The Goal is the Ending Fairy - Episode 31

Cha Sihyun’s unreadable expression soon morphed into a bland smile.

 

“I was just being a bit mischievous. I wanted you to take things more seriously.”

 

“…Are you talking about debuting too?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Cha Sihyun blinked at my words before bursting into sudden laughter.

 

“What? Ahaha!”

 

While she clutched her stomach laughing, my brow only furrowed deeper as I watched.

 

“Oh Dan-ah. That’s impossible.”

 

What’s impossible about… ah, forget it.

 

When I deliberately ignored her, Cha Sihyun shifted closer, leaning against the wall beside me.

 

The only difference was that she rested her head sideways – facing me directly.

 

Her steady gaze made me distinctly uncomfortable.

 

“Seonha really didn’t understand that part earlier. I felt so wronged.”

 

“Why you?”

 

“You’re so desperate. It shows.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

Is it that obvious?

 

Of course, what trainee wouldn’t be desperate to debut…

 

Among them, it’s true that I’m the most desperate… (Literally life-or-death desperate.)

 

It felt strange to have someone else, especially the most unexpected person, state it so definitively.

 

No, it felt wrong.

 

It was unsettling, like she had me completely figured out.

 

“Want me to tell you something?”

 

“No.”

 

“Try to eliminate anything that could make you look bad from the start.”

 

“…”

 

My head tilted at her unwanted advice. Why ask if you’re going to say whatever you want?

 

“I’m talking about Seonha.”

 

Her eyes curved brightly as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

 

The palm patting me felt heavy.

 

As it pressed down firmly before lifting, my shoulder felt unnecessarily burdened.

 

“You told me before. That you wanted to make up with Seonha, but you couldn’t even remember why things ended up this way.”

 

“Are you serious?”

 

“Huh? Look at this, pretending not to know again.”

 

“Why do you keep pretending to know?”

 

“You said you were worried because the two of you seemed to have drifted too far apart.”

 

This is maddening.

 

“What have you been talking about since earlier…”

 

‘…’

 

Wait, maybe?

 

Could I have made such a request before possessing this body?

 

Come to think of it, I had forgotten that was even possible.

 

“…Ah, right. Now I’m starting to remember.”

 

I managed to play along just before Cha Sihyun’s gaze shifted. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late.

 

“Right?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“So? Do you remember now? Like why you two fought…”

 

“…Yeah, thanks.”

 

Though I hated to admit it, I couldn’t help but nod.

 

While the process was somewhat forced, I had gained some information.

 

“Grateful?”

 

‘Grateful my…’

 

How could she say such things after witnessing what just happened – she really had no shame.

 

After staring at her in disbelief, I shook my head.

 

And yet…

 

Claiming not to remember why we fought, then suddenly calling the person involved to start another fight… Does this make any sense?

 

I couldn’t tell if she had some ulterior motive or was just incredibly naive.

 

“But hey, are you going to keep avoiding my questions?”

 

“Huh? Me?”

 

“Why suddenly today? There are plenty of other days, but specifically today, and right now.”

 

“Ah, that’s…”

 

“…Come to think of it.”

 

Before hearing Cha Sihyun’s answer, I uncrossed my arms as another question struck me.

 

“How did you even get my number?”

 

“Oh.”

 

Cha Sihyun rolled her eyes and sighed. Then she clasped her hands behind her back, avoiding my gaze.

 

“I asked Hee-jo unnie and she told me…? Since Jinyu wouldn’t tell me…”

 

“…Ha.”

 

Really, Yoon Hee-jo….

 

I could picture exactly how it happened.

 

Naively, Yoon Hee-jo must have fallen for Cha Sihyun’s manipulation. Though it was surprising that Lee Jinyu had refused.

 

“And… I wanted you to make up before the third mission.”

 

“Why specifically?”

 

“You wouldn’t give me a chance before the broadcast, and there needed to be some interference after.”

 

Cha Sihyun wasn’t even waiting for my understanding anymore.

 

‘Interference?’

