The Daughter of a Conglomerate Family Has Debuted - Chapter 193

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The May Rookie Members glanced at me and reached out to grab bunches of spinach.

“I’ll wash this.”

“There’s so much radish. I’ll peel the skin.”

“Ah, I’ll do this. If you help with everything, I’ll have nothing to do. Haha…”

“Ah, yes. Sorry…”

The atmosphere was awkward, but somehow we managed to have a conversation.

At least in front of the cameras, they weren’t glaring and ignoring me like before.

Though it was actually more irritating how they acted all intimidated instead.

It was funny how different their attitude was compared to when they were at Start Plan, secretly spying on our practice room while being conscious of cameras.

As I was suddenly acting like this, Min Ha-young and Young Il-lin looked puzzled, then belatedly realized my intention and approached.

“Ah, I’ll help too. What should I do?”

“We’ll need a big plate to put the ingredients on, right? I’ll bring one.”

Both of them were stumbling over their words, apparently just now realizing they had been unintentionally excluding May Rookie.

Then Kim Gwang-cheon entered the yard carrying a large pot.

“Oh, you’re here? When did you all arrive?”

“We just got here!”

“The ones I don’t see haven’t arrived yet?”

“Yes, it seems so. Should we contact them?”

“No need. They’ll come when it’s time.”

He approached and placed the pot on the burner.

“Don’t create dishes to wash – once you’re done preparing ingredients, put them straight in here. It’s going to be soup anyway, right?”

“Yes, understood.”

“There are way too many guests, so I even borrowed a pot from the grandfather next door. Make sure to thank him when you go to the community center later.”

“…Community center?”

May Rookie, who was draining water from the spinach, asked. Then Kim Gwang-cheon paused and frowned deeply, showing his displeasure.

“What, you don’t even know that?”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Even though this was the countryside and the broadcast plot made things more relaxed than usual, Kim Gwang-cheon was still Kim Gwang-cheon.

As when I met him before, he really disliked cast members who came unprepared.

While they might not know the details, the community center was the most important location that had appeared in every episode since the first episode of this show.

Not knowing this meant they really hadn’t watched even a single episode of [Country Life].

If it had been a junior comedian, Kim Gwang-cheon would have given them a proper scolding, but the opponent was a trainee from a major agency about to debut.

Plus, this show had a relaxed and leisurely atmosphere as its motto.

Kim Gwang-cheon took a small deep breath, suppressed his anger, and forced the corners of his mouth up.

“The community center is the community center, what else~”

Really forced.

A forced tone trying to lighten the frozen atmosphere.

This scene would probably be edited out, wouldn’t it?

Naturally, May Rookie remained stiff even at Kim Gwang-cheon’s smile.

Honestly, I only treated him comfortably because I’d been in this industry long enough to fear nothing, but Kim Gwang-cheon had a face that became incredibly menacing even when his voice rose just slightly.

I gently nudged May Rookie Ja-yeon’s arm and said.

“The village community center. Every week we ask the elderly folks at the center if there’s any work that needs to be done.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

Still, having someone explain on their behalf, Kim Gwang-cheon’s expression completely relaxed.

Of course, I didn’t say it for May Rookie’s sake.

It was partly to score points with Kim Gwang-cheon and the production staff, and also…

‘I was scared our kid might get scolded for not knowing either.’

I deliberately explained it to give information to our girl as well.

Got it, Ha-young?

I focused back on preparing ingredients while looking at Min Ha-young, who was shamelessly standing there with a face that pretended she knew all along when she had just learned about it.

With ten guests, we’d need to move diligently to eat and then head to the community center.

A little later, I Meet You returned from town center with meat, beverages, ramen, and other items. I wasn’t sure where they had gone, but Romance Story and First Grade also came back with tangerines and kimchi.

“Wow, they’re already giving us kimchi? They asked us to help with kimjang but they finished it so quickly without us knowing.”

Since all the prep work was done beforehand, cooking went quickly once we had all the proper ingredients.

Fortunately, we were able to sit down at the dinner table before noon passed.

“Let’s eat.”

“Thank you for the meal!”

A table for eleven people including Kim Gwang-cheon. It was literally a feast that could break the table legs.

“Wow, the soup is seasoned perfectly. Who seasoned this?”

“Senior Kim Gwang-cheon did.”

“That’s right, I did! When cooking for this many people, getting the seasoning right is really difficult, you know? But I’m good at this kind of thing.”

