Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 160

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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 160.

Ever since the minor clash between Ryu Bora and Seo Baek-young yesterday, the atmosphere in the Dormitory had grown heavy and subdued.
Kim Geum watched Ryu Bora’s mood carefully. Yeon Ju-hong watched Seo Baek-young’s mood carefully.
And I found myself monitoring all of my members.

‘I can’t be as happy as my sister. But I don’t want to be a burden either, you know? That’s enough for me.’

I hadn’t realized Ryu Bora was harboring such thoughts.
I’d known that her family had a significant influence on her.
And I’d also known that influence was far from positive.
It was my oversight.
I should have been more attentive to Ryu Bora’s feelings.
At nineteen, how sensitive must she be.
Even if her entire family devoted themselves to caring for her, it wouldn’t be enough at this age.
I should have been looking after my two nineteen-year-old members myself.
But now… it seemed like the right time to care for Seo Baek-young as well.
Conveniently, we shared the same room.

“Unnie.”

I called out to Seo Baek-young, who was doing push-ups in our room.
I’d never seen her stay still, that woman.

“Yeah?”
“…About what happened with Bora.”
“I’m fine.”

Seo Baek-young wiped away her sweat, then offered her characteristic wrinkle-free smile.

“I was shortsighted. It’s the result of not considering Bora’s position.”
“…No, that’s not it. Everyone comes from different backgrounds. It’s no one’s fault. Bora understands too, I’m sure.”
“Different backgrounds, huh…”

Seo Baek-young perched on the edge of the bed and looked up at me.

“Yun Chung, do you think the same way?”
“Pardon?”
“That my circumstances and Ryu Bora’s circumstances would be different. Is that what you think?”

Well…
To be honest, I knew nothing about what Seo Baek-young’s circumstances had been like.
Perhaps that’s why I’d never even considered it.
It was a mistake.
I didn’t know Seo Baek-young that well, after all.

“That’s not what I meant. I was saying that everyone walks their own path in life. Just as you and I are different, so are Ryu Bora and you.”
“…I suppose that’s true.”

Seo Baek-young’s lips curved into a bitter smile.

“My parents… they got divorced.”
“…!”
“The process wasn’t easy at all. We had to fight legally for a really long time.”

I sat across from Seo Baek-young in silence and listened to her story.

“That’s why I suggested Ryu Bora seek legal assistance. If my father and I hadn’t received legal help back then, we would have struggled far more financially.”

Seo Baek-young let out a heavy sigh.

“But legal disputes themselves are incredibly stressful. I understand Ryu Bora’s feelings completely. Honestly, if I were in her position, I probably would have thought the same thing—just give them the money and be done with it.”

Seo Baek-young shrugged her shoulders, then looked at me with a somewhat relieved expression.

“But I want Ryu Bora to be happier than I was. I’d rather she find happiness alongside us than sacrifice herself for our sake.”

I nodded in agreement.
My heart resonated deeply with what Seo Baek-young was saying.

“We often fall into this misconception, don’t we? That if I sacrifice myself alone, that person will become happier. But the truth is… it doesn’t work that way. Sometimes when I sacrifice, the other person ends up sadder instead.”
“…I understand what you mean.”
“I thought you would. That’s why I’m telling you this.”

Seo Baek-young brushed off her knees and stood up.

“Thank you for listening to something so heavy.”
“Not at all. I should be thanking you for sharing with me.”
“As for Ryu Bora… I’ll talk to her about it. You understand, right?”
“…Yes. If it’s you… I don’t think clearing up the misunderstanding will be difficult.”

Seo Baek-young let out a small laugh.

“You always believe in me, Yun Chung. I like that about you.”
“Doesn’t that feel burdensome? I find it stressful when someone believes in me.”
“No? It becomes motivation to live up to their expectations. It gives me strength, I suppose. Like… you know, that kind of feeling.”
“What kind of feeling is that exactly…”

So there are people like that too.
I averted my gaze from Seo Baek-young’s eyes.
Looking into the eyes of someone far more virtuous than myself was simply too difficult.

“Actually, I believe this: the person who believes in someone is far more remarkable than the person who lives up to that belief.”

See?
Excessively good, I’m telling you.

“Sister.”
“Hmm?”
“I think I didn’t know nearly enough about you.”
“There’s still plenty you don’t know.”

Well, that’s true.
But saying it so bluntly like that—what does that make me?

“….”
“I’m joking, just joking.”
“Hmph.”
“Yun Chung.”
“Yes?”

Seo Baek-young turned on her phone and showed me something.

“I trained in taekwondo for a really long time when I was younger.”
“?!”

On the screen was a childhood photo of Seo Baek-young in a taekwondo black belt, flashing a peace sign.

“You were so young back then, unnie.”
“What, do I not have a childhood now? I’m still young.”

Seo Baek-young laughed.

“When I was doing taekwondo, there was a dance academy right next door, so I attended both. Then the taekwondo instructor told me I was pretty and had good body control, so he suggested I audition for Colors.”
“Isn’t that usually something the dance academy instructor would recommend?”
“They were a married couple.”
….

That’s quite an adorable audition story.

“So when I watch my audition video, I’m sitting there in my taekwondo uniform.”
….

She got selected anyway.
Internally, I offered my gratitude to the couple of instructors who discovered Seo Baek-young.

“Hmm. So maybe that’s why I couldn’t say anything.”
“About what?”
“Ryu Bora said I only surrounded myself with good adults, so I don’t know anything.”
“…Yes.”
“It’s true. I really did have a lot of good adults around me.”

I see.

“That’s a good thing, though.”
“Yeah, it was really good.”

Seo Baek-young walked toward the door.

