Chapter 221


    I got a call from Han Do-Young. I stared nkly at the name that appeared on my phone screen. Why is he going so far as to call me? Is he really trying to build a friendship with me or something? Or does he want to ask us to film a challenge with them when their albumes out? All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind, but I pushed them to the back of my mind for now and ced the phone on my ear. I pushed the ept call button and heard Do-Young’s voice.


    —…Ah, you got the call?


    It was short but with that one line, I could sense many things in his voice.


    <em>‘…What? Did he cry?</em>’ His voice sounded teary and anxious. I was startled to ept a call from someone I wasn’t close to and hear him so close to tears. But I calmed myself down and waited for him to continue.


    —Um…is it okay for us to talk for a bit?


    “Yes, it’s fine.”


    —Ah…well, please give me a moment…


    I heard Do-Young push his phone far from his ear and fake cough two times before he ced it back to his ear again. His voice sounded much more calm when he returned.


    —I contacted you to discuss our debut album.“…Ah.” I tried not to sound surprised as much as I could but I couldn’t help but gasp, ‘<em>Ah—’</em>


    <em>‘He’s bringing it up on his own?</em>’ This was a sensitive issue that I expected him to keep circling. I didn’t expect him—instead of me— to speak so directly like this. Even if we brought up this issue, I thought it would only be natural for me to bring it up first.


    <em>‘What is he going to say?’</em> I wondered. If he was calling to request a picture or video of us looking close because they were suffering from giarism usations, it would really be the worst; or he could pretend to be oblivious about the giarism issue till the very end. Though I still had a good image of Do-Young, if he made requests like the above, my impression of him wouldpletely change. Yet, his next words filled me with guilt for even having such thoughts.


    —I’m so…so sorry, Mr. Tae-Yoon. Not just to you but everyone in Siren…


    He apologized to me from the bottom of his heart.


    —I wanted to call each of you guys to apologize but since I only had your number, I decided to call you out of the blue…I know it will be rude of me to ask for the other members’ numbers too, so please pass on my apology to them…if possible, they could join this call too.


    Because of how sorry he sounded, it made me self-reflect. I needed to fix the habit of always thinking about people in the worst possible way. I began to needlessly feel more sorry for Do-Young.


    —We also had no desire to debut with a giarized song…But as we remained quiet about one thing after the next, things became too huge and out of our control...I’m so sorry. Even considering our situation, I thought I should apologize for it first.


    I quietly listened to Do-Young’s apology. Truthfully, nothing changed even if I epted Do-Young’s apology. If they debuted, a future where Dong-Jun died awaited me. Yet, I felt relieved to hear his apology since it didn’t seem like I would have to ruin Bleshu’s debut just out of my greed. My heart felt heavier and I felt conflicted.


    A long silence circted between Do-Young and me, and the one to speak first was me. “Thank you for saying that. Since the current situation isn’t suitable for all my members to get on this call, I will pass your apology to themter.” Since Do-Young mustered up his courage to apologize, I thought it was only right for me to thank him for it. Yet, I couldn’t end things just like that.


    “But this isn’t a problem that can be resolved with a simple apology. Is there perhaps any conversation ongoing within your group or thepany on how to solve this giarism issue?” I asked.


    Though the emotional conflict between the groups was resolved with the apology, there were still legality and business issues to consider. I thought I needed to hear how Bleshu nned to solve this giarism issue first, and I could n and change my movements ording to their response. Yet, what came out of Do-Young’s mouth was simply shocking.


    —First of all, I’m nning to leave thepany.


    “…Sorry?”


    He’s nning to just pack up and leave? But what would happen if the leader of the group left? I thought I heard him wrong but Do-Young confirmed his words for me once again.


    —I’m saying I will leave my group if we really have to debut with a giarized song.


    “…Ah.” Do-Young’s words made me self-reflect again. Is this what Kang Hyun-Sung must have felt every time he talked to me? I decided to think about thatter and got back to the focus.


    “Why? It’s not like the problem will be solved because you leave the group.” I needed to hear how he decided on this dramatic measure.


    —If I left, I thought thepany would finally realize the severity of the problem and prepare our debut song once more


    “…Hm.”


    “…Do you think it’s strange?”


    I was about to say it was but held myself back.


    “So, in the end, it’s not that you really want to leave the group.”


    —…Yes. But I thought I couldn’t let things be and needed to do something bolder.


    I understood how desperate Do-Young felt but he was making the wrong decision here.


    “But if you leave, what will happen to the other members? What are you going to do about the loss and shock they will feel? Besides, do you think a group whose leader left could properly establish itself and grow? Did you not think that your departure could devastate all your members’ careers?


    —…


    Perhaps, I talked too directly. Do-Young didn’t speak for a while and he only replied some timeter.


    —…That’s true.


