Ways

Byul-ho listened to his members' animated discussion about the Crystal Cascade scandal, a thoughtful expression on his face. After a moment, he interrupted their conversation with a question that caught them off guard.

"Let me ask you all something," he said, his voice serious. "If Ascend becomes popular in the future, can you promise me you'll stay the same as you are now? That you won't get involved in any scandals?"

The members exchanged glances before almost unanimously assuring Byul-ho that they would never change or do anything to harm the group's reputation.

Byul-ho nodded slowly, a sad smile playing on his lips. "You know, I bet the members of Crystal Cascade thought the same thing when they were starting out. Most idols do. But fame and success... they can change people in ways you can't predict."

The group fell silent, the weight of Byul-ho's words sinking in. He continued, drawing from the pain and wisdom of his previous life.

"I've seen it happen before," he said softly, thinking of the rising star whose scandal had devastated him in his past life. "Good people can make bad choices when they're under pressure or when they think they're untouchable."

Byul-ho looked each member in the eye as he spoke. "I don't want that to happen to any of you. So it's important to keep you're feet on the ground; be kind to others, help them out; hold onto your values; if you're religious let that guide you; not get comfortable or think we're above messing up."

The members nodded solemnly, their earlier excitement about the scandal replaced by thoughtful reflection.

Byul-ho concluded, "The people who end up in these scandals are often those who have lost their way or who are struggling with personal issues. Our job is to support each other, to be vigilant, and to always strive to be better people, not just better idols."

As they continued their walk back to the company, a new sense of responsibility settled over the group.

***

Byul-ho continued to attend school, balancing his responsibilities as a CEO with his role as a high school student. In his class, Park Soo-yeon, his former crush, sat a few rows ahead, a constant reminder of his past life in this school.

During lunch break, as Byul-ho sat alone, a figure approached his table. It was Lee Min-ji, the niece of Luminary Group's CEO. She sat down across from him, her presence drawing curious glances from other students.

"Byul-ho-ssi," she began, her voice sickeningly sweet, "I saw the news about Luminary acquiring Starlight Entertainment. It must be quite a shock, isn't it? How do you feel about it?"

Byul-ho barely looked up from his food, his voice flat and disinterested. "Starlight Entertainment died with my parents. It doesn't matter anymore."

Min-ji's eyes glinted with interest. "Oh? If you don't care about the company, why not sell your parents' shares? I'm sure Luminary would be interested in acquiring them."

Byul-ho remained silent, continuing to eat as if she hadn't spoken. After a few moments of this, he stood up, gathered his things, and left without a word.

As he walked away, he could hear Min-ji's friends approaching her table.

"Yah, Min-ji-ah, why were you talking to that loser?" one of them asked, her voice dripping with disdain.

Min-ji just smiled mysteriously, smoothly changing the subject. "Oh, it's nothing important. Hey, did you hear about the new cafe that opened near Apgujeong?"

***

As Byul-ho made his way to his next class, his mind churned over his interaction with Lee Min-ji. Her motives seemed transparent enough - she, or more likely her family, wanted to acquire his shares in Starlight Entertainment. They probably thought he'd be an easy target, a grieving son eager to wash his hands of his parents' legacy.

'If only they knew,' Byul-ho thought wryly.

He was well aware that he needed to sell those shares eventually. The money could be crucial for Ascend's future, especially given the financial strain of running a small entertainment company. At 17 international age, but 18 in Korean age, he now had the legal right to make that decision.

But Byul-ho wasn't about to be rushed into a hasty sale. He knew the value of patience, a lesson learned from both his current life and his memories of the future. The shares might not be worth much now, with Starlight's recent troubles, but under Luminary's management, their value was likely to increase.

'I'll wait,' he decided. 'Let them think I'm sentimental or indecisive. The longer I hold out, the more valuable those shares will become.'

***

The next day, Saturday morning, found Byul-ho in the company's practice room, his phone held steady as he recorded Ascend's latest dance practice. The members moved in synchronization, their faces set in concentration as they performed their debut song.

"And... cut!" Byul-ho called out as the music faded. The members relaxed, some bending over to catch their breath. "Great job, everyone. That was perfect."

After a quick review of the footage, Byul-ho headed to his office to edit the video. He worked diligently, trimming and adjusting until he was satisfied with the result.

With the final product ready, Byul-ho logged into Cyworld. He navigated to Ascend's official page and began the upload process.

As he waited for the video to process, Byul-ho scrolled through the group's page. Their follower count had grown to around seven thousand - a modest but encouraging number for a rookie group from a small company.

The comment section was abuzz with activity. Fans, both new and existing, were discussing the group's talents and charms:

"Wow, their synchronization is no joke!"

"Jae-sung's voice is so powerful!"

"Min-jae's dancing is so smooth, I can't take my eyes off him!"

"They're all so handsome and cute! ❤️"

"They're so talented!"

Byul-ho couldn't help but smile as he read through the comments.

As the upload completed, Byul-ho added a caption: "Ascend practice room - giving our all for our fans! Please look forward to our upcoming performances!"

He hit 'post' and leaned back in his chair, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. It was a small step, but every bit of exposure counted.

Byul-ho sat in his office, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk. The slow but steady growth of Ascend's fanbase was encouraging, but he knew they needed something more to truly compete in the cutthroat world of K-pop.

Hours later, back in his family's mansion, Byul-ho was still deep in thought, his brow furrowed in concentration. His butler, Kim Seon-woo, noticed his young master's pensive expression.

"Is something troubling you, young master?" Seon-woo asked, setting down a tray of tea.

Byul-ho sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm just trying to think of ways to promote Ascend more effectively. We need more exposure."

Seon-woo considered this for a moment. "Have you considered television appearances, young master? That could greatly increase their visibility."

Byul-ho let out a small, rueful laugh. "Ah, Seon-woo, if only it were that simple. We don't have the budget for TV appearances. That kind of exposure is expensive."

Just then, as if on cue, a commercial flashed across the TV screen. It advertised an upcoming talent competition show called "Korea's Rising Stars."

Byul-ho's eyes widened, and he jumped to his feet. "Seon-woo!" he exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. "You're a genius!"

The butler looked bewildered. "I am?"

"Yes! A talent show - that's perfect! It's free exposure, and if Ascend does well, it could be just the boost we need."

Seon-woo smiled, pleased to see his young master's excitement. "I'm glad I could be of help, young master."

Byul-ho was already about to pick up his phone. "I have to contact the other members. We need to get ready immediately."

This might be it — their chance to show Ascend's skills to the country. If they were able to leave a good impression on "The Rising Stars of Korea", it could become a starting point in their way up towards fame.