Producer with no Regrets - Chapter 553



Only Noblemtl

Episode 553

“brother.”

Seongpil suddenly came to his senses.

My senses gradually returned.

From the feel of the solid wooden table transmitted through my elbows to my cheeks that were stiff from having been on my fists for a long time.

“brother.”

Seongpil caught sight of the man sitting across the table. He raised his head to check his face.

“brother?”

It was Min-gyu.

Mingyu, the leader of Success Entertainment’s boy group ‘Hieraju’. Now in his 4th year as an idol…

“Vice President… … ?”

When Seongpil didn’t answer, Min-gyu called him by his title in an anxious tone.

Even though they were almost 20 years apart, Min-gyu still called him hyung. It was the result of the many hardships and youth dramas (Min-gyu, not Sung-pil) that they had been through together.

“Oh, okay.”

“Why are you suddenly like that?”

“no…….”

Seongpil held his head with his hands.

I was clearly talking to Min-gyu just a moment ago, but my mind was hazy, as if I had just woken up from a long dream.

Min-gyu looked at Seong-pil like that and secretly showed his disappointment. It was because he felt that Seong-pil was not paying attention to his story.

“After our America tour is over… … .”

“Yeah, vacation. A month…?”

“Yes, that, I think the tour is physically demanding, so at least a month… … .”

“Okay, okay.”

“yes?”

Min-gyu was shocked and asked back. But soon, his face brightened up and he quickly got up and bent his waist at a 90-degree angle.

The idea is to make it a definite fact before Seongpil changes his words.

“Thank you, sir!”

Min-gyu left the office while dancing.

‘Office… … .’

Seongpil turned his chair and checked the wall. It was densely decorated with framed photos of countless artists raised by Success Entertainment.

For Seongpil, it was something he was more proud of than any trophy or award.

‘Success Entertainment Vice President, Management Director… … .’

As I recalled my title, my mind became somewhat clearer.

Seongpil stood up from his seat, leaning on the desk. He then walked toward the door. As he approached, a full-length mirror standing on one side of the wall caught his eye.

‘what?’

For some reason, my body looks small.

Seongpil felt his chest, stomach, and arms. It felt like a firm body built through bodyweight exercises. But for some reason, it looked small.

I think it was bigger than this.

Like a person who works out… … .

‘Health?’

I’ve never been to a gym in my life.

Is that the only case where he went in and out of the physical training room in the military?

“Team leader.”

Then the door flew open.

There are only a handful of people who can enter and exit Sungpil’s office as if it were their own home. If they are women, there are only two.

One of them, Shin A-reum, walked toward Seong-pil while absentmindedly spinning an expensive luxury phone in one hand.

“Why aren’t you coming…? What are you doing?”

Seongpil was standing in front of the mirror, feeling his body. He put his hand down awkwardly.

“Have you gained weight?”

“No, just… … .”

“Hurry up. You’re late.”

“uh…….”

Where did you get late?

Without even knowing it, Seongpil followed Shin A-reum.

After taking the elevator down a dozen floors, an underground parking lot appeared.

Shin A-reum looked around and naturally linked arms with Seong-pil. Then she hummed and headed to the parked car.

“… … Did you leave your card behind?”

Shin Areum asked Seongpil, who was still standing there blankly even after arriving in front of the car. Seongpil searched his pockets. A matte blue card came out.

I held the card up to the sensor on the driver’s door and the car opened.

Seongpil sat in the driver’s seat, and Shin A-reum sat in the passenger seat. While Shin A-reum was chattering away, Seongpil left the parking lot.

Immediately after leaving, Seongpil looked at the building through the car window.

It’s the Success Entertainment building, 20 stories above ground and 6 stories underground. Seongpil was on the top floor just now.

“Team Leader, Jo Ara, she really had a strong feeling, right? Think about it logically. You’re locked in the practice room every day and you’re with male dancers, but you don’t have anything going on and you just give up? From what I’ve seen, she has more than ten secret friends. Doesn’t she look like that at first glance? We broke up on good terms. Our team leader is kind.”

Shin A-reum playfully patted Seong-pil’s head.

“Beautiful.”

