Chapter Fifteen: Better Off Leaving This Wretched Company

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Che Lunhou noticed that many people cast strange glances his way, but he paid no mind. Thanks to his elder sister’s many connections and introductions, he had successfully gotten in touch with the prime culprit behind the incident—a reporter from Seoul Sports—and arranged to meet that evening.

However, the sudden appearance of this slightly unhinged, angry young woman barely roused even a flicker of interest from Che Lunhou. He barely lifted an eyelid, convinced that nothing good could come from being involved with her. It was only a matter of time before things went awry.

“Oppa! How could you go home with senior Suzy? The company hired you to be in charge of security, not to mess around with female artists,” the girl from a less innocent high school said bluntly and coldly. She dressed like a Westerner, fond of form-fitting clothes that showed off her figure—today a tight T-shirt that revealed her pale waist and tiny navel. She should have been nervous with her debut imminent, but instead, she appeared remarkably relaxed.

He wondered whether her tough-looking father had scolded her after he left that day. Still, he thought it best to keep his distance from her—to avoid getting splattered with blood when things inevitably blew up. It wasn’t that she was childish; rather, she seemed to possess a kind of wild disregard for how society’s rules operated.

Such a rebellious, nonconformist temperament clashed with the values and behaviors typical of the East Asian cultural sphere. If she didn’t change soon, harsher days lay ahead. But Seojung had asked him to be patient with this girl. Seojung had no sister, only a brother, and truly cared for this girl like a younger sister.

“Nonsense! Didn’t you see the official statement? Stop running around and just practice! I hear the new group is made up of strong kids. You can’t drag them down!”

The new group was about to shoot their concept photos, indicating the debut lineup was set. Among them was a girl named Hwang Yiji from Jeonju, whose accent somewhat resembled Seojung’s from Gimje, making Che Lunhou feel a sense of kinship. She was said to be very talented.

“Me? Drag them down? I was the center of I.O.I! Didn’t you see how many awards we won?”

Somi’s face morphed into a look of grievance and resentment. When she was fourteen, she had participated in the company’s audition program "Sixteen," becoming one of the finalists for debut and personally praised by JYP as the member with the most “star quality.” Twice’s legendary success far surpassed her expectations. Though she felt regretful, her popularity and the company’s evaluation of her remained strong, and many considered her the next queen.

The arrival of the "Produce 101" audition program gave her new hope. The company was initially reluctant to let her participate, but she fought for the chance. Though her center position was somewhat controversial, winning first place among the 101 trainees across companies undoubtedly revitalized her career. The group also swept rookie awards at year-end ceremonies.

But after a brief moment of glory, things turned sharply downward. Today, the eleven I.O.I members had mostly disbanded—some debuting in new groups, others solo—leaving only her, the former center, behind.

Meanwhile, Twice was just under three years into their debut, at their peak. What role the new group could play was uncertain, especially since she clearly sensed she was no longer the core of any group.

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“Oppa, you seem to really like that Hwang Yiji, even talked to her. What’s so great about her? She’s just a silly country girl from Jeonju, so tacky,” Somi’s blunt words angered Che Lunhou, who glared at her with a dark expression. The girl was taken aback, mistakenly thinking oppa was angry because of Yiji, which made her even more resentful. She felt that even if it was because of Seojung unni, their relationship should at least be closer.

“I’m from the countryside too, and so is your unni Seojung. Gimje is no better than Jeonju, so why do you have such thoughts at your age?”

Such feelings were understandable; teenage girls often made such comparisons. Though Seojung hadn’t shared her trainee experiences, Che Lunhou knew it surely involved discrimination and prejudice.

“Ah! Oppa, I didn’t mean it like that... I just... I didn’t mean to...”

In truth, the girl wasn’t discriminatory; she simply expressed her likes and dislikes without filter. Che Lunhou merely took the opportunity to correct her, since in the future these cat-like girls had to work together, and he didn’t want to see them at odds.

That Jeonju girl evidently appreciated their shared rural roots and promised to bring some local specialty rice wine next weekend when she went home, reminding Che Lunhou of a glimpse of Seojung. Yet their personalities were entirely different.

“You’d better watch yourself. After all, I’m an outsider. You have a long time working together ahead of you!”

As Che Lunhou turned to leave, Somi’s eyes brimmed with tears, her resentment deepening. She was clearly the chosen one—how had she fallen to this point? By seniority or popularity, how was she any worse? She no longer cared to stay in this lousy company. Her affluent lifestyle meant she wasn’t trapped on this path like Hwang Yiji; other companies were already secretly courting her. Biting her lip, she wanted to say something to the man’s retreating figure, but the words stuck in her throat.

...

The restaurant was quite upscale, and Che Lunhou had spared no expense. He wondered whether this reporter Chen could form a mutually beneficial relationship with him. Unsure, he decided to observe the situation first.

When his guest arrived, the reporter was nothing like the sleazy otaku he had imagined. Instead, he was a middle-aged intellectual-looking man with somewhat messy hair and thick-rimmed glasses, resembling a high school teacher.

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Having spent so long in the nightlife scene, Che Lunhou could tell at a glance who had money and who didn’t. This man’s background matched what his elder sister had uncovered—a frustrated middle-aged reporter.

“Reporter Chen, your literary talent is remarkable; your eloquent writing stirs the soul. It’s a shame you waste it on such trivial topics.”

Che Lunhou had deliberately donned his best clothes today to make an impression—there’s a saying, “Respect the robe before respecting the man.” The reporter appraised him in return, secretly wondering who this young man was. Upon hearing Che’s words, the reporter gave an awkward, wry smile.

At his age, writing gossip news was indeed frustrating. But what was this young man’s purpose in contacting him? Was he here to clear up rumors about himself and Bae Suzy? Why hadn’t the company stepped in?

Chen was filled with doubts. The young man carried himself with great poise and showed no signs of fluster. He didn’t look like a bodyguard, which complicated matters.

“If I have caused you any trouble, I apologize. But you know as well as I do, this is our line of work. Artists in the spotlight inevitably face these things.”

Che Lunhou didn’t want to confuse the man with riddles or pretenses. Sincerity was better than beating around the bush, so he came straight to the point.

“Of course, I bear you no ill will. I invited you here because there’s a great opportunity I want to share with you.”

The middle-aged man looked up in surprise. What opportunity could this young man offer him? Was he trying to sell some secret about Bae Suzy? But his earnest expression suggested nothing of the sort.