The First Meeting (2)
Neoul took out his smartphone, checked the time, and asked, “Might I be terribly late?”
“Nope. We got too excited and came way too early. You and Onha arrived right on time.”
As Baek Gi-yeom spoke, he opened the door and poked his face into the hallway. At the sound of the door, Ha On-ha, who had been wavering at the far end of the corridor over whether to go down the stairs or not, jumped and spun around.
“Official coward! You okay?”
“Gi-yeom hyung?”
Led by Baek Gi-yeom, the other members came out into the hall as well. When Ha On-ha realized that the ghosts spilling out in a rush were actually his teammates, he sank down onto the stairs.
He had, in fact, just seen those ghosts heading down the stairwell a moment ago, so he had been frozen in place, clutching the railing and unable to move either way. Now that he knew they were his team members, relief washed through him.
“Wow! You really scared me! Whose idea was it to tear through the wall?”
Ha On-ha pressed a hand to his pounding chest and asked. Woo Cheong shouted, “CEO Jae Ik-hoo!”
“CEO Jake?”
“Mr. Ik-hoo!”
“Mr. Iku?”
“Mr. Ik-hoo!”
“Huh?”
Baek Gi-yeom explained the whole story.
“CEO Jake’s real name is spelled with the character for ‘ik’ and the character for ‘hoo.’ Anyway, the original plan was for the CEO and the staff to wait for you in the third office in ghost makeup. Covering the wall was the CEO’s idea too.”
But then Woo Cheong, who had arrived just before Ha On-ha and Neoul, had said he wanted to dress up as a ghost too. Since he felt awkward doing it alone, he’d gone in for a water-ghost strategy.
Let’s all do it together, hyungs!
CEO Jake had found the resulting image amusing and agreed with Woo Cheong’s suggestion, handing over the ghost roles to the members. So Baek Yuri and Yeo Do-bin had received white funeral garments and wigs, while the rest had been given black cloaks and masks.
“That’s how it happened.”
“Ahh.”
Casually, Ha On-ha took Yeo Do-bin’s wig off and set it on his own head. He smoothed the long black hair wig into place, tucked the strands behind his ears, and then turned his face toward the camera installed in the hallway.
“Long-haired Ha On-ha. How do I look?”
Now that there were more people, he finally had room to joke around a little. He took the wig off again and handed it back to Yeo Do-bin.
“But this really isn’t our company, right?”
It couldn’t be. Please don’t let it be. This was insane. Absolutely not. The thought spilled plainly across Ha On-ha’s face as he gave a eerie smile.
“It was the old building from before MN acquired them. The old headquarters. We’re going to the new building.”
“Yes!”
Ha On-ha practically cheered out loud.
“Did you see the stairs leading down to the basement before we came up to the second floor? There’s no way I’m going down there!”
The old building had tiny windows, dim halls, a creepy atmosphere, and plenty of spiderwebs and dust. If they were going to a new building anyway, he couldn’t help wondering why anyone had bought this place in the first place.
The company name had changed too, and right after the acquisition the former CEO had stepped down and Jake had been appointed in his place. The organization chart had been reorganized and the employees had been completely replaced. So wasn’t this basically just a brand-new company?
Ha On-ha and Neoul went back down to the first floor with the rest of the members. A large car was waiting in front of the open door.
And before it stood a man with a sparse beard on his chin and horn-rimmed glasses. His shaggy hair was tied back in a short knot at the nape of his neck. He looked rather plain overall, but his eyes were bright with intelligence.
“Ah. Hello. I’m Jake, CEO of Flux and, from now on, the executive producer responsible for all of your management. Neoul, Onha, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
With a perfectly formal greeting, Jake extended his right hand. Ha On-ha bowed his head, then flustered and quickly took the hand.
“Hello, sir. I’m Ha On-ha~!”
“Our company, Flux, values a horizontal corporate culture. Please call me ‘Mr. Jake’ instead of CEO.”
