Internal Investigation

"System, give me a status report on the internal investigation."

System: [Currently, it's still at a preliminary verification phase. The evidence has been received and is currently going through authentication checks. CCTV analysis indicates that CEO Ji Yoonseok had called for a meeting. As for the purpose of the meeting, this system does not know.]

Damien sat tucked into the exit stairwell of the Starlite building, his back pressed against the cool concrete wall. Faint echoes of voices drifted in from beyond the door. His shoulders eased slightly by the news.

So it's begun...

The company had taken the bait—the package he'd sent had reached CEO Ji Yoonseok's desk, and now they were checking if its contents were real. Now, there was nothing to do but wait for the final outcome.

A few days ago, while the everyone was frantic over Minsoo's return. Damien used the chaos to his advantage. Disguised and unnoticed, he mailed the USB and documents to the CEO through an untraceable courier. 

With the system's help, any surveillance footage that captured his figure was quietly erased. It had also scrubbed the data, metadata, and digital fingerprints on the documents that could be traced back to him. And at the system's suggestion, they'd added a subtle internal marker—an authentication flag embedded in one of the documents in the USB. It was a tiny string of code often used in Starlite's internal memos to verify their legitimacy.

To any investigator, it would look like someone within the company—someone with access to internal systems—had compiled the report. It was too specific and too clean for an outsider to fabricate.

As for making sure the CEO actually opened it?

Damien smirked to himself, a quiet chuckle slipping out.

He had his ways.

Then he thought back to Hajoon.

He used my restraint as permission. That was a mistake. Choices come with consequences. I'm just making sure he gets his...

With that silent vow, Damien pushed off the wall and headed back to training.

...

Last night, at the top floor of Starlite Media.

CEO Ji Yoonseok's office was cloaked in near darkness except for a small lit lamp on the side of his desk. The middle-aged man sat heavily in his leather chair, a deep frown etched on his face as he surveyed the materials that had appeared on his desk.

An envelope labeled [Urgent Trainee Incident Documentation] lay open in front of him, its contents spread across the polished wood. A USB drive blinked in the side of his laptop and on the screen, a paused video frame showed a young man with tears in his eyes.

Ji Yoonseok's hand trembled almost imperceptibly as he clicked the play button. 

The trainee on screen—one who had quit the company half a year ago—spoke in a wavering voice. "...I was too scared to tell anyone. He warned me that if I spoke, my career would be over before it began..." 

The CEO's jaw tightened. He recognized the boy as one of their most promising dancers who had left due to an injury. Now the true explanation of his leave was playing out painfully on the screen.

Hajoon. 

He stopped the video, unable to watch the trainee break down into sobs a second time. 

Ji Yoonseok slowly removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Hajoon—one of their star trainees, a respected figure who had been with them for years—accused of something so heinous? It was almost unthinkable. Hajoon always had a sterling reputation—disciplined, dependable, and well-liked by both trainees and staff. His record was clean, his demeanor professional, and his performance rarely faltered.

So, how did this happen? CEO thought grimly. 

If these documents and recordings were true, then these things—the trickery, deceit, and foul play had flourished right under his nose. 

He carefully gathered the papers, signed testimonies from multiple trainees, timestamps of suspicious activities, medical reports of injuries that had thin excuses. Each page he skimmed only deepened the cold weight in his gut. Names jumped out at him: Park Kian, their prized trainee who excelled in creative expression; Yuki Miyagawa, the bright troublemaker who'd recently lost some of his spark; Yeong Damien, the rising trainee who suddenly fell in a slump; and others too—some already gone, some still here but shadows of their former selves. 

These were children entrusted to Starlite Media's care. 

And they had been hurt. 

A knock at the door broke his trance. Ji Yoonseok straightened, shuffling the papers back into the envelope. 

"Come in." His deep voice reverberated in the room.

The door opened to reveal his secretary, Mr. Cho, looking uneasy. "Sir, it's late. Your lights are still on. Is something the matter?" 

Ji Yoonseok held up the envelope with a controlled expression. "Yes. Close the door, Mr. Cho." The secretary obeyed, stepping in and shutting the door quietly. The CEO eyed him with a stern gaze. "This envelope... I want to know who brought it to my office. Did you see or hear anything?"

