The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees Chapter 20 - Kang Ye-seong (1)

 

 

A cramped, run-down studio apartment of just over seven pyeong—about 23 square meters—on the outskirts of Seoul.

 

That was the dorm of Victory, a boy group now in their third year since debut.

 

“Guys, you worked hard today!”

 

“You’re the one who worked the hardest, hyung.”

 

Lee Nak-hwa, Victory’s youngest member and main dancer, beamed as he spoke.

 

“We were supposed to perform in front of the agency building, but thanks to you, hyung, we got to do it at the Han River instead.”

 

Their agency was based in Nowon-gu, Seoul—a quiet residential area, hardly the ideal place for a public performance.

 

“They said traveling would cost too much, so they told us to just perform in front of the building. Can you believe that?”

 

Lee Nak-hwa grumbled, his tone sharp.

 

Kang Ye-seong gently soothed the sulking youngest.

 

“Nak-hwa, you know the company’s in financial trouble.”

 

“Still!”

 

Lee Nak-hwa’s protest was full of frustration.

 

“This isn’t the first time! At this rate, I wish they’d just terminate our contracts so we could move to another company!”

 

“Do you think any company would take us?”

 

“There has to be!”

 

At that, Shin Yoo-soo—another member and sub-vocalist, the same age as Lee Nak-hwa—snorted.

 

“Who’s going to take us? We haven’t achieved anything solid in three years.”

 

“That’s not true! Our new song charted!”

 

“Yeah, it went viral for being ridiculous, so it barely made it into the top 90 on the streaming charts.”

 

And that was the extent of it.

 

A week after its release, the song’s highest rank on any platform had been 87th place.

 

Still, in a way, it was an achievement—Victory had never cracked the top 100 before.

 

Lee Nak-hwa’s face flushed red. He looked ready to fire back at Shin Yoo-soo’s sarcasm, but the words wouldn’t come.

 

Before the tension could escalate, Kang Ye-seong stepped in.

 

“Alright, you two. That’s enough.”

 

“But, hyung—!”

 

“Lee Nak-hwa.”

 

Hearing his name spoken softly, Lee Nak-hwa pouted.

 

“…Fine. I’ll stop, okay?”

 

He turned away with a sulky expression.

 

“I’m going out for some fresh air.”

 

“Me too.”

 

“Then I’m staying here.”

 

“Then I’m staying too.”

 

Lee Nak-hwa shot Shin Yoo-soo a look of disbelief, but Shin Yoo-soo only tilted his head as if to say, What’s the problem?

 

“Tsk!”

 

Lee Nak-hwa stormed out of the dorm.

 

“I’ll be back,” Shin Yoo-soo told the others before following him.

 

When the door shut, one of the quiet members turned to Kang Ye-seong.

 

“Hyung, should I go after them?”

 

“It’s fine. Let them work it out.”

 

Cheong-ryang, the team’s main rapper, nodded.

 

“Ye-seong hyung’s right. Adults shouldn’t meddle in the kids’ business.”

 

“Adults? You’re only two years older than them.”

 

“You don’t get how big a difference two years makes?”

 

“I don’t think so. Haven’t you heard age is just a number? Oh, right—you probably haven’t. You’re too dumb.”

 

“Are you done talking?”

 

Cheong-ryang abruptly stood up. Haneul, the team’s sub-rapper from the hip-hop unit, ducked behind Kang Ye-seong and stuck out his tongue.

 

“Guys…”

 

Kang Ye-seong rubbed his forehead in exasperation. Cheong-ryang and Haneul, who were the same age and acting just like the youngest members, spoke in unison.

 

“We’re not fighting.”

 

‘Sure you’re not.’

 

Kang Ye-seong chuckled and began putting on his shoes. Haneul peeked out from behind him.

 

“Hyung, where are you going? I thought you said you’d let them work it out?”

 

“I’m not going to them. Just heading to the convenience store. Want anything?”

 

“Hyung! Me!”

 

Cheong-ryang’s hand shot up.

 

“I want a hot dog. Like, really badly.”

 

“No.”

 

Kang Ye-seong’s answer was firm.

 

The comeback stage was only days away. Even with a strict diet until then, hot dogs were out of the question.

 

“So… nothing, right?”

 

“Hyung! Hot dog!”

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

Ignoring the pleas, Kang Ye-seong stepped out of the dorm.

 

Almost immediately, his phone rang.

 

“Hello?”

