Chapter 293
Chapter 293
The recent schedule for the group that hadn't even decided on a name yet—the debut team from Idol Inc. Season 5—was quite grueling.
This was because they were juggling debut preparations alongside the typical schedule of audition program winners, including advertisements and interviews.
Although their buzz couldn't quite compare to the status TeSTAR had achieved during the previous male season, it was still enough to make the members' hearts flutter with excitement.
And then there was one member who felt a sense of victory for a different reason.
‘He can’t even get in touch? Fucking hilarious.’
Chae Seo-dam checked a contact in his smartphone that hadn't shown any response.
[Moon-dae Sunbae]
It was a number he had managed to coax out of a manager who used to be in charge of TeSTAR. Playing the "Hyung-nim, Hyung-nim" card to flatter a pathetic loser had been easy enough.
‘Even if he puts on airs at that level, his true nature remains the same.’
Chae Seo-dam assumed Park Moon-dae was of the same ilk as himself.
It was almost embarrassing to see a social misfit, who couldn't even strike up a conversation back in school, acting all tough just because he’d gotten drunk on his own popularity as a famous idol.
‘What’s a lucky bastard like him going to do?’
Based on his words alone, he’d acted like he was doing Seo-dam a huge favor, but in the end, it was nothing more than posturing to look important.
Even now, wasn't Park Moon-dae failing to react at all, despite Chae Seo-dam subtly bringing him up in every related interview or shoot?
He was clearly scared shitless.
‘I thought he’d do something because he was pissed, but look at him—too terrified to even move.’
He was probably glorifying himself in his head as some kind of manga protagonist. Every class had one or two of those delusional idiots.
‘A guy who’s just lucky has no business introducing himself like that.’
It was simply hilarious that a guy who succeeded just by catching a lucky break and having a decent voice could power trip over someone like himself, who belonged to a higher social hierarchy and had lived so fiercely.
Chae Seo-dam felt a surge of self-respect for how he had practiced until his feet felt like they were breaking, using any means necessary to cleverly navigate his way through situations.
He had slipped up once because he let his guard down, but that was the end of it.
‘I won’t let it stay that way anymore.’
After using Park Moon-dae like this to milk his recognition and image for everything they were worth, an even more thrilling plan remained.
The moment he crossed paths with Park Moon-dae again, he would provoke him until the guy couldn't hold back and exploded. Drawing reactions out of others was his specialty, after all.
‘It’d be even better if he went and tattled to the company.’
If the company tried to cover it up, that would be great evidence too. He would gather all those circumstances and use them as a new weakness.
‘If push comes to shove, I can use that as proof that I was being bullied and get myself out of trouble.’
It would be killing two birds with one stone, even flipping his image.
‘An idol who continuously bullies his junior using a deleted recording as an excuse!’
“Ah.”
The scenario was so plausible that Chae Seo-dam felt a wave of satisfaction just thinking about it.
He also briefly thought of Cheong-ryeo, the other party involved in the recording, whom he hadn't been able to consider properly at the time because he was too agitated.
Of course, by now, he was rationalizing that even that had been part of his calculations.
There was no way that man would make a move.
‘I’m telling you, they’re all like that.’
Since it didn't harm him, Chae Seo-dam was certain Cheong-ryeo was probably enjoying seeing Park Moon-dae in a tight spot. No matter how much they smiled at each other, weren't they rivals?
From what he’d gathered, the guy had been successful from the moment he debuted, so it was easy to guess how infantile his personality would be.
‘He might even contact me to try and strike a deal.’
Since Seo-dam had acted humble and perfectly polite in that situation, there was no reason for Cheong-ryeo to feel offended.
Perhaps he was just waiting for Park Moon-dae’s weakness to be exposed.
“Mmm~”
Thinking through this logic that flowed as naturally as a rolling snowball, Chae Seo-dam completely washed away the anxiety of the past few days.
‘I set the stage boldly and well.’
The arrogance that had consistently tripped him up throughout his life began to sprout once again.
This optimism was shattered a few days later when he ran into someone in the company hallway.
