Chapter 65: No Flying Chess

Christmas is a day when all major TV stations vie for viewers. There are MBC Christmas specials, SBS Christmas specials, KBS Christmas specials, and so many that one can't keep up, not knowing which to watch.

On this day, the busiest people are undoubtedly the celebrities. Some big-name stars have to make three appearances in one night, performing at SBS, then rushing to MBC, and finally to KBS, exhausted like a panting dog. But no matter how tired they are, they must persist on stage, showing the audience their brightest smiles. That's what it means to be an entertainer.

Top-tier artists have some say, and first-line artists can slightly adjust their schedules to get a bit of rest. The most pitiful are the second- and third-tier artists, who must always be on standby, ready to go at a moment's notice, with no freedom. But this isn't the worst. The worst is when an artist isn't invited to such grand holiday events. Not being invited means only one thing—insufficient qualifications. This is the greatest denial for these artists, and KARA is one of them.

Park Gyu-ri, Han Seung-yeon, Jung Nicole, and Kim Sung-hee walked along the snowy, icy street, the festive atmosphere seemingly unable to infect them. They looked dejected, lacking the vibrant energy of their age.

"Gyu-ri, let's walk faster... It's freezing, and my feet are numb!" Jung Nicole shivered from the cold wind, feeling a chill as snowflakes blew into her neck.

Han Seung-yeon checked the time; the hour hand was pointing to half-past ten. It was the coldest part of the night. She tightened her thin coat and said, "Forget it, don't worry about it. It's just that we weren't invited to the Christmas specials on the three major TV stations. It's not a big deal. When we become famous, we'll get to choose which TV station to perform at!"

Han Seung-yeon always seemed so cheerful. As the member with the most appearances, even being called the "Queen of Appearances" behind her back, she seemed to have endless energy, maintaining a cheerful mood despite her busy schedule.

"Ah..." Park Gyu-ri looked up at the dark, murky sky, where snowflakes were falling. She saw KARA's future, dark and bleak.

Looking back at Han Seung-yeon, Jung Nicole, and Kim Sung-hee, a bitter feeling welled up inside her. They were all celebrities, but while others could perform on stage, they could only walk back through the snow and ice. The difference was too great...

"Seung-yeon... Nicole... Sung-hee... I'm sorry!" Park Gyu-ri said in a low voice, trying hard not to cry.

Han Seung-yeon, Kim Sung-hee, and Jung Nicole were all taken aback, their eyes welling up. They knew what kind of person Park Gyu-ri was. As the leader, her burden was heavier than the three of them combined. Whenever they were called to the office, she was the one who got the harshest scolding. She was the leader, and she had to protect the three younger members, taking everything on herself.

"Sis... Don't say that. You haven't done anything to us... It's the other way around; we feel sorry for you..." The youngest, Jung Nicole, finally couldn't hold back her tears.

The four of them worked hard, from being trainees to becoming artists, striving to do everything to the best of their ability. But for some reason, they just couldn't become famous, lingering in the second and third tiers.

The four girls had great figures, beautiful faces, and undeniable talent. If they lacked talent, how could DSP have chosen them to debut?

While Girls' Generation faced backlash for their close photos with members of TVXQ and Super Junior, and rumors of their close relationship with the nine girls, they still had people who hated them, which meant they were being noticed. Compared to Girls' Generation, KARA was even worse. They had no haters, no attention, and nothing could be worse than that.

If DSP's management could learn from KARA's failure instead of just blaming them, reposition KARA, and develop new promotional strategies, along with acquiring some popular songs, KARA, with their talent, could at least have a place in the girl group world.

Unfortunately, DSP remained stubborn, blaming KARA for their lack of success, leading to the four talented members remaining in obscurity.

The snow grew heavier, and the four KARA members walked hand in hand to their residence, each with a forced smile on their face.

When they entered the apartment and took the elevator to the twelfth floor, they found a cardboard box at their door with a note that read "Merry Christmas."

"Did the guy upstairs send this?!" Jung Nicole opened the box, revealing a nine-inch tiramisu cake with "KARA" written on it and "Merry Christmas" in smaller letters below.

The four girls looked at each other, a warm feeling rising in their hearts.

...

"Hey, stop it... Who could it be at this hour? I'll go open the door!" Park So-yeon struggled to stand up from the sofa and walked quickly to the entrance. But when she opened the door and saw four beautiful young women standing there, both sides stared at each other in surprise.

"You, Lee Yun-jae, I knew you were up to something. Making a cake and sending it downstairs to wish someone a Merry Christmas, and it turns out it's for four beautiful women. You're just like a weasel wishing a chicken a happy new year, with no good intentions..." Park So-yeon clenched her teeth, feeling a surge of jealousy.

"Oh no... Did we come at the wrong time? Did we interrupt a date?" Park Gyu-ri and the others exchanged glances, thinking to themselves.

"Sis... Who is it?" Lee Yun-jae walked over when he saw Park So-yeon standing still. "Oh, it's you, Gyu-ri, Seung-yeon, Sung-hee, Nicole. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!!!" The four of them greeted him.

"Oppa, did we interrupt your date?!" Jung Nicole asked cautiously.

Lee Yun-jae was taken aback, then shook his head. "What are you talking about? Let me introduce you. This is my sister, Park So-yeon! Sis, these four girls are my neighbors downstairs, and they're big stars!"

"Oppa, don't tease us, what big stars?" Han Seung-yeon's lips twitched; they weren't even considered stars.

"Come in and sit for a while, it's cold outside!" Lee Yun-jae invited them in.

"Wow, oppa, your place is so beautiful!" As soon as they entered, Park Gyu-ri and the others couldn't help but exclaim. Compared to Lee Yun-jae's place, theirs was very simple, with an area less than two-thirds of his. His place was fully equipped, while theirs had only a bed, a TV, and their own laptops.

Lee Yun-jae chuckled. "Sit down! Have you eaten? Help yourselves to the snacks on the sofa and coffee table. Oh, and there's cake too!"

"No, oppa, we just ate downstairs, and your cake was really delicious!" Park Gyu-ri praised.

"Of course... Who do you think taught him?" Park So-yeon chimed in.

"Sis, did you teach him?" Kim Sung-hee asked naturally.

Uh... Park So-yeon's tongue tied, unable to speak. Lee Yun-jae laughed. "She's just a foodie, she knows nothing but eating... I learned from her dad!"

The four of them nodded.

Lee Yun-jae poured each of them a cup of rich hot cocoa. They all gave him a grateful look as they took the cups.

"Hey, why are you all wet... Did you have a snowball fight outside?" Lee Yun-jae noticed their damp hair and slightly wet coats.

"We walked back," Jung Nicole explained.

Lee Yun-jae looked at them in surprise. "You didn't go to the Christmas specials at the three major TV stations?"

The four of them lowered their heads in silence. Park So-yeon mouthed a question to Lee Yun-jae, easily readable as "Are these girls really stars?"

Lee Yun-jae shook his head, realizing that KARA was indeed not well-known, even to a fan like Park So-yeon.

"Never mind... If you didn't go, it's not a big deal! Let's play a game. It's Christmas, and it would be a waste of this wonderful time not to play a game!" Lee Yun-jae felt the atmosphere becoming awkward and suggested.

"Sure... What game?" Jung Nicole perked up at the mention of a game, and the other three girls looked up at Lee Yun-jae.

Lee Yun-jae smiled mysteriously. "Do you know how to play Flying Chess?!"

"No Flying Chess!" Park So-yeon shouted loudly...

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