Chapter 195: Joyful Wrap-Up (4) |
After Cherry Blossom finished their performance as candidates for the first place on the MBS Show! Music Center, they were carried back to the waiting room on the talent agents' backs.
Thanks to the proximity of the waiting room from the stage, they arrived in just 30 seconds.
Now only four minutes remained.
As I swung open the door to the waiting room, the stylists were startled.
"M-Mr. Jung!"
"Yogurt! Ion drink! Please take some out!" I yelled urgently.
"Okay!"
"And please take out some bananas from my bag too," I added.
I laid the members down on the sofa as I gave instructions.
With their eyes closed, the Cherry Blossom members began to gulp down the yogurt and ion drinks we handed them. Next up were the bananas, as these three were my usual go-to for revitalizing energy.
"Mr. Jung. Here's the banana."
"Thank you."
I peeled the bananas and cut them into about 1 cm lengths, placing them into the members' mouths.
A moment later, the four members took a deep breath and regained their senses.
"I thought I was going to die..." muttered Woo Yeon-Hee.
The confession from Woo Yeon-Hee, who had struggled to open her eyes, made the other three nod in agreement.
However, sweat still streamed down their foreheads.
'I guess it can't be helped,' I frowned as I thought to myself.
At times like this, we had to use whatever means available.
I look at the members and said, "Girls, let's take some uhwang-cheongsimhwan."
Particularly hating herbal medicine more than anyone, Yang Eun-Bi shook her head vehemently. "Ugh, no. I'm not eating it."
"You won't be able to go up for the first place announcement if you don't eat it. There's less than two minutes left," I insisted.
"Sigh. Fine." Yang Eun-Bi grimaced and gulped it down.
"Barf! It's bitter!"
"Eun-Bi, don't throw up! Barf!"
Yang Eun-Bi and the other three members twisted their bodies as if in pain.
Seeing the Cherry Blossom members struggling to regain their strength, Lee Dong-Min spoke as if he couldn't stand it anymore. "Forget it. Just stay here. I'll go receive the award on your behalf."
But Cherry Blossom protested with difficulty.
"No, Mr. Lee!"
"We want to go up and receive it ourselves..."
"We're fine, really. We can go up the stage."
The members of Cherry Blossom struggled to get up, wanting to wrap up their last activity on their own.
Lee Dong-Min sighed and stopped walking. "Alright. Then get on our backs again for the trip over!"
"Okay, Mr. Lee."
Now, only one minute remained.
The members mustered a bit more strength. But then I noticed that the four of them were glancing at me.
"Huh? What is it?" I asked.
"Well, it's just that..." Woo Yeon-Hee said hesitantly before exchanging looks with the other three members and suddenly playing rock-paper-scissors with them.
'Are they serious? At a time like this?' I wondered.
"Rock-paper-scissors!"
"I... won," muttered Eun-Ah.
"What on earth are you all doing…" I continued asking, filled with curiosity.
At that moment, Eun-Ah quietly approached me from behind.
I soon understood what was happening. 'Is she asking me to carry her? Were they really playing rock-paper-scissors over who would I carry on my back?'
I was left speechless for a second but soon nodded. Now was the time to do whatever they asked.
"Don't worry, we have enough time. Shall we go now?" I asked.
When I sat down and offered my back, Eun-Ah wrapped her arms around my neck and climbed on.
The small laugh coming from behind me felt like a poke in the back of my head.
'I have no idea why they find this enjoyable,' I silently remarked.
I stood up, but Eun-Ah was so light it hardly felt like I was carrying anyone.
Thanks to the short break, Cherry Blossom had regained their energy and were heading back to the stage.
***
"The first place goes to Cherry Blossom's 'Hurry Up!' Congratulations!"
Pop, pop.
Festive fireworks burst continuously, and gold and silver sparkles rained down from the sky.
The members, who had struggled so much, were now jumping around thanks to the effects of the medicine and food.
"Thank you!"
"Thank you so much!"
The four girls from Hoengseong Girls' High School and the Cherry Blossom Family fan club members were all in tears as they cheered.
"Aaahhh! Forever~ Cherry Blossom!"
About half of the audience seats were filled with the Cherry Blossom Family's balloons, and the light sticks changed colors to create a spectacle of light.
'What a journey it had been to reach this moment,' I reflected silently while observing the emotional scene unfold before me.
The members, who had endured such painful times, were now crying as they felt a chapter of their lives turning.
Just like that, the ten-week saga for Cherry Blossom ended as they waved their final goodbye to the fans.
***
The music broadcast which lasted for ten weeks was finally over.
Because everyone was too exhausted, I postponed meeting the Hoengseong Girls' High School girls and took the members to their dorm.
Screech.
When I stopped the car, the members let out a long sigh.
Then, Sae-Ri was the first to speak. "It's all over."
The moment Sae-Ri spoke, the members of Cherry Blossom started to sob. Only now did they truly feel that the stage performances had ended.
"It's really...over. Sob."