“What? You’re trying to protect her honor by saying, ‘But she’s the woman I loved in the past’?”

“Where are we going?”

“yes?”

Shin A-reum frowned and turned on the navigation on her phone. Seong-pil followed suit and drove the car.

The place we arrived at was a private bakery.

As soon as I entered, a sweet smell wafted through the air.

The small shop’s display cases were filled with cakes and sweets that were almost works of art, beautiful rather than delicious.

I could even feel the artistic obsession of the pastry chef or patissier.

“Hey, Arami!”

At the counter, a woman in a white uniform approached Shin A-reum with a face full of joy.

Shin A-reum also happily hugged her.

“Are you here to promote my store virally again?”

“What reservation did you make?”

“I’ll give it to you if you take a verification photo.”

Shin A-reum took a selfie with the store in the background, smiling brightly. The woman looked at it with satisfaction and nodded toward Seong-pil.

“Team Leader, oh, no. Vice President, it’s been a while.”

“uh…….”

Seongpil continued speaking in a dazed tone.

“That, ah, Rahee.”

Yes, Rahee became a pastry chef.

After failing to become a member of Success Entertainment’s debut group, he studied abroad in France and opened a bakery in Korea.

Since all the Globe members have visited there at least once, word has spread that they are not struggling to make a living.

“How are you… …?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah, I’m… … .”

Seongpil’s speech was like that of a man missing a lover he had broken up with in the past. He was dripping with inexplicable nostalgia and regret.

Seongpil also didn’t know why his voice was like that.

“What is it, Team Leader?”

Shin A-reum glared sharply at Seong-pil. No, beyond Seong-pil, she began to press Ra-hee for some reason.

“Rahee, what happened between you and the team leader?”

“It’s been years since I’ve seen you, what’s going on?”

“Really? Then why is the team leader like this?”

“How would I know that!”

Rahee was also very embarrassed.

She had no idea how to interpret Seongpil’s eyes, which were full of excellence.

Shin A-reum was suspicious of Ra-hee the whole time she was leaving the store. Then, as soon as she got into the car, she started questioning Seong-pil like an interrogation.

But the interrogation soon ended.

“Team leader, where does it hurt?”

Shin A-reum immediately began to worry about Seong-pil, because his condition was clearly different from usual.

“no.”

“Do you want to rest? Should we go to my house?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“If you feel pain, tell me right away.”

“Yeah. But, where are we going?”

“Are you sure it doesn’t hurt?!”

Shin A-reum placed her hand on Seong-pil’s forehead, then suggested they stop by a pharmacy, and only after causing a huge fuss was she able to calm down.

Seongpil headed to his destination, following Shin A-reum’s guidance.

The location was a seven-story building. It was a rental office building, with different companies occupying each floor.

The 5th and 6th floors were the most notable.

On both floors, there was a label or agency called ‘Nolliji Sound’. Shin Areum took the elevator to go there.

“Oh, hello!”

The employee at the information desk was startled as soon as he saw Seongpil and Shin Areum, and then called someone on the extension phone.

A middle-aged man who seemed to be the representative appeared right away. He treated Seongpil in a mean manner.

“This way.”

Seongpil and Shin Areum went to the place he guided them to.

There was a man in the spacious conference room. He was about 190cm tall, and he was sitting very tall. He was looking at his laptop, and as soon as Sungpil came in, he smiled brightly.

“Hello, Vice President.”

Seongpil called him, saying, ‘Ah.’

“Ji-eum-ah.”

“……yes?”

Shin A-reum was so shocked that she tapped Seong-pil on the arm. Only then did Seong-pil realize his mistake.

“Z, I’m sorry. Composer Jeong Ji-eum.”

“Oh, no. You can call me Ji-eum. Yes, because I’m your younger sibling.”

Seongpil and Shin Areum sat across from Jeong Ji-eum, at opposite ends of the U-shaped table.

Jeong Ji-eum seemed interested in the large paper bag that Seong-pil and Shin A-reum brought.

Shin A-reum answered with a bright smile.

“If the kids come today, I’ll give them a present. Cheer up! That’s what it means.”

