Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: A Night Out
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“Whoa, the talent is looking good tonight.”
The MD, spotting Min-jun about to enter the club, said cheerfully.
In the club scene, MDs who can bring in a lot of beautiful women are considered top-tier. They're offered shares or high salaries to poach them from competitors. The number of beautiful women they can attract is directly linked to sales.
In that regard, an idol-level male customer is the best for drawing in beautiful female customers. It creates a virtuous cycle that significantly boosts sales, which is why the staff loves it.
“Hyung-nim, I won't charge you for entry, so please come back often, okay?”
Min-jun casually stuffed the business card the MD whispered and slipped to him into his pocket and headed into the club.
The club's interior was packed with people, hot and stuffy with the smell of sweat and body heat.
♪♬
B-b-boom doong b-b-boom doong doong
The intense vibrations felt on his skin and the dazzling lights should have made his heart pound, but Min-jun could only sigh, his mind preoccupied with Seul-bi.
As he looked around the club, women dressed in flashy clubbing attire began to steal glances at him.
One of them approached. The woman stood on her tiptoes, beckoned with a finger, and when Min-jun leaned down, she shouted into his ear.
“Can I get your number?”
“...”
Min-jun scoffed, ignored her, and walked past. From behind him, he heard the woman mutter, "Fuck."
There were even women who tried to touch him subtly, but Min-jun didn't even blink as he pushed through the crowd.
‘Where the hell is she?’
Leaning against the second-floor railing, Min-jun cupped his chin as he looked down at the entangled mass of people.
Wait, isn't this what my trait is for?
Keeping 'Third Eye' active all the time was mentally draining, so he sometimes turned it off and forgot about it.
He immediately activated his 'Third Eye' trait. Just then, he spotted Seul-bi, connected to him by a thread of blue light.
From her outfit to her makeup, it was a style he had never seen on Seul-bi before. She looked as awkward as someone forced into clothes that didn't fit.
Seul-bi sipped the beer a staff member brought her while watching the stage, then soon stood up from her seat.
‘If that's how she can relieve her stress… I guess it's okay.’
It was an unavoidable choice. A choice for both of them.
Even if the same situation arose again, Min-jun would still choose Ro-si. But separate from that, it was also true that he felt sorry for Seul-bi, who had worked so hard she was nearing the limits of her talent.
Seul-bi, in a white dress that revealed far more of her shoulders than her performance outfits, hesitated for a moment before stepping onto the stage.
♪♬
Bba-bba-bba bbap-bbap bba-bba-bba koong-koong
Swaying her body gently to melt into the atmosphere, Seul-bi began to make a cute gun-shooting gesture with her hands and shake her hips.
As awkward as she looked, she was still an idol trainee. Even among a crowd of talented regulars, it was enough for her to radiate an overwhelming presence.
And just as expected, everyone's eyes were soon fixed on her. A few brave men rushed forward, pretending to be shot by her finger guns and collapsing.
Seul-bi chuckled at the men's over-the-top reactions, and Min-jun, watching her, chuckled as well.
It was a clear deviation and a violation of the rules, but…
‘Just for today, I guess.’
Since he was watching over her himself, he could help immediately if any trouble arose.
To prepare for any potential future issues, Min-jun recorded Seul-bi with his phone. It was a habitual action to prove that a manager was present on-site.
‘Is there a way to make this more fun for Seul-bi?’
‘Can I somehow remind her that dancing is her reason for being?’
Min-jun's 'Third Eye' reacted to his thoughts.
[Sudden Quest Generated: 'A Special Connection'.]
His eyes fell upon the female DJ who was currently performing.
* * *
Two drunk women climbed onto the elevated DJ stage and started dancing bizarrely. They were eventually dragged away by staff, but the crowd danced on as if nothing had happened.
Seul-bi was among them. During her break, she had already used the free drink coupons from the MD to down several glasses of sweet champagne and beer, and she was in high spirits.
At the same time, a pang of guilt started to creep in for enjoying herself alone, without the other members.
‘I'll just study this one stage and then head down.’
♪♬
-Las go, las go-u, idol go go go-u!