 

Her words were like riddles. Riddles that offered hints only to snatch them away.

 

As someone used to Cha Sihyun’s way of speaking, it wasn’t particularly strange.

 

That’s not to say I understood why she was acting this way.

 

“You seem to have a lot to think about.”

 

“…”

 

“Ah. Then can I head in first?”

 

“What?”

 

The very person who had thoroughly messed with me now announced her departure.

 

“The manager is calling for me.”

 

Cha Sihyun glanced at her vibrating phone before waving at me.

 

I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by everything she’d said, but everything was confusing right now anyway.

 

At this point, I didn’t think her staying would help clarify anything.

 

“Fine. Just go.”

 

I waved my hand dismissively.

 

Meaning if you’re going to leave, leave quickly.

 

“Okay. Don’t come in too late.”

 

Before turning away, Cha Sihyun half-raised her arm, ending in a tightly clenched fist that was truly irritating.

 

Rather than feeling encouraged by the not-so-encouraging gesture, I just simmered inside.

 

‘You’re making me age prematurely…’

 

After watching Cha Sihyun vanish through the building’s back door, I let my head fall back against the wall.

 

– Thunk!

 

A bit too hard.

 

Before I could even process the system’s wild acceleration, I had to figure out how to clean up this mess.

 

What kind of melodramatic development is this? It wasn’t this extreme when I played in reality.

 

‘And what was that choice screen about?’

 

This bothered me most.

 

The appearance of the choice screen itself wasn’t strange.

 

Since it appears randomly for responses, the sudden timing was natural.

 

Haven’t all the choice screens so far appeared at unexpected moments? During interviews, or during broadcast missions…

 

But while they were all sudden, none were in sections that were hard to understand.

 

They all came during filming, in other words, during debut-related activities.

 

‘Then, what about the choice screen that just appeared?’

 

This was problematic in that regard.

 

Looking at the track record so far, fighting with Chae Seonha like this could cause more ripples.

 

More specifically, it meant friction with Chae Seonha was connected to my debut activities.

 

So my hypothesis was:

 

‘Did Chae Seonha really become a debut member?’

 

At this point when many original debut members disappeared… This seemed possible given the flow.

 

But what did I just do to such a person?

 

First, Sudden revenge.

Second, Fought because of the choice screen’s antics.

Third, Grabbed her hair for the above reason.

Fourth. Cursing? Freely spewed that too.

 

Conclusion. Already disliked, and now we’re even more distant…

 

After reaching that point, I barely held back harsh words.

 

Why materialize such trivial moments as choice screens?

 

If it truly wanted me to debut, this couldn’t happen.

 

If I’d known this would happen, I should have ignored Cha Sihyun’s message from the start. I should have just stayed in the practice room pretending I hadn’t seen it…

 

I was foolish.

 

‘What are you going to do now, Seo Dan-ah?’

 

Of all times, it’s right before the third mission filming.

 

It’s not easy for people who’ve had a heated argument to hide their feelings on set.

 

Obviously showing it wasn’t an option. What I mean is, being mindful of various things to prevent that would be extremely tiring.

 

‘Right.’

 

Then suddenly, I remembered an existence I’d forgotten. That one who had abandoned and run away.

 

I walked to the garden area and pulled back the bushes.

 

“Come out.”

 

[…..]

 

Helper, who had been lying flat among the plants.

 

At my call, it slowly rose and floated over, dawdling as if being dragged to a slaughterhouse.

 

Despite running away and leaving me alone, it seemed to know it had done wrong.

 

I had mountains of questions about that.

 

“What was that earlier?”

 

[What?]

 

“You said you made eye contact.”

 

Helper had definitely clung to me saying it made eye contact with someone.

 

But why is it acting like this now?

 

[I-I don’t know what you mean….]

 

Far from answering my question, Helper completely avoided it and played dumb.

 

[Ahem, hem….]

 

“…”

 

On top of that, it kept avoiding my gaze while awkwardly humming.

 

“Why are you suddenly changing your story?”

 

I lowered my head to follow where it was avoiding.

