Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 47

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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 47.

Jo Hee-on finally sprinkled peanut powder over Yun Chung’s chicken breast.
The only complication was that, given the early hour, it had taken some time to procure the peanut powder.
So it was 6 a.m. when Jo Hee-on sprinkled the peanut powder.
Fortunately, no one was awake at that hour.
Kim Ryeo-yu had already retreated to her room at 3 a.m.
Only Jo Hee-on had managed to return to the Dormitory at 6 a.m.
Jo Hee-on hesitated even as she sprinkled the peanut powder, but ultimately went through with it.
However, she didn’t use all of what Director Kim had given her.
The thought that Yun Chung might actually die if she sprinkled a full handful had given her pause.
Just as she was about to turn away after sprinkling a modest amount,

Rustle.

A sound came from behind her.
My heart plummeted.
Jo Hee-on spun around, trembling, but there was no one there.
It seemed she must have misheard.
Jo Hee-on hastily placed the chicken breast in the refrigerator and hurried to her room.
The room she shared with Kim Ryeo-yu and Yeon Ju-hong.
Fortunately, both of them were sleeping deeply enough that Jo Hee-on’s entrance didn’t disturb them.
Jo Hee-on glared at Kim Ryeo-yu’s peaceful, sleeping face.
If only it weren’t for you.
At some point, Jo Hee-on’s anger had grown.
If only it weren’t for you.
And if only it weren’t for Yun Chung.

***

“…Where did Yun Chung go?”

10 a.m.
Jo Hee-on emerged from her room later than usual.
Most of the trainees were inside the Dormitory.
They were scheduled to go together for makeup at 11 a.m. in preparation for rehearsal.
But Yun Chung was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, Yun Chung.”

Kim Geum answered with a frown creasing her face.

“She wasn’t feeling well, so she went to the Hospital.”

!
Finally.
Jo Hee-on suppressed her heart, which seemed ready to crumble, and asked again.

“Not feeling well? What’s wrong with her?”
“I’m not sure. When I woke up, she’d already gone to the Hospital because she wasn’t feeling well. She just left a message and went.”

How sick could she be?
Jo Hee-on began to worry.
At that moment, Jo Hee-on’s eyes met Kim Ryeo-yu’s.
Kim Ryeo-yu’s eyes were brimming with delight.

“Yun Chung seems really sick.”

Then Ryu Bora chimed in.

“She woke up early and went to the Hospital alone before anyone else got up.”
“What’s wrong with her?”

Jo Hee-on asked with a trembling voice.

“I’m not really sure either.”
“Oh no, is our Yun Chung in serious trouble?”

Yeon Ju-hong spoke from behind while brushing her teeth.

“I don’t know. Will she be back before filming starts? It’s going to begin soon.”

Seo Baek-young also spoke with concern in her voice.

“Today’s filming is fine, we can skip a day. But tomorrow is our mission Stage day.”

Lee Gyeong-a, who had been listening quietly, spoke.

“Yun Chung needs to be completely recovered by then. Her role is really important.”
“Does anyone have contact with Yun Chung?”

Ryu Bora asked the other trainees.
But they all shook their heads.
No one could reach her.
Just as worry began to cloud the trainees’ faces,

“Did everyone sleep well?”

Oh PD and Kang Writer arrived.

“We’ll shoot one scene here this morning, then you’ll get makeup done before moving into rehearsal.”
“Yes!”

A few staff members came with them. The moment the trainees nodded, the staff began setting up the shoot.
Once the setup was complete, Oh PD took his position.
The trainees, as if accustomed to this, huddled together across from him.

“Well, I’m sure you’re all surprised. Some of you may already know, but Yun Chung went to the Hospital this morning because she wasn’t feeling well.”
“!”

The cameras zoomed in on the shocked faces of the trainees.

“We’ll do the Vocal Team position at the very end of rehearsal. If Yun Chung can make it back by then, we’ll rehearse together. If she can’t, the three of you will run through it without her. Okay?”
“Yes….”

The Vocal Team’s expressions naturally darkened.
Lee Gyeong-a and Ryu Bora were worried, while Jo Hee-on was tense and afraid.

“But what’s wrong with Yun Chung? Is it serious?”

Yeon Ju-hong raised her hand and asked.

“It’s not serious. Her throat is just a bit swollen.”
“Her throat?!”

For a singer, the voice is life itself.
Especially when facing such a crucial performance.

“She’s on an IV and resting well, so it should be fine. They said it’s nothing serious.”

Yet the trainees’ worry showed no signs of fading.
All except Kim Ryeo-yu.
Jo Hee-on’s and Kim Ryeo-yu’s eyes met.
Kim Ryeo-yu was clearly smiling. Her eyes crinkled at the corners.

“Oh, that’s right.”

Oh PD scratched the back of his head vigorously.

