CHAPTER 8 - The Sponsor

Miseo trudged into the vocal practice room, her lack of enthusiasm for this week’s training clear on her face. She plopped down next to Haneul, who was busy warming up her voice with scales. The teacher this week was Mr. Choi, a stern-faced man with thinning hair and glasses. Miseo was disappointed at the lack of eye candy for the week, but she always had her Instagram on short notice.

“Good morning everyone,” Mr. Choi greeted in a serious tone before quickly launching into a lecture about proper breathing techniques. It was clear from his no-nonsense demeanor that he expected nothing but the best from his students. As he continued, Miseo felt intimidated by his attitude. She glanced over at Haneul, who seemed to be hanging onto every word he said, taking detailed notes with concentration. Meanwhile, Miseo struggled to focus, finding herself daydreaming about the past weekend.

When it was finally time to practice, Mr. Choi called out a trainee named Jaemi to demonstrate what she learned. The girl was clearly nervous as she stumbled through her attempt. “Again,” Mr. Choi barked impatiently without giving any feedback.

After several failed attempts, Jaemi started to get visibly upset and frustrated with herself. Though Miseo was nervous, she worked up her courage to speak up. “Hey Mr. Choi, how about I give it a try?” she offered with a flirty smile, hoping to charm her way out of the tension.

But the strategy backfired as he glared at her coldly through his glasses. “I don’t need you to show me anything. Just pay attention.” Miseo’s face flushed with embarrassment as she slunk back into her seat next to Haneul who looked at her sympathetically. The old fart definitely needed to get laid.

The teacher moved onto a song, which had a classical opera-like vibe. He analyzed one bar and pointed out the intricacies and breaks in between the words. Miseo wasn’t one to disrespect others’ taste in music, but she was there to learn how to sing K-pop, not soprano.

He suddenly called on Miseo to run-through thirty seconds of the song. Though she knew she wasn’t good at singing, she did know she was good at other things. She sauntered up to the center of the room, her hips swaying exaggeratedly as if on stage at an idol concert.

But when she opened her mouth to sing, her voice was off-key and flat. The teacher winced visibly. "Miss Easy," he said through clenched teeth, "this is unacceptable."

Miseo pouted prettily at him but didn't stop singing until the end of the thirty seconds, her pitch fluctuating wildly. When she finished, the teacher shook his head in disappointment.

"Miss Easy," he said heavily, "you are here to train and improve your skills as a singer. I know opera isn’t your cup of tea, but this is no place for that kind of attitude." He turned to address the whole class. "I won't tolerate this kind of unprofessionalism from anyone. If you can't be bothered to put in the work to try, you have no place here."

A trainee raised her hand. “But sir, Miseo really is that bad.”

The other trainees laughed. Miseo snickered along with them, but Haneul looked concerned when Mr. Choi waved his hand for the class to be silent. “Sing, Miseo,” he commanded her.

Miseo sang five seconds of her favorite song before he interrupted her. Mr. Choi marched over with his heavy dress shoes clicking against the floor. “You are going to be a trainee for the rest of your life.” Haneul cringed at his words, feeling embarrassed for her friend even as she admired the teacher's strictness and high standards. Miseo looked mortified but tried to cover it up with a haughty sniff.

"Whatever," she muttered under her breath before walking back to her seat.

After class, the two girls walked back to their dorm room together. Haneul wanted to cheer up her friend after that humiliating public scolding from the teacher.

"You know," she said brightly, "I thought you sounded really good today."

Miseo snorted. "You're such a liar, Han. I was awful and you know it." She flopped down on her bed with a dramatic sigh.

Haneul perched next to her, frowning slightly. "Well... okay, maybe your singing wasn't great," she conceded. "But the way you move is so captivating! You’ve improved so much there! I bet all the fans would love to see you dance."

Miseo brightened at that, sitting up a little straighter. "You really think so? Maybe I should focus more on choreography then..." She gazed off into space thoughtfully.

Haneul smiled encouragingly. "I know you can do it! And who knows - maybe if you put in the effort with your vocals too, you might just impress that teacher after all."

