The team leader manager Oh Hyun-soo was bewildered.
‘It’s not like they’re asking for a personal favor.’
Even when he twisted his ankle and it swelled up, he received treatment without a single complaint about the pain and managed to perform on stage the next day.
Since his debut, he had never once complained about the grueling schedule.
He was a mature kid with a professional mindset when it came to work.
You could see that side of him when interacting with the staff too.
Do-hee always spoke carefully and politely, seemingly always considerate, making me feel sorry for her as she must be exhausted from being so attentive 24/7.
‘Maybe the true version of him is when he’s with the members.’
Once they got close, he was the youngest with a childlike personality.
“What’s the favor?”
Maybe that’s why it was hard to refuse when the usually reserved kid asked for something in front of the adults.
“It’s a personal schedule.”
Personal schedule…
‘I thought I knew almost everything.’
He was the kind of kid who adjusted his schedule and endured, so I thought he must be able to handle it.
Turns out he was probably worn out.
“You’ve been really tired, haven’t you?”
‘I mean, personal schedules do take up most of their time…’
Even during this inactivity period, he had a schedule almost every other day.
On the days when there wasn’t a schedule, there were practices and lessons.
Living without a day off was, of course, tough.
He managed the project group ‘Monorush’ which was from [Jodol Season 2].
Even the boys with good stamina had struggled, so there’s no way a 16-year-old girl could be fine.
‘I still have a long way to go.’
He entered the entertainment world with the determination to build the best group.
I felt a pang of guilt for not being able to care for the members properly.
I had only been managing for half a year, but since I had been watching the kid since [Jodol 3], I felt like I had grasped his personality by now.
He was quite sensitive to others’ opinions and had a strong sense of independence.
In other words, he could pick up on people’s expressions quickly, but he was just the one enduring it all.
‘His tendency to lead by example probably made him endure even more.’
In a way, it’s a perfect celebrity trait, but…
It also made it easy for him to get tired.
‘Thank goodness he occasionally lets loose once in a while.’
Like that recent time he threw the ceremonial first pitch.
Or when he joked around with the members on air.
‘It all created a good image for him.’
Speaking of which, I just remembered the text that Da-hong’s manager had sent to Do-hee not long ago.
“Manager, hurry to the dorm, please…”
Da-hong’s manager immediately reported to me about the text.
I rushed to the members’ dorm.
I was worried if something really was wrong.
“Hehe… I’m your older sister!”
But what I found at the dorm was Do-hee being rolled up in a mat by the members.
It looked like she was being punished for the prank she pulled on a Japanese broadcast.
“Manager, please save me…”
I recalled the situation where one of the members had actually hit her pretty hard, and Do-hee was genuinely tearing up, which made me burst into laughter.
Laughter slipped out.
Anyway, Do-hee hesitated and spoke.
“No, it’s not that the schedule is tiring…”
It’s surprising that such a goofy girl would hesitate in front of adults.
I felt a twinge of sympathy seeing her hiding her emotions.
“It’s okay. Just talk to me comfortably. That’s why we have a manager.”
Do-hee blinked.
After a moment of hesitation, Do-hee finally spoke up.
“Umm… Hana Unni.”
“Hana?”
Personal schedule and Hana.
What could that possibly have to do with each other?
I racked my brain but couldn’t associate anything.
“Why Hana? Is something wrong?”
But looking at Do-hee’s distressed expression, it was clear something was bothering her.
“That Hana Unni…”
“Yeah, what about Hana?”
“She makes me do stamina training every day on my day off… Please arrange some personal schedule for Hana Unni…”
Do-hee’s unexpected first complaint was…
“Oh.”
Surprisingly, it was a typical middle school girl sulk.
*
I wondered if they were talking nonsense.
So I feigned innocence in front of the manager and hinted.
‘That I hope Hana Unni would take care of her personal schedule.’
Recently, Hana Unni seemed a bit off.
The other members didn’t seem to notice, but I could see a shadow on Hana Unni’s face.
I suspected it was probably due to her position and image.
When I immediately searched each member’s name, the posts from fans came back consistently.
-That expression is of a baby right before crying, it’s so cute hahahaha.
-Kim Ye-eun seems like she’s trying not to cry but it’s really too adorable haha, Do-hee is teasing her hahahaha, Kim Ye-eun is love.
-Park Ye-eun, why are you so cute? Haha.
-The reason she’s crying is that Do-hee stole her side dish, it’s hilarious hahahaha.
-Elementary school vs middle school hahahaha.
Searching for Ye-eun Unni always yields the keyword “Cuteness.”
Among all the “cuteness,” it’s the kind of awkward cuteness.
Ye-eun Unni had that distinctive image.
-She splits the beat down to nano levels, wow…
-She really dances so well.
-To be honest, I wasn’t impressed by the dance, but she’s really different.
-She’d probably do well in survival competitions with other dancers.
When searching for Chae-rin Unni, the most frequent keyword is “Dance.”
Chae-rin Unni, who undeniably excels at dancing in Seven, is also the member who focuses the most on details during choreography practice.
The same goes for other members.
There are consistent keywords that appear in a certain ratio when searched.
Sara Unni is associated with vocal ability and a personality that seems as mysterious as a cat, with visuals that surpass that of a cat.
