06. Flag (3)
— LI Ente's [Short for Lime Entertainment] new male trainee, I see that he is really tall ㅋㅋ Ask any questions
└What about appearance
└The visuals are pretty good? It's dark so I can't see much detail.
└I heard that trainee pool is becoming popular these days. Can I trust it?
└Yeah. If he doesn't make it to the debut lineup with that face, the agency will be a disappointment
└Yeah~ I know it's just brain-dead nonsense without any verification shots, so just say it~
└You don't want to believe it, so don't believe it. ㅅㅂ [f*ck] He passed by so fast that I couldn't take a picture
—Isn't it him? There's a rumor that Lux's long-term trainee was going to Lime?
└Oh? Who?
└Anj-u
└Nononono, I know that Lime tried to cast him but it fell through
—He is new or whatever. How can you see that? Am I the only one curious about this?
└I was trying to see I A R A M [Lee Aram] in front of the building, but he was passing by
└Isn't he also a trainee? Now she's stalking ordinary people from time to time
└(This comment has been deleted by the administrator)
└? Isn't this person a total madman?
—Wow, I've been hearing a lot of news about LI Ente lately. Aren't they going to release a new male idol soon?
└That's a bit farfetched. How long has it been since the accident?
└I know, but honestly, it would have been better if they released the next one.
└Is there anyone in the debut group right now?
└I don't know. Security is very hard::
I flipped through the screens and chewed on a glucose candy. I searched the community in the hopes that I might see someone who was presumed to be a sasaeng this morning... and related posts came out one after another.
'That Sasaeng was attached to Lee Aram.'
I quickly read through the overflowing text. The problem of trainees' sasaeng is mostly experienced by those who came from audition programs, but there are also many cases where trainees from large agencies have their personal information sold.
Trainees are relatively less protected by their agencies, and they do not have a manager-like employee attached to them all the time, so they are sometimes targeted like this.
'This is a headache for agencies, too.'
They do not have enough manpower to assign a manager, and there is no significant damage to dealing with it harshly.
Above all, trainees are beings who may quit or transfer at any time. Investments have limits. If you look at the profit and loss, the answer is to neglect them. But that is not to say that it is a good way to deal with them.
As I was lost in thought, a voice came down from above my head.
"Did you get some sleep?"
I looked away from my phone and raised my head. Lee Aram was grimaced and drying his hair with a towel. It seemed like his dark circles had decreased compared to yesterday.
"Yes, did you get some sleep, hyung?"
"Yeah. The shower room is empty, so use it."
I got up from the rakuraku [It's a bed brand name] in the corner of the practice room, and my shoulders made a cracking sound. My muscles were stiff because I stayed up all night just because I liked my young body.
'Oh my, why is Yoo Young so skinny?'
There is a PT part in the basic trainee schedule, but should I go jogging before work next time?
I quickly washed up while making a new plan. I had to go to the New Department. There's a lot to do.
'Huh? Why is he still here?'
I roughly ran my wet hair through it and blinked. Because Lee Aram was leaning against the mirror in the practice room.
When I saw that, I blurted out without realizing it.
"Hyung, have you been waiting for me?"
"Are you crazy?"
You're not being honest.
I clicked my tongue inwardly and lightly turned my shoulder to ask something I was curious about.
"But hyung, have you felt any gazes or any presence around you in the past few days?"
At that moment, I felt Aram's body stiffen. He tightly shut his mouth and left the practice room without saying anything. I followed him with my eyes and shut my mouth.
'You're blatantly avoiding this topic.'
You don't seem to be the type who thinks time will solve everything.
Having noticed that much, I followed him without asking any more questions. This wasn't a problem I could solve for him, and I couldn't stir up a hornet's nest when the person in question didn't want it.
'But I know one thing for sure.'
Aram knows about the Sasaeng issues. And that problem didn't start recently.
**
We went to the New Development Headquarters office in silence and checked our attendance.
The company was quiet until a while ago, but now it was full of employees and trainees. Everyone was tired that day.
