Chapter 49

Chapter 49

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

Episode 49: When Big Business Gets Involved, Big Things Fall Apart.

After finishing cleaning the men’s restroom with Jin Yeoreum and stepping outside, I saw Gyeoul teaching something to the children.

What could a high school dropout be teaching?

“Gyeoul?”

“Oh! Taeyang Ssam!”

As soon as she saw me, Gyeoul jumped up from her seat. Some children tried to hold her back, asking, “Unnie, where are you going?” but she gently pulled away and ran over to me.

“Are you done now?”

One of the boys, around 7 or 8 years old, who Gyeoul had pulled away from, looked at me with a heartbroken expression, as if he had just lost his lover. It seemed he had been deeply hurt.

…It’s not like that, kid.

“Yeah, thanks to the volunteer here, it ended easily.”

“Ah, then, Taeyang Ssam, I have something I want to show you!”

Gyeoul grabbed my hand and started dragging me somewhere. I was curious about what this geek wanted to show me, so I followed with some anticipation.

We arrived in front of the women’s restroom. Holding my hand, Gyeoul confidently led me inside.

I was startled and resisted Gyeoul’s pull.

“Hey, Gyeoul, what are you doing?!”

“I cleaned this place. I cleaned it so well! You can see my face in the toilet! I’m so proud that I could do this.”

The pride on Gyeoul’s face was something I hadn’t seen even when she danced. Seeing a kid with such low self-esteem show this kind of pride was heartwarming.

…But why did she feel that from cleaning a bathroom?

“That’s great, but this is the women’s restroom! How can I go in there?”

A male manager from an agency entering an orphanage’s women’s restroom. Even I thought that was someone no one would want to associate with.

“There’s no one inside. Can’t you just look?”

“Do you think that’s okay?”

“…Hmph.”

Jin Yeoreum, who had been watching the scene from a step away, spoke.

“Today’s volunteer schedule is over. We’ve kept you longer than you expected.”

Then she bowed her head slightly and said,

“Thank you for your dedication. I wish only good things for the days ahead for both of you.”

“Why are you saying goodbye as if we’ll never see each other again?”

“…Pardon?”

Thinking about Bubble Shower’s reverse climb, I had to stick around here for another three years.

“We’ll come again.”

“There are many facilities with better amenities and better consideration for volunteers. If you come here again, you’ll likely be doing laborious tasks like cleaning the bathrooms.”

“That’s fine. As you saw today, I’m pretty good at cleaning.”

“I’m confident, too!”

Gyeoul raised her hand and said.

Jin Yeoreum looked at us and then turned her gaze aside, speaking softly.

“I’ll always be here. But I won’t expect much.”

I wasn’t hoping for more than that.

“Well, we’re not people to expect that much from. But we’ll schedule another visit soon. See you again. Let’s go, Gyeoul.”

“Oh, wait, Taeyang Ssam.”

Gyeoul ran over to Jin Yeoreum and whispered.

“So, what do you think? Taeyang Ssam is a good person, right?”

“…Yes, he seems like a good person. It’s almost worrying if someone like him is okay in today’s world.”

“Hehe, that’s Taeyang Ssam’s charm.”

They seemed to have gotten close while cleaning the women’s restroom together, whispering to each other so I couldn’t hear.

It was amazing how quickly Gyeoul had become friends with her despite her poor social skills.

“See you next time!”

After finishing their conversation, Gyeoul came over to me, waved to Jin Yeoreum, who waved back awkwardly. She glanced at me and continued waving.

Leaving Jin Yeoreum behind, we exited the orphanage.

As we passed through the orphanage’s main gate, I asked Gyeoul,

“So, what were you teaching the kids?”

“Teaching?”

Gyeoul squirmed, looking embarrassed.

“…Japanese.”

“Japanese? How do you know that?”

“Well… it’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I’ve watched so much anime that I eventually understood Japanese without subtitles. I thought it would be useful, so I studied for the JLPT. So, I can teach basic conversation.”

“Oh…”

It was an unexpected talent. Considering Japan was a major market for K-pop, this skill would definitely come in handy someday.

“Very well done. You’ve studied something really useful. If we ever expand into Japan, I can leave the interviews to you.”

“Oh, it’s not that good.”

“Then try it once. I’ll listen to see if it’s awkward.”

Since I had learned basic English and Japanese in my previous life, I could check her skills.

Gyeoul glanced at me and said,

“…Please don’t expect too much.”

Despite her hesitation, Gyeoul’s Japanese was quite fluent. Except for referring to herself in the third person and speaking like a shonen manga character.

But it was still practical enough.

“You’re better than I expected.”

“Really?”

