Debut or Die - Chapter 236

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

A Fatal Illness if I Don’t Debut – Episode 236
Bae Sae-jin’s summons to the Human Rights Commission was a jackpot.
‘Did it really work this well?’
I nearly lost my words watching the Internet erupt with people hammering T1.
The thing that caught on best, naturally, was the cover-up of the Testa traffic accident’s true cause.
[A tragedy born of negligence… The true face of major entertainment company T1]
[“It wasn’t a traffic accident—it was an incident” Entertainment Agency that concealed terrorism]
Just before I’d regained consciousness after eighteen days in a coma, ‘Testa’s traffic accident’ had resurged as the hottest topic on the Internet.
But there was a behind-the-scenes theory about that incident, and it was extremely provocative?
People swarmed to it as if conspiracy theories had become reality.
The articles gleefully fanned the flames, using words like ‘terrorism,’ ‘backroom dealings,’ and ‘major disaster crisis.’
Since the embargo broke not in the entertainment section but in the social affairs section, no amount of corporate power could put the spilled water back in the cup.
-Their artist is on death’s door and all they think about is silencing people! Wow, that’s corporate class~
Did the former manager intentionally terrorize them? The company was scared, so they took it out on the idols, damn it.
How did you hire this bastard as a first-tier idol manager without even conducting an interview?
Man, there were so many parachute hires lol, the Company must have been a mess inside. I wonder if that’s not why Testa’s hair loss came on.
-‘Recommended resignation due to numerous verbal abuse’ <- I didn't notice for a while and then cut him in a hurry, but the security was also shit so it was X haha. T-One is amazing!
-Dirty bastards only good at cover-ups and backroom dealings. We need to root them out decisively for the country to survive. They must face strict punishment.
Moreover, Bae Sae-jin had meticulously gathered everything he could stab the Human Rights Commission with, providing more than just sensationalism—he had legitimate grounds.
[Subsidiary of major corporation, T1 Stars, faces serious labor rights violations]
["Overtime hours were manipulated," verbal abuse and resignations… numerous exposures]
[T1 "T1 Stars management uninvolved" faces criticism for distancing itself]
Frankly, the image of a popular idol earning good money groaning under corporate tyranny wasn't exactly the most relatable narrative.
The moment someone countered with the all-purpose answer 'But they earn a lot of money at such a young age,' the momentum would fizzle.
But once the conclusion became simply 'This conglomerate is garbage,' the story changed entirely.
When a common enemy and legitimate cause emerged, the thrill of the hunt became exquisite.
So in July, with the rainy season delayed and the weather clear, people were gleefully channeling their summer heat stress into pummeling T1.
Since the parent company T1 had far more name recognition than the newly launched subsidiary 'T1 Stars,' it was T1 that was getting enthusiastically beaten down.
Even a national petition had appeared.
[We demand an investigation into T1's labor rights violations.]
Of course, this was just muddying the waters, but T1 Headquarters was apparently flustered.
'And they're not even famous for good employee benefits.'
Honestly, it was self-inflicted.
I felt bad for the staff, but this was genuinely entertaining.
In any case, as Bae Sae-jin had predicted, they seemed to be investigating, suspecting internal whistleblowers or rival companies' machinations.
The Testa incident had taken on a structure that looked like it was being exploited to escalate the situation.
'…This worked out well.'
Let them dig all they want—nothing would surface.
The more time wasted, the more paralyzed the company would become, and the greater our group's influence would grow.
I let out a hollow laugh and switched my smartphone screen.
This time, it was the fan community.
[Boycotting T1 (175)]
[Those bastards really make my blood boil (24)]
[Is there any way the kids could go to a different agency?? (798)]
[So it was because of the agency lol.. (13)]
[I wish I could wake up and only see ♡good things♡ㅠㅠ (151)]
Posts like these were coming up, but the atmosphere wasn't gloomy.
The fact that I'd woken up was simply too joyful for that.
And public opinion itself was favorable, with Testa being subtly sidestepped, so it didn't seem like anyone was under tremendous stress.
Given how many people said "I knew it," it seemed fans had already been circulating similar theories among themselves.
'…Thank goodness.'
I swiped the screen closed.
I wanted to post something soon, but I figured I'd consult with the others first just to be safe.
'A survival report should be fine.'
…And there was one very important proposal I needed to make.
'The tour has to happen no matter what.'
I'd already worked out a plan for it.
I crossed my arms and decided to wait calmly for them to arrive.
And at 2 PM.
