The Hit Song of This Life Is Revenge - Chapter 33

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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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A Hit Song in This Life Is Revenge
Episode 33
At the exact same time.
A sharp noise echoed from the far end of the YU Entertainment hallway.
Riiip.
It was the sound of Baek Song-ha tearing the protective film off the cell phone she had just pulled from its box.
“Well, it looks decent enough.”
Inspecting the design with indifference, Baek Song-ha spat out a brief remark.
Then, she pulled her previous cell phone—its liquid crystal display shattered into a spiderweb of cracks—out of her bag.
The moment her eyes met the reflection of her own face on the fractured screen, her brow furrowed deeply.
“……Damn it.”
She roughly popped out the SIM card and tossed the ruined cell phone into the trash can.
The phone plummeted onto a pile of dust.
She had certainly intended to throw away her foul mood along with it, but the filthy sensation lingering in her mind refused to budge.
After inserting the SIM card into the new cell phone, she pressed the power button.
As the sleek screen flushed white, Baek Song-ha cast another glance inside the trash can.
Above the already smashed display, the text lines she had read last night seemed to hover in the air.
└As expected. I knew Lee Jae-i would be with Star Entertainment.
└The person who buys Star Entertainment stock right now will be the true winner.
└That girl ㅠㅠ is so charming. She’s total first love material.
“Ahhh!!!”
Baek Song-ha’s sharp shriek tore along the walls.
The posts mentioning her own name didn’t even register in her mind.
‘Lee Jae-i. Lee Jae-i. Every single thing is about that bitch!’
If only they hadn’t gone head-to-head with the same song.
No, if she hadn’t appeared on the exact same program in the first place, none of this would be happening.
The moment she had scrolled down and a particular comment caught her eye.
└First place this time is definitely going to Lee Jae-i.
Her body had reacted first, feeling as though a piece of red-hot iron were branding her palm.
It wasn’t merely the pride boiling inside her; it genuinely felt like her flesh was scorching.
Swearing under her breath, Baek Song-ha had swung her arm violently.
That was how her cell phone had been split apart last night.
Perhaps because she had exerted so much force in that single instant, her arm still felt stiff.
“Whew….”
Fearing that staying any longer would make her hurl her newly purchased phone into the trash bin too, she stormed off with heavy steps.
The place she stopped was in front of a practice room.
PD Yoo Young-jae had summoned her.
When Song-ha pushed the handle, the heavy door swung smoothly inward, revealing the interior.
And her eyes locked with Yoo Young-jae, who was waiting for her inside.
“You’re here?”
PD Yoo Young-jae walked toward Baek Song-ha with a casual, easy stride.
Why did he call her here?
She had already checked the monitoring reviews, and there wasn’t any immediate work left to do.
Furthermore, he had summoned her to a practice room rather than a meeting room.
Baek Song-ha presumed she knew the reason.
‘Does he want to nag me under the guise of encouragement?’
PD Yoo Young-jae probably believed that he was the one who had secured her slot on the program.
Even though every single opportunity was something she had created entirely on her own.
That misunderstanding didn’t sit well with her either.
However, since she couldn’t explain what had happened to the trainees she had gotten eliminated, that was a burden she just had to bear.
She loosened her posture, waiting for the tedious lecture that was bound to drop.
As the distance closed, Yoo Young-jae walked past her, drawing a half-circle around Baek Song-ha to stand behind her back.
“During the evaluation, there were trainees who couldn’t participate, right?”
His voice was gentle, yet it carried a trace of amusement.
“……?!”
Instantly, Baek Song-ha’s pupils dilated, trembling with a sudden shock.
It was a stroke of luck that PD Yoo Young-jae was standing behind her.
‘Why is he bringing that up all of a sudden?’
She suppressed the emotion surging up her throat, forcing it down.
‘There is no evidence.’
Song-ha knew perfectly well that mere suspicion held absolutely no power.
When Yoo Young-jae stepped back into her line of sight and their eyes locked, Baek Song-ha opened her mouth coldly.
“And?”
“The trainees who used the same practice room were the ones who couldn’t participate.”
He leaned forward, bringing his face closer to Baek Song-ha.
It was an unpleasant gaze, as if he were picking her apart piece by piece.
Song-ha deliberately put steel into her eyes and did not shrink away from Yoo Young-jae’s scrutiny.
“I believe… the person who rented that practice room was you, Baek Song-ha?”
At the blatant question, Baek Song-ha’s facial muscles tightened into a rigid mask.
“Is there a problem with that?”
“Oh… your expression is much better than I anticipated.”
At her monotone response, Yoo Young-jae clapped his hands together once, lightly.
It might have sounded like praise at a glance, but the words were clearly laced with thorns.
Baek Song-ha consciously maintained her unmoving posture.
At that, Yoo Young-jae pulled his head back and curled one corner of his mouth upward.
