Producer with no Regrets - Chapter 543



Only Noblemtl

Episode 543

When Seongpil was young, of course he still considers himself young as a member of society, but anyway, when he was young, this kind of slang was often used.

Do you want to eat ramen before you go?

This phrase suggests an event that could occur when a man and a woman invite each other to their homes.

They say it has changed like this these days.

“Want to watch NFlix?”

NFlix, an OTT platform that is achieving global success.

All kinds of movies, dramas, documentaries, animations, educational programs, interactive movies, etc. are posted there.

If you have to spend time with someone, it would be better to provide a richer visual experience than mindlessly flipping through television channels, but that’s not what’s important right now.

“uh…….”

After hearing Jang Ha-yang’s suggestion, Sung-pil thought of such a slang word, funny enough.

“Hey, you.”

So I just laughed.

“Are you just saying that to target me? Your sense of humor really hasn’t gotten any better than it used to be.”

“What are you aiming for?”

“uh?”

“Are you aiming for it?”

Jang Ha-yang stared at Seong-pil with an innocent expression.

Sungpil was speechless at that. He simply did not have the courage to say what he was aiming for. If he were to say something like that… … .

‘I think I care about Hayang in that way.’

No, beyond that, Jang Ha-yang may feel burdened or threatened.

Just imagining Jang Ha-yang saying, “Director, was that how you looked at me?” makes me want to cry. I have no desire to be misunderstood by her.

There isn’t any… … .

“No, no. I was just thinking it was funny.”

Seongpil got up from his seat in a hurry.

It seemed that the lights in the room had been turned off due to his misunderstanding just now. It seemed that his head was spinning in a strange direction because of the awkward atmosphere.

“Why are you up?”

“To turn on the light.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to turn it off if you want to watch a movie?”

“Your eyesight is getting worse. Let’s turn it on.”

“I’ll do it.”

Jang Ha-yang turned on the light in place of the injured Seong-pil. Then she returned to the sofa and stared at Seong-pil.

“What do you mean by ‘aimed at’ earlier?”

I thought it would pass smoothly, but Jang Ha-yang kept asking me.

Seongpil ran the simulation over and over in his head. Saying. Not saying. How should he say it? How should he change the subject? In what way… … .

“yes?”

Jang Ha-yang revealed a subtle smile.

When he saw that, Sungpil realized that she was making fun of him.

“What was I aiming for? What did I mean by metaphor? Did you understand it that way, sir?”

“… … That’s what you were aiming for!”

Seongpil cleared his throat as if he had been feeling sorry for ten years. Jang Ha-yang smiled lightly as she watched Seongpil like that.

“By the way, is there NFlix here?”

“Yes. When Rika first came, she found it by touching the television here and there.”

“Did you look through the TV as soon as you got home?”

Japan is a unique country.

Television’s media share still remains close to 50%.

It is a very rare case in the world where it is competing on an equal footing with the Internet market share.

‘Rica does ask us not to interpret her within the national or racial spectrum.’

Is it because they are Japanese that they are interested in television? So much so that when they come on vacation, the first thing they do is turn on the television?

“Rika was trying to find an unusual channel.”

“Unique channel?”

“Oh, this was it.”

Jang Ha-yang turned on the television and turned up the channel number all the way to the top. Then, a paid service appeared.

[The reason I go to study (19)

[Playing trailer]

[Hello! I am Easy Yuip who joined the TOEIC study group… … .]

“It’s an adult movie?!”

It’s not just an adult movie.

It’s a movie that deals with the love between a man and a woman.

“yes.”

“What do you mean ‘yes’?! Hurry up and turn it somewhere else!”

Jang Ha-yang changed the news channel and said with a slightly bewildered tone.

“Sometimes I feel like the director sees us as children. Even though my sister and I were adults when we first met the director.”

“No, that’s too manly.”

“The director’s reaction just now was exactly like that.”

“that?”

“On holidays, adults and children all gather together. But when an adult movie comes on on TV, there are adults who quickly turn it off.”

“… … .”

Seongpil gained a new insight after hearing Jang Ha-yang’s advice.

“That’s right, you guys are adults, right?”

