ask if I’m asleep
♪♬
-This is so good.
-It's not just a different flavor, it's a whole new song.
-As expected of our main vocal, Seol-ah.
-I'm melting.
The chat’s mood softened along with Seol-ah’s sorrowful emotion. And then, a sudden change in the arrangement.
The slow ballad shifted into a speedy trance rhythm, and the real dance time began.
♪♬
Hang up the phone, ex-boyfriend
I thought I’d forgotten you, but I miss you, I miss you
I thought you were bad for me, but I wanna see you, wanna see you
♪♬
It was a dance they had practiced countless times, so even Ro-si, the weakest dancer, could keep in perfect sync. Though they hadn't assigned parts, the song flowed naturally between them.
♪♬
Why are you calling now? babe babe
The person I thought I’d forgotten comes back to mind
Why are you calling now? babe babe
The love I thought I’d erased is right in front of me
♪♬
As the song’s punch line hit, the excitement of both the Answer members and the fans reached its peak.
-This is amazing!
-Is this for real? Can't Answer do a remake and sing this?
-For real, this is too good to see just once. It's not old-fashioned at all.
Even Seol-ah, who had started the song to change the mood, had a very satisfied look on her face by the time it ended.
The Answer members found their own actions surprising, but they had no idea that the group trait they had gained from Min-jun was manifesting.
“Phew! That’s all for today, g’night! Unnis, Oppas, sweet dreams.”
The N Live ended with Yi-na’s closing remarks.
“Phew.”
“That was a close call. People will fight over anything.”
“Huh? What fight?”
At Yi-na’s clueless words, Ro-si chuckled, wrapping her arms around Yi-na’s waist and swaying.
“Finally, the day’s schedule is all over.”
“…Waaaah!”
The dazed members, as if on cue, hugged each other and spun around. Then they suddenly broke apart and started making calls and sending texts.
“Mom! You can really quit your job now. Guess how much I got from my first official paycheck today?”
-How much did you get for our Seol-ah to be making such a fuss?
Hearing the joy in her mother’s voice, Seol-ah’s expression briefly turned complicated as she was about to state the amount.
In her elation, she had forgotten something important.
“Um… I didn’t earn hundreds of millions this time since it went to paying off the rest of the investment.”
-What? Hundreds of millions? Does that mean your next paycheck will be in the hundreds of millions?
“Yeah! It’s almost certain. Though it’s quarterly.”
-Oh my goodness! My daughter has really made it!
Seol-ah’s mother was so shocked that her voice trembled.
-…Thank you. Thank you.
“…So this time, really start preparing to move to Seoul, Mom. I want to see our Ye-jun often, too.”
Her mother’s voice, repeating her thanks without knowing who she was thanking, trembled.
-I heard most groups disappear without even recouping their investment costs… I’m so proud of you, my daughter.
“The other members worked hard too, but I don’t think we could have done it without Timjang-nim Min-jun.”
-Yes, I think so too. For your first paycheck, make sure to take care of Timjang-nim Min-jun first. You have to repay his kindness.
“Okay. I’ll take care of Min-jun-ssi first this time.”
-Good, that’s a good thought. Seol-ah, Ye-jun wants to video call.
Seol-ah’s eyes welled up with tears as she watched her younger brother Ye-jun’s antics on her phone, which had switched to a video call.
“See you in Seoul then, Ye-jun? We promised to eat lots of yummy food and go see the tigers, right?”
-Yeah, yeah! I’m so excited!
The call with Ye-jun, who was jumping up and down on the spot, ended. Tears suddenly burst from Seol-ah’s eyes, and she sat there crying for a long time. All the sorrow she had endured came rushing back at once, overwhelming her with emotion.
Ro-si also called her older brother first.
-Ro-si, you were in Ellegan?
“Hehe. Did you see it?”
-Did Mom contact you?
“We talk on the phone. But she doesn’t tell me to come back home anymore.”
-Mom told me. That you were in Ellegan.
“What! Mom saw it too?”
-She came to our clinic and showed me the issue of Ellegan you were in. I thought it was one of the magazines we subscribe to at the clinic.
“Huh? So Mom brought a copy of Ellegan all the way to the dental clinic?”
-Exactly. I was surprised too.
A new kind of joy, different from any she had felt before, bloomed on Ro-si’s face.
She felt like she was finally being acknowledged by her parents for the first time, after being ignored and compared to her brother since childhood.
“Mom really… did that?”
-Yeah. But what’s the occasion? Why did you call first?
At her brother’s question, Ro-si remembered the initial reason for her call.
“Oppa! I made money!”
