No F.U.N | Choi Seungcheol

Prologue

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"You want me to oversee trainees?" Yuri looked at the management executive with surprise, "I'm a working idol though?"

Yuri couldn't understand the situation she had been forced into. She was an active music producer, idol and leader of a girl group... They wanted her to oversee trainees on top of that?

"This is a little too much," Yuri answered, "I can't do everything at once."

"One month. You will pose as our interim vocal trainer for one month." The management executive spoke sternly. "We're taking in a rookie group with no name or promise." He spoke observing Yuri's reaction. "It would be different if it were only you but we're paying for a contract expulsion for 3 other people and that is not a small amount."

Yuri frowned. She had little to say against that. They wouldn't be able to sign new contracts if this negotiation were to fall through... The amount that Big Hit was willing was pay was huge, the profit ratio favourable with stock options in the future. No. There was little to discuss. Her members were being handed a golden spoon... They should take it.

"Fine."

Yuri gave in and it boosted her opponent's confidence. Straightening up, the man put forward his next condition, "We're also disbanding I-Doll." The man put his pen down, no longer looking at Yuri. She was shocked, eyes wide as he continued, "Your members will go back to training for a year and then debut under a different name of our choice."

Yuri stood up, aghast, "You can't do that. This is my group, I created them! I-Doll breathes because I gave it life... I picked every member and I made every song. You will not disband us!" Renaming the group meant renaming the members, their images... Everything. They could pick and point every flaw and change everything they had built themselves upon for the last three years. They could add new members, remove existing ones... Destroy I-Doll.

"But you're not popular." There was a vindictive spark in the man's eye as he spoke. He was blunt with not much to refute. They were not popular, just as he had said with a little to no fanbase to support the new group, except for her own fans.

"That's because—" They were a rookie group. With only two mini-albums out in the market. They might've not won the rookie group of the year award but they weren't incapable. Given a little more time, Yuri was sure they would make a name for themselves.

"You're a solo artist Lee Yuri." He cut her off as he folded his hands together. His tone grew slightly sympathetic,  "The company believes you're better off as one. Your members are simply bringing you down." But Yuri could not agree. How could she? She had built this group, I-Doll was her responsibility. Letting it disband was equal to abandoning them, a betrayal she could not make.

The man sighed, leaning forward, realising how passionate Yuri was towards her group, "The numbers don't lie, Yuri-ssi. Your songs were good but you had no promotion. A bad start is an inevitable failure. I-Doll is going nowhere. We're promising to treat them well and you can write songs for them when they debut. Not only will we pay for their contract expulsion but we will also pay for the remaining debt they have as trainees. And as for the group name... Your previous company patented the group name. We have no choice but to disband I-Doll." 

Yuri sat down, the harsh reality ringing in her ears. No choice... No choice? Having no choice hurt and knowing that I-Doll would disappear because of her was painful. But she had to consider leaving them in that hellish company all alone. Unlike her, they had little power and their contracts were not in their favour. If she left the group and debuted as a soloist, she would damage any chance I-Doll had of succeeding as a group. She couldn't allow her members to suffer like that. Yuri pulled herself together, nodding softly.

"Okay." Yuri whispered, holding back tears, "I-Doll ends here."

The man offered her some water which she accepted and sipped on. It was hard to gulp down but it had to be done. The representative of Big Hit had spoken of 3 conditions to take in Yuri and her group members of I-Doll and now, it was time for the third one.

"Lastly," the man paused as he read over the contract in his hand. He sighed, realising it was going to be difficult to get her to agree on this one. "The last condition is,"

"Break up with Choi Seungcheol."

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