“Ah? Yes!”
Ha On-ha’s eyes wavered. Even if the honorific ending was attached, was it really okay to call the company’s CEO by his first name like that?
Neoul also shook Jake’s hand.
“It is a pleasure.”
“Welcome to the members of Jjokbit.”
The other members, who had already greeted Jake, climbed into the car first. Woo Cheong fastened his seat belt and asked, “Mr. Ik-hoo! Are we going to see the new headquarters now?”
He had been told to call him Mr. Jake, but Woo Cheong seemed to like “Mr. Ik-hoo” better.
Even though they had known one another for less than an hour, the nickname had already stuck to Woo Cheong’s tongue so naturally he was using it like they’d known each other for months.
“Yes. We’ll tour the new headquarters, then head to a nearby restaurant for a group dinner with the staff. After that, we’ll take a look at the dormitory as well.”
“After we see the dorm too, do we go home?”
“Afterward, we’ll return to the office, show you the contract, and explain the plans going forward. The move-in date is scheduled for three days from now, but anyone who wants to can start staying there from today.”
“Wow! I want to move in today!”
Woo Cheong had not even seen the dorm yet, but he was already brimming with anticipation as he shouted it out.
Once they were in the car, Ha On-ha’s eyes wavered again when he saw the CEO take the driver’s seat. Baek Yuri and Lee Gal-chae looked just as uncertain. Woo Cheong and Yeo Do-bin, meanwhile, only seemed excited.
Ha On-ha lowered his voice and asked Neoul in his ear, “W-was this normal? I’ve never seen a CEO, not even a manager, personally picking us up before.”
“The other CEO I know drives quite well.”
Neoul’s answer was no help at all. Ha On-ha twisted around and asked Baek Gi-yeom instead.
“He says it’s because the CEO studied abroad. I don’t really know what’s going on either, but let’s just enjoy it. It’s not an authoritarian atmosphere, so what’s the harm? Good is good, right?”
Baek Gi-yeom laughed breezily.
The new headquarters, reached in twenty minutes by car, was a clean six-story building. The security system was solid, and the practice rooms were large and spacious.
The members greeted the staff who had been waiting at the building. Since they had hurriedly removed the ghost makeup, a few of the staff still had traces of it left on their faces.
The company was divided into four departments: management, AR, content production, and public relations.
Everyone welcomed them with bright smiles, and the members finally relaxed. Neoul also nodded when he found there were no souls carrying the stench of rot.
At the dinner with all the staff from every department, they were given a blue cake with Jjokbit written on it.
“Congratulations on your win!”
“We’re so happy to meet you!”
“Let’s walk a flower-strewn road together!”
“Jjokbit, fighting!”
Because there was a minor among the members, the company dinner was replaced with a lunch at a restaurant, and there was no alcohol at all. In a warm, wholesome atmosphere, congratulations, encouragement, support, and promises to do well together were exchanged in abundance.
Later, the dorm they toured was also well secured. The accommodation, located on an upper floor of the building, was a clean, comfortable place with a large living room, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The furniture had also been chosen with a simple design that would suit any taste.
“Wow...! The dorm is great! I like it...!”
“Me too! Me too!”
“It’s bigger than I expected. Nice.”
The members wandered through the dorm with brightened faces. Even Lee Gal-chae, who had been shy and quiet the whole time, widened his eyes when he saw the Han River view.
When they returned to the company and reviewed the contract, a lawyer stayed with them and answered every question.
CEO Jake also briefly explained the debut-prep content that would be uploaded to YouTube, the debut showcase scheduled for a month later, and the schedule for K-Con.
“Any questions?”
“Mr. Ik-hoo! Is there a reason our team name became Jjokbit?”
As if he’d been waiting for the question, Woo Cheong raised his hand. The other members had been wondering the same thing, so they listened closely.
“Ah, yes. There are several meanings. We decided on it after a long meeting with the staff.”
