Chapter 23

Chapter 23

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

Episode 23: Vocal Potential S.

Hearing Cheon Aram’s evaluation in a whisper, I had to send Soeun, who would later become a sensation in commercials with her pure image, away by my own hands.

When I deeply apologized and said it would be difficult to work with TwoBear, Soeun suddenly started swearing and ran out by herself.

Unable to stop her, I stared blankly as a message arrived.

It roughly pointed out the arrogance of the representative.

The assurance that she wouldn’t go to such a dirty agency was a bonus.

…She seemed to have a more fiery personality than I thought.

Still, it was a pity to give up on her.

“It’s awkward for me to say this myself, but it wasn’t easy to bring them here.”

It wasn’t easy to bring talented aspirants to a small agency with only three employees, including the President.

I wandered around middle and high schools, relying only on the memory of which school they attended.

I even received police reports that a strange person was at the school.

Even when I succeeded in meeting them, mentioning the name TwoBear Entertainment brought suspicious looks, questioning if it was a scam.

TwoBear Entertainment didn’t even have a website or a promotional Instagram account, so it was natural to be suspicious since no information could be found.

I did my best amidst such difficulties.

I used the knowledge of a regressor without reservation, coaxing and persuading them.

I made up stories, both real and imaginary, to make it seem like TwoBear Entertainment had a grand vision.

I barely managed to bring them to TwoBear Entertainment, but the results were all like this.

“They were talented enough to be put in the debut team immediately.”

They were all kids with at least one A-grade major ability.

The rest were at least B-grade.

In terms of pure potential, they were just below Gyeoul’s level.

Since they also had a future of success, it was like a guaranteed winning lottery ticket.

“Couldn’t you have evaluated them at least once based on their skills?”

“No, I can’t concede on this point. I want people who don’t have a stench.”

“I am considering that point as well, but isn’t the standard too strict?”

Cheon Aram looked at me with pity and said.

“I understand that you, Team Leader Seon, must be frustrated and angry after all your hard work, but I’m currently evaluating with the lowest possible threshold for the stench. I’m rather amazed that you keep picking kids who are like landmines… Team Leader Seon, keeping such kids around might get you stabbed in the back later. And it could be very serious. Those types are terrifying when they turn on you.”

…How did she know? Did she regress as well?

It was a painfully accurate point.

Especially from my perspective, having been taken advantage of and backstabbed before my regression.

No, I had considered their character in my own way.

Was my judgment that bad?

It wasn’t that I hadn’t considered their character.

I took Cheon Aram’s words seriously and selected people.

I carefully selected people, considering how they treated staff and managers in the previous round and whether there were any bad rumors about them in the entertainment industry.

The three I brought in were carefully chosen under those conditions.

At least, they had never caused any scandals.

Although, thinking about how I got backstabbed, it made me a bit uneasy.

Suddenly, I had a question.

“What kind of smell do I have?”

Cheon Aram’s eyes sparkled as if she had heard something interesting.

It was rude to think this about a superior, but her eyes looked like a snake playing with a mouse.

“Hmm… don’t you think you don’t have a smell?”

“I know myself well. I definitely have a smell.”

Cheon Aram didn’t deny my words.

“Honestly, I don’t understand how I remained among the people filtered by President Cheon’s sense of smell.”

“You let it slide before, didn’t you?”

“Before, I thought I could ignore a certain level of desire. But now, it doesn’t seem that way.”

Otherwise, it meant I picked people who would stab me in the back every time, which didn’t make sense.

“Has your thinking changed now?”

“Yes, it has. I’m also an ordinary person with a desire for success.”

In fact, I was more selfish.

Or at least trying to become one.

“If someone like me doesn’t have a smell, it could raise doubts about President Cheon’s ability.”

Cheon Aram rested her chin on her office desk and spoke.

“You’re right. You do have a smell, Team Leader Seon.”

I expected it, but hearing it directly still felt unpleasant.

“But you’re very unique, Team Leader Seon. You do have a smell, but it somehow feels like a fragrance.”

“A fragrance?”

“Sweat smell… No, forget what I just said. Anyway, it’s something addictive yet not so unpleasant.”

It was hard to react to that.

I couldn’t think of an appropriate response after being told I had an addictive sweat smell by my superior.

“Even I find it confusing, but I’m trying to think positively.”

“Have there been many cases like mine?”

“In my experience, you’re the first, Team Leader Seon.”

I had a headache.

Knowing that my case wasn’t helpful as a reference for recruitment was troubling.

In the end, the difficulty of finding people without a detectable smell remained unchanged.

“I’ll tell you so you don’t think too hard about it, Team Leader Seon. I’m not looking for completely pure people without any smell.”

Cheon Aram added, understanding my agony.

“People like that, including Soo-yeon, are so few I can count them on my fingers. Expecting someone like them would be unreasonable.”

“Then, to what extent are you willing to tolerate?”

“I’m okay with a certain level of smell… like Miss Gyeoul, for example.”

I was taken aback by the unexpected comment and asked.

“Gyeoul has the greed to gain at the expense of others?”

The natural-born nerd Gyeoul, who said she wouldn’t call the police to avoid bothering them?

It didn’t make sense.

Gyeoul, the hikikomori who had no initiative and had to be pushed by Yeji to even take the audition, had greed?

Ah, could it be the half-naked anime girl?

“Specifically, she emits a smell when a certain something is nearby.”

I grew more suspicious and asked Cheon Aram.

“What is that?”

Cheon Aram grinned playfully and made a ‘shush’ gesture with her finger.

And then said.

“It’s a secret.”

“Can’t you just tell me? As her team leader, I need to know since I have to manage Gyeoul.”

