Chapter 98

Chapter 98

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

Episode 98: Like Seon Taeyang, That’s Enough Reason To Act.

Yoori always wore a mask called acting.

She played the role of the Yoori that people wanted, hiding her true feelings.

This was because she had the experiential knowledge that helped her succeed and the ability to do so.

And there were no gaps in maintaining it.

She was already a skilled actress.

But Yoori, unable to hide her distorted expression, asked with a sigh.

“…Why?”

“Because this is something I want to do.”

Seo Eun-byeol’s indifferent yet firm tone forced Yoori’s suppressed emotions to burst out again.

“No one would want something like that!”

She looked at Yoori with pity and said,

“No, there are more than you think. If they receive enough compensation.”

“…”

“And I’ve been promised and have already received enough compensation.”

“…What kind of compensation?”

“What else could it be? Money and opportunities.”

Yoori didn’t think Eun-byeol was that kind of person. They hadn’t been close for long, but Yoori had observed Eun-byeol for quite some time.

And from what she saw and judged, Seo Eun-byeol was not someone who would sell herself so cheaply.

But inwardly, Yoori began to doubt her judgment.

‘Did I just project my expectations onto Eun-byeol and hope she would act according to them? Maybe I’m just like those people I despised, giving something unnecessary and expecting something in return.’

The information Yoori gathered on Ban Seongcheol and her safety-first plan were things Eun-byeol had never asked for.

Yet, Yoori had assumed Eun-byeol would want them and was disappointed when she didn’t.

Yoori came to a conclusion from these thoughts.

‘…I’m just like those people who forced their kindness onto others.’

As Yoori, filled with emptiness and self-deprecation, avoided Eun-byeol’s gaze, Eun-byeol spoke with finality.

“Do you understand? That means I’m doing this because I chose to, not because I was forced. It was all my choice.”

“…”

Yoori couldn’t answer. And Eun-byeol, more resolute than ever, spoke.

“This is not something you should be involved in. If you care about me, just pretend you don’t know. That’s what I want.”

At those words, Yoori could only nod weakly.

“Yoori-Yoori. Good morning today, too!”

“…”

Things went back to normal.

Yoori began her usual hamster-wheel training, and Eun-byeol greeted her with a simple hello before following Yoori’s grueling training schedule.

They gathered early in the morning, trained in silence, followed the official Flower Entertainment training schedule, then met again at night for more practice, exchanged brief goodbyes at midnight, and went their separate ways to repeat the same routine the next day.

At least until Yoori moved into the Girl 100 dormitory and started living there.

As if the recent series of events and the emotional clash she had faced had never happened.

It was something just between the two of them.

Perhaps it could have been the beginning of a scandal that would shake all of Flower Entertainment, but for now, it was just their matter.

So, if the two of them stayed silent, it would end as if nothing had happened.

Yoori joined in that silence. That way, there would be no need to waste energy on bothersome conflicts.

She could focus all her time on her own improvement.

In the first place, her effort to investigate Ban Seongcheol was unlike her.

Now, she was returning to her original self.

Like a self-centered person who doesn’t invest in others but only in herself.

Just like the Yoori, who always aspired to be that way.

That’s what everyone wanted.

“Eun-byeol unnie?”

“Hmm? Yoori-Yoori, why?”

She knew it better than anyone.

So, in the end, she accepted it.

“…Let’s turn off the lights and leave before the security guard comes.”

“Is Seo Eun-byeol here?”

Manager Ban Seongcheol called out for Eun-byeol during training. It wasn’t an uncommon occurrence.

It happened occasionally, even during normal times.

“…Eun-byeol unnie is in the changing room right now.”

“Really? Then I’ll go there.”

And it was something Yoori had pretended not to see and ignored.

Today was no different.

She would erase this from her mind as if it were nothing, and finish her training as usual. That was not only in her best interest but also in everyone’s.

“…”

But she found herself unconsciously following Ban Seongcheol, carefully silencing her footsteps to avoid being noticed.

Why? Why was she starting this troublesome task again to confirm something in a story that had already ended?

Yoori couldn’t find an answer, but she carefully followed his steps. And then she saw Ban Seongcheol and Eun-byeol meeting in front of the changing room.

“If you knew I’d be here at this time, you should have been waiting. What is this? You’re making things troublesome.”

“I’m sorry. I needed to prepare a bit.”

“…Prepare? Ha, yeah, you probably needed to prepare. That attitude is good.”

“Yes, it’s an important matter.”

“Alright, then, let’s get going. Time is short.”

Their conversation continued casually as if nothing was wrong.

There was a sense of discomfort in his tone, but Ban Seongcheol didn’t treat her coercively, and Eun-byeol didn’t show any resistance.

It was exactly as Yoori had expected.

But there was one thing that differed from what Yoori expected.

‘Yoori-Yoori, how do you relax when you’re too scared and nervous?’

