Chapter 162

Like an exposed person, Im Seoyoung shrunk away from our gazes. She ran away, unable to meet the other members’ gazes. Her eyes, desperately looking for a place to hide, landed on me.

She painfully bit her lip.

The words that left her mouth clearly rang in my ears.

‘Our company sent Sunwoo oppa to us, and I was fortunate enough to be in that team.’ ‘I tried all sorts of things, but nothing never happened to me.’ ‘Then I’m the dregs of my team right now.’

I knew. I was aware of it. There was no way I wasn’t.

Since I could tell she was trying hard.

The foresight that let me glance at Lee Songha and Lee Taehee’s success. The same one that told me of Pretty Girls’ success, who I was only slightly acquainted to, was heartlessly quiet when it came to Im Seoyoung and LJ. As though it didn’t notice them.

And it wasn’t like I was hung up on them like Nam Joyoon either.

However, even if there wasn’t anything like that, I wanted to make them successful.

LJ’s situation was a bit better. She was famous for her talent since she was an underground rapper and was one of the top female rappers in the country. There were even plans of giving her a solo track on the alb.u.m and making a separate single alb.u.m if that went well.

On the other hand, things were difficult for Im Seoyoung.

Although she was good at singing and dancing, this industry was overflowing with people like her. That was why I put her on any entertainment programs I could get. The person I know as Im Seoyoung was lovely. She was someone who people would like.

But the camera didn’t really pick up those aspects of her.

‘I need to do better.’ ‘I need to try harder.’

Because of those thoughts.

She tried her all in changing, but it was naught.

That was why I set up this playing field.

A playing field that could be the turning point for Neptune and Im Seoyoung.

“Th-that was because I was caught up in their crying.”

Im Seoyoung said in a bright voice.

As if she was trying to change the mood.

“There are times when you find little things big and when negative emotions explode! Thinking back, I think I might have been on a period that day!”

The living room became even quieter. The moment Im Seoyoung, who couldn’t even breathe properly and didn’t know what to do, stood up, a pale hand held her ankle. It was LJ. LJ said to Im Seoyoung, who was flailing to escape,

“Sorry.”

It wasn’t just anyone. LJ apologized.

Im Seoyoung instantly froze.

“Calling you dummy and idiot all this time, I went too far.”

“Hey, why are you acting like this? I know it was a joke! What I’m-!”

“If I knew words came true, then I would have been more careful.”

Im Seoyoung, who was shaking her head and hands side-to-side, stopped. It seemed she understood the odd meaning behind LJ’s words as her eyes widened. LJ pulled and sat her back down and said,

“Dregs? If you’re dregs, then am I crumbs?”

“What?”

Surprised, Im Seoyoung jolted in her seat.

“Why are you crumbs! You-!”

“They are the ones who get schedules on their own. Do I have anything going for me?”

LJ gestured to the two on the sofa with her eyes before continuing,

“All I did was get featured on a couple tracks. I’m on entertainment and radio shows because I’m a set with you. If you are the dregs of Neptune, then I’m its crumbs. No, not just normal crumbs, I must be dust.”

She placed her elbow on her raised knee. Her chin rested on her hand.

The corner of LJ’s slanted lips was covered by her fingers.

“I look confident all the time? That’s because I don’t want to look embarra.s.sed or shallow. I’m better than you when you try to keep your expression under control. I’m a master at acting like nothing’s wrong and like I’m fine. I’m a mixed-race.”

LJ shrugged.

“Well, I’m just saying.”

Her hand covered half her face.

This time, Lee Taehee spoke to Im Seoyoung, who stiff like a tree struck by lightning.

“Seoyoung, I always think that I am an incompetent leader.”

“Unni!”

Im Seoyoung’s complexion was turning closer to black.

Lee Taehee calmly looked at Im Seoyoung. Like always, her eyes were like a placid lake with no wind. However, they were dark inside. They were so dark if there was something lurking underneath.

“It’s because we have you that our team is can continue without problems. You do what other team leaders should be doing.”

“S-stop it, unni! I’m really fine. You don’t have to comfort me!”

“I’m not saying this to just comfort you.”

Lee Taehee smiled faintly.

“Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to last without any troubles when we were unknown. Without you, we wouldn’t as close as a family right now. I have no confidence in making a team like this. So why are you the dregs?”

Tears pooled in Im Seoyoung’s teary eyes.

Still holding onto her ankle like it was some sort of lifeline, LJ joined in,

“Hey, do you know what our residence is like when you’re gone?”

“Huh?”

“It’s an area of solitude.”

Im Seoyoung stopped crying and tilted her head.

“area of solitude?”

“I bet we don’t say a word to each other when you’re not here. Taehee unni is cooped up in her room, drinking beer and making songs, like some senior citizen. Songha reads the same scripts repeatedly like some social outcast. If they are moving around, it’s only to the washroom or fridge.”

She said, gesturing to Lee Taehee and Lee Songha. This time, she pointed at herself.

“I’m the same.”

When Im Seoyoung’s expression became serious, LJ let out a short sigh.

“It’s not that our relationship is bad. It’s just how we are. That’s why the cameras in our home are usually off when you’re not here. The producer said that there wasn’t a rat’s p.o.o.p worth of airtime to get from us.”

She said before adding,

“Well, I’m just saying.”

LJ flatly turned her gaze.

Lee Taehee’s gaze momentarily fell on me. She spoke,

“I went to Sunwoo oppa before playing my songs to you. I probably wouldn’t have told you that they were done if he didn’t have a good reaction.”

“What?”

“Why? The songs were great!”

