Chapter 79

# Chapter 079

"Areum, are you crazy?! 1+1 is just 1+1, you know! You have a debut group waiting for you after you finish your training, so where do you think you're going?!"

Min Kyung-sub vented his anger.

He grabbed Shin Areum's shoulders and shook her wildly. She smiled and grabbed his wrist, pulling it down to calm him.

"That's what I mean. I can't stand seeing you stay at Seok Success Entertainment any longer. What kind of state are you in?"

"What do you mean…?"

"Rika."

Shin Areum linked arms with Rika.

Rika, pulled by her strength, gradually moved away from Seong Pil.

"Let's leave them to have a deep conversation. Want to go to an escape room cafe? I went before, and it was fun."

"Uh, just the two of us?"

"Why? Don't you want to? If you don't, what can I do?"

Rika was dragged along by Shin Areum.

"Manager, take my picture quickly! I dressed up nicely today! Take a picture before I disappear…!"

Rika disappeared into the distance.

Seong Pil and Min Kyung-sub watched until the two of them vanished.

"…Do you want to go to a cafe?"

Min Kyung-sub let out a heavy sigh.

The two of them went to a cafe and sat down.

Drops of water slowly trickled down the side of the iced Americano cup. Seong Pil watched them until they hit the table.

After a while, Min Kyung-sub spoke.

"I guess I've been under a lot of stress lately. It seems the kids have noticed too."

"You're showing a lot of emotion."

"That's not something you should say, hyung."

"Why? Is something going on at the company?"

When Shin Areum used to call Yun Sang-yul a 'fool' or something, Min Kyung-sub strongly reprimanded her.

He asked why she would say such things about someone from outside the company.

He felt a sense of belonging to Seok Success Entertainment and dedicated himself far beyond just receiving a salary.

That's just his personality.

Even if Seong Pil asked what was going on, Min Kyung-sub might not have answered.

But Min Kyung-sub seemed to have made up his mind, gulping down his Americano and speaking frankly.

"It's hard to stay there."

"Because of Yun Sang-yul?"

"Yes. Now that hyung is gone, there's no one to fight on behalf of the managers or employees. In reality, President Kim Tae-hoon only focuses on management, so the producing and management aspects are all under Yun Sang-yul's control. So…"

In short, the problem was Yun Sang-yul's character.

He thought he was excellent, and to some extent, he was. This led to a subtle disdain for others.

When Seong Pil was around, this wasn't as apparent. But after Seong Pil left, Yun Sang-yul became like a king without a check on his power.

"Even President Kim is at a loss with Yun Sang-yul. I mean, Yun Sang-yul is a great person, but isn't he going too far? He acts like the company is his own."

A lone warrior style, perhaps.

But if it was just a matter of work, it wouldn't be enough to make Min Kyung-sub suffer so much.

"He takes out his stress on me. After hyung left, I managed the manager team. He scolds me in front of the kids and then calls me aside to yell at me. It's driving me crazy."

Seong Pil completely understood his feelings.

In his previous life, he had suffered a lot from Yun Sang-yul's antics.

If not for his connection with President Kim Tae-hoon and his appropriate mediation, Seong Pil would have left Seok Success Entertainment long ago.

And in his previous life, there was one crucial reason why he didn't leave Seok Success Entertainment.

"Why don't you leave?"

"If I leave, other employees might be treated the same way. And the trainees might be looked down upon."

It was the same reason Seong Pil hesitated to leave Seok Success Entertainment.

"Are you going to stay there forever?"

"I don't know."

If it were a simple counseling session, just listening to his concerns would be enough.

When someone in a company says they want to quit, it's often just a joke.

Just listening to what's bothering them and what they don't like usually helps them feel better.

But Seong Pil didn't just want to listen. He had received a request from Shin Areum, and Garo Entertainment needed a manager.

"How about being a manager? Are you completely fed up with it?"

"No. This is the only thing I know, so what can I do? I like the job itself. It's rewarding to see the artists I manage grow."

"Then come work for our company."

"…I'll think about it."

That means he won't come.

Min Kyung-sub would probably think of hundreds of reasons not to leave Seok Success Entertainment when he got home.

He would forget the frustration he felt today and go to work at Seok Success Entertainment as usual.

"Kyung-sub. I've been there, and you've worked at Seok Success Entertainment for a long time. But you don't need to feel responsible for it. Do you think President Kim Tae-hoon or Yun Sang-yul would think of you that much?"

"…"

"To them, you're just a machine. What do you think you'll become if you stay at Seok Success Entertainment for a long time? No, you'll just be a high-ranking manager. No matter how much you climb the ranks, struggle, and achieve results, the best you can be is a high-ranking manager. Even if you get a title like 'Head of Management,' you're still just a manager. Not much different from a road manager."

"Hyung, did you hate being a manager? I didn't know you thought it was such a bad job."

"It's about Seok Success Entertainment."

"Is Garo Entertainment different?"

Min Kyung-sub was starting to react.