-Real?
“Yeah. After deducting the investment costs, I got my first paycheck!”
-Awesome! Congratulations! You’ve been in commercials and everything, you really made it! I knew you would! Our Rosie!
“Thanks. I don’t think I could have done it without your support, Oppa.”
-You think I cheered you on for no reason? For your information, I have… what is it, objective eyes.
“Yeah. Thank you, Oppa.”
After talking for a while longer, Ro-si’s call ended. Seul-bi and Yi-na were also lying flat on the sofa and floor, giggling to themselves.
Seol-ah, having wiped her tears, went into her room and soon came out holding several envelopes.
“Let’s talk.”
Seol-ah placed the envelopes, each with a member’s name on it, on the table.
“Ah… it’s that.”
At Seul-bi’s words, Yi-na nodded as if she remembered too. Seol-ah, who thought her younger members might have forgotten, gave a faint smile.
“Right. This is the money PD-nim Min-jun gave us from selling his mother’s ring.”
The Answer members recalled the memory from last year when Min-jun had sold his mother’s ring just to give them courage.
It had happened before Ro-si joined, but she fully understood, having heard the story from Seul-bi before.
Soon, a gentle smile appeared on everyone’s face.
“This, too.”
Ro-si took out the necklace Min-jun had gotten for her from her pocket. The expressions on the Answer members’ faces grew even warmer.
“Lately, before I go to sleep, I’m so happy that I have this thought. If Manager Min-jun, if PD-nim Min-jun wasn’t here, would we be in this place right now?”
“We wouldn’t.”
“Agreed.”
“That’s right.”
The Answer members nodded their heads firmly.
“There’s a high probability that Answer would have disbanded. The company was struggling, and I think that’s why they held the audition in the first place.”
The members grew somber as they thought about the situation back then.
“So this money isn’t something we earned just by ourselves…”
“I agree!”
“Me too!”
“Geez, you impatient unnis. You didn't even hear me out. I agree too!”
Seeing everyone agree before she could even get to the point made Seol-ah happy that they were all on the same page.
“Alright. We’ve confirmed our intentions. Now we need to pick a gift. Let’s each make a suggestion.”
“Umm…”
“Hmm…”
“Ah, this is hard.”
However, choosing the type of gift proved to be a much more difficult task, and no one could readily step forward.
“Anyone?”
“What about you, Unni?”
“……”
Seol-ah let out a deep sigh at Seul-bi’s question. She already had a gift in mind, but the price was no small matter.
“I have a gift in mind… Let’s do this. Everyone write down the maximum price you’re willing to spend on your phone. We can decide on the gift based on the amount.”
“Okay! Just what I was hoping for.”
“Sounds good, Unni. That’s better.”
“Me too, me too.”
The four of them shuffled back a little so they couldn't see each other's phones and began to write down numbers in their own way.
Everyone decided on an amount fairly quickly, but Ro-si alone kept writing and erasing her number.
“What’s taking so long!”
“Ah!”
“What are you hiding? We’re all going to show them at the same time anyw—hick, for real?”
Ro-si, pushing away Seul-bi who had suddenly leaned in, thought for another moment before finalizing the amount.
“Okay, on the count of three! One, two, three!”
Four phones were presented at the same time.
Seol-ah: 1,500
Seul-bi: 1,500
Yi-na: 1,500
Ro-si: 1,500
The Answer members shivered as if they had planned it, the numbers being identical. It gave them goosebumps.
“Wow.”
“Did we coordinate this just now?”
Seul-bi and Seol-ah said in disbelief.
“I mean, it makes sense for us. But Ro-si, you got paid 1,200, so why did you write 1,500?”
“I’ll start getting paid properly from the next quarter, too. I have enough money to live on until then.”
“Ro-si, you don’t have to push yourself.”
“It’s okay, Unni. When you give a gift, you should do it right.”
Seol-ah nodded with a proud smile.
“That’s 60 million won, then? Are you really okay with this? Such a large sum?”
“Heh. You’re one to talk, Unni.”
All the Answer members were thinking of the same gift.
“And Seul-bi and Yi-na, you know you have to prepare something else besides this, right?”
“Huh? What is it?”
As Yi-na’s eyes went wide as if she didn’t know, Seul-bi shot her a sideways glare.
“Ah, I’m kidding, I’m kidding! How can I even make a joke when you’re so scary?”
“Whatever. And, Seol-ah unni. Ro-si unni wants to chip in too. I told her everything before.”
“Ro-si, really?”
“Yes! I want to contribute too. I really do!”
“Great! Then this is from all of us together, right?”
“Okie!”