Chapter 421: Helping Sae-Ri (3)

When I looked at Kim Ae-Ran with an excited expression, she smiled faintly and replied, "Although we'll know more after meeting and talking in person, it does seem that she'll recover without having to go to the hospital based on your description."

I knew she would have a solution, but I didn't expect her to be this confident.

I asked, "Do you happen to know the cause as well?"

"It's likely because of the pressure of debuting as a solo artist. Standing on your own isn't easy, after all."

It aligned roughly with what I had assumed.

At that moment, Kim Ae-Ran looked at me and spoke. "Just to be clear, don't blame yourself. Whether it came now or later, it would have come eventually."

Kim Ae-Ran immediately caught on to the fact that I was blaming myself.

I smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Kim."

"More importantly, these symptoms haven't been around for long, right?"

"No. They appeared for the first time today. She was even singing along to 'Princess Ddu-Bi' theme song this morning."

"That's how sudden panic disorder can be. But we do need to address this as quickly as possible... Can we see Sae-Ri right now?"

I immediately turned my gaze to Lee Dong-Min. "Mr. Lee. If there's nothing else, I'll head to Sae-Ri with Ms. Kim Ae-Ran."

Lee Dong-Min nodded. "Go ahead. I'll need to discuss the company acquisition with Ye-Eum sunbae anyway."

"I'm sorry for always leaving the complicated tasks to you," I apologized.

"Don't mention it. Just make sure you take good care of Sae-Ri."

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

I exchanged smiles and farewells with Ahn Ye-Eum as well.

"I'll see you later, Team Lead Jung~"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ma'am? I'm wrapping up the business as of today. Next time, just call me Producer Ahn or Ms. Ahn. My title may say director, but my main role will be producing."

"Yes, Ms. Ahn."

Then Kim Ae-Ran spoke, "For me, just call me Ms. Kim."

"Yes, Ms. Kim."

At that moment, Kim Ae-Ran suddenly remembered something. "Wait a moment. Since it's our first meeting, let me quickly change."

Kim Ae-Ran rushed into the changing room and came back dressed. Instead of a droopy T-shirt, she wore a sharp black suit and replaced her black-rimmed glasses with colorful ones. Her messy pink bob seemed to be curled with a straightener, looking much more polished.

"Shall we go, Mr. Jung?"

***

The moment I opened the front door of Cherry Blossom's dorm and entered, the spicy smell of chili powder, savory oil, and the rich aroma of meat simultaneously hit my nose.

I figured it must be Sae-Ri's favorite menu—tteokbokki, fried snacks, and soondae[1].

Maybe because I skipped dinner, my stomach began growling the moment I caught the smell.

Sae-Ri, sitting in the living room about to eat, waved at me as soon as she spotted me. "Oh? Yoon-Ho oppa~ Come and eat with us!"

The snacks on the table must have just arrived because steam was still rising from them.

Cherry Blossom also gestured for me to sit. However, instead of taking a seat, I introduced Kim Ae-Ran who followed me in. "Girls, let's pause eating for a moment and say hello first."

When Kim Ae-Ran with her pink hair appeared, everyone looked surprised.

Woo Yeon-Hee asked on behalf of the group, "Oppa, who is she?"

"This is Ms. Kim Ae-Ran. She's the new producer joining our Team Jung. Say hello."

When Woo Yeon-Hee put down her chopsticks and stood up, the other members also got up.

The four of them gave their signature greeting with perfect form, "Hello! Want to bloom forever! We are Cherry Blossom!"

Kim Ae-Ran mirrored them by forming her hands into a flower shape and waving playfully. Then, she jokingly stretched her hands out and shouted a cheerful chant, "Bloom forever! Love everywhere! Support everywhere!"

The sight was so funny that all the members grabbed their stomachs and giggled.

"

Pfft.

"

"

Haha!

"

Kim Ae-Ran was already approaching Cherry Blossom warmly. "My name is Kim Ae-Ran, and I'll be taking care of you from now on. I look forward to working with you guys."

"Nice to meet you!"

"Just call me Ms. Kim. That's easier, right?"

"Yes, Ms. Kim!"

After greetings were exchanged, we all sat around the table. We introduced ourselves briefly while eating the snacks on the table.

As we casually chatted, Kim Ae-Ran began talking about her past as if it were no big deal. "Actually...I was preparing to debut as an idol before I became a producer, just like you all."

Woo Yeon-Hee's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Why? Did you think I wasn't pretty enough for that?"

"Oh, no. I was just surprised because there aren't many idol-turned-composers. And Ms. Kim, you're really beautiful!"

Though she claimed she wasn't, Kim Ae-Ran had a stylish beauty that seemed like a mix of Woo Yeon-Hee and Yang Eun-Bi.

