[Idol Project]

I was grinning to myself when suddenly a notification pinged. Thinking it might be Seoyeon noona, I quickly closed the Manager App and checked KakaoTalk.

'Eunha?'

The message was from none other than Eunha.

I tilted my head at the question and replied, Weren't you coming in the evening?

Almost immediately, another message popped up.

I shrugged at Eunha's message and fired back right away.

With the chat wrapped up, I hopped out of bed. Gotta shower quick.

I scratched my messy bedhead from sleeping all night and grabbed my toiletries before heading to the shower. After scrubbing clean, I changed into fresh patient clothes and returned to my room.

Just to check, I scanned real-time trends in case Lee Hyunju had made some public apology, but nothing had changed.

"Did she really just ignore me?"

Looked like my punishment was too light. Grinding my teeth, I was about to summon her to the Training Room when—ping!—another KakaoTalk alert.

I paused my hand on the Manager App and checked.

I clicked my tongue in frustration and set my phone down. Wait till tomorrow, then.

If no articles popped up by then, it'd be clear she'd outright ignored me.

...Time for real punishment.

I let out a faint ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chuckle, clenching and unclenching my fist. By then, the room was buzzing—Eunha and the others had arrived.

Right on time.

I looked up, and sure enough, Jihyun was strutting in next to Eunha, drawing every guy's stare in the place.

...She's even prettier now.

Her skin practically glowed with luster. Anyone would mistake her for a celeb. But she was just a junior in our department.

Well, not just any junior like Eunha. Jihyun was the infamous beauty whose face graced the cover of our school's promo booklet.

Her signature long twintails suited her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠perfectly, making her look even younger and cuter. Her straight nose and flawless pale skin only amplified her charm.

But despite that youthful face, her body was anything but childish.

Those tits are still killer.

If anything, her figure rivaled Elena's.

"Oppa, long time no see!"

Jihyun waved as she approached, and I gave a wry smile. "Yeah, it's been a while."

She giggled cheekily and plopped her butt right on my bed. Peeking at me, she asked, "How'd a healthy guy like you end up hurt?"

"Got bit by a dog."

No point saying ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wolf—they'd think I was nuts. Jihyun's eyes went wide in shock, then she burst out laughing and smacked my arm.

"Ahaha, what'd you do to piss off a dog? Talk about bad luck! Haha!"

Eunha paled and yelled, "J-Jihyun! Oppa's hurt! How could you hit him like that?!"

"Whoa, look at you babying Yuhyun oppa. Anyone'd think you're his girlfriend."

Jihyun smirked mischievously and poked Eunha's side with her elbow. Eunha's ears turned beet red as she shrieked, "G-Girlfriend?! You wanna keep saying weird stuff?!"

"Okay, okay! Put that fist down!"

Jihyun flinched at Eunha's raised fist, like she was about to swing. Seizing the moment, I handed them each a bottle of Bacchus.

"So, why'd you come?"

Jihyun grinned. "Oppa, you like girl groups?"

"Huh? Well... yeah, I'm a guy."

She glanced at Eunha, then shook her twintails and turned back. "Eunha wants to be an idol."

"What?"

I blurted out in surprise. "N-No, that's not true!!"

Eunha shouted at the same time, her face flushing crimson as she shook her head frantically. Clearly, Jihyun was teasing her.

I chuckled. "Don't bully her too much."

Jihyun scooted closer. "Why not? Our Eunha's so pretty!"

I put on a thoughtful face. "True enough. Eunha is pretty cute."

"Oppa!!"

Eunha wailed, eyes tearing up. Ignoring her, Jihyun leaned in more boldly. "What if Eunha became an idol?"

"She'd kill it. Why?"

Jihyun puffed out her chest. "We're thinking of doing Idol Project together."

"I-I never said I'd do it!"

Eunha sniffled loudly at Jihyun's matter-of-fact tone. "Oppa, if Eunha and I do Idol Project, we'd win first for sure, right?"

"Yeah, probably."

Jihyun alone could probably take first. Her looks were overwhelming—baby face, mature body, and she could even sing well. Only issue: once she binged anime, she turned into a hermit.

"See, Eunha? Even oppa agrees!"

"......"

Cornered by both of us, Eunha fidgeted helplessly. Jihyun flashed a sly smile and grabbed my hand tight. "Oppa, imagine if our Eunha was an idol?"

"Huh?"

"Everyone would fall for her, right?"

Her blunt question made me glance at Eunha, who shyly hunched her shoulders and looked away.

If she dolled up... yeah.

Her figure in the Training Room had been damn alluring. Especially those big tits hidden under her baggy clothes...

...Not bad at all.

I swallowed hard. "They'd fall hard."

Jihyun's face lit up, while Eunha's shoulders twitched. "Eunha, even oppa says so! Let's do it!"

"......"

Eunha's eyes darted around before peeking at Jihyun. "...B-But just us two feels weird..."

"What's wrong with two?"

"It's embarrassing."

She whispered like she was dying. Sure, two onstage split the attention more than solo, but you'd still hog half the spotlight. Eunha squirmed, clearly thinking the same.

"Embarrassing? Just power through it!"

"Th-That's ridiculous!"

"How's it ridiculous?!"

As they bickered, another girl entered the room.

"Sunbae."

Ye-eun's flat voice called me. Her usual stoic face stared back.

"Kyaa!"

Jihyun let out a squeal. Finally got hit, huh?

But Jihyun looked fine. Actually, Eunha was the one hiding behind me like she was cornered.

...Then what?

Following Jihyun's gaze, I saw Ye-eun standing there.

"Oppa, who's she?"

I gave an awkward smile and nodded. "Hey."

Ye-eun approached, set her bag on the table. "Did our school have a girl like this? She looks just like Shiburin!"

Jihyun grabbed Ye-eun's hand with starry eyes. Ye-eun grimaced—rare for her—and tried to pull away, but Jihyun wouldn't let go. Leaning in with a loose smile, she said, "...Wanna do Idol Project with us?"

"Huh?"

Ye-eun blinked in bewilderment at Jihyun, then shot me a look demanding explanation.

Don't look at me...

I shrugged under the pressure, then pried Jihyun off Ye-eun. "Hey, chill out."

"Eek! How's a hurt guy so strong?!"

Pouting with teary eyes, Jihyun spotted trembling Eunha. "...Eunha! With three of us, it's perfect, right?"

Eunha looked to me pleadingly. I shook my head helplessly.

No reason to help her. Secretly, I was rooting for Jihyun.

If Ye-eun joins Idol Project, it'll cut down on perp-hunting time. Good for me.

I stayed neutral. "Sunbae, what's going on? Who's this?"

Ye-eun tugged my gown. I turned. "Our department junior... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seen the school promo booklet?"

"Huh? Kinda..."

"She's the cover girl."

"Oh..."

Ye-eun's face stayed blank. Probably tossed it right away. Who reads those anyway? I shoved mine in my shelf unread.

"She's just quirky. Bear with her."

"Okay... How's the bite?"

I patted my wolf-bitten shoulder. "Fine. Almost healed. Just waiting on rabies test. Should be out today or tomorrow."

"What if it's positive?"

"No way I'd die. It'll be fine."

Knowing the truth, Ye-eun looked guilty. I wasn't even involved—caught in their mess for no reason. No wonder she felt bad.

Sensing it, I smiled faintly. "...Thanks for visiting."

"Huh? Oh, no... Right, this is a get-well gift."

She handed me a thermos.