The Cafeteria and the Squinty-Eyed Menace
After loosening up for about two hours, it was already lunchtime. I’ve always taken eating seriously. After all, the whole reason I became an idol was to live well and eat well, right? Especially at a time like this, nutrition was just as important as training, so I hurried over to the cafeteria.
“Cha Entertainment’s cafeteria really is on another level.”
The company cafeteria was a hidden gem that only insiders knew about. Even though it wasn’t a buffet, they used ridiculously expensive ingredients and every single menu item was top-tier. There was even a running joke among the staff that they only came to work for lunch. And that wasn’t all. If you put your name on the dinner request list, you could eat for free in the evening too. If you loitered around the entrance in the morning, the cooks would whip up porridge or toast for you. Basically, you could handle all three meals right here at the company.
Since it was an entertainment company that didn’t allow outsiders in, all of this was purely for the employees’ welfare. The cafeteria was completely free. If anyone asked what the pinnacle of Cha Entertainment’s employee benefits was, I’d bet it was this very cafeteria.
“It really is quiet today.”
Since it was right after the debut team selection and most of the trainees had cleared out, the cafeteria was emptier than usual. The other trainees who would normally be eating here were probably upstairs right now, anxiously discussing their futures with Director Cha. That must have been why he rushed back to his office earlier.
At Cha Entertainment, once the debut team was picked, they usually introduced the remaining trainees to other companies. It was a tradition that started back in the Purple Swan days. A few trainees who didn’t make the Purple Swan debut team had gone on to debut elsewhere and enjoyed pretty decent careers. During the Black Dust era, the trainees who left actually ended up becoming even more successful. Even though Black Dust itself had completely disbanded, the teams those trainees debuted with were still active and doing well.
At first glance, introducing trainees to other companies for free might seem like strengthening your enemies, but that was simply Director Cha’s way of surviving. Quite a few mid-tier agencies that were struggling had managed to overcome their crises by receiving decent trainees from Cha Entertainment. Naturally, those companies remained very friendly toward Director Cha.
He wasn’t the type to make enemies if he could help it.
“And the biggest prize this season is obviously the Levitation Trio.”
If any Cha Entertainment trainee were to transfer to another company, the Levitation Trio would definitely lead the pack. Of course, if Director Cha really wanted to block their path, he could make it difficult, but he wasn’t cruel enough to sabotage young trainees’ futures like that. He’d probably just give the other companies a heads-up that they needed careful management.
If he sent them off without any warning and they caused an accident later, it would put him in an awkward position. Still, considering the Levitation Trio’s abilities, plenty of companies would probably think a little personality defect was no big deal. As long as the company kept them under control, they wouldn’t cause trouble outside.
For some reason, I had a feeling I’d run into those three again someday.
“Well, whatever. Doesn’t matter to me.”
Like I mentioned before, once they’ve left the company, I honestly don’t care about them anymore. The only annoying thing was when they started shooting each other in the foot inside the team. Now that they can’t do that anymore, I’m fine. If they ever come bothering me later, they’ll get a taste of the ‘little Yeri hidden inside me’ and her fury.
As soon as I entered the cafeteria, I felt the employees’ eyes on me. I gave a small smile to those whose eyes I met and bowed my head slightly in greeting.
“Hic...”
The expressions of the employees who made eye contact with me turned strangely complicated. It was probably because I was doing something the old Na Yeri would never have done. The girl who used to avoid everyone’s gaze like the plague was now not only making direct eye contact but smiling and greeting people. They were probably wondering what the hell she’d eaten.
Since I’d started psychological treatment, this level of behavioral change shouldn’t be a big problem. Showing gradual changes like this was actually better than suddenly flipping my entire personality.
“Whoa...”
Today’s lunch menu was tonkatsu. Thin, crispy breading hiding a thick pork loin inside. A sweet yet spicy special sauce on top. The side salad looked fresh and crisp, clearly made with vegetables bought fresh that very morning. Just looking at it made my mouth water. I piled my plate high with the tonkatsu and set up a proper feast. There was nothing in the world to envy.
“Alright, let’s eat.”
I claimed an empty table, set down my tray, and immediately took a big bite of the tonkatsu. The thick, juicy meat hidden beneath the crunchy breading. The rich, savory flavor of the pork gently stimulated my tongue. It was perfectly fried.
“Hee~ YeriYeri~”
Just as I was about to fully enjoy my meal, an uninvited guest appeared. Yu Hana, a member of the same debut team, plopped down right next to me. Yu Hana was the ultimate social butterfly who got along with every trainee, but this was the first time she’d ever approached me—well, the old Na Yeri—like this, so I was a bit taken aback.
“Hm? What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason.”
