179 - Upki Girl

< The Kim Yoon-ho Team Without Kim Yoon-ho > Kim Gyu-don, age 70, and Ssing-ssing Girl, age 65, were unaccustomed to names like the Oskars. They were more familiar with places like the Hyatt, Shilla, and Chosun Hotels. To them, the name was irrelevant. In a team where the youngest member being an innkeeper would be surprising, it was even more shocking when they learned they were dealing with a hotel owner, causing the wrinkles on their faces to ripple with interest. Whenever Liya revealed this little surprise, the same question would unfailingly be asked: "Does your father run the hotel?" "No, auntie. I run it myself. Actually, I don't participate in the management, but anyway, it's basically mine." I quickly interjected after Liya's response. "Mom, you know how she loves to exaggerate. Just listen with one ear and let it out the other. Her father runs a motel in Jongno, and she's just teasing. Liya, stop joking around. They might actually believe you." To which Liya, with furrowed brows, looked at my expression and then adjusted her stance with an "Oh, right." She grasped that I didn't want to reveal this to my parents for reasons unknown to her. "Sorry, Aliya wanted to impress you two, so she lied. The manager's right. Aliya's nothing special; her dad runs a motel." Good ole Liya, sharp enough to pick up even on the signals I discreetly sent with my eyes. If my wrist weren't currently broken, and this situation arose, Liya might have argued her point regardless of any cues I gave, fiercely standing by her own narrative. The manager here nearly shed a tear. I wouldn't mind if Kim Gyu-don found out. He probably wouldn't care if Aliya were a hotel chairperson or guest. But Ssing-ssing Girl would no doubt flaunt it everywhere like a proud mother-in-law, which needed to be avoided. I indicated towards Cassie and introduced her again. "She's the new manager at our company. She came over to take over while I can't be on-site due to my hospitalization." My mom sensed something seemed off but seemed to find the claim of Liya being a hotel owner too implausible to pursue further inquiries. The attention briefly turned back to Cassie. “How old is the new manager?” “Pardon? Oh, I’m thirty-three this year, ma’am.” “Are you married?” “Not yet, I’m single.” “Hmm.” Ssing-ssing Girl’s gaze scrutinized Cassie from head to toe with an evaluative look typical of someone on a son-in-law hunt. Even Cassie, maintaining her polite smile, likely understood what kind of query this 'mother-in-law villain' was aiming for. Before things could become awkward between Cassie and me, I quickly interjected. “Drop it, mom. The more you do this, the more embarrassing it gets for me.” "What did I do?" “I’m just going to talk business for a bit, so maybe have some fruit with dad, or grab something to eat. Surgery is at 10 o'clock.” “We’ve already eaten, so go on. But why was this ward set up so big? Isn’t the double room not covered by insurance?” In response to Ssing-ssing Girl’s worried remark, Cassie answered. “Don’t worry about any of that, ma’am. The company has taken care of everything.” “You’re so sweet and pleasant, dear. Do you have any siblings?” “One younger sister…” “Cassie, no need to answer that. Let’s go, Liya.” Together with Liya and Cassie, I stepped into the lounge and explained the situation. “If I spread the word that Liya's a hotel chairperson, it’d be across every neighborhood like mom boasting about her daughter. My mom has quite the loose lips, you see.” “Ah, I see now. I wondered what prompted you.” “And, sorry about my mom being a bit much...” “Haha, it’s okay. I think it's just what mothers do when they have unmarried children. You should probably date someone soon.” “Oh, didn’t you know?” “What don’t I know?” “Well, I went on a blind date recently.” I then pushed Liya forward by the neck towards Cassie. “But this troublemaker barged into the date spot with her gang of troublemakers and ruined it.” “Oh dear, how could you, Princess…” “I just thought Emperor Muno might need a boost if he was too shy to speak in front of a girl.” "The mood certainly did skyrocket… past the upper atmosphere, which was the problem." Cassie nodded sagely, as if fully understanding the kind of atmosphere that was created. Liya redirected the conversation. “By the way, look who’s the ungrateful child now, Emperor Muno. Why hide it if it brings some joy and a boost of energy to your parents by letting them brag about Aliya’s hotel? Men seriously don’t understand these things.” “I’m keeping it under wraps because I can’t handle the consequences, you fool. Her nickname around here is 'the Mok-dong Navigator'. One word from her that you’re the Oskar Hotel chairperson, and