Chapter 228: A Past Grudge
“Hosung-hyung contacted me.”
Doubles’ practice room.
Seo Haim, who had just finished his vocal lesson and was taking a sip of water, snapped his head around.
He froze for a moment.
“Choi Hosung?”
“Yeah.”
They were familiar with each other.
Choi Hosung of ROYB.
He used to be a Doubles trainee—someone they once shared meals with under the same roof.
Seo Haim frowned, as if it were unexpected.
“He contacted you? Why?”
There were moments when they were fairly close. Though in the end, their relationship fell apart due to incompatible traits.
Especially since he constantly clashed with Jin Sehyun—it wasn’t a pleasant memory just before Hosung’s expulsion.
He might’ve said he was calling to congratulate him, but knowing the guy, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had something else in mind.
“I don’t know why he suddenly reached out. He said congrats on the Billboard chart-in, but... I can’t take it as a simple gesture of goodwill.”
“That hyung’s a bit off.”
Seo Haim let out a short sigh as he spoke.
It was rare for Chick-type Haim, who was kind to everyone, to openly express hostility toward someone.
“I don’t like that guy.”
The incident Hosung stirred up right before he got kicked out had played a big role in that.
Seo Haim grumbled, saying the memory was still vivid.
“He spread fake rumors behind your back and even told the manager that you were dating someone. You ran around trying to clear things up.”
“I remember.”
That was during the fierce battle for a spot in the debut team.
And if you got on the wrong side of a company staff member, you could be eliminated. Yet he went around sowing discord like that?
Seo Haim let out a sigh and muttered quietly.
“I still don’t get it.”
They couldn’t be sure what had triggered his resentment, but they had some guesses.
Most likely, it was the competitive tension between two people aiming for the main vocal position, and their clashing personalities—especially with Jin Sehyun’s perfectionism.
Jin Sehyun murmured with a bitter smile.
“You really shouldn’t make enemies.”
He was never the type to sugarcoat things, and back then, he had been even more blunt.
Having started training at such a young age, he had been pretty clumsy with relationships.
The conflict had started when he scolded Hosung for slacking off and scheming during group evaluations instead of putting in actual effort.
From then on, Hosung got caught stirring up drama and was eventually expelled.
Technically, it was his terrible monthly evaluation scores that got him booted, but how Hosung had interpreted that was another matter.
Jin Sehyun swallowed dryly and spoke.
“I guess he remembered what happened back then. Said he suddenly wanted to apologize.”
“Now?”
Seo Haim tilted his head and continued.
“It’s not like it’s debut season or anything. Feels so random. Do you really think he wants to apologize?”
“I don’t know. He did say we should meet if I have time.”
They were busy beyond belief.
He could probably make time if he really tried, but something about it just felt off.
Seo Haim rolled his eyes and asked,
“So, are you going?”
“I’m not. I don’t know what he’s scheming.”
“Fair. Good call.”
If it were just about sucking up to someone who made it big, that’d actually be better.
But—
Choi Hosung was a bit darker than that. He had something slimy clinging to him, and Sehyun didn’t want to give him any leeway.
“It’s obvious he’s looking for something to latch onto.”
“There’s nothing to latch onto, really. But you never know.”
“Exactly. Right.”
He might’ve dug a trap.
Nod nod.
Seo Haim chattered on about how there was no need to take the risk, and Jin Sehyun let out a small laugh.
Thinking about it, there really were a lot of villains back in the Doubles trainee days.
They’d seen all kinds of characters.
How miraculous was it that only the good ones had made it to the team?
‘I’m suddenly feeling grateful.’
What a relief.
With that thought, Jin Sehyun pulled his phone out of his pocket.
Tap, tap—
He tapped on the call history, which had been frozen since yesterday, and simply deleted Choi Hosung’s contact.
If Hosung contacted him again, he’d just block the number altogether. If he let himself waver, they might end up exchanging messages again.
“Phew...”
A sigh escaped him, followed by a quiet murmur.
“Let’s walk our separate paths...”
It was a connection from a distant past.
Hopefully, they’d never cross paths again.
ROYB was finished.
That was an undeniable fact.
Dozens of idol groups debut every year, release albums, and disappear without a trace—there’s rarely a special reason behind it.
This is an industry where individual talent doesn’t guarantee success.
It’s all too common for small-agency idols to disband without even making their names known.
A powerless agency.
ROYB’s CEO had already decided to stop investing soon.
Once the contract ended, Hosung would practically be out on the street.
“Damn it.”
He had nothing to fall back on, so he didn’t know what he could even do. What could a washed-up adult like him do to survive now?