His former classmate, who was now his senior: Seon A-hyun.
“Hello, Sunbae-nim!”
“Hello...!”
Unlike back in school, Seon A-hyun, who was walking from the opposite direction, was looking at him with his head held high. To think he had to treat a guy like that as a senior just because of debut years.
Chae Seo-dam’s mood soured instantly.
‘If it weren't for his luck with Aju-sa, he wouldn't even be able to function in society.’
Seeing a person like that act as if they were more successful than him always left a bitter taste of injustice in his mouth.
‘But what are you going to do about it?’
There was nothing A-hyun could do except pull rank as a senior. That is, if he cared about the social standing he had barely managed to build.
And honestly, Seon A-hyun pulling rank... didn't even tickle.
“I, I have something to say to you, Seo-dam. Do you have a moment?”
“Ah, yes! Seo-dam Hyung!”
The way A-hyun struggled not to stutter was a bit irritating, but Seo-dam inwardly sneered at the way Seon A-hyun was specifically calling him out.
The voice recorder was still running.
‘Looks like I’m getting one more weakness to use.’
However, as soon as they entered a corner meeting room, Chae Seo-dam was hit by Seon A-hyun’s direct strike.
“I’ve been... thinking a lot. About whether I should tell the truth... that you bullied me.”
“...!”
Tell the truth about what?
For a moment, Chae Seo-dam wondered if this was reality.
But Seon A-hyun wasn't finished.
“Seo-dam, I have recordings.”
“...!”
“Because I was... so scared... and I wondered if I was the one who was strange... I recorded you for a while... so I could listen back and try to understand.”
“....”
“And, I still have them.”
Chae Seo-dam felt a chilling sensation crawl down his spine.
It was the survival instinct one feels in the face of a crisis.
‘N-No, that’s not right.’
Chae Seo-dam barely managed to deny reality. He rationalized, mistaking it for being logical.
He would do what he had always done, just a bit more forcefully.
‘Even if he says that, there’s no way he can release them.’
Wouldn't it hurt him too? He was a top-tier idol right now.
It would be hard to make a fuss about school violence over some bad feelings and a ruined practical exam back in school. At least, that’s what he thought.
‘And what did he even record?’
In his mind, no matter how much he thought about it, he had never used verbal abuse or physical violence enough to be held accountable.
This was just an attempt to scare him.
‘But...’
But, just in case... yes, just to be safe.
After finishing his rationalization, Chae Seo-dam spoke in a regretful tone.
“A-hyun... do you really hate me that much?”
“....”
“We had some friction back in school, but... it wasn't to this extent. Is this... because I beat you for the top spot? I’m so bewildered.”
If he had spoken hoping for a scene where A-hyun would make excuses and act flustered, he was dead wrong.
“Since I have a bad image, I feel a sense of self-loathing wondering if you’re doing this because you think it’ll be fun...”
Conscious of his own recorder, he was putting his all into creating evidence...
“Seo-dam.”
But Seon A-hyun didn't even flinch.
“That kind of thing doesn't work anymore.”
“...!!”
“I am truly... considering making it public. I came to tell you... because I thought telling you in advance was the last way I could settle this.”
“....”
“Then, I’ll be going.”
Seon A-hyun bowed slightly and left the meeting room first with a firm expression.
And Chae Seo-dam’s mind went white with shock.
‘There’s no way he’ll release it.’
Chae Seo-dam repeated to himself as he lay on his bed in the dorm.
He probably just said that to try and threaten me because he’s enjoying his position.
‘That pathetic bastard, acting like he’s seen something in a movie.’
...But on the other hand, he couldn't stop imagining the fallout if Seon A-hyun actually released the recordings.
Eventually, as time passed, he even began to think:
‘...Should I apologize now?’
No, an apology was an admission! He could never apologize... Besides, he hadn't done anything wrong enough to warrant an apology, had he?
He was sick and tired of the weak-minded one collapsing on his own and then acting like a huge victim just because Seo-dam had egged him on a little.
“Fuck...”
Everything was uncertain. But the moment he made a gesture, it would be like admitting his guilt.
