Chapter 9

# Chapter 009

Rika, who had been an idol trainee in Korea, why did she return to Japan?

I vaguely thought it was because she failed to debut.

But there was a more fundamental reason.

"Did the Ishikawa parents oppose it?"

Hong Kyu-hun was also quite taken aback by the unexpected problem.

The issues she had anticipated were that a better agency than Garo Entertainment would appear, or that KS Entertainment would not terminate her trainee contract.

She hadn't even considered family problems.

"Why did they oppose it?"

"From their perspective, it's simple. Their precious daughter went to a foreign country right after graduating from middle school and wasted two years trying to become an entertainer."

"That's relatable."

If it were in their own country, it might be different, but a foreign country?

Living in a place other than one's birthplace is already hard; how worried would they be about their daughter living in a completely foreign country?

"It's surprising that they even sent her and waited for two years. Was their patience limited to just two years?"

Hong Kyu-hun thought about how to persuade Rika's parents.

After a few seconds of calculation, she came to a conclusion.

There was nothing to persuade them with.

"No matter how much we try to persuade them, it won't be very effective. To them, we're just people trying to make money off a child."

"You're right. Even if we talk about Rika's talent or dreams, we'll just be seen as people trying to make money off a child."

"What can we do if her parents oppose it?"

Hong Kyu-hun seemed to give up, but then suddenly glared at Seong Pil and Han Goo-in.

"That doesn't mean you're giving up, right? We must persuade them. I'll leave it to you. You must convince the Ishikawa parents."

Rika's parents must be worried too.

When Hong Kyu-hun thought about it, she wanted to let Rika go. If she were a parent, she would want to bring her daughter back.

'But I don't have that kind of heart.'

If Rika wanted it, she would take her as a trainee.

After seeing her talent, she didn't want to let her go. And Seong Pil felt the same way.

* * *

"Manager Han, you said you can speak Japanese. Can you have a conversation with a native speaker?"

"I can do it fluently."

Seong Pil was both happy and somehow intimidated by his confident answer.

That's what happens when you work with someone more capable than yourself.

"Then, can I leave the persuasion to Manager Han?"

"Can I do it?"

Han Goo-in felt that Seong Pil was more suitable.

Just from how he convinced Rika to come, it was clear.

"I think it would be better if I act as an interpreter. I'm not very good at persuasion in this field."

"No, talking through someone and talking directly are completely different. It's better if Manager Han has a direct conversation to convey emotions and logic."

Han Goo-in was anxious, but since Seong Pil said this much, he couldn't just refuse.

"To be honest... I feel more sympathy for the Ishikawa parents. I don't think I can defend Rika's side."

"That's because you haven't heard Rika's story yet. We need to be Rika's advocates."

"Advocates. I see. Hearing Rika's story is important then."

Not just important, it's necessary.

To persuade her parents, you need to understand Rika's motivations and goals.

"Alright. From now on, I will completely empathize with Rika."

Han Goo-in made up his mind.

"My reason for wanting to be an idol? Well, it's cool, isn't it?"

Han Goo-in couldn't empathize with that answer at all.

Instead, his liking for Rika dropped sharply.

'Is she just trying to become an idol for such a trivial reason? Is it just because she didn't want to study? If she had some ambition or desire, it would be different...'

A thoughtless child's idea, something that can't persuade even allies, let alone parents.

Han Goo-in wanted to share his thoughts, but Seong Pil stopped him.

"Originally, you wanted to be an actor, right? Did you want to be an actor because it's cool too?"

"Yes. Isn't being an actor cool?"

"It is. But being a prosecutor, doctor, businessman, teacher, engineer, or counselor is also cool."

"That's true, but..."

Han Goo-in was skeptical of Seong Pil's question.

'Don't people want to be idols or actors to be in the spotlight? To be praised by people. Because of the typical teenage desire for attention, they choose entertainment as a career. It's not comparable to professional careers.'

"That's true, but... I don't match with studying."

'So, it was because she didn't want to study. There's nothing to say to the Ishikawa parents.'

