Chapter 96: Fracture

It was a late afternoon in the practice room of KJ Entertainment.

Unlike its outstanding view, where low-rise buildings could be seen at a glance through the transparent glass walls, KJ’s new practice room was practically turning into a dust pit.

“Ah… seriously, isn’t anyone going to clean this place?”

“Hm?”

“You wanna lie down there?”

“Yeah, it’s comfy.”

“You’re ridiculously positive.”

“Thanks for the compliment!”

Ray looked appalled as he stared at his teammate Ji Yeojoon, who was lying on the dusty floor.

Ray, who was loved everywhere he went for his bright smile and friendliness, had become unusually naggy ever since joining The Core.

Wow, look at that snack bag rolling around.

Ray flinched and picked up a crumpled bag of potato chips scattered on the floor.

“Whose snack bag is this?”

“Mine.”

“There’s always one who eats and another who has to clean up, huh?”

“……”

The younger members of The Core really didn’t listen. Even though the leader, Kang Ji-hyuk, had a terrible personality, there was a reason he became the leader.

Because he had the worst personality of them all.

The younger members, who constantly grumbled every day, couldn’t make a peep in front of Kang Ji-hyuk. Naturally, a hierarchy formed within the team.

‘Is this Kingdom of the Animals or what.’

The Core, a world of survival of the fittest.

Ironically, that was the perfect way to describe the team atmosphere.

You couldn’t call it a positive atmosphere even as a joke. And yet, it was amazing that there hadn’t been any major noise so far.

Ray let out a deep sigh and murmured,

“Don’t we have a well-behaved youngest in our team…?”

No need to look far—Stardust’s youngest line was mild-tempered and unlikely to cause any trouble.

Suddenly, a face popped into his mind.

Quick-witted, obedient.

If they had someone like Do Seohan as the youngest, there’d be nothing more to wish for.

“Sigh, what a life.”

“Ah, you can just clean up the snack bag. This hyung grumbles a lot.”

“Muttering like a drenched monk….”

Bastards, really.

Ray cursed internally as he lifted his head.

Times like this made him miss their leader hyung, who’d bring discipline.

“Why’s that hyung showing up only now?”

An hour past their scheduled practice time.

Creak—

The leader strolled in at the very last minute.

The other members greeted him like it was nothing out of the ordinary.

“Hyung, you’re early.”

“Ah, I’m starving. Should we order something before we start?”

“If the manager catches us, we’re dead~”

Old Manager had left, and New Manager had come in, but New Manager was extremely sensitive about dieting.

Saying that idols who didn’t manage themselves should pack up and leave, he had lectured the members for a whole hour last time.

We’d really be dead if we got caught.

But honestly, slacking off like this might get us killed too.

Ray thought so and clicked his tongue.

Should he at least be grateful that these lazy guys still managed to get their act together during promotions?

All of them were natural talents, and ironically, they never made mistakes on stage.

Ah, except for Kang Ji-hyuk.

‘That hyung even limps through choreo and still doesn’t practice.’

Ray had always wondered how that guy even became an idol.

Then, the leader who’d shown up an hour late gathered the members.

“Guys. I’ve got something important to say, so listen up.”

“What is it?”

An abruptly serious mood.

Kang Ji-hyuk, uncharacteristically meaningful, spoke words that no one could’ve expected.

“Let’s make a fan song.”

…Huh?

Ray’s eyes widened at that one sentence.

“Wha—what?”

“I suddenly really wanted to make a fan song.”

“A… a fan song? Just now, you really wanted to make one?”

“Yeah.”

Ray’s pupils trembled at Kang Ji-hyuk’s answer.

Judging by their expressions, the other members seemed to be thinking the same thing.

‘Why, though?’

‘Did something happen?’

Despite being rookies who had just debuted, the person who hated fan service the most was Kang Ji-hyuk.

The same guy who was already being gossiped about for showing signs of dead-fish eyes at fan signings?

And now he suddenly wants to make a fan song?

‘Did he finally come to his senses because of bad public opinion?’

Ray chuckled awkwardly at the thought.

“I’m also in favor of a fan song, but… how are we getting the track?”

Just as he was about to respond seriously to Kang Ji-hyuk’s proposal,

Ji Yeojoon whispered in Ray’s ear.

“Think he saw on Yui App that Stardust is making a fan song?”

“…Ah.”

That competitive streak is crazy.

“He wouldn’t suddenly suggest a fan song otherwise.”

“……”

True.

Ray let out a dry laugh and stared at Kang Ji-hyuk.

It was just speculation, but knowing that hyung, it was entirely possible.

Right after their promotion period, for this timing to bring up a fan song, it could only be that.

Well, the idea of a fan song itself wasn’t bad anyway.

Ray composed himself and replied calmly.

“If we have enough time, it’s doable….”

“I want to get it done by next month.”

“…What?”

“Ah, I’ll take care of the lyrics.”

The madness had reached its climax.

[Isn't The Core’s team atmosphere kinda tense?]

This might be a cautious take, but…

They just don’t seem that close lol

If it’s that cautious, maybe don’t say it at allㅋㅋ

└ Agreed. If you think it might offend fans, then just don’t say it ^^

└ Conspiracy theories gone wild

└ They’re getting shade because our boys are about to blow up ㅎㅎ

The Core? Can’t quite put it into words, but they seem stiff

└ It’s pretty obvious they’re not close

└ 22222

└ Honestly, I felt the same

I mean, it's possible they're not that close. It's only been three months since debut. Some joined right before the debut team was formed too.

└ Exactly this

└ That’s what I’m saying; don’t bash their character, they’re just still awkward with each other

└ Rookies usually start off awkward and become real friends as time goes on

└ But is it just me or does the vibe feel different compared to debut mates like Stardust?

