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Click!
Seunghyun suppressed a sigh as his body instinctively froze.
He was annoyed that his heart had started racing over something so trivial.
The security guards immediately blocked any further filming, but his pounding heart showed no signs of calming down.
Outside, the air was thick with noise; Manager Kim, who had ushered the rest of Halo into the van first, seemed to be scuffling with the persistent reporters.
When Manager Kim finally returned after settling the situation, he took the wheel himself.
His well-tailored clothes were completely disheveled.
“We’re going to the dorm.”
A stiff atmosphere filled the car.
Manager Kim muttered a curse under his breath as he started the engine.
Our eyes met in the rearview mirror.
As if he had something on his conscience, Manager Kim quickly averted his gaze.
He looked incredibly serious.
Seunghyun realized there was something the manager wasn’t saying.
Looking at the vibe in the car, the other members seemed to know what was going on as well.
“What happened?”
He asked the members, but no one answered.
Eventually, Seunghyun stared fixatedly at Manager Kim through the mirror.
Under the pressure of a gaze demanding an answer, Manager Kim finally opened his mouth.
“I deliberately used a car not registered to the company and took extra security precautions, but it seems the news leaked out from somewhere.”
“What news?”
“About yesterday.”
Seunghyun arched an eyebrow.
Two things had happened yesterday: he had been carried back to the hospital by Manager Kim, and he had been attacked by a sasaeng fan.
He wasn’t sure which one had leaked.
Either way, if the news was out, it was going to be a headache.
Manager Kim let out a long sigh.
“Let’s talk at the dorm first. I wanted to stop by the company, but that’s out of the question now. It’ll be better for Director Yoon to come to the dorm instead.”
Somehow, taxis that looked like they were carrying sasaeng fans were already tailing them.
The security vehicle tried to shake them off, but it wasn’t enough.
Manager Kim drove faster out of necessity.
As Seunghyun watched out the window, Yooju gently pulled his attention away. His face was expressionless.
‘Is he mad?’
Seunghyun wondered, but then Yooju suddenly flashed a bright smile.
Seunghyun flinched inwardly.
‘What’s this? A honey trap?’
The moment Yooju smiled, the train of thoughts cluttering Seunghyun’s head snapped, leaving his mind blank.
It was the first time he realized a face could possess such devastating power.
‘I guess you need a face like that to be the center of a top-tier idol group.’
Whether Yooju knew what Seunghyun was thinking or not, his smile deepened.
He then gently rubbed the corners of Seunghyun’s eyes with his fingertips, as if coaxing him not to look outside anymore.
‘Wow, it’s actually entertaining just looking at someone’s face.’
And so, Seunghyun rode all the way to the dorm without being able to take his eyes off Yooju.
As soon as they entered the foyer, Seunghyun kicked off his shoes and stumbled inside.
He was completely drained from the unexpected chase.
The members followed behind him with the bags.
As he stood awkwardly among the bustling group, Yooju approached again, took his coat, and led him by the hand.
“Hyung, just sit here for a bit until the Director arrives.”
Sitting still with nothing to do, his gaze naturally drifted to a display case on one side of the living room.
It was so packed with trophies and awards that the shelves looked like they were groaning under the weight.
Seeing that, he slowly reviewed Halo’s status.
A massive idol group that had swept the Rookie of the Year and the Grand Prize simultaneously upon debut, never missing a Grand Prize in the years since.
From their third year, they began targeting not just domestic charts, but global ones.
Even in the history of DW Entertainment—a powerhouse known for male idols—their achievements were unprecedented.
They were, quite literally, DW’s meticulously crafted masterpiece.
There were even awards from Oricon and Billboard.
‘They really lived life to the fullest.’
‘Not me, but Joo Seunghyun.’
A strange sense of accomplishment, as if Joo Seunghyun’s achievements were his own, washed over him. Seunghyun clenched his fists.
He had almost made the mistake of confusing the original owner’s life for his.
Just as he was trying to shake off the overstepping sentiment, Manager Kim returned with Director Yoon.
Except for Seunghyun, the members immediately bowed deeply in greeting.
Though it was his first time meeting the man, Seunghyun could tell who the middle-aged man was through Joo Seunghyun’s memories.
It was Director Yoon Dae-won, the head of DW Entertainment.
When Seunghyun tried to stand a beat late, Director Yoon hurriedly waved his hands to stop him.
“Whoa, don’t get up. Just sit. Stay seated. Seunghyun, are you feeling alright?”
Not stopping there, Director Yoon sat diagonally from Seunghyun and asked about his well-being with a worried expression.
A former pop singer from the era before the term “idol” even existed, he was now a handsome man radiating mature charm.
He was full of charisma but wasn’t particularly authoritarian; moreover, he was exceptionally fond of Seunghyun.
Joo Seunghyun, in turn, hadn’t found Director Yoon difficult to be around.
Seunghyun nodded.
“I’m okay. Have you been well, Director?”
“I’m glad to hear you’re okay. I’m the same as always.”
