231 - Upki Girl

< Let's Go to Brunei > The brunch café Yona suggested was located less than a minute from the office. Pointing to a seat on the terrace by the entrance, she said: “Manager, can I sit here? I want to eat while watching people pass by on the street.” “What if someone recognizes you?” I replied, scanning our surroundings for paparazzi, just in case. Although it wasn't the kind of neighborhood where people would randomly approach a celebrity, the lingering effects of the dating rumors made me a bit anxious. However, Yona squinted and pointed at my sunglasses instead. “I think people are more likely to recognize you than me. You’re the most famous manager in our country right now.” “I’m not the most famous. Manager Yi Yu-mi's manager is more well-known than me.” “Oh, right.” After unintentionally gaining recognition as the “heavenly fangirl manager” from Ripple Girl, my fame peaked with the reality program ‘Shadow’s Light,’ which featured celebrities with their managers. The episode that aired had been about a surprise birthday prank for Riya and preparations for the Ripple Girl finals. Even though it was just a two-part pilot, it managed to snag second place in the “TV Program Non-Entertainment Personality Buzzworthiness” category. First place went to a fellow guest, comedian Yi Yu-mi’s manager, highlighting the strong response to the show. The pilot’s ratings were 5.2%, and it seemed almost certain to become a regular series. They're currently adjusting the broadcasting schedule, and if everything is confirmed, the first broadcast might air in three to four months. If it becomes a regular series, it means I’ll need to manage Upkick Girl’s schedule once or twice every two weeks. When I took off my sunglasses and placed them on the table, Yona put them on and asked: “Do I look terrible without makeup?” “No? I actually think you look prettier without it.” “Liar…” “It might be because I’m older, but at your age, just light skin makeup and hinting at the lips is best.” “What lip color do you like?” “What color did you wear during Up-in-the-Air's 'Want Some Coffee' comeback stage? That was pretty.” “The Up-in-the-Air comeback...? Oh, as far as I know, I wore coral in a gradient style then. Hold on, I’ll call and find out for sure.” “No need to go that far…” “I’m really curious.” Eventually, Yona texted her makeup coordinator to find out the exact product name. “L’Oréal Paris… 202… Okay…” “How did you know about this place? Have you been here before?” “I searched for brunch cafes near Nonhyeon Station and this came up.” Yona had already decided on the menu. As we ordered and waited for our food, male passersby kept stealing glances in our direction. While some may have only passed by once, those whose eyes landed on Yona couldn’t help but look repeatedly, either taking longer looks or confirming their sight. There’s no shortage of beauties to turn heads in the heart of Gangnam, but Yona stood out even among them. Despite her face being half-covered with my sunglasses and her simple tracksuit attire. I understand what that's like. I had felt it deeply after seeing the faces of over a hundred girl group members. Celebrities have a naturally composed face, and even their proportions and bone structure are different. Even girls who are only about 150 cm tall have such good proportions that they appear much taller, and those who don't look good on screen look distinctly different in real life. That element is what surprises fans the most at their first fan signing event. In particular, the Upkick Girl members are well-known among other fans for their stunning real-life beauty. And the member known as the ‘Real Life Goddess’ is none other than the extraordinarily beautiful Yona. Just because she’s not wearing makeup doesn’t diminish her class. But something feels strange about this. Why does it feel like bricks are stacking up on my shoulders? It’s as if I’ve officially signed up to be the partner of the school’s top beauty. Of course, I’m the returning student. “Manager.” Yona called out to me with a meaningful tone as she idly stirred her lemonade with a straw. “Yes?” “What did you feel when you first saw me?” “The first time I saw you? Hmm...” The first time I saw Yona in person was during the recording of Eunbit’s ‘Sing Together Duo’ at the broadcasting station. But I learned about Yona even earlier. I was drinking at a pub when Eye Contact’s music video played on a screen, and I was captivated by Yona’s large-scale star aura. Reflecting on it now brings back those memories. Who would have thought I’d be sitting across from TV Yona having brunch? “Did I ever tell you that I saw you on TV before I saw you at the STBC?” “Really?” “It was before I even met Eunbit. I was out drinking with colleagues at a pub, and Eye Contact’s MV appeared on the screen. I think it was around last spring.” If we think about the 'reverse chart climb,' it was actually two springs