Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 226

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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 18.

“I think I can find a successor.”

At Baek Ju-ha’s words, I blinked rapidly.

“Already?”

I’d thought we’d need to wait at least a few months.
Did she hire a search firm or something?

“It wasn’t easy. Really. But this person is reliable, so you can trust them.”
“How did you manage that?”

Seeing how completely exhausted Baek Ju-ha looked, I had a sudden intuition that this time it was real.
Until now, Baek Ju-ha had shown me several résumés in her own way, but I’d deferred all decisions to her.
I believed her judgment would be more accurate than mine.

“I asked my mother.”
!

Baek Ju-ha’s mother was the representative of All Season, one of the three major entertainment agencies.
But I’d heard their relationship wasn’t good.
Had they made up?

“Don’t look at me like you’re dying of curiosity. We didn’t reconcile.”
“Then what is it?”
“…We just made a deal, that’s all.”
“A deal?”

Hmm.
I smiled knowingly.

“So you said you’d take over the company someday?”
“You’re seriously uncanny. How do you always read people’s minds like that?”
“It’s a talent.”

To be honest, it’s less about talent and more about having spent so much time by Baek Ju-ha’s side that I understand everything without even looking.

“Aren’t you making too great a sacrifice because of us?”
“That’s not it.”

Baek Ju-ha cut through the question decisively.

“…I did think at some point that I wanted to inherit this too. I just didn’t want to admit it.”

Baek Ju-ha’s mother was truly a capable woman. She’d risen from absolute nothing to become the president of All Season, a major entertainment agency.
Every bit of that had been accomplished through her own strength alone.
But she was equally harsh and cold. Because of that, Baek Ju-ha had despised the very concept of a mother all the way into adulthood.
…Though it seemed she was beginning to understand now.

“Now that you’ve sat in the representative’s seat yourself, your perspective has changed a bit, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah.”

Baek Ju-ha exhaled a long sigh.

“I couldn’t understand why Mom was always like ‘let’s fight, bring it on’ with that attitude, but now that I’m in this position, I get it. You can’t survive here without that mindset.”
“Everyone’s trying to tear you apart from all sides.”

Yun Chung nodded in agreement.

“If you ever decide to transfer somewhere else… I’ll be sad about it, but I’ll send you off.”

I’d definitely be sad, but since I wanted Baek Ju-ha to be happy,
I could let her go without a single regret.

“Hey, transferring is still a long way off. For now, I need to stay here until you guys retire.”
“We’re not retiring.”
“Huh?”
“And even if we did retire, I have no intention of staying here until then.”
“Well, that’s… definitely the right call.”

Baek Ju-ha nodded seriously in agreement.

“Who’s your successor?”
“Someone who served as a director at All Season for a long time. I can vouch for their abilities. But….”
“There’s something bothering you about them?”
“…They’re a bit… unconventional….”
“…?”

One eccentric was more than enough for this company—and that was Hong President.
Yun Chung’s expression grew clouded.

“In a way, they’re very similar to Hong President. They’re actually friends, too.”
“I see.”

Was I supposed to be happy about this or not?

“…Well, first we should talk to Hong President. His opinion is ultimately what matters most.”

Without Hong President’s approval, the appointment would be impossible anyway.
Currently, Hong President was living however he pleased under the guise of serving as the representative of Colors’ United States division.
In reality, the staff below handled all the actual work, while he simply focused on music.
…Regardless, Hong President held absolute ownership of Colors’ shares, so all decision-making authority rested with him.
It had only been temporarily transferred to Baek Ju-ha.

“Right. The meeting’s coming up soon, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“It’s nighttime in LA right now, isn’t it?”
“9 PM.”
“Hong President probably just woke up.”
“…Definitely.”

The two of them exhaled long sighs and switched on the large monitor in the conference room.
Shortly after, Hong President appeared on screen, rubbing his eyes and sighing deeply.

-It’s been a while, everyone…. Ugh, I’m dying…

Hong President stretched and shifted around, his face bearing the unmistakable marks of a hangover.

