Debut or Die - Chapter 456

“Minha!”

“…Uh, uuh, Harin.”

Miry-nay’s Park Minha had been living in a state of exhaustion lately. The chaos in the agency caused the group schedule to become empty, and everyone was spending more time in the dorms, each trying to shake off their anxiety through hobbies or practice. But Park Minha was the only one acting this way.

Isn’t she too stressed?

The weight of being the leader again… Miry-nay’s Sung Harin crossed her arms thoughtfully.

That’s when Park Minha spoke up.

“Harin, if we could… would we move to another agency?”

“…?!”

“Ah, no. Forget I said anything.”

If anyone could ignore such a statement, they wouldn’t be an idol!

Another agency? Another agency? Was there a signal or something?

Sung Harin knew that the agency was in turmoil. But leaving an entertainment agency with a contract still in place was next to impossible. So, if something realistic could happen in the meantime… Could it be?!

“Are we going to TeSTAR Label?”

“Shh, shh!”

Park Minha was shocked. She quickly looked left and right as if someone could be listening, and hastily brought her hand to Harin’s mouth.

“Is it true?”

“No, no, it’s not!” But she hesitated and added, “…It seems like there’s a possibility.”

What the heck?!

Park Minha wasn’t the type to make empty boasts. If she said something like this, it meant she had heard something for sure.

At that moment, a suspicion Sung Harin had forgotten struck her mind strongly. The two had often had meaningful conversations.

“…”

Could Minha’s informant be…

“Could it be… Did Park Moondae sunbae-nim tell you?”

“…?!”

Park Minha froze. Her reaction, as if she had hit the mark, made Sung Harin’s buried suspicions slowly resurface.

Are the two of them dating…?

“Harin, is there a rumor going around that we’re close? Among the agency staff, other idols, or even among the fans?”

I guess not.

“Ah, no! I deduced it myself!”

“Phew.”

Park Minha let out a deep sigh. Then she sat on a chair, looking completely burnt out.

“Your guess is right…”

“…I see.”

It seemed so. But she decided not to bring up that last suspicion anymore. Right, someone as sincere about being an idol as Minha wouldn’t act so obviously! This meant it was a completely businesslike conversation between Park Moondae and her.

“Then what’s going on?”

“…He told us to wait a little.” Park Minha looked at her smartphone with a melancholy expression.

“…?”

Sung Harin couldn’t understand what was happening and raised a question mark, but Park Minha didn’t give any further answers.

A few days later, careful news arrived from the agency. They were willing to let the group directly own the group name instead of the agency!

“Why are they doing this?”

“They’re probably trying to turn things around. Something like sort of image-making?”

“Aha.”

The members exchanged such words, but in any case, the offer to buy the group name was an attractive proposal! Even if the agency changes, they can still take the name!

Oh my god. Harin covered her mouth, but soon realized reality. We don’t have a huge amount of settlement, so it’s not like we can easily buy it…

Wait a minute. So, by handing over the name, they could pretend to be generous but use it as an excuse to subtract the cost from our settlement, taking even more money from us? If they don’t plan on keeping the group for long and only want to make a quick buck, they wouldn’t care about the group’s trademark rights!

Aren’t they doing this because they don’t plan on keeping Miry-nay for long?

But the agency named a surprisingly reasonable price.

“…?”

Of course, the amount was still in the billions, but it wasn’t a ridiculous figure like hundreds of billions.

“I really hope we buy it! Please!”

“If Minha wants it, I’m all for it!”

With Park Minha’s enthusiastic lead and Yulgi’s cheerful words, the members readily pooled their money and bought the trademark jointly.

“What about the other groups?”

“Seems like they’re buying too.”

Of course. Unless they were the rookies from the scandal-ridden survival show <Be My Girls>, they wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

…Even though the agency’s media play was annoying, pretending that they had kindly transferred the name despite selling it, the overall atmosphere was positive. People responded well, saying, ‘We’re on a completely different path than T1, who treats artists as consumables,’ and though it was bitter, it was a good thing in the long run.