 

—Oppaaa!

 

“Kang Yoon-joo?”

 

Kang Ye-seong’s eyes widened.

 

It was 10:43 p.m.—far too late for his seven-year-old sister to be awake.

 

“What are you doing up?”

 

—Talking to my oppa!

 

Her voice was so sweet and playful that Kang Ye-seong couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“Where’s Grandma?”

 

—She’s asleep!

 

“Then why aren’t you sleeping?”

 

—Because I wanted to talk to you, oppa!

 

His little sister’s cheerful voice rang through the line.

 

—Oppa, when are you coming? Grandma says she misses you a lot!

 

“What about you, Yoon-joo? Don’t you miss me?”

 

—I do!

 

Her loud, enthusiastic answer made Kang Ye-seong laugh out loud.

 

“I don’t think I can make it this week—I’m busy—but I’ll come next week.”

 

—Really?

 

“Yeah, really. Have I ever broken a promise to you?”

 

—Never!

 

“That’s right. So go to bed now.”

 

—Okay! Goodnight, oppa!

 

Click. The call ended.

 

Still reluctant to let go of the conversation, Kang Ye-seong fiddled with his phone for a moment before slipping it back into his pocket.

 

Victory—a boy group now in their third year since debut.

 

People called them a “failed idol group,” but Kang Ye-seong cared for the team deeply.

 

Even their small but loyal fanbase, who called themselves Nike, loved them. That was why he kept pushing forward, over and over, chasing the top.

 

Back in 『The Genius Who Came to Take Over the Entertainment World』, he had stood as the main vocalist of NIKE and felt that rush. Now, he wanted it again—together with everyone.

 

‘It’s not like quitting the team or running away is even an option anyway.’

 

With a faint, self-deprecating smile, Kang Ye-seong headed toward the convenience store.

 

***

 

“What? We can’t go on stage?”

 

Kang Ye-seong froze, setting his strawberry milk aside as his eyes widened in disbelief.

 

It was the last of the strawberry milks he’d picked up at the convenience store a few days ago during a buy-one-get-one deal. He’d been sipping it to keep himself awake.

 

But now? To hear they couldn’t perform?

 

He stared wide-eyed at the manager, who had just dropped the news as casually as if it were nothing.

 

“You know we’ve been waiting for a very long time!” Kang Ye-seong’s voice tightened with anger.

 

They had been stuck in the waiting room for over ten hours.

 

Finally, their turn had come—only to be told they weren’t going on stage at all.

 

A few hours earlier, they’d been informed they’d have to perform without a rehearsal. That was already bad enough. But now? They were being cut altogether.

 

There was no way Kang Ye-seong could accept that.

 

“If you’ve got a problem, take it up with the CEO. He’s the one who said no.”

 

The manager rubbed his ear, speaking as if it were none of his business.

 

“So why—”

 

“Hey! Kang Ye-seong!”

 

The manager’s expression hardened instantly.

 

“Who do you think you’re raising your voice at?”

 

Kang Ye-seong hunched his shoulders as the manager pressed his fingers into them and sneered.

 

“Getting a little too comfortable, huh? Think you can start talking back? Huh? Not gonna answer me?”

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

If he didn’t back down now, he was going to get hit. Thankfully, the apology seemed to cool the man’s temper.

 

“Good, Ye-seong.”

 

The manager patted his shoulder lightly.

 

“I don’t want to raise my voice at you either, you know. You understand how I feel, right?”

 

No, he didn’t.

 

The only thing he understood was that this man wanted to squeeze him dry and take whatever little money he had left.

 

For the past three years, Kang Ye-seong, unlike the other members, had never once received a proper payment settlement, all because of his father’s debt.

 

His fists tightened at his sides.

 

“Hyung.”

 

“Yeah, Ye-seong? You understand how I feel, right?”

 

I said, I don’t!

 

He wanted to shout it, but instead he swallowed the words and asked carefully,

 

“Can’t we please go on stage?”

 

“Hey! Were you not listening just now?!”

 

“I was! You said the CEO’s the one who decided we can’t perform!”

 

“Then why are you still acting like this? Do you think I’m a joke?”

 

“No! That’s not it!”

 

Desperation crept into Kang Ye-seong’s voice.

 

“There are fans who came all the way here just to see our stage! And now you’re saying we’re not going on? This is our first comeback stage! They must have been waiting so long—”

 

The words spilled out in a rush—only to be met with a mocking sneer.