 

But when Helper met my eyes, it turned its head the opposite way again. So I followed there again, and this repeated.

 

‘Is it trying to hide something?’

 

The timing was bad.

 

I should have pressed for an answer earlier when it was flustered.

 

“So. You’re not going to answer?”

 

[I don’t really know what you’re talking abou- ack, what are you doing!]

 

“Tell me.”

 

While stretching out Helper’s arms like that.

 

– Ding!

 

A message notification suddenly appeared.

 

However…

 

[Ah.]

 

It appeared in front of Helper, not me.

 

“…What is it?”

 

[Ah, it’s nothing!]

 

When I tried to look closer, I could only see an empty screen from my side.

 

Moreover, when I took a step closer, Helper hugged the screen to itself and turned away.

 

Unlike me, Helper seemed to see something on that screen, nodding repeatedly as if understanding.

 

Then it brought up another screen and started typing something to send.

 

Again, a screen whose contents I couldn’t see.

 

[Um, Dan-ah nim….]

 

“What is it?”

 

After watching the screen disappear, I jerked my chin at Helper.

 

Helper scratched near its head as if somewhat troubled by my reaction.

 

[Well… I think I need to go somewhere briefly.]

 

“What?”

 

Where are you going without me?

 

[I’ll explain later…. Ah, another message!]

 

Helper, who had been explaining its situation to me, panicked as soon as another screen appeared.

 

[I’m really sorry! Then I’ll be going…!!]

 

Then it disappeared urgently.

 

“Hey, wait…!”

 

Shouldn’t you at least explain what’s going on?

 

But my arm reaching out to grab Helper was already just grasping empty air.

 

‘This and that….’

 

Why is everyone saying only what they want to say before running away today?

 

After looking helplessly around the empty space, I roughly shook the back of my head.

 

My hair, which had grown long without me noticing, became disheveled, but I didn’t have the presence of mind to fix it.

 

The sigh rising from deep in my core was long.

 

* * *

 

A gym near the company.

 

This time’s filming location would be in their auditorium.

 

The production staff were already spread throughout the auditorium, busy with filming preparations.

 

The trainees, including me, waited in one corner. Very quietly so as not to disturb them.

 

So even if we ended up standing next to someone uncomfortable, we could only stay still beside them.

 

‘Why do misfortunes overlap….’

 

“…”

 

‘Life’s sh*t….’

 

The person standing next to me with hands behind their back.

 

She was looking straight ahead without the slightest waver.

 

I also tried my best to keep my gaze from going in that direction.

 

I had no choice.

 

Chae Seonha was standing right next to me.

 

– Ahem, hem.

 

Small coughs came one after another. I don’t know how many times I’ve needlessly cleared my throat since coming here.

 

Why is she here of all places… this was simply the order we came in.

 

Following the staff’s guidance, Chae Seonha was already in position…

 

So I, who came in second, had to come to this person’s side.

 

But even without that reason, obviously moving to another spot would have been strange.

 

‘It’s not like I’m advertising how uncomfortable I am.’

 

The other person must have thought the same, as there was no particular reaction when I came to this spot.

 

Rather, she even greeted me first while being mindful of the staff around.

 

The problem was that when she gave a slight bow, I was the one who became flustered…. It must have looked quite stupid, embarrassingly so.

 

Even then, she only greeted me, showing no intention of being friendly.

 

I could tell just from her face during that greeting.

 

One slightly furrowed eyebrow. Seeing that, I could gauge how much she was holding back.

 

‘The key is how to make up with someone like this….’

 

First of all, making up with her was no longer my choice.

 

Meaning, a reason had appeared that made reconciling with Chae Seonha mandatory.

 

And that was…

 

—– —–

>>Relationship with important character is experiencing difficulties….

>>As an additional penalty, “Mental Stability” will be temporarily deleted….

—– —–

 

…because of this random penalty.

 

‘This sucks.’

 

Though I’d been maintaining a blank expression for a while, it was hard for me not to curse heaven and hell inside.

 

T/N: Sihyun….. you fucking psycho.