# Chapter 17
“That’s right. Hyung needs to stay with us for a long time, so resting is important. Hyung looks the weakest among us. So I’m worried. I heard that once we release an album and start activities, managers only sleep two to three hours a day while taking care of the singers.”
Cha Yeonwoo spoke as if he had heard this somewhere, and I was touched by the fact that the guys cared about me that much.
When we arrived at the department store in two vehicles and joined the other members to discuss it, Seo Irun immediately shook his head.
“I can do that. I can do it better.”
“…”
If he had spoken a bit more, there would be no room for misunderstanding and he might have appeared self-sacrificing, but Seo Irun was always like this.
He doesn’t know how to get recognition while taking on troublesome tasks.
Watching Seo Irun, who couldn’t express himself properly and thus lost points while just struggling, somehow overlapped with my childhood, making me feel a bit sad for him and causing my eyes to linger on him.
As multiple cameras followed us, people’s attention naturally focused on us.
While riding up in the pre-arranged elevator, the members couldn’t hide their excited expressions.
“Oh my god. Why are there so few people? Was it controlled because of us? Who are we? This is unbelievable.”
Lee Dagyeong in particular was chattering excitedly.
As he said, the store was being controlled.
They hadn’t completely banned entry, but they had significantly reduced the number of people allowed in.
Although they had signed with an agency and practiced, they had never been active in this way, so it was understandable for them to be excited.
The feeling must have been special, knowing that many people were moving just for them.
We intentionally went with natural, everyday appearances without hair and makeup, but the members’ extraordinary looks seemed to capture the attention of everyone in the store.
Five cameras each took charge of one member, and I watched the scene with satisfaction.
For ordinary young men in their early twenties, such items would have been difficult to access normally.
The members’ eyes widened when they saw the price tags, and they whispered among themselves.
They were very concerned about whether it was really okay to buy such expensive items.
Then, seemingly realizing that asking among themselves was meaningless, they approached me.
“Hyung, can we really buy this? You’re not going to take it back later, are you?”
Lee Dagyeong asked with puppy-like shining eyes, as if there was something he really wanted.
“They wouldn’t do that, right? The company has no reason to do that unless they want to turn everyone who watches this show into anti-fans of Grand Tamer.”
“I guess that’s true. Wow. I’m nervous. I thought even expensive items would be around a few hundred thousand won. Wow… this is an insane scale.”
“The CEO only has money anyway.”
“That’s true.”
From the perspective of flex and vicarious satisfaction, I had a gut feeling that this program would capture viewers’ eyes and ears.
I felt that this had to succeed.
The guys coming out of the fitting room truly captured my attention in a mesmerizing way, and I was certain I wasn’t the only one who was impressed.
The honest emotions were clearly visible on the faces of the store employees who were helping us with our shopping.
“Wow…”
They just stared blankly at the members, at a loss for words.
The members checked themselves in front of the mirror and then came to me, turning around as if for inspection.
“Does it look okay? Does it show too much of my natural style?”
“Does the color look too provocative? This is my first time wearing such a color.”
“But hyung, this is really expensive. Are you sure we can buy it?”
The members asked such questions each time, and I assured them it was fine and urged them to try on more clothes.
I told them to try on things they hadn’t attempted before and couldn’t easily try, rather than similar styles.
“Imagine if the clothes you wear here become popular by word of mouth and sales increase. Then you’ll get a lot of sponsorships, and many business owners will want to use you as advertising models. So show them that you can perfectly pull off things that are hard to pull off.”
“Oh!! As expected, you’re our brain, hyung. I hadn’t thought of that.”
I liked that our trainees showed various charms like chameleons, so I picked out more items for them, and they excitedly tried them on.
The store employees also showed great enthusiasm.
“By the way, when will this be broadcast? I must watch it. I’m a bit tired of audition programs, but this is interesting. It’s a concept about styling trainees before their debut, right?”
Later, we became somewhat friendly with the employees and could have such conversations, asking each other questions.
