The Rumor's Aftermath
The remaining fans of Yoon Hyeon-min had now reached a state where nothing but evil remained.
They had secretly created a group chat with a small number of members to manipulate public opinion. It was a strategy to cover one controversy with another.
「Leader: Anyone who hasn't read the summary post?」
「Leader: You know, right? If it's for Hyeon-min, even a demon can become one.」
「Leader: Then, from now on, please share one good idea each.」
They decided to target the weakest trainee, Hyeon Si-woo. As a solo trainee with no company to sue, and someone who received a lot of hate for playing the sympathy card, he was the perfect target.
「Leader: Like 'He got into a car accident, why is he suddenly dancing so well?' lol.」
「Leader: You can just go with it, but I think it's a lie.」
「Leader: I have some reports about Hyeon Si-woo from people I know.」
And suddenly, posts about Hyeon Si-woo began flooding every community at once.
My acquaintance is a trainee. Hyeon Si-woo didn't debut from the car accident.
There are also trainees who don't know about the car accident, and they say it's embarrassing. They say they heard that they internally disciplined to prevent rumors from spreading.
Thinking about it, isn't it strange? In the first episode, no hospital diagnosis was shown, no rehabilitation scenes. No rumors from hospital staff.
In the beginning, he was limping saying he was in pain, so he got a lot of screen time as a sympathy narrative, but in this mission, he dances amazingly well?
If it's a lie, isn't it a huge event since he reached 10th place with sympathy narrative?
Yoon Hyeon-min's fans were spreading the rumor that Hyeon Si-woo's car accident was a lie in various communities, even lying that they were related to the incident. Hyeon Si-woo, who had no company to post a statement or sue because he was solo, had no choice but to be helpless against the rumor.
'Do you believe this?'
At first, I couldn't believe it. That people would believe such rumors. The ones telling me to provide evidence for Hyeon Si-woo were the ones without evidence. They were just suspicious based on gut feeling.
But an entertainment reporter turned the circulating post into an article. This was also because Hyeon Si-woo was a private trainee and had no company to defend him.
A rumor post written by a hater was turned into an article without any evidence.
'This can't be. A reporter writing an article about such a weird rumor?'
Perhaps because of the unfortunate narrative I moved away from, the hate towards Hyeon Si-woo intensified even more.
Perhaps they knew this was all a rumor. But Hyeon Si-woo was no longer a pitiful existence. He had placed 10th in the first debut show and was gradually rising as a trainee. He had been a target for a long time.
So, it didn't matter what the truth was. As long as they could debut their own trainee, they would pull him down first. And the fans of Yoon Hyeon-min were using this psychology well to incite and spread it.
「Leader: You know, right? The only way to ask about Hyeon-min's controversy is this method?」
「Leader: Don't give up. We can debut Hyeon-min.」
「Leader: I think the rumor about PD having a relationship with Hyeon Si-woo is already out of the question.」
But they didn't know. That by doing this, Hyeon-min wouldn't return to his original position. By pulling down Hyeon Si-woo, it didn't improve Yoon Hyeon-min's public opinion. It only made him distant from the topic. After all, after watching the broadcast, Yoon Hyeon-min's image had been in decline for a long time.
But they were doing all sorts of badmouthing everywhere. Because they believed that was the only way to save Hyeon-min.
'What's Hyeon Si-woo doing right now.'
I contacted Hyeon Si-woo immediately. The situation going on seemed serious.
"Hello."
Soon, Hyeon Si-woo's voice came through the phone. The moment I heard the first word, I knew.
'His mental state has broken.'
He had been holding strong despite the dark and gloomy atmosphere, but this voice was the first time I heard it.
"Um..."
I didn't know what comfort to offer in this situation. It was better to talk face to face with Hyeon Si-woo rather than just through calls.
"Hyung. Can I come home?"
"Home? Our home?"
According to the setting, Hyeon Si-woo should be living near our neighborhood.
"Give me your address."
After getting off the bus and walking for a few minutes, Hyeon Si-woo's house came into view. According to the first episode interview, Hyeon Si-woo was living in a rundown villa with his family.
'I have a similar situation.'
The more I thought about it, the more I thought Hyeon Si-woo was similar to me. Losing everything to an accident just before achieving his goal in a harsh environment.
"Si-woo hyung, I'm here."
When I pressed the doorbell, the door opened.
"Yeah, come in."
Hyeon Si-woo looked disheveled from head to toe, as if he didn't even have time to wash up. I looked around the house as I entered. It seemed no one else was there.
"What about the other family members?"
"They went to work. Sit here."
Hyeon Si-woo sat on the sofa.
'He looks extremely anxious.'
I put the drink I bought from the convenience store nearby on the floor and asked.
"Will you drink this?"
"......"
But Hyeon Si-woo just stared straight ahead, not even caring.