There is a saying that Korean planning agencies are like schools.

Auditions, training, producing, and management are all organized into one system in one company.

Selecting people from an early age, educating them for a long time, and supporting their social activities in the future means a closer relationship than that of a school.

To fans, idols are unapproachable idols.

However, in the eyes of the agency staff, the child they have been watching since childhood may appear to be nothing more than an idol in disguise.

‘You take care of everything from A to Z, so it’s understandable that you’d think of me as a child.’

Perhaps it was a side effect of being a producer, but Sungpil still had a hard time feeling like the members were adults.

Even when the members go out when they don’t have a schedule, they feel uneasy if there’s no manager. It’s like a parent sending their child out on an errand.

“Yes, I am an adult.”

Jang Ha-yang spoke in a firm tone, as if trying to instill something in Seong-pil.

Just as Sungpil was horrified after watching an adult film, the moral barrier he feels toward the members must be because he has watched their growth from the beginning.

Of course, Jang Ha-yang is an adult. But to Sung-pil, she feels more like a child than the other members.

“Wow, Hayang. When you say ‘I’m an adult,’ something feels really strange.”

“yes?”

Perhaps it is because of her special circumstances.

Since he first met her, Sungpil has lived almost like her guardian.

According to Jang Ha-yang’s words, Jang Ha-yang received a dream from Seong-pil, gained the strength to work hard from him, and has been working hard because of that.

In other words, Seongpil gave her a dream, motivated her to work hard, and helped her in every way to achieve her goal.

It resembled the relationship between a guardian and a ward, that is, the relationship between a father and a daughter.

The other members will be similar. They all, to a greater or lesser extent, got their dream of becoming an idol from Sungpil.

“A feeling of alienation? That’s… … .”

Jang Ha-yang’s expression hardened coldly.

“This is a big deal.”

“huh?”

“It means that I don’t look like an adult. Isn’t that a weakness as a producer? It means that you can’t see the charm that I have.”

“Distinguish between your private and public appearances.”

“Then, please treat me as an adult in private as well.”

Jang Ha-yang put her arms on the headrest of the sofa as if she was going to take a pictorial. Then she tilted her head with a languid look in her eyes.

“It’s not nice to hear the words ‘childish’. Not even to a child. Especially not to an adult.”

“… … Okay, sorry.”

Seongpil apologized sincerely.

Because he never thought that treating the members this way would hurt their feelings.

“Yeah, that’s right. I get mad when my older sister treats me like a child, so you guys probably don’t. But you don’t have to keep striking picture poses. Just because you look like an adult doesn’t mean you have to pose like in an adult magazine.”

“Can I get invited to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show? This one? This one?”

“It’s been abolished. So stop it.”

Jang Ha-yang looked disappointed.

Didn’t she know that the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was canceled? Judging by her disappointment, she must have really wanted to get out.

Maybe the Spice Girls wanted to recreate their legendary performance at the Victoria’s Secret show in the name of Girls’ League.

Seongpil gave her deep comfort.

“There are other shows out there. And Victoria’s Secret is a declining brand, and it doesn’t have the brand power it used to have.”

Jang Ha-yang didn’t show any reaction to Seong-pil’s consolation and just touched the remote control.

As the familiar N-Flix logo passed by, Jang Ha-yang began to look for movies to watch.

“How about this?”

It had been less than a dozen seconds since she had looked at the movie, but Jang Ha-yang had already chosen what to watch.

“Love is like after the rain”?

It was a Japanese movie.

“I’ve seen that actress. She was on the cover of Vogue Japan.”

“Oh, really?”

It is something that Jang Ha-yang would be interested in.

If an actor has been a cover model for Vogue Japan, he or she must be incredibly famous in Japan.

“Let’s see… … .”

Seongpil read the synopsis.

A high school girl who quit track and field due to an injury. A middle-aged man who just lives an honest life.

Two people, a part-time worker and a manager at a family restaurant, meet and share an unexpected bond.

“… … .”

“How are you?”

“well…….”

The fact that it was made in Japan also makes me imagine the content for some reason.

A high school girl and a middle-aged man, ra… … .