“You’ll find out someday, even if I don’t tell you.”

Cheon Aram chuckled as if she found this situation amusing.

Then she suddenly became serious and said.

“Just a heads up, our company forbids office romance.”

Gyeoul was practicing the moves she received as homework from her dance academy in the company’s training room.

Even though no one was watching, she was working hard enough to soak her red t-shirt with sweat.

Seeing her like that made me want to buy her something.

“Is there anything you want to drink?”

“Something to drink?”

“Yeah, I’m thinking of stopping by a nearby café. I’ll get you something.”

“…Then, I’ll have an Americano.”

“Banana Mocha Cream Frappuccino? Got it.”

I already know your taste. Why are you holding back?

Gyeoul nodded, feeling embarrassed, but clearly wanting that more than an Americano.

My little nerd.

Eat as much as you want now since you’re not on a diet.

I entered a private café right in front of the TwoBear Entertainment office.

I expected there to be fewer people compared to the large franchise café across the street, but I was wrong.

It was bustling with people, as if they had come from nowhere.

Was this a famous place that only I didn’t know about?

Seeing the line to order made me think I should switch to the franchise café across the street, even now.

But since I was buying drinks anyway, I wanted Gyeoul to have something delicious.

After a brief hesitation, I decided to wait in line, hoping for the best.

While looking at the SNS of future stars on my smartphone, my turn came.

“Welcome! This is Peanuts Coffee, where the aroma is rich! May I take your order?”

The part-timer, busy handling the rush of orders alone, asked me.

Seeing her profile as she made milk foam and took orders, I understood why this café was popular.

The part-timer was incredibly beautiful.

Her dark hair, which turned brown in the light, was in a natural ponytail, seemingly for ease of movement rather than styling.

But that natural look, combined with her soft, puppy-like face, exuded a fresh charm.

She had the look of everyone’s first love during their school days.

The white blouse and black slacks she wore seemed to be from the lowest price line of an online shopping mall, and the finish wasn’t very good.

But as a great clothes hanger, she made even those cheap clothes look stylish.

I didn’t need to see the status window to know.

Her appearance status would be at least A.

“Would you please order?”

The man behind me, annoyed that I was slow to order due to my admiration, spoke in a slightly irritated tone.

I apologized and hastily ordered a Banana Mocha Cream Frappuccino and a Green Grape Ade for the President, then paid.

While waiting for my drink, I looked around and saw that most of the customers were men.

It seemed they came to see a pretty face while having a post-lunch treat.

Judging by her face, it was worth it.

I thought it might be worth suggesting she try out for the entertainment industry.

Whether as an actress or an idol, she could make a living with her looks anywhere.

Plus, I could expand my network by introducing her.

The part-timer was sweating and bustling around the small café’s kitchen alone.

She was struggling to keep up with the orders.

To her, life seemed like a constant struggle.

Seeing her like that made me change my mind about introducing her.

Telling her to rely only on her looks and try for the entertainment industry would be more than just an insult.

She would likely reject it with a contemptuous look.

So I decided to consider her as a passing acquaintance.

There was no shortage of talent in Korea.

I didn’t need to extend my reach to this part-timer.

I took the packaged drinks and returned to the company.

I thought she was just a passing acquaintance.

“Welcome! This is Dr. Bread, the bakery that bakes happiness! May I help you with your order?”

I met the part-timer again at the bakery, where I went to buy Gyeoul’s lunch salad.

I bought the salad, slightly amazed by this coincidence.

But it didn’t end there.

“Welcome! This is Prince Convenience Store! May I help you with your purchase?”

Even at the convenience store where I went to buy a fatigue relief drink.

“Welcome! This is Small Hands Grandpa’s Soup. What would you like to order?”

Even at the soup restaurant where I went to pack blood sausage soup for my sister, who wanted a drink.

It all happened in one day.

How many part-time jobs does she have in a day?

I thought this was also fate, and greeted her simply.

“Seeing you again.”

“Oh! You’re the customer I’ve seen four times today, right? I’ve already built an internal sense of closeness. But seeing you here too, I wanted to greet you first, but I was worried it might be uncomfortable for you if I acted like I knew you…”

“No, it’s not that uncomfortable…”

“By the way, isn’t it amazing to meet at all four places where I work part-time? Actually, when I started these jobs, I imagined this could happen! A customer meeting me from morning to night! It’s a perfect course, isn’t it? Morning coffee, lunch croissant sandwich, strawberry mochi for a snack, and blood sausage soup for dinner! A perfect course, right?”

Once the conversation started, the part-timer spoke excitedly, as if she’d been waiting for it.

She was like a dog, wagging its tail with no sense of caution.

“Oh! Do you prefer boiled pork soup over blood sausage soup? If so, please trust me and try the blood sausage soup! The blood sausage here is really delicious! If you eat it with the flavorful radish kimchi, it’s amazing! But people don’t seem to know about this delicious combination, so there aren’t many customers.”

I didn’t expect her to talk this much.

The part-timer looked at me with eyes that seemed to enjoy this small talk.

I regretted starting the conversation and looked awkwardly.

Our eyes met.

And then, as if waiting for it, the status window popped up.

[Name – Yoo Gaeul (Female)]

[Appearance – A Potential A+]

[Vocals – A- Potential S]

[Dance – C+ Potential B]

[Rap – D- Potential B+]

[Acting – D- Potential D+]

[Variety – F Potential C-]

[Suitable as a main vocalist. Highly recommended for recruitment.]

Wait… Potential is S?

I stared blankly at the status window filled with shocking information.

And I barely managed to think of a sentence in my head.

“Uh… Customer, are you okay?”

I must recruit this part-timer no matter what.