Chapter 153

Chapter 153

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

Episode 153: Beware Of Kidnapping And Confinement

She felt a gaze.

Gyeoul had been feeling it frequently lately.

It was different from a typical gaze.

It was a more sinister and unsettling feeling, the kind of threatening gaze that made a person uneasy.

“…”

In fact, it couldn’t really be called recent.

It was probably something Gyeoul had been feeling since the height of Girl 100’s popularity.

“…It’s probably just my imagination.”

Gyeoul thought this was a paranoid thought that had arisen from her excessive fame.

She thought it was something like a celebrity complex that arose as she became more self-conscious while stepping in front of people.

‘Ugh, I can’t believe I’m thinking like a celebrity.’

Gyeoul reflected on herself.

‘If such evil thoughts come up, I should lock myself in a small room and kill my self-esteem… Ah, but then I won’t be able to see Taeyang ssam. Well, I could just go into the room with him.’

Embarrassed by her own thoughts, Gyeoul startled herself, shaking her head to clear her mind.

At that moment, Seon Taeyang, who had been waiting, spoke.

“Gyeoul, what are you doing? Let’s head back to the company.”

“Ah, yes!”

Gyeoul hurriedly ran after Seon Taeyang’s voice.

“…”

Step, step.

And there were footsteps following her.

“…I guess it’s the right time to use it now.”

[Using ‘Enchanting Perfume.’ Your appearance potential will increase for 24 hours.]

Ahead of the filming of the reality variety show ‘The First-Person Intervenor,’ I used the ‘Enchanting Perfume’ I received as a reward from the incident involving Kim Seon-ye.

The effect of increasing appearance potential for a short time could have a significant impact if used on others, such as my idols, but under the system where only I could use the rewards, it was almost like a useless item.

It was a whole different matter when someone like me, with an average appearance, used it compared to when someone like Gyeoul, Gaeul, Yeoreum, or Yoori, who already had excellent looks, used it to improve by another step.

…Seriously, System, what do you plan on doing with a slightly better-looking manager?

No matter how much I checked my future plans, I couldn’t think of a proper use for it.

The only useless uses I could think of were to look better on blind dates or matchmaking.

So I used it now.

As a manager, it wouldn’t hurt to look a bit cleaner on a show like ‘The First-Person Intervenor,’ where the character was part of the broadcast.

“Oh, Team Leader Seon. Manager Seok didn’t come today, huh?”

“Ah, Director Choi. It’s nice to see you. Today’s schedule requires me to be here.”

Director Choi, a top-level makeup artist who showed familiarity while looking at me, took a small sip of her café latte and said,

“From the side, it looks especially good this time. It’s natural yet overflowing with charming femininity. Don’t worry. I also noticed that Team Leader Heejeong seems to have picked up some extra skills today.”

“That’s a relief. Today’s schedule includes a national broadcast shoot. We’ll need to be extra careful to make it satisfactory.”

“Come on, we know Team Leader Seon doesn’t do anything halfway. Wait for 30 more minutes; you’ll be amazed… Wait, Team Leader Seon, you’re a bit different today?”

“Huh?”

What’s different about me?

Oh, is it because I’m wearing a more expensive suit than usual?

“Since I’m appearing on the broadcast as well, I thought I should pay a bit more attention than usual…”

“No, it’s not that. There’s something different about you today. You already looked good, but now, you look like an uncut gem.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

Could this be the effect of the Enchanting Perfume?

Seeing how Director Choi, who was more sensitive than anyone else about external styles, was saying this, it seemed like there was indeed some effect.

“Well… anyway, thank you for the kind words.”

“No, don’t stop with just compliments. I only noticed because I know you, but most people wouldn’t recognize it.”

“Really?”

“Today, you should really let your potential shine! It’s a broadcast after all! Are you satisfied with that plain and floppy outfit? You didn’t even bother with makeup!”

“No, I did put some effort into it, but calling it floppy is a bit much.”

“It’s a waste of time to keep talking about this. I’ll do the styling and makeup myself. Get up!”

“Huh? Makeup? I’m just a manager… And Director Choi, you’re doing it yourself? Aren’t your reservations always fully booked?”

Director Choi usually only does it for our idols once in a while, so why would I get it?

“Ah, since you’ve been a regular at our shop, I’ll give you a free service. Get up! Don’t worry about the reservations; that’s not something Team Leader Seon should be concerned about. I need to do this now.”

I was swept up by Director Choi’s confidence and unconsciously followed her.

Director Choi, pulling out her specialized tools as if spilling them, sat me in the makeup chair and said with a somewhat sly smile,

“Hehehe, from the first day I met you, Team Leader Seon, I’ve been waiting for the right moment to handle you properly. Today, that moment has finally come.”

