Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: A White Lie
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Clap, clap, clap!
“Amazing!”
When I opened my eyes, a dozen or so people had gathered.
[Achievement Unlocked: Mover of Hearts.]
Your voice has stirred the emotions of those around you.
Reward: 3 Stat Points
Total Assignable Stat Points: 11pt
Clink, clank.
Starting with the sound of coins clinking, several bills were placed inside the guitar case.
“That was amazing!”
“Thank you.”
“You’re so handsome!”
“You psycho! That’s so embarrassing!”
This could really make some money!
I hadn't even really started yet, but this was a great beginning. Filled with hope, I continued busking.
Unlike other buskers with proper equipment, my sound didn't travel far, but that only made my audience gather closer. And they didn't hesitate to pay for the show.
A more successful performance than I’d expected.
If only I had a camera, I could've made a video for Tube.
“With that, I've sung all ten songs I prepared. I'll be taking a five-minute break.”
Many people left looking disappointed, but a few remained.
I collected the money that had piled up in the case and put it in my wallet. The aesthetic of the empty space in the case would be directly linked to today's earnings.
I finished three busking sessions, ten songs each.
I placed my guitar right on top of the uncollected coins and cleaned up the area, putting the trash in a garbage bag.
“Ramen and gimbap, please.”
After ordering my food, I started counting the thick wad of bills. It was mostly 1,000-won bills, but there were a few 10,000-won bills mixed in.
197,000 won.
Not including coins, that was my income for four hours.
“Jackpot.”
A thrill washed over me. I'd at least found a way to support myself before joining the company.
The first thing I did when I got home was count the coins that filled the guitar case, making it heavy.
Jingle, jangle.
I stacked the 100-won coins into towers of ten.
Clink, clank.
I counted the 500-won coins as I put them into a container.
Adding the coins to the bills, the total came to over 240,000 won.
“Haaa.”
I let out a hearty exhale. This morning, when I was feeling helpless and broke, felt like a dream.
After a shower, I lay down on my bed.
But why hasn't Lee Yoo-ah called?
I knew Lee Yoo-ah's phone number. Of course, it was her future number, so it might have changed.
I fiddled with my phone before putting it down. For us, who didn't even know each other, doing something like that would be more than just meddling; it could be considered stalking.
* * *
As if possessed, I found myself standing in front of a chicken restaurant.
Do I really have to go this far?
Yes, I do.
Friendship aside, it was too harsh and terrible an ending for one person. I couldn't just pretend I didn't know.
Lee Yoo-ah's father, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a hit-and-run while out on a chicken delivery.
Worried about her mother who ran the small chicken shop alone, this was the place she went after practice.
The reason our friendship formed was perhaps... because of our similar family backgrounds?
It was nearing 11 PM.
“Ride safe.”
Along with Yoo-ah's clear voice, a delivery rider carrying chicken came out the door.
I quickly slipped inside before the door closed.
“Welcome.”
Lee Yoo-ah's kindness shone through her friendly, bright voice. She was mopping the floor in the small dining area, which had only a few tables.
“Huh?”
I pretended to be surprised, as if I'd stumbled upon the place by chance. Yoo-ah finally recognized me, her eyes widening, but her expression soon turned complicated.
“…We're closed for dine-in, but you can still get takeout.”
“I came for takeout. A friend told me this place was good.”
Yoo-ah's mother looked at us through the small kitchen window, seeming to sense that this wasn't a typical situation.
“Are you her mother, by any chance?”
“Oh? Yes.”
I bowed with a bright smile.
“Hello. My name is Min-jun. I was at the same company as Yoo-ah.”
Her mother came out with a delighted expression.
“Oh my! No wonder you seemed to shine! It's nice to meet you.”
Lee Yoo-ah's expression turned strange.
“Who are you getting takeout for?”
“No, it's just for me. Since you're about to close.”
At my words, her mother's face lit up.
“Oh! Please, wait. Yoo-ah never talks about the company, so I've been curious.”
“Mom...”
Yoo-ah tugged on her mother's clothes, but her mother acted as if she couldn't hear her daughter.
“Do you like boneless chicken, by any chance?”
“Yes! I like it all, bone-in or boneless!”
A flustered Yoo-ah tried to stop her mother again, but to no avail. She turned back to me with a suspicious look.
“You didn't... come here knowing, did you?”
“Me? Know what?”
I acted as if I had no idea what she was talking about.
“Ah, no.”
Her cheeks turning red as a beet, Yoo-ah started mopping the floor with renewed vigor. Suddenly curious about myself, I opened my stats.
[Stats]
Actor: 87/93
With your solid diction and good acting skills, you rank in the top 0.01%.
No wonder.