    “…Haa…” I internally tweaked the image of Do-Young inside my head. Though he was kind and loyal, he was a bit of a dumb person. Nevertheless, with this, I confirmed Do-Young’s will to solve this issue. Thus, I needed to ask him for the details.


    “Do all Bleshu team members know that there’s a giarism issue with their song?”


    —Of course, they do. It came up many times and all my members feel very sorry about it. They feel embarrassed about it too.


    “Then, does that mean the entire team is wary of debuting with the song in question?”


    —Yes


    “Then can’t your whole team boycott the song?”


    —But I think everyone has a fear that they won’t be able to debut if it isn’t for thispany. Furthermore, since everyone is tied by their contracts, they can’t go anywhere else either. That’s why they are trying to debut even with a song like this.


    “Hm…” I thought over what Do-Young said and assessed the cards and resources I had. Then, I thought about the situation Bleshu was caught up in. I was trying to find out which method was good for both Bleshu and my mission.


    “What if there’s an opportunity for you guys to debut in anotherpany with a better song?”


    —…Sorry?


    “Ah, I’m not saying I would make that happen. I don’t have that sort of connection. I just wanted to confirm this point.”


    —But we are tied to the ce by contract…


    “And a contract Is only effective if thepany remains solid.”


    —That’s true.


    “And on that note, the Bleshu members aren’t willing to debut with a giarized song if they were freed from the contracts?”


    —At least for me, I don’t n to do it if the contract disappears. It would be preferable if we could debut somewhere else. I have to ask the other members too but they probably have simr thoughts.


    In this case, I needed to prepare two things: first, was a method to destroy Bleshu’spany. The second was to get a newpany that Bleshu could join.


    <em>‘…That’s harder.’ </em>This was the harder option. Even finding the business that manipted sales and destroying that ce would take less energy. My head was in a mess. I wondered how I could aplish this mission, and how I became so deeply entrenched in another team’s problem.


    For now, there were two big methods that I could employ to solve this mission. One was to call Yoo Won-Dong and tell him that there was a giarism issue with G&B and it appeared they would take the first ce spot from us using a shady business. Then, I could tell him that would make achieving the Triple Crown difficult so we should find that business first and crush it.


    The other method was to erase Bleshu’spany, G&B Entertainment, altogether to stop Bleshu’s debut and help them join a newpany. If I had to choose which method was easier, the former won by andslide. I would have fewer responsibilities and most likely finish the mission. I felt more conflicted when Do-Young spoke first.


    —You don’t have to consider us so much. For now, I will try to make it so that we don’t debut with a giarized song as best as I can.


    It seemed he also felt that my worries were deepening. Yet, Do-Young probably didn’t realize that I felt as desperate as him to resolve this issue. But since I couldn’t keep holding him hostage on the line, I tried to end the call. Yet, Do-Young seemed to have onest thing to say.


    —Honestly, I can’t say that mypany is a good one, but if it wasn’t for our director, things wouldn’t have gone this far. I know it sounds like I’m making excuses but I hope you don’t hate us so much. Because I really think most of them are good people.


    The director was the problem? That gave me an idea.


    <em>‘If the director is the only problem, maybe he’s the only one I have to shake.’ </em>Rather than changing entirepanies, perhaps, I could take an easier route.


    “Um, Mr. Do-Young.” Before he ended the call, I hastily called back Do-Young.


    —Yes?


    After moving farther away, he got closer to the phone again.


    “Does that mean the entirepany besides the director shares the same opinion about giarism?”


    —…Yes? Everyone including our team manager and staff holds the same opinion. They all think we shouldn’t debut like this. But they don’t make their feelings too obvious.


    “Oh…I see.”


    —…Why do you ask?


    “Ah, it’s nothing. I was just curious. Since we also have experience…working under an ipetent director, I could rte to you. Good luck on your ventures.”


    —Thank you.


    “Then, I will contact you again.”


    —Yes, thank you.


    That was how my call with Do-Young ended. I ced my phone down and pressed my temples. With Do-Young’sst words, I thought of another possibility. I didn’t know if it was really possible, but I thought I could at least ask. I searched through my contact list and found Yoo Won-Dong’s number. It was only right for me to message him first.


    —Director, could we talk over lunch today?


    Yoo Won-Dong gained some positive feelings about us thest time we were suddenly intercepted in a meeting. Furthermore, I also met him separately on another asion. I thought his mood would be good these days after feeling like a hands-on boss.


    —Of course :)


    He instantly okayed my request to eat together. But perhaps, he was afraid of meeting me alone, so he kept asking me to bring the other members.


    —If all the Siren memberse, I will pay for the meal :)


    —I n toe alone


    —I will pay when you alle :) There’s a great Korean cuisine restaurant nearby


    —I will go alone


    —Let’s all meet together :)


    —I am heading there now


    I ignored Yoo Won-Dong’s desperate pleas to meet altogether and got up from my spot. I didn’t want to wake my members up when they were sleeping.