Chapter 212
Chapter 212
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 212
Chapter Title: An Honorable Day
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sweat dripped from Jang Hyun-seung's head, trickling down his cheek.
Drip. Drip.
“Alright, just three more.”
“Nngghhh. Ughhhh.”
“You'll get hurt if you lose strength in your core. Tighten your abs.”
“Hnngghhha!”
Watching Yoon Woo-sung's legs tremble as he trained with Min-jun, the other Earl Grey members felt a sense of dread bordering on terror. Yoon Woo-sung's struggle was a source of amusement for the gym regulars, and a preview of what they themselves would soon endure.
Amid the chaos, Seo Bang-il called So Joong-han and Jang Hyun-seung into the restroom.
“Look, I get the InBody scan and being told to manage our bodies. But isn't this a bit much?”
“I know, right? This feels too forced. We're not trying to become idols.”
Seo Bang-il was the first to complain, and even Jang Hyun-seung, who was usually compliant, agreed with him.
Deep down, they were terrified that they would have to suffer the same ordeal as Yoon Woo-sung.
“Joong-han. Why are you so quiet? Even if we're not protesting, shouldn't we at least voice our opinion?”
When So Joong-han, who was usually the one to complain, remained silent, the other two were puzzled.
“...I don't like this coercive atmosphere either.”
So Joong-han reluctantly agreed.
“Right? A manager treating artists like this is just hazing, isn't it? I feel completely humiliated.”
“...But we've already received our signing bonus. And we promised Isa-nim Lee Sun we'd work hard.”
“!?”
The two were dumbfounded by the words of So Joong-han, who had always been the first to voice their complaints.
“...What's this, all of a sudden?”
As Seo Bang-il looked bewildered, So Joong-han added.
“Honestly, it's true that PD Min is talented. He landed us a CF deal before we even joined and secured a special debut on a music show, which they only give out a few times a year.”
“......”
“I don't know. I'm going to give it a shot, at least.”
So Joong-han seemed about to say more, but then he left the restroom first.
“What the? Why is he acting like that all of a sudden? Did he meet with him separately or something?”
“There was no time for that. He's always been with us.”
“I thought he'd be happy about this. Why's he always on the opposite side? And what was that about 'PD Min Isa-nim' earlier?”
“I don't know either. Maybe small companies have a lot of directors? Like how they call new employees supervisors, maybe they call PDs directors too.”
“Should we say something? Ask him to tone down the intensity.”
But soon, they felt their motivation drain away as they watched So Joong-han's compliant attitude while receiving his own training from Min-jun.
“You'll throw your back out! Core tight! Hips back a little more.”
“Nngggghh!”
Seeing So Joong-han, who looked even more exhausted than Yoon Woo-sung, grit his teeth and follow the instructions, Seo Bang-il and Jang Hyun-seung gave a bitter smile.
And then, it was their turn.
‘It's embarrassing to say I can't do it from the start. I'll do a bit and then say something.’
Seo Bang-il and Jang Hyun-seung were thinking the same thing as their turn to be coached by Min-jun arrived.
“Good luck, Seonbae-nims!”
As a grim-faced Seo Bang-il placed the bar on his shoulders, Yi-na walked by with a bright smile, tapping the bar with her hand.
The moment Yi-na's encouragement touched him, Seo Bang-il felt an unwitting surge of confidence.
“I think I can go up to 70kg.”
‘Am I crazy?! My mouth is running on its own!’
But he couldn't take back the words he had already spoken.
“You must have good upper body strength since you play the drums.”
“Haha! You know your drums. It's definitely different from those session players who just wiggle their fingers. You need your forearms and back to be ripped to play at a high RPM. Haha.”
Min-jun watched the suddenly boastful Seo Bang-il and gave a small smile.
“One! Two!”
As Seo Bang-il started pumping iron energetically after a few words from Yi-na and Min-jun, it was Jang Hyun-seung who was left even more bewildered.
“I'll join you, Seonbae-nims. Heave-ho.”
With Seul-bi, who had just finished her run, joining in to lift weights beside them, Jang Hyun-seung couldn't even voice an opinion, let alone protest.
“Whoa. Can you really do that?”
“I'm only going this far because I'm afraid my lower body will look bad if I add more.”
Seeing Seul-bi, who couldn't have weighed more than 50kg, doing back squats with a 100kg barbell, they couldn't give up, no matter how much they wanted to cry from the strain.
“Grrrgh.”
“Eeeeeek.”
“Ah, Seonbae-nims. Just a little more. You have to finish the set.”
“Haa... Don't worry about us. Haa... It's just... been a while... since we worked out.”
