Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 183

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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 183.

Baek Ju-ha was far quicker than I’d anticipated.

Baek Ju-ha’s Manager

I’ve prepared what you mentioned.

I’ve parked the car in the Parking Lot, so would you come over here?

To uncover something just a week after I’d entrusted her with the task.
It was an odd sensation.

‘So I really did exist in this world… I was here.’

If she’d found nothing about “Baek Nok-ha” no matter how hard she searched, Baek Ju-ha’s answer would have been different.
She would have said there was nothing to find.
But the fact that she’d called me like this.
Meant something had surfaced.
My personal information had been so easy to uncover.
It was both hollow and absurd.
I should have realized sooner.
I should have flipped over the card that was Baek Ju-ha long ago.
Why had I feared the connections from my time as Baek Nok-ha?

“You came?”
“I thought you might be hot, so I brought some drinks.”

I handed Baek Ju-ha an iced Americano.
Baek Ju-ha accepted the coffee with a grateful nod.
In return, she gave me a stack of documents.
On the first page, a middle school student ID photo caught my eye at the very top.
This is….
She’s here.
This world’s Baek Nok-ha….
was no different from the Baek Nok-ha of my world.
Short-cropped hair, a radiant smile.
Younger than I remembered myself, but I couldn’t possibly fail to recognize my own face.

“You recognized her right away.”
“…because I know her well.”

I know her very well.
I took a deep breath and began reading through the stack of documents.
So, this world’s Baek Nok-ha.
How have you been living?

***

“Oh, unnie!”

Yeon Ju-hong emerged in pajamas to greet me.
The Dormitory was cool inside, unlike the heat outside.
The members all peeked out from the Kitchen, watching me with curious eyes.

“You got here faster than expected! Did you finish talking with the Manager?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“The Company was talking about what size Concert Hall they’re thinking for our concert!”
“Huh?”

I stood there dazed for a moment before Yeon Ju-hong’s words snapped me back to attention.
Right.
The members thought I’d gone to discuss concert-related matters.

“Ah…. They’re thinking of a venue with around 5,000 capacity, scheduled for two days.”
“So that’s 10,000 total? Wow. That’s a lot. Do you think that many people will actually come?”
“We’re only one year into our debut. It’s honestly scary.”

We all looked at each other and laughed softly.
Everyone knew that five thousand seats was far from a small scale for a rookie group.
Concert tickets are expensive.
At current market rates, they start at a minimum of around 120,000 won.
Depending on the stage setup, prices often climb considerably higher.
But I had already told Hong President about this beforehand.
Not today—back then.

“Don’t try to charge too much. You’ll lose the bigger picture for short-term gain.”
“I think this is the opposite—losing the bigger picture for short-term loss.”
“Colors isn’t even that strapped for cash. Why are you doing this?”
“We should charge at least ten thousand won above industry average.”
“No. Just charge the industry standard rate. I don’t want people saying we’re obsessed with money.”

Hong President… the man had changed, worn down by the grind of management.
Does money really do that to people?
I sighed.
There are people who go crazier the more they earn.
Anyway.
I laughed to myself.

“Yun Chung, is something wrong?”

Kim Geum looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Huh? What do you mean?”
“No, you just suddenly started grinning like that.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just… felt like laughing.”

At my words, the members exchanged glances again.

“Something definitely happened.”
“What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing serious. Just… thinking about the concert makes me so happy. Though I know it’ll be tough too. That’s all. Don’t worry about it.”

I waved my hand dismissively.

“I’m going to rest for a bit.”

I said that and retreated into my room.
I’m sorry, but I genuinely couldn’t breathe.
I had to escape.

…An exceptionally talented vocalist trainee with strong prospects for debut.
Died in a traffic accident in 201x.
Surviving family: 1 (mother)
Mother confirmed to have immigrated overseas.
Presumed to have left South Korea due to trauma from daughter’s accident.
If alive, would currently be 21 years old.
No other notable details.

There was no way around it.
After seeing this.
After knowing that I had died.
Could anyone possibly be fine?
At least, I wasn’t.

***

I was dreaming.

You know,
there’s a story you don’t know.

No. I was dreaming right now.
Concept Film Part 2.
Stepping into ‘Beyond All Worlds’.

‘Ah.’

A cold room.
Even when I turn my head, Seo Baek-young is not here.
Only a wardrobe comes into view.
This place is December.
Snow is falling.
I sit up and put on my wireless earbuds.

You know,
there’s something I want to tell you.
I actually
came from a world so very far away.

As if it were only natural, my composition “Beyond All Worlds” begins to play.
This was my part.

In that place, you don’t exist,
and snow so bitterly cold falls.

Listening to Yeon Ju-hong’s voice,
I straighten my shirt and shove my employee ID into my pocket.

One day,
sunlight glimmers as it strikes the blizzard,

Ryu Bora’s part begins.
Reciting the lyrics in my mind, I drape on a deep blue-green coat and step outside.
The blizzard rages.
With my coat pulled tight, I take a step forward.
When I open my eyes, I’m on the Subway Platform.
An announcement echoes that the subway is arriving.
People are visible through the subway car windows.
And then.

A Prism created like a mirage,
beyond the fragments of a rainbow,
you.

The moment Seo Baek-young’s voice resonates in my ears,
I’m seized by the illusion that our eyes have met through the subway window.
Even though I know that’s impossible.

I saw you,
I searched for you,
and I came here.

I hear my own voice.
It’s always strange, no matter how many times I listen to it.
The voice I hear in my own head and the voice the world hears from me—they’re so different.
Soon the subway comes to a stop.
I step out onto the platform.

