Chapter 128. A Christmas for Everyone (3)

Translator: Chamber

Editor: Illidan

“Today’s practice was the best bro, cya later.”

After the practice, Lee JunYeol gave KangYoon a thumbs up before leaving.

Han JooYeon helped KangYoon in cleaning up the studio, without a word. Although KangYoon told her to go back and have a rest, she said that it was a natural thing to help out and picked up the microphone lines. Though, she had to learn from KangYoon how to store it away.

“Looks like senior Sedy is a peculiar person.”

“JunYeol? Yeah, he’s a peculiar guy.”

Rolling up the cables in an awkward fashion, Han JooYeon expressed her opinion of Lee JunYeol.

“He acts light-hearted, yet scary; sharp, yet blunt… he was incomprehensible.”

“JunYeol has a lot of charms many don’t know of. How was the song though?”

“His voice was really good. As for other things….”

Han JooYeon blurred her words. Although she wanted to say that JunYeol didn’t even know her name, she endured.

However, KangYoon knew how she felt and spoke in a soft voice.

“JunYeol is very picky. He’s also haughty. It would have been hard for you to adjust to him. Well done.”

“Yes. It was the first time I saw a person….”

Just as Han JooYeon was about to say what was on her mind, KangYoon interrupted her.

“However, he’s the guy who will make you rise.”

“……”

Hearing that, Han JooYeon couldn’t say anything.

“Do whatever you can to make him join your side. That’s your first task.

“That sounds difficult….”

Han JooYeon pouted, but KangYoon was very firm about it.

“The first run was the best one, right?”

“…It was.”

It wasn’t just good. It was incredibly rare for two voices to fit each other so well like this. Although they wasted time doing meaningless things, she did not imagine that the duet would go so well.

However, Han JooYeon showed little confidence in being able to bear with Lee JunYeol’s personality. KangYoon then gave her some stimulation.

“You don’t like MinAh going solo, do you?”

“….Yes.”

She would hate it to be behind a member of the same group. She was honest about that.

Hearing that, KangYoon smiled and patted her shoulders.

“You make your own opportunities. Don’t go looking for people for opportunities, and make them find you instead. That is a star. This Christmas concert will be the start.”

“Yes.”

KangYoon was satisfied with Han JooYeon’s response and turned around.

After that, the two cleaned up the studio without a word.

***

It was very rare for all members of World Entertainment to gather around in one location. This was because they had no company-wide meeting or conference to speak of. Even the artists had full confidence in KangYoon to do everything well.

A day in December.

A full-on meeting was called out at World Entertainment. All employees and musicians alike were gathered in the studio.

“*Yawn*, What’s up with today?”

Lee HyunAh yawned as she hadn’t had enough sleep. Lee ChaHee also rubbed her fatigued eyes. The other artists, such as Kim JaeHoon, had to stretch themselves out to chase out their sleepiness.

At that moment, the door to the studio opened and KangYoon entered. The artists were about to greet him when they saw that a group of girls had followed him in.

“Who…. E… Eddios?”

Kim JinDae, who had an extreme hangover due to drinking the night prior, thought he was seeing things. Seeing a top idol that only appeared on TV shows in real life blew away any trace of alcohol in his body. His heart pounded when he saw Han JooYeon a few days ago, and now there were all six of them!

Lee HyunAh and Lee ChaHee also chatted with each other to see what it was about. When Lee HyunJi waved at them to focus on KangYoon, they all calmed down and stopped speaking.

Seeing that the mood was a little calmer now, KangYoon told the girls to stand in front of him.

“You should all have seen JooYeon, but the others not, right? They’re Eddios, and they have joined us at World. Girls.”

“One, two – Hello! We’re Eddios!”

The girls greeted them in an energetic voice. Kim JinDae whispered to Jung ChanGyu when he saw a greeting that he only saw on TVs.

‘Huh… I still had doubts last time I saw her….’

