episode_0056

“Producer!”

As soon as I got out of the gate, Choi Hyo-min ran up to me and asked me what I thought with a face filled with anticipation.

“How was I? Did you do well?”

To be precise, it felt like a request for praise rather than appreciation.

“Good job.”

Praise makes even whales dance, so there’s no need to hold back on praising people who have done well.

“I think the power ranking will go up a bit this time, right? I’ve worked hard so far.”

“What… . Is that it? Please do more!”

Choi Hyo-min didn’t care about the eyes looking at her, she approached me and demanded even more praise… .

I actually felt a little burdened by those looks, so I gently pushed her away and promised to do it later.

“I’ll do it for you later, so please change your clothes first.”

“Really? Is it true?”

“Yes. I will praise Inna and Minju first.”

“Are you kidding me!?”

“Huh? Are you saying that the two of you didn’t have a hard time?”

“No, that’s not it… !”

‘Whenever you act like a mean person… . You’ve already become cute.’

How long had it been since I had been bickering with Choi Hyo-min, feeling a new appreciation for her behavior that had changed in just three weeks?

Buzz, buzz… Buzz, buzz…

Suddenly, a small commotion was heard from where the team members and staff were gathered.

‘What’s going on?’

at that time.

Rumbling… …

The gathered crowd suddenly split to the left and right, and a woman appeared from the gap.

“!”

I was startled by her unexpected appearance.

She had tightly tied jet-black hair and a cold appearance, and I once loved her more than anyone else.

It was Seol Joo-hee.

“What is it?”

“Why is he… .”

She seemed to have just dismantled her equipment and was wearing combat uniform… .

As if I hadn’t realized it, I was walking on the dirt floor with my bare feet.

Apparently, they came here in a hurry after hearing that I was here.

“… … .”

She slowly approached me, drawing everyone’s attention, and glanced at Choi Hyo-min, who was standing next to her.

Then, as if he was okay with it, he looked into my eyes again and spoke softly.

“This subjugation… . Did you really do it?”

Her voice and her eyes tremble faintly.

There was no trace of her usual confidence in the way she asked the question.

It felt so dangerous, as if it would collapse at any moment.

“Ha! Do you know that now?!”

At that time, Choi Hyo-min blocked my path and began to deal with Seol Ju-hee, crossing his arms as if showing off.

“How does it feel to be beaten by a producer who abandoned you with your own hands?!”

“… Mr. Hyomin.”

I gently placed my hand on Choi Hyo-min’s shoulder to stop her.

At that moment, Seol Joo-hee flinched and looked at my hand.

“Don’t stop me!”

Choi Hyo-min began to sarcastically bring up her dull emotions, as if she had been holding it in for a long time.

“It’s pretty okay to be pulled down from first place, right? I know this because I’ve been through it, and it’s going to suck a lot for a while. what… , if you ask him, would he quit his celebrity life and run to the gate again?”

“Hyomin. Now that’s enough… .”

“No, it didn’t work!”

As if he had no intention of listening to me, Choi Hyo-min forced eye contact with Seol Joo-hee, who was staring at me blankly, and snapped at her.

“I noticed when an ignorantly strong bitch acted rudely without even knowing the topic. Did you think you would always be first? huh? You thought you would be crowned queen all your life and reign supreme forever, right?”

“… … .”

“Unlucky year.”

Choi Hyo-min spat at her feet and glared at Seol Joo-hee with venomous eyes.

Following her somewhat blurry gaze, she glanced in my direction… .

“Hmm… .”

He let out a strangely sinister laugh, put his hand around my waist, and started taunting me in the silliest voice in the world.

“What… . Thanks anyway. For abandoning such a great producer.”

Wow─

Then, as if to show off, he pulled my waist tightly and hugged me tightly, looked at Seol Joo-hee, who still had a blank expression on his face, and whispered.

“Your producer is crazy?”

That moment.

flinch─

Seol Joo-hee’s face twitched.

“Stop it now!”

I quickly pulled away from Choi Hyo-min, who was feeling disappointed, and spoke firmly while looking at Seol Joo-hee, who was becoming increasingly unfocused.

“… I think he came to visit after hearing my story, that’s right. I participated in this subjugation after receiving a request to help.”

“… … .”

“If you are dissatisfied with my participation, we can talk later and call it a day. … Your teammates will be looking for you too.

Even after hearing the whole story, Seol Ju-hee did not say anything.

He just looked at me with strangely cloudy eyes,

Sigh─

I just turned around and slowly walked back the way I came.

Trudging… Trudging…

Seol Joo-hee, who disappeared among the people like that, looked much smaller than usual.

For some reason… .

It seemed very lonely.

*

That evening.

“For the Black Rose!”

““For!””

At the after-party commemorating Black Rose’s first place win, I was caught between Lee Hye-ri and Choi Hyo-min and was being bombarded with alcohol.

“ character. Should I have another drink?”

“I won’t drink anymore.”

“Then drink some water.”

“… Isn’t this alcohol?”

“Are you not drunk yet?”

“Did you eat less?”

“These people are really… .”

The team members who supported Black Rose were very happy about regaining first place after several years.

In particular, I was most satisfied with the fact that I took first place on my own by defeating the arrogant Queens… .

‘Is Arin going to be okay…? .’

Actually, I wasn’t like that.

Right now, anyway, Queens is a team I created.

I’m happy that we achieved an overwhelming victory and defeated the Cheonhwa Guild, but it wasn’t just a good thing.

