Chapter 13

# Chapter 013

“Uh...”

Rika glared at Seong-pil with a cold, pale face.

“Don’t you trust me?”

“I already told you. I need to hear it from you directly.”

“Sigh, just thinking about the manager crying and being rejected makes my heart ache. You can always come to me for comfort then.”

Seong-pil tried to look out the window at Baek Seol-ha again.

As he approached with that thought, the door opened, and the corner hit Seong-pil’s forehead.

“Ouch!”

“Huh? Oh, are you okay?!”

Coincidentally, the culprit was Baek Seol-ha again.

Seong-pil couldn’t get up this time either.

His head throbbed from the hard hit.

“Blood, blood!”

Blood? When Seong-pil touched his forehead, a red liquid stuck to his hand.

“Blood, blood...”

“Manager! Manager!”

Rika screamed and ran to Seong-pil. She frantically rubbed his forehead.

“Ouch! S-stop!”

“Aaaaaah! Blood, blood!”

Rika’s eyes spun around. She used not only her hands but also her sleeves to wipe the blood.

“Stop rubbing, it hurts!”

“Baek teacher knocked you down again! On purpose! Twice is on purpose!”

“S-sorry, sorry!”

Baek Seol-ha also seemed flustered.

The people who gathered nearby discussed whether to call an ambulance.

Thanks to Rika’s fuss, it looked like a bigger deal. Her clothes were soaked with the blood from Seong-pil’s forehead; anyone would think he had been stabbed.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Seong-pil smiled to reassure everyone. He tried to get up again but suddenly felt weak due to the hard hit on his head.

Baek Seol-ha’s eyes darted back and forth. She was more shocked than Seong-pil, who was injured.

It was understandable.

Since Rika didn’t wipe it, more blood flowed. The red liquid trickled down his face and stained the floor.

“Eh, eh, should we call an ambulance? Ah! We should stop the bleeding first?! What should we do?!”

Baek Seol-ha asked, getting closer to Seong-pil.

It wasn’t the right action to take with a patient.

Asking an injured person what to do.

But for Seong-pil, it was a situation he had been waiting for.

Now that he knew he wasn’t seriously injured and could handle it himself, he could tell her not to worry.

“I’m not seriously hurt.”

“But the blood...”

“Really...”

“Huh?”

“Anywhere. No, at a café. Just the two of us.”

“...Huh?”

Man, why is my head so fuzzy.

This is an important moment; I can’t be like this.

“Buy me coffee, and I’ll forgive...”

That was Seong-pil’s last memory.

* * *

In the hospital room.

Seong-pil, lying on the bed, was surrounded by people from Garo Entertainment.

“I don’t want to hear anything.”

Hong Gyu-hun, who had heard the whole story, was in despair.

Even though it wasn’t his own story, his face was bright red.

“Is this what my subordinate looks like? I’m so embarrassed I can’t even show my face.”

“That’s a bit harsh...”

“Losing consciousness while bleeding and still trying to hit on a woman? Especially someone ten years younger?”

“Nine years...”

“And in front of everyone? What are you, trying to get that Baek Seol-ha trainer fired?”

“...”

Han Goo-in silently peeled an apple.

Then Rika raised her hand.

“I think it’s fine to restore the manager’s reputation.”

“Okay, tell me why.”

“The manager must have been lonely. He’s almost thirty and hasn’t had a decent partner, just working all the time. He’s always watching celebrities, so his standards are too high.”

“That makes sense. But what does that have to do with anything?”

“What makes sense?”

“Anyway, celebrities are like unreachable beings, right? He probably couldn’t express his feelings. But if a beautiful person who looks like a celebrity isn’t a celebrity? Oh, could this work?”

“That’s a pessimistic prediction.”

“Rika, do you want to die? Do I look like someone who’s obsessed with faces?”

“So, I think he was blinded by it. I understand.”

“Wow, Rika.”

Han Goo-in’s exclamation stopped the competition to praise Seong-pil.

