episode_0009

#09

“Alright then. See you next week at the broadcasting station. I’ve got things to do today, so I’ll head out first. Manager Jeon, make sure to take good care of Harin. She’s precious, after all.”

“Yes, PD-nim. Please drive safely.”

Park Dong-chul got into his car, made a phone call, and drove out of the parking lot.

Harin and I stayed bowed until his car was completely out of sight. Only then did we straighten up.

“……” “……”

With just the two of us left, the atmosphere turned awkward.

This had been the case since yesterday—I had no idea what expression to show Harin or what words to say to her.

I couldn’t begin to guess how she was feeling, what she was thinking.

Speaking casually felt like dismissing her, but treating it gravely might make her cry.

After much deliberation, I settled on this:

“……Let’s go. Harin.”

Pretending nothing happened.

“We should tell the others at the dorm. …That we’ll be appearing on a music show.”

“…Okay.”

Harin nodded and followed me.

We walked silently toward where my car was parked.

A domestic compact sedan with 180,000 km on it. Also bought secondhand.

The gap between me and Park Dong-chul felt stark, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

*Beep.*

As I opened the car door—

“Um… sir!”

Harin grabbed the hem of my sleeve.

“Hm?”

“…I’m sorry for saying weird things earlier.”

“What…? Oh.”

Harin squirmed, her face red, refusing to meet my eyes.

I could roughly guess what “weird things” she meant.

She must have been apologizing for talking to Park Dong-chul about their sexual encounter in front of me.

“You didn’t want to hear that… But PD-nim made me say it, so…”

“……”

“I didn’t want to show you that side of myself… or to make you hear it. I…”

Tears fell from Harin’s bowed head. The hand gripping my sleeve trembled.

Harin, who had always been composed and confident, was now crying like a child. This was the first time I’d ever seen her cry like this.

I didn’t know what to do.

Could I even comfort her?

Did I even have the right to?

“…Hic…”

Harin clung tightly to my arm.

She buried her face against my shoulder, shaking slightly.

“…H-hic…! Sir, I… I tried hard. I did my best… Because you told me… hic… to serve him well… So I did everything… hic… like he said……”

“……Ah.”

I couldn’t hug her. Couldn’t even pat her head.

The one who pushed her into this, the one who told her to do well for the PD—it was all me.

I’d used the excuse of her being the leader to dump the filth of the world onto a 23-year-old kid.

Knowing she couldn’t refuse, I’d taken advantage and pressured her.

“Harin… I……”

I couldn’t even bring myself to console her.

I was terrified. Terrified she might resent me.

But what’s done cannot be undone.

If Harin resented or despised me… I had to accept it.

Because I had done the worst thing a manager could ever do.

“…Sir.”

“…Yeah.”

Harin’s trembling slowly subsided.

“It’s okay… I prepared myself. From the moment you first told me… I knew what was coming.”

“…Harin.”

“I’ll overcome it soon… And then… We’ll succeed on the music show. I’ll make sure your dream of winning first place comes true.”

Ah……

My stomach churned.

Even in this situation, she was talking about *my* dream…

Not a single word of resentment came from her.

She didn’t hate me, the one who put her in this state.

This Harin…

This kind-hearted girl—I had sold her away with my own hands.

I’d bowed my head and told Park Dong-chul to “take good care of her.”

…And then, listening in on them,

Hearing Harin’s gasping moans…

I masturbated.

Aaah.

Aaaaah.

A scream tore through my mind.

But I didn’t dare let it out.

Because the one who most wanted to scream was standing right beside me.

“…Sir. So today, too… Let’s do our best.”

I couldn’t even bring myself to look at the forced smile Harin was putting on.

*

“Good work today, Manager Jeon.”

At the CEO’s words, I gave a light nod.

“PD Park… I don’t like him as a person, but his influence is real. I hear he’s up for a promotion to department head soon.”

“…Is that so.”

“Since we’ve managed to secure this connection, make good use of it.”

“Thank you for arranging the opportunity, CEO-nim.”

My stomach churned, but these were the only words I could say now.

“Alright. is confirmed for next week’s music show… Next week, which day exactly?”

“Saturday… the 13th.”

“The 13th. Right. Hmm…”

The CEO took out his phone, tapping rapidly.

“13th… Broadcasting at YBC… That’s correct.”

Muttering to himself, he checked the schedule, then abruptly changed the subject.

“Venus is launching a new product line soon… They’re looking for an advertising model, I hear.”

“…Ah. Yes.”

*Venus?*

The name sounded familiar.

If it was the Venus I was thinking of…

“Apparently, they’re reaching out everywhere for a girl group member with strong visuals. You know how Venus operates—they’re a big name. Offers have gone out to famous groups already.”