‘Should I just ignore it?’
But it left a bad taste in his mouth. His thoughts endlessly circled back to the starting point...
After a few days of such anxiety and madness.
Finally, a change occurred.
“Seo-dam, um... the Management Department Chief wants to see you in the office.”
“...Yes.”
Fuck! Fuck!
Chae Seo-dam had a gut feeling. Judging by the manager’s expression, it wasn't anything good. Then...
That bastard Seon A-hyun had actually gone through with it.
“...!”
Wait!
At that moment, a brilliant idea flashed through Chae Seo-dam’s mind.
If he could get evidence of Park Moon-dae bullying him first, he could use that to strike a deal with the company even if Seon A-hyun exposed him, couldn't he?
Even as he followed the manager to the management office at the end of the hallway, he continued to run calculations in his head.
‘If I send a text now and provoke him a bit...’
Click.
However, after checking if he was carrying a recorder, when the door to the consultation room in the management office opened...
“You’re here.”
The figure sitting there... was someone he hadn't expected at all.
Park Moon-dae.
“...!”
What on earth was going on?
Park Moon-dae, sitting in the seat where the Chief should have been, scanned Chae Seo-dam indifferently and then gestured with his chin.
“Sit down.”
“....”
“Ah, I’m the Chief’s proxy.”
Thud.
Park Moon-dae, who nonchalantly muttered something nonsensical, glanced at the door being closed by the manager.
Then he gave a short laugh.
“Let’s have a chat.”
...Only then did Chae Seo-dam recall the suspicion he had forgotten while looking down on Park Moon-dae.
The reason he had tried to spy on Park Moon-dae.
Revenge.
—You lucky bastard.
The suspicion that every incident and exposure that had happened to him since Park Moon-dae made that comment... might have been Park Moon-dae’s doing.
I looked up and identified the guy who walked through the door.
Chae Seo-dam looked like he’d seen a ghost.
‘Good.’
The more disoriented he was, the easier he would be to handle. He was already an easy target; this would make it even simpler.
I spoke to the guy who was still standing.
“Aren't you going to sit?”
“....”
“It doesn't matter to me... but then I’ll just talk.”
I continued in a flat tone.
“I heard a report came in regarding school violence...”
“This is all your doing, isn't it?”
“What is?”
“....”
But instead of answering, the expression on this bastard’s face changed as if he’d realized something.
Only then did he pull out a chair and sit down.
‘Oh.’
The guy spoke with his eyes wide and crazed.
“I think you’re mistaken about something... I don't care if I have to quit this because something blows up, Sunbae-nim. I’ve already been cursed at enough... and it’s not like this is the only path for me, right?”
“....”
“Yeah. I’m just going to quit being an idol, so I’m going to tell everything before I leave. Huh? That a senior group conspired together, and even the company joined in to pressure a person and create rumors.”
Mmm, a typical reaction.
‘I’m cornered, so let’s all die together. I’ll blow myself up,’ is what he’s saying.
‘He thinks he can return to his original major if the worst comes to the worst.’
This bastard probably guessed it since he has a brain, but from TeSTAR’s perspective, it’s true that we’d take a hit whether it’s Seon A-hyun’s issue or something else that blows up.
‘That’s why I’ve been cautious.’
So he probably thought that now the threats would stop and we’d enter the negotiation phase.
“I see.”
Too bad, but it’s a useless effort.
There are no negotiations with you.
“But if you quit being an idol, are you planning to go study abroad?”
“What are you...?”
“Because I don't think it’ll be easy for you to live in Korea right away.”
I spoke without even looking at Chae Seo-dam, resting my chin on my hand.
“I’m going to expose every single fact one way or another and create such a scandal that you won’t be able to function in Korean society anymore.”
“...!”
“I don't care either. Whether it blows up or not. It’s not like TeSTAR is going to go under because of that.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“The moment you started talking bullshit about recordings, the discussions between the stakeholders were already finished, you idiot.”
The way to drive a guy like this into a state of panic where he has nothing left to rely on.
It was a bluff infused with sincerity.