episode_0031

#31

But I had to steel my resolve.

It wasn’t as if I hadn’t anticipated this—rather, some of it was even intentional.

After all, the fact that ‘s name was being mentioned on SNS and communities was encouraging in itself.

No matter the reason, someone would watch the video one more time, listen to the song once more.

“Well, this is it for now. Other reactions will probably take some time to come in.”

“Aw, that’s disappointing.”

“Still, at least the response isn’t bad.”

“Yeah… It’s thanks to you guys working hard.”

I smoothed things over with the girls like that.

“Please welcome to the stage!”

By the time the first-place award ceremony was about to begin, a staff member knocked on the waiting room door.

The girls got ready again and headed to the stage.

Carefully, I turned my phone back on and checked the reactions.

Company policy dictated that the girls weren’t allowed to look up online responses themselves. Partly because it helped with their mental health management in dealing with hate comments, and partly because it allowed me to filter things for them like this.

If I didn’t filter it…

– Holy shit, that thong is fucking hot ㅗㅜㅑ

– Why are all members’ tits so damn big? Did the CEO only hire based on tits?

– Ah, that’s what they call the ‘pure pocket.’

– Pure pocket my ass, those tits are shaking like crazy and her panties are showing, pure my ass ㅋㅋㅋ

– Fr, purity is dead ㅋㅋㅋ

– The song’s pure but those milk jugs sure aren’t ㅋㅋㅋㅋ That ass is literally just sex appeal ㅋㅋㅋ

– I’d give anything to grab all four of them and just go to town

– I’m reporting you

– Go ahead and report ~ You don’t know ’s agency never catches actual trolls? ㅋㅋㅋ

They’d eventually realize they were being sexually harassed by countless people without even knowing it.

It was the inevitable fate of a girl group, and while I’d grown used to it… it never stopped being disgusting.

I couldn’t bear to look anymore, so I turned off my phone screen and shifted my gaze to the TV.

“This week’s first-place winner is ! Congratulations!”

On the TV screen, cheers erupted alongside the MC’s announcement.

Behind the celebrating, tearful members of , hugging each other, stood .

Not even close to first place—stuck in the second row. That was ‘s current standing.

“Thank you to our CEO, producers, songwriters, lyricists, choreographer, and fans!”

As the faces of appeared on screen with their rehearsed thank-yous, I caught a glimpse of Se-ah in the blurry background.

She stood separated from the other members.

It definitely looked intentional.

I considered scolding her again, but… it didn’t seem worth bringing up.

An uneasy feeling lingered.

And with that, the music show wrapped up.

But the day’s schedule wasn’t over yet.

Our last remaining task was greeting the PD.

Specifically, the PD of this music station… Park Dong-chul.

“Wow~.”

A pure exclamation escaped Ha-rin’s lips.

The PD’s office was at the very end of the hallway, but the narrow corridor was lined with over ten groups, each holding gift boxes or shopping bags.

All of them were here just to give their greetings.

Of course, we’d prepared gifts too—Ha-rin was holding one in her hands.

Naturally, the order of greetings was determined by seniority.

A 15-year veteran singer-songwriter had already finished his greeting, casually exchanging bows with juniors as he made his way out.

was somewhere in the middle. So, we’d be out in about 20 minutes.

Having done this a few times, I could roughly estimate the wait.

The rookie groups, the youngest, would be last. If greetings dragged on, they might have to wait nearly an hour just for this.

We’d been there too, back in our rookie days…

Then, it happened.

“Ah. Here. You’re , right?”

The singer-songwriter who had just passed us suddenly stopped.

Startled, the girls quickly responded.

“Yes! Sunbaenim! We’re ! Thank you for your hard work today!”

As if rehearsed, they bowed in unison at a perfect 90 degrees.

I gave a slight nod and glanced at the singer-songwriter.

His expression… wasn’t pleasant.

“Haa~. The PD told me to relay something. He said will greet him last.”

“……What?”

“He wants to greet him last. Ugh. Seriously, what does he think I am? Oh, not you—don’t mind me. I just can’t believe this.”

With a thoroughly irritated expression, he stomped off down the hallway.

The girls and I exchanged baffled looks.

was last? Suddenly?

I didn’t know the reason, but it clearly came from Park Dong-chul.

Using a senior artist as a damned message courier—now we’ve pissed him off too. Damn it. Just my luck.

“Do… we have to wait now?”

Ha-rin cautiously asked me.

“Seems like it. Let’s wait for now.”

We ended up waiting another 30 minutes.

Groups that debuted well after , like and , were greeted and left long before us.

“Sunbaenim! Thank you for your hard work!”

The members passed us in the corridor and bowed.

“Congrats on first place~!”

“Thank you! Se-ah Sunbaenim!”

Se-ah awkwardly smiled and waved until was out of sight.

I’d wanted to give her a warning earlier, but… scolding her again felt unnecessary.

I could only pray my unease was unwarranted.

“…It’s finally our turn.”

Ha-rin stared intently at the PD’s office door.

The last group—fresh rookies—finished their greeting and walked out.

Total waiting time: 45 minutes.

The hallway was now completely empty.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

We walked alone across the silent hallway and knocked lightly on the PD’s door.

Thump. Thump.

