The Sacred Manager Life - Chapter 26

“Love Connect” is a song that’s easy to listen to.

The first time I heard it, I couldn’t help but wonder why it didn’t become a hit.

But the outdated outfits and slightly off choreography held it back.

The bizarre concept of the music video also contributed to the song being buried quickly.

In many ways, it’s an unfortunate song.

“They really brought this to life.”

It was the same song, but the vibe was completely different.

Yeoreum is a natural dancer, but she’s not a professional choreographer.

So she focused on simple movements, and the formation wasn’t complicated.

Anyone who wasn’t completely uncoordinated could watch and follow along easily.

“There was a reason for showing all five of them. It feels completely different.”

Even though it was just a temporary lineup, the complete Red Blossom group delivered a dazzling performance.

Despite having an actress and a trainee join in, their synchronization was flawless, and the stage dynamics remained intact.

It felt as if all five of them had always been together, with each member’s charm shining vibrantly on screen.

Looking at the expressions of the PD and the cameraman, there was no need to ask for their thoughts.

If even the people filming were this mesmerized, how much more captivating would it be for the viewers?

“Wow, Cha Soyeon… she’s insane.”

Cha Soyeon’s portrayal of a girl group idol couldn’t have been better.

She moved in perfect rhythm, seducing the audience with a delicate, teasing smile.

Her half-lidded gaze and the way she lightly flicked her tongue—she was practically a temptress.

Her sensual groove kept drawing blood downward, making it an endurance test on par with Yeoreum’s massages.

The housewarming stage concluded with Yeoreum’s fresh, playful wink in the final shot.

Three male audience members, as if spellbound, burst into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

*

“Were you a trainee before? That didn’t look like just copying.”

“It was acting. I followed the moves Yeoreum sent me while watching music show performances. A lot of the expressions were similar, so it was easy to mimic.”

She said she had watched girl group performances and imitated expressions that seemed fitting.

“That’s… possible?”

“For me, yes. Why else would they call me a genius actress?”

If anyone else had said that, it might have sounded arrogant.

But coming from Cha Soyeon, it simply felt like a fact.

Her girl group performance was just that overwhelming.

“Manager-nim, what did you think of Chie?”

Come to think of it, I had been so focused on Cha Soyeon that I forgot to compliment Chie.

The praise for her as the ace of C-Unit wasn’t for nothing.

She had only received a crash course from Rina, yet there wasn’t a hint of awkwardness in her performance.

“She did amazing. If Baek Hakyung saw it, he’d give an instant okay.”

Chie, who had been anxiously waiting for my feedback, beamed with joy.

“Once this video is out, no one will even care about the housewarming. How did you come up with this?”

I was genuinely impressed.

When the video goes public, the impact will likely be legendary.

“It was Soyeon unnie. She said since all five members would be making a comeback anyway, we should show them in advance.”

Once again, Cha Soyeon had taken the lead and carried the entire project.

The others rushed to the kitchen to prepare for the next segment.

Cha Soyeon was following along but then turned to me and whispered,

“What did you think of the scene where I licked my lips and winked at Juwon?”

That was the most arousing move, and she was asking me to specifically evaluate it.

“It was insane. How do you act so seductively?”

“That wasn’t acting.”

“Huh?”

“I was really trying to seduce Juwon. How could seduction be just acting?”

She flashed the same expression from before and then walked off to the kitchen.

W-what just happened?

[I clearly told you to be careful with your feelings.]

*

If Soyeon was the winner of the stage, then Yeoreum was the champion of the kitchen.

“It’s usually 15 minutes, but since the recipe is simple, I shortened it to 10.

Manager-nim, make sure to check the time.

Sera, you’ll assist me, and Soyeon unnie, Rina, and Chie will be the taste testers.

At least two of the three have to approve for a dish to pass.”

After finishing the preparations, Yeoreum explained the rules.

Since they had to cook anyway, they decided to turn it into an entertainment segment for the video.

“We’ll cut out the failed attempts during editing, so don’t feel too pressured.”

“No, aside from fast-forwarding the boring parts, keep in the failed attempts too. I want the audience to see everything as it is.”

With determination in her eyes, Yeoreum picked up the knife.

Later, this scene would probably have some dramatic background music added.

When the first dish, a pollock roe omelet, was ready in just nine minutes, everyone gasped in admiration.

“It doesn’t taste fishy at all! It’s perfectly salty and delicious! Pass!”

“It’s way softer than Mr. Park’s omelet. Approved!”

With each dish that came out, the kitchen was filled with enthusiastic reactions and all sorts of flowery praises.

The sight of beautiful women tasting food with expressions of pure ecstasy, as if experiencing something close to an orgasm, was truly a spectacle.

“If Please Take Care of My Refrigerator was filmed like this, the ratings would have doubled.”

“I’d say tripled.”

The PD and I watched the tasting scene, completely mesmerized.

