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    The Missing Step

    Rumor or Hoax! An insider whispers that the famous singer duo has requested a lightning-fast contract termination

    Shock to the industry: HJ does not renew their contract after the new executive takes over!!

    HJ chooses to leave the home they’ve been in for over 5 years after being pressured into signing a new contract

    The decade’s hottest duo announces their contract cancellation and immediate separation. Singer Han Shinsu will turn to acting

    What will HJ’s music career be like after canceling the contract?

    An insider whispers that J will return abroad?

    HJ Official

    Hello, dear Candies. Today, the sky is as bright as ever. Unfortunately, we might dim today’s brightness by announcing the termination of our contract with JSM Ent. From now on, we will no longer be able to use the name HJ once the clock strikes midnight.

    I, Han Shinsu, and J, apologize to our Candies and fans for not being able to carry this name forward in the music world. We hope that our Candies will stay healthy. If you ever miss us, think of the good times we had together.

    May our love reside in your hearts and souls.

    Good night, dear Candies.

    HJ will live on in the music forever.

    Comment: Is this real?!

    Comment: Please tell me this is April Fool’s Day?

    Comment: No way, no way, I cried so much I flooded the screen. I read it over and over, and it still says there will be no more HJ after tomorrow.

    Comment: Maybe I haven’t fully woken up. I should go back to sleep and hope this is just a dream.

    Comment: I will always love Shinsu and J. The new management can go eat shit.

    Comment: Sister Shinsu is changing careers, what about J? What will J do next?

    Comment: Damn it, is the news I read this morning true?

    Comment: No, I’m going to blow up the JSM building right now. What were they thinking, letting HJ cancel their contract? The new contract must have been super unfair.

    Comment: Without HJ, where will I get high-quality music?

    Comment: Even on the last day, we never saw J’s face.

    Comment: Reply: No one has ever seen J’s face. Even the backstage stylists haven’t seen it.

    Comment: +1 This will haunt me for the rest of my life.

    Comment: Isn’t there any company that wants to renew the contract with this duo of the year?

    Comment: I heard there was, but J’s contract was only slightly better. So Han didn’t agree.

    Comment: Maybe our laws need to be revised.

    Comment: According to the news, Shinsu is switching to acting. There’s no news on what J will do next.

    Comment: Please, Lord J, reveal your face.

    Country K was renowned for exporting numerous artists to the global entertainment industry, resulting in increasingly intense and stressful competition within the country each year. Every artist harbors the mindset that if their work wasn’t excellent enough, they would fade into the sea of lights, as new waves constantly chased and were ready to engulf them out of the spotlight at any moment.

    To firmly stand on the stage, one must debut with a major company that had ample resources or shined brightly with catchy songs and captivating stage performances. Without any of these, it was challenging to navigate through the turbulent waters of this whirlpool.

    HJ debuted as a duo in the year 20XX. The novelty of this duo was in being a male-female pair, with the male always wearing a mask. The female, named Han Shinsu, was a former student of a world-renowned university’s vocal department. She possessed versatile singing skills, comfortably hitting high and low notes, including the high C7 note. She was considered a rare high-quality female singer.

    As for the male member, even though he wore a mask, he was equally impressive. He could play all kinds of musical instruments, including traditional ones, with ease. His vocal skills were on par with his partner.

    He was known in the industry by the nickname "J.," just a single letter. Additionally, most of the songs performed by this duo were composed by J. himself.

    They signed a contract with a lower-tier company. After just three months as trainees, they debuted and managed to elevate the small, unknown company to a mid-tier level within two years.

    Currently, HJ had been in the industry for five years. Their fan club was called Candy, and they had over 20 million followers on social media. They had won numerous music awards, including Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and more.

    Fans eagerly awaiting their five-year anniversary concert were met with the shocking news of their contract termination.

    There were no farewell concerts, final albums, or fan events before the contract ended. Everything vanished as if it had all been a dream, and upon waking, this strong duo had disappeared.

    If it were any other group, no one would care, as every year, new and enthusiastic youngsters join the stage like moths to a flame.

    However, HJ was different. They were on a promising path. If they had maintained this level of performance for another two to three years, they would have doubled their fame. They just needed more work and time to accumulate more experience to become nationally renowned artists.

    But everything collapsed under the hands of the new, fervent executive, the only son of the previous executive who had to step down due to a sudden chronic illness flare-up.

    The new chairman was a nationalist with a bias against artists not born in country K.

    Regardless of how famous and profitable HJ was, he disliked J for being a foreigner making a living in the country. He had a lawyer draft a new contract for the duo. Han Shinsu’s contract saw an increase in company percentages, while J’s cut was increased significantly, which was already high under the country’s laws.

    The first to lose their temper after reading the new contract was not J but his partner, Han Shinsu, who couldn’t tolerate the injustice done to her colleague. She declared she would tear up the contract and agreed to pay millions to terminate it without blinking an eye.

