When I made a deal with the general manager, 'Establishment of an independent label upon winning the grand prize', there was a strict criteria for the award ceremony that I put as a condition.
It seemed difficult to achieve within the timeframe, so the company was trying to lower the alarm and get me to sign it.
-'Annual Awards Ceremony' refers to an awards ceremony held by the main body of a music source or music platform that broadcasts 70% or more of the sales figures in the music market that year.
Let's look at the grand prize we won.
It was received at an awards ceremony hosted by the music platform and reflecting up to 75% of sales figures.
'It's flawless.'
It was the achievement of conditions that couldn't be disputed.
And there was a guy who said this before me.
"We… We can be independent now!"
As soon as the manager disappeared from the practice room today, Bae Sejin shouted as if he had been waiting for it.
"I-independence… ?"
"Are you going home? Isn't that being independent?"
Of course, the reaction came back, asking what kind of dog was eating grass, and Bae Sejin's face turned red, but he was firm.
"No, not that… Do you guys remember? Park Moondae came with the contract. If we win a grand prize, we'll be able to set up a label!"
Well done. Another guy held the gun, so it became easier to talk. I nodded my head to those who looked back at me.
"That's right. I asked them to organize a dedicated team as a label."
"Ohhhh."
"We have experienced and forgotten many things…"
Most of them nodded their heads and gave a good response.
It had been quite a while since the damn car accident, and our feelings toward the company had softened a lot, but there was nothing to restore its ruined reputation.
"Okay. Sejin brought out the words well. We need to talk to the company."
"Ahem, that's right. So, let's talk right away when the manager comes back."
However, not everyone agreed with this statement.
Keun Sejin seemed to glance at Bae Sejin and the mirror in the practice room several times, and then spoke in a sad voice.
"Oh, that sounds really nice, but once awards season is over, why don't we talk about it then? We have a lot to prepare now…"
"What are you talking about, we have to talk right away when we can so they can't say anything else… !"
"… …"
Keun Sejin twitched his lips for a moment, but then spoke softly again.
"Think about it, hyung. How many more places will we receive a grand prize this year?"
Well, yes.
"At the beginning of next year, there are many awards ceremonies, and I think the company will really not be able to say anything different if we talk about it after we have received a few more grand prizes there as well. We have to go no matter what!"
"Oooh."
Keun Sejin raised his thumb at Cha Eugene's chant, and then finished his speech.
"So, right now, I want you to focus more on preparing for the awards ceremony. After all, the stage is the most important~ Of course, this is just my opinion."
"… …"
And, as if these words touched something, Bae Sejin was silent for a long time before opening his mouth.
"…It doesn't mean I'll neglect to prepare for the stage. I'll do my best."
"I mean that too… No, that's not the point."
They were trying to be polite to each other. I ended the conversation at that point.
"Whether we speak a little earlier or later, let's not strain each other over the difference."
Wasn't there only one answer anyway? I crossed my arms.
"Because no matter what happens, we will set up a label and come out."
"… …"
"Th-that's right."
"Oh, we should."
What, why?
"Hmm… So, shall we do it by majority vote?"
As suggested by Ryu Chungwoo, who came out to sort things out, the small dispute was neatly settled with a vote.
The result was a close call.
"It's 4:3."
Bae Sejin, Seon Ahyeon, and Ryu Chungwoo voted for talking to the company right away.
And… The winner was decided by one vote added here.
"Moondae is also right here, right?"
"Yes."
It was me.
"… !"
Ryu Chungwoo immediately declared.
"There are more people who want to tell them right away. Then, let's set the direction to proceed this way?"
"Sejin hyung's words are cool! The vote is over…"
"Hey, what's wrong with you, Eugene! You must surrender cleanly!"
Keun Sejin smiled and raised both hands.
"All right. If that's the team's opinion, then what can we do about it? Will everyone practice as hard as usual?"
"Of course!"
"Of course."
Practice resumed in such a warm atmosphere.
But after a while…
I went to the bathroom during practice and got caught in a headlock by Keun Sejin who followed me.
"Moondaemoondae, this is betrayal… ! We have to deal with it properly one by one. What is this? Have you already talked to the company?"
The result was a total no-brainer. This guy pretended not to be the same and got pissed off.
I spoke as I barely escaped.
"It's not like that."
"Then?"
I rubbed the back of my neck and murmured.
"I just want these bastards to rip the label off as soon as possible…"
"… …"
No, even if it was not necessarily because of the mission, it was annoying to see the management of the company go around.
Crossing the line once or twice. Doing this every time was also a talent.
Keun Sejin let out a sigh.
"Yes, Moondae, you can do that…"
Why? Oh, it was because I was the most injured in a traffic accident and returned to normal.
'It means that he doesn't understand the other guy.'
Bae Sejin.
I had been thinking that they were slowly falling, but especially in the beginning of the year or during the season when they consumed a lot of emotion and physical strength during active periods, the degree to which they endured was a lot.
Due to the collapse of the tacit order as a group for a long time, Keun Sejin wasn't in a one-sided position like usual, so there were new noises caused by being equal.
'Hmm.'
I tried to defend Bae Sejin myself, but instead of ruining the atmosphere, I spoke in a roundabout way.
"Don't worry, we'll adjust the stage preparations so there's no problem."
"I know… But isn't that something to worry about?"
Keun Sejin sighed and walked.
"All in all, everyone is so impatient. Label independence is no joke, and the company won't let us go easily… Why are we giving them time to deal with it in advance… … Hoo."
Yes, that was right. We couldn't just trust the contract, it was good to have enough environment.
I honestly admitted.
"In fact, if you think rationally, your story is correct."
