Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 240. When a Workaholic Leader Takes Power (9)

To briefly summarize Dan Haru’s change of heart, it went something like this:

“I hope Siwoo hyung and Hajin hyung make up.”

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“Based on what I’ve observed so far, it seems that reconciliation starts with a ‘conversation.’”

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“Looking at both of their personalities, it’s usually Hajin hyung who starts the conversation.”

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“But Hajin hyung isn’t talking to Siwoo hyung?”

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“Well, Siwoo hyung can be a bit scary when he’s angry. Even though he’s hyung to Hajin hyung, Hajin hyung might also feel uncomfortable or scared.”

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“Then wouldn’t it be more encouraging if it’s the two of us instead of just one?”

Despite the complicated thought process, the conclusion was simple.

“So I need to side with Hajin hyung!”

Trying to start a fight to make them reconcile.

It might seem like an extreme idea, but Dan Haru was serious.

He was so serious that he lost sleep over it and missed breakfast for the first time in his 17 years of life.

Anyway, because of that, Dan Haru very carefully chose his words and made an effort to convey his feelings to Hajin properly.

“…I think there’s a reason why hyungs are acting like this. I don’t know what it is, but, um… what I want to say is… I also want to help you.”

“……”

“We’re one group, and I’m also a member. Even though Taehyun hyung said I should just focus on school, still. You always helped us…”

The reason he couldn’t easily say, ‘This time, I’ll help you, hyung,’ was that he hadn’t thought of a concrete way to help yet.

As Hajin listened quietly with a stern expression, Haru’s confidence wavered, and he trailed off. The next moment, Hajin leaned forward, met Haru’s eyes, and asked,

“Are you really going to take my side?”

“Pardon? …Yes!”

“Even if I end up fighting more with Siwoo hyung and the atmosphere at the dorm turns into a complete mess?”

“Well… I think it’s already pretty much a mess.”

“…Ah, I see.”

Hajin clicked his tongue in response to Haru’s straightforward answer and nodded.

However, seeing Hajin still deep in thought, Haru made one final, firm statement.

“Honestly, if it were before, I would have been really scared… but not anymore.”

“……”

“Fighting isn’t always bad, right? Just like when Yugeon hyung and Taehyun hyung fought, I think the worst thing is when people turn their backs on each other without saying anything. So, even if it takes time, I really hope you two talk and reconcile.”

Haru recalled what Doha had said about the two.

That they didn’t want to move on easily.

Doha’s words about the two being okay weren’t based on faith or expectations, but on a rational judgment of the facts. However, Haru had faith.

Faith that Kang Hajin would wisely resolve all of this.

“I trust you hyungs, so it’s okay. If this conflict is something we need, I can wait.”

And though Dan Haru didn’t realize it at the time, that faith was exactly what Kang Hajin needed most.

Hajin’s eyes lit up after hearing Haru’s words.

“Really? So, you can still endure this, Haru? The current situation?”

“Huh? No, no… I don’t like that you guys are fighting, but…”

“Then it’s okay if we fight even more intensely…?”

“……Huh?”

…No, that wasn’t a spark of life but a flash of madness, Haru later recalled.

Though he felt a shiver down his spine as if he’d done something irreversible, Haru nodded anyway. It just felt like the right thing to do.

And seeing Haru nod, Hajin grinned wickedly and stood up. Then, he grabbed his phone and made a call.

“Ah, Director. It’s me, Hajin… No, it’s not that. Remember what you mentioned before? About having the members participate in the Let Us content planning? Yes, yes. Ah, I want to take on that. No, not the other kids, I was thinking of starting with Jung Siwoo hyung’s part.”

Hajin was probably on the phone with Ji Suho, casually dropping bombs left and right. Haru, who had been watching in wide-eyed shock, gradually found himself covering his gaping mouth as he listened to what Hajin said next.