‘Is this a story about a middle-aged man’s fantasy?’

It doesn’t seem like something Jang Ha-yang would like.

“Are you okay?”

“It looks fun.”

“No matter how I look at it, it seems like a male-oriented movie. I don’t think you’ll find it interesting.”

“The main character seems to be a woman. Look, there’s a woman on the cover.”

“Then… is it for women?”

What kind of people have such a demand? First of all, it doesn’t seem to be high school girls.

“Okay, let’s see.”

Jang Ha-yang played the movie.

It was a truly unique movie.

First of all, the male store manager is not attractive. He is just an old man. A high school girl who is the cover model for Vogue Japan (a real story) likes such an old man.

When the scene of the high school girl smelling the store manager’s clothes appeared, Sungpil let out a low groan of embarrassment.

‘What is this?’

Is this really just a story about men’s fantasies?

Seongpil turned his gaze to check Jang Ha-yang’s expression. At that moment, his eyes met with Jang Ha-yang’s.

The two locked eyes for a moment, then burst into laughter without saying a word.

“Isn’t it fun?”

“Isn’t it fun?”

“yes?”

“uh?”

“Are you not having fun?”

“Is it fun?”

The two were thinking completely different things.

“Oh, yes, it’s fun… … right… … ?”

“Oh, I see… … .”

The two of them turned their eyes to the screen without saying who would go first.

“I’m sorry. Should I turn it off?”

“No. I thought you wouldn’t find it funny. I thought the content was something that men would find funny. I don’t mind. Yeah, it’s funny.”

“… … .”

The movie continued in silence for a while.

The story went in a different direction than Seongpil had thought. The store manager, who had thought that he would soon develop a romance with a high school girl, built an iron wall in a very common-sense way.

And the theme the movie reflects has changed from a romance overcoming the age gap to each other’s dreams.

‘Well, love was a device to highlight the theme of dreams.’

At some point, Seongpil also became immersed in it.

“Director.”

About halfway through the movie, Jang Ha-yang called Seong-pil.

“uh.”

“I read a lot of romance novels.”

“Really? That’s unexpected. I thought Seol-ha would read a lot of those things.”

“Sister, these days… no, since long ago, she has been more interested in real stories and techniques than novels. I like novels. Ever since the director lent me ‘Do you like Brahms…’.”

“When are you going to give it back?”

“I read it all.”

“Just take it.”

Jang Ha-yang continued talking gently, as if she was happy.

“You might think this is obvious, but romance novels are mostly written by women. And strangely enough, there are a lot of them that deal with older men and love.”

“That’s surprising too.”

‘Do You Like Brahms?’ by Françoise Sagan is the exact opposite story. It deals with the love between a middle-aged woman and a young man.

Seongpil thought that other female writers’ romances would be similar. He had guessed that young men would be more attractive than older men.

“Why would that be?”

“Is this a quiz? Well, maybe, the older a man is, the more money and power he has? Do those factors make him more attractive?”

“As you’ll see when you read it, no. At least that’s not what I found in common.”

“I don’t know.”

“The charm of older men depicted in those romance novels is their imperfection.”

Seongpil saw Jang Ha-yang. Now he was more curious about Jang Ha-yang’s story than the movie.

Because it’s a topic I’ve never thought about before. And, imperfection is attractive?

“The female protagonist fills in the missing parts. I think that’s what makes it romantic.”

“I don’t agree with that.”

“What part?”

Before I knew it, the movie had taken a back seat.

The two had a serious conversation about romance novels.

“If imperfection is attractive, shouldn’t we be more attracted to younger men than older men?”

Sungpil thought of male idols as a matter of course. Cheerful and brilliant young men who run towards their dreams at a young age.

“Imperfection is an emotional element, right? Anxiety, inadequacy, and longing for the future or current position shine brighter when young people have it.”

“why?”

“… …Why? Uh, so, purity?”

It’s a saying that’s ridiculed now, but wasn’t there a time when the saying, “Youth is painful” was popular?

Older adults tend to regard the inherent fragility and imperfection of youth as a privilege of their age, and they often glamorize such imperfections by reminiscing about their past.