Yu Hana. If you asked any trainee at Cha Entertainment who they thought would debut first, all ten out of ten would say Yu Hana. And for good reason—she was a complete package with visuals, vocals, and dance all at a high level. A center who could actually dance was rare even in the big agencies. If I had to compare an all-rounder center to a sports position, she’d be like a left-handed fireballer with great command or a midfielder who could use both feet and had excellent dribbling.
When Yu Hana first joined Cha Entertainment, everyone wondered why someone with that level of talent would choose a mid-tier company instead of a major one. Even though most of Na Yeri’s memories had faded, the fact that I remembered Yu Hana in such detail probably showed just how shocking her presence had been.
I couldn’t even remember the names of the Levitation Trio, who had tormented Na Yeri so badly, yet I remembered all sorts of little details about Yu Hana. That alone proved she really was something special. In the first timeline, among all the debut teams that came out of the company, Yu Hana had shone the brightest.
The reason both Na Yeri and I remembered her was because she continued to stand out even after debuting. I’d been genuinely impressed by her singing more than once or twice. Honestly, she could have become a huge star even if she’d pursued a solo vocal career instead of being an idol.
What was interesting was that Na Yeri’s feelings toward Yu Hana hadn’t been all that negative. Someone as twisted as Na Yeri should have felt jealousy or envy toward a perfect trainee like Yu Hana, but she hadn’t harbored any such emotions. That was all thanks to Yu Hana’s perfect interpersonal skills.
Yu Hana had always smiled and talked to Na Yeri, even when the other trainees ostracized her. She didn’t give any special treatment, but just treating her the same as everyone else must have been a welcome change for Na Yeri.
Anyway, in Na Yeri’s memories, Yu Hana remained a good person. But now that I was facing her directly, it felt… different from what I’d expected. Of course, the bright, smiling face she showed on broadcasts and in Na Yeri’s memories was still there. Yu Hana always had a smile on her face, and that smiling expression was practically her trademark.
But looking at that smiling face up close like this, something felt a little off. When this girl smiled, her eyes almost disappeared. Since Yu Hana was always smiling, she naturally became a classic squinty-eyed character. The kind of squinty-eyed look that anyone with half a brain would immediately be wary of.
“YeriYeri~ How could you do this to me? I thought my ‘Beautiful Voice’ was a pretty unique superpower. But YeriYeri, wow… you’re seriously…”
“What are you talking about?”
“Aww, why are you pretending not to know? The ‘Beauty’ YeriYeri~ Hehe, maybe we’ll… become legends together?”
Right when my wariness toward the sudden appearance of the squinty-eyed girl was at its peak, Yu Hana dropped a bomb. It was a blow I really hadn’t seen coming.
Beauty? Why was she suddenly saying that?
Feeling that something was off, I pulled out the debut team profile I’d received last time and opened it again. And there it was, clearly written in my possessed superpower column: Beauty.
Registered Superpower: Beauty
“...What the hell.”
No matter how flashy an entertainer’s profile was, there was no way they’d falsify a superpower. That meant the ability Na Yeri had reported really was ‘Beauty.’ Falsifying superpower records was a clear crime, so the company had no reason to write it down incorrectly on purpose.
Just thinking about how this ‘Beauty’ label was going to follow me around for the rest of my career made me dizzy already. Good grief, Beauty? In the entertainment industry where pretty and handsome people were a dime a dozen, Na Yeri was probably the only one who would register something like that.
She probably had to report something, so she just threw out whatever came to mind, but of all things, she picked an ability that screamed for attention like ‘Beauty.’ I was genuinely curious what the hell Na Yeri had been thinking when she submitted this. She couldn’t have actually believed it, right? She was definitely a bit weird, but I didn’t think her self-awareness was that inflated.
No matter how I thought about it, the civil servant in charge was the real problem. They should have firmly said no when it was clearly wrong, but that damn iron rice bowl probably just stamped it without thinking. Come to think of it, back when I was active, those Superhuman Agency bureaucrats were always...
Yu Hana was giggling beside me, apparently finding my panicked expression change amusing. It didn’t seem like she was mocking me. She just genuinely thought it was funny. This girl has a worse personality than I expected.
Of course, from anyone’s perspective the situation was ridiculous, but having her laugh so openly in my face made even me feel a little...
But that feeling only lasted a moment. Suddenly the atmosphere grew heavy and a chill ran down my spine. When I looked up, Yu Hana’s eyes were staring straight at me. Her squinty eyes had opened completely. It felt downright eerie.
“And you know what? I never knew YeriYeri was such a bold person. Wow, sending those three away just like that. You’re seriously amazing~”
“...Huh?”
This time, a much heavier blow came flying in. Heavy enough to make my fork, which had been dancing elegantly despite the ‘Beauty’ bombshell, pause mid-air.