Chapter 42
“….”
Han Jae-i and Dan Ha were, in fact, having a hard time with Ryu Bo-ra’s recording.
The first recording was a difficult song, so it was understandable to struggle, but it was tough because the second recording was also difficult.
That’s why they deliberately pushed her more coldly.
There will be many difficult songs in the future.
She can’t collapse here. She has to endure. Like that.
But in the recording that didn’t loosen up at all, the one who came up with an idea was Dan Ha.
There was actually a similar case in Burn Ash.
At that time, a member named Seungmin was struggling.
While struggling for a long time, CEO Hong, who happened to pass by the studio, threw a word.
‘Go in with the member who is closest to Seungmin and sing together.’
At that time, they thought it was an unexpected instruction.
But as soon as they started recording-
Reaching out to fate
What touches is your fingertips
Reaching out to destiny
If only it could intertwine, fingertips
Like this, a result that didn’t speak came out.
At the cautious start of Ryu Bo-ra, Yoon Cheong silently held Ryu Bo-ra’s hand.
I’ll hold you
Even in some labyrinth
I’ll hold you
And as if answering, she continued to sing.
The two of them continued to sing the remaining song together.
Ryu Bo-ra’s breath, which seemed to be unable to adapt at first, began to return to its place little by little.
Because Yoon Cheong was holding Ryu Bo-ra’s hand and tapping the beat together.
“You’re doing well.”
“….”
“At first, you didn’t even make eye contact, but now you can’t see us, can you? You’re only looking at each other.”
Despite Han Jae-i’s words, Dan Ha did not answer.
What more words are needed?
This is exactly what they wanted.
Dan Ha just smiled.
“That time… when you sang with Seungmin.”
“….”
“It was you, wasn’t it?”
Dan Ha still stared at the two people in the recording room without answering.
Han Jae-i looked at such Dan Ha and smiled strangely.
“No answer, dude…. Look, he doesn’t even answer.”
“The song is over.”
“Ah.”
Han Jae-i turned on the microphone that connects the outside and inside of the recording room.
“Both of you, good job.”
“Good job.”
Dan Ha also briefly added a word.
“You did well, both of you. You did much better than we expected, right?”
At Han Jae-i’s compliment, Yoon Cheong and Ryu Bo-ra immediately let go of their hands.
“You did well. If you’re ready, we’ll go one more time.”
“?!”
“Trainee Yoon Cheong, this time we’ll only sing the ad-lib.”
-Yes.
“Trainee Ryu Bo-ra, that’s not your maximum volume, is it?”
-…I’ll try more.
“Yes, we’ll go right away.”
At Dan Ha’s words, the other three people narrowed their eyes. They should give them time to rest, right?
But the lips of the three people were honestly raised.
Especially, Ryu Bo-ra’s lips.
***
“Good job!”
“Thank you!”
“Yes, go in. You’ve worked hard.”
After the recording was over, a simple greeting ceremony was held.
When they came out, the sun was setting.
“Wow, the whole day just went by.”
“…I’m sorry for making you work hard because of me.”
Ryu Bo-ra looked somehow… awkward.
I knew you would be awkward.
“What. We finally finished recording, so it’s okay.”
“…But I’m sorry. If I had done better….”
“You did well.”
“?”
“It’s because those guys are too picky.”
I gritted my teeth.
What kind of guys are such perfectionists?
They should take it easy.
Somehow, I was choked up.
From the middle, Ryu Bo-ra was doing well enough, but their eyes were too high.
“You did well. Those Colors guys… their standards are just too high… What, huh? Should I give them a ginseng juice or something…”
There’s no camera, so I grumbled to my heart’s content.
If they expect a level of a 20-year veteran from a kid who hasn’t even debuted yet, what the hell do they want?
Are they going to take responsibility if the kid’s vocal cords get damaged?
While I was grumbling in unnecessary irritation, Ryu Bo-ra was staring at me.
…Did I grumble too much on my own?
“Why.”
“No, is there something you want to eat?”
“I’m hungry.”