That imperfection is packaged in the name of purity and passion.

“And young people are more attractive externally. If emotional elements are what make them attractive, then shouldn’t young people have more of them?”

“It’s different.”

Jang Ha-yang denied it outright.

“I think the reason why the imperfection of older people is attractive is because of the completeness that comes from being ‘old.’ Doesn’t the word ‘adult man’ itself give off a sense of completion?”

“Well, there is also the word ‘jangjeong’ (壯丁).”

“That kind of person’s imperfection is what’s attractive. It’s natural for children to be imperfect. Just as the director comforts and caresses us, it’s not attractive for a child to be imperfect, it’s natural. The director… … .”

Jang Ha-yang glanced over Seong-pil’s shoulder. Seong-pil also looked in that direction.

As the door slowly opened, Shin Areum’s face was revealed.

“Team leader, are you okay?”

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“What’s that? You two are watching a movie. Are you having a good time playing with your team leader, Unnie? Aren’t you bored?”

“Yeah. What are you doing outside?”

“Everyone is tired from fighting in the water and are resting. Don’t you want to come out, Sister? I’m thinking of going to the sandy beach.”

“I’ll be there a little later.”

Shin Areum looked between the two with busy eyes, then slowly closed the door.

When Seongpil was thinking that it was time to leave.

“The director is letting Arami tantrum.”

Jang Ha-yang continued what he was saying earlier.

“It’s natural for an adult to accept Ara’s whining and Rika’s stubbornness. It’s not about responding to those kids’ charm. Because… … .”

The imperfections of children are not attractive, they are natural.

“Isn’t that right?”

Sungpil was reluctant to answer when Jang Ha-yang used the members as examples. In the first place, he didn’t know if the members’ examples were applicable to this situation.

“The imperfections of older men are not something to be taken for granted, but can be attractive. Isn’t it a special element that a person who seems to be complete as a member of society harbors an emptiness that cannot be expressed to others? It is even more so if it is something that only I can know.”

“Oh, um, I kind of understand.”

It could be interpreted as a common stereotype in dramas where a person who seemed perfect has unexpectedly foolish sides…

Perhaps what Jang Ha-yang said was in a different context, but Seong-pil understood it roughly that way.

“Then, if I have some shortcomings, will I look more attractive?”

“The director is already attractive.”

“Thank you. Director Han said the same thing today.”

“Interpret it from my perspective on novels.”

Seongpil let out a hollow laugh as if it was ridiculous.

“Do I look imperfect?”

“Well, I won’t tell you because I think you’ll be offended. Just as saying ‘childlike’ isn’t a compliment, saying ‘imperfect’ isn’t a compliment either.”

When you say it like that, I really want to hear it.

“What am I lacking? By any chance… … At this age, I like idols? That’s a bit too much. It’s my job, so of course I like it.”

“The director is lonely a lot.”

It’s a completely unexpected answer.

Seongpil raised the corners of his mouth awkwardly. Seeing that, Jang Ha-yang slowly leaned her upper body toward him.

“That’s why I have to stay with you.”

Seongpil quickly moved to the seat next to him by grabbing the sofa.

Jang Ha-yang leaned closer to Seong-pil, then fell down right where Seong-pil had run away. Then she burst out laughing.

“Aren’t we family?”

“… … loneliness.”

Seongpil seemed to be making excuses.

“Everyone is here, right?”

“That’s right. Oh, the place where the director was sitting, it’s very wet.”

“Get up quickly!”

The two sat on the sofa again and watched the movie.

“I missed a lot while talking. Who is that person?”

“They are rivals.”

“You were watching everything while we were talking about that.”

“I told your parents something when I visited their graves this time, right?”

The weekday before I came to the resort was Chuseok.

Seongpil and Hayang Jang went to visit the grave together this year too.

“You said you were sorry for not having a girlfriend. You know you have to keep saying that for the next three years, right?”

“I thought, ‘Oh no,’ as I was saying it.”

“You must have a lot of worries.”

“me?”

“No, the director’s parents.”

Every time Seongpil visits his parents’ grave, he talks about them as if they were still alive.