"I wish it was a dream. Sob."
"Sniffle. I want to go back to yesterday. Sob."
Tears followed like a wave, and even Han Myung-Ho started to cry.
"You've all worked so hard. Really," I said.
Cherry Blossom began to weep loudly at my comment as if today would never happen again.
After letting them cry for quite some time, I supported the four members as we headed to the dorm.
Beep-beep.
As the door lock clicked open, I turned to Cherry Blossom and said, "Now, are you ready for your final gift?"
"Excuse me?"
"Wait. There's more?"
"Yep."
Han Myung-Ho and Lee Ju-Yung smiled.
We couldn't end the day on a sour note, so I had prepared one last surprise.
"Shall we go in?" I said with a smile.
Click.
When the door swung open, the members of Cherry Blossom burst into tears again and rushed into the dorm.
"Sob, Mom~"
"Wah, Dad!"
The parents of Cherry Blossom were waiting with open arms to welcome the members.
"Yeon-Hee!"
"Eun-Bi, well done."
"Eun-Ah, I'm so proud of you."
"My baby Sae-Ri, you've been through a lot."
This was the final gift I had prepared.
'Well done, girls.'
***
Even though they had received IV drips after the stage was over, the Cherry Blossom members were still visibly exhausted.
However, they began to cry vigorously as if revitalized the moment they saw their parents waiting in the dorm.
Of course, I only called Eun-Ah's mom and sister, leaving out her dad.
While the families hugged each other and cried together, I had to comfort Sae-Ri's four-year-old brother, Jung-Hoo.
"Sob, sob. Daddy and noona, don't cry~," Jung-Hoo sobbed as he spoke.
"Jung-Hoo, it's okay. They are all crying because they are happy," I assured him.
Jung-Hoo cradled in my arms with teary eyes asked, "Really?"
"Yes, so now you should stop too. Big guys don't cry, right?"
I wiped Jung-Hoo's face running with both snot and tears.
"Jung-Hoo, you need to blow your nose. Here, blow!"
"Hmmph!"
Jung-Hoo blew his nose. And as the tissue got filled, he stopped crying and looked at it curiously.
"Uncle. It's nose~nose!"
"This is called snot."
"Yep! Snot!"
It was nice how quickly children could change the subject.
At that moment, Jung-Hoo asked me another question, "Uncle, but why are Dad and the other uncles crying? Aren't Dad and the other uncles big guys too?"
His question hit hard and I struggled to find a reply.
'What should I say?' I thought hard.
"Uh. That's because..." I stuttered as I couldn't think of any explanation.
I glanced around helplessly and said, "Dad and the uncles aren't big guys!"
I flinched and apologized silently, 'I'm sorry, guys. But I couldn't think of anything else.'
Jung-Hoo nodded. And a while later after the touching reunion was over, Jung-Hoo asked his dad in a bright voice.
"Dad! Are you not a big guy? Is that why you were crying?"
Sae-Ri's father laughed awkwardly. "Ha ha ha. Jung-Hoo. Ha ha ha."
It seemed he was embarrassed to have cried in front of his son.
'Sorry, but I had no choice,' I silently confessed and let out a bashful smile.
***
Two tables were pushed together in the living room, and Woo Yeon-Hee had laid out a feast prepared by her parents.
There was sweet and sour pork, kung pao chicken, yang jang pi, kung pao shrimp, and fried rice.
Woo Yeon-Hee's parents, who ran a Chinese restaurant, had somehow managed to produce restaurant-quality food using the modest gas range in the dorm.
I was amazed. 'How did they get the wok flavor just right?'
I wondered how they managed to perfectly cook the fried rice on a household gas stove.
"Mr. Jung, please try this," Woo Yeon-Hee's parents said as they offered me dishes to try.
I nodded. "Oh, thank you."
"And this too."
Their constant offering to try every dish made me eat until my stomach was about to burst.
After the meal, the parents expressed their gratitude for all the support their kids had received.
"Oh, I haven't done much. It was Ms. Lee Ju-Yung and Mr. Han Myung-Ho here who really went above and beyond," I replied humbly.
"Not at all. Team Lead Jung worked the hardest," said Han Myung-Ho and Lee Ju-Ying.
Han Myung-Ho, Lee Ju-Yung, and I all deflected praise to each other, engaging in a laughter-filled conversation.
In the midst of the conversation, I was suddenly called away by Eun-Ah's mother and sister to a small room.
When I went inside, Eun-Ah's mother, Lee Yeon-Ji, held my hand tightly and said, "I know my husband upset you before. I'd like to apologize on his behalf."
I smiled and replied, "No. Not at all, ma'am."
"If it weren't for you, Mr. Jung, our daughter would have been in a mess by now."
Eun-Ah's mother mentioned that her husband would have certainly arranged a marriage for Eun-Ah to set her up with someone if I hadn't intervened.
But even if I hadn't been there, that wouldn't have happened. In my past life, Eun-Ah had cut ties with her father and even ran away from home.