Somehow knowing exactly when they were reaching their limits, Seul-bi or Yi-na would linger nearby, awakening their latent grit and competitive spirit.
“Good work today.”
“You too.”
As he left the gym with Seul-bi and Yi-na, who had finished their workouts, Min-jun spoke to the Earl Grey members.
“Only do back squats when I'm here. If you overdo it before your form is right, you'll ruin your body.”
“...Yes.”
“Also, we'll be starting vocal training tomorrow, so be prepared.”
“Vocal training? For us?”
“Huh?”
Even So Joong-han, who had been quiet during the workout, asked back with a look of disbelief. That's how highly they rated their own vocal skills, as well as those of their main vocalist, Jang Hyun-seung.
But they couldn't say a word to the retreating Min-jun.
Once Min-jun and the Answer members were gone, Yoon Woo-sung, trudging toward their dorm, spoke up.
“He tells us not to ruin our bodies, so why did he make us do back squats?”
As Yoon Woo-sung broke the silence, Seo Bang-il and Jang Hyun-seung also poured out their complaints.
“Exactly. I think he's doing this just to mess with us.”
“Is he trying to say, 'Even girl groups are stronger than you, so shut up and do as you're told'?”
Then, So Joong-han, who had been silent, spoke up.
“Honestly, it's true our stamina is too low. But more than that, I don't get why we need vocal training. Hyun-seung is great at shouting vocals.”
“Right. It's not like we're going to sing a cappella. Why vocal training?”
“You think the trainer can sing better than Hyun-seung? I doubt it. Honestly, if you go to a rock festival, Hyun-seung's pure vocal talent would probably put him in the top three.”
The Earl Grey members nodded in agreement.
***
“Do I need to change?”
Seol-ah asked, dressed in white skinny jeans and a light blue shirt.
“It's not too flashy, but you still have the right celebrity vibe. You look pretty.”
“......”
At the word "pretty," the corner of Seol-ah's mouth twitched slightly. Min-jun chuckled and spoke again.
“I'm kidding. You have to wear the firefighter's dress uniform.”
“The dress uniform?”
“You said you liked the skirt last time.”
“Ah! So that's what you were talking about?”
Seol-ah's expression brightened.
I held out two suit cases.
“Ta-da.”
“...It's so cool.”
She must have had some kind of fantasy about uniforms, as she immediately held it up to her body instead of putting it on, even though she had to wear it right away.
“Go get changed and come out.”
A short while later, Seol-ah emerged from the company changing room wearing the firefighter's dress uniform.
“You look like a female officer. Very cool.”
“You look amazing too, Isa-nim Min-jun.”
“...Isa-nim?”
Despite my question, Seol-ah couldn't hide her joy, twisting her body to check her silhouette.
“...That gives me the creeps. Just call me what you usually do.”
“Why? 'Isa-nim' sounds cooler.”
Seol-ah seemed to be in a very good mood as she spun around once. It was a side of her I didn't usually see.
“You must really like it.”
“It's so cool!”
“Let's go.”
“Wait. Let me make some coffee to go.”
Seol-ah headed to the break room attached to the office.
“Hello, Timjang-nim Choi!”
“Oh, Ms. Seol-ah. The appointment ceremony is today, right?”
“Yes!”
It seemed her goal was more to show off the uniform than to get coffee.
“Seol-ah. It looks so good on you.”
“Thank you, Siljang-nim Ji... Ah! Sorry. Isa-nim Ji!”
“Hehe.”
Siljang-nim Ji, who had recently been promoted to Isa-nim, grinned from ear to ear whenever he was called by his new title.
“Would you like some coffee too, Isa-nim Min-jun?”
“...Thanks.”
*Whirrr.*
*Drip, drip, drip.*
As Seol-ah went to the break room, Isa-nim Ji came over and draped an arm over my shoulder.
“Thanks to you, Isa-nim Min-jun, I can finally hold my head high at home. Thank you.”
“Stop it. You've worked hard all this time.”
“Hehehe.”
Still grinning from ear to ear, Isa-nim Ji patted my arm a few times before returning to his desk.
Seol-ah and I went down to the parking garage.
A refreshing scent of orange and jasmine wafted from Seol-ah as she got into the passenger seat. It seemed she had put on new perfume.
“Isn't it more comfortable in the back?”
“It's not a real schedule. This is a chance to see what the view is like from the passenger seat. Hehe.”
Seol-ah was in such a good mood that she was humming a tune. She seemed so excited that she probably didn't even realize she was humming.
Was the passenger seat that comfortable? In any case, Seol-ah's excitement made me feel good too.
*Vrrr.*
“Yes, Daepyo-nim.”
-Have you left yet?
“We were just about to.”
-Wait, wait. Let's go together.