“I’m sure the kids would like it if you gave them a present. I did prepare a small gift, though.”

“I think the gift from Ji-eum, the producer of this album, would be more enjoyable than me.”

“What are you talking about… … .”

Jung Ji-eum denied it in a voice that naturally exuded humility.

“I’m just a composer, but isn’t Arum the idol of all idols? A gift from an idol is truly valuable.”

“Kids… … ?”

When Seongpil asked like that, Shin A-reum and Jeong Ji-eum’s eyes turned to him.

Shin A-reum waved her hand at Jeong Ji-eum as if nothing had happened.

“Team Leader, you’re acting strange today. You act like you’re half-asleep. Don’t worry about it. Team Leader, do you want to go out and get a drink? If you’re too tired and don’t want to be with me and hate me, would you like to wait here? I’ll go and get it by myself.”

“are you okay.”

“Come to think of it.”

Jung Ji-eum said while looking at his laptop, wondering what he was working on.

“You said you were releasing a Globe album?”

“Haha, it just so happened.”

“I thought they had completely disbanded. I was really sad, but as a fan, I’m happy.”

“Well, I shouldn’t be saying this. There’s Noah, he just lost all his money in stocks.”

“yes yes?”

“So they kept contacting us and begging us, saying, ‘Please, guys, let’s release one more album!’ They even came all the way from Japan to Korea and clung to the team leader’s pants. So… … We wanted to do it again, so we decided to do it.”

“I didn’t want to know that… … .”

The still sound made her cry.

It was then that the door opened and the representative and seven girls came rushing in.

“Hey guys, hello.”

When they saw Shin Areum, their expressions stiffened and they bowed much deeper than usual.

“Oh, hello!”

“Hey, the ‘Idol Academy’ top students.”

They are from the trainee competition program ‘Idol Academy’…

“Ah, it’s Idolish Academy, hehe… … .”

One of the girls corrected Shin A-reum. The other girls looked at her in shock, despair, and frustration.

Shin A-reum’s expression hardened coldly.

“what?”

The atmosphere became heavier than iron and colder than ice.

The girl’s eyes began to well up with tears, even though Shin A-reum had only said, “What?” In just one second, she had reached the point of repenting the reckless sin she had committed.

“Sorry, sorry… … .”

“Just kidding! Yes, the top students of ‘Idolish Academy’. You call the debut group top students, right? I’ve been checking on you here and there. I’ve even bought you some presents. Oh, since I’m a fan of yours, should I call it tribute?”

He bowed at a 90-degree angle again, feeling ashamed and tearful towards the girls. The girl who had dared to point out Shin Areum was trembling and couldn’t even raise her head.

Shin A-reum was so embarrassed that she poked Seong-pil in the ribs with her elbow.

“Team Leader, I have to tell you.”

“……what?”

“What is it? It’s the group that the team leader is in charge of. The team leader said he would come to say hello, so why are you doing this? I came with you.”

“May I… …take charge?”

Seongpil looked at the seven girls.

… … Yes, Seongpil, the vice president of Success Entertainment, was put in charge of the debut group of ‘Idolish Academy’.

The production rights for the girl group originally planned by Success Entertainment were absurdly taken away by Yoon Sang-yeol.

Kim Tae-hoon did not keep his promise.

So Seongpil is here… … .

“i look forward to!”

“no.”

The girls were surprised when Seongpil coldly denied it.

Seongpil suddenly got up.

“Something feels strange.”

“yes yes?”

“I shouldn’t be here.”

Shin A-reum grabbed Seong-pil’s sleeve as he stood up.

“Team Leader, why are you like that… … .”

“Just looking at you makes me feel beautiful.”

“yes?”

“You link arms so naturally.”

“that.”

Shin A-reum’s eyes trembled violently. As if her parents had declared, “You are not my child,” the world she had held in her eyes collapsed violently.

“Then that won’t work… … ?”

Seongpil didn’t pay any attention to such a beautiful person. And he repeated it as if he was reciting a spell.

“This is not my place.”

Seongpil looked at the seven girls.

The group he was put in charge of.

“It’s not seven. It’s five.”

Seongpil’s eyes, which had been cloudy until now, brightened.

