Chapter 832: To Number One (2)

The next day at five in the morning, I handed the Treviang trio off to Chief Han So-Yoo and the stylist team, then headed to KBC on my own. We had a pre-recording session scheduled early that morning, so I was going in advance to meet the PD and get things rolling.

Screech.

After parking, I grabbed two paper bags filled with gift cookies and walked toward the main KBC building.

In front of the KBC headquarters, Petite More's fan club, the Petite Angels, were huddled together in thick jumpers, their eyes wide like startled rabbits. Leading them in a flashy pink coat and waving a cheer stick like a conductor was Petite More's president, Bae In-Jung.

"Hey, you know today's the most important day, right? We got first place in week one but lost it in week two. If we don't take it back today, the momentum could break. So we've got to make sure Eun-Bin gets back on top. Also, anyone who sent out more than ten vote reminder texts to their friends, come see me. I'll be checking."

It was still cold in the early April morning, so the Petite Angels clustered like penguins, responding to every word from Bae In-Jung.

"Got it, President."

"Ten texts? Easy."

"You can count on us."

Pleased with their enthusiasm, Bae In-Jung nodded with a satisfied smile. "Okay. A coffee truck will be here soon. Hang in there just a little longer."

"Oooh~ That's our President!"

As the youngest daughter of the Baines Group, Bae In-Jung was flexing her financial muscle from the crack of dawn like a true fan club queen. Park Eun-Bin's recent win with 'White Day Proposal' owed not just to a good song but also largely to Bae In-Jung's influence as fan club president.

However, after easing off the push and losing first place to rookie group Berry Six, she had refocused her energy with full force. Not just Berry Six, but those girls were my competition too.

Just then, our eyes met as Bae In-Jung turned around.

Bae In-Jung growled the moment she saw me. "Mr. Jung, today our Eun-Bin is going to beat Berry Six."

She still thought Berry Six and I were from the same company.

"Yeah. I hope so. You guys are working this hard. Eun-Bin better beat Berry Six or what's the point, right?"

Bae In-Jung flinched. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you making fun of us?"

"No. I'm being serious."

Bae In-Jung took a step back and bristled like a porcupine. "You think I'll go soft just because you say that?"

I had meant it sincerely, but she took it the wrong way again.

I clenched my fist and shouted, pouring even more sincerity into it. "Go, Park Eun-Bin!"

Bae In-Jung trembled with fury. "You'll see. I will crush Berry Six and get our Eun-Bin back to number one."

She spun around and returned to the Petite Angels. I had spoken from the heart, yet somehow, I had ended up adding another rival.

'

Is today really going to go well

?'

With a dumbfounded look, I headed into the KBC building.

***

"Mr. Jung! It's been way too long, don't you think?"

Cha Tae-Hee, the PD who had been darting through the hallway outside the waiting rooms, greeted me with a mix of delight and exasperation.

I immediately held out the paper bags in both hands and said, "Sorry about that. Things got a bit hectic with the company going public. And here. This is a gift."

I handed her the cakes and cookies Yoon-Bo-Ra's mother had prepared the night before. The moment Cha Tae-Hee took the hefty paper bags, she broke into a smile. A buttery aroma of fig financiers and lemon cream cheese madeleines wafted out, tickling our noses.

"

Mmm

~ Just for today, I'll let it slide in honor of your effort, Mr. Jung."

"Aren't you forgiving me a little too easily?"

"

Pfft

. You know music shows don't run properly without Hoop Entertainment these days."

She was right. With Berry Six and Treviang competing for first place, she couldn't exactly ignore us.

"Anyway, thank you! We'll share it well. So, what brings you in today? Who's making a comeback? Cherry Blossom? Kang Ha-Na? If you want to lock in a schedule, just let me know. Give me the heads-up and I'll push them properly."

"No, actually I'm here to ask for a bit of a push for Treviang today."

Cha Tae-Hee blinked in surprise. "Wait a minute. You're asking us to push Treviang, who's in third place? Not Berry Six, the current number one?"

