97 - Upki Girl

< Mr. Manager, Mr. Manager, our beloved Manager > Flinch. It felt like I awoke from a chase, opening my eyes to find it was just past 11 in the morning. Only after sitting up did I realize there was no pressing schedule awaiting me, and I felt a wave of relief. Wow, I slept really well. There are certain places at friends’ homes where I inexplicably sleep better, and Jaehee's place was precisely that. The temperature and humidity were both perfect, and with blackout curtains completely blocking the sunlight, it was impossible to tell if it was night or day outside without checking the time. I shined my phone light to the side and found Jaehee sleeping with her small shoulders exposed, turned away from me. Perhaps sensing my presence, she turned in my direction, mumbling softly. “No, don’t get up. Sleep more… You said there's nothing to do…” “I just woke up briefly.” “Hungry?” “I’m fine.” “Order something if you’re hungry. I’m going back to sleep… I’m completely drained because of you…” With that, Jaehee promptly fell back to sleep, her mouth slightly ajar. Drained because of me… I couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction. My lower abdomen was aching, a reminder of our intense three-rounds... Oh my gosh, how many messages are there on KakaoTalk? Did Han Seowon write an entire novel in the chat? I couldn’t muster the courage to even touch the 108 unread messages, more than half of which were from him. In total, there were about 200 messages if you included the ones from other people as well. Since I had fallen asleep after the last round at dawn around 5 AM, the messages had all been sent in the morning. Writer Eom Seung-mi had instructed me not to contact the kids at all for tomorrow's shoot of “Kim Yoon-ho’s Hidden Camera” and told me not to check KakaoTalk either, so I hadn’t read the messages from 1st, 3rd, and 4th gen. However, I could see the last message in each chat thread, so I started reading from the top. 3rd Gen [Manager, we’ve arrived at the Incheon event hall. Representative Yeom is meeting with the officials, and it feels kind of awkward haha] 1st Gen [I'm insanely sleepyㅠ On my way to the hair salon now] 4th Gen [Lost 0.2kg, now 63.6kg] Up to this point, the messages were predictable based on each of their personalities. The problem was what came next. 5th Gen [Manager Kim Yoon-ho, it’s Alya. Wake up. I hope you have a good day wherever you are.] To make sure I wasn’t confused, I checked the chat name again, and it was indeed 5th Gen, Riya. What is this? It was the first time Riya added an honorific to my title and even used formal speech... Tears rarely come to Mr. Manager's eyes, but they did now. Then there was Seowon's last message below, shocking in an entirely different way. 2nd Gen [Kiss♡] Flinch. Why is this happening? I was now intrigued by the preceding 107 messages. Could it be a love confession? Maybe she’s saying now that she's quit being my manager, we should meet as ordinary man and woman? No, no. Stay alert. This is Han Seowon we're talking about. It could be that after hurling curses for 106 messages, she's sending a kiss of death at the end. Depending on the preceding message, like ‘Go die’, the meaning would be completely different. Come to think of it, the total of 108 messages is also significant, symbolizing the 108 earthly desires, which gives a strange vibe. Still, if I had to choose, I’d rather it be a curse than a love confession. But if it's a curse, it means she didn't heed my request — not to use abusive language. Whether it's a confession or a curse, either option is distressing. Honestly, I felt like closing the chat without reading it. There was also a message from Writer Eom Seung-mi. It contained the hidden camera schedule and a brief synopsis for the reality program that Upppki-girl began filming yesterday. Perhaps because it was for an internet broadcast, the storyline was a bit provocative, but that made me all the more curious about the kids’ reactions. Writer Eom Seung-mi: [With five members having distinct characters, I think editing will be easy.] It seemed that her first impression of Upppki-girl wasn’t bad. I was a bit worried after hearing Eunbitti’s words about only showing scenes of Yeom scolding them, but it seemed to have concluded without major issues. Yeom provided a separate update on the