Just as Seong Pil was about to start persuading him,

'Let's hire a road manager.'

Hong Gyu-hun's words came to mind.

Hiring a road manager… If he accepted Min Kyung-sub, he could use him as a road manager.

"Hyung?"

"…Just a moment."

Seong Pil went outside and called Hong Gyu-hun.

It was Sunday, and he felt bad about calling, but the situation was urgent.

[Why?]

Hong Gyu-hun was breathing heavily.

From his regular breathing, it seemed he was exercising.

"Sorry to call on a Sunday. Can I talk for a moment?"

[Sure, what is it?]

Seong Pil told him about Min Kyung-sub.

[You said to hire a road manager, but you're trying to hire an experienced manager.]

"Sorry…"

[You need to recognize his experience. It's hard to find an experienced manager. What about the salary…?]

Fortunately, he got a positive response.

"Thank you so much. I know it's hard to decide quickly."

[It's because Park Manager found him. Trust him.]

How could each word be so moving?

Seong Pil's respect for Hong Gyu-hun grew.

After the call, he quickly returned to Min Kyung-sub and explained the job offer.

As Seong Pil spoke, Min Kyung-sub became more and more interested in Garo Entertainment.

"The job is essentially a road manager."

"Until the debut. And since you've built connections in the industry, we can go on sales calls together after a while."

"Connections I built at Seok Success Entertainment, will they still be useful if I change companies?"

"If you built genuine relationships, they will be."

Min Kyung-sub listened to all the conditions and thought for a long time. Then he called Shin Areum.

[Hello?]

"Hey, Areum. Having fun?"

[Yes.]

[Manager, save me! It's so scary here! Why do I have to pay to be scared?! Save me!]

[Rika, step back. Go solve the rest of the puzzle.]

[I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to!]

"Areum, did I look very stressed?"

[Yes, as soon as I came in…]

[Customer, no cell phones…]

[It's an emergency. I won't take pictures. Yes, did I look stressed?]

"Yes."

[He looked like he was about to die. Does he not look in the mirror? If he keeps this up, he'll die of stress.]

"…Got it, thanks."

Min Kyung-sub hung up and his eyes lit up.

"I'm going."

* * *

Rika, who met them again, looked like her soul had left her body.

Rika and Min Kyung-sub were exchanged like prisoners, each heading to Seong Pil and Shin Areum.

"Rika, did you have fun today? Let's do it again sometime."

"…No."

"What?"

"No, no, I mean, I'm looking forward to it."

Shin Areum and Min Kyung-sub left with the sunset as their backdrop.

"Let's go too!"

"You seem unusually cheerful. Are you that happy to be away from Areum?"

"No comment."

Even as Rika moved, Seong Pil didn't budge.

Rika thought he was teasing her and pulled on his sleeve.

"Let's go."

"Just a moment."

Seong Pil ran to Shin Areum and Min Kyung-sub.

"Hyung?"

"Areum, just a moment."

Seong Pil took Shin Areum a bit away from Min Kyung-sub.

"Why?"

"Your trainee contract is almost up in a year, right?"

"I signed a five-year contract when I first came, so it's about that time. I think we'll be renewing soon."

"Is it hard?"

Shin Areum had jokingly said '1+1' earlier, but she's not the type to joke about leaving the company.

Even if she's angry, she might say, 'I won't come to practice,' but she wouldn't say, 'I'm leaving the company.'

Not in the past, and not in the future.

Shin Areum and Min Kyung-sub had something in common.

"Is it hard being there?"

"Are you trying to seduce me, team leader? Grabbing anyone and asking if they're stressed, then comforting them if they say yes? That's so cheap."

Seong Pil knew Shin Areum wouldn't tell the truth, so he just said what he had to say.

"If it's hard, you can leave. I can help you find another agency."

Shin Areum laughed loudly. Min Kyung-sub, looking over her shoulder, had a puzzled expression.

"Am I crazy to leave Seok Success Entertainment?"

"Sure. I was just asking in case."

"Thanks for worrying. Are you not coming back to Seok Success Entertainment?"

"No, I'm not."

Seong Pil sent Shin Areum back to Min Kyung-sub.

She waved at Seong Pil, urging him to hurry.

As he watched them go, Rika was by his side.

"What did you talk about?"

"Nothing much. Let's go."

"Okay."

"Are we going straight to the dorm?"

"Uh-huh."

Rika, in the car, seemed unusually down.

"Why are you so down? Did Areum bully you?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"…Is this it?"

Now he understood why Rika was acting this way.

She was upset about going straight back to the dorm after getting all dressed up.

Seong Pil could relate.

"Do you want to go out?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"I'm tired and want to rest."

"Uh-huh."

"Sorry. Let's go out with the other members next time."

"…"

Rika became even more down.

She looked like a pufferfish that had inflated in response to a threat.

Seong Pil started driving without a care. She crossed her arms and turned her head away.

It was a gesture to show she was upset and wanted him to make it up to her.

