Debut or Die-Chapter 426
“Actually, after returning to reality, I hadn’t completely lost contact with those VTIC guys.
Because, right from the start:
“VTIC Chaeyul sunbaenim: Mundae-ssi~~”
“VTIC Chaeyul sunbaenim: You remember the wish, right? hehe, the wish!”
They contacted me the very next day, obviously testing me: “Gee, did you perhaps forget? What happened between us?”
‘Even if I had forgotten, they’d have pressed me on it anyway.’
In any case, the moment I barely dissuaded them from creating a “Wishes” group chat—before we’d even shot a healing variety show—
“VTIC Chaeyul sunbaenim: Ah, right, since not everyone was on Wishes, some might feel left out ;_;”
“VTIC Shino sunbaenim: Then should I invite everyone into the old chat?”
“Just a moment.”
I almost had every member replying daily to my senior group’s greetings.
‘After that it was quiet, so I thought nothing else had happened.’
I’d seen an article about his enlistment date and assumed I wouldn’t hear from him for a while.
If only that one guy hadn’t suddenly called at this hour.
‘...What game is this?’
Who learned the crazy habit of calling a junior at 2 AM because they had an idea?
When I asked Joo Dan-yi, he answered:
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: Since the live broadcast recording was imminent, I assumed you hadn’t yet gone to bed. I have my manners, you know.”
“...Right.”
That’s called speculation, not manners.
Anyway, he began to speak.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: I have a plan. Before enlistment, I’d like to release a fan song without prior notice—though we’ll be inactive, it would serve as a meaningful memento.”
Oh? We need to find a slot that doesn’t overlap, so I’ll have to dig up some release dates.
“Congratulations. When will you announce it?”
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: It’s under discussion.”
“...?”
There isn’t much time left; still under discussion...
“Did Cheongryeo sunbaenim withhold permission?”
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: ......”
“Don’t tell me.”
A long silence passed.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: We’re, after all, members of the same company—‘permission’ might be a clumsy term.”
So he hadn’t gotten permission. Understood.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: Also... um, this call isn’t being leaked, is it?”
I turned away.
“Are you really Joo Dan-yi sunbaenim?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I see. Please send my regards.”
Nobody else cared much once they realized it wasn’t album news.
When I indicated it was a private call, Joo Dan-yi lowered his voice.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: The boundary of times known to him has already passed. After long years, stubbornness clouds judgment, doesn’t it?”
Is he serious? That guy?
“Then perhaps you should speak to him directly....”
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean right now.”
Please breathe and answer.
In any case, the leader planned to persuade him somehow, and they wanted to ask TeSTAR a favor.
From this point I put it on speaker.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: So, the request is....”
“Yes, yes.”
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: A charity concert.”
“...??”
Suddenly they’d leaped from albums to helping the underprivileged.
“That’s a deeply meaningful idea!”
No, not yet.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: A fan song is universally about gratitude and love, right? The thematic frequency aligns, so we’re planning it.”
Summarizing his explanation: instead of regular promotions, VTIC would host a charity concert.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: And we’d like TeSTAR to appear as guests.”
And I experienced déjà vu.
Sure enough, Ryu Cheong-woo interjected cautiously.
“Cheong-woo: Is this perhaps a continuation of the charity concert that Mundae hosted for us before?”
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: If we structure the narrative that way, it might work even better.”
Exactly. The same charity concert we had done as a collaboration between VTIC’s circle and our company—they wanted us back as guests.
“Oh.”
“That’s a good cause! I’m all for it.”
They weren’t inviting only us, but several teams.
‘Then it’ll just feel like a big event.’
Actually, having been invited as guests before, it’d be awkward to decline.
The atmosphere was about to settle on a tentative yes.
“Right~ It sounds so meaningful and wonderful, sunbaenim! But we should hear from our company, so could you give us a little time?”
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: Of course. I’ll contact you again around ten tomorrow morning.”
He didn’t consider sleeping, but anyway the agreement was left in limbo.
“Hey, we should reach out ourselves~ Can’t make ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) you call again!”
They ended the call smoothly. No one else tried to butt in—because the one who did was not one to do so without reason.
“Hmm.”
When the call ended, the instigator, Keun Sejin, sat in the living room with a wry smile.
“You... had another thought?”
“...Isn’t this odd? It might look like the company feels guilty over this controversy and is sending us out to a charity concert, like volunteering.”
“...!”
“Does that mean we can’t do it...?”
No, we can’t.
I spoke up.
“If we go along to share responsibility for the company’s wrongdoing, it’ll seem like we’re at fault too.”
“Correct~”
“Ah...”
Our images would be tied together.
We’d barely managed to detach the artists from the “artists are victims too” narrative about the agency’s idiocy—now a charity concert?
It’d look more like “the artists are self-flagellating.”
– “So considerate, T1 so considerate, TeSTAR lol”
– “See, they know they’re guilty, so they’re hitching onto a sunbaenim’s charity concert for PR WW”
Exactly that.
‘They got sharper after struggling in Gairope.’
I met Keun Sejin’s gaze and nodded.
“We need a careful approach. Though it’s good leverage to adjust the album schedule a bit.”
