episode_0032

#32

“…Persuasion?”

“Yes.”

Harin nodded without hesitation.

She knew exactly what “persuasion” meant… No further explanation was needed.

“Ha… Really? You’re going to *persuade* me?”

Despite his words, Park Dong-chul set his phone down and looked at her.

It meant he was interested.

…Fuckin’ bastard. So this was his goal all along.

It was sickening how transparent his intentions were.

“…Yes.”

“Alone?”

The corners of Park Dong-chul’s lips curled up slightly.

At the same time, his gaze shifted to the other members of .

His eyes were like a predator eyeing its prey.

For fuck’s sake, why is he targeting the kids too…?

Come to think of it, he had asked about the ages of the other members before.

I remembered how pleased he looked when I told him they were all adults—meaning there was nothing stopping him.

This bastard… He’s aiming for the others too.

“…Yes. I’ll do it alone.”

“Isn’t the mistake ’s collective responsibility? Then naturally, all of you should—”

“As the leader of , I’d like to apologize to you on behalf of everyone, PD-nim.”

Harin’s words spilled out without hesitation.

Eunchae and Sarang, who had been listening, quickly chimed in.

“W-wait a second! Unni! …What do you mean by persuading him alone?”

“If it’s about apologizing, we should all…”

“No. You two go back to the company first. Manager, please take them back.”

“……Harin.”

“PD-nim. Would that be acceptable?”

Harin’s voice was colder than ever, but I could sense something desperate beneath it.

She wanted to protect the members beside her.

“…Hmm.”

Park Dong-chul rubbed his chin and glanced at me.

“What do you think, Manager Jeon?”

“…I…”

I couldn’t answer.

Park Dong-chul wanted all of .

Harin… was trying to stop that. Even if it meant sacrificing herself.

No matter what, I’d have to hand over my idols to him again.

Leaving everything behind and walking away wasn’t an option.

“……Well……”

But the words wouldn’t come out.

I couldn’t bring myself to say I’d sacrifice Harin again—not in front of her.

As my hesitation dragged on, Harin suddenly cut in.

“Manager-nim. …I’ll be fine.”

“……Huh?”

“It’s okay. This… was all because of the broadcast appearance I asked for. I should take responsibility.”

“No… Harin, *I’m* the one respon—”

“And I’m *SEPIA*’s leader.”

Her gaze locked onto mine.

I could see determination in her eyes and expression.

I knew this was wrong.

I knew fully well this was just selling Harin out again.

I knew how much weight she carried while doing this.

“……Alright…… I get it.”

Once again, I was forcing that small body to shoulder a heavy burden.

“……Please. Harin.”

—

“…Are you… serious, Manager-nim?”

The moment we stepped out of the PD’s office, the kids immediately blocked my way.

“You’re just gonna leave Unni alone with that guy? No way!”

“Yeah. Plus, there are already bad rumors about him…”

“Oppa. Can’t we just go back in? I’m worried about Harin-unni…”

The kids weren’t stupid.

They could sense the awful tension, and they had some idea what Harin was about to do.

“Manager-nim. I’m going back in. This is my responsibility too. I…”

“Eunchae-unni’s responsibility?”

“…W-well! I was the one who told her to wear that underwear! So…”

“Wasn’t that Oppa’s idea?”

“A-anyway! We can’t just leave Harin-unni alone!”

Eunchae, in particular, seemed to carry a heavy guilt over how things had escalated—even though it wasn’t her fault.

“If Eunchae-unni’s going, then I’ll go too!”

“Me too!”

Sarang and Sea weren’t the type to abandon their unnies either.

It was touching how tight-knit they were as a group.

But… If I took them back inside, would things actually improve?

……Absolutely not.

If it were Park Dong-chul, he’d see this as hitting the jackpot and wouldn’t hesitate to go after *all four* of them.

And Harin knew that too.

That’s why… she stayed behind alone.

“Manager-nim!”

“Kids.”

I gave them firm instructions.

“I’ll call the van. You’re going straight back to the dorm.”

“No! What about Harin-unni?!”