"Hmm? It's Young and Aram. Good morning. Are you at work already?"
Someone welcomed us from behind. When I turned around, one of the trainees who was on the same team as me for the monthly evaluation was looking at us. Was his name Choi Minwoo? I think I heard he was the oldest trainee.
I nodded with a picture-perfect smile. I am quite calm considering I just remembered his name.
"Minwoo hyung, you're here early too."
"Huh? Yeah, I can't sleep. I didn't know there would be other people who came before me."
Choi Minwoo, who was touching his earlobe and smiling awkwardly, faced us straight ahead. It didn't seem like he was picking a fight by chewing his lips and spitting them out. Did he have anything else to say?
"Do you have anything to say?"
Choi Minwoo's shoulders flinched at my words and he nodded.
I looked around, seeing that there was still some time left before the lesson started. It would be hard to have a conversation in the middle of the office, so I thought we should move to a different location.
"Hyung, weren't you going to check in at the new department? We'll go to the cafe, so you can come down later."
"Oh, okay? I'll go first."
Choi Min-woo noticed the signal and smiled. I saw his back moving away and then tapped Lee A-ram on the arm.
We headed to the men's cafe attached to the lobby, which was open 24 hours a day, so I had been using it often when I was Han Awon.
"Would you like to order?"
"One extra shot of iced Americano and…
And... What should I order?
'Come to think of it, Choi Min-woo didn't ask me what he wanted to drink, did he?'
I had forgotten his name, so I couldn't know his taste. I didn't even have his number, so I couldn't ask him right now.
As I was staring at the menu, I felt a presence. When I turned around, Lee A-ram was staring at me with a frown.
"Choi Min-woo likes espresso."
It was surprising since he looked like he only drank chocolate latte… No.
"If you're not going to order, just go?"
"...I'll order. What do you want, hyung? I'll buy it."
"I'll have an iced Americano."
Lee Aram, who confidently stated the menu without refusing, went to a nearby table and sat down. The sight was so natural that I almost thought, "Oh, that's how it is."
I asked him as soon as I sat down after receiving three drinks.
"Hyung, are you close with Choi Minwoo hyung? You even know his favorite drink."
"No?"
This is… a look that says, "What are you talking about?" It's what he wants to make of it...
As I fiddled with my coffee cup, Lee Aram let out a sigh.
"I just like observing my surroundings. I've met that hyung a few times at cafes."
"Aha…...…."
Do you usually memorize the drinks that people like when you meet them at cafes?
He seemed really prickly, but he's actually more delicate than I thought. Look at him furrowing his brows as if he's already figured out what I'm thinking.
'When I see things like this, I can tell he's quick to notice.'
I waited for about ten minutes. Choi Min-woo came into the cafe and approached the table we were sitting at. I handed him an espresso and pointed to a chair.
"Please sit comfortably."
"Oh, thank you. I'll drink this too."
Choi Min-woo smiled as he sat down, but he seemed quite nervous, despite his appearance. I didn't drag it out and got straight to the point.
"Did you call me because of Kim Jung-hyun hyung?"
"Cough."
When I handed him a tissue, Choi Min-woo quickly wiped his mouth. Was that too direct? Lee A-ram poked my ribs with his elbow.
Of course, I didn't care.
"No matter how much I think about it, that's the only reason hyung wants to talk to us."
"Ah… That's the reason. Um, it's nothing."
Choi Min-woo cleared his throat. Loudly. A dry cough rang out. It was nothing, but it was a grand preparation.
"Jung-hyun acted a little immature yesterday, but I wanted you to know that there was a reason for that. He's been having a hard time lately."
Oh… Even nonsense is creative. I immediately crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair. I wanted to hear what he had to say. Choi Min-woo hurriedly continued talking, wondering how he had taken it.
"You're still young, and this is your first time as a trainee, but Jung Hyun isn't like that. He must have felt a lot of pressure because of his age. If he doesn't debut this time, he'll have to wait another 4-6 years."
"....."
"He must have been greedy. I feel sorry for you that I, as the eldest, could not mediate, but I could not help it because I understood his feelings."