    With such unfair treatment, why stay? This is bullshit!

    “Are you going back to your country?" Han Shinsu, dressed in a discrete outfit with a hat, dark sunglasses, and a black face mask, was sending off a young man with a calm but striking face.

    "Just temporarily. You know I haven’t been home for a long time," he replied. Since debuting, he had been working tirelessly, making music and promoting. Even though he missed his family dearly, he had to endure. Fortunately, he had a lovely fan base supporting him, which kept him going on stage.

    After deciding to break the contract and dissolve the duo with the woman in front of him, he decided to go back to his homeland to rest and rejuvenate his body and mind for a while. He still had the energy and spirit to leap back onto the stage, but not right now…

    "True. The company overworked you. It’s good that we got out," she said. Although she regretted the fame they had built with sweat and tears, as long as they were still around, they could always create new legends.

    Don’t invest your whole life in unfair rules. It’s bad for your mental health.

    "Shinsu, are you sure you want to switch to acting? You could easily succeed as a solo singer." You'd been training since you were a child and have rare talent. It was a shame that talent wouldn't be utilized in the future.

    "Switching careers doesn’t mean I can’t sing anymore. I’ve been singing all my life and want to try something new. Besides, the company I just signed with thinks it’s a good idea." They said my image was perfect for the lead role in a new series they were casting, so they wanted me to try acting.

    "As long as you’re happy, I’m okay with it. I just worry you might be forced into something you don’t like. No one can deny your beauty, Shinsu; you look like an angel."

    "You, on the other hand, don’t give up on music." They had been together for years, so she knew how much he loved music.

    "I won’t. Music is my whole life. I just need to regroup for a bit. It won’t be long before you see me on stage again." The young man laughed cheerfully, not wanting to make the atmosphere sad because of their parting.

    "That makes me feel better. When you debut, I’ll be your first fan." Shinsu patted her chest, ready to support her younger brother fully.

    "Ha ha. Sure thing. I won’t be away for long. Don’t worry about waiting too long." The young man’s smile didn’t fade, catching the eyes of those around them.

    "I think you need to go to your gate now. If we stand here any longer, someone will recognize me." Then they’d link her to the young man standing in front of her.

    "Take care of yourself. I’ll keep in touch often." The young man pulled his suitcase closer.

    "Alright, if you don’t contact me, I’ll call you morning and night." The woman handed over a gift she brought along. "This is a specialty from my hometown. Take it to your family."

    "Homemade kimchi from your mom, right?" The young man opened the paper bag to find vacuum-sealed kimchi. "It might be gone before it even reaches my home." No kidding, Shinsu’s mom’s kimchi was top-notch delicious.

    "As if you could eat kimchi on the plane. Go on, they’re calling your flight." Shinsu pushed the young man to get moving.

    "See you later, sis. I’ll be back." This wasn’t a farewell, but a step back to prepare for a bigger leap.

    Of course, Shinsu's visit to the airport was captured by paparazzi, but before they could publish it, a bigger news story overshadowed it completely.

    Scandal Unfolds! New Label CEO Summoned by Police for Questioning

    Sudden Dismissal: The new CEO of JSM Ent. has been abruptly removed from his position after using his power to pressure artists into working overtime, taking on non-stage jobs

    Police raided a major entertainment venue in district N, uncovering numerous celebrities involved

    Midnight interrogations: High-profile club in district X linked to prostitution and drug trafficking, involving many celebrities both in and out of the industry!!

    The CEO of JSM Ent. was summoned to the police station due to his involvement with the notorious club currently in the news

    Comment: Hmph, no sympathy here. Serves him right for what he did to my favorite duo.

    Comment: Someone must have been fed up with the injustice HJ faced. Karma wouldn’t have hit this quickly otherwise.

    Comment: Maybe you’re overthinking it. The police might have been investigating for a long time and just seized the right moment.

    Comment: Can I spill some tea? An insider said a good citizen provided this evidence.

    Comment: Could there be a hacker among the Candies?

    Comment: It’s just a coincidence. Don’t give too much credit to our fandom. Our country’s police work hard too. Look, even big politicians don’t escape.

    Comment: The evidence must have been airtight, with both clips and signed documents. Even well-hidden evidence somehow reached the police.

    Comment: Whatever happened, the tyrant president is out. Does this mean HJ might reunite? I miss Shinsu’s and J’s voices.

    Comment: That’s tough. I saw a paparazzi report briefly that Shinsu was seen sending off someone at the airport. He was incredibly handsome, but the pictures have disappeared online. Anyone know who he is? Maybe it was J, and he left the country out of sadness.

    Comment: No!!!

    The young man, still waiting for his flight at the gate, read the shocking headlines with a calm face, though a satisfied smile crept onto his lips.

    He was just minding his own business, but someone decided to mess with his musical career. Well, enjoy your time in prison, former tyrant president... you would see what happens when you cross paths with Jacan.