episode_0127

#127

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“Please… stop interfering with our from now on.”

I blurted out the words without even fully grasping what I was saying.

“…Interfere? What have I done?”

Park Dong-chul, still resting his hand on Harin’s buttocks, shot back at me.

“Huh? What exactly am I interfering with, buddy?”

Stroking, stroking—his hand remained glued to Harin’s ass.

My eyes remained fixed on that sight.

“No more sponsorships… or any other kind of soliciting. Please stop.”

“…Manager.”

Harin looked at me with worried eyes.

But I had to say it.

If I didn’t stop this here, Harin would really—

“Hah… What’s gotten into you all of a sudden, Manager?”

“I’m begging you.”

From my seat, I lowered my head in a bow.

Would this be enough to sway him?

Probably not.

But even if it wouldn’t work, I *had* to do it.

Otherwise, Harin would—!

“Fine, then. I’ll stop.”

“…What?”

Taken aback by the unexpected answer, I slowly raised my head.

Park Dong-chul had already removed his hand from Harin’s buttocks.

“If the manager says no, what can I do? We’ll stop. Okay? No more sponsorships. Guess I won’t be seeing anymore either.”

“……”

“Good… Oh, but you know the industry’s unwritten rules, right? Don’t go running your mouth about this anywhere. Though even if you did, there are ways to deal with it.”

Park Dong-chul rose from the sofa and returned to his producer’s seat.

“Go on, get back to work. I’ve got things to do too.”

He didn’t even glance at us.

Only Harin stared at me, dumbfounded.

“…Manager?”

“Harin. Let’s go.”

“Wait. Go? What do you—”

“We don’t have to do this anymore. Any of it.”

“Manager? What’s wrong with you? Why all of a sudden?”

“I said, *let’s go.*”

“Ma—Pro… Producer-nim?”

…Ugh.

Why are you looking to *him* now?

But the producer didn’t even spare us a glance, merely waving his hand dismissively.

“Yeah. Harin. Take care. It’s been fun.”

“…Ah.”

“Let’s go.”

Grabbing Harin, whose pupils were trembling, I forcibly pulled her out of the producer’s office.

Harin’s face as she was dragged along looked like that of someone who had just been forcibly dumped.

With Harin in tow, I hurried down the broadcasting station’s hallway.

“Wait—wait! *Manager!*”

I stopped at Harin’s cry.

“What was *that* just now? What did you say to the producer…?”

“We’re stopping. No more… *tributes.*”

“…What?”

“It’s just… I can’t take it anymore.”

“What are you *talking* about? Why are you doing this?”

“I don’t… want this anymore!”

I don’t want *you*—

The Harin I loved—

To disappear.

“It’s over now. Harin. Okay? No more fawning over other men. No more being called to hotels. No more showing off that degrading side.”

“……”

“Let’s just quit. Stop this… and find another way. Okay?”

“…Manager.”

I hadn’t raised my voice at Harin in so long.

When had I last shouted at her before this?

I couldn’t even remember.

We’ve run hand-in-hand for six years.

Six years… So much happened, but I never once thought Harin would vanish from my side.

But now… I could feel it coming.

That if this keeps up, if she keeps being humiliated by all these powerful figures, agency heads, producers, *fans*—

We’ll drift further away from the we dreamed of.

So let’s just *stop.*

“Manager. What the hell are you doing right now?”

“…Huh?”

Time seemed to freeze.

Harin spoke in a voice as cold as it had been long ago.

“Is this… really for ’s sake?”

Yes. That’s right.

This was all for —

“And if we get cut from broadcasts because of this? What about music shows? Variety appearances? You *know* once Producer Park blacklists us, opportunities dry up.”

“I’ll figure something out. I’ll make it work somehow. So Harin—”

“That’s *why* we’re in this mess to begin with.”

“……”

Words failed me.

I couldn’t refute it.

