Chapter 73
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 73
The staff stole glances at us, sensing the unusual atmosphere, but fortunately, they didn't seem to have overheard the conversation. I brushed my hair back and stopped the manager.
“I’m coming too.”
“Ho-yun, I understand how you feel, but don’t come right now.”
“No, I’m going.”
Ultimately, this was a matter of my life and death. If Jeong Da-jun was forced to leave and I couldn't proceed with the Main Scenario, it meant only one thing.
The Dawn would go completely and utterly bust.
I looked at Jeong Da-jun, whose face was pale and body was trembling slightly. Then I checked on the other members.
“Then I’ll go too.”
Kim Seong-hyeon also took a step forward. Seeing his gaze fixed on me, he seemed to feel guilty about always leaving things to me. They must be just as flustered as I am.
“Forget it. You guys head back first. Didn't you have a B-Live scheduled for today?”
“That’s…”
“It’s important that the public doesn't find out. In that sense, it’s better for me to go than for the leader to be missing. Manager, no articles have been released yet, right?”
“I’m doing everything in my power to block them.”
“You heard him, right? It’s vital that word doesn't spread. You guys do a good job covering for us on B-Live today. I’ll go with Da-jun and talk to the CEO.”
Jeong Da-jun was a minor. Nineteen was a total baby by my standards. I couldn't leave a kid whose ink hadn't even dried on his ID card alone to talk with a snake-like CEO.
“Ugh…”
I couldn't fully trust the groaning manager either… The manager squeezed his eyes shut.
“Fine. It’s not like this is the first or second time Seo Ho-yun hasn't listened to me…”
He habitually rubbed his stomach as if his gastric acid was acting up. Honestly, I was the one who should be getting an ulcer here.
Pretending nothing was wrong, I gave a bright farewell to the set and quickly hopped into the van with Jeong Da-jun.
“Hyung, ah… damn it… I’m so sorry.”
It seemed reality only hit Jeong Da-jun once he was inside the van. He was in a total state of panic, not knowing what to do.
“What do I do? Am I going to get caught up in a lawsuit? No, I definitely settled things with that agency, so why now, of all times…!”
“Jeong Da-jun.”
“I clearly told them I was terminating the exclusive contract. They said okay and let me go so easily, so why now…”
“Jeong Da-jun!”
I slammed my palm onto Jeong Da-jun’s shoulder. At the loud thwack, I felt the manager glancing at us through the rearview mirror. Regardless, I lifted the panicked Da-jun’s face and met his eyes directly.
“Speak clearly so I can understand.”
“……Ho-yun hyung….”
“I need to know exactly what happened to cover for you.”
To be honest, I wasn't sure if I could solve an exclusive contract issue. So, I glossed over it with the vague word ‘cover,’ but even that seemed to reassure Da-jun as his face crumpled with relief.
“…Okay.”
Throughout the ride to the company, Da-jun told me his story while trembling uncontrollably.
To summarize, it went something like this:
Before coming to Daepasung, he had signed an exclusive contract with some no-name agency and even filled out the paperwork. However, the atmosphere felt suspicious, so he requested to terminate the contract. The other agency readily agreed to the termination, and after that, Da-jun signed a new exclusive contract with Daepasung Entertainment.
I can see their tactic already.
The first thing that came to mind was a paper company.
They would lure in young kids who showed potential but didn't know any better, have them sign a contract, pretend to let them go, but keep the original documents to stab them in the back later. This industry was crawling with scammers like that.
“Hyung, what do I do…?”
“For now, go in and tell them exactly what you told me.”
“A-and after that?”
Da-jun looked at me with eyes shaking with anxiety. Just as I was about to answer, the van came to a halt. We were in front of Daepasung Entertainment.
I sighed and unbuckled my seatbelt first.
“Leave it to me.”
Is there anything left in this world I can't handle?
* * *
The manager tried not to show it when he entered the CEO’s office, but he felt like he was dying under the CEO’s gaze. It was filled with accusations like, ‘You didn't do your job right,’ and ‘Why did you bring Seo Ho-yun too?’
Do you think I wanted to bring him!
He wept blood internally but kept his mouth shut for now.
Seo Ho-yun had a strange power. Even when he made ridiculous claims, things always ended up going his way.
“…That’s how it happened.”
Perhaps because Seo Ho-yun was by his side, Jeong Da-jun had regained some composure and explained his situation much more logically than he had in the car. After hearing everything, the CEO frowned as if he had been caught in something bothersome.