“If you had dragged out an excuse, it would have felt awkward instead. I like that you’re even more shameless than expected.”
Hearing the absolute certainty in his tone, Baek Song-ha’s thoughts immediately flew to Director Kim.
‘Did that clumsy fool spill something?’
But so what if he did.
She hadn’t done anything to harm YU Entertainment.
If anything, the community forums were overflowing with posts related to YU Entertainment, so they ought to be grateful.
Baek Song-ha prepared herself to maintain a defiant stance if Yoo Young-jae tried to hold this over her head.
Yet, the words that followed from Yoo Young-jae took a completely different track.
“Keep maintaining that nonchalant attitude just like you are now. You’re definitely going to need it for the next mission.”
“What are you talking about?”
In response to Baek Song-ha’s question, Yoo Young-jae tilted his chin up slightly.
As if warning her to stop acting so despicably.
“There’s no need for a long explanation. The next mission is a self-composed song mission, so just memorize this.”
With that, Yoo Young-jae thrust a binder of sheet music right in front of Baek Song-ha’s eyes.
She had already been informed beforehand about how the program would be structured.
‘But why is he getting involved directly?’
From what she had heard through Director Kim, PD Yoo Young-jae wasn’t supposed to interfere personally.
They said he shouldn’t create anything that could become a liability when he eventually rose to the position of CEO.
Yet, wasn’t this level of involvement far too aggressive to be considered mere oversight?
When she didn’t immediately take the sheet music, Yoo Young-jae let out a deflated sigh.
“Why are you acting like this? Are you worried about what I want, or something like that?”
“If there’s something you want, just say it plainly. It’s better for me to listen first before making a decision.”
“Hahaha. Seriously.”
Yoo Young-jae laughed loudly enough to echo against the far walls of the practice room, but his lips smoothed out within a matter of seconds.
Perhaps because of the sudden shift in his expression.
For an instant, his freezing, cold face made her wonder if he was an entirely different person.
As a brief wave of tension washed over Baek Song-ha’s body, Yoo Young-jae spoke again.
“Isn’t it better to be honest?”
“…….”
“I don’t think you can beat Lee Jae-i, Baek Song-ha.”
Something exploded dead center between her eyebrows with a sharp crack.
Immediately following the blast, the fragments of her temper ignited and spread like wildfire all the way down to her toes.
The very air surrounding her trembled, but Yoo Young-jae paid absolutely no heed to her agitation as he continued.
“I really want to make this project a success. What I want is simple. Win.”
The sheet music fluttered in front of her face once more.
As the faint stir of air brushed against her skin, it felt as though her very soul were being drained from her body.
This time, Yoo Young-jae physically pried her palm open and forced the sheet music into her grasp.
“All you have to do is memorize it. It’s not that hard, right?”
Her teeth clamped tight at the patronizing tone, as if he were managing a child.
It was the exact moment Baek Song-ha parted her lips, unable to endure it any longer.
“The copyright has been completely transferred, so as long as you perform well, you’ll win the championship without any backlash.”
The championship. That single word caused her throat to lock tight.
In truth, she had been trying to make contacts, but it hadn’t been easy.
Any composer worth their salt refused to transfer their copyrights, and the songs from those who readily agreed didn’t meet her standards.
Though her pride was stung, she couldn’t bring herself to borrow her father’s hand for something like this.
Song-ha dropped her gaze from Yoo Young-jae down to the sheet music.
Even a casual glance revealed a dazzling array of musical notes filling the staff lines.
‘Just memorize it?’
It felt disgusting, but wasn’t this an excellent opportunity?
As it was, exposing her own face to search for a composer would have been dangerous.
‘As long as I win.’
The day to repay this current unpleasantness would absolutely come.
It would be much better to kick him aside when he begged her to stay at YU.
Furthermore, when the image of Lee Jae-i’s disappointed face overlapped in her mind, her scraped emotions strangely felt a whole lot less painful.
Song-ha slowly raised her head.
It was just as her gaze locked with Yoo Young-jae’s.
A buzzing vibration rattled the air.
Checking his cell phone, Yoo Young-jae hurriedly left a final word.
“Then. I’ll take it that you understand everything. Do a good job. Fight on!”
Faced with an encouragement that sounded like mockery until the very end, Baek Song-ha didn’t break her gaze from Yoo Young-jae as he moved toward the exit.
The moment he stepped out of the practice room, Yoo Young-jae pressed the call button.
“Yeah. Speak.”
– Lee Jae-i dropped by briefly yesterday. Apparently, she’s on vacation starting today. Until the next filming begins.
“Vacation?”
He had expected her to stay up all night practicing.
It was a somewhat deflating report.
– What should we do?
At the man’s question from the other end of the line, Yoo Young-jae stroked his chin.
What should he tell him to do first?
After a brief moment of thought, Yoo Young-jae shoved his hand into his pocket and spat out his words.

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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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