Go to college? Now?
Get a job with no qualifications?
Every time reality hit him, Choi Hosung clenched his fists tightly.
His gaze landed on the TV screen in the dorm’s living room. Just then, Stardust’s stage was on air.
“Haah...”
Of all things to catch on a re-run, it had to be this.
An irritated voice slipped out.
"Jaehyung, turn off the TV."
"...You're closer, hyung. Got no hands, no feet? Just turn it off yourself."
"......"
"Seriously, every time Stardust comes on, it’s like your damn berserk button gets pressed."
"Hey."
"Sorry, sorry. I’ll turn it off~."
He was ROYB’s youngest member, who used to follow Hosung around calling him hyung nonstop during their debut days. Back then, there was something endearingly innocent about him.
Now that the end of their contracts was near, there wasn't a single member who wasn’t on edge.
A warm team atmosphere only exists when things are going well.
Like Stardust.
Choi Hosung gritted his teeth and sneered at his own situation. A sharp line slipped from his mouth.
“Those bastards probably have flower fields blooming in their heads right now...”
“Dunno about flower fields, but they’re definitely walking a damn flower path. They’re with a major company, and they’re doing well too. Ugh, I’m jealous.”
Jaehyung sighed and turned his head. It didn’t seem intentional, but it rubbed Hosung the wrong way.
Jaehyung spoke without much thought.
"What are you gonna do after the contract ends, hyung? I’m thinking about working at a PC café or something~. I feel like I’d make a damn good BJ."
"I’m getting stressed, so shut up for a sec."
"Aw, come on. We gotta eat somehow."
That grumbling follow-up was probably sincere.
After all, it was a problem looming right in front of their faces.
ROYB had already boarded a speeding train headed for collapse. The destination was most likely team disbandment.
The CEO had already abandoned them.
You couldn’t even blame him. The man had been bleeding money from the start. He tried to support them however he could, but the results just weren’t there.
All the members knew it.
That it was time to leave the industry.
Jaehyung grinned and added,
"Hyung, just stream with me. Honestly, we might even hit big?"
"Hey. I said shut up."
"Why’re you mad again..."
He belatedly glanced at Choi Hosung’s expression and muttered under his breath.
Instead of replying, Hosung clutched his pounding head.
"Haa..."
Sadly, when cornered, people start looking for someone to blame.
And for Choi Hosung, that target was Jin Sehyun.
Ever since their time in Doubles, Sehyun had always rubbed him the wrong way. In the end, it was because of that guy that he lost the main vocal spot, got kicked out, and debuted as a flop idol from a no-name company.
If you had to point to the root of it all, you'd have to name Jin Sehyun.
"Hah. So now he’s avoiding me..."
Maybe that bastard knew it too—he coldly rejected Hosung’s suggestion to meet up for a simple chat.
If that’s how it was...
"Hey, Jaehyung."
Choi Hosung nodded toward the TV screen with his chin and asked,
"Which one of them looks the easiest?"
"Out of nowhere?"
"I mean someone who looks so innocent they’d fall for anything."
"Uh, I dunno..."
They were at least familiar with Stardust. They hadn’t spoken directly, but they’d passed by each other a few times, so they at least knew the members’ faces.
Then Jaehyung casually said a name.
"Seo Haim?"
"Not him. He knows me."
"Then... Do Seohan?"
Stardust’s youngest.
He wasn’t as constantly smiley as Seo Haim, but with that baby face and round eyes, he definitely looked naïve.
Choi Hosung turned to the screen.
The team’s youngest. A kid who probably hadn’t seen the bitter side of the world was smiling brightly during an interview.
Choi Hosung smirked and nodded.
"Yeah, that one looks innocent."
He had a little scheme in mind—
The perfect card to use and toss aside.
Vrrr—
His phone vibrated briefly.
Seo Han looked down and checked the message at the top of the screen.
–This is Choi Hosung, the one you met at the salon last time. I have something to tell you about Jin Sehyun. Do you have time?
They’d briefly exchanged greetings at the salon.
Other than that, he was a complete stranger, now reaching out with something supposedly related to Jin Sehyun.
It was something he’d hinted at the last time too.
He made it sound serious—something potentially problematic—and offered to explain the details to Seo Han, as a fellow member, before things blew up.
"Hmm."
Seo Han pressed his temples and opened the message window.
As soon as he started typing a reply, another message popped up with a ding.
–I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell him and just came out quietly.
"...he says."
Swoosh.
Seo Han raised the phone toward Jin Sehyun and asked,
Then grinned slyly.
"What should I reply?"