Chapter 26

Chapter 26

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

Episode 26: Do You Have A Date?.

Gaeul sat down in the old alley in front of her house and played music on her budget smartphone.

Then, through the cheap earphones plugged into her ears, a song called “Memories of the Sea and Leaves” played.

It was the song she had sung the most and loved dearly.

Amid the acoustic guitar intro, she recalled Seon Taeyang’s proposal for her to become an idol.

“Do you like singing?”

“….”

The answer she couldn’t bring herself to say back then now slipped out.

“…Yes, I do.”

Like Seon Taeyang said, Gaeul liked singing. No, she loved it.

Even when her father started gambling and their family began to fall apart.

Even when her mother, fed up with her father, divorced him.

Even when she found out her father, who had cried and sworn to quit gambling, had started again.

She could endure it because there was singing, because she loved singing.

But her life made even that love for singing seem like a luxury.

So in Gaeul’s life, singing became smaller and smaller.

It started with professional vocal trainers, gaining professional knowledge and techniques.

Then she couldn’t afford the lessons anymore, so she settled for self-study through YouTube in the training room.

When that became difficult too, she was content with just warming up her voice lightly at a coin karaoke.

And even that became difficult.

So Gaeul gave up singing.

The resolve she had pushed to the back of her mind, thinking she had no choice, was ringing loudly in her heart today.

She wanted to sing.

Right now.

The song playing through the cheap earphones was ending its long intro and approaching the start of the lyrics.

Softly, yet low and deep.

It was the first verse she had sung countless times.

It had been over two months since she last sang, but the sensation was still very familiar.

Gaeul let herself be carried by that sensation.

As the intro ended and the lyrics were about to start, Gaeul took a breath and slightly opened her mouth.

And at that moment.

“…Noona?”

Gaeul was pulled back to reality.

“…Yes, Gahyeon, what’s up?”

Her younger brother, Yoo Gahyeon, was stepping out the door in his outdoor clothes.

It seemed he was looking for her since she hadn’t come in even after her part-time job hours.

“Noona, were you about to sing?”

Gahyeon smiled, seeming pleased.

“I want to hear it again! You’re so good at singing, Noona!”

Gaeul tried to look as nonchalant as possible and said.

“I won’t sing anymore.”

“…Why?”

Gahyeon was the one who had seen her up close, living a hard life, having even quit school to work part-time jobs.

He wouldn’t be unaware of the reason.

Gahyeon would surely think that Gaeul gave up singing because of him.

Yet he was trying to bring up that uncomfortable truth without hesitation.

“Noona, you should do what you want. So why?”

Because he didn’t want to be the reason for her sacrifice.

Because he was ready to give up as well.

He wanted to face it and correct their tilted relationship.

Even if it meant the household built on her sacrifices would collapse.

That was the kindness he had.

So she lied.

“Because that’s what I want.”

She didn’t want to make her brother give up on his dreams.

“Oh? Team Leader Seon, you’re here again!”

“Haha, yes, I’m here again, Gaeul.”

“This place is good enough to visit two days in a row! I’m a fan of blood sausage soup, but boiled pork soup isn’t bad either. If you add a lot of chili paste, it’s really tasty! But I’d advise against ordering the boiled pork slices. The boss got it from a weird supplier, so it smells a bit off.”

Gaeul spoke excitedly, displaying her friendliness as if she had forgotten the previous incident.

She was like a country puppy welcoming everyone indiscriminately.

It wouldn’t be bad to have a hearty bowl of blood sausage soup while chatting with her.

But today, my goal wasn’t to eat.

I avoided the crowded café, bakery, and convenience store to come here and talk to her.

Before she continued her chatter about blood sausage soup, I got to the point.

“Can you spare some time in three days, Gaeul?”

Gaeul, who was clearing the blood sausage soup bowls left by customers, tilted her head and answered my sudden request.

“Hmm… I’m sorry. I don’t think I can. I have a part-time job that day.”

“What about the next day?”

“Also the next day.”

“Then, how about the day after that?”

“Same for the day after that. I only get a day off once every two weeks.”

“…Are you okay?”

I knew she was working hard, but I didn’t realize she was wearing herself out that much.

Gaeul rolled up her sleeve, showing off her bicep to emphasize her strength, and boasted of her health.

“I’m fine! High school girls naturally have a lot of energy!”

Then she covered her mouth, seeming surprised by her own words, and said.

“Oh, right, I dropped out, so I can’t call myself a high school girl.”

Gaeul said it lightly as a joke, but I couldn’t take it that way.

That joke implied the harsh reality that she had to drop out to work four part-time jobs a day.

Gaeul looked at me, who couldn’t find words to say, and spoke curiously.

“Oh? You didn’t ask me to make time on my day off?”

