Chapter 101:

Chapter 101:

Chapter 101

You’re going to leave the fandom now.

-Wow, did it leak?

-I listened out of curiosity, and the only thing I’m sure of is that Lee Ju-hyuk is a genius.

-You’ll fall behind if you consume the leak.

-Everyoneᅲᅲ Don’t press the heart on the leak and send it to the agencyᅲᅲ

“What is this...?”

Cho Tae-woong, who was surfing the web on his bed after finishing practice, jumped up.

“Hey, did our song leak?”

“Really?”

Kim Joo-young, who was lying down, and Ian, who came in after washing up, approached Cho Tae-woong’s bed and looked at his phone screen.

“Is it really a leak? What’s with the open chat room?”

“Did someone spread another weird rumor?”

“Let’s take a screenshot and send it to Dong-soo hyung first.”

To their surprise, it was not a rumor but a reality.

Cho Tae-woong, who uploaded the screenshot to the group chat room with the manager, received a reply.

(Park Dong-soo) ᅲᅲ – 23:09

(Park Dong-soo) They found out three hours ago and they’re looking for the distributor now – 23:09

(Park Dong-soo) Guys, don’t worry about it and just rest for now. The company is checking on it – 23:10

***

[Official] Awi, song leak... “We will take legal action against both primary and secondary distribution”

“What a bolt from the blue...”

The director, Seo Su-ryeon, rubbed her head.

The fans’ protest calls were already ringing intermittently, and the fax was jammed.

The truth is, idol song leaks are common. When they rise to the ranks of popular idols, leaks become a norm. Ironically, it also meant that Awi’s popularity and interest had risen a lot.

Seo Su-ryeon sighed as she looked at the leak timeline that the company staff had organized.

“I feel weird that there’s no bad reaction to the song in this situation... So, where did it leak from?”

“The staff are investigating right now.”

The suspects were either company staff or distributors or broadcasters.

As Awi’s growth had boosted the company’s size recently, the newly hired company staff were the most suspicious part.

“Did the choreography video not leak?”

“As far as we’ve checked... no.”

They had to send the audio file and choreography practice video to the broadcasting station for pre-review before the comeback.

So most of the leaks were sneaked out through the broadcasting station’s review room.

“It would be better if it leaked from the broadcasting station... If it’s our staff...”

Seo Su-ryeon sighed.

Broadcasting station leaks would end with just a warning from the broadcasting station, which had more power. But if it was a company staff member, they had to catch them quickly because they could leak again next comeback.

“How are the kids?”

“They said they would do it perfectly since it leaked. They’re living in the practice room right now.”

“It would be better not to worry... Ah, the article came out and made things worse.”

“We have to think of it as a blessing in disguise. There’s also a saying that leaks make things better.”

It depends on the case, but usually male idols are more fandom-oriented than mass-oriented, so leaks don’t have much impact on them.

“They have to have a good entrance...”

The problem was that Awi’s music had gained more attention since ‘Side Effect’. Seo Su-ryeon frowned slightly.

-Wow I downloaded the leaked file

└Do you like consuming leaks?

└Reported. Get ready to go to the police station^^

-This song is goodᅲᅲ But my bias has no partᅲᅲ Why does Chong-in have so many parts?

└Look at him proudly suffering from the leak ᄉᄇ Byung-hun, you’re here!

└This bastard is a fanboy. Take off Tae-woong’s badge.

└└I’m not a fanboy.

└└└I’ve seen you before. You guys can’t do anything. Your oppa only knows Pinky Lady^^

Fortunately, Awi’s fandom was in a good mood except for a few people who listened out of curiosity.

-Guys, don’t mention the leak and report it quietly.

-Who posted on the fan cafe? Let’s push them with life memes.

Awi’s members knew the group’s search term prevention nickname well enough to surf the web, and a few fans who heard the news of the leak went to report it quietly without mentioning it to anyone.

Ian turned off his phone for now. The celebration time with the members was more important.

“We’re crazy!”

“If Media wasn’t there, wouldn’t we be first?”

“That’s right!”

“Wow, we’re crazy. How far are we going to go?”

The staff and employees of the agency who were there applauded AWY.

“Guys, congratulations!”

“Thank you!”

Kim Juyeong and Kim Myungjin, the road manager who high-fived him, looked at Dongsoo Park in the corner and said.

“Team leader, what’s wrong?”

“This... Don’t you think we’re rising too fast?”

“It’s good if we rise. People will say you’re being greedy if they hear you.”

“Good... It’s good, but.”

Only Dongsoo Park sighed while feeling good. It was a result of two years. Of course, he felt good as a manager. Securing music meant catching three rabbits: music, album, and fandom.

“It’s almost two years now. The kids are doing great. Good...”

Dongsoo Park stared blankly at the air and said.

He was afraid of how the members would change due to their rapid growth. He never knew when someone like that reporter would pop up.

He had felt this way when he was the road manager for Black Rush. In the end, Kim Young-hyun couldn’t endure and the group went on a temporary hiatus.

“Dong-soo hyung! We’re second! Did you hear?”

“We couldn’t have done it without our managers.”

He wasn’t worried about the members’ changes. They were always ambitious and knew how to give credit to others.

“Did you finally realize how important this hyung is?”

“Ah hyung, you’re our eighth member!”

It was probably needless worry. Park Dong-soo decided to enjoy this moment and let go of his anxiety.

***

After finishing their fan showcase, Awi was busy with music shows and fan signing events.

Friday was the busiest day of their schedule, from dawn to late night.

“Oh? I haven’t seen you before... Is this your first time?”

“Yes! I just became a fan recently!”

“Wow, when did you become a fan? I have to do well.”

“I saw the cut of Woo-sang’s unit on SNS! He’s so handsome!”

“Thank you.”

Ian put the flower crown that the fan gave him on his head and signed skillfully. His habit of looking into people’s eyes made the fan’s face flush to her neck.

[You guys must have over 40 chapters.]

‘Insane.’

The number of new fans was also increasing rapidly, and the fan sign cuts were also growing day by day.

“Ian, you’re doing well, but there’s one thing you need to fix.”

“Nuna’s heart?”

“Ack! How did you know?”

The fans’ jokes were all the same.

The reversal joke that made his heart drop when he first heard it was now familiar because there were too many people doing it.

“I feel a wall from you, oppa.”

“Perfect? I know.”

“Just accept it!”

Even Park Jin-hyuk, who ruined the group’s best eye candy, had to take it.

The fan jumped up and down from her seat and screamed.

The reason why the fans made these jokes was simple.

They had no questions to ask at the fan sign event, or they wanted to see the restless singer.

“I came with my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? Are you cheating on me, nuna? Who else do you have besides me?”

Jo Tae-woong’s cheekiness made the fan who was about to show him her hand mirror laugh out loud.

‘He’s the real deal.’

Ian, who was watching Jo Tae-woong’s otherworldly pseudo-romance, focused on the fan who just sat in front of him.

The fan said bluntly as soon as she sat down.

“Ian, I’m going to stop being your fan. I changed my bias.”

“What?”