Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Raise Three Idols Well And They’ll Launch a Confession Attack.

Episode 17: Breakthrough.

It was a big catch.

I never expected such a good situation to unfold.

I was prepared for a prolonged legal battle, but it felt like hitting a grand slam.

If I shared the scene just now, no one would be able to deny that Gyeoul was being bullied.

Yoon Jeong also seemed to realize this, as her face turned pale.

“I think there’s some misunderstanding. It’s not the situation you’re thinking of.”

Yoon Jeong continued to speak calmly, despite sweating nervously,

“It looks to me like you’re coercively bullying Gyeoul, who is apologizing. Is there any other way to see this?”

“That’s why I’m saying it’s a misunderstanding. That wasn’t bullying; it was a process to show a more perfected choreography as a team.”

I sighed lightly and said,

“Was that a situation where you had to poke the chest of a child who had already apologized? Yoon Jeong. From a general perspective, that’s called bullying.”

“It’s not for you to judge. It’s for Gyeoul to decide.”

Yoon Jeong glared at Gyeoul and said,

“Han Gyeoul, speak clearly! Were you bullied just now?”

As Yoon Jeong spoke, she became more confident in her own logic.

To the point where she left the judgment of obvious bullying to Gyeoul.

“…Well, um.”

But Gyeoul’s reaction was strange.

She just had to say she was bullied, but she hesitated to speak.

She seemed scared of Yoon Jeong, who was staring at her.

Looking again, she was also crying.

I let go of Yoon Jeong’s wrist, properly lifted Gyeoul with both hands, and placed my hand on her shoulder.

And I said,

“Gyeoul, do you remember what I said when we first met?”

“…Huh?”

“I said there would be people to help you, right? I still think that’s true. Because the person to help you is right here, isn’t it?”

I subtly blocked Yoon Jeong from Gyeoul’s view with my back and said,

“Just say one word. Do you need my help in this situation right now?”

If she just said that, I could have the justification to bite back at the enemy.

I could prove how combative an unemployed bum desperate for a job could be.

Gyeoul’s eyes, looking at me, became hazy.

Soon, her mouth opened.

“…Yes, I was bullied.”

“Han Gyeoul!”

Yoon Jeong shouted angrily.

I stood in front of Gyeoul as if protecting her and said,

“It seems that Gyeoul also sees it as bullying.”

Yoon Jeong seemed furious to the top of her head.

It seemed difficult to have a normal conversation.

But contrary to my judgment, Yoon Jeong calmed her heated emotions with a deep breath.

Indeed, she had the self-restraint worthy of becoming a top idol in both the previous and this cycle.

Why didn’t you show that self-restraint to Gyeoul too?

“From what I heard just now, you don’t seem to be a staff member. Who are you, Mister?”

“Me?”

Who else could I be?

“Gyeoul’s guardian.”

Yoon Jeong snorted at my answer and said,

“So you’re not a staff member? Then you don’t have the authority to interfere in our matters, do you?”

This time, I snorted at Yoon Jeong.

“Kid. I don’t have the authority to interfere in Alcest’s matters, but I do have the authority to interfere in Gyeoul’s matters. And this is Gyeoul’s matter. Step aside if you don’t want to get sued.”

Yoon Jeong seemed to have forgotten, being trapped in the small world of SS.

A lawsuit and the judgment of the law could be received equally by the SS president or a trainee.

“Where is the evidence?! It’s hard to prove with just testimony!”

I smirked and called my sister.

“Lawyer, could you come over for a moment?”

My sister, who had been hiding her presence in the corner, appeared with a stern look.

The smartphone camera that had been recording everything was a bonus.

“We are recording this entire situation.”

It was checkmate.

Yoon Jeong, perhaps thinking of her bleak future, couldn’t say anything and teared up.

She seemed to think of the possibility that all her efforts so far might crumble.

It was very unsightly.

I was somewhat a fan in the previous round, but seeing such an ugly side made my fandom disappear.

“Let’s go.”

I grabbed Gyeoul’s hand, who was standing blankly, and led her outside.

So, my sister, Gyeoul, and I headed outside, passing by the sobbing Yoon Jeong.

“Wait a minute! Mr. Taeyang, wait a minute!”

As we passed through the hallway, a man who was with Cheon Jonghoon appeared, perhaps contacted by Coco and Lily or the security guard.

I think his name was Sanghoon.

Sanghoon, seeming to have run hurriedly, caught his breath and said to me,

“Mr. Taeyang, it seems there’s a bit of misunderstanding. If you act like this, it’ll be difficult for both sides.”

“Well, Mr. Sanghoon. I don’t think this is the time to talk about future difficulties. Gyeoul has been experiencing difficulties continuously.”

“That’s why I’m saying it’s a misunderstanding. Gyeoul seems to have said she was bullied, but it’s just noise that happens while working! It shouldn’t be called bullying!”