When I praised her, Gyeoul excitedly chatted in Japanese. Her voice was naturally pleasant to listen to, making me think she could even be a voice actor.

As we walked to where the car was parked, someone spoke to me.

“Excuse me. May I speak with you for a moment?”

When I turned around, I saw a man in his early 30s wearing a well-fitted black suit and sunglasses. He looked like a bodyguard or an agent.

I asked cautiously,

“Who are you?”

The man opened his wallet and took out a small business card.

“I am this person.”

He bowed his head and handed me the card.

[Jinkang Group – PR Strategy Planning Department Manager Seok Hyun-woo]

Seeing the name Jinkang Group gave me a slight understanding of why this man was here. I lowered my guard a bit and asked,

“Are you here to assist Jin Yeoreum?”

“That’s right. I’m Seok Hyun-woo, assisting Jin Yeoreum.”

“What business do you have with me?”

I had a few guesses about what he might say. I expected him to either warn me not to report Jin Yeoreum to the media or threaten me to stay away from her.

I had no plans to use Jin Yeoreum for anything, so I was willing to comply with either. In fact, I preferred not to get involved.

So, his question was completely unexpected.

“I heard you’re the HR manager at an agency. If possible, I’d like to ask you to scout Jin Yeoreum.”

What nonsense was this?

“Before I answer that question, let me ask one thing. How did you know I was a manager at an agency? I don’t remember disclosing my occupation when applying for volunteer work.”

If he had investigated me, I would treat him differently.

“Gyeoul here told me.”

Oh, Gyeoul!

“…Was I not supposed to say that?”

Gyeoul said with a tearful face. If I scolded her, she would probably sink to the floor and burst into tears.

I spoke as gently as possible.

“It’s not that you can’t say it, but let’s hold back next time. Revealing that we’re in the entertainment industry isn’t usually a good idea in situations like this.”

Since this was volunteer work meant for showing off, we’d promote it someday, but any information disclosure should be controlled by TwoBear to minimize variables. Anyway, it seemed this guy hadn’t done any background checks.

Seok Hyun-woo seemed to think my doubts were resolved and pressed for an answer.

“I’m glad the misunderstanding is cleared up. So, can I get an answer now?”

You want me to scout Jin Yeoreum?

“I refuse.”

Are you crazy? You want me to drink a poisoned chalice?

“I think you already know the reason without me saying it. It’s best if we just remain as fellow volunteers.”

“I understand what you’re worried about. But you don’t need to feel burdened. Jin Yeoreum will refuse the scouting offer anyway. I think you know why.”

My words came back to me. We seemed to share the same thoughts about Jin Yeoreum.

“Because she’ll be hit by a barrage of public opinion.”

An Olympic hopeful involved in a doping scandal debuting as an idol? In my opinion, it would cause an even bigger uproar than a history of school violence.

“Exactly. That’s why Jin Yeoreum will refuse as well. She’s not someone who would chase dreams and fantasies without thinking. So, just think of it as saying the words. There’s no burden at all.”

I understood there was almost no risk. If Seok Hyun-woo’s words were true, it was just about saying something. But it still felt unsettling.

I had no reason to take on any risk by getting involved with Jin Yeoreum. I reaffirmed my decision to refuse.

“Still…”

“I seem to have forgotten to mention it in my haste. If you take on this task, I’ll provide a small reward.”

Seok Hyun-woo explained the amount of the reward using his smartphone. It was quite a tempting sum.

It was certainly a significant amount, but I didn’t want to take the risk just for that. This wasn’t just about me. Gaeul and Gyeoul’s success depends on my choices. I didn’t want to bear any risk, no matter how small.

“I’m sorry, but let’s pretend I didn’t hear the offer…”

“In addition, I can connect you with clients who require non-celebrity models in the future. If you have trainees who haven’t debuted yet, those advertisements could even help them gain fame.”

A connection with advertising clients?

“…I know this might be rude, but I have to ask. How can you make that happen, Mr. Seok? That’s not a trivial matter.”

It’s impressive to be a manager at a big company, but you can’t make promises like that, right?

“Assisting Jin Yeoreum isn’t a job given to just anyone. I’m well-recognized within the company. Because of that, I have connections with various companies.”

Seok Hyun-woo bowed deeply and said,

“I can’t guarantee that those clients will choose your trainees as advertising models. But I will make sure your kids are included in the options during meetings. I can do that. This is not a trivial opportunity. The clients I deal with are mostly big names.”

His words were desperate yet deeply persuasive.

“Being exposed to clients and not being exposed are entirely different. And if you seize the opportunity from that exposure, it will definitely ensure your success, Manager Seon.”

This guy knows how to persuade.