atmosphere during yesterday's filming. Representative Yeom: [At first, everyone was awkward except Eunbitti, being conscious of the camera, but things got better as time passed. Seowon and Riya did well too. Just in case you were curious, haha] The shooting concept of this reality show was “A Week with the 40-day-old Debut Group Upppki-girl.” The program had the same title as the team name, “The Group Raised with Care," and aimed at cementing Upppki-girl's slowly growing fandom. They planned to film closely for a week and broadcast it next week in four 30-minute episodes. I opened the schedule to check Upppki-girl’s itinerary for today. Under normal circumstances, I would have accompanied them. - Taekwondo Championship Celebration Stage (Incheon Namdong Gym): 11 AM - Fan Signing Event (Yeouido IFC Mall): 6 PM Manager Kim Sang-in had a wide range of connections for event matters, so events were continuously being arranged, and despite the album being released over 40 days ago, fan signing events were still ongoing. By now, it should be around the time they are singing at the Taekwondo Championship in Incheon. I stepped into the living room and called Writer Eom Seung-mi, who had asked me to call her. For work-related calls, a tone higher and a bright voice is the standard. “Yes, Writer. This is Kim Yoon-ho.” "Oh hello, Mr. Manager. Did you check the message?" "Yes, I checked and am calling you about it." “What do you think? I drafted it myself.” “Haha, it sounds fun! So, should I head straight to the hospital?” “Yes, there's a coffee shop on the first floor. We can chat briefly there and get you ready.” “How was filming yesterday? Eunbitti told me our representative scolded the kids a lot in front of the camera…” "We like those things. That’s reality, after all. I found it surprisingly amusing when Hong was on screen.” "Yes, our Hong has quite the character. She and Eunbit make a great comedy duo." ―Exactly. Despite her serious demeanor, she delivers her lines with such a deadpan face, it's hilarious. Yona seems like the quintessential leader and a natural entertainer too. "Yes, she’s quite mature for her age." ―Seowon seemed completely different from when I last saw her for No-Due recording. She seemed much brighter and got along well with the members. "How was Riya? She grew up overseas, so she’s still getting used to Korean culture." I probed lightly, keen to gauge the reaction. ―Why, she was rather charming and bubbly. Maybe it's because she's the youngest, but she was very affectionate with the older girls. "She does tend to be more familiar with girls, but a bit shy around guys." ―Is that so? I didn't notice anything with the VJ, who was a man. Such progress in just a day. Running away was truly the right choice. I've gained a lot from this. "Then I'll see you tomorrow." ―Yes, take care. *** The next day. The prank filming that I prepared with equal parts excitement and nervousness began. It was my first encounter with the kids in two days, and we all ended up crying—me, the kids, the staff, everyone. Let's leave this part for the actual broadcast to reveal. Through editing, "The Group Raised with Care" ended up vastly different from its original intent. As we filmed, it became clear the kids were bursting with quirks, so the subtitles and direction were set to a "B-rate comedy." *** Episode 2 of ‘The Group Raised with Care’ <Mr. Manager, Mr. Manager, our beloved Manager> *The members are unaware this is part of the filming. "They say Eunbit was the first picked for the team." "Oh, are you filming now?" "No, it’s an off-the-record interview, so feel free to speak comfortably." "Okay, okay." "Did Eunbit always dream of becoming an idol?" "Well, not exactly an idol per se; I just wanted to be a singer." "So what made you become an idol?" "Our manager suggested it." "I heard you were originally selected by another big agency but ended up joining the new company." "Yes, that was also suggested by our manager." "What does the manager mean to Eunbit?" "Um... just a god?" *This broadcast clarifies that it has no affiliation with any specific religion. "A god? Why?" "Just because I trust in him. Without him, I might not have become a singer." *Introducing the first follower of the Manager Religion, Naive Eunbit. "I heard he’s quit now." "Ah..." *Naive Eunbit suddenly glances around nervously, then whispers to the writer. "Um... this is something Seowon-unni and Riya mustn't find out about..." "Okay, I’ll keep it to myself." *Yet it's being disclosed here. Sorry from the writer unnie.