228 - Upki Girl

< A Never-Seen-Before Notification Appears > "No way. I might not have told you, but I really don’t feel well." "Then I won't do it either. Just put out an article saying I collapsed from exhaustion." What’s gotten into her? This was a rare stubborn streak from Yona. Others were slightly surprised by Yona’s unexpected behavior too. Calming her slightly buoyant emotions, Yona spoke to me in her usual tone. "My birthday's tomorrow, you know." Ah, even Yona’s become sly. What a blatant lie. "Huh? Your birthday’s next month." "In my family, we celebrate birthdays according to the lunar calendar. I didn’t even know what day it was this year until my mom called me yesterday." "Oh... really?" "If you don’t believe me, I can show you the text." Seeing my skeptical look, Yona showed me a message from her mom to confirm. Yo-Mom [Ask Director Muno to make some pork soup for your birthday tomorrow. I wish I could do it myself, but I’ll hold back because I know you don’t like it when I visit you at work^^] Me [We only do lunar birthdays at home. Outside, we use the solar calendar.] What in the world. See her insisting on her lunar birthday when she herself said “outside we use solar.” "Wait, didn't you say outside you use sol—" "From this year, I’m doing the lunar one too. So, take care of the 'Top Idol' schedule tomorrow as a birthday gift. Even if you’re sick, you can just sleep in the waiting room. I'll help Jangwoo take care of the members." While I might ignore it for any other member, if Yona, who rarely insists, says so, I suppose I have to oblige. But I decided to ghost, as planned. In idol terms, "a scandal broke out," which means if even against one in a billion chance, a photo of Yona kissing me got leaked and destroyed everything we built, my philosophy is that it must be avoided at all costs. I informed the company in advance. Taking advantage of the kids being asleep at dawn, I left behind a note as I exited the dorm. [No calls or texts. Anyway, you’re blocked for a day lol. See you Monday.] *** ―The winner of all combined scores this week on “Top Idol” is... Upki Girl! ―Congratulations to Upki Girl! “Wow... our girls really did it.” Lying nude on the plush goose-down bed of a hotel in Gangnam, overlooking the Han River, sipping a can of beer, I was leisurely watching “Top Idol” and shot up during the announcement of the winner. Following “Music Market,” Upki Girl’s “Violet” snagged first, beating out the physical defense team. This was all thanks to the “Big 3 Hala Project” driven by 50,000 “piggybacks” and 700,000 service members, enviable even by boy group fandoms. 1. 24-hour SumStream — stream like breathing. 2. Use Upki Girl albums for gifts to family, friends, and acquaintances. 3. Vote ― pre-internet, real-time text. Among the three music shows, being number one in “Top Idol” has special significance. For some reason, like “Cheonan walnut cake” or “Chuncheon dakgalbi,” “Top Idol” became the symbolic name for number one on music shows. Our kids, when asked in interviews about their goal, always replied it was to be number one on “Top Idol,” and the same goes for other trainees and idols. It wasn’t a number one stolen during a lull from top singers, but achieved among fierce competitors like the physical defense team, Liz Girls, and trending songs causing an online sensation, making it even more meaningful. The biggest issue in the Korean music industry right now was undoubtedly the physical defense team, but Upki Girl throwing cold water on their feast was significant. The unexpected result shocked everyone, including us. Some went so far as to file a Blue House petition, claiming yesterday’s “Music Market” win was ludicrous and suspecting manipulated rankings. Of course, we haven’t touched any manipulation — we lack the power or means to even attempt such a thing. ―We, the Upki Girl members, first and foremost thank our families. Sniff... Yona had the honor of the first speech. Like yesterday, it was a tearful occasion, but having experienced it once, she managed to express her gratitude. After expressing thanks to family, company staff, and fans, Yona handed the mic to Hong, standing farthest to the right. Our Hong started her rookie speech through tears. ―Before I met the Upki Girl members, my dream, sniff, was just to rap in front of people. But no one listened, and it was so tough... I pretended not to be, but it was really hard for me... Hong couldn’t continue speaking. Her head hung low as she sobbed. Seowon next to her seemed to chide her, just like yesterday, for possibly botching the speech. Though I couldn’t hear her, the mouth movements and frown made it clear. “Sniff... Han Seowon, she