132 - Upki Girl

< Jaehee VS Seowon > Just as Jaehee was wrapping up her text conversation, a lengthy message popped up from an unregistered number. ? [Hello, I'm the person you met at the bus stop earlier. You must have been surprised, right? I'm really nervous too since this is a first for me. I had to muster up the courage when I saw the person of my dreams standing in front of me. If my expression seemed off, I'm sorry if it upset you. To introduce myself briefly, my name is Yoo Dongbin, I'm 25, and currently attend Korea University. Instead of explaining through text, I hope you'd meet me just once to see what kind of person I am. I'll be waiting for your reply.] What is this? It seems like someone met their ideal type at the bus stop and asked for her contact, but the woman probably gave the wrong number. Judging by the unpleasant expression she supposedly had, she might have intentionally given a digit or two wrong. Too bad for Yoo Dongbin. However, from my perspective, his lines were so outdated that it wouldn't have worked even if he had the right contact. Seems like he was trying to be polite, but it feels too old-fashioned for today's youth. And the school name? Was that an attempt to boast? Me [I think you sent this to the wrong person. I'm Kim Yunho, a 36-year-old, and a Sungkyunkwan University graduate.] ? [Oh, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!] Me [I feel sorry for you ㅠㅠ] ? [Can't be helped ㅠㅠ Thanks for the consolation ㅋㅋ] He seems like a nice enough guy, but that's unfortunate. As expected, my friends began to show up around 7. "Hey, over here." "What's up with Kim Yunho? Why does he look so young?" "Managing a girl group, maybe he's getting beauty treatments with them." "As if. Though, we do wear face masks together at night." As soon as I said it, I realized—mentioning 'every night' could lead to misunderstandings. "What? Do you live together?" Of course, Sung-hwan, who had gained weight and lost more hair since our last meeting, jumped on it, but I shrugged it off. "Are you crazy? There's no way a male manager lives with a girl group. I just wait at the dorm if there's a schedule in the early morning." Even with close friends, I could never admit to living with the kids. They'd jump to vulgar conclusions like asking, "Did you sleep with them?" Tonight, I'll try my best to avoid talking about the kids. Though I'd love to brag, I have to remember: most celebrity rumors start from someone close. Must watch my words. Tonight, there were supposed to be six of us gathering. They all knew I'd left the company to become a girl group manager since we'd exchanged messages in our group chat. To them, it probably seemed like a sudden decision. But there were no criticisms or nosy comments about my choice. No matter how close we were, by our mid-thirties, we'd learned to respect each other's boundaries. It's probably because we maintained such boundaries that we've stayed friends this long. "Sung-hwan, aren't you taking any meds for that hair loss? What's your plan?" "Leave it. I'll live like this until I die. What difference would a few hairs make now? Unless I were single..." That deeply ingrained scent of resignation. Aside from the guy handing out wedding invitations today and me, the rest were married guys with growing bellies and receding hairlines. When they think of girl groups, it's usually mega-hit songs like 'LizGirl' or 'RedShadow' they know, barely aware of the newer third-gen groups. Whenever UpkeyGirl released new music, I'd promote it in our chatroom, prompting responses like "Congrats, I’ll give it a listen," or if I asked for votes for Girl Crush competitions, they'd make sure to vote and send proof without even watching the broadcast. When four of us had gathered, we moved to a nearby bar. Before the appetizers even arrived, we'd already emptied two bottles of soju. The main topic? Bitcoin, of course. Stories rolled off their tongues like war veterans recalling old tales—small wins last year, or latecomers who were stubbornly holding on. “Yunho, don’t you dabble in crypto?” “My office colleagues suggested it, but you know how suspicious I get about those things. They started last year and cashed out at a modest profit, I think.” “Frustrates me. Feels like everyone else around me made bank except me.” “Shut up. I'm still holding on, hoping for a rise.” “Really? Kkkk.” “Damn, I secretly invested my stash in Ripple, hiding it from my wife, and I’m on edge.” “You're holding long-term anyway, right? Stop checking your phone and drink.” “By the way, what’s the name of that idol group you manage, Yunho?” “UpkeyGirl.” “UpkeyGirl? What's that mean?” Even though I came up with it, saying the team name never fails to make me cringe. “A girl group raised by fans.” “Who’s raising them?” “The