‘I didn’t know I’d get to see the entirety of Eddios.’

Jung ChanGyu’s thoughts weren’t that different from his.

The artists at World had already seen the news article. However, it just didn’t feel real to them. That was because it had no impact on them whatsoever. There was no change in the atmosphere of the company after they joined. It was on the internet that they saw the article, so some of them even treated it as a rumor.

Everyone other than Lee HyunJi and Jung HyeJin was dumbfounded.

The girls of Eddios thought that they would get a round of applause of welcome, but when they didn’t, they looked somewhere else and awkwardly laughed. This reaction was much different from what they imagined they would get.

At that moment, KangYoon scratched his head with an apologetic expression.

“Looks like everyone’s surprised. I should have told you before. Looks like that was my mistake.”

“I should have given them a head-up. Your surprise was a horrible failure, president.”

“Hahaha.”

Only when Lee HyunJi lightened the mood with a joke did everyone laugh. KangYoon shrugged his shoulders and scratched his cheek.

When the mood got lighter, KangYoon introduced them starting with Jung MinAh. Like that, each of them introduced themselves. Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere was gone, and loud applause replaced it.

Everyone here knew who Eddios was. The men were especially cheerful. Kim JinDae clapped like a seal and could not take his eyes off them. He even ignored Lee ChaHee’s remark calling him an idiot.

With Lee SamSoon as the last, the members finished their self-introductions. KangYoon told everyone that this time was prepared for them to get closer to each other and gave Eddios some newly-bought seats

While KangYoon and Lee HyunJi talked about the Christmas event, the musicians, including Eddios, started their conversation with each other. Kim JaeHoon mostly talked with Han JooYeon and Christie An, while Kim JinDae and Jung ChanGyu talked with Lee SamSoon. Lee HyunAh talked with Ailee Jung, who sat next to her, and Jung MinAh, Seo HanYu, and Jung HyeJin started talking about cosmetics.

KangYoon, who was thinking about starting the meeting, decided not to after seeing them getting close to each other.

‘They’re adapting well. And here I was worried.’

‘You’re right. Should we end the meeting here today?’

‘There’s a good mood going on. Why don’t we eat out today?’

KangYoon nodded his head in agreement at Lee HyunJi’s suggestion. The meeting was important, but it was more important to set the mood so that everyone could adapt to the changes. Since everyone was doing well already, he was planning to go a step further.

“Shall we eat out?”

“Where?”

“Where?”

Hearing the words ‘eating out’ Lee HyunAh and Jung MinAh simultaneously asked back to KangYoon.

At that moment, the two women met eyes.

‘Who’s she?’

Their eyes said so simultaneously.

Regardless, KangYoon decided on the menu despite the strange atmosphere between the two.

“How about some Budae-jjigae (army stew)?”

“Yes!”

“Yees!”

Jung MinAh and Lee HyunAh answered cheerfully yet again. The two were more than willing to follow KangYoon’s words.

“Miss HyeJin, please do the reservations.”

“Yes.”

As everyone stood up and cleared away their seats, Lee HyunAh and Jung MinAh became wary of each other. Their instincts told them something.

KangYoon, who knew nothing of that, left the studio first with Lee HyunJi.

“Uhm….”

Having missed the opportunity to leave with KangYoon, the two glared at each other.

***

After the meal, the members of World Entertainment returned to their places. White Moonlight to the practice room, Kim JaeHoon for his schedule, and Eddios back to their dorms.

Just one, Lee SamSoon stayed at the studio.

She and KangYoon were talking to each other in the studio.

“It’s been a while since the two of us talked to each other.”

“I feel like I’m back to being a trainee again, team lea… oh wait. you aren’t a team leader now.”

Lee SamSoon looked nervous. Although their positions had changed, the name ‘KangYoon’ weighed heavily on her.

KangYoon brewed her some coffee to calm her down.

“Let’s talk at ease today. Whether you like me or not, we’re in the same boat now.”

