Chapter 42

# Chapter 042

Yesterday, Seong Pil spent four hours at a karaoke room with Son Hae Bin.

She couldn't just let it go that Seong Pil wasn't singing.

They had to take turns, so there was no way Seong Pil's throat could be in good condition.

"I love karaoke too!"

When she heard karaoke, all she could think of were bars.

"Didn't you have something to ask?"

"Oh! That's right!"

Rika twirled her hair and looked up shyly.

Then she asked in a meaningful voice.

"Is there anything different about me today?"

"You didn't put essential oil in your hair."

"How did you know?"

"You also parted your bangs to the left when you dried them."

"Ah, ah. My heart is beating so fast."

"Was it pounding?"

"It feels like a murderer is chasing me from behind! How closely do you usually observe me?!"

"......"

Rika was certain.

Seong Pil would recognize even the most subtle changes that she herself hadn't noticed.

"Not those small details. Look at me more broadly."

"Where did you learn the word 'broadly'?"

"I saw it in a movie a few days ago."

"Hmm, different...... Are you prettier?"

"I thought you would notice!"

"I was just saying."

"......"

"Rika, every day is a new beauty record for you."

It wasn't said with any sincerity.

Even Seong Pil, her last hope, hadn't noticed.

'Am I different? Maybe I just grew taller?'

Rika pouted and tapped her foot on the ground. But then she noticed someone else.

Behind Seong Pil.

Outside the glass door, someone was holding their stomach and laughing.

It seemed they hadn't managed to come inside because Rika had suddenly blocked Seong Pil.

"Oh! A new member?"

The woman outside, Son Hae Bin, was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. She took off her sunglasses and wiped her eyes.

Rika didn't miss that brief moment.

Even with a mask on, she could only see the eyes.

'Beautiful.'

That much she could tell.

Seong Pil, who had been overwhelmed by Rika's presence, finally realized that Son Hae Bin hadn't come in yet.

He quickly opened the door to let Son Hae Bin in.

"Ms. Ishikawa?"

"It's Ishikawa Rika! Are you the new trainee?"

"Yes, I'm the new trainee. Nice to meet you."

Son Hae Bin gave a deep bow.

Rika fumbled to follow suit.

"I'm almost a complete beginner when it comes to idols. I'm a total novice. I'll be relying on you a lot, so please take care of me, okay?"

"Senpai! Please call me Rika!"

Son Hae Bin kept giggling, finding something very amusing.

Rika felt good.

Seeing someone else laugh made her happy.

Looking at Son Hae Bin, who laughed often, Rika had a feeling they would get along well.

"Let's observe for now......"

"Yeah. We should go see the CEO first, right?"

"......Oh, right."

Son Hae Bin was essentially here for a visit.

She had already spoken to Hong Gyu Hyeon, but it was only polite to greet the company.

That's why Seong Pil mentioned 'observing,' but Son Hae Bin cut him off as if she could read his mind.

Because it was fun to see Rika misunderstand.

"Good luck! The CEO might seem scary at first, but he's nice once you get to know him! Of course, I still haven't gotten close to him."

"Thanks for the advice, senpai."

"Hehe."

Rika seemed to really like being called 'senpai.'

Seong Pil looked at their conversation with a bored expression.

"Let's go."

"Hurry, hurry. Yeah, let's go. I need to adjust."

Son Hae Bin followed Seong Pil.

Rika, who had heard their conversation, was confused.

No one in the company treated Seong Pil so casually.

Even Jo Ara, who called him 'uncle,' had her limits. But Son Hae Bin seemed to have no boundaries at all.

'Were they already acquainted?'

Rika and Seong Pil had first met over two years ago.

Although there had been a gap, Rika had seen Seong Pil the longest in the company.

It was something she was quite proud of.

But seeing Son Hae Bin's behavior, she had a feeling her pride would be shattered.

Feeling a faint bitterness, she heard a rustling sound.

"Huh? What? What?"

On the stairs leading to the second floor.

