139 - Upki Girl

< Sorry for Being Old > "Director." "Uh..." "Well, Jangwoo oppa found a hospital that's open. You should visit it." "What time is it...?" "It's 8:50." "Oh, already...?" "Same here." "Huh?" "No, nothing. Just talking to myself..." 'I didn't realize how late it had gotten either,' she must mean. Hongi chuckled softly, like a little child with a cherished secret. Jangwoo had stepped out to buy some food from the convenience store. "How are you feeling? Your fever seems to have gone down..." There wasn't any improvement compared to before I fell asleep. I feel like I dozed off out of sheer exhaustion, but I'm still far from refreshed. The pressure in my head is so intense, it feels like my eyes might pop, and a ringing sound echoes in my ears. My body continues to shiver, yet inside, it's as if a fire rages fiercely. Yet I forced myself to put on a refreshed expression, thinking of Hongi, who had diligently nursed me through the night with cool towels. Without her, my condition could be worse, couldn’t it? "Ah, I think I'll survive now. Hongi, you might’ve saved my life." "R-really? That's a relief... Still, you should go to the hospital." "Yeah. Just in case, I'll get a shot. But what about you? You haven't slept at all." "I caught some sleep here and there." "How's your throat holding up?" "It's fine." "You can catch up on sleep now. When Jangwoo comes back, ask him to drop you off." "Okay... I'll leave once I see you off to the hospital." "I'm not a kid, you know." A brief silence filled the room. Hongi stood before the bed, fidgeting with her hands, unable to keep still. "Why are you standing there? Sit down." "Sorry? Oh, okay..." Only after inviting her did it occur to me that she'd have to sit on the bare floor if she didn't sit on the bed. We had chosen a cost-effective motel suitable for two guys, so there wasn’t even a single sofa in the tiny room. The heating seemed minimal, leaving the air quite chilly. With nowhere else suitable to sit, Hongi sat on the floor beside the bed, remaining in the same position she had taken to care for me. I shifted over to Jangwoo's side of the bed, creating space for her, and patted the sweat-soaked sheets, inviting her to sit. "Don't sit on the cold floor; sit here." "Oh, n-no, I'm fine." Is it awkward because we're alone? Hongi stammered more than usual, avoiding meeting my gaze directly. We've been living under the same roof for so long; how can she still be so shy? Hmm. Come to think of it, out of the five girls from our group, I always found it hardest to converse when alone with Hongi. "Do you feel uncomfortable being alone with me?" "No, not at all. Why would I be uncomfortable with you, Director...?" "Then why are you fidgeting like someone with anxiety issues?" "Oh, I wonder why. I'm really not uncomfortable..." "If you're not uncomfortable, come sit up here. You're making me uneasy." Only then did Hongi timidly lift herself and perch on the bed like a demure young bride. The sweet scent of the cosmetics Hongi used tickled my nose anew. Suddenly, it struck me how peculiar this situation was. Come to think of it, we are in a motel. It felt different compared to sitting together on a couch or bed back at the dorm. I fiddled with my phone, struggling to find a conversation starter to ease the mood. "Where did Jangwoo say he was going? The convenience store?" "Yes. He left just as I came to wake you." "Hmm, should take about 10 minutes. Seeing as Yona hasn't contacted us, I guess she's still sleeping, right?" "Yes, I haven’t heard from her yet." "You told only Junghee you were coming here, right?" "Yes." "Also, don't tell the others that I'm sick. No need to make them worry. Did you already tell someone?" "No, I haven’t..." "If you're tired, catch some rest until Jangwoo comes." "I'm fine, really..." Sensing Hongi's growing awkwardness with the silence, I reached for the remote on the bedside table and turned on the TV. Oh no! —Ah! Ah! A freaking porn moan! The channel was set to an adult network! "Geez, what the heck...?" I tried to act nonchalant while quickly flipping channels, but damn... —What are you doing right now... —Oppa, you're so good... —Ah...! Did the motel owner have a fetish for adult movies or something? Four consecutive channels were airing Korean softcore films. The atmosphere suddenly became freezing. I quickly pressed the number buttons to switch to a regular broadcast channel. Without looking, I sensed Hongi's face must have been beet red with embarrassment. "We didn’t watch that. Jangwoo and I didn’t even turn on the TV." "Huh? I didn’t say anything..." "I just didn’t want you to misunderstand." "I'm not misunderstanding..." "Sigh. Now it’s just awkward." "I'm okay with it, really..." "If the others had been here, it would've been hilarious, right?" "Ha, Yona would've enjoyed it the most, don't you think?" "Why Yona? Does she like that kind of stuff?" "Definitely. She knows all these technical terms too." At her age, I figured Yona just had average sexual knowledge, while you guys—Eunbit, Seowon, and Hongi—were just naive. But oh well. "Director, do you know what bondage is?" "Uh...?" Yona was becoming a little intimidating. *** "Oh dear, your fever is quite high." "Please, give me an injection." "Sure, I'll give you a shot. Drinking