Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Misunderstanding
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A simple drinking session with beer and squid unfolded.
*Click. Psssh.*
I opened the cans and placed them in front of Seol-ah and Yi-na. I knew it wasn't that women lacked the strength to open cans, but that they couldn't because of their nails.
“…Why am I the only one with juice? There’s non-alcoholic beer, you know.”
Despite the serious atmosphere, Yi-na grumbled, clearly disappointed. The chaotic period of being neither an adult nor a child, something Yi-na couldn't help but experience.
“Even if it’s non-alcoholic, it’s illegal for minors to drink beer.”
“Hmph.”
We drank about half our beverages in a silent atmosphere. Just as I steeled myself to speak seriously, a notification window popped up.
[Charisma Lv 2 is activated. The delivery of your words and actions is enhanced.]
“I’m an orphan.”
Yi-na and Seol-ah’s eyes wavered.
“Maybe the word ‘orphan’ doesn’t fit now that I’m an adult? Anyway, it hasn’t been long since my parents passed away.”
I started with the story of my past and went on to give a lengthy explanation of the circumstances that brought me here.
“I know all too well how miserable it feels to be abandoned by your company. To be frank, it’s true I felt sorry for you after hearing your phone call, Seol-ah.”
“…That doesn’t make what you did right, Manager. It makes a person feel so miserable…”
I cut Seol-ah off and began to speak.
“It might sound funny for me to say this, but I love Answer.”
“……”
“I thought that if I could show the parents of the members I love that ‘our daughter is being recognized by the company!’ it would boost everyone’s morale.”
“……”
“Money given out of pity? Not a chance. It was precious money I got from selling my late mother’s ring.”
“No way!”
“You’re crazy!”
Seol-ah and Yi-na’s faces were colored with shock.
“I didn’t have any money. That’s why I missed the Director. I was going to ask for an advance on my settlement but ended up mumbling my way out of it. The Director must have noticed and remembered.”
“Still, how could you sell a memento…”
Seol-ah’s intensity subsided.
“I thought it would be better to make living parents happy than to hold onto a memento from my deceased parents. If the members’ morale goes up and the group I’m in charge of succeeds, my parents in heaven will be happy too.”
At the mention of my parents, my vision suddenly blurred.
“…*Sniff*… I’m sorry, Oppa. I didn’t know… *sob*.”
Yi-na began to cry excessively.
Could she have a story related to her own mother?
“If I had my way, I would have given you a million won each, not 300,000. But… you know how they say diamond rings are expensive to buy but worth nothing when you sell them.”
I stared intently at Seol-ah, my teary eyes filled with resentment. The tears weren't an act. An inexplicable sorrow was welling up inside me.
Seol-ah avoided my gaze.
“…I don’t have parents to show my success to anymore. You can think of it as me living vicariously through you. It’s not like I was hoping for praise. But I never imagined I’d be misunderstood like this.”
I laced my last words with a hint of indignation.
“…I’m sorry. I really… I just thought it was cheap pity.”
Seol-ah covered her face with both hands, her ears turning red.
[Sudden Quest, ‘The Misunderstanding’ complete.]
Your sincerity has left a deep, lingering impression on the members’ hearts. From now on, they will trust you even more.
[Reward]
The members’ affinity and trust are fully restored. An additional +6 to affinity and trust is added.
Chae Seol-ah (21 years old)
Affinity 61+6/99
Trust 64+6/99
[Chae Seol-ah’s Trust has exceeded 70. Seol-ah will now begin to listen attentively to your words.]
Shin Yi-na (17 years old)
Affinity 70+6/99
Trust 82+6/99
Distributable Stat Points 3pt
The quest was complete.
* * *
“Wow. The song I made in my dream was Yoo-ah’s?”
Lee Yoo-ah and Oh Ro-si looked at CEO Park Jae-yong with wry smiles. Park Jae-yong’s current appearance and the reek of alcohol emanating from him were unbearably awkward.
♪♬
*Tiri-ding ding-ding toong tak toong-toong tak.*
Park Jae-yong played the track again, bobbing his head back and forth with a greasy expression.
“The vibe is completely different from yesterday morning. How did it change so much in just one day?”
At Park Jae-yong’s words, Lee Yoo-ah thought for a moment, recalling the name Min-jun had mentioned.
“Someone I know on SoundCloud helped out a bit.”
“Who is it? Are they underground?”
“A friend named Beat Room, have you heard of him?”
“…Never heard of him. But this is professional-level stuff. A little more and he’ll be on my level.”
The sight of him grooving with his greasy hair made Lee Yoo-ah and Ro-si feel secondhand embarrassment.
“But you really heard this and changed the arrangement in just one day?”
*The person you dismissed, Min-jun Oppa, did it. And he did it after hearing it just once, immediately laying down the tracks and changing the whole progression.*
Lee Yoo-ah’s lips were itching to say it, but she exercised superhuman patience.
After listening to the music a few more times, Park Jae-yong nodded and stood up. Once again, Yoo-ah and Ro-si let out a faint laugh at his dark khaki clothes, which looked like a straw mat.
“It’s good. It’s good enough to go straight to a live session. Not that it doesn’t need any arranging, of course.”
“Thank you.”
Lee Yoo-ah beamed at Park Jae-yong’s praise. Watching her, Ro-si felt a mix of envy and a burgeoning sense of new hope.
“So… are you going to prepare the whole live session, Yoo-ah? You’ll have to practice a lot if you do.”
“I’d like to request support for a 12-string steel guitar session.”
Park Jae-yong thought for a moment, then nodded.
“…Right. Your fingers are too thin for a 12-string, that’s for sure.”