Watching Yoo-ah working hard to help her parents, I saw a different kind of charm I hadn't noticed in my previous life.
She's diligent, pretty, and kind-hearted too.
Sizzle.
I heard the sound of chicken frying, and the table where I sat was set with a few kinds of kimchi and various sauces.
Seeing Lee Yoo-ah's mother smiling at me, I thought I could see my own mother's smile. There were traces of hardship, but she was still beautiful enough to make me wonder how stunning she must have been in her youth.
Ding-dong.
-Today's orders are now closed.
The monitor, seemingly linked to a delivery app, turned off. A heaping plate of boneless fried chicken and glistening, appetizing dakgangjeong was served.
“Go on, eat. Hey! You sit down too.”
“Thank you for the food, ma'am.”
“Yes, yes. I'm sorry this is all I have to offer.”
Yoo-ah hesitantly sat down, and I couldn't disappoint her mother, who was watching me expectantly.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“Eat a lot. It's all domestic chicken thigh, so it should be good.”
Crunch.
“!”
The dakgangjeong was on another level, completely unexpected.
“…You're a master of dakgangjeong, aren't you? This is delicious!”
It was the truth, without a hint of exaggeration.
“Oh my! I thought you'd call it yangnyeom chicken.”
Yoo-ah's mother looked incredibly pleased.
“The chewy yet crispy texture is clearly from the glutinous rice flour in the batter and well-stir-fried corn syrup, and this spiciness has the deep flavor of Cheongyang peppers, distinct from the capsaicin in commercial sauces.”
What? How do I know all this in such detail?
“...”
Yoo-ah and her mother's faces showed a surprise that went beyond mere pleasure.
“…I heard you were an idol trainee.”
“Yes. My late parents ran a restaurant, so I know a little.”
“Oh, dear.”
Her mother's face filled with genuine sympathy.
“It's alright. It was a long time ago.”
“It seems they passed away when you were young.”
Thinking about it, it wasn't that long ago. In this life, it was about four years ago.
“Should I get you a beer?”
“Thank you.”
After some more conversation, I got to the point.
“It's fate.”
“What is?”
“Actually, I mentioned this to Yoo-ah a few days ago, but she needs to leave that company.”
At my words, Yoo-ah's ears perked up.
“I was in the final debut lineup, so I went back and forth between the planning office and the main office a lot. So I overheard many things.”
“Yes. I'm listening. Go on, tell us.”
I spun a plausible story and told it to the mother and daughter: the company knew Yoo-ah's talent was as a singer-songwriter but was keeping her as a trainee to hold onto her.
They had planned to debut her as a solo artist when the time was right, but that was completely scrapped internally when an investor's daughter was set to debut as a solo act.
If she moved to another agency, she'd be splitting the pie with their own artists, so they were just stringing her along, giving her false hope of debuting in a girl group.
The two were visibly disheartened. Yoo-ah, in particular, looked so shocked her face turned pale.
“Yoo-ah, when you signed your contract, you included a clause about debuting as a solo artist, right?”
“How did you...”
“The planning director and the CEO mentioned it. They said to keep her, they should tempt her with a girl group debut and then claim she can't debut because of her clumsy dancing...”
Yoo-ah covered her face and began to cry, realizing that what I said perfectly matched what she had been feeling.
“Those awful people!”
Her mother clutched her apron.
“It's not too late. I was in the debut lineup and terminated my contract for a similar reason. Since Yoo-ah's contract includes a clause about a solo debut, it should be easy for her to terminate it.”
[Achievement: 'A White Lie']
You have saved someone with a white lie.
Reward: 3 Stat Points
Yoo-ah and her mother saw me all the way out of the shop.
“Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Min-jun, my daughter would have wasted so much time.”
“I think meeting like this today was your daughter's destiny. I'm so glad I was able to tell you this.”
“Thank you so much.”
Yoo-ah said, wiping away tears that hadn't yet dried.
“If you're craving chicken—no, if you just feel like a meal, please come by. Min-jun, you're our benefactor, so we'll be sure to repay you.”
Her mother's face was full of sincerity.
“Your words are more than enough, thank you. JD Enter is recruiting new artists right now, so Yoo-ah should definitely apply. It's not in the application guidelines, but if you send one of your original songs, you'll get extra points.”
“An original song?”
I knew Yoo-ah had a song she wrote a few years ago. CEO Park Jae-yong was someone who worked tirelessly to create female singer-songwriters and female bands, so I was certain Yoo-ah would be accepted.
Top-tier visuals even without makeup, a clear and pure voice, and excellent songwriting skills. Being a bad dancer wasn't a negative factor for a singer-songwriter.
And I knew very well just how brightly Lee Yoo-ah could shine when she was all done up.