“Ah… Then for us, that’d be…”

“No, many have refused. For various reasons. Some have agreed, but Venus isn’t satisfied—especially with visuals.”

“Meaning…?”

“Sounds like an opportunity to me.”

His tone implied: *Be ready.*

“Visuals… Speaking of ’s visuals, it’s Eun-chae, isn’t it?”

“All the members have good visuals. Eun-chae just photographs particularly well.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. They’re my girls—of course I know their visuals best.”

The CEO had personally selected ’s members.

“Venus’s people seem to associate ’s visuals with Eun-chae.”

“…I see.”

I swallowed dryly.

I could vaguely guess what his words implied.

Once, Eun-chae’s photos had gone viral online, briefly making a sensation. Because of that, some still remembered her name.

Venus’s people must have been among them.

And if they were singling out Eun-chae specifically…

There was only one possible meaning.

“They made a point of asking to meet her before the music show. Even gave me their card.”

The CEO smoothly slid a business card across the table.

Of course, I couldn’t refuse.

“Understood.”

“Ah, also—have you prepared for the next steps after the broadcast?”

“The next steps?”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t it be nice if one TV appearance shot us to stardom? But nothing’s that simple. One music show won’t be enough. We’ll need consistent promotions.”

“Meaning… even the following week?”

“That depends on PD Park’s thoughts—and how well performs.”

“……”

He was saying we’d have to deal with Park Dong-chul again.

Disgusting as it was, the CEO had a point. There was nothing I could say.

What Harin had sacrificed her virginity for wasn’t success itself—just one small *chance* at it.

……That was the price the world had placed on Harin’s first time.

“And make sure you’re prepared too. Marketing-wise as well. Don’t expect everything to be handed to you. Have you contacted any *sasaeng* photographers?”

*Sasaeng*—freelance photographers who stalk idols for unauthorized shots.

Eun-chae had only gone viral out of sheer luck, caught by one of them.

But that kind of luck wouldn’t last.

“…Not yet.”

“Figured as much. I’ll have the marketing manager put you in touch. Set up a meeting. Now that we’ve secured a broadcast slot, we need to milk it for all it’s worth.”

From now on, I’d have to create that luck myself.

I couldn’t waste the opportunity Harin had bought for us.

“Understood.”

“Keep up with fan management too. Promote the music show appearances. We’ll see how things go next week and decide ’s next move accordingly.”

Though it sounded like nagging, everything the CEO said was undeniably correct.

“Thank you, CEO-nim.”

*

“Oh, Oppa’s here!”

As I entered the waiting room next to the practice studio, Sea waved at me.

“……”

Eun-chae greeted me with a silent nod.

“Where are Harin and Sarang?”

“Currently in practice.”

Through the soundproof glass, I could see Harin and Sarang singing earnestly into their mics.

Even after what she endured, Harin went straight back to practicing.

“Oppa, is it true?”

“Hm?”

When I turned, Sea was already clinging to my arm, pressing her cleavage against it.

“Harin unnie said we might be going on *Music Center*—is that for real?”

“Oh… Did Harin already tell you?”

“She said not to take it as confirmed yet… Told us to ask you for details. But judging by her expression, it seemed legit—she’s a bad liar, you know? So you *do* know something, right? Right?”

I supposed I should tell them.

“Yeah. We’re going on *Music Center* next week.”

“Seriously? For real? You’re not joking?”

“I just confirmed it with the CEO. It’s happening.”

Sea jumped up and down, squealing.

Even Eun-chae stood up, staring at me in disbelief.

Sea, meanwhile—

“Hello? Yeah! We’re going on a music show!”

—was already bragging over the phone before rushing out.

Leaving just Eun-chae and me.

“…Is this true?”

“Yeah. Trust me.”

“You haven’t given me much reason to.”

“…Can’t argue with that.”

“Thank you.”

I was startled.

Eun-chae was expressing *gratitude* to me?

Unthinkable.

She’d *never* trusted me—I never expected her to thank me.

This might have been the first sincere thanks I’d gotten from her in ages.

“You should thank Harin, not me.”

“Harin unnie? Why?”

“…Huh?”

*Shit.*

Mistake.

Eun-chae’s sharp eyes locked onto me.

“Why would I thank Harin unnie?”

“It’s just… Uh…?”

“Yesterday, Harin unnie didn’t sleep at the dorm. I heard she went somewhere…”

This was bad.

If it were careless Sea, I might have brushed it off—

But of *course* I’d slipped up in front of perceptive Eun-chae.

“She got into a car and left. Does that have something to do with this?”