Leaping across hundreds of worlds
Transcending thousands of sorrows
Just to reach you
I cross every world
To you
To you

But in that moment, someone pulls me back.

[Where are you going?]

A familiar voice.
The moment I turn around.

But now I have to go back

Someone is holding my wrist.
I can’t make out their face at all.

You know
There’s a story you don’t know

The second verse begins.

You know
Actually, I knew it all along

The subway rushes away behind me.
Only the sharp wind remains, whipping at my coat.
I stare blankly, seeing only the unrecognizable face of the person holding me.

[I’ve been searching for you all this time.]

I realized something.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t recognize you because your face was unfamiliar.

Like snow falling in summer
As if you would melt away at any moment
You

This is strange.
Whose part was this again?
Why do I hear four voices overlapping?

[Don’t go.]

It’s fine

I have to leave.

No, actually it’s not fine

[Then… if you go, will you come back to me?]

You’re asking me to make a promise I can’t keep.
I cannot answer.
Suddenly, I notice what you’re wearing.
A pure white coat.
It feels so like you.
When all colors blend together, they become black.
But when all light combines, it becomes white, or so they say.

Once more
Leaping across hundreds of worlds
Transcending thousands of joys

[It’s okay to go.]

At my smile, you smile faintly in return.
Even as I think, what do you know to smile like that?

Just to touch you alone
I leap across every world

I think I understand that heart a little.
So I smile along with you.

[But come back to me.]

In the end, I nod.
Yes.
I’ll come back.
I will come back.

To you
To you

Even if I have to leap across every world.

***

“You awake?”

Opening my eyes.
I heard Seo Baek-young’s voice.
And at the same time, a faint breeze brushed across my forehead.

“…Sister?”
“You were sweating cold sweat, so I was just going to fan you a bit.”

Seo Baek-young laughs, ha ha.
Her carefree laughter instantly melted away my tension.

“I’ve been having nightmares every day lately.”
“Ah.”

It was something that had been mentioned before.
I don’t remember it myself, only hearing about it from the members’ accounts.
Nightmares.
It seemed I’d been having them more frequently these days.

“I think I’ve always been prone to having nightmares.”
“Really?”
“The whole time we shared a room, you whimpered in your sleep. Did you know that?”

I had no idea.
I’m not a puppy—whimpering like that in my sleep.
Embarrassment rendered me speechless.

“That must have been quite loud for you….”
“No… I tried to think of it as ASMR.”
“….”
“I’m joking. I was just worried about you.”
“I don’t even remember it.”

It’s true.
I don’t remember any dreams except the one I had today.
Ryu Bora occasionally mentioned that I seemed to be having nightmares, but….
I never paid much attention to it.

“Did you know you talk in your sleep quite a bit?”
“…I’d rather not know….”
“You’re the only one who sings while sleep-talking.”
“You’re saying I actually sing?”
“Yeah.”

Am I losing my mind?

“Seriously…. What songs do I sing?”
“Songs we’ve never heard before.”
“We?”
“Yeah. The others hear it too.”
“This is seriously embarrassing.”

There’s no greater nuisance than this.
I let out a deep sigh.

“But the songs are really good.”
“…Really?”
“And the strange thing is, whenever you sing one, it ends up on the next album.”

Insane.
Could it be….

“Did you know you sang our title track in your sleep first? I thought maybe you’d received some divine revelation.”
“….”

Was I dreaming of my days as Baek Nok-ha?
I wish I could dream more beautifully….

“Yun Chung.”
“Yes.”
“Is something troubling you?”
“No.”
“You’re lying awfully quickly.”
“I’m not lying.”

I was absolutely sick of causing others worry.

“I’ve always been fragile by nature. You know that, don’t you? What I was like before joining Make a New Color.”
“…I know, but….”
“I’m just having nightmares because I’m weak-hearted, so it’s fine. Don’t worry.”

I grabbed Seo Baek-young’s wrist as she continued fanning herself.
What could she possibly do with such a delicate wrist….

“I’ll go to the hospital and get some medication prescribed. Since I’m causing trouble without realizing it, I should be careful.”
“I knew you’d say that.”

Seo Baek-young pushed my hand away and flicked my forehead.
Why are her hands so strong.

“That’s exactly why we haven’t said anything all this time. How is that causing trouble? Do you think I’d hint that you’re a nuisance every time you scream from a nightmare?”
“….”

I suppose that’s not it.

“You’re far too harsh on yourself.”

Is that so.

“Don’t suffer alone. Talk to us and live your life.”

Seo Baek-young sighed.

“What on earth is troubling you so much?”
“Sister.”
“Yes?”
“What if you had to choose between your family and one of the members?”
“?!”

At the word “family,” an earthquake erupted in Seo Baek-young’s pupils.
See?
You feel it too.

“Who would you choose?”
“Do… do I really have to choose?”
“You have to pick just one.”
“Well….”
“Honestly, I know the right answer in my head, but I can’t say it, can I? I don’t think I could choose.”

Seo Baek-young didn’t answer.
She only looked at me with worried eyes.

“It’s just that kind of problem, you know.”
“Yun Chung, did something happen with your family…?”
“You know I don’t have a family.”

I let out a soft laugh.

“It’s just a hypothetical, a hypothetical.”

I patted Seo Baek-young’s shoulder.

“Let’s get some sleep. We have schedules tomorrow, so we need to conserve our energy.”
“That’s true, but….”
“I want to get some rest too.”

Seo Baek-young stared at me with worried eyes for a long moment before returning to her bed.
There was nothing to be done about it.
Tomorrow—or rather, in just a few hours.
Colors had a group variety show schedule.

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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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