“Are you still hungover?”
-Do you know anything about music? Do you understand this agony of creation that can’t happen without alcohol?
“….”

I had no idea how to respond to that.
I dismissed it lightly.

“I found a successor.”
-Already?
“Yes. Someone who’s worked at All Season for a long time—”
-Don’t tell me it’s Seo Han-jin?

At Hong President’s words, Baek Ju-ha’s eyes widened slightly.

“You’re quite perceptive, aren’t you?”
-Get lost.
“?!”

Wait, why?
You said they were friends, the two of them?
I looked at Hong President with a puzzled expression.

“I heard the two of you were friends—”
-Friends? We cut ties a hundred thousand years ago.
“Ah, yes. I understand, but there’s no one else with this level of talent—”
-No one? There’s someone.
“…?”

Hong President chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

-Me.
“….”
“….”

After that, silence hung over the conference room for a long time.

“That won’t work.”

I said it firmly and decisively.

-Why?
“You need to stay in the United States right now.”
-So, why is that?

Hong President asked with a very skeptical expression.

“We’d like to expand our fanbase in the United States.”
“!”

This statement seemed to surprise Baek Ju-ha as well, her eyes widening with astonishment.

“Since you’ve been at the U.S. branch, I’m aware that significantly more budget has been allocated and resources have been invested in that direction. The recent success of BurnAsh in America can’t be entirely disconnected from your influence.”

I continued speaking calmly.

“That’s why we need your help. Not in South Korea, but in the United States.”

This was genuine.
After all, Hong President had been building an enormous network while taking what he called a “music” working vacation in America.
In a country where connections were absolutely vital, that network had opened countless doors for him.

‘Han Jae-i mentioned it. Hong President has surprisingly extensive connections and got us slots on several American broadcasting programs.’

And I’d heard that it had been quite helpful.
So Hong President needed to stay in America for now.
Honestly, I wouldn’t have cared much under normal circumstances, but with a mission on the line, it mattered.

-Well, I’ve done pretty well here, haven’t I?

Hong President’s expression became smug, clearly pleased with my words.

-But here’s the thing—there’s a problem.
“What kind of problem?”
-I want to go back to South Korea.
“!”

Hong President wore his characteristically inscrutable smile.

-I’m tired of America.

***

After having a serious discussion with Hong President.
Yun Chung and Baek Ju-ha stepped out of the Conference Room.

“Well… we can’t stop him from coming to South Korea.”
“But he’s not coming right away, is he? He said he’d think about it after staying for about two weeks….”
“So we need to change his mind in the meantime.”

Just thinking about having to deal with that capricious man again gave me a headache.

“I’ll think about it more too. For now, you focus on the next album. Geum said she might be able to make a comeback, right?”
“…She still needs time to adjust, but yes. She said if she works hard on rehabilitation, a comeback seems possible.”
“That’s great news. So you all focus on the music. Got it?”
“…Yes, unnie.”

Baek Ju-ha left, mentioning she had another meeting, and as Yun Chung slowly walked down the Company hallway, she noticed one of the Studio rooms had its light on and tilted her head in confusion.
Not many people used the Studio at Label 3.
BurnAsh had left the country recently, and at StillBlue, besides me or Geum….
There shouldn’t be anyone.
Even if Kim Geum had recovered, she couldn’t have already started working on songs.
Curious, I quietly peeked through the small window of the lit Studio.

“!”

My eyes widened in shock, and I immediately opened the Studio door.

“Ju-hong?”
“!!”

At my call, Yeon Ju-hong turned around with the expression of someone caught doing something wrong.

“W-Chung-chung…?”
“Are you… composing right now?”

At my question, Yeon Ju-hong rolled her eyes for a while before nodding.

“I’m, I’m just tinkering around… sort of?”

At that timid response, I immediately approached Yeon Ju-hong—

“Thank you.”

I pulled her into a sudden embrace.

“Huh?!”
“I really mean it. Thank you.”
“W-what, what, what is this?!!”

Now I wouldn’t have to worry about being overworked alone anymore…!
Tears welled up slightly in Yun Chung’s eyes.
StillBlue, composition talent +1.

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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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