In reality, we had already experienced a fair amount of troubling invasions of privacy while working as a group.
-“What the hell, that taxi driver was definitely trying to cause an accident on purpose, right??”
-“Uh, excuse me… the person behind me keeps trying to hit me…”
-“Wow~ Testa! Can I get an autograph and take a picture here?”
-“Sorry, but this place is…”
-“They say she’s your niece. Just do it.”
From extreme cases like someone trying to cause a car accident, to minor ones like people pushing their way into the waiting room at music shows.
Honestly, we had always treated these issues too lightly, figuring it was just one of the downsides of the job.
Given the digital age, it seemed more people were trying to hack our electronic devices than showing up in person.
At least the dorm had been safe.
‘I thought there was no chance of something like the studio break-in happening again.’
Our dorm was in a pretty secure apartment complex.
It wasn’t like the shabby one-room apartment I had been temporarily staying in, which someone had broken into. The level of security here was far higher.
I imagine even Bae Sejin must have felt a stronger urge to buy real estate with good security after moving into this place.
However, it seemed like even this place had reached its limit.
“They actually broke in?”
“Yes. Ugh, they bribed a delivery driver to get into the parking lot, and the way they were caught…”
“H-how were they caught…?”
Kim Raebin, looking tense, asked as the chief manager sighed and responded.
“They had a diversion tactic!”
“…?!”
“They sneaked into the security office to mess with the blind spots in the CCTV cameras. But one of them got caught, and they all ended up being dragged out… Ugh, what a mess.”
“Ugh.”
“…”
Unbelievable.
It’s like something out of a mafia movie—bribing staff and setting up diversion tactics.
They were ridiculously organized, and while their persistence and passion were impressive, it wasn’t exactly surprising.
‘I’ve dealt with similar cases back when I worked in data trafficking.’
Back then, there were clients who would stick to you like glue all day, asking you to leave behind data for them.
The pay was decent, but it was the type of job that could get you in serious legal trouble, so I avoided it.
Anyway, after this debacle, the apartment’s management, along with the residents, decided they’d had enough and issued a recommendation.
“They said they’ve always had trouble chasing people away from the front of the complex, and now they just can’t handle it anymore…”
“Hmm.”
In other words, they were telling us, “This is your problem, so deal with it yourselves.”
It was a reasonable demand, and it put us in an awkward position.
Ignoring it wasn’t an option either. If the residents reported it to the media, the situation would blow up.
[“Testa’s Dorm Controversy… Residents of the Apartment Complex Fear Intruders and Noise.”]
I could already imagine the sensational headlines.
‘Moving is the only solution.’
The company likely chose relocation as well since it was easier to spin in the media as “Testa moves to a better, more secure residence” rather than sinking money and manpower into fixing the current apartment’s security.
But the fact that they were explaining this situation in such detail had a deeper meaning beyond just informing us.
Scaring us a little was a way to encourage cooperation, especially when it came to dealing with stalkers and similar threats in the future.
‘In that sense, this chief manager is definitely more competent than the first one.’
Still, it would be good to bring in a new road manager with a good personality. Our group tends to burn out staff quickly, so we could use a manager who’s quick, efficient, and has a big heart.
“So, with this situation, wouldn’t it be nice to move somewhere bigger and better? What do you all think?”
“Let’s do it! I’m in!”
“Hold on. Hmm, let’s have a show of hands for anyone who really wants to move,” Ryu Cheongwoo suggested.
Cha Yujin and a few others immediately raised their hands.
Geon Sejin didn’t raise his hand but instead swayed it from side to side like a wave, grinning.
“Oh, moving is definitely great~ But where are we going?”
“We’re still reviewing the candidates, but rest assured, it’ll definitely be somewhere more secure and centrally located!”
“Of course~ Oh, are we moving somewhere closer to the shop? If so, I’m all for it!”
That meant if it wasn’t close to the beauty shop in Cheongdam-dong, Sejin would be against it.
“Haha, understood! I’ll send you the list of candidates directly, so you can check them out.”
“Okay!”
Soon, a file appeared in the company’s group chat. I clicked on it and skimmed through the list of potential places.
‘Not bad.’
Of course, you never really know until you visit, but just based on location and the names, the places seemed pretty decent.
‘Many celebrities already live in some of these…’
Wait. Why is that place on the list?
At that moment, the chief manager conveniently pointed out *that* place.
