Producer with no Regrets - Chapter 320



Only Noblemtl

Episode 320

Jang Ha-yang remembers how Sung-pil’s eyes would shine whenever he talked about Caius.

It wasn’t just something I remembered, it was something that was engraved in my mind.

Although Kaius was his rival, he was also an object of admiration. If Sungpil recognized an idol so much, he must have something to learn from him.

‘But Director Park in front of Caius… … .’

He praised Jang Ha-yang in front of Jin So-yu, a member of KAIST.

He told me it was better.

Of course, there have been countless instances where Sungpil has admitted that ‘the Girls’ League is better than Caius’.

‘But those were the situations we had to force ourselves upon.’

Shin A-reum and Rika had been persistently harassing Seong-pil until he said that.

Yes, Sungpil had admitted countless times that the Girls’ League had the upper hand. Even if it was just hedgehog love.

But I never dared to think that it would be possible in front of Caius.

“Oh, really?”

Jin So-yu answered leisurely as if nothing had happened. She didn’t believe Seong-pil’s words.

Suddenly, Jang Ha-yang appeared from behind, and he instinctively said something to cheer up his son.

Even Jang Ha-yang didn’t believe that Seong-pil was sincere.

Still.

“Sister, did you hear that?”

Jang Ha-yang confidently approached Seong-pil and looked at Jin So-yu clearly.

“You say I’m better?”

“Um… …I don’t mean to be rude.”

Jin So-yu smiled faintly, either playfully or with a hint of slight hurt feelings.

“Ha-yang, do you believe that?”

“Yes, I believe you.”

Even if everyone else says no, Jang Ha-yang doesn’t care as long as Seong-pil acknowledges her.

“No, I don’t believe it, I think it’s true.”

“actually……?”

“Because Director Park acknowledged it. Then that’s right.”

Jin So-yu remained silent for a moment.

Then he shrugged his shoulders as if it didn’t matter anyway.

“Oh, so what?”

“Mr. Soyou.”

Atomu, who had been feeling a bit left out by the conversation that had been in Korean since earlier, said.

“again…….”

“all right.”

So Jinsoyu and Atomu’s team went back the way they came.

Seongpil looks at the sight.

‘… … .’

I had no thoughts.

The accident itself stopped altogether.

In front of his fans, Caius, he said, “Our kids are better than you guys!”

Let’s imagine saying to an idol you met by chance, “Idol so-and-so is better than you.”

Wouldn’t that be a huge insult?

‘……no.’

Seongpil barely regained consciousness.

‘You’ve been through a lot so far.’

The Girls’ League has suffered many setbacks due to their excessive rivalry with Caius.

That was partly Seongpil’s fault.

Since they were supporting other groups that should have been their enemies with their fandom, the idols in charge of the Girls’ League couldn’t help but feel discouraged.

‘I chose the right path.’

I don’t want Jang Ha-yang to shrink back when comparing herself to Jin So-yu.

In that case, it would be better to be hated by Jin So-yu…

Um, I’m the one who’s hated…

“Director Park, could you please compliment me so that Soyou can hear it?”

Jang Ha-yang was about to completely extract the mulberry.

Contrary to his absentmindedness, Seongpil complied as soon as he heard her request.

“Hayang is the best!”

her.

Jin So-yu’s voice had already spread out to a distance where it could no longer be heard, but was it an illusion? It seemed as if I heard her laughter…

“Hey, Director, why are you frowning? Did I make you lie?”

“no…….”

Jang Ha-yang was completely different from before.

When Seongpil heard Jin Soyu praise him, he was restless, but now he has a compassionate smile on his face like an ascending angel.

“Ahem.”

A cough was heard from behind.

Tatsuya was waiting with his team members.

Since they don’t speak Korean, they have no idea what was just being said…

“Now that you’re done with the cringe-worthy comments, let’s schedule the rest.”

I guess you just figured it out by the atmosphere.

Seongpil nodded, his cheeks turning a faint red.

* * *

Our next meeting is in three days.

At that time, Tatsuya showed the costume prototype to Jang Ha-yang and Seong Pil.

Jang Ha-yang has to wear it herself and review the design again or add accessories, etc.

Tatsuya added the schedule to his tablet and told his secretary that he would take an hour off.

“Phew.”

Tatsuya entered the shared bathroom on the first floor, leaned against the sink, and let out a tired sigh.

When I looked up at the mirror, I saw a much older face than before.

‘They’re going to grab people every fashion show season.’

I can’t even remember when I last slept properly.

Thinking that he should drink an energy drink as soon as he got to his office, Tatsuya slowly washed his hands.

“Tatsuya.”

