Episode 9: I’m Not Hoping for a Dramatic Outcome
In truth, Team Leader Jeon Min-yong handled all the follow-up for the truck accident.
The Free Sense members only expressed concern upon hearing the driver was seriously injured, staying in the van for safety, so they weren’t directly involved.
If you look purely at the situation, it’s less a “Free Sense heartwarming story” and more a “Free Sense manager’s heartwarming story.”
“Do we really have to visit him in the hospital? We’re not that close. It’s not like we caused the accident…”
Kwon Ah-hyun, aware of the lack of personal connection, wasn’t thrilled about the idea.
Fiddling with the tips of her purple, shoulder-length hair, she glanced at the leader.
Lee Seung-ah turned to me.
“Is this something the company told you to do?”
“No, it’s just my personal thought. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to visit… I mentioned it to Team Leader, but he didn’t seem keen. So I wanted to hear what you guys think.”
“Hmm…”
Seung-ah, while not opposed to the idea, seemed to be wondering if it was really necessary, her expression lost in thought.
What’s the point of knowing future information that could help the team if I can’t convince anyone?
It’s frustrating.
And it’s not like I’m in a position to push too hard.
To the company, a newbie who’s been here less than a month trying to spearhead something might look like I’m overstepping.
If we were a small or startup agency, I might’ve leaned into my newbie enthusiasm and pushed forward, but that’s not the case here…
I was realizing anew that in the workplace, not only is the right answer important, but the process of getting there matters just as much.
Just then, Baek Jin-ah, who’d been staring blankly at herself in the practice room mirror, locked eyes with me through the reflection and asked something vaguely like a question.
“If we go, can we eat hospital food?”
Is she actually interested in the hospital visit?
If I could get Jin-ah on board, it might open a path, but I had to answer honestly.
“Probably not. I think only patients get hospital food.”
“They don’t sell it even if you pay?”
“I doubt it. I’ve never been hospitalized, so I’m not sure. But I hear hospital food isn’t even good.”
“Still, I wanna try it. Lying in a hospital bed, smelling that hospital smell.”
She wants to try everything.
Jin-ah looked genuinely disappointed, like an elementary schooler who’d just seen their pet hamster die.
Then, with bold confidence, she made a demand.
“Hyun-jong-ssi, you should get hospitalized.”
Jin-ah, who once said adding “-ssi” to names was cringey, had started calling me “Hyun-jong-ssi” a few days ago.
It felt like her way of showing familiarity, so I didn’t mind.
I let out a scoff and retorted,
“If I get hospitalized, you’re gonna eat my food?”
“Yeah. Get hospitalized.”
“Nah, I’ll pass.”
“Then there’s no way.”
“But, like, in this situation, wouldn’t the normal thought be to get yourself hospitalized?”
“I hate being sick.”
“And I look like I enjoy it?”
“Some people like being sick, don’t they?”
“Not me.”
“That’s a shame.”
What is this conversation, seriously…
Talking to her made me completely forget what we were even discussing.
Anyway, back to the point.
I really want to make this hospital visit happen.
I know it’ll pay off, so hesitating feels like a waste.
If, like in the future video, it boosts Free Sense’s publicity and image, it wouldn’t just benefit the team—it could highlight my work ethic and competence too.
But convincing Team Leader Jeon feels out of reach given my junior status.
The best approach is to persuade the Free Sense members to take the lead themselves.
No choice.
I have to be upfront.
Just like when Jeon took charge of the accident aftermath for Free Sense’s PR, I wrapped my reasoning in a practical package and pitched it to the members.
“If our hospital visit gets picked up by the press, wouldn’t it help the team’s image and publicity? I don’t mean we should go just for that reason… but if a good deed gets media exposure too, it’s a win-win.”
As original members still holding on, Seung-ah and Ah-hyun’s desperation must be beyond what I can imagine.
If there’s even a slight chance to put Free Sense’s name out there, they’d jump at it with both feet.
Despite the chronic sense of helplessness, despite not being required to come to the practice room, and despite knowing the company is slowly giving up on them, the fact that they show up every day and practice together speaks volumes about their determination.
