Chapter 137
“Raon-ah.”
“Yes?”
“Merry Christmas!”
Kang Ji-woo, looking cheerful today, came up to me energetically as I was coming out of the bathroom after washing my hair before heading to the salon. It was Christmas, a cherished red-letter day imported from overseas.
Of course, in my life, weekends or holidays had long lost their significance, and Christmas was nothing more or less than a day with lots of game events.
‘Living like this, there comes a day when someone wishes you a Merry Christmas.’
It felt novel.
Anyway, I needed to make sure to collect my login rewards later…
Wait, I just received a greeting but didn’t return it.
“Merry Christmas to you too, hyung.”
Kang Ji-woo, who had been busily moving around the kitchen after waking me up, looked over and smiled brightly at me.
“What are you doing?”
“Preparing something for us to eat later.”
Indeed, the sauce that had been simmering was now cooling, emitting a delicious smell.
Next to it were spare ribs that had been soaked in water overnight and pre-boiled. He was quite diligent.
“We won’t be home until midnight.”
“So what? Sometimes you need to have a midnight snack.”
After finishing the live broadcast announcing our fan club name, we were planning to have a small party at the dorm.
It was to celebrate completing all our official schedules for the year safely.
After that, we had a vacation. Considering how suddenly busy we became preparing for the year-end stages, our originally two-day vacation was extended until the 30th.
“It’s done.”
Kang Ji-woo smiled proudly as he put the well-mixed, sufficiently cooled sauce and meat out on the balcony to marinate.
“Good job.”
The other members, who had been lounging on the sofa watching TV meaninglessly or fiddling with their phones, got up after seeing that Kang Ji-woo’s cooking, which had started at dawn, was almost finished, and they said a few words of thanks before leaving their seats.
“Let’s get ready to go out.”
* * *
After an early morning rehearsal at Gocheok Sky Dome, we went to the salon to get dressed up and attended the photo wall event on our way to the music festival.
I had grown quite accustomed to the barrage of flashes from the reporters and could keep my eyes open for about three seconds now.
After arriving, except for occasional calls from staff or going to greet veteran singers for special appearances, we spent endless time in the waiting room.
Luckily, we were assigned a separate waiting room from our senior colleagues in the agency. If we had to share a room with 12 people…
‘Ugh, just thinking about it is overwhelming.’
We were the juniors among the numerous singers gathered today.
There weren’t any people we were particularly close to who we could greet warmly.
Among the Pick Heart3 alumni idols, we were the only ones participating in this festival in any form, and out of our five members, four had their first company with Sidra, so they didn’t have any idol friends here.
Am I not from True? No. I don’t remember it, so no. Anyway, I’m not, so please don’t associate me with them.
Kang Ji-woo, who was almost the only one with external connections, had acquaintances among Chaser and other SS alumni idols, whom he almost debuted with as part of the same group.
Watching him, it seemed like he was doing social activities for all five of us alone.
‘I guess I really am an introvert.’
Though maybe not to the core.
Thinking such thoughts, I managed to skillfully carry several cans of drinks from the vending machine in my hands and arms when I saw Lee Saet-byul walking alone in the distance.
Lee Saet-byul seemed to recognize me as well, slowing her pace a little.
“Hello, senior.”
“Hello.”
Meeting Lee Saet-byul after a long time, she still gave off a delicate impression, like a faint star about to fade.
“Do you like choco latte?”
I offered a slightly hot canned drink to Lee Saet-byul. It didn’t seem polite not to offer one when I was carrying so many.
“…Thank you.”
Lee Saet-byul hesitated for a moment, but then, thinking it would be ruder not to accept, cautiously took the can I offered.
“Congratulations on your debut.”
“Ah, thank you.”
It felt a bit awkward to be congratulated on my debut by someone whose group was about to disband.
The group Yours, which Lee Saet-byul belonged to, was on the verge of ending their activities.
Their last broadcast appearance as Yours would be at the KBC year-end music festival on December 29th.
Then on the 30th, they would say their final goodbyes to their fans, and on the 31st, they would officially disband.
If you’re wondering how I know so much about Yours despite not being a fan, it’s because the recent entertainment news has been filled with stories about Yours, the only remaining Pick Heart debut group.
A month ago, the prosecution finally announced the results of their investigation into the ranking manipulation in Pick Heart seasons 2 and 3. The problematic production crew, including the producer Jo In-soo, were currently being prosecuted.
“Thank you for that time.”
Last summer, Lee Saet-byul had greatly helped me.
It’s a long story, actually.
Thanks to Lee Saet-byul, I was able to debut with Sidra without any issues.
* * *
Last June.
On Raon and Lee Saet-byul met secretly, avoiding the public’s eye.
One was the most popular female idol in the past two years. The other was a male idol trainee on the rise.
