Debuting by Riding the Returnee’s Bus Chapter 113

Yeah, the more I thought about it, the more I felt it was time to push back.

 

It wasn’t about raising complaints over the unreasonable schedule or the excessive amount of practice. I was dissatisfied with the dormitory and our treatment, but I wasn’t bringing those up as the main point either. I understood that the other side likely had their own unavoidable circumstances.

 

The part I wanted to address was…

 

‘Exactly that.’

 

The part that was mentally exhausting our team. The one-way control with no communication, and the anxiety of never knowing what was happening or how anything was progressing.

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

Overall, the management just sucked.

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

Perhaps because I was standing there with a stiff face, preparing to pour out serious words, Kim Haejun opened his mouth with a very anxious look.

 

“Wait, Unha. Let’s think about this a bit more. I mean, the showcase isn’t even that far away…”

 

“No. I’ve made my judgment. Everyone looks exhausted right now. Honestly, I don’t think practicing any more today is going to help much.”

 

“Unha?”

 

“This is my judgment as the leader. I don’t think pushing everyone any harder is going to accomplish anything. Everyone’s already practicing without any energy.”

 

I saw Kim Taeyeol, who looked the most unmotivated, cautiously speaking up.

 

“No, I’m sorry. I’ll work harder….”

 

“No, no, no. I’m really not criticizing you. I think it’s understandable. I’m going to tell the company everything later, but we’ve been running without a break since Idol Classism ended, haven’t we? I think it’s the right time to be exhausted… To be honest, I’m exhausted too. Physically, yes, and mentally, but… honestly, I’m exhausted by this situation.”

 

Then, Jegal Hwi picked up on my words.

 

“What situation?”

 

“The one-way nature of it.”

 

“…….”

 

“It’s a mix of reasons. Many reasons.”

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

Seeing as no one said anything further…. I felt like they knew exactly what I was talking about.

 

‘Right. You guys just weren’t saying it out loud. You were all feeling it.’

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

“But is this really okay?”

 

“I don’t know. We have to try. I had to speak up eventually anyway.”

 

I might be doing something useless. I’d heard advice from Benok and Kim Minhyuk that a leader should act as a bridge between the company and the group—representing the company’s stance to the group and organizing/voicing the group’s role to the company.

 

But that was only something a leader of a group with several years of experience could do. In reality, for groups that hadn’t even debuted yet, or even for some veteran groups…

 

‘You just do whatever the company tells you to do.’

 

Especially for a young group like ours, the company managed everything from beginning to end. In truth, the leader’s role was mostly limited to resolving internal team conflicts or setting the mood at filming sites or practice rooms. Every other bridge role was handled by the manager. No, more than that—the manager usually controlled everything.

 

Well, I didn’t know if that was how it worked everywhere, but at least that was how things were for Fantasia. Complaints, instructions—everything was relayed or notified through the manager.

 

Furthermore….

 

‘I’m not even sure our suggestions are actually being passed up the chain…’

 

When you couldn’t even get a proper chance to talk to the people who were supposedly the core of the company, what more was there to say? Of course, we’d greeted the president, the division head, the team leaders, and the other higher-ups, but we’d never discussed work. If anything, it almost felt like they were deliberately avoiding those kinds of conversations.

 

‘It’s probably because we’re teenagers. They think of us that way.’

 

Even the manager himself was somewhat authoritarian. Whether it was the company’s instructions or just his natural personality, there were even times when he shouted at us. The manager was in his late 20s and we were in our late teens; it was transparently obvious that the company thought they could just suppress us.

 

I didn’t know if he was good at his job or not, but that was irrelevant. No, the problem was that we had no idea whether they were doing their jobs well or not. The problem was that Fantasia knew absolutely nothing about what was happening inside the company.

 

If I asked someone, they might say, ‘That’s just how it’s done’, but at least for me, I couldn’t accept things being this way. All decisions were one-sided, and there was no coordination of opinions. I truly hated this situation where most things ended with a simple notification.

 

I’d been thinking for a while now that… something had to start somewhere.

 

‘It just happened sooner than I expected.’

 

Up until now, I hadn’t thought there was any reason to act… But looking at the members’ condition, it felt like I finally had a legitimate reason.

 

Yes, this wasn’t simply a demand for rest…. It was a power struggle.

 

“Then, I’m really going.”

 

I didn’t know exactly what the organizational chart of The World looked like. I only had a rough idea of who was above whom. I only knew that several teams combined to run the headquarters, and there was a CEO above that headquarters. I knew that countless staff members were working together to create <Fantasia>.

 

But there was no need to understand the company’s structure right now. In any case, the first step was….

 

‘I have to break through this guy first.’

 

The manager. Hong Dukwang.

Age: 29.

Personality: Somewhat coercive.

 

Personally, I didn’t like him.

 

He didn’t have the kind of face that inspired confidence. I was not judging his looks—honestly, his appearance was average. Just a typical Korean guy.

