Chapter 68
That’s how it went, after the heated discussions about dividing parts.
The first mission song’s first practice time was approaching.
The title was roughly about racing through this city.
…But is it okay to talk about bikers when there are minors involved? Maybe it’s about bicycles instead of motorcycles?
Anyway, my part consisted of just one line.
Running on endless highways
Is this really the end?
Yes. This is really the end.
Yeon Juhong wasn’t much different from me.
Don’t block my path, Go away
That was the end of it.
Still, as a sub-vocal 6, she was a bit longer than me.
Is 6 better than 7?
Anyway, with this situation, there wasn’t much vocal practice to do.
We just needed to practice the chorus altogether and one line.
This was the first time Kyunga had to be the main vocal twice.
Since she was the main vocal for both the first and second songs, she seemed very busy.
But it was a happy kind of busyness.
She said she wanted to be the snake’s belly, but now that she was the dragon’s head, she looked happy.
It’s a natural feeling for a person. I didn’t resent Kyunga.
Yeon Juhong tried not to show it, but she looked at Kyunga with envy from time to time.
It was pitiful.
All because of Kim Ryeo-yu…
No, focus.
“Juhong, is the choreography difficult?”
“Yes! It might sound strange to say this…”
Yeon Juhong glanced around and started whispering to me.
“Since we have fewer vocal practices, paradoxically, we have a lot more time for dance practice. I want to try becoming the dance master during this opportunity.”
Yeon Juhong said that and smiled widely, raising her thumb.
It’s really nice to have one positive thing.
“Juhong.”
“Yes?”
“You’re going to succeed.”
“Wow. I also think so.”
…So that’s success.
In the entertainment industry, it’s 98% mentality and 2% effort.
At first, I thought Yeon Juhong was just a delicate yet sharp, and oddly cheerful person.
But not anymore.
She wasn’t just a weak and inexperienced girl, she was stronger than anyone else.
Of course, she still needed fences around her age.
But when she’s ready to step outside those fences, Yeon Juhong will be stronger than anyone else.
I glanced at PD Oh.
It’s about time to start the interviews.
PD Oh must have noticed my gaze because he cleared his throat.
“Hmm.”
“?”
“I’ll conduct individual interviews with the trainees one by one. Please come to the adjacent meeting room in order of call.”
Conducting individual interviews was quite common, so no one questioned it.
However.
A lot would change after these individual interviews.
***
Park Ha-eun was waiting in front of the meeting room as usual, without any questions.
It was her turn next.
The person before Park Ha-eun was Kim Ryeo-yu.
Park Ha-eun was listening to the demo audio of her part on hearphones, getting used to it.
Click.
“Uh, unnie.”
At that moment, Kim Ryeo-yu came out.
But something was off.
Kim Ryeo-yu looked anxious.
Why is that?
“Haeun, come here for a moment before going in.”
“Yes? I have to go in now…”
“I know, just come here for a moment.”
What’s going on?
Park Ha-eun was led by Kim Ryeo-yu’s hand and finally entered the restroom.
“Haeun.”
“Yes?”
“If… If they ask me questions about myself during the interview, what will you say?”
“Huh?”
Why now?
Park Ha-eun tilted her head.
“Will you… say good things? What kind of questions are they?”
“Just promise me that.”
“Um… okay.”
Park Ha-eun didn’t particularly want to oppose Kim Ryeo-yu.
Although Kim Ryeo-yu’s representative role was acknowledged, there were rumors that it wasn’t everything.
Rumors spread about Kim Ryeo-yu’s family being deeply involved in the underworld.
Park Ha-eun didn’t particularly like Kim Ryeo-yu’s personality.
But she had never directly harmed her and had accommodated her appropriately as a slightly intimidating unnie.
“It’s a must. Got it?”
“Um… yes.”
“And if they talk about Yoon Cheong, just say you don’t know anything. Don’t say anything unnecessary.”
“Yes…”
Park Ha-eun nodded with a puzzled face.
What’s going on?
“Unnie, did something strange happen during the interview? What kind of questions did you get?”
“I didn’t get any.”
“Huh?”
Then why?
“But something feels strange.”
“…?”
Is she being paranoid?
Park Ha-eun tried hard to control her expression.
“If… by any chance, something slips out during the interview and gets broadcasted.”
Kim Ryeo-yu looked at Park Ha-eun with anxious and malicious eyes.
“Really… you know, right?”
“…Unnie, I said I understand.”
Park Ha-eun started to feel worse.
The attitude that seemed like leaving everything to her irritated her.
Kim Ryeo-yu seemed to sense that pushing further would backfire.
“Alright then. Go in now.”
Park Ha-eun didn’t reply and went straight into the meeting room.
“Sorry for being late! I was in the restroom…”
“Oh, it’s okay. Please have a seat.”
In the meeting room, as usual, Writer Kang was there.
The only difference was that it wasn’t another assistant director, but PD Oh himself who had come.
But that wasn’t so strange, so Park Ha-eun sat down without any suspicion.
“Trainee Park Ha-eun.”
“Yes.”
But the moment I heard PD Oh’s next words, Park Hae-eun could understand why Kim Ryeo-yu was so worried.
“Since what we’re about to discuss is legally very sensitive, the guardians of Park Hae-eun trainee have also come here. Let’s move to the adjacent conference room and have a conversation together.”
“!”
