Rival's Bargain: A Secret Unit Performance
I ended up getting caught with my weakness during that surprise event. And of all people, it had to be a member from the rival girl group.
"I'll keep your secret. But in return, could you do me just one favor?"
To keep her mouth shut, I had no choice but to go along with whatever she wanted. I nodded reluctantly.
Chae Yu-na clutched her stomach, chuckling at first before bursting into full-on laughter all by herself.
"Haha! Why so serious? Scared I'm gonna ask for something naughty?"
"······Ahem!"
An awkward fake cough slipped out. I turned my head away, pretending my throat was itchy. My cheeks burned at the thought that she'd seen right through me.
"What'd you think I was gonna ask for, huh? Is that why your face is so red?"
She covered her mouth with one hand and grinned mischievously. Her eyes sparkled with playful intent. Despite it being our first meeting, she treated me with zero distance—like we were old pals. Was it because I seemed young? Or was she just like this naturally? No clue.
"So, what's this favor you want from me?"
I cut straight to the chase, probing her intentions.
Chae Yu-na leaned in slightly and whispered softly. A faint minty scent wafted from her with every word.
"Wanna do a unit performance together?"
Unit Performance. A collaborative stage where members from the same group—or even different groups—team up temporarily to perform together.
I never dreamed I'd hear that proposal from someone in a rival group, of all people. A unit performance between agencies that were rivals? It was a massive event that sparked huge buzz among fans. With fanbases so sharply divided, publicly showing friendship like this could benefit both sides. It could shift the dynamic from rivalry to joint support. In some cases, it even broke down barriers, expanding fanbases to new heights.
Not a bad offer for me.
Lovely Pink was a top-tier girl group with way more years under their belt than us. They had a much larger fanbase too. Sharing that with them? Ninety-nine percent chance A-Star came out on top.
She had to know that.
"·····You're serious about what you just said?"
"Of course. I've wanted to share a stage with you for a while now."
Her eyes held a mix of sincerity and excitement. No doubt about it—she meant every word.
"Got it."
"For real?"
"Yeah. But I need to get permission from our CEO first. Schedules have to be coordinated too. I'll check with the agency and get back to you."
I stepped out of the waiting room and called Kim Baek-ho. The signal tone barely rang before it connected in just two seconds.
I explained the whole situation, then brought up the unit performance idea.
His reaction was exactly as expected.
"What do you think? You wanna do it?"
As always, he checked my feelings first.
Leaning against the wall, I thought it over for a long moment before answering carefully.
"I do."
It wasn't a huge burden, and if it meant securing her silence on my secret, it was a win for me.
He approved without hesitation.
"Alright. We'll discuss the schedule and stage concept between agencies."
"Thank you."
We wrapped up the short call, and I headed back to the waiting room. Chae Yu-na waited by the door, her face full of worry.
"What'd your CEO say? Did he approve?"
I nodded calmly. Her face lit up as she grabbed my hand and dragged me to the sofa in the corner.
"Then let's talk details! I have a concept in mind, but I wanna hear your thoughts."
We sat side by side and dove into the planning. From the song to our outfits, she already had a rough stage concept mapped out in her head.
...How long has she been plotting this?
The question popped into my mind, but I didn't have the guts to ask.
It didn't take long for the unit performance schedule to lock in. The venue was a massive live concert hall in downtown Seoul. A lineup of hugely popular idols, and we were set to headline the main stage.
Yu-na & ??.
It was billed as a surprise event, so no official announcement to fans yet. Online communities buzzed with wild guesses, building anticipation alongside the mystery.
To keep it airtight, everyone involved was sworn to secrecy. Rehearsals happened in total stealth, away from prying eyes.
Location: Chae Yu-na's private practice room. I wore my glasses en route to dodge any paparazzi.
They probably all think I'm her manager. Perfect cover.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Come on in."
Inside the practice room, it was just me and Yu-na sunbae.
To prevent any leaks, we'd agreed on private one-on-one rehearsals.
"······It's huge. You use this all by yourself?"
"Yeah. I bring members sometimes."
Her private room rivaled our agency's full practice space. Soundproofing, high-end speakers, stage lighting, a wall-sized mirror. Unbelievable that this was personal space.
Top-tier girl group leader vibes. Her spending scale was no joke.
Thinking this could be my future? Kinda motivating.
"Pardon the intrusion."
I changed into comfy rehearsal clothes in the dressing room and came out. We warmed up lightly, then dove into the rehearsal duo-style.
Main song: Love and Thunder.
With breathing sync being key, we focused on matching rhythms throughout.
"When I give the cue, come in one beat late."
She took center, so she naturally led the rehearsal.
"Twist your waist more here, spread your legs a bit wider."
"Like this?"
"Hold on."
Sunbae adjusted my posture hands-on. One arm wrapped around my waist to twist it, the other pushing my thigh inward for the angle.
...Ticklish.
I bit my lip and followed her guidance.
"Is this right?"
"Hmm. Actually, maybe the original felt better... Let's tweak it like this instead."
She corrected me the same way again. More skinship than expected, but whatever—girls being girls.
"How's this?"
"Perfect."
Her dance expertise ran deep, and I picked up her teachings on the spot. Our chemistry clicked effortlessly, so the duo rehearsal flowed smoothly.
I sat at my desk, staring anxiously out the window.
Tap-tap-tap!
Rain pattered rhythmically against the glass. Thick rain poured relentlessly from the gray sky.
Rainy season had officially hit.
D-7 until the unit performance.
"······This is bad."
Precipitation probability: 30%
Partly cloudy with possible drizzle.
July 19th—performance day—and the forecast looked like this. Sure, 30% meant higher odds of dry weather, and even if it rained, a drizzle wouldn't derail things much. That's why the organizers weren't postponing.
"Whatcha staring at?"
Someone spoke up as I sat at my desk. I assumed it was Ga-young and turned—only to see a different girl student.
"······Weather forecast."
"No umbrella? I got a spare if you want it."
Lately, more classmates were approaching me.
——Haneul Arts High School Dance Club takes 1st nationwide! The competition video spread like wildfire among students, skyrocketing my visibility.
Sneaky glances in the halls, greetings from kids whose names I didn't know, random kindness like this. Everyone's attitude had flipped.
"Tch·······."
Ga-young watched the scene with clear displeasure.
What's her deal?
"Loved the performance video. You dance insanely well."
"Thanks."
"Got any other vids? You on StarTalk or FateBook?"
"I have accounts, yeah······."
"Gimme your ID then. We can follow each other."
The girl (name unknown) held out her phone.
I took it, then froze. Almost spilled my ID.
"Sorry. Account's new—can't remember the handle."
"Hmm."
She took her phone back and eyed me knowingly, like she saw right through it.
"Too few followers, huh? Embarrassed? Pfft, no need."
"It's not that······."
"I'll tell my friends—we'll all follow. How many you got?"
"7······."
"······7?"
She stopped, giving me a pitying look. I sighed quietly to myself.
...7,056,244.