Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 49

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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 49.

“What?”

My heart sank with a sickening lurch.
No, surely not. Surely not.

“I mean, why are you asking that? You didn’t eat anything from our refrigerator anyway.”
“Still, that’s… I’m worried—”

Oh PD was grinning like he knew something.

“What, did you poison the food or something? Why are you so nervous?”
“What?”
“Why are you being so uptight?”

Oh PD chuckled.

“With a heart that timid, how will you survive long in the entertainment industry?”
“Oh PD.”

Kang Writer shot Oh PD another disapproving look.
Oh PD just shrugged.

“Even if you were poisoned, it doesn’t matter. There’s no evidence.”

?
A chill ran down my spine.
What is he talking about?

“I mean, we opened that camera just to check the footage, right?”

Oh PD glanced sideways at Kang Writer.

“But here’s the weird part—there’s no memory card in it!”
“What…?”
“Who knows? Our maknae might be such an airhead that she forgot to insert the memory card before rolling the camera. And if she forgot to turn the camera off like she was told, how much sense could she possibly have?”
“The maknae’s already been scolded enough. Stop picking on her. If she quits because of this, it’ll be my job to find a replacement. I’m already swamped as it is. If she runs, you’ll have to find someone, PD.”
“What are you talking about? Honestly. I’m a busy man.”

Oh PD shrugged his shoulders.

“Anyway, so what you’re saying is… there’s no footage.”

Jo Hee-on felt a chill run through her and couldn’t say anything.
It should be good news.
It should be a relief.
So why did this feel so unsettling? I couldn’t understand it. Yet my instincts were screaming at me.
This wasn’t a signal to celebrate.

“Unnie, you’re breaking out in a cold sweat.”

Ryu Bora, who had been quietly watching her, spoke up.
Ryu Bora wiped the beads of sweat forming on Jo Hee-on’s neck with her sleeve.
Jo Hee-on flinched at the touch and looked at Ryu Bora.
Ryu Bora’s eyes were cold too.
As if she could see right through everything.
But it was probably just her imagination. How could Ryu Bora, who had been sleeping without a care in the world, possibly know anything?
Jo Hee-on deliberately exhaled deeply, trying to shake off the anxiety.

“Anyway, just take the camera and go. Figure out how to film it among yourselves.”

Oh PD waved his hand dismissively.

“Um.”

Lee Gyeong-a raised her hand quietly.

“Is Yun Chung coming today?”
“If I knew that, I’d tell you, wouldn’t I?”

What a stubborn old fossil.
Lee Gyeong-a suppressed her irritation.

“Have you heard from Yun Chung?”
“Ah, I don’t concern myself with trivial matters like that. Just head out for now. Are you the only trainees here? Don’t take up time slots meant for other teams. You’ve already wasted enough time listening to Hee-on’s pointless rambling.”

If she had that much energy to complain, she should have said something earlier.
The three trainees left with the same thought for the first time.

***

Broadcasting Station Women’s Restroom.
As Kim Ryeo-yu stepped out through the door, someone hooked her wrist.

“…What?”
“Did you hear?”
…

Kim Ryeo-yu glanced around.
Fortunately, no one was there.
But the Broadcasting Station was a place where you could never truly relax. There were far too many eyes and ears here.
Kim Ryeo-yu sighed and shook off Jo Hee-on’s wrist.
Then she dragged Jo Hee-on into the Emergency Stairwell.

“You heard, didn’t you? You already knew. That there was no memory card inside.”

Jo Hee-on’s anger flared at Kim Ryeo-yu’s far more composed reaction than expected.
You knew, and you didn’t tell me?
Even knowing how anxious I’ve been?

“Yeah, I knew.”

Kim Ryeo-yu looked down at Jo Hee-on with a clearly derisive gaze.

“But I only just found out myself. I heard it moments ago.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me-!”
“Hee-on. Please, grow up a little.”

Kim Ryeo-yu regarded Jo Hee-on with a look of pity.

“Are you seriously doing this right now? During rehearsal? You left your entire team, your self-cam, all the staff—just to come here and nitpick about this? Today’s the actual broadcast day, and you’re still hung up on this?”
“…!”
“I figured Oh PD would just handle it himself. What difference does knowing five minutes earlier make to your life? It’s already resolved. Why are you running your mouth about it and making things worse? You heard it anyway, didn’t you? You heard it, so that should be enough. Why do you keep pushing, keep questioning?”

Kim Ryeo-yu checked her wrist irritably, the one Jo Hee-on had grabbed.
If there were even a mark or a scratch, it would become fodder for gossip.
These days, people online scrutinized every conceivable detail.
What was she thinking, laying hands like that?

“Use this time to practice your part one more time. Please. Even if our aunt promised to debut you, debuting someone who isn’t ready will get us crucified. You know about idol standardization, right?”

Kim Ryeo-yu scoffed at Jo Hee-on one last time, then climbed a step.
But in that moment.

“I’m just going to tell everyone everything.”
“…! Are you insane?”

