Chapter 127

Recently, Seoyeon had noticed that one more person had been added to her rather narrow circle of acquaintances.

It was Cha Na-hee.

A core member of the girl group, Summer Girls.

Upon realizing that they would be working together again, this time on *Sky Garden* after *Dream Future*, Seoyeon casually reached out using that as an excuse.

“Wouldn’t it be too exhausting to appear in consecutive projects?”

Seoyeon asked with evident concern. It wasn’t something easily achievable with average stamina if, after wrapping up *Dream Future*, one had to immediately begin filming *Sky Garden*.

Moreover, Cha Na-hee was practically the sole head of her group, akin to a girl-matriarch. Summer Girls’ popularity was almost entirely dependent on Cha Na-hee.

Thus, aside from drama shooting, she was also actively appearing in variety shows and advertisements.

“…Seoyeon.”

“Yes?”

“I’m more worried about you than I am about myself.”

It was a statement laden with genuine sincerity. Lately, Seoyeon’s schedule had been nothing short of brutal.

Even though *Dream Future* had just wrapped up, she was still being invited to various follow-up events. To top that, she was participating regularly in the reality-audition show, *Hyper Action Star*.

And right on its heels, came *Sky Garden*, which was being filmed concurrently. Na-hee was merely moving from one project to the next, but Seoyeon was juggling simultaneous shoots.

‘Just how good is her stamina?’

Cha Na-hee prided herself on having decent stamina and efficiently handling her busy schedule, but watching Seoyeon made her realize that her capabilities far surpassed what mere stamina could accomplish.

‘She’s always so energetic…’

Cha Na-hee wanted to befriend Seoyeon—not only because she’d been greatly helped during *Dream Future* but because she found her charming. And though Na-hee considered herself diligent, she felt it would be pretentious to say that in front of Seoyeon.

‘Really, if our group were just half as good as her, it’d be great.’

No, not even half—maybe just a tenth, and their situation would improve, wouldn’t it?

“Sister, is something wrong?”

Seeing Na-hee’s unusually somber mood, Seoyeon asked gently. By nature, Seoyeon was quite perceptive of others’ emotions, having honed her observational skills over the years.

The decision to meet Seoyeon today had likely been driven by Na-hee’s need to confide in someone.

“Ah, well…”

There was something Na-hee wanted to consult Seoyeon about today.

Namely…

“Vocal trainer?”

“Hmm.”

Summer Girls had been chosen to provide the soundtrack for *Sky Garden*. They had an upbeat and cheerful song selected, guides handed over, and only practice remained. Unfortunately, Ho-yeon Entertainment’s vocal trainer had abruptly quit.

Worse still, it seemed challenging to find a replacement because of the negative reputation preceding the group.

“…I see.”

“Wait, you’re not surprised?”

“I just thought it was a possibility.”

Seoyeon recalled the vibe she picked up from the Summer Girls during their last encounter.

‘Animal Idols.’

Not in the sense of a wild image, but rather a group that operated purely on a beastly hierarchy. Na-hee was stuck in an awkward position among the group—working the hardest yet occupying the lowest rank. It was ridiculous but, for Summer Girls, this dynamic somehow worked because of Cha Na-hee’s overly amiable nature and the cumulative gaslighting.

“Um, sister.”

“Uh… yes?”

When Seoyeon spoke softly, Na-hee felt a bit unnerved. It wasn’t just her looks—it was her aura too.

‘An actress is an actress, indeed.’

Though Na-hee had met many actresses before, Seoyeon stood out distinctively. Even the usually eye-catching Summer Girls members paled in comparison when standing beside Seoyeon.

Not even just in terms of appearance but in the overall aura—a certain intangible barrier made it difficult to approach her casually.

“Have you ever considered switching agencies?”

“I have, but… I’m not confident.”

Confidence was lacking because, even at Ho-yeon, she struggled to fit in. Would it be different at another management firm?

The director’s words from Ho-yeon often resounded in her mind:

“Our management is like a family, but other places are jungles! Jungles. Na-hee might excel among us, but who knows how many idol talents like her are out there? What’s important isn’t whether you’re first or second tier—it’s having an agency that cares for you.”

Given such advice, it wasn’t easy to make the move, though the impending end of her contract forced her to think about it.

“Then, let’s do this.”

“What, what is it?”

“I’ll help you with this matter.”

By ‘this matter,’ Seoyeon meant the vocal trainer issue. She happened to know a really good vocal trainer who had even guided the OST for Seoyeon’s *Sky Garden*. They were a perfect fit.

“Maybe you’d consider joining our management agency? They provide excellent care.”

Na-hee froze upon hearing Seoyeon’s sly smile. Despite it being a kind offer, its underlying undertone made it feel almost villainous.

‘But she’s offering help?’

Could it be a reference to asking the vocal trainer from Nova Entertainment for assistance? Regardless of the mischievous smirk, this seemed an intriguing proposition. After all, within Nova Entertainment, Seoyeon was someone Na-hee knew personally.

Recalling some unpleasant experiences at Ho-yeon, Na-hee hesitated before speaking.

“…I’ll think about it.”

This was quite a positive response.