Miseo rolled her eyes but grinned back at Haneul. "I don't know how you stand being around me sometimes." She reached over to ruffle Haneul's hair affectionately.

Haneul swatted her hand away, giggling. "I can handle it," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Besides, what would I do without my troublemaking bestie?"

The girls laughed together, the tension from earlier forgotten for now. But deep down, Miseo knew Haneul was right - if she wanted to make it big as a K-pop idol, she needed to step up her game and start taking training seriously. Maybe this would be the motivation she needed to finally put in some effort... at least until the next hot guy came around.

---

The next day at vocal practice, Miseo was determined to show the teacher that she could improve. She arrived early and started warming up on her own, running through some of the drills they had practiced before. Her voice still sounded rough around the edges, but there was a newfound determination in her eyes.

When it came time for class to start, Miseo stood tall as Mr. Choi began his usual routine. She even tried to correct herself when she noticed her pitch wavering during one of the exercises, though the results were mixed at best.

As they moved into solo run-throughs, Miseo stepped up to the microphone with a new sense of purpose. Her voice wasn't perfect by any means, but it was clear that she had put in effort to sound better than before. The teacher watched her impassively throughout the song, his expression unreadable.

When she finished singing, there was a moment of silence as everyone waited for his reaction. But all he said was "Alright, next," and gestured to the trainee behind Miseo to take her place at the mic.

Miseo's face fell at his lack of praise or acknowledgment of her improvement. She trudged back to her seat, shoulders slumped in defeat. Haneul gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder but didn't say anything, not wanting to draw attention to Miseo's obvious disappointment.

At the end of class, as everyone was packing up their things, the teacher called out sharply, "Miss Easy, a word please."

Miseo tensed but **** herself to walk over to him with her head held high. The rest of the trainees watched with morbid curiosity as he leaned in close to speak quietly to her.

"You think you can just show up and sing without putting in any effort?" he hissed, his face flushed with anger. "This is a professional training program, not some karaoke bar. I won't tolerate half-hearted attempts at singing from anyone."

Miseo glared back at him defiantly, her own cheeks turning pink. "Well maybe if you weren't so obsessed with turning us into failed opera singers like you," she spat, "we could actually learn something useful here!"

The teacher recoiled as if slapped, his eyes widening in shock. Miseo immediately regretted her words but stood firm, unwilling to back down now that she had started.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before speaking again, his voice low and dangerous. "If you think this program is beneath you, Miss Easy, then perhaps you should consider finding another one more suited to your talents." He leered at her outfit disapprovingly.

Miseo stared at him in disbelief, her jaw clenched tight. Then she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room without a backward glance, leaving the rest of the trainees gaping after her.

Haneul hurried after Miseo, catching up with her outside the building. "Miseo, wait!" she called out breathlessly. "Are you okay?"

Miseo stopped but didn't turn around right away. She took a deep shuddering breath before facing Haneul, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"He's such an asshole," Miseo burst out, her voice wavering slightly. "I'm trying my best here and he still acts like I'm the worst trainee ever!"

Haneul reached out to give her friend a comforting hug. "I know you're not happy with your progress," she said gently, "but yelling at the teacher probably wasn't the best idea either."

“That’s bullshit. Just because he’s the teacher doesn’t mean he can **** and bully us.” Miseo pulled away from Haneul's embrace and wiped angrily at her eyes. "I don't care anymore," she muttered miserably. "If Starlight doesn't want me here, then I'll just go somewhere else."

Haneul frowned but didn't argue with Miseo's impulsive decision. "Well, whatever you decide to do," Haneul told her, "I hope you know that I'm always here for you, no matter what."

Miseo managed a wobbly smile and squeezed Haneul's hand gratefully before turning to walk away. As she disappeared around the corner of the building, Haneul couldn't help but worry about what her friend would do next.

---

Later that evening, Miseo was still fuming about her confrontation with the vocal teacher when there came a knock at her door.

"Ms. Easy," the secretary called out, "CEO Jang would like to see you in his office."

