Chapter 51
The remarks made by BlueRed's youngest member Taewoon began to spread to every community in an instant.
-Did BlueRed's Taewoon blatantly diss WeUs on his W-app live stream?
A single post that abruptly appeared on an idol community.
At first, most people didn't believe it.
While disputes between idol fandoms are quite common, an idol group member directly targeting another group was an unprecedented event, wasn't it?
However, as testimonies from eyewitnesses who watched the live stream directly started coming up one by one, the incident began to grow bigger and bigger.
-There must be quite a few people here who saw it directly, right? It was a fuss earlier today because BlueRed turned on W-app after a long time.
└This is real, I watched it on the W-app stream too hahahahahahaha
└Taewoon is seriously a crazy bastard, bringing up WeUs right there hahaha It's not like he's only been an idol for 1 or 2 years, does he have no filter?
-I watched it in real-time too, the atmosphere of the members next to him completely froze and the stream ended immediately.
└They deleted the recording as soon as the stream ended, right? Did anyone record it?
As the incident spiraled out of control, BlueRed's fans began to respond desperately.
-What are you talking about? It's true Taewoon mentioned WeUs, but he definitely didn't do it to diss them.
└This is right, since the chat kept posting things drawing aggro with WeUs, he probably just said a word to stop drawing aggro, but everyone is hating on him too much...
-Honestly, aggro chats kept coming up to the point where it was hard to proceed with the stream, is this Taewoon's fault? Aren't WeUs's fans going too far? A senior group is making a comeback after a long time, why are they causing a scene there?
└I'm not a Blaire, but it seems like WeUs's fans were in the wrong first.
-He even cheered for WeUs to do well in their activities at the end, but they're making an issue out of something that seems like nothing. They just hate BlueRed and want to diss them. Don't force a reason.
BlueRed's fandom, Blaire, was still powerful and experienced.
Excluding the fact that Taewoon directly mentioned WeUs as much as possible, posts claiming that the junior group WeUs's fans drew aggro and caused a scene in a senior group's W-app live stream started going up in a short period of time.
It was like a bolt from the blue for WeUs's fans, who were just waiting for WeUs's debut album and circulating their own topics with happy imaginations every day.
-No, what on earth is going on? Why are our kids' names mentioned when BlueRed is making a comeback?
-They say our side's fans caused a fuss in their W-app live stream, is that true?
└No, their member was in the wrong from the start, but they're acting like the injured party claiming we were wrong first.
-Is it really okay to just stay still over this? From what I hear, their member was wrong first?
└Even so, they are a much senior group...
└They aren't even direct agency seniors, isn't BlueRed just a trashy group? Do we have to just take it lying down like this?
It was a moment that revealed WeUs's weakness, formed through an audition.
Since there were still more fans who liked each individual member than the group WeUs as a whole, their cohesion was inevitably lacking compared to the BlueRed fans who attacked them systematically.
-Ah... it's so frustrating. Why are our kids getting cursed at when they did nothing wrong, and yet we're fighting amongst ourselves over whether we should respond or not?
Just as WeUs's fans were struggling with frustration.
A key to overturn the incident in an instant appeared.
-Guys, I found it here! I'll share the link to the full version video of Taewoon's remark!
No matter how desperately BlueRed's agency tried to stop it, they couldn't prevent short edited versions from circulating.
Eventually, BlueRed's Taewoon's remarks were revealed.
[What's WeUs? Why do you keep saying WeUs, WeUs?]
[What's WeUs? They're amazing people! I asked and answered myself. They're amazing people! Aren't they the nation's idol group?]
After the video was released and Taewoon's remarks were all revealed, immediate reactions appeared in the idol community.
-They said all this and tried to pin it on WeUs's fans? hahahaha Blaire is completely ridiculous hahahahaha
-Wow, look at that sarcastic expression on Taewoon's face when he spoke. Are there really kids who defend Taewoon even after seeing that?
-WeUs just stayed still and stepped on crap. A senior should act like a senior to be a senior, guys like that don't need to be treated as seniors.
-Are you feeling jealous of a rookie who just debuted? hahaha So jealous, Tae-woon hahaha
-Looking at the video, it's not even a controversy, it's just BlueRed being BlueRed, is there a problem?