plenty of fluids and resting is best." At the hospital, my fever measured at 38.1 degrees. I could bear most of the symptoms, but the muscle ache was unbearable. Ultimately, Jangwoo decided to handle things on his own, and I chose to stay behind at the motel. The girls invited me to hang out in their hotel room, but I declined, worried I might spread the flu. "Sorry, guys..." "Don't worry and get some rest." After Jangwoo left for the concert rehearsals, I was alone in the cheap motel room. Being sick away from home made me feel even more miserable. Unable to lift a finger, I managed a few spoonfuls of porridge, swallowed some medicine, and closed my eyes. As expected, I didn't fall into a deep sleep. I tossed and turned, dreaming all sorts of strange dreams. Perhaps influenced by the adult movie earlier, I had a ridiculous erotic dream that felt particularly vivid. In the semi-lucid dream, I was tightly bound with handcuffs and ropes, utterly helpless. Though I couldn't see due to a blindfold, I somehow knew who the person with me was – one of those inexplicable dream traits. Of course, when awake, I'd never think of such things, but in the dream, I did wonder how I'd ever face the girls again. Despite my helpless role, in the dream, I actually felt good and didn't want to wake up. Still, I soon had to. "Damn it..." It was a wet dream. I snapped to attention when I realized the absurdity of my situation, but I couldn't suppress the initial release. What am I doing at this age? I felt utterly despondent. After cursing under my breath, I headed to the bathroom, refusing to glance at the mirror. Oddly, after venting my frustration, my fever seemed to decrease a little, and I felt somewhat lighter. I had slept for about three hours. It was time for the radio show featuring Eunbit and Seowon to air. I downloaded a radio app and listened as I finished the remaining porridge. The program was hosted by Janggo, a singer-turned-comedian. Though there was a competing program in the same time slot with overwhelming listener ratings, Janggo's witty banter had its own appeal among the younger audience. "Welcome back to Janggo's Music Wantchu! Our guests for the second half are Eunbit and Seowon from the rookie girl group UpKey Girl! Welcome!" "Yoohoo!" "Here comes the girl group you raised from scratch! Hello, we're UpKey Girl!" "Oh, so that's what your group name means. It's short for 'the girl group you raised'. That's unique! Did your agency CEO come up with it?" "No, our manager did." "Alright, how about some personal introductions for our listeners?" "Hi, I'm Eunbit, in charge of being the number one cute and sexy here at UpKey Girl." I wish she'd stop with that cute-sexy thing. And why emphasize "sexy" at the end? She could just say sexy-cute. Janggo's and Jae-hyun's reactions to the first guest were indifferent. "Hahaha..." "Well, can't say I agree, but let's go with that. Next, Seowon." "Yes, hello. I'm Seowon, the main vocalist of UpKey Girl." "Seowon, do you have a nickname given by your fans? These days, everyone has one. They call Jae-hyun here 'The Needle Prince' because of his sharp looks." "Why 'Needle Prince'...?" "Ahahaha, Eunbit... She got it wrong, but it was funny." Jae-hyun corrected her. "No, not underwear, needle. Spiky needle." "Oh, a needle! My apologies!" "Seowon." "My fans call me 'The Obsessive Villain'." "Obsessive Villain! Why? Do you show up at your fans' homes or something? Not a stalker fan but a stalker singer? Haha, that's hilarious!" Janggo laughed at his own joke. Seowon calmly continued, explaining herself. "I just wanted the fans to focus only on me, but they might have interpreted it as obsessive. They’ve never actually experienced real obsession." "Oh, so you mean it doesn't matter if the other members are popular or not. You just want UpKey Girl fans to focus on you? Is that it?" It was an intentionally provocative question from Janggo, and Seowon's straightforward reply was surprising. "Yes. I want to be the most popular." "Wow, so honest. But that's what most people think on the inside." "So, Seowon, who do you think is the most popular in UpKey Girl right now?" "Of course, it’s me." Eunbit chimed in suddenly. "No, it's me! I'm the most popular! I'm UpKey Girl's official designated entrance!" "Sure, you might be the entrance, but people get tired of you quickly." "What? Who said that?" "I saw it in online comments." "Oh, she’s making it up again." "Wait, wait. What’s going on with this team?" "Hahaha." "Aren't you two close?" Jae-hyun came to the girls' defense against Janggo's teasing. "See, they're close, so they can joke around like this. You can’t joke like this unless you're close." "Being close is one thing, but competition is another. Even the longest-lasting girl group lasts about seven years, so at least one of us needs to survive. Right now, there are younger and prettier girl groups debuting all the time." Seowon's realistic and somewhat cynical comment made Janggo and Jae-hyun burst into laughter. "That's really funny. So, Eunbit, what's your fan nickname? Not 'cute-sexy', but the one given by your fans." "Yes. Ssi-ba-ko-buk Eunbit." "Oh, what’s that supposed to mean? Ssi-ba what...?" "There's a dog breed called Shiba Inu." "Oh, Shiba Inu. Listeners, it's