Debut or Die-Chapter 328
I have indeed encountered Bae Sejin while in Ryu Geonwoo’s body.
“At most, I cheered him on at the sink to get out of the situation.”
I once wondered if maybe Bae Sejin remembered that encounter impressively.
But I never suspected he’d remember Ryu Geonwoo’s appearance.
Tens of thousands of fans have seen this guy’s face—would he remember a single fan he saw only once? Especially someone wearing a cap pulled low?
Yet if he points with his finger and exclaims, anyone would know he means “I know you.” No doubt. It’s recognition.
“Sigh.”
At least he couldn’t have heard the weird circumstances of “Ryu Geonwoo” calling me “hyung” with earphones on. Good.
The moment I guessed the situation, I opened my mouth. Naturally.
I spoke to the guy on the smartphone screen.
“Hyung, I’ll contact you again.”
“Huh...? Uh....”
I couldn’t let Bae Sejin ride the momentum. I needed to hang up and defuse things first.
But Bae Sejin moved first. He grabbed my arm and whispered.
“You... you found me!”
“...!”
“You’re... you’re that person from the video, right?”
At that moment, I correctly understood the situation.
“Oh. So it was you.”
That’s right. Now I remember. Bae Sejin was with me when I checked Ryu Cheong-woo’s home video.
I guess he remembered watching it so many times.
...Or maybe I was the crazy one who barged into a coworker’s parents’ house on Lunar New Year’s Eve to rifle through family videos.
I answered with effort.
“...Yes. That’s him.”
“I knew it!”
Bae Sejin looked at the screen’s “Ryu Geonwoo” knowingly.
“Even so, he’s sharp-eyed.”
The home video footage was from when he was fairly young and the contents changed, so his impression would differ, yet Bae Sejin recognized him.
“Uh... should I say hello?”
No, just be still.
I glanced at the screen and responded to Bae Sejin’s question.
“How did you find me?”
“I got in touch with one of Cheong-woo hyung’s family.”
To prevent more pointless back-and-forth, I explained the specifics too.
“Remember a few days ago when the two of us went out for a bit? We met then and exchanged contacts.”
“Hmm, I see.”
He looked as if he hadn’t known I and Ryu Cheong-woo had gone out that day.
“Well, he’s Cha Yoo-jin’s roommate, but he hardly ever leaves the room.”
Anyway, it seemed the situation was calming down. I nodded and spoke.
“I wanted to thank you anyway, since you came along to help me check Cheong-woo hyung’s home video. Thank you.”
“Ah... no. I didn’t do much. Anyway, it’s good it worked out, and if there’s anything I can help with....”
Bae Sejin babbled, then did something very socially adept.
The moment he made eye contact with the Ryu Geonwoo on screen, he greeted him.
“So this is you... ahem, hello.”
“Huh? Yes...!”
He greeted even though I was the only one who could hear my side through the earphones.
“Oh, so he can’t hear me if I speak?”
He just realized.
“What are you saying?”
“Just a moment.”
Since things were like this, I’d exchange short greetings and hang up neatly.
I looked at the screen and clearly said.
“Hyung. The call isn’t transmitting properly... If it’s okay, I’ll unplug the earphones now.”
A warning.
“All right!”
Maybe determined not to mess up again, his tone changed. His expression changed... Could he be mimicking me?
He relaxed his face completely and spoke in a firm voice.
“Hello. I am Ryu Geonwoo.”
It didn’t suit him.
“Yes, um, I’m Bae Sejin from the same team as Mundae.”
Once communication began, Bae Sejin, who had greeted first, returned to his reserved self as if the earlier greeting was a lie. He was extremely shy.
Still, it was welcome that the atmosphere calmed. The guy on screen also greeted with exaggerated politeness.
Good distance. Let’s keep it.
“Yes. I support TeSTAR a lot. Congratulations on the award.”
“...Thank you.”
But Bae Sejin responded a beat late, then in a strange expression slipped out of view of the smartphone camera and whispered to me again.
“Um, does he work in broadcasting?”
“...?” 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
What random question was that.
“No. Why?”
“It’s just... somehow his face looks familiar...”
Bae Sejin stopped mid-sentence. Then he stared blankly at the guy who was still mimicking me on screen.
“....”
Quite ominous.
I spoke immediately.
“Hyung, then next time we’ll meet again...”
“Wait.”
Bae Sejin raised his hand and spoke as if uncertain.
“Did we meet a few years ago... It was at a performance hall, by a sink, talking about an autograph....”
“...!”
No need to be surprised. Calm down.
“I’m not certain.”
He must have recalled something from the overlap and wanted to confirm.
And anyway it wasn’t this guy on screen. I could honestly say “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Uh...! At the bathroom....”
“....”
Why is he so delighted?
“So you experienced it with Komyeong too?”
I looked coldly at the two excited guys.
The Ryu Geonwoo on screen reacted with overjoyed warmth, so Bae Sejin immediately became certain.
“...!! I knew it!”
“Wow, I was wondering if you’d remember....”
“Of course I remember. Thank you so much then.”
Bae Sejin seemed conflicted, but added one more line.
“You really... helped me a lot. I found a lot of good stories thanks to you.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Why is he beaming with pride?
Absurd as it was, the guy continued, slightly elated.
“If I heard that back then, I would have been really happy...!”
“......”
Back then’s Ryu Geonwoo?
Could it be he wasn’t just goofing along...
“Was that meant for me to hear?”
I was at a loss and stared at his screen.
Keundal was clearly enjoying the moment. Bae Sejin coughed awkwardly beside me.
“Ahem, yes. I’m glad to finally greet you properly. I didn’t get to give you an autograph then....”
“....”
Alright, well... it’s good that that trivial event helped Bae Sejin. It’s a minor good deed; better to settle it here than have a fuss later.