acts so tough but there she is hugging Hong, pretending to be all strong.” ―Any others wish to say something? Eunbit? Since there was some time left, the MC requested a speech from Eunbit. Our SiBa, who carved a new image genre for girl groups as ‘Kinetic Cute’ and ‘Nerdy Cute,’ wasn’t going to leave the speech mundane. ―When I came up from Jeju-do to Seoul to audition, I knew nothing and asked questions online. So, I want to thank that responder who left weird comments. Because of that person, I'm here today. '3,000 Auditions Professional Auditioner’! Please contact me or our company, and I'll treat you to a meal, so do reach out! It seems like Eunbit’s post on the knowledge forum is about to become legendary again. ―"Many fans of Upki Girl are here today. Seowon, could you say something to them?" ―"If you stop being a fan, just know you're going to die. I'll chase you to the ends of the earth. I can't tolerate double-minded fans or those who drift. Just focus only on us. I'll make sure I keep doing well, so just keep loving Upki Girl, okay?" Instead of "love only me," it was "love only Upki Girl." Even our Seowon, who used to think only of herself, has grown this much. Finally, Riya took the mic to conclude the acceptance speeches from all five members. ―"Munday, you watching? We really made it to number one on Top Idol... So now you can relax a bit and enjoy your life as Munday. We promised to wait no matter what, so when you're ready, come back to us like a salmon. Just take care of us till Riya turns 20, before some clueless raccoon guy butts in!" Yeah. I'm not going anywhere, if only to see what happens when you turn 20. ―"We'll say goodbye while listening to Upki Girl's encore." ―"The leading live music show, Top Idol! See you next week!" Right after the broadcast, the official café buzzed due to Riya’s final comment. Posts questioning whether Manager Muno had quit surfaced. Fans who attended today's Top Idol taping noted my absence at the shoot, causing rumors about my resignation or transfer to solidify. Some accurately speculated that I might be stepping back from Upki Girl to focus on a follow-up group. ―ShamSyer: "Wow... I can't imagine Upki Girl without Manager Muno..." ―Masol: "Come back, Munoㅠ" ―Mirinaegi: "Now that you've raised a girl group, will you do a boy group next? How about 'Welcome to Bromance'?" ―Nautilus: "I'm a fan because of Upki Girl’s chemistry with Muno. It feels like losing a member..." ―kwoon: "True, many fans in our fandom are also fans of Muno..." ―Seihan: "Next Upki Girl album title: 'Where Do You Think You're Going? (To. Muno)'" Guys, I need to live my own life too. Our fans know quite well how tough it is to be Upki Girl's manager. But it was even tougher than you think. Pure-hearted brain, Eunbit. Energetic yet touchy, Han Seowon. Fearsome Yona on certain days. Our Hong on normal days, but if hungry, ‘Your Hong.’ A perfect mix of trouble, Riya. Each was demanding on their own; together, managing them was a daily trial. When I die, if my body is cremated, I wouldn't be surprised if I leave behind a crystal like a holy relic. "Sure, it was fun and fulfilling... but now I want to rest... without the kids knowing, freely date women, and fully enjoy... as well as have good sex..." — Crunch! The number of crushed beer cans became nine. The original plan was to dive into a series on my laptop, but after Top Idol ended, I spent over three hours just reading articles and comments about Upki Girl. Then again, a habit and hobby developed over more than half a year couldn't change overnight. While contemplating, a freshly posted title on the café caught my attention. <Is it possible to sue for a parody of Upki Girl in a smut story?> — It’s a paid smut story titled ‘Grow-in Group (Putki Girl)’ on a site called Zexpia. Clearly, the title maliciously uses Upki Girl’s team name. As a fan, I find it extremely offensive. I haven’t been able to focus on anything all day. I hope the agency considers legal action. Curious if it might be a spell-casting story (fanfic), I followed the link to the story site. Ah, it's that site I stumbled upon by clicking a phishing banner before. 1. The Count's Clone Army 2. She's the Heroine?! 