At that moment, Chiharu, the photographer who was in charge of taking photos of Jang Ha-yang and Jin So-yu, came into the bathroom.

“He hasn’t left yet.”

“I sat down in the studio and finished editing it. I sent it straight to your email.”

“It’s not that rough, is it?”

“I got caught.”

Chiharu took out her cosmetics pouch and wiped her hands with an alcohol wipe.

Her face, like Tatsuya’s, was also covered in deep fatigue.

“Chiharu, is the work worth it?”

“It’s a war every day. I should have gone to National Geographic when they offered me the job five years ago. If I had, I would be lying around in the savannah somewhere now, taking pictures of animals.”

“Savannah is better than Tokyo.”

I’m serious.

Tokyo, this concrete jungle is sucking the energy out of its residents day by day.

Those who live high up in the forest must age much faster than those who live on the ground.

“however.”

Chiharu said while grooming her eyelashes.

“I really thought I went back 10 years. It’s been a long time since I’ve dealt with a model who can’t understand me like that. I’m tired.”

I guess you’re talking about Jang Ha-yang.

Tatsuya rubbed his hands even more vigorously.

“Because I’m not a professional model.”

“But then again, isn’t that idol Soyou really that good? I was surprised. Was she originally a model?”

“That’s not it.”

“Still, thanks to Soyou, the second half of the filming was finished quickly so I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.”

“Wasn’t Haayang that good?”

“It’s not really like that. It’s just like dealing with so-so models. You know? When you ask them to strike a sexy pose, they strike pose number 18 with their hips sticking out… … I’m completely exhausted.”

“You need to find your beginner’s mind.”

“Are you secretly protecting the idol named Ha-Yang? Are you anxious too?”

It can’t be helped.

There is a model out there that is clearly better than the one I chose as my opening ceremony model.

Even that opposing model is someone chosen by Atomu, who is competing with Tatsuya for the position of chief designer.

“I’m nervous.”

Tatsuya turned off the water in the hose.

“The opening ceremony was nothing.”

“Um, really?”

“What really gets the attention is the runway of the real models. Whether celebrities fall down or freeze, it doesn’t really matter to the designers.”

It’s true that he had high expectations for Jang Ha-yang. And Jang Ha-yang is showing an appearance that perfectly matches Tatsuya’s expectations.

However, Jin So-yu was a human who had unexpected talent.

Suddenly, I remembered what happened earlier.

At the end of the work she had done in the office, Jang Ha-yang asked Tatsuya this.

‘Can I become an ambassador?’

Jang Ha-yang’s tone as she asked that question was filled with impatience and desperation, and Tatsuya ended up comforting her in the moment.

I said something I would never normally say.

‘If Hayyang has that kind of talent, then it could work out.’

But, actually, I should have said this.

‘We already have it. You can’t have it.’

* * *

The Girls’ League will be returning to Korea soon.

The days that were so hectic that they didn’t even have time to breathe have slowly become more relaxed, and the members are now able to enjoy their free time.

“there is!”

Today is Rika’s day off.

She found the Häagen-Dazs hidden deep in the freezer and quickly took it out and opened the package so no one would see.

“It’s vacation. It’s vacation.”

Rika sat in front of the television, laughing heartily. She was filled with happiness as she watched Japanese entertainment that she had never seen in Korea.

summer.

air conditioning.

television.

ice cream.

Why do people go on trips to find happiness when it is so close…?

“Hey, it’s already this time of year.”

Rika mumbled with a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.

The television was reporting news about festivals taking place in various places.

“Natsumatsuri (summer festival)… … .”

At that moment, Rika’s eyes lit up.

“It’s today!”

Today, a summer festival is held in Rika’s hometown of Kawasaki (she claims it’s Tokyo).

When I lived in Japan, I never missed a single year!

‘What should I do? If I miss the festival while I’m in my hometown, I’ll no longer be Japanese!’

By the way, Rika was in Tokyo, not her hometown of Kawasaki.

Anyway, she quickly started gathering people. The first target was Snow White, who was also resting in the dorm.

Rika flung open the door where Baekseolha was resting.

In the darkness, the figure of Snow White lying on the bed caught my eye.

“Teacher, this is a big problem…!”

“get out.”

“Ah, no, teacher, today is a special day… … .”

“Close.”

“Hi (yes)… … .”

Snow White became a sleeping princess.

Rika stumbled out of the room and called her second target.

It was Joara.

“Ara-chan, do you have time today?”

[no.]

“Usotsuki (Liar)! I know you don’t have any plans today! So, do you want to go to the festival with Atashi (Me) today? I’ll teach you a lot of things you don’t know!”

[I don’t like it.]