Seong Pil and Son Hae Bin were going up, and Baek Seol Ha was coming down.

Baek Seol Ha dropped all the training printouts she was holding.

As if she had seen something shocking.

"S-S-Son......"

"It's already been noticed."

Son Hae Bin took off her mask and hat.

Her brown hair swayed, and her clear features were revealed to everyone.

"Son Hae Bin......!"

Baek Seol Ha gasped and called out her name.

Son Hae Bin, like a seasoned performer, enjoyed Baek Seol Ha's gaze. She shook her head, letting her hair fly.

"Yes, it's Son Hae Bin!"

She emphasized her name. Then, leaning on the stair railing, she looked at Rika.

"......"

"......"

Son Hae Bin expected a reaction from Rika too. But Rika just blinked as usual.

'So her name is Son Hae Bin. Seol Ha-ssi knows her? Ah, she must have been a trainee with her back then!'

Rika didn't know Son Hae Bin.

Without the expected reaction, Son Hae Bin smiled awkwardly.

Instead of Rika, Son Hae Bin turned her attention to Baek Seol Ha.

"Hello."

Baek Seol Ha let out a scream as if she had just seen a live tiger.

She forgot to pick up the printouts and extended a trembling hand toward Son Hae Bin.

"U-U-Uh, I'm your fan."

"Thank you."

Handshake.

Even that simple act sent an electric current through Baek Seol Ha's body.

She was meeting her childhood idol.

"I used to watch TV every morning before school! I saw your music video on the morning show!"

It seemed she had liked her a lot when she was young.

"I have an album at home. Can I, uh, can I get an autograph?"

Baek Seol Ha breathed heavily and offered the printouts she was holding.

Son Hae Bin shook her head.

"No."

"Ah......"

"I'll be coming here again. I'll contact Mr. Park, so bring your album next time, and I'll sign it for you."

"You're coming back?"

"Yes, for Mr. Park."

Baek Seol Ha's eyes darted between Seong Pil and Son Hae Bin.

She was curious about the reason they knew each other.

She knew Seong Pil had worked as a manager for a long time, but she didn't expect him to know Son Hae Bin.

"Ah, you might think I'm exaggerating."

"No! Absolutely not!"

Even if an artist had retired, they still had their pride.

It wasn't right to criticize them for taking care of their own dignity.

"I can sign on paper. I can do it several times. But...... What's your name?"

"Baek Seol Ha!"

"I don't know how much I mean to you, but this is your first autograph. It will stay with you, so wouldn't it be better to get it on something more precious than a piece of paper?"

Baek Seol Ha nodded mechanically.

She agreed a hundred, a thousand times.

If she could, she would go home right now to get her album.

The album she had begged her parents to buy when she was in elementary school was still cherished.

Back then, she had listened to it so much that the album was worn out.

'Should I buy a new one? But is it still available?'

While lost in this happy dilemma, Son Hae Bin picked up the printouts that had fallen on the stairs.

Baek Seol Ha took the papers from her, looking embarrassed.

"Thank you."

"See you later."

Seong Pil and Son Hae Bin went up to the CEO's office.

Baek Seol Ha watched them disappear.

"Wasn't she the new trainee?"

"You don't know Son Hae Bin?"

"Yes."

Rika's age might explain it.

'Ah, Rika is Japanese, so she doesn't know.'

Baek Seol Ha explained who Son Hae Bin was.

Anyone over 20 would remember at least a few of Son Hae Bin's hit choruses.

"Eh? A person over 30 is becoming a trainee?"

"......Are you serious?"

"Mr. Han said it's not good to have preconceived notions. So, Son Hae Bin was an incredibly famous singer back then."

Rika didn't seem particularly impressed by the fact that Son Hae Bin was there.

Baek Seol Ha felt a strange sense of duty.

"Let's tell the others that Hae Bin-ssi is here."

"Why?"

"You'll regret it if you don't see her!"

"Is that so?"