“By any chance, did any trainees leave their rooms between 3 and 7 yesterday?”
“Pardon?”

Oh PD’s expression suggested he found this somewhat troublesome.

“We’re supposed to turn off the cameras during that time slot, but our youngest staff member forgot. So the cameras were left running. The bedroom cameras weren’t on, but the hallway, living room, and kitchen cameras were all recording.”

At those words, the color drained from both their faces.

“So I’m asking—if anyone happened to go outside in inappropriate clothing during that time, we can check with Kang Writer here and delete the footage. Just tell me now.”

None of the trainees raised their hand.
But Jo Hee-on’s hands trembled visibly.
The cameras were rolling at that time?
Right when I put the peanut powder in Yun Chung’s food?
Jo Hee-on looked at Kim Ryeo-yu with desperate eyes.
Eyes that silently pleaded: what do we do?
But Kim Ryeo-yu only averted her gaze.
As if this had nothing to do with her.

“No one? Then we’ll move on.”

I have to raise my hand.
I have to get that footage deleted.
But… but.
What excuse could I possibly give?
What could I say to ask them to delete that video?

***

Yun Chung didn’t show up for rehearsal either.
Even after all the teams finished their rehearsals, Yun Chung still hadn’t arrived.
In the end, the Vocal Team had to conduct rehearsal without Yun Chung.
Because Yun Chung hadn’t returned, the Vocal Team floundered, unsure how to proceed with rehearsal.

“If Yun Chung can’t make it tomorrow either, are we just supposed to leave a gap? Of course not. So the three of you need to split her parts among yourselves and try it out.”

Oh PD said this with a look that questioned why he even needed to ask something so obvious.
As an emergency measure, the three of them had to divide Yun Chung’s parts among themselves.
Naturally, it was a disaster.
After all, the concept of singing in pairs had been subtly shattered, so there was nothing to be done about it.
Inevitably, the Vocal Team was roiling with sadness and confusion.
In an instant, they’d plummeted from being the strongest championship contenders to last-place candidates.
With Yun Chung—the one most likely to be MVP of MVPs—absent, the situation had become even more dire.

“But this is too much.”

On the way home.
Silence hung heavy in the bus carrying the trainees.
For the first time in a while, cameras had followed them onto the bus, but even so.
The Vocal Team’s situation was pitiful for anyone to see.
In a moment where no one dared speak carelessly, Park Ha-eun opened her mouth.

“If it were me, no matter how much pain I was in, I would’ve come to rehearsal. Even if I couldn’t get makeup done—”
“Park Ha-eun.”

Kim Geum, who was on the same team as Park Ha-eun, immediately frowned.

“We don’t even know the full situation with Yun Chung. You shouldn’t just throw out words like that when we don’t know what’s going on.”

Especially not with cameras around like this.
Kim Geum gave Park Ha-eun a pointed look.
But Park Ha-eun didn’t seem inclined to hold her tongue.

“No, I’m saying this because I’m concerned. At the very least, couldn’t she let us know whether she can come tomorrow or not?”
“That’s fair.”

Kim Ryeo-yu added quietly.

“I understand Yun Chung’s situation, of course. But I think she could at least reach out. Oh PD said it’s not that serious a situation anyway.”
“Could it be that Yun Chung unnie….”

Shin Yu-hyeon started to speak, then closed her mouth, sensing the mood.

“What?”

Kim Ryeo-yu urged Shin Yu-hyeon on.

“Could she have run away? Even back when she first joined Colors….”
“Yu-hyeon, that’s enough.”

Seo Baek-young shook her head.
Shin Yu-hyeon immediately fell silent. Seo Baek-young remained an idol-like figure to all the trainees.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Kim Ryeo-yu’s eyes.
She knew what Shin Yu-hyeon was about to say.
Back when Yun Chung had just joined Colors.
There was an incident where she couldn’t properly participate in the end-of-month evaluation due to anxiety.
She’d locked herself in the bathroom, vomiting, and ultimately never came out.
All the trainees remembered that day.
Fortunately, it had been an individual evaluation rather than a team one, so it had been glossed over.
But by then, the trainees had already formed a fixed impression of Yun Chung.
Someone who could run away anytime.
A weak person.
Someone without responsibility.
That Yun Chung had changed considerably since Make a New Color began.
To the point where I wondered if this was really the same Yun Chung we knew.
Yet that initial impression, once formed, still lingered in everyone’s hearts.
She was someone who had done that once.
What if she did it again?
Seo Baek-young, sensing this unease, spoke again.

“The Vocal Team is definitely in a confusing and difficult situation. But since the Vocal Team members are staying quiet, let’s not add our own commentary.”

Just as it seemed Seo Baek-young’s words would finally settle things.

“You’re right, unnie. We’re not even on the Vocal Team, so we shouldn’t speak carelessly.”

Kim Ryeo-yu asked.

“So the Vocal Team is doing fine?”

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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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