Chapter 168

Chapter 168

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

Episode 168: The Flower That Blooms From Anxiety And Obsession

Taeyang was always mature.

To Gaeul and the other children, he hadn’t left behind desire, jealousy, or cold, commercial judgment but had remained only as an adult who took responsibility and offered support.

It was certainly admirable. But in a way, it may have gone beyond the virtue of being an ideal adult, fading instead into something abnormal.

Seon Taeyang was human, too.

As a human, he also had basic animalistic desires to live and social needs such as getting married, having children, and living his life.

And there was no guarantee that Seon Taeyang would wait for Gaeul’s growth.

However, since he had never shown such sides before and always showed something beyond that, she thought he would always maintain that image.

However, it could also be a story where Gaeul simply hadn’t discovered that side yet.

No, just now, from that glance, she realized that such a possibility was reality.

He, too, was a human capable of love.

Someone other than Gaeul.

“I’ll go down first. Sorry if you misunderstood, Gaeul. I just acted rudely without asking Team Leader Seon for permission for a moment.”

“Eun-byeol didn’t do anything wrong…”

“Please tell Gaeul first… Sorry for making this awkward.”

“…”

Seon Taeyang let out a small sigh as he watched Eun-byeol hurry down the rooftop, then spoke to Gaeul.

“Sorry, I showed you a pathetic side. It’s not a good sight to see a grown adult crying and seeking comfort.”

“…Why were you crying?”

“It’s just that old memories suddenly came to mind. Is it old age? Haha, I’m not sure of the exact reason either.”

It was a statement that could easily be brushed off as if he didn’t know.

But for a woman with feelings for him, that wasn’t enough of an answer.

So, Gaeul chose to set off the bomb herself.

“What do you think of Eun-byeol Unnie, Taeyang Oppa?”

“What do you mean?”

“Just… what kind of person do you think she is?”

“In a few words?”

“Everything that comes to mind.”

Taeyang thought for a moment while rubbing his chin, then began to speak.

“Hmm… Eun-byeol is a great person. Despite her natural talent’s limits, she doesn’t just blame herself for it but always gives her best to overcome it. In that sense, you can trust her with any task. And surprisingly, she’s more introverted, so she prefers watching things like live broadcasts, movies, dramas, or animation rather than active hobbies. But she likes people, so whenever I suggest plans, she always happily follows and tries to reschedule if she has another commitment. And…”

Taeyang’s eyes sparkled as he spoke about Eun-byeol.

Gaeul’s heart ached.

It felt like she was driving a stake into her own heart, and every answer to her questions only made her heart ache more.

Still, she asked the final question.

“Taeyang Oppa, have you ever been in love?”

“This topic is a little embarrassing, but can I say no comment?”

“…I would still like you to tell me.”

Taeyang scratched his cheek awkwardly as he looked at Gaeul and smiled bitterly.

“Yeah.”

“…”

“It felt like I could give up everything.”

‘…Ah, I see.’

Perhaps Gaeul secretly believed it.

That in the future, Taeyang would see her not as a kid but as a woman, and that she would finally confess to him.

And she had vaguely dreamed of it.

Becoming lovers, getting married, going on a honeymoon, having children, and eventually growing old slowly together in a space left for just the two of them after seeing their children get married.

But right now, at this moment, Gaeul realized.

Perhaps she might not even have such an opportunity.

“Gaeul, are you okay?”

“…”

‘If Taeyang Oppa falls in love, gets married, and starts a family…’

And she faced the question she had been ignoring all this time.

‘What will happen to me?’

In her mind, a scene played out so realistically.

A woman, who had received more than her fair share of luck, wearing a wedding dress at Taeyang’s wedding, and Taeyang looking at her with eyes full of love, standing in the midst of people’s blessings.

And the two of them shared a vow-filled kiss, led by the calm officiant.

Gaeul could only stare at the scene blankly.

No, she couldn’t help but look blankly.

‘…I hate it.’

“Gaeul? Gaeul! You’re sweating cold! Are you okay? Is your head hurting? Do you want to go to the hospital?”

“…”

‘I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t want to.’

Just imagining him leaving her side made her body tremble.

She felt nauseous.