Jang Ha-yang, perhaps because of his influence, speaks of his parents as if they were living people, just like Seong-pil.

Seongpil felt affectionate towards her habit. And it made him feel less lonely.

“are you okay.”

“Are you okay?”

“Because I have the charm of imperfection.”

“Ahahaha!”

“I feel really bad because I laugh so sincerely… … .”

“No, I really think so. Oh, you know what? We have less than two months left.”

“I know.”

The Girls’ League’s dating ban ends.

“It’s already been three years. Time really flies. Are you really looking forward to it? You’ve been thinking about it all this time.”

“First priority is the comeback, second priority is the 3rd anniversary fan meeting concert, and third priority is… … .”

“No dating?”

“I didn’t think about it.”

“Hey, that’s a lie. Actually, aren’t there a ton of male idols whose contact information you’ve got?”

“hmm.”

Jang Ha-yang let out a displeased groan.

“Director, have you already forgotten what you promised me? I’m really disappointed.”

“what?”

“I decided not to date until the director’s ban on dating ends.”

“Ah, uh, um, that’s, Seiko-san from Japan… … .”

“That’s right.”

As soon as the name Seiko came up, Jang Ha-yang suddenly stopped talking like a ghost.

“Were you serious about that?”

“I shed tears of joy and even held your hand when we made the promise. How can you say, ‘I meant it?’?”

“sorry…….”

“If I become the best idol… … .”

Jang Ha-yang’s voice was cut off like a damaged audio file.

“uh……?”

“Are you crying?!”

Jang Ha-yang shed tears.

Seongpil looked around frantically. There were no tissues. So he had to drag his sore legs to get some.

“I, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry! No, it was such nonsense that I couldn’t help but doubt its truth! I shouldn’t have! Everything our Hayang says has to be sincere from start to finish, so it was ridiculous for me to dare doubt it… …!”

“What is it…….”

Jang Ha-yang was just looking at the screen.

The movie, which Seongpil barely paid any attention to, is rushing towards its climax.

To summarize, the relationship between the two in the movie wasn’t just filled with rosy romance. But was that a bad ending that would make you cry? Sungpil didn’t think so.

“Why is this… … .”

Seongpil hesitated and sat down next to her again.

“This is a trash movie… … .”

“That much?”

“I don’t understand the plot at all… … .”

“Isn’t this a happy ending? You both found your dreams. No, you’re going to find them.”

Jang Ha-yang slowly looked at Seong-pil.

The tears on her cheeks were filled with the blue light of the television. White as snow and blue as ice.

“Love failed, how can that be a happy ending… … ?”

“… … .”

“‘Do you like Brahms…’ is just plain trash… … .”

I thought you liked it because it was an example every day, but you hate it.

Seongpil felt sorry for recommending the novel to her. Maybe the reason she didn’t return it was because she burned it after reading the ending.

Jang Ha-yang couldn’t get out of the afterglow of the movie for a while and shed tears. Seong-pil had no choice but to sit awkwardly next to her.

“How much longer are you going to hold on to Sister Hayang?”

Shin A-reum burst open the door and appeared. Behind her, Baek Seol-ha and Rika poked their heads out, timidly.

“Sister, you’re going out to play now. I have no choice but to go to the team leader’s office… Why are you crying, Sister?!”

“Ah, the director made my sister cry!”

“Hayang… … !”

Baek Seol-ha hurriedly ran over and hugged Jang Ha-yang. Then she looked at Seong-pil with eyes filled with all sorts of emotions.

“… … !”

Snow White’s lips twitched as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

“Team leader, what did you do! What did you do!”

Shin A-reum slapped Seong-pil on the back like a mother blaming her child.

“Over there… … .”

Jang Ha-yang pointed to the television while sobbing. The movie was ending with the movie’s OST.

Only then did Shin A-reum’s momentum subside.

“Oh, was the movie touching?”

“Trash, dog, trash… … .”

A touching movie brings tears to people’s eyes. And even a really trashy movie brings tears to people’s eyes.

Jang Ha-yang was the witness.

“But why did you come? Are you going to take away Hayang, who is bored playing with me?”