LJ and Im Seoyoung asked simultaneously.

Im Seoyoung stretched her neck out, her previous crouching appearance gone without a trace. She continued by saying how she felt like lightning struck when she heard Lee Taehee’s songs and how she felt they should be their t.i.tle tracks.

Lee Taehee rubbed the back of her neck.

“I’m not confident in my songs. I was scared I would fail.”

Then she added while looking at Im Seoyoung,

“Stuff like that happened.”

A strange silence hung in the air. Having expressed their inner thoughts, the members exchanged glances. Although it was as silent as before, it wasn’t a splitting silence. This time, it was a bit moist.

Like the ground after rain.

Im Seoyoung took a deep breath and was about to say something.

“I thought I was the useless person in our team.”

Lee Songha said as if she had been waiting for an opportunity to say something.

Instantly, the living room was in an uproar.

“What?”

“Which b.a.s.t.a.r.d said that!”

“Who said something like that?”

Everyone, including Im Seoyoung, shouted as they turned to look at her.

Lee Songha glanced at me. Seeing that, the girls began agitated.

“Op-oppa did?”

“I did.”

Lee Songha was calm.

“I told oppa that. Before Cat Guardian Ghost.”

“You dummy!”

Im Seoyoung shouted.

“Don’t think that ever again!”

“Then you shouldn’t think that ever again too.”

Im Seoyoung, who was about to scold her, flinched.

She bit her lip before nodding.

“Okay, I get it. I get it so don’t think those thoughts again. Why would you be useless? Look how much we’ve…!”

“To be honest.”

Lee Songha cut her off and said,

“I still think that occasionally. Being able to help the team through my acting used to be a motivating factor for me. However, the mood of our team has become a bit unsettled because of me. There are a lot of bad rumors as well.”

Her voice was calm, but her gaze, looking at the crumbs on the rug, was slightly wet.

“I want to return things to how they were before, but I don’t know how. I want to keep living here. But I worry if I really should in case the mood worsens because of me.”

“Of course, you can! It’s our home! It’s fine if you mark your territory in the kitchen as well!”

Im Seoyoung said in an almost screaming voice.

Lee Songha stuck the nail in.

“If you’re dregs and LJ unni is crumbs, then I’m a nuisance…”

“Don’t say it! Don’t say it! Stop that!”

Im Seoyoung waved her hands as her face reddened.

Beside her, LJ mumbled to herself,

“A rash.”

“Hey! Stop it!”

“It’s my instinct.”

LJ shrugged. Soon, Im Seoyoung and LJ began fighting. Having said what she wanted, Lee Songha rested her head against Lee Taehee’s thigh, and Lee Taehee brushed Lee Songha’s long hair as she watched the two fight like cats and dogs.

It was a normal sight.

The corners of my mouths curled up without me knowing. With a smile, I was watching the scene in front of me and the laptop screen when Im Seoyoung rushed at me.

“Oppa! You should have at least told me about that scene ahead of time! I almost fainted!”

Her small palms smacked my arm. Her slaps noisily filled the room.

“Sorry for not telling you before. I’m really sorry.”

I said while scratching my cheek.

“I wanted to show the viewers this side of you. One where you aren’t aware of the cameras and act normally. I thought that it would be a big hit if we could properly show that to the viewers..”

“B-bit hit…”

Her slaps became weaker.

I placed the laptop in front of her eyes.

“Look.”

Im Seoyoung scanned the screen with an odd look. I had searched her name on the portal site. There were countless articles with Neptune and her name in the headline and continuously updating social media reactions.

There was also ‘Im Seoyoung’ on the real-time search rankings.

Im Seoyoung wavered as she grabbed the laptop. The tip of her finger touched the screen.

“Im Seoyoung’s not going to be able to sleep tonight.”

LJ smiled as she placed her chin on Im Seoyoung’s head.

“Huh?”

“You always sleep after checking internet reactions when you’re on TV. If you want to read everything, you won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

“I’ll just read it all night then.”

Im Seoyoung hugged the laptop. Her eyes were glazed like she was entranced.

Then she turned to look at me.

“But this was filmed a long time ago. What does it have to do with not telling me today?”

“The filming hasn’t ended yet.”

“Pardon?”

I gestured with my cheek at the daze Im Seoyoung. When I gestured to various placed in the living room, her gaze followed behind. Then after a long time, Im Seoyoung’s eyes bulged as though she discovered something. Her trembling hand pointed at the shelf.

“What is that?”

“A camera. We installed them when you weren’t here.”

“Then…!”

Im Seoyoung hastily looked at me. Then she looked at the other members who didn’t seem surprised.

“I told you. I wanted to show the viewers this side of you.”

I said,

“We filmed all of it.”

Im Seoyoung dropped the laptop.

*

Late at night, I sent the recordings to two places.

One was IBC Producer Yoo Sooyoung’s editing room.

The other was W&U’s PR Team.

Team Leader Park watched the recordings and made an odd smile. It was similar to mine. This was because the recordings clearly recorded a side of Neptune we had long since wanted to reveal to the public.

Lots would change depending on how we used these recordings.

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The night was long and busy and heated with excitement.

The project team, including me, and the PR Team were all working hard on it. We also received help from Making Film’s staff. After staying up all night, we create a ten-minute clip.

We removed all the inadequate parts and only got straight to the point.

The drizzle, which began early in the morning, was started to stop.

As the internet reactions of yesterday’s hidden camera broadcast were beginning to cool and as Im Seoyoung’s name began to slip from the real-time search rankings, we uploaded the clip to the portal site.