‘Nervousness happens to people who lack confidence. I make sure I’m always prepared, so I don’t feel that way.’

‘Ah, don’t be so stiff. I admit you’re skilled, but you must have encountered unexpected situations, right? They could be scary or frightening. How do you relax when you’re nervous…? I’m a bit anxious because of a surprise evaluation coming up. As the top trainee at Flower Entertainment, give me a tip!’

‘…Then try this.’

‘How?’

‘Inhale through your nose, one long breath, one short breath, then exhale through your mouth as if you’re expelling all the air from your lungs. Repeat it three times.’

‘…Isn’t that just deep breathing?’

‘It’s better than nothing. It worked for me.’

‘Hmm… Okay, got it. I’ll try it in a really tough moment later.’

‘…So, that means it’s not too hard for you right now.’

‘Hehe. There are things tougher than surprise evaluations in this world!’

And now, as Eun-byeol followed Ban Seongcheol, she was doing the deep breathing exercise that Yoori had taught her.

“…”

Maybe Yoori was repeating the same mistake.

Maybe she was assuming things and harboring unnecessary doubts again.

Even though she tried to be wary of her thoughts, they didn’t change.

Yoori felt that the quiet, deep breathing was a signal from Eun-byeol.

A signal that screamed, “Save me.”

No one wanted Yoori to make this choice. In fact, there were many who would rather she didn’t.

Neither the Flower Entertainment staff, nor her fellow trainees, nor even Eun-byeol herself.

There’s nothing to gain from taking on this risk. She only stands to lose.

She would lose the recognition she gained at Flower Entertainment and the support that came with it.

She even doubted whether Flower Entertainment, the company that was supposed to help her debut, would remain intact.

On the other hand, if she just pretended nothing happened, she would gain everything.

Yoori would succeed. Wealth, fame, popularity, and the glamorous spotlight—everything would be hers.

The way to get all of that was to keep working hard like she had, not by digging into Ban Seongcheol’s dealings.

In the end, the only reason left was her annoying sense of duty.

“…I really haven’t grown at all.”

Yet, she chose to meddle once again.

Even though she had sworn not to do it anymore, foolishly.

That was who Yoori was.

“…Now that I think about it, was this how Taeyang felt back then?”

Yoori suddenly thought of Seon Taeyang. She remembered that two years ago, he had faced a similar situation.

At that time, Yoori, despite being the one receiving help, had found Taeyang’s interference frustrating and had asked him why he was going so far.

In response, Taeyang had answered nonchalantly, as if it was nothing.

‘Because I want to.’

It was a grandiose, self-centered, and even ignorant statement.

But it was also a kind and generous one.

It was the first time in her life that Yoori wanted to be like someone.

Of course, in the waves of the world, Yoori realized she couldn’t be that kind of person.

But that admiration never disappeared.

“…Yes, because I want to. That’s enough reason to act.”

That would be Yoori’s reason to step in.

With her mind made up, Yoori started writing down arguments and counterarguments on a large whiteboard, consulting and refuting herself.

“Manager Ban Seongcheol’s goal is to get me into the top 11 of Girl 100 and secure a connection with Flower Entertainment’s leadership. Eun-byeol unnie is just a means to that end. I have to stop it.”

Solution: Report it to the police.

“No. Reporting it like that won’t guarantee Eun-byeol unnie’s safety. Considering the situation, she might be seen as the whistleblower. These people are involved in illegal activities, so just a suspicion could bring harm to her. A simple report would only make things worse.”

Solution: Conduct an investigation, gather evidence, and ensure Ban Seongcheol and the group face legal consequences.

“Impossible. No matter how much effort I put in, there are limits. Plus, I don’t even know the scale of the organization or how far it reaches. Rushing in without knowing anything is just reckless. And it would take too much time. Even if I succeed, I’ll miss the golden time to protect Eun-byeol unnie. Plus, there’s a high chance she’ll be punished as an accomplice.”

Yoori wrote down everything she knew about Ban Seongcheol’s movements, the points of connection between Flower Entertainment and Ban Seongcheol, his goals, the methods Yoori could use, and the key information she’d continued to gather even after Eun-byeol refused her help.

As she looked at the messy sentences and words, Yoori muttered to herself as if setting course.

“Remember, Yoori. You’re not trying to become a whistleblower or a hero exposing corruption and evil. The goal is to keep Eun-byeol unnie safe. Erase all other thoughts.”

From negotiation and luring, relatively moderate methods, to extreme solutions like kidnapping and terrorism, Yoori erased all the options she’d considered one by one.

“The reason Ban Seongcheol brought Eun-byeol unnie into the sponsorship is to get me into the debut lineup of Girl 100. I don’t know what he’ll do afterward, but that’s one thing that won’t change. In that case…”

And then the best solution Yoori could choose remained on the whiteboard.

She read the solution.

“…I have to bring down Girl 100.”