Once Pretty Girls’ album is a success, I would be able to use my image to a greater degree next time.

I was also planning on meeting with the ‘Good Friends’ staff, who wanted to me to make an appearance, again. There was no reason not to make an appearance if it would help the girls keep their places on their show.

I was waiting for their reactions when, suddenly, CEO Baek Hansung laughed.

“Make your own team.”

“Pardon?”

“Your own project team. You’ll be the team leader.”

I was overwhelmed before I could even be happy that my plan would be put in place.

“Make your own team and try it. I’ll be watching.”

***

“Team leader? Team leader?”

The director immediately asked as soon as Jung Sunwoo rigidly moved his limbs and walked out of the office. CEO Baek Hansung was smiling brightly like he found this amusing. The director tangled the few bundles of hair he had left.

“Isn’t it too early to make him a team leader considering his age and experience? It’s also very sudden.”

“It’s just a project team.”

“He has to organize the staff then produce and launch the program. This won’t be easy. Lucky Charm has no experience in this as well. Will the team progress smoothly? Even if we publicly say that he’s the team leader on the show since he’s the star, I think it’ll be safer to have someone else lead internally.”

“I want to use this opportunity to check since he has no experience.”

CEO Baek Hansung added,

“If he has the capacity to lead his own team.”

*

Chief Lee Taeshin arrived at NK Entertainment’s office. His lips had dried blood, and his eyes were swollen. He wore a dress shirt dyed with dried blood. A female employee, who glanced at his appearance, said irritably,

“Don’t ask us and try to contact the previous members personally.”

“I can’t get in touch with them. They said that they had a meeting with a chief here today. I just need a quick word with them before then. Just one minute. Please tell me where and when they will meet…”

“I don’t know.”

“Then could you give me the chief’s contact information?”

“I can’t provide that as it is his personal information.”

The female employee’s attitude was apathetic. She didn’t seem to want to talk to him.

“Then please let the chief know that I must meet the girls. It’s really important.”

The female employee picked up the phone after a long time. Someone answered immediately.

“Chief Hong, Pretty Girls manager is here right now. He said he wants to talk to you, ah, are you busy? Then I’ll text you his information so if you have time later…”

“Please tell him it’s a contract issue.”

Chief Lee Taeshin said. The female employee’s complexion abruptly changed.

“Chief, apparently, it’s a contract issue?”

Soon, the female employee wrote something down. After hanging up, she handed it to him.

“Go here. They are meeting right now.”

They were meeting in a coffee shop nearby. Chief Lee Taeshin got in his van and rushed over there. He ran into the coffee shop and saw the two members he had been desperately looking for, Park Hyojin and Yoon Bora, sitting next to each other, sipping their drinks with excited faces.

The stocky, fat man sitting across from them said,

“Just think that you were chasing away bad luck until now. This will be the turning point. You girls are lucky. Your timing is amazing. The song has been decided, the choreography is set, you just need to join the group…”

“Hyojin, Bora!”

The two members turned around. Chief Lee Taeshin halted. Park Hyojin and Yoon Bora’s expressions soured as soon as they saw him like he was some unwanted visitor. Park Hyojin asked,

“You said you wouldn’t bring up the contract, and now what? What’s the contract issue?”

“I only said that so I could talk to you. I have something I need to tell you.”

Yoon Bora set her glass down hard on the table.

“Chief, why are you acting like this? Can’t you let us walk away on good terms?”

“Just wait. You’ll change your mind if you listen to me. An unexpected proposal arrived after you left. If things work out, it’ll be a huge opportunity for us. A big opportunity that I couldn’t get for you until now.”

“And what’s that?”

Park Hyojin asked with a snort.

Chief Lee Taeshin was about to answer before glancing at the man across from them.

“Rumors can’t be allowed to spread so let’s talk outside.”

“Just say it here.”

The man said while tapping his crossed leg in the air.

“We’ll talk amongst ourselves.”

“Ah, ourselves. The girls already signed with us. They are in my care now.”

Chief Lee Taeshin stopped breathing.

“So if you want to say something, say it in front of me.”

The man took out a bundle of paper from his bag and waved it in a teasing manner. It was a signed exclusive contract. Chief Lee Taeshin stood aghast as he stared at the girls. The girls had triumphant smiles on their faces the moment his heart was crushed.

