Manager Kim his mother, and Yoon Jaeyi dragged their travel-worn bodies toward the shooting location after the long flight to Paris.
“Once I’ve said hello, I’ll take Mother to the hotel and come right back.”
“Yes, take your time.”
Jaeyi wore a stiff, nervous expression as she stepped from the production van.
Tap.
Kim asked his mother to wait a moment, got out, and studied Jaeyi’s face.
“Jaeyi, are you very tense?”
“A little…”
“It’s fine. They’re all faces you already know.”
As he said, this season of Street Again was a K-Singer Star special, so everyone here was familiar.
Of course, each one was a senior illustrious enough to make anyone nervous.
“Ah, you’re here?”
A staffer ran up and bowed to them.
“We’re setting the cameras for the opening lines. Could you wait over there while you say hello?”
Manager Kim nodded, then led Jaeyi around, introducing her to the PD and every crew member, making sure they remembered her face.
“Please take good care of her.”
To Jaeyi, he looked like a father at a parents’ meeting, comforting and dependable.
Inside the tent that served as a provisional greenroom, four K-Singer Star judges sat waiting.
“Oh, Jaeyi!”
Lee Young-ah saw her first and smiled brightly.
“Hello.”
Jaeyi bowed so deeply her head nearly hit the floor.
“Long time no see. I’ve been listening to the single you released.”
At Lee Young-ah’s courtesy Won Jinseop added,
“Right, the song’s really good. Must be because HS wrote it.”
Kim Gwangjin nodded in agreement.
“The song is the song, but your voice fits it perfectly.”
He beckoned her over with a warm smile. Catching the cue, Manager Kim patted her back and greeted the judges.
“This is her first TV appearance since K-Singer Star. Please watch over her.”
“Don’t worry, Manager. I’ll look after her,” Lee Young-ah said, draping an arm over Jaeyi’s shoulder.
“Actually, when the booking for Street Again came, I kept telling the producers to invite Jaeyi.”
“So the person who recommended me was….”
“Me, yes. We didn’t get to work together on the show, but now we can.” She winked.
Seeing the friendly air, Manager Kim felt relieved and left to take his mother to the hotel.
Lee Young-ah sat close beside Jaeyi, chatting.
“Really? Recording finished that fast?”
“Yes, I was surprised too.”
“HS is famous for taking ages in the booth though.”
Most of their conversation circled around “HS,” and even Kim Gwangjin, Won Jinseop, and Jayble pricked up their ears.
“If only HS were here filming as well….” Lee Yeong-a was saying when—
“Hello, seniors.”
The tent flap opened; Lee Yuju entered with her manager.
“Yuju, you’re here.”
Jayble, who had once worked with her on K-Singer Star, greeted her first.
“Oh, Master Jayble! It’s been too long.”
Yuju hurried over and, after exchanging pleasantries, sat next to him, legs crossed, nodding lightly to the other judges.
“Have you all been well?”
Though her voice was sweet the posture carried a swagger; the others returned brief greetings and the talk stopped.
After the show Yuju had debuted in the big-agency girl group Aphrody and risen fast. She feared nothing now; the world lay beneath her feet. Even the agency that once pressured her now listened to her every word.
Only one stain remained—rumors she had bullied Yun Jaeyi during K-Singer Star still clung online. Her fandom tried to smother them, but…
Why, then, was Lee Young-ah treating Jaeyi like some beloved doll? Since when were they so close?
‘And the other judges’ attitude feels off too…’
Yuju narrowed her eyes. The manager, sensing the air, stepped in.
“The weather is warm, so I brought iced coffee for you to stay cool.”
Naturally Jaeyi’s cup was missing.
“Hold on,” Lee Young-ah said, frowning. “Where’s Jaeyi’s?”
“Ah, well…” The manager hesitated; Yuju cut in with a smile.
“My manager was rushing and forgot. Oppa, could you get one for Jaeyi?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Come on, otherwise it looks like I’m excluding you.”
“Really, I’m all right—”
Yuju’s face chilled as she pressed her manager again.
“What are you doing, oppa? Hurry and buy one for Jaeyi.”
Her words ended; a cold silence dropped over the tent.
“Woohyeon.”
Manager Kim was heading to the car to take his mother to the hotel when someone called.
It was Kim Wooseok, former LS division head now JN Entertainment’s executive director.
“Hello, fancy meeting you here.” The last time they met had not been pleasant.
“Been well?”
“Yes, barely time to breathe these days.”
“Is that well?”
“For us, being busy is well.”
Wooseok gave a thin smile. “I’ve been so swamped I haven’t called.”