"Isn't that true? Studying is not at all interesting."

'No one finds middle school curriculum interesting.'

"If I were to enter high school now, it would take more than seven years to achieve success through studying. I can't endure such a long time."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, what's the term? It's like walking through a foggy field. You know something will come up as you walk, but before it does, you have to keep walking on a path you can't see. It's completely unrewarding."

"Right."

Seong Pil empathized with Rika.

He also had no interest in studying.

For the same reason as Rika.

There's only continuous grading through exams, no real reward for studying.

"I... just... can't endure something boring. It's more enjoyable to set a clear goal of being an idol and practice dancing and singing than to study something I might or might not use in the future."

"Wow..."

Han Goo-in, who had only thought of negative rebuttals to Rika's answer, was amazed.

"Mr. Ishikawa, your Korean is amazing. I couldn't imagine you could become this good in just three years."

"..."

"Ah, sorry. Please continue."

"Actually, coming to Korea could be seen as an escape. I also disliked school life and loved Korean dramas."

"..."

"Listening to classes, I thought, 'Where will I use this? In college? If I do well on the exam, does that mean I understand everything?' I also felt like I was wasting time."

"Educational subjects aim to develop cognitive and thinking abilities. According to the general transfer theory, learning and achievement in one area show similar levels of achievement when applied to other areas..."

"Manager Han."

"Ah, sorry."

Han Goo-in sometimes interrupted Rika, and Seong Pil would stop him.

After a long conversation, they finished gathering information about Rika.

"Thank you for being honest."

Seong Pil and Han Goo-in dismissed Rika.

Ultimately, Rika's reason for coming to Korea was simple.

"Should we call this romantic?"

If we put a positive spin on it, Rika pursued her dream without hesitation, even traveling far from home.

If we put a negative spin on it, Rika just ran away because she didn't like studying.

But Seong Pil's mind could combine Rika's story in the most romantic way.

"How did you find Rika's story, Manager Han?"

"I found it hard to empathize. Without intending to belittle her, Mr. Ishikawa seems to lack the ability to delay gratification."

"Delay... what?"

"The ability to delay current satisfaction for future achievement. Like studying even when you want to play."

"...Manager Han is too self-centered."

"Me?"

"It's like you're saying the only way to succeed is through studying."

"...Ah."

Han Goo-in had followed the typical elite path.

To him, not being good at studying meant lacking patience and being less capable as a person.

Unconsciously, he belittled Rika.

"Ah, I see. Sorry. I was focused on the fact that she didn't go to school."

Thinking about it, Rika didn't just run away from school because she didn't like effort.

How could someone who doesn't like effort maintain a top position among KS Entertainment's trainees?

She must have put in tremendous effort every day.

"If effort indicates the degree of desire, Rika's dream is hard to express with the word 'desire.' It's more like ambition."

Nowadays, idol trainees typically train for 4-5 years. Rika caught up with them in just 1.5 years.

"It can't be done with half-hearted determination."

"How did Mr. Ishikawa get such strong motivation? From your story, it seemed like she needed immediate results. If that's the case, sports or arts would have been options too."

"I'll talk to Rika for 30 minutes. There must be another reason."

"...Did she not say everything because I was here?"

"Not exactly."

Han Goo-in firmly believed Rika had told everything. But on second thought, there might have been parts she hid because she felt uncomfortable.

It was frustrating, but there was nothing he could do.

Still, Rika seemed to trust Seong Pil.

"Alright."

Seong Pil left the reception room.

Han Goo-in read the newspaper until he returned.

When he came back, exactly 30 minutes had passed.

"Did you hear the motivation?"

"Yes. Now I'll tell you Rika's full story. Use this to persuade Rika's parents."

Seong Pil pieced together Rika's story to create her motivation.

Han Goo-in used his storytelling skills to the fullest to make Han Goo-in empathize as much as possible.

When the story ended, Han Goo-in fully understood Rika's situation.

Why she had to come to Korea.

What made her work so hard.

