Team Leader, You're an Idol Now - Chapter 31
“Hey! Hey! Stop it! Hey, you—come help break this up!”
“Stop, stop!”
Woo-Gyeom had just finished reporting the concept to the staff when he returned to chaos in the practice room.
‘What…? Why do I have a bad feeling…’
He hesitated, then opened the door.
The place was a mess.
“Baek Woo-Gyeom! Come—”
Dan-Woo rushed over, then suddenly stopped and shut his mouth—there was a camera right behind Woo-Gyeom.
Woo-Gyeom stared blankly at Yu-Chan, who was fighting with Hip-Hop Boy.
‘Ah… this is exhausting.’
His soul nearly left his body for a second, but he snapped out of it and slammed the door shut.
Turning around, he smiled at the writer.
“…You’re not going to stay out here, are you?”
“Haha.”
“Haha.”
Woo-Gyeom took a deep breath. The writer clearly understood the situation—if anything, they looked excited.
‘Damn it… they saw everything. Everything.’
He reached for the door again, then took another deep breath.
“Writer! Please come in!”
His voice echoed down the hallway. The writer looked startled.
Avoiding eye contact completely, Woo-Gyeom opened the door and went in.
‘They heard that, right?’
He just hoped the two weren’t still at each other.
“Move, move, move.”
Dan-Woo quickly stepped between Yu-Chan and Hip-Hop Boy. It seemed things had already cooled down slightly—once they noticed the cameras, the fight started to die down.
“Ha. Finally, your precious dictator is here. Your dictator.”
Wishful thinking.
Hip-Hop Boy shoved Yu-Chan’s shoulder and walked out.
Yu-Chan tried to grab him, but Dan-Woo stopped him.
“Why is he acting like that?”
“Seriously… something’s off. Just hold it in. Just hold it in.”
The writer hid their expression and signaled the cameraman to follow.
Woo-Gyeom quietly asked Dan-Woo,
“What happened?”
“That crazy bastard was talking shit about you. Then Yu-Chan told him to shut up.”
Dan-Woo answered in a low voice. Woo-Gyeom nodded.
‘Idiot. No fear even in front of cameras.’
He glanced at the departing Hip-Hop Boy, then looked at Yu-Chan, who was staring at the floor in silence.
‘Yeah… he’s pissed too.’
It would be better to talk to him separately.
‘No point forcing practice right now.’
Woo-Gyeom approached him.
“Yu-Chan, want to step out and talk?”
Yu-Chan, still visibly upset, followed him.
***
“What happened?”
“I was trying to learn the song, but he kept muttering to himself. Loudly.”
They sat in an empty corner of another practice room.
“What was he saying?”
“At first I don’t remember, but when we fought, he said I was taking your side.”
“My side?”
“Yeah. Something about wanting to be leader himself… and that you decided the concept on your own.”
Yu-Chan explained.
“So what’s his problem? We were talking about the song, and suddenly he says you did something wrong. I thought I was going to lose my mind trying to talk to him.”
“Some people are just like that. You can’t reason with them.”
Woo-Gyeom sided with him.
“Don’t worry about it too much. He’s just twisted.”
Yu-Chan’s face brightened slightly—like he felt understood.
‘No point asking why he fought on camera… it’s already done.’
Woo-Gyeom looked at him, still young in many ways.
“Next time something like this happens… how about talking to them privately?”
“Privately?”
Yu-Chan tilted his head, clearly confused.
“Not right away. Watch first, then talk when there are no cameras or people around.”
“Why?”
Woo-Gyeom thought for a moment, then answered,
“…Because that makes it harder for them.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. If you confront them privately, they might argue behind the scenes—but in front of others, they won’t be able to act angry. They’ll just look petty.”
This came from his own experience.
‘Feels like I’m teaching him to be sneaky… but…’
That’s how you survive in this industry.
“What if I don’t get the chance to talk privately?”
Yu-Chan still looked dissatisfied.
Woo-Gyeom thought, then said—
“Then say it in front of people—but at the worst possible moment for them.”
“…Worst moment?”
“Like in front of the CEO, the team leader, or someone they want to impress.”
That was how Woo-Gyeom had dealt with things before.
Yu-Chan nodded slowly.
Just then, there was a noise near the door.
‘Looks like they’re done over there.’
It was the cameraman.
Woo-Gyeom quickly moved to block Yu-Chan from view.
The door opened.
“Hey, don’t feel too upset.”
“…Huh?”
Woo-Gyeom pretended to comfort him, then whispered quietly—
“Lower your head. Lower it.”
Confused, Yu-Chan lowered his head.
The cameraman stepped in.
“We’ll be out soon.”
Woo-Gyeom smiled politely.
Yu-Chan with his head down… Woo-Gyeom looking concerned…
It looked exactly like Yu-Chan had been crying.
***
In the end, Woo-Gyeom left the practice room first, saying he had something to discuss.
The writer, now clearly excited, called him over.
“Woo-Gyeom, we’ll start the interview.”
He sat in an empty room.
“Do you know why they fought?”
“…I heard from Yu-Chan.”
Woo-Gyeom looked down, hesitated, then spoke.
“He told him to focus on the meeting, but I guess it came off wrong.”
The writer nodded.
“I think he was upset about not becoming leader. He seemed to really want it. He’s always harsh with me…”
Woo-Gyeom smirked internally.
‘We barely even talk.’
But it wasn’t wrong.
“And Yu-Chan only raised his voice because of me. I should’ve stepped in earlier…”
The writer was practically thrilled.
Woo-Gyeom continued—
“Yu-Chan’s still young. And he’s very straightforward… and serious about practice. I also joined the company late…”
“Late?”
“Yes. I joined during vocal auditions. The others have been here over a year… so I’m still not that close to them.”
He smiled bitterly.
“Anyone you’re close with?”
“Dan-Woo, Raul… Min-Jae hyung too… Hae-Rang… and Yu-Chan lately.”
Then—
“Yu-Chan really hates seeing people left out.”
“Oh?”
“There was a time Hae-Rang was being talked about… since he doesn’t fully understand Korean, it was hard for him. Yu-Chan stepped in and fought back.”
The writer’s eyes lit up.
‘They must love this.’
For Woo-Gyeom, this was beneficial too.
‘Depending on editing, this could work in our favor.’
***
Back in the practice room, tension lingered.
Dan-Woo recalled his own interview.
‘They’re definitely going to edit this badly…’
He sat between Yu-Chan and Jung Seong-Oh (Hip-Hop Boy) to prevent another fight.
‘Why is Woo-Gyeom taking so long…?’
The mood was terrible.
“Ah, you’re back.”
Woo-Gyeom returned.
Dan-Woo approached him.
“What do we do? The mood’s awful.”
“We can’t leave it like this. I’ll fix it.”
Dan-Woo trusted him.
‘He makes it look easy… but he’s insanely good at handling things.’
He expected reconciliation.
But—
“Didn’t you say you wanted to be leader?”
“…So what?”
“You’re upset because you think I decided everything alone.”
“…And? Am I wrong?”
Woo-Gyeom didn’t hide the conflict.
Dan-Woo froze.
‘Wait—why is he exposing it?’
Then—
“Then do you want to be leader?”