🎵 gaho - start over
National TV stations were shocked by the news of the arrest of the CEO of a well-known agency--Mr. Kim also known as Kim Jung Min. It happened during Kim Jung Min's attempt to flee from Korea to Hong Kong, just before his private jet take off.
CCTV footage of him being ambushed by police at Incheon international airport quickly spread to international news media. The popularity of the agency that owns the big idol group - Seventeen, attracted mass outrage when the reason for the arrest was revealed.
Corruption. Intimidation. Violence against the idol. Kim Jung Min is said to be subject to several articles at trial.
Kim Jung Min's arrest not only has an impact on the agency corporately, but also has an impact on idol group itself. The news regarding their contract not being renewed made all of the fans nervous about their future plan as a whole group. In Korea, the lack of clarification from Seventeen made many fans follow them aggressively when they were seen leaving the police station for the hospital to pick up Jeonghan. Not to mention the reporters were also chasing them with their cameras and crazy flashes.
The camera flashes didn't stop except when their van had left the location. Only temporarily though. As soon as they arrived--god knows how those people know where exactly they're going--the cycle happen again. Crazy flashes in their eyes, members got pushed around, shoutings everywhere, no wonder why Seungcheol looks mad. Crazy mad.
The members only need to walk a few meters from their van to the hospital's main lobby door--yet it's very hard to do in the midst of people pushing around. Even the bodyguards were overwhelmed, the high tension made them not hesitate to shout at people to back off.
Seungcheol was walking at the very front, leading his members.
"..Is it true that Kim Jung Min attacked Yoon Jeonghan because he dumped his niece Kang Rena for a commoner..!?"
That one single question immediately make Seungcheol stopped walking and turned his head to where the voice came from. His eyes searched for someone whose physical appearance roughly matched the voice he had just heard.
"Whose question was that?" He asked a group of reporters to his right. The way he asked sounded very cold, no wonder why no one confessed.
"Who asked that?" Seuncheol repeated at the same time as Mingyu grabbed his shoulder to pull him away.
Mingyu shook his head as they both climb on some staircases, finally arrived at the lobby doorway, "Ignore them, it's not worth it."
"A commoner? Seriously?" Seungcheol was still being held by Mingyu, he was still looking here and there trying to find that person, "The audacity to look down on people like that."
"Human nature. If they want to judge, they will." Minghao said as he climbed up the stairs, catching up with the them.
Several other members also received similar questions that didn't make sense. They try so hard to maintain their professionalism even though deep down they wish the journalists would be more considerate and not cross the line.
"..Is it true that Yoon Jeonghan's ex deliberately targeted this job to break Seventeen up for a revenge..!?"
Upon hearing that, Joshua was kind enough to smile at the reporter, "Are you trying to pit the public against each other? Such a professional."
Like an angel and a devil, from behind Hoshi looked at the reporter cynically with his sharp eyes, complementing Joshua's sarcastic smile.
"What a burden." Jun sighed to himself after a rather big yawn.
The older members waited for their youngest member, Dino, in the lobby doorway. It was very difficult to move when the crowds from the back row started to push forward. Even Vernon took the initiative to ran back into the crowd to help Dino.
"From up here it really looks like a zombie apocalypse." Woozi said to Dokyeom.
"What if someone is really infected down there and we'll not be able to leave later?" Dokyeom responded very seriously.
"Can you not? Why would you say something so scary like that?" Seungkwan gave them a cowardly side eye, shaking his head in a big disappointment, acting so dramatic.
Dokyeom raised his shoulders, "You never know? I heard the scientists are unfreezing the virus right now."
"Say that when you're no longer afraid of udon--" Seungkwan stepped behind Mingyu when Dokyeom wanted to grab his collar.
A rare view where a bunch of good looking men in the hallway that usually only taken by elderly doctors of course quickly became a hot topic. Talking about their popularity, of course many patients recognize them. As soon as the fans's screams started booming, Dokyeom again discussed the scenario that zombies had entered the building.
Fifth floor. Room number nine.
Never in his life had Seungcheol opened a door so quickly that it felt like he had just teleported inside. This time Joshua joined in the act, pretending to close the door in a rather dramatic way while Dokyeom pulled a prank on Seungkwan again.
"Mr. Boo, are you bitten?"
"The only person who will be bitten is you if you don't stop." Seungkwan threw a fake fist at him.
"Bloody hell-- you scared me.."You almost spilled the hot water out from the electric kettle when twelve grown up men barged inside at once.