I smirked.
“I was planning to give you a signed album when the next album comes out.”
“Oh, hmm, that would work.”
“Really looking forward to it....”
“It’s an honor.”
The mood loosened slightly. To be precise, only Bae Sejin started to shed his shyness.
“This might be good material for a variety show, no?”
“.......”
Let’s stop there.
“There are ways to keep it as our own memory. Anyway, hyung, the reason you called me was....”
“Oh!”
Only then did his expression change and he got to the point.
“Right, the company contacted me...!”
Hm.
“A call Bae Sejin would run to tell me?”
He wouldn’t retract his surrender, right? I crossed my arms.
“From the agency?”
“Not that company... the upper company!”
He shouted excitedly.
“T1 ENT contacted me directly!”
“...!!”
It was a summon from the parent company.
I followed Bae Sejin into the room. A few guys who’d been told by Cha Yoo-jin also gathered.
“We’re home!! As instructed, we slipped out quietly without letting anyone in the AR team notice!”
“Uh, okay.”
When Kim Rae-bin, who had been at the studio last, joined, the briefing started.
“It’s nothing else, just an offer.”
“An offer?”
Ryu Cheong-woo explained briefly.
T1 ENT sent an email directly, bypassing the agency. The person in charge, on our side from the dedicated team issue last time, sent the board’s opinion straight....
Listening, I rubbed my chin and summarized lightly.
“So... they’re saying they want to take us under their direct label.”
“That’s right.”
Not under T1 Stars, their subsidiary agency, but as a direct affiliate of T1 ENT.
“Crazy.”
It was an unbelievably generous offer. They even sent a settlement structure proposal explaining how much we’d benefit.
“So what about our current agency?”
“They didn’t mention that.”
No wonder.
“They’d just be screwed if it were noted directly.”
Originally, even if a label were established, planning and activities would run independently, but sales accounting would go to T1 Stars.
“So our revenues would still be recorded under that agency.”
Since it’s a sub-label.
But this means severing ties cleanly with the agency. A genuine transfer.
And we’d take the dedicated team with us, which would hit the agency hard.
With the parent company backing us, there’s no need to worry about retaliation.
“This means... we’re completely leaving that agency!”
“Nice~”
Some were already applauding at the perfect escape timing.
‘Hm. Not good.’
I frowned.
This was a headline-grabbing deal, a big agency switch that anyone with industry sense would see as TeSTAR becoming T1’s flagship.
That’s the problem.
‘We can’t be too tied to T1’s image.’
T1’s image is trash—they’re a conglomerate with tentacle businesses. Their cultural ventures via Tnet are criticized for ruining the ecosystem.
Being the face of T1’s corporate push? Worst scenario.
‘It’s not just benefiting from a big company—it’d make us the face of T1’s ENT business.’
Even at rookie awards, people complained about big networks. Every T1 misstep ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ would be blamed on us.
‘And that’s not all.’
There’s a crucial reason.
‘If the company looks entirely on our side...’
No matter what you do in business, not everything pleases everyone. Issues will arise.
Same in idol business. If problems happen, responsibility falls. If the company is seen protecting us from the start, we’d get the brunt of the backlash.
Comments like:
“T1 did it again”
“Give our kids a break”
would become:
“Guys, get it together”
“If you can’t do it, step aside next time.”
People would say that. Absolutely not.
‘T1 must remain as an entity whose interests don’t align with ours.’
The moment that breaks, if T1 makes mistakes, people will lump us together and defend or blame us crazily.
Long-term, it’s a blunder.
“......”
“What do you all think? I think... it’s fine!”
“Me too.”
The problem is, can I convince these hyped-up guys even if I’m the only skeptical one?
‘Honestly, the reason is kind of nasty.’
We need people blaming the company, but it’s hard to say that.
I saw at least three who wouldn’t be swayed by such talk.
‘If only we had an emotional justification.’
Then, Kim Rae-bin muttered in a low, dejected voice.
“So... some of the AR team would completely change affiliation and part ways with us......”
That’s it.
“Hmm, why don’t we just bring everyone over with us?”
“That’ll be hard. The agency won’t give up that easily.”
I deliberately answered decisively.
“If taking our dedicated team will hurt them so much, pulling others out will be even tougher.”
“Ugh....”
“Then, what about those who can’t come with us?”
“They’ll have to work in a tougher environment than before.”
Kim Rae-bin turned pale. I folded my arms.
“But we don’t need to stay out of pity. Everyone lives their own life.”
“Yes...”
Then Seon Ah-hyun timidly raised his hand.
“Um, what if we just stay here and kick out the jerks? Is that... impossible?”
I answered calmly.
“Kicking them out is hard.”
“Right....”
Then Ryu Cheong-woo spoke.
“But can’t we at least stop them from doing bad things in the future?”
“...!”
“Right?”
Surprisingly some backup. I nodded.
“That we can do.”
“Oh~ I like that. Let’s fight!”
Cha Yoo-jin immediately switched stance. As expected. And Bae Sejin stammered.
“It’s not bad, but....”
Right. Been expecting that from you.
“Then shall we consider that option too?”
Got a decent response.
‘Done.’
I clasped my hands.
“Let’s wait until everyone fully commits to one side.”
“Wait?”
“Since talks have progressed, it seems okay now.”
I looked at the guy next to me.
Big Sejin.
“Like they said last time, once we sweep the awards, our voice will carry more weight.”
“...!”
In other words, until other guys are most unsettled.
Big Sejin widened his eyes then grinned.
I laughed too.
“Let’s wait until then.”
After that, TeSTAR received a total of 32 award trophies during the year-end and New Year’s awards season.
Of those, 5 were grand prizes.
And our planned deal began to move at that point.
