Chapter 328
Chapter 328
I had definitely run into Bae Se-jin while in Ryu Gun-woo’s body.
‘Though all I did was give him some words of encouragement in front of a sink to get out of a situation.’
I had occasionally wondered if Bae Se-jin remembered that encounter vividly. However, I never suspected he would actually remember Ryu Gun-woo’s face.
This guy must have seen tens of thousands of fans by now; would he really remember the face of a fan he saw exactly once? Especially one who had a hat pulled down low?
But pointing a finger and shouting an exclamation like that clearly meant "I know you." There was no room for doubt. He recognized the face.
‘Phew.’
At least I was wearing earphones, so he wouldn't have heard the bizarre situation of "Ryu Gun-woo" calling me "Hyung." Good.
As soon as I assessed the situation, I opened my mouth. Naturally. I spoke to the guy on the smartphone.
"Hyung, I'll call you back."
I couldn't let Bae Se-jin control the flow. I had to hang up first and smooth things over.
But Bae Se-jin moved faster. He grabbed my arm and whispered.
"You... you found him!"
"...!"
"He's... he's the person from that video, right?"
In that instant, I understood the situation correctly.
‘Ah. It was that.’
Right. Now I remember. When I was checking Ryu Cheong-woo’s home video, Bae Se-jin had been with me. He must have looked at it closely several times back then, and it stuck in his memory.
...Or maybe he remembered because I did something crazy like barging into a coworker's family home on a holiday night to dig through their family videos.
I managed to answer.
"......Yes. That's the hyung."
"I knew it!"
Bae Se-jin looked at the "Ryu Gun-woo" on the screen with eyes that said he understood everything.
‘Even so, his eyes are sharp.’
The person in the home video was quite young, and since the soul inside had changed, the impression should be different. I was impressed he recognized him.
No, just stay still for now.
I gave the screen a slight look and took Bae Se-jin's question.
"How did you find him?"
"One of Cheong-woo Hyung's family members got in touch."
To prevent any unnecessary talk from a long Q&A session, I provided a more specific context. Let's end it here.
"Remember when the two of us went out for a bit a few days ago? We met then and exchanged contact information."
"Hmm, I see."
That look... he didn't even know Ryu Cheong-woo and I had gone out that day.
‘Well, it's not like he's Keun Se-jin.’
Even though Cha Yu-jin was his roommate, he was the type who rarely left his room.
Anyway, the situation seemed to be settling down. I nodded and spoke.
"I was actually going to tell you the news since you went with me to check Cheong-woo Hyung's home video back then. Thank you."
"That... no. It's not like I did much. Anyway, I'm glad it worked out, and uh... let me know if there's anything I can help with..."
Bae Se-jin rambled for a bit before performing a surprisingly social act. As soon as his eyes accidentally met Ryu Gun-woo's on the screen, he greeted him.
"So, this person is your—ahem, hello."
That guy's voice only goes into my earphones, so why is he greeting him back?
He finally realized.
"...What is he saying?"
"One moment."
Since it had come to this, it would be cleaner to let them exchange a brief greeting and then hang up. I looked at the screen and spoke clearly on purpose.
"Hyung. Since you can't hear each other... if it's okay, I'll unplug the earphones now."
It was a signal to be prepared.
Perhaps determined not to make another mistake, the guy's tone changed. And his expression changed too... Wait, is he imitating me?
He relaxed his face completely and spoke in a firm voice.
It didn't suit him.
"Yes, um, I'm Bae Se-jin, in the same team as Moon-dae."
As soon as the communication started, Bae Se-jin returned to his usual self, as if his earlier initiative was a lie. He really is incredibly shy.
Still, it was a relief that the atmosphere had calmed down. The guy on the screen was also being excessively polite in return. This is a good distance. Let's keep it this way.
"......Thank you."
However, Bae Se-jin responded a beat late, then moved out of the smartphone camera's range with a strange expression and whispered to me again.
"...Hey, does that person work in broadcasting by any chance?"
"......?"
Where did that come from?
"No. Why?"
"Just... his face looks familiar for some reason..."
Bae Se-jin stopped mid-sentence. He stared intently at the guy on the screen, who was still imitating me.
"......"
That was a very significant sign. I immediately spoke up.
"Hyung, then I'll see you next—"
"Wait."
Bae Se-jin raised his hand and spoke in a tone of uncertainty.
"By any chance, did we meet a few years ago... at a concert venue? In front of the sinks, talking about an autograph..."
"...!"
No, there's no need to be surprised. Calm down.
‘He's not certain.’
The situation just overlapped and sparked a memory, so he's just checking. And it's not like the guy on the screen actually did it. I can just say "I don't know what you're talking about" without any guilt...