CEO Jake explained.
“First, since you’re a Korean idol group, we wanted a name written in Hangul. You’re like... gimbap.”
“Huh? Gimbap?”
“Yes. Even overseas, people don’t call it a rice roll; they call it gimbap. You’ll be known that way too.”
Jake looked quite confident.
“Also, we wanted to capture the meaning and feeling of blue. Blue is the color that covers the largest area of the Earth.”
“Oh...”
“And the word ‘blue’ can refer not only to the sky and the sea, but also to the green of forests and nature. When we speak of the Earth, we call it the Blue Planet. We wanted to express the ambition to conquer the world through your music.”
Conquer the world.
The members, who had been startled by the word gimbap, were taken aback by the far grander explanation. Baek Yuri, who had liked the name from the start, had eyes that glittered with delight.
“So that’s why we chose Jjokbit. The clear blue sky that makes your chest feel open is called a Jjokbit sky, and the beautiful blue sea is called a Jjokbit sea. Blue, freshness, youth, springtime, hope. We thought it was a name that fit the many values Flux pursues.”
Jake went on, adjusting his horn-rimmed glasses.
“And there’s one more reason. Did you know that a blue flame burns hotter than a red one?”
Baek Yuri nodded eagerly.
“I’ve heard that a blue star is hotter than a red one too.”
“Exactly.”
Bang!
Jake slapped the table with both hands and spoke with fierce enthusiasm.
“Therefore, Jjokbit will become the bluest and hottest cluster of stars.”
“Waaah—!”
Wow.
The members nodded. The name held far more depth and variety of meaning than they had expected.
They picked up their pens to sign the contract.
The contract term written on it was four years.
Compared with the one- to two-and-a-half-year contracts typical of project groups formed through survival programs, it was rather long.
“The contract term is... four years?”
When Baek Yuri asked, CEO Jake explained.
“Originally, we were also planning to proceed with a two-and-a-half-year contract. But after the final members were announced, we quickly consulted with the staff and extended the period a little. Coincidentally, none of the seven of you are currently tied to an agency.”
“Huh? Really? None of us?”
Woo Cheong widened his eyes and looked around at the members. Jake nodded and said carefully, “Yes, as far as I know. Is that correct? All of you?”
It was as if he were checking whether there were any confidential issues or contract-related complications he didn’t know about.
Baek Yuri spoke first.
“After Clear disbanded, I was notified of contract termination right away.”
“Wow, that’s nasty!”
Woo Cheong shouted.
“Well, there wasn’t anything to be done about it.”
Baek Yuri smiled as though it were already in the past.
“I didn’t join another company after that. I’d already quit high school to debut, so I was busy preparing for the GED and college entrance exams. After I got into university, I was kept busy with part-time work and school life too.”
Baek Gi-yeom, who had almost debuted as a rapper, also shared something only Baek Yuri knew.
“I didn’t really fit with my previous agency. And I thought it would be better to have teammates, a group, rather than just working alone as a rapper. My trainee period had been short, so the money they’d invested in me was small enough, and I just paid the penalty and left.”
“Seems like the penalty wasn’t too large, then.”
“I think I paid it all back after about three months of loading and unloading packages.”
“I see. You went through a lot.”
Jake nodded.
“Hmm... Neoul-hyung was originally just a civilian, and Do-bin-hyung came from Australia. Onha-hyung isn’t with Zest, right?”
Woo Cheong asked.
“I failed the debut lineup and came out after signing the termination agreement~”
Ha On-ha, the only one who had remained with Zest until recently, had turned down the company’s offer to connect him to another agency after missing the debut lineup and instead filled out the termination agreement.
“Being grouped with the Zest trainees for the evaluation was Zest’s way of looking out for me. They said that if I had the Zest label, it would guarantee skill, so it would be good for me too, and they offered it to me.”
“I see.”
“It wasn’t the kind of consideration I wanted, though~ But there was no need to make things awkward with my former agency over something I could just refuse. The contract was clearly and cleanly settled when I left.”
