Novel Boss
Chapter 196
# 197
First match (1)
‘Jo Jeong-min?’
Both Do-wook and Tae-hyung Park’s eyes widened at the unexpected appearance of a familiar figure.
In addition, Jo Jung-min could never be said to have a good relationship with the two people. Dowook had already met Jo Jung-min in the waiting room of a large concert hall before.
At that time, Jo Jung-min still had ill feelings toward Do-wook and Park Tae-hyung.
The distance was such that Jo Jeong-min could clearly hear the conversation of the group.
“What are you doing? you guys.”
Jo Jeong-min clearly made eye contact with Do-wook, but instead of greeting Do-wook, he spoke to the group.
The group turned to Jo Jung-min and showed happy faces.
“Oh bro!”
“Are you here?”
Jo Jeong-min nodded and received greetings from the group.
Jo Jung-min and Moo-ri had become familiar with each other during the last audition. Because our dancing genres were similar, we were able to quickly become friends through the audition after-party.
Moreover, Jo Jung-min’s skills were such that he was selected as a candidate for the championship among the participants. The dancing skills he showed during the audition seemed sufficient to make him think that way.
Participants felt a sense of competition from someone with superior skills than themselves, but they also wanted to acknowledge and be recognized by him.
The attitude of the group welcoming Jo Jung-min was exactly that.
“What are you doing?”
When Jo Jung-min asked a bit bluntly, the participant who was sarcastic about Park Tae-hyung answered with a smile.
“Well, what can I do? “I was just peeling the fish.”
“Ah……”
Jo Jung-min, with a meaningful tone and an expression of understanding, turned to Do-wook and Park Tae-hyung.
Naturally, the group’s heads turned and spotted the two people.
The participants’ expressions visibly hardened. It was natural since Park Taehyung, who they had been talking about just a moment ago, was there.
If it wasn’t clear that he had heard the story, he would have made an effort to hide it. However, it was clear from the expressions on the two people’s faces that they had heard the story. When I thought about it that way, it seemed like I couldn’t resolve the situation by pretending it wasn’t happening.
The participant frowned for a moment and muttered.
“ah. “Unfortunately…”
When it was decided that a settlement was impossible, it seemed like they decided to go out without any hesitation.
It was Park Tae-hyung, whom I didn’t like anyway, so I decided that since it was like this, rather than ruin my appearance by bowing out late, I should just go to another team.
Do-wook was shocked and laughed as the participant muttered as if telling him to listen to everything.
“hey.”
At Dowook’s call, tension appeared on the participants’ faces. However, the participant who said ‘unlucky’ tried to erase the tension and answered with a calm face.
“What is it?”
“Who is the unlucky one now…”
Everyone looked surprised when Do-wook came out bluntly. Even Taehyung Park did the same. It was like that with Dowook’s usual image, and it couldn’t come out through his words and actions in real life.
But Do-wook also knew when to tolerate it and when not to. Now was a time when there was no reason to endure.
The low pitched voice made the participants feel intimidated.
It was when Do-wook was about to say more.
“I apologize.”
Jo Jung-min spoke quickly.
If Dowook urged the participants, he did not know how they would change their words and post them on the Internet. Of course, for a star like Do-wook, something like that would not significantly damage his image, but it could still cause unnecessary noise.
It was common for celebrities to receive preferential treatment compared to ordinary people, but this was also the reason why they were placed in a relatively weak position.
Jo Jung-min knew that well.
Jo Jung-min did not want Do-wook to be in trouble.
Jo Jeong-min’s unexpected words made Do-wook and Park Tae-hyung look suspicious, wondering if they had heard wrong. The participants also seemed dumbfounded.
“brother……?”
The participant called Jo Jung-min, but Jo Jung-min only nodded and made it clear that he wanted to apologize quickly.
Although they had only been friends for a short time, I thought that someone as talented as Jo Jeong-min would ignore Park Tae-hyung just like he did.
Moreover, it was Jo Jung-min who expressed negative opinions about idols at the first drinking party.
“Have you ever seen Taehyung Park dance properly?”
The participant muttered in response to Jo Jung-min’s question.
Because it was so crazy, I only saw KK’s performance once. Of course, even then, I didn’t feel like I couldn’t do it at all. Even at a glance, you could see that they were superior to other teams.
However, I thought it was an idol dance.
Jo Jung-min snapped at the muttering participant.
“Are you just saying this without even looking?”
“No, bro. “Do you have any relationship with Taehyung Park?”
Another participant who was worse than him rebelled against Jo Jung-min.
“me? I am a bad person here at KK because I was pushed around by Taehyung Park. “I say this because not being able to recognize Taehyung Park’s skills means that I can’t recognize him either.”
Everyone looked surprised at Jo Jung-min’s words.
This was because no one knew about Jo Jeong-min’s history. These participants were thought to have continued to be active in their current dance team.
Of course, Jo Jung-min did not intend to deceive. It’s just that they didn’t come forward and reveal it.
He had already done a personal interview about his idol trainee background, so everyone would know when the broadcast aired.
In a cold atmosphere, the participants looked like they had made a mistake.
At the same time, there was a feeling that Jo Jung-min was being belittled.
It was funny. They were the ones who had been supporting Jo Jung-min as the candidate for the championship just a moment ago.
However, when I revealed that I was an idol trainee, they immediately looked down on me.
Despite being disillusioned with their attitude, Jo Jung-min looked back on his past.
‘I guess I was the same person as them… Anyway, you can overcome prejudices with your skills. It’s already been recognized…’
Jo Jung-min thought that and laughed at the participants.