Kim Ae-Ran smiled, saying it was just a joke. "

Pfft

. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Anyway, the group I was supposed to debut with was called Pink Rabbit, and I was the leader."

"Pink Rabbit?"

When Yang Eun-Bi smiled faintly, Kim Ae-Ran playfully grumbled. "Funny name, right?"

Yang Eun-Bi waved her hands urgently. "Oh, no! It's not that..."

"It's fine. Honestly, I found it funny too.

Sigh

~ But naming an idol group Pink Rabbit? Isn't that too much? Green or Blue would've been better. For the record, I was pushing for Blue Rabbit. It stood out more and looked cooler. Don't you agree?"

The girls burst out laughing, saying that sounded even weirder. It was a story from ten years ago, but Kim Ae-Ran's humor had everyone captivated.

As the conversation continued for a while, Kim Ae-Ran suddenly looked at Sae-Ri and gently brought up the main topic. "But then...I was suddenly hit with panic disorder about a month before our debut. So, well... everything fell apart."

I thought to myself, '

Wow. She's impressive.

'

By sharing her experience, Kim Ae-Ran was connecting emotionally with Cherry Blossom. The kind-hearted Cherry Blossom members were getting teary-eyed upon hearing that Kim Ae-Ran never achieved her dream of becoming an idol unlike themselves.

Sniffling, Sae-Ri wiped her teary eyes and asked, "Ms. Kim, then... are you okay now? I really hope you are."

Kim Ae-Ran spread her hands wide. "Of course. I'm completely fine now. I'm just too old to be an idol anymore, that's all."

"That's a relief."

Sae-Ri and the other three clapped their hands, saying they were glad she had recovered.

At that moment, Kim Ae-Ran wrapped up her story as if waiting for the perfect moment. "So Sae-Ri, you'll be fine too."

"Excuse me? Me too?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, but I think you're also dealing with panic disorder. But it's in the very early stages, so let's just call it anxiety. Yeah, that sounds about right. So I'll help you from now on, just like my producer did for me."

The moment those kind words left Kim Ae-Ran's mouth, tears started streaming down Sae-Ri's face like a waterfall. "Huh? Oh? Why am I crying...

sniff.

"

Though Sae-Ri called herself a 'cute and sexy queen,' today she was nothing but a teary crybaby.

***

Kim Ae-Ran calmed Sae-Ri down and started sharing her treatment experience.

She had seen psychiatrists and tried medications. However, in the end, the most effective solutions for her were exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Kim Ae-Ran then began suggesting a few things to Sae-Ri. "Sae-Ri, do you know how to do yoga?"

By then, Sae-Ri had stopped crying and shook her head. "No."

"Then is there any exercise you like?"

Sae-Ri flinched and averted her gaze.

Woo Yeon-Hee patted Sae-Ri on the shoulder and answered on her behalf. "Sae-Ri doesn't like exercising."

Sae-Ri pouted her lips. "But I still work hard in my lessons."

Kim Ae-Ran smiled and pointed at Sae-Ri. "Then I'll teach you some simple yoga moves, so let's start with that every day. It's great for your mental health. And most importantly, it's perfect for dieting!"

Sae-Ri showed a bit of interest. After all, for idols, the hardest thing was resisting food.

"Really?"

"Really. So let's start today."

At that moment, the rest of Cherry Blossom members chimed in, saying they would join in for Sae-Ri's sake.

Sae-Ri fidgeted with her fingers. "Um, Ms. Kim..."

"Hm? What is it?"

"Can't I still eat tteokbokki and soondae today? Yoon-Ho oppa said I could..."

The moment "diet" was mentioned, the snacks on the table seemed to haunt her.

Kim Ae-Ran chuckled. "Okay~ Well, diets always start tomorrow, right? But tomorrow morning, we're doing yoga. Got it?"

Sae-Ri cheered and eagerly dipped a piece of soondae into the ssamjang[2]. "Yay!"

Kim Ae-Ran tilted her head. "Ssamjang? You're not dipping it in salt?"

"What? Ms. Kim, you're from Seoul, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's why. Try dipping it in ssamjang. It's so good!"

"Really?"

When Sae-Ri nodded, Kim Ae-Ran carefully dipped the soondae into the ssamjang and put it in her mouth while squeezing her eyes shut.

At that moment, Kim Ae-Ran's face brightened. "Oh? It's good!"

"Right? Right? See, soondae is best with ssamjang!"

"You're right. I'll eat it like this from now on."

While casually eating tteokbokki, Kim Ae-Ran naturally transitioned into talking about panic disorder treatment. "Mmm... Sae-Ri, do you remember why your voice was trembling earlier?"