before. “Around last spring... would have been during ‘Love is Pain’ then.” “Yes, that’s right. Among the girls there, only one stood out, and it was you.” “See, you have an eye for people. I was the prettiest, right?” Yona was joking boldly, perhaps because of the sunglasses. I continued sincerely. “You were definitely pretty, but there was something more... something that drew me in. After Rosemary, I wasn’t interested in girl groups at all, but I just couldn’t stop watching. I even looked up your profile.” “Wow. That feels so... strange.” “Why?" "Knowing that you knew me before I even knew about you…it's kind of touching. It feels like my heart is swelling," Yona said, her voice filled with emotion. "And when I saw you in person at the STBC, I got the same feeling. Like we were somehow connected by a thread of fate." "I felt that too. Didn't I tell you? It was like there was a spotlight just on you," Yona added with a grin. "Ha, what am I, some kind of deity?" I chuckled. "You are. Not just to Eunbit, but now to all of us. We concluded that. Munoshin, Munsin." "Good thing my name isn't Kim Byungho. Otherwise, I'd be called Byunshin." Yona erupted into a fit of laughter before regaining her composure and speaking sincerely, "Thank you..." "What’s with the sudden thank you?" I asked, confused. "You know we really like you, right? Actually, it’s love. We love you, Manager." "Please, give me a signal before you drop a bomb like that. You guys have me checking for hidden cameras every time you say stuff like that." "Why not? Can’t I love you a bit? Even if it's not romantic love, there are different kinds of love." "Fair enough... in that case," I conceded. "Of course, I love you as a man," she jested. "Ahhh," I exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. "Why the fuss? We aren’t technically manager and artist anymore, so why not love freely?" "Be honest, was that your plan from the start? Agreeing so easily when I said I’d quit as your manager?" "Well, partly. But there's a bigger reason." "And what’s that?" "The five of us pretty much owe our new lives to you, Manager. We want to give others a chance now." The words struck me profoundly. My scalp tingled with emotion. I realized I'd underestimated them. What they meant was, when I said I’d quit being a manager, after some discussion, they concluded that without me, their lives would have been far more desolate. While there was some truth to that, I felt embarrassed and tried to downplay it. "You would have done well even without me. I just helped speed things up a bit." "Manager." "Yeah?" "Why did you come to the karaoke bar that time?" "Huh? Karaoke?" "When Attorney Woo came and you rescued me, why were you there? You wouldn't have known I was there, so it couldn’t have been because of me. And it’s not like you were close enough to Attorney Woo to go drinking together." "That time...? Um... why was I there again...? Did Attorney Woo invite me? Oh, right. Attorney Woo wanted us to become friends and suggested a drink, and it turned out to be there." "But Attorney Woo said you were the one who invited him." "Uh... did I...? Was it me who invited...? It’s a bit fuzzy." I was at a loss for words. I hadn’t expected Yona to be curious about that. From her perspective, my appearance at that time must've seemed completely random and without any reason. "I didn’t realize it then, but after thinking about it, it seemed strange. Why would you be there? The other members think so too." "What do you mean about the others? Eunbit came to the audition on her own." "She said you approached her first and offered to let her stay the night—does that make any sense, really?" "You didn’t see Eunbit that night. She looked like a shivering puppy caught in the rain. Anyone would have helped her." "And what about Seowon?" "Seowon...?” "You approached her first, asking to team up." "I did. She sang so well." "That's not all, Seowon said there was something else. And Hwi, who didn’t have an idol look at all, yet you sought her out and brought her in. Riya joined after just one investment meeting—it's all so strange." Even looking at each individual, it seems like fate played a role in our meetings, and for all five members, it distinctly stood out. There's no escape route from Yona's karaoke infiltration story. For the final strike, Yona cornered me with my own story. "But the strangest part is you, Manager. Someone who wasn’t related to the entertainment industry at all, suddenly quitting his job to become a manager? Doesn’t it seem odd to you too?" "Ha-ha-ha. So, what are you getting at?" I tried to defuse the tension with laughter, but Yona took off her sunglasses, fixing me with a sharp gaze. "Manager, you're an angel. You've come to save talented individuals who, for various reasons, haven't debuted and are living difficult lives." "Ha-ha... an angel, huh? I can be an angel." "Was that you coming out as an angel just now?" "Were