“Hmm…”
“You’re not wrong…”
As expected.
Seung-ah and Ah-hyun nodded in agreement, their tones positive.
Meanwhile, Baek Jin-ah, subtly excited, was fidgeting.
“So we just go now? To eat hospital food?”
“No, no, we need to get Team Leader’s permission first.”
“Didn’t he say not to?”
“Yeah.”
I turned to Seung-ah.
“You guys ask for permission. I’m too junior to bring it up twice.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to him.”
For the first time, Seung-ah looked like a leader.
But even if she brought it up, Team Leader Jeon would know I’d put the idea in their heads.
It might come off as a bit sneaky, but if this hospital visit mission succeeds, I’d be satisfied.
The outcome is guaranteed to be positive anyway.
Seung-ah immediately called Jeon.
“Team Leader, can we visit the truck driver in the hospital?”
As she continued the call, she handed the phone to me.
“He wants to talk to you.”
I took the phone, my heart racing with nerves.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
“Are you planning to put out a press release about the hospital visit?”
“Well… to be honest, I’m not entirely against the idea.”
“‘Not entirely against’—what’s that supposed to mean? Just say it. You’re thinking of using it as a heartwarming story for exposure, right?”
“Yes.”
When I answered honestly, Jeon let out a short, muffled groan before continuing.
“This isn’t on speakerphone, right?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Hang up, go outside, and call me back on your phone.”
“Yes, just a moment.”
This doesn’t feel good.
If it was good news, he wouldn’t have asked me to step out.
With uneasy steps, I went outside the building and called him back.
“You probably have a sense of how things are going at the company, so I’ll cut to the chase. I just came out of a meeting, and it’s almost certain our team will shift to the male idol division.”
Oh, please, anything but that…!
Is my worst fear actually coming true?
“It looks like they’ll bring in an experienced manager for the male idols, and we’ll start taking trainees next month.”
My grand dreams are crumbling into ruin after just three weeks.
Please, I’m not even hoping for GraceOne anymore.
Just let me hold onto Free Sense.
I wanted to ask, “What happens to Free Sense?” but the words caught in my throat as I listened.
Then, he brought up Free Sense himself.
“Once we start taking male trainees, Free Sense will probably have to move out of the dorm.”
“Oh…”
“They might get to release one more album, but broadcast activities look unlikely.”
Like their last album, it’d just be a digital release and done.
If they’re losing their dorm, the foundation of group activities, it means the company is fully giving up on Free Sense.
They’ll either let the remaining contract period run out or just neglect them entirely.
Jeon’s tone was heavy with regret.
He’s probably hurting more than I am.
“For now, go visit the truck driver at the hospital. I’ll see about getting a press release out.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll send you his wife’s contact info. Call and check with her first—they might not want visitors.”
“Got it.”
The hospital visit was approved.
I’m not expecting a dramatic outcome.
I just hope it creates a small buzz, enough to make the company reconsider Free Sense.
Maybe that’s still asking for too much…
After hanging up, I received the truck driver’s wife’s contact info via text.
I called right away and got her permission.
The hospital was in Wonju.
We agreed to visit the next afternoon, and I returned to the practice room to inform the members.
At 5:00 p.m., as I was about to leave for the day, the daily future video arrived.
My heart raced with anticipation…
★Bigger Than Your Arm—Real or Fake?★
[40cm King Tiger Prawns, 10 Pieces, Nom Nom Nom!]
//It was a mukbang video by the “eating fairy” Jjessi.
Hoping for something useful, I watched it to the end, but it was just a standard mukbang.
Zero utility.
Toss it.
***
The next day, without Team Leader Jeon or the stylist, I picked up the members and headed to the hospital in Wonju.
It was my first time traveling with just the members since joining the company.
It wasn’t exactly a schedule, but it felt refreshing compared to being stuck in the practice room.
Like going on a field trip.
During the drive, Kwon Ah-hyun teased Lee Seung-ah relentlessly about her outfit.
It wasn’t a funeral, yet she was dressed impeccably in a black skirt suit with a white blouse, complete with a pearl brooch.
“The more I look, the funnier it gets. Is this outfit for real? Pfft, hahaha!”