Baek Seol Ha gathered Jang Hae Yang and Jo Ara to tell them about Son Hae Bin.

She expected them to be surprised.

"Who's Son Hae Bin?"

Jang Hae Yang asked.

"Isn't it that person? The one who used to appear on variety shows a lot."

Jo Ara added.

Baek Seol Ha was shocked.

How could they only remember her like that?

'Am I too old? Is it a generation gap?'

She was only one year older than Jang Hae Yang......

"Really don't know?! 'I can't erase my traces. Oh, oh, oh, ah. Even if you shake me off, even if you erase me, I'll keep following you' this one!"

"Ah!"

"Ah, Ara, you know, right? You know, right?"

"Um...... I think I remember, but I'm not sure."

"Didn't you watch TV when you were little?"

"I was hardly ever at home. I played soccer and hide-and-seek with the kids."

"What's hide-and-seek?"

"Police and thief."

"Why doesn't Hae Yang know?"

"I only watched dramas."

"......"

Was this what it felt like to be in Wonderland?

Even if they hadn't watched TV, there should have been talent shows at school trips or field trips.

Baek Seol Ha started to seriously consider the generation gap.

"I can't take this. We need to watch it now."

The members gathered around Baek Seol Ha.

She opened iTube and searched for Son Hae Bin's hit song.

"Maximum resolution is 480p? Can't it be higher?"

These days, music videos are often in 4K, and at least 1080p.

To Jo Ara and Rika, who had grown up with such videos, 480p was very unfamiliar.

Actually, it was Baek Seol Ha's first time watching Son Hae Bin's video on iTube.

It was really old......

"Why are you all here? I've been looking for you in the practice room."

Seong Pil and Son Hae Bin approached the members.

"Hello, senpai!"

Rika didn't know Son Hae Bin.

But having just learned that she was a senior in the music industry, she gave a thoroughly practiced 90-degree bow.

Seeing this, Jang Hae Yang and Jo Ara followed suit.

"Senpai? I've been retired for a long time......"

A bouncy melody played from Baek Seol Ha's phone.

It was the intro of Son Hae Bin's hit song 'Perfume.' Baek Seol Ha quickly stopped the playback.

Seong Pil noticed why the members were gathered.

'They don't know who Hae Bin is.'

He realized this by recalling their reactions when Son Hae Bin appeared.

Jang Hae Yang, Jo Ara, and Rika didn't recognize how significant Son Hae Bin was.

That's why Baek Seol Ha was trying to introduce her music.

Seong Pil and Son Hae Bin realized this at almost the same time.

"Why are you going to such lengths to listen to my song? It's embarrassing."

"Don't you all know Hae Bin? Son Hae Bin."

Seong Pil's question was answered by Baek Seol Ha in a slightly hurt tone.

"They all said they didn't watch TV much when they were little......"

"Hmm. That's a problem. Actually, Hae Bin came today to see all of you, including Seol Ha. To evaluate you, in simpler terms."

The members' faces gradually stiffened at the word 'evaluate.'

"Hae Bin used to be a dance singer and has a lot of experience in design at a major agency. Design is related to the production process. Anyway, it's an evaluation for you, and it's a bit strange not to know who the evaluator is. Let's watch a music video."

"Hey, why go that far?"

Son Hae Bin tried to stop him, feeling embarrassed, by shaking Seong Pil's wrist.

Seong Pil ignored her and found one of Son Hae Bin's stage videos on iTube.

"What are we going to watch? Perfume? Tonight?"

Baek Seol Ha was excited to introduce Son Hae Bin to everyone.

So she stood next to Seong Pil.

"......Crown?"

"Hey! Why did you find that one?!"

Son Hae Bin tried to grab Seong Pil's phone. Seong Pil laughed playfully and sat on the sofa.

"Everyone, gather! Let's watch!"

"Ha (Yes)!"

Rika slipped into Seong Pil's arm.

"Out."

"Ha (Yes)......"