***

Even without a definitive answer, Seoyeon was elated. Na-hee was a rare SSS-tier talent with a secured future in both acting and singing. Her visual appeal alone was unmatched, making it baffling why she remained at Ho-yeon.

Since learning about Na-hee’s soon-to-expire contract, Seoyeon had been planning to lure her to Nova Entertainment.

‘If Sister Na-hee joins, it’ll be a great boon for Nova Entertainment.’

Of course, this wasn’t just Seoyeon’s unilateral decision. It would also require the approval of Nova Entertainment’s CEO, Kang Chan-yul.

“How do you feel about the Summer Girls’ Na-hee?”

“Hmm? Oh, she’s a highly talented idol.”

Kang, upon hearing this, seemed a bit awkwardly impressed.

“How about if I bring her over?”

“Seoyeon.”

“Yes?”

“Bring her in, but not physically, right?”

“?!”

Seoyeon’s puzzled tilt at this question seemed genuine, prompting Kang to sigh with relief.

‘This is all because of *Hyper Action Star*…’

Seoyeon was a SSS-tier actress who mattered greatly to Nova Entertainment, and they carefully monitored all the shows she participated in.

Consequently, everyone in Nova Entertainment had watched *Hyper Action Star*. Seoyeon was seen dodging incoming bullets, running towards enemies, and firing from close range in a display of remarkable agility.

This had cemented her image far more directly than her appearances in *Uninhabited Survival* or *Star Fisherman*. Currently, the hottest discussions on online fan communities were about her.

[FireBear vs Joo Seoyeon]

– Who would win?

– FireBear, if it has a gun.

– But Joo Seoyeon deflects bullets, the FireBear would die.

– She only deflects paintballs; don’t exaggerate.

– Don’t underestimate!

– Aren’t we talking about entertainers here?

The tone of these discussions worried Kang about how people were perceiving her.

‘Maybe I need to limit her participation in physical comedy shows.’

There were so many better types of variety shows—observation shows, or even healing shows like *Three Meals a Day*.

‘Anyway, Na-hee.’

If Seoyeon succeeded in bringing her over, it would be one of Nova Entertainment’s biggest coups. Even Kang was aware of her limited remaining contract period with Ho-yeon.

‘Given how crucial Na-hee is to Ho-yeon Entertainment, they wouldn’t let her go easily.’

Kang also believed she probably received favorable treatment there. Unless offered exceptional conditions, moving her wouldn’t be simple.

That was what had made him suspicious that Seoyeon might be trying to poach her physically.

When she was younger, Seoyeon had always been energetic, but Kang never expected her to evolve into someone so extraordinary.

“Alright, I’ll do my best to help if it’s possible.”

“Yes.”

“Just don’t cause trouble.”

“Of course not.”

With this green light from the CEO, Seoyeon was ready to act.

Her next stop was a voice actor school where “Wizard Erchebet,” whose real name was Han Da-young, was currently free as there was no broadcast scheduled today.

Slightly, or rather, very confused, Da-young listened to Seoyeon’s request.

“Vocal training for idols?”

“Yes!”

“…”

This left Da-young flummoxed.

‘Did she forget I used to be an idol trainee?’

Though absurd as it sounded that Seoyeon could forget, it wasn’t entirely out of the question. Despite her intelligence, Han Da-young knew she wasn’t someone Seoyeon would easily forget.

“There are plenty of other vocal trainers. Plus, with Summer Girls…?”

They had a history. Some members had met during their training days. Da-young and Summer Girls had similar training timelines.

“No, you won’t be meeting them directly.”

“Then how?”

“If you appear in a different form, wouldn’t that work?”

Erchebet was not mentioned out loud due to the potential conversation that could lead to discussing Ramiel.

‘This is proper fan etiquette.’

Seoyeon maintained clear boundaries between Jeon Yi-an and her other personas, including separating the identities of Erchebet and Lamiel.

“Through a head-mounted camera connection…”

This intrigued Da-young who began to imagine how an idol group would feel receiving vocal lessons from a VTuber.

Especially since, amidst this group, was someone Da-young particularly disliked.

‘This would make an interesting episode for my show.’

Though it was tempting, broadcasting this live was perhaps not wise. But if it happened, it could grow both Erchebet’s and Ramiel’s platforms significantly.

‘Her channel has a considerable subscriber base already…’

Though Ramiel didn’t have the same level of fame from the previous life where she was a corporate channel, her personal channel’s fan base was solid thanks to her impressive skills.

“Hmm… but perhaps it could work…”

Seoyeon paused thoughtfully, arms crossed. Da-young observed her quietly before nodding.

“Yes, I’ll do it.”

The prospect of training a popular girl group seemed quite exciting.

“…”

Unaware of this enthusiasm, Summer Girls were far less entertained by the situation.

‘Who is this guy?’

The sight of the figure on screen, introduced as “Wizard Erchebet,” left Rabin speechless.

“What?”

At the mention that she was brought in by Na-hee’s request, everyone reluctantly greeted her after seeing Seoyeon’s casual coin trick and menacing gaze.

Despite their hesitation, they greeted the trainer politely, almost on the verge of tears.

---