"Shall we start cleaning up first?"
"Okay."
"Yes!"
Keun Sejin started writing down the topic on a whiteboard in one of the conference rooms.
It was an emergency meeting that started in a hurry after midnight.
[TeStar's comeback date]
It was a comeback that overlapped exquisitely with VTIC's.
'Originally, the agency decides these things on its own, and it's normal for idols with this level of seniority to not have authority...'
After going through various circumstances and coming to their senses, we were all involved.
Well, that was what I intended anyway. It was more comfortable to do this. If someone else decided and our album failed, I'd go crazy.
"First of all... Right now, our comeback date is here."
Keun Sejin drew a long line with the date and marked it at the beginning of the July scale.
Monday, July 5th. This was the day that was set as the original comeback date.
"It was a choice that allowed us to spend a week on music shows, one month's results on the monthly chart in July, and all the results from July, August, and September on the 3rd quarter awards! Hey~ It's nice to see who picked it, right?"
It was a date unanimously agreed upon by the company and the members. I nodded.
"And I think VTIC thought the same."
"... !"
Of course, they did. July was the most efficient choice.
Seon Ahyeon cautiously opened his mouth.
"Th-then... Would they choose the same date.. ?"
"Maybe the standard is Billboard, so it will be a little different."
The days of the week that were fully reflected on the billboard... Keun Sejin was already writing on the whiteboard.
[VTIC sunbaenim's comeback date]
[Billboard is Friday!]
"Friday! At this rate, it must be Friday, July 2nd~"
"Hmm."
It was only 3 days from our comeback.
July 2nd and July 5th.
The two points that Keun Sejin took on the date line looked extremely close. Here and there, the other guys stared at the whiteboard with serious faces.
Except for one guy, of course.
"Is there a problem? Don't you want to meet VTIC sunbaenim?"
It was Cha Eugene.
Of course, at the very next moment, a guy who marked Cha Eugene one-on-one came out.
"Cha Eugene, it's not such a personal matter! We're talking about both teams losing out on a lot of money calculated in relative possession!"
Kim Raebin triumphantly boasted of the calculation method he realized while preparing for this comeback.
'He's making good use of what he has known about for less than a month.'
To make it easy to understand, it meant that no matter how much we sold, it'd be during the same period, so if we looked at it as a percentage, we'd be sharing a pie.
'We'll have to lose impact and have short-term results.'
However, Cha Eugene was skeptical.
"No! We got first place last time! We didn't have any problems. We can do our stage!"
"Last time?"
"Our debut album!"
Ah, the debut album that dragged on for a few weeks to reach #1 on the music charts.
'Actually, isn't it that we robbed VTIC because they went on tour?'
In fact, the timing worked out amazingly well. It usually didn't go that way.
There were refutations here and there as if they had similar thoughts.
"That was just luck."
"Ah, that's right. We didn't win first place right after it came out, so to be honest, it's a bit different~"
In addition, Ryu Chungwoo gently rebuked Cha Eugene.
"What Raebin means is that we don't have to take such a hard road. We're uncomfortable with each other."
I didn't need to open my mouth for this.
"Boo... …"
Cha Eugene reluctantly accepted the majority decision.
'Then, except for Cha Eugene... Does everyone want to change?'
I looked around and organized my thoughts.
A way that was possible.
"First of all, it is difficult to hasten a comeback. There is also a music video schedule."
"That's right, we'll also release our teasers separately. No matter how much we pull it, a week seems to be the limit."
And if we tried to pull it, if we got a week of music broadcasting, VTIC would push in and it'd be over.
"Okay. So the main thing to consider is to postpone it..."
Ryu Chungwoo carefully added his words.
"The company said August or September."
"Mmm."
We'd be losing more money by the end of the year.
'It's still difficult to beat VTIC, so I think it's dangerous.'
Still, it was a stable choice in terms of avoiding a greater risk. At least we could get 1st place on a music show for about 2-3 weeks.
But I'd be in trouble.
'I should avoid making choices that damage the route to the destination.'
Here, I wanted to choose a date that would benefit winning a grand prize more than winning first place on a music show.
