Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: The CEO's Gift
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The food at the agency really was delicious. It was no lie. The quality was so high it put school lunches to shame, leaving me in awe.
For instance, this spicy pork stir-fry.
Every bite of the pork soaked in sweet sauce exploded with umami on the tip of my tongue, making a smile spread across my face naturally.
"You're eating well."
Blue-tinted eyes turned toward me.
Her name was Lee Seo-yoon, and her ponytail suited her perfectly. She was the leader of B-Class.
"Unnie, you've got some sauce on your mouth."
I grabbed a wet wipe from nearby and leaned in toward her a bit.
As I carefully wiped her pink lips, Lee Seo-yoon pulled her head back with a flustered expression.
"I can do this myself."
"Hehe, too late. Already done."
Truth be told, there wasn't anything on her mouth. It was just a little trick to close the distance.
People who put up walls like that respond better to straightforward approaches.
"Anyway, it's pretty rare for someone to jump straight into B-Class like you."
Lee Seo-yoon let out a light sigh as she spoke.
As we chatted over our meal, I started getting a glimpse into the agency's inner workings.
Trainees at BlueNMI Entertainment were divided into three classes—A, B, and C—separated by gender.
True to Korea's competitive spirit, the letters represented ranks.
A-Class was for promising debut candidates only. C-Class, on the other hand, housed trainees whose potential was still unclear.
B-Class was right in the middle—the average tier.
Most started in C-Class, built up their skills, and slowly moved up.
If they didn't show promise after time passed, they got dropped. It was a harsh reality for young people not yet adults.
Lee Hyun-ah had endured two years in C-Class before climbing up. From her perspective, someone like me starting in B-Class must have rubbed her the wrong way.
Well, not anymore.
And the girl in front of me now was set to promote to A-Class next year. With debut teams forming from A-Class, her debut was basically guaranteed.
"That's amazing, Unnie. So you'll debut soon?"
"Not necessarily. Being in A-Class doesn't mean you're automatically in a debut lineup."
Lee Seo-yoon popped the last bite of after-meal fruit into her mouth, tidied up her utensils, and slowly stood.
"I'm heading out first. Take your time eating and come to the practice room."
"Where are you going? I'm almost done too..."
"Gotta run for 30 minutes after eating. Wanna join?"
"Haha, see you later... Unnie."
I waved her off, opting for a quick exit.
There was a reason people didn't gain weight.
Wait, but... doesn't running right after eating hurt your stomach?
That's wild.
BlueNMI Entertainment's building had five floors in total.
The first floor housed the lobby and convenience facilities like a small cafe. The second had classrooms and offices. The basement levels 1 and 2 contained the cafeteria and practice rooms, while the third floor held the CEO's office.
"Sorry. I should've given this to you right away, but I was a bit late."
The CEO, Oh Seo-hee, handed me a paper crammed with her schedule. Seeing it filled from weekdays through weekends made my head throb.
"You've got some singing foundation, Sarang, so I focused on dance. We'll squeeze in foreign language and acting lessons here and there too."
"Ahaha..."
I wondered if asking to cut it down a bit would work.
...Nah, better not.
Judging by the determination in Oh Seo-hee's eyes, it might end up even fuller.
"And Sarang, I've got something for you."
"Me?"
Oh Seo-hee pushed a rectangular box sloppily wrapped toward me.
"I'm not great at wrapping... Sorry."
A sudden gift caught me off guard, but I decided to open it. It felt heavier than expected in my hands.
Peeling off the wrapping revealed a sleek matte black luxury box inside.
Lifting the lid exposed a neatly organized interior. In the center sat a device with a black glass screen.
The pristine screen, free of fingerprints or smudges, clearly reflected my face.
"Do you know how inconvenient it was without a way to contact you? In this day and age, a phone is essential."
"......Is this mine?"
"Yeah. Not the absolute latest model, but the previous one should have plenty of performance."
I dazedly lifted the phone from the box with both hands.
The cold metal against my palm gradually warmed to my body temperature.
Pressing the side button brought a faint vibration, and crisp text lit up the screen.
"Data's unlimited by default, but if you use too much, it'll slow down, so keep that in mind."
"Why... give this to me...?"
"You'll need to watch choreography videos and do lots of filming. Can't do that without a phone. Didn't think your parents would buy one, so I got it under the company name."
I tapped the unfamiliar surface with my fingers.
"Anything else you need, just say. I'll help as much as the company can afford."
"Why go this far for me?"
Now it was my turn to ask. No matter how pretty I was, I didn't think the CEO would get this personally involved.
"I told you before. I want to raise you properly."
"There must be tons better than me."
"At least in my eyes, no one's got as much potential as you."
Pretty direct words. And Oh Seo-hee's eyes held nothing but sincerity as she said them.
"...Thank you. I'll take good care of the phone."
No reason to turn down something free.
Think of it as a deal. Take this and commit to practicing diligently.
I decided to follow the schedule for now. I wasn't completely without a conscience.
I was pissed that my biological mother swiped the signing bonus, but ten million won had hit my account anyway. And now this expensive gift too.
Plus, warm meals every evening.
I wasn't planning to do broadcasts right away. That could wait until I was fully independent from her.
Until then, it was like a ten-million-won part-time gig.
I brought the phone to my lips and hid a sly smile.
Money too.
Phone bought.
Dinner covered.
Ask for more if needed.
And I could build idol connections for future collabs.
...Not bad, actually.
At least way better than that booze-soaked house.
Fine, let's give it a shot.
As long as I don't debut, no problem, right?
No, this was absolutely impossible.
I felt like I was going to puke any second.
"Hah... Heok... Uh-huh... Hng...!"
My vision spun wildly. No matter how raggedly I breathed, my lungs burned like they were screaming in pain.
"Isn't your stamina a bit too low? If you're dying after this little, what are we gonna do? One more lap."
Lee Hyun-ah wiped sweat from her forehead and looked down at me with pity.
Damn. Getting that look from Lee Hyun-ah, who melted at a single compliment. No nice words for her today.
Frustrating, but she wasn't wrong.
This was basic stamina training before proper practice, done by all trainees together. We ran on the indoor track tied up with a nearby agency.
Honestly, I thought I could handle it.
I had decent athleticism and was confident in my stamina. Even in my past life, I gamed four hours a day on four hours of sleep without issue.
But apparently, while my poor coordination carried over, my stamina didn't.
Just two laps in, and I was dying. No exaggeration.
"Hah... Heok... Unnie... I-I'm done... Feels like I'm gonna die......"
"......Sigh. Lie down and rest."
Damn. Pitied by Lee Hyun-ah again.
But I had no choice. She'd run faster and longer than me, yet was only slightly out of breath.
And there was an even bigger monster. Lee Seo-yoon, who'd been running nonstop before I even arrived.
At least thirty minutes, and she made it look humanly possible?
"Haa... Hng... Hah..."
My breath wouldn't come back easily once it was gone.
I sprawled out starfish-style in the corner of the track, taking deep breaths. Only after my lungs quieted a bit could I sit up.
By then, the other trainees were stopping one by one. My eyes met Lee Seo-yoon's, her ponytail neatly tied as always.
Even exhausted, gotta do what I gotta do.
I forced a smile and waved lightly. Then I brought my hand to my mouth and mouthed clearly.
[Let's eat together again today.]
Lee Seo-yoon nodded shortly and looked away.
Heh heh.
So shy underneath it all.