Looking at Eun-Ah taking a step forward and taking two steps back every time she made eye contact with me, I felt like I had to leave and let her comfortably use the washroom.
"Alright then. I'll bring the girls down in a bit. Wait downstairs."
I nodded and turned around with a determination to support Cherry Blossom. I never wanted to see Eun-Ah and Sae-Ri sad again.
***
Like a shepherd herding his sheep, Han Myung-Ho led the girls down.
Seeing each of them carrying a bag, I quickly jumped out of the car to help them.
"Thank you, Yoon-Ho oppa. Uh, uh oh."
While thanking me, Kim Sae-Ri momentarily lost her balance and nearly fell over. Seeing this, I quickly reached out and grabbed Kim Sae-Ri.
Snatch!
"Oh, I didn't fall!"
Kim Sae-Ri gave a bright smile while holding onto my arm.
"Wow~! Yoon-Ho oppa. You're so fast!"
'Yikes. She almost got hurt before the schedule even started. She hasn't changed a bit.'
Kim Sae-Ri was known for being clumsy, having a poor sense of direction, and having no athletic skills. It was surprising she's in a girl group despite having all these traits.
But through extensive training coupled with hard work, she managed to improve her dancing to a basic level.
"Sae-Ri. Seriously, be careful. You're gonna end up scraping your knee."
Woo Yeon-Hee rushed out in a hurry and scolded Sae-Ri as she took her by the hand.
However, Sae-Ri only laughed when being scolded.
"Mom~ I almost fell over."
Then Woo Yeon-Hee gave Sae-Ri a smack on the head.
"Ouch! Why did you hit me?"
As Sae-Ri opened her eyes widely, Woo Yeon-Hee gave her a light glare.
"Don't you remember the last time you scraped your knee and couldn't wear skirts on stage? I'm still heartbroken thinking about the scar on your knee. You need to start taking care of yourself."
Seeing Woo Yeon-Hee genuinely heartbroken like a real mother, Sae-Ri hugged her with a remorseful expression.
"Aww~. Don't be mad, unnie. I'm sorry."
Sae-Ri looked like a cicada on a tree.
"Oh my goodness. Honestly, this girl. Sigh."
The more Woo Yeon-Hee expressed her annoyance, the deeper Sae-Ri sank into Woo Yeon-Hee's arms.
Eventually, Yeon-Hee softened her expression and patted Sae-Ri on the head. Then she spoke to me.
"Thank you, Yoon-Ho oppa. Sae-Ri is a bit clumsy as you can see."
"Good thing she's not hurt."
Woo Yeon-Hee nodded her thanks and got into the van with Sae-Ri. Right behind them was Yang Eun-Bi who came running, draggin the hesitant Eun-Ah behind her.
"Hey, we need to hurry up. We're going to be late at this rate."
"But…unnie."
"What do you mean but? Come on. Get in the van quickly."
"Okay…"
Eun-Ah lowered her head and moved slowly as she trailed behind Yang Eun-Bi, who was noticeably shorter than her. She couldn't even look me in the eye and quickly passed by, clinging on to Yang Eun-Bi's arm.
'It's going to take quite a long time for her to break that habit. At least her shyness doesn't show on stage.'
"Come on, Yoon-Ho. Let's get in the van."
As the members paired up to get in the car, Han Myung-Ho gave me a piece of advice.
"Everyone gets along just fine, but try to have them move in pairs. Fans like seeing this combination."
Indeed, Woo Yeon-Hee and Sae-Ri looked like a mother and daughter, while Yang Eun-Bi and Eun-Ah looked like a bold older sister and shy younger sister.
"Alright. Let's hope for a good day today, Yoon-Ho. Let's go."
"Yes, sir."
Once I got in the car, I looked at Han Myung-Ho and the girls, making a promise to myself in my head.
'I'm gonna do my best to avoid the unfortunate events tonight and prevent the cancellation of their next album.'
I promised to ensure Cherry Blossom's schedule today will be full of good events.
***
First, we visited the hair salon to prepare for the stage.
After dropping Cherry Blossom off at the hair salon, I left to buy kimbap[2] for them and returned.
"Here you go, girls. Eat up."
I handed out kimbaps to the girls who were getting their hair styled. They were at an age where two rolls of kimbap wouldn't suffice, but they each had just one roll for a late breakfast because they were on a diet.
'Wow. They eat true to their personalities.'
Woo Yeon-Hee ate her kimbap one by one in a careful manner, while Yang Eun-Bi shoved two pieces in her mouth at once and chewed vigorously. Sae-Ri quickly swallowed after only a few chews, and Eun-Ah took her time, chewing a single piece for quite a while.
Sae-Ri was the first to finish eating. She was sucking on her fingers as if she wanted more.
'One roll of kimbap would indeed be insufficient given her age. She should be eating more.'
My heart suddenly ached at the sight. If the girls' parents saw them starving to lose weight, they might immediately tell them to leave the entertainment industry.
However, I quickly shook off these thoughts.
There was no room for a weak heart if I wanted to make Cherry Blossom the center of attention today.
'Let's become successful, guys. You need to succeed for all the hard work you're putting in.'
Han Myung-Ho watched the girls finish their meals and suggested that it was now our turn to eat.
But I quickly grabbed and stopped Han Myung-Ho who was about to leave.
"Mr. Han. Can we spend a bit more money on the girls today?"
Han Myung-Ho tilted his head in wonder, as if he couldn't grasp the meaning behind my words.