Bae Sae-jin burst into the Hospital Room, flushed red with excitement.
"…Looks like it went well!"
"Yes. The response is good."
"…!"
I was about to broach my main point while leaving him to savor the taste of victory with his hands clenched, when—
"Once the Human Rights Commission ruling comes out… let's go straight into a lawsuit!"
"…!!"
"If we get the evidence, we can win! I'll, I'll cover all the legal fees!"
Bae Sae-jin strongly insisted we should press the accelerator one more time.
'That won't work.'
Was this guy too drunk on victory?
The results were good, sure, but in this industry, a lawsuit was an extreme card you only played when your hand was completely empty.
But before I could even open my mouth, Big Sae-jin cut in first.
'So that wasn't something they'd agreed on yet.'
Finally, he was coming to his senses.
"Hyung. That plan about moving agencies after we win the lawsuit… is that what you're thinking?"
"…Yeah."
"Hmm, but then we won't be able to appear on any broadcast programs or shows that T1 invests in. Won't that be tough?"
"…There are plenty of other broadcasters. And these days, there are other ways to be active, like YouTube and such."
Bae Sae-jin swallowed hard.
"But if we can't appear now, we'll have to stay with this agency for another three years… and who knows what they'll do to try to get us to renew after three years!"
"…."
"So what I'm doing right now… I think what I'm doing is the right choice."
Big Sae-jin's eyes twitched. But he soon responded with a moderately cheerful tone.
"If the lawsuit goes well, that's great~ But if we can't work for over a year, our careers are basically finished."
"…!"
"So even if we win, I don't think any other agency would want to sign with us."
Big Sae-jin finished speaking gently.
"Another agency would have to risk antagonizing T1 to recruit us, and we'd need to be successful enough to justify that, which we're not~"
"…."
"So I think it'd be better if we just made a good deal with the agency, expanded our dedicated team's personnel, and added more clauses to the contract… What do you all think about that?"
Bae Sae-jin looked like he had plenty to say, but as he anticipated various possible responses, his expression darkened as if he'd already taken the blow.
'So this is how it goes.'
I pressed my head and spoke.
"Alright… let's take a vote then. Who wants to pursue the lawsuit right now?"
Bae Sae-jin raised his hand slightly.
And then, in a flash, Cha Yu-jin raised his hand high.
"…."
"We'll win!"
True to form for an American, he really loves hiring lawyers.
"Hey, Cha Yu-jin. What about taking a year off?"
"We'll be fine even if we take a year off. It's okay! We can just do it again!"
An incredibly positive, confident, and utterly unrealistic answer. I'm grateful.
"Then who wants to stay with the agency and try to improve the environment?"
Big Sae-jin naturally raised his hand, and surprisingly… Kim Rae-bin followed suit.
"There are many excellent people at the company, so I think it would be good if we cooperated to improve things…."
"…."
Positive in a different way, and equally unrealistic. I'm grateful.
So that leaves Ryu Chung-woo and Sun Ah-hyun.
"What about you, Ah-hyun?"
"I… I think… either way is fine, as long as everyone can be comfortable and safe and do well…!"
"Got it."
That's so Sun Ah-hyun.
"…So what about you, hyung?"
"…Similar. Ideally, I'd like to pursue the lawsuit… but we're a group, so we have to respect the careers of those with different opinions."
Ryu Chung-woo answered slowly.
"What do you think, Moon-dae?"
Me? It's simple.
"…I don't think we can pursue the lawsuit right now."
Regardless of my tour situation, I'm against the lawsuit.
'This has gotten too big.'
The moment this shifted from a group issue to a labor rights violation problem, no major corporation would ever allow themselves to lose a lawsuit and set a precedent.
Because Testa's lawsuit would become case law.
'After that, if the labor union files a string of lawsuits, it'll drive them insane.'
So right now, while they're watching us carefully, the smart move is to grab what we can in a quick strike while keeping the relationship intact.
'The company needs to position itself as apologetic to Testa.'
Even if they're not genuinely sorry, I can make good use of the moment they pretend to be.
But since Bae Sae-jin deserves credit here, I can't just say it outright… Let me approach it differently.
"Public opinion changes overnight, doesn't it? What if we gather evidence while we wait and see how things develop—so we're ready to file a lawsuit if conditions allow?"
"Quietly?"
"Exactly."
Bae Sae-jin listened to the conversation with a thoughtful expression, but soon nodded.
"…Right. Got it. I can't just… push my own opinion. …We're a team, after all!"
"…."
This guy's finally starting to taste that peer camaraderie like Sun Ah-hyun did back at Ajusa.
