“What thanks? You’re going to work hard from now on. But it’ll be much more relaxed than during debut. That’s why we’re starting early.”
Go Won captured in his eyes the mature and confident appearance of the man wearing a suit.
Lately, Go Won looked up yACE videos all day except for practice, meal, and sleep time. Concert videos, variety show appearances, music videos…
So perhaps that’s why, in the person who had only seemed like a general manager, he could also see the appearance of yACE’s leader.
Kwon Taeyoung was someone who would still shine even if he stood on stage right now. Even compared to videos from over ten years ago, only his maturity and composure had increased while his appearance remained unchanged.
“Is there a concept you want for the next song?”
He had debuted at exactly his own age, 20 years old.
Taking 14-year-old Baek Hanje as the maknae.
The solidity felt from him now must have been created by long years of experience.
The bond with Baek Hanje was the same. Even Baek Hanje, who seemed like a great adult to him, would act like a child in front of him and show comfortable reliance.
The thought that he was envious suddenly came to him.
“General Manager-nim. …Rather than a concept I want, there’s something I’d like to request.”
“Yeah. What is it?”
“Could I receive another song from Henzel sunbae-nim?”
“Aha.”
A low voice rang heavily.
“You two are living together. I heard you’ve gotten quite close. Why not ask directly?”
“Well…”
“Well, if you ask directly, he’ll endlessly catch your words without rhyme or reason.”
“……”
Anyone could predict that Baek Hanje would beat around the bush making you anxious about whether he’d do it or not.
Kwon Taeyoung immediately called someone.
– Oh, hyung. What’s up?
“Hanje.”
– Yeah.
The tone of Baek Hanje answering obediently was very unfamiliar to Go Won. He looked at Kwon Taeyoung with curious eyes, and soon he raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.
“I just discussed a new song with Won, and he says he wants to try working with a new producer instead of you this time.”
When did I!
Toward Go Won who was startled, Kwon Taeyoung put a finger to his lips and gestured to be quiet.
“So even if you notice he’s working with someone else, don’t feel hurt or bully Won for no reason.”
– …….
A hissing sound came from beyond the speaker, then an indignant shout burst out.
– This, ungrateful bastard, let’s see how well you do without me! Wow, ridiculous! Who, who else besides me are you going to attach him to?
“Well… since debut performance was good too, there’d be many people who’d want to work with Won.”
– Just because it went well last time, he needs to produce even better results this time, so who, who’s capable?
“So, are you capable?”
– Of course. What do you take me for?
“Mmm.”
– Hyung. Are you really going to hand over his producing? Ah, who is it?
Kwon Taeyoung raised the corners of his mouth.
“I lied. I just called Won, and before asking what he wants to do for the next song, I called to check if you have time first.”
– Don’t even think about handing Go Won to someone else! I have plenty of time!
“Got it. I’ll also hear Won’s opinion.”
– …Tell me what he answered too!
“Well. Wouldn’t that violate artist protection? We’ll see.”
At Kwon Taeyoung’s answer, Baek Hanje burst out in indignation again, but Kwon Taeyoung hung up abruptly without pretending to listen.
“He says he’ll take on producing.”
“…Thank you.”
‘You have to be at least that much to be yACE’s leader.’
Above the running Baek Hanje was the flying Kwon Taeyoung. And Go Won himself was at the level of an earthworm underground.
* * *
Team Leader Shin Namwon
Hanje
Cafe?
Yeah
3rd floor?
Team Leader Shin Namwon
Hmm.
No. Want to eat something with java chips crushed in.
It meant meeting at the spacious franchise across the street, not the company cafe. From the moment I got up after receiving the contact, I had a strange feeling.
“I’m telling you in advance in case you feel hurt.”
Team Leader Shin, who’d been growing his hair since winter and tied his long hair up like a topknot, stirred a chocolate drink that didn’t suit him at all.
“I can’t work with Won on his next project.”
“Why?”
“The timing’s ambiguous. If I’m choosing and focusing, it’s right to go all-in on Edelweiss.”
Since Edelweiss had a history with Team Leader Shin as deep as yACE’s, it wasn’t incomprehensible.
But, anyone else aside, this wasn’t something Team Leader Shin would say.