“That too. Joara wanted to film a performance video at the beach.”

“Performance video?”

“It’s an automata. I think it would look good if we filmed it in one take, so let’s do it.”

“Aren’t you guys still not that proficient?”

“Whatever. We’re just playing. Hayang, come out quickly.”

“Uh, I’ll put on some makeup and go out… … .”

“Can I help you?”

“No, Sister, you go out first… … .”

“Team leader… … .”

Shin A-reum looked at Seong-pil’s ankle.

“I’ll go out too. I can walk.”

“If you tell me you’re coming, I’ll call Director Han.”

“okay.”

So the members left the dorm first, leaving behind Jang Ha-yang, who was shocked by the movie.

Jang Ha-yang wiped her tears with a tissue and checked her face with a hand mirror. As time passed, her emotions subsided and she stopped sobbing.

“You used waterproof makeup today, right? It doesn’t seem to run.”

“Yes. That’s fortunate.”

Jang Ha-yang looked at the mirror for a while, saying that it was fortunate.

“That’s right. You looked great in the dance battle today. How long did you practice?”

“It’s not a big deal. Anyone can do it if they practice for about eight hours.”

“… … Isn’t 8 hours enough for a month of dance lessons?”

1 hour per session, 2 times a week, 4 weeks, 1 month.

Jang Ha-yang laughed quietly.

“When you say it like that, it seems long. When I first learned from Ara, I learned it in about two days… … and was able to do the set moves (set choreography). Now that I think about it… … .”

Jang Ha-yang put down the mirror and smiled at Seong-pil.

“We practiced really hard. We learned in one day what others would learn in a month. If you compare it to school hours, I think we really worked hard.”

“Yes, I tried hard. Our Ha-yang is great. She looked so happy when she danced. It was conveyed to the people watching. I’m jealous. If I could dance as well as you, I would dance every day.”

In the dance battle, Jang Ha-yang seemed to be shouting, “This is me.” At this moment, I am breathing, I am alive, and it was so beautiful because it seemed like she was saying this to the world.

“Dancing is not fun.”

“……uh?”

Jang Ha-yang still had a smile on her face. Then she turned her gaze back to the mirror.

“Of course, there are some fun aspects to it. But that’s like homework. It’s the joy of ‘I’ve done this much,’ but learning and performing dance isn’t fun. That’s hard. Compared to the effort I put in, I’m no better than others.”

“……then.”

Why did you try to learn so many different dance genres? Why did you spend more time than others every day dancing when you didn’t enjoy it?

“Why are you working so hard… … .”

Did you do it?

Seongpil asked.

Jang Ha-yang placed the hand mirror on the table. Then she got up from her chair and faced Seong-pil.

“Because of you, sir.”

That expression.

It was the same expression as when I was dancing earlier.

“I kept dancing because… … .”

Jang Ha-yang pointed to Seong-pil’s chest with her index finger.

“Because of the director.”

“… … .”

For what reason.

That is, it means forced.

I understand.

Not all idols like to dance and sing. There must be something about the work of an idol that suits your taste.

But dancing is a very important part for idols. If it isn’t fun, it could be a curse for Jang Ha-yang.

Seongpil lowered his head for no reason.

Sungpil had always felt guilty about one thing. It was that he had forced her onto the path of becoming an idol.

‘Hayang said it was okay.’

He also said thank you.

But, I guess you don’t like everything about idols.

“and.”

Jang Ha-yang’s index finger entered the sight of the old man, Seong-pil.

“I keep dancing.”

Her index finger continued to move forward and finally touched Sungpil’s chest.

“Thanks to you, Director.”

Seongpil raised his head.

Jang Ha-yang was looking up at Seong-pil with eyes full of mischief.

“And I will keep dancing.”

Jang Ha-yang lowered his index finger.

She picked up the hat that had been hanging on the chair and went outside.

“It’s for me. Because I like it.”

She looked back at Seongpil at the door.

“I’m happy now. I’m good at dancing.”

And she held out her hand.

“Can I lend you a hand?”

“… … .”

Seongpil approached her, limping on one foot. Then he took her hand and said.