The synth of a shuffle dance girl group song that was popular a few years ago started playing. It was a dance Seul-bi knew perfectly.
♪♬
Bba-bba-bba bba-bba-bba-bba bba-bba-bbam.
[Group Trait 'Unyielding Mindset (B)' 1/4 Activated]
Her confidence soaring from the activated trait, Seul-bi took off her heels on the main stage and climbed onto the DJ stage.
As Seul-bi began to dance to the synth-like brass beat, there was no hesitation in her.
Her legs moved freely, as if unaffected by Earth's gravity or the friction of the floor. The gazes of the people, each lost in their own excitement, now focused on Seul-bi.
Seeing Seul-bi, dressed in an outfit that looked like it was made for a Zero Two dance or something equally flowy, execute the dance with the perfection of a professional dancer, everyone, men and women alike, cheered. It was as if they were watching an active girl group perform right before their eyes.
As the song progressed, those who couldn't do the shuffle dance were pushed to the back, while those who could came forward and started to follow Seul-bi's moves. The stage rippled with a wave of Seul-bi's influence.
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
The crowd's shouts, echoing in time with the beat, even drew people out from the private rooms to watch the magnificent human wave.
Feeling the scorching heat, a look of pure joy spread across Seul-bi's face.
Min-jun watched the radiant Seul-bi with a proud, fatherly smile.
[Sudden Quest, 'A Special Connection' Complete.]
Return to the DJ to receive your reward.
* * *
Seul-bi came down from the stage to a round of cheers.
People in her path parted, their eyes sparkling, to make way for her.
Not a single person tried to hit on her, treating her as if she were a noble being beyond their reach.
Seul-bi forgot that her initial purpose had been to rebel; she now felt an urgent desire to capture the euphoria she was feeling in lyrics.
“That unni is freaking awesome!”
As Seul-bi was gathering her things, the MD in charge approached her, holding a bottle of high-end liquor and a platter of snacks.
“I didn't order this. I'm leaving.”
“Leaving already? The Timjang-nim told me to bring this over as a service. Thanks for hyping up the place today, you were seriously amazing!”
As the platter, filled with what was clearly liquor worth hundreds of thousands of won, along with cheese and nuts, was set down, Seul-bi's mouth began to water.
“...But I'm leaving...”
“Eat up and dance one more round before you go!”
Seul-bi's muttering was lost in the loud noise.
Starting with the savory and soft fresh mozzarella, her appetite whetted by salami and various other cheeses, Seul-bi eventually gave in to her curiosity about the taste of the expensive liquor.
‘...This will all be helpful for writing rap lyrics.’
“...Keugh!”
It was incredibly strong, but the liquor, with its sweet notes of chocolate or perhaps coffee, paired perfectly with the cheese.
Seul-bi sipped it slowly, savoring the taste, determined not to get drunk.
A lot of cheese disappeared into Seul-bi's mouth.
A short while later, feeling she had eaten enough, Seul-bi stood up. The MD approached and grabbed her by the wrist.
“Just for a moment with me!”
“I'm going home now!”
“...Whoa, you're strong.”
The MD said, looking surprised that Seul-bi hadn't budged an inch when she pulled.
“You said you'd answer a call earlier! I even kept giving you free drinks!”
“...”
“Just come sit for five minutes, then say you're going to go dance! Help me save face. Please.”
The MD clung to her, pleading. How old could she be?
She felt a flicker of pity for the pretty girl doing a club MD's job, something she'd thought only men did.
Since she had accepted the free food and drinks... Seul-bi decided she would do as the MD asked and stay for just five minutes.
‘This kind of experience will probably help with writing lyrics too, right?’
She was led to a room on the third floor, the same one she had visited when she first arrived.
As the door opened, three men who had been leaning back on a sofa straightened up as if to welcome her.
They wore clothes that were clearly designer brands, with well-groomed eyebrows and hair, looking like sons from wealthy families. At the same time, their broad shoulders gave them the image of athletic college students who could handle themselves.
“Is this her?”
“Wow! That shuffle dance earlier was amazing!”
