Chapter 71 - Mustering Up the Courage for Once

Baek Hyeon-woo supported Joo Ga-hee so that she could lean her body and breathe comfortably.

Every time she held the paper bag to her mouth and inhaled, he could confirm that her Body Condition and Mental Condition were slowly recovering.

‘It was a good thing I prepared a bag in advance. At this rate, we probably won't have to call an ambulance.’

When the recording started, Baek Hyeon-woo had judged that Joo Ga-hee might have a hyperventilation attack.

So, in preparation for a possible emergency, he had prepared a paper bag in advance.

‘Hyperventilation looks similar to a panic attack, but it can be sufficiently calmed just by giving emergency treatment like this.’

Hyperventilation syndrome is a condition that occurs due to a vicious cycle.

If breathing becomes excessive due to anxiety, the amount of carbon dioxide expelled increases.

When the blood carbon dioxide level drops, the blood becomes alkaline, and the respiratory center reacts, making one feel like they are suffocating.

With that anxiety, one tries to breathe more rapidly, and the hyperventilation gets progressively worse.

The easiest way to break this vicious cycle is to have them re-inhale carbon dioxide.

If you have them hold a bag to their mouth and breathe, they enter a state of re-inhaling the carbon dioxide they have exhaled.

If you inhale a lot of carbon dioxide, the blood carbon dioxide level recovers, the various symptoms from hyperventilation syndrome calm down, anxiety decreases, and breathing also calms down.

‘A plastic bag could cause suffocation, so a paper bag is best.’

A point to be aware of is that if you continue to breathe into the bag like this, you can fall into hypoxia.

The best thing is to enable them to control their own breathing, but this is also not an easy task.

In a situation like the present, the best thing is for a person with expert knowledge like Baek Hyeon-woo to help from the side.

“Phew…”

Confirming that Joo Ga-hee's breathing had stabilized a lot, Baek Hyeon-woo took the bag away from Joo Ga-hee's face.

“You're okay now, so just breathe out slowly.”

“Hoo… hoo…”

While supporting Joo Ga-hee, who was breathing with a tear-stained face, he raised his head and opened his mouth.

“Her breathing has stabilized. It's safe to be at ease now.”

“Ah…!”

The performers, managers, and filming staff who were watching from the surroundings let out sighs of relief.

“Hyeon-woo-ssi, what happened?”

“She just suddenly had a hyperventilation attack. Unlike a panic disorder, it calms down if you have her control her breathing like this, so you don't have to worry too much.”

Baek Hyeon-woo explained with a calm demeanor.

“However, once a hyperventilation attack occurs, there is a risk of it recurring. She is also in a very tired state right now, so it would be better for Joo Ga-hee-ssi to not participate in the filming today.”

“Ah, that's…”

Team Leader Jeong Do-woon, who was listening to the story, made a flustered expression.

At that moment, the leader of Choux-pop, Seong Hae-won, stepped forward.

“Ga-hee-ya, leave the rest to us.”

Seong Hae-won tried to support Joo Ga-hee, who was leaning on Baek Hyeon-woo.

The other members also stepped up to help Seong Hae-won, and in the end, Joo Ga-hee came down from the stage supported by her fellow members.

At a glance, it looked like a scene showing strong camaraderie, but in Baek Hyeon-woo's view, it seemed like Seong Hae-won's intentional staging.

‘And the cameras are still rolling.’

Despite the sudden accident, the cameras were continuously filming the stage.

They even shoved the camera toward Baek Hyeon-woo's face as he was giving emergency treatment.

Even now, several cameras were filming the departing backs of Choux-pop as they left the stage.

“We'll have to take a short break and have some time to settle down.”

Seo Dong-cheol, who had been watching quietly, opened his mouth.

“Team Leader Jeong, you can do it even without Joo Ga-hee, right?”

“Ah, yes, yes, we can!”

Jeong Do-woon answered urgently.

It was a contrasting sight to Seong Hae-won, who had calmly taken the best course of action just a moment ago.

