[New Today_Reporter Kim Jeongmin]
[Composer A, embroiled in plagiarism controversy, denied similarity allegations but admitted to plagiarism amid worsening public opinion. However, A’s side stated, “We will respond firmly to false information and malicious comments,” adding to the controversy. On SNS, critical public opinion is spreading regarding A’s responsibility-evading response. In response, Lim Entertainment, which received the song in question……]
With undeniable similarity, plagiarism suspicions blazed, and K2 spewed nonsense full of self-pity and speeches about dog shit art on SNS before eventually admitting to plagiarism.
Half of the songs on OnX’s single album that they had worked hard on flew away. Though unintended, it was a natural progression that OnX’s image would worsen for using a plagiarized song.
“Let’s fill this album’s songs entirely with mine and Eden hyung’s songs.”
“Huh?”
“From now on, let’s appeal that OnX has self-producing ability.”
“Hmm, your songs have consistently gotten good responses, but…… But Sehyun, if you enter a drama, your schedule won’t work out……”
“I’m not doing the drama.”
Sehyun was the only member of OnX who showed promise in acting. Though it was a small role in his first work, he had properly made his mark, and inquiries for his next work were pouring in. Sehyun also had no complaints about moderately balancing acting work and singer activities.
“I’ll focus only on OnX activities. Continuously from now on too.”
Indeed. A regressor’s mindset is different. He could roughly picture how his mind was working.
‘Why is he so enthusiastic and making a fuss? At a time like this, I feel bad about pouring cold water by saying I’m withdrawing.’
Doha felt Sehyun’s passion heavily pierce his chest.
But? That doesn’t mean I can die.
“Change the entire concept. Go with what the CEO said, but let’s erase that damn planet-like thing from our memory. The high teen concept got a good response this time. We’ll reorganize the story for the worldview and deal with it again.”
Hey, you’re the maknae…… The CEO right now isn’t that CEO you spent 7 years with. If you talk so bluntly like that, you’ll be hated.
“You, Sehyun you……!”
Doha expected the CEO to be angry.
“I didn’t know you were this enthusiastic!”
However, that expectation was spectacularly wrong.
Why? Why is the development flowing like a youth drama?
‘Ah…… This is inside a novel.’
His head spun. Isn’t there a single normal human being?
* * *
As the meeting passed 3 hours, Doha came out using the bathroom as an excuse. His body ached so much he couldn’t keep sitting. He also got glared at by Sehyun after being caught wiping drool that flowed to his mouth while dozing off.
Thinking he should at least wash his face before going back in, he came out, but suddenly reality hit him.
Why was he trying so hard to listen, even washing his face? He had gotten swept up in the CEO and Sehyun’s energetic back-and-forth.
Doha glanced around to see if there was anyone passing by in the hallway, then slipped inside the emergency stairwell door.
“Phew.”
As he felt the characteristically cool temperature of the emergency stairwell, his head felt refreshed. Just in case, he went down half a floor and plopped down on the stairs.
“Uhhhhh.”
As he stretched fully, a cracking sound came out. Thunk, thunk, thunk. Doha’s head knocked against the emergency exit wall.
‘No matter how shameless I am, when they’re working so hard trying to do well, it’s not easy to bring it up.’
He couldn’t bring himself to drop a bomb during the album meeting. After it ends. Right, once the meeting ends, let’s go straight to the CEO. If it comes to it, I’ll even pour out tears saying I have a terminal illness or something.
It was when his insides felt complicated.
Creak-. The sound of the iron door opening was heard, and soon a small voice echoed.
“Do, Doha oppa?”
Oppa? Doha? Me? What?
Doha’s head tilted upward. He saw a cute girl holding onto the emergency exit door. As her eyes met Doha’s, she couldn’t hide her delight.
“Oppa!”
Though it was a voice greatly lowered as if conscious of her surroundings, it embedded itself clearly in Doha’s ears. My, not only is her face pretty, but her voice is nice too.
“Are you okay? Manager oppa said you couldn’t even do activities for a while……”
“Huh? Yes? Uh, yeah.”
An answer flowed out unconsciously at the warm concern.
“Oppa, after you got hurt, I thought about it, and I think…… I really liked you, oppa.”
Wait. Stop. What are you doing? What is this development?