fans.” “Pfft! That’s so cheesy.” “Don’t laugh. I came up with it.” “Then again, all idol names are like that nowadays. But I heard your group got some buzz after coming runner-up in Girl Crush? I saw them pop up in searches.” At least Juno was aware of UpkeyGirl. He claimed he followed Girl Crush and even voted religiously, earning him a pat on the back from Hong. “I think Hong's the best, but the other members are all pretty cute too.” “Pretty?” “Duh, they’re a girl group. They have to be pretty.” Then they pestered me if I had any real photos on my phone. I showed them pictures I’d taken of the kids during shoots or while moving between schedules. “Wow, they’re no joke.” “Damn, look at those tiny faces. Celebrities are different.” “Of course they are. They're a girl group. But I think this one’s the best. What's her name?” Sung-hwan pointed at Ri-ah, and I replied seriously. “Hey, even as a joke, don’t touch her. She just turned eighteen, our youngest.” "Really? That's awesome." "Shut up, you idiot." "I find her really cute. Is she off-limits too?" "No, she's twenty, but still, don't mess with her." "What are we even doing that you keep saying 'don't mess'?" "They all have their charms. Usually, every group has at least one member that's not so great looking, right?" "Exactly. Yunho's group doesn't have an unattractive member. I like this one. Is she the one who won the runner-up position?" Juno jumps in to set things straight. "That's Hong, this one is Yona." "Oh, really?" "Alright, you fools, enough looking." I took back my phone. I felt proud that they praised the girls' beauty, but uneasy knowing they were merely subjects of gossip. Then Changhee hit me with my least favorite question. "Would they come if you told them to be here?" "Nope. They're on vacation starting today, so they've gone home." "Dang, I was hoping to meet a girl group thanks to you." Since I knew there was no malice in his words, I didn't take offense. "If you want to see them, come to a recording. I'll get you a ticket." "Nah, that's too much trouble. Just wanted to have a drink in a place like this." "Hey, Yunho, you probably see a lot of celebrities at the broadcasting station, right?" "Yeah, lots of idols." "Who's the prettiest girl group member you've seen?" "Laugh if I tell you? You guys don't know any of the recent idols." "Of course, we don't know the kids these days." "I know them—LizGirl." "Oh, I know LizGirl's songs too. They play frequently in stores." No matter how important looks are, this was a reminder that a girl group needs great music first. My friends here are probably the typical mid-thirties audience. When they can recognize a group's songs or faces, that's when you know they’ve made it big. "And who's that, the Chinese girl who won first place on that audition show?" "Lulu?" "Yeah, her. She came to the baseball game to throw the first pitch. Her... let's say, she's got great presence. Quite the charm." While each of them took turns mentioning the third-gen girl groups they knew, Sung-hwan, who had remained relatively quiet, raised his glass and shook his head. "I don't recognize any of the girls you're talking about. I only know up to PlanL." "Most people know PlanL." "Aren't they disbanded?" "Really? Are they disbanded?" "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I heard that." "Is that so?" "Oh, yeah, they are. They had good songs too, why did they break up?" Changhee, who had checked on his smartphone, sighed in disappointment. So everyone knows PlanL. Somehow, it makes me proud. And my tongue was itching to brag. Hey, listen up. I slept with Jaehee. "Hey, look over there, Jung-gi and Jong-hwan have arrived." "Hey, here!" "Yeah, yeah." All six of us who planned to meet had gathered, exchanged invitation cards, and clinked glasses. Come to think of it, Seowon and Jaehee must have met by now. I'm curious about how their conversation is going. *** Seowon was waiting at the bus stop. She was on her way to meet Jaehee. Her expression was quite solemn. As if someone were in front of her, she stared intently ahead with narrowed eyes, deep in thought. There's definitely more than just business between Jaehee and the manager. At least from the manager's side, there's no doubt about his feelings for Jaehee. He can deny it all he wants, but he shows it so obviously. I can't understand why. Why would she choose an older guy like that over a young and fresh woman like me? Even if Jaehee is younger compared to Yunho, Seowon feels superior for being younger than Jaehee after reading a comment online saying, "Age is a woman's strength." This is the perfect opportunity to win Jaehee over to my side, keep her close, and observe. To relate to Jaehee, Seowon had been studying articles and past interviews about her. Look at this. Her