"I don't get how I've put on weight," Flo Glitz cried after eating her fourth packet of seaweed crisps. She weighed herself daily and if the scales weren't showing her what she wanted to see, she would be miserable for the rest of the day. Though according to her associates, it made no difference whatsoever.

No one dared to remind her that she ate all the cookies last week. Taegong had just started performing live this week. Flo Glitz's stress levels had gone through the roof. Their debut performance was at a football stadium in Seoul. So far, most of their performances took place in theatres and nightclubs. They had already filled their roles well. Taeyang was the energetic one. Gong-Gi was the edgy and sophisticated one.

As a coping mechanism, Taeyang pretended that every rehearsal was a performance. It didn't matter to him whether they were performing in front of an arena with thousands of people or a shopping mall prescient with a dozen passersby. Taeyang was ready to give the band his all. Even if there were times where he wanted to stop, he kept going. After all, the band and Gong-Gi were all that he had.

If the band were to fail, Taeyang would be lost. His family would be ashamed. Of course they would still love him, but so much money had been poured in all directions for him to be where he was. Plus, he could never compare to his relatives. His brother Jin was one of the most respected doctors he knew. His cousin on his dad's side of the family was a wealthy lawyer. The cousins on his mother's side were around his age and kept themselves busy with their sheep.

Taeyang looked at Gong-Gi, who was sitting on the table closest to the cantina area. He had three eggs on his plate whereas others only had one. He decided he should sit by him. Other idols in training were staring at him, some in awe, others in jealousy. It didn't really make much difference to him. It was just like being at school.

"Sometimes I think Flo Glitz is a robot," Taeyang said to Gong-Gi. "She looks like she's come straight out of a manga comic. Wait, on second thought, she reminds me of that awful pink woman from Harry Potter."

"That's a polite way of saying it."

Flo Glitz waltzed towards the men and dragged them into her main office. Her desk was pushed away to the side by a large window showing all of Seoul's famous landmarks.
Taeyang gasped, blown away by the pink interior. The plush toys and figures on the shelves had made their home here. The homoerotic artwork behind her desk stood out like a sore thumb. Walking past the trash bin, it was hard not to notice that it was overflowing with snack packets and drink sachets.

"Three eggs!" Flo Glitz directed her anger at her favourite victim: Gong-Gi. Everything always seemed to be Dal Gong-Gi's fault. Taeyang couldn't help but feel small next to her, despite the fact he had Gong-Gi by his side and they were both taller than her. Taeyang remembered when she threw her hot chocolate at Gong-Gi because one of her girl groups, Midnight Kiss, had received poor reviews and sales for self-titled album. "Gong-Gi, you need to stop being greedy."

"He's hungry," Taeyang explained, sitting on his lap. "He's a growing lad."

"Don't get involved!" Flo Glitz hissed. "You're gonna end up a loser just like him if you're not careful."

"Well I don't want you landing in jail," Taeyang said. "You'll kill him if you're not careful."

Flo Glitz sighed, then crossed her arms. "You should both be very grateful for me. There's thousands of people that would love to be in your shoes. I've got companies, influencers, journalists and experts all over the world begging me to get them to work with you. You both have it easy here, you know? Even Fanny Bru wants to write a song for you."

"As in Fanny Bru from Pussy*Pussy*Meow*Meow?" Taeyang gasped. VALENTINE COOKIE had covered several of their songs like No More Candy For You, Overtime and Wine Time.

Gong-Gi laughed, folding his arms. "He can't decide whether he's a he, she, they or a chimpanzee."

Flo rose from her desk and yanked Gong-Gi off the chair, over the table and cornered him by the wall. "Now you listen here!" Flo Glitz snapped, while Gong-Gi stood with his back against the wall. Had he been any closer to the window, he would have surely fallen to his death. "Fanny Bru is one of the greatest songwriters alive today. How dare you make fun of their gender!"

"That's enough!" Taeyang said, picking up a plush cat that fell off her desk. "He's lost his wife and family in a short space of time."

