Recently, Seoyeon’s small circle of acquaintances had expanded by one person—Cha Nahyi.

The key member of the girl group Summer Girl, Cha Nahyi had also joined the cast of Heaven’s Garden after Dream Future. When Seoyeon realized this, she took the opportunity to reach out to her.

"Won’t it be too exhausting to appear in back-to-back shows?"

Seoyeon asked out of genuine concern. Going straight from Dream Future to filming Heaven’s Garden would require an immense amount of stamina.

On top of that, Cha Nahyi was practically the "breadwinner" of Summer Girl. The group’s entire reputation rested on her shoulders.

It wasn’t just dramas—Nahyi was also actively appearing in variety shows and commercials.

"...Actually, Seoyeon."

"Yes?"

"I’m more worried about you."

This was something Cha Nahyi said with absolute sincerity. Lately, Seoyeon’s schedule had been nothing short of brutal.

Even though Dream Future had ended, Seoyeon was still being dragged around for follow-up events. On top of that, she was now a regular on the variety show-slash-audition program Hyper Action Star, and simultaneously shooting for Heaven’s Garden.

While Nahyi was only taking on one project at a time, Seoyeon was juggling two at once.

How on earth does she have so much stamina?

Nahyi had always considered herself physically fit, able to handle a busy schedule without much trouble. But watching Seoyeon made her realize Seoyeon’s endurance was on an entirely different level.

She’s always so full of energy…

Cha Nahyi genuinely wanted to get closer to Seoyeon. She had received a lot of help from her during Dream Future, and Seoyeon was undeniably kind and beautiful. Though Nahyi prided herself on being hardworking, she couldn’t boast in front of Seoyeon.

If only my groupmates had even half of her work ethic.

No, even just a tenth of it would make a huge difference.

"Unnie, is something wrong?"

Seoyeon, noticing the sudden change in Nahyi’s mood, asked softly. Having lived most of her life mirroring others' emotions, Seoyeon was extremely sensitive to the feelings of those around her.

The fact that Nahyi had called her today hinted that she needed someone to talk to.

"Ah, well..."

The truth was, Nahyi did want to consult Seoyeon about something today.

"Your vocal trainer?"

"Yes."

Summer Girl had been tasked with performing the OST for Heaven’s Garden, specifically a bright and lively insert song.

The song had been selected, and the guide track had been delivered. All they needed to do was practice. But, to everyone’s shock, their vocal trainer at Hoyeon Entertainment had up and disappeared.

What’s worse, trying to hire a new vocal trainer was proving difficult—Summer Girl’s bad reputation had spread, making it hard to find anyone willing to work with them.

"...I see."

"Huh? You’re not surprised?"

"It just seems... like something that could happen."

Seoyeon recalled her previous encounter with Summer Girl. The impression she had of the group back then was that of a "beastly" team.

And not in the sense of a wild, charismatic idol group. No, they acted like literal animals, following some strange hierarchical order.

Seoyeon had managed to restore order with a simple magic trick, but it was clear that for Nahyi, maintaining control over them was a constant challenge.

Like a Shih Tzu stuck between Beagles and Chihuahuas.

That’s exactly what it felt like. Nahyi worked the hardest, but her status within the group was the lowest.

It didn’t make sense, but somehow, in Summer Girl, this absurd hierarchy was possible. Part of it was because Nahyi was too kind for her own good, and part of it was the result of continuous gaslighting from her groupmates.

"Unnie."

"Y-Yes?"

Nahyi flinched at the low tone of Seoyeon’s voice. When Seoyeon spoke like that, it was always intimidating—not just because of her looks, but because of the sheer presence she commanded.

She really is something special.

Even though Nahyi had met plenty of actors, there was something about Seoyeon that stood out. Sure, the members of Summer Girl were beautiful enough to turn heads on the street, but when they stood next to Seoyeon, they all looked plain in comparison.

It wasn’t just her appearance—it was her aura. There was a sense of power that made her difficult to approach.

"Have you ever thought about switching agencies?"

"Well, I have…"

She had, but she wasn’t confident. If she couldn’t even fully adapt to Hoyeon, would she really be able to fit in at another agency?

She always remembered what her manager at Hoyeon used to say.

"Our agency is like a family, but other places are jungles—jungles! You’re the best here, but in other agencies, there are tons of idols like you. The best agency is the one that treats you well. It’s not about being first or second tier!"

She’d heard that kind of talk so often, it was hard to ignore. Even though her contract was ending soon, and she was thinking about it...

"Let’s do this."

"Huh? Do what?"

"I’ll help you with the vocal trainer."

The issue at hand was Summer Girl's need for a new vocal trainer, and Seoyeon happened to know a really good one. In fact, this trainer had been the one to guide Seoyeon through her own work on the Heaven’s Garden OST.

"How about you join my agency? I’m sure they’d treat you well."

Seoyeon flashed a bright smile, but Nahyi froze. Despite the generous offer, that smile looked far too much like the grin of a villain.

But... help with the vocal trainer?

Was Seoyeon suggesting she ask for help from Nova Entertainment’s vocal trainer? It was a tempting thought, and the offer was hard to refuse. Unlike other agencies, Nova had Seoyeon, someone she knew personally.

Thinking back on the way she’d been treated at Hoyeon, Nahyi hesitated before responding.

"...I’ll think about it."

It was a positive response.

While Nahyi hadn’t given a definite answer, Seoyeon felt like she was halfway to winning her over. This filled her with excitement!

If I can bring Nahyi unnie on board!

Cha Nahyi was an SSS-tier talent with a guaranteed future. She could act, sing, and was an all-around talent.

Her visuals were on par with any actress, making it hard to understand why she was still with Hoyeon. When Seoyeon had heard that Nahyi’s contract was almost up, she had immediately thought about bringing her to Nova Entertainment.