Miseo blinked in surprise before hurrying over to open the door. The secretary gave her a polite smile but didn't linger, gesturing for Miseo to follow her.

As they made their way through the building towards Mr. Jang’s office, Miseo couldn't help but feel apprehensive about what he wanted to talk to her about. Had someone reported her outburst from earlier? Was she in trouble?

When they arrived at his door, the secretary knocked once before opening it and ushering Miseo inside. The CEO stood up from behind his desk as Miseo entered, gesturing for her to take a seat.

"Ms. Easy," he said pleasantly enough, "I understand you've been having some difficulties with your vocal training lately."

Miseo shifted uncomfortably in her chair but didn't say anything right away. She wasn't sure if this was an opportunity for her to air her grievances or a reprimand waiting to happen.

The CEO studied her carefully before sighing and leaning back in his seat. "I want you to know that I take any complaints about the treatment of our trainees very seriously," he told her. "Especially when it comes from someone with as much potential as yourself."

Miseo raised an eyebrow at that, surprised by his kind words after everything she had just gone through.

"But," Mr. Jang continued sternly, "I also want to remind you that this is a highly competitive industry. The fans can be even harsher and more critical than any teacher or executive here at Starlight Entertainment."

Miseo frowned slightly but nodded in understanding. She knew all too well how brutal the K-pop fandom could be online.

"I'm not making excuses for the way your teacher spoke to you," Mr. Jang clarified, "but I think it's important that you learn to handle criticism and use it as motivation rather than letting it get under your skin."

Miseo looked down at her hands clasped in her lap, feeling a little chastened by his words.

"I'll be having a chat with him about the way he spoke to you," Mr. Jang assured her. "But I also expect you to put in more effort and show some respect for your teachers going forward."

Miseo glanced up at him gratefully before nodding again. "I understand, sir," she said quietly.

Mr. Jang smiled slightly before rising from his chair as a signal that their meeting was over. Miseo stood as well, feeling a little more optimistic about her future at Starlight than when she first walked in here.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Jang," she told him sincerely. "I promise I won't let you down."

As she left his office and headed back to the dorms, Miseo couldn't help but feel a sense of determination growing inside her. If this was what it took to make it in K-pop, then she was ready to prove everyone wrong.

As Miseo stepped into the shower after a long day at practice, she couldn't help but replay her conversation with the CEO in her head. His words had struck a chord within her - maybe it was time to prove herself by taking things more seriously.

While washing off the sweat and grime from training, Miseo began brainstorming different ways she could get on the vocal teacher's good side. She knew that her usual sexy charms wouldn't work this time around - he seemed immune to her flirtatiousness.

For some reason, it felt like Mr. Choi was deliberately picking on her, as if she reminded him of someone from his past. Maybe the way she dressed or presented herself triggered him. If that was the case, what if she tried a completely new approach? What if she went for a tomboyish look tomorrow, complete with a ponytail, minimal makeup, and a casual outfit instead of her usual feminine attire?

It was definitely out of Miseo's comfort zone, but the thought of roleplaying as someone else intrigued her. Maybe it would be fun to play the part of a focused trainee who took vocal lessons seriously - if only for a week to put up with Mr. Choi.

As she stepped out of the shower and began drying off, Miseo felt a growing sense of excitement at the idea. This was her chance to show everyone that she could take on new challenges and prove them wrong.

She glanced over at Haneul, who was busy reading a book at her desk, and grinned mischievously. "Han," she called out, "want to help me pick out an outfit for tomorrow?”

Haneul looked up from her book with a surprised but amused expression on her face. "Sure thing! What are you thinking?"

Miseo explained her concept and Haneul listened intently, nodding along as Miseo spoke. By the time she finished, both girls were giggling at the idea of seeing her friend dressed like that. They spent the rest of the evening browsing through Miseo's closet for the perfect outfit, excited to see how this new look would change things tomorrow.

---

The next morning, Miseo woke up feeling energized by the prospect of trying something new. She quickly threw on the outfit she and Haneul had picked out last night - a simple white t-shirt tucked into loose black jeans with a pair of comfortable sneakers.

