The Second Chance of A Suicidal Idol

Baek Du-Ho (7)

Perched on a desk was a dark-eyed and suited man. He sat hunched over his desk with his glasses uneven on his eyes. His desk was covered in clutter. Album plans, merch prepeations, concept photos, schedules, meeting times. His coffee mug was stained with too many sips.

A phone light lit up his reflection in his glasses. Using a hesitant finger, he scrolled through youtube comments of the latest radio show interview ASCEND had done.

K looks so sick here :(

omg joonie's voice is so hoarse 😭😭😭

The fact they couldn't edit out their exhaustion says a lot...

He scratched at his skin, drawing blood and skin alike. He truly couldn't understand why the group still seemed so down. He had lessened the workload they were allocated in the last week or so. He held a meeting with Mr. Jeong as the focus, yet by Mr. Jeong's words, everything seemed fine.

He scrolled once more.

Omg at 4:59 Reggie looks so worried for our Joonie :(((

Hyun-ah! Please get more rest!

Joonie and Mi-yo r such cuties 💗

Reggie and Joon-woo feel so ingenuine here....

A knock at the door knocked the man out of his trance.

He flinched up, adjusted his tie, and evened out his glasses. He cleared his throat before speaking in a low cold tone, "Come in."

The double doors slowly propped open. He was expecting Team Leader Changmin...

But the beer-bellied Team Leader was not the one to enter first.

It was the very 'Joonie' mentioned in the comments still shining on his phone. A distressed looking one...

"CEO-nim... They wanted to have a word with you." Team Leader Changmin explained as Mi Yong also flooded into the office.

They both looked just as tired as they did in the interview he had been monitoring. Perhaps there was a hint of fear in their exchanged glances as well.

"CEO Park, it's about Mr. Jeong-ssi..." Mi Yong prompted by Joon-woo's saddened eyes.

CEO Park clicked his tongue. There couldn't have been foul play, could there? Mr. Jeong had managed for one of their soloists previously before she fell out with the company. He was a dedicated manager, he thought. Was he wrong?

Joon-woo's piercing gaze was sensitive enough to make CEO Park question such trust.

–+–

"Can you even do anything right? It's just one performance, it's not hard at all."

"If I get scolded again because of you, du-ho, just try to seem happy? This is why fans don't like you that much you know..."

"That make-up artist is such a bitch, you know, Joon-woo? She's always–"

"--acks? Just stick to the diet, it's an easy one to follow. If you think this is too little, then you should see what my old artists ate..."

"-yong why didn't you answer my call? I need Reggie up and ready for this shoot... Huh? Because of you we will be late, what kind of leader are you?"

"Are you stupid? Making a mistake in a live broadcast?"

CEO Park tapped angrily at his desk. He watched Joon-woo and Mi Yong's anxious expressions and couldn't help but fume.