188 - Upki Girl

< Looking Really Good > Flinch! "Whoa! What the—?" "What about you, Lang-kang-kang? Why are you here instead of heading back to the Scene Scene Girls' [SCENE SCENE GIRLS] home? And with such a pile of trash that can't even be recycled at that." It was Riya who burst out with harsh words beside the parked Carnival [Kia MPV]. Behind her, Jang-woo stood like a stray dog being dragged along. Riya, raising her sharp voice as if it’d been a long time since she’d last used it, demanded answers. "What’s going on between you two?" "That's what I want to know. What are you doing here? And before that, how did you even know I was here?" "I saw the car parked here instead of heading to Mokdong, so I thought something was up. And lo and behold, you're here locking eyes with that piece of trash. You’re in for it!" I quickly looked around my surroundings. "Wait, did you have someone watching me or something?" "What are you talking about? Don't you know there’s a GPS tracker installed in any car that Aliyah [name assumed] rides?" "Really? I had no idea." "Well, now you know from today onwards!" Clearly, she was fed up because of Rani. I turned to Jang-woo. "Riya aside, why are you not taking care of the kids? Isn’t it almost time for them to perform?" "Ah… Yona [name assumed] said she felt something was up with you, so she asked me to come check with her. She thought you weren’t heading home." Impressive intuition! That mysterious Yo! The daunting Yo! Bewildering Yo! Women's intuition can’t be underestimated. I thought I'd been careful, but it seems she sensed something off when I asked about Rani. Still, Yona and Riya insist that the other kids aren’t aware of the situation. Rani seemed to have been completely overshadowed by Riya’s confident and harsh entry. With her half-cast leg hobbling imposingly like shrapnel wound scars, Riya faced Rani. Oh. No wonder mixed-race. Riya’s height was 166cm, Rani maybe mid-150s? I thought Rani had a good proportion despite being short, but compared to Riya, she looked like a narrow-shouldered, big-headed dwarf. Riya, with a commanding air, asked, "What kind of dirty request did you make to our naive Lang-kang-kang?" "Pardon…?" Poor Rani. She probably knew Riya was a year younger but instinctively used formal speech. "Riya, it's not like that." "Hush, Lang-kang-kang. This is for a fellow woman to handle. By the way, what was this person's name again, La-hee?" Even earlier, those high schoolers called her that. Who is La-hee? "Her name's Rani…." "Right, Lani. You better spill why you approached our Lang-kang-kang with such intentions." "I didn’t approach…." "Then what’s with the nonsense about the Chinese debut and having her?" Trying to entice our naive Lang-kang-kang to flee to China?" Just before, she was so challenging towards me…. Rani was shrinking like a dried persimmon, unable to get a word out. I intervened instead. "Riya. Seriously, you're getting on my nerves. I told you I'd explain." Riya begrudgingly stepped back while rubbing her philtrum pensively. How should I explain this? I was already thinking while trying to come up with a plan. "Let's get in the car first. Rani, you should head in." "Huh?" "I said, go in." "Uh, I feel like I should stay…." "Stay for what? To peel apples?" "Um… well, I think I should apologize to Yona by today. And to the Up Key Girl members too." "Alright, just get in. We’ll talk on the way to the station." Jang-woo got in the driver’s seat while Riya and I sat in the backseat behind him, and Rani naturally sat in the very back after a bit of hesitation. While maneuvering for a good spot, I managed to come up with a rough idea for explaining. The main thing was why I didn’t go home and came here instead. I decided to use my four-year-old nephew as an excuse. "While leaving the station, I got a call from my brother. Seems like Kim Yoonsang Junior is learning computers these days. He wanted me to print out a letter he wrote in Word to his grandparents because he forgot. I googled and found this was the nearest PC café." From there, I explained the rest as it happened. I met Rani by chance in the elevator, we ran into each other, and I cleared up misunderstandings about Yona. After listening to my explanation, Riya nodded and asked, "Then why are we heading back to the station instead of home? Where’s that printed letter anyway?" Unnecessarily sharp, she is. "That’s not important right now. I thought clearing up misunderstandings between Rani and Yona was more important. Family gatherings can happen anytime, whenever we want. It's not like the email with the letter will disappear." "Hmm… alright. There are some holes in the story, but I’ll let this one slide, Aliyah. So, Lani will be coming back to the station with us?" Riya's words made me glance worriedly at Rani. Although the controversy around the drug case had cooled off recently, it was still a touchy subject, and they might be recognized. Rani responded. "Yes, I feel it might be my only chance to see Yona again." Whether her