Eun-Ah's mother added, "Please continue to look after Eun-Ah going forward. She talks about you every day, you know?"
"Does she?" I replied.
Eun-Ah's mother brushed her hair gracefully and smiled quietly.
Eun-Ah's sister standing next to her nodded vigorously. "Yes, Mr. Jung, Eun-Ah always talks about you. You really need to take responsibility for Eun-Ah."
I didn't know how to respond, so I just scratched my head and smiled.
At that moment, the door suddenly burst open.
"M-Mom! Unnie! What, what are you talking about?" Eun-Ah said anxiously.
Eun-Ah's voice rose two octaves. With a flushed face, she waved her hands frantically.
"Why? Did we say something wrong? Did we say something, Eun-Seol?" said Eun-Ah's mother with a smirk.
"Mom, she sends me daily KkTalk messages about Mr. Jung, like 'Yoon-Ho oppa this~and Yoon-Ho oppa that~'" said Eun-Ah's sister in a teasing manner.
The mother and daughter giggled teasingly as Eun-Ah denied it vigorously.
Eun-Ah tried to explain herself desperately. "N-no, that's not true! Yoon-Ho oppa! My mom and unnie are just teasing me! Ah, Unnie! Stop it!"
Eun-Ah, who was responsible for high notes in the team, seemed to be trying to burst my eardrums. Her voice sounded like a mixing of a dolphin's ultrasonic sounds. It felt as though the cochlea in my ears was being shaken, inducing a sense of seasickness.
'Is this the kind of martial arts sound attack one reads about in martial arts novels?' I thought.
Whatever the case was, I was just glad Eun-Ah's wariness about me had decreased.
After all, I had to prepare her for a solo debut once she regained her normal physical condition.
***
The next day, news concerning Cherry Blossom's ten-week streak for first-place filled the entertainment pages.
[Cherry Blossom, First Place for Ten Weeks!]
[Cherry Blossom, Shocking End to 'Hurry Up!' Activities.]
[What's Next for Cherry Blossom's New Song?]
(Comments)
-Wow, they could've easily won first place for another 2 weeks but they going on a break now?
-It was a close call yesterday.
-Everyone was running out of energy but they did their best till the end. That’s commendable.
-What's their next song? Can't wait.
-I'm not ready to let them go yet! Sae-Ri! Eun-Ah! Don't go~.
-Did anyone see the reverse support lunchbox yesterday?
-LOL. Anyone want to see the ultimate lunchbox? Click here! <Link>
-A whole grilled eel on top of the lunchbox? Wow.
-Those who can't eat eel had beef instead!
-There was a nine-dish banquet in the lunchbox. All the sides were delicious!
-Hehe, everyone must be jealous of us fans.
The articles about Cherry Blossom were filled with various comments.
Thanks to ten weeks of consecutively attaining first place and the events I organized, there were plenty of articles about Cherry Blossom. This resulted in the top live search rankings being all about Cherry Blossom's reverse support.
Upon arriving at the company, the staff continuously congratulated me. Do Ran-Hee even set off a sparkler.
"Congraturashion[1]~~ Congraturashion~~" Do Ran-Hee exclaimed.
"Stop using Konglish![2]" I said.
"Whatever! Who cares as long as the meaning gets across?" Do Ran-Hee replied nonchalantly.
Do Ran-Hee jubilantly tossed the foil and gold strings from the sparkler as she celebrated by herself.
‘Huh? That person is...’ I thought to myself.
While I was celebrating with the staff, I noticed Yang Hong-Seok, the team lead from Singer Division 1, hesitantly approaching my desk on the fourth floor.
"Ahem. Team Lead Jung~. Could we talk for a moment?" Yang Hong-Seok asked.
"Here?" I replied.
"No, let's go to the break room for a while."
Yang Hong-Seok was an experienced talent agent with 30 years of experience, managing top-tier trot singer Lee Mal-Soon and was associated with Singer Division 1.
He wasn't someone who typically engaged in office politics. Moreover, he was the last to join when Top Entertainment split off as a company in my past life. However, he soon left after a major dispute with Kim Dong-Soo and took Lee Mal-Soon with him.
As a top-tier trot singer, Lee Mal-Soon was essentially a one-person enterprise. For this reason, there was no reason for him to tolerate Kim Dong-Soo's whims.
That Yang Hong-Seok had come to me personally.
"Let's go," I said.
"Alright."
After giving some work instructions to the staff, I followed Yang Hong-Seok to the fourth-floor break room.
He awkwardly started the conversation after pulling two cans of soda from the vending machine.
"Team Lead Jung, I need your help," Yang Hong-Seok said to me.
At that moment, I couldn't help but smile slightly.
The moment I had been anticipating since planning the Cherry Blossom's event was beginning to unfold.
1. Korean pronunciation of Congratulations ☜
2. Korean-style English ☜
Ristretto's Thoughts
"Big guys don't cry" - Jung Yoon-Ho.
Comments 2