boom, it’ll be all over the internet. Anyway, it’s a secret from Ssing-ssing Girl from now on.” “Fine, got it. Anyway, once the surgery’s over, is it cool if I go to the broadcasting station with Cassie? Gotta at least treat the staff to a meal truck this time.” “I guess, if you’re up to it with no issues moving around, but you sure you’re okay?” “Yeah, totally fine. Cassie will be there, and Hong, the driver uncle, too, remember?” "Sure. Besides, there were rumors about you being bullied in your team, so appearing on screen might be good." "Me, bullied? Wow, guess there can be smoke without a fire after all. Gotta step up my sisterly affection game now." The surgery went smoothly. Liya watched over me until the anesthesia wore off, then left for the broadcasting station with Cassie and Uncle Hong, as planned. And just two hours later, she returned in her hospital bed. She was already hooked up to an IV, likely having undergone emergency treatment, and was now asleep. I listened to Cassie recount how during a break in filming, Liya had entered the studio to greet the crew and staff. The PD and writer naturally wanted to capture a shot of Liya cheering, so they decided to film her sitting in the audience during Seowon’s performance. “But just as she sat down, she suddenly said she felt dizzy. When I looked at her, her complexion was really off, so I was helping her out when she fainted. I think it might be a recurrence of her camera phobia,” Cassie speculated. Although Liya lost consciousness immediately and couldn't explain the reason, Cassie presumed that the broadcasting camera phobia, which had been resolved through hypnosis and suggestion, had flared up again. “Maybe it recurred because you weren’t there, Manager.” “Oh... then how is she now?” “We called an ambulance right away, and she was medicated en route. She's sleeping now.” I approached Liya to check on her face. Her bangs were damp with cold sweat and clung to her forehead, and she looked paler than usual. Cassie asked sternly, “Princess, you haven’t been taking your medication properly, have you?” “Medication? Um…” I hadn’t paid much attention to it, so I couldn’t quite recall. I honestly admitted that I didn’t know. “She needs to take both the anemia and neurosis medication. Even if the dosage is reduced, she can’t skip them entirely.” “Yes, I’ll ensure she takes them from now on.” “And it’s better if she takes the neurosis medication too. She says it makes her feel woozy, but it’s not that kind of medication, so make sure she takes it.” “Yes.” “She hasn’t been attending counseling sessions either, has she?” “Yes, the kids have been quite busy lately…” Up until the 'Hug Me' activities, she attended psychiatric counseling regularly, but when Hongyi and Yona began their girl crush shoot, the visits naturally dwindled, and she stopped altogether by the time of the Ripple Girl activities. I thought they were becoming more well-rounded by picking up each other’s good traits, but clearly, I can’t be complacent. “Do the others know Liya fainted?” “I only briefly told Director Yeom.” Since I haven’t received any further contact, either the recording is still ongoing, or Yeom decided not to mention anything to the kids. Perhaps it’s for the best if they don’t know. As I texted Yeom not to worry because Liya was fine, Cassie added with concern: “But it seems like the other members aren’t in great condition either.” “Why?” “Yona didn’t even make it into the rankings, and Seowon seemed really tense. She didn’t say a word.” “Really? Seowon’s not one to get easily nervous... Why is that?” It’s shocking that Yona didn’t even make the top three. If not for Liya, Yona was supposed to be Upkick Girl’s main dancer. Did the other teams perform that well? I thought I could relax, thinking the kids would handle things well, but this prompted me to call Jangwoo. *** It was the ‘Main Mission,’ where the main vocalists, dancers, and rappers from each team competed. Given that this mission would determine the first elimination based on total scores, it was predicted that teams on the brink of elimination would bring their A-game. However, Upkick Girl had nothing to do with the ranking battles. They were leading in an overwhelming first place, enough not to worry about elimination for the next few weeks. Judges advised them not to think of it as a competition but to freely create the stage they wanted. The production team also hoped that Upkick Girl would craft a stage uninhibited by the competition. They trusted that Upkick Girl performed even better when let loose. The members of Upkick Girl, agreeing with that perspective, prepared for the competition as if each stage were their solo performance. The first