“Good. We'll resume recording in 20 minutes, so get ready. And write up your comments in advance too.”

In the end, it was decided to resume the recording with only Joo Ga-hee absent.

The staff began to move busily, and the performers like the MC and N.A.N each conversed with their managers.

The Newstarz members also ran to Baek Hyeon-woo.

“Hyeon-woo oppa, you were so cool.”

“How were you able to handle it so calmly?”

“I'm telling you, I thought it was a staged act with a script prepared in advance.”

“I really respect you, Hyeon-woo oppa.”

While the other members were surrounding Baek Hyeon-woo and chattering,

Seo Na-eun opened her mouth with a worried expression.

“Manager-nim, by any chance, was the cause me letting Joo Ga-hee listen to the new song?”

“No, it probably wasn't. If she were going to hyperventilate from the shock of hearing the new song, it would have happened right on the spot.”

“Yes…”

Of course, it could have had a slight influence.

Because it could be that her mind became more disturbed after hearing Newstarz's new song.

However, no one can know to what extent that influence was.

Therefore, there was no need for Seo Na-eun to feel responsible.

“You must all have been very surprised by this incident. But it's all resolved now, so don't worry about it anymore and just focus on the recording. Got it?”

“Yes, we understand.”

Choux-pop had to perform the mission with their main vocalist, Joo Ga-hee, absent.

However, the judges might give them a high score for not giving up and working hard even with their main vocalist missing.

For that reason, they must not let their guard down.

“Don't think about the other teams, just show your own performance. Let's not be complacent and do our best.”

“Yes…!”

After giving that instruction, Baek Hyeon-woo sent Newstarz back onto the stage.

Soon after, Choux-pop also returned to the studio, and the suspended recording was resumed.

“PD-nim.”

While watching Seong Hae-won on stage saying she would work hard even without Joo Ga-hee, Baek Hyeon-woo asked Seo Dong-cheol.

“Are you going to air all of it?”

“Of course I have to.”

Seo Dong-cheol nodded.

“If we just say that only Joo Ga-hee is absent due to health problems, it will cause unnecessary speculation. That's not a very welcome situation for us or for DP Entertainment.”

“……”

“Airing the on-site footage as is is the best way.”

Last time as well, Seo Dong-cheol had said that an overwork controversy breaking out on this kind of program must be prevented as much as possible.

For a performer to collapse and leave in the middle of a recording, if things go wrong, they could be put in a situation where they have to cancel the program.

Even from Newstarz's perspective, that was a very difficult situation.

“If it's a sudden hyperventilation, we can avoid the overwork controversy. Because there have often been cases of celebrities hyperventilating during concerts or broadcasts. Besides... you gave her prompt emergency treatment, Hyeon-woo-ssi.”

“……”

“Honestly, if you hadn't given her emergency treatment, Hyeon-woo-ssi, it would have become a very difficult situation. But we were saved thanks to you stepping up calmly.”

Seo Dong-cheol said in a serious voice.

“You saved our program, Hyeon-woo-ssi. I don't know what to say to thank you.”

“I only did what had to be done.”

Baek Hyeon-woo answered calmly.

“In any case, it seems you're planning on airing all of it.”

“I have to.”

“Then that means my face will also be on the broadcast.”

“Why? Are you asking for an appearance fee?”

Baek Hyeon-woo let out a sigh at Seo Dong-cheol's question.

“You'll blur my face, right?”

Seo Dong-cheol laughed, as if to say 'not a chance'.

……

Episode 6 of 'The Idol', which would determine the two teams to advance to the final round.

At the end of a fierce battle between the three teams, 1st place N.A.N and 2nd place Newstarz earned the qualification to go to the final episode.

Choux-pop took 3rd place and was eliminated at the end of episode 6.

They did their best in their own way, but the void left by the main vocalist, Joo Ga-hee, was too large.

However, from Choux-pop's perspective, it wasn't such a bad result.

This was because despite Joo Ga-hee's absence, they showed a side of them uniting as one around Seong Hae-won and struggling hard.

