Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 209

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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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Episode 1.

“Geum.”

Yun Chung knocked on Kim Geum’s door. Then she slipped a pre-written note through the crack.

We all made beef porridge together. I put in all your favorite cuts of meat.

On the tray Yun Chung held was a steaming bowl of porridge, freshly prepared.
The wisps of steam rising from it spoke volumes of the care that had gone into making it.

You don’t have to come out. Let’s just eat. I’ll leave it here. There’s medicine next to the porridge, so please take it together.

Yun Chung slipped another note through the door crack and set the tray down in front of it.
She tried to step back and give Kim Geum space to come out and retrieve the dish whenever she was ready.
But she couldn’t bring herself to leave just yet. She hesitated for a moment, then scribbled more words on the remaining paper.

I know you’re upset. I know you need some time alone.

Yun Chung continued to choose her words carefully, deliberating over each one. What could she possibly say that would truly comfort her?
Her mind felt blank, as if drained of all thought. Yet she couldn’t say nothing. Kim Geum had already become far too precious to her.

Still… I hope you know that we’re always by your side. You don’t have to carry all of this alone.

She meant every word.
And if only this sincerity could reach her, she would do anything.
Yun Chung stared at the door that seemed like it would never open, then turned and left.

“….”

As she stepped outside the Dormitory, three members stood waiting with worried expressions. They all looked like they’d been anxiously waiting, even without saying a word.

“Did Geum come out?!”

Yeon Ju-hong grabbed Yun Chung’s arm the moment she appeared and asked.

“…No. For now, the kid needs to eat, so I gave her space. I thought maybe she’d feel more comfortable eating without us around.”

At those words, the three members immediately showed signs of disappointment. Of course, they tried their best not to let it show, but Yun Chung saw right through them.

“That’s right, you did well. What matters now isn’t us seeing Geum, but Geum’s health. I left the medicine next to the porridge, so Geum will eat it.”
“…We’ll just have to wait and see.”

I answered Seo Baek-young with only that.
I didn’t want to give the members false hope. It wouldn’t be good for Kim Geum either.

“That’s pathetic.”
“!”

At Ryu Bora’s words, the other three members’ eyes widened.

“What’s the big deal that she’s suffering alone like this? I don’t understand it.”
“Bora.”
“It’s not like she’ll never recover. I don’t get why she’s acting like this. Does she think we’ll abandon her? What’s the big deal?”

Bora’s face showed her emotions openly—a rare sight.

“She’s probably not acting like this because she thinks we’ll abandon her.”

Baek-young placed a hand on Bora’s shoulder.

“You know Geum’s personality. She’s probably thinking she’ll be a burden to us….”
“That’s exactly why it doesn’t make sense. Who does she think she is to be a burden to us?”

Bora irritably shook off Baek-young’s hand and turned away.

“I’m leaving. I can’t stand being here anymore. Can’t we just break down that door? It’s wood, so it should break easily.”
“Ryu Bora.”

I stepped in front of Ryu Bora, blocking her path.

“Where are you going in that state?”
“Anywhere. I can’t breathe in here. Can’t we just smash that door? It’s wood, so it should break right away.”

…Why does she keep getting more aggressive?
I was taken aback for a moment, but then I shook my head.

“You know how Geum is. The fact that she, who doesn’t usually do this, locked the door like that means she really does need time.”
“God, this is so frustrating.”

Ryu Bora ran her hand roughly through her hair.

“I’m just going to head to the Practice Room.”
“Let’s go together.”
“No.”

…Ryu Bora refusing Yun Chung?
This time, it was Seo Baek-young and Yeon Ju-hong who were taken aback.
What do we do? She really must be in a terrible mood.

“Sister…”

Yeon Ju-hong watched Ryu Bora’s expression carefully. On Ju-hong’s face flickered a desperate plea for her sister not to leave like this.

“It’s not just Kim Geum who needs time alone. I need it too.”

Unable to hold her back when she spoke like that, I eventually let Bora go.
And so only Seo Baek-young, myself, and Yeon Ju-hong remained in front of the Dormitory.

“Let’s head inside as well.”

I said that and opened the door to the house right next to the Dormitory I’d just come out of.
Currently, StillBlue had split the Dormitory into two: Kim Geum and Ryu Bora lived in one house, while Seo Baek-young, myself, and Yeon Ju-hong lived together in the other.
As the members continued their activities, each of them accumulated so much luggage, and we all felt the need for more personal space.
Though in the end, since it was just the house next door, it wasn’t really that different from living all together.
After letting Seo Baek-young and Yeon Ju-hong into the Dormitory first, I glanced at Kim Geum’s house door.
The door still showed no sign of opening.
Today was July 30th.
It had been ten days since Kim Geum lost her hearing due to sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
And it had been a week since Kim Geum last stepped outside her door.

