Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail – Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Everyone dreams of standing at the pinnacle.

“Thank you for waiting . And now, the recipient of this year’s award is,”

However, there can only be one at the top.

“An artist loved not by just one generation, but by an era, and who shone brightly this year as well-”

And I stood on that pinnacle –

“Baek Nokha!”

I wasn’t happy at all.

***

“Congratulations on winning the award, unnie!”

“Nokha, you worked so hard! Thank you for mentioning our Greenies!”

As I left the awards ceremony, my fans were waiting for me in the parking lot.

These were the people who had supported me all this time. Despite the cold weather, they waited for me.

Though I was in my car, I still rolled down the window to greet them and give my final thanks.

“Thank you, our Greenies. I’ll come back soon to say hello.”

Normally, I would have taken more time to talk to them and express my gratitude, but today, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

In fact, I couldn’t even remember how I had made it this far.

As soon as I rolled up the window, my manager unnie turned to me.

“You did great, Nokha. Really. Your sincerity was not just for show… you did incredibly well. Your acceptance speech had just the right amount of emotion and it really touched everyone.”

My manager, who had been with me for 10 years, praised me.

But at this moment, none of the congratulations or words of encouragement were getting through to me.

The grand prize trophy was placed carefully on the seat next to me, but I couldn’t even see it.

“Unnie, I’m so grateful… but let’s go to the hospital first. We have to go quickly.”

“Oh, yes. Of course. I’ll drive us there right away.”

“Thank you.”

The reason was because…

“Mom… how is she doing?”

It was because of the phone call I received just moments before receiving the award.

“Nokha, don’t be too shocked when you hear this. Your mother… there was a fire at home…”

The content of the call was brief.

But it was far from simple.

There had been a fire at my mother’s house, and while she was home to watch my award, she got caught in the blaze.

As of now, the fire had been put out, but my mother was in critical condition.

Despite that, I couldn’t rush to the hospital.

It was just 5 minutes before I would receive the award.

My third award in a row.

The mere sound of it was a prestigious title.

Not only was I the only one waiting for this award, but everyone who had supported me was waiting for this moment.

Just 30 minutes. I’ll accept the award, say a few words, and then go to the hospital. I couldn’t refuse the persuasions of my agency’s CEO.

“Nokha, I’ll be at the hospital for now. I’ll give you updates on your mother’s condition, so just stay here for a little bit after you accept the award and then come out.”

It wasn’t for the sake of the CEO.

It wasn’t even for my own sake.

It was for the fans in the audience, holding up my slogan, waiting for me.

As soon as I accepted the award and stepped off the stage, I ran out in a daze.

Though I knew I would face negative comments for not staying until the very end, I didn’t care at that moment.

“When it comes to the reason for your absence, our CEO will handle the press. Your mother is in critical condition-”

“Unnie, I’m fine. Really. Let’s just… go quickly.”

“Oh, yes, right.”

My manager unnie looked back with a troubled expression.

Honestly, right now, nothing else mattered except my mother.

Just then,

Our spring will come again-

The sound of a bell ringing suddenly made my heart drop.

My song that had won me an award.

A song that I cherished so much, why did it sound so eerie now?

“Stupid Seo Chang-un.”

The caller was… my agency’s CEO, Seo Chang-un.

The person who went to the hospital in my place.

With trembling hands, I answered the phone.

-Sorry, Baek Nokha… I’m so sorry…

I had to hear news that I never wanted to hear.

I don’t know what I was thinking at that moment.

“Unnie.”

“Yes? What did the CEO say?”

“Please pull over.”

“Here? We’re in the middle of the road. Let me drive a little further and then I’ll pull over.”

“Just… just pull over anywhere. I feel like throwing up.”

With the nausea creeping up, I just blurted out a request to stop the car.

My manager unnie was flustered but managed to pull over to the side as quickly as possible.

As soon as the car stopped, I opened the door and vomited uncontrollably.

Due to my busy schedule for the past two days, I hadn’t eaten properly, so only a little bile came out.

Feeling helpless and despairing, I just sat on the floor, laughing “huh” emptily.

What’s going on?

Why is fate playing tricks on me?

Today was supposed to be the best moment of my life, but why did it have to become the worst?

I had worked so hard for this day, and not just me alone, but many people, including my fans, the Greenies, had worked together with me.

Why did it have to turn out like this?

In a moment mixed with rage and frustration,

-Are you angry?

A really strange creature appeared.

“…Who are you?”

I rarely used informal language, and after my debut, I always used honorifics with everyone, fearing I might make a mistake.

But the thing in front of me was…

-It doesn’t matter who I am. What matters is what you want right now.

