<Episode 90>
Kim Jawook left the CEO’s office.
“Thank you for coming to the interview today.”
I could hear his voice as he explained the results to the applicants.
“Ms. Yoo Jungyeon, you’ve been accepted. To the others, unfortunately, we hope to meet you again next time with a better opportunity.”
I could hear the rejected applicants grumbling as they left.
“Ms. Yoo Jungyeon.”
“Yes!”
“As previously announced, you’ll need to join Spade Joker’s schedule starting today. We have to head out immediately due to time. Will that be okay?”
“Yes, no problem.”
With that exchange, Yoo Jungyeon and Kim Jawook left the company together.
“Then shall I check Florence’s concept photos first?”
I had seen that an email had arrived right before the interviews, but I didn’t have time to look at the photos.
“Not bad.”
In a background filled densely with purple flowers covering both the floor and ceiling, Florence was sitting on the ground in a flowing dress, playing while making a flower crown.
“We can push forward with this as is.”
It matched the group name very well.
“We’ve secured the debut showcase venue, and the music video shoot is coming up soon. Should I go see them for a bit?”
Normally, I would have sent Han Suseok, but he was currently on vacation. And since I had news to deliver, I decided to go myself.
As I stepped out of the CEO’s office, the employees’ gazes turned toward me.
“Oh? Sir, where are you going?”
“To see Florence.”
“Ah, understood.”
Leaving the staff behind, I took the elevator down to the basement.
“Hello.”
A trainee who had come out into the hallway to drink water spotted me and greeted me.
“Yes. Keep working hard.”
Passing them, I headed toward Florence’s practice room.
At the moment, they were using the same practice room as Spade Joker.
There were only a limited number of practice rooms, so a debut team couldn’t have one exclusively. But they also couldn’t share with regular trainees.
‘Watching Florence prepare for her debut up close would be painful for the other trainees.’
Since there was no fixed end to trainee life, it was inevitable. On top of that, no one knew how many years it would take.
From the agency’s perspective, they had to carefully select who to debut until the very last moment, which meant keeping many trainees.
The structure itself was the problem.
Through the small window attached to the practice room, I could see Florence practicing.
‘Maybe I’ll just watch for a moment like this.’
Going inside would probably make them feel pressured, so I crossed my arms and watched through the window.
Even during practice, Florence was pushing themselves as if it were the real thing.
‘Are they diligent… or just inexperienced?’
The song was calm, but the choreography wasn’t.
When I requested the choreographer, I had emphasized wanting something impactful rather than just soft, flowing moves… even if the concept was pure and innocent.
I knocked lightly and opened the door.
“Oh? Sir.”
Florence greeted me with a smile.
“Yeah. Looks like you were practicing.”
“Yes, we’re working hard.”
Kang Seoah said, wiping sweat from her forehead.
“Working hard is good, but don’t overdo it. You need to manage your condition too.”
“Yes.”
“But what brings you here?”
“I hired your manager today. Kim Jawook is currently training and handing over duties, so you’ll be able to meet her soon.”
“Wow. I wonder what she’s like.”
“I hope she’s nice.”
Their eyes sparkled with curiosity about their future manager.
“She’s a woman. I didn’t talk with her long, so I don’t know the details. Talk properly with her when you meet.”
“Yes.”
“And your profile photos are out, want to see them?”
At my question, Park Chaeha nodded vigorously. So I took out the tablet I had brought from the office and showed them.
“Wow… we really look like celebrities.”
“Seriously.”
“So pretty.”
“You’re saying that while looking at your own face?”
“Ah, Hyeju unni! I mean, we all came out pretty.”
Happiness was clearly visible on their faces.
“Do you like them?”
“Yes.”
“Any discomfort at the dorm?”
“None at all.”
It didn’t seem like a lie.
“If anything bothers you, tell Team Leader Han or me, okay?”
“Yes.”
Florence answered in unison.
“But it feels like we haven’t seen Team Leader Han lately. He used to come check on us every day.”
“He went to the U.S. to see his family.”