Ha On-ha shrugged.
Woo Cheong looked at him with a visibly itching-to-ask expression. He seemed curious why someone as handsome and skilled as Ha On-ha had been cut from the debut lineup.
But Ha On-ha apparently had no intention of talking about it, and instead asked Woo Cheong, “What about you, Cheongie?”
“Ah! When I was little, I got scammed by a trainee contract! After that, my parents wouldn’t let me sign another trainee contract because they wanted me to focus on school, so I couldn’t do it! They did sign me up for vocal lessons separately, though.”
The contract he had been given the first time contained so many poisonous clauses that Woo Cheong’s parents had been put off trainee contracts ever since. They had wanted their free-spirited son not to have his future mortgaged by being tied to one company.
“I finally got their permission this year, and just then the audition notice for Idol Travel went up! I said, ‘This is fate!’ and applied right away. And now I’m here!”
Yeah!
Woo Cheong folded his arms, looking pleased with himself.
“What about Gal-chae?”
Baek Gi-yeom asked next. The members’ eyes moved to Lee Gal-chae, who had kept his mouth tightly shut. In the pressure of everyone’s gaze, Lee Gal-chae spoke quietly.
“...I’d always worked alone, without management. I didn’t earn enough to split with a company.”
Eighteen was an awkward age for an actor. Lee Gal-chae had appeared actively in many productions, never minding whether the role was supporting or a minor part, but they had all been roles with little weight. Naturally, the income had also been small.
“Hmm. Good. I checked properly, then. I’m glad there don’t seem to be any other issues.”
After hearing Lee Gal-chae’s story as well, CEO Jake tapped the contract with his fingertips.
“So... I got a little greedy and decided to extend the contract term to four years. Since there are no obstacles, I originally wanted to make it seven years.”
The members listened closely to Jake’s words.
From the company’s perspective, if they were considering overseas tours too, it would make sense to fill out the full seven years. So why had he landed on the oddly in-between number of four?
“Coincidentally, I’m a CEO with management rights but no shares. If I leave the company, some strange person could come in as CEO and make you suffer, so I adjusted the term to something appropriate: four years.”
Jake added, “Ah, and don’t worry, I won’t be getting cut in the middle of things. I’m extremely capable.”
He wore a fiercely self-assured expression.
Once the explanation of future plans was over, each member reviewed the contract again. With Neoul signing last, all seven members put their names on it.
“The survival show ended yesterday, so I’m sorry for calling you in today without any rest. Well then, enjoy your two days off and see you again in the morning three days from now. You’ll be busy without a moment to breathe from here on out, so rest well and recharge your energy.”
After greeting Jake, the road manager took the members home one by one.
Three days later, Neoul got into the manager’s car, which had come to pick him up, and headed to the company.
But then.
“Why is the company empty?”
There were far fewer staff than before, as if less than half the number from three days ago remained. Many desks were completely empty. The mood was so chaotic that nobody seemed to have the mind to answer Neoul.
The members headed to the CEO’s office to greet Jake. But where had the man with the horn-rimmed glasses gone? A strange-looking, stocky middle-aged man was now sitting in the CEO’s chair.
“Oh-ho. You’ve finally arrived. Our first artists at Flux! It’s a pleasure to meet you. My, my, all of you look splendid indeed!”
“Who are you? Where’s Mr. Ik-hoo?”
At Woo Cheong’s question, the road manager couldn’t hide his complicated feelings and covered his face with his palm. Then, forcing his expression into order, he said, “From today, that gentleman is Flux’s CEO. CEO Kim Woohwan. Please greet him.”
“...What?”
Woo Cheong’s mouth fell open.
“Did Jae Ik-hoo get fired?”
Just like that...?
Neoul did not go into the CEO’s office. Instead, he backed away, pulling his teammates with him.
The smell...
An ominous and filthy stench.
* * *