“Come in.”

Park Dong-chul’s arrogant voice answered.

We cautiously stepped inside. The girls first, me last.

After closing the door, I walked up to stand beside the girls lined up in front of the PD’s desk.

Ha-rin had already delivered our gift—the box sat beside the pile of shopping bags and presents stacked by his desk.

“Two, three! We’re , the most radiant in the world! PD-nim, thank you for your hard work today!”

I bowed alongside the girls.

Park Dong-chul had been silently observing us, chin resting on his hand, eyes flickering between us.

What…?

The mood was off.

I remembered the last time Ha-rin and Park Dong-chul met.

The way he’d snapped at the slightest provocation flashed in my mind.

This felt too similar. I didn’t like it.

“Manager Jeon.”

Park Dong-chul called my name. His eyes didn’t meet mine—his gaze stayed fixed elsewhere.

“Yes, PD-nim.”

“Been doing this PD gig for a while now, you know? Seen all sorts of shit. Live broadcasts? Especially sensitive. You know that, right?”

“…Yes. I know.”

Where was this going?

“Take that incident back in the day—some moron flashing his dick on live TV. Killed the whole show. PD in charge got wrecked. You’d know—though maybe these kids wouldn’t.”

“……”

That was nearly 20 years ago. The girls wouldn’t remember something like that.

I glanced at them.

Their heads were bowed like scolded schoolchildren. They could tell—things had taken a bad turn.

“Live broadcasts. Wardrobe malfunctions—big fucking deal for us PDs. Nightmare scenario.”

“…………Yes.”

I had a sinking feeling I knew what was coming.

“ … Hm. Ha-rin?”

“Ah… yes.”

At Park Dong-chul’s call, Ha-rin lifted her head.

He eyed her up and down, then finally uncrossed his arms and stood up.

“Lift your skirt.”

“……What?”

“I said lift it.”

Ha-rin’s pupils trembled.

Beside her, Eun-chae turned sharply to face Park Dong-chul.

“W-Wait! PD-nim! This is sexual—!”

“Manager Jeon. Tell her to shut up. Hey. Lift it.”

Goddammit.

He didn’t even bother silencing her himself—he made *me* do it. A power move.

He knew I had no choice but to comply.

I gestured at Eun-chae—index finger pressed to my lips.

“…Manager-nim? …Seriously?”

Eun-chae looked unconvinced but didn’t argue further.

The real concern was Ha-rin.

Her face was already burning red, her gaze locked on the ground.

Only her hands, gripping her skirt, trembled violently.

“Hurry up. I don’t have all day.”

“……Yes.”

Her shaking hands slowly rose.

The hem of her skirt followed.

The other girls watched in horror, some covering their mouths—but I forced myself to look away.

*Not looking.*

That was the only thing I could do for Ha-rin right now.

*Ssskkkt.*

The sound stopped—she must’ve lifted it all the way.

“…You know what I’m getting at, right, Manager Jeon?”

“Yes. I understand.”

“Look at me when you speak.”

Park Dong-chul pointed at Ha-rin.

Fuck. I’d tried *not* to look…

But I had no choice.

I turned my head.

There she was—

An idol, lifting her own skirt for a middle-aged PD, exposing her panties.

Her pale thighs, the pink fabric, every lace trim—fully on display.

“…Ugh…”

Whether she knew I was watching or not, Ha-rin bit her lip hard, refusing to meet my eyes.

“What the hell is this? Huh? You call yourselves idols?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“What, you some kind of exhibitionists? This a brothel now? Or just a bunch of degenerates? You can’t even put on a fucking slip? Is it *that* hard?”

“……”

Not a single rebuttal came.

“Answer me, Manager Jeon. Was this intentional? If not, explain how the *hell* this happened. We have rehearsals for a reason, you know? Staff told me *you* checked the outfits—*you* knew she wasn’t wearing a slip.”

“…It wasn’t intentional.”

If I admitted it was deliberate, was done for.

I had to lie through my teeth.

“Oh, so what? You trying to screw me over? Give me a real good laugh by tanking my broadcast? Ruin my career?”

“…I’m sorry.”

His anger was justified, in a way.

This underwear stunt hadn’t been cleared with Park Dong-chul.

But I never imagined it would escalate *this* far.

“Yeah, whatever. Here’s how this goes— stays *off* my shows from now on. Got it? Normally, I’d send a formal complaint to your agency. But since I’m *nice*, I’ll let this slide as a ‘mistake.’ Pray I never lay eyes on you again.”

“PD-nim.”

“We’re done. Get out.”

“PD-nim. I’m truly sorry. Please—”

“I said *get out*.”

His voice sharpened.

Park Dong-chul spun his chair away, phone in hand, no longer even pretending to listen.

I couldn’t lose this chance.

Not after Ha-rin sacrificed *this much* to get it.

We *had* to come back next week—!

“PD-nim.”

It wasn’t me who spoke.

Everyone—myself included—turned toward the voice.

At the center of our gazes stood Ha-rin—finally lowering her skirt, smoothing out the fabric despite her shaking hands.

Her voice was ice-cold, devoid of emotion—but filled with resolve.

“PD-nim… Would it be acceptable if I ‘persuaded’ you properly?”