Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Raise Three Idols Well And They’ll Launch a Confession Attack.

Episode 19: Chapter 1 – Han Gyeoul (END).

“Uh, Mr. Cheon, you need to get in the car right now because of your next schedule.”

Seo Soo-ae, who always managed Cheon Jonghoon’s schedule, cautiously told him.

However, he did not respond to her words.

He just stood there, as if deep in thought.

Even though Taeyang and Gyeoul had left, Cheon Jonghoon couldn’t move from the lobby.

As Seo Soo-ae pointed out, he should have moved immediately to his next schedule, but he couldn’t.

Taeyang’s last words kept ringing in his head.

‘I want Gyeoul to be smiling in that light.’

He understood the context of such words from knowledge and experience.

Because he, who had thrown himself into this industry, had once held such feelings, knowing it was a tough job without dreams and admiration for stars.

Yet, Cheon Jonghoon greatly undervalued it.

The pure wish for his artist to be happy.

That was a naive thought he had graduated from 10 years ago.

“You want the artist to smile?”

“…Yes?”

Seo Soo-ae, thinking Cheon Jonghoon was talking to her, answered in surprise.

But it seemed she was mistaken.

His words weren’t directed at her.

“It’s a childish thought for amateurs who can’t let go of fan sentiment. We are businessmen who create the product called idols and take money from customers called fans.”

Cheon Jonghoon muttered to himself while blankly staring at the front door of the lobby, where Gyeoul and Taeyang had left.

“The first thing to consider is making a high-quality product that satisfies the customer. The second and third are the same. Creating a finished product that will sell well. That’s all there is to it.”

In Cheon Jonghoon’s view, that was what a pro and a professional human were.

“The artist’s smile doesn’t even rank tenth. It’s not important at all!”

That was the definition of the producer’s job that Cheon Jonghoon had established by cutting and honing himself on the path to success.

Cheon Jonghoon did not doubt this.

Then why was he making excuses to himself?

Cheon Jonghoon couldn’t figure out the reason.

Suddenly, he remembered the expression Taeyang had made at him.

He looked at him pitifully as he listed conditions to hold on to Taeyang.

As if he were feeling sorry for him…

“Seo Soo-ae!”

“Y-Yes!”

“Contact every agency within SS’s reach right now. No, it doesn’t matter if they’re within reach or not. Contact everyone!”

Despite being scared by Cheon Jonghoon’s unprecedented fury, Seo Soo-ae asked what she needed to know to carry out the order.

“…What kind of contact should I make?”

Cheon Jonghoon spoke like a beast, unable to contain his anger.

“…Tell them that any agency that takes Seon Taeyang or Han Gyeoul should be prepared to be hostile to SS.”

Cheon Jonghoon knew this action would leave a significant stain on his career.

He also knew he would surely regret it later.

Carrying out this one word would diminish SS’s prestige.

Reporters would sniff out the scandal, digging for more, and Cheon Jonghoon’s position within SS would significantly decline. Even the succession structure might shake.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t leave Taeyang and Gyeoul alone. If they succeeded, it would seem like something Cheon Jonghoon had built up over his lifetime would collapse.

Surely, those two geniuses would someday soar above Cheon Jonghoon’s head.

“Hey, Gyeoul.”

“Yes?”

“We’re outside now. We won’t run into SS staff or Alcest members.”

“…Yes.”

“So, can you let go of my hand now?”

“…”

Gyeoul held on tighter, as if she didn’t want to let go.

My sister looked at Gyeoul and me with a strange expression.

“You two seem to have something to talk about. I’ll go in first.”

“No, sis, we don’t really have anything to talk about.”

My sister flipped me the middle finger and headed to where she had parked the car.

…I had the car keys.

Gyeoul bowed until my sister’s back disappeared from sight.

Of course, she was still holding my hand.

It was awkward.

“Gyeoul, can I finish the question I was about to ask earlier?”

I recalled what Gyeoul had said as I ran out to the lobby.

‘…I was embarrassed to show that side of me to Taeyang ssam.’

“What did you mean by being embarrassed?”

Although it was a short relationship, Gyeoul and I had shown each other a lot of ugly sides.

I wondered if there was anything to be embarrassed about now.

“We’ve already been through the thing with Yeji, so there’s nothing to hide between us.”

The situation turned out well, but it could have been resolved more easily if Gyeoul had actively communicated and shared her opinions with me.

I only pushed through because I saw the future; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to act like this.

In many ways, it was right to communicate.

Although contacting was difficult because SS had taken away her smartphone, there would have been ways if we had looked for them.

Being embarrassed was ultimately Gyeoul’s way of avoiding communication.

I wondered about that.

Weren’t we pretty compatible?

“…Taeyang ssam.”

“Yes, speak freely.”

Gyeoul showed a cold and dry expression, neither crying nor smiling.

It was like the expression she had when she was hanging from the bridge railing for the first time.

“I’m actually more frustrating, foolish, and useless than you think, Taeyang ssam.”

I wanted to refute her self-deprecation, but I held back.

It seemed like she had more to say.

“When we first met, I told you I was looking for my lost wallet, right?”

“Yes, you did.”

“That was a lie.”

“Then what were you doing?”

“I was wondering if anyone would come to find me if I fell from there.”

Hearing that truth, it felt like my breath was taken away.

