My Idol Romance

CHAPTER 7

The glass-walled conference room buzzed with tension as Glasse Door's members, their usually relaxed demeanor strained with worry, sat around the long table. At the head, CEO Choi leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood. His sharp gaze surveyed the room, finally landing on Jae, the group's leader.

Jae was a good guy. Always courteous and kind. Ha Seung knew that, after watching him grow from a lanky, unsure teen to the superstar he was today.

There were always scandals surrounding him and the boys because of the fame they had achieved at a young age. It was not easy living their lives in the public eye day after day.

He knew it was just gossip and slander but he had to address the situation. He would do anything for his boys. A sad smile flickered for a second on Ha Seung's lips.

Jae sat rigid, his brows furrowed, arms crossed. His usual air of calm confidence was replaced by a visible frustration. He couldn't believe how quickly things had spiraled.

"Let's get straight to the point," Choi's deep voice broke the silence. "The video's out. It's already circulating on social media, and fans are reacting—none of it's good."

Jae's jaw tightened. "What's the damage?"

"The accusations are serious," Choi continued, placing his phone on the table, the video paused on the screen. "It looks like you're being aggressive with a fan outside the event hall."

The other members exchanged uneasy glances. Choi Tae Seo, always the one to break the ice, spoke first. "But that's not what happened! That fan grabbed Jae's arm. He was just pulling away. But I mean you do look kind of pissed off in the video" his usual cheeky grin missing.

"She was literally yanking my arm off. What was I supposed to do? Smile? Thank Her?" Jae asked, annoyed at the drama unfolding in front of him. It was just a stupid misunderstanding. 

"Well that would have been ideal." Ju Won muttered under his breath, earning him a collective glare from everyone.

Jae exhaled sharply, trying to contain his frustration. "It's been taken out of context, as usual. She was literally yanking my arm off. One bad angle, and now everyone thinks I attacked her. What was I supposed to do? Smile? Thank her?"

Choi nodded. "I know. But the internet's quick to judge, and fans are divided, they see Jae the leader of Glasse Door "aggressively pulling away from a fan. Half are defending you, half are calling for a boycott. This can snowball into something bigger if we don't handle it right."

"Could we release the full video?" asked Jung Ha Jun, the eldest member of the group, his voice steady. "That would show the whole incident, not just the one part they're twisting."

Choi shook his head. "It's not that simple. If we release it, we need to make sure it doesn't come across as defensive. It could make things worse. Besides, it'll still leave room for speculation."

Jae sighed, running a hand through his still damp, disheveled hair. "So what are we supposed to do? Just let people think I attacked a fan?"

"No," Ha Seung leaned forward, his tone decisive. "We take control of the narrative. But we need to be strategic about it."

Tae Seo, the youngest of the group, leaned in, eyes wide with concern. "What if we do a live stream? Address it directly to MOL. Jae can explain what happened in his own words."

Choi considered this for a moment, then shook his head. "Too risky. One wrong word, and it could blow up even more. The press will dissect every sentence. We need something more neutral."

Silence fell over the room, the weight of the situation pressing down on all of them. Jae clenched his fists. "So what, we just sit here and do nothing?"

"No," Choi's voice was firm, calm. "We're going to issue a statement, but not just from you. I want the group to address it collectively. You're a team. This isn't just about Jae—it's about Glasse Door as a whole. You stand together, or you fall together."

Ahn Ju Won nodded, leaning forward. "That could work. If we all address it, it shows unity. And the fans trust us. We've never hidden anything from them before. MOL has always been with us from the start. That's why they are 'My Only Love' our wonderful official Fandom," he said with genuine affection.

Kim Han Woo, the lead rapper who was known for his cool, calm attitude added, "Plus, it could shift the narrative away from Jae specifically. We talk about the group's values, about how we treat fans. We make it clear this was a misunderstanding without making Jae look defensive."

Choi smiled faintly. "Exactly. We show the public who you really are—professionals, respectful of your fans, and human. Mistakes happen, but we correct them as a team."

Tae Seo raised an eyebrow, his mischievous side peeking through despite the tension, "You mean we do the whole We are family thing?"

Choi smiled again, "Something like that but with a fewer campfire songs."

Jae's shoulders relaxed slightly, but his gaze remained intense. "What if it doesn't work? What if people still believe the worst?"

"Then we ride it out," Choi said calmly. "These things burn fast but they burn out just as quickly. If we stay composed, stay united, the truth will come out. But we need to act now."

Tae Seo looked around the room at his older brothers in the group, the seriousness of the moment sinking in. "So what's the plan?" he asked quietly.

Choi stood up, his presence commanding. "We draft the statement immediately. Keep it short, clear, and focused. No over-explaining. Han Woo, Ha Jun, Jae—you'll speak as the representatives of the group. The rest of you will back them up in the video."

"Got it," Jae said, determination flickering back into his eyes. "Let's do this."

Before Choi could respond, his phone buzzed on the table. The CEO picked it up, his face growing serious as he read the message. His lips pressed into a thin line, and when he looked up, his eyes had a sharp edge.

"I hate to say this, but we've got another problem." He held up his phone for the group to see. On the screen, a blurry photo of Jae holding a girl around the waist backstage flashed across Twitter. The headline read: "Leader of Glasse Door spotted in private with mystery woman—scandal deepens."

"Moments like these force us to rethink what we want, what we fear, and what we're willing to let go of. Fate can be playful, placing obstacles in our way not to break us, but to shape us. And sometimes, it reveals itself in ironic ways — the job we didn't get because a more fitting purpose awaited, or a heartbreak that redirected us toward a love more profound than we ever imagined."