Sae-Ri dipped her soondae heavily in ssamjang and tilted her head. "No. I just thought, 'This is my solo song,' and suddenly my heart started racing. It felt like I was all alone in the world."

"But in reality, you're not alone. You've got your members, Mr. Jung, and the talent agents."

Sae-Ri nodded. "I know, but that's how it felt. Like I was sinking into the ground."

"Hmm~ Then after we finish eating, let's write down all the things you're worried about one by one."

Sae-Ri tilted her head. "Write them down? Why?"

"To see if they're really things you need to worry about. Most of the time, people worry about things they don't actually need to."

"Hmm. Okay~."

"And no coffee or cola, okay?"

Sae-Ri raised her hand quickly. "I already don't drink those. They're bad for my throat."

"That's my good Sae-Ri."

Sae-Ri stuck out her tongue playfully and smiled.

Kim Ae-Ran asked the other Cherry Blossom members to help Sae-Ri and then turned her gaze to me. "And Mr. Jung, you have the most important job to do."

"Me?"

It seemed like I had a mission too.

***

Kim Ae-Ran quietly led me into the kitchen.

Then she explained, "As I suspected, Sae-Ri's panic disorder is because of the fear of standing alone. She thinks she can do it, but she's not actually ready yet. So whatever happens, don't leave Sae-Ri by herself."

"Then we'll need to postpone moving to the new dorm," I remarked.

"Exactly. For now, it's better to keep them in two-person rooms just like now."

Cherry Blossom had plans to move to a nearby luxury villa due to their consecutive successes. However, according to Kim Ae-Ran, staying in a smaller space like the current one was better.

Kim Ae-Ran added, "Oh, and Mr. Jung. Please contact Sae-Ri every day as much as possible. Even if it's about nothing important, keep showing her that you care. Keep repeating phrases like 'You're doing great,' and 'You'll do even better.' Earlier, I noticed she kept looking at you while speaking. It seems like she really relies on you."

"Understood."

"And lastly, please eliminate any uncertainty from Sae-Ri's schedule."

"Uncertainty?"

"Yes. For now, organize her schedule so she can follow a set plan without any surprises. Don't accept any sudden changes to her agenda. Panic disorder is deeply related to anxiety, so you need to remove uncertainty and allow her to move according to a predictable plan. Got it?"

For celebrities, unexpected schedules were practically routine. There were times when an emergency call would come during lunch because a radio guest canceled. Also, details about the timing and location of appearances could also change on a whim.

Nevertheless, if Sae-Ri could fully recover from panic disorder, managing her schedule was worth the effort.

"Don't worry and leave it to me."

Finishing her instructions, Kim Ae-Ran playfully winked. "If I'd had someone like you back then, I would've recovered much faster. Why didn't you come to me at that time, huh?"

I smiled and replied. "I'll be sure to come earlier next time."

There wouldn't be any 'next time,' but I said it to lighten the mood.

"

Pfft.

What, are you planning to travel back in time or something?"

For a moment, it felt as if my heart sank.

Kim Ae-Ran burst into laughter. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Honestly, I would have flopped if I had debuted as an idol back then. Looking back now, I can see it clearly."

I looked at Kim Ae-Ran earnestly. "I'll help you become the best producer in this lifetime."

Kim Ae-Ran extended her hand. "I look forward to working with you."

I shook her hand and smiled brightly.

***

The next day, Kim Ae-Ran arrived with her things and officially managed Sae-Ri.

Meanwhile, Singer Division 2 began adjusting Cherry Blossom's schedule in earnest. Some engagements were entirely canceled and we accepted the losses.

For the broadcasts that couldn't be avoided, we agreed with the broadcasters that Sae-Ri wouldn't participate by citing a severe ankle sprain while the other members attended instead.

With Sae-Ri's schedule reduced as much as possible, we anxiously waited for her condition to improve.

In the meantime, Yoo-Jin and Miso traveled to Gyeongju for the filming of

Hwaranjeon

. Miso's puppy, Baekseolgi, and her cat, Injeolmi, were growing chubby, well-fed, and happy in their cozy home.

Meanwhile, Deok-Bae finally escaped his status as an unregistered individual and obtained his resident ID card. I temporarily agreed to be Han-Ul's guardian with plans to hand over the role to Deok-Bae once he was more settled.

Two days passed as I managed these matters.

As soon as I arrived at work in the morning, I received a KkTalk message from Kim Ae-Ran.

[Producer Kim Ae-Ran: Mr. Jung, Sae-Ri is about to do a recording test. Please come to the basement recording studio right away.]

It had only been three days since Sae-Ri's panic disorder symptoms appeared. Yet, they were already testing whether she had recovered.

1.

Korean blood sausage

☜

2.

Korean spicy dipping sauce

☜