Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Reunions and New Connections
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The members of Fire Emblem rushed over to hug me, one after another. Then they whispered, their voices low enough that no one else could hear.
“Man, this is so damn annoying. They’re using the AR from your guide vocal recording as the live track, aren’t they? It’s not like this is the millennium lipsync era.”
“I’m worried we’re gonna crash and burn from all this fakery just when we’re doing so well.”
Tae-in, the lead vocal, and the other members said, glancing over at the current main vocal. They would’ve accepted him if he was at least talented, even if he was parachuted in, but since he wasn’t, it seemed the members were getting stressed out.
It was a bitter memory that made my stomach turn, so I’d tried to avoid watching Fire Emblem’s activities, but this could turn into valuable information I could use someday.
“But what are you doing at a broadcast station? Did you debut?”
A bitter smile formed on my lips at main dancer Seul-chan’s question.
“I’m Answer’s manager.”
“Answer?”
“Yeah, the girl group from JD Entertainment.”
“Ah, that’s so frustrating! You idiot, if you left, you should’ve debuted! It’s such a waste of your talent.”
“I was released on the condition that I couldn’t debut for three years.”
“Agh, they just had to be petty, didn’t they?”
I glanced back and saw Reporter Shin taking a picture. I wondered if I should have paid more attention to my clothes, but then again, I wasn't an idol.
“Let’s get a move on. Huh?”
The voice of Team Leader Jang, all too familiar and all the more unpleasant for it, rang out.
The thug who cleaned up all of SJ Enter’s dirty work and eventually made it to an executive position. That must be why he treated me like a corpse when I wasn’t even dead.
“Hey, rookie, get the artists moving, now.”
“Yes, Team Leader!”
The new roadie stuck close to the Fire Emblem members.
“Jun-ah, let’s really grab a drink when this crazy schedule is over, okay?”
“Alright. I get it, so don’t play games or anything, and get lots of sleep.”
“Man, what games? I’d be happy just to get more sleep in the van. Bye!”
The guys waved as they left, but Team Leader Jang remained, his face twisted in a scowl.
“You little bastard, what’s your game?”
“What game?”
If I looked weak here, I knew I’d be endlessly disrespected.
I casually handed him my business card. I’d officially been given the title of team leader, so I needed to ramp up my networking, and I’d decided not to care about SJ Enter’s opinion anymore.
Once Reporter Shin’s exclusive story about me was published, I’d be stepping into the forefront of the industry anyway.
“…What? Team Leader? You?”
Team Leader Jang asked with a rotten expression after seeing my card.
“Unlike some people, I’m not the type to just suck up to get by without any real talent. They made me a team leader right away once I showed them what I can do, you see?”
“What? You son of a bitch, are you running your mouth just because we’re at a broadcast station?”
Team Leader Jang’s face contorted viciously.
“You were the one who crossed the line first, Team Leader Jang. Let’s keep things civil between people in the same industry, shall we? You know, business?”
“Huh? Wow…”
He must have been utterly dumbfounded, because a laugh spread across his face instead of anger.
This was the second time I had gotten on his nerves, including when I left SJ Enter, but he didn’t throw the first punch.
I was kind of hoping he would.
I raised a hand as if to wave goodbye to the bewildered Team Leader Jang and turned toward Reporter Shin.
“Wow, you little punk. Watch your back at night, you hear?”
“I’d be even more grateful if you came yourself.”
“Ha! Haha!”
I heard the enraged Team Leader Jang let out a strange laugh as he walked away.
The people in the lobby were staring at me with curiosity, their faces asking who this person was that the huge stars of Fire Emblem were so happy to see.
“What is your relationship with Fire Emblem?”
Reporter Shin, who looked to be almost twice my current age, was now polite, a stark contrast to his curtness from a moment ago. He even gestured for me to take a seat.
“I was the main vocal for the final debut lineup, the one who even recorded the guide vocals.”
“The position Sung A-jin has now? But why?”
On the table, an old, long-discontinued LG7 phone was lying face down.
‘He’s already recording?’
Most people wouldn't know, but that model had a built-in high-quality condenser microphone. It was often carried as a secondary phone by musicians or reporters who wanted clear recordings.
Reporter Shin’s eyes gleamed as he waited for my answer.
Suddenly, it felt like a waste to sell this exclusive story just to clear a quest.
It would be nice to get some promotional effect for Answer out of this. Should I use my head a little?
“Reporter-nim. I happened to overhear the conversation you had with your friend earlier.”
“Ah, I believe you were sitting over there. Our voices must have been loud.”
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it sounded like you were in a difficult situation, and I wanted to offer what little help I could. I thought it might also help promote the group I’m managing.”
