Episode 53

In the parking lot behind the orphanage, Seok Hyun-woo bowed at a 90-degree angle and apologized.

“Team Leader Seon, I am truly sorry! I didn’t grasp Jin Yeoreum’s intentions and made the situation like this. I am deeply ashamed.”

I smiled gently, trying to look as kind as possible, and said,

“It’s okay. Actually, when I was scouting her, I had already considered the possibility that she might accept.”

“…Really?”

“I am seriously considering Jin Yeoreum as a member of our current project at TwoBear Entertainment.”

I lied without a second thought.

I realized once again that I was quite talented at acting.

Seok Hyun-woo looked at me with admiration, genuinely moved by my performance.

“Then this is very fortunate for me! Jin Yeoreum can do what she wants.”

“Of course. I have also received approval from our president.”

“Thank you so much.”

Seok Hyun-woo was about to kneel in gratitude and then took out a small card from his pocket.

“Please take this.”

“What is this?”

“This is my second number. Only Jin Yeoreum knows this number. If you need me, contact me through this number, and I will rush out to help at any time, even at dawn. For anything. It will surely be helpful.”

“….”

Seok Hyun-woo had made a mistake, but this was excessive treatment.

His attitude towards Jin Yeoreum seemed to go beyond simple courtesy towards a superior.

This was something I had become convinced of while investigating Jinkang and Seok Hyun-woo.

The scouting of Jin Yeoreum was not done under the name of Jinkang.

The source of the payment that entered the account was Seok Hyun-woo’s own money.

The exposure opportunities for the client were also personally led by him.

He did all this just for Jin Yeoreum’s peace of mind and took on all the burden.

“What does Jin Yeoreum mean to you, Manager Seok?”

I asked, my mind filled with those thoughts.

Seok Hyun-woo scratched his head awkwardly and said,

“I lost my wife and child in a car accident.”

“….”

He casually revealed his most vulnerable point.

“At the funeral, a little girl said to me, ‘If the emptiness is unbearably painful, think of me as your daughter.’ That was Jin Yeoreum’s statement when she was eight years old.”

“…That’s amazing.”

“Haha, amazing? She was just uneducated.”

“….”

…Wasn’t this supposed to be a touching story?

“I was angry when I heard those words. I thought she was insulting me. I believed the empty space of my child could never be filled by anything else. So I looked at her with a disgruntled gaze, thinking she was a rude child.”

A smile appeared on Seok Hyun-woo’s face as he said that.

“It wasn’t a special event that changed my mind. My job was to assist Jin Yeoreum, so I always worked by her side. Instead of Jin Baek-ho, who was always busy, I attended her sports days and parent observation classes. Since she started rhythmic gymnastics, I attended all her competitions and cheered for her.”

Even without a special event, time made one hold another in their heart.

“As time went by, I really started to consider her my daughter. It’s not a big deal. Oh, please keep this a secret from Jin Yeoreum.”

He said this as if embarrassed.

“So I am truly grateful to you, Team Leader Seon. Although it started from my mistake, this allowed Jin Yeoreum to move forward again. Honestly, I didn’t see her plan to volunteer for decades in a good light.”

The future Seok Hyun-woo hoped for was one that wouldn’t be realized because I had no intention of achieving it.

Yet, I had no choice but to leave an empty promise.

“I will do my best to meet your expectations, Manager Seok.”

It left a bitter taste.

Two days later, I returned to the orphanage. Since Gyeoul was sick, my companion this time was Gaeul again.

“Taeyang Oppa, is it true that Yeoreum is joining TwoBear?”

“For now, it’s tentative, but it’s okay to think so.”

I didn’t want to tell Gaeul the dirty truth that we would use Jin Yeoreum for noise marketing. So I lied again.

“Well, Yeoreum is pretty. Very pretty.”

“Right. She has a kind of elegant beauty, don’t you think? She could be an actress, too.”

“…Do men like that style after all?”

“Not just men. Women will like it too.”

“….”

Gaeul stopped tuning her guitar and looked at me hesitantly as she spoke.

“…Taeyang Oppa.”

Thinking she was about to say something serious, I stopped adjusting the camera system and looked at Gaeul.