Compared to endlessly postponing the album, it’s a happy dilemma, but HQ might rush to release it immediately.
‘Then the promotion will be clumsy.’
Using the charity concert as an excuse to secure a few weeks for the promo team is a tempting bait.
“But no schedule adjustment is needed. We can finish album preparation within fifteen days!”
“You might, but the company’s promo staff will be strained.”
“Oh dear~ Our Raebin, not everyone in the world is a genius like Raebin, so frustrating, right?”
“...?! That’s too much praise... I never thought....”
“Ahaha!”
Sheesh, she’s going to break.
Anyway, here’s the plan.
“Anyone have good ideas?”
Honestly, we didn’t have to do the charity concert—it was just a matter of ethics—so I told them to speak freely. Immediately Cha Yoo-jin raised his hand.
“Yeap.”
I met Cha Yoo-jin’s eyes; he grinned.
The next day.
“Tell them we’re doing it because we’re friends! Tell the fans that first!”
Cha Yoo-jin loudly told Joo Dan-yi. Exactly.
“VTIC Chaeyul: As friends, we can do charity. We are now friends with those sunbaenim, so it’s not a lie.”
‘Let’s lean into the group camaraderie angle.’
As just one of many guest acts, we won’t draw fan ire. And it’ll bolster our image, showing we’re worthy of a charity event lineup.
“VTIC Chaeyul: Well, that should be easy with some prior prep.”
“That part’s up to Mundae hyung to arrange.”
“VTIC Chaeyul: I thought so.”
Those who remembered us as groupmates chatted naturally.
“Right. Anyway.”
I gave a faint smile.
Let’s seize a bit more advantage.
“Sunbaenim, I’d like to recommend one more guest.”
“Hmm?”
Actually, a few minutes earlier, I’d already made a phone call—not to Joo Dan-yi.
“Mirinae Minha: Hello, sunbaenim!!”
It was Mirinae’s second place. Somehow her tone got more formal by the second; I didn’t know why.
Just as I was about to state my proposal... she spoke first.
“Mirinae Minha: First, I want to say thank you so much!”
“Huh?”
“Mirinae Minha: ...Ah.”
Before I could respond, she sighed and sped up.
“Mirinae Minha: Just... yes. Not for any specific situation—just to thank you for always looking out for us juniors!!”
“Oh, yes.”
“That’s all I had to say!”
Well, she could’ve at least mentioned the album.
People might think I’d threatened her to keep quiet.
‘Why are you saying this after cooperating so well?’
I recalled this junior’s actions over the past weeks.
Because labels had split, the intel I could gather was skewed.
Mirinae’s Park Minha, who’d reported every schedule change and company event from an artist’s viewpoint, had earned her keep as an informant.
So I’d thought of this suggestion too.
“I have a good proposal. I thought I’d mention it to you, so I’m contacting you.”
“Oh, what...?”
“A charity concert.”
We’d highlight our personal friendship with VTIC first.
But next in the lineup, if Mirinae joined?
‘It’d look like TeSTAR invited them.’
If the stage grew that large, the meaning shifted.
Fans would think: “It’s the agency washing their hands of it.”
– “Oh, they’re severing ties with the agency lolol”
– “How dumb must the execs be for the artists to signal this?”
Then, after HQ, the artists themselves would send a signal distancing from the agency’s management.
“We’re choosing a positive influence, since we organized it.”
“And anyway, the failed executives won’t touch our schedule.”
Not bad.
Mirinae’s response, once explained, was positive.
“Mirinae Minha: That... I think all our members will like it.”
So the plan was finalized.
Joo Dan-yi nodded at the guest recommendations.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: Sounds good. To broaden the audience, we planned to cast various genders and age groups anyway.”
“Yes.”
It fit perfectly.
Now only one final check remained.
“But how did you persuade Cheongryeo sunbaenim?”
How did they handle the leader’s permission?
Surprisingly, he’d gained approval with great confidence.
“VTIC Joo Dan-yi: ...I used a variety of logic and evidence; I can’t pinpoint which worked.”
He himself didn’t know why.
‘Anyway, he seems to find gains everywhere.’
I handed off the call to the others and replayed the situation in my mind.
‘Hmm’
We’d gained time for proper album promotion, HQ cut loose the execs, two birds with one stone.
It didn’t seem like it’d collapse halfway.
So I summoned a chat message.
[Hyung?]
‘Are you free that day?’
Since it’s in Korea and many acquaintances will be there, we can send him tickets.
‘Come see the pre-recording.’
[Whaaat??]
A few days later.
It all began with a screenshot posted on VTIC’s official SNS account.
We’ve succeeded in our first booking! (photo)
Attached was a staged chat between Chaeyul and me, fabricated to look casual with late-night snack and puppy photos, teased to the public without any prior announcement—piquing everyone’s curiosity.
– “What booking is this?”
– “Is that the puppy they sold off? Kkong? lol”
– “The baby thief Chaeyul is too young to enlist, please save him!”
‘A fine start.’
...And that day I received a text.
– “The promise”
– “See you soon.”
Attached was an image of a yellow dog draped in a beige blanket like a cape—apparently charity-concert merchandise.
