Chapter 72 - Don't Eat That

“So what did you decide to do?”

“Since a casting offer came in, we have to appear on it.”

Baek Hyeon-woo answered Baek Yeon-ah's question matter-of-factly.

“The program itself seems fine. We should appear on it to promote Newstarz's new song as well.”

“Isn't it burdensome? Your face is going to be on broadcast too.”

“Captures from 'The Idol' are already circulating all over the communities anyway.”

If it were like before, he probably would have contemplated it a bit.

However, since his face had already been revealed through 'The Idol', he now felt like 'whatever happens, happens'.

“Sigh, so our Hyeon-woo is becoming a celebrity like this.”

“I'm just appearing as a sidekick to Newstarz.”

There have been many variety shows in the past where managers appeared together with them.

However, it's rare for a manager to be treated like a star just for appearing on such a variety show.

He might become a temporary topic of conversation due to the influence of episode 6 of 'The Idol', but he would soon disappear from people's memories.

Baek Hyeon-woo was judging it to be so.

“Since we'll be filming it after 'The Idol' filming is over anyway, I just want to think about 'The Idol' for now.”

“Yeah, I suppose that's true.”

Soon, they will be filming the final episode of 'The Idol'.

It's the final showdown between Newstarz and N.A.N.

“It was a mix of recording and live broadcast, right?”

“That's right.”

First, they will air the pre-recorded video.

The final showdown stage between Newstarz and N.A.N will also be aired as a recorded video.

After the viewers watch that and vote in real-time, they are scheduled to announce the final winner through a live studio broadcast.

“It's a shame there are no judge scores at the end. Because if they tabulate it purely with viewer votes, N.A.N will be at an advantage.”

“There is that aspect.”

The size of the fandom is still much larger for N.A.N.

In the viewer vote, Newstarz is bound to be at a disadvantage.

“Still, it's not that we have no chance of winning.”

“That's true. If Newstarz just shows a really good performance and captures the hearts of the viewers...”

“That alone is not enough.”

“What?”

Baek Hyeon-woo was cold-headed.

He did not have the optimistic thought that... Newstarz could beat N.A.N just by showing a good performance.

“The situation is different from episode 1. The N.A.N fans also have pride, so they will actively encourage voting, and we won't be able to win with pure skill alone.”

“There certainly is that aspect, but...”

“So we'll need something else.”

“Something else?”

At that moment, a knock was heard on the CEO's office door.

It was Director Choi Tae-hyung.

“CEO-nim, Team Leader Baek is here, right? There's something I'd like to discuss.”

“Director Choi, what is it?”

Choi Tae-hyung, who had opened the door and come in, opened his mouth with a stiff expression.

“I just got a call from DP Entertainment's Director Seong Soo-ho. He says that Joo Ga-hee is coming to Haram Entertainment to give her thanks to Team Leader Baek.”

“Wh-What? Joo Ga-hee?”

Joo Ga-hee has committed all sorts of atrocious acts at Haram Entertainment.

Baek Yeon-ah's eyes widened at the story of that Joo Ga-hee coming to give her thanks.

However, this wasn't the end of it.

“And he says he wants to film it and release it on YouTube. What should we do?”

……

“I can't! Why do I have to do something like that!”

Joo Ga-hee's sharp voice echoed.

“You're telling me to go to Haram Entertainment and give my thanks to Baek Hyeon-woo? And upload that to YouTube? Don't be ridiculous!”

“Joo Ga-hee, but still...”

“I absolutely can't do it!”

Team Leader Jeong Do-woon tried to persuade Joo Ga-hee, but her protest was so severe that he was at a loss.

“Hey, Joo Ga-hee.”

At that moment, Director Seong Soo-ho, who had been watching quietly, opened his mouth.

“Are you just going to accept the favor and do nothing?”

“……”

Hearing Seong Soo-ho's voice, Joo Ga-hee shut her mouth.

No matter that it was Joo Ga-hee, she couldn't carelessly raise her voice at Seong Soo-ho.

“It's a fact that you received help from Baek Hyeon-woo then, isn't it? Then isn't it only natural to say thank you?”

“Director, but still...”

