Chapter 178

Chapter 178

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

Episode 178: Congratulations On The Couple’s Birth 2 (END)

In the cold, stagnant air, I wiped away the cold sweat and spoke, pretending not to be flustered.

“It’s not a lie, I like Gaeul. So…”

“Liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar.”

Yeoreum’s trembling gaze and the dramatic emotion in her eyes were something I had never seen before.

Caught in the torrent-like current, I was flustered and cautiously spoke, hoping she wouldn’t get more provoked.

“Yeoreum, calm down. First, let’s focus on what’s ahead…”

“You shouldn’t lie, Team Leader Seon. It’s not like that, right? Your relationship with Gaeul unnie isn’t that sweet, is it?”

Yeoreum twisted her lips and spoke.

“You’re the victim, right? You couldn’t resist Gaeul unnie’s blackmail and accepted it, right? I know everything.”

“…”

“I’ll help you. I’ll make sure you don’t get swayed by Gaeul unnie’s forceful feelings anymore.”

I didn’t know how, but it seemed Yeoreum knew everything about that day’s situation.

This was the worst-case scenario.

Still, I couldn’t just watch as this chaotic situation got worse.

I spoke as firmly as I could.

“Maybe, I did create the worst situation. Perhaps my panic in that situation, feeling the need to take responsibility, worsened things.”

“Then…”

“But it’s different now.”

“…What?”

Leaving vague, unclear words here would only tease Yeoreum’s heart and play with it.

I had to become resolute. I had to become sharp. In the end, I had to get ugly.

I had become a foolish manager, forgetting responsibility and seeing idols romantically, but if I chose that path, I shouldn’t become a spineless fool.

That was the only way we could hurt less.

“I take my relationship with Gaeul seriously and am planning for the future. Yes, when my contract ends in about 5 years, I plan to date Gaeul.”

“…”

“I understand that it seems irresponsible. As a manager and an adult, it’s a choice worthy of criticism. But I hope you understand, Yeoreum.”

Because I knew the wounds the girl in front of me would have to endure.

And because I knew the wounds Gaeul would have to endure.

I let out cruel and sharp words.

“Support me. I hope you’ll support me.”

“…”

I think I understood why Seok Hyun-woo left me with such a serious statement. He must have sensed Yeoreum’s feelings.

As an adult, and as a colleague with whom he had built some trust, he likely hoped that I would handle things wisely.

However, I would have betrayed his expectations.

After all, he didn’t expect to see Yeoreum crying so sadly.

When I couldn’t wipe away those tears, Yeoreum, crying alone, spoke.

“Team Leader Seon.”

And the small plane began to accelerate.

I was startled by the sudden increase in speed, but I responded as if I wasn’t concerned.

“Yeah, Yeoreum.”

“I love you, Team Leader Seon. I can’t live without you.”

“No, that’s not true. You can do just fine without me. And even if I become Gaeul’s lover, our relationship won’t change. I’ll always remain your manager.”

“I can’t be satisfied with that!”

“…”

It felt like the plane was speeding up.

I couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke about the situation.

“Yeoreum, we should slow down and talk first…”

“My dreams, my hopes, the one who protects me, the person I want to marry and have children with, they all became Team Leader Seon. And you want to just stay as a manager and artist? I can’t take it. I’ve really tried to endure, tried countless times to give up, but I failed. I can’t give up.”

“Uh, Yeoreum, I think we should focus on the plane. The instrument panel looks odd.”

The wings seemed to be shaking.

I knew from my limited knowledge that the wings of small planes could tremble a bit, but it seemed like the whole plane was shaking.

No matter how I looked at it, this wasn’t a normal situation.

“I love you, Team Leader Seon. Since the day you held me at the airport.”

“Yeoreum, look ahead for now. Something doesn’t feel right.”

“I’ve always loved you. Even during my study abroad when I ignored your offer and ran away, and when I returned to your embrace.”

The lights on the instrument panel began to flash.

Cold sweat poured down as overwhelming fear set in.

I searched through the compensation window, but there was nothing to help with a situation like this.

“Yeoreum, please. Please calm down and stay composed…”

“The day when the crimson lights filled the dark stage with your voice, Team Leader Seon, I became certain. This kind of love won’t come again in my life… If there’s a second, I’d rather die before facing it.”

“Yeoreum, look ahead. Look ahead!”

“Please date me, Team Leader Seon.”

“Yeoreum!”

Holding onto the seatbelt tightly, trembling, Yeoreum kept repeating those words like a broken cassette tape, as if she couldn’t hear anything else.

“Please date me, Team Leader Seon.”