— They were eliminated in 3rd place but I want to give them a round of applause

— They did really well this time, they were just unlucky

— Did you see Seong Hae-won talking in front of her members? She was a real leader today

— Honestly, if they had been eliminated in 3rd place with Joo Ga-hee there, it would have been a super embarrassing situation, so this result isn't bad

The reactions on the internet were also generally favorable.

Choux-pop's fans were also satisfied with this result.

Although they were eliminated in 3rd place, contrary to their initial expectations, at this level, it wasn't a bad result for DP Entertainment either.

— Hey, did you see that manager?

However, the one who became the biggest topic on the internet was not Choux-pop.

The manager who gave prompt emergency treatment as soon as Joo Ga-hee collapsed... Baek Hyeon-woo gathered the most attention.

— Joo Ga-hee's life was saved because that manager gave her emergency treatment, right?

— He came out as Newstarz's dedicated manager, but he's helping their rival, Choux-pop's Joo Ga-hee

— Did you see him reassuring Joo Ga-hee in a calm voice while holding her? I thought it was a scene from a drama

— He was so reliable, even Joo Ga-hee was immediately relieved and leaned her body on him

— Didn't TVX cast an actor and stage it? If you look at the camera angles, it looks staged

— If it was staged, they should have had Choux-pop's manager do it, why have the Newstarz manager do it

— I saw that manager at our school festival last month, he's pretty handsome in real life too, and tall

— I wonder if Joo Ga-hee thanked that manager? She survived thanks to him, so she must have gone to him in person to express her gratitude, right?

— The Joo Ga-hee-Manager ship is rising...!

— Obsessive shippers are disgusting;;;

From Baek Hyeon-woo's perspective, it was a bit of an awkward situation.

Because the reaction was more explosive than he had expected.

In some communities, the video clip of that part was uploaded as a popular post, and hundreds of comments were attached.

“Manager-nim, you've become an internet star in an instant.”

“I never wished for something like this.”

Baek Hyeon-woo felt awkward while checking the posts uploaded to an anonymous internet message board with Kanade.

The atmosphere was as if even his specific personal information would soon be exposed.

“How about starting something like a YouTube channel? If you open a channel now, your subscribers would probably shoot up right away.”

“What's a manager going to do with a YouTube channel. Unless it's a channel for filming and uploading you guys.”

At that moment, a call came to Baek Hyeon-woo's phone.

It was PD Kim Jun-hyeok, a member of the Seo Dong-cheol Division and the one in charge of 'Idol Weekly'.

“Team Leader Baek, I hear you're totally hot on the internet these days?”

Kim Jun-hyeok brought up the topic with a hearty laugh.

“So I was wondering, do you have any thoughts of appearing on a variety show?”

“Yes?”

“There's a project we've been preparing for a while. It's a kind of observation variety show where an idol and their dedicated manager appear together, and we were hoping Newstarz and Team Leader Baek would come on.”

Baek Hyeon-woo was caught off guard by the unexpected story.

“Honestly, I came up with this after seeing you coaching Kim So-yeong's free throw last time and thinking it made for a good picture.”

“Ah, that time…”

“That's why I'd really like you to come out as the first batter, Team Leader Baek. How about it?”

Kanade, who was eavesdropping from the side, covered her mouth with one hand in surprise.

Until now, offers for Newstarz to appear on variety shows had often come in, but this was the first attempt to cast the manager, Baek Hyeon-woo.

“There's no talking or performing missions. Just show us how you normally work with the idols, and we'll take care of directing it to be fun, so you just have to permit the camera to follow you around.”

An observation variety show that films the daily lives of an idol and their manager.

Just hearing the words, it seems like he could appear without any burden.

Can it really pass by smoothly without any incidents?

“I hear the Newstarz new song is coming out soon? It seems like it would be a big help for promotions, so how about mustering up the courage and just going for it?”

A huge wave of something was trying to swallow Baek Hyeon-woo whole.