novelraw Chapter 112 : Since the Soundproofing Also Seems Quite Good
Chapter 112 : Since the Soundproofing Also Seems Quite Good
Chapter 112 - Since the Soundproofing Also Seems Quite Good
“The person who came from Korea is looking for me?”
“Yeah, he singled you out.”
Hearing Producer Iwata's words, Alice blinked.
She knew that a Korean cable broadcasting station had come today to cover local idol culture, but she hadn't paid any attention to it, thinking it had nothing to do with her.
“For what business with me...?”
“Alice, do I have to say it with my own mouth?”
“Pardon?”
“Don't pretend to be innocent. You've been in the idol industry for a long time too, so you should know exactly what I mean.”
Hearing those words, Alice felt her heart sink.
She remembered the sight of Yume, the center of TEAM STM, getting into the car of an event company representative last month. At that time, Iwata was bowing obsequiously while seeing her off.
“P-Producer, I don't do things like that...”
“He is someone the president of AA Pro specifically asked to take extra care of.”
“What?”
The president of AA Pro.
Hearing those words, Alice's eyes widened.
“Alice, you wanted to go major through AA Pro, didn't you?”
“Yes, but...”
“As you know, going major isn't an easy thing. Since our BBB is under AA Pro, the path is relatively open for us, but even so, catching an opportunity isn't easy.”
“…….”
“That opportunity has rolled right in front of you. You shouldn't miss this.”
Iwata enticed Alice with a sly smile.
“You've done something like a gyaranomi before, right? For now, just do it with that kind of feeling. After that, it'll depend on your own effort.”
“…….”
Gyaranomi refers to a part-time job where one receives money to attend a drinking party. There are cases where unpopular celebrities run gyaranomi to make connections with the upper class as well.
However, Alice had never done anything like gyaranomi before. It was because she thought that a past of doing such things might hold her back in the future.
This was a professional mindset she had acquired through her life in Korea.
“It seems a style like yours is that person's type. So make good use of this opportunity.”
“…….”
“It's about time you break away from TEAM STM too. This is a very good opportunity.”
In front of Iwata, who was spouting sweet talk, Alice bit her lip.
......
After finishing all the schedules, just when everyone was about to return to their respective hotels.
Kanade called out to stop Baek Hyeon-woo.
“Manager, are you busy tonight by any chance?”
“Why?”
“If you're not busy, please do this for me.”
Saying so, Kanade held out her phone.
“Did you change your phone? I think it's my first time seeing it.”
“It's a second phone.”
“A second phone?”
Baek Hyeon-woo tilted his head.
Dividing and using a phone for work and a phone for private life was something that often happened in the entertainment industry, but...
“You don't have any acquaintances you contact privately anyway. I don't think you strictly need a second phone for private life.”
“Aren't you being too harsh?!”
Kanade flared up.
“This is a second phone for gaming. Because I have to run a sub-account.”
“That’s even worse.”
“I have to run the event today, but it’s too hard if I do it alone. Please do it with me, Manager.”
“Why should I?”
“My fingers will break if I’m tapping two phones at the same time by myself! As my responsible manager, shouldn’t you prevent such a situation from happening?”
If that happened, it would be trouble.
Baek Hyeon-woo nodded and spoke.
“Then I should confiscate the phone.”
“W-What?!”
“As your responsible manager, I should block such a situation from occurring in the first place.”
“Ah...!”
As an unexpected situation unfolded, Kanade’s eyes widened.
“And anyway, I’m busy tonight, so I can’t help you.”
“W-Why?”
“Because I’m supposed to be introduced to an idol by Producer Iwata.”
“Pardon? I didn't hear anything about that from the PD.”
That was only natural. Because he hadn’t told PD Yoon Young-chan.
“Producer Iwata decided to introduce her to me personally.”
“……!”
Kanade’s mouth fell wide open.
“M-Manager, by any chance, is that...”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s nothing strange.”
Baek Hyeon-woo cut Kanade off in the middle of her sentence and denied it.
“Did you see Shiratani Alice at the live performance earlier?”
“Alice?”
“Yeah, the one from 77 Produce that you mentioned.”
Alice was an idol who had previously made it into the debut lineup on 77 Produce and was active in 7STAR. Since 7STAR disbanded, she had returned to her hometown of Saitama and was active as a member of TEAM STM.
“I wanted to talk with her.”
“Are you trying to interview her by any chance? Because of the broadcast?”
“No, if it were because of the broadcast, I would have told PD Yoon.”
Baek Hyeon-woo shook his head.
“This is separate from the broadcast.”
“Ah, then is it because you have a personal interest...?”
Kanade glared sideways at Baek Hyeon-woo.
“Manager, the unnies asked me a favor, you know? To keep an eye on you so you don’t look elsewhere.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Didn’t you get introduced by Producer Iwata because you want to go on a date with Shiratani Alice?”
“Why would I date all the way here in Japan?”
“Because in Korea, you have to be mindful of other people’s eyes.”
“I’m not even a celebrity, so why should I care about other people’s eyes?”
“You appear on variety shows, so you’re pretty much like a celebrity...”
“No, I’m not.”
In fact, he was already in a position close to a celebrity. But Baek Hyeon-woo did not want to admit that fact.
“It’s not personal. If I had to say, it’s official business.”
“Official business?”
“Yeah.”
Baek Hyeon-woo nodded.
“I want to meet her as a manager of Haram Entertainment.”
“……?”
“Ah, this will work.”
A good idea came to mind.
“You come along too.”
“Pardon? Go together?”
“Yeah, when I meet Alice-ssi, you sit in too.”
Kanade wore a troubled expression.
“But I have to play my game?”