"Oh, you're here. That was fast." Jeonghan, who just finished washing his face bumped into Wonwoo on his way out of the bathroom. He expected the members to arrive in another thirty minutes.
"The sooner we get here, the better." Seungcheol breathed a sigh of relief when he had to remember the situation out there.
"First of all, YOU, you're in BIG trouble." Seungkwan put a hand on his hip, scolding you for not telling your mother that you're staying in the hospital for the night, again.
"Didn't you text your mom before?" Jeonghan tilted his head, he remember you told him about texting your mom when you both were in his car.
"I did....?" Then you remembered you sent a message to Woozi. You thought you've messaged your mother, but turns out you haven't. In your head everything feels like they're overlapping each other.
"Shit, I didn't." You looked at Woozi and then Jeonghan back and forth, "That night, I sent my location to Woozi, not my mom."
"Right, why didn't you guys tell me you guys are coming?" Jeonghan, who had just remembered he wanted to ask that, finally asked.
"For everyone's safety." Wonwoo answered, "With your emotional state that night, you would most likely tell Kim about our coming there. And if he finds out, the possibility of him destroying the evidence because his suspicions are high."
"Smart." Jeonghan praised Wonwoo with a smile.
Seungkwan then told you, after he came back from the hospital last night, he planned to pick up some clean clothes to bring for you today. So he stopped by your apartment on his way home. That's when he realized your mother was actually clueless about what was happening. All she knows was that you were busy gathering with the members.
"Shoot, I should call her--"
"Meh," Seungkwan waved his hand in disagreement, "She's probably already in Jeju right now, with my mom and Shua's."
"I told her you're just looking over Jeonghan, didn't tell her you're actually hurt." Joshua added, inviting you into his arms for a quick hug.
You sighed in relief, "That's better. At least her mind is at ease." You pat his back when he leaned down to hug you softly.
Joshua think it's better to let your mom stay with his for the time being. Besides it's better for the moms too, rather than spending their time alone, they can hang out as friends now.
"I owe you." You whispered.
"Don't worry about it." He whispered back with a wink.
"Oh, right. Coffee? Anyone?" You asked while pouring the hot water into some paper cup with instant coffee inside it you initially made for yourself.
Everyone raised their hands. And off you go, cooking some more hot water.
Dino helps distribute the coffee to other members while you stir the last few cups. Seungkwan accidentally complained about how bland the coffee because you put too much water, which you overheard.
"Boo Seungkwan, come here." You motioned your finger, inviting him to come closer.
He quickly kneeled down with his head hung low, rubbing his two palms together begging for forgiveness. Hoshi and Mingyu pushed each other's shoulder while laughing. Meanwhile Jun--who was about to complain about the same thing, secretly gave up his intention.
"I'll drink the blandest-- THE BLANDEST," Seungkwan turned his face away with a playful side eye then back at you, "The blandest coffee you make as long as you don't make me go out there to get Americanos."
"Asshole. You really need to repeat it three times?" You laughed while pulling his ear.
Jeonghan sipped his coffee while smiling widely. Joshua noticed how bright Jeonghan's face was that day. As if he could do a telepathy with Seungcheol, they both looked at each other and nodded with great relief.
"What's wrong out there though?" Jeonghan asked to his members cluelessly.
Dokyeom moved to sit right next to Jeonghan. He took a deep breath while rubbing his face in a very dramatic manner. Jeonghan felt goosebumps creep up his skin when Dokyeom looked into his eyes, even he couldn't stop chuckling, already expecting something dumb from Dokyeom.
"Out there, a zombie apocalypse has happene--"
"JINJJA, I'll seriously going to kick your ass if you keep saying creepy stuffs like that." Seungkwan looked like he was about to throw a fist.
"Okay, alright, enough with the zombies." Woozi interrupted with a short chuckle before one of his members died at Seungkwan's hands, "You haven't seen any news today, I assume?" He then asked Jeonghan.
"Both of you." Minghao added, pointing at you while lowering his sunglasses to his nose bridge, "Too busy with each other, eyyyyy.." He squealed at his own words.
"Shut up." Jeonghan cleared his throat, only realizing his coffee was all gone when he awkwardly wanted to take a sip. He covered his blushing face by placing his left cheek in his palm, telling Woozi to continue.
Woozi shrugged, letting Seungcheol take over instead. Seungcheol rolled his eyes with a loud grunt. He impatiently grabbed Jeonghan by his shoulders, shaking his smaller body with a wide grin on his face.
"It's over, you punk. That bastard has been arrested."