theme in the three-part competition was the dance section, represented by Yona. With Aliya unable to participate due to an injury two days prior to filming, Yona stepped in as a substitute with little preparation time, so expectations weren’t high. Yona also opted for a stable performance by mixing a few routines she had practiced rather than creating new choreography. Despite this, other teams predicted that Yona, even if not the main dancer, had fundamental skills substantial enough to rank. The predicted rank for Yona was third, and she aimed for third place on stage. However, Yona ended up in sixth place out of sixteen, falling short of expectations. Judge Tae-jin, who watched Yona’s performance, criticized her for appearing heavier on her feet than usual. “It was clear from the stage that the preparation time was short.” It was a repertoire she’d consistently practiced since her trainee days, yet to hear it lacked preparation... Yona’s pride took a significant hit. The dance section’s first place went to Eugene from May Queens. The second theme was the vocal battle, anticipated to be the fiercest contest. Given that over half of the main vocalists from the 16 teams were either former song festival grand prize winners or renowned singers in their regions, no one could predict the rankings confidently. However, owing to the phenomenal performance shown on ‘Sing Together Duo’ and having substantiated her skills, Seowon was expected to claim first place. Though she’d whine about appearing weak in front of Manager Yoon-ho, Seowon was confident, and her rehearsal condition was good. Yet, the moment the main recording began, Seowon felt strange. Without reason, she felt nervous, her concentration waning, and as she waited for her turn below stage, her heart pounded abnormally fast. Is this what Liya talked about? Are these panic attacks? The realization struck sharply. Jangwoo also noticed Seowon’s condition had plummeted. “What’s wrong?” “Oppa, my phone…” “It’s in the waiting room, should I bring it to you?” “Isn't Manager's surgery over by now?” “I got a message saying it ended earlier and he's recovering.” “Then why hasn’t anyone contacted me? Oppa, do I look unwell right now?” “Yes, why don’t you drink some water?” “No, eating or drinking anything right now makes me feel like I might throw up. Oh, why is this happening, whew! Whew!” “Should I set up a video call with him?” However, just as Seowon's performance was about to start, she was signaled to prepare for the stage. Even though she wanted to talk briefly, today’s shoot had more footage than usual, making the assistant director very sensitive to any delays. “Seowon, sorry, but could you please hurry?” “Yes, sorry! I’m on my way!” Manager Yoon-ho’s call came to Jang-woo after Seowon’s performance had ended and while the judges’ critique was underway. Jang-woo stepped outside the recording area to answer it. “Are the kids not in good shape?” “Yeah, it looks that way. Yona placed sixth, and Seowon just finished her performance and is getting feedback. But it sounded off to me, with some missed notes, and the judges didn’t look impressed.” “Did you know Liya went back to the hospital after visiting there?” “What? Really? I thought she was in the audience…” “She fainted due to anemia and was taken back by ambulance.” “I didn’t know. Wait a bit, Manager, Seowon’s score is coming out now.” “Okay.” “Oh…” “What, is it really low?” “It's a 78.” Dropping below 80 was considered a failure. After Yona’s lackluster performance, Seowon also received criticism. The final letdown was expected in the highly anticipated main rapper battle, pegged as Jun-hong's sure victory. But an unexpected mishap occurred when Jun-hong forgot her lyrics, missing an entire verse. This led to several small mistakes throughout her performance as well. The harsh critiques that followed were inevitably severe, given the high expectations. Apart from the harsh feedback on her rap, Jun-hong also faced criticism for her appearance, her weight gain becoming a point of reproach, further indicating she lacked the discipline expected of an idol group member. For the first time since Replay Girl started, Upkick Girl failed to earn any points and faced collective criticism, dealing a significant blow to their pride. It was puzzling, both to the judges and producers, for key members of the team to deliver subpar performances simultaneously. “What’s up with Upkick Girl today? They seem completely off their game.” “Yeah, there was this disjointed and distracted vibe about them. Usually, even if they seemed scattered, there was substance, but today was just chaotic.” “Losing one member and they fall apart like this, huh? This is a bad sign for