…Is this really okay?

Director Choi, who had finished my makeup with a serious expression, looked at my face and said,

“Team Leader Seon.”

“Yes?”

“Can I take just one photo?”

“Go ahead.”

After taking a few shots from the front, Director Choi lay on the dusty floor and energetically continued to take photos.

“…Just one, right?”

“This is one of the top three results of my life, you know?”

“Ah, that’s a relief. Thank you for your effort.”

“You can’t stop here. Follow me. I have a few good formal outfits that would fit the mood. I’ll lend them to you.”

Following her lead, I finished trying on the clothes and stepped out of the changing room, feeling a bit awkward.

“Is it okay?”

“…”

Director Choi continued to take photos without saying anything.

“Pose! Try greeting like a butler from a cartoon!”

“Thank you for doing this, but can I go see Gyeoul now?”

“Ah, I got too excited. Sorry. You don’t need to dry-clean the clothes. Just return them whenever you’re comfortable.”

“Thank you. I’ll be careful and return them.”

While checking the photos, I turned away from Director Choi, who was grinning slyly, and returned to the waiting room where I had been waiting for Gyeoul.

And there, I saw Gyeoul, who had already finished her makeup.

“Gyeoul, sorry, did you wait?”

“Ah, Taeyang ssam! No, I wasn’t waiting…”

Gyeoul, who had been speaking, froze as if the screen had paused when she saw me.

Her pupils seemed dilated, as if she had taken the wrong medicine.

It seemed a bit alarming, so I asked with concern,

“Gyeoul?”

“Ahh.”

She flinched as if snapping out of her daze at my voice, grabbing my sleeve and urgently pulling me along.

“Quickly, we need to get out of here!”

“Why? Is it because of the schedule? It’s okay; we still have time. We came out two hours early, right? Plus, the shooting point is at our TwoBear office, so it’s not far.”

Gyeoul murmured as if she wasn’t even listening to me.

“This is dangerous. Taeyang ssam is already dangerous, but now it’s even worse.”

She looked around the makeup shop employees with wary eyes and whispered,

“Yes. We can’t let anyone see. We need to go to my room and hide you, Team Leader Seon, so no one can find you.”

“…I live in Jeonnam, Gyeoul.”

Gyeoul and I returned to TwoBear for the opening of the shoot and ran into Seo Soo-yeon.

“Team Leader Seon. You’ve come after Gyeoul’s makeup… but why does your face look like that?”

Seo Soo-yeon, who usually gave calm responses, had a strong reaction, so I scratched my head and asked,

“Is it really that different?”

“Yes, honestly, it’s quite surprising.”

“Should I erase it?”

“There’s no need to erase it… I think it’ll be positive for the broadcast. It will probably make a good impression in a positive way.”

“I don’t think erasing it is necessary either.”

Although Gyeoul’s reaction was a bit uneasy, I figured it should be fine since Seo Soo-yeon, the most rational person at TwoBear, said it was okay.

At that moment, Oh Yoori, who had been wiping sweat in her training clothes, walked out and spoke.

“Oh, Team Leader Seon, since you’re here, I guess filming hasn’t started yet… Why does your face look like that?”

“Why are you reacting like that? Is it weird? Doesn’t it look okay?”

“No, it’s not just okay…”

Oh Yoori, seemingly unsure of how to put it, finally spoke.

“Now, it’s not like it can be made any better, but it might be making people uncomfortable. Even from an objective perspective, it has quite a strong impact…”

“Uncomfortable? Who exactly?”

At that moment, I heard Jin Yeoreum’s voice coming from the hallway.

“Yoori, you said you were getting water, why’s it taking so long? I know it’s been tough since early morning, but we need to stay committed…”

“Yeoreum unnie? Ah, wait, don’t look this way.”

“This way?”

And then, Yeoreum and I locked eyes.

“Yeoreum, good morning. You’re training hard as usual. I’m always proud of you.”

“…”

Seeing Jin Yeoreum staring at me with a pale face, Oh Yoori muttered, “Oh no, this is bad.”

“Yeoreum? What’s wrong? You don’t look well.”

Seeming to feel some anxiety, Yeoreum trembled, then made a call.

“Yeoreum? Why the sudden call?”

“Unnie, I understand how you feel, but just calm down a little…”

“Manager Seok, can you book a room nearby right now? It’s urgent. Very urgent. What kind of room?”

Not seeming to hear me or Yoori, Yeoreum gently scratched her nail on the phone and said,

“A place big enough to hide one person.”