“Yes, why? Gaeul.”

“Should I dye my hair black too? Like Yeoreum.”

What’s gotten into her that she wants to dye her hair now? She’d have to do it a lot once she debuts anyway.

“Hey, that’s a waste.”

“A waste?”

It was a waste of time, money, and everything. Dyeing isn’t free.

Well, even I, who lacked tact, could predict that if I honestly said it was to save company money, Gaeul would feel bad. So I said it a bit differently.

“Your brown hair is so warm and pretty. You might have to dye it when your debut and concept are decided, but I’d like to see it a bit more.”

“…Oh, I see. You want to see it because it’s warm and pretty.”

“Yes, I once said you reminded me of everyone’s first love. That fresh, youthful beauty is greatly influenced by your brown hair.”

Gaeul, with her head lowered as if she were about to bury it in the ground, fidgeted with her guitar and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Uh… that… Taeyang Oppa, then, will you take this?”

Gaeul plucked her hair and handed it to me.

…What is this supposed to mean?

“Why are you giving this to me…?”

“…You said it was pretty, so I thought you’d like to have it.”

“….”

I hesitated on how to react but eventually thanked her awkwardly.

“…Oh, okay, thank you.”

“Hehe.”

Looking at the long, thin strand of Gaeul’s brown hair in my hand, I pondered.

How should I handle this? Keeping it or throwing it away both seemed problematic.

A manager who throws away a gift from their idol vs. a manager who carefully keeps their idol’s hair.

Both seemed incredibly trashy.

I put Gaeul’s hair in the front pocket of my shirt. I would keep it for now and think about how to handle it later.

“Taeyang Oppa. For a moment, with me…”

“Gaeul Unnie! Play ‘Blue Whale’ now!”

“Why do you always ask for that old song when you see Gaeul Unnie?”

“…It’s not old; it’s legendary!”

“I don’t care! Gaeul Unnie should play ‘Missing You’!”

“Guys, wait a minute. I’m with Taeyang Oppa…”

Gaeul was dragged away by the group of quarreling kids.

She looked at me with eyes asking for help, but I just waved and cheered for her efforts.

Sorry. I’d take pretty pictures for you, Gaeul.

I actively took photos of Gaeul and Yeoreum doing volunteer work to fulfill the quest. I explained that creating materials to improve their image was a priority, and Jin Yeoreum agreed, allowing me to do so.

The image improvement was for Gyeoul and Gaeul, not Jin Yeoreum, though…

Once I started lying, I had to keep lying.

…It didn’t feel great.

“Huh? What are you taking pictures of?”

While I was in the middle of taking pictures, a woman spoke to me.

I turned around and saw her pastel sky-blue hair fluttering. Her eyes, shining emerald-like colored lenses, matched her hair well, and she wore a casual bustier dress over a matching colored shirt.

Her clear, bright gaze was undoubtedly beautiful, but it gave an impression of freshness rather than vague beauty.

It was Yoon Haneul, the key player in Bubble Shower’s reverse trend.

“You’ve been taking pictures of Yeoreum Unnie and that pretty unnie playing the guitar over there. Are you a photographer?”

“No, I’m not a photographer. I’m this person.”

I put down my camera and politely handed over my business card. Since she was someone I had been thinking of recruiting, I wanted to appear courteous.

She read my business card and said,

“…Team Leader Seon Taeyang of TwoBear Entertainment?”

“Yes, I am currently working to create a girl group team.”

Yoon Haneul said, as if slightly impressed,

“Oh, so you’re the Team Leader Seon Taeyang that Yeoreum mentioned. I’ve heard such interesting stories… Really, very interesting stories. Pfft.”

Yoon Haneul said that and then burst into laughter by herself.

I couldn’t tell if I should interpret this as a positive or negative reaction.

“Hmm… So the protagonist of that story looks like this!”

She stopped laughing and looked at my face as if examining it.

“It might be a bit too decadent… but maybe that’s what makes it sexy? Yes, I like it.”

“Huh?”

Yoon Haneul spoke lightly, as if suggesting we have coffee together.

“Team Leader Seon, will you go out with me?”

“….”

I got a confession from a trainee I was trying to recruit.