Recruiting Her?
Jin Yeoreum, sitting in the passenger seat, spoke up. “Autumn unnie seems like such a good person. She manages to have a natural conversation with me, even though my social skills are practically garbage.”
“Hey, garbage might be pushing it.”
“I actually thought ‘garbage’ was already a softened way of putting it… Does that mean you’re giving my social skills a high evaluation, Teacher Taeyang?”
Jin Yeoreum shook her head. “…As expected, I always end up feeling embarrassed in front of you, Teacher. I’m not someone that impressive at all…”
It looked like her signature negative mode had activated again. Hoping she would gain some confidence, I spoke firmly.
“Don’t sell yourself short like that. Your social skills aren’t garbage. They’re just… on the low side!”
At my enthusiastic defense, she made a puzzled face.
“…Um, thank you?”
It seemed she had taken the encouragement positively. A very good attitude.
“By the way, how are the lessons with Trainer Lee Hyerin going? The CEO is thinking positively about hiring her full-time.”
If both Jin Yeoreum and Yoon Haneul thought well of Lee Hyerin, the hiring would probably be confirmed.
“Trainer Hyerin?”
Jin Yeoreum pondered for a moment before answering. “I feel bad evaluating her like this, but I’ll just say what comes to mind. Trainer Hyerin seems extremely thorough and professional when it comes to training. Sometimes it feels too difficult, but I can sense myself improving, so I end up trusting her and following along.”
Even taking into account that she was probably being conservative because I was right in front of her, it was still quite a favorable review. Just like Cheon A-ram, Seo Suyeon, and I had viewed her positively, it seemed Jin Yeoreum did too.
“But she doesn’t talk much about personal matters, so getting close to her was a bit difficult. Especially since my own social skills are… on the low side as well.”
To be honest, I also found it hard to get close to Lee Hyerin. Especially after Yoon Haneul’s evaluation last time… It would be too much to ask her to do something I couldn’t manage myself. Unfortunately, it looked like Jin Yeoreum and Lee Hyerin would have to remain in a strictly professional relationship.
…What can you do? When you consider how rare the talent Cheon A-ram approves of is, that much is something we have to endure.
“Still, things have changed a lot since Autumn unnie joined. Because unnie leads the atmosphere, we end up laughing together even during tough training sessions.”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
“That’s really fortunate.”
Hearing that made me feel like recruiting Yoon Haneul had been the right decision. If she could lead the mood, it seemed like she could minimize any discord within the team.
“But lately, it feels like Trainer Hyerin is avoiding Autumn unnie. I wonder why?”
“Huh?”
Avoiding Yoon Haneul, who was practically a golden retriever in human form? There was no way.
“You must have misunderstood something, Yeoreum. Who in the world would avoid someone like Autumn?”
“I suppose so?”
Jin Yeoreum, still in the passenger seat, continued chattering away. As I listened to her voice and gave appropriate responses, it reminded me of the time I used to drive her to the dance studio. Maybe because of the rose-tinted filter of nostalgia, this moment felt incredibly enjoyable.
But I was probably the only one feeling that way. From Jin Yeoreum’s perspective, this was probably closer to an unexpected overtime shift with her boss. The cold look she had given me earlier made that judgment certain.
Still, seeing her smile and talk like this now, it seemed her mood had improved somewhat. In that case, I should address it directly.
I spoke up, fully aware that what I was about to say was essentially stepping on a landmine.
“Has your mood gotten better?”
“…My mood?”
“I suddenly dragged you into work like this, so you must have felt pretty awkward. I’m sorry. But this is something necessary for your success. I guarantee it.”
“No! No! I haven’t felt upset or awkward at all!”
“Come on, you can be a little honest. We’re close enough to share that kind of feeling, aren’t we?”
We’ve built up a friendship while eating from the same pot at your sister’s house, haven’t we? Let’s talk about this level of complaint comfortably. Relationships stay healthy when you open up a bit.
“I really don’t feel anything like that! I’m so happy to be spending time with Team Leader Seon right now!”
After finishing her sentence, Jin Yeoreum’s face turned bright red as she quickly added,
“Ah… I didn’t say that with the intention of creating any misunderstanding. I meant it in a purely human, friendly way…”
“Aigoo, don’t worry. You just said that because you feel a deep friendship with me, right? I’m not some self-conscious middle schooler going through puberty. I wouldn’t misunderstand something like that.”
I had lived a life where I could confidently call myself a veteran manager. There was no way someone like me would look at my assigned idol that way. And there was no chance Jin Yeoreum would think of an old man like me in that manner either.
At my confident words, Jin Yeoreum nodded with a slightly awkward expression.
“…I suppose so.”
“Yeah. That’s it.”
Then what was that look Jin Yeoreum gave me earlier? I didn’t leave that question buried.
“But Yeoreum. I didn’t just imagine that you seemed upset. Earlier, you looked at me like I was complete trash, didn’t you?”
