Chapter 19. Hit or Flop (2)
"Your skin is really good. It looks like you take care of it well. I was actually a fan of yours when you were in Apple mint."
"Thank you."
Lee Hyerin smiled as she looked into the mirror in front of her.
She was currently sitting in the waiting room of Music bank. She was nervous at first, but talking with the stylist helped her ease a little.
As the stylist did her makeup, Lee Hyerin browsed through some articles about her comeback.
Nike Entertainment had spent a lot of money to promote her.
There were various articles about her and she had even done an interview with a famous news publishing website which would be released after her album came out.
But even after all that, it felt like she was receiving too little attention.
Lee Hyerin had articles, but they were suppressed because of the articles of other famous singers and idol groups.
It was unfortunate, but she was not the only one making a comeback.
'It's fine. The situation would turn around after the album was released.'
She consoled herself and smiled while looking at the mirror. She was motivating herself from time to time, to not get nervous again.
Clang!
At that moment, the door to the waiting room opened and a middle aged woman entered.
She was Lee Hyerin's manager.
Her clothes look slightly disheveled and her expression looked haggard. It was like she had just escaped from hell.
"What happened, unnie?"
Lee Hyerin looked at the middle aged woman through the mirror and asked.
"I just came back from the outside. It was literally hell with those fans of the idol groups that are performing today."
"Was it that bad?"
"Yes, you can't even move there. Those idol groups really have a big fandom. Especially among high school girls, the majority of the fans consisted of high school students."
The middle aged woman took a deep breath and sat down on the sofa.
'It looks like it would be harder than I thought.'
Lee Hyerin looked into the mirror and thought. She would have to compete against those young and energetic idol groups with huge fandoms.
It would be hard for her to win, but she was confident that she would be able to at least make a mark.
'I can't give up. My daughter is watching me.'
She thought about her daughter who would be watching her on TV.
A smile quickly formed on her lips and all her nervousness went away. There was only confidence in her gaze.
"Let's go greet the other celebrities. Our performance is the third. So, we have to get ready."
The middle aged woman said after Lee Hyerin's makeup was done.
Lee Hyerin took a last look at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a bright green dress and her makeup was perfectly highlighting her face.
She looked younger with the makeup.
"It feels weird to greet other celebrities."
Lee Hyerin said after she left the waiting room.
"You can't help it. You are making a comeback after a long time so just endure it for now."
The middle aged woman said as she patted her shoulder.
Greeting!
Like its name, it was just a simple greeting.
Normally, newbies would go to each room to greet celebrities who have more experience than them.
It was just a way to make connections, but most of the time, it would just end with a simple nod.
The same happened in Lee Hyerin's case. Most of the celebrities just nodded their head at her.
Some were surprised knowing seeing her and some even returned the greetings or told her that they were her fans.
But it only happened once or twice.
Most of the time, she only found disdain in other's eyes. They were probably thinking that Lee Hyerin was trying to make a comeback in vain.
Even after that, she just smiled while hiding her inner thoughts, but her expression finally crumbled when she came across someone she knew well.
"Oh! Isn't it Lee Hyerin? Long time no see. Are you here to support me with your family?"
'Bitch!'
Lee Hyerin thought as she looked at the woman with heavy makeup in front of her.
Her name was Kim Jisu.
She and Kim Jisu used to be rivals when she was still in Apple mint. Both of them were from rival idol groups and they hated each other.
After Lee Hyerin retired, Kim Jisu's group disbanded and she began a solo career.
It looked like she was fairly successful in it too and was treated as a well known singer in the industry.
"I'm here for my comeback performance."
"Comeback? I thought you were happy living as a housewife."
Lee Hyerin's expression cracked hearing that.
There was no way Kim Jisu didn't know about her comeback and her divorce. She was actively trying to provoke her.
"Hyerin, calm down!"
"I'm calm!"
The middle aged woman tried to pacify Lee Hyerin, but there was no effect.
Kim Jisu seemed to be enjoying this. She arrogantly looked at Lee Hyerin's costume and smiled mockingly.
"It looks like you have put on some weight. Your clothes look really tight on you today."
"You!!"
That was the trigger.
Lee Hyerin didn't want to stay silent now. She was not a shy girl who would listen to anything while staying silent.
"My figure is still the same, but I think your nose has changed a lot. You don't look the same.."
"What did you just say??"
"Are there problems with your ear too? Why don't you get another surgery?"
Lee Hyerin's words directly stabbed at Kim Jisu's heart. It was an open secret in the industry that Kim Jisu had plastic surgery.
But it was a sensitive topic for her.
Everyone knows that she didn't like to talk about it, but Lee Hyerin was deliberately attacking that point.
"You are still the same. No wonder, your husband cheated on you."
"At least my face is natural."
Both of them glared at each other for a while. It really looked like a fight would start any moment.
It was only after a staff member came that both of them stopped.
Kim Jisu's performance was the first. So, she had to get ready for that, but before exiting the room, she glared at Lee Hyerin and said.
"There's no way that a song from an unknown composer would help you make a successful comeback."
Kim Jisu left the waiting room after that and Lee Hyerin's expression was full of anger.
If she can, she wanted to punch Kim Jisu in the face.
"Hyerin, calm down. There's no point thinking about what she said. I know you would be successful."
The middle aged woman tried to calm her down.
"Don't worry, unnie."
"You don't need to think about what she said."
"I'm not thinking about her words. I know that she's just trying to provoke me, but…"
"But?"
"How dare she say anything about my song!!"
Lee Hyerin looked really angry about this. She really liked Never give up personally and Lee Hyun had helped her a lot.
She was really grateful to him.
That's why she didn't like Kim Jisu insulting Lee Hyun.
'I will surely beat her.'
Lee Hyerin thought in her mind and vowed to beat Kim Jisu on the music charts.