Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 156

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

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Chapter 156.

“…A threatening letter arrived?”

The dawn after barely finishing the comeback Stage performance.
I was summoned to the Company immediately by the Manager’s urgent words.
I put the members to sleep so they wouldn’t worry, and slipped out alone.

“That’s right. One came to the front of the Company yesterday, and another to your Dormitory mailbox.”
“What kind of threatening letter is it?”

In truth, even at Hong President’s mention of a threatening letter, I wasn’t particularly shocked.
Back when I was Baek Nok-ha, I received a hundred of these letters a day.
The types and contents varied wildly.
A threat from someone I appeared with once on a variety show—a male idol I barely remembered—saying they’d stab me if I stood next to him.
Threats saying they’d kill me if I didn’t meet them.
Even threats from someone who appeared wealthy, saying they’d die if I didn’t give them a hundred million won.
Honestly, it was an extremely common occurrence for any celebrity with even a modicum of recognition.
Sending them via SNS DM was standard; the more dedicated ones or those who preferred analog methods sent letters.
And the truly vicious ones sent packages.
I won’t mention what was inside those packages.
Something that horrific is something only I need to know about, right?
In any case, having experienced it all, even becoming StillBlue didn’t really affect me much.
But the members hadn’t encountered such things often yet, so the Company and I were thoroughly protecting them from seeing anything like that.
So why inform me now about just one threatening letter?
One week into the comeback, during this busy period, at this ungodly hour?
Something was seriously wrong.

“This threatening letter is quite specific. The target is clear.”
“Who’s the target?”

At the word “target,” my chest grew cold and rigid.
Had the members been put in danger?

“Ryu Bora.”
“…What’s the reason?”

Why on earth would they target her?
To us, she’s just a gangster rabbit and a deer that charges recklessly, but publicly, Ryu Bora’s image was flawless.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had the best image among our five members.
An angelic face paired with steel-forged mental fortitude.
The nation’s beloved little sister since childhood, the nation’s baby princess.
That was the Ryu Bora the public knew.
And they targeted her?
They might as well have come after me instead.

“Do you remember the TerraByte incident from a while back?”
“…Could it be from a TerraByte fan?”
“It’s more serious than that.”

Hong President hesitated for a moment, then gestured to his secretary.
The secretary handed me a piece of paper.
A letter typed in red on black paper.

Youruinedus.
Youseveredthelivelihoods ofallthosepeople andyoulivewelllikethat.
Iwilldefintlygetrevenge.
Ifyouruglyface getscompletelyruined thenyoumightfeelsomethingofwhatIdo.
Iwontkillyou.
Becauseyouneedtolivefeeling myheartache andmyhatredfortherestofyourlife.

It was clearly a letter written by a madman, with not a single proper space.
Just reading it made me feel sick, a wave of revulsion rising up—a letter drenched in nothing but malice.
Could this even be called a letter?
Wouldn’t it be more accurate to call it filth, evil excrement spewed by some trash?

“The content doesn’t really seem like it’s from a fan….”
“We suspect it’s from someone connected to MidBless.”

Looking at the content alone, I had to agree.
Though there was nothing I could say with certainty.
But wasn’t MidBless currently under police investigation?
In the midst of all that chaos, would they really have the leisure to send us a letter like this?

“The MidBless president is under police investigation, but we suspect he’s just a figurehead. We believe the real power lies elsewhere.”

That’s a fair point.
Someone that vicious wouldn’t be sitting in such a conspicuous position.
They’d definitely put a proxy forward and stay completely out of sight themselves.

“I’ve been thinking it might have been someone acting on that person’s orders. It could be someone close to them, not necessarily the mastermind themselves.”
“Did you report this to the police?”
“We did.”

Hong President’s expression remained dark.

“But honestly, I don’t get the sense they’re taking this seriously. As you know, threatening letters are incredibly common in the entertainment industry.”
“…That does seem to be the case.”
“They said they’d try to catch the culprit, but… realistically, it’s hard to expect severe punishment over a letter like this.”

I already knew that much.
In my previous life, I’d thoroughly researched the legal penalties for threatening letters.
The consensus was that threatening letters themselves rarely result in serious legal consequences.
It would be different if the threat were actually carried out….
But that would be a far more horrifying situation for the victim.

“So the only answer is to keep protecting Bora, then.”
“Right. The company will double our security personnel. We’ll have staff stationed at the Dormitory at all times, and we’re planning to increase the number of bodyguards who follow you around regularly. But….”

Hong President let out a heavy sigh.

“I hate having to say this to you all, but there’s no way around it.”
“…You’re saying we need to be careful, then.”
“Exactly. Don’t do anything reckless, and you must stay close to your bodyguards at all times. Understood?”
“We will.”
“As for the other members… I don’t want to frighten them unnecessarily. But they need to be aware of the current situation. It’s dangerous.”
“I’ll inform the other members besides Bora.”

Hong President nodded.
This situation isn’t just dangerous for Ryu Bora alone.
All the members are at risk.

“I really hope they catch the culprit soon.”
“We’re planning to appeal to the police as much as possible as well.”

That was the best option available.
A bitter reality without equal.
Yet I couldn’t simply sit idle.
I quietly slipped out of the Conference Room and, on my way back to the Dormitory, browsed through the Cotton Ball Entity’s shop.
Searching for anything that might help in this situation.
But there was nothing particularly useful.

