Chapter 106
It was 4 a.m.
Perhaps because it was a rarely frequented part of the Han River Park, there wasn’t a single ant in sight.
“Bicycles?!”
“Yeah.”
“You know how to ride one, right?”
“That’s good.”
I borrowed a public bicycle and handed it to Yeon Juhong.
Then I borrowed one for myself.
“Juhong.”
“Yes?!”
“If you beat me to that bridge over there on the bicycle, I’ll let you eat convenience store food for a week. Let’s see who gets there first.”
“Wh-what?”
Yeon Juhong looked like she couldn’t believe her ears.
“Cheong Cheong… Did I do something wrong?”
“…I’ll count to three. You start first. If you lose, you’ll be eating only chicken breast for a week.”
“!”
Yeon Juhong got on the bicycle at the speed of light.
And she started without a word.
She should’ve done that from the start.
I smiled triumphantly and got on my bicycle.
Then I pedaled like crazy.
“!!! Cheong Cheong, why are you so fast?!”
Because…
“You still have the energy to talk?”
I used to pedal like this whenever I had the same worries as you.
I was very confident when it came to bicycles.
“Huff huff huff… Cheong Cheong, I think I’m going to die…”
“Oh, giving up? Chicken breast for a week?”
“Oh please, that’s too much.”
I laughed heartily but quickly wiped the smile off my face.
I could feel my own stamina dwindling.
Right.
This body…
Wasn’t the body of Baek Nokha, which had been trained through all kinds of exercise and PT for 10 years…
It was the feeble body of Yoon Cheong…?
“…Juhong.”
“Huff huff… Yes?! Huff huff…”
“Unnie is going ahead.”
Given the situation, I had no choice but to push through with sheer willpower.
***
“Cheong Cheong, you’re really a crazy person, aren’t you?”
Yeon Juhong said as she collapsed onto the bench.
I lay down on the grass next to her.
I’m a good leader… so I let her have the bench.
“Since I won, you’ll be eating chicken breast for a week.”
“Bad person… bad person…”
“Juhong.”
I wiped the sweat off and took a deep breath.
“Yes?”
“When did you learn to ride a bicycle?”
“Uh… when I was in the third grade of elementary school? Why?”
You learned quickly.
“I learned when I was seven.”
“You learned early?”
“Yeah. I learned early. It’s been 14 years already. You’ve been riding for eight years.”
“The way you say it, it sounds like debut years.”
Yeon Juhong giggled while sinking into the bench.
“The reason I won today is…”
Why was I still out of breath?
“It’s simply because I’ve been riding longer than you. And somehow… I’m in better shape than you.”
“Haha. Come on. I’m not sulking just because I lost a bicycle race, okay?! But eating only chicken breast…”
Yeon Juhong stood up and looked down at me.
Oh dear, look at her makeup all smeared.
I laughed at her shabby appearance.
“Bicycles and singing are the same.”
“!”
“It’s simply because… I’ve been doing it longer than you. That’s what I think. Some people say it’s a natural talent, but…”
Whether it was during my Baek Nokha days or now, I had always thought the same thing.
Natural talent only lasts for a short while.
“In three years, you’ll be as good as me… and in three years, I’ll be an even better person. We’re really… still so… young.”
Was it because I was sweating so much? Why was I feeling so sleepy?
The streetlight flickered and swayed in front of my eyes.
“One day, you might even ride a bicycle better than me. If you stop skipping PT and work on your stamina. That’s something… nobody can really know.”
Only time holds the answers, I believe.
“So… whenever you have doubts, just ride a bicycle. Since no one knows the outcome… thinking about it won’t give you the answers either.”
Hoping my words reached her.
I yawned.
But at that moment.
*Ding!*
[Disaster strikes Yoon Cheong from Steel Blue?! Vocal cord nodules]
[Yoon Cheong, girl group main vocalist survival show <Dear My Diva> appearance cancelled?]
[Colors, no cancellations for ‘Steel Blue’ activities…. Continuing as a four-member group for now]
A notification that made my heart sink appeared.
So this notification finally arrived.
The fact that Som Pom had sent this notification probably meant that I was highly likely to develop vocal cord nodules soon.
I had already been feeling that my throat wasn’t in great condition lately.
This couldn’t be happening. We were only one week into our promotions.
Even without music shows, we still had two more weeks of schedules to go.
As rookies, there was no option to only promote for two weeks.
Not to mention the countless other schedules lined up.
“Is something wrong, Cheong Cheong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just checking the time. Feeling sleepy.”
She must have been worried because I suddenly went silent while looking at my phone.
Vocal cord nodules.
Considering the condition of Yoon Cheong’s vocal cords, it wasn’t surprising.
Who knows what kind of improper training methods the previous agency used, but her vocal cords were completely worn out.
Of course, I hadn’t been unprepared.
I had been diligently drinking pear bellflower juice…
I had even asked Dan Ha and Sol for hospital recommendations, and had managed to get company approval to visit the hospital, but ultimately, I couldn’t prevent it.
The human body is not something that can be controlled at will.
If only I had entered Yoon Cheong’s body a bit earlier.
But for moments like these, I had prepared something.
I had found a way to heal vocal cords from the shop provided by Som.