“That, and flex. Vicarious satisfaction is also an important element, money splur… Ah…”
Han Sijin was speaking excitedly but then glanced at the camera and smiled sheepishly, making the VJ laugh.
Even so, seeing the fearsome mouth now filtering somewhat was already a big achievement.
While we were engrossed in shopping, I heard a commotion from one side as a group of people entered the store.
Since I thought entry was being controlled for filming, I found it strange and turned my head, only to see an unexpected face.
“Oh, noo…”
I almost called her noona but managed to close my mouth at the last moment.
I could only admire my quick reflexes for rapidly closing my mouth in that situation.
Noona seemed to notice that I had almost called her noona but closed my mouth, and she seemed to decide to pretend not to know me.
Then she approached Han Sijin instead of me.
“Aren’t you Han Sijin-ssi? I watched the program you were on. I’m a fan.”
“Ah. Yes…”
Han Sijin still didn’t seem to recognize who noona was.
“Are you filming? Did I interrupt? If entry is restricted, I’ll leave.”
Noona spoke skillfully, and the employees looked at our staff with expressions of uncertainty.
It wasn’t hard to imagine how much sales would increase when noona came once, so this opportunity must have been precious to them.
I thought hyung and noona had coordinated to make this natural scene and inwardly shook my head.
“It’s okay with us. We’ve almost chosen everything anyway, so I think you can shop…”
Cha Yeonwoo spoke and looked at me as if to confirm, and I nodded.
Noona smiled.
“My brother seems to have high expectations for the new trainees. He said he went along to scout Seo Irun-ssi too, so he must be really invested, right? May I give them some gifts as encouragement?”
“Brother…? You don’t mean our CEO… Hooop!!!”
Lee Dagyeong, who was the first to grasp the situation, covered his mouth with his hand.
Then he took the members who were still standing there clueless to one side and whispered busily.
The members immediately started searching on their smartphones, and their faces began to change amusingly from that moment.
“That person is…?!!!”
Noona was known to practically lead Seyoung Electronics.
Noona was watching this scene with amusement, and the cameras were trying hard to capture the spectacle.
“It’s an honor to meet you!!”
Jeong Chan shouted in a loud voice and greeted her, making noona smile.
“You’re spirited. By the way, what kind of smartphone do you use?”
“Of course I use Seyoung’s. My entire family uses Seyoung products.”
“Us too. Of course we have to use Seyoung.”
The members spoke in unison, and even the usually quiet Seo Irun was watching with curious eyes, as if finding the situation fascinating.
His quietness hadn’t changed, but at that moment, his eyes were doing a lot of work.
“Then I should give you gifts as encouragement. What color do you like? Ah, I wonder if this will be cut as indirect advertising?”
“This seems more like direct advertising? Hahaha. If it’s an issue, they can edit it out, so just give it to us.”
Noona burst into laughter as Cha Yeonwoo actively appealed.
“I really like it. We seem to understand each other well. Tell me what colors you like.”
The members immediately shouted their color preferences.
It was as if they had been thinking about it all along, as they didn’t hesitate at all.
Seo Irun was the exception again, but Lee Dagyeong answered for him.
“He should get cream. Cream color. Cream is pretty too.”
Seo Irun looked at me, and I nodded.
I was thinking that this guy just didn’t want to use his own head, when Seo Irun suddenly spoke up.
“Could you give one to our manager too? Please give our manager lavender. Lavender looked pretty.”
So he does think.
And he had a color he liked.
At that, laughter appeared in noona’s eyes.
She looked at me and Seo Irun once each in that state.
She seemed pleased that I was being acknowledged by the members.
“I’m not sure about taking care of the manager too…”
“Then can’t you give his to the manager?”
Noona burst into loud laughter as Seo Irun pointed at Han Sijin.
“No, why? Wouldn’t that mean Seo Irun-ssi has to give up yours?”
Barely holding back her laughter, noona asked, and Seo Irun shook his head.