“Ah, you mentioned they were called Answer earlier, right?”
He hadn't seemed to know them, but his memory was good.
Reporter Shin handed me his business card. It was for a news outlet with a fair amount of influence, one that often appeared on portal sites.
“If you send me their profile and portfolio, I’ll write up a nice article for you.”
“Thank you.”
“So, back to my previous question…”
Was I just going to be a sucker, letting him get his exclusive scoop and then not write an article about Answer? After getting burned so badly once, I’d become cautious about everything.
“Oh my. Look at the time. We need to get to our next schedule.”
“Excuse me?”
“I will contact you as soon as possible.”
[Achievement Unlocked: ‘The Unbound’]
Praise for you, who is not bound by quests.
Reward: 3pt
Distributable Points: 32+3pt
I’ve accumulated a lot of points, so I should focus on training the Answer members.
The reporter forced a smile and bowed his head.
“Then I’ll look forward to an interview as soon as possible.”
I couldn't drag out this push-and-pull for too long. The goal was to make him feel a sense of urgency and get something in return, not to leave a bad impression.
“Yes. I’ll contact you, if you don’t mind it being late at night.”
I quickly left the cafe and headed for the convenience store.
***
“Please take good care of our group, Answer.”
“You’re their manager?”
A female director in her forties, who had been looking over the timeline, asked with a look of surprise.
“Yes! I’m Min-jun, the team leader.”
“A young man with good sense. I’ll enjoy this, thank you.”
I handed out the brand-name bottled coffees and cookies I’d bought from the convenience store, making sure there was enough for all the staff.
For shoots like this, it wasn't uncommon for rookie groups to bring coffee, so freshly brewed coffee from a cafe could easily be treated like trash. That’s why I brought bottled coffee, which was easier to store.
Sure enough, there were cups scattered everywhere that looked like they were still full of coffee.
Needless to say, the manager who came after me with a tray of fresh coffee had a crumpled expression.
‘A person with no experience or sense.’
The shoot began.
The concept seemed to be traditional games for the Lunar New Year, as the hanbok skirts of Seol-ah and Seul-bi fluttered while they played on the seesaw.
*Thump!*
“Aah!”
*Thump!*
“Aha!”
“Whoa, whoa! Stop! Stop!”
As they jumped, they seemed to be having real fun and started going so high they nearly hit the lights, making the staff step in to stop them.
“My, how are these young ladies so strong?”
I chuckled at the staff’s mumbling.
Ro-si threw a large sponge *yut* stick.
“*Mo*! What? You’re saying this is a rare outcome?”
Yi-na played *tuho*, tossing arrows into a traditional pot.
“Got it! Three in a row!”
It was a short shoot that didn’t pay much, but the members looked happy.
“Manager-nim, would you like to monitor the footage?”
Perhaps influenced by my small bribe, the director even offered me a special look at the monitor.
“Ask us questions! Hello, we are Answer! We hope you have a beautiful and bountiful Chuseok, with a full moon as bright as our faces!”
Answer, with their hands cupped under their chins, followed the script perfectly, but something bothered me.
“Excuse me, Director-nim. Could we possibly change the lines a bit?”
“Hm? Why?”
“I think it makes the rookies seem like they’re trying too hard to be pretty.”
“Ah, you’re worried people will say they’re being extra? You’re very thoughtful. So what would the new lines be?”
The director, who seemed to have taken a liking to me, agreed to a retake.
I quickly changed the line that had the potential to be disliked. It might seem like a small thing, but it would greatly reduce the risk.
“Ask us questions! Hello, we are Answer! We hope you have a prosperous and happy Chuseok, full of big smiles with your families! We sincerely, truly wish you the best!”
The Answer members finished the shoot with even brighter expressions.
It had been a fulfilling day where I got to see the members of Fire Emblem, who I was happy to see after so long, and also made a connection with a reporter who could be helpful.
‘Just you wait, Gyeon Sang-jin.’
***
“Tonight’s chicken is a secret, okay?”
“Oppa, you say the most obvious things. But is the chicken here really that good?”
“This is the home of Lee Yoo-ah-ssi, who’s working on our project with us, so let’s be polite.”
“Ah! So this is the place.”
Ro-si’s face lit up with delight.
I had considered whether her mother’s shop becoming known could negatively affect Yoo-ah, but I figured it would be fine since the Answer members had all been through their own share of hardships. Besides, it would be good for them to get closer, as they’d be working together for a while.
To be honest, I was also really craving that sweet and spicy *dak-gangjeong* I’d had before.
The bell chimed as I opened the door.
A wave of warm air washed over us, a stark contrast to the chilly air outside.
Two of the five tables were occupied by office workers unwinding with chicken and beer.