Team Leader Shin is a typical workaholic. If the timing of two projects given to him overlaps? He had the personality of tearing his body in two to participate without missing anything to be satisfied.
He was even someone who absolutely wouldn’t leave the scene during <Unlimited>’s all-night music video shoot, even if it meant working on his laptop bit by bit on-site.
For such a person to say this even after seeing Go Won’s star quality with his own eyes.
“Hyung, are you changing jobs?”
“…Damn quick-witted bastard.”
“Wow, where called and how much did they offer? I’m not trying to hold you back, I’m genuinely curious. Just tell me once.”
“It’s not that someone called, it’s that K-dum is making my life unbearable.”
He let out a deep sigh.
“Working with Won, Executive Director Choi gives me massive side-eye, but abandoning him makes me feel guilty toward you and Taeyoung, which pisses me off. And I can’t watch anymore kids who were shining leave one by one and get depression.”
Since his years at K-dum were long, countless singers had passed through his hands. Unlike me who only worked when I wanted to write songs, as a salaried employee’s fate, he’d been continuously assigned to various projects.
“…Got it for now, so have you decided where you’re going?”
“Paris.”
“Huh?”
“I’m going traveling, traveling. Don’t look for me.”
“Wow, get a good severance package. I didn’t know you had that kind of romance in you.”
“You need romance to keep surviving in this industry.”
That was true.
“We should be having this conversation over drinks, why did you call me to a cafe?”
“To drink alcohol I’d have to leave work early, but having a meeting-slash-tea time with artist Baek Hanje during work hours counts as overtime pay.”
“…That’s a good tip. I’ll tell the person coming in after you too.”
“Tell them after they’ve rolled around for about 10 years.”
Team Leader Shin, who had been giggling, soon spoke with a serious face.
“Watch out for Executive Director Choi Dongjin. He’s gotten poisonous to the point where even people around him say it’s strange lately. Division 4 kids are probably more sensitive because of that guy too.”
“No, why on earth is that ahjussi like that?”
“He solidly filled the company with his people through some correspondence university line or whatever, but he’s anxious because Taeyoung is rising too well. It’s not like Division 4 has kids with enough years to stand up to Executive Director Choi either.”
Originally, firmly grasping K-dum’s management line should have been Executive Director Choi’s role. Since he’d been mentioned as the next CEO from long ago.
But Kwon Taeyoung began establishing his position as a manager, beyond just playing with old friends in Division 5, by raising rookies and building power. Even if it’s just a starting point, the recognition of yACE’s leader domestically and internationally absolutely cannot be ignored, so Executive Director Choi must have felt a sense of crisis.
“Plus, Division 5’s rookie has ascended to prince-nim.”
“Prince?”
What’s that creepy expression?
“That’s about Go Won? Ha, no. He’s not a prince.”
He has zero noble taste, just prickling with sharp eyes all the time.
“Hm? Hanje, you don’t know? Looking with the sharpest muggle’s perspective, the hottest person in the company.”
“Muggle… what?”
“Entertainment stock chat room.”
“……?”
“There, the person who makes money is the king, the prince, and the princess.”
He moved his phone to open a certain chat room.
K-dum Shareholder Group Chat
The notice was as follows:
K-dum Shareholder Group Chat
Diss Prince Go Won = execution
“Did you… accidentally enter a fan chat room?”
Betraying those words, a message came up.
K-dum Shareholder Group Chat
Diss Prince Go Won = execution
Sentimental Dog
Our Prince Go Won~^^* I hope you have a pleasant day today, eat lots of delicious things and practice hard~^^*
Shall we all cheer for the prince once?
Sentimental Dog
Go
Sleepy Cat
Won
Cool Peach
Go
Startled Lion
Uner
(‘Startled Lion’ has been forcibly removed)
Sentimental Dog
How dare you misspell His Highness the Prince’s name
Cool Peach
Death penalty.
“What the fuck, what is this really?”
“K-dum’s stock price was falling while you guys were resting from activities. But after Won debuted, it turned slightly upward.”
“They’re this enthusiastic over just that much?”
“People who bought at the top floor, you see. Even small flows in the graph are very important, you bastard.”
“……?”
“It’s fortunate if you don’t know, and don’t plan to know for your whole life.”