It was a rare moment that satisfied both lust and appetite at the same time.

This segment would likely rack up as many views as the cover dance performance.

*

They decided to insert a short greeting from Chie, shot as an insert cut.

“Uh… um… I’m Matsuoka Chie.

I was a trainee for two years, but due to some circumstances, I left my agency.

Now, I’m staying with Sera unnie.

The housewarming performance seemed fun, so I decided to join.

I haven’t officially debuted yet, but since this is my first stage, I hope you’ll enjoy it….”

Her slightly awkward tone and hesitant expression actually made her seem even more adorable.

Placing this between Cha Soyeon’s cover dance and Yeoreum’s cooking segment would be perfect for leaving a strong impression.

The PD, clearly satisfied with the footage, was grinning from ear to ear.

“I’ll edit this as fast as possible and send it over. This one is really going to be legendary, so look forward to it!”

With that, they packed up the equipment and left.

“Haah, this feels even more exhausting than a music show performance.”

“Still, it was fun shooting something like this after so long.”

“Bring over everything we made. Let’s start the housewarming.”

“Okay!”

The girls bustled around, setting up the table with food.

Earlier, I had been too focused on keeping track of time, but now I realized—

Half of the dishes were snacks that paired well with alcohol.

“Eating this without alcohol feels a bit disappointing.”

“Who said there’s no alcohol?”

Yeoreum pulled out soju and beer from the fridge.

“We’re not kids. You can’t have a housewarming party without drinks.”

“Sera unnie and I get tipsy after just a few drinks, but Yeoreum unnie can handle a lot. Chie, do you drink well?”

“I’ve never had alcohol before.”

“Then you’ll learn today.”

Rina handed a glass to Chie, who looked hesitant.

“I brought some liquor as a housewarming gift too. It’s a whiskey that women supposedly like.”

The whiskey Cha Soyeon brought was Balvenie 30-Year.

Even I knew that brand.

A friend once brought Balvenie 12-Year to celebrate landing a job at a major company.

He made a big deal about it being the first time he’d spent over 100,000 won on whiskey.

Later, I looked it up and found out it was around 130,000 won at the supermarket.

“Wait… there’s a 30-year version?”

It did have a fruity sweetness that women might enjoy.

Plus, it had a reputation as a “date night drink” because it could get you tipsy before you realized it.

But the 30-Year… even the case looked luxurious.

Curious, I pulled out my phone to check the price.

“What… what the hell?”

It was over 5 million won.

And despite that price, it was hard to find due to limited supply.

“Why do you look like that? Did some bad news come out?”

Yeoreum looked at me with concern.

“No, I just looked up the whiskey Soyeon brought because it seemed expensive.”

“And?”

“It costs over 5 million won.”

Everyone except Cha Soyeon froze on the spot.

A moment later, the entire living room erupted with high-pitched screams.

*

“Are you insane? How are we supposed to drink this?!”

Everyone frantically pushed the whiskey aside.

Beer and soju quickly took its place on the table.

“I didn’t know the price since it was a gift. But so what if it’s 5 million won? Once you guys make a successful comeback, this will feel as cheap as bottled water.”

“But we haven’t succeeded yet.”

Yeoreum firmly rejected the idea.

Cha Soyeon narrowed her eyes and shifted her target to me.

“What kind of man looks up the price of alcohol so stingily? Do you really think you can win me over like that?”

“Win… win you over?!”

Yeoreum’s eyes widened in shock.

Sensing danger, I quickly picked up a glass and interrupted.

“Haha, I think I’m already drunk, and I haven’t even had a sip. Let’s just have a drink together. I’m thirsty.”

Meanwhile, Cha Soyeon was eyeing my phone screen closely.

It was a blog post introducing Balvenie 30-Year.

She scrolled through it, then slowly lifted her head with a knowing smile.

“Guys… this whiskey is apparently very popular as a date night drink.”

“What’s a ‘date night drink’?”

The Red Blossom girls all had question marks floating above their heads.

“It’s the kind of alcohol a guy gives a girl when he’s trying to hit on her.

You know how guys, when they like a girl, want to try this and that?

This is the drink for those situations.

When a girl gets tipsy, it makes things a lot easier for them.”

Their eyes widened in shock, and an intense fire seemed to ignite behind them.

Just how far was this woman planning to take the conversation?

Cha Soyeon picked up the whiskey bottle that had been pushed aside and held it up again.

“Let me ask again. Who wants to drink this?”

Yeoreum immediately raised her hand.

Sera hesitated for a moment before following suit.

Rina glanced at me, her face turning red, then slowly lifted her hand.

Chie lowered her head and quietly raised her hand as well.

“See? Juwon, pour them a drink.”

“But unnie, why didn’t you raise your hand? Aren’t you going to drink?”

Cha Soyeon grinned mischievously, holding up the bottle.

“I’ll pour for all of you… and drink straight from the bottle myself.”