If anyone had seen them, it would have been a huge scandal, but On Raon had confirmed with his skills that there were no cameras around them. No one else was nearby either.
“Thank you so much for contacting me.”
“It’s nothing. But why did you…?”
What was so urgent that it had to be said face-to-face?
Meeting On Raon’s eyes that seemed to ask this, Lee Saet-byul took a deep breath and began to speak.
“So…”
What Lee Saet-byul told him in a trembling yet as calm as possible voice was shocking.
Lee Saet-byul, who had been a trainee with various entertainment companies, including True, and finally appeared in Pick Heart Season 2 as an individual trainee, had signed an exclusive contract with Tak Entertainment, related to Alt.
“Producer Jo In-soo told me that if I wanted to debut, I had to sign with Tak.”
If she didn’t agree to the contract with Tak Entertainment, he threatened to manipulate her ranking and drop her out of the debut lineup.
Thinking it was her last chance to debut, Lee Saet-byul couldn’t refuse the unfair offer.
How could she? Defying such a demand would make her future in the entertainment industry a thorny path.
However, the contract Lee Saet-byul was bound to in exchange for her spot in the Yours debut lineup was a severely malicious one, similar to, or even worse than, the infamous case of Kwon Gyeoul.
And she guessed that On Raon, who was also achieving good results as an individual trainee, might be in a situation similar to her past.
She was right.
The Pick Heart officials, including Producer Jo In-soo, were contemplating whether to place On Raon in the debut lineup under the same conditions as Lee Saet-byul, except for one trainee recommended by a company for debut.
“I don’t intend to persuade you to give up debuting in Pick Your Heart, Raon. You might want that. I just want to let you know that there is another way.”
“Is there a way?”
“I can’t guarantee it will work. But we can try.”
At that moment, Lee Saet-byul didn’t seem weak.
Her determined eyes showed she had thought long and hard about it before making her decision.
“I want to take another path.”
After confirming On Raon’s intentions, Lee Saet-byul subtly leaked false information that On Raon seemed to be tied to True under unavoidable circumstances.
On Raon couldn’t outright refuse, so the production team had to give up on their own.
Knowing what kind of company True was, which she had once been part of, she could use this method.
Tak Entertainment, closely connected with Music Box, reported this information to Pick Heart.
If it were true, On Raon’s chances of signing with Tak, even if he debuted with Breaker, were slim, so there was no reason to drop a pre-determined debut member for him.
Receiving this report, the Pick Heart production team immediately confirmed the facts with True Entertainment.
Although they had never heard that On Raon was tied to them, Kil Jun-yong, who wanted On Raon to fail and return to True, responded as if it were true.
True didn’t stop there and even spread the issue of the overpowered character controversy, fearing the slightest chance of On Raon’s debut in Pick Heart.
They planned to bring On Raon back to the company later by resolving the controversy. It was a disgraceful tactic for such a large company.
Producer Jo In-soo showed a shred of conscience, making the plan fall apart.
Ultimately, Pick Heart let On Raon go.
But just days after Pick Heart ended, news of On Raon joining Sidra broke out.
Not True, but Sidra?
Music Box, realizing they had been fooled into letting On Raon go, expressed strong discontent with True.
The once close relationship between Music Box and True soured.
It was a classic case of self-destruction for both Music Box and True.
* * *
Even thinking about it now makes me angry.
Music Box, True, I hope they both go down.
Come to think of it, the controversy post might have been posted by True…
Without Lee Saet-byul, I might have been stuck with Breaker, unable to work due to the manipulation issue.
I might not have been able to debut as Orca.
“Thank you so much.”
Though I had already thanked her over the phone, I wanted to thank Lee Saet-byul in person, knowing it was a risky move for her as well.
We hadn’t had the chance to meet because our activity periods didn’t overlap, but luckily, an opportunity arose.
When I bowed my head, Lee Saet-byul blushed slightly and shook her head urgently.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“If there’s anything I can help you with in the future, please let me know. I will definitely help. I promise.”
Lee Saet-byul, who had been saying it was fine, nodded after I insisted strongly.
“I’ll get going now.”
“Take care.”
Since we weren’t in a place where we could talk at length without being overheard, we parted soon after.
Returning to the waiting room, I handed out the canned drinks I had picked up to the members and staff, sipping the same choco latte I had given to Lee Saet-byul, deep in thought.
I still didn’t fully understand.
Why did Lee Saet-byul take the risk of helping me?
She didn’t gain anything from helping me.
‘It’s definitely not personal feelings…’
Maybe she felt sympathy, wanting to help someone in the same situation as she had been.
After all, she seemed kind-hearted.
If only a notification of her favorability had popped up, I might have known more.
‘No, let’s just think it doesn’t exist.’
Come to think of it, Larry…
He still hasn’t come back.