After almost six years of training, Hanuel is finally debuting as a solo artist. While overcoming obstacles of mistreatment and financial strain she has worked hard to prove her determination and dedication to her craft. Also wants to give back the...
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I am fuming the entire elevator ride up and my walk down the hall. Stopping the intern outside the double doors at the end of the hallway with a polite, I hope, smile. A single hard knock and I stride in without waiting for a response. "Yes, come in SeoYeon. Make yourself at home," CEO Bang Si-Hyuk says from a fancy couch against the right wall of the room.
"Si-Hyuk, this isn't funny," exhaustedly falling into the armchair opposite him and dropping my bag on the floor beside me with a not so subtle thud.
The man finishes a sip of coffee, "I know. And we will get to the bottom of it. We just need to find out who it was and why. If it's for money or for something deeper. Though I have a feeling it's the latter."
"Oh I know who and why I just don't know how. They're always a step ahead of me." Serving myself some coffee as well from the delicate tray on the darkwood table in front of us.
Abandoning his cup he quickly asks, "Who?" Attention now fully on me I see the rage in his eyes as well. These people have hurt those close to him and they will fear his silent wrath soon enough. Reminds me of the older days.
"People who I have been protecting her from for a long time. Since she ran away from them 6 years ago." I reach for sugar to stir in but he places a bottle of my favorite red velvet creamer instead, "Oh, Thanks." Gladly accepting I pour a generous amount in. After a nostalgic sip I dump more sugar into the drink as well. I have a sweet tooth so sue me.
Nodding in affirmation but waving with his hands for me to continue speaking, "Ok that's dramatic and all but I need to know who they are really. It'll be hard enough with her and you not officially being a part of Big Hit. I don't want to play a round of 'Guess Who' with you."
"Well, remember about 8 years ago when I set off to make my own label and founded Yelloworks?"
"MmHmm."
"And how I was training a bunch of girls for my new group?"
He nods, "You were doing really well with them for about 2 years but, obviously they never debuted."
"Yeah, Haneul was in that group of girls, the lead dancer in fact, but I couldn't pay for much when something came up and the other girls left. I don't blame them but she is my last trainee from that group." I finish the coffee feeling the warmth of caffeine in my system already.
"Ok," He said, his anger fading into curiosity waiting for me to explain more. Feels weird having to explain all this when I have spent 8 years keeping it from him.
I let out a deep sigh, "Haneul was, err is, a runaway. Originally I didn't know this and even if I did she was so talented that I don't think I would have cared. She is an amazing dancer and at her young age of 15 she was the best dancer I could ask for. She was the last member to be added and a few months after she joined They visited the studio afterhours. Explaining that she was a runaway, 'a young girl too naïve for the world', 'Not ready to be on her own and that they were there to take her home.' I had to wonder if the three of us were talking about the same person. I didn't see Haneul in the light that they were painting her in."
Si-Hyuk leans back, getting comfortable.
I smiled thinking of little Haneul, "Haneul didn't know a lot about the common world like grocery shopping and how to do laundry but she knew a lot about people. A lot more than any 15 year old ought to know. She was overly polite and very quiet but a great listener. Always watching anyone and everyone with eyes like a hawk. If things had gone better she would have been a great leader."
I tightened my hands around my cup. Gripping it with white knuckles, as white as the anger that licked through my veins. The warmth in my body was no longer from the coffee but from the boiling emotions of 6 long years, "They offered me money. Money for a girl in my care. Like she was some lost and found doll at a garage sale. She wasn't a human worth talking to about the goals she had or the decisions they had made for her. She was a trophy and a pawn for a chessboard that I couldn't begin to see but I know she was crafted for."
Taking a deep breath and letting it out I place the cup down, "I refused them. I couldn't sell a girl like some toy and especially a girl as talented and disregarded as she was. She went to many agencies before mine. Always passing but would be mysteriously let go soon after. They came to me with a well practiced routine and she always escaped from them with the ease of a magician."
He nodded his head after I paused a little too long, "Ok but that's not the end of the story. You didn't debut her for 6 years and you never hired more trainees. And it sounds like they wouldn't just leave with a simple 'no'."
Shaking my head in agreement, "They left that night but I saw them many times after. Always with an offer bigger than the last. Until after I refused 10 million, they threw me under every legal bus they could think of, always keeping it under wraps and always leaving me with just enough to barely feed myself and my staff. Everyone left one by one. All but Haneul and a couple of remaing staff of today stayed. Most have been cycled in and out but the good ones have stayed. I work many side jobs and go to many, many, many, legal meetings to keep what little of Yelloworks left a float for the past 6 years." I drop my head in my hands exhausted and relieved from finally telling someone my struggle. The freeing feeling of being alone slightly eased.
We both sat there in silence for a long time. Thinking and remembering. My hard breathing and rustle of seat cushions.
"Does she know?"
"No."
"Do you know the last time she saw Them?"
"Probably 8 years ago."
"When was the last you saw them?"
"6 years ago. They have attorneys that go to court for them."
"Ok so they are the deep reason but how are they able to get such close tabs her? Someone is working for them. Any ideas?"
I shake my head a final time, "No."
"Ok, well it's alright Noona I'll help you through this."
I smile at the name. He hasn't called me that in forever, "Thank you Hyukie~"
"Anytime."
"And thank you for letting me rent a studio. I promise Haneul is a good girl, we won't wreck the place."
He rolls his eyes at my stubbornness when I say 'rent', "So she's nothing like you?"
I playfully punched him in the arm, "YAH! That anyway to speak to your elders!"
He laughs, "The truth hurts huh?" I punch him again but I can't help the smile on my face. The anger gone for now replaced with childhood nostalgia and camaraderie.
So sorry for the expositonal dump but I really wasn't sure how else to do it subtly so hear ya go. Tried to make it light hearted at least, hope it's not to boring.
I feel like it's pretty obvious now but any clues on the big baddies?? Hehe me and my unoriginality. 😂😂