“…Noise?”

“Yes, noise! As you know, Mr. Taeyang, the existing trainees have spent 3 to 4 years here, and Gyeoul hasn’t been here long, right?”

“So what?”

“It’s natural for noise to occur due to the time difference! If you blow up matters between the kids too much, it’ll be really troublesome.”

“Haha, matters between the kids…. I guess you could think that way.”

That one sentence showed how SS managed the kids.

I didn’t see SS in a good light.

From the scene shown by the Fragment of the Future, it looked like they neglected Gyeoul’s bullying.

Of course, they might not have known.

But my assessment wouldn’t change.

Because that would still prove their incompetence.

I was convinced by Sanghoon’s words just now.

SS was both.

Incompetent and indifferent.

“Lawyer, could you show the recorded video?”

My sister handed me the smartphone that was recording.

I manipulated the smartphone to play at the right timing and handed it back to Sanghoon.

“What is this?”

“Take a look.”

Sanghoon wiped his glasses with his clothes and checked the video.

The video showed Yoon Jeong bullying Gyeoul using the choreography formation as an excuse.

“Do you have anything more to say?”

Sanghoon, not expecting such a video to exist, opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

I took the smartphone from Sanghoon and handed it to my sister, then continued to walk.

“…It’s a breach of contract!”

Sanghoon shouted then.

“What?”

“The contract with Gyeoul is not a freely terminable trainee contract! It’s an idol contract presuming debut. Withdrawing for such personal reasons is a breach of contract!”

“Mr. Sanghoon, if you want to cite the contract, you should do it correctly. Article 15, Clause 5 states that if an agency employee is convicted by the court for crimes, violence, theft, etc., against the singer, the singer can terminate the contract. Don’t you know?”

“I know. That’s why I’m saying this. According to that clause, the contract can be terminated if convicted by the court. This hasn’t been judged by the court yet!”

I smiled wryly and said,

“Then, can we consider that SS is willing to legally publicize this matter?”

“…That.”

Sanghoon also couldn’t speak, perhaps sensing the aftermath of these words.

“A lawsuit occurred between SS trainees. That alone is interesting, but there’s more to the story?”

Cold sweat ran down Sanghoon’s face.

“The reason is bullying and violence, and the trainee wants to terminate the contract based on this. But SS doesn’t consider it bullying or violence and doesn’t allow the termination. Bullying of a minor, power dynamics in idols…”

I spoke admiringly.

“Wow, if this gets posted on the internet, can you resist clicking on it? I certainly couldn’t.”

Even Sanghoon, who brought it up, wouldn’t be able to resist.

“We don’t intend to go as far as a lawsuit. We know well how challenging it is to go against a giant like SS. But if SS blocks us, we’re not unwilling to fight to the end.”

I finished the threat and took out a conciliatory card.

“How tiring would that be? So let’s not roll in the mud and just go our ways.”

Sanghoon couldn’t say or do anything and just watched us.

He must have thought it was beyond his control.

We left Sanghoon behind and walked down the hallway.

We walked quickly, as if running, and came out to the lobby, where the gate was.

I suddenly realized I was still holding Gyeoul’s hand and tried to let go.

But Gyeoul sensed my intention and held my hand tightly as if it would break.

…Oh dear, my poor thing.

It was pitiful.

I said to Gyeoul, who was still crying and holding my hand.

There was something I wanted to say to this fragile child.

“Gyeoul, in such situations, you should speak confidently. There’s no need to be scared.”

“What situation?”

“When Yoon Jeong asked if she bullied you, you couldn’t answer for a moment. That’s what I’m talking about.”

I understood Gyeoul’s fear of antagonizing others.

Some people fear hating someone more than being hated.

Gyeoul was like that.

So she couldn’t cut ties with that bitch Yeji either.

But there comes a time when you have to face and fight.

I wanted to tell that to Gyeoul.

Gyeoul hesitated to answer but finally spoke under my gaze.

“I wasn’t scared.”

It was an unexpected statement.

I thought Gyeoul would just say, ‘I won’t do that again,’ and brush it off.

“Then what was it?”

“…I was embarrassed to show that side of me to Taeyang ssam.”

Embarrassed?

I turned to look at Gyeoul.

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Seon Taeyang!”

It was a high and arrogant voice so impressive that I couldn’t forget it even a month after hearing it.

It was Cheon Jonghoon, one of the pillars of SS and the undisputed top producer in ten years.

By the way, that guy knew my name.

I thought he didn’t know my name because he always called me “that guy.”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue.

I didn’t want to run into him so badly that I forced this situation, but I ended up facing Cheon Jonghoon.

He must have been scheduled to handle things within SS.

I was unlucky.

“I’ve heard the gist of it. Let’s have a talk.”

The final boss had appeared.