└ The Core doesn’t just feel awkward, it feels... off, somehowㅋㅋㅋ

└ Are you a Dusty? Seems like it's just you feeling that way?

└ Stardust probably got close back during their Starf days

└ After surviving that brutal schedule together, they’re basically comrades ㅠㅠ

‘The reaction’s bad.’

Just when it seemed like it was forgotten, speculations about the team atmosphere would resurface in the community.

Kang Ji-hyuk, the leader, never said a word about it, whatever he was thinking, but Ray felt bitter.

Barely three months into their debut, cracks had begun to form.

And now, those cracks were widening.

Even the members admitted it.

That they weren’t exactly close.

There were some members who just didn’t get along, and like oil and water, time wasn’t helping them blend.

The only one Ray could say he actually spent time with in the same team was just one person.

Ji Yeojoon called him in the practice room where the two were left alone.

“Hey, you joined late, so you don’t know the full story, right?”

“What?”

Ji Yeojoon checked that no one else was around before continuing cautiously.

“You know the fan song thing today? Pushing it even though everyone’s against it. The reason that hyung’s so obsessed with Stardust.”

“Ji-hyuk hyung?”

“Yeah.”

What did it matter whether another team released a fan song or not?

To be honest, it’s not even like their comeback schedules overlapped.

Ray didn’t exactly not understand why Kang Ji-hyuk was reacting so sensitively.

There was one person that came to mind.

“Do Seohan… huh.”

He wasn’t exactly sure, but it seemed like Seohan and Ian were Kang Ji-hyuk’s trigger points.

Ray replied calmly to Ji Yeojoon’s words.

“I heard they didn’t get along back when they were here.”

“What?”

Ji Yeojoon let out a hollow laugh at that.

“It’s not just that they didn’t get along—he practically sold him out.”

“Huh?”

“He really made his life hell.”

Even when Ray joined KJ, the former manager’s infamy was still widespread.

After The Core’s debut, that manager had ended up under police investigation, so Ray had even come face-to-face with that nasty piece of work.

But—

What came out of Ji Yeojoon’s mouth was on a completely different level.

“He had every reason to quit. But the biggest reason wasn’t even the manager—it was Ji-hyuk hyung. If the kid rested for a second, he’d take photos and report him to the manager for not practicing.”

“…What?”

“Then the manager would grab the kid and drill him until dawn. If he did even the tiniest thing wrong, he’d rat him out again and use it to threaten him. I’m pretty sure they even got into a physical fight. Though it was probably one-sided, with Seo Ian getting beaten.”

With the manager breathing down his neck, and someone choking the life out of him from the inside too, there’s no way a kid that age could’ve endured.

“Do Seohan, he probably knows the gist, but not all the details. He was too young back then, and the manager doted on him.”

“They’re only two years apart, right? Then wasn’t Seo Ian also just a kid?”

“Well yeah… but fifteen and seventeen are a bit different, aren’t they?”

What’s different.

They were both just kids.

‘Fucking scumbags.’

Ray bit down on his lower lip, his expression darkening.

It was because Ji Yeojoon’s words, passed along so casually, were grating on his nerves.

“But you didn’t do anything either.”

“Huh?”

“Why didn’t you do anything back then?”

Even though he knew it was wrong, he had just watched it all happen.

And now he was talking like this—what was the point?

Ray’s voice turned cold.

“You couldn’t stop the manager, but you could’ve stopped Kang Ji-hyuk.”

“Dude, how was I supposed to stand up to that hyung….”

Hoo—

Ray didn’t answer. He just let out a deep sigh.

It was true the team had no real sense of unity.

Tied together only by business, there wasn’t a single ounce of real bond.

He’d tried to ignore it, but today, it hit him harder than usual.

That he was on the same team as people who didn’t even have the basics down.

And he felt sorry.

For that kid he’d only ever seen in passing.

“I… I’m gonna head out.”

“……”

As Ji Yeojoon quietly stepped out after glancing at him for a moment,

Ray stared blankly into the air and muttered to himself.

“This place is a fucking mess.”

Ah.

I should’ve left with Starf.

Would we have debuted together then?

* * *

That evening.

Seo Haim burst into the room in a flurry.

“Hey, Seohan. Did you hear?”

“What, about what?”

The one who responded with an indifferent expression was Kang Siwoo.

Seo Haim fumbled with her phone, then pulled up an article and held it out.

“Siwoo hyung, you should see this too.”

[The Core’s Digital Single ‘For fan’, A Precious Message to Fans]

“They say The Core is releasing a fan song.”

A fan song?

“And on the same date as ours.”

Wow, what a coincidence.

How surprising.

…As if.

Whoever came up with that idea, it felt blatantly like they had us in mind.

We had just let slip last week that we were working on a fan song.

Still—

“Is that even possible in such a short time?”

At that pace, wouldn’t they have to slap some lyrics onto a pre-existing track and just release it?

They probably used a song that was already prepared internally at KJ.

Ours was a similar case too, but… our timeline was even tighter.

Seo Ian scratched his head with a troubled look.

“Why does it have to be on the same day as ours….”

“You don’t know…? Out of 365 days in a year! Did they really have to choose the same one?”

Seo Ian’s gaze briefly met mine.

I could read the meaning in his darkened expression.

‘Was it because of Kang Ji-hyuk?’

Was his influence behind this sudden fan song release?

Maybe it really was.

But then again—

What did it matter?

I replied in a calm voice.

“It doesn’t matter.”

A hastily thrown-together follower’s track like that didn’t feel like a threat.

With a slight grin, I added,

“Our song’s going to be better anyway.”

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