“You told me to dress like this!”
“Obviously, I was joking!”
“Ugh!”
Turns out, Ah-hyun’s playful suggestion was taken seriously by Seung-ah.
Some leader, so gullible.
Still, seeing her in something other than her usual casual clothes made her look like a different person.
“Unnie, you didn’t go to a salon for your hair too, did you?”
“No… well, yeah…”
“No way.”
“I just got a quick blow-dry at the salon near my place. Is it that obvious?”
“Super obvious. You look like you’re going to a blind date.”
“Why do you always mess with me like this? Your manners, seriously!”
“I didn’t think you’d actually believe me! Jin-ah heard me too, but you’re the only one who showed up like this.”
I couldn’t resist joining in on Seung-ah’s naivety.
“Seung-ah, vouch for me at a bank sometime.”
“Ugh, not you too, oppa!”
We arrived at the hospital in a cheerful mood.
“We’re here. Is it okay to come up now?”
“Yes, come on up.”
Carrying a beverage gift set we bought near the hospital, we headed to the ward.
It was a six-person room. The driver had been in the ICU for two weeks but was moved to a regular ward a few days ago.
“Hello.”
As the members and I entered, all eyes in the room—patients and visitors alike—turned to us.
No surprise, considering a group of young people just barged in.
The driver was in a neck and leg cast, and his wife, who’d been chatting with other visitors, greeted us with a mix of warmth and apology.
“Oh, you didn’t have to come all the way from Seoul!”
“No, it’s fine. Our members really wanted to visit.”
Her gaze shifted to the members.
Though neither Jeon nor I had mentioned it directly, she likely knew from the articles that we were part of an entertainment agency’s girl group.
It seemed the driver’s wife had already told the other caregivers about us.
Praises echoed around us.
“Oh, how kind of them.”
“Are they celebrities?”
“They’re idols, I hear.”
“Wow, I’m seeing celebrities in my lifetime.”
“No wonder they’re so pretty.”
We also greeted the truck driver.
He thanked us profusely, saying he survived because of us.
I’d been to hospital visits before, but mostly for friends or relatives, and never as the most senior person, so I wasn’t sure how to act politely. Thankfully, the Free Sense members took the lead in setting the mood.
Though they were a bit awkward and didn’t do much, their mere presence in the room felt healing.
But that lasted only briefly.
After a three-hour trip, just five minutes of small talk left us running out of things to say, and the energy started to fizzle.
Whenever the conversation lulled, the driver’s wife repeated her gratitude.
“You must be so busy as celebrities. Thank you so much.”
“No, it’s okay, haha…”
Is this it?
Is this really enough to become a heartwarming Free Sense story?
The situation felt so underwhelming that I started doubting the future video.
Just then, the wife got a phone call.
“Hey, son. They’re all here, come quick.”
After a brief call, she turned to me with a face full of pride and joy.
“My son works in Seoul. He’s super busy, but he’s coming to thank you.”
“Oh, okay…”
“My son’s a reporter.”
A reporter…?
A few minutes later, a sharp-looking man in his early 30s entered the room.
He apologized with a guilty expression.
“Sigh, I should’ve contacted you first. I’m so sorry. I kept meaning to call, but work’s been crazy… That’s just an excuse, though. Really sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“You’re with VIP Entertainment, GraceOne’s agency, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Here’s my business card.”
<New Media News, Social Affairs Team, Reporter Park Ji-hoon>
Could this be it…?
Is he the key to helping us?
Sure, our company has connections with online media and reporters who write PR articles, but I had a strong gut feeling that this encounter could be a spark.
After checking his card, I replied sheepishly,
“I don’t have a business card yet…”
“Then may I have your name and contact info?”
“Of course.”
As we exchanged numbers, I noticed Baek Jin-ah getting fidgety.
She was rummaging through her bag with that telltale vibe she gets before doing something absurd.
Sure enough.
Jin-ah pulled out a set of colored pencils.
Holding a black one, she looked at the driver’s leg cast and announced matter-of-factly,
“I’m going to draw something so you recover quickly. I’m good at drawing.”