Miseo looked at herself in the mirror, hardly recognizing her reflection. With her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail and minimal makeup save for some light lip gloss, she looked like a completely different person - more casual and less sexy than usual. She knew it was working when she posted a selfie on her Instagram profile. Many people commented thinking someone hacked into her account.

As Miseo made her way to vocal practice, she couldn't help but notice the double takes from other trainees who were used to seeing her in revealing clothing. She smirked to herself, enjoying their reactions.

When she walked into the classroom, the vocal teacher looked up at her with a raised eyebrow before continuing his instructions without comment. Miseo took a seat next to Haneul and smiled confidently, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead of her today.

As practice began, the teacher had them start off with their usual warm-up exercises. He watched closely as each trainee went through the drills, but when it was Miseo's turn, he seemed more encouraging than critical.

"Good," he commented on her first attempt, nodding approvingly at her efforts to hit the high notes correctly this time around. "Try to maintain that pitch throughout the entire scale."

Miseo focused intently as she went through the exercise again, determined not to let him down. To her surprise, he gave her an actual compliment afterwards.

"Not bad," he said with a rare smile. "Keep up the good work."

As Miseo finished practicing for the day and packed away her things, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at his words. Maybe this new look was just what she needed to get on the right track - both in terms of improving her vocals and getting on his good side.

She glanced over at Haneul who winked at her encouragingly before heading off together to their next class. Miseo walked with a newfound spring in her step, feeling optimistic about her future as an idol trainee.

Later that afternoon at vocal lessons, it was time for solo run-throughs of a new K-pop song they had been practicing as a group. The teacher called up the first trainee and listened intently as she sang through the verses and chorus.

When it came Miseo's turn, she stepped up to the microphone with trepidation, her hands trembling slightly from nerves. She took a deep breath and began to sing but immediately faltered, her voice wavering uncertainly on some of the higher notes.

The teacher frowned disapprovingly as he listened to her struggle through the song. When Miseo finally finished, he shook his head in disappointment.

"Miss Easy," he said firmly, "you need to work on your breath control and pitch accuracy if you want to perform this song properly."

Miseo hung her head guiltily but didn't say anything as she stepped away from the mic. Haneul shot her a sympathetic look before it was her turn to sing.

To no one’s surprise, Haneul's voice soared clear and strong throughout the entire song without any hesitation or mistakes. The teacher beamed proudly at his star pupil before turning back to Miseo with an expectant gaze.

"Miss Easy," he called out again, "I want you to sing along with Miss Haneul. Let's see if that helps you maintain better pitch and rhythm."

Miseo blinked in surprise but quickly nodded her agreement, stepping up to the microphone next to Haneul as she began the song once more.

At first, Miseo struggled to match Haneul's flawless vocals. But then something unexpected happened - Miseo found herself instinctively harmonizing with her friend instead of just singing along mindlessly.

The teacher's eyes widened in shock as he listened to their impromptu duet. Miseo sounded near perfect when she was singing with Haneul, her pitch and timing finally spot on for once.

When the song finished, the room fell silent before erupting into spontaneous applause from the other trainees. The teacher stared at Miseo in disbelief, clearly stunned by this newfound ability of hers.

"Miss Easy," he said slowly, "it seems you have a talent for harmony that I wasn't aware of before."

Miseo blushed brightly under his scrutiny but grinned proudly nonetheless. She glanced over at Haneul who smiled back encouragingly at her friend's sudden success.

The teacher cleared his throat and continued in a more gentle tone than usual, "I think we should focus on developing this skill further. It could be very useful for future group performances."

Miseo nodded enthusiastically, feeling a renewed sense of purpose now that she had discovered a hidden talent within herself.

---

After class, Miseo and Haneul celebrated their newfound musical synergy with a much-needed girl's night in. They spent hours listening to their favorite K-pop songs and practicing different harmonies together, each one sounding better than the last.

Miseo was lounging on her bed after another exhausting vocal lesson when her phone buzzed with an incoming text message. She grabbed it eagerly, hoping for a juicy gossip update from one of her many admirers.

