Siblings Work in Business (15)
“Joo-yeon, you said you were a Toxin fan, right?”
“Ah, yes. I love them. A lot.”
“Oh, that’s great. I’m not really interested in this kind of thing, so I was hoping someone who likes them would go.”
“What…”
One day, while Joo-yeon was busy with work, having forgotten about her fandom life…
Her team leader clapped and rummaged through her bag, then pulled out a small envelope and continued.
“Ta-da! Someone I know gave me tickets to Ji Ye-chan’s solo debut showcase.”
“Tickets to Ji Ye-chan’s showcase…”
Although she was currently on hiatus from her fandom activities, Joo-yeon was a longtime Toxin fan.
“I’ll give these to you, Joo-yeon, in exchange for a coffee…”
“I’ll go get it!”
Instead of answering, Joo-yeon immediately ran to the nearest cafe at her team leader’s offer to exchange the tickets for a coffee.
And a few days later…
At the Seoul XX Department Store hall.
Looking around, the place was filled with fans holding the same light sticks, their faces as excited as Joo-yeon’s.
Joo-yeon also had the same light stick in her hand.
A purple, teardrop-shaped light stick, completely unused.
It was time for her treasured Toxin light stick, which she had cherished since her school days, to shine in its intended role.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
“Oppa—!!!”
Joo-yeon’s voice was already hoarse from screaming at Oh Hyun’s appearance.
But she couldn’t miss Ji Ye-chan’s entrance.
‘My first love and first fandom since middle and high school.’
She couldn’t afford to go to concerts as a student; 100,000 won wasn’t a small amount.
When she became an adult and had money, she always failed at the highly competitive ticketing process.
Even when she tried to get tickets through other means, the price of Toxin concert tickets had become exorbitant, making it difficult.
As soon as Ji Ye-chan appeared, Joo-yeon tried to control her overwhelming emotions and cheered along with the other fans.
Although it was called a showcase, it was no different from a mini-concert for Joo-yeon.
When she saw Ji Ye-chan’s title track performance with her own eyes, she was so happy that she felt she could die on the spot without any regrets.
She listened attentively to Ji Ye-chan’s explanation of the album, holding her light stick preciously.
My feelings warn me
Yes
That’s what you’re trying to say
Honestly, Joo-yeon didn’t think much when she heard an unfamiliar voice in Ji Ye-chan’s second track, “Sign.”
Just, he sings well.
He suits our oppa’s song well.
That’s it.
“Introducing Co-Sign, I’ll take my leave now! Thank you!”
When Toxin member Oh Hyun announced the end of the showcase, Joo-yeon sighed along with the other fans in disappointment.
But she found solace in the fact that there was one last performance to ease her regret.
And when the final Co-Sign stage began…
Joo-yeon diligently waved her light stick along with the other fans, admiring Ji Ye-chan’s elegant dance moves.
My feelings warn me
Even before you arrive
The voice she heard during the album track explanation echoed through the hall.
It was filled with more power than the voice she heard during the highlight introduction.
The unfamiliar man stood in the center of the stage, under the spotlight.
A single flower on the table
Looks especially red today
It seemed to be the rookie whom Ji Ye-chan oppa praised, saying he was better than Oh Hyun.
Neatly styled hair and sharp eyes.
Contrary to his seemingly strong personality, his voice flowing through the microphone was incredibly gentle.
I want to ignore it
I want to laugh and chat
Joo-yeon looked around at the fans who, like herself, had unconsciously stopped waving their light sticks.
Everyone whose light stick had stopped moving was staring at the rookie, as if mesmerized.
But I can’t breathe
The rookie stepped back, as if acting out the lyrics about his choked breath, clutching his throat.
Joo-yeon had forgotten that she was supposed to be watching Ji Ye-chan, captivated by the performance.
‘I should be looking at oppa…’
Just as she realized this and was about to turn her head…
She made eye contact with the rookie.
Her cheeks flushed.
Badges, photocards, posters with the members on them…
She felt as excited as when she first discovered Toxin and frantically collected everything related to them.
My feelings warn me
As the lyrics suggested, her heart felt like it was warning her.
It was guilt.
For eight years, she had devoted her heart to Toxin.
She considered looking elsewhere a betrayal, even to the point of losing a friendship after arguing with a high school friend about it.
But…
Yes
That’s what you’re trying to say
The rookie, whose name she couldn’t even remember, was shaking the foundation of her eight-year-long devotion.
As part of the choreography, the rookie tilted his head and put his index finger to his lips, as if in time with the music.
He smiled at her, as if thanking her for making eye contact.
At that moment…
Joo-yeon covered her mouth, swallowing even her guilt.
‘Crazy. This is crazy.’
Was this how she felt when she first saw Toxin’s debut on TV in middle school?
No, it felt closer to the excitement of her first crush.
Joo-yeon was confused.
It had been a long time since she felt this overwhelmed with excitement.
“Team Leader, they say he’s a trainee from NRY Entertainment, preparing for a sibling group debut!”