I’ve been standing for so long.
I’m so drained that I’m hungry.
“I’ll buy it for you.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have money-”
I was about to refuse, but I stopped abruptly.
But, if she’s been a child actor for a long time, doesn’t she have a lot of money?
“No, you have a lot of money, right?”
“….”
Ryu Bo-ra looked dumbfounded.
“Hey, let’s have some tuna sashimi after a long time.”
“…I don’t have a lot of money, okay?”
“Why? You’ve been working for a long time.”
“I spent it all a long time ago.”
“All that?”
Where the hell?
I remembered the bank balance that was left as it was because I didn’t have time to spend money.
I miss the days of Baek Nokha.
“Don’t you know why I’m living as a trainee?”
“Oh, so you wanted to be an idol because you didn’t have money?”
“What other reason would there be, really?”
“There are many reasons. Your reason is just that.”
“….”
Perhaps there was nothing to refute, Ryu Bo-ra just shrugged her shoulders.
“I see. Then let’s eat something small.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Tuna kimbap.”
“….”
Why, you bastard.
I like tuna.
“Okay, I can buy that for you. Let’s go.”
“Oh yeah.”
I followed Ryu Bo-ra with a smirk.
I’m sorry, but Yoon Cheong really doesn’t have money….
Even buying tuna kimbap was a bit hesitant….
The company supports the money to buy diet food, but they don’t support the money to buy this kind of thing.
So they went into a snack bar.
“Please give me one tuna kimbap.”
Ryu Bo-ra casually ordered just one tuna kimbap.
Is she crazy…?
“Aren’t you eating?”
“I’m eating.”
“But why did you only order one?”
“…One roll is enough for two people to eat, right?”
“Are you crazy?”
Only then did I notice Ryu Bo-ra’s thin body.
Those skinny guys have different standards from me, standards.
“Boss, one more roll of tuna kimbap, please.”
I immediately added an order.
I would like to order one tteokbokki, one ramen, and one kimchi fried rice if I could, but I’m holding back, I am.
“I’m holding back because I have a shoot tomorrow.”
“The tuna kimbap is ready.”
“Thank you.”
“But you girls.”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you the girls from there?”
Gulp.
There are already people who recognize us.
I was too used to Yoon Cheong’s body.
In the desperate moment of denial,
“That’s the actress from the drama, right?”
The boss first looked at Ryu Bo-ra and took the initiative.
Ah.
It wasn’t me, it was Ryu Bo-ra.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Wow, I really liked you in that drama. What’s the title? The one that was on KDC.”
“Oh, ‘One Roof, Three Families’. You mean….”
“Yes, that! I really liked you in there. Bongsimi!”
Puff.
Bongsimi.
A simple and cute name that really didn’t suit Ryu Bo-ra.
“Why aren’t you acting these days?”
“Ah….”
Ryu Bo-ra was hesitant.
“Ah, she’s preparing to be an idol, boss. She’s good at acting, and she’s incredibly good at singing.”
Eventually, I couldn’t stand the silence and interrupted.
“Oh my! Really? I didn’t know.”
“She’s also a great dancer. You should see it once.”
“Oh my, that’s amazing. These days, actors can do anything.”
“Right? She’ll do well as an idol, won’t she?”
“Of course. She’s so pretty. She can do anything with that face. But you’re pretty too?”
“I’m also trying to be an idol next to her. Please support us. We’re on the program at 10 PM on Friday on Mnet….”
The conversation with the boss, which was a short but too much information feast, ended.
I was ready to tell you how to vote for us.
…This is the problem. This is the problem.
It’s a problem that my mouth automatically babbles when I see an adult like my mom.
“You have a really good affinity, sister.”
“Be quiet.”
“You didn’t seem like this character before. Just like Hee-on sister said.”
“People change.”
For some reason, Ryu Bo-ra’s expression became lonely.
“That’s right. People change.”
“No, that’s not what I meant by accepting my words like that.”
“Family changes too. When they taste money.”
Ryu Bo-ra put a piece of tuna kimbap in her mouth.
