Idol Chapter 1

Chapter 1. Something an Idol Shouldn’t Do

– From obscurity to stardom, the ultimate underdog legend that’s more dramatic than any movie! Today, we’re honored to be joined by Aina from Vinix!

– Hello, this is Aina.

“Wow, is the styling team insane? They put her in a stage outfit for a talk show? People already roast us constantly for our bad fashion!”

“As if that was the styling team’s idea. It’s the CEO. Obviously.”

“Hey! In-a! You need to start saying no to clothes you don’t want to wear! Latex bodysuits, 365 days a year, with zero regard for TPO. Aren’t you sick of it?”

In-a, who had just returned from the kitchen with some fruit, grimaced at the sight of herself filling the TV screen.

“Ugh, turn that off! Please!”

“Why? Being invited on that talk show is basically a badge of success these days. Just enjoy it.”

Sara chuckled and tossed the remote to Ji-young, who lazily dismantled it, pulling out the batteries like it had offended her. Ha-young just watched with an amused sigh.

“Our baby’s all grown up, showing up on TV like that. I think our group could retire happily now.”

“Seriously, turn it off! I cringe so hard hearing my own voice in broadcast mode, I can’t even monitor myself.”

Practically shrieking, In-a slammed the fruit tray onto the table and grabbed her phone to change the channel. Ji-young, who had just been pointing at In-a’s phone saying it would make the perfect background for a live broadcast, widened her eyes.

“What the—how’d you do that?”

“Hello? It’s been, like, thirty years since everything started being controllable from your phone, grandmas.”

“We wouldn’t know. We didn’t even have phones when we were in the system, and then once we joined the agency, the CEO banned them.”

“I lived in a facility too, just like you guys, remember? We’ve all been stuck together for seven years getting flamed as a ‘sob story girl group made from orphanage idols.’ We’re a shared fate unit, you know?”

“Yeah, but you’re still young. We’re pushing thirty.”

“…So what?”

“Just wait till you’re past twenty-five. Keeping up with new tech gets way harder.”

The girls all nodded and sighed in exaggerated unison before biting into the freshly peeled apples. Crunching fruit mixed with cheesy lines from the dating show on TV filled the room with a comfortable buzz.

“That dating show PD must have some insane karma. How does every season end up with such deranged contestants?”

The members momentarily paused their teasing of the maknae to get emotionally invested in someone else’s love drama. In-a smiled crookedly watching them. On off days, watching trashy romance reality shows together was basically their only hobby and source of joy.

‘I wish we could just hang out like this all the time, without any work.’

As if she’d read her mind, Sara’s expression suddenly turned serious.

“In-a.”

“Yeah?”

“No matter how many times the world flips upside down—plagues where people eat each other, vaccines that save the infected, people recovering—some things never change.”

“…Why are you starting off like this? What kind of nonsense are you about to drop on me now?”

“Idols. Can’t. Date.”

“What the hell? Who’s dating? One of us? Who?”

“You. Your eyes.”

Sara flicked In-a lightly between the brows. Her glossy pale gray nails shimmered like bullets. A dull throb spread from In-a’s forehead to her chest, and she instinctively recited her internal mantra to keep her feelings in check.

‘The maknae of a nearly failed idol group. Breadwinner of the team.’

Until early last year, she was sure she’d just fade out like so many other washed-up idols, wasting her youth. Even when she became a permanent member of a variety show after being invited once as a backup guest, she didn’t believe in her future. She thought her life would end in humiliation, after struggling so hard for nothing.

But one day, while dragging herself forward out of sheer habit, the youngest writer on that variety show posted a photo on social media.

 

 

The post also described the next shoot, when the scene broke all-time ratings and everyone on the crew got a bonus. In-a had noticed the writer crying quietly in a corner and, without a word, handed over her envelope of bonus cash after hearing that the writer’s child was in the hospital.

 

 

Because the world is never kind to kind people, the writer repaid her not with thanks, but with a few lines.

 

 

That post flipped In-a’s entire career overnight. A rollercoaster that only ever went up from rock bottom to the very top.

Two years on, she was still riding that unstoppable wave.

“Guess they were right. Whether you’re totally alike or total opposites, attraction finds a way. Who would’ve thought our little maknae would fall for that type of guy…”

Ji-young, chin propped on her hand, watched In-a’s expression, teasing but maybe also a little worried. In-a only shrugged, playing dumb as her thoughts flicked to a certain someone: Cha Hee-kwon.

He was the owner of the tearoom at the top-floor sky lounge in her apartment complex.

The polar opposite of her noisy, chaotic, overly glamorous life. His life is quiet, calm, clean, gentle. Maybe that’s why. Whenever she saw him, she felt like a normal 21-year-old girl, and she liked that version of herself a little more.

“Ah! Look at In-a’s ears turning red!”

“No more ponytails, In-a. No more exposing those ears.”