"......"
Why are you getting excited there?
‘Are you saying you experienced that together through Resonance?’
I looked at the two excited idiots with cold eyes.
"Ryu Gun-woo" on the screen reacted with excessive delight, and thanks to that, Bae Se-jin became certain immediately.
"!! I knew it!"
"...Of course I remember. I was really grateful back then."
Bae Se-jin seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually added one more thing.
"It... gave me a lot of strength. Thanks to that, I looked up a lot of good stories."
And why are you winking with such pride?
It was absurd, but the guy continued in a slightly excited tone.
"......"
The Ryu Gun-woo from back then?
Wait, he didn't just chime in by accident...
‘Was he saying that for me to hear?’
I was speechless and just stared at his screen. Keun-dal seemed to have forgotten to manage his expression, his lips twitching with a satisfied look. Beside me, I heard Bae Se-jin clearing his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem, yes. I'm glad to be able to greet you like this. I couldn't even give you an autograph back then..."
"......"
Well, fine... if that small thing helped Bae Se-jin all this time, then that's a good thing. It's not a big deal, just a small heartwarming story, so it might be better to settle it here rather than have him realize it later and make a fuss.
I let out a small chuckle.
"I already promised to give him a signed album when our next one comes out."
"Ah, hmm, that would be good."
"The, the honor is mine."
The atmosphere softened slightly. To be precise, Bae Se-jin alone started to shed his shyness.
‘At this rate, they'll start making small talk.’
Since any more conversation might lead to slips, I wrapped up the call for real this time.
"Hyung, you said you have training tomorrow too. I think I've taken up too much of your time."
"Ah, yes. Um... yeah. Thank you."
Keun-dal caught the signal quickly this time, and the call ended.
Click.
Staring at the disconnected screen, Bae Se-jin muttered with a complex expression.
"...He really was a fan of our group."
"......"
It would be weirder not to ask here, right?
"Do you two know each other?"
"It's not that we know each other... I just received encouragement as a fan... No, I only saw him for a few seconds, so I didn't know he was the person you were looking for! It's not like I knew you were looking for him and intentionally didn't tell you..."
"I'm sure. You don't remember the face of everyone you meet."
"R-right."
Bae Se-jin sighed with a look of relief.
"Still... it's amazing. To think we both got help from the same person... I didn't know we'd have a connection like this. It makes me think that fate really exists."
"I guess so."
"Ahem... it's a bit strange to think that someone who said such nice things in the beginning is still supporting us..."
"It's probably because you've worked hard all this time, Hyung."
"R-really? Ahem, well, maybe not that much... but thanks."
"Don't mention it."
Bae Se-jin seemed completely uplifted now.
"Hey, wouldn't it be good to talk about this on a variety show? Or not?"
"......"
Let's stop there.
"There's also the option of keeping it as a memory between us. More importantly, Hyung, the reason you called me..."
"Ah!"
Only then did his expression change as he got to the main point.
"Right, I got a call from the company...!"
Hmm.
‘The kind of call that would make Bae Se-jin run to find me?’
Surely they aren't retracting their surrender. I crossed my arms.
"The agency?"
"Not that company... the one above it!"
Bae Se-jin shouted with an excited face.
"T1 ENT contacted us directly!"
"...!!"
The parent company had stepped in.
I followed Bae Se-jin into the room. Several members were already gathered there, likely having been summoned along with Cha Yu-jin.
"I'm back!! Just as you warned, I slipped out quietly without being caught by anyone from the AR team!"
"R-right."
Once Kim Rae-bin, who was the last to leave the studio, joined us, the briefing finally began.
"It's nothing else, but a proposal came in."
"A proposal?"
Ryu Cheong-woo explained briefly.
T1 ENT had sent an email directly, bypassing the agency. It was sent through the manager we spoke to regarding the dedicated team issue, and it contained the board's opinion...
As I listened, I rubbed my chin and summarized it in one simple sentence.
"So... they're saying they'll pull us out entirely as a direct label."
"Exactly."
Not under the subsidiary T1 Stars, but as a direct affiliate of the actual T1 ENT.
‘This is crazy.’
It was an incredibly generous offer. They even sent a proposal for restructuring the settlement system to explain how much we would benefit.
"Then what about our current agency?"
"There was no specific mention of that."
That made sense.
‘They're basically screwed, so it's hard to put that in writing.’
Normally, even if a label is established, it only performs planning and promotional tasks independently, while the accounting structure, like revenue processing, remains tied to T1 Stars.
‘It means our revenue would have continued to be recorded as this agency's.’
Because it's a subsidiary label.
But if this happens, our ties with the agency are cleanly severed. A transfer, literally.
