Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 196

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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 196. Epilogue (1)

“By the way, I had the strangest dream yesterday.”

Inside the car heading to watch the sunrise.
My members were chattering away, each clutching snacks in their hands.
Seo Baek-young sat in the passenger seat, feeding me roasted sweet potato.
Kim Geum had shrimp hotbars.
Ryu Bora had deli manju.
Yeon Ju-hong had piled up jellies, candies, and chocolates and was eating them.

“Wow. I had a really weird dream too!”
“Did everyone? Actually, I did too.”
“….”

Given the silence, it seemed Ryu Bora must have had a similar dream.

“What kind of dream did you have?”

Kim Geum answered my question first.

“I was working as a solo artist. I was performing alone as a rapper…. It felt so strange.”
“It felt strange?”
“Of course. And in the dream, I was even saying I didn’t want to be an idol.”

Hmm.
This dream….
It seems like that memory from when I first met her.

“So how do you feel now? Do you still not want to be an idol?”
“Are you joking? It’s my calling. If anyone disagrees, I’m renewing my StillBlue contract until the day I die.”
“Why are you renewing on your own terms?”

While Ryu Bora and Kim Geum bickered.
I accepted the Eon drink that Seo Baek-young handed me and took a sip.

“What about you, unnie? What did you dream about? A nightmare like Geum?”
“Hm?”
“What did you dream about? A nightmare like Geum’s?”
“Well… was it a nightmare?”

Seo Baek-young let out a soft laugh.
It was an enigmatic smile—impossible to read.

“It seemed like a pleasant dream.”
“It was pleasant?”

Watching her, I felt like I was dying.
So Seo Baek-young found it amusing.
I could only grumble to myself.

“Yeah. In the dream, I think I met someone I was really happy to see. But I can’t remember who it was.”
“Someone you were happy to see?”
“Yes. Someone came to find me, and I felt so glad to see them. Even though I didn’t know them. Isn’t that strange?”

I didn’t respond.
So that’s how it was.
No wonder she welcomed them so brightly.
Still, you.
No matter what world you’re thrown into, you only see the good in it.

“What about Bora?”
“I’m not sure.”

Ryu Bora seemed reluctant to answer, her words trailing off.

“It was just… a strange dream.”
“What was strange about it?”

Through the car’s rearview mirror, I could see Ryu Bora gazing out the window.

“It was just… like everything was fulfilled, but then I felt like I’d lost everything again.”
“What do you mean by that?”

Ryu Bora shrugged.

“I’ve always wondered vaguely about it. What if I hadn’t debuted? What if I’d just… kept running away?”

Everyone held their breath, listening intently to Ryu Bora’s words.

“There was a time when I just wanted to live quietly. I didn’t understand what all of this meant—what this love I’m receiving right now truly signifies.”

Perhaps they had all imagined it once.
What if I hadn’t debuted.
If that had been the case.
What would have happened.

“But… you know. That kind of life… it wasn’t as appealing as I thought.”
“Why?”
“It would be quiet, but… that wasn’t the destiny I was meant to walk.”

Ryu Bora didn’t turn her head, only casting her gaze toward me.
There was a peculiar smile in that look.

“So I just thought, what a dog’s dream. A dream worse than reality. That kind of thing is for dogs and—”
“Whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa. There’s a minor listening.”

Kim Geum pretended to cover the ears of Yeon Ju-hong, the only minor present, and giggled.

“Are you seriously treating me like a kid just because I’m the only minor here?! Six hours ago, I was a minor too!”
“But now you’re the only one. I can drink now.”
“Plus, I’m a free woman now.”

Ryu Bora and Kim Geum’s chemistry was surprisingly good.

“How can you all say that to me?!?!”
“Chung-chung. On the way, let’s grab a beer or something—”
“We made a promise. We all agreed to abstain until Ju-hong turns twenty.”
“Ugh. The leader’s favoritism toward the maknae, ugh.”

Kim Geum protested timidly.
Seo Baek-young slipped in a comment.

“What kind of dream did Ju-hong have?”
“It was a complete nightmare. It wasn’t just some silly dream!”
“Why?”

Yeon Ju-hong huffed and stuffed a handful of candies into her mouth.

“In that dream, I couldn’t eat any candy or jelly. How could anyone live like that?! No matter how famous you are, I don’t want such a bleak life.”

Yeon Ju-hong slipped a piece of jelly to Seo Baek-young and added,

“…And you guys weren’t there either, which made me sad.”
“Is that so, our Ju-hong?”

Seo Baek-young laughed and accepted the jelly.

“Give me one more, and let’s give some to Yun Chung too.”
“Sure thing.”

Yeon Ju-hong handed an entire bag to Seo Baek-young.

“I bought this for you guys to eat!”
“Oh, how thoughtful.”

As they all chattered away with laughter,
light began seeping through the car window.

“Oh no. Chung-chung. The sun must be rising.”
“I told you we should have left earlier!”
“What’s so special about the sunrise? You can search it online and watch it in real-time.”
“The weather is clear, so we can see it well.”