"....."
"So, what I'm saying is... how about having another calm conversation with Junghyun? You know what I mean?"
Choi Minwoo took a sip of his espresso and quietly looked down at the table.
His wide-open eyes, his chin tense as if he was nervous, and his quiet fingers, I opened my mouth to observe his reaction.
"I understand what you're saying. But can I ask you one thing?"
"Huh?"
"Are you really saying this because you're worried about Kim Junghyun hyung?"
Choi Minwoo's trembling jaw hardened. Maybe because he's still young, he pretended to be worried, but his real intention was 'He pretend not to know anything and want us do something about that punk.'
"To be honest, hyung, you're saying this because of your part, right? Isn't that right?"
"....."
"If you're unhappy about changing your part, go to Kim Junghyun hyung and tell him directly. I was just listening to his opinion."
A heavy silence lingers in the air. I scratch my cheek and hold back a sigh. It's natural, so I'm not even angry.
'There's no way he is not dissatisfied. The part was changed so forcefully.'
Choi Min-woo would definitely not go to Kim Jung-hyun to express his dissatisfaction.
The ill-tempered existing trainee and the minor new trainee. It's obvious who looks easier to handle.
'It seems like he is still thinking about how to tie me, right?'
I'm really tired since the morning. As soon as he finds out that I have no intention of changing my opinion, Choi Min-woo pretends to feel sorry and lowers the corners of his eyes. That guy was even more annoying because I couldn't get through to him like I did to Kim Jung-hyun.
"....Yeah, that's right. But I don't want to provoke someone who is having a hard time and being sensitive."
"In that sense, isn't our Aram hyung here also having a hard time and being sensitive right now? He is the same age as Kim Jung-hyun hyung."
Lee Aram's eyebrows rose at my words. He kept his mouth shut, but he must be cursing inside.
"....."
Choi Minwoo closed his mouth as if he had nothing to say about this. If he had argued back, saying, "But that's not true?" it would have only provoked Lee Aram, who had been silent, so it was natural.
"And from a common sense point of view, will Jung-hyun Hyung listen to me well, or will he listen to hyung better?"
While Choi Min-woo, who was pushed back by momentum, hesitated, I pushed my opinion without giving a gap like a wedge.
"I didn't accept the idea of changing parts without thinking. I think Hyung knew that and came to me, right? Above all, 'Black Light' has a strong performance, but it's not a type of sharp dance. Even if something goes wrong, we won't all die."
I also slyly pointed out things that he would be worried about. It doesn't matter whether he changes parts or not. It's just annoying to hear Kim's whining.
However, Choi Min-woo's position will be different. Being the oldest trainee is like holding on to a rotten rope.
'In some ways, Choi Min-woo is more anxious than Kim Jung-hyun.'
If he doesn't debut this time, it's obvious that he'll be replaced because he's old, and the chances of him debuting somewhere else will be low. In that situation, why worry about others first? It's impossible unless you're a living Buddha.
"Hyung, think about it carefully. Our current part isn't bad. If we just work hard."
"Still...."
"No matter what we say, Kim Jung-hyun hyung won't listen, right? So you have to help me. You have to do well in our monthly evaluation."
Isn't that right? When I secretly handed Kim Jung-hyun over to Choi Min-woo, he bit his lip. My mouth, reflected in the coffee cup, went crooked.
"Well, if it's hard, there's nothing we can do."
"...No, I understand."
"Thank you, hyung."
Okay, one less thing to worry about.
'When I was Han A-won, if I did this, he would have taken it as a threat, but it's good to be gentle.'
As I drank the coffee in one shot, I could see Choi Min-woo's rotting expression. He must be upset because he took on the bomb without even getting his money's worth.
Lee A-ram tried hard to ignore me and Choi Min-woo. When I tilted my head, he avoided eye contact.
"Then should we go back to the practice room?"
"...We should."
I smiled with satisfaction and got up from my seat. Perhaps, thanks to Choi Min-woo, the team mission evaluation might go well.
—