But instead, the message that popped up on her screen made Miseo's eyes widen in surprise: Mr. Park.

Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly unlocked her phone to read his message.

"Hey gorgeous," it said simply. "I'm sorry about last weekend at the club - I was a real jerk. How about I make it up to you with dinner? No pressure though, just let me know if you're interested."

Miseo's mind raced as she debated how to respond. She knew Haneul would be furious if she found out Miseo was still seeing this guy after what happened at the club. But the promise of a lavish meal and Mr. Park's undivided attention was too tempting for her to resist...

"Sounds perfect!" she texted back, her fingers flying over the screen with barely restrained excitement. "When and where?" Mr. Park responded within seconds. Miseo's smile was so wide it nearly split her face in two as she tossed her phone onto the bed beside her.

The place was one of the most exclusive and expensive restaurants in Seoul, a place she had only ever dreamed of visiting before now. And to think that Mr. Park wanted to take her there - just the two of them! As much as Miseo hated to admit it even to herself, this VIP certainly knew how to treat a girl right...

The next night, Miseo was dressed in one of her sexiest outfits: a tight black dress with a plunging neckline that showed off her ample cleavage and a flirty skirt that swished around her toned thighs as she walked. She had taken extra care with her hair and makeup, wanting to look absolutely flawless for Mr. Park.

When Miseo arrived, the hostess led her through the elegant dining room to where Mr. Park was already seated at a secluded table in the back corner. He stood up as she approached, his eyes traveling appreciatively over her figure before he leaned in to kiss both of her cheeks in greeting.

"You look stunning," he murmured, pulling out her chair for her like a true gentleman. "I hope you're hungry - I've ordered us an entire feast!" Miseo smiled coyly as she settled into her seat across from him, already feeling giddy with anticipation for the evening ahead.

As they enjoyed course after delicious course of gourmet food and wine, Mr. Park kept up a constant stream of flattery and compliments that had Miseo blushing prettily. He was even more charming than she remembered - so much so that by the time dessert arrived, Miseo found herself leaning in closer to him and imagining all sorts of naughty scenarios for later...

But just as Mr. Park reached out to take her hand under the table, a familiar voice suddenly interrupted them from behind.

"Miseo? Is that you?"

Miseo spun around in shock to see… nothing.

She blinked in surprise as the voice behind her turned out to be nothing more than a figment of her guilty imagination. Relief flooded through her and she quickly turned back to Mr. Park with a sheepish smile.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, shaking her head at how jumpy she was being tonight. "I must be more tired than I thought."

Mr. Park chuckled good-naturedly and reached for her hand again under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"No need to apologize, gorgeous," he murmured, his voice low and intimate in the dim light of their private corner booth. "Now... how about we get out of here? I've got a suite at the hotel just around the block – and trust me when I say that the bed is even more comfortable than it looks."

Miseo's heart skipped a beat at his suggestive tone, her mind immediately flashing back to their steamy encounter in the VIP room at the club last weekend. The way he had touched and tasted every inch of her body with such skill... it was enough to make any girl weak in the knees. And now here he was, inviting her up for round two - how could she possibly refuse?

"Sounds perfect," Miseo purred, squeezing his hand back as she rose from her seat. "Lead the way, Mr. Park."

They made their way out and into the crisp night air, Miseo's heels clicking against the pavement with each step. As they strolled arm-in-arm towards the luxurious Grand Palace Hotel just a few blocks away, Miseo couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at what was to come.

Mr. Park had certainly proven himself to be a gentleman tonight - but now it was time for him to show her just how much of a devil he could be in the bedroom... And from the heated looks he kept giving her as they rode up the elevator to his suite, Miseo knew that he would not disappoint.

Miseo walked through the halls with a spring in her step with Mr. Park, as he opened the door to his hotel room with a wide smile, guiding her inside. Before he could even fully get through the door, though, Miseo had already started unbuttoning his shirt hungrily as she pressed herself against him for a passionate kiss.

---

Miseo pulled back from their heated kiss just long enough to ask breathlessly, "How did you get my number anyway?"

