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| Author: Wanbi |
Original Source: Novelpia |
| Translator: Saloi |
English Source: Re:Library |
That evening, the day I got street-casted,
Dad came home from work.
“Dad~”
Doa ran to Dad and hugged him.
“Oh, did my little Doa miss Dad?”
“Yeah. I love you Dad.”
Dad’s smile beamed from ear to ear.
Doa’s love is supposed to be mine, though.
“Uh-huh, Dad you’re here?”[1]
Mom next to me nags me with a stern tone for my disrespectful way of speaking.
“Lee Dohee, what do you mean by just saying ‘you’re here’ to your father?”[1]
“Mom, don’t you understand the sweet-and-salty balance? If Doa is sweet, Dohee is salty. Okay?”
Dad smiles and speaks while hugging Doa.
“Dad wishes Dohee was as sweet as Doa.”
“Just because you want it doesn’t mean it can happen. If the day comes when Doa is salty, I’ll comfort you with sweetness.”
“Oh dear, honey you must be exhausted. Why don’t you go wash up first?”
“Yeah, okay.”
After Dad washed up, we had dinner.
“Dad.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know what happened to me today?”
I said with a heartfelt smile.
“What happened? Did something fun happen today?”
“Hehe, Mom? Show him.”
“Sigh…”
Mom sighed and showed Dad the business card I received today.
“What’s this? Top East Entertainment? Did Dohee receive this?”
“Yes, with just that one thing, you know how much she has been bragging all day long….”
“Wow, our Dohee got a street casting? Dad also got one when he was a college student too.”
“Eh?”
“Oppa, this is the first time I’m hearing this.”
“Yeah, when I was a college student walking around the street, someone asked me if I wanted to be an actor. I refused though, haha.”
“…Dad got one too, huh.”
I felt a bit down.
Sigh, I guess I’ll need to get street-casted at least four more times in the future.
“So, will Dohee become an idol?”
“Unni is an idol?”
“No, Unni is not sure either~. I’m planning to visit the agency building with Mom tomorrow.”
“Dad doesn’t mind as long as Dohee is happy. But Topist Entertainment is the one with Pastel Love, right?”
“Yeah.”
“But Oppa, how do you know that?”
“Well, even an elementary school student like me only found out today, so how does Dad know?”
“I found out because a junior colleague at my company is a Pastel Love fan”
Dad’s answer seemed very suspicious.
“Mom, that’s one hundred percent crap. I bet if you just type ‘Pa’ on Dad’s YouTube, it’ll auto-complete the search term.”
“What are you talking about? It’s not like that.”
Dad tried to deny it, looking flustered.
When Mom grabbed Dad’s phone and checked his search history on YouTube, Pastel Love appeared.
“Oppa, does an idol catch your eye, when I’m here?”
“Ha-ha, I lent my phone to my junior for a bit, so maybe he searched for that and watched them in the meantime, haha…”
“Say something that makes sense. Do you like an idol more than me?”
From my side Mom releases an onslaught.
I was already irritated because of the Teacher-nim’s partner situation, but it’s nice that the family atmosphere at home is harmonious.
“Dad! Then should I get Dad, Pastel Love’s autograph for you tomorrow? I’ll even ask them to write down Dad’s name as well!”
“Yeah, go ahead and ask Dohee for an autograph too, why don’t you?”
As I fanned the flames of this burning house, Mom’s voice became louder.
Since my father was getting treated with such a one-sided beating, I should help him out a bit for a more interesting scene.
“Yeah, I’ll get it for you tomorrow! And Mom said she is going to get Kim Dongjun’s autograph too!”
“What? What’s that about?”
When Dad hears me, he seizes the opportunity to counterattack.
Heh.
The next morning.
After sending Doa to kindergarten, I called the casting Team Leader.
– Ah! Thank you for calling, Dohee. Did you discuss it well with your parents? –
“Yes, I’d like to visit the agency with my Mom. Would that be okay?”
– Of course. Where is your home? I’ll go pick you up. –
“It’s fine. I’m going to go in my Mom’s car. Should we go to the address on the business card?”
– I can pick you up if you want… then just come to the address on the business card. –
“Thank you. I’ll head out right away.”
– Yes, it’s okay if you take your time. Just let me know when you’re on your way! –
“Yes~”
I can definitely feel the team casting Team Leader’s strong sincere will to cast me.
I appreciate it, but is it okay for the company to come across as this accommodating?
“Mom, let’s go now.”
“Okay. Let’s go there quickly before Doa’s kindergarten ends.”
I got in the car with Mom and went to the address written on the business card.
Arriving and seeing the exterior of the building, it wasn’t very large, but it was an entire building dedicated to the agency, which seemed quite substantial for an entertainment company.
Once we arrived, I called the casting Team Leader.
“Team Leader, we’re at the building now.”
– Yes, I’ll be right out. –
The entrance door opened, and the Team Leader came out.
“Welcome, Miss Dohee.”
“Hello.”
The Team Leader greeted my Mom, who was standing next to me, politely.
“Hello, Dohee’s mother. I’m Kim Jinwoo, the head of the New Talent Development Team at Top East Entertainment. Please feel free to call me Team Leader Kim.”
“Oh, yes, hello, Team Leader Kim.”
“Oh, but Ma’am you look so young that if Dohee hadn’t mentioned she was coming with her mom in advance, I would have thought you were Dohee’s Unni.”
“Haha, no.”
