The evening of the day I got street-cast,
Dad came home from work.
“Dad~”
Doa ran to Dad and hugged him.
“Aww, did our Doa miss Daddy?”
“Uh-huh. I like Dad.”
Dad grinned from ear to ear.
But Doa’s love belongs to me.
“Yeah, Pops, you home?”
Mom nagged me from the side about my impudent tone.
“Lee Dohee, what’s with that ‘you home?’ to your father.”
“Mom, don’t you know sweet and salty go together? If Doa’s sweet, Dohee’s salty. Okay?”
Dad said, smiling as he held Doa.
“I wish Dohee was as sweet as Doa, though?”
“You can’t have everything just because you want it. If Doa ever turns salty, I’ll go sweet to comfort you.”
“Ugh, honey, you must be tired. Go wash up first.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Dinner began after Dad washed up.
“Dad.”
“Hm?”
“Do you know what happened to me today?”
I asked with a grin.
“What is it? Did something fun happen today?”
“Hehe, Mother? Please show him.”
“Ugh...”
Mom sighed and showed Dad the business card she had received today.
“What’s this? TopEast Entertainment? Dohee got this?”
“Yeah, she’s been boasting about that one thing all day today...”
“Wow, our Dohee got street-cast? I got cast on the street when I was in college, too.”
“Huh?”
“Honey, this is the first time I’ve heard of this.”
“When I was in college, someone asked if I wanted to be an actor while I was walking down the street. I refused, haha.”
“...So Dad got one too.”
I feel down.
Sigh. I’ll have to get street-cast four more times from now on.
“So is Dohee going to become a celebrity?”
“Is unnie a celebrity?”
“No, I don’t really know either~. I’m planning to visit the agency building with Mom tomorrow.”
“Dad doesn’t care as long as Dohee’s happy. But TopEast Entertainment is where Pastel Love is, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Honey, but how do you know that?”
“Right? Even me, an elementary schooler, only found out today. How does Dad know?”
“A junior at my company is a Pastel Love fan, so I learned about it.”
Dad’s answer was somehow suspicious.
“Mom, that’s a hundred percent a lie. If Dad types ‘Pa’ on YouTube, ‘Pastel Love’ probably autofills in the search bar.”
“What are you talking about? That’s not it.”
Dad tried to deny it, looking flustered.
But when Mom snatched Dad’s phone, opened YouTube, and checked the search history, Pastel Love was there.
“Honey, you have me, but an idol catches your eye?”
“I lent my phone to my junior for a moment. Guess they searched and watched it during then, haha...”
“Say something that makes sense. You like an idol more than me?”
Mom launched a relentless onslaught.
I was already disgusted enough by the teacher couple today, but it’s nice that the atmosphere at home is so warm.
“Dad! Then shall I get a Pastel Love autograph for you tomorrow? I’ll have them write your name, too!”
“Yeah, and have Dohee ask for an autograph for herself too, right?”
Fanning the flames of a burning house, Mom’s voice grew even louder. Cackle.
Since Dad was taking such a one-sided beating, I should help him out once to make things more interesting.
“Yeah, I’ll bring one back tomorrow! Mom is already set on getting Kim Dongjun’s autograph anyway!”
“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Hearing my words, Dad counterattacked as if he had seized an opening.
Kkak.
The next morning.
After sending Doa to kindergarten, I called the casting manager team leader.
—Ah! Thank you for calling, Dohee. Have you discussed it well with your parents?—
“Yes, I’d like to visit the agency building with my mom once, if that’s okay?”
—Of course. Where do you live? I can come pick you up.—
“It’s okay. We decided to go in Mom’s car. Should we go to the address on the business card?”
—I could come pick you up... Then please just come to the address on the business card.—
“Thank you. We’ll leave right away.”
—Yes, it’s okay to come slowly, so just let me know!—
“Yes~”
I could definitely feel Team Leader’s sincerity and determination to cast me.
I’m grateful, but is it okay for the company to be so submissive from their position?
“Mom, let’s go now.”
“Okay. Let’s go quickly and get back before Doa’s kindergarten ends.”
I went to the address written on the business card together with Mom in her car.
When we arrived and saw the exterior of the agency building, though it wasn’t huge, the entire building was the company headquarters, fitting for a fairly large entertainment company.
Having arrived at the building, I called Team Leader.
“Team Leader, we’ve arrived in front of the building now.”
—Yes, I’ll be right out.—
The entrance door opened, and Team Leader came out.
“Welcome, Dohee.”
“Hello.”
Team Leader politely greeted Mom, who was standing next to me.
“Hello, it’s an honor to meet you, Dohee’s mother. I am Kim Jinwoo, Team Leader of the New Artist Development Team at TopEast Entertainment. Please feel free to call me Team Leader Kim.”
“Ah, yes, hello, Team Leader Kim.”