“What’s NRY? I’ve never heard of it.”
“There was that famous person at TaKa Entertainment, right?”
“At TaKa?”
Team Leader Min Gi-ho frowned and looked towards the stage.
Then, as if remembering someone, he clapped and continued.
“Team Leader Park Chang-seok!”
“Yes, that’s right. They say it’s the agency he established after leaving TaKa.”
“It’s been a while since Team Leader Park left, hasn’t it?”
“He went down to the countryside and came back up.”
“Aha.”
Min Gi-ho pondered for a moment, then asked with a sidelong glance,
“Does that trainee seem busy these days?”
“According to the reporter, the CEO of NRY has been booking studios non-stop.”
“We need to get him quickly.”
“You’re going with him?”
“Why?”
“Well, someone with more recognition…”
Min Gi-ho covered his ear with his hand, as if he had heard something unbearable.
“Are you saying that after hearing him sing?”
“You know our song is scheduled to air soon, right?”
“Have you thought about why we postponed it until it got pushed back this much?”
“That’s…”
Min Gi-ho flicked his wrist, as if the explanation wasn’t worth listening to.
“Instead of wasting time with nonsense, get me Team Leader Park Chang-seok’s… no, CEO Park Chang-seok’s contact information.”
“Huh? Right now?”
“There’s no time but now. He’s the type to get things done in one go.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Ha…”
Min Gi-ho patted his chest in frustration at his questioning team member.
“People like him don’t accept anything unless it’s pushed in while they’re making plans. That means, if we miss this rookie, we might end up using just anyone for this OST!”
“Eun-ho, I was worried because we only had a week, but you followed along so well that I was surprised. I didn’t need to worry at all.”
“As I promised, Senior, I just did my best.”
“Thank you so much. You did a great job. Better than I expected.”
“I’m grateful for this opportunity, Senior.”
Ji Ye-chan patted Eun-ho’s shoulder a couple of times with a firm hand.
“Are you going to the after-party?”
Someone who seemed quite high up among the staff asked, suggesting a celebration for the end of the performance.
But perhaps because many people were tired…
“I’m a bit tired today. It’s late, so let’s rest and get together next time.”
At Ji Ye-chan’s firm refusal, the staff member shrugged and then agreed with a hearty laugh, saying it would be better that way.
Thanks to this, the dance team and staff were able to leave early.
‘“Early,” he says…’
It was still late enough that the last trains were gone.
Leaving the department store, Eun-ho looked up at the bright night sky, devoid of stars.
The only things shining were probably satellites.
‘How am I going to get back to the dorm?’
Just as despair washed over him along with the cold night wind…
“Eun-ho.”
At the welcome voice, his previously heavy footsteps became as light as a feather as he exited the building.
“CEO!”
“What about the after-party?”
“As you can see, the senior declined.”
“Well, Ye-chan prefers going home and lying in bed after work than drinking.”
Following the CEO’s gesture, I saw the familiar black sedan.
“Did the performance go well?”
“It’s Lee Eun-ho, haha.”
“That sounds like you made a mistake.”
“Hey, the senior praised me.”
We exchanged brief words as we walked towards the car.
“That’s good to hear. Good work.”
I turned my head, sensing a sudden seriousness in the CEO’s voice.
But the CEO had already gotten into the driver’s seat.
I got into the passenger seat and looked at the CEO again. His face, as he looked out the window, was shadowed, as if something had happened.
“The temporary guy had some personal issues, so it looks like I’ll be working with you again for a while.”
I quickly understood the reason for the shadow.
Although he spoke indirectly, it meant that the manager, who was on probation, had quit again.
‘The manager hyung, who worked with us for years, wouldn’t join the company for another two years…’
NRY Entertainment, despite the CEO’s impressive career, remained a small agency.
Perhaps because the company’s future seemed uncertain…
Even for managers and employees, NRY Entertainment was just a stepping stone. Most of them left for other agencies after gaining some experience.
“Come to think of it, unlike Eun-ji, you haven’t been rushing me.”
“Really?”
“Eun-ji has been bringing me two or three songs a day, saying we need to release a song before we run out of money.”
Haha.
I chuckled lightly, trying to lighten the mood.
But honestly, I wasn’t worried about that.
Although it might have made sense to rush the debut considering the company’s urgent need for growth…
‘No matter what I said…’
The CEO believed that a half-assed debut was worse than none at all.
Besides, the intuition built from experience was hard to ignore.
Perhaps because I had experienced the CEO’s ‘intuition’ firsthand and returned…
I wasn’t worried.
‘Back then, it was Lee Eun-ji first.’
As soon as we gave up on the sibling duo, I started intensive lessons, as my skills were still rough, while Lee Eun-ji, who was already polished, debuted first.
The CEO’s intuition wasn’t wrong…
‘Lee Eun-ji hit it big.’
So high that I, her sibling, couldn’t even reach.
She literally soared.
“I believe in the ‘timing’ you often talk about, CEO.”
“…Lately, Eun-ho, you seem like you’ve lived a few more years than you actually have.”