Chapter 27

27

"Hello, I'm PD Kim Hee-young, in charge of this Shining Star project."

Kim Hee-young had a unique way of speaking, soft yet drawn out. Moreover, despite being in her early to mid-thirties, her face was so youthful that she could easily pass for a college student.

With these characteristics, anyone meeting Kim Hee-young for the first time would think:

Ah, this person will be easy to handle.

"Hello! I'm Deden."

"You came an hour early today?"

"Ah, yes!"

"Since the schedule is tight, I told you to come at the right time."

And that thought would be shattered within five minutes.

"Is there a foreign member? Maybe they can't understand Korean?"

"PD! The camera is on here."

"We're going to edit it, so what are you afraid of?"

"PD-nim!"

'Same as always...'

At the moment when everyone lost their words, the assistant director subtly checked the situation. The manager, startled, waved his hands. After all, the person in charge was not a rookie idol but a successful PD.

"I'm sorry, it seems there was a miscommunication on our side."

"Next time, please come at the right time."

Who gets scolded for coming early, not late?

Everyone had that look, but it was clear that Kim Hee-young was in a bad mood, having stayed up all night. Or perhaps she had a grudge against the program itself.

Kim Hee-young, called out to the lounge, yawned repeatedly while flipping through the proposal.

"Well, since you're here, let's start... You said the project is called Deden? It seems to have some buzz."

"Yes, the members of Deden are really hardworking."

"Being hardworking makes it even worse."

Kim Hee-young sighed deeply. The members' faces hardened, understanding the implications.

"Starting from the left, Seo Ji-won, Kim Sung-hyun..."

Despite her apparent reluctance, Kim Hee-young slowly read out the names. I tried to remain calm, even though I ended up being the last one.

"...and Seo Ho-yun."

"..."

"Um..."

Kim Hee-young tilted her head and stared at me for a long time.

'Why is this happening?'

Cold sweat started to trickle down my back.

Could she recognize me?

No, that's impossible.

Lim Hyun-soo and Joo Sung also lost their memories of me. This is not the world where PD Seo lives, but the world where the rookie idol Seo Ho-yun lives.

Sure enough, Kim Hee-young nodded.

"Seo Ho-yun... You're really handsome."

"...Thank you."

"You'll look good on camera. You have a strong presence..."

I quietly muttered to myself.

'Why are you like this, bro?' 'Your expression has been... '

The members kept glancing at me with worried faces. I must have been making a strange expression.

When Kim Hee-young's gaze fell, Kim Sung-hyun, standing next to me, nudged my side, trying to get my attention.

It was a signal to snap out of it.

I want to, but how can I when my ex-girlfriend, Kim Hee-young, is staring at me intently right in front of me?

"Anyway, to the point. I assume you've read the proposal."

"Yes, it's really interesting!"

"I read it well."

"Yes, I'm glad the Deden members like it. Honestly, I don't like it at all."

"PD Kim!"

The assistant director, standing next to her, was shocked and tried to stop her.

"PD, are you crazy? Why are you like this? What will the newbies think if you say this in front of them?"

"Ah... I don't want to be like this either."

"But why are you like this!"

"How can I like something I don't? The higher-ups interfere so much, treating people like disposable items. Damn..."

Kim Hee-young continued to mutter like a madwoman.

Everyone's faces, except for Kim Hee-young and me, turned red, blue, and changed rapidly like a laser show.

'I don't want to talk to her if I can help it.'

Here, the only person who could stop Kim Hee-young from going off the rails was me. I sighed lightly and cautiously spoke up.

"PD, may I?"

"Y-Yes, Ho-yun."

"You said you would give us a summary of today's first recording and the mission."

"Yes, I did."

"Can we start with that? We didn't come here to hear this kind of talk."

As I said this, the members, who were already trembling at the PD's words, turned even paler. The manager, who couldn't even make a good impression, glared at me, thinking I had finally gone crazy. He was ready to punch me if I said one more word.

However, Kim Hee-young, after blinking, slowly nodded.

"That's fair. I'm sorry, I haven't been myself lately."

Only then did everyone, who had been frozen in shock, breathe a sigh of relief and relax.

Kim Hee-young, known as the crazy woman in this cable station, had managed to rise to this position because she was, in her own way, rational.

She slowly distributed the proposal materials.

"Since the production team has been shuffled, the recording schedule is tight. The first recording starts in four days, so please prepare well. We plan to select 120-second performance stages, so it would be great if you could prepare."

"In four days?"

"Yes. Ah, bring out the lottery."

The members' faces slightly frowned.

It was a lottery that had been set up just to fill the quota, and they had been contacted a month ago.

Kim Hee-young, receiving the two lotteries from the assistant director, stiffened but quickly pretended to be calm.

"Let's have one person draw."

"I'll do it."

Naturally, the leader, Kim Sung-hyun, was chosen to draw the lottery.

"There are five K-pop girl group songs. I wanted something unique, so I made a list of girl groups instead of boy groups. Each of you will perform the song you draw."

"What songs are there?"

"White Cherry, Like Girls, Mary Me, Rosemary, Itchu. Please check the songs yourself."

They were all famous girl groups. The members smiled meaningfully at this.

Kim Hee-young, noticing their expressions, extended the right lottery.

"And this one has the concept of digestion. It's based on fairy tales, so you'll draw one of several fairy tales. Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

At Kim Hee-young's gesture, the camera moved closer. Kim Sung-hyun, tense, drew the song and concept one by one.