“…Why did you think that?”

“It wasn’t a lie that I lost money. It just wasn’t at that bridge. I think I lost it at the train station where I last talked with Yeji. That’s the only place I took out my wallet.”

It was obvious who the culprit was.

“Yeji, who came to see me off, said she wanted to check my wallet before getting on the train. I stupidly handed it to her without any objections. And I didn’t check it. I thought that was trust.”

“…”

“I took out my wallet in Seoul when I tried to take a taxi. All the cash and cards were gone.”

“That fucking bitch.”

I made a vow.

Aside from Gyeoul’s grandfather dealing with Yeji legally, I also had to screw her over.

Gyeoul weakly smiled at my trembling anger at Yeji, then continued speaking.

“You must think it’s strange that I climbed the railing over such a thing. But Yeji was really important to me.”

Gyeoul opened her other hand and counted on her fingers.

“Grandpa doesn’t like me. My classmates don’t like me. My mom and dad don’t like me. The kids at the dance academy don’t like me.”

Only one finger remained.

“It was only Yeji. The only person who said she liked me.”

I felt a tremble from Gyeoul’s hand.

“I knew Yeji didn’t purely like me. She only smiled if I bought her something, and she didn’t like it when I talked to others… But even that twisted relationship was precious to me.”

I gently squeezed her trembling hand.

“Because it was my only relationship. It was the only thing I had.”

I hoped she knew I was here.

“So I climbed the railing. I thought I had nothing left… Then Taeyang ssam appeared.”

That was our first meeting.

“Your eyes were shining when you looked at me, Taeyang ssam. Like you had found a gem. It was the first time I had ever received such a look.”

It wasn’t different from finding a gem.

Seeing the quest, I saw it as an opportunity lying on the ground.

“I didn’t want to look like a stupid kid attempting suicide to you, Taeyang ssam. So I lied and acted out.”

Her suddenly kneeling and begging was troubling.

“You looked at me so kindly and praised and encouraged me, Taeyang ssam. Even though I’m actually just a foolish, dull, and depressed failure.”

She hurt herself with words, as if she had to.

“But I wanted to remain a talented kid to you, Taeyang ssam. So that’s why I did it.”

“You have talent, Gyeoul. So much that the word genius isn’t enough.”

Gyeoul shook her head.

“The real me, who can’t adapt, can’t get along with others, and gets bullied by Yoon Jeong because I can’t do choreography properly, isn’t the genius you talk about, Taeyang ssam… It was really embarrassing to show and admit that side to you.”

Gyeoul lowered her head to avoid my gaze, as if she couldn’t bear to look at me.

“I’ll never be that kind of genius. So there’s no reason for you to invest your time in me, Taeyang ssam. You’d better find someone better.”

Gyeoul was saying she hoped I’d find someone else.

But it seemed she wanted something entirely different.

It seemed she wanted assurance that I wouldn’t leave her.

Because she was still holding my hand tightly, as if not wanting to let go.

Don’t worry, Gyeoul.

I have no intention of letting you go.

“A month ago, I said I could bet my entire remaining life on you becoming the best idol, right?”

Gyeoul silently nodded.

“I won’t just say it. I’ll bet my whole life on you from now on.”

I knelt on one knee and looked Gyeoul in the eye as I said,

“I’ll do everything with you from now on. No matter what agency you go to, I’ll follow you. And I’ll make sure you reach the top. Always, and everywhere.”

I want to stick a straw into your genius life.

Please allow me to cling to you like a leech.

Gyeoul’s face showed a slight smile at my words.

But soon, a greater sadness overwhelmed it.

“Really, I’m happy. It’s such a joyous thing to say. But you shouldn’t follow through with it.”

“Why?”

I asked while wiping Gyeoul’s tears with my free hand.

Somehow, the more I wiped, the more tears came.

Even through the waterfall of tears, Gyeoul spoke each word clearly.

“It’d be great if we succeed, but if we fail, there’s no way to compensate for your time and effort, Taeyang ssam… Even if I gave you everything I have, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“If I can’t succeed with you, that’s my fault. Why would you compensate me? I should compensate you instead.”

If I failed with someone whose main abilities were all A-rank, I should just die.

“Even so, if we fail, it’s all over! This time, these touches, all of it!”

Gyeoul’s hands and eyes trembled coldly, as if emotions she couldn’t express overflowed.

Hoping to melt some of that coldness, I looked into her trembling eyes and smiled.

“If the idol thing fails, we’ll do something else.”

“…Like what?”

“Well…, how about internet broadcasting? You’re pretty. Really pretty. Just turning on the camera will guarantee viewers. I’ll do the editing.”

“…What if that fails too?”

“Then, let’s open a pub. I’ll cook, and you’ll serve. We’ll set up a small stage in the corner, and sometimes you can stop serving and sing a song. People will flock like clouds.”

“…What if that fails too?”

I listed everything I could think of, from a music academy to a silver town to a maid cafe.

I was just saying things to make her laugh, but her tears only intensified.

…Was the maid cafe that sad?

Winter even grabbed my left hand, which was wiping her tears.

Holding both of my hands, she looked into my eyes and said,

“Taeyang ssam.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s stay together for a long time.”

“Okay.”

Gyeoul smiled.

Like spring, not living up to her name.1

ED/N: Her name means winter in Korean, ↩️