We still have several years until the contract renewal.

In TeSTAR’s case, the contract period was five years, but since that <Idol Inc.> season was a huge hit, it was extended to seven years.

Great. Let’s make a big hit with the next album! It’d be nice to join TeSTAR label too!

Sung Harin decided to think positively!

…Until this article was published.

[TeSTAR Contract Renewal Falls Through… Where Will the KPOP Star Find Its Next Nest?]

“…”

TeSTAR wasn’t renewing their contract.

No, no.

The TeSTAR Label was about to dissolve?!

These people are escaping! They were all running away together!

Then what did Park Minha mean? Sung Harin turned her head from the WeTube screen to look at Park Minha as if her neck would break…

“Minha?”

“Hehehe… hehe.”

Park Minha was laughing bitterly as she looked at the WeTube screen. She didn’t seem surprised. She just seemed to have the atmosphere of someone who had made an irreversible decision, like someone who had swiped a hugely expensive item on a 24-month installment plan.

“…??”

Park Minha let Jeong Yulgi poke her and reflected on her past choices. Did I… grab onto the right thing?

Since she hadn’t missed yet, she had to make sure she didn’t get dumped this time, either.

Please!

Park Minha picked up her smartphone, swaying like one of those balloon figures used for grand openings.

* * *

Bzzz.

<Miry-nay Park Minha: Sunbae-nim, I heard that you won’t be renewing your contract… Congratulations on moving to a new place.>

Yeah, it’s about time the articles start popping up. I cleared the messages coming in from all over and replied to that one.

<Thank you.>

Of course, she didn’t send that message just to congratulate me.

She’s trying to get information.

I added the next words.

<You don’t need to worry.>

The reply came back a few seconds later.

<Miry-nay Park Minha: Yes…>

<Miry-nay Park Minha: Of course. You invited me to the group chat, so I trust you, Sunbae-nim.>

Well, well. She’s saying not to stab her in the back because she could reveal the group chat if anything happens.

She’s become quick-witted.

I chuckled and replied, <Understood>, and turned off my smartphone. And I wasn’t the only one watching the messages.

“Wow, the messages are pouring in like crazy.”

“Yeah, I know…”

Everyone was flooded with messages about the articles. And I recalled what I heard yesterday.

The department head resigned. Not missing the timing, that b*stard ran away. On top of that, it was reported that TeSTAR wasn’t renewing their contract. Of course, the agency didn’t release the article.

We tipped them off. Of course, it was not directly, but we leaked it through an insider as if by mistake.

1. T1 loss cut.

2. The department head loss cut.

3. TeSTAR loss cut.

In the end, the agency had witnessed these unexpected and rapid abandonments unfold within a short period of time.

At this moment, when the agency was most vulnerable.

“Is it time to move to the next plan?”

Yes.

I turned my head to the most reliable and stable member of the group.

“Hyung, please take care of it.”

“I should be the one saying that, hyung.”

Ryu Chungwoo, who had already finished his preparations, smiled and left the dorm. His destination was the agency’s conference room. Not T1 Stars, but the conference room of the TeSTAR Label.

* * *

Whew…

Kwon Heeseung, the idol still called ‘Gold 2’ by Park Moondae, was looking through the chat history of the group chat. The group chat that Park Moondae had created for the ‘Great Agency Escape.’

I thought I’d have to use my wish coupon to get him to help.

This kind of agency issue seemed too challenging. So Kwon Heeseung had thought he might need to use the wish coupon he’d earned after being dragged into that weird virtual world and going through hell. But he didn’t have to go that far because Park Moondae had reached out first. However, there was a condition.

“Stay still no matter what happens.”

That was it.

So Kwon Heeseung stayed put, even when the board members were arrested, trademarks were sold, the department head left, and TeSTAR left.

He must be seeing the bigger picture.