“I looked at you like that, Team Leader Seon? When?”
“When Autumn collapsed and I lifted her up to support her. Your eyes at that moment were exactly like a school bully watching a loser act out of line.”
…Honestly, it was scary, Yeoreum. Even though I know what kind of person you are, I still shrank back from that gaze.
Jin Yeoreum spoke softly, as if she had realized something.
“…Ah, that time.”
Then she slammed her head against the dashboard of the passenger seat.
THUD!
“I’m truly sorry. To have looked at Team Leader Seon with those eyes…”
She hit it hard enough to make the car shake slightly.
“Hey, Yeoreum, I’m fine so don’t do that! Your face is too precious for that!”
Why is there no middle ground with this girl? I pulled the car over and carefully examined whether she had hurt her forehead. Fortunately, aside from it being slightly red, there were no injuries.
I let out a small sigh and said,
“Yeoreum. I’m sorry for saying it this way, but I hope you’ll remember that you’re an incredibly valuable asset. Your body doesn’t belong only to you.”
“…Then who does it belong to?”
Jin Yeoreum looked at me with eyes full of some kind of expectation. Not knowing exactly what she was hoping for, I simply said what needed to be said.
“Who else? It belongs to the company.”
“…The company’s, then.”
For some reason, Jin Yeoreum’s voice sounded deflated as she answered. …Did I make another verbal slip-up?
Feeling awkward, I started driving again. When we had almost reached our destination after passing through the main road, Jin Yeoreum quietly repeated my name.
“Teacher Taeyang.”
“Yeah, what is it, Yeoreum?”
“Teacher Taeyang, what do you think of Autumn unnie?”
“Autumn?”
It felt like a somewhat random question, but I figured she might be curious, so I answered honestly.
“She’s kind-hearted, has a strong sense of responsibility, is diligent, easily approachable, good at singing, and pretty.”
“…She’s perfect.”
“Well, she is pretty much perfect when it comes to becoming a singer.”
There was actually a lot more I could say about what kind of person Yoon Haneul was. But it wouldn’t be proper to tell all those stories without her permission. So I kept it simple like this.
It seemed the fragmented description was enough for Jin Yeoreum, as she nodded.
“Teacher Taeyang.”
It was the same repetition as before. Yet somehow, the words felt fragile and precarious this time. Worried, I answered with as much gentleness as I could muster.
“Yes, Yeoreum. Is there something else you want to ask?”
“It’s not that I want to ask. But there is something I want to say.”
“What is it?”
“…For the next overtime, you have to bring Autumn unnie with you.”
The face of Jin Yeoreum as she said this was filled with pain, as if she didn’t want to say those words at all.
…So I ended up making even someone with her innate social awkwardness say something like that.
“Alright. Next time, I’ll bring Autumn along.”
I’m really sorry for dragging you out when you were resting. As I felt a pang of guilt, Jin Yeoreum spoke softly beside me, as if making a vow.
“…I will definitely make sure everyone is happy.”
I couldn’t understand what her determined words truly meant.
The reason I decided to do volunteer work at this orphanage was indeed because I coveted the (reverse surge) that Bubble Shower would experience. But if you asked whether that was the only thing I was aiming for, I would shake my head.
I was targeting the recruitment of a third member here.
No matter what anyone said, the protagonist of Bubble Shower’s reverse surge was Yoon Haneul. She was the one who had warmed the internet with her tireless volunteer work, dozens of heartwarming stories, and stunning beauty that shone even without makeup.
Since I had read the related articles with great interest at the time, and had thoroughly researched her—from her debut materials all the way back to her trainee days—I could say this with confidence. Recruiting Yoon Haneul would not be something I would regret.
I hadn’t seen her in person, so I couldn’t check her detailed stats, but from the materials I reviewed, her dancing and singing were of such high quality that it was strange she hadn’t stood out. I had a feeling her potential in the main stats would be similar to Jin Yeoreum’s.
Moreover, her habit of doing good deeds and her attitude of considering and taking care of all the staff were famous within the industry. Someone like her probably wouldn’t give off any bad scent to Cheon A-ram’s nose either.
Furthermore, rather than aiming for a “post-Yoon Haneul” while doing volunteer work from now on, recruiting the real Yoon Haneul—whose explosive rise was already predicted—would provide a much more certain guarantee. All these reasons had directed my heart toward Yoon Haneul.
That was why I had come to the orphanage hoping to meet her and attempt to recruit her.
“You said you had something to tell me?”
Therefore, I had not expected this situation at all.
“Yes… I do have something to say.”
“Hmm… Please speak freely.”
“…Would you consider working together with our Two Bear Entertainment?”
Who would have thought that instead of Yoon Haneul, I would end up attempting to recruit Jin Yeoreum—the third-generation chaebol heiress whose doping scandal had been the catalyst for that reverse surge?