“That shoot is still a while away, right? If we cancel it now, it’ll cost a lot, won’t it? Yeah, it’ll cost a lot, right? Can’t we delay it a bit? No, it’s nothing major. It’s just that hyung’s health hasn’t been great lately, and I’ve noticed he’s been taking his meds… Mm, yes. Thank you~ Oh, no worries. Work is work, after all. Do I really look like someone who’d mess up official matters because of personal feelings? Yes, yes. Of course, I’m doing this to help us reconcile. I’ve come to my senses. Yes, thank you, take care~”

After postponing Jung Siwoo’s Let Us shoot with just one phone call, Hajin hung up looking thoroughly satisfied and tossed his phone onto the bed.

As Haru blinked in disbelief at what had just happened, Hajin slowly approached him, placing a large hand on Haru’s shoulder, not hard enough to hurt.

“My precious Sparkling.”

“…Yes, y-yes?”

“You trust me, right?”

“Uh…”

“If you want to see me and Siwoo hyung reconcile, what you just heard stays a secret, okay?”

“…But… didn’t you say that Siwoo hyung has been staying up all night to prepare for Let Us…?”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I scrapped it first. To piss him off.”

“…Huh?”

Haru, the baby bunny warrior with a malfunctioning reaction, was left speechless as Hajin smiled.

“To fix the barn, you have to break it first.”

…Can you really do that?

Haru’s pupils shook violently, completely lost.

* * *

After declaring that he’d show what a leader’s abuse of power looks like, Hajin had begun taking action in earnest. It was as if the entire previous period of cold silence had been building up to this moment.

The first move was simple: canceling Jung Siwoo’s schedule.

“-…My radio schedule has changed?”

“-Yeah. It was supposed to be you and Taehyun, right? Now, it’s going to be Yugeon and Taehyun.”

“-Why the sudden change?”

“-Didn’t you say you felt like you were catching a cold? You should take care of your throat. You’ve got Let Us and other recordings lined up soon… Do you need to see a doctor? Should I bring you some porridge?”

“-…Did I say I have a cold?”

“-That’s what Hajin said.”

Kang Hajin systematically canceled or postponed all of Jung Siwoo’s personal schedules.

He took advantage of Miro’s sensitivity to their artists’ health, getting the company to overly protect Jung Siwoo.

Even Ji Suho, who had initially heard Hajin’s claims with suspicion, was quickly swayed by Hajin’s sincere plea, “That hyung barely sleeps two hours a night these days. Lee Doha, who’s been sharing the same room, confirmed it. We have to prepare for our year-end performance, but if hyung collapses before then, it’ll be a disaster!”

Eventually, Hajin blocked all of Siwoo’s lessons and schedules, and even temporarily banned him from the practice room.

Then, he moved on to the next step.

“-……? Kang Hajin, what are you doing right now?”

“-What do you mean? I’m taking a selfie.”

“-Why are you taking it next to me?”

“-You know there’s been talk going around that you and I don’t get along lately? Unless you’re planning on sparking rumors of discord, I’d appreciate your cooperation~”

He started deliberately provoking Jung Siwoo.

It was as if Hajin was trying to make up for all the times he hadn’t fought back before, like a fearless pup who didn’t know to fear the tiger.

“-Hyung. I’ve been thinking about a concept for your Let Us (LET US) item.”

“-……”

“-How about playing the piano and singing? I think that’s what the fans want to see the most.”

Even though he knew Siwoo had been avoiding the piano, Hajin shamelessly suggested it with a grin, making him seem like a complete psychopath.

As he made this suggestion during dinner, when everyone was gathered, the atmosphere grew cold. Everyone except for Eunchan, who was unaware that Siwoo was avoiding the piano, paused mid-bite.

“-……”

In the chilled atmosphere, Siwoo chose to ignore the comment.

Without a word, he picked up his bowl and chopsticks, cleared his dishes in the sink, and went to his room. The remaining members all turned their eyes toward Hajin, but Hajin just leaned back in his chair, calmly watching Siwoo leave.

“-Ah, too bad. He didn’t take the bait. I thought that was a solid hit.”

“-…Hyung, are you seriously a psycho? Why are you doing this?”