“Son-na (that)! Are you dancing again? Do you like dancing that much?!”

[uh.]

Joara dances with her dancer friends she met in Japan whenever she has time. They dance in any place, be it a park, a dock, or a shopping mall plaza.

According to Shuichi, who accompanied Joara as her manager, she seems to be dancing like crazy.

Unlike idol dancing, there is another kind of fun in dancing without being restricted by format.

“Aren’t you going to leave the Girls’ League and join that dance crew?”

[Rika, I know you’re lonely, but go to the festival with someone else.]

When her earnest pleas failed, Rika decided to use the method that had achieved a 57% win rate against Seongpil.

It’s a mess.

“I know that to Ara-chan, dancing is a man’s business, entertainment, clubs, and everything else, but this is too much! For your only friend to be treated like this… …!”

[Wait a minute. Other crew members have come to battle.]

“Why is the genre that only Ara-chan appears in different?!”

[Ahh, the legend of Seoul, Ara the Dance Machine, has appeared… … .]

The call ended with some unnecessarily sad and gloomy dialogue.

Rika checked the remaining people while looking at her cell phone screen in a hurry.

‘That’s right. The members worked hard. They each have their own things they want to do on their holidays. I need to understand that.’

Rika contacted her younger brother Yuuto as a safety measure. At this hour, classes were over and he was likely to be doing club activities.

‘Yuu-chan is kind, so she won’t be able to refuse her big sister’s request!’

After a few rings, Yuuto answered the phone.

Rika was so excited about going to the festival with her little brother for the first time in a long time that she gave a long speech.

“It’ll definitely be fun!”

[Sorry, sis. I have plans this evening.]

“Girlfriend?! When did Yuu-chan grow so much?!”

[No, she’s not my girlfriend… … . I didn’t have one in the first place… … .]

“Are you a girl?”

[… … .]

“I can’t admit it! If you want to go out with a girl, you have to get permission from your older sister… …!”

The call was disconnected.

Rika felt the loneliness of being left alone in the world. And then, slowly, she counted the people who were left behind.

‘Ara has something to do. Hayang said she had some kind of practice at the company… ‘

Then there is only one person left.

Rika quickly dialed the number as if she had been waiting. As expected, the call was connected before the dial tone passed three times.

“Director Park! There’s a festival in my hometown today! Let’s go and have fun together!”

[There will be a lot of people at the festival. Should I go there on my own legs?]

“The director is already unemployed, so he has nothing to do!”

[I’m not unemployed?!]

Although it was true that he had no work, Seongpil vehemently denied the fact that he was unemployed.

“It must be hard if your legs are uncomfortable… … .”

[Well, if Rika really asks me to do it, there’s nothing I can do.]

“Oh, really?”

[Yes. Since the unemployed director has nothing to do anyway, he can follow along. Rather, thank you for playing with me, Rika. How would I live without you? We’ll be together until we die… … .]

“I apologize for calling you Baek-su… … .”

[Should I take the car to the accommodation?]

“No! Atashi (Je) will go to the company! So in the meantime, I will give Director Park a special mission!”

[Special mission?]

“Please persuade Sister Hayang!”

Jang Ha-yang doesn’t have a specific schedule, but she’s at Webex. She says she’s practicing walking and posing for the fashion show, and it’s pretty intense.

“You can play one day!”

[……yes.]

Seongpil was also concerned about Jang Ha-yang’s excessive practice.

According to Haruki, Jang Ha-yang’s model instructor, there is nothing more to teach. He says that nothing will change much in just a few days.

But Jang Ha-yang, as if possessed by something, walked for hours on end in high heels.

[Okay, I’ll try to convince you.]

If what Jang Ha-yang is preparing is a performance stage to show her side as an idol, then I understand.

However, the place where Jang Ha-yang walks is the fashion show catwalk. It is said that celebrities who attend opening events like her walk up without much practice.

What celebrities show is not their appearance as models, but the aura created by their fame.

It’s okay just to be as is.

[Since Hayang came to Japan, she should take at least one memory with her.]

“I will believe you!”

So Rika finished her training and arrived at Webex with an excited feeling.

Rika ran towards Seongpil, who was waiting in front of the office. Rika, who was standing in front of him cheerfully, took a stance like a soldier and spoke.

“Director Park, what happened to the mission I gave you?”

“I failed.”

“Eek?! Ha, did Hayang unnie reject the director’s offer?”

“No, I originally said I would go. But then I suddenly said I was tired and couldn’t go.”

“tired…….”

After much thought, Rika grabbed Seongpil’s wrist and headed to the practice room.

“Originally, I recommended it three times!”