Polite words with no heart. He hadn’t come all this way just to follow Aphrody’s Yuju; evidently he’d heard LS’s Yun Jaeyi was here and tagged along.
“Aphrody is doing great; you must be busy.”
He wanted to leave quickly and made small talk.
“I really must go, see you later.”
As he turned, Wooseok sneered behind him.
“Hear you’re strutting these days with HS on your back. True, is it?”
“Pardon?”
“Just concerned, as your old superior. What if HS nests elsewhere and leaves you hanging?”
Manager Kim narrowed his eyes. The man was needling again.
“Your tongue’s as rough as ever.”
“What?”
“Maybe because Director Park isn’t here to rein you in.”
Wooseok flushed red. “You little punk I spoiled from boyhood—!”
Manager Kim only smiled thinly. “Kidding, kidding.”
Yet his face hardened as he turned away.
He climbed into the car and, lest his mother worry, smiled at her in the mirror.
“You waited long, right? Let’s get you settled.”
Three days of filming lay ahead; the headaches were already starting.
Jayble set down his pen. “Then the set list will stay like this.”
Lee Young-ah, Yun Jaeyi, and Jayble, who could arrange and play, became one busking team.
“This song suits a male-female duet.”
Won Jinseop, Lee Yuju, and musician Kim Gwangjin formed the other.
Clap.
Yu-ju deliberately clapped and spoke loudly,
“Certainly a duet vibe is easier with mixed voices.”
Jaeyi glanced at Lee Young-ah; the producers had wanted a Lee Young-ah-Won Jinseop duet for ratings, but Young-ah had insisted on working with her.
‘It would have been better for her with Won Jinseop…’
Young-ah read her thought and patted her shoulder.
“Jaeyi, our voices will blend great, don’t you think?”
Cameras caught the scene.
“Break, then we’ll shoot the detail scenes.”
During the pause, most left for cigarettes or restrooms. Yoon Jaeyi stayed, softly humming.
“Jaeyi.”
Yuju approached.
“You’re working hard alone?”
“I want to do well.”
“Good attitude. You must.” She clasped Jaeyi’s hands.
“Young-ah sunbae is looking after you so much; you can’t disgrace her.”
Feigning concern, she went on.
“By the way, two of the three songs are yours, right? Sunbae is giving up a lot for her junior.”
“Ah… I see.”
“Seems you’ve little consideration. Still, lucky you. HS cared for you on the show, now Lee Young-ah does.”
Jaeyi could only nod.
‘She’s right…’
Because help had brought her this far, she listened silently, determined to succeed and repay them.
Watching from a distance Manager Kim frowned; Yoon Jaeyi looked deflated. He started toward them—
“Yuju worries over Jaeyi a lot.”
Kim Wooseok stood beside him, eyes forward.
“She says Jaeyi was timid on K-Singer Star and couldn’t mingle, so she’ll look after her here. Kind-hearted, no?”
He turned to Manager Kim.
“If you step in on camera, it’ll look like Yuju is bullying her, and she already suffered from those rumours.”
Manager Kim forced a smile.
“Good thing our Jaeyi is gentle.”
“What?”
“If she weren’t, and told the truth, Aphrody—Director Kim’s masterpiece—might be ruined in one shot.”
Wooseok said nothing. Manager Kim smiled again.
“I’ll step out for a cigarette.”
He walked away, then stopped and spoke loud enough to hear.
“To protect the company image maybe casting ought to include character checks these days.”
Hyunseung began to suspect Manager Kim was tailing him everywhere: he ran into him in the hotel lobby.
“Manager, did you follow me this far?”
“No.”
“After that dream text, I should’ve known.”
“I swear, the production booked my hotel.”
“Let’s say so.”
“Really.”
Hyunseung looked around. “Where’s Yoon Jaeyi?”
“Practising now.”
“She doing alright?”
Images of her drooping earlier and of Kim Wooseok’s sneer crossed his mind.
“Actually…” He was about to ask Hyunseung for help when the topic shifted.
“Where’s Mother? Didn’t she come?”
“She’s in her room. I came back to have dinner with her.”
“Then hurry up. I just stepped out to buy canned beer with my family.”
“Oh, right.” Hyunseung remembered and produced the dollar booklet.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“The Moon kids gave it to me.”
“They gave it to you; you should use it.”
“I exchanged more than enough.”
“Really—so smug.”
“Buy Mother plenty of good food.”
Holding the dollars, Manager Kim thanked him quietly.
“Hyunseung, truly, thank you.”
Watching the young man retreat, he thought: asking help for every little thing is shameless; this time he must manage.
Above all, Jaeyi—he had to believe she would do well.
Leave a Reply