face has changed since her debut. Subtle changes made over time, without being too obvious. I've barely touched mine, except for a tiny, tiny filler in my nose. Maybe I should jokingly ask where she got her surgeries done. Oops, stay focused. I'm here to make friends, not to fight. What should I say then? "Oh my, you've gotten even prettier since your debut. I wouldn't have guessed you'd had work done. What's your secret?" Maybe that still sounds off... Jeez, I should've had more experience dealing with older women. Then she remembered a monk’s advice from Gwaneum Temple: "When others do something that makes you feel good, do the same for them. It's nothing special. A small smile is all it takes." Seowon contemplated what she found adorable in the younger team members. The monk was right. Just seeing Eunbi’s beaming smile lifts her spirits. And when Ali enthusiastically praised her, "Seowon unnie, that's amazing!" over trivial things or showed affection by tagging along, Seowon secretly relished it, despite outwardly grumbling. Because it made her feel loved. So, whatever Jaehee says, she's decided to respond with a smile. After that, she’ll find out what Jaehee’s relationship with Yunho is and her thoughts on him. It might be awkward initially, but a drink or two will help break the ice. Satisfied with her plan, Seowon checked the bus arrival screen. Her bus was due in three minutes. As she stood up, checking her face with her phone's selfie camera, a man's face appeared on the screen. "Excuse me." Seowon turned around with a slightly annoyed expression. A man with neatly parted hair and fair skin asked directly. "Sorry, but how old are you?" Seowon removed one of her earbuds, furrowing her brows as she questioned back, "Excuse me?" "How old are you?" "My age?" "Yes." "Why?" "Well, it's nothing really. You're just so pretty." "Oh, I see." "Sorry, but could I get your contact? I'm honestly not the kind of guy who usually asks for a girl's number. I really gathered the courage to approach you." Seowon subtly looked him up and down. Double eyelids, fair skin. Tall and stylishly dressed, he definitely had the kind of look women tend to fall for these days. Sure, he must be confident in his appearance to make such a move. But he doesn't know who I am. Compared to other members, Seowon's face wasn’t as recognizable. She made waves on 'Sing Duo,' but there are still far more people who don’t recognize her. While her pride was a bit bruised, being hit on for the first time in her life wasn't entirely unpleasant. So, Seowon decided to give her contact. "Is a KakaoTalk ID okay?" "Yes, that's fine. Thank you so much!" kyh0830 The ID Seowon gave the man was actually Yunho’s. As Seowon boarded the bus that arrived a moment later, a mischievous giggle escaped her lips. Her mouth was itching to brag to Yunho about being hit on. She hoped he would get a bit jealous. Thirty minutes later, Seowon arrived at the meeting place Jaehee had chosen. She walked into the bar, practicing the smile she’d rehearsed all the way there. She repeated it in her head. Smile like Eunbi, talk like Riya. Smile like Eunbi, talk like Riya. Jaehee had arrived first. Seowon greeted her in a slightly higher pitch than usual. "Hello, unnie!" "It's cold outside, isn't it? How did you get here?" "By bus. There's one that goes straight from my house to here." "Oh, I should have picked you up. People must've recognized you, right?" "No, I guess we're not that famous yet." "What do you mean? There are so many guys around me who love Upkey Girl." "Really? That's awesome." "Of course. Come, sit down and warm up a bit." "Thank you. So, get this—on my way here, a guy hit on me! My heart was seriously pounding, like, intensely pounding!" "Pff, Seowon, you seemed a bit cold initially, but you’re quite charming." "Unnie, feel free to drop the formal speech. It’s more comfortable for me too." "Alright, if you say so." Wow. I expected awkwardness, but the vibe is great. See, I might not initiate, but once I do, I'm good at it. Look at Jaehee's expression; she's totally captivated by me. The 'Smile like Eunbi, talk like Riya' strategy is definitely working. As Seowon took off her coat and sat down, she asked Jaehee with a bright smile. "Unnie, do you like our manager?" "Huh? What's with the sudden question...?" "I'd love it if you were honest—woman to woman." "Ha ha..." Jaehee's laughter was awkward. She thought to herself, Oh, coming in with the unexpected? Looks like I took the first hit. How adorable... *** Meanwhile, approximately 25 kilometers away, Yunho, who was drinking with his friends, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill and shivered. "What’s wrong? Cold?" "Yeah. It suddenly got really chilly. I need to put on my jacket." < Jaehee VS Seowon > End