“So I want to make Ryu Bora believe in the existence of good adults too.”
“…Like someone such as you?”
“I’m an adult, but I’m not sure if I’m a good one.”

Ha ha.
Seo Baek-young laughed and left the room.

***

“…Hmm.”

Early the next morning.
The moment I opened my eyes to the burning sensation on my forehead, I thought: this is bad.
This is really bad.

“…Unnie.”

I called out to Seo Baek-young on the bed next to mine.

“Huh? Yeah. Yes, Yun Chung?”

Seo Baek-young had been sleeping too, and she answered in a drowsy voice.

“I… I think I’m sick. Could you maybe call the Manager unnie for me?”
“What?!”

Seo Baek-young sprang from her bed in an instant.
…Anyone watching would think she was a coiled spring.

“It could be the flu, so… please don’t come too close… maintain distance….”
“Wait, you have the flu?!”

Despite the darkness obscuring everything, Seo Baek-young shuffled toward me anyway.

“Do you have a fever?!”
“No—don’t touch me. Please go… right now…. I’m asking you.”
“But you’re sick, how can I just—”
“We have one week left of activities. One person being sick is manageable with schedule adjustments. But not two. Please.”

At my words, Seo Baek-young finally hesitated.

“I’ll ask the Manager unnie. You go out and call her for me…. I… I’ll get an IV at least.”
“Yes, okay! I’ll call the Manager unnie right now.”

Only after hearing Seo Baek-young leave did I feel relieved.
Damn it.
I’d been anxious about the cold early spring weather.
Let me see. Today is… Tuesday, so….
I’ll skip today and tomorrow’s schedules. I’ll attend starting Thursday.
As long as it’s not contagious. I hope it’s just a simple body ache.
I placed my hand on my forehead.
It was burning hot.
Hmm.
I absolutely have to recover within two days.
We’re aiming for first place this week too.
I did push myself pretty hard.
Even I had to admit the schedule was insane. I finished 【Top of Idol】, immediately filmed 【Dear My Diva】, and started 【Paper Dol】 activities without a moment’s rest.
It wouldn’t be strange to be bedridden.
But the timing is absolutely terrible.
Why couldn’t I have gotten sick a week later?
I resented Yun Chung’s frail body.

“Yun Chung!”

Ah.
I’d fallen asleep again in an instant.
The room was now brightly lit, and the Manager was looking down at me.

“Unnie. I… I think I have a fever. Can we check the schedule… I think I need to skip today. What was today’s schedule?”
“Why are you worrying about the schedule!”

The Manager let out a sharp cry and placed her hand on my forehead.
I never knew human skin could feel so hot and painful.
It must mean my body is in that much pain right now.

“Yun Chung, your body is… absolutely burning…!”
“At least I don’t have a sore throat. It shouldn’t be contagious. Keep the members out of this room….”
“The other managers are taking care of the members. Let’s go to the Hospital first.”
“Okay. What’s today’s schedule… hurry.”

My eyes fluttered open, and the Manager’s face came into focus.
She looked exhausted.
I suppose it’s remarkable that she’s managing schedules while I’m sick.
But I’m far more terrified of developing a flaky image than I am of being ill. Much more.

“There’s an event in the Provincial Area today. Send the other members and apologize—we’ll cover the penalty fees. Oh, wait. That’s not what I meant. Never mind that for now. Why do you think the Company exists, anyway!”

The Manager lifted me up and carried me on her back.
At my age, being piggyback carried is embarrassing.
…In that very moment of thought.
I slipped back into sleep.

***

I gasped awake.

Like I’d overslept and missed a schedule, I regained consciousness.
A chill ran from the crown of my head down to my heart.

“Yun Chung, you’re awake?”

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the Manager.
This isn’t some romance novel, after all.
It’s embarrassing seeing her every time I wake up.

“How’s your body…? Are you feeling better…?”
“Yes, much better.”

I looked at the IV line in my wrist and let out a relieved breath.
The power of an IV drip is truly remarkable.
My body felt so much lighter.

“Apparently you ran yourself ragged and developed a fever. It’s not some underlying illness like you were worried about. But the doctor says you absolutely need to rest for a while.”
“…I’ll finish this week’s activities and rest right after.”
“As if you’ll listen to me.”

The Manager sighed and nodded.
But more than that….

“What about the members?”
“Ah… that.”

The Manager wore an odd expression—caught between amusement and discomfort.
Something felt wrong.

“Well… Yun Chung.”
“Tell me what happened. Quickly.”
“While you were sleeping… quite a lot happened….”
“!”

Something bad must have occurred.
Damn it.

“Is everyone okay? Did someone get hurt—!”
“No. No. Nobody’s injured.”

Thank goodness.
I immediately felt relief wash over me.

“Then what’s the problem?”

If it wasn’t a physical injury.
I could resolve whatever it was.

“Well… it’s not really a problem. Actually… it seems to have worked out quite well. Very fortunately.”
“…?”

I couldn’t make sense of what she was saying.
At my confused gaze, the Manager broke into a cold sweat and thrust her phone toward me.

“Um… rather than explain at length… I think it’s better if you just watch this video.”

What the Manager handed me was an OTube… direct cam?
This is….

“Isn’t this the stage from the event schedule the members were supposed to go to today?”
“…Technically yesterday… right. Since today is Wednesday, the other members went to their music broadcast schedule.”

Has a whole day already passed?
I hurriedly pressed the play button.
And after watching the entire video.
I was left speechless.

“…What is this?! The members are…!”
“They’re all fine. Perfectly fine. Absolutely fine.”
“I need to see it with my own eyes…!”
“They’re all finishing up their shoot right now and doing interviews.”
“What?”

What interview?
At my blank expression, the Manager looked at me with an awkward gaze.

“Yun Chung. On the internet… we hit it big.”

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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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