Chapter 52

#052

"Ah, yes... I understand Mr. Seolha's professionalism."

"I'm sorry. Since you're an idol, you will become an idol... And if it's revealed within the company, it could become a more serious issue. Ah, you know, no, you understand, right? Also, it's impossible to maintain a relationship while being a trainee. I'm really taking this challenge seriously, so... So... Later..."

"But I wasn't asking a personal question; I was asking from the company's perspective. As you said, Mr. Seolha is an idol."

"From the company's perspective?"

Only then did Baek Seolha's thoughts reach the 'no dating rule.'

When she removed her hand from her face, Seong Pil was seen grinning mischievously.

"From the way you reacted just now, I don't think we need any tests."

"..."

"I understand that you don't have a boyfriend."

"..."

Seong Pil ignored her embarrassed and mortified expression.

"Next, I have another question. You must answer truthfully. Have you ever been involved in school bullying? Did you bully a friend at school? Did you steal money? Did you smoke? Did you drink? Did you do anything that could be seen negatively? Please tell me now."

"No, no."

Baek Seolha, who had just regained her composure, spoke clearly.

"I believe you understand how serious school bullying is. Please don't hide it; tell me."

"Really, I haven't. I..."

TMI, he even heard about her school days.

"I couldn't make friends with the kids because I was a trainee and an idol. Well, even if I could, the kids treated me like a stranger..."

While talking about her school days, Baek Seolha began to sniffle. She seemed to have wanted to be friends with her schoolmates.

'Whenever someone said, "She's a trainee," or "Is that her? The one who's an idol?" the wall between her and her friends grew higher.'

Baek Seolha said this was a regret.

She still felt regret over not having any fond memories from her school days, and she even shed tears.

'I didn't want it to turn out like this.'

Seong Pil, feeling awkward, tried to comfort her.

"I'm sorry for this morning."

The consultation ended with Baek Seolha's tears. Seong Pil decided to stay quietly until she calmed down.

Suddenly, someone tried to open the break room door. The door handle rattled, blocked by the lock.

Baek Seolha quickly wiped her tears with a tissue and gave Seong Pil a sign that she was okay.

"Why is the door locked?"

When the door opened, Jang Hayang appeared.

"I was just talking with Seolha."

"Did you cry, Onee-san?"

"Huh? No, I didn't cry."

"Um, I see. What did you talk about with the manager?"

"Nothing much. Ah, it's past training time. Sorry, let's go quickly."

Baek Seolha led Jang Hayang out of the break room.

Baek Seolha glanced at Seong Pil, giving him a sign that she wouldn't tell others about the consultation.

During lunch, Seong Pil, lying on the sofa, called Jo Ara, who was memorizing English lyrics.

"Are you dating?"

"No."

"..."

"What? Why do you look like you don't believe me?"

Jo Ara brushed her hair, looking annoyed.

"Well, I understand. I'm just so charming."

"I know."

"Really? You admit it so easily?"

"I admit it. So, tell me the truth. Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Not 'do you have one?' but 'do you have one?' It's like you have no trust in me. Well, just in case, what would happen if I did?"

"..."

"I don't! I don't!"

I can't believe it.

Looking at Jo Ara's school uniform, I can't believe it even more.

No matter how I look at her, she seems like the type who would cause trouble at school.

She would probably be close to the mischievous boys.

At first, Jo Ara seemed a bit pleased, but she felt wronged as the suspicion continued.

"Dancing is my club, my entertainment, and my boys! Seriously, I skip school every day before lunch to dance, so how could I have a boyfriend?"

"..."

"Stop suspecting me!"

"Can you show me your phone?"

"Phones are private."

"Hmm... Ara, you have a boyfriend. But think about it. Even if you can't live without each other now, you might break up later. Suppose you become an idol. What if he spreads all sorts of rumors about you..."

"Aah! Show it! Just show it!"

"No. It's private. But I..."

"Show it!"