"Hyung. Do you know what people are saying about you right now?"
"I know."
"Then, shouldn't we do something? If we stay like this, people who believe it's true will appear."
But Hyeon Si-woo didn't say anything. The lengthening silence bothered me, but I decided to wait for now. I wasn't the type to just sit and do nothing.
But at the end of the long silence, what came back was Hyeon Si-woo's powerless voice.
"It seems like there's no point in all this."
As expected. His mental state had indeed broken.
"I keep thinking that I won't be able to debut this time either."
"What?"
"Even if I explain and prove that I couldn't debut because of the car accident, even if I show that I'm a pitiful person..."
Hyeon Si-woo's eyes were unfocused.
"In the end, if I can't debut, I'll just end up as a pitiful person."
"What are you talking about."
My heart ached. I wanted to ask if this was the time to say weak words, but Hyeon Si-woo seemed almost half-conscious.
Who would have predicted that people would doubt even his pain.
'People who believe are crazy. Who in the world would lie about getting into a car accident and appear on a broadcast.'
After swallowing my sigh, I opened my mouth.
"Why do you think hyung won't be able to debut? Hyung is 10th place. It's never a low rank, right? Just one step up and you'll be in the debut group."
But the answer that came back from Hyeon Si-woo was unexpected.
"That's all sympathy votes."
"......"
"Because I'm the one who got into the car accident, so these are votes given out of pity. But now, no one is looking at me with pity. It's over. My rank will go down and I'm finished."
Only then did I understand. Why Hyeon Si-woo was in this state. The words that haters always said had led him to receive high rankings through sympathy votes.
'After seeing so many hate comments, I ended up believing those words.'
It was understandable that his mental state broke. Just looking at the internet, it felt like the whole world was doubting and cursing him.
But I couldn't leave Hyeon Si-woo in a broken mental state.
"Hyung got sympathy votes? Logically, that's all sympathy votes, right?"
"Then, no? Everyone does that. If I do a story-selling..."
It was insane. The distrust planted by the haters that he had risen through sympathy votes. And the anxiety that he wouldn't be able to debut. Hyeon Si-woo didn't even consider listening to my words.
'Is there no other way?'
In the end, I opened the system window and clicked the 'Master of Persuasion' title.
It seemed like normal comfort wouldn't work since his mental state was broken. This was the best option.
"Hyung."
After equipping the title, I grabbed Hyeon Si-woo's shoulder and spoke again.
"Pull yourself together."
"......"
"That's betrayal. Betraying the people who voted for hyung for his sake."
Hyeon Si-woo looked up at my words.
"Those extreme, loud humans come in groups and say a few words each, making it seem like a lot, but in reality, how many people would believe such rumors?"
As if the persuasion was working, Hyeon Si-woo's eyes gradually regained focus.
"The PD making hyung a pitiful person in the beginning was true. They edited it to deliberately evoke sympathy, right? But it wasn't because hyung wanted it that way."
Because I had read the novel several times, I knew Hyeon Si-woo's true feelings. Hyeon Si-woo wanted to be noticed for his skills rather than his sad story.
But the PD kept asking why he couldn't debut, and when he answered that he got into a car accident, he was hooked as if waiting. For the early topic flooding, they induced questions that made Hyeon Si-woo cry, and Hyeon Si-woo's intervention in the edited content was none.
"Hyung didn't become a pitiful person because he wanted to. But why do you think it's your fault? Hearing that you rose to this point with just one story is so embarrassing that it makes you want to run away and give up on everything?"
Throughout my words, Hyeon Si-woo's pupils were shaking.
"Hyung has only worked hard to die. Others can say whatever they want, but hyung shouldn't. Hyung knows better than anyone that he worked hard. Hyung also knows that it wasn't because of just one story that he got here."
Hyeon Si-woo's expression changed as he listened to my words. At least, it wasn't the face that wanted to give up like before. I didn't miss the chance and continued speaking.
"Do you know what people are saying now? They say that the dance of someone who got into a car accident is fine. They've worked so hard that even comparing to a normal person, there's no shortcoming."
I looked straight into Hyeon Si-woo's eyes and spat out the last words.
"The place where hyung is sitting now is something obtained through his own efforts. So, please don't deny it or feel embarrassed."
At that moment, when I finished speaking, a tear fell from Hyeon Si-woo's cheek.
"...Yeah. Why did I forget? I worked really hard during that time."
Hyeon Si-woo muttered while wiping his tears with a dazed face.
"My family. How much effort did they put in to make my dream come true, why did I forget and sit here so pathetically."
It seemed the persuasion had worked, and Hyeon Si-woo seemed to have regained his senses.
"Then..."
"Yeah?"
"We should reverse it. Back to normal."
And I was ready.
"First, let's create an Instagram account."
This crisis was an opportunity to prepare.