real intention is truly an apology or if she’s seeing me as a lifeline for re-entering the entertainment industry is uncertain. Either way, I’m not keen to be involved. I'm not a manager for out-of-luck idols; we'll part ways after the apology. That’s what I would've said if Riya hadn’t shown up anyway. Unless your talent and potential as a celebrity are irreplaceable, it might be best to give up on returning to the domestic stage, especially when you're the least recognized member of a common girl group embroiled in an unprecedented drug scandal. Given the circumstances, you should be grateful that a broker for a Chinese debut reached out to you at all, though I can't say what kind of opportunity that might be. Whether she understood my inward sentiments or not, she adjusted her mask up to the bridge of her nose and tapped my shoulder in a manner that seemed to ask if it was good enough. Considering she wasn't wearing makeup, I guess she wouldn't easily be recognized by just her eyes alone. Riya gave the nod of approval, too. "Yeah, this should be fine. Tell the station staff you’re a stylist, and say to the others that we picked you up loitering outside the station. Mgotmyunmyun met us on the way back from a home visit, okay?" "Okay. But Yona knows I'm here instead of at home, right? The other kids are clueless?" "Yeah." Jang-woo replied. "I told the other members I went to get snacks and drinks for their families." "Oh, really?" Today's mission theme must be inviting family to watch. The Replugirl [stage] audience included Seowon's mom, Yona's parents and sister, Hong's mom and two siblings—the kids' families showed up in support. Given the more than 10-hour-long recordings that even young people find exhausting, only Eunbit's grandmother opted out for health reasons. We stopped by a convenience store to buy snacks for the families, then headed into the station. *** Whether the critiques on the previous performances were taking longer than expected, there were still four acts left before Upkey Girls [UPKEY GIRLS] took the stage. The kids in the waiting room warmly welcomed me, saying I returned faster than expected. While everyone was smiling, Yona was the only one watching me with a mix of concern and curiosity, while Eunbit gave a brief on the other acts' performances and the judges' remarks. "I think one of either Applesoda or Pramish will be eliminated. If Pramish goes, what will you do about your heavenly girl crush?" "Even if she's out of sight, she's in my heart." "Shouldn't you get that checked at a hospital?" Seowon quipped back, and Eunbit was impressed. "Oh wow, that was kind of cool. Try saying that to me, okay? 'Even if Eunbit is out of sight, she's in my heart!' Ahh...!" "Seowon, looks like we’ll need to take her to the hospital." "Oh well, might as well hold hands and go together." Rani, who had tagged along, seemed to go unnoticed, probably mistaken for a staff member from the broadcast team. But finally, as she stood there awkwardly doing nothing, Yona cautiously showed some interest. "Is there something you need?" True to her usual self when in trouble, Rani looked towards me once again. Honestly, what's with her? She really doesn't seem normal. I nonchalantly dropped the bomb. "Oh, this is Eyecontact’s [EYECONTACT] youngest member, Rani." As if someone pressed a pause button, everyone in the waiting room froze. "Go on, introduce yourself." Finally, Rani lowered her mask and awkwardly greeted them. "Uh, hi..." "What’s going on here? Why is she here?" Seowon’s voice was cold enough to give even a penguin frostbite. Eunbit mouthed at me, asking if this was some sort of candid camera prank. "Nope. Not a prank. We ran into her outside the station. She said she wanted to apologize to Yona and you guys." Though somewhat startled, Yona and the others seemed to acknowledge the situation to some extent. However, Seowon wasn’t ready to drop her hostile tone. She scoffed and criticized. "Hah, finally realizing it now after flopping? Too bad, the bus has left." "Sis, let’s at least hear what she has to say," Yona interjected, speaking up for Rani. Then, with a frosty tone, she inquired, "What are you here to apologize for?" Rani started speaking calmly as if in monologue. "Our group misunderstood, thinking that you, Sis, were making excuses about being sick while having a double contract with Upkey Girls after believing what our CEO told us..." No further words were needed. While Seowon offered a scornful chuckle, the other girls and the stylist scratched their cheeks, glancing between each other before falling into silence. Naturally, Yona knew. She was aware that it wasn’t Rani who sought them out, but rather me who intervened as a mediator. Yet, as if Rani was still a cherished little sister once, she inquired affectionately about her well-being first. "Where have you been staying these days? Is Karma [agency] supporting you?" "No…" "Figured. Your CEO has vanished, hasn’t he?" "He keeps calling me to pay the penalty." "How much are they