“thank you.”

When they came out, Han Gu-in and Shin A-reum were waiting. Shin A-reum saw Sung-pil and Jang Ha-yang holding hands, and pointed at Sung-pil like a Pokémon trainer.

“Director Han.”

“yes.”

The Korean crouched down and stuck his back out.

“Director Park, I’ll carry you for you.”

“It wasn’t that bad of a wound.”

“Then I will hold your hand.”

Seongpil gave one hand to Jang Ha-yang and the other to Han Gu-in and headed to the beach.

Shin A-reum followed behind.

“Director Han, don’t you feel uncomfortable because you’re so tall? Wouldn’t it be better if I held your hand instead of the team leader?”

“You and I are similar to Director China and I. Oh, but… … .”

Seongpil laughed heartily.

“I think it’s the first time since I was little that I’ve held someone’s hand. It feels really good.”

Coincidentally, all three people around Seongpil knew about his family circumstances.

Seongpil probably never held someone’s hand with either of his hands, except for his parents when he was young.

The surrounding atmosphere became somber.

When Seongpil was embarrassed and was about to make a joke.

“Want to make one more memory?”

Shin A-reum put both hands on Seong-pil’s back. She looked like a child asking her father to hug her. Even though their height difference wasn’t that big.

“Is this your first time?”

“Hmm… …Is this what it’s like when you have three kids?”

“Am I Director Park’s son?”

“Oh, then I’m your daughter.”

“Then I am your wife.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“… … .”

“Hahaha, just kidding!”

Other members were already waiting at the beach. Jang Ha-yang and Shin A-reum ran towards the place where they were going to film the performance video.

Seongpil stood next to Hong Gyuheon, supported by Han Guin. Then Son Hyebin asked as if nothing had happened.

“Hey, you’re getting treated really well for spraining your leg? Huh?”

“Director Son, aren’t you being a bit harsh?”

“No, sir. It’s my karma.”

“Director Park, is this your karma?”

“Yes. In the past, my sister twisted her ankle right before going on stage at a music show. At that time, I grabbed her and said something… ‘You have to go on stage.’”

“That’s right, boss. I told you this guy is really cold-blooded. And ‘I have to go up on stage’ is the end of it? There’s more.”

Son Hye-bin cleared her throat and spoke mockingly.

“I said, ‘The time is now. The place is here. There is no other time or place. You have to stand here at this very moment. This is your stage.’”

“Director Park, you really are a cold-blooded person… … .”

“That’s right!”

“I think Director Park will be disappointed. With the artist in charge… … .”

“My sister didn’t say anything, but her eyes were like she wanted to go up. It was an important stage. It’s true… … .”

Son Hye-bin laughed loudly and patted Seong-pil on the back. She touched his back while patting him. Seong-pil swallowed the tears in his heart.

“Let’s get started!”

Han Gu-in picked up her phone and put the Girls’ League members on the screen.

A guide version of ‘Automata’ blared from a Bluetooth speaker standing near them. They presented an imperfect but energetic performance.

Idol performance on the beach.

There was no need for a separate background.

The set was a sunset and the sea reflecting on them.

As they move their feet, sand and transparent water droplets fly.

“The drawing is crazy, boss.”

“Okay, but I can’t upload it to the channel.”

“Yes, well, it’s a swimsuit. And there’s also Seolha.”

“Yeah, well, that’s it.”

Hong Gyu-heon let out a chuckle.

“How on earth… … did such great people come to our company? Is it because of their background? They are so unbelievably beautiful.”

Although no one answered, everyone agreed with Hong Gyu-heon’s words.

“There are moments when kids have midterm evaluations, like, ‘Will this work?’ You know? But… … Um… … Maybe it’s just me… … .”

The performance is over.

The members looked at the executives as they wiped their sweat refreshingly. It seemed as if they were asking how it was.

Everyone waved to the members.

Seongpil met Jang Hayang’s eyes. There was a deep satisfaction on her face.

It was the face of someone who had now come to love dancing.

“One way or another, I think this will work.”

Everyone nodded at Hong Gyu-heon’s words.

The most beautiful automata in the world stood here.