ALL NOVEL Chapter 145
Episode 145
The doctor explained to me as I kept vigil beside Yeoreum.
“There are no special aftereffects for Ms. Jin Yeoreum. Once she wakes up and takes a moment to stabilize, she should be able to resume normal activities.”
“…Sigh.”
Hearing the doctor’s words brought a sense of relief. I realized that it wasn’t some disorienting disease like a stroke.
However, it was still too early to express that relief. The fact that Yeoreum had collapsed on stage was no small matter.
“Then, what caused Yeoreum to collapse?”
“We haven’t been able to test the patient’s psychological state yet, so I can’t give you a definitive answer, but based on the symptoms and situation, I suspect it may be related to stage fright and panic disorder. It seems the psychological stress exceeded a threshold and manifested as vasovagal syncope.”
“…Stage fright.”
The reason was painfully obvious.
I looked at Yeoreum’s face. Her haggard, gaunt face seemed so pitiful.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave for now. Please call me anytime if something happens. I’ll rush back immediately.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
“It’s the least I can do. Ms. Jin Yeoreum is our hospital’s VVIP, after all.”
The bowing doctor left the private room.
Once the other kids and colleagues who had come for a visit left, the room fell silent.
I kept watch over Yeoreum in that silence.
“…Ugh.”
In the meantime, Yeoreum groaned.
The doctor said it was probably just a simple nightmare, so there was no need to worry, but that only made me worry more.
I murmured in despair.
“…What on earth is she dreaming about?”
*
When Jin Yeoreum suddenly left the orphanage, leaving only a letter, she thought she would never see Seon Taeyang, the manager of TwoBear Entertainment, again.
Naturally, she had rejected his offer in the most irresponsible and cruel way possible.
Even if they did meet, she thought it would be in the distant future, after returning from studying abroad.
“…But why are you here?”
Reading her textbooks at the café of Yale University, one of the top schools in the U.S., Jin Yeoreum laid her book down and asked Seon Taeyang.
Seon Taeyang took a sip of his smoothie through a straw after watching her.
“I told you. I came to recruit you.”
“…”
It had been a whole year since that commotion at the orphanage over the recruitment.
No, to be precise, it had been exactly a year.
Yet, she couldn’t understand why he was visiting her school in the U.S. to propose recruitment.
“I already rejected your offer in my letter.”
“Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to read that letter.”
“…Sigh, well then, I’ll reject you again. I have no intention of becoming an idol.”
“Hmm…, this smoothie is delicious. Did you use fresh fruit?”
Where had that mature demeanor gone? Seeing Seon Taeyang blatantly act like he didn’t hear her, Jin Yeoreum sighed again in exasperation.
Jin Yeoreum sighed again while looking at Seon Taeyang.
“What on earth do you mean by saying that now?”
“Saying what now?”
“Yeah, if you wanted to say something, you should have told me before I went abroad.”
Let’s just say…
Perhaps, if he had stopped her just before she left the orphanage, her heart might have wavered.
But now it was different.
She had already made her choice and adjusted to the life of an international student.
“That’s right. I think I should’ve done that too. I really regret it.”
“Then…”
“That’s why I came now. I don’t want to regret anymore.”
“….”
That sincerity was conveyed plainly.
Looking at Seon Taeyang, who was baring his heart, Jin Yeoreum smiled faintly and said,
“I’ll have to decline.”
*
Three months later, at a sandwich shop near school, Jin Yeoreum spoke up again.
“…I definitely refused back then.”
“Haha, how could I give up on Yeoreum just because she turned me down once?”
“….”
Feeling despair, Jin Yeoreum asked with pure curiosity.
“Is it easy to come all the way to America? You still have to work, Team Leader Seon?”
“It’s not easy. That’s why I’m trying to deflect the pressure by making a strategy.”
“…Saying that out loud just took the pressure away.”
At her words, Seon Taeyang simply smiled charismatically.
Seeing that smile, even Jin Yeoreum’s sulky little feelings melted away like snow.
…He was truly hard to hate.
“The group ‘Girl Revolution.’ They’re getting good reviews. They’ve won awards and are receiving extra investments, and they’re growing quite well for a new company.”
Jin Yeoreum was aware of that.
After all, she was a fan of that group.
And the fact that Seon Taeyang had played a significant role in her becoming a fan was a secret she couldn’t share.
So, she pretended not to know and said,
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it. It sounds impressive. But does it mean anything to say that?”
“Thanks to that success, I can lead a project completely on my own now. And I want to recruit you, Jin Yeoreum, as the first member. Of course, I’ve already got the President’s and the staff’s consent.”
Jin Yeoreum felt from his calm words that he was seriously considering the recruitment.
“Let’s be idols together, Yeoreum. You’re bound to succeed.”
She felt that she couldn’t run away from that attitude anymore.
Just like he had faced her, she needed to confront him seriously too.
“…I’m sorry, Team Leader Seon.”
But the answer wasn’t positive.
“I don’t think I can do it.”
“Why not?”
“If someone like me participates, it would obviously fail.”
“No. It’s people like you who will ensure success.”
“No, that’s not true.”
She hesitated.
Not too light, not too heavy.
Still, the answer that emerged was always the same.
“I’m someone who can’t become an idol.”