Mr. Park chuckled as he began unzipping the front of her dress. "I have connections," he teased before leaning in for another deep kiss.

Miseo hummed against his mouth curiously but didn't press the matter further - she was much more interested in exploring other parts of Mr. Park than discussing who gave him her contact information.

She slid down to her knees on the hotel room floor, looking up at him with lust-filled eyes as she deftly unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. Mr. Park groaned appreciatively as Miseo pulled out his already-hard cock, stroking it slowly before wrapping her lips around the tip.

She took her time lavishing attention on every inch of his shaft - licking up and down from base to head, swirling her tongue around the sensitive underside, sucking gently on his balls. Mr. Park tangled a hand in Miseo's hair as he guided her movements, groaning in pleasure at each flick of her tongue.

As she continued to suck him off enthusiastically, Miseo wondered idly who had given this man her number - and why? But thoughts of sponsors and connections quickly faded from her mind as Mr. Park started thrusting into her mouth faster and harder, using her face for his pleasure.

Miseo moaned around his cock in response, the vibrations sending tingles up Mr. Park's spine. She could feel him starting to lose control as he fucked her throat without mercy - slamming deep inside again and again until he finally spilled himself down Miseo's eager throat with a loud groan of ecstasy.

As soon as Miseo finished swallowing, she gasped in surprise as Mr. Park suddenly picked her up from the floor, his strong arms easily lifting her petite frame onto the king-sized bed. She landed with a soft thud on top of the plush comforter and watched wide-eyed as he swiftly spread her legs apart before settling himself between them.

"Oh!" Miseo squeaked in delight when she felt his warm breath against her most intimate area. Her heart raced with anticipation as Mr. Park wasted no time burying his face in her dripping wet pussy, his tongue lapping at her folds hungrily.

Miseo moaned loudly and arched her back off the bed, grinding herself shamelessly against Mr. Park's mouth. He gripped her thighs tightly to hold her in place as he continued feasting on her sweet nectar, his lips and tongue working together to drive her wild with pleasure.

"Oh god," Miseo whimpered, her fingers tangled in the sheets beneath her for support. She could feel an orgasm building deep inside already - this man knew exactly how to touch her body just right.

Mr. Park hummed against her sensitive flesh as he sucked on her clit, sending shockwaves of ecstasy through Miseo's entire being. Her legs began to tremble and shake uncontrollably from the sheer **** of her impending climax.

"Fuck," she cried out breathlessly when it finally hit - an intense wave of bliss radiating outward from her core until she was reduced to a quivering, panting mess on the bed.

As Mr. Park pulled back from between Miseo's thighs, he admired her flushed cheeks and heaving chest with a satisfied smirk. But his cock was already standing at attention again - eager to be buried inside her tight little pussy.

Without warning, he flipped Miseo over onto her stomach and pulled her hips up into the air until she was on all fours in front of him. The plush bed felt soft against Miseo's knees as she looked back over her shoulder at Mr. Park with a hungry gaze.

He positioned himself behind her before slamming his hard cock balls-deep inside her dripping wet cunt with one forceful thrust that made them both moan loudly from the sudden fullness. Miseo pushed herself back against him instinctively, savoring every inch of him as he stretched her open wide.

"Fuck yes," she whimpered, her fingers digging into the comforter beneath them for leverage while Mr. Park gripped her hips tightly and began to piston in and out at a punishing pace that had her seeing stars behind closed eyes.

The slap of their skin echoed throughout the hotel room as he pounded away relentlessly, praising Miseo's gorgeous body with each thrust - calling her sexy, beautiful, irresistible... She felt like a goddess beneath his touch, glowing from head to toe under the weight of his compliments.

Miseo cried out in ecstasy when Mr. Park suddenly bent forward over her back and reached around to furiously rub her clit while still fucking her senseless from behind. The dual sensations quickly pushed her over the edge into another explosive orgasm that had her pussy clamping down hard on his cock.

"Oh god," she screamed, "yes! Don't stop!"

