Chapter 152 (1/2)

Chapter 152: Competent or Incompetent (5)

TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir

It was quiet.

Like the calm before a storm.

”I'm not changing who I'm a.s.signed to. I'm still your manager, and Pretty Girls have their own manager.”

”And that's the project?”

Im Seoyoung asked in a calm voice.

I was momentarily at a loss for words at their unexpected reactions. Instead of replying, I just nodded. This time, LJ said,

”Let's talk while eating. The food's going to go cold.”

”That's right! Open the pizza box first! We need to eat it while it warm because we added a ton of extra cheese!”

The girls moved quickly. LJ opened and set the food and snacks I bought on the table, and Lee Taehee filled gla.s.ses with various drinks. Im Seoyoung divided the tasty pizza for everyone.

What was this reaction?

I had thought that they would call me a traitor like when they mistakenly thought I was being a.s.signed to Son Chaeyoung or hit the ground like citizens who lost their country, but it felt odd that they seemed completely fine.

I stood, unable to adjust to the situation when Lee Songha approached me.

I became tense again.

”We have potato and bulgogi{1}.”

”Huh?”

Lee Songha showed me the two pizza slices in her hands.

”I brought over the biggest slices. Which one would you like?”

”Uh, just give me whatever… But do you have nothing you want to say to me?”

Or want to throw at me?

Lee Songha stared at me. Opening her lips, which had no makeup on, she said,

”I wish it goes well. Your project.”

She smiled slightly as she nodded.

I felt like I had swallowed a stone.

The other girls' reactions made me confused, but I became even more confused after seeing Lee Songha's reaction. Lee Songha's reaction had always been the same, whether Son Chaeyoung asked me to be her manager or I told her I wanted to work with Nam Joyoon.

It felt like the girl who always stuck next to me had taken a step away.

This change was shocking…

”It's a good opportunity for you, oppa.”

Lee Songha said nonchalantly.

”Even if it's only temporary now, if this project is a success, you might really become a team leader. I really hope you do. It's fine so long as you don't change who you're a.s.signed to. If you get promoted, then I'll just work that much harder to become successful.”

She then started working her way through the pizza. Half the pizza instantly disappeared in her mouth. After her cheeks were stuffed like a squirrel saving food for the winter, she began talking again,

”It's fine as long as I become famous and important enough for a team leader to personally take care and go around with me. Then we can continue to work together.”

Her voice was m.u.f.fled due to the food in her cheeks, but her every word rang clearly in my ears like bells. How could she say such words with no change to her expression?

Lee Songha looked at me again. Then she became surprised.

”Uh, I ate both slices. When did I eat them both? There'll probably be some left!”

She brushed off the crumbs from her now empty hands and quickly rushed over to the table. Then she grabbed one of the remaining slices and waved it at me. She even gestured at me to come over.

I shook my head. Her words, which echoed in my head like bells, dispersed.

”I was sort of expecting this.”

Lee Taehee said while handing me a gla.s.s of alcohol when I sat down next to Lee Songha.

Im Seoyoung hugged her knees and nodded.

”You're becoming more and more famous by the day, and everything you do is a huge success. You can't stay with us forever. We were thinking that a day like this would arrive. It came much faster than we expected, and it's surprising that it's for another girl group.”

”It's still worth celebrating.”

LJ added. Im Seoyoung made a fuss about how we needed to toast and raised her gla.s.s. Five gla.s.ses clinked in the air.

I downed my gla.s.s in one go. I drank the cold beer with ice, yet heat spread out from my throat to my belly.

They had been expecting this.

So that was what they were thinking when I was focused on other things.

Maybe I should have brought it up earlier since I would be working with another girl group even if I wasn't going to be their personal manager. This must feel different than when I started working with Nam Joyoon. It wouldn't be weird if they were disappointed, yet they didn't show such emotions on their faces.

I looked at them and said,

”Even in the future, to me, you girls are…”

”Euahh, don't say it! Just stop!”

I was going to say something serious, yet Im Seoyoung shouted while covering her face.

”I didn't even say what I wanted to.”

”'To me, you girls are first', 'to me, you are the best'. You were going to say something like that, weren't you?!”

”That's true.”

”You'll make me cry even if you made an old eighties gag! I'm holding it back! If you say something like that, this party's going to be ruined with everyone crying!”

”I don't plan on crying though?”

LJ said before adding,

”You're the only one who might cry all night out of the four of us.”

”d.a.m.n it, then I'm going to the washroom so finish it off before I come back!”

Im Seoyoung got up and ran to the bathroom.

Dumbfounded, I laughed. The girls started giggling too. As expected, with Im Seoyoung, any serious mood would soften up. She needed show this side of her on entertainment shows.

Thinking this, I received the chicken thigh Lee Songha pa.s.sed me.

”But why is it Pretty Girls?”

LJ changed the mood.

”Is it because of that member who asked for your business card? Jung Jae or something?”

”No.”

My cheeks stung. I knew who was staring at me without looking.

”It really isn't?”

”It's not. She has semi-left the group, so we don't know if she'll come back or not.”

The piercing stare softened.

LJ, who was looking at me with narrowed eyes, tilted her head.

”Did I see wrong? Her eyes didn't seem normal, so I thought she would definitely contact you. Your gaze also lingered on her that day. So I thought you were producing the alb.u.m for her.”

Her quick senses were almost at the level of being a superpower.

I explained Pretty Girls' unfortunate situation.

Then I said to Lee Taehee, who was blowing on the lip of a bottle by herself,

”Although this is a project producing Pretty Girls' single alb.u.m, it'll also benefit your next alb.u.m as well. So please trust me and wait.”

Smiling faintly, Lee Taehee nodded.