“Then you can just sit quietly next to me. I won't say anything even if you're gaming.”
“Why go out of your way to...”
“That way, there won't be any misunderstandings for either side. For you, and for Alice-ssi's side as well.”
Baek Hyeon-woo had absolutely no ulterior motives. He was simply interested in the idol named Alice.
“I'll play the game with you when it's over.”
“Ugh... using the game as bait, that's cheap.”
Although Kanade grumbled, she ultimately nodded her head.
......
'I really can't do this.'
Inside the elevator, Alice bit her lip.
'Let's apologize to that person and ask for his understanding.'
She had arrived at the meeting place after being pushed into it by Producer Iwata, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't accept it. It felt like she had to directly state her refusal to that Korean named Baek Hyeon-woo.
'I'll get scolded terribly by the producer, but it can't be helped.'
He might even tell her to leave TEAM STM. Even if that happened, Alice intended to accept it. Because she didn't want to stay any longer in a place that forced this kind of entertainment.
“Welcome. I heard from Mr. Iwata.”
“Ah, yes...”
“Please come this way. I will guide you to the room.”
The place Alice stepped into was a membership-only bar used by people who wanted to drink away from the eyes of others.
Following the clerk's guidance inside, she saw Baek Hyeon-woo drinking a beverage in a room that looked well-soundproofed.
“Hello, I am Alice.”
Alice greeted him in Korean first. She had studied Korean hard during her 7STAR days, so there was no problem with communication.
“Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi, I'm sorry, but today...”
Alice was about to start with an apology, but she flinched immediately.
There was someone else sitting in the room besides Baek Hyeon-woo.
It was the girl who had been walking around with Baek Hyeon-woo at the venue earlier, and she was in the middle of playing a game while clutching her phone.
“Don't mind her. She's busy gaming.”
“Pardon?”
What on earth was going on?
She thought it would be a situation where she had to entertain him in a secret room of a membership-only bar, but a girl who was playing a phone game so hard her fingers must hurt was sitting with him.
It was a far cry from the slimy atmosphere Alice had expected.
“Please have a seat for now.”
“Ah...”
Baek Hyeon-woo offered her the opposite seat, but Alice hastily shook her head. Today, she intended to just apologize and leave without sitting down.
“Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi, I am sorry.”
Alice apologized while bowing her head.
“I don't think I can stay with you today. I will tell Producer Iwata myself, so...”
“Did you have another schedule?”
Baek Hyeon-woo asked in a calm voice.
“Perhaps you have to go to a part-time job?”
“Ah, no. I usually work a part-time job, but I don't do it on days when there's a live performance...”
The money BBB Production gave to Alice was a pittance. Since Alice lived alone, she had to work a part-time job to secure her living expenses.
When she was in Korea, the agency provided room and board, but it was difficult to expect such things here.
“What kind of part-time job do you do? I heard from another member today that they usually work part-time at a concept cafe.”
“Ah, I don't work at those kinds of places. Only at supermarkets and restaurants...”
“Why is that? I heard it's good because it creates a synergy effect when done alongside idol activities.”
A concept cafe refers to a cafe where clerks dressed in a specific concept serve customers, like a maid cafe.
Because it could be circulated in a way that brought idol fans to the cafe and cafe customers to the performance venue, there were quite a few members in TEAM STM who worked at concept cafes.
“That's... because I want to compete with my singing and dancing.”
“Singing and dancing.”
Baek Hyeon-woo nodded.
“That's good.”
“Pardon?”
Could he have said it sarcastically? Alice looked at Baek Hyeon-woo's face.
“Alice-ssi.”
However, Baek Hyeon-woo's expression was serious.
“When I asked to be introduced to Alice-ssi earlier, Producer Iwata was very troubled. He kept recommending other members.”
“Ah, that's...”
“It must be because he knows Alice-ssi is someone who tries to compete with singing and dancing.”
Iwata knew very well that Alice was not a member who would willingly come out to a place like this. It was because Baek Hyeon-woo wanted it that he had no choice but to send Alice.
“But you see.”
Baek Hyeon-woo's eyes grew sharp.
“For someone like that, you didn't really stand out much in the live performance.”
“……!”
Alice was startled.
“B-Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi, that's...”
“I know,” Baek Hyeon-woo said before Alice could even explain.
“You matched the level of the members around you, didn't you? Because if you stand out too much alone, the balance will be broken.”
“……!”
That's right. When twelve people are singing and dancing together, one shouldn't stand out too much alone. For that reason, Alice had always been careful to harmonize with the other members. This was also Alice's professional mindset.
“So I became a bit curious.”
Saying so, Baek Hyeon-woo placed his phone on the table.
“Exactly how it would be if Alice-ssi displayed her true skills.”
“……!”
“So, could I ask for one song?”
Baek Hyeon-woo selected a song from a music streaming site. As the intro started playing, Alice gasped.
“B-Baek Hyeon-woo-ssi.”
“I imagine you haven't usually had the chance to sing to your heart's content.”
The name of the song playing now was ‘Secret tears’. It was a song Alice had sung while active as a member of 7STAR in Korea.
“Since the soundproofing here seems to be good as well, try singing to your heart's content once.”
......
Baek Hyeon-woo stared at Alice.
Unprepared to be asked for something like this, Alice was completely frozen.
But Baek Hyeon-woo had no intention of backing down. He wanted to verify it by any means necessary—Alice's true potential, which couldn't be verified through the live performance he saw at the venue earlier.
———
[Alice]
Vocal: A
Dance: A
Visual: A
Potential: S
Body Condition: 75%
Mental Condition: 55%
———
A talent fully capable of competing even with prominent A-list idols in Korea was buried in a regional Japanese city.