“Yes. You don’t sound that different from the past, team leader.”

“I’m old now.”

“I feel like you’ve gotten younger instead.”

KangYoon smiled. He felt good even if those were just empty words. Lee SamSoon definitely had the skills to make other people feel good about themselves.

“Thanks. I told you to stay behind because of some future plans.”

“Oh, really?”

Lee SamSoon replied calmly on the surface, but her heart was racing. Jung MinAh and Han JooYeon got their own respective roles now. It was her turn now. She wondered what KangYoon was about to say to her.

‘What am I going to do? Hip hop? Rock?’

She fantasized herself in doing many other genres of music.

However….

‘SamSoon. You told me you lived in the mountains when you were young, right?”

“Yes. I did, I lived with my grandmother. What about it?”

It was a very random question. Lee SamSoon was confused, and at the same time, got a strange feeling.

And just as she had worried –

“There’s a pilot program that became successful last year at Chuseok (Thanksgiving). It’s called Modern Farmer, and the theme is for celebrities to go to the countryside and do farm work. I want you to participate here.”

“Whaaat?”

Her worries were on point. She wasn’t singing, but farming.

“W, wait. Farming?”

Lee SamSoon frowned. She didn’t seem so optimistic anymore.

Seeing her being rejected about it, KangYoon told her in a calm tone.

“There were shows that were located in the countryside, but there isn’t one actually centered on farming. Moreover, the producer knows a lot about variety shows. His team is top-notch at editing too. In my opinion, this is an opportunity. You must grab onto it.”

“Haha….”

Lee SamSoon had a hard time.

She could see that KangYoon had asked that producer to take her in. A girl idol with a peculiar background of having lived in the mountains. Which producer would hate such a character? The problem was, she hated farming, a lot!

“This… Do I really have to do it?”

“If you don’t want to, no. However….”

“However?”

“It will take longer for you to gain back your popularity. When that happens…. Eddios’s comeback will be delayed to a later date, don’t you think?”

A delayed comeback? Those were some frightening words.

She could refuse. However, she shouldn’t. This…

Well, she only had one road ahead of her.

“Uhh…. I don’t like the countryside.”

“Let’s endure for now. I won’t get you anything like it in the future.”

“…Okay.”

Lee SamSoon’s shoulders drooped down. A certain someone was going to sing on stage by herself, while she was going to do manual labor on the field. She could see her future self in agony.

Knowing what she felt like, KangYoon spoke in a soft voice.

“I can guarantee. If you do this well, your popularity will rival MinAh’s.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“…Really?”

Lee SamSoon’s shoulders jolted up when she heard that.

Half of Eddios’s popularity was thanks to Jung MinAh – there was such a saying going around. If her popularity could rival hers… it would be unimaginable. This was from KangYoon too, who didn’t like exaggerating.

“Yeah. I guarantee.”

“…Fine. I’ll do it.”

In the end, Lee SamSoon accepted the deal. Although she was pushed to it against her will, she was planning to do her best since she was doing it anyway.

After the discussion, Lee SamSoon left the studio.

“…Well, later, she might come to me asking for one.”

After Lee SamSoon left, KangYoon called DLE TV Station. It was to tell them that she had accepted.

***

A snowing Christmas Eve.

White snow colored the world a beautiful white with flower-like snowflakes…

“…are bullsh*t.”

Manager Kim DaeHyun grumbled while sweeping away the snow in front of Lunas. Who was it, that named snow as the ‘Devil’s bumfluff’? He wanted to give that dude a hug for coming up with such a great name.

Even though he swept the snow clean, more snow fell down and covered his tracks.

“Please stop snowing!”

Manager Kim DaeHyun was shivering while sweeping away the snow.

People started entering Lunas while walking past such a shivering manager.

As this was a party for singles, most people came in twos of the same gender. Although couples could be seen here and there, there weren’t many. There were also some people who sized up others.

The women were naturally focused on Lee JunYeol.