“Welcome. You're even prettier up close.”
When she first entered, she had been too flustered to observe anything, but now, with the mindset of using this experience for her lyrics, everything from the table setting and wall decorations to even the bathroom door seemed interesting.
Seul-bi sat down, placing her outerwear over her lap.
“Oh, a Confucian girl?”
Hearing a phrase she often used to tease Seol-ah unni, Seul-bi let out a small chuckle.
“Did you learn how to dance? It was so cool, we had to ask the MD unni about you.”
“That's right. It's our first time here, and we were instantly smitten!”
She knew they were lying about it being their first time, but Seul-bi's guard lowered a little at their high praise for her dancing.
“I just like it, so I dance often.”
“If you're that good at dancing and that pretty, shouldn't you be a singer? Are you a trainee or something?”
“That's right. I met a trainee last time.”
The man who had claimed it was his first time here chimed in on his friend's comment.
“I thought you said it was your first time here?”
Startled by Seul-bi's question, the man gave a bitter smile.
“Ah... not here, somewhere else. Come on, don't play games. Ice?”
He chuckled and poured liquor into a glass filled with ice.
“No, thank you. I just came to dance.”
“Aha? You just came to daaaance?”
As he mocked her for refusing a drink, Seul-bi saw it as a natural opportunity to leave.
“Not everyone is the same...”
As Seul-bi shot up to her feet, a wave of severe dizziness, like she was about to vomit, washed over her.
‘I didn't drink that much...?’
She thought there was no way she could be this drunk from a few bottles of beer and two glasses of liquor she'd only sipped because it seemed a waste, but her body was already going limp like water-soaked cotton.
Thud.
Her heavy body collapsed back onto the sofa, and her eyelids felt as if they were weighed down by lead.
“Huh? What's wrong all of a sudden? Snap out of it, pretty girl.”
“Yeah, we haven't even talked much yet, and she's already wasted?”
Her eyes were already closed, but fear surged through her at their mocking tones disguised as kindness.
‘...This isn't right.’
Seul-bi bit her lip and trembled, trying to hold onto her fading consciousness, but even the pain in her lip soon blurred away.
“Ack! She's wearing safety shorts!”
“Heh. This is getting dizzying.”
Rage flared at the words that hinted at the situation. A sudden burst of strength surged through Seul-bi, and her leg shot out powerfully.
“Get lost!”
“Ugh!”
The man who had been mocking Seul-bi was sent flying backward.
“Puhahaha! Crazy bastard. You can't even dodge a kick from a wasted girl?”
“You idiot, quit boxing. Heh heh.”
“Cough, cough! Shit!”
The guy who got kicked by Seul-bi was stunned by the unexpectedly powerful impact.
“But wasn't she out of it? She's got some kick.”
“Heh heh, you moron. Didn't you see her doing the shuffle earlier?”
In Seul-bi's blurry vision, she could see two figures approaching her. Beyond them was a firmly shut door. It was a sealed space with no one to help.
‘This isn't right...’
Even in that situation, Seul-bi worried that her tantrum might cause harm to the entire team.
♪♬
Bbib-bib-bbib-bbib-rib-bib doong doong bbib-bib-bbib-bbib-rib-bib doong doong
A sense of despair seeped through the soundproof door. From Seul-bi's closed eyes, a tear of guilt trickled down.
It was then.
FWOOSH!
The thick, soundproof door flew wide open as if hit by a powerful force, compressing the air in the room.
Min-jun burst in along with the thumping beat. Seul-bi, collapsed on the sofa, felt a sudden, searing heat course through her body, as if she'd been burned.
“The MD? You bastard, who called you? Why the hell are you barging in!”
The guy, who thought Min-jun was an MD, raised his voice.
“You bastards, just like Gyeon Sang-jin. I'm going to teach you a lesson today.”
Min-jun's usually calm and quiet voice overpowered the club's sound, and his tightly clenched fists trembled with rage.
[Trait 'Soldier's Spirit' is activated.]
[Trait 'Charisma Lv2' is activated.]
An immense fighting spirit, unlike anything before, gathered around Min-jun's body.