any sub-unit or solo activities.” “The youngest even left in the middle.” “Could they be getting caught in a rut now that they’re gaining popularity? That’d be problematic…” “There are already rumors online about some of them developing diva attitudes.” “Some of them do tend to lean that way.” *** Liya had been sleeping soundly since being brought back in the evening and didn't wake even once. I checked in to see the kids return to the dorm around 2 a.m. after finishing the recording and prepared to rest. Except for Eun-bit, who didn’t perform, everyone was mired in self-doubt, not extending the conversation or even bothering with much texting. Even though it wouldn’t affect their rankings, the kids always aimed for perfection on stage, and having never received negative feedback before, the letdown was considerable. Once the broadcast aired, they’d face more criticism, making it crucial to regain their form for next week's mission and finish recording well. Failing to do so might lead into a slump. I didn't think my absence or injury directly affected the kids' stage performance. When Hongyi and Yona participated in the girl crush shoot, Manager Kim Sang-in and I split into two or three teams, yet there was no performance dip due to my absence. However, others seemed to think differently. Director Yeom messaged, [It’s because Yoon-ho wasn’t there.] Jang-woo added, [I felt the same way.] Even the stylists agreed, saying the difference was too noticeable when I wasn’t around. The following day, those involved who gathered in the hospital seemed to share the same belief. Whining, whining, they just wouldn’t stop. “We concluded it’s because Oppa’s not around.” “I swear, even while singing, I felt so incapable, it made me want to die. If Manager had just called, it wouldn’t have been this bad.” “I felt like I was dancing on sand. My feet felt so heavy.” “The moment I stepped on stage, my mind went blank, and I forgot the lyrics.” “When Aliya looked at the camera and didn’t see Emperor Munho beside her, her heart started racing frantically. She thought, is this how people die?” “Can’t you get discharged soon, Oppa? I can’t sleep without you around. I might develop insomnia at this rate.” “Oh, right. Me too.” “Same here.” “And me...” “Yeon-hong, you’re out. Before I pinch your nose off.” “Sorry, Manager, I sleep fine. But I can’t control my appetite. Looks like I should start commuting from here.” “Aliya, if not for changing places, she usually can’t sleep, but being with Emperor Munho makes her sleep too much.” “The conclusion is clear. Whether the Manager is here or not makes all the difference.” “Oh, really? Are you some kind of sleeping potion, Emperor Munho?” “That settles it, let’s all sleep here together today. Right? I couldn’t sleep well last night either.” “Yes, Unnie. Sounds like a good idea.” My body has become public property now. A week later, in the same recording where I participated, the kids completely owned the stage, bringing every judge to their feet for a standing ovation. I never imagined it would be this straightforward, but the answer was simply Kim Yoon-ho. ―To: Mother-in-law Villain (Feat. Kim Gyu-don) Mom, Dad. It seems like this life of mine is a lost cause. When will I be free from this relentless chain of fate? Will it be when we achieve an all-kill on the music charts? When we secure a number one spot on a music show? Or perhaps when we win an award at the year-end music festival? If not, will I finally be free when the kids’ contract ends? If I have to wait until the contract expires, that’s six more years from now. By then, I’ll be forty-one... ―Creak Oh, geez. I was writing an imagined letter to my parents in my mind when, as if I had sent an actual response, I received a message from Ssing-ssing Girl. Ssing-ssing Girl [Thanks to our son, I’m getting a taste of living the high life, experiencing places like this. The view of the ocean is stunning. Even Aunt Gyewon and the others wanted me to tell you they’re grateful. Your mom feels completely revitalized thanks to you.] What’s this? I quickly called Ssing-ssing Girl, but Liya intercepted and grabbed the phone midway. “Hello, Mother, this is Aliya. I heard you’re in Busan? I hope you have a great time there!” ―Yes, yes! It’s fantastic here! “It’s all specially arranged by Manager Kim Yoon-ho, so just mention his name, and everything there is free for you to enjoy!” So it was you. Without saying a word to me, Liya had arranged for Ssing-ssing Girl and her four friends to stay at the Oskar Hotel Busan branch. She even took responsibility for their tour itinerary. This isn’t just the Kim Yoon-ho team without Kim Yoon-ho... < The End of The Kim Yoon-ho Team Without Kim Yoon-ho >