Exactly, the expression that it was dull was accurate.

“I will take you to the bar today, so don’t worry and drink.”

“Huh? Why is the manager taking the producer with him?”

“Because we are friends?”

I was fiddling with the cell phone in my arms, leaving behind the conversation between Lee Hye-ri and Choi Hyo-min, and quietly stood up and spoke quietly.

“I’ll wake up first.”

“Yes… ? Suddenly?”

“What’s going on?”

“I’m just a little tired.”

Then the two people tried to take me home as if they had been waiting… .

“It’s okay. I’ll go back alone. Come play slowly.”

I declined their invitation and quietly left the dinner party.

“After… .”

The refreshing night air passes through the tip of my nose, dulled by alcohol.

As I looked up at the pitch-black sky, avoiding the sparkling streets, I took out my phone, exhaling a breath filled with the scent of alcohol.

[Arin: Ah, I have to go in now so I don’t think I can see it… . But this time… … ]

The last message I sent from Arin Lim catches my eye.

Since Seol Joo-hee probably knew about me, Im A-rin must have also found out.

However, Lim A-rin did not even send me any communication.

Was he disappointed in me for not telling him?

Or is it that he can’t get over the shock of defeat?

Or is it just that I’m shaking off my sadness by drinking a glass of alcohol?

Either way, I felt uneasy.

Fluttering─

I stopped and sat down with the drunk people on the side of the road, and under the pretense of being drunk, I tried to send a message to Im A-rin while waving my fingers.

[ Me: What are you doing? ]

OK.

Within a few seconds, a ‘read’ sign appeared next to the message.

This means that Arin Lim has confirmed the message.

Gulp─

Instead of street music, my heartbeat rings in my ears.

Are you still contemplating a reply?

Or is it because my phone is acting weird and the call is arriving late?

How many minutes had passed as I waited anxiously for a reply, thinking about all sorts of things under the influence of alcohol?

Finally a reply came back from her.

[Arin: Wait for you]

“… !”

Lim A-rin’s message was short and bold.

The impact was so strong that I could feel my face heating up.

Gulp─

I swallowed dry saliva and looked around for no reason, then took a deep breath and tried to stay calm and send the message again.

[ Me: Where are you now? ]

[Me: I’ll go there]

OK… .

[Arin: Come to my house]

Arin Lim called me home as if she had been waiting for me.

however… .

After all, it was home.

‘this… . ‘Is it okay if I go?’

Although I said I was going out of curiosity, I hesitated a little when I thought I was actually going to Arin Lim’s house.

If I went into her house like this, it was clear that four months would pass.

“… … .”

How long has it been since I’ve been wrapping my head around like that?

Lim A-rin, who had been pulling me strongly the whole time, quietly added a word.

[Arin: You don’t have to come if you don’t want to]

Are you watching me?

Are you trying to think of my heart?

Or is it both?

‘I do not know… !’

I was chewing the corner of my lip out of nervousness, closed my eyes, sent a reply, and jumped up.

[Me: I’ll be there soon]

Then, I went straight to the main street, caught a taxi, and headed to Lim A-rin’s house, which remained clearly in my memory.

‘Is this right…? ?’

At the time, I was endlessly questioning my own choices as I watched the night pass by outside the window.

Uuuu…

Suddenly, the cell phone I had in my pocket started ringing.

“!”

I quickly took out my phone and checked the other person… .

[Seoul City Hall Jinseowon]

“Why is he… .”

After checking Jin Seo-won’s name out of the blue, I answered the phone feeling a little relieved for some reason.

“Hello?”

[ where are you? ]

Jin Seowon’s calm voice comes through the speaker.

Slightly relaxed by that strange feeling of stability, I buried myself deeply in the sheet and wrapped myself around it.

“The after-party is over, so I’d like to stop by somewhere.”

OK.

[Uh, I’m asking where you’re stopping by… . ]

Through the speaker, Bang Hannah’s voice could be faintly heard.

It seemed like they were calling together.

[Where are you going? ]

“… Wait a minute, at my friend’s house.”

I am still friends with Lim Arin.

So, it wasn’t a lie.

“Are you with Hannah?”

[ uh… . no? ]

Did Bang Hanna say something?

I let out a small laugh at the obvious lie and pretended not to know and asked about his business.

OK.

[ uh… . 1st place celebration party? I said let’s do it. ]

For some reason, I was approached with an amazing offer.

There is no way Jin Seo-won said something… .

It seemed like it was probably something Hannah Bang came up with.

“What should I do? I have some important work to do, so I won’t be able to do it today.”

[What’s going on? ]

Jin Seo-won persistently asks as if he was given some instructions.

I made some excuses and avoided answering.

“Just because of work.”

[ uh… . Then do it next time. ]

When the matter was brought up, Jinseowon quickly lowered his tail and promised the next time.

I smiled at the obvious behavior of the two people and greeted them.

“Okay, don’t sleep too late. Tell Hanna to sleep well too.”

[ yes. ]

Then, I heard a small commotion through the speaker, but I pretended not to know anything and just hung up the phone with a big smile on my face.

“Guests, we are here.”

Arin Lim’s house arrived just in time.

After paying the taxi fare, I took a quick step forward, relying on the alcohol that had slightly subsided.

After lightly touching my clothes while looking at the mirror installed in the elevator,

“Phew… .”

When I reached Arin Lim’s house, I took a deep breath and reached for the doorbell.

Ding dong─