“You got played.”
“…….”
“Ha, they’re obviously just trying to rip us off for penalty fees. Including hush money for the press…”
“C-CEO.”
Da-jun was so shocked by the CEO’s words that he even started to stutter. However, the manager tilted his head in confusion.
“Da-jun is still a minor. Shouldn't it be possible to cancel an exclusive contract for a minor?”
“Ha… if only it were that simple.”
At those words, Seo Ho-yun’s eyebrows twitched. Having been quiet the whole time except for the greeting, he finally spoke up.
“Was a personal seal used?”
The CEO glanced at Seo Ho-yun and clicked his tongue.
“It was.”
“Do they claim to have the seal certificate and family relationship certificate too?”
“Who would carry those things around in practice? However, they said there’s a phone record. They’re terrifying bastards. They recorded it and sent it via email.”
Concrete evidence. Even if it went to a lawsuit, they would surely throw a fit, claiming the exclusive contract was valid. The phone call with Da-jun’s parents at the time of signing would be used as that evidence.
“……Hmm.”
Seo Ho-yun fell into deep thought. Da-jun, unable to follow along, just rolled his eyes anxiously.
The CEO let out a long sigh but explained for Da-jun’s sake.
“Da-jun, normally a minor’s contract without parental consent can be voided. But in your case, there is consent. There’s a contract with a seal. You got your parents’ consent and used the seal. Your parents weren't there in person, but they consented over the phone on speakerphone.”
“No! I made several calls back then. They’re claiming those were recordings from the time of the contract. Even during the consultation… My parents both work, so they didn't have time to come out.”
“Da-jun, you shouldn't lie just because you’re scared. If a contract is made through a minor’s fraudulent acts, it cannot be canceled.”
“I’m not lying!”
“…….”
Seo Ho-yun glanced at Da-jun, whose voice had grown louder in his frustration. The CEO swallowed another sigh as he watched Da-jun shaking his hands and shaking his head violently in denial.
“And they said they didn't give you a termination notice either. They just pretended to terminate it and then destroyed the documents. Absolute lunatics.”
The CEO felt a bit bad for swearing in front of Da-jun, but he just rubbed his forehead as if all his energy had been drained.
“So, they can act like the victims and say you signed with us while knowing you were still under contract with them. You just got backstabbed.”
“…….”
Da-jun’s face crumpled. Seo Ho-yun carefully examined the contract on the table and asked.
“What are their conditions?”
“Ho-ho-yun.”
“It’s not like they actually want to take Jeong Da-jun and have him promote under them, and if they were going to go all the way to a lawsuit, the notice would have already arrived. They don't want to make that big of a scene, so they’re trying to extort penalty fees, right?”
Seo Ho-yun spoke calmly, weighing the situation. The CEO let out a hollow laugh.
“They haven't told me yet.”
“…Are they stalling to raise the price?”
“Yeah. We’re properly hooked.”
It was true that money could solve it. However, knowing that he was a promising rookie from Daepasung, they would likely cling on relentlessly, and there was no telling how much money would have to be poured in.
At the edge of my vision, I saw Da-jun’s fists clenched so tightly they looked white.
“Then the fans will get exhausted too…”
“For now, the next promotion will be delayed.”
Just as the CEO and manager were worriedly discussing what to do about the scheduled events, Seo Ho-yun, having finished organizing his thoughts, touched his lips and casually dropped another bombshell.
“We’re going ahead as scheduled.”
“……What?”
Seo Ho-yun patted the shrinking Da-jun on the shoulder. As if telling him to straighten his back if he had nothing to be ashamed of.
“Three days.”
Hah….
The CEO found it absurd, yet strangely, a faint expectation rose that Seo Ho-yun might actually be able to solve it somehow.
This rookie idol, who only ever said preposterous things, always ended up producing jaw-dropping results.
“I’ll get Jeong Da-jun out of this within three days.”
It was still a crazy thing to say.
* * *
Damn it, who would a delay even benefit?
Some fans might wait faithfully like blooming azaleas. But if the lawsuit dragged on for a long time with no promise of activity, who would be left? Besides, how could you ever get back the time spent at such a peak age?
If things went that way, a decrease in the fandom size was inevitable.
I have to catch them now.
A noisy, buzzing mosquito must be caught immediately. It’s better than waking up the next day, seeing the red, swollen skin, and grinding your teeth in frustration.