Although Park Moondae’s approach was a bit extreme, he knew that Park Moondae was definitely loyal and kind! …Even though TeSTAR did not renew their contract, it was shocking.

It’s okay. It’s not a betrayal!

But with the next piece of news, even the ever-optimistic Kwon Heeseung almost had a heart attack.

“Hey, man, they say all the people at the label resigned.”

“…?! Uh, huh?”

“That TeSTAR Label, Orbit? People there are quitting one after another!”

Oh my god.

And through word of mouth, Kwon Heeseung soon learned that it wasn’t an exaggerated rumor, but that almost everyone had indeed resigned. Naturally, there was an uproar at the original agency.

“This isn’t normal, is it?”

“Ah, are they going to blow up again…?”

Slowly, people who could change jobs began leaving the agency like a relay race. With almost half the agency’s staff leaving in a mass exodus, the agency, which was barely functioning with most of the higher-ups already gone, seemed completely paralyzed.

“…”

Kwon Heeseung grew more anxious, but he decided to trust Park Moondae. Since he wasn’t a top-tier celebrity, there wasn’t much he could do anyway, so it was better for his mental health to think positively! Of course, he sent a KakaoTalk message.

<Hyung… the agency staff are disappearing.>

<And where’s TeSTAR going? ㅠ >

<ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Hyung?>

The reply came almost immediately.

<They aren’t disappearing.>

<Wait just a little longer.>

“…?”

And that very evening, a flashy article made it to the main page of entertainment news.

[TeSTAR’s Extraordinary Loyalty… Not a New Nest, but “Label President’s” Agency]

[TeSTAR Signs with New Agency… Turns Out to Be Their “President” Who Resigned]

“…!”

That’s right. TeSTAR didn’t set up their own agency directly. Nor did they join an existing agency. Instead, they moved to the new agency established by their label president, who had resigned.

At that moment, Kwon Heeseung realized. Could it be that all the label staff resigned…?

Exactly. If Park Moondae managed the department head, Ryu Chungwoo took care of the label staff. Amid the precarious agency outlook and the series of scandals, a sense of unease made everyone feel like they should also ‘cut ties.’ He played into the crowd psychology.

“We… would seriously consider renewing our contracts if we could keep working with you all.”

The label president gladly grabbed onto the lifeline. And hearing that TeSTAR would follow, most of the label staff looked around and then jumped off the sinking ship together. So, this situation eventually happened.

They couldn’t be separated as a label. But they scattered and then regrouped to form a new agency!

Amazing, that’s why hyung said they didn’t disappear.

Kwon Heeseung was impressed, but soon became aware of his own situation. Wait, so what about us?

Spacer.

Are we… getting abandoned just like this…?

<Hyung??>

<Hyung-nimㅠㅠ??>

The reply came quickly again.

<Just a little longer.>

How much longer exactly?!

Kwon Heeseung wanted to scream and immediately sent a KakaoTalk message. After sending it, he worried he might have sounded angry, but Park Moondae didn’t seem upset. He simply replied,

<Until people are more anxious than you.>

* * *

“…Huh?”

And a little later, a piece of unimaginable news arrived.

“The agency… got acquired and merged.”

“…??”

“They say TeSTAR’s new agency bought T1 Stars…”

What??

Kwon Heeseung almost dropped his smartphone at the manager’s words. Then he found Park Moondae’s freshly arrived KakaoTalk message.

<Looks like you can break your contract.>

<Should we do it now?>

“…”

Oh my god.

After amplifying the belief that the agency would fail.

After lowering its market value and future prospects as much as possible.

At the most favorable moment, at the lowest possible price, TeSTAR’s new agency had gobbled up T1 Stars.

“…”

So that’s why… he told us to stay put.

Kwon Heeseung instinctively realized. If they showed confidence or acted proactively, the atmosphere might be disturbed, which was why Park Moondae had asked them to ‘stay still.’

Wow.

This was truly… amazing.

It was an escape from the agency that no one could have imagined.