Chapter 7: One Last Flame
"Hey. Lee Seong-jae. Listen up. Yeah, it's a shitty thing to do to the Black Label kids. But the company needs to eat, and so do we, right?"
The hand on his shoulder swung straight toward the rooftop door.
"Why are you being such a pushover? You gonna disband Team 3 or what? And don't they debut newbies? What about us? Are we supposed to keep pinning everything on Black Label forever? No, man. Someday we'll debut newbies too, right? And disband. That's how it goes. You've been a manager for years—still don't get how this industry rolls?"
Nothing to say. No logic to counter with.
Park Team Leader was right on every point. It was Manager Lee himself being unreasonable.
"Fuck. You think I like saying this shit?"
Park Team Leader hurled the can of coffee he'd been drinking.
"You know who's with me there? The division head. The division head."
Park Seong-ju, who had only been puffing cigarette smoke, now let out a deep sigh.
'Fuck.'
Park kept spewing curses. He knew. Park didn't want this either.
It was Park who had picked up Ji-soo, who had finalized the team lineup. And now that same Park was forcing out these harsh words one after another.
"If you've had a serious talk with the kids, they must have some idea already."
Park patted Manager Lee's shoulder with a gentler gesture than before.
"Not right now—read the room and break it to them gently."
"......You said one year, right?"
Park had. End of this year, definitely. Give it one year.
He'd even launch the Finale album. They had to shake off that goddamn label.
"And you'll release the album too."
"Yeah? Yeah."
Park nodded.
"So, if the album does well... if it blows up big. What happens to the kids?"
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
Manager Lee glanced down at his smartphone, where the Supreme Beat Contest announcement was still up.
"The kids. Do they keep going?"
***
Underground practice room.
The Black Label members sat in a circle.
Leader Won Ji-min pursed her lips, staring intently at the music chart.
"Gone."
"Yeah, gone. Us. It's been a while since we dropped off the rankings."
Hye-soo, the team's main dancer, backed her up.
"Huh, since when?"
Not just the leader—the maknae Ray asked innocently too.
"Dunno. Me neither. Just... since the day after release?"
"Ah......"
The innocent question turned into a sigh.
Three days ago, 6 PM release. Gone from the charts the next day meant it flickered briefly right after launch.
They hadn't even hoped for top 10. At least top 100, though.
Come on. A week into promo, music shows not even over yet, and no trace of Black Label on the charts? Unbelievable.
Ji-soo, the otaku-ish main vocal and total weeb, scanned the chart and asked.
"Did the company release us in English or something?"
That'd explain no search results in Korean.
A pipe dream, sure. But she couldn't just let go of that last thread of hope.
Won Ji-min typed slowly, no typos in the spelling, but still no Black Label on the chart.
"Hmm......"
Fucked.
She couldn't say it as leader, but anyone with eyes, ears, and a brain knew this comeback was a total disaster.
And that thought had probably crossed every Black Label member's mind.
'There might not be a next time.'
Whether they all shared it, the practice room filled with damp, heavy silence.
They couldn't chase happy dreams forever.
Won Ji-min broke the quiet, facing reality.
"How long have we been active?"
"Hmm... about four years? I debuted in my sophomore year of high school, I'm 22 now. Wait, five years?"
Hye-soo counted on her fingers, calculating debut years.
Four, five years. Whatever it was, perfect timing for the company to ditch an unprofitable group.
Won Ji-min, edging into her mid-20s, knew exactly how the industry worked.
"......Not much time left."
Contract ending soon too.
She'd seen it around her. "We'll cover termination fees, so disband quietly. No drama."
'Doesn't matter for me.'
Won Ji-min gazed at the circled Black Label members, continuing her thought.
'But what about the others?'
While other kids did math homework, these girls chased star dreams, dancing and singing nonstop.
They'd run solely for that.
If they had to quit, at least let them bloom one final spark.
Other groups get #1 just for comebacks. One week. Even one week with Black Label's four letters at the top.
"Um... girls."
She knew it was hard to bring up, but Won Ji-min thought: better to regret after trying.
As she paused to dive into the main point, the maknae jumped ahead.
"Unnies! I have something to say!"
Ray raised her hand and yelled.
She scampered to grab the iPad tossed on a chair and shoved it at the Black Label members.
"Let's do this."
Supreme Beat Contest
A few members already knew. Hard to bring up, though.
"Like Ji-min unnie said, we don't have much time left. But even if we end it, let's snag a music show #1 first."
"Huh?"
Won Ji-min blinked in surprise.
The maknae had just voiced her exact thoughts from moments ago.
"I mean, if I quit idol life like this and go home, I'll feel too bad for Mom."
Ray clenched her fists tight, striking a fighting pose.
"Gotta hit #1 in Korea at least once to ease the guilt a bit."
"Ooh, yes!"
Hye-soo agreed.
She was already painting rosy futures.
"Who knows? We do this show and boom— we go viral."
"Agreed. Staying the course, we're disbanding anyway, obvious."
Ji-soo nodded.
She spilled the painful truth they'd all avoided.
"Embarrassment's temporary. Make a name here, and boom—we're stars in a flash!"
"......Thanks, girls."
Won Ji-min wiped the tears welling unconsciously.
"Unnie, crying? Don't cry—we got no time."
"Yeah, I know."
As leader, Won Ji-min solidified the group's resolve.
Submission deadline looming—they needed to film the audition video ASAP.
Like desperate trainees dreaming of debut, they moved with urgency. No words needed; they knew the song, stage, choreography paths instinctively, taking positions.
Just as the camera flicked on.
The practice room door opened. Manager Lee Seong-jae panted.
"Ah. Here you are. All of you."
Schedule-free day as always, Hye-soo blinked.
"Something wrong?"
"Wrong? Uh... not wrong. Just... something to say."
Not his style, but Manager Lee was killing the mood out of nowhere. Checking surroundings before closing the door. Blinds pulled tight, no gaps.
And the straightforward guy was hesitating today, uncharacteristically.
"Uh... I said I had something to say."
"Yes. Go ahead."
Won Ji-min responded promptly to put him at ease.
"Uh, yeah. That......"
Like Ray earlier, Won Ji-min fired first.
"We're entering the Supreme Beat Contest."
"Huh? Huh?"
Stunned, Manager Lee's gaze shifted from Won Ji-min to the whole group. She spoke for Black Label.
"Gonna go flip the stage upside down."
***
Bus stop after getting off.
Jamsil Sports Complex—no, the attached Olympic Handball Gymnasium next door.
"They were all 'doomed, doomed,' but still Snet level, still pulling this crowd."
Passed round 1 paperwork, round 2 prelims day.
Got the notice: arrive by 9 AM at designated spot.
Entering the gymnasium: two lines split—composers and players.
My composer line was sparse and chill; player line was on fire.
Indie bands with some buzz, mid-tier idols chasing fame.
Idols gonna idol.
Beyond the contestant fence, fans screamed their lungs out.
Wealthy fans had plastered banners everywhere. Already dizzying chaos.
And yeah, players with mediocre stats fitting a recycled show.
"Last four digits of your phone number?"
"1235."
Gymnasium entrance, 9 AM sharp. Staff already hollow-eyed asked for my number suffix.
Input my answer, confirmed identity.
"Seo Hyun-woo?"
"Yes."
"Composer, right."
Staff nailed the line, checked category, guided me.
"See the door behind me? Go through, baggage check."
"Yes. Thanks."
Waiting number 894.
On time, no late—9 AM. Thought I was early, but 893 ahead? Shocking.
Through the door into the gymnasium, VJs already swarming with cameras for insert shots, angling everywhere.