Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail – Chapter 110

Chapter 110

I barely managed to hold back a curse.

“Which higher-up?”

Even as I asked, I regretted it. There could only be one person.

“Director Kim said… it’s not good to do individual activities during the debut album promotions. We barely got permission for the solo song, but he said no to the pre-release.”

“I had already anticipated that response, so I had asked for direct approval from CEO Hong, not Director Kim.”

I hadn’t overlooked the possibility of interference from Director Kim and had tried to avoid it.

I knew that if it were CEO Hong, he’d give it a cursory glance and approve it out of sheer laziness.

But the word had leaked out.

Who dared to spill it?

“And… that’s not all….”

My manager looked at me with a very uneasy expression.

“Um… Cheong-ah.”

“Yes?”

“We got an offer for a regular spot on a variety show…”

“For whom?”

“For everyone. All five of us have to go on together.”

This didn’t feel good.

A regular spot for all five members at this time?

It must be for the whole group.

“It’s a girl group… survival program.”

“Is it <Top of Idol>?”

“How did you know?”

Are you kidding me?

How could I not know about that?

In my past life, it was a program that had sparked a lot of controversies.

“I’m not doing it.”

“Did PD Oh tell you?”

“Tell him we’re not doing it.”

“Why not?”

For the first time, my manager looked genuinely angry.

“Unnie, isn’t the MC for that <Z.A.> Shin Yuhwa?”

“Uh, how did you know…? That was only confirmed recently…!”

Of course.

It was starting.

The second reason why Steel Blue disbanded in my past life.

A cold anger gripped my heart and shook it.

I felt nauseous, and the bitter taste of blood spread in my mouth.

Realizing I had bitten the inside of my cheek, I tasted blood.

“Do you think I don’t know how bad his reputation is? Even a rookie like me knows how notorious he is. And he’s the type to—”

He was notorious for messing with rookie female idols.

And you want to push us into that program?

“Besides, I’m already set to appear in another survival show. The one with all the girl group main vocalists, <Dear My Diva>. That alone is enough. Why are you pushing this one too?”

“Well….”

The manager started to sweat profusely.

“Director Kim ordered us to cancel it….”

“!”

Ha.

A sigh escaped me. Or maybe it was the bubbling anger that I couldn’t hold back.

I had expected interference, but to go this far?

“He said we have to participate in this program… and to cancel <Dear My Diva>. I’m sorry, girls. I really tried to stop it, but it wasn’t easy.”

Everyone knew how much I had pinned my hopes on <Dear My Diva>.

My hope wasn’t for my popularity.

It was an opportunity for Steel Blue to break into the main TV networks, and now it was gone.

An opportunity far better than some trashy survival show on Mnet with a trashy MC.

“It’s not something you need to apologize for, unnie.”

Though all the members watched my reaction, I didn’t actually feel as hurt as they thought.

“Does Producer Lee Sol know about this?”

“I just informed her over the phone.”

“What did she say?”

“She said… since it’s an order directly from CEO Hong, even if you want to appear on <Dear My Diva>, you still have to participate in <Top of Idol>.”

“!”

“Actually, she suggested that if you want to appear on <Dear My Diva>, try negotiating by agreeing to do <Top of Idol> as well. She said that’s the best she can do right now.”

I felt like my lungs were swelling and my breath was choking me.

Even if someone pushed me into the water, it wouldn’t feel this suffocating.

“This time, it’s an order approved by all the higher-ups at the company… It’s hard to refuse a program the company is directly involved in producing, Cheong-ah. You’re still a rookie, so you might not know… but that’s how the world works.”

That’s nonsense.

It’s just Colors being Colors.

Even Baek Nokha’s agency, though small, wasn’t like this.

They didn’t provide much, but they weren’t this dirty and petty either.

Is it all about being a big company?

“Then.”

I looked straight at my manager.

Come to think of it, she wasn’t all that trustworthy either.

Pushing me to accept the company’s decisions, fine. That’s her job.

But subtly brainwashing me into thinking I knew nothing was unsettling.

Even though she had known Lee Sol for a long time, it also meant she had known Director Kim for just as long.

Maybe, the rat was—

“Tell Director Kim.”

The rat was closer than I thought.

“What?”

“I’ll do it if they pre-release my solo song.”

How could I best use this rat?

***

“Good job!”

“Good job~”

With today’s performance, the second week of music shows was completed.

We had won first place on four out of five music shows.

The members were happy every day.

Though they didn’t show it publicly because of the scrutiny, the dorm was filled with laughter every night.

“Sunbae!”

Ah.

A voice I wasn’t happy to hear….

“Yes, Sunbae Han Jae-i.”

It was Han Jae-i from Burn Ash.

Where did he leave his constant companion Dan Ha?

“Congratulations on the first place!”

“…It’s also our last first place for this promotion.”

“Hey~ you could win next week too~”

“You don’t have to say things you don’t mean.”

Han Jae-i’s overly friendly demeanor annoyed me.

His eyes were full of ambition, but he pretended to be innocent.