What does she think of me to come up with such an idea?

“I have no intention of taking away your only day off in two weeks, Yoo Gaeul.”

I was a reasonable person.

But Gaeul nodded, seemingly impressed by such a natural statement, and said.

“Hmm… That was kind of cool! I guess it would have been reassuring to work with you, Team Leader Seon!”

It seemed like an overly generous view.

Anyway, her words were pleasant.

Thanks to that, the conversation flowed naturally in the direction I wanted.

“Then, would you actually consider working with me?”

“Unfortunately, I already declined that. I don’t have time to be an idol.”

“I’m not talking about being an idol.”

“…Then what are you talking about?”

I spoke seriously, so it wouldn’t sound like a joke.

“I want to buy some of your time, even if just for a moment.”

“Time?”

Gaeul was startled and hid behind the blood sausage soup bowl.

…What on earth did she think I meant?

“I’m proposing a short-term part-time job. You can cancel anytime if you’re uncomfortable.”

If Gaeul didn’t have time because of work, I could become her employer.

Buying her time meant that.

“…A short-term part-time job?”

She put down the blood sausage soup bowl and tilted her head as she asked.

“I’ll pay you double the highest hourly wage you’re currently getting. Just give me three hours in three days.”

At my attractive offer, Gaeul closed her eyes, touched her lips, and seriously pondered.

And she made a decision.

“I’m sorry, but I already have part-time work scheduled all day that day. You should find someone else.”

“Can’t you change your shift?”

“It would be a nuisance to suddenly ask for that now. I don’t want to trouble the kind people who hired a minor like me.”

It was a commendable thought.

But the adult world doesn’t work on such principles and etiquette.

“I’ll pay you triple the hourly wage.”

It runs on money.

“Triple?”

Gaeul’s eyes sparkled as if she were tempted for a moment, but she lightly slapped her cheek and hardened her expression.

“I can’t betray the kindness of my bosses for a bit of money…”

“I’ll pay you four times.”

“…I can’t betray them, but…”

Gaeul’s eyes spun around.

I decided to drive a nail into her seemingly wavering heart.

“This is my final offer.”

I spoke firmly, like a negotiator determined not to allow further discussion.

“I’ll pay you five times.”

Gaeul stared at me in heavy silence.

I looked into her eyes too.

Soon, Gaeul spoke with a determined look in her eyes.

“Can I call you President Seon?”

“…Just Team Leader Seon is fine.”

After finishing her work at the blood sausage soup restaurant, Gaeul lay in bed, recalling her conversation with Seon Taeyang.

“I want to buy some of your time, even if just for a moment.”

Gaeul couldn’t help but laugh.

“What was that? It wasn’t even a confession.”

It was a somewhat misleading statement for someone she hadn’t known for long.

Seon Taeyang threw out such words without any sign of embarrassment.

It was something Gaeul couldn’t do.

Gaeul was friendly to everyone.

She liked people and didn’t hesitate to approach and express intimacy if the other person wasn’t uncomfortable.

But that wasn’t her whole heart.

Gaeul was a dual person.

She was like a puppy, kind to everyone and quick to approach, but she was afraid to reveal her true feelings.

Her inner self wasn’t that beautiful.

Life was hard; she had to give up many things, and she always lived under suppression.

Inside, dark emotions gradually sank like sediment.

Fearing to show that, Gaeul built a solid wall and approached people.

But Seon Taeyang crossed that wall as if it were nothing.

He gently touched her forbidden areas buried in her solid wall, like dreams, money, effort, and giving up.

But it didn’t feel bad.

Seon Taeyang was like a stone thrown into the lake named Gaeul.

With a splash, her heart swayed greatly.

The reason she accepted his proposal was partly because of money, but there was also that reason.

Such a change in her monotonous, tiring daily life was quite welcome.

“…But why does he want to hire me?”

What value did she have that made him want to pay five times her hourly wage for three hours?

She couldn’t guess the reason.

Because she thought that money could hire three, at least two people who were better at work than her.

Gaeul recalled what Seon Taeyang had said.

“Your appearance is so beautiful, Gaeul. I think you have the charm to be called everyone’s first love.”

“…Is it a date? ‘I’ll buy you even with money!’ Something like that?”

“….”

She got up from her bedding, unconsciously combing her hair with her hand, and started rummaging through her closet.

“Noona, what are you doing?”

“Kyaaa!”

Gaeul slammed the closet door shut, startled, as if caught stealing.

“Did I wake you? Sorry!”

Gahyeon rubbed his eyes, just waking up, and asked.

“…Why are you suddenly looking for clothes? Do you have a date?”

“It’s not like that!”

Gaeul covered her face with a reddened face and said.

“…Maybe?”