Even so, they’re artists from the same company. Even if they can’t help, shouldn’t they at least not interfere?
It wasn’t like Newton and Go Won were in a situation where they’d be competing right away.
In the end, if Executive Director Choi wasn’t dealt with, there’d be no solution.
I was trapped among people whose tempers were flaring as they vented their outrage, when Kwon Taeyoung suddenly called me on the phone, allowing me to slip away discreetly.
And I ran into Go Won in front of the division head’s office door.
“Did hyung call you too?”
“Yes.”
“What on earth does he want to talk about?”
From Kwon Taeyoung’s position, there probably wasn’t much business he’d need to convey to both Go Won and me at the same time.
When the three of us gathered like that, I heard news that was somewhat surprising and also infuriating.
“Someone secretly looked at the A&R Team’s computer at night. They discovered file access records from a time when no one was there.”
“…What?”
“The intrusion traces are only on the new song demo version. They’re currently identifying who the person caught on CCTV is.”
“It was an inside job, right? Was it leaked or something?”
“Well, just from the movements captured on CCTV, there were no actions like copying the audio file or taking out personal equipment. I don’t know if they sent an incompetent fool, or if there was some problem. They fumbled around clumsily and then ran away. Still, you never know.”
“Division Head, um, they say we can roughly make out the identity now…”
“Let’s see.”
However, there was some hesitation in the movements of the staff member setting down the laptop on the table.
The culprit in question on the screen had been clumsy from the moment they appeared in the hallway. Even though they’d covered their whole body with a hat, mask, and hood, they kept anxiously pulling at the hood. When they swiped the access key, they seemed more startled than anyone when the door opened. Even then they hesitated for a long while, only sticking their foot in just as the door was about to close.
Once inside, they looked around before approaching a PC roughly in the middle. And the moment they moved the mouse with trembling hands, the light from the monitor illuminated their build and the eyes they hadn’t managed to cover.
The staff member who stopped the video at that scene captured the blurry image and enhanced the quality to show us.
“…Ah.”
Go Won let out a short sigh.
The culprit was Newton member Nam Jungho.
What followed was just as Kwon Taeyoung had explained. The guy listened to the new song demo in a daze and then fled. That was all.
For a moment, no one could speak.
Of all things, who would’ve thought the culprit would be an in-house artist?
“…Mm, I don’t think it was leaked either?”
During the brief silence, I was able to reach a conclusion.
It wasn’t just because of the culprit’s behavior in the CCTV.
It was because the Quest Window, which desperately wished for Go Won’s success, was calm.
The audio was leaked? There’s a problem with the comeback? Going further, he’s in danger of not winning the Rookie Award?
This was the Quest Window that had made a huge fuss just because he got into a fight with a friend. If there had been a problem with the comeback song, it would have displayed warning windows to make it look like a sea of blood was right before my eyes.
It always makes people’s hearts anxious, but now it’s reassuring me in this way instead—how ironic…
The others who had also confirmed Nam Jungho’s clumsy attitude—too clumsy for someone who came with intent—seemed to agree with what I said.
“…Director, I don’t know Jungho very well, but… he’s absolutely not the type to do something like this. He’s been a trainee for a long time so he must be very timid, so why on earth would he…”
Hearing that made me infer that Nam Jungho might have been in that situation due to someone’s coercion or pressure.
“Ha… fuck.”
Harsh words came from Kwon Taeyoung, who had been coldly looking down at the screen with his hand on his chin.
In that moment, my shoulders flinched.
So, Kwon Taeyoung and I—like the eldest and youngest of six brothers—had spent more than half our lives together.
People say I look like nothing in the world scares me, but the sight of my eldest hyung angry is frightening even when it’s not directed at me.
Without realizing it, I leaned back.
“……”
Swoosh.
Then Go Won suddenly bent forward and blocked me.
…’Blocked me?’
That Go Won kid?
It was an action ridiculous enough to make my fear vanish completely.
“Won-ah.”
“…Yes!”
Even though he himself was extremely tense at the angry Kwon Taeyoung’s call.
“I’m sorry this happened. I should have managed things better.”
“N-no. You said there’s no risk of leakage…”
“Mm. I’ll make sure there isn’t.”
Kwon Taeyoung pressed down on his tense eyebrows with his hand.
I discreetly poked my head out over Go Won’s back.
‘Geez.’
Executive Director Choi must have known Kwon Taeyoung would be like this, which is why he sent Newton’s leader directly.
No matter how underhanded the opponent acts, Kwon Taeyoung can’t drive the ‘kids’ to ruin. Because he knows how desperately the young people with the job of idol work.
Also, that guy earlier… was he Newton’s leader?