 

If there was anything notable, it was his size. He had a bit of a belly, sharp eyes behind glasses. His aura… It was similar to the aggressive demi-human races I’d encountered in the other world. No, rather than that….

 

‘Is he looking down on us because we’re young?’

 

I could feel him trying to keep us under his thumb.

 

‘Is he doing this to show off his abilities to the company?’

 

I couldn’t help but conclude it was probably the latter. <Fantasia> was a bit different from other typical rookie idols. The problem was likely that we were a group that already had recognition through Idol Classism. We were inevitably different from complete unknown rookies.

 

And this Hong Dukwang… wanted to prove that he had <Fantasia> under his perfect control.

 

Sure enough, faced with this unprecedented situation….

 

“What? Why are you out here?”

 

A voice filled with forced authority reached me. An ordinary teenager might have flinched, but….

 

Lee Unha was no ordinary teenager.

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

“We’re not practicing today. That’s why I came out. I thought I should tell you first, hyung.”

 

“?”

 

“Please tell them we’re resting and won’t be practicing today.”

 

“Wha… what?”

 

“We need to rest for today. I don’t think practicing any more is going to change anything.”

 

“?”

 

I could see Hong Dukwang struggling to find the words.

 

“Lee Unha.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Unha. Do you realize how much the showcase….”

 

“No, I know. I’m telling you this after calculating all of that. I’ve made this judgment as the leader. So please relay it clearly.”

 

He still looked as though he hadn’t fully processed what was happening.

 

“Ha. In all my time as a manager, I’ve never… this is a first… I mean….”

 

‘Your career isn’t even that long. Give me a break.’

 

“Unha! Have you… have you debuted already?! Huh?!”

 

“Everyone’s reached their limit.”

 

“Limit? Do you think I haven’t seen kids who work harder than you?! This industry is full of people like that, and they still fail! And listen carefully. Do you think the company’s some place that lets you play whenever you want—or, damn it, dance whenever you feel like it?! We trusted you enough to make you the leader, and instead of encouraging the members, you’re the first one asking for a break?! Does that make any sense?!”

 

“I thought that’s exactly why you chose me.”

 

His voice kept getting louder.

 

“Even if you act like this right now….”

 

“I can act like this. I told you, I’m speaking as the leader. That’s what you chose a leader for, isn’t it? If I just wanted to slack off, I wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

 

“What?!”

 

“I wanted to tell the people above directly, but I figured you have your own position to consider, so I’m talking to you first, hyung. Anyway, like I said, we’re not practicing today. Please make sure they know.”

 

“…….”

 

“I’ll say it one more time: this isn’t rebellion or a protest. I’m making this suggestion because I genuinely believe it’s necessary.”

 

“If this isn’t a protest, then what the hell is it?! Huh?!”

 

“If you aren’t going to give permission yourself, then hurry up and contact the higher-ups.”

 

I stared intently at him. He seemed to be shouting something, but I didn’t really hear it. In any case….

 

‘He has no choice but to make the call.’

 

He couldn’t exactly whip us into practicing, could he? Though, unable to vent his frustration, he stormed into the practice room and started yelling at the other members instead.

 

“Did you all agree to this?! Huh?! Do you seriously think this is acceptable?!”

 

“What, you think you’ve already debuted?! I swear, brats like you—!”

 

Baek Suhyeon might be trembling… but Joo Wooyoung, Kim Haejun, and Jegal Hwi would handle it well.

 

Eventually, Hong Dukwang came back out to the hallway and muttered, ‘F*ck, seriously’, under his breath. Then… he pulled out his phone and started shouting into it, as if he wanted me to hear. His decibels were higher than before.

 

“Yes. Yes, Team Leader… Yes. They say they won’t practice. Yes. He says they need to rest today….”

 

“…….”

 

“Yes. He said he made that judgment as the leader… Ah? Yes. They don’t look that tired. Yes. Yes. That’s right. Ah. Right now….”

 

“…….”

 

“Yes. It looks like Unha started it, and the rest of the kids are following along. Yes. Phew… Yes, yes, yes. Lee Unha… Yes. It seems Unha led it. No, Unha did lead it.”

 

I saw him talking to his superior.

 

“Ah. Yes. Please contact me in a moment, Team Leader. Yes.”

 

Hong Dukwang’s superior was likely contacting their superior as well.

 

Meanwhile…

 

‘Does he really need to do this right in front of me?’

 

Watching him have the conversation so openly in front of me made me feel like he wanted to apply psychological pressure this way. Of course, I felt no pressure. Because it was obvious that the one being pressured at this moment was Hong Dukwang.

 

And, a short time later.

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

“Lee Unha.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“The Director wants to see you.”

 

“…….”

 

Going all the way up to the Director was unexpected…. But it was a predictable outcome.

 

“You brought this on yourself, Lee Unha.”