Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 109

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

Chapter 109.

★
Our Everblues!!>< Hehehehe I'm calling the name for the first time and I'm so excited what do I do!!!!! Thank you for our first #1 today♥♥ I absolutely won't lose my original heart and will be with Everblues forever!! #StillBlue #StillBlue #Everblue #Ju-hong #JUHONG #Blue
Everblue everblue~~ we got #1~~ thank you so much! I'll keep the heart you gave me and unfold it bit by bit tonight to use as a blanket to sleep~~ sleep well! Thanks for the first #1 and let's always go together! #StillBlue #StillBlue #Everblue #Geum #GEUM #Blue
Did you all see that we got #1 today, Everblue? Since it's our first #1, I'm still dazed and my heart keeps pounding. It feels even more overwhelming because we achieved this #1 together. I love you today too, Everblue! #StillBlue #StillBlue #Everblue #Bora #BORA #Blue
Dear Able! We came in first place ㅠㅠ Thank you so much. I can't believe I came this far thanks to Able… I must really be the happiest person in the world! I will always show you only my best side from now on. I love you!! #StillBlue #StillBlue #EverBlue #Baekyoung #BAEKYOUNG #Blue
Evil! Did you see us today? It was funny because I cried so much today ㅠㅠ I just wish I could put a ray of smile on Able's face… Thank you for the valuable and precious 1st place today. Some of you might be embarrassed because you cried too much, but I really, really won’t cry anymore! I love you and thank you! #StillBlue #SteelBlue #EverBlue #Blue #CHEONG #Blue
Oh guysㅠㅠㅠㅠCongratulations, I love youㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ You won first place as soon as you debutedㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Congratulations to our girls for the fastest girl group #1!!
20XX1202 Ah, our stuongies, it’s an encore haha. They won’t sit still for a moment haha. Jjuhong, are you excited?!
"Ah, Chung even made a promise that she wouldn't cry, but look at her crying lolololol Now keep that promise, Chung ♥"
Yoonbul is sobbing ㅠㅠ He said he would never cry because the members were going to cry, but he couldn't hold back his tears until the encore ended ㅠㅠ Let's give this taste 1st place.
Look at the kids' group photo lolololol Yoonble's eyes and nose are all red and it's so cute I'm dying.
I thought Baek-young would cry more than anyone but seeing her stay composed and dignified made me think she's really a true unnie unnie so where's your address?

Click.
A spacious private office on the second-highest floor of the Colors Entertainment building.
In a place where bright light streamed through the full-length windows, a solitary figure sat in shadow.
At the desk positioned by the office window, a nameplate rested on its surface that read:
Colors Entertainment Director Kim Mo-gyeong.
Director Kim set down his phone.
The obligatory monitoring seemed sufficient for now.

"So, she wants to release a solo track, you're saying?"

Director Kim was speaking to someone on the other end of the phone.

"KBM Wednesday drama OST? I already told you to pass that to BunAsh, and the article already went out on their end? Before I even had time to touch it?"

I heard that girl got first place today.
After pushing the rest into hell.
So you're climbing up so desperately, deceiving people like that.
Only a bitter laugh escaped.
And a solo track on top of that?
With contempt rising all the way to my throat, there was no way to let this pass smoothly.

-Yes, but it seems Dan-ha handed it over to Yun Chung because he has no time for composition due to his upcoming album and overseas tour.
"Excuses, excuses. He probably just offered it as an apology for this comeback. Dan-ha is such a naive, guileless kid. That's exactly why he's still dancing in Sung Director's palm despite all his success. And Hong Yeon-seo is equally foolish. Why did Hong President hand them over to Sung Director in the first place…."

Director Kim harbored considerable resentment over Hong President transferring Burnash to Sung Director.
In truth, it was their debut album that had elevated Burnash to the top tier.
The very album Director Kim had overseen from beginning to end.
Yet Hong President, apparently concluding that Director Kim's influence had grown too formidable, handed over every male idol group to Sung Director instead.
And relegated only the girl groups to Director Kim.
Despite knowing full well that the company's largest revenue stream came from male idol groups, he made that decision anyway.
From Director Kim's perspective, it was enough to make one's teeth grind.
The only reason he endured it was because of Kim Ryeo-yu.
Now that he oversaw all girl groups, he could finally let Kim Ryeo-yu's dreams flourish freely.
He had endured it for that one reason alone.
You shouldn't come at me like this, Hong Yeon-seo.
You've already stripped away all my hands and feet, and now you're trying to cut off my head too.

-…What should we do?

Did you think I'd just sit back and take it?

"Who composed that track, exactly?"
-Kim Geum did.
"Is that so? Then how did Yun Chung end up singing it?"
-Pardon?

Director Kim leisurely swiveled his chair, gazing down at Seoul's nightscape spread before him.

"I understand Kim Geum composing it and all. But there's no reason it has to be Yun Chung singing it, is there?"
-That's… already been approved by the production company side.
"But does it really need a pre-release?"
-Then… what should we do?
"If we do a pre-release at this timing, it'll just generate unnecessary buzz. Just have them launch the drama normally and open it then."
-But… if we do that, we'd have to reverse our decision to the production company side….