Mr. Park grunted with effort as he continued to rut into Miseo's tight heat, feeling his own climax building deep within him now too. With one final thrust, he pulled out just in time as Miseo turned around with her mouth open. He shot thick ropes of hot cum all over Miseo's face and hair.

Miseo closed her eyes and savored the feeling of Mr. Park's warm cum splashing across her face, a triumphant smile playing on her lips as she relished in the glory of being marked by him like this.

"That was incredible," she breathed out happily when he finally pulled away from her exhausted body. "You really know how to make me feel good, Mr. Park."

Mr. Park grinned down at Miseo with pride before gently wiping some of his cum off her cheek with his thumb and popping it into her mouth for her to suck clean.

"You're a natural," he told her warmly, admiring the way she eagerly swallowed every last drop without hesitation or disgrace. "I could tell from the moment I first laid eyes on you that we would have fun together."

Miseo beamed up at him under his praise, feeling more confident than ever about her future as a K-pop idol now that such powerful and influential men were taking notice of her talents - both in and out of bed.

"So," she asked curiously as they cuddled together on the rumpled sheets, "how exactly did you get my number?”

Mr. Park chuckled before explaining, "I'm actually quite well-connected in the industry. Mr. Jang and I go way back - we were both sponsors for several popular girl groups years ago before he became CEO of Starlight Entertainment."

Miseo's eyes widened in surprise but she nodded in understanding now too. Of course a man like Mr. Park would have connections to powerful executives at major entertainment companies. It all made perfect sense.

"Well," Miseo said with a sultry wink, "I'm certainly glad he decided to give you my number then. I can't wait until our next meeting, Mr. Park."

Mr. Park pulled her closer for another passionate kiss before replying huskily against her lips, "Me neither, sweetheart. Me neither."

---

Miseo tiptoed back into the dorm room as quietly as possible, hoping not to wake Haneul. She carefully locked the door behind herself before heading straight for the bathroom to clean up from her steamy encounter with Mr. Park.

As she washed away all evidence of their passionate lovemaking under the warm spray of the shower, Miseo couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement knowing that this was just the beginning of something great - both for her career and her newfound connection to such an influential sponsor.

When she finally slipped back into bed next to Haneul later on, Miseo did her best to fall asleep quickly so as not to arouse any suspicion from her friend. But it seemed fate had other plans tonight...

"Miseo," came a groggy voice in the darkness, "where were you?"

Miseo froze for a moment before forcing herself to relax and play it cool. She rolled over to face Haneul with what she hoped was an innocent expression.

"I just went for a quick walk," Miseo mumbled sleepily, hoping her friend wouldn't press the matter further at this late hour. "I needed some fresh air after all that practicing today."

Haneul squinted at Miseo suspiciously but seemed to accept her explanation... for now anyway.

"Okay," she said with a yawn.

Miseo turned onto her side and pulled the covers up under her chin. She could sense Haneul drifting off to sleep - but no more questions came tonight at least.

As Miseo finally began to relax enough for real slumber to take over, she made a mental note to be extra careful about keeping her activities a secret from now on... The last thing she needed was for Haneul to find out about her meeting with Mr. Park.

---

Friday arrived, and Miseo found herself growing increasingly anxious as she prepared for her weekly evaluation at Starlight Entertainment. Along with Haneul and the other trainees, she made her way to the performance hall where they would be evaluated by the coaches and various high-ranking executives.

As they entered the spacious room, Miseo's eyes widened in surprise upon spotting a familiar face seated amongst the audience members - Mr. Park. He sat in the front row with an entourage of important-looking people around him, looking every bit as handsome and powerful as she remembered.

Miseo quickly composed herself before taking her place on stage alongside Haneul, determined not to let her nerves show during this crucial performance. The room fell silent as they began their vocal demonstration under the watchful gaze of the judges.

Throughout the evaluation, Miseo showcased significant improvement in her vocal skills since starting at Starlight Entertainment - especially when it came time for the duet she had been practicing with Haneul. Their voices blended together seamlessly as they sang a popular K-pop ballad, filling the room with beautiful harmonies that left everyone in attendance impressed.

