189 - Upki Girl

< Observations Through the Eyes of Upkey Girl > I've witnessed auras disappearing before (beacon type), but this is the first time I've seen an aura appear where there was none before. But what color should I call this? Aside from peculiar colors like purple or pink (VNF Hayeon, Eunsol), they're usually categorized as red (acting), blue (singing), or yellow (variety shows). However, it's so faint that I can't distinguish the color yet. It's just noticeable enough that I can tell some light is emanating, like from a fluorescent bulb or sunlight. As I stared intently to discern the aura, Ran asked me, "Why?" "What?" "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think there's some potential worth nurturing?" "Am I a nanny? I'm not here to raise anyone." "I heard that the Upkey Girl sisters were nurtured and brought together by you." "What? Big brother?" "Ah, did I say that? Sorry, I meant director." Do I give off the impression of being easily underestimated by these young girls? Why do I feel like they're starting to crawl over me? "Hey, our girls were already on track for greatness. I didn't do anything." "You're so humble, aren't you?" "You're not underestimating me, are you?" "Um... I don't find you easy to deal with, but you're not exactly uncomfortable or difficult either." "Hehehe..." She looked at the backs of the Upkey Girl members being led by the staff with a wistful gaze. 아이컨택 (Eye Contact) used to receive the same treatment while walking down this hallway until recently. Surely, she feels envious, bitter, nostalgic, angry, self-critical, and resentful of the world. But seeing that an aura has emerged where there was none before, doesn't that signal a hint of potential? Even if it's as tiny as an ant's antenna, it seems like there's some internal change... "Do you actually enjoy being on stage?" "Of course." "Eh, I doubt it." "Why? How do you see it?" "It seems like you enjoy the attention of people admiring you from the stage more than actually singing and dancing up there." "Aren't they the same thing?" "They're obviously different, dummy." "So take me under your wing, director. Teach me what I don't know, I can really do whatever you ask. I'm prepared. Oh, and how about a newly nurtured girl group instead of a step-by-step one? I don't necessarily need to be an idol, I can do acting or variety, just tell me what to do." The girl babbled excuses like a child caught misbehaving. In the waiting room, she barely spoke except when asked, but now, slightly distanced from the group, she's quickly revealing her ambition. Tch, a kid with no real skill speaking as if they have all the drive and determination... Looks like it's time for a reality check. "How many hours do you practice a day?" "Recently, not so much." "And when you were with 레플걸 (Ripple Girl)?" "With Ripple Girl... well, I guess around 3 hours a day." "What? Only 3 hours?" "Considering we barely slept 3 hours a night while running between events, that's quite a lot." Ah, right. They were known for working hard like beasts during busy periods. Her reply was somewhat unexpected, but I pressed on resolutely. "So without counting prep time, actual practice would be about 2 hours?" "Yeah, about that." "Do you know how many hours our girls practice?" "I bet it's a lot." "Ripple Girl missions go on for 12 hours a day. That's after the company said to tone it down, and if you include practice at their dorms, any waking moment is practice time. But Eye Contact's 3 hours?" "What am I supposed to do if the company doesn't give us practice time?" "No, I see it as an excuse. With that amount of practice, even if you stayed, you would’ve just been criticized by viewers until you were eventually knocked out. You never once received praise from the judges during mission performances, did you?" "They gave us songs that didn't suit us." "Yet here you are, still making excuses instead of owning up." "What I'm saying is, take me under your wing, director. I'll work hard and even endure hardship." "You think working hard will make everything okay? There's no coming back from drug-related scandals for female celebrities in Korea. Have you seen any come back?" "I keep telling you, I didn’t know!" "Look, drugs are the least of your problems. A girl group's scandalous personal life exposed like that is the ultimate letdown. Even a simple dating rumor can cause fans to drop in droves, let alone being linked romantically with male idols..." "Tsk... They indulge in everything and yet are harsh just with us. Do they think idols don’t even sleep around? It wouldn’t even be like this in the Joseon era." "Is that something a high school senior should say?" "Isn't the director a little too uptight? And isn't it funny how at one age you're barely considered an adult and at another you're legally a minor? The difference is just a few months." Sigh, better say nothing. On the surface she may look like any modern youth, but she has a unique blend of Eunbi's obliviousness, Lia's cheek, and Seowon's brazenness. "So what about school, then?" "I was initially attending in Busan, but when I moved to Seoul, I transferred to Moon Gong Art School." Culture and Performing Arts High School. It's famous for having many aspiring celebrities and active idols. Lia is also considering applying there. "You’re starting to get interested in me now, right?" I was about to tell her to get lost. "Get lost." Oh, I actually said it. "From what I see, you’ve got no talent for this. Use this chance to find something else to do. Honestly, even if you work hard alone, nothing will change. Which broadcasting station would hire you?" "Wow, director, you're pretty..." "...You're quite the man. This is unexpected. Now I see why Yona followed you." Is she being sincere, or just naive? Just before entering the studio, she tugged on my sleeve, starting her final plea. "From now on, I'll see the world through your eyes, Director — now and in the future. So please, help me. The moment you acknowledged me, we became bound by an unbreakable alliance." What a choice of words. I’m not entirely sure how things ended up this way. One undeniable fact, though, is that this girl is undeniably peculiar, perhaps even on par with our own eccentric group. Whether she's endearingly quirky or simply naturally odd remains to be seen. *** "And now, only one team remains." "Indeed. The undisputed stars born from Replay Girl, known for their flawless performances and songs — the result of Ripple Girl's nurturing — it's Upkey Girl's stage!" The VCR capturing their preparation for this stage begins to play. It features interviews where each member expresses gratitude and apologies to their