Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The One Who Laughs Last...(7)
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“I'm An Tae-ho. I'm 26 years old. Starting today, I'll be working as Luminous's temporary manager. I look forward to working with you.”
A clean introduction, and Kang Chae-rin let out an excited squeal.
“Whoa! No way! I thought you were at least thirty! Sorry!”
“Haha, no worries. I hear that all the time. They say I look a bit older than I am. But on the plus side, no one will dismiss me as a kid manager.”
“Wow! You're so cool!”
“Thanks for liking me already.”
Next up was Seol Su-bin, raising her hand.
“Did you serve in the military?”
“I was in the Army's Special Warfare Command.”
“Where's that?”
“Just know it's a tough place.”
“Hmm, got it.”
Finally, Han Ji-woo.
“How much do managers make?”
A question straight out of her character.
“Ah, well...”
An Tae-ho, who had been answering smoothly, looked troubled for the first time, his face a little forlorn.
“Due to confidentiality agreements with the company, I can't mention specifics. But roughly speaking... it's not that much, haha.”
“The pay's low, so why become a manager?”
“How should I put it? It's behind-the-scenes work, sure, but watching the celebrities I manage succeed little by little up close sounds pretty thrilling.”
“...”
Han Ji-woo's eyes narrowed.
“Not some novel-romance reason. The real one.”
“...What man would pass up the chance to see pretty girls like you closer than anyone, more often than anyone? And they pay me for it. That's all there is to it. Anyone would want the job.”
“Mm, satisfied. Okay. You pass.”
“Haha, thank you...”
Pass what? No idea.
The Luminous members were all welcoming the new manager.
I was the only one eyeing him warily, my gaze complicated.
'He's too damn handsome.'
A clean-cut guy, rare at Purem Entertainment.
Which made him even more suspicious.
'This company assigning a normal guy like this as manager?'
I'd expected someone over 190 cm tall, at least 120 kg, a thug who could square up to a bear without flinching.
Someone whose mouth would casually spew shit like “bitch” or “whore” at us.
“I know I look soft, but don't worry. I'm a 5th dan in taekwondo. Worked as an instructor during college.”
“Whoa! Awesome!”
“Haha, this face is why I got to be your manager, in a way. The section chief said so.”
“What'd he say?”
“These days, managers can't look scary. Bodyguards with tough faces give celebrities a bad image, so having someone like that around lowers success odds.”
An answer that preempted my doubts perfectly.
“...”
If anything, it deepened my suspicions instead of easing them.
Why bother explaining that?
'Not like there's no reason not to. Damn, am I overreacting?'
Suspecting him like this.
If he turned out innocent, I'd just look like a fool.
But this guy was sent by Go Min-cheol.
At this timing, no less.
'Just fuck him and see?'
Easiest and fastest way.
Through Han Nam-do, I already knew guys I'd slept with wouldn't spill easily.
Sleep with An Tae-ho somehow, and I could hear his true intentions, right?
“Manager! Manager!”
“Yes? Feel free, Chae-rin.”
“Waaah! Just having a manager call me like this makes me so happy!”
“I'm thrilled to chat casually with someone as cute as you.”
“Oh my god! You're too cool! So, between us four, who do you think is the prettiest?”
“Ah... tough question.”
While I shadowboxed my doubts alone, the members were bonding with the new manager.
“Say the wrong thing, and it's usually big trouble... No-comment won't fly, huh?”
“Nah, boring! No way! If you had to pick one? We won't hold it against you. For real!”
An Tae-ho scratched the back of his head.
“Hmm, if I absolutely have to pick one... it'd be her...”
“...Huh?”
I'd been lost in thought for a sec.
Suddenly, all eyes were on me.
Wonder why.
“Unnie, unnie! The manager says you're the prettiest here! As expected of unnie!”
“Ah, not saying the others aren't pretty. But during my consult with the section chief, you came up the most, Hyun-ah. You're around my age too. Heard your story, felt a bit sorry for you.”
“...”
“Plus, you're the group leader, right?”
The lively vibe got doused with cold water instantly.