“I’ll handle her.”

“Then…!”

“I’ll be staying here. I’m going back into the PD’s office.”

“…Seriously?”

“If I’m there, that bastard won’t try anything. ……I am the manager, after all. Staying is the right choice. It’s… the best option right now.”

“Then what about us?”

“You’ve been exhausted since dawn preparing for the music show. Just go back to the dorm and rest. Don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of Harin. Trust me.”

I lied without missing a beat.

But this was for them.

And for Harin, too.

Since she chose to sacrifice herself, I couldn’t render that choice meaningless.

“…Can we really trust you?”

“Yeah. Do you think I’d just abandon Harin?”

“…You wouldn’t, right?”

The three of them gave me a strangely trusting look.

Maybe six years together had built some inexplicable faith.

“…Okay.”

“But you better protect Unni properly, Oppa! Got it? If he tries anything weird, punch him!”

Sea and Sarang bowed politely before heading toward the waiting room.

Eunchae turned back one last time.

“…We’re trusting you, Manager-nim. Nothing better happen to Harin-unni.”

“Quit worrying. Really, Eunchae.”

“If anything happens to her… like with me…”

“Huh?”

“…Nothing. Yeah, never mind. Just… protect her, okay? Harin-unni, of all people.”

Eunchae lowered her head bitterly and followed the others down the hall.

I waved until they were out of sight.

Once they were gone, I turned back.

Eunchae’s last words stuck in my mind.

I could guess why she said that…

“……Sorry.”

I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that even the faintest hope she still held had already been shattered.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath and stood in front of the PD’s office door.

Even through the thick door, muffled voices leaked out.

“…*Muffled*…”

“*Inaudible*…!”

I couldn’t make out the words.

The office was fairly large when I saw it earlier.

There was a considerable distance between where Harin and Park Dong-chul were and the door.

But I had come prepared.

I carefully took out my earpiece and inserted it.

As soon as I turned it on and cranked up the volume, static crackled briefly before voices became clear.

It was all thanks to the transmitter hidden in the gift box Harin had handed me earlier.

“…Can anyone outside hear?”

“Don’t worry. This door’s soundproof.”

Harin and Park Dong-chul’s voices came through.

“Anyway. What exactly do you mean by ‘persuasion’? I’m not quite following.”

Park Dong-chul feigned ignorance, probing Harin in that insidious tone of his.

“PD-nim. The persuasion I meant is…”

“Harin, do you understand just how big of a scandal this is?”

*Our* Harin? Since when was she yours?

I gritted my teeth—but as always, that’s as far as my defiance went.

“…Yes, I’m well aware.”

“Then you *must* know solving this alone is impossible?”

This bastard.

He still had his sights set on the others.

“Like I said before… I’ll work twice as hard. PD-nim.”

“Expecting one person to cover for four? Just ‘working hard’ isn’t gonna cut it.”

“I’ll… meet your expectations. I can do it. But in exchange…”

“In exchange?”

“…Forgive what happened today… and let us perform on next week’s music show.”

“Why? So you can flash your panties again next week? Or should you just dance naked this time?”

“…I’ll be extra careful with the outfits next time. I’ll even confirm them before the performance. So please… let us perform next week.”

“You want forgiveness for something even begging together wouldn’t cover, *and* a confirmed spot next week? Greedy little thing, aren’t you, Harin?”

“…I know it’s shameless, but I’m begging you.”

“Like I said before… Everything depends on *how* you persuade me.”

*Schluuuurp.*

The wet sound of Park Dong-chul licking his lips came through.

“…Yes.”

Harin’s response was weak.

Closer to resignation than anything else.

Where I couldn’t see, where the others didn’t know, Harin was doing everything she could.

Hiding behind the excuse that I couldn’t betray her determination…

I stood there, eavesdropping on her through the closed door, unable to open it.

*Ssseuuuuuk.*

“P-PD-nim…!”

Harin’s voice had changed drastically from just moments ago.

“Harin…♡ Show me those pink panties…♡ You wore them just for me today, didn’t you…♡”