Jeonghan's face lit up for a second, but then he tilted his head with a rather confused look, "..Who?"
"You look just like Dino it's really embarrassing." Jun said with no hesitation, earning a loud laughter from Mingyu.
"Kim Jung Min, Kim Jung Min." Mingyu then answered proudly. It was him and Dino who reported it to the police in time after all. Otherwise, Mr. Kim might have left before sunrise.
Mingyu explained how the three of them--along with Juwon--lost Mr. Kim's trail. But as his former trusted assistant, of course Juwon knows almost everything about him. As someone who is usually in charge of scheduling all his business or personal trips, Juwon can access Mr. Kim's plans made on his private jet. It turns out that Juwon's hunch was right, Mr. Kim had already made plans to fly abroad. The intense panic made Mr. Kim unable to act more carefully.
Therefore, with the help of Juwon's testimony, as well as CCTV footage that he could access from his phone, the police released an arrest warrant for Mr. Kim right at the airport. Dino predicted Mr. Kim will dressed one hundred and eighty degrees different from usual, definitely not wanting to be recognized. Sure enough, when he was caught, he was wearing clothes like a backpacker complete with sunglasses and a bucket hat. No expensive suits.
"Great fucking job." Jeonghan hugged Mingyu proudly, patting his broad back before moving to Dino, giving the younger member the same hug, "I'm so damn proud."
As soon as Jeonghan let go of his hug, the older members proudly ruffled Dino's hair in turn.
"As expected, big brain Jimmy Neutron." Vernon stammered out a laugh.
You had been listening to the conversation in as much detail as possible while holding your coffee cup which has turned cold. Jeonghan was right, the bad thing you were afraid of happening that day actually turned out to be something much better. You slowly lean back in the wheelchair, straighten your legs, finally for the first time in a long time, you can re-understand what the word relax means.
"I'm glad it's finally over." You whispered at the same time as a smile spread across your face. For some reason your coffee tastes sweeter than you expected.
"Just a little bit more." Now the Wonwoo who said that was the Wonwoo you knew. Unlike the scary, unsmiling Wonwoo you saw yesterday.
"There's more?" Reflexively you throw your head to the back.
Wonwoo quickly corrected himself, "No, no, I mean that in a good way."
"Well first, we need to give the evidence we have to the police." Woozi pointed at Jun, "Then we have to make clarifications for the media. And you still have to sign a contract with our new agency." He stared at Jeonghan, eyes turned into a small crescent moon when he smiled.
Jeonghan was thinking when he held out two fingers, "Two questions."
"I, myself, also know about Kim Jung Min's dirty work. Mostly from the rumors I've heard around the agency. But how the hell did you get the legit evidence?"
By the way the members simultaneously turned their heads towards Jun--which made you slowly look at him too--Jeonghan guessed that even they didn't believe in Jun's achievements at first. It was a really crucial evidence after all.
"Just because I look asleep doesn't mean I really am." Jun shrugged, "I took it."
Minghao suddenly laughed because he already knew what Jun was going to tell Jeonghan.
"It was just last week, I was testing the new massage chair on the office floor and I fell asleep until the end of working hour." Jun rubbed the back of his neck while trying to remember every detail of the story, "When I woke up I was too embarrassed because people passing by said I looked like a dead person."
This time it wasn't just Minghao who laughed, Seungkwan also almost died holding back his laughter.
"You know that..." Jun trying not to laugh to finish his sentence, "...that I have a habit sleeping with my eyes opened, right?"
"..Yes.." Jeonghan said between shaky sighs, clearly wanting to laugh.
"That day I pretended to be asleep, even though I could see everything. I saw the finance director tried to destroy a stack of papers in panic. He didn't realize the paper got stuck in the shredder when he left."
"I originally planned to use it against him during the contract renewal." Seungcheol took over the conversation, "But why would we want to stay in this hell much longer?"
Jeonghan was still stunned when he realized that luck was really on his side, as if he was being led to be at the end of that point. But then, was it really just pure luck? Obviously not. Nothing will happen if his members didn't care enough to be involved in his problem.
He looked at his members one by one. He asked himself, if one of them were in his position, would he be willing to take that big of a risk for them? The answer he found in his heart was yes, he would. That was when he realized even if he had to be in misfortune, as long as he's with them, he would still feel lucky.
"Alright, so question number two." He continued, clasping his palms together with a wide smile, "Which agency contract should I sign?"
Instead of answering right away, Woozi took a pair of clothes from his sling bag, he threw them gently into Jeonghan's lap.
"Get changed. We're going to Pledis."