Became The Leader of a Girl Group Destined To Fail - Chapter 66

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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 66.

I was the one who orchestrated this meeting.
Of course, I never expected Hong President to actually show up.
At most, I thought some other executive from the Company would attend.
First, I made Oh PD nervous about potential backlash coming his way.
Through Yeon Ju-hong.
I knew that under ordinary circumstances, Oh PD wouldn’t take my side.
Oh PD and I have cooperated a few times, but that was only because our interests happened to align.
And Oh PD was beginning to weigh his options.
Whether it would be more advantageous to support me, or to quietly slip away.
Of course, given Oh PD’s contemptible nature, he’d likely choose to avoid the hassle and withdraw.
So I created a reason he couldn’t escape.
If it came from another trainee, it wouldn’t have worked.
But Yeon Ju-hong is the youngest.
At seventeen years old, her age carries far more persuasive power than one might expect.
In very particular circumstances, that is.
Isn’t that the perfect age to be coerced by a corrupt adult?
Oh PD understood this, which is why he feared Yeon Ju-hong’s unreasonable demands.
And then I delivered the killing blow.
I sent an audio file directly to Oh PD’s phone.
Perhaps Cotton Ball Entity’s nudge to go check the hallway was….
A subtle hint to prepare for a situation like this.
Having endured this filthy world, I’ve learned that recording conversations must become second nature.
So I recorded right then and there.
I hoped I’d never need to use this audio file….
But I won’t hesitate to use it when the time comes.
Anyway.
Upon receiving the audio file, Oh PD seemed to realize this wasn’t something he could handle alone.
Judging by the fact that he convened this meeting immediately.

“…I’ve heard the gist of it, but this is absolutely outrageous.”

Hong President let out a hollow laugh.

“Where on earth did that child learn to do something like this….”

Hong President stared directly at Director Kim as he spoke.
I suppose that’s where you learned it.
Director Kim merely clenched his lips, saying nothing.
There was little to say in a situation like this anyway.

“First, I want to apologize to you, Yun Chung.”

Hong President’s expression made it clear he was deeply displeased with the situation, his lips pressed into a tight line.

“It would have been better if the company had responded proactively. However, we couldn’t grasp the full details of the situation, so we were unable to act immediately. I’m truly sorry about that.”

I didn’t respond.
I knew his words were only half true.
Of course, it was reasonable that they delayed their response because they couldn’t determine whose account was truthful.
Acting hastily could backfire if they were proven wrong, making matters worse.
But was that all there was to it?
Hong President was someone who understood the entertainment industry’s mechanism well—how a “minor” controversy generates buzz, and buzz generates popularity.
Leaving this controversy unexamined for days without proper investigation was likely…
Half caution, half a desire to amplify the scandal.
Once the controversy reached its peak, the real victim would debut while the real perpetrator would be cast out.
That way, I could debut amidst tremendous buzz and start with public opinion at my back.
Knowing this, I had kept quiet for a while.
But now it was time to speak.
After all, I needed to debut in first place.

“So, how are you planning to handle this now?”
“…”

Hong President’s response was lukewarm, as expected.
He was probably weighing whether to amplify the scandal further or handle it quietly and move on.
Especially since I, the real victim, was watching with sharp, unwavering eyes.

“What is it that you want, Yun Chung? Kim Ryeo-yu’s withdrawal?”
“No.”

At my answer, light flickered in Hong President’s eyes.

“What I want is the truth.”
“That’s only natural, of course. The Company will issue a statement—”
“No.”
“?”
“What I want is….”

Something more than that.

***

“Unnie!”
“Yun Chung!”

The moment I returned to the Dormitory, everyone rushed out in their bare feet to greet me.
This was an unfamiliar sensation.
I had always come home alone.
I never even had the concept of a dormitory before—it was simply my private residence.

“Wait, what happened? The interviews suddenly stopped, and you got called away and disappeared. We were all shocked.”
“The Shop Owner came, didn’t he?”
“Really? Why?!”
“What did the Shop Owner say?! Is the Company going to make a statement now?”
“What about Oh PD?! What’s MEN going to do?”

I glanced toward Kim Ryeo-yu’s room.
Everyone understood the meaning of that look and quickly explained.

“Ryeo-yu unnie went to her Hometown today.”
“Ah, I see.”

It seemed Director Kim was hastily calling an emergency strategy meeting.

“So come on, spill it.”

They were all bursting with curiosity.
But there was nothing I could say right now.
Because—

“Yeah. I was called in too, but… honestly, I’m not sure.”
“Why?!”
“They’re still in discussions about it.”
“Seriously?”