“It's not that I like this situation either.”

Seong Soo-ho also has bad feelings toward Baek Hyeon-woo.

Because he had tried to scout him to DP Entertainment with the position of team leader, but was refused.

However, now was not the time to be concerned with such feelings.

“Haven't you seen the internet? Everyone is curious about how you expressed your thanks to Baek Hyeon-woo.”

“……”

“It clearly came out on the broadcast that it was just hyperventilation, but everyone is talking as if you saved your life thanks to Baek Hyeon-woo. Everyone is waiting for a follow-up article on how you thanked and repaid your lifesaver.”

If there's no follow-up article, people will come to suspect, 'Don't tell me Joo Ga-hee didn't even say thank you?'

Before such voices grow louder, you have to go and give your thanks first.

“I can just contact him quietly and say thank you. Why so ceremoniously...”

“If we're going to do it anyway, we have to do it in a way that benefits Choux-pop.”

Saying that, Seong Soo-ho glared at Jeong Do-woon.

“Because you were eliminated in 3rd place.”

“……!”

“Since the results were poor, you have to at least secure a good image.”

Leaving the flinching Jeong Do-woon aside, Seong Soo-ho said to Joo Ga-hee.

“We're going to create an image of an idol who knows how to properly give thanks and repay a favor. So you have to do it as ceremoniously as possible.”

Just because the Newstarz manager helped a Choux-pop member doesn't mean Newstarz's image will improve.

However, if you show a side of yourself sincerely thanking the manager and trying to repay him... you can improve Choux-pop's image.

“As it is, there's a controversy that you betrayed Newstarz and came to Choux-pop. The expression that Joo Ga-hee's anti-fans love to use most these days is 'traitor'.”

“……”

“It's a chance to resolve that image.”

In the end, what's important for an idol is image.

To improve that image, you have to do anything.

Even if it's a fake image that's far from the truth.

“We're going to film a video with the content of Choux-pop cheering for Newstarz's victory on 'The Idol'. Prepare your comments in advance.”

……

The next day.

Joo Ga-hee really did visit Haram Entertainment with the Choux-pop members.

The people at Haram Entertainment, including Newstarz, were all dumbfounded, but Joo Ga-hee expressed her thanks with a truly serious attitude.

“Thank you so much, Manager-nim.”

“……”

Watching Joo Ga-hee give her thanks in formal speech, Baek Hyeon-woo checked her status window.

[* Mental Condition: 60%], [* Mental Condition: 59%], [* Mental Condition: 58%], [* Mental Condition: 57%], [* Mental Condition: 56%]... he could see Joo Ga-hee's mental state being ground down in real-time.

‘You're really going through a lot.’

Originally, Joo Ga-hee probably didn't want to express her thanks in this format.

The reason Joo Ga-hee was expressing her thanks so ceremoniously was solely because Director Seong Soo-ho had forcibly ordered her to.

Even now, Seong Soo-ho was standing behind Joo Ga-hee, watching her with glaring eyes.

“And this… is a cookie I made. I also wrote a letter.”

“Why go to this much trouble...”

Joo Ga-hee even held out a handmade cookie and a handwritten letter to Baek Hyeon-woo.

He glanced at Seong Soo-ho, thinking 'he's making her do all sorts of things', but Seong Soo-ho just stood with his arms crossed and his mouth firmly shut.

“Joo Ga-hee-ssi.”

Baek Hyeon-woo spoke to Joo Ga-hee.

“It must have been very hard, but try to forget it all now and rest.”

“……”

In that moment, a complicated emotion dwelt in Joo Ga-hee's gaze.

At a glance, it sounded like he meant for her to forget the stress that had caused the hyperventilation, but it wasn't a remark that contained only that meaning.

It also contained the meaning that the clean-up of the past hyperventilation incident was now over, so she shouldn't get any more stressed over it.

“Yes, thank you.”

Joo Ga-hee expressed her thanks briefly in a stiff voice.

However, it felt as if it was filled with more sincerity than the words of thanks she had gone on and on about until just a moment ago.

“You Newstarz kids too… everyone, work hard.”