Why she wanted to stay despite her parents' opposition...

* * *

The day Rika's parents came to Garo Entertainment.

Han Goo-in woke up early in the morning and played the recording.

It was the story of Rika that Seong Pil had told him.

He reviewed the narrative several times while washing, eating, and dressing.

He had already memorized it perfectly.

All that was left was to speak with the right emotion.

"Hmm."

Han Goo-in sat on the sofa in the reception room and straightened his clothes.

Rika and Hong Kyu-hun were beside him.

But Han Goo-in acted as if no one was there.

He just closed his eyes and polished the words to persuade Rika's parents.

"They're here."

A door opened softly on the first floor.

It was definitely Seong Pil bringing Rika's parents.

Han Goo-in opened his eyes and looked at Rika.

Their eyes met.

"I will definitely persuade Mr. Ishikawa's parents. I'll make sure you can achieve your dreams here."

"Yes, yes. Thank you. And call me Rika. My dad and mom call me Mr. Ishikawa too."

A while later, the door opened, and a middle-aged man entered. Seong Pil was behind him.

Hong Kyu-hun stood up with a wide smile and greeted them.

"Welcome. I'm Hong Kyu-hun, the CEO of Garo Entertainment..."

"Have you ever thought about Rika's situation?!"

Han Goo-in suddenly shouted in Japanese.

Everyone in the room, including the man who had just entered, was shocked.

"I heard everything. You said you're a teacher. Yes, I understand the desire to raise your children well. I understand it a hundred times. But forcing your child to study and telling them that's the only way in the world, and restricting their freedom, is not what parents should do!"

Han Goo-in spoke with a heart full of resentment.

His father was similar to Rika's father.

He isolated him from the world in a greenhouse, making him study for the future.

Perhaps Han Goo-in was saying to Rika's father what he wanted to say to his own father.

"Of course, as a parent, you're worried. Anyone would be worried about their precious daughter living far away. But do you know why your daughter is doing this? Is it enough to just call her back?"

"Manager Han..."

Rika tugged at Han Goo-in's sleeve, but he ignored her and continued speaking.

"No, Rika doesn't want to go back. To Rika, Japan and home were just a cage. The only escape for her was Korean dramas and movies. The only freedom she was allowed, where she nurtured her dreams, was natural."

"Um..."

"Like walking through a foggy forest, not knowing when you'll reach your destination, feeling trapped in an eternal maze. That's what Rika said. To your daughter, home and school were a foggy maze! This is abuse! Do you know that? Your daughter couldn't even make proper friends at school because of the excessive cram school schedule?!"

"That's not..."

"Is there any hope in such a life? You say you're thinking about your daughter's future? Sacrificing everything now for success in 7, 8 years? Even if she doesn't want it? No, no! That's not human!"

"Manager Han..."

"Rika's sense of liberation, satisfaction, and fulfillment when she first danced and improved. And her confidence in her future. Have you ever thought about these things? This young girl's desire pointing to one thing..."

"Manager Han!"

Rika screamed. Her face was flushed red.

Han Goo-in finally stopped talking, but not to listen to Rika.

"Rika, tell your father. I don't want to go..."

"That's not my dad!"

"Excuse me?"

"This isn't my dad!"

"Then who...?"

"My uncle!"

Seong Pil, who didn't understand Japanese, watched in silence.

When Han Goo-in's outburst ended, Rika's uncle laughed awkwardly.

"Um..."

"My name is Han Goo-in."

"Yes. I heard your story, Manager Han. But you should be talking to this side..."

He raised the smart pad he was holding to his chest.

The screen showed a couple.

Rika's parents.

They had been on a video call to show the company, coming in from the first floor.

[Sorry to greet you through the screen. We couldn't come in person.]

"No, no, no."

Han Goo-in's face gradually turned red.

He was embarrassed to have given his passionate speech to a third party.

How much he had practiced for this moment.

[And we heard everything you said.]

"Yes, yes. Thank you."

[By the way, abuse... You're quite harsh in your words.]