“When you bring in money, you want more money. When you bring in more money, you want even more money.”
“….”
“My younger brother, who was originally going to study in China for a month or two, suddenly went to study in the US for 10 years. My father got a business disease. My mother suddenly became greedy for real estate.”
Ryu Bo-ra continued to stuff tuna kimbap.
“Well, isn’t that all? Kim Geum told me that I was the eldest daughter of K. It was ridiculous.”
She laughed, but her laughter wasn’t laughter.
“That’s why I got dyslexia. I couldn’t read the text because it didn’t come into my eyes. So of course I couldn’t read the script.”
That’s how it was.
Only then did I begin to understand Ryu Bo-ra’s actions one by one.
“How can I act if I can’t read the script? Of course not. But my family’s expenses have already grown. I have to keep making money. Then Colors asked if I wanted to be an idol. Of course, my parents welcomed it with both hands. I thought I was a losing hand, but I still had hope.”
“A losing hand? There’s no way.”
“….”
“You are our winning hand.”
I quietly raised my hand.
“Boss, please give us ramen too.”
You can eat this well, but what’s with the one roll of tuna kimbap?
I frowned as I looked at the plate that had been cleaned up in no time.
“Dyslexia seems to have improved a lot. Looking at the lyrics.”
“The company has been very supportive of treatment. It’s a little better now. It was originally caused by stress. If I continue to receive treatment and reduce stress, I might get better.”
“Reducing stress is the point.”
“…That’s right.”
Ramen came out in no time.
I scooped up the ramen in the front plate and handed it to Ryu Bo-ra.
“First of all, it’s a very scientific fact that carbohydrates help reduce stress.”
“…Are you sure?”
“Look at Yeon Juhong. She eats carbohydrates all the time, so she’s bright.”
For some reason, Ryu Bo-ra seemed convinced.
She immediately put the ramen in her mouth.
“If you want to make a living, you have to be an idol.”
“That’s right.”
“Then you can do it.”
“…You’re a very… human….”
Ryu Bo-ra had a confused face.
“I guess I’m not very pitiful?”
“Why should you be pitiful?”
I was really curious.
“People all work to make money. You’re also working to make money, so what’s so pitiful about that?”
“…Because I’m making money… because of my family?”
“Ah, that.”
I took a sip of the ramen soup.
This place makes good ramen.
I should bring Juhong.
I have to tell the ramen master that this is what they call it.
“You’ll be an adult soon. Then you can cut off the connection.”
“That’s easy to say-”
“It’s not easy. But you can do it.”
I also scooped up the soup and put it on Ryu Bo-ra’s front plate.
“Whatever, you can do it. If you don’t, you can’t. If you do, you can.”
“….”
“There’s no right thing. I can’t tell you what’s right. You do as your heart goes.”
I put kimchi on the spoon of Ryu Bo-ra, who was staring blankly.
“But there’s one sure thing. You can do it. Whatever you decide.”
And I lifted Ryu Bo-ra’s hand and put the spoon in Ryu Bo-ra’s mouth.
People have to eat to get energy.
“At first, it may not work. But if you keep doing it, it will work someday. Don’t you know the official rule of the entertainment industry? ‘Hodling succeeds.'”
“…Really.”
Ryu Bo-ra finished eating the kimchi and stared at the ramen.
…Do you want to eat more?
I scooped up another spoonful of ramen and put it in Ryu Bo-ra’s front plate.
Then you can eat, why are you staring at what you’re going to eat.
“Just try being an idol… If you do, it might be okay, or it might not be. So what.”
“Then what if I quit after making my debut?”
“Then I’ll have to buy you ramen again.”
“….”
“I have to hold out in front of you too. No, you can’t. You absolutely can’t quit, and so on.”
“Heh.”
Ryu Bo-ra laughed, snickering.
“Make your debut, sister.”
“You should talk about debuting and withdrawing too. Your ranking is lower than mine, after all.”
Hmph.
We didn’t say anything more.
We just ate ramen.
Of course, Ryu Bo-ra paid for everything.