“Why, why were you so hasty…!”

“We have to take an opportunity when it arrives. We don’t care what you wanted to say. We already got our own big opportunity.”

Park Hyojin smiled brightly at the man in front of her. Yoon Bora added,

“Chief Hong here said that we wasted our time. That he completely regrets how we wasted our time in Pretty Girls. So please stop it. How many times did you text and call us?”

Yoon Bora’s eyes momentarily turned fierce.

“Are you jealous that we found a path to success? Do you want all of us to die together?”

Chief Lee Taeshin sighed.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a text.

{We decided to create a project team. The problem on this side has been resolved. How is it on yours?}

Chief Lee Taeshin’s expression distorted.

They couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad.

“Let’s go. I’ll show you the practice room.”

“Yes!”

The man and the members left without looking back. Passing Chief Lee Taeshin, who stood rigidly, Park Hyojin asked,

“Do you have anything else to say?”

“… No.”

He shook his head.

***

I held two full plastic bags in each hand. I locked the minivan and entered the apartment. My phone wavered dangerously in its place between my cheek and shoulder like it would slip out at any moment. A stifled voice leaked out from my phone.

-I’m truly sorry. I wanted to bring them back no matter what…

“There’s nothing we can do if they’ve already signed with another company.”

He sighed.

I could still think about this situation from a distance, but Chief Lee Taeshin’s emotions should be much more complicated than mine since he took care of the girls since they were trainees.

“What about the remaining member?”

-Jae’s phone is still off. I called her parents thinking she might have gone back home, but they didn’t even know that she left the group. She’s probably regretting her decision somewhere. If you wait one more day, I’ll definitely bring her back somehow.

“Don’t beat yourself up too much about the members who already left. We still have the gold-, I mean, the remaining members. Did you tell them the news?”

-Of course, I told them right away.

Chief Lee Taeshin’s voice clearly became brighter.

-They made a huge fuss when I told them that we would be releasing an album and that they would be practicing in W&U’s practice room. They cried and laughed and ran around the room. I bet the springs on their beds are all shot?

“And how did they react to the reality TV show?”

-They asked me if it was real a hundred times. They almost never made TV appearances even though it’s been a while since they’ve debuted. They can’t wait to tell their families. Their parents had it tough all this time as well.

Chief Lee Taeshin said bitterly before pausing. He then added.

-To be honest, I don’t know why you picked us out of all the unknown groups. I’m scared to ask.

His voice sounded somewhat resolute.

-Only, I’ll work my best to make sure you don’t regret choosing us. The girls will as well.

“We need to work together since we now all on the same boat.”

I stood in front of the door after hanging up. I placed my bags down to enter the passcode when the door suddenly burst open.

“Oppa, come in quick.”

Lee Songha gestured. She seemed abnormally happy. I smelled something delicious when I entered. Fried chicken, pizza, and pigs’ feet filled the table.

The girls came over.

“Why did you buy so much?”

“I brought drinks, food, and snacks. I swept through a convenience store.”

Two hands came out. Lee Songha took the bag filled with snacks, and Lee Taehee took the one with alcohol. I dropped the rest off in the kitchen and took off my coat. Im Seoyoung followed me around with an excited expression.

“Why did you come over all of sudden? It’s been a while since you last came.”

“Has it really been that long?”

“You’ve been busy with work recently! Kwanwoo oppa’s the one who picks us up too.”

Thinking about it, she was right. I used to come over quite often before.

LJ asked Im Seoyoung’s question again.

“Why did you come over? Is there something to celebrate?”

“Hmm, it would be nice if you congratulated me.”

“Why? What is it?”

“I became a team leader.”

The living room became quiet. Im Seoyoung, who had been jumping around, blankly stared at me with her mouth agape. LJ and Lee Taehee tilted their heads as if they misheard. Lee Songha looked like she was about to toss me up.

“Promo-!”

“No, it’s only temporary. I’ve been assigned to a project.”

“A project?”

“That’s… Do you remember Pretty Girls? The ones who said you were their role models?”

The girls’ expressions became strange.

I looked at the four of them. My gaze especially lingered on Lee Songha. Why was I as nervous as I was when talking to CEO Baek Hansung right now?

Taking a deep breath, I said,

“I’m going to produce their next album.”