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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: A Rude Question
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What a sudden and rude question.
Did she wait until we were alone?
"Oh, really? How do you think I've changed?"
"Oh, don't misunderstand."
Jo Hui-on smiled slyly.
"I mean, it's for the better. I actually like your current personality more than your old one."
"…So my old personality wasn't to Hui-on's taste?"
"Kind of, yeah? And it wasn't just me who thought that; everyone probably did."
I knew I should control my expression, but I wasn't very good at it.
"Honestly, back then, you were a bit timid. You couldn't even speak properly."
"…I hadn't been here long, so I couldn't properly adapt."
"They say you were like that at your previous agency too?"
Jo Hui-on took out her lip tint and applied it while looking in the practice room mirror.
Of course, Jo Hui-on's eyes were fixed on my reflection in the mirror.
Her smirking had been truly obnoxious since a moment ago.
"Your previous agency was KQ, right? I know an Unnie there. No, I was just curious, that's all. Because the you we knew was a really kind and passive person, but you suddenly changed. I wondered if we had perhaps misunderstood."
She was making excuses, but in the end, they were just self-serving.
I didn't answer and listened silently.
"That Unnie said you were quite timid there too. She said you didn't get along with the other trainees, and even though you made it into the debut lineup, you eventually dropped out. And that's how you ended up at our agency."
The only reason she would bother saying something like this in a practice room with three cameras running was one.
To tarnish my image.
If these words aired now, everyone would react with surprise.
The current Yun Cheong doesn't exactly have a timid image.
Even if she's not talkative or a variety show member, she's building an image of doing her part. And she's going to pour cold water on that now?
"I'm sorry… Hui-on."
"?!"
I couldn't let that happen.
"Back then, I was so young and easily scared… that's how I was…. Someone as insignificant as me… could I really debut…."
I continued slowly.
Without crying, but as calmly as possible.
"But… I really wanted to debut… and I didn't want to be a bother to you all, so I tried to change my personality to be a little more proactive…. It must have bothered you a lot…."
"No, I-"
"I'm sorry. I should have adapted well from the start…. But I didn't know anyone and it was so hard… that's why I was like that."
Jo Hui-on looked completely dumbfounded, as if she hadn't expected me to react this way.
Honestly.
It was absurd. Honestly, it was such low-level provocation that I wasn't even angry.
"Hui-on, I could tell that you… disliked me when I suddenly joined at first…. Actually, I think it's only natural that you would dislike me. I'm just an outsider…."
"I never disliked you…!"
Don't even try.
I had all of Yun Cheong's memories.
And I knew that Jo Hui-on and Kim Ryeo-yu had always laughed and sneered behind Yun Cheong's back.
Jo Hui-on was the type of person I disliked the most.
Strong to the weak, weak to the strong.
Weak towards the strong, and strong towards the weak.
I truly hated how petty and underhanded she was.
"I know you might dislike me…. I know all that, but now… I'm really trying my best…. Could you please try to understand me a little?"
It seemed Jo Hui-on was finally grasping the situation.
The situation where she tried to mess with me, but ended up completely screwing herself over instead.
So who told her to secretly dig into people's pasts…?
"No, Cheong. There seems to be some misunderstanding. My intention wasn't-"
Clunk.
"I'm here!"
Just then, at a perfect moment, the practice room door opened.
As soon as she entered, Lee Gyeong-a paused, sensing the strange atmosphere in the practice room.
"What's going on? What's wrong with Cheong?"
I deliberately didn't answer.
Because-
"No, Unnie. You know what…!"
I knew she would self-destruct.
As I expected, Jo Hui-on told Lee Gyeong-a every little detail.
Lee Gyeong-a listened seriously from beginning to end.
And finally, when Jo Hui-on's story finished, she subtly glanced at the cameras.
"Hui-on."
"Yes?"
"Why is that story necessary right now?"
"…What?"
Jo Hui-on asked again, her face devoid of any trace of a smile.
It seemed she thought Lee Gyeong-a would take her side.
That was understandable, given that Lee Gyeong-a had been strictly neutral until now, or had shown no interest in Yun Cheong.
Since Lee Gyeong-a also wanted to debut just as much, she hadn't wanted to upset Kim Ryeo-yu.