“No matter how many albums we release, no matter how hard we push, we barely get stages on music shows, no variety invites, no exposure. Stuck promoting on obscure YouTube channels… That’s how it’s been for us *this entire time.*”

“……”

“But now, after finally catching attention on music shows… as fans start coming back… Right when we could go all the way to *Queen of Idols*… *This* is when you pull the plug?! Why?!”

“Harin… I—”

“Manager. *You* were the one who pushed me into this ‘tribute’ business in the *first place!*”

“……”

She was right.

When the agency head first made the offer—

It was *me* who accepted.

*Me* who pitched it to Harin.

*Me* who forced a reluctant Harin into hotel rooms.

“Unless… you *liked* it? Seeing me with other men?”

“Ugh—!”

An ache shot through my crotch again.

It was true.

I *did* like seeing Harin in other men’s arms.

Even now.

Even watching Park Dong-chul grope Harin’s ass—

I got hard.

But.

That didn’t mean I wanted to *lose* Harin.

I didn’t want to *ruin* her.

I just… wanted that thrill.

Not for our girls to be used like prostitutes, gangbanged by men.

Not for them to be idols that higher-ups summon for kicks whenever they’re bored.

Only within *my* approval.

Only within *my* control.

Only for *my* enjoyment.

I never wanted them violated behind my back.

“Manager… You *know* how contradictory this is, right?”

“…Yeah.”

That I was contradicting myself—no one knew it better than me.

That *this* was where things would head if this kept up.

As someone in this industry, I *had* to know.

And yet.

Knowing the risks—

For fleeting excitement, I took that first step.

From the moment I pushed Harin into that hotel room—

I’d crossed a line there was no coming back from.

“I’m… going back.”

“… *What?*”

“You *know* the producer’s temper.”

Harin turned away, smoothing her hair and attire lightly.

Like she wanted to look her best.

“If I’m too late… it’ll *really* be over.”

“Harin. *Please*—”

“Sorry. Don’t follow me.”

Ignoring my pleas, Harin sprinted straight back to the producer’s office.

I should have chased her. Should have stopped her.

Her retreating figure… looked like she’d never return.

But me—

Imagining Harin meeting Park Dong-chul again, ‘persuading’ him—

I got hard *again.*

The quiet hallway.

The producer’s office wasn’t far.

Cautiously, I edged toward it, pulling out my in-ear monitor.

Adjusting the sound, static crackled before the frequency locked in.

A transmitter tucked in Harin’s cross-body bag.

Even now, the thought of eavesdropping on Harin’s sex had me excited.

Only then did it finally hit me.

I was irredeemable trash.

​

*

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“Producer-nim!”

“Well, look who it is.”

“Hah… Hah… Hah…!”

“Out of breath? What’s the rush?”

“Hah… Hup… Hah…! P-Producer-nim.”

“Unless it’s urgent, I’d rather you leave… We’re done, aren’t we? Your manager cut ties.”

“No. I… I came to see *you.*”

“Me? Why~?”

“It’s… Ugh.”

“Why come see *me*? Your manager called it off.”

“M-Manager just…!”

“Harin.”

“Yes?”

“Your manager… sometimes, he’s *so* frustrating. Right?”

“……”

“Not particularly talented… Well, he works hard, but results? Not so much. Wouldn’t you say?”

“……”

“Then after *pimping out* his own idols, shouldn’t he focus on managing them *better*? Instead, he throws a tantrum, suddenly refusing… He’s lost it. Right?”

“…Yes.”

“Or what—suddenly grown a conscience? If so… Did something happen yesterday?”

“…No. Nothing… special.”

“Feels like *something* did… Well, people can change. But that’s no reason to wreck business.”

“…Right.”

“You *get* it, don’t you, Harin?”

“…Yes.”

“Way sharper than your manager.”

“……”

“How much?”

“…Huh?”

“How well do you *get* it?”

“……”

“How well… You know what I mean, don’t you?”

“…Yes.”

_Step. Step. Step._

_Step. Step. Step…_ _Click._

_Swish._

_Ssstick. Ssstuck. Sssss—_

_Sssuuuuuck…_

“Hoh……”

_Squelchhh……_

“Harin’s juices… leaking *just* enough ♡”