“Don’t drag Rika… … .”

“oh!”

When Seongpil was dragged away by Rika, he stood on one foot, holding a cast.

Rika often forgot that Seongpil had a cast.

Sungpil’s brilliant control of his cane allowed him to maintain the same level of performance as when his legs were intact.

“Director Park forgot that it was broken!”

“It’s broken… … .”

Rika held out her arm.

“I’ll forgive you for linking arms all day today! Here, these are the arms of a super idol!”

“It’s okay. I have Rika.”

“… … Hi (yes)?”

Seongpil stroked the cane as if he was loving it.

Rika was astonished.

“Did you put my name on the crutches?!”

“You named your horse after me when you went to England to film a music video. Why not me?”

“It’s Scotland, not England!”

Rika stared at the crutches in Seongpil’s hand with a spark in her eyes.

Looking closely, it really was written with magic, ‘Rika’.

Rika was shocked once again.

“What the hell is this?! This is so creepy I want to push the director away!”

Seongpil laughed loudly, seeming satisfied with the reaction.

At that, Rika also burst into laughter.

Seongpil likes to joke around so much that it’s hard to believe he’s in his mid-30s.

“Ah, this is interesting.”

When Seongpil tried to erase the ‘Rika’ written on the cane with his palm, the real Rika grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

“Why are you erasing it!”

“Huh? I was going to play the same prank on Hayang.”

Seongpil already had a Mercury Magic in his other hand. Rika simply confiscated it.

“You should only play pranks like this on me! If you play pranks on Hayang or other members, you’ll end up being looked down on!”

“I rather like it.”

“You have to be this crazy to become an executive at a company!”

“Are you getting more and more rude to me?”

The two headed to the practice room where Jang Ha-yang was.

Jang Ha-yang, who had clearly declined Seong-pil’s offer, saying she was tired, was standing in front of a mirror and maintaining a pose.

He was just staring at the mirror in a motionless posture, as if he wasn’t tired. I could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead, neck, and arms.

“Somehow, there’s an aura that makes me feel bad for bothering you. But didn’t my sister say she was tired… … .”

Seongpil opened the door to the practice room and went in before Rika finished speaking.

Jang Ha-yang was surprised and broke her pose.

“Director Park?”

“Hayang, let’s go play.”

“Huh? Oh, I… … .”

“You’ve practiced a lot. In my opinion, Hayang is already good enough.”

If we are talking about idol performance practice, there is a clear end to it.

It is possible to gauge the level of completion.

But Jang Ha-yang’s practice is endless. She just keeps repeating walking and posing without any clear direction.

To Seongpil, it seemed like an unreasonable obsession.

‘It must be because of you, Soyou.’

The rivalry towards Kaius was even affecting areas unrelated to idols.

The sense of rivalry has now changed to obsession. Jang Ha-yang has reached a point where he feels uneasy if he doesn’t practice.

Walking and posing repeatedly just to relieve anxiety, without knowing how much or to what extent you should practice.

‘That doesn’t help at all.’

Haruki, Jang Ha-yang’s model instructor, also said this.

They say that for models, an innate look is more important than technique.

If you want to stand out with your technique, it’s not something that can be solved in the few days given to Jang Ha-yang.

That’s why I said that trying any harder is practically useless.

“Let’s go out and play.”

Seongpil held out his hand. Then Jang Hayang unconsciously raised her hand.

But soon, she took her hand away with an ambiguous smile.

“Director, that’s it, I… … .”

Jang Ha-yang looked at Rika instead of Seong-pil. Jang Ha-yang awkwardly raised the corners of her mouth while lightly touching the area below her belly button with her hand.

At that moment, Rika suddenly understood, grabbed Seongpil’s arm, and pulled him back.

“Rica?!”

Seongpil was dragged by Rika, holding the cast and limping on one leg.

“Sister White said she was tired! Men who mistake rejection for rejection are the worst!”

“You said to recommend it three times just now!”

“Sister Hayang is tired!”

“No, slow down… … !”

thud.

The practice room door was closed.

Seongpil, who was dragged out against his will, glared at Rika as if asking why she did that.

“Why are you suddenly like that?”

“There’s something wrong with Sister Hayang!”

“Is there a sign that only you guys know? Teach me too.”

“No!”

Inevitably, only Seongpil and Rika went to the festival.

It was a short drive to Kawasaki. But Rika said that instead of going to the festival site, they should go to her house first.

“Wait here!”

Rika left Sungpil alone in the car and ran into the house.

When Rika reappeared 30 minutes later, she was dressed in a shocking outfit.

“Ta-da! It’s a yukata!”