He gave a warm, fatherly smile.
Director Yoon had been Seunghyun’s strongest shield.
He had volunteered to be Joo Seunghyun’s guardian, telling him to think of him as a father.
He had always been fond of him, but after the tragedy of his parents’ death and the misfortune of the other Halo members manifesting as Alphas, he had supported Seunghyun with heartfelt sincerity.
“Seunghyun. As you probably know, things have gotten a bit complicated.”
Seunghyun nodded. Director Yoon placed a hand on Seunghyun’s knee and spoke in a subdued voice.
“It has spread too far for us to suppress. Both the news about your delayed manifestation and what happened last night.”
“…….”
“We can’t delay it any longer. Up until now, we’ve respected your wishes and haven’t revealed anything… but now that things have come to this, we have to release a statement.”
The reason there had been no announcement until Halo’s disbandment in the original timeline was because of ‘Joo Seunghyun’s’ stubbornness.
Perhaps he hadn’t been able to let go of that final hope that he might be able to promote as an idol again.
He had judged that even if he did return, announcing that he was the sole Omega in a group full of Alphas would hinder their activities.
He had told the other members to promote freely, but in the end, they had all met a “sinking together” ending.
In Seunghyun’s eyes, they were all so kind they were foolish.
“Seunghyun. I don’t think staying silent is the answer anymore. I believe this is the way to protect you now. Will that be alright?”
His steady gaze seemed to promise that he would protect Seunghyun.
He had intended to watch the situation quietly, but everything had already gone awry since he was photographed leaving the hospital.
Whatever it was, the truth had surfaced.
After a moment’s hesitation, Seunghyun nodded.
“It’s alright.”
“Good. Hiding it isn’t always the best solution.”
Director Yoon smiled, the lines around his mouth deepening.
“As you get older, you realize peace of mind and health are everything. Even if you’ve improved a lot, it hasn’t been long since you got back on your feet. You’ve been through a lot of big events in a row.”
He felt a hand wrap around his shoulder.
Turning his head, he saw Yijeong standing tall behind him.
Noticing Seunghyun’s gaze, the leader leaned down to match his eye level.
“Is there something you’d like to say?”
When Seunghyun shook his head, Yijeong straightened up and looked forward again, toward where Director Yoon was sitting.
He had felt this before, but even for a leader and the youngest member, the use of extremely formal honorifics for a mere three-year age gap seemed excessive.
It occurred to him that Joo Seunghyun might have been a stricter leader than he thought.
“You should rest as much as you want. No one is going to complain. Right?”
Director Yoon asked the members.
Without a hint of opposition, everyone nodded.
For some reason, Seunghyun’s heart felt heavy.
And that night, the internet exploded once again.
The articles with the highest views and comments on portals were all about Seunghyun, and most of the real-time search terms were related to Halo.
[HALO] Seunghyun HEALTH UPDATE POSTED (+MENTIONS OF RECENT SASAENG INCIDENT)
I screenshotted the DW notice and article.
[Notice regarding Halo member Seunghyun’s activities]
Hello, this is DW Entertainment.
We would like to provide an update regarding Halo member Seunghyun’s health status and his participation in future activities.
Halo member Seunghyun recently experienced a delayed manifestation as an Omega and is currently resting while undergoing appropriate treatment.
Following discussions with Seunghyun and the other members, it has been decided that he will return after a period of sufficient rest.
Therefore, we inform you that activities for the remaining members will resume first.
The company will do its utmost for Seunghyun’s treatment and recovery, and we promise to prioritize Seunghyun’s opinions as we have always done.
Thank you.
…(Omitted)…
A DW Entertainment official stated, ‘Although treatment is ongoing, we understand he was discharged and moved for security reasons. As he currently needs stability, we are focusing on security.’
They added a request for the protection of the artist’s privacy, saying, ‘There were also concerns about causing inconvenience to other patients and guardians.’
-Are these sasaengs crazy? Seriously, how far are they going to cross the line? Does it make sense that he had to give up treatment and get discharged because of sasaengs?
-They dragged this out and only announced it now? Lol isn’t this faked? To dodge the military?
-Wow, the members must feel so guilty.. He probably had a delayed manifestation because of the Alpha members.. Even if they say it’s not, the circumstances fit perfectly.
-“As we have always done”?? Then you’re saying it was Seunghyun’s choice to leave everyone in the dark and let the atmosphere get this bad without a single notice???? Everyone knows there’s no way Seunghyun would ever do that ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Seriously, DW is so cowardly and ridiculous for hiding behind Seunghyun like this ^^!
-Seunghyun-ah, we are always on your side so don’t push yourself!! Rest well and come back slowly! We’re always here!
-It feels a bit late, but personally, I understand DW’s position.. Honestly, a person’s life was on the line, so it’s understandable they’d be hesitant to announce it ㅠ
-The power of a top-tier idol is insane. It feels like the whole world has been on fire talking about Joo Seunghyun for almost ten days straight ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
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