“You’ve really improved in Korean. Your word usage is as good as a native speaker’s.”

“Thank you! Anyway! I think it’s completely possible.”

“Our Rika, you have quite the reasoning skills. What do you think, Park Manager? Is Rika right?”

“Is she right?!”

Seong-pil could easily imagine the scene when he collapsed.

He must have looked like a crazy person, bleeding from his head and still trying to hit on a woman.

His last words before fainting were also quite remarkable.

“...Rika.”

“Yes, Manager. Say anything. I don’t think you’re strange.”

Rika smiled kindly, which made Seong-pil even more uncomfortable.

“Vocal school... should I transfer?”

“It’s fine. Even if all the students badmouth you and bully you because you’re from Garo Entertainment, I’ll always be on your side. I know you’re a victim of biological limitations...”

“You’re the worst!”

Seong-pil flicked Rika’s forehead.

Actually, Hong Gyu-hun and Han Goo-in didn’t say much, but Rika was excited and talked nonstop.

She even seemed to enjoy the situation.

“Unfortunately, the relationship with Baek teacher is over.”

“Yeah, it’s a dilemma...”

“Park Manager is really something. Even in this situation, he doesn’t give up?”

“Why are you like this, Manager? I told you, Baek Seol-ha trainer has the potential to be an idol. I just wanted to talk to her, but I got this treatment...”

“I know, I know. It was a joke. Don’t take it to heart. Rika, stop teasing Park Manager.”

“Eh? Okay, sorry.”

“...”

Seong-pil hated Rika.

Even if the situation was funny, couldn’t she at least offer some comfort? But Rika seemed to enjoy Seong-pil’s misfortune.

“Well, if Manager is in trouble, should I go? I haven’t met her before.”

Indeed, if Han Goo-in went, the success rate might increase.

“That would be helpful.”

“Right. Han Manager would be much better than Park Manager.”

“Rika, why are you so eager to tease me...”

At that moment, Seong-pil’s phone rang.

Out of habit from his days as a manager, he always answered before the third vibration.

But he hesitated when he saw an unknown number on the screen.

‘Still, I should answer.’

“Hello?”

Seong-pil’s body stiffened when he heard the voice.

“Ah, yes. Yes, yes. Ah, yes. I understand. Yes, it’s fine. I’m fine too. Yes, then.”

The call ended.

Everyone looked at him, wondering what had happened.

Seong-pil, a bit flustered, stammered.

“Baek... Seol-ha trainer.”

“Eh?!”

Rika was shocked.

“What did she say?”

“Uh, uh... she wants to apologize... and meet...”

“That’s good. Go and bring up the trainee topic. Hmm, or not? We don’t know her skills yet.”

“Her skills are definite. She sings well. Not just well, but really well.”

“She could be a main vocalist. Still, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. We need to know more.”

“I know.”

“Would it be rude to suggest a test after our offer?”

“A test is a must.”

“If we meet nearby, she should just come to the company. It’s better to meet in the reception room, right?”

“Um...”

Seong-pil’s words were momentarily blocked.

“Why? Is Baek trainer busy?”

“No. She suggested meeting separately.”

“Eh?!”

“Meeting separately...”

Hong Gyu-hun pondered, resting his chin. He looked at Seong-pil curiously and nodded at Han Goo-in.

“Han Manager, go with him.”

“Me? But the trainer suggested meeting Park Manager.”

“No. This is a rejection. If she wanted to talk, she could have come to our company.”

“Is that so...?”

“Yeah...”

Han Goo-in didn’t understand. He mulled over Hong Gyu-hun’s words and came up with the most likely hypothesis.

“It’s a green light, isn’t it?”

“Eh?!”

“If it’s as Rika said, the trainer isn’t interested in being an idol. The reason for meeting separately...”

“She’s just being polite out of guilt, right?!”

Rika strongly denied it.

“Han Manager has no empathy!”

Han Goo-in was shocked and closed his mouth.

Then Hong Gyu-hun spoke in a slightly lowered tone.

“Rika.”