If she joins Nova, it’ll be a huge boost to the agency.

Of course, this wasn’t something Seoyeon was doing without permission. She had already run the idea by Nova Entertainment’s CEO, Kang Chanyul.

"What do you think about Nahyi unnie from Summer Girl?"

"Hmm? Oh, well... she’s a very talented idol."

Kang Chanyul replied with some hesitation.

"So, what if I were to bring her over?"

"Seoyeon."

"Yes?"

"By ‘bring her over,’ you don’t mean physically, right?"

"Huh?"

Seoyeon tilted her head in confusion, not understanding what he meant, which made Kang Chanyul let out a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, it seemed that wasn’t what she had in mind.

This is all because of Hyper Action Star...

Nova Entertainment was already treating Seoyeon like their most precious SSS-tier star. Naturally, they watched every show she appeared on.

There wasn’t a single person at Nova who hadn’t seen Hyper Action Star. On the show, Seoyeon was shown deflecting bullets and dodging them while charging forward to shoot in close quarters.

While she’d already shown some remarkable skills on previous shows like Muin Survival and Star Fisherman, this was the most intense display yet, leaving a lasting impression.

Currently, the most active thread in online communities was:

[Grizzly Bear vs. Ju Seoyeon]

• Who would win?
• If the bear has a gun, it wins.
• Seoyeon deflects bullets. The bear would die.
• She’s only deflected paintballs so far, don’t exaggerate.
• So far????
• Are you guys talking about a celebrity?

 

There were so many posts like this that even Kang Chanyul was starting to worry about her image.

We should keep her away from physically demanding variety shows for a while.

There were plenty of other options—healing shows, observation programs, or something relaxing like Three Meals a Day.

But Nahyi...

As Seoyeon had mentioned, if they could bring her over to Nova Entertainment, it would be a massive win. Kang Chanyul knew that Nahyi’s contract was nearing its end, but...

Given how much Hoyeon depends on her, they won’t let her go easily.

On top of that, Nahyi was probably being treated very well at Hoyeon. Unless they offered her something better, it would be difficult to persuade her to leave.

That’s why Kang Chanyul had been concerned that Seoyeon might try to "bring her over" in a physical sense. She’d always been strong, but he hadn’t expected her to grow up to be this extraordinary.

"Alright, if it’s possible, I’ll support you as much as I can."

"Got it."

"And don’t cause any trouble."

"Of course."

Seoyeon answered with full enthusiasm. Now that she had the CEO’s approval, it was time to act!

The next place she visited was the voice acting academy. Today, Magician Elchevette—real name Han Dayoung—had no scheduled broadcasts.

When Seoyeon showed up and started explaining her idea, Dayoung was more than a little bewildered.

"Vocal training... for idols?"

"Yes!"

"..."

Dayoung was left speechless by Seoyeon’s suggestion.

Did she forget I used to be an idol trainee?

Part of her doubted Seoyeon could have forgotten something like that, but at the same time, it seemed possible. Seoyeon didn’t seem like the type to forget important details.

"There are plenty of other vocal trainers. And besides, it’s Summer Girl we’re talking about..."

Not to mention, Dayoung had some unpleasant history with the group. She had crossed paths with several of them during their trainee days.

Dayoung and the members of Summer Girl had trained around the same time.

"Oh, it won’t be in person."

"Huh?"

"You could meet them in a different form."

Seoyeon didn’t directly mention Magician Elchevette, but she didn’t have to. The implication was clear.

Red pill!

She couldn’t outright say it, because if she did, Dayoung would start asking more questions about Ramiel!

This is what it means to be a true fan.

Seoyeon had drawn a strict line between Jiyeon and Ramiel, and the same went for Magician Elchevette.

"If we connect through a headcam..."

By this point, Dayoung was starting to find the idea intriguing.

How would idols feel about being taught by a VTuber?

Especially since there was someone in that group she wasn’t particularly fond of.

This will make for a great story later on.

It was so absurd that no one would believe it anyway. And since she couldn’t say the group’s name, it would remain a funny, private anecdote.

I kind of wish I could stream this.

But that would be impossible. If she could, she could boost her VTuber’s channel in the process.

Which would also help Ramiel’s channel grow...

Right now, Ramiel had a decent following for an independent VTuber. But compared to her previous life as a corporate VTuber, she was still far behind.

Back then, she’d been part of a company, but now she was on her own. Still, her current skills were superior to her past self, so she had a loyal fanbase.

Hmm... or maybe...

Seoyeon crossed her arms, lost in thought. Watching her, Dayoung raised an eyebrow but nodded.

"Alright, I’ll do it."

Dayoung gave her the go-ahead. After all, it seemed like it would be fun to train a popular girl group.

Of course...

"What is this...?"

Summer Girl didn’t find it fun at all.

"What is this situation?"

「I am Magician Elchevette.」

As they watched the character on the screen introduce herself, Ravin was at a loss for words.

Who the hell is this?

Magician Elchevette? What a joke. He wanted to tell her to get lost immediately.

But before he could get the words out, he saw Seoyeon twirling a 500-won coin between her fingers.

She was clearly reminding him of the coin magic trick she’d shown before.

And who could forget that?

Not to mention, Seoyeon’s red eyes were practically glowing as she stared at them.

The message was clear—Seoyeon didn’t like them. If the coin in her hand had been a knife, Ravin was sure he would’ve wet himself right then and there.

Where is the manager when we need him?!

Their company was letting another agency’s actress cause this much trouble, and no one was doing anything to stop it? He swore he’d report this to the CEO later.

But at that moment, Seoyeon calmly spoke.

"Introduce yourselves."

"Hello, teacher!!"

All of them greeted Magician Elchevette in unison.

They were on the verge of tears.