translation by mourningmoor
In the end, all of this is an extension of the filming.
At times like this, showing the character of a big person is beneficial in many ways.
After all, people won't know what MuteSeven has done, and if we're not careful, we might be misunderstood as avoiding those guys, even though we're the victims.
Even though PD Choi Chiguk is reflecting, with the decision to cover this issue, HS, a close ally of TVH, will probably have influence that can't be ignored.
They said they'd reduce MuteSeven's screen time, but that doesn't mean they won't do favorable editing.
"Then, should we work on the choreography together? Even though it's a battle, if the atmosphere doesn't match, it'll be awkward, so I thought it might be better to make the choreography consistent."
Roa commented.
Hearing this, Jeongsoo nodded eagerly and agreed right away.
"That sounds good. I'll ask the Mute side, and if we can, maybe we can do it together."
"Yes, that seems like a good idea. As Ichan said, it's better to do it together if we can, it'll look better that way."
"Alright. Then let's go persuade them together."
It seemed like Jeongsoo was in charge of Mobeus's choreography.
With that, Roa and Jeongsoo approached the MuteSeven choreographer, and I was left with a moment of free time.
Maybe now's the chance for me to get something done.
Moving slowly, I followed Wooyoung's trail.
The guy who had been looking upset for a while had left the practice room earlier.
I was wondering where he went and found him heading into the bathroom, clutching the toilet and vomiting everything out.
It didn't seem like he was physically ill. Rather, his emotional state felt off.
An extreme tension and endless anxiety were surging like waves.
It's not like Wooyoung at all.
What on earth is making him so anxious?
I waited by the entrance and grabbed him just as he was about to leave the bathroom.
"Kim Wooyoung."
He jumped, startled, and flinched.
"Are you okay?"
"I was just surprised."
He really did seem shocked. His face had gone pale, and he seemed to be calming his racing heart, looking almost pitiful.
"Why are you so surprised? Are you afraid someone’s going to beat you up again?"
At my words, Wooyoung flinched and stiffened.
There really seems to be something going on with him.
Wooyoung, whose brain was so simple it was almost empty, used to only think about beating Kang Ichan. But now, it seemed like he didn’t even have the luxury of doing that.
And this guy’s endless 'unease' seemed closely tied to the assault incident from before.
"At one point, I thought..."
Thanks to the anxiety Wooyoung was carrying, my thoughts started to shift.
"I thought you were the most powerful person in HS. You’re the team leader, and you’re a cousin of Director Kim Chanyeong. You had a lot of influence and presence, and you stood out the most."
I had planned to ignore him, thinking he was useless, but now it seemed like he had some value after all.
"But looking at you now, I guess I was wrong."
A bit of a push would probably bring out even more emotions from him.
For example, a sense of crisis or stubbornness.
At that moment, all I had to do was subtly use those emotions.
"You, You’re really nothing special. The so-called leader can’t even manage the members, and even though you’re supposedly the cousin of Director Kim Chanyeong, you don’t even know who Who’s M is."
As expected, his inner thoughts started to churn and become tangled.
"And you even got beaten up like a dog for making a little mistake."
"Who the hell got beaten like a dog... Watch your mouth, you little shit."
Fearing someone might hear, Wooyoung looked around with a worried expression.
His pride still seemed to be alive, at least.
Looking at him with a sense of pity, I quietly spoke up.
“You were a piece of shit that was thrown away in the end.”
"What?"
Wooyoung couldn’t hide his confusion at my words.
"Do you know what the easiest way for HS to get out of this situation is?"
"What’s that...?"
"Cutting off the tail and a quick break-up."
It wasn’t a 100% made-up story. For a shady group like HS, it was entirely plausible, and it was already halfway in motion.
"The group that caused this mess, MuteSeven, should be disbanded, and a new idol group should be formed."
"What the hell are you talking about? Who decides to disband MuteSeven...?"
I showed Wooyoung a text message in response to his outburst.
HS Kim Chanyeong, Kang Ichan. Have you thought about returning to HS? If you come back, I'll let you produce a new idol group to replace MuteSeven. You can decide the concept and the members however you like. If you're interested, contact me. Let’s meet and talk.
For a moment, Wooyoung pressed his lips tightly together. His jaw clenched slightly, and his mind started to twist in confusion.
"Did my hyung really send this?"
"Check the phone number if you want."
"So, you're saying they're really going to disband MuteSeven?"
Still in disbelief, Wooyoung snatched my phone and checked his cousin's number over and over again.
It was then.
My phone rang, and a name appeared on the screen.
Ha, this person.
He had been trying to contact me for days, saying he wanted to meet, and of course, he calls now of all times. How considerate.
I glanced at the pale Wooyoung and casually muttered one sentence.
"You decide."
Then, I pressed the call button on Wooyoung’s phone and switched to speakerphone.
"Hello?"
―Kang Ichan?
"Why are you calling again? I told you I'm busy."
―No matter how busy you are, would you at least meet me today?
"I'm busy. I'm not that free of a person."