“Hey, our group leader isn't Hyun-ah unnie, it's Ji-woo un...”
“Su-bin, don't. No official leader yet. And this chance we got, the quick manager assignment—it's all thanks to Hyun-ah unnie, right? She even got us a song from the choreographer today.”
“No, still, unnie!”
Seol Su-bin wasn't the only one jumping up in panic.
Me and Chae-rin too.
“W-wait. Our leader's obviously you, Ji-woo. What're you saying?”
“Yeah! Hyun-ah unnie always said our leader has to be Ji-woo unnie. So mature, leading us, super reliable!”
“Come on, I'm not that great...”
“You are. Ji-woo unnie needs more confidence. Anyway, Kang Chae-rin! You've been glued to Hyun-ah unnie lately?”
“Hehe, Chae-rin loves Hyun-ah unnie! Burying my face in her chest feels like the coziest thing ever.”
“...”
Seol Su-bin eyed my chest with narrowed eyes.
Then nodded quietly, convinced.
Convinced by what, exactly?
“What'd you hear about me?”
“S-Su-bin unnie? Uh, nothing much... maybe tone down the swearing?”
“Fuck, that's your story!”
“Waaah! See, Hyun-ah unnie!”
The chilly air warmed back up.
For a moment, my heart had sunk.
'On purpose?'
I glared sharply at An Tae-ho, suspecting intent.
He immediately bowed 90 degrees.
“Gasp, sorry. I caused needless misunderstanding and trouble. Thought the oldest usually leads, slipped out.”
“Mm, could happen!”
“Still, be careful. We owe Hyun-ah unnie a lot, sure. But Ji-woo unnie's been with Luminous, with us, for so long... Saying that out of nowhere feels off.”
Seol Su-bin's words were a bit much too.
But no malice from her.
“I'll be careful. Sorry.”
“Apology accepted! Hehe, looking forward to it, manager!”
“Yes, me too.”
In the end, the first meeting closed with zero suspicions cleared.
After that, An Tae-ho started fulfilling his manager duties.
“Here, iced americanos. One each.”
“Whoa! Thanks!”
After intense choreography practice.
We were all drenched in sweat, catching our breath.
An Tae-ho popped up with fresh iced americanos.
“Low-cal, so drink freely. But too much caffeine's bad. Don't overdo it.”
“Got it! Thanks!”
“Haha, having a manager makes this so convenient. Feels like we're celebs already.”
“Su-bin.”
“I know, Ji-woo unnie. Just excited.”
Han Ji-woo didn't show it.
But she seemed thrilled about the manager.
'This was my job before.'
Only I, paranoid, couldn't accept the goodwill.
'What if it's spiked?'
Laxatives, hair loss drugs, or something dangerous.
Or aphrodisiacs for the girls, to snap weird pics.
'Damn, driving me crazy...'
At this rate, I'd end up in a psych ward before debut.
'Definitely fuck him, then?'
He thinks I'm the prettiest, right?
A guy like that—leak a bit of succubus charm, he'd get rock hard down there.
Give him an inch, and he'd pounce like a beast, pounding my pussy.
'But what if not?'
What if he's genuinely pure, perfectly timed assignment?
Sex with our future manager ongoing?
For gag order, regular bangs too...
“Watch it. Long tail gets caught. You sex-crazed bitch.”
If word got out about me and the manager?
“Unnie, you okay? You look pale.”
“Huh? Y-yeah. Just... used to doing this stuff. Kinda miffed handing it over.”
“Hehe, that it? You'll get used to it! Who knows, maybe we'll get so big we have two, three managers!”
“Ah... yeah.”
She had a point.
If we blew up later, more than one manager. Suspect each one forever?
Head already throbbed at the thought.
'Damn, can't go on like this.'
No answers from solo brooding.
Just endless loops, head exploding.
Only one way now.
“Decide, don't hesitate.”
Tower wisdom.
[Min-cheol, where are you now?]
Had to grill Go Min-cheol himself.
But... no reply.
Obviously dodging me.
“...”
I curled the corner of my mouth into a smirk.
Ha, look at this bastard.