3. A Cruel Poison, ooh~za,ee~ja 4. A Sextre Within a Story 5. Toe Licking Saga 6. Grow-in Group Anyway, these title choices are horrendous. The best ranking titles are all tasteless. The fan-reported ‘Grow-in Group’ was proudly ranked sixth in the paid section. After reading the free preview, while it only reminded of Upki Girl by title, it wasn’t a spell-casting story or an ‘RPS (real person slash)’ fanfic. Like those erotic films with parody titles, it only featured a fictional group—no characters or traits resembled our members. I understand the fan’s protective sentiment towards Upki Girl, but there’s no ground for a lawsuit here. Let’s pass. After closing the smut site, I checked the search engine rankings and saw VNF trending as number one. Now I remember, today is VNF's comeback showcase. A music video was pre-released before the track, so I clicked it. It’s a fresh and lively dance song aimed for the summer. “Wow, the song’s catchy. They might be number one next week.” Their music will naturally hit number one, and the focus is whether they can surpass Upki Girl’s nearly 200,000 album sales. VNF’s last album sold 170,000 copies. But what’s with the pink aura surrounding only Hayun and Eunsol? In the music video, both continued to emit a pink aura. There’s clearly something there, much like the purple aura, but I can’t figure it out. Unlike our kids, they have no connection to me. It’s just giving me a headache, so I’ll let it go. By 5 PM, the kids from Top Idol would be resting, waiting for the opening rehearsal of K-Noah's concert, a bond formed during 'Sing With Me.' There’s a guest performance at a university festival later in the evening. I decided to finally catch up on some Western dramas, so I closed the fan café and entertainment news tabs and logged onto my streaming site. Just as I was about to crack open my tenth can of beer, Jangwoo called. I had informed the company that I was taking a break at a hotel in Gangnam in case anything urgent happened that needed my immediate attention. "Hey, Jangwoo." ― Hey, hyung. What are you up to? "Just about to watch a show. Where are you?" ― I'm in the lobby of your hotel right now. I'll come up for a bit. "What? You're here?" ― Yeah. Director Yeom asked me to give you a gift. "A gift? Are you alone?" ― Yeah, I’m alone. Which room are you in? I have to head to Noah's concert soon, so I'll just drop it off at your door. "Sure, room 1103." ― I'll be right up, so please open the door. "Got it." A gift from Yeom, huh. Could this be a last-ditch attempt to bribe me into staying as Upki Girl's manager? Sorry, Yeom, but only a Cheongdam-dong apartment or a Lamborghini key could tempt me now. Judging by how he sent it in a rush through Jangwoo, I doubt it’s anything big. Given the money we’ve made from the kids’ events and commercials, it might not be an apartment key, but maybe a mid-sized foreign car? Or cash would do... “Ha ha ha.” Feeling secretly amused, I put on a hotel robe and checked my reflection in the nearby sink mirror. "Huh?" The embroidery along the collar and trim of the gray robe seemed oddly familiar—it was the very same robe from the picture. The one Yona was wearing when she kissed me—that mysterious outfit. "What is this..." It sent chills down my spine, like the twist of a mystery movie revealing the real culprit. Then, the doorbell rang, startling me even more. ―Ding dong “Ah, crap.” I must think this through after sending Jangwoo off. “Let's see what gift Director Yeom sent~” Mumbling to myself, I opened the door, only to find, oh no! Standing there wasn’t Jangwoo but the five rambunctious members of Upki Girl. Jangwoo must have caved under their pressure and revealed my location! They stood, just like on stage, with Yona at center in front, all still in their Top Idol performance outfits. My clothes too were the same spoilery ones from that clip... Something’s off. Eunbit reached out with a smartphone aimed at my face, likely broadcasting live. “Guys, we’ve finally found Director Munno! While we were all worried sick, here he is, leisurely enjoying himself!” So it was a live broadcast. They’re streaming them finding me in real-time. But I’m in a bathrobe right now! “What, what’s this?” I mumbled, trying to shut the door quickly. “Get him!” Seowon, diagonally behind Yona, shoved her forward. “Ahup...!” “Uf!” Yona stumbled towards me, and our lips accidentally touched. It was like the angle in the spoiler clip, and for a split second, I thought I felt Yona’s tongue quickly slip in and out, but it could’ve been my imagination—my lips were tingling from the collision. “Oh, sorry... Seowon pushed me from behind...” Yona apologized, flustered. “No worries...” Wait a minute? Considering the height difference, even if she got pushed, it would’ve been unlikely for her lips to reach mine... With at least a 10cm difference, her face should have ended up in my chest unless she intentionally jumped... Could this be... At that moment, Yona’s aura shifted to pink, and a never-seen-before notification window appeared. ――――― ― Name: Yi Yona ― Age: 22 ― Affection Level: S . . . ――――― < A Never-Seen-Before Notification Appears > End