*
“Is that the one?”
“Is that him?”
“…Yeah. The doping controversy.”
“Wow… Rich kids really know how to get by. It’s disgusting.”
At some point, it became known in the local Korean community that she was attending this school. It seemed to still be something only a few people were aware of.
Honestly, it’s absurd that no one recognized her for this long, considering she’s the third generation of Jinkang and a national dislike.
They didn’t seem to have a favorable opinion of Jin Yeoreum due to public perception. However, rather than bringing it to her family’s attention or demanding her staff to handle it, she pretended not to notice.
There was a sort of resignation that no matter where in the world you are, if there are people around, those stares are going to follow you.
But, someone jumped into the conversation she was trying to ignore.
“Excuse me.”
“…Us?”
“Yeah, you two rude people gossiping so that I can hear right in front of me.”
It was Seon Taeyang, appearing again.
“…We were just talking amongst ourselves.”
“Let’s drop the childish excuses that even grade schoolers wouldn’t buy.”
He stepped forward, as if to shield Jin Yeoreum, and said.
“If you have something to say, say it properly. Don’t use a lame excuse as a shield.”
“…Hey, let’s go.”
“…What a mess, seriously.”
Watching Seon Taeyang defend her, she felt a stir of emotions. But Jin Yeoreum spoke as if the recent situation didn’t matter at all.
“By the way, why are you here again?”
“To offer a recruitment, of course.”
“Sigh… Is it again?”
“I tend to be a bit clingy, you see.”
That confident statement made Jin Yeoreum involuntarily chuckle, raising a question.
“I heard you’re in charge of the project now. Shouldn’t you have already forgotten about me, who turned you down three months ago, and be looking for someone else?”
“We haven’t started that project yet.”
“Why not?”
“Because the start of my project is Jin Yeoreum. If you’re not in it, I won’t start.”
Hearing that, it felt like something heavy was rising in Jin Yeoreum’s chest. She tried to suppress it and pretended to be nonchalant.
“Is that just a ploy to give me pressure?”
“Oh? You’ve caught on already.”
And Seon Taeyang smiled good-naturedly again. She stared at that expression blankly.
“You’re not coming again, right?”
“I will be back again.”
Jin Yeoreum was taken aback by the realization that she had unconsciously expressed her disappointment but instead added,
“…When will you come?”
“Um… probably in about three months.”
“…Even after I already turned you down?”
“Even if you’ve turned me down already.”
After being turned down again for recruitment, Seon Taeyang spent some leisurely time gossiping with her over desserts at a famous café before leaving, promising to come again.
“…Really, what a strange person.”
Jin Yeoreum secretly kept the fact that she found herself waiting for those three months from him even as he walked away.
She kept the fact that she was waiting for three months a secret even at the moment of departure.
*
“Ugh, disgusting.”
A military service controversy erupted around Jin Yeoreum’s second brother.
In an instant, what started as favoritism allegations against the third-generation chaebol began to blaze, engulfing the surrounding area like wildfire, fueled further by the addition of Jin Yeoreum as its kindling.
“What did Summer do?”
“Oh, Emily doesn’t know, huh? She used to do rhythmic gymnastics…”
The ripple effect was something she had to bear, even from a faraway country.
“Let’s eat together next time, Yeoreum.”
Gradually, the human relationships surrounding her began to change.
Maybe it wasn’t so much a change as it was the hidden aspects finally revealing themselves.
“Haha, Summer, why do you look so gloomy?”
But there were still people who treated her the same way.
“Did you dope? …Yeah, I did when I was younger. Koreans are too conservative, you know.”
“Right, thanks for the encouragement anyway.”
“We’re friends, after all.”
“…”
It was Sofia, a friend she had made locally.
While her behavior could be a bit rough, that unchanging aspect of her was a big comfort.
“Friend…”
“Yeah, I actually have a good opportunity for you.”
But that nonchalance didn’t mean everything would remain the same.
“Want to buy some drugs?”
“…”
The moment that secret was revealed, there was no turning back.
That casual comment lodged into Jin Yeoreum’s heart.
“…Do you even know what that means to me right now?”
“What? Why are you so excited? It’ll make you feel good, I just thought you could lighten up a little. I don’t usually sell this; I was just doing it before.”
“There’s no way that would feel good!”
“…Why are you pretending not to understand?”
Her words seemed sharp.
“You’ve already tried it, haven’t you?”
Well, it hurt this much.
*
Sitting on a bench, getting drenched by the falling rain, Jin Yeoreum blankly pondered.
“Was it today? The day Team Leader Seon was supposed to come?”
She could vaguely feel that she had been looking forward to this day without even realizing it.
But now that the controversy had reignited, it felt quite ridiculous.
There was no way Seon Taeyang would bother coming all the way from overseas to recruit her.
“Then why am I even here?”
Yet, Jin Yeoreum found herself sitting on the same bench where she had promised to meet Seon Taeyang last time.
“Am I still clinging to this? …So foolish. I really am.”
As she gazed at the rain-soaked sky with blurry vision, footsteps approached her.
“….”
It was a man even more foolish than she was.
“Why are you here again?”
Seon Taeyang pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wiped away the tears of Jin Yeoreum, which had secretly flowed in the rain.
“I came to recruit you.”