Episode 85: The Effect Was Tremendous!
“Ha, shit…”
Kwak Sun-bin, a 5th-year staff reporter at Daily Patch, put down her phone and let out a sigh.
Then—
“Uwaaaaah!! Why meee?!”
She buried her face in her hands and screamed.
Sound doesn’t stop just because you cover it, so her anguished cry spread to everyone in the office. But no one reacted.
Why? It was a common daily occurrence.
Shuffle, tap. Shuffle, tap.
Someone approached Kwak Sun-bin, dragging hole-riddled slippers.
“Hey.”
Leaning slightly on the partition and jerking her chin toward the outside was Kwak Do-young, a 13th-year assistant manager reporter at Daily Patch.
“Let’s grab a coffee.”
“Yes…”
Rising zombie-like at Kwak Do-young’s words, Kwak Sun-bin shuffled after her.
Heading to a quiet spot—
Click, hiss.
Kwak Sun-bin put a cigarette filter to her lips instead of a red straw.
“Didn’t you say you’d quit smoking this year?”
Kwak Do-young snorted at Kwak Sun-bin, who had declared no-smoking as a New Year’s resolution.
“How do you quit while getting paid? I could if I resigned. Phew.”
She exhaled purple smoke defiantly.
A mere 5th-year showing such insolence to a 13th-year would be rude, but Kwak Do-young just smacked her lips and pulled out her own e-cigarette.
The one who turned the once-cute rookie—who’d answer loudly at a finger poke—into this mess was none other than Kwak Do-young herself.
Their mentor-protégé bond, plus shared hometown and clan name (unbreakable ties for Koreans), had led to extra affection.
That’s probably why.
At a private drink, when Kwak Sun-bin, disillusioned with journalism, sobbed before her, it happened.
Still, it was wrong.
“I shouldn’t have taught you smoking.”
Drunk or not, handing over the cigarette she’d always vowed to quit was Kwak Do-young’s original sin.
Because of it, she ended up sharing smokes with the much junior Kwak Sun-bin in rank, age, and generation.
“So, whose call?”
New Year’s resolutions rarely last a month anyway.
Continuing would just lead to “You taught me, sunbae,” leaving Kwak Do-young speechless. She pushed that hard-learned truth aside and got to the point.
“Sigh… MyWay.”
After a few unhealthy puffs, Kwak Sun-bin sipped her Americano and answered.
Unasked, she added:
“Hylliy’s comeback showcase is set.”
“Tch.”
13 years in Daily Patch’s entertainment section—two words were plenty for Kwak Do-young to grasp it.
“March 12th?”
“Yes.”
Freaking out over something as simple as attending meant she’d be unfit for society, let alone journalism, if she hadn’t predicted that.
“Hm. Definitely a headache.”
Kwak Do-young said this knowing the dilemma stemmed from her.
Reporters are human; strong ties form.
For her, it was MyWay. Her tagalong, Kwak Sun-bin, naturally leaned pro-MyWay too.
But her expression stayed bored.
Like quickly spotting Sun-bin’s worry, the answer was predetermined.
“No choice. Gotta go Pleiades.”
With print media fading, views are inseparable now.
Ditching the honey everyone sucks for petty loyalty hurts.
‘Still young. By 5th year, she should know without telling.’
Others might’ve crushed her spirit, but not Sun-bin—so Kwak Do-young nudged gently.
“Honestly, MyWay was reckless. Should’ve dodged Pleiades—it’s a truck. This Hylliy track’s producer is Han Yujin, besides Seo Yoonje? Too gutsy. Starlight announced yesterday. Rushed, but avoidable.”
That should sink in.
Kwak Do-young thought, lifting her e-cig again.
To her—
“They had a card, apparently.”
Grinding her nearly spent cigarette in the ashtray, Kwak Sun-bin lit another and continued.
A hint of irritation in her voice brushed Kwak Do-young.
“Card? What?”
Any non-reporter would ask too.
“The… showcase MC… Damn, why’s the wind so strong…”
Trying to light the new one, she turned slightly against the gust.
In that brief moment—
‘MC? AZ?’
Calculations sparked in Kwak Do-young’s mind.
MyWay’s best card: world star AZ.
Conclusion instant.
‘Not AZ. Belly bigger than the boat. Even if the producer’s clueless, Seo Yoonje wouldn’t allow it, and AZ would refuse.’