I made my proposal.
They said they’d think about it.
So now, all that’s left is to focus on the Stage.

“Tomorrow’s individual interviews will be rescheduled. And they’ll tell us what the mission song is. I’m sorry everyone’s schedule got pushed back because of me.”
“No! It’s not because of you! This situation right now is just insane!”

Yeon Ju-hong was fuming.
I was grateful, though.
Honestly, she had enough on her plate with her own concerns, yet she was worrying about me too.

“Everyone, let’s calm down. It’ll be okay.”
“It’s not okay.”

It was Ryu Bora.
All four of our eyes turned toward Ryu Bora.

“You think this happens once or twice? I’ve seen it dozens of times around me. People swept up in false accusations, disillusioned with the entertainment industry, retiring.”

In Ryu Bora’s eyes, I could see sadness that transcended mere anger.

“People don’t even try to find out what the truth is. They just pick whatever side seems more entertaining to them. That’s why the Company needs to respond as quickly as possible. So why are they dragging their feet like this?!”
“Bora.”

I gently grasped Ryu Bora’s long, flowing hair with both hands and tugged lightly.
She was pretty, and also adorably cute.

“! Unnie, are you… are you crazy…?”

Kim Geum reacted first, startled even more than Ryu Bora.
Ryu Bora herself seemed completely oblivious to the situation, her face blank.

“You’re right. People instinctively chase after whatever entertains them.”

I had seen this phenomenon frequently while working in the entertainment industry.
That’s why I understood why Ryu Bora was upset.

“But at the same time… people also pursue what is right. The reason people are angry now is because they mistook it for the truth, isn’t it? Because the truth was obscured.”
“Still—!”
“Above all, we have our fans.”

There were people who had been my comfort in that lonely and hollow entertainment career.
No, they were the only reason I hadn’t abandoned the entertainment industry in the first place.

“I won’t disappoint them. Don’t worry.”

It was also why I was grateful to have lived ten years in the entertainment industry as Baek Nok-ha before entering Yun Chung’s body.
I know how precious a connection fans are.
Because I’ve directly received their love.
That’s why I wanted to tell the real Yun Chung, who might be watching all of this right now, something.
What kind of love she should have received.
What kind of affection and support her efforts should have received.

***

“We will now announce the three final mission songs.”

The next day, filming resumed.
Without any conclusion being reached.
Kim Ryeo-yu looked far more haggard than yesterday.
She was probably anxiously waiting for the higher-ups’ decision.
I was equally anxious waiting for it.
I could only hope that Hong Yeon-seo was as reasonable and moral as I thought.

“The first song is….”

The moment Oh PD opened his mouth,

“Ta-da!”
“?!”
“Huh.”

Do Hee-young suddenly burst out from behind us.
She’d been out of sight for a while.

“For the first song, since I participated in composing it, I’ll introduce it myself!”

Oh.
Senior Do really lives life to the fullest.
Still active as an idol while doing variety shows and composing.
I could never get the hang of variety shows, so I couldn’t do that.
She’s impressive.

“Of course, I didn’t compose it alone—our member Sol did most of it.”

As Do Hee-young said this, she turned her head toward the large screen.
Then the song played along with eleven dancers.

“….”

Hmm.
Senior Do doesn’t seem to have such exceptional talent in composition.
She has a decent sense for deep house, but there’s no particularly catchy hook that grabs the ear.
The concept feels dark yet powerful.
The lyrics match that vibe.
It was the kind of song that would be used once in a competition like this and then forgotten.
Of course, it wasn’t terrible.
Everyone seemed to think the same. They nodded along and kept the beat, but their expressions were lifeless.
The choreography actually caught my eye more than the song.

“This is a problem….”

Yeon Ju-hong’s expression darkened because the choreography level was quite high.
The song itself wasn’t incredibly difficult, but combining the two would be somewhat challenging.

“So, what do you think? Great, right! Our Sol composes well, doesn’t she!”
“Yes!”
“Wow, it’s so good. Senior, you’re amazing.”

Everyone was putting on a good show for the cameras.
I flashed the brightest smile I could muster and gave a thumbs up.
…I had to play the game too.

“Alright, next up. The second song. This is the one each team will perform.”

A spark ignited.
Only then did everyone’s eyes come alive again.
That’s right.
People only light up when there’s competition on the line.
This time, the music played with five backup dancers accompanying us.
They probably wanted us to adjust the choreography on our own.
This song was a lighter electro-pop track.
It felt far more calculated for catchiness than the first one.
Light yet instantly catchy—the kind that burrows into your ears.
As for the choreography….

“We’re completely screwed….”

I could tell from Yeon Ju-hong’s reaction.

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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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