It was also because BlueRed's image wasn't good normally, but Taewoon's remarks themselves had such an unfiltered nuance of disparagement that it made even the fans' shields pointless.
-It's so funny how the Blaires who were defending Taewoon until earlier all disappeared the moment the video dropped hahahaha
└Once it quiets down, if they get #1 again, it's obvious they'll crawl out as if it never happened hahaha
-Truly asking and answering himself hahahaha That was the best gag of the year, Tae-woon hahahaha
└What's WeUs? They're amazing people!
└hahahahahahahahaha So funny
-Isn't BlueRed going to self-reflect for another year at this rate?
└Looking at Taewoon running his mouth, it's totally possible hahaha
The atmosphere completely reversed with the revelation of Taewoon's remarks.
Thanks to that, a positive situation was actually created for WeUs.
-But WeUs's debut date overlaps with BlueRed's comeback this time?
└They said BlueRed is around the end of next month, and WeUs is expected to be around then too.
└Crazy, if they promote together after this and run into each other, the atmosphere will be murderous hahaha
-I'm a fan of another group, but if WeUs and BlueRed promote together this time, I'll definitely cheer for WeUs.
└2222222222 I'll stream WeUs and certify it too hahaha
└3333333 WeUs, carry out justice! Hooray!
***
Just because we started preparing for the debut album didn't mean we devoted all our time solely to album preparation.
Various profile shoots, magazine interviews, commercial filming, and even a reality program...
The schedule continued without a moment to rest.
"Ah, it was tough. Is this the end of today's schedule?"
"Yeah, that's it for today."
"Yeeeees!"
On the way back to the dorm.
At the words that today's schedule was over, Sim Seong-ha cheered.
The other members didn't say anything, but they also looked quite exhausted.
'I didn't know commercial filming would be this hard...'
The commercial we just filmed was an ion drink commercial.
Claiming to show a healthy and vibrant image, we had to play various sports all day long.
Of course, that much wasn't difficult for me at all.
"Ugh... drinking too much ion drink makes my stomach churn..."
"Han-hwi hyung ate relatively little... I think I ate almost two whole bottles when filming the final ending scene. Sob sob..."
No matter how much of an ion drink it was, drinking the beverage throughout the commercial wasn't an easy task.
When Kang A-jin made a crying sound recalling that memory.
"Still, after filming the commercial. I feel like I've really become a star. It's thrilling... always new..."
Woo Jung-woo, who hadn't stopped smiling at the commercial filming set, muttered quietly next to me.
He looked a bit dazed, which made me a little worried, but...
'He must be really happy to act like that. Let's just leave him be.'
Since I was a special case who debuted right away through an audition, it didn't feel completely real to me, but Park Han-hwi, who had a long trainee life, and Woo Jung-woo, who had debuted once before, seemed to feel a lot while preparing for this debut.
Woo Jung-woo's expression when he occasionally brought up the story of his first debut looked quite bitter.
'Hyung, if an idol isn't popular, right? Then you really don't get treated like a human...'
Having said that, Woo Jung-woo soon hid his gloomy air and glossed over the dampened mood by saying the treatment he received from his current agency was truly like a dream.
Listening to Woo Jung-woo's stories, it seemed we were receiving treatment unbecoming of rookies.
He said it was nonsense for rookies to film a group commercial before even debuting. Woo Jung-woo had been making a fuss even before the commercial shoot.
Like that, as I was looking at Woo Jung-woo and newly realizing our popularity.
Eugene Kim, who was sitting in the front seat, took out his phone and spoke.
"Let's take a picture to post on our SNS just once!"
After WeUs's official SNS account was created, they had been posting group photos on SNS almost once a day.
Before starting full-fledged activities, it was the only communication we could have with fans since we didn't have a W-app channel yet, so we were trying to upload every day without resting like this.
"Guys. I think we should rest from SNS today."
"Huh?"
At that moment, the manager, who usually didn't speak much while driving, suddenly opened his mouth.
"Uh... why? Did something happen?"
"I'll tell you when we arrive at the dorm, for now let's just rest from SNS today. Okay?"
"Yes... understood."
What on earth is going on?
It was a manager who kindly explained things to us even when there were minor issues normally.