 

“Fans? I checked. There’s only one. Can you even call that a fan?”

 

The faces of Kang Ye-seong and the other Victory members flushed.

 

Not with embarrassment—with anger.

 

Even one fan was precious.

 

And yet, this man dared to speak like that.

 

“Don’t talk like that,” Kang Ye-seong said, unable to hold back. “Even if it’s just one person, they still came all the way here for us.”

 

“The fuck did you just say to me?!”

 

The manager raised his fist.

 

“Ye-seong hyung!”

 

“Hyung!”

 

Cheong-ryang and the others quickly moved in front of him.

 

Knock, knock, knock.

 

The sudden knock shattered the tense atmosphere.

 

“Victory, are you ready for the stage? You know you’re going up soon, right?”

 

The main writer for Show! Champion Music poked their head into the room.

 

The manager lowered his raised fist and snapped,

 

“I told your PD our boys aren’t going up. Didn’t you hear?”

 

“I did, but the PD changed his mind. Victory is going on stage.”

 

“…What did you just say?”

 

“Ask your CEO about the details. Our PD already contacted him. Now, Victory, standby.”

 

“Yes!”

 

The members, still blinking in confusion, finally grasped the situation and answered in a loud, unified voice.

 

“Shit, what the hell is going on?”

 

The manager scratched his head and grabbed his phone.

 

“Hello? Boss? The broadcasting station says they want the boys on stage—what’s going on?”

 

Whatever the answer was, it sounded complicated, because the manager stepped out of the room.

 

“You guys okay?”

 

“Sorry. We should’ve stepped in.”

 

Some of the staff glanced at the members with worried expressions.

 

“It’s fine,” Kang Ye-seong reassured them. At that moment, Lee Nak-hwa came over and asked,

 

“Hyung, what’s going on right now?”

 

“No idea.”

 

But one thing was certain—

 

They were going to perform.

 

They would stand in front of the fans who had come from far away to see their comeback stage.

 

Realizing that, Kang Ye-seong’s face lit up.

 

And at that same moment, someone else wore the exact same bright expression—

 

‘Finally… soon!’

 

She was the owner of the account BigdolForever (@ILOVE_Victor_). The other fans hadn’t been able to make it for various reasons, but that didn’t matter. Even if she was the only one in the audience for the pre-recording, she was about to witness Victory’s comeback performance!

 

‘After the stage, I need to hunt down the boys’ fancam videos. Oh, and I have to post a review too.’

 

It was the least she could do for the fans who couldn’t make it.

 

Then, someone approached.

 

“Are you a Victory fan?”

 

“Yes! Yes!”

 

The owner of the account BigdolForever swallowed nervously; the man speaking to her was handsome enough to rival most idols.

 

‘Still, compared to our boys…’

 

She wanted to believe his looks didn’t measure up, but she couldn’t quite convince herself.

 

Then he said, “I’m a fan too.”

 

“Really?!”

 

“Yes. That’s why I came to see the stage.”

 

He smiled faintly and went on.

 

“Nikes divide Bigdol’s members into age groups—two in the maknae line who are twenty this year, two in the hip-hop team who are twenty-two, and the hyung line at twenty-four. But this year, one member from the hyung line left the group. Not a single article was written about it, but anyway… because of that, Kang Ye-seong—who had been part of the hyung line—ended up as the only one left.”

 

And that’s how Kang Ye-seong earned his nickname:

 

“The House Leader.”

T/N: “House Leader” refers to the one who shoulders responsibility for the group, like its caretaker or ‘father figure.’ Any recommendations for a better title?

 

The man finished with another faint smile.

 

The owner of the account BigdolForever gaped at him.

 

‘Oh my god. He really is a fan of our boys. And not just some casual listener—he’s a full-on geek. A true, hardcore fan.’

 

For the first time ever, she had met a male fan of the group, and her eyes began to sparkle.

 

Most people might have felt awkward under such an intense gaze, but the man simply kept smiling.

 

Flash!

 

The stage lights came on.

 

“Looks like it’s starting!”

 

BigdolForever pulled out her light stick.

 

‘Ah, he probably doesn’t have one.’

 

The light stick she was holding was one she had made herself. There was no way the man had one.

 

‘Should I give him mine?’

 

Luckily, she’d brought a spare.

 

Just as she was thinking that, the man reached into his jacket and pulled something out.

 

“…No way.”

 

It was an even flashier light stick than the one she had made herself.