“Oh my, but you look so young that if Dohee hadn’t told me beforehand she was coming with her mom, I would have mistaken you for her older sister.”
“Haha, no.”
Mom smiled, pleased.
Mom does look young, but I’m eleven. As if she’s my older sister.
“Then please come in. I’ll give you a tour of the interior first.”
We entered the building following Team Leader’s guidance.
“As you can see, there are floors from Basement 1 to 5. The first floor is just a lobby and meeting rooms, so I’ll show you Basement 1, where the facilities are, first.”
Going down the stairs to Basement 1, we saw small rooms the size of coin karaoke booths.
“These small rooms are vocal rooms where you practice singing alone.”
Going further down the hallway, several large rooms came into view.
“And the remaining rooms are all dance practice rooms. You might worry about the air since it’s underground, but we strictly manage the air quality at all times, so please don’t worry.”
As we slowly looked around the practice rooms from outside, someone was using one.
“Team Leader, are the people using it now idols too?”
“Yes, they’re called X-One, currently our company’s only male idols. Let me know if you need autographs.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know who they are... Mom, do you know?”
“Well, Mom doesn’t really...”
“Haha, they debuted recently, so they’re not famous yet. Still, Dohee’s friends might know them, so let me know if you need autographs.”
After touring all the practice rooms, we took the elevator to the 2nd floor.
“The 2nd floor is where we record and practice songs. As you can see, there are larger vocal rooms than before, right?”
Indeed, the 2nd floor vocal rooms were bigger than the previous ones and had pianos in them.
“And the rest are producing rooms, mixing rooms, and recording booths.”
After touring the entire 2nd floor, we went up the stairs to the 3rd floor.
“This 3rd floor is Management Division 1, which is in charge of singers. For your reference, Management Division 2 on the 4th floor is in charge of actors.”
“I suppose there are no separate practice spaces for actors, then?”
Mom asked.
“Yes, actually, actors don’t visit the company building very often.”
“Ah... then we can’t see Kim Dongjun today...?”
“Haha, but I can get you an autograph the next time you come instead.”
Sigh, this Kim Dongjun talk again since yesterday.
Anyway, the management area we toured looked no different from a normal office.
It was in the form of cubicle desks with computers on them.
There was nothing more to see on the 3rd floor, so we were about to go up when a woman who looked to be in her late thirties approached and spoke to us.
“Hello~ Team Leader Kim, is this the friend you mentioned yesterday?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Team Leader introduced the woman who had approached.
“Ah, this is the Head of the Singer Management Office.”
“Hello, I am Lee Jeonghye, the Head. Are you... the mother, by any chance?”
“Ah, yes, hello. I’m Dohee’s mom.”
“Ah, I was worried I might be being rude if you were her sister. It’s not empty praise— you could debut as a celebrity right now.”
“Haha, no~”
Mom smiled broadly, pleased.
She’s loving it to death.
Exaggerated flattery is the default from everyone who comes by.
As if she’s my older sister.
The Head, who had thoroughly buttered Mom up, bent down to greet me.
“Hello, Dohee. You’re as pretty as I heard?”
“Yes, hello.”
“Oh my, your voice is cute too. I really hope you join our company. Team Leader Kim, you’re giving a tour of the building now, right?”
“Yes. I haven’t been able to show her the 4th and 5th floors yet.”
“Really? Dohee’s mother, if you have time, would it be alright to do a camera test for Dohee after the tour?”
“Shall we do that?”
“We’d be grateful. Then Dohee, enjoy the tour, and I’ll see you in a bit?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, yes. Take your time looking around.”
Leaving the 3rd floor, we went to the 4th floor.
“As I mentioned earlier, this is Management Division 2 in charge of actors. Further inside are the Management Headquarters and the CEO’s office.”
It looked identical to the 3rd floor with nothing much to see, so we quickly went up to the 5th floor.
“The 5th floor has a company cafeteria and a cafe lounge where you can rest. Trainees and company artists get both meals and cafe access for free.”
Indeed, befitting the top floor, the open view made it look like a good place to eat and drink coffee while resting.
“It’s almost lunchtime, would you like to try it? It’s quite a famous restaurant.”
“Oh my, is that okay?”
“Of course. We provide free meals to visitors as well, so please eat comfortably.”
“Dohee, shall we eat here before we go?”
“Uh-huh.”
Entering the cafeteria, a menu was visible.
Today’s menu was kimchi jjigae, hamburger steak, and bibimbap.
I guess you choose one of the three.
I chose the hamburger steak.
Receiving the hamburger steak and taking a bite after sitting down, this place was definitely a famous restaurant.
“Mom.”
“Hm?”
“It’s tastier than your food.”
“I know, right.”
Even Mom, who would have flicked my forehead on any other day, seemed unable to refute it.