Come to think of it, I was out of it when the shoot ended so I didn't notice, but looking at the manager now, his face seemed full of worry.
The inside of the car suddenly became quiet.
At that time, Eugene Kim, who was looking at his phone without a word, sighed and spoke.
"Ah... BlueRed...?"
BlueRed? Of course I knew the name BlueRed too, but what does that have to do with us?
When I was about to take out my phone to check out of curiosity.
I suddenly felt Woo Jung-woo's expression next to me harden.
***
After we arrived at the dorm, the manager gave a brief explanation and caution, and immediately ran to the company.
"So simply put, a member of BlueRed mentioned us and made a slip of the tongue, causing a fight between the fandoms, right?"
"To be precise, rather than a fight, BlueRed's Taewoon is getting cursed at one-sidedly. But we should be careful too. They're our seniors after all."
Eugene Kim calmly retorted to my words and continued.
"There's almost nothing that will change much. The manager hyung also told us not to worry. He said to just be careful with SNS for a while, so let's just rest from SNS for the time being."
"Ugh, what a shame. The fans will be waiting every day..."
"Still, it's better than carelessly posting something wrong and causing a controversy. The fans will understand."
The atmosphere was that no one was paying much attention to it.
Actually, weren't the 7 people here already ones who debuted through that thrilling MusicNet audition?
There wouldn't be anyone who would be swayed by this level of incident... I thought, but.
'Jung-woo has been acting strange since earlier.'
While I was looking at Woo Jung-woo, everyone seemed tired, so after finishing the short emergency meeting, everyone went into their rooms. Woo Jung-woo also went into his room with Baek Si-hyun.
'Still, it bothers me a bit.'
Seeing Woo Jung-woo's gloomy appearance, who had always shown a bright side since we moved into the dorm, I went into the room where Woo Jung-woo and Baek Si-hyun were.
"Oh, hyung, what's the matter?"
I saw Woo Jung-woo lying on the bed wearing headphones, and Baek Si-hyun looking at me in surprise when I entered the room.
"I just came to hang out."
I said as if it was nothing, but the quick-witted Baek Si-hyun seemed to realize I had something to say to Woo Jung-woo.
"Aha! I'll go wash up first then."
As Baek Si-hyun said that and left the room, Woo Jung-woo took off his headphones first and spoke to me.
"Hyung, I'm okay. You don't need to worry."
Woo Jung-woo preempted me by speaking before I could even say anything.
Something definitely happened. But it didn't seem like an atmosphere where he would easily tell me.
'Comforting someone isn't my specialty...'
I barely held back a sigh from escaping and spoke to Woo Jung-woo.
"Um, Jung-woo."
"Yes..."
"If there's something difficult to handle alone, I hope you let me know before it's too late."
"Thank you, hyung."
Looking at Woo Jung-woo answering weakly, I silently opened the door and came out.
'Shh!'
I saw five members, including Baek Si-hyun, pressed tightly against the wall.
'Oh my head...'
-So what's the matter???
I checked on Woo Jung-woo inside the room, shook my head at the members who couldn't even move and were only communicating with their eyes, and moved to my room.
'I just have to hope it's nothing serious.'
I just hope our activities don't overlap with BlueRed or whatever...
Was it thanks to my wish? The next day, BlueRed's response followed immediately.
['Comeback' BlueRed, breaking 1 and a half years of silence and returning to fans on April 13th.]
BlueRed, who originally announced a comeback at the end of April, pulled the schedule forward by 2 weeks, revealing April 13th as the comeback date.
By advancing the comeback to April 13th, there was only a little over a month left until the comeback, a decision that anyone could see was conscious of WeUs.
[BlueRed advances comeback schedule by 2 weeks. Were they conscious of WeUs?]
[BlueRed's Taewoon who disparaged WeUs. 'It wasn't my intention. I'm sorry if I caused a misunderstanding.']
[Did BlueRed throw down the white flag first in the boy group war expected at the end of April?]
[BlueRed advances comeback schedule, what will WeUs's choice be?]
While I was feeling relieved looking at the pouring articles.
An entirely unexpected event occurred.
[WeUs's April 13th debut showcase confirmed. Advanced debut schedule. The countdown to debut begins now!]
'T-T-These crazy people. Why was our schedule advanced too?'