The older girls teased her like giddy schoolgirls. In-a kept her mouth shut tight, lips curling in mock disbelief to hide the sting of truth behind their teasing.

“Look at her face! That’s the classic ‘I’m-not-in-love’ expression!”

“Don’t even try to play the one-sided crush card!”

“Ugh, now that is something an idol really shouldn’t do.”

All three women, lazily sprawled on the couch, shook their heads in unison at her.

“You guys are seriously out of your minds today…”

“We’re saying this because we care. So listen up.”

“Just look at those people on the dating show. They think they’re hiding it, but one glance and you can tell exactly who’s into who. Dating’s off-limits, In-a.”

“You’re the one keeping all of us afloat. That’s why you especially can’t.”

In-a, now too exasperated to even respond, gave a little kick to a discarded tangerine peel on the floor. Sara, the crankiest of the trio, gave a half-laugh as she eyed the scattered peels.

“Yeah, what did you ever do wrong, In-a? It’s us who are bad. Saying ‘no dating’ while constantly setting you up like this.”

“Excuse me? You always leave a mess here. What kind of setup are you even talking about?”

“What?! You really don’t know? I’m so offended!”

“I told you yesterday. In-a’s never going to figure out why we leave her place a mess every time.”

The three women, closer than real sisters, exchanged cryptic comments while In-a sat there, totally lost.

“Look at her face. It’s too funny.”

Ha-young, shy but brutally honest, pointed at In-a’s downturned lips and burst out laughing.

“I’m seriously confused. What are you even talking about?”

Ji-young winked at her with a mischievous smile.

“So you have a reason to meet him again. You know, the next time you ‘accidentally’ bump into him to explain the mess we left.”

“…What?”

“The one who makes you herbal tea every night, cleans up, and cooks according to your diet. He’s using us as an excuse to get to meet you more often.”

“Oh, I was wondering what you were on about! No, seriously! I have zero feelings for Mr. Hee-kwon!”

In-a waved both hands frantically, her voice rising in protest. The more she denied it, the louder the members’ teasing laughter grew.

“Oh wow, she’s actually saying, ‘I have zero feelings!’ Like that makes it believable.”

“I’m telling the truth!”

“In-a, it’s not just singing and dancing you’re bad at. Your acting’s awful too.”

“…”

Copying In-a’s exaggerated expressions and gestures, Sara patted the others on the butt to get them up.

“Come on, we’ve messed this place up as much as we can. Time to give them some space.”

“We’re leaving? I thought we were sleeping over.”

“The CEO said there’s a super, super important event. Told us to hang out a bit and then head out.”

In-a’s jaw dropped wider than when they teased her about her crush.

“That’s crazy. There’s an event and we’re just chilling like this?”

“Whatever. You’re the only visual in the group anyway. If he didn’t invite you, it’s probably not that important.”

“Hey, Oh Sara.”

“What, Won Ji-young?”

“…You seriously never listen to the CEO.”

Next to a dumbfounded In-a, Ji-young gave Sara a short warning. Sara just scoffed and wrinkled her nose.

“Ohh… The CEO said not to tell In-a about the event, and I went and spilled it, huh? No wonder Ji-young was giving me that look.”

Caught between an awkward Ha-young and a tongue-clicking Ji-young, only Sara kept laughing smugly. In-a, stunned, finally snapped.

“Why was it a secret from me? I’m part of Vinix too! Our CEO’s got serious issues.”

“When has that guy not been weird? He ranted like crazy, saying how long he had to rely on just you, and made a big show about keeping it secret.”

Sara pointed accusingly at Ji-young like a tattletale.

“Won Ji-young here actually planned on keeping it a secret, can you believe it? She has no loyalty.”

Usually playful Ji-young turned unusually serious and warned In-a.

“Now that it’s come up, don’t go picking fights with the CEO again. He said if this event goes well, he’s putting an end to your ‘attitude’ once and for all.”

Ha-young, leaning halfway against Ji-young, nodded.

“We’re thankful you always cover for us, but stop pushing it with the CEO. It gives me anxiety just watching.”

“Seriously? I’ve been like this since we were nobodies.”

“Exactly. He’s put up with your rebellion for seven years. Any other CEO would’ve snapped already. He’s probably been planning his move.”

“I only react when he picks stupid fights with me or the others. If he’s gonna be unreasonable, I’ll return the favor.”

The members sighed deeply instead of replying.

“Who’s putting up with who here? The guy’s nuts.”

The more In-a thought about it, the more indignant she got. Her brows slanted upward in anger.

“Instead of wasting time plotting to screw me over, he should focus on fixing Vinix’s trashy image and that dumb, outdated warrior-girl concept!”

“In-a…”

“You guys know Lisa’s b een waiting, right? If it comes to it, I’ll take that evidence Lisa’s been collecting and—”

“Enough, Lee In-a.”