ㅠㅠ "He hasn't really quit; there’s a bit of a misunderstanding with the two, so he’s on a short break." "Why? Did you have a falling out?" "No, they both adore the manager, but I think they express it differently." *From observation, it seems other members also greatly admire the manager. The production team asked the same question to other members, given that the exciting prank helper was the manager himself! “What does the manager mean to Seowon?” “** *** ***.” *Upon request from Upppki-Girl's agency, *** was censored. You can watch the uncensored video if you raid the production team. “What is the manager to Yona?” “Um... Savior? Without him, I probably wouldn't be here...” *Manager, what kind of man are you... After Yona the Thief Leader, the next secret interviewee was the endlessly eating Hong, known as "Eighteen Meals." No, it's not a curse. Before dieting, she reportedly ate three bowls of rice in an amazing 18 minutes, hence the nickname "Eighteen Meals" Hong, so don't misunderstand. “What does Kim Yoon-ho mean to Hong?” “Like a father sometimes, a brother or a friend other times. He’s my ideal type.” “Ideal type?” “Yes, I want a boyfriend like him.” *But despite that, Eighteen Meals Hong remains a romantic novice. Lastly, we asked the youngest, "Dance Riya." “What is Manager Kim Yoon-ho to Riya?” “Come back Mongmong! If you leave the house, it’s a dog’s life!” *Mongmong is the Manager’s 35th nickname, updated every 1 to 3 days. It’s not the name of a pet dog. “I was wrong about everything! I'll do better! Mongmong can do whatever he wants! Oh, right. I decided to use formal speech from now on. Please come back, Comeback Mongmong! I’ll dance for you!” *And so began the youngest's unexpected dance. Eunbit, watching from afar, joined in, starting a courtship dance. Eighteen Meals Hong also joined with grotesque moves. Even Stone Buddha Yona, who seemed almost normal, couldn’t resist joining the dance. Seowon watched them with an expression of disbelief. Naive Eunbit shouted, “Seowon-unni, they say if you dance the courtship dance, Yoon-ho-oppa comes back quickly!” *Thus creating the second follower of Manager Religion, True Believer Seowon. In the end, the five-member girl group united in a circle dance for the manager. What’s wrong with these kids, it’s terrifying. ―Static noise― *The secret interviews revealed that Manager Kim Yoon-ho is considered Upppki-Girl's "god," "savior," "ideal type," and akin to "Mongmong(?)." And we learned that the manager is enjoying a sweet vacation under the guise of training "Singing Seowon" and "Dancing Riya." The production team made him an offer—none other than the amusing prank set up for the members! The scenario prepared by the team is as follows: 1. The Upppki-Girl troublemakers(?) were practicing as usual one day. 2. News arrives that Manager Kim Yoon-ho has been in a car accident and is in critical condition. 3. The members visit the hospital to find a man wrapped in bandages to the point of resembling a mummy. 4. The doctor suggests that he may not survive the night, encouraging them to say their final words. 5. Just as everyone finishes speaking, a healthy Kim Yoon-ho walks into the room. It turns out it was someone with the same name. 6. How will the Upppki-Girl troublemakers react?! ―Static noise― *The special role of delivering this information is taken up by the agency's boss. Empath Boss Yeom Dae-soo enters the dance practice room. His expression is unusually grim. “Hey, everyone, gather around for a moment. I’ve got some bad news.” *Cringe-worthy acting skills. The members, buzzing with energy during practice, gather around the boss with confused faces. A revelation drops like a bomb. “The hospital just called... Yoon-ho hyung got into a car accident and is in the ICU…” *Everyone's expressions turn somber. Eunbit asks, “Is he badly hurt…?” “Hard to say until we see, but it seems pretty bad… sigh…” “Oh no, what do we do…?” “Seriously, oh no…!” *An emergency situation that left the production team stunned. The tears of all the members started flowing even before the prank was properly set up... < Mr. Manager, Mr. Manager, our beloved Manager > End.