***

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss struck Kim Geum while StillBlue was preparing their next album after completing their Japan concert.
That day, like any other, Yun Chung and Kim Geum were in the studio at dawn, experimenting with various melodies.
Colors had also decided it was time for StillBlue to release their second full-length album, so both of them were intensely focused on composing.
It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was harder than ever before. Reaching career highs with each comeback was genuinely gratifying, but it also meant enduring tremendous pressure.
If their performance dipped even slightly, there would be countless people ready to tear into them about a downward trend.
So despite already demonstrating remarkable achievements, StillBlue continued to suffer under the relentless demand for more, more, and more.
Especially from within Colors itself.
Then, suddenly.

“What did you just do?”
“What do you mean? I just played you this melody.”

Kim Geum stared at Yun Chung with a dazed expression.

“Chung-chung.”
“Hmm?”
“Something feels wrong.”
“What is?”
“Why do my ears suddenly feel so clogged?”

At first, I couldn’t understand what Kim Geum was saying.
I thought maybe she was just overworking herself.
But I was more sensitive to the members’ health than anyone else. So I immediately called Baek Ju-ha.

“Unnie. Can you come here for a moment? I think Geum needs to go to the hospital.”
-Geum? Why? Is she injured?! Did she collapse?!
“No.”

I squeezed Kim Geum’s trembling hand reassuringly.

“Something seems to be wrong with Geum’s ears.”

At the Emergency Room, they immediately admitted her, saying her symptoms appeared to be sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Only then did I learn that sudden sensorineural hearing loss was classified as an emergency condition because the golden hour was critical.
Once Kim Geum received her diagnosis, the members, out of concern, each researched what sudden sensorineural hearing loss was.
They learned that the cause couldn’t be pinpointed with certainty, that there were cases where it never fully recovered, and that some people lost their hearing permanently.
Knowing how terrifying that information must sound to Kim Geum, none of the members dared speak carelessly.
If she lost her hearing, it would make music difficult, and then Kim Geum would….
All the members knew how vital music was in Kim Geum’s life.

“I should have been the one who got sick instead.”
“Bora.”

While Kim Geum was in the consultation room, the members all grew serious at what Ryu Bora had said.

“Don’t say things like that. No one should get this disease.”
“But Kim Geum is different. She’s such an idiot that she knows nothing but music and can’t do anything else.”
“….”
“I can just live without hearing, but she can’t.”

With each word Ryu Bora spoke, the members’ expressions grew darker.

“Did you see her face just now? Kim Geum, that girl who’s so clueless and foolish that without her boldness she’d be a corpse… I’ve never seen her look so terrified.”
“She’ll get better with treatment. The doctor said so too. If we catch it early, the chances of recovery are high.”
“….”
“Bora, I know you’re anxious too, but right now the most important thing is making sure Geum doesn’t feel more anxious. All of you absolutely cannot show any signs of worry. We need to act like she’ll obviously get better—”

The moment Yun Chung spoke firmly to the members.
The consultation room door opened and Kim Geum emerged, gripping Baek Ju-ha’s hand tightly.

“Geum!”

The members rushed toward Kim Geum without thinking the moment they saw her.
And the instant they saw the members’ faces—

“!”

A single tear dropped from Kim Geum’s eyes.
The members, turning pale at the sight of her tears, instinctively embraced Kim Geum.
It was a purely instinctive gesture.

“My, my… my ears feel so stuffy and I can’t hear well….”
“We know, we know….”

The moment Kim Geum was held by the members, the tears she’d been holding back burst forth and she began to cry heavily.

“But, the doctor keeps saying… I might never hear again, sob, be careful, and… wailing….”
“No. Geum. You’ll get better with proper treatment. Don’t think like that.”
“That’s right! The doctor was just speaking strongly because she was worried you might overdo it!”

No matter how much I tried to soothe her, the sobs kept pouring out—a broken, breathless weeping.
The other members felt tears threatening to spill as they watched Kim Geum cry, but they all held them back.
Yun Chung’s words from moments before echoed in their minds—that we had to reassure Kim Geum, that we had to be the ones to calm her.

“It’s okay, Geum.”

Seo Baek-young wiped away Kim Geum’s tears as she spoke.

“We’ll always be right here beside you. Always.”

In that moment, the members’ gazes converged above Kim Geum’s bowed head. And in that instant, they made their resolve.
Yes, that was it.
The four of them would be here, no matter what came—they would stay, without fail.

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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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