Jo Ara's call history was disappointing.

It was just a repetition of 'Mom,' 'Dad,' 'Uncle,' and 'Doctor.'

Occasionally, there was a name of a dance school friend.

"You really work hard."

"Are you satisfied now? Are you really satisfied? You must feel good."

"I'm sorry for doubting you. But have you ever been involved in school bullying?"

"What? Changing the topic so smoothly?!"

Jo Ara grumbled and firmly answered.

"No."

"..."

"Phew! I'm really going to lose it. Doubting me again? You just said you were sorry for doubting me! Do I look like a bad person to you!"

"School uniform..."

"School uniforms can be shortened! They're so basic! Not just me, but Seolha and Hayang probably shortened their uniforms too."

"..."

"What? No, really, what?"

Jo Ara bit her lip hard, as if she was about to cry.

"Have you seen me like this...? Do I look like someone who would bully others? Really, I'm so bad..."

"No, no, no! I believe in our Ara! I just asked strongly! Yes, school uniforms can be shortened! But this is a serious issue, so I had to ask strongly! I believe in Ara even if you don't say anything!"

Seong Pil spent 30 minutes comforting Jo Ara.

He didn't expect her to cry after being doubted twice.

Jo Ara seemed deeply shocked that Seong Pil had thought of her as a delinquent.

He had approached her more strongly than Baek Seolha, thinking only of her usual tough attitude.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"..."

"How can I not believe our Ara? There's no one else to believe in this world."

Jo Ara, who had stopped crying, sniffed and asked.

"Does the doctor or the manager think the same way about me?"

"Of course not. I don't think so either."

"Liar."

"No, no. I was the fool. I didn't need to ask you. Right?"

It took another 20 minutes to fully comfort the sulking Jo Ara.

Seong Pil's self-deprecating words and loss of pride finally made Jo Ara smile.

"Just in case, what would happen if you were involved in school bullying?"

He didn't say 'expulsion.'

In fact, Seong Pil still had his doubts.

Among the four, there might be someone, even if it was a minor incident, related to school bullying.

But if the consequence of school bullying was 'expulsion,' no one would confess voluntarily.

Seong Pil believed and wanted to believe that the members would never do such a thing.

But life is unpredictable...

He had been burned a few times in his past life, so he naturally became cautious.

"If you were involved in school bullying, what would you do? You would have to apologize to the victim for the rest of your life."

The consultation with Jo Ara, which was a hundred times harder than with Baek Seolha, finally ended.

Next was Jang Hayang.

Before the evening training started, Seong Pil called her separately.

"Are you dating?"

"No."

Jang Hayang had attended an acting school for a long time.

She had plenty of opportunities to meet boys.

Or, even without those opportunities, it was something to worry about.

Just going to a convenience store to buy snacks could add 10 boys' contact numbers to her list.

"Hmm, okay..."

Seong Pil's tone suggested he didn't believe her.

But then, without being asked, Jang Hayang showed her phone.

The call history was even more disappointing than Jo Ara's.

It was a repetitive cycle of 'Manager Park Seong Pil' and 'Manager Han Goo In.'

"You didn't have to show it..."

Her text messages and messenger conversations were also revealed.

Even her internet search history and browsing records were exposed.

"That's enough..."

Seong Pil felt his heart being torn apart.

What kind of joy does Jang Hayang live for?

Seong Pil had already lost the upper hand.

"Have you ever been involved in school bullying?"

"No."

For some reason, it felt natural to believe her.

Jang Hayang, like Baek Seolha, shared her school days.

"I mostly slept in school. The rest of the time, I worked part-time to earn money for the academy."

"Hayang..."

Seong Pil comforted her. But Jang Hayang didn't regret her life as a student.

"It was my choice, so I shouldn't be sad. I was happy."

"O-Oh, I see."

"Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"No..."

Jang Hayang bowed and left the room.

It was the shortest consultation ever.

Night fell, and it was time for the members to return home.