AZ appearing would force Pleiades to yield, but the showcase—for Hylliy—would become all about AZ.
Known for doting on juniors, AZ wouldn’t step in.
‘Then who…?’
As thoughts reached there—
“The MC is Ji Se-hyuk, sunbae.”
Finally lighting it, Kwak Sun-bin exhaled fresh smoke and shut Kwak Do-young up.
“Ji Se-hyuk? The Ji Se-hyuk I know?”
“Are there two entertainers named Ji Se-hyuk in Korea?”
“No, why Ji Se-hyuk? He’s not even MyWay.”
“Exactly. That’s what pisses me off. If it was AZ, I’d happily go Pleiades. But Ji Se-hyuk? Now I’m torn.”
She wasn’t as dumb as Kwak Do-young thought.
Realizing late, Kwak Do-young felt punched.
Technically, Ji Se-hyuk’s past his prime—a “has-been.”
But the poster boy for “mom’s friend’s son” memes at debut, active in singing, acting, variety.
Plus, zero negative scandals post-debut—“upright guy” image that magnetizes clicks.
A veteran not from the same company stepping up for juniors? It’d make those knowing Ji but not Hylliy think, *What kind of kids are they?*
“This evens the rock-paper-scissors, for real.”
“Right?”
Pleiades won’t hog all focus.
Niche reporters might’ve gone Hylliy anyway.
Add Ji Se-hyuk, and the scales balance.
Hylliy’s showcase now guarantees views.
‘Still, most’ll pick Pleiades?’
Might draw more to Hylliy.
Trends exist; if so, Pleiades could get buried.
“With underdog image? Hylliy might crush Pleiades.”
“Pleiades is still the favorite…”
Muttering, Kwak Do-young watched Kwak Sun-bin stub her half-smoked cigarette and chug the untouched Americano.
Lid off, crunching ice, she beamed.
“Watching you fret decided me. At worst, 50-50. 50-50’s a decision win for Hylliy? Factor follow-ups with underdog spin… Hylliy side, no loss at least.”
More reporters thinking this swells Hylliy’s pie slice.
Smart call, all considered.
“Kwak Sun-bin’s all grown. Time to descend the mountain.”
“Descended ages ago. Thought I was loyalty-torn till now?”
Stung by the read, Kwak Do-young averted eyes—she couldn’t know.
Biggest reason for Sun-bin’s dilemma?
‘Gotta help Yujin’s first producing. Noona’ll write pretty articles.’
The “new producer.”
Key: more reporters making “sincere” calls like hers.
The regressor’s cheat code was tremendous!
[‘Hylliy’ March 12 comeback showcase announced.]
[MyWay ‘Hylliy’ vs. ‘Pleiades’ head-on!]
[‘Hylliy’ showcase backup: ‘Ji Se-hyuk’?]
[‘Ji Se-hyuk’ side: “Nothing decided yet.”]
In a day, Hylliy displaced Pleiades atop entertainment tabs.
Some already spinning “underdog rebellion.”
‘Pre-battle win for us?’
Pre-season games don’t count, but plans exceeding expectations feel good.
‘Nice to see a familiar name.’
Back button; article reloaded.
[‘Ji Se-hyuk’, ‘Seo Yoon-jae’, and ‘Han Yujin’. Blind Singer Season 3 ties reunite at ‘Hylliy’!]
[Daily Patch, Reporter Kwak Sun-bin]
Uncannily insightful; I chuckled.
‘Our Kwak-reporter’s grinding.’
Pre-regression, “Starlight trumpeter” for Polaris devotion; now writing ours.
‘Trumpeter articles were top-tier. ‘MyWay trumpeter’ next?’
Laugh brewing—
Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep. Trill~
“Yujin-ah!”
High-tone chime, door opens, Zia’s voice.
Her face beamed with hype.
“Saw the articles? Insane! Kids are all anyone talks!”
Her joy over not-hers was adorable.
Regrets over Ji Se-hyuk? Summer concert guest spot? Worth it.
“Kids worked hard. Hope it pays off.”
Adorable, but no praise for me—minor bummer. Instead:
“Zia-ya.”
“Hm?”
“What if…”
Pausing, her head tilts; I glance opposite.
“If Hylliy wins daesang with Mysty, counts as mine? I made the song.”
My Grammy was Record of the Year—producing talent recognized.
Maybe again?
Of course—
“Bullshit where?”
No chance.