When their performance concluded, Miseo beamed proudly under the coaches' approving nods and enthusiastic applause from the audience - including Mr. Park himself who gave them both a resounding ovation.

But as the evaluations wound down and attendees began mingling amongst themselves afterwards, Miseo felt an unwelcome sense of unease growing within her at seeing Haneul engaging in conversation with none other than Mr. Park over by the refreshments table.

Miseo couldn't help but notice how close they stood to each other as they chatted animatedly, the warmth of their laughter reaching her ears from across the room. It was clear that some sort of connection had formed between them - one that Miseo knew all too well after last night's intimate encounter at his hotel suite.

Jealousy began to bubble up inside Miseo as she watched Haneul lean in closer to Mr. Park, her hand brushing lightly against his arm while they talked. She clenched her fists at her sides, doing everything in her power not to charge over there and interrupt their private conversation immediately.

Instead, Miseo turned around without another word and exited the performance hall as quickly as possible - leaving Haneul and Mr. Park to continue their chat alone.

Later that evening, Haneul returned to their dorm room looking exhausted from a long day of evaluations and practice sessions at Starlight Entertainment. She slumped down on her bed with a heavy sigh before turning to Miseo who was quietly studying at the desk nearby.

"So," Haneul began casually as she kicked off her shoes, "I saw you leave after the performance today... Everything okay?"

Miseo froze for a moment before forcing herself to relax and face Haneul with an innocent expression. "Oh, uh yeah," she stammered, "I just didn't feel too well all of a sudden is all."

Haneul studied her friend curiously but seemed to accept the excuse at face value. "Hope you're feeling better now then," she said before changing the subject. "By the way, I wanted to tell you that Mr. Park actually apologized to me today... About what happened with his friend last weekend."

Miseo's eyes widened in surprise and embarrassment upon hearing this news from Haneul. So THAT was why they had been chatting so closely together earlier - not because there was any romantic interest between them.

"I-I didn't realize..." Miseo trailed off lamely, unsure of what else to say at this point without making the situation even more awkward than it already was.

Haneul simply shrugged before getting up to change into some comfier pajamas for bed. "No worries," she replied nonchalantly over her shoulder as she headed towards the bathroom, "we're all good here."

Miseo let out a long sigh of relief once Haneul had closed the door behind herself - thankful that her little misunderstanding hadn't caused any permanent damage to their friendship after all.

Miseo was scrolling through her Instagram feed afterwards when she suddenly received a notification for a new follower request. Curious, she clicked over to check out the profile and was surprised to see that it belonged to none other than Mr. Park himself.

Her heart raced as she anxiously opened up his direct message, eager to see what he might have written after their intense encounter yesterday:

"Miss Miseo," the message read, "I just wanted to congratulate you on your stellar performance today during the vocal evaluations. You truly have a remarkable talent that I believe will take you far in this industry."

Miseo couldn't help but smile proudly at his kind words even as she felt a twinge of unease at seeing them written down so plainly like this - what if someone else saw this message and put two and two together about their secret relationship?

She quickly scrolled back to the top of their conversation thread, relieved to see that he had sent it directly through Instagram's private messaging system instead of leaving a public comment on one of her posts.

As she continued reading though, Miseo couldn't shake off an unsettling thought that suddenly crossed her mind - Mr. Park had mentioned last night at his hotel suite that he sponsored other entertainment agencies too... not just Starlight Entertainment where Haneul and the rest of the trainees were also signed under.

A cold sweat broke out on Miseo's forehead as she contemplated what this could potentially mean for her innocent friend moving forward - would Haneul have to go through similar situations in order to make it big as an idol someday too?

Miseo knew deep down that she wouldn't let anything happen to sweet, naive Haneul if she had any say in the matter... But what power did she really hold against a man like Mr. Park? And how many other powerful sponsors were there out there just waiting to prey on young girls with dreams of K-pop stardom?

With these troubling thoughts weighing heavily on her mind now, Miseo turned off her phone and set it aside before crawling into bed for the night - too anxious to sleep but determined to protect Haneul’s purity and integrity.