Chapter 87: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

I can't understand why it's so cold again today.

It's too cold to go to the company, and I don't want to run into Manager Park Jung-un, who must have gone straight to the office, so I shivered and entered a nearby café. I sat down at a corner table with a coffee and took out my phone.

Feeling a bit lonely, I looked for someone to contact. I called Yang Eui-hyung first, but he didn't answer.

"Owl, what's up? You always sleep during the day."

I grumbled and checked the numbers saved in my phone.

I didn't want to contact my family or members...

As I scrolled down the numbers, I checked the blocked ones.

There, I found the number of Woo Ha-jeong, a member of MII and my closest friend from the former agency.

"..."

'Haewon, I'm really sorry. But what can I do? An idol's image is everything.'

The innocent image I gained through her manipulation disappeared along with the backlash against the scandal. The fans were also whispering about it. She didn't even show up at the year-end awards, citing health reasons.

I searched for Woo Ha-jeong on SNS.

[This is why you shouldn't do personality marketing]

[Now I understand why Woo Ha-jeong often talked about Para members, but Para never talked about her]

[↳When MII fans brought up this topic, they got beaten up by X lol]

[But now that I think about it, her eyes looked really sharp when she was with Kukseon-a]

While the trauma was resurfacing, I wondered if everyone always thought her eyes were sharp.

I don't look that bad, do I? When I think about it, even Shin Ji-won, who looks like that, can make fans say 'Yeah, you're cute' if he insists. Why can't I do the same?

Humans are adaptable. When Woo Ha-jeong betrayed me, it felt like the world was collapsing, but after being betrayed by the manager right next to me, I just felt that life is like this.

I unblocked Woo Ha-jeong and called her. As expected, she answered quickly because she was free. I asked,

"Are you free?"

-...

"Watch a movie. It helped me a lot when I was active later."

-...

"Say something."

Woo Ha-jeong finally spoke.

-Sorry.

"..."

This time, I had nothing to say. Fortunately, Woo Ha-jeong continued.

-I thought you would do the same if our situations were reversed, but when I thought about it, you would never do that.

"You really have a lot of free time. You've been thinking too much."

-Yeah, I have a lot of time.

Her voice lacked energy. Well, it's the most frightening time for the future.

Woo Ha-jeong asked,

-Why did you call?

"I'm depressed. It's a bit awkward to talk to the members, you know."

-Not close?

"Close."

I'm close to them, so I don't want to show my depression. I want to maintain a good relationship with them, and depression is contagious.

...Besides, I've already shown my worst side too many times.

I continued,

"Seeing you depressed makes me feel better. I'll call you again if I'm depressed."

-What, you called because you were worried about me?

"Are you crazy? Why are you so self-centered?"

I said and hung up.

Even after fooling around in the café, I still couldn't go back to the company, so I headed to Yang Eui-hyung's studio. As expected, Yang Eui-hyung, who was sleeping on a makeshift bed, opened his eyes briefly.

"Hey."

"Hey."

After greeting each other, I sat down and put on headphones to listen to my favorite song. Then, Yang Eui-hyung finally got up and asked,

"When are you going to make the title track? The A&R people find it hard to talk to you, so they keep bothering me."

"I'll make it soon."

"Is it taking longer this time?"

"No, until now, I just made what I wanted. But this time, the concept is already set, and I have to make it fit, so it's difficult."

"Oh, is this your first time... Ah, right. You've been composing for a full year now."

Yang Eui-hyung rubbed his face with both hands and said,

"Damn, I feel like swearing again."

"I already did, swearing."

"Damn, what kind of swear word is that? It's an interjection."

"Are you still half-asleep, so you don't understand what you're saying?"

Yang Eui-hyung looked embarrassed and changed the topic.

"Anyway, if you work on this concept, it will help when you make drama OSTs later."

"Good. If I make it, can I put in some of our songs for Maknang or Hwangsaebi?"

"Well, if an idol member composes, the first offer usually goes to the vocalists in the same team."

Great. I want to show off our vocalists...

I covered Yang Eui-hyung with a blanket again and said,

"Go back to sleep. I'll work quietly."

"Am I an old man?"

Yang Eui-hyung said and went back to sleep.

* * *

Manager Park Jung-un immediately reported the situation to the company, packed his things, and left.

Fortunately, there was a manager who had worked with Firstlight whenever the management team needed a replacement, so the replacement was immediate.

Since the manager who left with Jeong Haewon came back alone and quit, it was impossible not to know that Manager Park Jung-un was the leaker.

Hwang Saebi kept calling Jeong Haewon, who didn't return to the company, and said,

"Why isn't he answering, this guy?"

Han Hyo-seok, who finally got through to Manager Park Jung-un, said after the call,

"Hyung Haewon just got off at a place in Seochon."

"Did they just let him go?"

"Seems so."

At that moment, An Ju-won, grabbing his padded jacket, said,

"I'll go to Hyung Eui-hyung's studio."

"Should we go too?"

Min Ji-ho and Park Sun-jae stepped forward, but An Ju-won stopped them.

"I'll go alone."

Shin Ji-won agreed.

"An Ju-won is the softest-spoken among us, so it's better if he goes alone."

They compromised, and An Ju-won went to Yang Eui-hyung's studio alone.

As expected, Jeong Haewon was in Yang Eui-hyung's studio, looking at a blank screen with a serious expression. When he heard the door knock, he turned around, opened the door, and pointed to Yang Eui-hyung, signaling to be quiet because he was sleeping.

An Ju-won pulled Jeong Haewon outside and asked,

"What are you doing now?"

"Me? Trying to work."

"That manager was the leaker, and you just got off the road, right?"

"Yeah."

"But why are you working here?"

"I thought something good might come out when I feel like this. But surprisingly, nothing comes to mind."

Jeong Haewon said casually and continued,

"Since you're here, do you have any lyrics written?"

"..."

"Hey, where are you going?"

'He's completely lost it.'

An Ju-won thought and pushed Jeong Haewon up the stairs while contacting the support team.

* * *

Because of An Ju-won's call, I had to go back to the counseling center, which I hadn't visited for a while. They always tell me to rest, but I don't want to rest.

Pushed by An Ju-won, I returned to the company and tried to be alone in my studio, but the members came in one by one, lying on the sofa or sitting. In the end, I turned my chair and said to Shin Ji-won, who was playing a phone game on the sofa,

"Why are you here?"

"You guys avoid the staff and only use the practice room, so we gave you 304. Go."

"Don't worry about trivial things and work."

"I can't work because I'm worried."

"Why are you worried when we're not paying attention to you?"

Sigh, I don't even have the energy to argue.

I just gave up and turned back to the screen.

Shin Ji-won dragged a stool over and sat next to me, asking,

"What are you making?"

"The title track."

"But there's nothing there?"

"I have the theme in mind, but I can't think of what comes next."

"What's the theme?"

"Don't get stuck on revenge, move forward?"

"Sounds like a shounen manga."

"Exactly, I want to make it in that kind of atmosphere. It fits the medieval fantasy concept, but nothing comes to mind."

I muttered and looked at the blank screen again. Then, I played the chord progressions of songs I liked or were famous on the keyboard.

Shin Ji-won listened and said,

"I thought people who make shounen manga-like songs were all optimistic."

"I'm optimistic."

"True, you're optimistic, that's why you're in the studio now."

Satisfied with his agreement, I chuckled and turned my chair towards Shin Ji-won, saying,

"And am I a kid? You guys take turns watching me. Of course, I'm a bit of a show-off, so I don't mind you paying attention to me."