“Welcome!”
I heard the voice of Yoo-ah’s mother, which sounded similar to her daughter’s, and the customers’ gazes all turned toward us.
They, who had clearly been in the middle of a conversation, stared at each other with wide eyes.
I could well imagine how the average man would feel seeing four beauties at once.
“Oh my, look who it is! Min-jun-ssi.”
“Hello, ma’am.”
“Hello!”
The Answer members followed my lead and greeted her.
“You must be Answer! You’re all so much prettier in person. How can every single one of you be so beautiful?”
“Thank you!”
The customers started searching for something on their phones.
‘Answer,’ of course.
“Just wait a moment. You girls probably like boneless, right? I’ll make it delicious for you!”
“Ah! Ma’am! Could you make one of them with bone-in, please?”
“You must be Seul-bi-ssi, right? You certainly know what you like.”
The small space, though simple, was clean and cozy, creating an atmosphere where the members could relax comfortably.
They started chatting while munching on macaroni-shaped snacks, a rare sight these days.
*Crunch.*
“Yum, yum. This snack is surprisingly tasty.”
Yi-na observed the macaroni snack with fascination.
“I’ve seen small macaroni snacks, but this is my first time seeing one this big.”
Seul-bi said, putting the snacks on all five of her fingers.
“This is my first time in a chicken restaurant.”
“Huh? Me too.”
“Isn’t that normal? Chicken is for delivery.”
Except for Seul-bi, none of them had ever been to a chicken restaurant.
“You people don’t know chicken. Taking a bite of a chicken leg right after it’s been fried! For those who haven’t tried it, get ready.”
“Seul-bi-ssi must be a foodie, huh?”
Yoo-ah’s mother placed a plate of half boneless, half bone-in chicken on the table.
“Enjoy your meal. Would you like some beer?”
“We’ll get it ourselves!”
Ro-si and I stood up to set up the beers.
Just then, as if they had been waiting for someone to get up, a couple of customers approached Ro-si.
“I’m a fan! Could we get a picture?”
How long had it even been since Ro-si started her activities?
It was likely just flattery to get a photo, but Ro-si’s face brightened.
“Of course!”
Once she readily agreed, all the customers lined up to take pictures.
“There are no portrait rights or anything, so please post a lot on social media.”
The customers who took photos returned to their seats with wide grins.
At last, Answer’s long-awaited chicken and beer feast began. Yi-na, still a minor, had to raise a glass of coke instead.
*Clink!*
“Answer, let’s go!”
“Let’s go!”
The Answer members tipped their heads back, their shimmering hair falling away as they drank refreshingly.
“Ahh! It’s winter, but why does this beer taste so good?”
“I know, right?”
Seol-ah replied calmly to Seul-bi’s comment.
Seul-bi picked up a freshly fried chicken leg.
*CRUNCH!*
At the sound of the crispy batter, everyone picked up their forks.
“Hahh. Nom nom.”
“Is it to your liking?”
“Yes! The brine is perfect! It’s chewy and savory, so delicious!”
Yoo-ah’s mother’s face beamed at Seul-bi’s words. Yi-na, who was nibbling on her chicken, asked curiously.
“But what’s brine?”
“It means pre-seasoning and aging the meat. It makes it much chewier and more delicious.”
“Ah, I get it now!”
The members lost themselves in savoring the chicken, a rare treat. The sound of crunching from all around made me feel good.
*Jingle.*
But soon, customers began to arrive one by one, and we couldn’t just sit back and enjoy ourselves.
“My goodness, why am I so busy today of all days?”
Yoo-ah’s mother looked more worried than happy about the delivery orders and new customers coming in.
Ro-si and I naturally got up and cleared the tables of the customers who had left.
“Oh my! You don’t have to do that. Yoo-ah will be here soon. No, I should just stop taking delivery orders today.”
“Please don’t do that! It would be a disaster if you lost your regulars. Please don’t make us feel sorry for coming… We’ll just help until Yoo-ah-ssi gets here!”
“Then you have to promise me you’ll eat the chicken and drinks for free today. If not, I’m closing up shop.”
Faced with her mother’s stubbornness, we had no choice but to compromise.
“Wow! Thank you for the food! We’ll save some for you, Oppa!”
Seul-bi and Yi-na were genuinely thrilled.
After that, whenever customers called, I and the Answer members took turns taking their orders.
For some reason, the small shop was packed today, and the sight of the beautiful girls serving them seemed to energize the customers as well.
In the midst of it all, the door chimed with a ‘jingle’ and Lee Yoo-ah walked in.
“I’m home?”
Yoo-ah’s face was a picture of surprise as she saw us serving tables.