Chapter 26

# Episode 026

After a moment of silence.

"Ah."

Hong Gyu-heon let out a groan.

Furrowing his brows and stammering, he exhibited behaviors that he would not normally display.

It was a sign of how shocked he was.

"Y-You're not going to do it?"

Joa-ra opened her eyes wide and fidgeted with her hands.

"Yes, yes."

She had intended to do this from the beginning.

However, until this morning when she woke up and came to the office, the word "refuse" had never crossed her mind.

But the words "I won't do it" came out because she suddenly remembered the reason she became a short-term trainee at Garo Entertainment.

"Why..."

Hong Gyu-heon shook his head, about to ask for the reason.

'This can't be a joke. No one would joke around in such a situation.'

As evidence, Joa-ra kept lowering her gaze, looking extremely apologetic.

She clearly felt sorry.

The situation must have been awkward for Joa-ra, who had to reject the offer after a month of training at Garo Entertainment.

"Alright."

Hong Gyu-heon had no choice but to accept it.

It also showed his respect for Joa-ra's decision, and because there were others present, he didn't need to press her further.

"Why?!"

Look.

Seong Pil asked the question for him, almost convulsively.

"Why, why!"

Seong Pil grabbed Joa-ra's shoulders and shook her as if he were shaking her collar.

Her head bobbed back and forth.

"What's the reason?"

It seemed both like he was pressing her and begging for an answer.

Hong Gyu-heon was surprised by Seong Pil's reaction.

He had expected Han Goo-in to react more strongly.

Most importantly, Seong Pil didn't seem to have any particular attachment to Joa-ra.

"Um, um, the reason?"

Joa-ra looked at Seong Pil, flustered.

Seong Pil's expression was one of shock and fear, like an explorer facing an incomprehensible situation.

Despite trying to hide it, the corners of Joa-ra's mouth started to curl up.

That face was the very reason she had joined Garo Entertainment.

"It's just, it doesn't seem to fit me..."

At her answer, Seong Pil let go of her shoulders and took a step back, looking dejected.

What could Seong Pil say to persuade her after she said it didn't fit her, especially after a month of idol training?

"That's... that's it."

At that moment, Han Goo-in spoke with a tone of resignation.

His voice sounded normal at first, but it was tinged with a faint sob.

"I respect Joa-ra's decision. I understand that she doesn't want to become an idol."

Han Goo-in had considered the possibility that Joa-ra might refuse.

He had hoped it wouldn't happen, but since it did, he had to give the prepared response.

Joa-ra was taken aback again by Han Goo-in's resolute words.

"No, um..."

"Whatever you do in the future, I'm sure you'll achieve great results, Joa-ra."

Han Goo-in sniffed and turned away.

"Thank you for your hard work over the past month."

He disappeared before anyone could stop him.

It was impossible to stop him.

How could you stop a grown man running at full speed?

"..."

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the first floor.

"Well, that's how it turned out."

Hong Gyu-heon tried to wrap up the situation.

"If I had known, I would have quietly informed you in the manager's office. I was too confident, thinking you would definitely join."

"Ara!"

Rika clung to Joa-ra's left arm.

"Why? Why aren't you going to do it? You were having fun!"

"You worked so hard!"

Seong Pil joined Rika, sticking to Joa-ra's side as if trying to kidnap her.

"Joa-ra, can you think about it again? Was there something that bothered you?"

Seong Pil's heartfelt persuasion.

"I won't let you go! I won't let you go!"

Rika's childish whining.

The emotional waves from both sides left Joa-ra not just flustered but also bewildered.

She had never experienced such a feeling of being needed in her life.

"Finally, I made a friend!"

At that statement, Baek Seol-ha gave Rika a cold stare.

Rika quickly corrected herself.

"Finally, I made a friend my age!"

"Stop it, all of you. You're making Ara uncomfortable. Rika, let go. Manager Park, what are you doing?"

Joa-ra looked at Seong Pil.

She was happy.

At first, he had belittled her abilities and opposed her joining as a short-term trainee.

Now, he was plastering his face with sadness and clinging to her.

It was satisfying.

It should have been.

"Do you need more time to think? Oh, no. You do. I'll come back in a few days. Okay? What do you think?"

Seeing Seong Pil like this, Joa-ra couldn't feel entirely at ease.

"Araaaaa! Stay with us at the company! Please! Please! I'll do my best!"

"Ara, you really have talent. You'll be really, really popular as an idol. Of course, you'd also be great as a dancer or choreographer, but please think about it again."

Now, Seong Pil was spouting lavish praise.

It was clear he didn't want to lose her.

Joa-ra knew how Seong Pil had brought Baek Seol-ha on board.

He had apparently shouted all sorts of embarrassing things on the street to persuade her.

If there were levels of persuasion, Seong Pil's groveling and whining must be at the highest level.

Thinking about it, Joa-ra's lips kept twitching.

"Anyone can't improve their skills so much in just a month! I'm not lying, it's true!"

Seong Pil's praise made Joa-ra's ears turn red.

"Seol-ha, say something!"

"Um, um... Yes. Ara, you worked hard."

She couldn't bring herself to say anything more.

Seong Pil gave Baek Seol-ha a look of disapproval and clung to Joa-ra again.