“We’re actually really pushing for SV Village. Given Testa’s name recognition, it feels like a fitting place for you guys! We’ve been advocating for it strongly.”
No way.
“…How about somewhere closer to the broadcasting stations? Like EndraPellis…”
“Oh, that’s also a meaningful option we’re looking into!”
The chief manager smoothly redirected the conversation. Seon Ahyun then cautiously asked, “Mo-Moondae, do you really hate long car rides?”
“…Yeah, I kind of do.”
“Ah, I see!”
No, that’s not it.
I just knew whose dorm was located in “SV Village.”
‘It’s VTIC’s dorm.’
Of course, most of them had moved out as they gained seniority, so it’s not as if they were all still living there. But still, why give anyone an excuse to label us as “neighbors”?
‘Besides, from what I’ve seen of that guy, he doesn’t seem interested in leaving his house.’
I don’t know why he keeps sending me pictures of his dog rolling around in his yard, but I hope he just stays put.
Still, you never know what might happen, so it’s best to avoid that place.
“Alright, I’ll make sure to summarize all of your opinions and pass them on.”
“Got it!”
The meeting wrapped up smoothly, and it looked like the move would happen quickly once this round of activities was over.
‘There shouldn’t be any major problems.’
At least, that’s what I thought. The real issue was that this news ended up leaking to the wrong people.
—
-*Sunbyeol* is moving to *E-Pell*!ㅠ
-These jerks are suddenly acting all expensive.
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Guess now they’ll just complain about being stalked.
-ㅋㅋㅋ Awww, they’re such top stars that they can’t even stand fans waiting outside their dorm?ㅠㅠ
-It’s so annoying, we barely managed to break through the security!
‘They really don’t get it, do they?’
The operator of the twin fan account for Isejin and Park Moondae turned off the screencap.
The fan, who worked a regular job, had been browsing social media during a break when they stumbled across this post.
[“Testa’s Creepy Sasaeng Fans Disgusting”]
Someone had screenshotted the private account of these so-called fans.
The post was getting roasted online, with comments like, “Why drag this into the public eye?” and “This is exactly the kind of privacy invasion Testa is dealing with.” Despite the backlash, the original poster wasn’t deleting the post, making their intentions clear.
‘They’re just trying to stir up trouble.’
The fan briefly considered which group of haters this could be—maybe VTIC fans, or possibly One Curve fans—but quickly gave up the thought.
Testa’s comeback was going too well to be derailed by something like this.
Testa’s popularity was on the rise, with more fans joining every day. And thanks to the reality show, the gradual weakening of their mainstream appeal that had started after *The Business* had finally been halted.
‘That must be why these people are freaking out even more.’
Besides, the fan’s picks, Isejin and Park Moondae, had been particularly successful in refreshing their images, gaining even more popularity.
Isejin’s monocle, which he swapped out for a different one on every music show, was a hit. And Park Moondae’s silver hair had been receiving rave reviews.
-“He licked the pen in the music video, and now he’s licking my heart. Moondae devours people’s hearts.”
-“Silver-haired Moondae must be immortalized. He’s got that elite 1,000-year-old yokai vibe (fist emoji).”
-“As expected, we’ve entered an era where black, gold, and silver are united.”
└ “Could it be Tibetan silver?”
Even the comments under their fancams on YouTube were overflowing with ridiculous declarations of affection.
‘Glad I chose to focus on Park Moondae.’
If things continue like this, selling a season’s greeting package could easily cover the cost of their activities. The fan smiled in satisfaction as they logged into their own social media account.
What do these stalkers matter anyway? This kind of issue would quickly blow
over the moment a new piece of news dropped.
Plus, the two members they were focusing on were smart enough not to get caught up in a scandal, so there was nothing to worry about.
‘Isejin is definitely safe.’
Based on years of experience, the fan was sure. Isejin was someone who would never develop sympathy for a stalker.
He was ambitious and skilled at maintaining a clear line between his personal and professional life.
‘And Park Moondae? Absolutely not.’
He seemed like the type who would be baffled by people living as stalkers.
Though he might have a soft spot for those who genuinely liked him, given how skilled he was at managing his image, he’d be fine.
The fan finished their mental analysis, took a gulp of zero-calorie soda, and continued editing photos.
They were just about to upload a two-shot from a recent concert when they received a message.
“What’s this?”
-*Pervel-nim, did you see this?ㅠㅠ*
The link, sent by an unfamiliar anonymous account, looked serious.