Her heart pounded so fast, it felt like it was hurting.

‘I can’t be without Taeyang Oppa. I’m really a nobody—someone hopeless who doesn’t know how to do anything except wear herself out and collapse from working part-time jobs.’

“This won’t do. I’ll carry you. Let’s go to the hospital first.”

“…”

And in Taeyang’s arms, as he reached out to hold her, Gaeul truly felt the weight of her emotions.

‘…I can’t give this up.’

No matter what happened, no matter the cost—this touch, she could never let it go.

“Taeyang Oppa.”

“Yes, Gaeul. Are you okay? Are you cold? Do you want me to take off my jacket?”

And so, she revealed her feelings at the worst possible moment.

“I love you. Please be my boyfriend.”

Orange, yellow, and at times purple—the world shimmered in the ever-shifting light of the setting sun, glowing in the moment of twilight.

And in the midst of those colors, so perfectly suited to her, Gaeul expressed her heart.

She said she loved me.

To hear such words—like a melody—could very well be called a miracle.

Yet, in front of that sweet and beautiful confession, there was only one thing I could say

“I’m sorry, Gaeul. I can’t be your boyfriend.”

“…”

Gaeul, trembling and holding onto my sleeve in silence, asked.

“Why?”

“Because I’m your manager. And I’m an employee of TwoBear, and the team leader of a group called Girl Revolution.”

It was a predictable and clichéd answer.

But this was the most essential answer.

For the sake of both of us, and for the sake of everyone at TwoBear, there should be no such scandal.

Just as Gyeoul understood this answer, I believed Gaeul would too.

After all, Gaeul was a wise and warm-hearted girl who valued everyone.

However, the words she spoke were different from what I had expected.

“You said you liked me, Taeyang Oppa.”

“That was because you’re a singer and an idol, and…”

“You said I had a beauty that reminded you of your first love.”

Gaeul’s eyes lost their light.

“Then, at least my appearance should match your taste, right? If there’s anything lacking, I’ll change it. I’ll change to match your taste!”

“No, that’s not it! You’re already attractive, and you don’t need to change. I don’t want that.”

“Then, please go out with me. I’ll do well. I won’t be a burden, and I’ll give my all to make you happy!”

“Gaeul, you’re an idol. You know the restrictions that come with that name, right? You also know how it would be viewed if we started dating, right?”

In my words of discouragement, Gaeul found a lifeline and grabbed onto it.

“So, would it be okay if I’m no longer an idol?”

Even if that lifeline was already rotten.

“Would you be willing to date me once the contract is over? I can wait! I can wait for 10 years, not just 5 or 6! On that day, would it be okay for me to be by Team Leader Seon’s side? Just promise me; that’s enough!”

“Are you asking to date in the future, once the contract is over?”

“Yes! That’s all I need, and I can wait as long as it takes!”

“…”

Her words were surprisingly similar to something I had heard in the past.

After all, it was those very words, “Let’s date once the contract is over,” that had led to the disastrous end of my relationship with Eun-byeol.

That was poison.

Can someone truly wait for six years while suffering from the fever of love?

No, it wasn’t possible.

Even though Eun-byeol had added the phrase ‘once the contract ends,’ she gradually began to desire a romantic relationship.

Under the excuse of ‘Since we agreed to date in the future,’ she started with dangerous physical contact and slowly tried to expose it to others. As time passed, she demanded proof—proof that we were indeed a couple.

Despite the unavoidable nature of work, she disliked any woman approaching me, going as far as trying to physically block them.

In the end, she revealed our relationship herself.

And so began the most fatal scandal an idol could face—straight from Seo Eun-byeol’s own lips.

I, too, thought everything would be okay. That if we were careful and put each other first, we could manage both love and work.

That was arrogance. I should have stopped it.

But I didn’t, because I, too, had been foolish enough to give in to those impulses.

And the result was a disaster that left everyone miserable.

I was a fool.

But now that I had been given a second chance, I had no intention of making the same mistake again.

“Even if the contract ends, I can’t date you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t see you as a romantic interest. And I never will.”

Gaeul trembled, her voice desperate as she searched for the last glimmer of hope.

“…Not even someday?”

And I cut that hope away.

“Not now, not ever.”