In that sense, mosquitoes and scammers had something in common. They both had to be caught the moment they were discovered.
“Seo Ho-yun, what are you talking about! You’re not thinking of stepping in yourself, are you?”
“That’s not what’s important right now. The point is whether we can cover this up quickly or not.”
I lightly brushed off the manager’s horror.
“If we drag our feet, the fans will all leave. We have to handle this while everyone is still unaware and before any articles are published.”
“…….”
“CEO, you were going to have to wait for their conditions anyway, right?”
The CEO hesitated before nodding.
I felt a bit heated that I had to go this far for the agency, but still, if there was no one else to face them, I had to go.
“CEO, you just keep doing what you were doing—waiting.”
“…Do you know someone over there?”
The CEO seemed to think I had some reliable connection. There was no way I’d know anyone at an entertainment agency like that. I didn't, but…
If he’s going out of his way to misunderstand, there’s no need for me to correct him.
“I’ll be in touch.”
I bowed my head and tapped Da-jun, who was sitting gloomily without saying a word.
“Let’s go.”
“…….”
“Hurry up.”
For some reason, the situation was exactly the same as a few days ago. Da-jun, who had been staring blankly at me, bit his lip hard and jumped up. He bowed politely to the CEO, but he still looked wronged.
Good grief.
I turned my head just before leaving the door.
“Don't forget the renewal.”
The door slammed shut.
As I strode ahead, Da-jun scurried after me. Then, he hovered a step behind, hesitantly checking my mood.
“Ho-yun hyung, I-I’m sorry….”
“Forget it.”
“…….”
He was really dejected. Da-jun thought this was all his fault.
This is why I hate scams. The victim is the one who got scammed, but people just point fingers and repeat, ‘You should have been more careful.’
I was about to contact Kim Jae-yeon since I needed to do some more groundwork, when I heard Da-jun calling me in a small, shrunken voice.
“Hyung.”
“What.”
“Hyung, do you… do you believe me?”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense is this now?
I was in a hurry because I thought there would be a lot to do to handle this quickly, but in the end, I couldn't ignore him. I stopped and turned around. Da-jun looked directly at me with a face that looked like it would burst into tears at any moment.
“Even if I were you, hyung—no, even if I were the CEO, I would have thought the same… That Jeong Da-jun lied because he couldn't handle the consequences.”
“…….”
“But it’s really not true, hyung.”
Da-jun’s fists, which he still hadn't unclenched, trembled.
“Really… I didn't lie.”
Seeing the completely disheartened Da-jun, my past self suddenly came to mind.
It’s a very difficult thing to have no one on your side. Since you have no connections and no power, the blame only returns to you for shouting without concrete proof. I remembered how much I had gritted my teeth and struggled alone in that situation.
I let out a hollow sigh.
“Jeong Da-jun, do you feel wronged?”
“……Yes.”
I clicked my tongue and pulled up the Item Shop. I had accumulated some points from the previous quests, so I just had to find something useful.
“If you feel wronged, ignore everyone when they’re talking shit and live your life even more confidently because you’re innocent. Then someday it’ll be forgotten, or things will actually get resolved.”
“…….”
“But when you’re still upset, and even after plenty of time has passed, you feel so wronged and shitty just thinking about it while lying in bed… there’s exactly one way to solve it and feel refreshed.”
I quickly scanned the Item Shop. And just then, one that was perfect caught my eye.
[‘Let’s Get Close’
A chance to know people’s true hearts!
These are tea leaves that make the drinker answer honestly, as if they were drunk.
Points: 10,000
※ Caution: The consumer’s body may not function properly, similar to a state of intoxication.]
This should do it.
“What is it?”
Da-jun asked, stuttering. I purchased the item without hesitation and walked up to Da-jun, putting my arm around his shoulder.
“You just have to prove you’re right.”
“……?”
“Simple, isn't it?”
Perhaps Da-jun also found it absurd, as the tears that had been dangling from his eyes disappeared. Regardless, I looked at my reflection in the lobby door and brushed my bangs up.
“Da-jun.”
Looking at it roughly, it looked a bit rebellious. To think I’m doing something like this… it was so ridiculous that a laugh escaped me.
“How is it? Do I look a bit shallow and stupid with my bangs up?”
“……Huh?”
Da-jun, failing to understand immediately, furrowed his brows. Regardless, I gave a light smile.
Hmm, good.
I look like a total punk.