That’s why his feelings must be even more complicated.
“Jungho, I feel bad for him in many ways.”
See?
“But he has to pay the price for doing what shouldn’t be done.”
Huh?
“I’ll also get a little revenge for you, Won.”
“Pardon…?”
And a few days later, the 5th Division launched a very light counter.
On the day Newton’s follow-up song teaser video went up, three videos were uploaded consecutively to yACE’s official account.
Fans rushed over in surprise but deflated a bit. Still, they clicked on the videos with some pleasure.
The videos uploaded this time were remastered versions of yACE’s music videos.
The music videos that yACE had shot on a low budget in their early debut days now had such poor quality that they were almost unwatchable.
So K-dum periodically restored the videos and re-uploaded the music videos in improved quality versions.
This time was just part of that work too.
It just so happened that this round was for yACE’s 3rd single, which marked the beginning of their rise to the top.
Still a banger even listening again
Look how baby Hanje’s face was ㅜㅜ
English version plz
The three videos occupied the top spots of the popular music videos chart not long after being uploaded.
Those outside the company couldn’t find any organic connection in the videos from K-dum Entertainment artists being uploaded on the same day.
Because the people who checked out Newton’s teaser and the demographic that welcomed yACE’s remastered videos were completely different.
What’s the problem with uploading three old videos on the day a teaser was released? Some even felt nostalgic for 10 years ago and flowed over to Newton.
But on the executive meeting day right after.
“Newton received a very good response when they released their new song teaser this time. They’re building up achievements one by one.”
Kwon Taeyoung turned his gaze to the presenter, Executive Director Choi, then turned his head back to the screen as if he’d seen a bug.
“The 5th Division doesn’t have anything special since all our artists are currently in their rest period, but.”
Then his fingertip pointed at the screen.
“We do have the achievement of occupying 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place on the popular music videos chart from that day until today.”
“……”
Kwon Taeyoung, who had been lukewarm about the conflict out of reluctance to harm the artists, stood up right in front of Executive Director Choi.
Once things turned out this way, not a single person among the working staff held back.
“yACE, of all things—three videos at that timing? Isn’t that too much?”
“What is? Even without yACE, your side can’t even make it into the top 100 anyway, right? And what’s wrong with uploading some old songs?”
“Just because the juniors’ live times overlapped a bit, the senior acts like this?”
“Yeah, well said! Who was the one who acted without basic decency first? Our division head is also a former singer so he has a tender heart—he was going to let it go on the music video release day but showed mercy by moving it to the teaser day!”
“That’s really asking for a fight! Don’t you feel bad for the kids?”
The atmosphere increasingly rushed toward a brutal catastrophe.
Enough that other divisions were gradually watching both divisions and letting out sighs.
“Never a peaceful day, really…”
“When was this industry ever not like that? Compared to the old days, they’re fighting quite elegantly.”
“That’s true. I just never thought I’d be watching brawls at the company for 10 straight years.”
***
Newton’s maknae Jeong Yusang left the dorm with troubled feelings and headed to the practice room.
Though he didn’t show it during schedules, an awkward and uncomfortable current still lingered among the members.
Even when he tried to talk to someone other than Nam Jungho, who had directly clashed, he was stopped with “Yusang-ah, let’s talk later.”
He felt like he’d die from the discomfort, so during his precious rest time, he just ran out to the practice room.
However, the lights were on in the small practice room that was usually empty.
When he peeked through the window, Go Won was practicing.
From the rhythm that faintly came through the soundproof wall, it was completely impossible to guess what song it was. The dance Go Won was doing was also unfamiliar.
Had a new song already come out?
‘It can’t be that our promotion periods will overlap, right?’
As he was thinking that, his chest sank for a moment, and he felt hurt in his pride.
But it was true that Nam Jungho had been getting gradually sharper since Go Won produced results.
Wait, then in the end, isn’t this whole situation all because of that bastard?
“……”
Jeong Yusang opened the practice room door wide without even knocking.
Go Won stopped practicing and turned around. Soon he bowed his head politely.
“Sunbae-nim, hel…”
“I want to use the practice room, so can someone who’s actively promoting yield it?”
The other person’s expression hardened. Soon Go Won unplugged his phone connected to the speaker and walked toward Yusang with heavy steps. Even at a glance, his large height and build felt increasingly intimidating.
Yusang flinched, thinking he might pick a fight out of anger, but Go Won just took out a towel from the duffel bag placed next to the door and wiped his sweat. Then he casually hung the wet towel on the handle and shouldered his bag.
“…What?”
“Use it. The practice room.”
Though he spoke plainly, since Yusang himself was aware he’d been unreasonable, it sounded pointed.