Even though I bluntly rejected him, CEO Jang of HS didn’t back down. Instead, he kept pushing relentlessly, trying to get his way.
―You’re at the M&E Center right now, right? You said you’d be staying there overnight today.
It seemed like he had even checked the schedule and made up his mind to call.
―I’m on my way there now. Let’s meet for just a moment.
"There’s nothing to talk about."
―I don’t think Director Kim Chanyeong properly relayed my intentions to you. You don’t need to apologize to MuteSeven. They were the ones who made you suffer in the first place. Think of this as a chance to clear the past up once and for all.
"What’s with you rushing ahead? I’m a Blade artist. I’m already satisfied as it is."
―Is it because of the contract or image? Don’t worry about that. We’ll take steps so that you won’t suffer even a bit of damage. Just meet with me. Let’s talk in person.
At the words of his agency’s CEO, Wooyoung’s complexion grew even paler.
It must have been a strange sight for Wooyoung to see someone like Jang Myungwoo, known as an aristocrat in the entertainment industry, desperately trying to recruit a discarded trainee as a producer.
And after hearing the words about disbanding MuteSeven directly, it was no wonder his mental state wasn’t intact.
―I’ll be there in about twenty minutes, so let’s meet for a moment. Okay?
I didn’t respond and hung up the phone.
Then, I swiftly snatched the phone from Wooyoung’s hand.
The guy was completely out of it. I could tell because his mind wasn’t even registering a single signal.
To such a person, I made my intentions clear.
“I have no intention of working at the same company as you.”
Wooyoung, frozen stiff and barely able to breathe, finally opened his mouth with a trembling voice.
“Then, are you really going to… kick me out?”
“No, I’m just saying I’m not interested in HS.”
From now on, MuteSeven’s fate will depend on Wooyoung’s choice.
“So, if you have any thoughts, manage the team well as the leader. Don’t cause trouble.”
Originally, my plan was to step on MuteSeven and take revenge for Kang Ichan, but my thoughts had shifted a little.
“If you rely too much on the agency and act recklessly, in the end, it’ll be you guys who suffer.”
MuteSeven is ultimately just the tail of HS.
Like a lizard, HS will cut off its old tail and grow a new one to survive.
I can’t let that happen.
"If you feel your position is unstable, you’d better at least figure out the identity of the composer Who’s M. That could be your lifeline."
I decided to expand the scope of my revenge plan.
If I’m pulling out a knife, I might as well cut off at least the waist, not just the tail. That was the thought.
“What does that mean?”
“You know the saying, 'Beware the axe that you trust'?”
At my words, Wooyoung’s face crinkled up.
There’s a 90% chance this guy won’t understand, but it didn’t matter.
“Why should the woodsman be the only one wary of the axe? The axe should be wary of the woodsman too. Be ready, in case it ends up stabbing you in the foot.”
For now, my plan was to create a small crack within HS Entertainment.
After all, it's the tiny cracks that no one pays attention to that end up breaking the dam.
* * *
The progress was going smoothly.
Fortunately, the guy in charge of the choreography for MuteSeven turned out to be relatively mild-mannered, and Jeongsoo demonstrated his leadership, completing the choreography without any major issues.
Among them, Roa played the biggest role.
Most of the choreography came from Roa’s mind, and within a short time, he had figured out the dancers’ individual strengths and assigned the moves accordingly.
A remarkable person.
Not just Jeongsoo, but even the assistant director and VJs were continuously praising him.
“Wow, Roa hyung. You were the coolest today.”
“Good job, Roa.”
“Well, as the leader of the L.I.T. Dance Line, it’s expected, but still, it was impressive.”
The members added one more compliment to Roa, who had completed his task well. At that, Roa’s ears turned red. It was clear he was extremely embarrassed.
I silently smiled as I watched Roa, then gently patted his head.
“Ohh, Ichannie hyung smiled.”
But seeing that, Jaewon started teasing him.
“This is a rare sight, isn’t it? Should I go out and do something too, if I want to get that smile?”
Roa, his face turning red, waved his hand at the youngest. It was a gesture to stop because he was embarrassed.
But Jaewon, the youngest, wasn’t going to stop. He dodged Roa’s hand and kept making fun of him.
“I’m so jealous of you, Roa hyung. You’re the only one getting special treatment from Ichannie hyung. That guy doesn’t just smile at anyone, but you’re the exception. I want that head pat and that mischievous smile as a reward too.”
Of course, Roa couldn’t hold back and started chasing after Jaewon.
“Hey, Kim Jaewon. Stop it.”
"Park Roa, you’re lucky. Getting all the attention by yourself."
"Stop it, I said."
Again, they started. The noisy dungeon bunnies—just another day in their lives.
Despite the cameras set up all around and the VJs filming the entire scene, they didn’t care at all.
Well, I didn’t really have the urge to stop them either.
It wasn’t like their antics were anything new. People who knew them, especially those who followed their NewTube channel, were already aware of their chaotic daily lives. This was just typical for L.I.T.
But the real reason I wasn’t stopping them was something else entirely.