"Reason! Give me a specific reason! What exactly doesn't fit? Okay?"

"Both of you, stop it..."

Just as Hong Gyu-heon was about to physically restrain Seong Pil and Rika.

"Ah, I understand... I'll do it... I'll try."

"..."

Joa-ra suddenly agreed.

Hong Gyu-heon was taken aback, not understanding why.

In contrast, Seong Pil and Rika reacted quickly.

"Really? Yay (I did it)!"

"Ara, thank you so much. I'll make sure you never regret it."

Thump thump!

Han Goo-in came rushing down the stairs from the second floor, the sound of his footsteps making it seem like the stairs might break.

"Really?!"

"Um, yes. I'll do it. I'll give it a try."

"Great decision!"

This was more like a farce.

Hong Gyu-heon frowned, watching the three of them celebrate.

'Are they idiots?'

To think they were so happy that Joa-ra had been persuaded.

There was no way someone's career path could be changed just by clinging to their arm.

Joa-ra must have planned to accept it from the beginning. She probably said "I won't do it" just to play with Garo Entertainment's people.

'Annoying.'

Playing with adults?

But seeing Han Goo-in and Seong Pil genuinely happy, Joa-ra didn't feel like pressing the issue.

* * *

"Haa."

After Joa-ra left, Seong Pil slumped into a chair, looking exhausted.

"It's hard to cater to someone's whims."

Seong Pil had spent a month with Joa-ra.

In his previous life, he had known her for years.

He couldn't help but understand her feelings.

Including why she had joined Garo Entertainment.

'She must have been delighted to see me cling to her. Did she remember the trainee test so vividly?'

Was all her effort at the final evaluation just to see me flustered?

It wasn't easy, and she was a tough one.

'Of course, it's not just because I begged her.'

Joa-ra might have wanted someone to hold her back.

If she found company life boring, would she have prepared so diligently for the final evaluation?

Would she have managed to keep up with the academy schedule?

Absolutely not.

Joa-ra had found it interesting.

'Now that she's joined the company, I won't cater to her anymore.'

It was time to return to being the ruthless and merciless manager, Park Seong Pil.

Still...

'On a happy day, I should keep it happy.'

Seong Pil sent a text to Joa-ra.

I'm glad to be working with you. You have talent. I look forward to your future contributions. Let's work hard together to reach new heights.

* * *

"I'm home!"

She greeted loudly enough for it to be heard in the living room.

"Did you eat?"

Her mother asked in a loud voice from the living room.

"No!"

Joa-ra went straight to her room.

She buried her face in the pillow and breathed for a while.

"Ha ha ha."

She kicked her feet and burst into laughter.

Unable to contain her laughter, she rolled around on the bed, laughing like a mad person.

"Why?!"

Laughing, Joa-ra replayed Seong Pil's words in her mind.

It was hilarious.

To think that the high-and-mighty Seong Pil from their first meeting would be so desperate to persuade her.

"Ha... ha..."

Even after the laughter subsided, the joy lingered in her heart.

Joa-ra felt her self-esteem rise for the first time in a long while.

In dancing, her self-esteem was already as solid as a fortress.

She had the confidence to pass any difficult task, so neither praise nor criticism affected her.

"Really became a trainee."

But it was different at Garo Entertainment.

Joa-ra faced a challenge she had never experienced before, and the stress was immense.

What if I fail?

What if I'm ridiculed?

Despite the stomach-churning anxiety, Joa-ra pushed forward.

With the single-minded goal of getting revenge on Seong Pil.

And she succeeded.

Ah, the joy of success.

When she said "I won't do it," Seong Pil's distorted face was a masterpiece.

An indescribable thrill enveloped her entire body.

Ding.

A text message arrived.

It was from Seong Pil.

Joa-ra read it carefully.

"What is this?"

Seong Pil had sent a message full of praise.

Joa-ra read it over and over.

She never got tired of it.

It made her as happy as seeing Seong Pil flustered.

'This doesn't change the fact that I was already going to be a trainee.'

Joa-ra, without getting bored, recalled the moment she refused to be a trainee.

Seong Pil's desperate clinging, even to the point of groveling.

It was funny. It was funny, but Joa-ra also felt a strange ache in her chest.

Maybe it was because of that strange feeling that she became a trainee.

...No.

"It was fun."

Over the past month.

Reflecting on it, there were times when she felt frustrated and miserable due to her own limitations.

But overall, it was a fulfilling time.

'And...'

Rika and Baek Seol-ha.

At first, she thought of them as rivals, but after spending the last week together, her thoughts changed.

Rika was a bit annoying but fun to be around.

Baek Seol-ha was like an awkward older sister.

...Actually, she was still a bit awkward, but she didn't seem like a bad person.

'I'm not sure about the president, and Manager Han...'

Han Goo-in always treated Joa-ra warmly. Her own mother didn't take care of her with such attention to detail.

Was she hungry?

Was she in pain anywhere?

How was her mood today?

Was her condition good?

Joa-ra felt like she had returned to kindergarten.

Her pride was a bit hurt, but it wasn't a bad experience.

And if Han Goo-in was like a mother...

'Then...'

Sometimes he was sternly silent, but he never held back his trust and expectations, and he praised her when she did well.

It might be a bit of a silly comparison, but Seong Pil felt like a father.