“Why are you going, Daepyo-nim?”
-It's an honorable occasion. Of course I, the CEO, have to attend. What kind of question is that!
“......”
I need to put our Daepyo-nim to work so he can start contributing to the company's profits soon. This is definitely not because I can't stand seeing him laze around.
An able-bodied person needs to be economically active to increase our company's profits, raise brand awareness, and pay more taxes.
That would increase our social contribution and, ultimately, contribute at least 0.00000000001% to the nation's competitiveness.
***
The Fire Service Day event venue.
The news that a famous celebrity was being appointed as an honorary firefighter drew a much larger crowd than usual, with broadcast cameras rolling.
It was a point in time when the memory of Seol-ah saving a life might have started to fade from people's minds. This appointment ceremony would be a huge plus for Answer's image.
-Would Ms. Chae Seol-ah, the leader of the four-member girl group Answer, and her manager, Mr. Min-jun, please come up to the stage.
“Hoo. Haa.”
With a flushed face, Seol-ah took a deep breath and walked onto the stage with me.
-These two individuals, a singer and a manager, are recognized for saving a patient in critical condition during a recording with flawless CPR, and for widely publicizing the importance of emergency life-saving techniques to many people.
-Certificate of Appointment.
You are hereby appointed as an Honorary Fire Lieutenant of the National Fire Agency of the Republic of Korea. Park Moon-yeol, Commissioner of the National Fire Agency.
-The firefighter's insignia will be presented by Prime Minister Kang Chang-seon.
“Wooooah!”
*Clap, clap, clap, clap.*
In the square packed with people, a tremendous round of applause erupted, accompanied by the sound of camera shutters.
The Daepyo-nim, who had somehow managed to snag a seat in the front, was clapping enthusiastically with tears welling up in his eyes.
After the ceremony, Seol-ah and I tried to hurry back to the car, but—
“Wait, wait. We came all this way, you have to do an interview. Excuse me! Don't you need an interview?”
“Huh?”
A man holding a camera stopped in his tracks, flustered by the Daepyo-nim's call.
“Don't you need an interview, Mr. Reporter?”
“...I'm with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.”
“Ah! My apologies. I saw you holding a camera.”
Seol-ah and I simultaneously turned our heads in the opposite direction. Ugh, how embarrassing.
Without a word, Seol-ah and I both dashed toward our car.
“Hey! Wait for me!”
Ah, please don't shout so loudly.
Everyone's staring.
“Hnghaaa.”
Seol-ah let out a strange sound, somewhere between a laugh and a cry.
Just as I got in the car and started the engine, the Daepyo-nim scrambled into the passenger seat, out of breath.
“Huff... huff. Guys. Haa. If we're going to be embarrassed, we should be embarrassed together. Why'd you run off on your own?”
I said nothing as I drove off, while Seol-ah covered her face with both hands in the back seat.
***
“Good work.”
“You too!”
I dropped Seol-ah off at the dorm and returned to the company.
“Min-jun, I thought you were a loyal guy... That's not how you treat people.”
“......”
“No matter that you're the largest shareholder and I'm just a figurehead CEO now... I'm disappointed, Min-jun.”
The Daepyo-nim continued to vent his feelings on the way up to the office.
“I'll do better next time.”
“Really? I'll trust you, Min-jun. I really think of you as a younger brother... I was hurt because it didn't seem like you felt the same way.”
“......”
*Ding.*
-Third floor.
“I'm back.”
As soon as the elevator doors opened, I saw the welcome face of Isa-nim Lee Sun, and the Daepyo-nim flinched.
“Daepyo-nim, why did you even follow them there!”
“...It was a glorious event. As the CEO, I had to go and give interviews. That way, the ceremony gets more attention, right?”
As the Isa-nim stared at him blankly, the Daepyo-nim suddenly pretended to take a call and disappeared toward his office.
“Ah, anyway, the vocal academy called. They said it seems like their will to learn has dropped a bit. I'm talking about Earl Grey.”
“They did as they were told at the gym. I guess they're still stubborn when it comes to music.”
“Pfft. Just like rockers, they seem to be sensitive about vocals. This time, Isa-nim Min-jun, you need to educate them properly.”
“I expected as much. 'We're rock vocalists, so why are you making us do idol training?' Something like that, right?”
The Isa-nim nodded with a smile.
“Exactly.”
“I'll be leaving a little early with Yoo-jun today. I'm going to have a drink with the Earl Grey members.”
“Is it an educational session?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. I guess I'll have to log Yoo-jun for overtime, then?”
“Yoo-jun will be pledging his undying loyalty.”
The Isa-nim smiled brightly, her face full of anticipation for the results.