But this… I could speak only when there was a clear alternative.
'Usually, I'd just choose August and end it here.'
I shook my head to get my words out before the trend hardened in that direction.
It was then.
"But I don't want to put it off that long."
"... !"
Ryu Chungwoo spoke first.
"Really?"
"Why, why?"
"It would be nice to easily win first place on a music show right now, but in the long run, I thought it would be better if we went the way we planned."
The guy smiled coolly.
"We have to try for the grand prize this year."
No way.
'That...'
"Ohhh, hyung!"
"It is a wonderful aspiration."
"I like that too!"
The response was good because it was said by a guy who didn't usually say things like that.
And I was convinced after eye contact with him.
'He's doing it properly.'
He took my words that we had to win the grand prize seriously.
'Good.'
Then it was definitely easier for me to speak out.
"Then, if we think in the direction of preserving our existing schedule as much as possible... Let's analyze the expected performance."
I started organizing with a pen on paper instead of the whiteboard occupied by Keun Sejin.
"First of all, VTIC sunbaenim has a shorter term than us, and since it's a repackage album, it won't rise dramatically."
Even if I didn't add the word annual leave, they would have known.
"Then, let's set it to 1.93 million based on the previous work."
A terrifying number.
"Yes. And we.."
If we caught TeStar's first move well, we could expect up to 1.3 million.
In fact, this was also crazy sales.
'A million in terms of units.'
Still, there were unavoidable differences.
"... If we cut it to around 1.3 million, the record will be difficult to follow."
"Hmm.."
But it didn't end there.
"However, we tend to produce better songs."
"Oh, right."
TeStar had an advantage over other male idols. Popularity.
This was thanks to the fact that while adhering to the concept, we released easy-listening songs at least once every two times and caught a few well-Known solo entertainment shows.
'Of course, I can't deny that the virtue of starting with Idol Co' is huge.'
Anyway, that was why the songs were also worth looking forward to for long-term results.
"That's why, if other big singers don't compete when we and VTIC sunbaenim come out together, we can miss the first week and then from the second week onwards...."
Uh, wait.
If it went like this…
"... !"
"What is it, Moondae?"
I went through what I had written down. And I realized.
'I see.'
I saw a point that I couldn't see because I was buried in the fact that we suffered from simultaneous releases at the time of our debut.
Now we... We weren't debuting.
I spat out the answer almost unconsciously.
"We'll bite on VTIC's tails."
"Uh, what?"
"We only need to postpone it for one week. Then..."
Bae Sejin intervened.
"Wait, then it'd be the same as when we debuted."
That was the point.
"No. The case is the same, but the circumstances are different."
I turned the paper towards Bae Sejin.
"The 2nd week after VTIC's first sales, which would be our first week, we would be able to win."
"... !"
"The music chart... Once entered and stabilized, the graph will fall similarly. Maybe we'd be a little higher."
I wrote the comparison down on paper.
[Album]
VTIC (Week 2) < TeStar (Week 1)
[Music]
VTIC (Week 2) ? TeStar (Week 1) (existing graph expected to do well)
Just looking at it, it seemed like we would win on music shows.
'This can't be overturned even with broadcast scores.'
We'd make a comeback on Monday and hit the radio publicity from then on!
The amount of social media mentions and music video views was not pushed back in the first week.
Now, we were a first-tier group.
"The situation from our debut would be reproduced as it is, but this time we would go in after winning during the first week no matter what."
This was a huge image gain.
"And it doesn't matter if we toss and turn from the third week. No, if we don't get pushed at all, it's an unconditional advantage."
Keun Sejin nodded.
"Mm~ We've grown so much so now we won't lose out even when we're against VTIC sunbaenim, right?"
"Yes."
Following the simultaneous release with Youngrin in January, the weight class would be solidified.
This time, it meant that it could be released at the same time as people who were going after the same grand prize in the same industry.
'If we add a story comparison with the debut, it will definitely become a topic because it is also good in terms of narrative.'
There would be social media posts and articles pouring in that it was a signal of a generational change.
That was what I was aiming for.