families. I watched the stage alongside Riya and Ran from beside camera one. "Grandma, thank you for raising Garam and me during this time... Oops, hold on..." Eunbit’s tearful juice. "Mom, I'm Seowon... Ah, what do I do? Sis, I think I'm going to cry. Can we do this later?" Seowon’s emotional gush. "Mom, Dad, and Sis. You've been worried sick with a brat like me around. I'm doing well with the great team members and company folks I’ve met, so... *sniff*..." Yona’s tearful benediction. "Mom, it's me, Hongi... *sniffle sniffle*..." Hongi’s weepy essence. When did any of you start worrying about family like this? Not one of them completed their interview without breaking down. "What's up with them? Anyone would think we locked them in the dorm. They don’t even call home often..." "That's just how daughters are, truly. You wouldn't understand." Whether hearing my and Riya’s whispers or not, the camera director chuckled softly. Ran, hidden with her mask, was already sniffling since Eunbit's segment. Anyone could mistake her for part of the extended family... Concluding the segment, the Upkey Girl members conveyed their sentiments through Yona's words. "And now, to our extended family, Hungeulhlehll members, and our beloved youngest Riya who is watching from below the stage, we dedicate this song to you." As the piano introduction began, the girls appeared on stage, each lit subtly as they stood on various podiums at different heights. The 4-minute song commenced with Eunbit's pure voice. Whenever I return home, weary from the long road, my family quietly sleeps, waiting for me... I worried they might become overly emotional, but they managed their feelings gracefully, resulting in a performance that conveyed heartfelt sentiments genuinely. After the song ended, the reaction from the judges and audience was slow to emerge, due to the lasting impression it made. Late applause trickled in, like a burst dam, flooding in an instant. Families wept openly, and many professional evaluators discreetly wiped tears. Ran seemed the most affected, despite having seen Upkey Girl perform multiple times. She clapped the hardest, her mask soaked in tears and sniffles. "Wow, that was incredible..." "What do you mean, you’ve seen them perform before..." "I know, but it felt completely different this time. Absolutely amazing..." What is with this kid... Her aura had deepened somehow. It wasn't easy to tell if it was red or yellow, but it had a bluish hue, though I wasn't sure if it was leaning towards purple or blue. And as her aura intensified, so too did her ambition. She clung to Riya, fawning over her despite being a year older, referring to her as "Sister." "Sis, can I visit your dorm after the recording?" "Why?" "From now on, I'll see the world through Upkey Girl's eyes. So please, help me. We're blood allies from here on." "Ugh, Director, she's weird." "I’ll start over as a trainee with Hungeulhlehll. Please?" "Riya, I’m taking her to the waiting room first." "Yeah. She seems to have a huge misunderstanding, so I think you need to straighten her out." I brought Ran to the waiting room. The monitor displayed the judges' feedback on Upkey Girl’s performance. "Wasn’t this a performance proving that Upkey Girl can convey emotions solely through song, and not just through their stage acts?" "Did you not hear what I said earlier? Need me to repeat it?" "I understand what you mean." "Then why act this way? It's not about talent or effort anymore. Which broadcasting company would hire you? Is there a show that wants to risk cancellation?" "Even if I don't debut, I'll start over as a trainee." "And what would that lead to? If you were the company, would you accept you as a trainee? Your contract with Karma hasn't even ended, nor do you know the outcome of the trial. Your situation isn't something to take lightly." Ideals are ideals, sympathy is sympathy, but reality is reality. And it’s not like we’re connected through a mystical purple aura or anything. "And do you think it will happen just because I say so? Do you think the company director and other employees will agree?" Faced with this dose of reality, Ran was momentarily silent. Perhaps feeling stifled, she removed her mask and hat, brushing her short hair back. "Watching Upkey Girl's performance just now, I realized something. I can't quit feeling this ashamed." "I understand how you feel, but there's nothing we can do for you." "Then just let me practice with the Upkey Girl members. I'll handle the rest on my own." "Sigh..." "I'll run errands, clean the practice room and dorms, do laundry—I'll handle all of that. I'll even get a driver's license and drive. I'll pay for the practice room and lessons myself by working part-time." "In my opinion, you're still young. I think it would be better for you to find another path." "Please, help me live." "Come on, who's talking about death here?" "Yes. If I quit now, it feels like I'd really die. I'll just be there, like I'm not even there. Just let me practice with them, okay?" Is it just my imagination, or is her aura subtly getting stronger? No, no, don’t do this. It’s already overwhelming handling just our girls. "I clearly said no." 20 minutes later... "Well, if it’s just practicing, it shouldn’t be an issue, right…?" "I'm against it. I don’t like it." "I— I don’t mind sharing practice space..." "I'm sorry for her situation, but Aliya is against it too. We could maybe help her find a job instead." The decision to use the practice room was left to the Upkey Girl members. Currently, Eunbit, Hong, and the moderates are for it, but Seowon and Riya are against it. Now, Yona, their former colleague, will decide Ran's fate. "Hmm..." The previous four had clear boundaries between emotion and reason, so their choices were expected. However, with Yona's balanced emotions, it's hard to predict her decision. Whatever she chooses, it will make sense. "Umm..." The rankings from their Ripple Girl days are long forgotten. As Yona's indecision dragged on, the resolute leader couldn’t bear it any longer and laid down the law: "Iyona, what's there to ponder? It's only going to give her false hope. Besides, we’re already too busy with our own practice to worry about someone else." From the moderate side, Siba offered a rebuttal: "She said she'll just watch without interfering. Why not just let her do it? What's so difficult about that...?" I don't understand why this has become such a heated discussion. Still, when it comes to creating tension over the smallest things, we’re unrivaled worldwide. After a long deliberation, Leader Yona finally spoke. "Okay, I've made my decision." < I’ll See the World Through Upkey Girl's Eyes > The End