‘…What do I do.’

Still, I couldn’t just stand by and watch Ryu Bora fall into danger.

‘…Then.’

I had no choice but to push the Cotton Ball Entity to create something new that didn’t exist.

***

Today was the day of the video call fan signing event.
A devoted fan of Ryu Bora, who was her ultimate bias, had purified themselves through ritual bathing, carefully placed their phone, and waited in reverent anticipation.
The day had finally come to meet her bias in person!
Even if it was through a screen….
Didn’t StillBlue’s new song, “Paper Dol,” say it in the lyrics?
That they wanted to make dreams come true even through the screen.
This was exactly how this fan felt.
Ah, who is this fan, you ask?
Do you remember that devoted Ryu Bora fan from the Make a New Color audience who came with Prism Homma?
That is to say.
Pep-peu.

Beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-beep.

‘She’s here!’

The phone rang.
Pep-peu tidied her hair, pressed the record button, steadied her breathing, and answered the video call.
Ryu Bora’s face filled the small phone screen.

‘Insane…. How is it possible for such a small face to have eyes this large and a nose bridge this high.’

No matter how much I say I didn’t become a fan just for her face… no matter how much I say I became a fan because of Bora’s charm…! That doesn’t mean I’m denying Bora’s beauty.
Right, right. For an idol, beauty is definitely one of the major charm points.

[Hello~]
“Oh, hey, Bora…! How have you been?!”
[Oh, unnie! It’s been so long. We saw each other once on the way home from the Workshop during our last activity, and now we’re meeting again, right?]
“Yeah, that’s right, that’s right! You remember me…?! I’m so touched.”

Truly, StillBlue’s affectionate baby deer….
Even though I’d only caught a glimpse of her once, Ryu Bora remembered most of her fans.
Among fans, Ryu Bora’s love for her supporters was genuinely legendary.

“Bora, could you do just one challenge for me?”
[Sure, I’ll do whatever you want. What should I do?]
“It’s called the small animal challenge…! You just look at the photos I show you and express what that animal is!”
[Oh. Is this trending these days? Okay. Let’s start.]

The challenge that began that way.
Continued in variety—deer, rabbit, cat, bear, dog.

‘If I upload this to SNS, I’m looking at a million retweets….’

After capturing a legendary video to my heart’s content.

[Unnie, is there anything difficult lately or anything you want to talk about? Is everything okay?]

Is this the reverse fan service I’ve only heard about…?
Pep-peu was flustered, stammering at this unfamiliar situation, but soon tears welled up in her eyes.

“Actually, I just changed companies… and it’s been hard to adjust. I’m still not comfortable with the work yet…. So lately I’ve been feeling pretty down on myself.”
[The beginning is always hard, you know. It’s not that you’re doing poorly, unnie—nobody can do well from the start. I struggled so much learning this new choreography too, so Baek-young unnie and I pulled all-nighters.]
“Really? You too, Bora? Our genius deer…”

Wait, our born-to-be idol genius deer struggles with things too?
Pep-peu found it hard to believe and asked again.

[Even the genius deer finds the beginning hard. I’m only telling you this, unnie…. When I first joined Make a New Color, I was really like… should I just give up…. That kind of thing,]
“Really?!”
[Yeah. But because my unnies were there, I didn’t give up and made it this far.]

Ryu Bora displayed a courteous, angelic smile.

“Gasp. Could I be… that unnie…?”
[Yes. That’s the one.]

Bora…
I’m crying…

[That’s why even our unnie at Paper Dol will struggle at first. But eventually, she’ll become just as skilled as Bora!]
“…Yes. Because we have our Bora… I think we can do this…!”

After exchanging those parting words,
Pep-peu thought to herself.
I…
I’ll be Pep-peu for the rest of my life.
Pep-peu quietly made that vow and turned on the internet.

The Music Day thumbnail that draws you in like a spell (Subject: Ryu Bora)
Ryu Bora’s thumbnail is insane lol
Ryu Bora Music Day thumbnail with crazy view counts.jpg

Online, reactions to yesterday’s Music Day stage video were blazing hot.
The Paper Dol stage itself had gotten an incredible response.
But it was Ryu Bora’s individual fancam thumbnail that Music Day had uploaded that truly went viral.

‘Even if I were a Music Day PD, I would’ve chosen this photo.’

So this is what they mean by being full without eating.

★
I should’ve given birth to Ryu Pep-peu, I really should’ve
Bora… I’m really struggling… being this… beautiful… it’s really hard for me…
2X0312 Ryu Pep-peu is a legend.. beauty without mercy
What do we do with this woman, seriously? What do we do with baby deer Ryu Pep-peu?

Every time Pep-peu opened SNS, she found herself nodding at the thumbnail photo of Ryu Bora.
Yeah.
I agree.

‘This concept for Ryu Bora was truly… truly….’

Ryu Bora had always been beautiful….
But seeing her styled so openly and deliberately made her seem like something from an entirely different dimension.
They called her a 2D idol, a 2D idol, but in this album, Ryu Bora’s potential was truly at its peak.
Perhaps the doll concept suited her even better.
Setting aside fandom bias.
Ryu Bora was quite literally a ‘doll’, or an ‘idol’ itself.

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

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