'Well, that's a good thing.'
"Team~ Testa, Come on~!"
"Well said, hyung!"
I shrugged my shoulders, finally able to return to what I was trying to say.
"And after we gauge the atmosphere a bit, what if we just handle the schedules we've already locked in?"
"Huh?"
"Why, why…?"
"There's the cancellation penalty issue, and I think showing that the group is still standing strong will improve the mood overall."
"…."
"You too?"
"Yes. Ah, of course only after my body's fully recovered. Once I get the all-clear from the doctor."
It's the literal truth with no bluffing. Thanks to Nectar, I can say things like this without hesitation.
"Hmm…."
"Especially the tour—there are already a lot of people who've bought tickets, so it'd be better to go through with it if possible…."
"No, absolutely not!!"
"…!!"
What, what did he just say?
…Sun Ah-hyun had shouted.
I looked at him, but Sun Ah-hyun remained firm despite his face turning bright red.
"M-Moon-dae needs to rest!"
"That's why after resting…."
"H-He needs to rest a lot!"
This guy's not making any sense.
"Ah-hyun's right, Moon-dae."
"I don't know what you were thinking, but a tour? Moon-dae, Moon-dae, just enjoy your bed more."
"…??"
"I'll make sure the next album preparation progresses steadily, and I'll report back to you, so there's no need to worry."
"Live long and well, hyung!"
If you keep this up, you won't live long.
But they were resolute, maintaining an unwavering stance that there would be no compromise whatsoever.
It seemed they were acting this way because the impression of those eighteen days in a coma had been far too intense.
'I can't even talk about the Nectar sound….'
If I pretended to be crazy and talked about the status window, I could already see a future where psychiatric consultations and hospitalization would be added to my schedule.
While I suffered from the throbbing pain in my temples, Ryu Chung-woo spoke with a faint smile.
"And Moon-dae, the second half tour cancellation has already been approved internally."
"…!"
You crazy bastards.
These damn fools patted my shoulder and spoke affectionately.
"The fans will prefer seeing you healthy without overexerting yourself… just uploading posts or photos occasionally."
"…."
"Let's do that for a while."
"Yeah~ You're right, hyung~"
"We'll support your recovery and health restoration!"
And just like that… the tour vanished.

* * *
"…."
I lay in the Hospital Room after they left, replaying this situation in my mind.
And I reached a conclusion.
This is screwed.
'How am I supposed to fill 400,000 spectators without a tour.'
Do I need to do guerrilla performances at Myeongdong or Neverland about forty times?
My head was spinning.
'…I know their intentions are good, so I can't even be angry.'
I sighed several times and sketched out various plans, then dropped it for now.
'I need to learn more about the audience requirements.'
And before that, let me do what I need to do.
I turned on my smartphone, took several photos of myself, and selected the best one.
Then I accessed SNS.
========================
Hello, Reviewer
I'm Moon-dae (puppy emoticon)
I'm doing well and eating healthily
Thank you for waiting
I'll see you again soon looking good
========================
And then I attached the photo and uploaded it.
'…Twenty-one days, huh.'
I was a bit nervous, I had to admit.
Sure enough, my SNS notifications began updating like crazy.
-Moon-dae!!!
-Thank you so much
I'm crying so much ♡♡♡♡
-You have to take care of yourself, Moon-dae, eat well and rest properly and sleep well…
└But don't sleep too much lolol
└I'll sue you if anything happens to you
-You have to stay healthy and happy for a long time
"…."
They were just letters on a screen, yet they seemed to carry warmth, and I could almost hear their voices.
'How reassuring.'
I smiled as I scrolled through the comments.
And I was anticipating something too.
'If the fans react well to my promise to see them soon, I can use that as proof….'
-It's okay if you don't come right away, Moon-dae, your health is what matters most
-Moon-dae, please take care of yourself
"…."
They said that, but in reality, they probably wanted to see me in person…didn't they.
That's how it should be.
'This is driving me crazy.'
I ran my hand through the back of my hair and tossed my smartphone onto the pillow beside me.
Zing, zing, zing!
As if on cue, my smartphone rang several times.
'I turned off SNS notifications just now.'
I picked up my smartphone with slight confusion.
When I checked…it was a text message.
[(Photo)]
About twenty photos of a familiar dog had arrived in succession.
"…."
Wow, I'm actually glad to see this.
'Come on, say something, you bastard.'
If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well grasp at straws.
[VTIC Senior Shin Chung-ryeo]
I called him.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————