Even Taehyun, who was shocked, only received a shrug from Hajin.

“-Just wait. It’s not like I’m enjoying this either.”

Now, back to the present.

In the stormy practice room where Jung

Siwoo finally exploded and grabbed Kang Hajin by the collar.

After Hajin and Siwoo had been separated and confined in individual practice rooms by Yugeon and Doha, Taehyun and Eunchan caught Haru, who was trying to sneak away, and were now listening to his explanation, utterly baffled.

“…So, what you’re saying is that Kang Hajin hyung is doing all this to pick a fight with Siwoo hyung?”

“Yes. I-I’m not entirely sure, but… anyway, he said they need to fight properly.”

“So, Hajin hyung, not the company, is the one who delayed Siwoo hyung’s Let Us shoot?”

“He didn’t cancel it, just postponed it…”

“And now, Siwoo hyung found out and got completely furious, grabbed Kang Hajin by the collar, and… the one who told Siwoo hyung that ‘Kang Hajin postponed Let Us’ was…”

Taehyun looked at Haru with disbelief.

Haru gave a sheepish smile, trying to look as innocent as possible.

“…Haru, was it you?”

“H-Hajin hyung made me do it…”

“Why? To piss Siwoo hyung off?”

“Yes… He said that no matter how much he provoked, Siwoo hyung wouldn’t react, so he told me to act concerned and mention it…”

“And you just did it because he told you to?”

At Taehyun’s questioning, Haru silently lowered his gaze. Seeing this, Taehyun rubbed his forehead and leaned back against the wall. They had switched rooms to give the youngest member some comfort therapy, but it turned out that this little one had teamed up with Kang Hajin to pour fuel on the fire.

At that moment, the door to the practice room suddenly burst open.

Out came Siwoo, his neck flushed red with anger, followed calmly by Doha.

Siwoo stormed toward the practice room where Hajin had been confined and yanked the door open with irritation. Then, pulling Yugeon out of the room, he stood in front of Hajin.

“Kang Hajin.”

“Yes.”

“What the hell are you trying to do with me?”

At Siwoo’s ominous tone, all the members gathered around the practice room.

But Doha, standing guard at the door, signaled for them to stay back and let the two of them fight it out. Helplessly, the members could only watch the tense exchange between the two.

Siwoo, barely containing his boiling anger, took a step closer to Hajin and asked again.

“What are you trying to do? Do you really want to fight?”

“……”

“I asked what the hell you’re doing!”

Siwoo’s voice cracked, sounding pathetic.

Hajin, who had been lounging casually in a chair, frowned slightly at the sound and stood up. With his hands in his pockets and an annoyingly smug expression, Hajin answered in the most aggravating tone he could muster.

“I told you, I’m managing the main vocalist as the leader.”

“……”

“This is how I work. Since we’re just colleagues making money together, I think excessive consideration is inefficient. Annoying, right? Sorry if you’re surprised. This is who I really am.”

As if I wasn’t called a tyrant at my previous company for nothing?

Siwoo let out a disbelieving laugh at Hajin’s teasing words. But Hajin wasn’t finished.

“If I had really seen you as a business partner in the same group, I would have treated you like this from the beginning.”

At this, Siwoo’s expression hardened slightly. He recalled the mistake he had made with Hajin.

Hajin continued without caring.

“The fact that I didn’t act this way before means that even if you made me uncomfortable, I didn’t dislike you. It means I admired, respected, and cared for you, no matter how you took it.”

“……”

“…But now, I realize that consideration was really stupid.”

Hajin took another step closer to Siwoo, who still hadn’t responded.

“You’re just a rookie who’s only twenty-two.”

“What?”

Hajin’s hand touched Siwoo’s forehead.

Only after feeling how cold Hajin’s hand was did Siwoo realize how feverish his own body had become. Hajin spoke calmly to Siwoo.

“You’ve got a fever.”

“……”

“You were so busy worrying about others’ health that you didn’t notice you were sick. That’s what makes you a fool and a rookie.”

Hajin sighed softly, laughing as if in disbelief.