"Hey, you should have said that earlier!"
Then I would have influenced the votes, bastard.
I knew how he felt about that, though, so I gave my guess instead.
"The problem is that the company must have had that rational idea."
"… …"
Keun Sejin kept his mouth shut for a moment, but soon opened his mouth with a face as if he had been hit in the back of the head.
"You must already know."
"Yes."
How could the company forget that people like us were secretly stepping out?
There must have been a related meeting the moment we won the grand prize.
"Then I think it would be more justifiable to speak sooner rather than later."
"… Hoo."
Keun Sejin smiled bitterly.
"The delay would be annoying."
And just like that, things unfolded.
On the way back from practice, the story of 'label establishment' delivered through the manager came late the next day.
"Since it is the end of the year and the beginning of the next year, there are a lot of decisions to be made within the agency, so it seems difficult to set up a meeting right away."
I snorted.
'He's starting with tricks right away.'
It was the first step. They were buying time.
First of all, they were trying to somehow delay the fulfillment period of the promise. In the meantime, they'd be meeting with a lawyer.
While making offers such as 'If you fill up the contract, I will put you in a label when renewing the contract'.
'Because I didn't specify the implementation period in the contract.'
The moment I wrote that down, it would be very annoying, so I left it out.
We could be harsh by citing the principle of good faith and sincerity, but even if we established a label, it'd be under T1 still, so we had to be careful and push it in moderation here.
'We can't look extreme like we want to leave T1 at all.'
As an artist, we had to give the impression that we wanted to demonstrate our full potential.
"Hmm…"
I went back and forth in the hallway of the practice room, briefly organizing my thoughts. I was thinking of going in before the break was over.
It was then.
Click.
"Excuse me."
The guy who opened the practice room door and came out spoke to me. It was Bae Sejin.
'What.'
He closed the door, looked around, walked towards me and muttered softly.
"… Thank you."
"… ?"
"That, thank you for agreeing with me!!"
Oh, yesterday.
Bae Sejin exhaled and calmed down his excitement, then continued speaking quite seriously.
"I actually thought it wouldn't work. Apparently, some people think that I have no tact and can't grasp the situation…"
Right.
Same with the company lawsuit, Bae Sejin too often went through situations where his opinion was not accepted by the team.
"No. You and I had the same thoughts. Thank you for speaking up first."
"… Yes."
Only then did Bae Sejin loosen his face. He seemed proud inside.
'Is that why he's taking the time to say this…'
Indeed, he was a sensitive and direct person who was weak in supporting himself.
It was a style that was very easy to be robbed and eaten by scammers.
"… … Hmm."
Wait a moment.
"Why, why?!"
No, he reminded me of something.
'… I think I did something similar while I was in Ryu Gunwoo's body.'
When we met in front of the bathroom sink.
- I enjoyed your stage well earlier. I think you always look really good.
I encouraged Bae Sejin in a situation where he was not recognized.
'I'm sure he's not weak to the extent that he remembers the words he heard back then.'
I doubted it when I thought of the guy who was looking for something like 'Bae Sejin's stage change angel' on WeTube, but I soon erased my thoughts.
'No way.'
No matter how much he got scolded, he had so many fans as a TeStar member. There should've been more than one or two experiences.
I continue what we were talking about.
"Just, seeing the company, I thought it was right for the label to be independent quickly."
"Right… Right? They're doing this on purpose! That, should we go out stronger… ?"
"Wait a minute."
I stopped the bastard.
"We don't have to get stronger on that side. Just… We just have to move first."
"… ?"
Actually, there was a method I just came up with.
'When was the last time our relationship with the company was broken?''
It was something I thought about before, but in the process of making our label, we shouldn't increase the tension with T1 anyway.
However, what about 'T1 Stars', which was a subsidiary that was hastily prepared to take care of TeStar and whose sales would fall to less than half if we become independent?
I smiled and opened my mouth.
"Hyung, I have an idea."
• * *
A few days later, at ToneA, which is an awards ceremony hosted by T1.
After the stage in modern suits in front of a very antique fountain set, we received the award as scheduled.
Singer of the Year Award.
"Congratulations, TeStar!"
The spray of flowers and cheers. Now, it was our second time receiving a grand prize, and the guys who had gotten used to it went up to the podium smiling brightly.
'Honestly, if they didn't know if we were going to receive this, it would be ridiculous.'
"Thank you. It is a great honor to receive such a big award in front of ToneA's KPOP listeners who are watching this being broadcasted live in 32 countries, and above all, I want to give this joy and gratitude to Loviewers…"
I passed by Kim Raebin, who breathed and spat out his thoughts, and listened to the other members' comments, which I hadn't been able to do before.
And at the end, when the prompt popped up in the prompter.
When everyone thought that our speeches were over.
"Thank you~"
"Thank you!"
I hurriedly grabbed the microphone with a bright face as if I had just remembered.
And I screamed.
"We are launching a label to commemorate our grand prize!"
I was sorry, but I didn't include a confidentiality clause in our additional contract.
'What are they going to do?'
It was enough to say that the terms of the contract had already been fulfilled, that we must have told the company, and that we mentioned it out of emotion.
"Wow!!"
"Thank you~"
The members were laughing happily and adding words one by one, as if they did not feel any sense of incongruity in this remark at all. They were doing well.
'Good.'
Moreover, this save had an additional effect beyond just publicity. A level that the company could never correct.
'I'm already looking forward to the reaction.'
"I would like to thank the company once again for helping us both physically and mentally. We will do our best. Thank you!"
I smiled and put the microphone down.
And from that evening, frightening articles began to appear.