Everyone was speechless as they watched him.

"..."

[Like Girls - Want You]

The song that was considered the most difficult.

Jeong Da-jun clapped first.

"Wow. Wow. Wow."

"R-e-a-l-l-y g-l-o-r-i-o-u-s."

"Wow?"

Kim Hee-young, seeing our flustered faces, giggled.

"They're so cute."

She muttered, her eyes squinting, that the editing would turn out well.

***

"Ho-yun, wait a moment. I don't know where the kids have gone."

"Sure, I'll stay here."

Everyone seemed to be in shock, either hiding in the van or scattering.

After sending the manager away, I walked around the station aimlessly. Without thinking, my steps led me to the smoking area.

It's been a while since I came here. I used to smoke here whenever I visited...

I often ran into Kim Hee-young here.

...Feeling uneasy, I was about to turn around.

"Hey."

Kim Hee-young is really a tiger.

I ran into her at that moment. Kim Hee-young, smoking openly in front of the station, greeted me more warmly than expected.

"Isn't it Seo Ho-yun?"

"...Yes."

What should I do? I can't just ignore the main PD.

I approached her like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.

"Did you come to smoke?"

"No, I don't smoke."

"Really?"

Kim Hee-young, seen from the outside, seemed a little more lively than when I saw her inside. After taking a puff of nicotine, she seemed to be in a better mood.

My conscience pricked me.

Kim Hee-young used to be a light smoker but became a heavy smoker for some reason.

Ding!

[Oh my, oh my!]

'...'

[She tore the popcorn!]

Be quiet.

While trying to figure out how to naturally distance myself, I met Kim Hee-young's eyes.

Phew, Kim Hee-young exhaled smoke and smiled at me.

"Seo Ho-yun, you really are handsome... Why didn't I know?"

"Thank you..."

"Of course, the others are handsome too, but... Seo Ho-yun has a captivating presence. You seem sensitive, which is my type."

You broke up with me by cursing and trying to slap me, which I desperately prevented.

"Ah!"

Interpreting my grim expression, Kim Hee-young waved her hand.

"It's not special. If it made you feel bad, I'm sorry. I'm a fool. As a PD, I tend to evaluate people, and I act rudely without realizing it."

"No, it's fine."

I quickly denied it. After spending so much time together, I could understand her intentions. I knew that her rough and seemingly rude comments were actually compliments.

"It's not like I would feel bad if PD says I'm handsome."

"...Wow, that's a great line."

As I smiled slightly, Kim Hee-young couldn't take her eyes off my smile and cleared her throat.

"Anyway, I think Seo Ho-yun is great. Nowadays, idols are afraid of being criticized, so they just look at me nervously when I speak bluntly. Seo Ho-yun was refreshingly good."

"It's not that they're afraid of being criticized, but they might be afraid of you."

"Ha ha, you're joking. I'm so nice."

Now I understand how the kids feel when I say 'I'm nice.'

Kim Hee-young giggled.

"Anyway, I'm sorry. I haven't paid much attention to the Deden members in this project. I told you about the mission late..."

By saying it late, she probably thinks we know nothing.

If Joo Sung hadn't told us, we would have known that other teams had already started practicing four days ago.

I slowly shook my head.

"No, it's fine. It's already enough."

"No, you'll definitely be treated poorly."

Kim Hee-young smiled bitterly, as if foreseeing the future. She looked tired.

"I'm really sorry."

"..."

"Life is really not easy."

It's not something you can tell just by looking.

Kim Hee-young was a successful PD. Even if she said she was tired of variety shows, people would beg her to do them.

She was capable and confident.

I thought she had nothing to lack, but Kim Hee-young was tired.

What should I say to her here?

I'm not the Seo Ho-yun she knows.

"..."

I opened my mouth but ended up saying nothing, closing it tightly.

Kim Hee-young took one last deep puff of her cigarette, extinguished the butt, and smiled.

"Well, if there's a job next time, I'll try to call you. I'm saying this because I like Seo Ho-yun."

"...PD."

"Y-Yes?"

I took out the candy that Kang E-chae had stuffed into my pocket. It was the candy she gave me to help me quit smoking.

I placed it in Kim Hee-young's hand, making her eyes widen.

"...What is it?"

"Candy."

"I know that... but..."

Kim Hee-young looked at me, thinking it was some kind of joke.

"To put it another way, it's a bribe."

"..."

It looks ridiculous.

At that moment, I heard the manager calling me from a distance. I turned to look at him, then back at Kim Hee-young.

We used to have a bet to quit smoking.

Kim Hee-young was always confident. She claimed she could quit faster than a heavy smoker like you.

I smiled faintly, remembering the old days.

While I was reminiscing, a ominous sound echoed in my ears.

Ding!

[Choice

- Pretty Ho-yun will come again ♡

- Eat candy and think of me ♡

- I'll back off-.]

'F*ck!'

It always appears at such a perfect moment.

In Seo Ho-yun's life, there was no faster decision than this.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

"Then I'll back off!"

"Y-Yes?"

"Stay healthy."

Kim Hee-young's face changed from confusion to bewilderment, and now to a look of seeing a lunatic, but I turned and walked away. Staying longer would only make things more embarrassing.

Even if she thinks I'm crazy, I couldn't help but smile after seeing her after so long.

No need to apologize, sis.

We'll be number one.