“Girls League… … .”

As soon as I remembered that name, all the surrounding scenery and people scattered like sand.

‘This is a dream.’

Seongpil realized his dream.

‘No, is this really a dream?’

Seongpil imagined something that would never happen in reality.

Rika appeared in a wedding dress. She smiled with tears in her eyes.

“We are together forever now!”

“It was a dream.”

“Eeeeek?! Is this a dream?! Then was it a dream that the director proposed to me too?!”

“Yes.”

“Sonna (like that)! Then do it again!”

“No.”

“Then Atashi (Je) will do it!”

Rika knelt down and offered the bouquet to Seongpil.

“Please go to the new house together before Silvertown!”

“No.”

“Sonna Bakana (such an idiot)?! Then let’s start by living together!”

“That can’t be.”

“Sonna bakana uso (such a stupid lie)?! Then start with lovers! Oh, no, let’s start with getting to know each other through dates!”

“There are still things we haven’t done yet.”

“What haven’t you done yet?”

“It didn’t even make it onto Billboard’s main chart… … .”

“Oh, I already did that?”

“It really was a dream.”

“Son-na (that kind of)… … I was so happy, but was it a dream… … . Then I guess I’ll have to do something I can only do in dreams!”

“Hey, wait a minute. What are you doing? Don’t, don’t come any closer… …!”

“It’s just a dream anyway! Oh, this is the director’s dream, so it means the director has been thinking about this all along!”

“Nooooooo!”

“It’ll be over soon, so stay still!”

Ahhh… … !

‘however.’

Seongpil questioned himself as he surrendered to the dreamlike sensation.

‘Why am I dreaming? I’m definitely in the office… … .’

* * *

“Ugh.”

Seongpil opened his eyes, making a stupid sound.

Is it morning?

I feel so energetic these days, maybe because I’ve been taking all kinds of nutritional supplements. I think today will be a good day.

“Oh, the director is awake!”

Rika’s face appeared before my eyes.

Seongpil was startled and looked at his lower body. Fortunately, it was covered with a blanket.

“What, what? Wasn’t it a dream?”

“Director, your speech is strange! Did you reincarnate in another world? What world did you go to?”

“Is this a dream… … .”

“Ah, I get it! It’s the ‘If you return to Earth, you’ll forget all your memories’ route! Don’t be too heartbroken, because your connection with us will be much more beautiful and precious than that with your colleagues!”

As soon as the energy flowing through his body subsided, Seongpil put his feet up from the sofa and sat up straight.

It was a sofa in the lounge on the first floor.

“Did I fall asleep?”

“I fainted!”

“No, a person passed out, and you just left him on the first floor? What would a guest think when they see me?”

“It wasn’t Atashi who brought it! But I can’t leave it in the break room where the employees are supposed to be resting comfortably!”

“This is absurd to treat me like a director. But why did you faint? Did someone strangle me? Araya?”

“We reached #14 on the Billboard 200 chart! We’re in the top 40 on the Billboard Global 200!”

“Oh, right. That’s right.”

Park Sung-pil faints again!

“Director?! Are you really unconscious? Are you really the director? If you don’t wake up, you’re going to be in big trouble? If you stay still, you’re going to take that as consent?”

Seongpil had no answer.

Rika sighed and looked at the sofa next to her. Hanguin was also unconscious. He had collapsed as soon as he heard the same news as Seongpil.

‘We just cried, we didn’t faint.’

Rika laughed heartily.

Well, those two have been watching the Girls’ League’s journey from the beginning. It’s understandable that they would do that, since their dreams have come true.

Even Rika’s hands are shaking. She desperately tries to keep her composure in front of others, but it’s not easy.

‘It was on Billboard.’

The world is looking at the Girls’ League.

‘One step closer to the top. No.’

What is one step?

The Girls’ League is going beyond walking to running, and beyond running to flying.

Rika touched her cheek with a trembling hand.

“Yumeja nai (It’s not a dream)… … .”

Girls’ Generation enters Billboard’s main chart.

A record that can be counted on one hand among girl groups.

That is, TOP2.

Step into a realm that even Caius couldn’t reach.