"Yes. Is something wrong?"

Cha Tae-Hee hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "Well... yesterday, our CP met with someone from Hoop Entertainment and promised to push Berry Six hard."

Apparently, Chief Yoon Dong-Goo had tried to vent his frustration from yesterday by meeting with CP Ahn Dong-Gyu of KBC

Music Stage

last night and pre-loading him with plans. And that wasn't all.

"

Oh,

and I heard they've poured a huge investment into today's stage setup. So we've already planned the spotlight around them..."

The flashy stage setups seen on broadcasts weren't funded by the station but by the entertainment company. The cost could range from ten to thirty million won, and judging by scale, they had easily spent around thirty million.

I had ordered his approval rights revoked last night, so I had no idea how he got that money. However, I wasn't about to nitpick. After all, music shows were ultimately shaped by the field PD's influence.

"I get that the stage is already set and I wouldn't ask you to undo that. But take a look at Treviang once they're here. If you think they've got something, I'd really appreciate it if you could lend them some push. I promise you won't regret it."

Cha Tae-Hee tilted her head. "What makes you so confident? Treviang's new song is nice, sure, but their stage presence was a bit weak compared to others... Are you planning to invest more into their stage setup?"

"Nope."

"Wait, really? Then how are we supposed to push them? I mean, if the visuals can't hold up on stage even with the best lighting and camera work, it just won't..."

Just then, a stir erupted from the far end of the hallway.

-

Whoa

! That's insane.

-What the heck is this?

-Looks like Hoop Entertainment came ready to kill.

-Are they doing a fashion show or something?

-Where are those outfits from?

-No idea. I wish our agency dressed us like that.

Hearing the buzz, I smiled. "

Ah

, there they are now. Take a look for yourself. You'll understand why I'm this confident."

At that moment, the staff in the hallway stepped aside like Moses parting the Red Sea. Through the open path walked Treviang, their strides full of confidence.

Cha Tae-Hee's eyes widened like marbles. "What the heck? These girls are Treviang?"

The completely transformed Treviang from yesterday approached us.

***

"Hello! We're Treviang!"

Their styling had taken a complete 180-degree turn from the day before. All three wore outfits so glamorous they looked like they had just stepped off a runway.

The leader, Oh Ji-Ah, wore a pink silk lace blouse with sleeves down to her wrists, paired with white hot pants. The look was cute and playful from the front, but the back of the lace dress was daringly open in a sexy design.

Hong Mal-Sook wore a sleeveless turtleneck that exposed her arms and tucked into crisply pleated ivory cotton pants.

Last was Sung Ji-Hyo, draped in a black velvet jacket over a white tank top and a red chiffon miniskirt.

Their outfits all emphasized femininity and sex appeal, yet they still maintained a springtime flair—exactly the kind of styling their peers would want to copy—without forgetting the flashiness expected from stage costumes.

Since Cha Tae-Hee was also a woman, she looked stunned the moment she saw the outfits. "This is no joke."

I smiled with satisfaction. "Those outfits are new designs by Jason Cho, created in collaboration with our stylist, Assistant Manager Lee Mi-Ri. But please keep that confidential until Mr. Jason Cho announces it himself."

Last night, I called Jason Cho directly during our styling briefing. Thankfully, he told me he had already made sample pieces a month ago the moment he received Lee Mi-Ri's styling sketches.

So I had taken the girls to his shop late last night. After a fitting session with the samples, they were now wearing them to the broadcast. The result led to every eyes on them.

Cha Tae-Hee looked thrilled. "Wow~ Then we seriously need to rework today's stage lighting from scratch."

"Do you like it?"

"Absolutely! Sorry to the other teams, but this is on a whole different level. If we just zoom the cameras in on them, we won't even need stage props."

Tight camera angles could frame only the singers and their outfits, leaving out the background entirely. In other words, dumping tens of millions of won into stage design wouldn't even matter anymore.

'This is how to spend money, Chief Yoon

.'

Just then, Cha Tae-Hee glanced around and leaned in to whisper just loud enough for me to hear.