In the middle of the Highway.
The sun itself wasn’t visible, but the light it cast was unmistakably felt in that moment.

“Everyone, make a wish quickly! A wish!”
“Everyone knows that saying your wish out loud makes it invalid. It has to be kept secret.”
“Hmm, I don’t have any more wishes now….”
“….”

Looking in the room mirror, I could see everyone with their eyes tightly shut and hands clasped together in prayer.
Each of them was making their own wish.
I couldn’t close my eyes or clasp my hands together.
But in my heart, I made the same wish as my members.
Forever.
I want to be happy like this forever.

***

“Y-you said I won the Grand Prize?!”

Da-hwin stammered in shock.

“A-and this year, no less?!”

I explained everything that had happened to Da-hwin.
Da-hwin was left speechless, stuttering incoherently.

“Yeah. I won the Grand Prize. Specifically at the Platinum Music Awards. The only silver lining is they didn’t specify whether it’s for the digital release or the physical album, so at least I have two options.”

Da-hwin’s mouth fell open in astonishment.

“In your second year of debut… h-how could you win the Grand Prize so suddenly…?”
“Well, technically I’m in my third year now. Either way… I have to win it, so what else can I do?”

Da-hwin shook her head vigorously.

“Senior, you’re… really strong…”
“Huh?”
“If it were me… I think I would’ve just run away.”

Ah.
I lowered my gaze and nodded in agreement.
Yeah, it wasn’t without its burden.

“Da-hwin wouldn’t have run away either.”
“Pardon?”
“Because the members matter. They’re precious.”
“!”
“Abandoning people like that—it sounds simple in theory. But in reality, it’s anything but.”

Da-hwin’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I know. It wasn’t easy for me to leave my members behind either.”

It would’ve been easier if I just suffered a little more myself.

“That’s… well, yes…”
“And you’re far stronger than you think. Don’t entertain such thoughts.”
“Yes…”

I exhaled deeply.

“Anyway, I can’t buy items anymore.”
“What?!”
“Cotton Ball Entity said so. In exchange for me having everything, I won’t be able to use other privileges anymore.”

Originally, things like points and items were
miracles that Cotton Ball Entity created by converting the energy it should have consumed itself.
In other words, it was doing me a favor.
Of course, the energy it consumed came from what we created in the first place…

Cotton Ball

I gave you this much, wasn’t that enough?

What more do you want?

You contractor with no conscience, no integrity

Achieve your target with your own strength

Doing this alone?
It’s absurd.
I’m not alone.
I have four other members.
Cotton Ball Entity said it had expended far too much power merging the two worlds, so it wouldn’t be able to manifest for a while.
For the time being, we could only communicate through phone.
Well, I had no desire to see that face anyway.
It didn’t matter.
The problem was that Cotton Ball Entity’s abilities had diminished significantly, affecting the other contractors as well.
Honestly, BurnAsh and the other contractors weren’t my concern.
But I was worried about Da-hwin, so I came to find her directly.

“Well, either way. We don’t need that.”
“But….”

Da-hwin looked at me with anxious eyes.

“Aren’t you uneasy? About what might happen….”
“Hmm?”

I tilted my head in confusion.

“No. I’m not particularly uneasy. After all… I still have ten years of memories intact. For the next eight years or so, won’t I have the advantage?”

I laughed lightly.

“It’s not like I’ve only inhabited one target before….”
“Ugh.”

Da-hwin clutched her head in despair.

“I… I only have two years left now…. What do I do…?!”
“Ah, that.”

That was exactly what I came to check on.

“Has the awards ceremony been decided yet?”
“Um…. Let me check!”

Da-hwin quickly turned on her phone to check.

“It doesn’t seem like there’s any such rule…!”
“Really? Then problem solved. You can just board from different places.”
“…!”
“Let’s give it our best shot.”

I rose from my seat.

“Let me know if you need help.”
“Um, senior…!”
“Hmm?”
“W-well….”

Da-hwin grabbed my arm, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

“What is it?”
“In that other world… what was I doing…?”

Ah.
So that’s what was bothering her.

“You were doing well.”
“Pardon?”

When I returned as Baek Nok-ha.
I spent about a year in that world.
During that time, I learned many things.
The current status of the members, and just to be safe, Da-hwin’s status as well.
After meeting Kim Geum.
I finally mustered up the courage one last time to investigate Yun Chung’s current situation, but.
It seemed that Yun Chung after the contract was marked as ‘missing.’
There was no record of her anywhere.

“There was an audition program where idols who were unlucky enough not to debut got a second chance… and you won first place there.”
“!”
“No matter what world you’re in, you were doing well. So don’t be afraid.”

I patted Da-hwin’s back gently.

“So from now on, I’ll treat you as a legitimate competitor.”
“Huff, huff, huff.”
“Fighting.”

I’m sorry, Da-hwin.
But now my own survival is at stake.
I need to win the Daesang too.
Delaying StillBlue’s retirement by three more years is just too much….
I don’t know what the members are thinking.
I can’t keep them from retiring either.

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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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