“Sedy’s so awesome.”

“I bought a ticket just to see him.”

“Wait, who’s Han JooYeon?”

“Idunno, a singer maybe?”

(T/N: Han JooYeon is known to the public as her stage name “JooYeon” which is why some people don’t recognize her full name.)

If Han JooYeon of Eddios was the one featuring, then the order of contents would say ‘Feat. JooYeon of Eddios’. However, there was just ‘Feat. Han JooYeon’ written on it. So many people didn’t show much interest.

When it was time for the show, the lights for the audience seats turned off and the curtain to the stage rose.

A band appeared under the spotlight. It was White Moonlight.

“Hello!”

“Waaaa!”

The audience replied cheerfully to Lee HyunAh’s cheerful greeting. At the same time, the first stage began with the drums.

Although White Moonlight’s stage was shorter than usual, it still heated up the mood of the audience.

Kim JaeHoon’s following stage drenched the audience with emotions. He started off lightly, but the emotions that could be felt in his singing put everyone to tears.

Especially those who had no partner by their side.

“*Sob sob*. Why! Why am I single?”

“God d*mmit. I’ll be able to use the meteor spell soon.”

“I’ll be able to summon a dragon next year. I don’t like dragons though….”

(T/N: Remember the myth where virgins turn into wizards when they reach 30…?)

Kim JaeHoon’s voice resonated within the hearts of men.

His stage ended when he was done ringing wringing the tears out of them.

“Waaa—-!”

“Thanks for listening.”

When Kim JaeHoon’s stage ended, the crowd erupted in cheers.

At that moment, the stage lights suddenly turned off. The audience seats were also dark so there was no light anywhere. Then, a soft voice started flowing out along with some instruments.

“I know — that I should not hesitate — our halted story –”

It was a deep, plentiful baritone male. Eventually, the light turned on and the spotlights focused on one man.

It was Sedy.

“It’s Sedy!”

“Kyaaa!”

Unlike with Kim JaeHoon, where the male audience erupted, this time, Sedy received cheers from mostly the female audience. Moreover, there was the mood set up by Kim JaeHoon’s previous stage, so the reactions burned hotter than before. He lightly waved at the audience before closing his eyes. It was to focus on singing.

‘Aah, my heart is racing.’

‘Can’t he be mine?’

‘No! He’s mine!’

The female audience started trembling already. A tall man with a melodious voice – Lee JunYeol was charming enough for any woman to fall in love with.

At that time, some of the male audience expressed their joy after listening to the lyrics.

‘Wait, isn’t this Love Day?’

‘There should be a girl too, then. Isn’t this a duet song?’

They looked around the stage for any figures. However, as the spotlights only shone down on Lee JunYeol, they were unable to see anywhere else. However, they did not give up and even squinted their eyes to see if they could see any better. However, they couldn’t even find a shadow, much less a silhouette.

“Let’s start our story — again –”

Just as some of the audience kept looking for the other singer, Lee JunYeol’s part was over.

At that moment.

“I know — that I am not alone — don’t be afraid —”

Another spotlight shone down on the stage and revealed a lady. And ‘Han JooYeon’ from the pamphlet showed herself. She was wearing a slightly tight one-piece dress with straight long hair. She had a puppy face and exuded the charm of wanting to keep looking at her.

The male audience, who were looking for a female singer, was about to cheer out loud. However, when they saw the girl, their heart started pounding non-stop.

“E… Eddios?”

“Isn’t that JooYeon?”

At those words, the audience erupted in murmuring.

Everyone started talking to each other. They never imagined that JooYeon of Eddios would be the one to show up.

“It’s Han JooYeon!”

“What, really? Awesome!”

“Hey hey! Keep your hands down! I can’t see.”

If the female audience could be seen as lovestruck by Sedy, the male audience could be considered that they were dumbstruck by the appearance of JooYeon. The stage of the two started decorating the performance in a beautiful fashion.