“You will apologize.”
Dowook spoke behind the participants as they ran out of the hallway. They were shocked and walked quickly again.
Only three people remained in the waiting room hallway: Jo Jung-min, Park Tae-hyung, and Do-wook.
There was an awkward feeling in the air.
Jo Jung-min’s attitude was very surprising. Taehyung Park looked at Jo Jungmin. He was a very scary brother when he was a trainee, but now that I look at him, Jo Jung-min is so ordinary that I don’t even understand who he was before.
It was when Do-wook glanced at Jo Jung-min with suspicious eyes.
“sorry. “As a fellow participant, I will also apologize on your behalf.”
“yes yes?”
Jo Jung-min’s eyes were looking directly at Park Tae-hyung. When Park Tae-hyung, embarrassed, asked again, Jo Jeong-min bowed his head in a polite manner.
“Even things from the past… I was too young back then. No, that would be an excuse. I’m just… sorry. “I don’t know if you will forgive me, but…”
Park Tae-hyung looked at Do-wook with embarrassed eyes at Jo Jung-min’s repeated apologies. Do-wook gazed at Jo Jung-min.
Jo Jung-min said, turning to Do-wook.
“Kang Do-wook.”
Jo Jung-min, who made eye contact with Do-wook, thought as he looked at Do-wook’s dark eyes.
Dowook was right. It may be today or, like him, a few years from now, but the previous participants will apologize to Taehyung Park, or at least feel the need to apologize.
It was about a year ago that Jo Jung-min’s heart full of hatred and evil changed.
Jo Jung-min was exploited as a back dancer under the pretext of being a trainee at Ara Entertainment, where he entered to try a fresh start.
No matter how long I waited for my debut, I was never given the opportunity to debut. Man to Man’s next group was postponed indefinitely due to Seo Kang-jun’s work. This was because the company reorganized Man to Man and put all its efforts into establishing Man to Man.
Even if it weren’t for that, there was almost no chance that Jo Jung-min would have debuted. After spending some time as a man-to-man back dancer, he secretly looked down on Jo Jung-min because he was older, and eventually made Jo Jung-min leave the company himself, so there was nothing more to say. This is the so-called ‘pulled’ one.
When I entered Ara Entertainment, I gritted my teeth that I would somehow be better than Park Tae-hyung and Do-wook. Therefore, I tried to endure despite the blatant disdain.
But it was no use, and after leaving Ara Enter, Jo Jung-min had to look back on his life.
Unlike himself, who had collapsed in shabby ways, KK was making his own path. Resolutely.
The moment he saw the award scene on Billboard, Jo Jung-min’s ego completely collapsed. At the same time, it was also reorganized.
Leaving Hit Entertainment was his own choice. Even though my pride was hurt by being pushed out by Park Tae-hyung, I shouldn’t have wasted my opportunity at Hit Entertainment like that.
Things that were so conceited that they bullied others and acted insincerely. I realized how foolish each and every action was.
The only passion I had developed so far for dancing was sincere.
This
When I heard that Taehyung Park was one of the judges, I was incredibly proud, but now I had to admit it. Taehyung Park and his position were very different.
Rather, it could have been a good opportunity. Reflect on the past and move forward.
“thanks. If you hadn’t been mad at me, I would have lived my whole life as an arrogant piece of trash. Just like Seo Kang-jun…”
Because Jo Jung-min was the one who had been watching Seo Kang-jun from the side, Seo Kang-jun’s downfall was an event that greatly shocked Jo Jung-min in contrast to Do-wook.
“You might not like it, but… I’m trying to make a fresh start through this program. I can’t completely go back to the innocent days when I only looked at dance, but with that feeling… I wonder if I can find my own path in life if I do that…” According to
Jo Jung-min, it’s a good thing. It was. It wasn’t something I should do, even if I didn’t like Do-wook. Dowook saw Taehyung Park. It was Taehyung Park who was bullied by Jo Jungmin.
“Hyung…”
Park Taehyung opened his mouth with difficulty. Jo Jeong-min waited for Park Tae-hyung’s words like a person waiting for a decision.
“Your brother will do well. “It is true that I suffered because of my brother… but it was also true that he was a good dancer.”
“sorry. If you find it painful for me to watch, I will leave this program. “I wonder if I really went out of my mind before… There are so many things I regret.”
Jo Jung-min bowed his head once again.
“no. “Thank you for your apology.”
Seeing Park Tae-hyung’s resolute appearance, Dowook once again felt Park Tae-hyung’s growth. For Park Tae-hyung, Jo Jung-min’s work was already in the past.
Because of Dowook, the lives of the two people changed.
***
The two returned to the waiting room and ate a packed lunch together while listening to the members scold them for why they came back so late.
When Do-wook announced Jo Jung-min’s appearance, all the members were surprised but at the same time expressed discomfort.
As fellow trainees, Ahn Hyeong-seo and Jeong Yoon-gi must have felt sorry for a moment. At the same time, I was very worried about Taehyung Park.
However, when Jo Jeong-min apologized to Park Tae-hyung and Park Tae-hyung also responded that he was okay, the reactions were that they were very surprised but also glad.
“And…”
Taehyung Park said as he was cleaning up his empty lunch box.
“I want to ask you something.”
They gathered their attention as if asking Taehyung Park to tell him everything. Since Do-wook had been asked for his opinion first, Do-wook was the only one who knew what Tae-hyung Park was going to say and was smiling.