“I was also hoping to add a bit of electric mid-rear sound.”
“Yoo-ah, do whatever you want. I’ll make it all happen for you.”
Park Jae-yong’s eyes were filled with boundless affection for Lee Yoo-ah.
“…Augh… But I need to get some more sleep.”
Park Jae-yong said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Don’t mind me, you can keep working. I fall right asleep if I lie on the sofa.”
“No, we’ll be leaving now. Please get some rest.”
“…Alright then. See ya later.”
*Creeak.*
Watching the CEO cling to the back of the sofa like a frog, the two of them left the studio. Having grown close in just a day, Ro-si and Yoo-ah naturally linked arms.
“Should we go to the break room and get some sleep too?”
“Okay, Unni.”
When they arrived at the break room, they ran into the same security team from a few hours ago.
“Are you done with your work?”
“Yes.”
“…That’s strange.”
“What is?”
“The CEO definitely came in, but he’s vanished. We didn’t see him leave.”
In that moment, Yoo-ah pictured the CEO’s movements that had startled her and Ro-si earlier.
While they were out getting a salad, the intoxicated CEO must have come in and fallen asleep on the sofa in the dark corner of the studio. His dark, burlap-like khaki clothes were the perfect camouflage.
* * *
*Knock, knock.*
*Knock, knock, knock.*
“!”
The sound of someone knocking on my car window jolted me awake.
It’s cold.
Despite it being early autumn, I pushed myself up, my body chilled. A pretty girl in a red cap and a tracksuit was looking at me.
I didn’t park illegally or do anything wrong.
*Click.*
“…Can I help you?”
“You slept here in the cold?”
“Huh?”
Her voice sounded familiar.
“Did you drink too, Min-jun?”
A clear, yet firm tone.
“…Director?”
My surprised expression must have displeased her, as the Director’s lips twitched slightly.
“…First time seeing a woman’s bare face? Should I be offended right now?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“Follow me.”
The Director began striding somewhere. Our destination was the neighborhood mart. After silently grocery shopping with the Director, we returned to the dorm.
“I’ll cook.”
“…You know how to cook?”
“I can make something edible.”
“Just watch today.”
“Okay.”
*Sizzle.*
The dried pollack began to sizzle in butter.
“You use butter instead of sesame oil?”
“Yeah. I had a lot of leftover butter-grilled pollack, so I tried making soup with it once on a whim, and it turned out pretty good. And honestly, I don’t really like sautéing with sesame oil. It can taste bitter if you’re not careful.”
“Sesame oil does have a low smoke point, so it burns easily.”
“…You know everything, don’t you.”
The dried pollack soup was ready, and the sweet, nutty smell of scorched rice wafted from the rice pot.
The five of us were crammed around a small table in an awkward atmosphere. All eyes were on the Director, who had created this peculiar gathering.
“I don’t want you girls to misunderstand.”
“?”
The Director’s out-of-the-blue statement piqued the members’ curiosity. They all sensed that the words she was about to say were the reason she had gone to the trouble of cooking for them.
“The company cares about you.”
“……”
“The atmosphere is strange right now because the original members left, but you are all talented people who stood out among countless monsters. You are going to succeed. So be confident.”
A huge ripple went through the members’ eyes.
*Did she hear everything we said yesterday?*
*I thought she was passed out drunk.*
“Let’s eat.”
We began to eat the rice and dried pollack hangover soup the Director had made herself. The savory and refreshing soup warmed our bodies and hearts.
“*Sniffle.*”
The ever-tearful Yi-na started sniffling while eating.
“…What’s wrong?”
“*Hic*. I don’t know. I’m just crying.”
Although the meal was so awkward it was hard to swallow, I could feel the members’ morale had significantly risen.
“*Sniffle*… But, Director.”
As Yi-na called out while wiping her tears, the Director looked at her curiously.
“Yes?”
“I think you’re prettier with a bare face.”
“……”
It was a random comment from Yi-na, but the Director’s expression brightened considerably.
“Seol-ah. Can I give you these clothes back later?”
“Yes, of course.”
Even as she spoke, Seol-ah seemed to feel the awkwardness and gave a stiff laugh. In front of the Director, who exuded a subtle charisma, even the strong-willed Seol-ah seemed no different from the other members.
“Okay, I’ll wash them and bring them to you later. Have a safe trip home.”
“Thank you, Director!”
“We’ll be back!”
We left the dorm as the members said their goodbyes.
“…Hoo.”
The Director let out a long, deep breath she had been holding. Her face looked incredibly relieved.
She skipped the comfortable second-row seats and sat in the passenger seat. There must have been a reason.
I set the course for the Director’s home.
“…Why do you care so much about Answer?”
It was a simple question, but also a complicated one to answer.
“As I told you before…”
“Was there a reason you had to sell your mother’s memento?”
“!”
She had definitely heard the conversation I had with the members yesterday.
“Where did you sell it?”
“……”
“What’s the point in asking.”
The Director fiddled with her phone, and soon, a notification sounded from mine.
-Deposit Notification. Amount: 2,000,000 KRW.
-Sender: Lee Sun
“You don’t have to…”
“I’m personally investing in Answer. Go find your mother’s ring right away. Don’t come crying to me about it later.”
“……”
The Director suddenly shot up straight in her seat.
“Now that I think about it, I’m getting angry. Act like a proper road manager. Why are you so…”
Leaving her sentence unfinished, the Director exhaled sharply through her nose and leaned her head back against the headrest.
“…Embarrassing.”
The Director murmured, closing her eyes.
Her words were harsh, but I was well aware that her true feelings were anything but.