Jang Hae Yang and Jo Ara sat on either side of Seong Pil, and Baek Seol Ha stood behind him.

Once everyone was gathered, the video started.

Son Hae Bin covered her burning face with her palms.

"There are so many others, why this one......"

'Crown' was Son Hae Bin's debut song.

She appeared on music shows with this song and received some attention, but it didn't become a hit.

It only made people aware of her name as a singer.

It was a good debut song, but it was from a time when Son Hae Bin hadn't fully matured as an artist.

Now, it felt outdated in terms of the song's sentiment and the music video's style.

"Ugh......"

Jo Ara let out a low groan when the cheap-looking 3D CG appeared in the music video.

It was a scene of Son Hae Bin standing in a castle made with old CG technology.

"Ah."

Rika was shocked by the old-fashioned fashion style.

With the bizarre CG effects added from a modern perspective, it was a complete mess.

Jang Hae Yang, surprisingly, had no particular reaction. She watched the music video seriously.

"......"

Even Baek Seol Ha couldn't defend the 'Crown' music video.

When she was young, it seemed incredibly cool, but now, why was it like this......

If Baek Seol Ha felt this way, how embarrassed must Son Hae Bin be?

The long 3 minutes and 20 seconds finally ended.

Son Hae Bin fanned herself and said sarcastically.

"Mr. Park. Did you feel good making me relive this?"

"No, no! The song is very...... refreshing!"

Rika started to defend it.

"I felt her confidence. The lyrics are bold and I liked that."

Jo Ara evaluated it seriously, as if she were a panelist on an audition show.

Jang Hae Yang was either reading the atmosphere or had other thoughts, as she remained silent.

The more the members' reactions continued, the redder Son Hae Bin's face became.

"That's enough. You don't have to say anything more. I appreciate your kind words, but I know. It's strange, right? I put a lot of my own ideas into it...... But other songs are better. Mr. Park is just teasing me......"

"I think this is the best among your songs?"

The members were puzzled.

Was Seong Pil teasing Son Hae Bin?

If not, why would he say 'Crown' was the best?

"Never mind. Don't tease me."

"No, I really think this is the best."

Seong Pil laughed like a child.

Baek Seol Ha hesitated to intervene in their conversation, as it was clear Seong Pil was teasing Son Hae Bin.

It's dangerous to criticize an artist's work, even if it's embarrassing to show to others.

It's like their own child.

"Alright, that's enough......"

"It's been over 10 years since this song came out. I think this was the dawn of K-pop. Back then, many agencies were emerging. It was a difficult time, not just because of the competition, but because agencies had to figure out what K-pop was. What genre should K-pop be? How can we show something new? How can we highlight the uniqueness of K-pop? They had to establish their own territory while being influenced by American pop and J-pop. What do people like? How can we be known? Many songs poured out from these questions. New styles, new genres, new fashions, new technologies....... Of course, there were many flaws. Strange English lyrics that didn't follow grammar, bizarre costumes that were either ahead of their time or transcendent, and performances that were similar. The lyrics were also similar. But it's because of these efforts that we have K-pop today. Hae Bin's 'Crown' is just one of those strange old songs now. But when I first heard this music, I was almost mesmerized. I'm not exaggerating. I saw the music video on TV and just stared at it. It was amazing. I heard later that Hae Bin was into American pop and paid attention to the sound and music video? Of course, it might seem strange from today's perspective. But it's a song that clearly shows the struggles and efforts of Korean artists back then. Hae Bin's 'Crown' was one of the buds that bloomed during the dawn of K-pop. Thanks to Hae Bin, the current flowers could fully bloom. So when I hear this...... I feel nostalgic. I don't know how happy I was when I became Hae Bin's road manager. After that, all my illusions were shattered......"

Seong Pil smiled warmly, like an old soldier reminiscing about a former comrade.

His neat and pure appreciation left the room in silence.

It was the first time anyone had encountered someone's memories and nostalgia expressed so directly and clearly.

Seong Pil's words, tone, and atmosphere were that powerful