It was definitely not human.

It was something like a small, dark cotton ball, floating around.

“…Am I seeing things because I’m in shock?”

I habitually looked for my manager unnie. If I was seeing things, that meant I wasn’t in my right mind.

“Unnie, unnie?”

But the response that would normally come in one second didn’t come at all.

I struggled to get up and looked inside the car.

Something was off.

My manager unnie was nowhere to be found.

That was not all.

There were no cars on the road, and not a single person on the street.

“…Am I really seeing things?”

-Not hallucinating.

Just then, the cotton ball came beside me and started to flutter around.

“Ahh!”

-We don’t have time, so let’s get straight to the point.

“You, what are you…?”

-Do you want to bring your mother back to life, Baek Nokha?

“…!”

I was stunned, unable to say a word, upon hearing the cotton ball’s phrase that pierced my heart.

-I will make this worst moment into the best moment again.

The cotton ball didn’t have a face, so there was no expression.

But I could sense it.

This cotton ball was smiling.

“…How?”

-It’s simple. I’ll make the fire never happen. You’ll receive the award, and your mother will safely be at home, watching you.

The cotton ball flew around in front of my eyes.

-Then, isn’t it good? You’ll be able to fully enjoy your award?

“….”

It was clearly a perfect offer.

I was convinced that I was really dreaming now, dreaming so fervently that I wished for it to come true.

I just smirked. If this was a dream, I might as well go along with it.

After all, if I woke up from this dream…it’ll just become hell again.

“So, what do you get out of this?”

-Ah, that’s not as simple.

The cotton ball fluffed up its fur.

-But I’m sure you can do it, Baek Nokha.

“…Me?”

What is this?

I looked at the cotton ball with a suspicious gaze.

Is it trying to scam me with this dream theme?

– Baek Nokha. A singer-songwriter and idol, 10 years since debut. Swept all the newcomer awards from the early debut to the excellence awards, best awards, popularity awards, and grand prize. Received the grand prize twice in a year. The best female solo artist, known by all. Popularity, fandom, preference, and image are all at the top. The true top idol, the true top star. Of course, you’re more of a hard worker than a natural talent.

…Suddenly, what’s with the praise?

I’ve heard this a lot even before, but hearing it from this cotton ball made me feel awkward.

-And finally, today! Winning the grand prize for three consecutive years! It was everyone’s wish. How cool is that? Reaching the top as an idol!

That’s what happened.

I let out a wry smile.

-But, there’s one pitiful soul who wants to become like you, Baek Nokha.

“Like me?”

I mutter unintentionally.

-Yes. Wanting to reach the top like you. If I help that soul, I’ll help you too.

The cotton ball regained its energy and flew around again.

But I was puzzled.

“How can I help? I may not be a God, but I’m not an idol who knows how to help souls.”

-That’s why I’m here.

The cotton ball stood up on its fur.

-Don’t worry about the method. Just decide whether to accept my offer or not.

I couldn’t easily respond.

Even though this was just a dream, I got the feeling that the cotton ball was dodging my question.

-If I promise to help that soul, I’ll help you too, Baek Nokha. I’ll make the fire that happened to your mother completely disappear.

But it was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

How could I not accept it, when it’s about bringing my mom back to life?

“…I’ll accept.”

To save my mom, who lived only for me her whole life…

-Excellent choice!

The cotton ball let out a strange laugh and suddenly grew enormous.

-Ah, Baek Nokha.

“…Why?”

I stared blankly at the cotton ball, which had grown enormous, as it spoke to me.

-If you could take only one thing from your body to the next life, what would you take?

“…?”

-Hurry up and answer.

“…My voice?”

-Excellent choice again!

The cotton ball laughed eerily once more.

And then, it suddenly opened its huge mouth and swallowed me whole.

I was swallowed into the darkness without any chance to escape.

***

“Darn it.”

And I was definitely deceived.

“What’s going on with this freaking vocal cord?”

I muttered to myself, sitting dazed in the practice room.

“What’s going on with this body that has no muscles?”

The entire wall was covered with mirrors in the practice room.

But this was definitely not the practice room of our agency, where Manager unnie and Seo Chang-un worked.

This was the practice room of one of the major entertainment agencies in Korea, ‘Colors’.

And I was a trainee of Colors –

“And what… what’s with all these unbelievable things?”

I had become ‘Yoon Cheong’.

A girl group member destined to debut in a year, and disband two years later. I was fated to become a member of ‘Stilll Blue’, along with the Greenies.

Ding!

Congratulations! You have become ‘Yoon Cheong’.

From now on, you must revive the doomed girl group, ‘Steel Blue’!

Darn it.