-But Mr. Jung... The outfits are gorgeous, but aren't they worth several million won each? Since we're a public broadcaster, if the outfits are too obviously luxury, they could get flagged. That would mean we can't even air the stage. What do we do then?

Jason Cho had always designed clothes for celebrities and had worked with luxury brand L.M.L., so she had naturally assumed these outfits were high-end.

I chuckled and replied. "All three full sets, accessories included, cost less than three hundred thousand won each."

Cha Tae-Hee's eyes widened. "How is that even possible?"

"He says it's a misconception that flashy equals expensive. And this time, Jason Cho put a lot of thought into pricing because he's launching a brand aimed at women from their teens to thirties."

"Wait. Are you saying this new brand is making its debut on our show today?"

"Yes. The first public unveiling is during today's broadcast."

Cha Tae-Hee's face lit up. "So these are actually going to be for sale?"

"Exactly. They're planning a mass production run in collaboration with LM Apparel. The fabric and styles might change slightly, but yes. Just don't mention the exact price or the designer name yet, please. It's not finalized."

"Of course. If any regulations come in, I'll shut them down. Leave it to me."

I nodded and asked again. "So, can we count on your support for Treviang today?"

Cha Tae-Hee smiled. "I can't cancel the push for Berry Six because that came straight from the CP and he's probably at the set right now. But within my authority, I'll give Treviang everything I've got."

"Thank you!"

"No, I should be the one to thank you. You've made today's show look amazing. Just leave the rest to me."

"Alright."

Cha Tae-Hee looked at Treviang again and let out a sigh of admiration. "They really are stunning. Wow..."

Still wearing that look of envy, Cha Tae-Hee turned and walked away.

One hurdle was cleared. Now that we had great footage for the broadcast, it was time to move on to the next step.

First, the waiting room.

"Girls, let's head to the waiting room and get ready for the pre-recording."

The Treviang members nodded with bright smiles. "Yes, Mr. Jung!"

Together with Han So-Yoo, I led them to the waiting room. Treviang's assigned room was right next to Park Eun-Bin and Berry Six, given it was a first-place competition day and we had been allotted the third-largest room.

However, just before we stepped inside, the door to Berry Six's room opened.

Creak.

Standing front and center, Chief Yoon Dong-Goo scowled the moment he saw us. "What... What is that? Those outfits?"

His eyes narrowed in alarm at the clearly distinctive designs. Behind him, Berry Six's choreographer AZ and the members followed him out. It seemed like they were probably heading out to greet their sunbaes before pre-recording.

"Huh? Wait..."

"

Whoa

, they look...

uh

..."

"Where did those outfits..."

Everyone reflexively started to say how pretty the outfits were, asking where they got them—until they noticed the expression on Yoon Dong-Goo's face. One by one, they fell silent. The stunned looks on their faces made it clear just how shaken they were by Treviang's transformation.

Then, Han So-Yoo shot a sharp remark toward Berry Six. "What are you all mumbling about? And why aren't you greeting your sunbaes? Do you have neck braces on or something?"

Han So-Yoo hadn't been in the practice room yesterday. So today, she was serving it right back.

Berry Six bowed their heads with sour expressions. Their leader, Yoo So-Jung, looked especially stiff, struggling to lower her head that didn't seem used to bending.

"

Ah

, hello, sunbae-nim. We're Fresh and Bubbly, Berry Six~"

"We're Berry Six~"

Treviang gave them a calm nod in response. "Right. Good luck on stage today."

Han So-Yoo let out a faint chuckle, then turned to Yoon Dong-Goo, who was two years younger than her. "Chief Yoon. Got a minute? Let's talk."

Yoon Dong-Goo shook his head, feigning indifference. "I've got to meet with the broadcast staff. Let's talk later."

With that, Yoon Dong-Gu strode off and Berry Six followed behind with awkward expressions.

Han So-Yoo glared after them and muttered a sigh. "I swear, those little..."