Mr. Cho nodded his head. "Yes, sir. I was the one who had brought the envelope. It was delivered this morning and I assumed it was important and had brought it straight here."

"..." Ji Yoonseok did not reply immediately. "Does anyone else know about this?" He tapped the envelope. 

"No, sir," Mr. Cho replied. "Not to my knowledge. I haven't mentioned it to anyone." 

"Good," Ji Yoonseok said, voice firm. "Let's keep it that way. I don't want anyone aware of these allegations until we have verified the facts. Understood?"

Mr. Cho nodded, straightening his posture. "Understood. I'll keep it confidential." He hesitated, then added, "Should I contact Legal or HR tonight?" 

The CEO considered it. His instinct screamed to start hunting down the truth now, but rash action could tip off the culprit or cause a panic. He needed this handled carefully. 

"Not yet," Ji Yoonseok decided. "First, we confirm if this evidence is authentic. I want you to personally find out if these claims are credible."

"Yes, sir. I'll begin first thing in the morning."

Ji Yoonseok leaned back, eyes hard. "If even a fraction of this is true, we're dealing with something far worse than just a misbehaving trainee. It means… crimes may have been committed under our roof." He almost couldn't believe what he was saying. The clean reputation of Starlite Media now had a stain. "If it's true, we launch a full internal investigation immediately and take action. Quietly, for now. We cannot let this leak."

Mr. Cho's throat bobbed as he swallowed. "Understood, sir." He paused. "And the upcoming trainee debut selection? The trainee pool for the pre-debut lineup is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon…" 

The CEO's eyes flickered with irritation at the timing. "Postpone it. Indefinitely. Until this situation is handled."

"I'll notify the training department to delay the evaluation."

"One more thing." Ji Yoonseok stood, straightening his jacket. "Schedule a staff meeting with all department directors for tomorrow morning. Every single director must attend, no exceptions."

"All directors, sir? May I ask what the agenda—" 

"I'll handle the agenda. Just get them in the boardroom. I need all hands on deck and all eyes on me. We'll address… general issues and set some expectations while this investigation quietly commences." In truth, he had a dual purpose: to observe reactions. If one of those directors was hiding something—or protecting someone—Ji Yoonseok wanted to see their face when he laid down new directives. 

He wanted to root out the rot that festered while his back was turned.

Ji Yoonseok prided himself on running a clean, disciplined, and transparent company. He didn't tolerate incompetence—let alone betrayal. So who had the audacity to operate in the shadows? Who kept this from him until now? What were they after? The collapse of the company? Was this the work of an insider… or a rival aiming to bring them down?

His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed.

Mr. Cho's voice cut in, snapping him back to the present.

"Yes, sir. I'll arrange the meeting first thing." Mr. Cho glanced at the envelope once more. "Sir… if this is true..." 

Ji Yoonseok nodded. "We must correct it." 

As the secretary left, the Ji Yoonseok remained in the office. He walked to the window, city lights reflecting off the glass as he stared at his own faint reflection. 

Powerful families were tangled in this—major players across industries, all connected in ways that left no room for error. One misstep, and their entire worlds could come crashing down together. If the rumors spread, the fallout could bury Starlite Media.

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

If this blows up... managing the aftermath would be a nightmare.

...

Extra: [Group Chat Chaos]

After their meet up at the cafeteria, everyone decided to add each other on SNS. Damien was cooking when his phone started to buzz. He stepped away from the kitchen counter and picked up his phone.

[The Group Chat]

Yuki renamed the chat to: Minsoo Stole My Heart

Minsoo: ??

Minsoo: Can we change the name please...?

Xinyuan renamed the chat to: Debut Team (Starring Me)

Yejun renamed the chat to: can you all please behave?

Yuki: (emoji spam)

Damien's eye twitched as he saw the chaos unfold in the chat. With a tap, he muted the chat.

Damien has muted the chat.

Yuki: GUYS, DAMIEN-HYUNG MUTED THE CHAT

Xingyuan: probably its cause you guys kept causing chaos

Yejun: (side eye)

Minsoo: Should we... call him?

Kian: Just give him a few minutes. Or a week.

Yuki: NOOOO (crying)