She ignored Seong Pil the whole time, but soon faced a situation she couldn't ignore.

"Isn't this the way to the dorm?"

Seong Pil didn't answer.

They arrived at Naksan Park.

"Manager…"

"Ta-da, a surprise. I didn't want to go somewhere crowded, so I brought you here. How about a quiet walk? I'll take lots of pretty pictures for you."

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

They bought drinks at the kiosk and headed up.

"There are so many people."

"Oh, it's Sunday today."

They headed to the famous castle wall path.

"Phew, huff… Rika, I'm so tired."

"Come on, faster!"

"Let's go a bit slower…"

The stairs were too many, and Rika was too fast.

When Seong Pil slowed down, Rika grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along.

"Do some exercise! What if you go back early like this!"

"You can say anything to me!"

"I'm worried about you!"

"I do exercise. I just don't do cardio. It's good that you exercise a lot…"

With her schedule and daily dancing, her stamina would be unmatched.

"Ah! A sign! It feels like we're going on an adventure! Where should we go?"

"Playground."

"You've been here before. The thrill is gone."

"Just follow me."

"Who was your first adventure partner?"

"My ex-girlfriend."

"Trauma ON."

Rika gasped in awe at the castle wall.

"It's beautiful!"

"Am I not beautiful too?"

"I meant the castle wall is beautiful, not you."

"I was joking, why so serious?"

They walked along the castle wall. Rika couldn't take her eyes off the night view beyond the wall.

She had been in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, for over two years but hadn't played much.

Even after joining Garo Entertainment, her range of activities was limited to the dorm and the company.

Recently, she had gone out a few times with the members, but her experience was significantly less compared to her peers.

That's why she was visibly enjoying even a simple walk.

"Quickly capture my beauty in the camera!"

Seong Pil took picture after picture of Rika posing.

Whenever they came across a good spot, they would stop to take more photos.

"Hehe, I'll post them on my social media."

"No."

"Why not?"

"People might think you came with your boyfriend."

"I can say I came with my manager."

"Which idol would come here with their company manager?"

"They wouldn't, right?"

"Right."

"I see. Then why did you bring me here, Manager?"

Seong Pil smiled faintly and continued walking.

Rika, who had been posing against a tree, followed him.

"Rika, I don't know how you feel, but I consider you a friend."

"Uh, I consider you my manager."

"I understand…"

"Not in a business sense! Well, not exactly a friend…"

"I get it. No need to explain…"

"Let's just be friends then. If that's what you want!"

Rika leaned her shoulder against Seong Pil's.

"Rika, let's keep our boundaries. Do you really think of me as a friend?"

"Are you bipolar?!"

They reached the end of the castle wall path.

At what was essentially the summit, they leaned against the wall and looked at the moon.

"The stars are beautiful."

"Where?"

"Over there."

"That's a satellite. It's blinking."

"Ah! A world where all the stars have died."

"Not all of them. Look, there's one."

"Where?"

Seong Pil pointed at Rika.

"The future star."

"Ugh…"

"Maybe the sky is empty because Rika is here. The brightest star has lost its way and is by my side."

"Your words are so cheesy…"

Rika pretended to vomit but then laughed brightly.

The moon seemed to have a magical effect.

Maybe because, unlike the sun, it can be looked at directly.

There was something that captivated the heart. Drawn by that something, the two of them continued to look at the moon in silence.

Then Seong Pil suddenly remembered and said,

"Tsuki ga kirei desu ne (The moon is beautiful)."

"…Cough."

"Why? Isn't that right?"

"Manager, your pronunciation is terrible. It's not 'tsu,' it's 'tsu'!"

"Tsuki ga?"

"Ts! Ts! Ts! Ts! Not just 'ts,' but with a 't' sound at the beginning!"

"Ts… I don't get it."

"Study Japanese! You might want to live there someday!"

"Japan… Sure."

"Really?!"

"No."

"Uh-huh…"

"Is Japan a good place to live?"

Rika started to list the advantages of Japan.

As they talked, they continued their walk.

* * *

Rika sat on the sofa in the first floor, watching TV.

She was watching a rerun of 'Project Poyu,' a program that had ended quite a while ago, using the replay function.

"Areum."

Rika only watched the stages where Shin Areum appeared.

For some reason, Rika had a strong attachment to Shin Areum. Even though the only thing she heard from Shin Areum during the car ride to the 'Project Poyu' filming site was teasing, she still felt this way.

Rika smiled as she watched the stages of Poyu.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the company entrance.

Rika turned her head sharply to see a man in a black suit frowning and looking through the glass door.

It was hard to see inside from the outside.

Rika ran to the entrance and opened the door slightly.

"Who are you?"

"Ah, finally open—Aaah!"

As the man tried to enter, Rika quickly closed the door. The man, who had his foot in the door, screamed.

"I'll call the police!"

"Let go, let go!"

"Get out!"

"I, I'll go! I'll go!"

The man quickly pulled his foot back and glared