I gently tried to calm her down. "Let it go. We just need to win on stage today."

"Yeah. You're right." Han So-Yoo nodded and looked back at Treviang. "Girls. Let's give it everything we've got, okay?"

"Yes, Ms. Han!"

Treviang's eyes sparkled with a confidence that hadn't been there yesterday.

***

After a quick makeup touch-up in the waiting room, Treviang went up and finished their pre-recording.

Clunk.

When they returned, sweat beaded their foreheads and their hair clung to their skin.

Click.

The door closed behind them. At once, the girls bounced toward me, all giddy.

"Mr. Jung! We really nailed that stage!"

"Yeah! The PD and all the staff were gasping. It was insane."

Their excitement was as pure as kids on a field trip, and Han So-Yoo looked just as delighted.

"Mr. Jung, the vibe is seriously amazing today."

Everyone was brimming with hope, but I simply gave them a quiet smile. After all, the real race was just getting started.

A few moments later, I heard a knock on the door.

Knock knock.

'

There she is.

'

"Yoon-Ho oppa."

"Yeah, come in."

Click.

The door opened, and in walked Kang Ha-Na dressed in a white t-shirt, white blazer, and black cotton pants.

"Girls! I'm here~"

"Huh? Unnie!"

"What brings you here?"

Treviang welcomed Kang Ha-Na with bright smiles.

They bounced around holding hands, but I waved them back to focus. "Ji-Ah, Mal-Sook, Ji-Hyo, take the front row. Ha-Na, you take the back. We're filming the pistol dance for MeTube. No cuts, all in one take."

'Stand Alone' had a signature move—the pistol dance. I was planning to upload a video of Treviang doing the dance with Kang Ha-Na to her MeTube channel, which had over two million subscribers, just in time for people to see it on their morning commutes.

Kang Ha-Na handed me her phone and stepped behind the girls in their stage outfits. "Alright, girls. Line up."

"Okay!"

The three members of Treviang took formation in front of Kang Ha-Na. At that moment, I hit play on the music for 'Stand Alone.'

『I'm on my solo now.

No more clinging, that's over.

Don't expect me, drop the regrets.

It's your illusion if you think I'll come back.

From now on, I stand alone.

...』

With a sparkle in their eyes, the four of them began performing the signature pistol dance choreography from 'Stand Alone.'

Kang Ha-Na, who once dreamed of being an idol herself, followed the trio's moves with ease.

***

[Ha-Na Tube]

[Subscribers: 2.001 million]

[Bang! Bang! Pistol Dance – KBC

Music Show

Waiting Room with Treviang]

(Views) 53,239

...

Fifteen minutes after upload, the MeTube view count had already surpassed fifty thousand. And at the same time, the digital music charts began reacting.

"It's climbing!"

[April 4, 2021]

[Current Time: 8:30 a.m]

[Realtime Chart Rankings]

1 (–). 'I'm Cinderella' - Berry Six

2 (+3). 'Stand Alone' - Treviang

3 (–1). 'White Day Proposal' - Park Eun-Bin

...

'Stand Alone' reached number two on the charts for the first time. Oh Ji-Ah and the rest of Treviang screamed and jumped with joy, holding hands with Han So-Yoo.

"

Ahh

! Oh my gosh!"

'

Just a little more.

'

If they could even hit number one on the realtime charts, the press would pick it up. That could lead to a huge boost in the afternoon voting round.

Just then, someone tapped on the door from outside.

Knock knock.

-Mr. Jung? Are you in there? If so, could you step out for a moment?

It was Cha Tae-Hee's voice.

"Yes, coming."

I answered loudly and stepped out of the waiting room.

Click.

"Ms. Cha, our girls' song just hit—"

Just as I was about to share the good news, Cha Tae-Hee cut me off with a grim look. "Mr. Jung, I'm really sorry... but it looks like we can't air the performance in those outfits. You'll need to change them."

Cha Tae-Hee knew how much the outfits cost. So I couldn't understand why she was suddenly telling me to switch them.

'

What the hell is going on

?'