“Oh, I see.”
“He’ll be back soon. Keep practicing hard.”
“Yes!”
“I’ll get going.”
After receiving their farewell, I left the practice room and got on the elevator.
Maybe because it was an awkward time of day… There was no one around.
As I pressed the close button…
‘Come to think of it, today was A-Pen’s contract renewal day, wasn’t it?’
It came back to me that today was A-Pen’s contract renewal day.
***
[? Are they suddenly doing a video call fansign? And with the previous album? What kind of nonsense is this?]
↳ I’m so mad. Does this make sense?
↳ They seriously think we’re ATMs.
↳↳ Seriously. The more I think about it, the angrier I get.
↳ They’re 100% squeezing money out of us to fund Spade.
[What do they even think we are? This is way beyond crossing the line.]
↳ That’s what I want to know most. I want to dissect their brains. Like, do they seriously think we’d go “Wow! A-Pen video call fansign!”?
↳ I’m so annoyed right now that I can’t focus on anything.
↳ If they treat us like this, they treat A-Pen even worse. This is seriously infuriating.
↳↳ Thinking about that makes my blood boil.
[They must think we’re easy. I seriously don’t understand this. How can someone run a business with such poor judgment? Do they think this will make us like Spade? We’re already pissed because we’re getting dragged into things because of them, and now this?]
↳ Seriously lol. Why do we have to get dragged into this because of them?
↳↳ Joo Youngjun seriously has no sense… how did he even start an entertainment company?
↳↳↳ That’s the real mystery.
↳ They should at least be subtle when bundling things together.
[Ha. Making A-Pen take selfies with Spade, upload them, do challenge videos… do they think we don’t know it’s bundling? They’re trying to replace generations. Trying to absorb A-Pen fans into Spade. There’s such a huge gap in years and zero connection between them lol. And our boys haven’t received anything from the company except an early debut investment. Becoming a top-tier idol? That’s entirely their own effort. That amazing album that got them there? Purely their skill.]
↳ The initial investment has already been paid back, and after that, they’ve received nothing from the company.
↳ What “support”? I’ve never seen A-Pen get any support from the company.
↳↳ They can’t even release proper albums. And even those, the members worked their hardest to make it succeed.
↳ It’s so obvious… Spade keeps doing A-Pen cover challenges.
[Ha… I’m so tired of A-Pen being treated like this. They’re just money-making machines, aren’t they? How can this happen?]
↳ I wish A-Pen would escape that agency.
↳↳ It’s my first time seeing fans wishing their own idols would leave their company.
↳ There’s no hope here. They have to leave.
↳ Guys, please just leave the company. Please.
Watching the fans’ anger, A-Pen’s expressions gradually darkened.
“…I feel so sorry for our fans.”
Park Juchan couldn’t endure it anymore because he felt so sorry.
It was too painful to see fans suffering because they liked them.
“Let’s stop looking.”
“Yeah. That’s better.”
At the other members’ words, Park Juchan put away his phone.
But their steps toward the CEO’s office were heavy.
“Come in.”
“Yes.”
A-Pen sat down with a serious expression.
“Today’s your contract renewal day, right?”
CEO Joo Youngjun greeted them with an unusually bright smile.
Because he needed them to sign the renewal.
“Since this is your second renewal, I adjusted the terms as much as possible to what you want. Take a look.”
He tapped the contract on the table.
The members glanced over it.
The settlement ratio had changed from 2:8 to 3:7… other than that, nothing had changed.
They checked multiple times in case there were special clauses due to the still-low ratio, but there was nothing.
“Honestly, you’re all getting older now, so there aren’t many places that would take you. You want to keep being idols, right? Do you think that’s easy at your age?”
Their thirties.
It was hard to deny that it was considered old for idols.
But A-Pen had fans who had been with them for ten years.
“If you want better terms, tell me. I can add more. I know how hard you’ve worked. So now, sign here… ”
“We’re not renewing our contract.”
“…What?”
CEO Joo Youngjun grabbed the back of his neck at their words.
“We’re not renewing.”
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