It was a yukata with red flowers embroidered here and there on a white background. Seongpil was momentarily captivated by its exotic appearance, but then he shouted.

“It’s too small!”

“There’s nothing I can do! This is what Atashi (myself) wore when I was in middle school!”

“Are you going to walk around like that?”

“What do you mean by ‘that kind of thing’? How can you suddenly curse someone without even saying that they’re pretty!”

“no…….”

What does Rika look like now?

The clothes were tight around my body, revealing all my curves. It almost seemed like they had been intentionally reformed to be more sexual.

Honestly, it looks like clothes that were made to be used as a pictorial in a men’s magazine…

“Did your parents say that was okay?”

“My parents went on a festival date!”

“You two are very close. Go back in and change.”

“Eek?! If you don’t wear a yukata to the festival, you’ll lose half the year!”

“I’ve been losing money for the past four years living in Korea, so let’s see if I can lose money this year too.”

“… …Doesn’t it matter? Does it not suit you?”

Seongpil couldn’t look at Rika any longer, so he turned his gaze straight ahead. He rubbed his forehead and spoke a little more softly.

“It suits you. It suits you, but it’s too small. You’ll look like a kid wearing your little sister’s clothes.”

“It doesn’t seem like much has changed… … .”

Rika, who had been depressed for a moment, quickly regained her smile.

“Well, Atashi (I) have grown a lot too!”

“okay.”

“Because you’ve grown a lot!”

“Change your clothes quickly and come back.”

“Because it’s big!”

“What do you want me to do?!”

Rika returned to the car, dressed in casual clothes again.

“Okay, then.”

“Iku (go)!”

Seongpil and Rika headed to the festival site in Kawasaki. There was a section in the middle where people were suddenly increasing, so it was easy to know where to park.

The two got out of the car and walked excitedly to the entrance of the festival street.

“Please shoot the mask and get the prize! Since you have been in the military, you are a perfect shot!”

“Is this the beginning of the legend of Park Sung-pil, the Marine who catches and kills ghosts? But that one, he’s not good at shooting rifles.”

“Oh, you only went to the PX in the military. It’s disappointing.”

“Because it’s structurally different from a real gun. Even if you aim straight, the bullet doesn’t fly straight. The click isn’t adjusted either… … Or was there no click in the first place? Anyway, if you want to shoot a gun like that, you have to empirically observe and calculate the curvature of the trajectory. You have to shoot it several times to get the correct trajectory… … .”

“They say Korean men talk a lot when they talk about the military, and it’s true.”

“… … .”

Rika laughed at the sight of Seongpil looking intimidated and playfully put her arm around his shoulder.

“But I understand! Director Han said so! Since it’s a story full of memories from the past two years, it’s only natural that there’s a lot to talk about! Like stories from our trainee days… … .”

“Isn’t this a memory?”

“negative?!”

“It was hell there… … .”

“hell?!”

“Well, that’s okay. I won’t talk about Director Gae Baek-soo’s military days anymore because they’re just boring. Let’s talk about something more productive.”

“I, I want to hear it! It’s really okay!”

As we were chatting happily, we soon arrived at the entrance to the festival street.

Behind the flashy signboard, there were numerous street stalls. Seongpil felt a different sense of emotion seeing the scene in person, something he had only seen in Japanese movies or dramas.

Seongpil said excitedly.

“Rika Rika! I want to try that! Hand-held fireworks!”

“Oh, you mean incense sticks! I’m sorry, but doing that in the city is illegal!”

“… … Then what did I see in the drama?”

“Wow (what), is this romantic?”

The romance of reality is dead.

“Should we just take a quick look around?”

“Okay! Your wallet, ready?”

“Did you just call me a wallet?”

Rika took her wallet out of her pocket.

“You have such a negative view of yourself, sir. When have I ever seen you as a wallet? You have delusions of persecution!”

“So, how much was in that wallet?”

“Oh, again… … It’s 540 yen!”

“You only think about getting something from me!”

“Give me the money quickly, I’ll pay you back when I get the settlement!”

Rika speaks like a gambling addict.

Seongpil swallowed his tears and walked down the street with her. And after a while, the two had to stop walking without even being able to enjoy the festival.

“Rica.”

“Hi (yes).”

“That one, by any chance.”

“I think that’s right.”

Yuuto and Son Hye-bin were chatting on a bench in a neighborhood park inside a street stall.

Putting aside the question of why Son Hye-bin is still in Japan, why are the two of them at the festival together?

Rika rolled up her sleeves and lit up her eyes.

“Anyone over the age of 13 is a criminal!”

“Tea, hold on! Let’s see what happens first!”

Seongpil barely managed to catch her from behind.