“A, ah, sorry. I misspoke.”

“You shouldn’t point out someone’s flaws so casually.”

“...?”

“No, it’s not that Han Manager lacks empathy. It’s that Rika lacks consideration. Be careful in the future.”

“Yes... Manager, I’m sorry.”

“Ha, it’s fine. As the saying goes, if it’s true, accept and correct it; if not, ignore it. I understand what you meant, Rika.”

That day, Han Goo-in noticeably ignored Rika. Rika tried hard to calm down the angry Han Goo-in.

* * *

“Didn’t you receive a confession from that guy?”

The other trainers chuckled.

Baek Seol-ha’s face turned red as she stared at the paper cup of coffee.

“Wasn’t he Rika’s manager?”

“Yes.”

“Then, is he suggesting you become an idol?”

“Nah, I doubt it. You’re a bit old to be a trainee, aren’t you?”

At 21, calling someone “old” wasn’t appropriate. But for a trainee, it was a different story.

“Even if you debut immediately, it’s no joke. It would take at least 1-2 years.”

“If Baek trainer debuts, she’d be 23, right?”

The break room fell silent for a moment.

Though unspoken, everyone thought, “Too late.”

In today’s era, a girl group debuting at 23 is quite late.

And that was if she debuted quickly.

If she started preparing now, she might debut at 24 or 25.

Baek Seol-ha stirred her coffee silently. She remembered how Seong-pil had called her a “student” a while ago.

‘I look young...’

She preferred looking young at 21. The comment about being too old to debut as an idol made her feel even more so.

Of course, she had long given up on the dream of becoming an idol, but hearing them say it was too late stirred some resentment.

“So, is that guy really hitting on you?”

“What will you do, Baek trainer?”

No one thought Baek Seol-ha would receive a trainee offer.

Age was a crucial factor.

“Eh? Well, we’re meeting this week...”

“What? A 9-year age gap? Are you serious? You should reject it immediately!”

“I feel guilty. He even went to the hospital because of me. He hit his head twice. And I don’t know why he wants to meet...”

“You shouldn’t accept out of sympathy. In such cases, it’s better not to give any hope.”

“Yeah. What if he keeps contacting you later?”

“Ahaha...”

Baek Seol-ha laughed along with them.

They weren’t being genuine.

They just needed something to talk about during their break.

No one seriously considered Seong-pil’s intentions or why he approached Baek Seol-ha.

‘It’s not a trainee offer, right?’

Baek Seol-ha’s answer was the same as her colleagues'.

The “let’s have coffee alone” suggestion from Seong-pil was too obvious.

Considering their age difference and relationship, rejecting it was the right choice, but Baek Seol-ha genuinely felt guilty towards Seong-pil.

So.

‘Since I did something wrong, I should...’

She thought.

The trainers finished their short break and went back to their work.

On her way to the lesson room, Baek Seol-ha recalled the conversation with her colleagues.

‘Is Park Seong-pil Manager really that bad? Is my standard low? Is it because I’ve never been in a relationship...? At 30, Manager would be 39. Ah, the age gap is big...’

Baek Seol-ha pondered as she headed to the designated lesson room. Soon, a female student entered the small room.

As soon as she entered, she said,

“Hey, teacher, isn’t that the same outfit you wore two days ago?”

It was.

But Baek Seol-ha couldn’t confidently say “yes” due to embarrassment.

After finishing her work, she stood in front of the mirror in the hallway, looking at her clothes.

She hadn’t bought new clothes in a long time.

Of course, she wanted to, but financial reasons always held her back.

The desire to buy clothes was continually postponed.

‘I do have some money left, but do I really need to buy...?’

Although the student’s comment made her feel bad, she didn’t think it was necessary to increase her spending.

Then she remembered the meeting with Seong-pil in a few days.

Baek Seol-ha couldn’t leave the mirror.

‘Do I really need to buy...?’

She squeezed her eyes shut.

* * *

“Han Manager, you’ve seen the trainer a few times, right?”

“Yes. I saw her when I