The voice on the other end of the phone trembled slightly.

"That's something you need to handle yourself. Just tell Yun Chung it's not happening."
-…Yes, I'll do that.
"And."

Director Kim turned his gaze toward the computer monitor, which glowed with a cool blue light.
It was a report on StillBlue's performance metrics.
380,000 copies in initial sales.
Number one on the music charts.
Numerous advertising endorsements secured.
All of these extraordinary achievements were becoming Director Kim's own.
Despite the fact that I had done almost nothing for this album.
This was certainly a situation that should have made me cry out in joy.
The circumstances were far too favorable.
Yet Director Kim felt no particular happiness.
It was as good as losing the bet against that obstinate girl.
However, I wasn't particularly displeased either.
The achievements and profits that Yun Chung brought in—

"What's the status on the Kim Ryeo-yu casting?"
-MEN has accepted it. However, the condition was that we first announce a clear settlement with the victim and a statement of clarification.

—were becoming my power itself.

"We've settled. Release an article saying it was a conflict and misunderstanding between young people. Within two weeks."
-Yes. Since program recording begins a month from now, that should work fine.
"MEN is fully aware that this involves simultaneous appearances with StillBlue, correct?"
-Yes. They actually seemed pleased about it.
"And they agreed to having Shin Yu-hwa as an MC?"

At the name Shin Yu-hwa, silence fell between the two for a moment.

-It wasn't easy to convince them, but… yes, they accepted.

Even at the reluctant tone in the response, Director Kim remained unmoved.

-Um, but Director. Why did you… put that person as an MC? As you know, that person doesn't have the best reputation.

The voice on the other end of the phone hesitated briefly before asking.

"So? Is there some problem that affects you?"
-Director…
"Just do your job. I pay you salary and bonuses without fail—you think that's so you can ask questions like this?"
-…I apologize.
"Don't overstep again."

Director Kim hung up the phone abruptly.
All the money I'd poured into MEN was finally paying off.
Everything was unfolding exactly as I wanted.
Only then could I smile with satisfaction.
Yes, Yun Chung.
Devour everything as if the whole world belongs to you.
The moment you believe you've consumed it all,
I'll consume you.

***

"Everyone sleep well!"
"You too, Ju-hong—sleep tight."
"Good night."
"Get some good rest, Bora. You earned first place today, after all."
"-You should sleep too, noona. Stop having nightmares."

Wait.
You're not even my roommate—how did you know that?
Did Seo Baek-young tell you?
I scratched the back of my head and headed toward the kitchen.
I figured I'd have a glass of Korean pear juice and get some sleep.

"Yun Chung."

Just then, my manager called out to me.

"That… OST you mentioned yesterday."
"Oh, that. Did it get approved?"

An OST out of nowhere?

[
【Release a Solo Track!】
Reward: 500 Points per Track]

That was the reason I needed to complete this Quest and earn the points.
Realistically, there was no way a member of a girl group that had just debuted could release a solo track—especially not a week after their debut album dropped.
So I'd come up with a workaround.
The Quest said to release a solo track, not a solo album, right?
So my plan was to slip it quietly into a drama OST album.
It was that OST Dan-ha had asked me to do before.
Of course, since the drama was launching in three weeks, releasing the OST immediately wasn't easy.
But I'd thought it through once more.
In the industry, it was fairly common for dramas to release their OST early as a promotional strategy.
So I'd proposed the idea to the production company through Lee Sol.

'A drama OST? Suddenly? You want an early release? At this particular time…?'
'Yes. I really… want to do it.'
'I understand your intention, Yun Chung…. But is now really the right timing? It's fine that you're doing the OST. But an early release…?'

Naturally, Lee Sol was puzzled.
She seemed to think: you're already swamped, so why add this on top of everything else?

'I want to erase my existing image a bit.'
'!'
'The world still sees me as Kim Ryeo-yu's victim. But I know that long-term, that image won't help the group. So I want to use this opportunity to firmly establish myself—not as the victim Yun Chung, but as Yun Chung, the main vocalist of StillBlue.'

After I spoke, Lee Sol said nothing for a long while.
I simply waited for her patiently.
Director Kim wouldn't understand me.
He'd probably say something dismissive about me playing the victim.
But Lee Sol was an idol.
As an idol, she would understand.
She would know that there was nothing more suffocating than an unwanted 'image'.

'Alright. Let's do it that way. I'll try to convince the production company. They'll probably like it anyway. No matter what anyone says, you're the one with the most buzz right now.'

Lee Sol had somehow pulled it off.
When I first picked up Lee Sol as a card, it was out of necessity.
But Lee Sol turned out to be a far better producer than I expected, and a far more dependable mentor.
Anyway.
Back to the present.
My manager's expression seemed off.
Something felt wrong.

"No… it got cut from above."
"…What?"

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————