Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 246

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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 38.

Inside the Studio.

‘…I need to arrange this well.’

The Coachella Festival was fundamentally different from all the stages I’d performed on before.
It was rare to stand before an audience this massive, and since the festival atmosphere in the United States differed from that in South Korea, I had to account for that in my arrangement.

‘The most important thing is… I need to arrange it so the members’ talents aren’t buried, but instead shine through.’

Before StillBlue, there had been quite a few idols who performed at major international festivals like this.
However, the results weren’t always favorable.
A stage receiving this much attention was a double-edged sword.
Do well and it’s a massive success, do poorly and….

‘If our live performance is even slightly lacking, or if we show any inexperience in drawing the crowd’s enthusiasm, we’ll face brutal criticism.’

StillBlue mostly hasn’t had much experience performing in front of people who don’t know me.
Even when we’ve done local events, we’ve only ever faced audiences where at least some people recognized me.
But… at Coachella, it was right to assume that most people simply wouldn’t know us.
Even in that cold reception, I had to maintain my composure and not waver.

‘…It’s about time I did a mid-check on the members’ mental state.’

Lost in such thoughts,

“Chung-chung.”

I turned around at the sound of someone calling my name.

“Oh, Bora.”

I glanced at Ryu Bora, then at the digital clock hanging on the studio wall.
3:30 in the morning.
What was she doing here at this hour?
StillBlue was currently enjoying their final vacation before diving into rehearsals for the Coachella Festival stage, so they rarely came to the Company.
I had been resting too, but the thought that something terrible would happen if I let Hong President’s antics continue drove me here.

“What are you doing here at this hour instead of sleeping?”
“That’s what I should be asking you, Yun Chung.”
“I was tinkering with some arrangements. If I rest too long, I lose my touch.”
“Two weeks is a long rest? How are we supposed to actually rest when you’re working like this?”

Ryu Bora looked at me with reproachful eyes.
I felt ashamed.

“My body gets restless. You know this is how I rest.”
“…”

Ryu Bora let out a short sigh, then flopped down onto the sofa in the corner of the studio.

“Did something worry you?”

Was it that obvious?
I scratched my head.

“I always have something to worry about.”
“Sometimes I think… you’re like…”
“Hmm?”
“Like you’re living in a completely different world by yourself.”
“!”

The remark hit too close to home. Instead of responding, I quickly closed my mouth and simply maintained my expression.

“You’ve always been like that. From the beginning. Executing everything perfectly, without a single flaw… like a god.”
“I don’t think it’s quite that extreme.”
“That’s how it seems to me.”

The Cotton Ball Entity had certainly performed many miracles in various ways.
I quietly observed Ryu Bora.

“So. You hate that I’m like this?”
“Yes.”
“Ouch.”

I didn’t expect such a direct blow to land like that.

“At first, I disliked you because you seemed like someone who would leave us soon.”
“….”
“Now… that feeling of you leaving has faded quite a bit, but instead, I find myself wondering if you’ll exhaust yourself and collapse from being alone.”

In Ryu Bora’s eyes, a quiet whirlwind swirled.

“There are so many people around you who want to support you and help you.”
“….”
“But you don’t rely on any of them at all. You might accept help or depend on them in terms of ability. However… emotionally, it seems like you don’t do that at all.”

Is that so?
My heart….
For the first time, Yun Chung thought about her own heart in response to Ryu Bora’s words.
It was true—I had never emotionally depended on anyone.
But it wasn’t intentional; I simply never needed that kind of dependence.

“It’s because I’ve never relied on anyone before.”
“!”
“Baek-young and Bora keep asking me to lean on them.”

For the first time, Yun Chung laid bare her honest feelings.

“I don’t really understand what that is or how to do it.”

…And as I said that, I was catching my breath.

“You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“!!!”

Such harsh words, from us… from our girl?!
Yun Chung looked at Ryu Bora in bewilderment, doubting her own ears.

“Sister, do you think I’ve ever taken a special lecture on how to depend on others?”
“Well, I doubt that’s the case….”
“Or maybe you’re such an incredibly dependable person that I just naturally relied on you the moment I saw you?”
“That… that’s probably not it either….”
“If I show you the method, will you do it?”
“Huh?”
“You said you can’t do it because you don’t know how. So if I show you the method, you’ll be able to do it.”
“Huh?”

Does it work that way?
My pupils trembled uncontrollably.

“I’ll show you the method.”

Ryu Bora grabbed my chair and pulled it directly in front of her.

“Tell me what you’re hiding right now.”
“!!”
“A person can only learn to depend on others once they properly understand their own weaknesses.”

Right, Bora….
I’m grateful for the crash course and all, but….

“This is terrifying, honestly….”

I was genuinely scared just now.
I stared at Ryu Bora, whose wide eyes were fixed intently on me.
…My weaknesses.
So she wants me to talk about those first.

“My weakness is all of you.”
“!”
“I can say without fear that I’m not afraid of being attacked, belittled, hurt, or in pain—I’d even say I welcome it.”

As I spoke, it was actually Ryu Bora who seemed to be the one exposing her own vulnerability.

“But when I imagine you all going through that, my chest tightens, I get irritated, and I become angry.”
“….”
“That’s why I do this. Because I hate feeling that tightness, that irritation, that anger.”

Because I hate seeing you all hurt, in pain, and falling.

“When I stumble and struggle, it doesn’t really bother me. But just imagining you all stumbling and struggling makes me furious—I want to tear everything apart.”
“!”
“Just the thought of it makes me want to explode everything.”

This was the first time I’d laid bare my feelings so intensely.
Truly the first time.
In my entire life.

“I don’t know why. My heart just feels this way. So before I lose my temper, I’m the one who stumbles first.”

Before speaking, even I didn’t know these emotions and feelings existed within me.
But once I let them out, everything became crystal clear.
I truly care about these people from the bottom of my heart.
With everything I have to give.

“My heart is too narrow for that. Because I can’t be magnanimous, just the thought of it makes me—”

In that moment.
Ryu Bora suddenly wrapped her arms around me.

“!”

Oh.
Even then, I had that thought.
Did my words just now hurt her?

“Unnie.”
“Hm?”
“You’re human after all.”
“Huh?”

At those words, I blinked in surprise before letting out a soft laugh.

“Well, of course I’m human. What else would I be?”
“A machine.”
“…I suppose I do seem more like a composition machine.”
“But unnie.”

Ryu Bora released her arms from around me and stepped back.

“There’s one more thing.”
“What?”
“Something you’re hiding from us.”
“!”

Ah, this girl.

“Tell me.”

She’s persistent.

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I won’t tell anyone. But I think…”

Ryu Bora smiled calmly.

“That you’ll only be able to lean on someone if you tell them.”
“….”
“And then you’ll be able to share that frustrating feeling too.”

The way Ryu Bora spoke certainly sounded like a little devil’s whisper.

“…I suppose.”

Yet I couldn’t help but recognize that her heart was the complete opposite of a devil’s.

“It’s a very long story. Very long indeed.”

I began to slowly open the door where secrets had been locked away.

“But before I tell you, you need to make me a promise. One you can never break.”
“I will.”
“After you hear my story, you have to promise you’ll never make the same choice I did.”
“…!”
“Otherwise, I can never open my heart to you.”

It’s completely different from leaning on Seo Baek-young.
This time… it’s something more than that, something confessional.

“…I promise you.”

From that promise Ryu Bora made.
Yun Chung began a long story.
A very long one.

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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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