Such people were more dangerous.

Initially, I thought he was just a sociable member, like every group had.

In my past life, that’s exactly how he seemed.

But now I realized he might be more than that.

The frontman of Burn Ash was Dan Ha.

But the member with the most schedules was Han Jae-i.

Always.

“Haha. I liked you during the musical, but you’re very sharp.”

“…Do you have a reason for talking to me, sunbae?”

We were at a broadcasting station.

I was someone who avoided male idols like the plague.

“Yes, I do.”

“Then, please get to the point.”

“Can I film a challenge with Baek-young? I’ll do the ‘Blue’ dance with her, and she can do ‘Bury Me’ with me! I want to upload it on TokTick.”

TokTick is a platform for sharing short videos.

Idols were actively using TokTick as a trend.

Covering another idol’s dance for about 30 seconds was called a challenge.

It was a short cover, so idols found it manageable, and fans loved seeing different sides of their idols.

But that was that.

“I’m sorry. That won’t be possible. Our group’s policy is to only do challenges with female idols for now.”

“Ah, I understand. Originally, I don’t usually do them with girl idols either. But.”

“?”

Han Jae-i’s eyes narrowed.

“We’re in the same agency, promoting at the same time. If we don’t do it, you know what people will say, right?”

“…You mean rumors of discord.”

“Yes. You wouldn’t want rumors of discord with a senior, would you?”

True.

I didn’t want to get tangled up with that fandom any further.

“Then.”

“Hmm?”

“Take Geum instead of Baek-young.”

“Wh-what?! Geum is an amazing friend, but… she’s not a dance member, right?”

Han Jae-i seemed flustered.

“She’s not.”

Geum’s dance ability was currently at 72 out of 100 points.

Just enough to not stand out among idols.

Not very good, but not bad either.

Upper-middle level.

Even that was thanks to Seo Baek-young pushing her hard from 70 to 72 points.

“She’s the least likely to have dating rumors, so it’s fine.”

“Wh-what?!”

“And who would criticize a sick member? I’ll tag it with ‘fighting spirit despite injury’. Let’s say the ‘senior’ earnestly asked Geum, so she had no choice but to go out there with passion despite her injury. It’ll look appropriate.”

“…Were you always this scary?”

Sorry, Geum.

I have to do this to save the group.

“Or we won’t do it. It would hurt you more than us if there were rumors of discord, wouldn’t it?”

“…Why do you think that?”

Han Jae-i’s smile had a strange chill.

“Because the one who initiated this is you, not us.”

“….”

Han Jae-i’s eyes finally showed that she understood I knew.

Don’t mess with rookies.

At times like this, being the leader wasn’t so bad.

If Seo Baek-young were the leader and got this proposal, she would have naively agreed.

“You’re an interesting person.”

Han Jae-i wasn’t truly a bad person.

Just a typical industry player who knew how to maneuver.

It was a bit surprising to see someone like that in their 2nd or 3rd year.

“Let’s say I’m desperate.”

At least I was as desperate as you.

You came to me because you’re desperate too.

“…Our Dan Ha. He has no social skills. You know?”

“It’d be weird if I didn’t….”

“So I always have to navigate social situations for him. But it’s not always good. He ends up knowing nothing but music.”

You had a tough job too.

I could understand that, given our harsh industry.

“So please, don’t get involved with him. I don’t think he’d date, but… if something goes wrong, it won’t be good. Dan Ha might unconsciously act familiar with you on broadcasts since you’re the one he’s most comfortable with. It wouldn’t be a problem with other members. But Dan Ha is… different.”

How lacking in social skills does one have to be for people to say this about you being comfortable with a junior from the same agency?

It seemed like they had raised him poorly.

“You should control him, not me.”

“I’m asking you to make him uncomfortable in private too. So he doesn’t let his guard down.”

“I’ve never treated him comfortably….”

I felt uncomfortable just being here….

I tried my best to look uncomfortable.

“Anyway, please. I’ll send you bellflower pear juice in return. You like it, right?”

I didn’t answer.

Was this group trying to train me with bellflower pear juice?

…Just this once.

“Send it to the dorm.”

“Okay, okay.”

“And seriously, I really don’t want to get involved, so let’s just go our separate ways. Please.”

Just as I was about to turn away.

“You’re going on the survival show, right? The one our CEO invested in. <Top of Idol>.”

The rumors had already spread.

“…Yes.”

“There’s a crazy guy in there. You know that?”

“I do.”

“Huh? You know Shin Yuhwa? Wow. He’s gone that far? A rookie knows? He’s usually very meticulous. Or not?”

He is meticulous.

But I know this because Baek Nokha knew, not Yoon Cheong.

“Why are you asking?”

“To avoid him.”

“….”

“Judging by your personality, you seem like someone who’d fight back. Don’t. Just avoid him. The industry is like that. You gain nothing by fighting. Just avoid him.”

Annoying but true.

You don’t avoid shit because it’s scary.

You avoid it because it’s dirty.

“That’s my plan.”

But.

If he messes with our members, I’ll kick him.