"Manager!"

Rika stood in front of Seong Pil with a bold attitude.

"You can ask me anything! About dating or anything!"

It seemed she had heard that Seong Pil was asking about dating and school bullying.

"Are you doing well with your practice lately?"

"Eh? Yes! I'm working hard!"

"Good. Keep it up."

"Hi (Yes)! ...You have more questions, right? Ask away!"

"Get ready to go. Manager Han is waiting."

"I don't have a boyfriend!"

"I know."

"What? You didn't even ask, and I'm already rejected and on a solo trip to the beach. Oh, and I didn't bully anyone!"

"I know."

"Hey, hey! You believed in me, right!"

Given her background, with parents as teachers and coming to Korea right after middle school, the possibility of her being a delinquent was low.

He didn't really plan to ask her, but he intended to call her separately later.

It wasn't a topic to discuss in an open hallway.

"You believed in me!"

"I do."

"Rika, come down. Manager Han is waiting."

"Ah, I'm coming! Manager Park, thank you for today!"

Rika stuck to Jang Hayang, who had come to pick her up.

Jang Hayang, finding Rika cute, patted her head and glanced at Seong Pil.

Seong Pil nodded, acknowledging her hard work, and Jang Hayang smiled back.

'Did she hear the conversation?'

He had planned to call each member separately, but he only told Rika that he believed her.

He hadn't intended to do it this way, but Rika's sudden question left him no choice.

If the other members found out, they might feel relatively deprived.

Jang Hayang's glance might have been because she heard the conversation.

'I should call Rika separately again tomorrow. That way, the kids won't misunderstand.'

And tomorrow, he would do it again.

'Tell the kids to go to their dorms.'

* * *

Baek Seolha felt a strange sensation.

Since this morning, Jo Ara had been strangely lingering around.

The reason became clear during the group practice.

Jo Ara, despite being hot from dancing, didn't take off her sweater.

"Ara."

"Yes, teacher?"

"That sweater is pretty. Where did you buy it?"

Jo Ara's expression brightened.

As Baek Seolha had guessed, Jo Ara wanted to show off her sweater.

If she had just mentioned it first, no one would have said anything.

"This? Right? Isn't it pretty?"

"Yes. Where did you buy it?"

"My mom made it."

"Ah, no way (Liar)! I would believe it if you said it was from a store!"

Rika, intrigued, touched Jo Ara's sweater.

The more she touched it, the more Jo Ara seemed to feel praised.

"My mom made it for my dad when they were dating. It was a Christmas gift."

"Then how old is it?"

"Probably over 20 years."

"Wow..."

Baek Seolha was genuinely impressed.

It was surprising that a 20-year-old sweater was still in good condition, and the sweater itself was not made with ordinary skill.

"Ara must have inherited her mother's sewing skills."

"I practice sewing, so I'm good at it. I don't like it when effort is mistaken for talent. Fix it."

"Sorry..."

Anyway, as Rika had said, the sweater was of a quality that could be sold expensively in a store.

"Is it yours now?"

"Yes, my dad gave it to me."

"No wonder it's so boxy."

"Maybe it will be passed down as a family heirloom."

"Ah, are you going to get married? To me?"

"No. I'll give it to my boyfriend in the future. If we break up, I'll get it back."

"If you're going to do that, it's better to give it to the person you're going to marry. Why keep exchanging it every time you break up?"

"I'll be sincere in every moment."

Rika showed her wrinkled fingers and laughed loudly.

Only after Jo Ara's threat did Rika's laughter stop.

"But it really does feel like an heirloom. It might go to your grandchild in the future."

Who knows if it will still be in good condition by then.

While they were enjoying their break talking about the sweater, Seong Pil and Jang Hayang entered the practice room.

"Oh, it's the manager and Onee-san. Let's tell the manager too."

"What are you talking about so happily..."

"Manager, look at Ara's sweater!"

Seong Pil, seeing Jo Ara, flinched.