'It's almost impossible to beat VTIC on this year's album grand prize anyway. There is Youngrin as a candidate too.'
If so, there was one grand prize worth challenging for us, whose strength was balanced in the first place.
[Singer of the Year Award]
As singers who were a 'trend' this year, the awards ceremony could also give us the 'public opinion award' instead.
'However, all of our music and album scores are top-notch now, so they won't be able to say anything else.'
It was a gamble, but it was worth a try.
"But if we do this, VTIC fans will really hate it, you know?"
"I-is that so?"
"I guess so? They'll feel like they're being used."
That was the part I had to accept.
The topicality of this two-way structure was always accompanied by resistance and fatigue.
"Yeah, I think the fans will have a hard time too…"
"Hmm."
In fact, it wouldn't matter if the results came out with VTIC as I expected. Because the taste of winning would be stronger than fatigue.
'Isn't it good for combining fandoms?'
The new season of
And when the thought came this far, an unexpected support shot came in.
"If we do well, it's OK! No need to worry. Hyung, we're good! Fans will love it!"
It was Cha Eugene.
It seemed like this guy was just shouting 'OK' at the fact that we could work quickly without delaying our schedule…
"How is it? Hyung, we're good, right?"
"Yes. W-we're good...!"
"That's what I say!"
There was no one like him when it came to pushing. I opened my mouth while watching the scene where Cha Eugene nailed Seon Ahyeon as a supporter before I knew it.
'No matter how hard it is, it can't be like that.'
After thinking about everything, we had to agree. After making a comeback, we couldn't give reasons for division.
"I just said my opinion, but I think there are people who don't agree. Why don't we raise our hands after thinking about it for a while?"
"Alright."
I proposed a majority vote, and the members readily agreed.
And after a while…
"... …"
"Oh, it's unanimous~"
Surprisingly, the agreement ended without a single negative vote.
'This can happen?'
I thought they might need some persuasion.
And those who I thought would oppose the idea opened their mouths one by one to express their reasons.
"I-I don't think there's any need to be afraid... To the fans, I think it's right for us to do well...!"
"Conceptually, I came to the conclusion that if the comeback is at the end of the summer, we wouldn't be able to fully show the charm of this song. Moondae hyung, you are an excellent judge."
The last was Bae Sejin.
"... Come to think of it, if we postponed our schedule just because another group was coming back too, it seems like losing without a fight."
"... …"
I see.
Bae Sejin slightly averted his eyes. Ryu Chungwoo finished his words with a smile.
"I'm doing this because we've never lost money by listening to you."
"... …"
Really. I rubbed the back of my neck and nodded.
"Then, let's go this way."
"Good!"
We tentatively agreed on a comeback date.
However, I had a question in my mind. Cheongryeo's dyed hair and him keeping secrets.
'What the hell is VTIC going to do?'
And this, even if I didn't want to know, I would soon find out.
Because just two weeks later, VTIC released the first teaser.
* * *
[July music industry cataclysm... Super-large male idol groups aim for the throne.]
In mid-June, when even TeStar revealed the news of a comeback in July, social media turned upside down.
The office worker who was a twin homma of Park Moondae and Lee Sejin was investigating and checking the activities of their biggest competitor in her spare time.
-Kkkuyeokkkuyeok I'm crawling on the moon like this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Looking at our kids who even renewed their contract because they were 5 years old, it seems like they went crazy
'It's obvious.'
The office worker who checked VTIC's anonymous fansite clicked her tongue saying it would be a tiring month.
'Why am I so anxious that they're having a comeback in July?'
It was like this because everyone was preparing a great summer song.
'I don't know why the fandom is obsessed with seasonal songs anyway.'
Saying that the only good thing was the side profit from selling VTIC photos with their overlapping schedules, the office worker decided to use a calculator.
'This company and that company seem to have lost their senses. No, T1 originally had no sense.'
And on that day, VTIC's teaser was released.
[VTIC - 'HELP' Official M/V Teaser]
"... !!"
The mind of the office worker was filled with exclamation marks.
'This..'
It was definitely a summer special.
However, the keywords they were aiming for were different.