That was when cracks finally appeared in Kim Ryeo-yu’s perfect facade.

“Fine, like you said—what’s the point of me debuting when I’m so mediocre? I’ll just prep for college instead. Honestly, my ranking’s ambiguous anyway. I have nothing to lose.”

Jo Hee-on’s eyes burned with a venom that had never surfaced before.

“But you? You’re different. You’re just a step away from debut. You could become the hottest rookie at a major agency. Not just another member—a key member. So what happens if I expose everything?”

Ah.
Kim Ryeo-yu suddenly realized how thoroughly she had underestimated Jo Hee-on.
In venting her frustrations so harshly, she had touched Jo Hee-on’s final nerve.
‘Ambiguous’.
Ambiguity sometimes drove people far more insane than absolute hopelessness.
That was why Jo Hee-on was so desperate.
That glimmer of hope—that if she just reached a little further, she could grasp it—had driven her to madness.
Kim Ryeo-yu had acted out of inferiority and rage toward Yun Chung, at least in part.
So she felt no regret. She had been briefly afraid, but that fear had quickly turned to arrogance.
After all, it had worked out fine.
But Jo Hee-on was different.
She had done it purely out of desperation to debut.
She didn’t even dislike Yun Chung—not enough to commit something so vicious.
Yet now that Kim Ryeo-yu was coming at her like this, all she wanted was to burn it all down.

“I might as well just say it all. At least then my chest would feel lighter. Debut? I don’t want to do it anyway. There’s no shortage of jobs in this world, is there?”

In truth, it was half an empty promise.
Jo Hee-on wasn’t the kind of person to abandon all those years, all that effort so easily.
Kim Ryeo-yu knew that well.
Kim Ryeo-yu descended one more step down the stairwell.
All she had to do was back down for a moment.

“So what do you gain from this? Fine. I was harsh. I’m on edge right now and the stage is right around the corner, so I was harsh. I admit it. But you too, okay?”

Kim Ryeo-yu felt irritation surge up suddenly.
Why am I here doing this with her right now?

“Forget it. Let’s talk later. You go rehearse too.”
“Then apologize.”
“What?”
“Apologize.”
“You really…!”

Kim Ryeo-yu let out a hollow laugh.

“No. Do whatever you want. Like that’s going to make Yun Chung forgive you? Do whatever you want. You’ll end up living the same way—unable to live a normal life, cursed forever just like me.”
“At least she’s better than you, so she’ll forgive me!”
“She won’t forgive you.”
“!”

A voice unfamiliar yet strangely familiar.
Both of them turned around.

“Someone explain to me exactly at which point I’m supposed to forgive you.”

***

Meanwhile, in the Audience Seating Area.
Among the Colorists—the fans of Make a New Color—unsettling rumors were spreading.

“Hey, unnie. Did you hear the news?”
“…That Yun Chung was taken away?”

It was that common conversation among Colors fans—passed down through generations, a legacy of love for the group.
Former Colors fan.
Current Make a New Color devoted fan.
Yun Chung was naturally the ultimate bias, Kim Geum the second, naturally.
And lately, a Colors fanatic who found herself wavering occasionally toward Ryu Bora.

“Will Yun Chung be okay? I hope Bora doesn’t get hurt….”
“Hey.”

The Colors fanatic’s eyes welled up.
The girl was sick, and all she could think about was protecting her ultimate bias.

“You’re supposed to support your teammates. The girl’s sick, and that’s all you can see? Your girl can at least take the stage. Mine doesn’t even know if she’ll be able to perform or not.”
“…No, well… the rumor is it’s not that serious.”
“Are you an insider? Are you? Did you see Yun Chung’s condition yourself? You could get sued for spreading rumors like that.”

Insider—short for person in the know.

“But this is reality… how would we get sued?”
“They could scan your face and sue you that way. Shush.”
“You’re being harsh….”
“And if Yun Chung doesn’t perform, isn’t that a win for your girls? More screen time, right? I’m already stressed enough as it is. Are you trying to upset me?”
“No… why are you escalating like this? Chill. Sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Calm down.”

Ironically, Colors’ greatest enemy was Colors itself.
Just look at what Colors fans called the group when they were angry….
Color-crazy, color-obsessed, color-freaks, color-gone-mad, color-nonsense—the list went on.

“Our Yun Chung is strong, so she’ll come back. I believe in her. Even if she doesn’t, there’s a reason for it. I’m sure Colors worked her vocal cords to death, or put her on an extreme diet, or stressed her out with some demonic editing. Those bastards. I hope they’re at least feeding our girl three proper meals a day….”

At this point, you’re basically just saying you hate Colors, unnie….
At the response of the Colors fanatic—a representative of the hardcore Yun Chung faction—Ryu Bora’s personal fan quieted down.

[Thank you for your patience.]

Then.
A voice both weighty and resonant spread through the microphone.
Do Hee-young, the host and mentor of Make a New Color, had arrived.
The third mission’s main stage was beginning.

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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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