asking for? Still demanding three times the penalty?" "Yeah, it was originally 150 million won, but they said they'd reduce it to 120 million…" "Oh… You guys still haven’t received any settlements, right?" "Yeah…" While it's the usual pattern, for kids like ours—set to receive their first earnings statement under the name of Upkey Girls next month thanks to Aliyah's blessings—it must sound like a tale from the Saemaul movement days. "Heol, that’s insane." "Hey, isn't it totally absurd to demand penalties given the current situation...?" "Asking for a penalty beyond the break-even point is pretty much trash to the bone." Even Han-ga, who's been staring discontentedly, finally took empathy with Rani and erupted in anger. "So have you decided to pay the penalty?" "My dad said he’d try talking to the CEO to lower it more, but I don’t really know how it'll turn out." Yona, with a much softened tone, advised her. "Sigh, Rani. You don't have to pay that. If you get a lawyer specializing in entertainment, they’ll sort that out quickly. By the way, don’t you have a lawyer?" "I have a public defender. They said there’s no need to hire a separate lawyer since I’m likely to receive a suspended sentence…" "Really? Then I'll look into the penalty issue for you. Don't give that scumbag a single cent." "No, it's okay. I'll handle it myself. I'm in talks with an agency in China, and they're offering to cover the penalty." "What? I'm telling you, you don't even need to pay that. And this Chinese agency... we're talking about a broker, right?" "Yes." "Ugh, have you learned nothing from this? Why would they pretend to cover a penalty that's obviously unnecessary? They're trying to trap you by claiming they've paid it and keeping you tied down." I hadn't thought about it that way, but Yona was sharp as ever. Riya clicked her tongue and added, "Just because everyone talks about the Hallyu wave doesn't mean things will magically work out in China. Major companies like KU have already been blindsided by Chinese members and brokers. And for a small group like Eyecontact, thinking you can have a proper career in China is overly ambitious. You'll just get exploited and come back worse off." "So, what should I do?" Rani asked desperately, almost treating Riya like an older sister. Riya, however, remained firm and decisive. "Why are you asking me? You shouldn't be relying on others or acting like a child anymore. You've been active for a while, so don't act like a baby." It was quite frank advice, especially considering it came from an 18-year-old to a 19-year-old, but only Riya could deliver such a message. Then, the 20-year-old who had been watching sympathetically from the side stepped in to defend the 18-year-old. "Hey, there’s no need to be harsh on someone already having a tough time. Recognizing one’s mistakes and seeking forgiveness is quite the challenge." "Oh goodness, Eunbit, you're too sweet for your own good. Maybe a bit too sweet." "Does it bother you?" "I love it so much; it's overwhelming!" It seemed like Yona had completely forgiven Rani. They chatted about what Rani had been curious about, like how the drug incident unfolded and what other members were doing. During this time, performances by Mayqueens and Loveone concluded on the monitor, and as Teenagers' performance was about to start, we got the standby signal. Today's mission theme was "To the Ones We Love," and Upkey Girls had chosen Lee Seung-hwan's "Family." The goal and theme of this mission were to set aside their usual energetic and creative performances, focusing instead on conveying gratitude to their family through vocal skills and emotions. Already, Seowon expressed concern about her mother in the audience, cupping her cheeks. "Oh, what do I do? I feel like I'll cry when I see my mom's face..." Hong echoed her sentiments, "Yeah, so I'm planning to avoid looking there." After adjusting their microphones, Yona gathered the kids together, including Riya, who was out due to injury. "Today, more than rankings, let's focus on the performance itself. You all know what to do, but be sure to maintain the emotional lines when supporting each other." "Yoo Eunbit, make sure you don’t skip the harmony in the bridge. I noticed you sneakily skipped it during practice." "Oh, caught red-handed. As expected from Seowon." "Nice try." "Alright, everyone, let’s put our hands together for a cheer. One, two, three..." "Fighting!" "Fighting!" "Aww, come on, that was off!" Though three raised their hands, and two lowered theirs, it was an energetic and lively cheer. The kids, stylists, and Jang-woo exited first, while Rani, her face hidden by a mask, and I were the last to leave the waiting room. The staff in the corridor sent their support towards the kids. Worried about being recognized, Rani stuck close to my side, head hung low, and sighed as she murmured. "It's... looking really good..." In that moment, from the previously dull figure, a faint aura of brightness, level 1, emanated from her. <Looking Really Good> The End.