Mom smiles happily.
Even though Mom looks young, I’m eleven years old, so a Unni would be quite a stretch.
“Then please come inside first. I’ll give you a tour of our facilities.”
We followed the Team Leader’s lead into the building.
“First, there are floors from the Basement level as the first floor to the fifth floor. The first floor is just the lobby and the reception room. I’ll show you the facilities starting from Basement the first floor.”
We went down to the Basement first floor via the stairs and saw small rooms about the size of a coin-operated karaoke booth.[2]
“First of all, these small rooms here are vocal practice rooms where you sing alone and practice.”
As we walked further down the hallway, we saw several larger rooms.
“And the rest of the rooms are all for dance practice. You might worry about the air quality since it’s the Basement, but you don’t have to worry about that because the air quality is strictly regulated at all times.”
As I slowly looked around the practice rooms from the outside, I noticed that someone inside was using one.
“Team Leader, are the people using these rooms idols too?”
“Yes, they’re EXO1, the only male idols in our company. If you need an autograph, just let me know.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know who they are… Does Mom know?”
“Well, Mom doesn’t know either…”
“Haha, they’re not very famous yet since they just debuted. But Dohee’s friends might know them, so let me know if you need an autograph.”
After touring around the practice rooms, we took the elevator to the 2nd floor.
“The 2nd floor is where we record and practice songs. Now as you can see there are larger vocal rooms here compared to what we saw before, right?”
The 2nd floor’s vocal rooms were indeed larger than the previous vocal rooms and there is also a piano.
“And the rest are producing rooms, mixing rooms, and recording booths.”
After exploring the 2nd floor, we went up the stairs to the 3rd floor.
“This 3rd floor is for the management of singers, Management Division 1. For reference the 4th floor is in charge of actors, which is Management Division 2.”
“I guess there are no separate practice spaces for actors?”
Mom asked.
“Yes, actually, the actors don’t visit the company building that much.”
“Ah… Then I won’t be able to see Kim Dongjun today…?”
“Haha, indeed, but I can get his autograph for you the next time you visit.”
Ugh, damn ever since yesterday, it’s been nothing but Kim Dongjun this, Kim Dongjun that.
Anyway, the office’s appearance I saw didn’t look much different from a regular company.
Cubicles with computers.
There was nothing more to see on the 3rd floor, and as I was about to go up, a woman in her mid-to-late 30s approached me and spoke.
“Hello~ Is this the friend that Team Leader Kim mentioned yesterday?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The Team Leader introduced the woman who approached us.
“Ah, this is the head of the singer management office.”
“Hello, I’m Lee Junghye, the head of the singer management office. Are you perhaps… the mother?”
“Oh, yes, hello. I’m Dohee’s mother.”
“Ah, I was so worried I might have been rude if you were her Unni. I’m not just saying this, but honestly, you could make a debut as an idol right now.”
“Haha, no~”
Mom flashed a beaming smile, clearly delighted.
She was overjoyed, she could die.
Every person who came by greeted her with exaggerated flattery.
Unni? Forget about it.
The Director, who seemed to be buttering Mom up, bowed and greeted me.
“Hi, Dohee. As I heard, you’re very pretty!”
“Yes, hello.”
“Wow, and your voice is so cute as well. I really hope you will join our company. Is Team Leader Kim showing you around the office building right now?”
“Yes. I haven’t shown them the 4th and 5th floors yet.”
“Really? Dohee’s mother, if you have time, would it be alright if we did a camera test for Dohee after the tour?”
“Should we?”
“I’d be grateful if you could do so. Well then, Dohee, enjoy the tour, and I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, okay. Please take your time looking around and we’ll meet back up again later.”
Like that we left the 3rd floor and reached the 4th.
“As I mentioned earlier, this is the Management Division 2, which is responsible for actors. If you go further inside, you’ll find the management headquarters and the CEO’s office.”
Just like the 3rd floor, there wasn’t much to see, so we quickly went up to the 5th floor.
“On the 5th floor there is a cafeteria and a cafe lounge area where you can relax. Meals and coffee are free for trainees and company artists.”
As it is the top floor, it definitely has a great view, making it a pleasant spot to eat and drink coffee while relaxing.
“It’s almost lunchtime. Would you like to try it out? It’s quite a famous place.”
“Oh, is that okay?”
“Of course. We provide meals free of charge for visitors too, so feel free to enjoy it.”
“Dohee, should we eat here then?”
“Okay.”
As soon as we went into the cafeteria, we saw the menu that was displayed.
Today’s options were kimchi stew, hamburger steak, and bibimbap.[3]
I guess I have to choose one out of the three.
I chose the hamburger steak.
After receiving the hamburger steak and sitting down, I took a bite and confirmed that this place was indeed a well-known delicious eatery.
“Mom.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s better than Mom’s cooking.”
“Well, yeah.”
It seems that even Mom who would’ve normally given me a whack on the head for saying something like that can’t argue this time.
[1] – 오셨수 (osyeossu): This is a very informal and old-fashioned way of saying “have you come?” or “have you arrived?” It’s often used by older generations or in very casual settings. However, using it to address one’s own father, especially in a formal or respectful context, would be considered impolite and disrespectful.[2] – Coin karaoke booths are compact, with most designed to fit no more than two people. There’s usually one remote control, two microphones, the display screen and a slot to insert money. For 500 Korean won, about 50 cents, a user can sing one song, although prices vary slightly.