Since we'd be taking the entire dedicated team with us, the company wouldn't just be in an emergency; they'd take a massive hit. But since the parent company is standing behind us with its fists up, we don't even need to worry about retaliation.
"If this happens... we're completely out of that agency!"
"Oh~"
A perfect escape timing that one could only dream of.
It was a refreshing situation, and some were already clapping, but...
‘Hmm. This isn't good.’
My eyebrows twitched.
This was undeniably exceptional treatment. It was a big deal—a change in affiliation that would lead anyone with even a slight interest in the entertainment industry to view TeSTAR as T1's "legitimate heir."
And that was the problem.
‘We shouldn't be too closely linked with T1's image.’
As a conglomerate with its hands in everything, T1's image was absolute trash. Even in the cultural sector, they were criticized for "ruining the industry ecosystem" with their aggressive K-POP exploitation strategies, epitomized by the Tnet channel.
And TeSTAR becoming the face of a business that such a T1 is pushing with all its might? That's the worst possible label.
‘It's not just benefiting from a conglomerate; we'd become the main face of T1 ENT's business.’
Even during the Rookie of the Year award, there was a huge fuss about the tyranny of a conglomerate broadcaster. Every time T1 does something stupid in the future, there's a high probability they'll link us to it. It's the perfect setup to be framed as the "stronger party" or the "aggressor" whenever something happens.
‘That's not all.’
There was one more decisive reason.
‘...We shouldn't have an image where the company is entirely on our side.’
In business, you can't please everyone. Problems inevitably arise. The idol business is no different. When a problem occurs, someone has to take the blame... but if we start with the premise that the company cherishes and respects us, we'll end up taking all that heat ourselves.
Instead of people saying:
- T1 being T1 again.
- Ah, damn it, let our kids go.
More people will say:
- LOL... guys, please do better.
- The member who didn't release a promotion plan this time must be brainless. Stay out of it next time, okay?
That can never happen.
‘T1 must have an image where their interests don't perfectly align with ours.’
The moment that's broken, even if the company messes up, people will think of the idols and the company as one. They might try to overprotect us or, conversely, blame the idols along with the company. It's a bad move in the long run.
"......"
"What does everyone think? I... think it's pretty good!"
"M-me too."
The problem was, I didn't know if I could convince these excited guys by myself.
‘To be honest, the reason is a bit cynical.’
I couldn't exactly tell them that we need to make sure people blame the company for everything shitty so that we don't get the heat. There were at least three people here who wouldn't be convinced by that logic.
‘...It would be perfect if there was an emotional justification.’
Just then, Kim Rae-bin muttered quietly in a dejected voice.
"Then, we will be completely separated from some of the AR team members as our affiliations change......"
This kid... well said. This is it.
"Hmm, couldn't we just bring everyone over?"
"That will be difficult. I don't think the agency will let them go that easily."
I answered as if it were a certainty on purpose.
"Taking the dedicated team with us will already be a huge blow to the agency, so it'll be hard to pull others out."
"Uuuugh..."
"T-then... what happens to those who can't come with us?"
"They'll probably end up working in a tougher environment than before."
Kim Rae-bin's face turned pale. I crossed my arms.
"But we don't have to force ourselves to stay for their sake. Everyone lives their own life."
"Yes......"
That was when Seon A-hyun cautiously raised his hand.
"U-um..."
"Yeah."
"Then, can't we just stay here and kick out all the bad people? Is... is that impossible...?"
I answered calmly.
"Kicking them out is hard."
"O-oh. I guess so..."
Then, Ryu Cheong-woo spoke up.
"But, can't we make it so they can't do bad things anymore?"
"...!"
"Right?"
He's surprisingly good at backing me up. I nodded.
"That's possible."
"Oh~ I like that. Let's fight!"
Cha Yu-jin immediately switched sides. Typical of him. And Bae Se-jin mumbled.
"It's not bad..."
Right. I knew this would be to your taste too.
"Then shall we consider this option as well?"
The response was quite positive.
‘Done.’
I interlaced my fingers.
"Then let's wait for the right time... until everyone's mind is completely made up."
"The right time?"
"Since the discussions have progressed this far, I think we can afford to."
I looked at the guy sitting next to me. Keun Se-jin.
"Like he said last time, once we've swept the Grand Prizes, our bargaining power will be even greater."
"...!"
To put it another way, we wait until the moment the other party is at their most anxious.
Keun Se-jin's eyes widened, and then he grinned. I smiled back.
"Let's wait until then."
After that, during the year-end and New Year's award season, TeSTAR received a total of 32 trophies.
And five of them were Grand Prize trophies.
Our deal began to move at that very moment.