Seo-yoon Unni is, of course, the lead vocal line with a lovable beagle-like personality.
Ha-rang Unni is the main rapper, again showcasing that beagle-like outgoing personality.
And when I searched for myself, the keywords that came up were…
Visuals, piano, center, youngest, …cuteness.
The team’s most popular member, etc.
Members, etc.
There were keywords I wasn’t really fond of, but there was definitely a clear image recognized by the public.
However, when you search for Hana Unni…
– Seems like Hana doesn’t have any particular charm.
– Just looks like a cute hamster, but lacks the aegyo.
– Honestly, she dances and sings well, but if we’re being frank, there’s nothing she’s especially outstanding at…
– She’s just an athlete who comes from a single-parent family, human victory vibes, lol.
– The agency isn’t particularly great either.
More of an image based on her story than her character.
Although this thought was mostly from those who disliked Hana Unni, there wasn’t a firm impression to refute it.
– Hana’s leader moment, wow!
If there’s anything resembling a three-dimensional image, it’s that she’s the leader.
In fact, the leader was strong in herself.
However, Seven’s contract period is a year and a half.
Currently, it seems like popularity could last a lifetime.
But looking at the members of the male group ‘Monorush’ from [Bold Season 2] going back to being just average entertainers after their disbandment, who knows what’ll happen?
So it was natural for Hana Unni to be concerned about what happens after disbandment.
She needed an opportunity to showcase her charm.
Moreover, since taking on the leader role, it seemed she was more focused on controlling the members than managing her own position.
Thus, my conclusion was that Hana Unni needed personal schedules that she could think about herself.
‘But as easy as that sounds…’
Shock Entertainment aimed to squeeze out cash as much as possible during the contract period.
This approach was clear in Seven’s schedule.
First, five albums to be launched in that short period of one and a half years.
Of course, with a jam-packed schedule came the members’ share.
Naturally, we as members would make quite a bit of money too, but…
‘When planning current activities, there’s no chance to care about activities after disbandment. The company won’t.’
In other words, to prepare for future activities, we have to manage our schedules while handling current ones ourselves.
‘On top of that, the existing agency that Hana Unni would return to after disbandment isn’t even that big of a company.’
So I decided to help my unni.
Like a pleading childish kid, I asked the manager to help out.
To grant my wish, the cash cow.
Like a dark knight, I was making efforts behind the scenes.
‘How come she’s so kind-hearted?’
It was the day I hoped to push Na-eun Unni aside and take over the role of leader in the future.
*
“What about [A Drink, Kwon Hana]?”
“…Alcohol?”
What does that even mean…
“Yeah. Isn’t a drinking content a good idea?”
Aside from the content, you’re an idol…
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
Perhaps influenced by the manager’s opinion, not long after, the agency proposed a personal schedule for Hana Unni.
It was for a YouTube variety show.
It was a personal channel under Hana Unni’s name.
Although it was simply planned for her position, image, and recognition…
It was a personal schedule planned for recognition.
If YouTube goes well, I can continue even after breaking up, so I think things are going smoothly.
“Hmm, so what should I do?”
‘Moreover, seeing her happy while sniffling makes me feel proud as well.’
“I think having you as an MC wouldn’t be bad at all.”
You usually host well anyway.
“Really?”
“Yeah. You could just invite guests for a talk and whip up some dishes you’re good at… Everyone’s doing that these days.”
Following trends won’t hurt.
“True, the content team also mentioned that kind of setup.”
“But the key is how detailed the concept is and how well you can talk.”
“I’m good with words. But is drinking really that bad? Isn’t the concept good?”
Who cares if it’s good or not?
You’re an idol, for heaven’s sake…
“… I guess I should skip the drinking, huh?”
Knowing your limits is the least bit of conscience, I suppose.
Thinking about Kim Ye-eun Unni, who’s been subtly attacking me lately without knowing gratitude…
Moreover, nowadays YouTube is practically like public broadcasting, so quality must be important.
“So, do you have the budget, Unni? What about the production staff?”
There are plenty of details for subtitles and editing that need attention.
Hana Unni smiled gently as she spoke.
“The production will be helped by the company’s content team.”
ShocK Entertainment seemed to be thinking seriously as well.
Well, even if it’s a personal channel, the revenue will be shared with the company due to contracts, so it’s best if it does well.
“What about guest appearance fees? That must cost quite a bit.”
“Of course, that’s been considered.”
With a flourish, Hana Unni pulled something out of her bag.
The paper she handed me read:
[Appearance Contract]
“Unpaid…?”
“You just need to sign.”
Of course, I planned to participate for free.
“Unni, I’m expensive.”
“So what? Hurry up and sign.”
Her fist was way too close for a joke.
“I’m… expensive…”
As my handwriting appeared on the contract, Hana Unni looked on, pleased.
“Well, since you cooked for me, you should do this much.”
How much more should I do?
“Besides, these days, I mostly eat takeout…”
Hana Unni swiftly covered my mouth with her hand and then pinched my belly with a swift motion.
The level of fat caught by her hand…
“Looks like Do-hee gained a bit, huh?”
Hana Unni’s laughter was quite terrifying.
“I gained a little, but it’s cute chubby fat, right…?”
I don’t need abs like a guy.
“That’s it. Starting today, let’s manage our diet and exercise together.”
I did a good deed, but… why…?