***
So, after all the individual interviews of the trainees were over.
The atmosphere in the practice room had completely changed from before.
Everyone felt very tense.
And there was an effort to hide the fact that they were tense.
Since Kim Ryeo-yu couldn’t possibly miss this atmosphere, PD Oh added a little more.
“All right, let’s finish the overall practice time here for today. We’ll have individual practice time before recording the first and third songs. Since the recording will be tomorrow morning, please be mindful. Let’s take a break before recording the second song, maybe in 3 to 4 days. There won’t be any more group shoots today, so just focus on practicing.”
“Yes!”
“Each of you can practice in the vocal rooms, and please note that all vocal rooms are currently being recorded by cameras.”
“Got it!”
Setting them up to scatter.
By giving individual practice time, they needed to disperse as much as possible before Kim Ryeo-yu noticed, but…
“Yoon Cheong.”
However, it seemed unavoidable for Kim Ryeo-yu to notice.
Seeing what was blocking my way like this.
“What are you doing?”
“…Huh? What do you mean, Ryeo-yu?”
I tried my best to smile innocently.
Because the cameras were still rolling.
Kim Ryeo-yu also seemed to be managing her expression despite her surprise.
“Can we talk for a moment?”
“Sorry, Ryeo-yu.”
She seemed to be in a hurry.
“I need to practice. Aren’t you going to practice too? We have recording tomorrow.”
I don’t have to consider your situation.
“Then, do you want me to practice with you? Cheong, you’re good at singing.”
She was smiling brightly, but her eyes were full of malice.
Oh, how do I… can I politely decline even if I go on the broadcast.
“Sorry. Cheong is going to help me with my vocals.”
At that moment, Seo Baek-young came in and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
“…Ah, really?”
“Yes. We agreed to support each other from the beginning of the broadcast. Remember?”
“I remember…”
Nice, Seo Baek-young.
I hugged Seo Baek-young’s waist.
“Right, I have an agreement with Baek-young unnie…! Since you’re on the same team as Ryeo-yu, how about asking Kyunga unnie? Kyunga unnie is the main vocal.”
“…All right. That’s fine.”
“Why? Should I ask for you?”
“I said it’s fine.”
Her sharp voice drew everyone’s attention.
Kim Ryeo-yu seemed taken aback and tried to control her expression.
“Thanks for the offer, Cheong-a. But I’m okay. I’ll try it on my own.”
“Okay, then!”
I deliberately added some aegyo and answered, then left with Seo Baek-young.
There’s no point in dragging this out.
“Cheong-a.”
“Yes.”
When the cameras were gone, Seo Baek-young immediately turned off our microphones.
“About earlier… what was that? Did you prepare everything?”
“What do you mean?”
“Our… individual interviews. The lawyers, our parents… even though I’m an adult and don’t need a guardian, Mnet and Colors had everything prepared.”
Seo Baek-young seemed bewildered yet somewhat pleased.
“Did the company side with you? Right? It seemed like they were trying to support you with the questions…! You got the questionnaire in advance to think about it and answer it in two days. I signed a confidentiality agreement too. Isn’t it good? Right? I’m just trying to support you in every way.”
“That’s not right.”
“Huh?”
I let go of Seo Baek-young’s waist.
There’s no need to be overly aggressive when there are no cameras.
“They’re not supporting me, just telling the truth. Just what they’ve seen and heard. Please tell only the facts. That’s the safest way for you too, unnie.”
“…!”
“I don’t want anyone to be in danger because of me. If you think it’s better not to say something, you don’t have to say anything.”
“Cheong-a…”
I smiled ambiguously.
“And unnie. The company is just… on the company’s side.”
Because that’s the truth.
“Don’t trust the company or the broadcasting station too much. If they really wanted to support me… they wouldn’t have decided positions through a popularity vote.”
“!”
“They’re just chasing sensationalism and profit. What seems like they’re supporting me now… it’s just because it benefits them more.”
Because that’s the reality.
“So, unnie, think about what’s beneficial for you… and speak and act in that direction.”
Seo Baek-young stood stiffly, seemingly shocked, and fell silent.
I waited for Seo Baek-young like that.
While it might be shocking to Seo Baek-young, it was the reality.
The reality that I had experienced.
So, I wanted to be as honest as possible.
Maybe I could have just asked her to support me.
That would have been easier for me.
But I didn’t want to deceive Seo Baek-young.
That was my last bit of conscience.
Getting involved in something that didn’t need to be involved, my conscience.
“Okay.”
Seo Baek-young seemed to have finished thinking and finally showed signs of acceptance.
I’m glad she understood.
“Then should I do what’s best for me?”
“Yes. That’s more reassuring for me too.”
“Then I’ll just expose everything as it is.”
“!”
Seo Baek-young’s face was confident, something I had never seen before.
It looked refreshing, but also somewhat… fearful.
“Baek-young unnie.”
“Yes.”
Even without the cameras, I loosened my grip on Seo Baek-young’s waist.
There’s no need to overdo it when there are no cameras.
“Thank you for your kindness, Cheong-a. But I think that’s really beneficial.”
“!”
“In my opinion, yes. I think it’s more advantageous to act according to my conscience.”
This time, I was shocked and stiffened in response.
“I think supporting the person I like is advantageous to me.”
That’s when I thought.
Maybe I could understand the hearts of the people who like this person, at least a little bit.