[“Testa’s Way of Dealing with Fans”]
The fan clicked the link to see what it was about.
The post contained a GIF of a large man getting close to Testa with a camera, only to be elbowed and pushed away by one of the members.
That member was… Ryu Cheongwoo!
“…??”
This isn’t like him.
I had always assumed Ryu Cheongwoo, being a former athlete, was skilled at handling conflict without getting into fights. But based on this angle, it almost looked like he was hitting the guy.
The top comments were full of mixed reactions.
-“What, Ryu Cheongwoo is that kind of guy?”
-“Honestly, those jerks deserve to get hit. But Ryu Cheongwoo kind of broke his image.”
-“What did Cheongwoo even do wrong? This post has a thousand likes? It’s scary.”
-“That was awesome though? Shows you how important it is to stay in shape.”
The comment section was in chaos, with both positive and negative reactions flying around.
“That’s weird.”
It wasn’t surprising that the fan felt something was off, even though their chosen two members weren’t involved. Ryu Cheongwoo wasn’t the type to act like that, especially not with cameras around and security nearby.
‘This must be a trick of the camera angle.’
And, as expected, not long after, different angles and accounts of the situation started flooding in.
-“That guy broke through security and was practically throwing his camera at the members. Ryu Cheongwoo had to step in to prevent something dangerous from happening.”
-“He didn’t hit anyone. If you look at the footage from another angle, the guy tripped over his own feet. Stop spreading false rumors (screenshot).”
-“I don’t get why this is even a controversy. If anything, Ryu Cheongwoo did what he had to. He even dealt with situations like this when he was on the national team.”
Ryu Cheongwoo’s usually calm and collected fans were coming out in droves, venting their frustrations. The fan understood why—it was a completely unfair situation.
It made me suspicious.
‘Was this a targeted attack?’
And the answer was yes.
A hired data trafficker had been paid a decent sum to create and spread this controversy, with group messages diligently working to keep the narrative alive.
Who hired them? The same people who had broken into Testa’s apartment.
They were furious that Testa was moving to a more secure location.
Naturally, this topic also came up in a meeting at Testa’s company.
—
“Are you out of your mind? What were you thinking?”
“I’m sorry.”
The one getting chewed out wasn’t a Testa member… it was their first manager.
“You ran away on your own, leaving them behind? What are we paying you for, you idiot?”
They were being harshly scolded for dodging a guy who had charged at them with a camera, leaving the team vulnerable.
‘Sure, running off on your own might leave a bad impression… but this reaction is over the top.’
Managers aren’t martial arts masters, nor are they required to throw themselves in harm’s way like sacrificial lambs.
So this was all just for show.
“I apologize. I’ll be more vigilant about security from now on!”
The blame was being shifted entirely onto the first manager to ensure that if the artists got upset about the security, the company could deflect responsibility.
‘Very strategic.’
In reality, the security wasn’t lacking, and this was just an isolated incident. But they were skillfully smoothing things over to keep everyone calm.
A few members seemed unsure how to react to the situation.
“It’s f-fine.”
“I don’t think punishing the manager is necessary…”
“Phew, thank you!”
The chief manager, looking relieved, chimed in again.
“Cheongwoo, you don’t need to worry too much either! Everything’s been cleared up, and honestly, most of the reactions have been positive!”
“…”
Ryu Cheongwoo gave a faint, bitter smile.
Given his reputation as a former national athlete with a gentle image, this incident had likely affected him more than anyone else.
People who had always disliked him probably jumped at the chance to make a fuss over this.
“Don’t worry!”
“…Alright.”
The chief manager should have stopped talking there, but he didn’t.
“Also, from now on, you don’t need to deal with this kind of thing. It’s the company’s job to handle these situations, and when the artist steps in, things can escalate like this…”
His comment came off as a subtle rebuke, implying, “Why did you even get involved?”
‘Does he really need to say this right now?’
I debated whether I should intervene, but Ryu Cheongwoo spoke up first.
His voice was sharper than usual.
“So, are you saying I should’ve just let him hit me?”
“…!”
“No, that’s not what I meant… I was just saying that avoiding the situation would have been enough. With so many eyes on us…”
“…”
There was a long pause before Ryu Cheongwoo gave a single-word response.
“Understood.”
His voice was tired.
And for the rest of the day, outside of official appearances, Ryu Cheongwoo barely said a word.
‘Damn it.’
It was obvious that he was showing clear signs of burnout.