[Vocal Cord Shield:
Your vocal cords are damaged?
What you need is the Vocal Cord Shield!
It will protect your vocal cords from all diseases and fatigue for six months!
Required points: 600 points
If you wish to use it on someone else: 1,200 points per part (only usable on members)]
600 points.
[Current points: 600 points]
Coincidentally, the exact number of points I currently had.
These points were earned by composing the title track and additional songs, and by successfully completing various small quests.
Though I’m speaking about it easily now, it wasn’t easy.
Would Baek Nokha have ever attempted quests like <Rise to the top of real-time searches with an impression>?
Absolutely not.
I was a character who fans found boring on variety shows.
So in the end, I succeeded in the quest by mimicking Kim Geum.
Honestly, impressions are such an old-fashioned personal skill that I didn’t want to do it.
But it seemed like Som had the same outdated taste as PD Oh.
By the way,
600 points?
Last time I checked, it was 500 points. Why did it suddenly go up?
[Surprised by the sudden price increase?]
[It’s due to insane fluctuations in the exchange rate!]
[It’s a recession! :)]
Are they crazy?
There was no other choice. They were in control, and I had no leverage.
The one in need had to bow down.
Just as I was about to purchase the <Vocal Cord Shield>,
– Unnie, answer the phone.
– Unnie, answer the phone.
“Goodness.”
It was my phone’s ringtone.
Not Baek Nokha’s phone, but Yoon Cheong’s.
I was genuinely startled.
“Hey, did you change this again?”
Seriously.
I had changed it to our song just yesterday, but when did she change it again?
“Hurry and answer the phone, unnie.”
“You’re really not an ordinary maknae… Anyway, let me take this call.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I decided to scold her later.
The caller was our manager.
“Yes, unnie.”
– Cheong-ah, you need to come back immediately.
“Oh, okay. I’ll be right there. Could you pick us up-”
– Geum got hurt.
“…What?”
I felt a chill run down my spine.
It was the same feeling I had when I heard the news about my mother on the day I received my award.
My heart began to race madly.
“Where, how bad is it? Is it serious? How did it happen? Have you taken her to the hospital-”
– No, no. It’s not that serious…. Juhong seemed down, so Geum wanted to make her some jjambbong ramen… But she accidentally knocked over the boiling water… She got a burn on her foot. I’ve taken her to the hospital now.
A burn?
The word “burn” made my vision go white.
I suddenly recalled the day I heard about the fire, and my skin prickled painfully.
Or was it just my heart aching?
No, now wasn’t the time to dwell on my own wounds.
Focus, Baek Nokha.
No, focus, Yoon Cheong.
Even the way Geum got hurt was so typical of her.
It showed that all the members were worried about Juhong.
Of course, they would be.
No sister wouldn’t be concerned when the youngest was crying every day.
“What did the hospital say?”
Hearing the word “hospital,” Yeon Juhong’s eyes widened.
“Hospital?! Who went to the hospital?! Who?! Are they okay?!”
I needed to hide the reason.
“It’s okay. Geum just had a little accident, but it’s not serious.”
If Yeon Juhong found out, she’d crumble under the guilt.
– The hospital said she’ll be fine with proper treatment… But the injury is on her foot. They advised against any activities for a while. She needs to stay completely still for at least a week. Even after that, strenuous activities are out of the question. She probably won’t be able to keep up with any of the scheduled events…. I don’t know what to do.
“More important than the schedule-”
I almost snapped.
But I held back my emotions.
It wasn’t the manager’s fault. This was nobody’s fault.
“Her recovery is the priority. I’ll head to the hospital right away.”
– No, Cheong-ah. You have a personal schedule in four hours. Get some rest. I’ll stay here. I’ll send another manager to take you and Juhong back to the dorm.
“…Okay.”
I hung up and took a deep breath.
Alright.
This is how it’s going to be.
I glanced at the item above <Vocal Cord Shield> in Som’s shop.
[Panacea:
Cures gastritis, enteritis, headaches, menstrual cramps, fatigue from overwork, and fractures that might occur during activities!
…
If you want to use it on someone else: 600 points per area (only usable on members)]
Naturally, I was stunned by the tripled price.
It was a choice.
Between me and Kim Geum.
Between my throat and Kim Geum’s foot, what was more important?
There was no telling when vocal cord nodules would heal.
To be honest, once they occurred, it could make activities impossible for about a year.
And that wasn’t all.
Even if vocal cord nodules healed, there was no guarantee that my voice would return to its former state.
I might lose my voice, my only weapon.
This wasn’t just my problem; it would be a huge burden on the members in their first year of debut.
We wouldn’t be able to win the Rookie of the Year award, and I would fail the mission given to me.
In other words, reviving my mother would become impossible.
On the other hand, Kim Geum’s foot might heal with just two weeks of rest.
I didn’t know how severe the burn was, but from what the manager said, it didn’t seem too serious.
So, naturally-
[Purchase complete!]
[You have purchased the <Panacea>. Who will you use it on? (Me/Member)]
[Member: Kim Geum has been selected!]
[600 points have been deducted!]
[Remaining points: 0]
It had to be Kim Geum.
Of course.