Shiba, Shiba." "Hmm, now that you mention it, Eunbit does resemble a Shiba Inu. Maybe a turtle too." "Guys secretly like turtle-face types. I like them too." "I'm more into cat or fox-like faces." "I'm a wild fox." Good job. Seowon interjected at just the right timing, following Jae-hyun's line. —Let’s take a moment to read some listener messages. Listener 4566 says they were surprised by 'Ssi-ba-ko-buk'. To reiterate, it’s Shiba, not anything else. Jae-hyun, could you read one too? —Listener 1087. “Seowon's voice is exactly my type. I just heard it for the first time today, but I bet she’s also beautiful.” Yes, I assure you, she's beautiful too. —Listener 9724 seems to be a fan of UpKey Girl. They say, "Our Uppies are bursting with charm today. I'm listening while driving; looking forward to Eunbit and Seowon's sweet chemistry." —No, you can’t! —Oh, Eunbit, what can’t they do? —No phone while driving! Absolutely not! Put your phone away immediately! Right now! Eunbit is particularly sensitive about phone use while driving. The driver who caused the accident that took Eunbit’s parents was texting at the time. Janggo complimented Eunbit for her great point. —Yes, no smartphones while driving, folks. Listener 9724, put your phone away before Eunbit scolds you further. Now, let's listen to a song by Eunbit and Seowon showcasing their sweet chemistry. —Wait a moment, please. —Yes, Eunbit? —I have something to say, is that okay? —Sure, go ahead, but keep it short. What nonsense is she going to say now? I sent a telepathic message to Seowon. Seowon, please karate chop Eunbit’s carotid artery. —Our manager oppa is really sick right now. —Oh dear, really? Wait, is she talking about me? —Did he come with you? —No, he's in Busan for another schedule. I told them not to talk about it, but it seems Hongi mentioned it. —Eunbit, would you like to say something to wish your manager well? —Yes. Ahem, ahem. Yoon-ho oppa, are you listening? I’m sure you are. Ugh, goosebumps. It feels like the universe is collapsing in, should I just turn it off? —Do you know how worried Seowon unnie, Riya, and I were when we heard you were sick? —Yeah. Why are you getting sick where we can't see you? —Riya even wanted to send a helicopter right away, and Seowon unnie bit her nails so much they disappeared. —Yes, it's your responsibility. —Oppa, you're older than us, so I’ve told you countless times to take care of your health. Stop spicing up your talk. When did you ever say that? You always just teased me for being old. —Anyway, I hope you rest well today and don’t push yourself. We’ll work harder, so don’t 'age' anymore. Boohoo... Why the sudden tears? As Eunbit burst into tears, Seowon took over the commentary. —Don’t get old, Director. Is it because I was cold to you for a few days that you got sick? Maybe that's why they say you should treat people well while they're around. No, don’t worry. And why “don’t get old” instead of “don’t get sick"? What kind of nonsensical advice is that? Eunbit stifled her sobs as she continued. —Our manager oppa is older than our company president, sniff! —Eunbit and I prepared a song to wish our manager a quick recovery. —Yes, thank you for the heartfelt message. Now, here’s the song by Eunbit and Seowon... Janggo tried to wrap it up due to time constraints, but Seowon wasn’t done yet. —And Yeonhong, I Yona. You two are dead. If you can't manage the Director well, go handle things with Director Yeom from now on, okay? Don’t fob our Yeom off like that. Still, while eating bland porridge alone in a motel room, hearing the girls’ encouragement touched my heart. Yeah, this is why I can’t quit UpKey Girl. —The manager of UpKey Girl must be very pleased. We hope he recovers quickly with this special song dedicated to him, “Emergency Room” by EZ. Heh, look at their choice of song. I sent a paid text message during the program while listening to Eunbit and Seowon perform. #1301 0907 [Eunbit, Seowon. It’s the manager. Sorry for being old and sick. But wasn’t 'don’t get old' a bit much? No one chooses to age, you know.] My message was read immediately, causing Janggo and Jae-hyun to erupt in laughter. I later heard that, during the show, Riya, who was watching outside the recording booth, couldn’t stop shouting. —The youngest outside has something to say. Please get her permission before getting sick next time. And before aging too. Is that a joke or what...? Even after the song, the second part of the broadcast continued with Eunbit and Seowon carrying the show. Partway through, “Janggo's Music Wantchu” shot up to fourth place on the real-time search rankings, the first time since the show began. The program’s bulletin and social media pages became flooded with praise for our girls. Particularly for Eunbit, her comment about not using phones while driving struck a strong chord, quickly becoming the subject of online articles and climbing the ranks. She also exchanged a few witty comments with Janggo, finding great synergy, and received a lot of praise from Janggo and the crew afterward. Seowon, with her unique cynical and realistic tone, earned a new fan title, “The Dark Idol of Darkness.” The next day, the writer of Music Wantchu reached out. They wanted to cast Eunbit as a regular guest. < Sorry for Being Old > The End