It shook. The lights flickered. I didn’t know what was going on, but something had gone terribly wrong.

Status window! Damn status window! Quest or anything, please help!

But there was no response from the useless status window.

“I love you.”

Realizing there was no salvation, I screamed in fear.

“Let’s date! After the contract ends, let’s date!”

“Oh, this is a gift to commemorate our agreement to date.”

Yeoreum said this and handed me the key to the small plane that had just been tearing through the sky with us aboard.

I took the key with trembling hands and looked at the small plane.

Even if I were given a fortune, I had no intention of ever getting back in that plane.

I gathered my feelings of helplessness and seriously asked.

“Is it possible to refund? A contract cancellation is fine too.”

Yeoreum held my hand with the key in it, gently clasping it with both hands, as if it were precious, and said,

“That plane can be refunded, of course. If you’d like, we’ll cover the taxes and just transfer the money to your account.”

“Ah, I’m glad. Then, about what we just said…”

“But I will never refund myself.”

“…”

Yeoreum released the hands that had been holding mine and threw her arms around my neck, clinging to me.

“My money, my honor, my value, my assets, my body.”

Then Yeoreum whispered into my ear as if carving the words into it.

“Everything that makes up Jin Yeoreum will forever belong to Team Leader Seon from now on.”

Oh Yoori, who had a remarkable ability to read others’ emotions, immediately sensed it.

She had a gut feeling that something very important had happened between Gaeul and Yeoreum.

And she knew that it wasn’t something positive at all.

Furthermore, Oh Yoori quickly made her judgment.

Despite their young age, both of them had been mature and responsible, so it was only natural that Seon Taeyang had to be involved in spreading such a dark aura.

Given that both were highly professional, the chance of conflict seemed slim, but in the event that rumors of discord emerged, it could bring down the team, so Oh Yoori rushed to find Seon Taeyang, who she suspected might be the cause.

“Team Leader Seon! What on earth have you done this time…?”

And what Oh Yoori saw was Seon Taeyang, looking so depressed and weary that he seemed ready to jump out of the window at any moment.

“…”

Unable to finish her words, Oh Yoori, whose mind was racing, carefully asked after thinking hard.

“Should I bring some beer?”

Seon Taeyang, moving his head like a zombie, looked at Oh Yoori and replied.

“Please.”

Oh Yoori ran as urgently as when she was chased by Ban Seongcheol, borrowing one non-alcoholic beer and two regular beers from Oh Jinwoo’s fridge.

Just as she returned to the studio, the plagiarist composer, Oh Jinwoo, noticed this.

“Ah! You’re the one who stole my beer! That’s mine!”

“Move aside! Someone’s life is on the line!”

“…What?”

Shoving Oh Jinwoo aside, Oh Yoori hurried back to Seon Taeyang’s office and, gasping for breath, handed him the beers.

Seon Taeyang looked at the beer with dead eyes before cracking it open and taking it in one shot.

“Ah, drink slowly! You’re going to hurt yourself!”

“…Sorry.”

“No, I wasn’t expecting an apology… Oh, this is bad.”

Oh Yoori pulled out a chair from Seok Hyun-woo’s desk, sat across from him, opened the non-alcoholic beer, took a sip, and, watching carefully, asked,

“So… what happened? Let’s talk. Keeping it all inside will only make it worse.”

“…”

“You know I won’t talk elsewhere. I’ve experienced keeping quiet before.”

“Isn’t it more like you have no one to talk to?”

“Dammit, just say it already! It’s true I don’t have friends to talk to!”

Seeing Seon Taeyang hesitate, as if wondering if it was okay to speak in front of a child, Oh Yoori emphasized her point.

“It’s about Gaeul unnie and Yeoreum unnie, right?”

“…”

“Well, it’s not just someone else’s issue. It’s very important for me, as a member of the Girl Revolution team. Right?”

“…That’s right.”

At her words, Seon Taeyang seemed to make a decision and opened his mouth.

“I’m screwed.”

Wanting to give hope to Seon Taeyang, who was filled with despair, Oh Yoori quickly said whatever came to mind.

“Don’t conclude it’s hopeless so soon. From an outsider’s point of view, it might not be as big of a deal.”

“Not a big deal?”

“Yeah! There are so many such things in the world.”

“Is that so… then, will you listen and judge for me?”

Oh Yoori, recalling the therapeutic attitude and unconditional positive regard from the human-centered counseling books she’d read, spoke cheerfully.

“Of course!”

After listening to Seon Taeyang’s self-reproachful explanation for several minutes, Oh Yoori made her judgment.

“Well, you’re screwed.”

That was the most positive conclusion she could come to.