Following that, Joo Ga-hee spoke to the Newstarz members who were watching from the side.

“Because we're all cheering for you.”

“……”

Everyone had a dazed... no, an uncomfortable expression.

Because among the Newstarz members, there wasn't a single person who liked Joo Ga-hee.

Right at that moment, as if to break the awkward atmosphere, Seong Hae-won cut in.

“Newstarz, fighting! You have to get 1st place!”

“Ah, thanks…”

The other members of Choux-pop also left words of encouragement for Newstarz one by one.

The Newstarz members also tried hard to manage their expressions and responded to Choux-pop's cheers.

After forcefully creating a heartwarming atmosphere like that... the filming director's voice echoed.

“Okay, that's a wrap! Everyone worked very hard!”

DP Entertainment's own filming team finished shooting the video and began preparations to withdraw.

Seong Soo-ho, who had succeeded in filming the video he wanted, approached Baek Hyeon-woo.

“Assistant Manager Baek… no, Team Leader Baek.”

Seong Soo-ho expressed his thanks while looking at Baek Hyeon-woo.

“I'm grateful for your cooperation.”

“Not at all.”

Today's filming is DP Entertainment's strategy to improve Choux-pop's image.

However, Baek Hyeon-woo willingly accepted this strategy.

“Because it's something that helps us too.”

That's right.

This incident will work to Newstarz's advantage.

Because the Choux-pop fans who see the video will support Newstarz in the final episode of 'The Idol'.

Idol fandoms are in a relationship where they are constantly having battles of nerves with each other, but depending on the situation, there are also times when they unite.

As long as Choux-pop has declared through their official channel that they are wishing for Newstarz's victory, the Choux-pop fandom has no choice but to unite with the Newstarz fandom and fight against the N.A.N fandom.

Because there is also the strong justification that the Newstarz manager helped Joo Ga-hee, they will cast their votes for Newstarz, if only for the sake of their own pride.

Choux-pop's fandom size is still larger than Newstarz's.

If they cast their votes for Newstarz... it's worth taking on N.A.N.

A situation is created where it's worth competing properly with skill.

“Those UBX bastards are the worst.”

Seong Soo-ho cursed N.A.N's agency in a low voice.

He had greater animosity toward N.A.N, who had suddenly cut in and tried to crush them with their status, than toward Newstarz, with whom they had formed a rivalry.

“Flatten those bastards' noses for me.”

Leaving those words behind, Seong Soo-ho withdrew with Choux-pop.

Seong Hae-won tried to flirt with Baek Hyeon-woo again, but Seong Soo-ho immediately dragged her away.

Joo Ga-hee didn't say anything more and just left.

“Everyone worked hard. You went through a lot.”

“Ah, it was really hard.”

“It's hard to make a living, really...”

Laura and Kanade grumbled.

Because their feelings about Joo Ga-hee and Choux-pop weren't very good, just playing along with this fake show was itself a stress.

“You don't have to practice today, so just go in and rest. Since everyone must be tired.”

“Huh? What's the occasion?”

“I have to go to the dorm and play games...”

After instructing the members to rest, Baek Hyeon-woo checked the paper bag that Joo Ga-hee had handed him.

Inside the bag was a well-packaged cookie and a letter.

Just as he was feeling a bit peckish and was about to take out a cookie and eat it.

“Manager-nim, don't eat that.”

Seo Na-eun suddenly stopped Baek Hyeon-woo.

“She might have put something strange in it.”

“……”

Baek Hyeon-woo was at a loss for words for a moment.

“No, it's a cookie given as a sign of gratitude, she probably wouldn't have put something strange in it. What would she do if it became a problem later.”

“Still, just in case, I'll try eating it first.”

Is she thinking that there might be something like poison in it?

Seo Na-eun voluntarily stepped up, saying she would play the role of a royal food taster.

“If there's something strange in it, I should be the one to try it first, not you guys.”

“Manager-nim, but still... ah!”

Baek Hyeon-woo ignored Seo Na-eun's attempt to stop him and put the cookie in his mouth.

The moment the cookie with the hard texture was crushed between his molars.

“……!”

Baek Hyeon-woo's eyes widened.