Doha snapped to his senses and jumped up from his seat.
“Can’t we, go back…… to how we were before?”
Looking at the context, this doesn’t seem like an ordinary matter.
‘Were we dating?’
What other relationship would allow someone to say they want to go back to how things were before? There’s no way a man this age would have bickered, fought, and done something like breaking off friendship with a woman whose ID card ink probably hasn’t even dried yet.
‘What do I do about this?’
It was an awkward situation. It was uncomfortable to say he’d lost his memory, but it was also ambiguous to reject her carelessly. What kind of person is this Baek Doha bastard to date a woman from the same agency? Truly lives up to his reputation. As expected, a ‘genuine’ nuisance member without any circumstances doesn’t disappoint.
As the woman approached, sweat poured out profusely, and time flowed slowly.
“What are you doing?”
It was then.
A familiar voice echoed from behind the woman.
‘Lim Sehyun, you came to save me……!’
The past when he cursed him as a leech-like bastard was momentarily forgotten. A savior who would rescue him from an awkward situation, a brilliant light, that name is Lim Sehyun.
“What are you doing here?”
Though it was a voice clearly sharp in some way, just his appearance was resolving the situation.
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
The woman, flustered, looked at Sehyun and Doha once each, then opened the emergency exit door. She looked back at Doha with regret, but Doha quietly lowered his eyes.
How to handle such a nuclear bomb-like situation—he had never learned or even imagined it once in his life.
Creak-.
As the door closed, the emergency stairwell light sensor turned off. The only ones left in the darkness were Doha and Sehyun, just the two of them. Silence flowed for a moment.
“Hyung, your phone.”
The people in Baek Doha’s contacts were all strangers except for his grandfather. Thanks to that, he had nowhere to call and carried his phone around as decoration.
“Huh? Oh. Thanks.”
The phone in Sehyun’s hand passed to Doha’s hand. Doha received the phone and tried to put it straight into his pocket. However, just then, the ringtone sounded.
Ding-diring, diring-!
Until now, he had mostly just ignored incoming calls, but with Sehyun staring at him from in front, he inadvertently pressed the answer button.
There was also an expectation that if he started a call, Sehyun might give him space.
– Doha?
“Yes. Hello.”
– Are you okay?
“Who is this?”
– Are you still sulking? Why are you being so cold?
“……”
At least say your name so I know who you are.
– I heard. You got hurt, right?
“Who are you to me……”
– Even though we’re fuck buddies, I can’t even worry?
“Fuck…… I’m a guy though.”
– What are you talking about?
“You’re a guy too.”
– Baek Doha, why are you being like this?
Oh, fuck. God.
His eyes squeezed shut. Baek Doha’s philanthropy doesn’t discriminate between chromosomes.
– Should we meet for a bit now? I happen to have no shooting today…….
It was when he was rubbing around his eyes with his fingers, dumbfounded.
The phone he had been holding to his ear slipped out of his hand.
Doha’s eyes widened as his head turned.
Sehyun lightly snatched Doha’s phone from one step up on the stairs. Then he glanced at Doha and turned his gaze to the screen.
Beep.
Beep, beep, beep…….
‘Did he hear? I’m fucked.’
What do you call this? Dilemma? Surrounded on all sides? Why do I feel the maknae’s mood like this?
Sehyun slowly stared at the phone screen. Only when the blue window that had been emitting light turned off did his eyes turn toward Doha.
“Hmm.”
Sehyun tapped his own shoulder with the phone he had snatched and tilted his head. His fine-textured black hair slid smoothly to the side.
Gulp. His lips dried up. Doha’s body shrunk considerably.
“Interesting. Hyung.”
His heart started pounding.
“I knew you weren’t a picky eater, but I didn’t know your views on romance were this open.”
Honestly, isn’t it obvious? Originally with clubs and secret relationships, he would have been the undisputed number one in scandal-related issues. As expected, the problem Sehyun is pointing out would be the male side.
“Hahaha.”
He tried to smooth over the awkward situation with laughter, but Sehyun’s subtle expression didn’t clear up. The place he was standing happened to be on the stairs above, so there was pressure from the looking-down angle.
“Even while you have no memory, you’re busy managing here and there. Our Doha hyung.”