The members let out awkward laughter at Kim Gwang-cheon’s self-praise.

Kim Gwang-cheon giggled regardless and then asked.

“But then, except for FLORA, you guys haven’t debuted yet, right?”

“Ah, yes…”

From the very first question, Kim Gwang-cheon started hitting the guests where it hurt.

‘It’s not that they haven’t debuted, it’s closer to they couldn’t debut…’

Teams waiting for the fierce controversy to die down. Teams with uncertain debuts, and so on.

Probably everyone’s reason for participating in Start Plan Contest this time was to gauge public reaction once again.

“I only know that you’re all from Start Plan, you know? Isn’t there any group scheduled to debut?”

At his question, Young Il-lin quickly raised her hand.

“I think we’ll debut soon.”

“Oh, when?”

“That’s not confirmed yet…”

“Ah, it’s not confirmed yet. How is Rena doing?”

“Huh? Oh, you knew? We’re with Producer Rena…”

“I know that much. If Rena is producing for you guys, you’ll do well.”

“Thank you.”

Young Il-lin smiled shyly. She seemed pleased by the senior’s encouraging words.

“What about the other groups? Nothing decided yet?”

“Not yet….”

“We also….”

“We do have it scheduled though.”

Ja-yeon from May Rookie said bitterly.

When Start Plan was in full swing, May Rookie was already preparing for their debut show.

Their victory was predetermined and they actually won, so normally May Rookie would have debuted first, not us.

With songs and choreography all prepared, they can’t debut, so their feelings must be quite complicated in many ways.

‘It’s their own doing, so they can’t even get angry at anyone.’

As the atmosphere seemed to sink a little, no, a lot, Kim Gwang-cheon also seemed to notice that each team’s situation wasn’t very good, so he laughed awkwardly and changed the topic.

“I don’t know much about this, but don’t shows like Start Plan take a really long time to film?”

“That’s right. The filming period alone was about 3 months?”

“The training camps were really a week long each. Not just for show.”

“Yes.”

“You guys must have gotten really close doing that.”

Hmm, that’s also a bit…. It’s a difficult question to answer.

The members looked at each other and awkwardly nodded their heads.

I quickly added words, worried that Kim Gwang-cheon might notice the strange atmosphere.

“That’s right. Since we practiced and competed together for such a long time.”

Though that’s not true at all.

From the beginning, practice and rehearsals were all done by teams, so there weren’t many opportunities to meet.

The fact that the winner was predetermined and the wariness toward individual trainees drove the teams further apart.

At the end, the fact that I was Hong Jin was revealed and I received considerable misunderstanding, so no matter how much I try to beautify it, it’s hard to say there was good exchange between teams.

“Do any of you have groups you’re close with besides your own teams?”

This time too, the members looked at each other and then glanced at me.

It seems like they want me to answer as a representative since I seem most comfortable speaking.

“We had a joint stage during the competition. The groups that performed together then keep in touch quite often. Right?”

When I said this while looking at Young Il-lin and the I Meet You members, they nodded repeatedly.

“We have a group messenger too.”

“That’s right. When Flora debuted, we all congratulated them together.”

“Similarly, I also have exchanges with Romance Story thanks to the joint stage.”

“Th, that’s right. Haha.”

The Romance Story members, who had been withdrawn for some reason, answered with moved faces.

Actually, the exchange between Min Ha-young and Romance Story had been cut off long ago after the controversy, so they probably didn’t expect her to mention this.

Anyway, we managed to share stories about what happened during Start Plan filming by teams, and the awkwardness gradually dissolved.

The atmosphere had improved quite a bit, but.

“….”

Even though this was also their own doing, May Rookie and the First Year Members couldn’t say anything and were just forcing smiles.

They would need to have had some kind of exchange to be able to talk about it.

From behind the cameras, someone who appeared to be May Rookie’s manager let out a deep sigh.

They realized their screen time was ruined.

That’s when it happened.

“Um.”

A first-year member who had been quietly watching the situation—the one who was the leader if I remembered correctly—suddenly raised her hand and stared directly at me.

Huh? Me? Why? Don’t tell me she’s going to bring up that one time we greeted each other during SPRL rehearsal?

When I looked back at her with a puzzled expression, she made a meaningful face, then chuckled and said.

“Ji-ye and I went to high school together.”

…What?

It was a story I had absolutely no memory of.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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