However, Lee Gyeong-a's face was also devoid of a smile.
"Cheong is part of our team. Why on earth are you bringing up Cheong's slightly timid old personality now…? Do you want to put Cheong down?"
"What?"
"I'm not someone who likes to badmouth a teammate like that. I think you should apologize to Cheong too."
Jo Hui-on had miscalculated one thing.
Perhaps Lee Gyeong-a might have taken Jo Hui-on's side.
If she hadn't gone through the last mission.
Last time, Lee Gyeong-a had ridiculously lost her main vocal position to Kim Ryeo-yu.
Even though it was clear to everyone that Lee Gyeong-a should have been the main vocal.
Because Jo Hui-on and Park Ha-eun had sided with Kim Ryeo-yu.
At that time, Lee Gyeong-a must have become wary.
Up until then, she probably just went along with Kim Ryeo-yu or Jo Hui-on, even if out of fear of Director Kim Mo-gyeong.
But Kim Ryeo-yu was increasingly crossing the line.
Hadn't it already been proven in the last mission that humoring the two of them would do Lee Gyeong-a no good?
"Stop talking nonsense. It would be better to just practice. Cheong, you should cheer up now too."
And most importantly, Yun Cheong was now openly a popular trainee with a strong likelihood of debuting.
There was no reason to openly attack Yun Cheong in front of the cameras.
….
It was simply the first moment that Jo Hui-on finally realized that fact.
The others were already slowly realizing it.
***
Meanwhile, PD O Baek-gyeong was letting out happy screams while watching the filmed footage.
"…What are you so happy about, PD-nim?"
"No, these kids. I didn't even give them a script, so why are they so good at this?"
PD O Baek-gyeong grinned widely.
For a few days now, his VIP had been performing spectacularly.
His VIP had a truly amazing ability.
Even when she did nothing, those around her would naturally draw all the attention and create screen time for her.
But she didn't just ignore it; she perfectly capitalized on it, making it even more entertaining.
However, the VIP's true ability lay elsewhere.
Namely, politicking.
"This kid, she's really something else."
"Yun Cheong? Why?"
Writer Kang looked at the person PD O Baek-gyeong was pointing to and tilted her head.
"On broadcast, she knows very accurately that the one who gains sympathy first wins."
"She gained sympathy?"
"Jo Hui-on tried to drag Yun Cheong down, but she slipped up herself instead."
Writer Kang flinched after watching all the footage PD O Baek-gyeong showed her.
"If this is edited well…."
"It'll be quite entertaining, won't it?"
"But will Director Kim Mo-gyeong allow it? She'll definitely say no."
"What's she going to do if she says no? She's not even Kim Ryeo-yu."
"Still…."
"And besides."
PD O Baek-gyeong spun his chair around.
"More importantly, Colors is in disarray these days. Didn't you know? CEO Hong is back, they say."
"I heard that. They say she came back to rein in Director Kim Mo-gyeong."
"A reporter I'm close with told me that CEO Hong is completely determined this time. It's well-known now that she told them to stop shielding Kim Ryeo-yu."
Writer Kang nodded.
CEO Hong was not someone to be trifled with.
How could someone easygoing succeed like that?
"So you're going to target Kim Ryeo-yu?"
"That depends on what she does. For now, I'll put Jo Hui-on on the chopping block first and see how the internet reacts."
"They're still just kids… Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Writer Kang."
PD O Baek-gyeong chuckled.
"Am I creating scenes that don't exist and airing them? I'm just cutting out the unnecessary bits from what they said and broadcasting it. If they don't want to be on the chopping block, they should have managed their own character."
"Even so…."
"Writer Kang. This isn't your first day or two in broadcasting."
That's true, but PD-nim, you're just too ruthless.
Nevertheless, Writer Kang couldn't bring herself to speak.
Even in her eyes, Jo Hui-on had gone too far.
"Then let's watch it together. So you don't cut out the context."
"Oh, then follow along."
PD O Baek-gyeong chuckled cheerfully and headed to the editing room.
Indeed, he had a knack for good footage.
Writer Kang sighed deeply and followed him.
Indeed, she had no luck with bosses.
I'll have to try my best to stop that.
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