you being serious...?" "Of course not, just kidding. But it’s true that your ability to see things others can’t is exceptional, especially in management. Don’t you think so yourself? You even mentioned in an interview how you can spot the aura of a celebrity at a glance." "I guess I do have a knack for that." "That’s why we’re letting you go now—to help others with that talent. We’ve reached a place where we’re okay." The ability to perceive an aura, the information window, and the purple aura. It would be impossible for anyone to accurately discern these supernatural abilities unless I explicitly say it. Yet, Yona had almost reached the correct conclusion, impressively close to understanding the truth. "Just like you did for us, find and help those who have talent as entertainers but are in such precarious situations that their lives hang by a thread," Yona suggested, pinpointing the two individuals currently on my radar with impressive accuracy. "Please help both Rahee and Rani as well," Yona said. "But Rani... don't you think she's beyond rescue? Being involved in a drug orgy is practically a death sentence for an idol," I replied. Yona flashed a confident smile. "But you, Manager, you can overcome even the impossible." "Just when I thought I'd get a breather after getting you all to number one," I sighed. "That's what angels do, isn't it? Can you at least show us your wings?" Yona teased. "I sold them," I joked. "Where did you sell them?" Yona asked playfully. "To a chicken place. Told them to use them for hot wings." "Oh..." she replied, with a hint of disappointment. "Sorry, wasn’t that funny?" "No, I was about to be slightly disappointed." "Hey, the salad's here," I noted, changing the subject. "The salad saved us," she laughed. "Your ricotta cheese salad is served," the waiter announced. "Thanks. Eat up, you must be hungry," I suggested. "Thank you," Yona replied, diving into her food. As we ate, I got a call from Taejin's manager, someone I'd known as a judge for Ripple Girl. Taejin, initially set for a comeback through Ripple Girl, had their album recording delayed, pushing the release to next month. Their new full album, set to drop simultaneously in Korea and Japan, had them wanting to invite Upkick Girl as guests for their upcoming showcase in Japan. Taejin was the first Korean artist to debut at Tokyo Dome, selling out the entire venue, solidifying their position as a Hallyu star in Japan. The showcase would also occur at the 50,000-seat Tokyo Dome, so making our Japanese debut there without lifting a finger was quite the opportunity. With Riya fluent in Japanese, there’d be no stress over interviews or stage banter. I shared the exciting news with Yona. "Wow, when?" she asked, clearly enthused. "On the 28th of next month," I answered. "We have plenty of time. How many songs?" "I haven’t asked yet. As guests, maybe two or three songs?" "I hope we get more," Yona said optimistically. "I’ll see what I can do. Taejin seems to be quite fond of you guys. It’s a forced entry into Japan," I laughed. "Sounds great!" Yona beamed, placing a sandwich on my plate before shifting topics. "But manager." "Yes?" "Can’t we take a trip together before that?" "A trip?" "Yes, we've never gone on a vacation together outside of our schedules." "Where to?" "The location doesn’t matter. Even a nearby pension would do... the point is just the six of us being together." "As a day trip?" "Oh, come on. It should be at least two nights, three days, right?" "Alright, then. After wrapping up the follow-up song activities, I’ll look into it. Let me know if you have any places in mind after discussing it with the others." "Yes, yes," she agreed eagerly. *** The next day: "Manager, we’ve decided on Brunei for our trip!" Yona exclaimed excitedly. "Huh?" "We’re going to Brunei," she reiterated with enthusiasm. "Why Brunei?" "Ali intends to reconcile with his people, and he invited us there officially before his knighthood ceremony. His members want us to have some fun together." "Hmm, is there even anything to do there?" I pondered. "There’s a seven-star hotel!" Yona highlighted. "Well, downtime at a hotel isn't so bad." Eunbit, who was bouncing around like an overly excited puppy ever since the word 'trip' was mentioned, added joyfully, "Oppa, the hotel has a private pool! We've decided we all will wear matching bikinis. So, you should wear something snug too!" <A headline flashes in my mind: "A Country with Polygamy and a Bikini-Wearing Girl Group.avi"> This whole situation already feels intense. I don't know if it's my nerves getting to me lately, but I’ve been feeling particularly tense and shivery. I was trying to look away from the kids, overwhelmed by self-consciousness, when... Huh? In passing, I caught a glimpse of a fleeting scene: Riya exchanging a knowing glance with Seowon, who looked at her with a proud and eerie gaze, seemingly stifling laughter. <End of "Let's Go to Brunei">