"Oh Taeyang," Flo muttered, "you make it sound like they're dead. They're fine. Mini Rose is just milking it. She never cared about Gong-Gi."

"Tell me what she did wrong!" Taeyang's request brought both Gong-Gi and Flo Glitz to a standstill. "She must have done something to make this happen. Her song where she's crying about your apparent infidelity... She probably cheated herself. I see this happen all the time, the one paranoid about cheating is because she can't handle the guilt. She must know that our love is a publicity stunt, she's playing along with it."

"I guess I should tell you the truth," Gong-Gi said, lowering his head. "Rose and I broke up a long time ago."

Taeyang squinted. "Why are you still living together then?"

"We chose to still live and work together because of our daughters. We were waiting for the right time to file for a divorce."

Taeyang stared at the gun poking out of Flo Glitz's pocket. "You and Rose went to school together, right?"

Gong-Gi wiggled out of Flo Glitz's grip. "How does he know that?"

"I'm friends with his mother," Flo replied. "Have you forgotten I'm his godmother."

Taeyang placed his hands on his heart. Weeks of intense training had made his perceptions hazy. "For me, this is no publicity stunt! I love you, Dal Gong-Gi. Flo Glitz might be crazy, but she's only looking out for you." He squeezed him tight and then kissed his lip.

Gong-Gi gazed at him, shrugging his shoulders. "Just remember that it's one-sided."
"Meanie!" Flo Glitz howled, throwing pocky sticks at him.

***

The office was pristine, with white walls and a large desk taking up most of the space. The lawyer, David Lee, sat behind the desk, his eyes flickering over the documents Mr Gang had given him. Mr Gang stood in front of the desk, his fists clenched at his sides, his eyes darting nervously around the room.

David Lee cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence. "I'm sorry, Mr Gang. There's nothing I can do," he said with a cool and professional voice.

Mr Gang's face fell. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with desperation.
David Lee hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering towards a photograph on his desk. In the photo, a woman with a bright smile stood next to him, her arm draped over his shoulders. "Because of our connections to Flo Glitz Entertainment," he said finally, "it would be inappropriate for us to help you."

Mr Gang's brow furrowed. "What connections?" he demanded.

David Lee took a deep breath, his eyes meeting Mr Gang's. "You don't remember me?" he asked quietly.

"We've only just met," Mr Gang replied, his confusion evident.

David Lee's eyes flickered with emotion for a moment before he schooled his expression once more. "My wife was the manager of Flo Glitz Entertainment," he said with a low voice. "I'm afraid I can't help you."

As he spoke, David Lee reached for a pen on his desk, his hand shaking ever so slightly. He began to fiddle with it, twisting it between his fingers, his eyes fixed on the photograph on his desk.

"I'm Flo Glitz's husband. Though I guess you won't remember, since you were so drunk at our wedding."

"Well, I'll have to go and find another lawyer to help me," Mr Gang said, his voice firm.

David Lee shook his head. "I'm afraid you're wasting your time."

"Why?" Mr Gang demanded.

"You didn't read the contract, did you?" David Lee asked.

"The contract's a dud. Just pieces of paper!" Mr Gang replied, his frustration mounting.
"Contracts are legal documents. I know they're boring, but they're the difference between winning or losing court cases," David Lee explained in a patient but firm tone.

"The courts will throw you out before you can say kimchi. Taeyang's only 17, but your wife also countersigned the document. Mun-Hee also paid you, right?"

Mr Gang's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that?" he asked.

"I know a lot about your family," David Lee replied evenly. "Mun-Hee may be busy being Flo Glitz, but she always has time for me and my sons."

"Are you trying to call us bad parents?" Mr Gang demanded, his voice rising.

"Not at all," David Lee replied quickly, holding up a hand to placate him. "Court cases against celebrities cost a lot of money. Money that you don't have. I can't go to court against my wife. It's not right."

"What?" Mr Gang's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Let me break it to you. You have signed and agreed to have Mun-Hee become Taeyang's legal guardian." As he spoke, David Lee leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped together on his desk. He met Mr Gang's gaze steadily, his expression grave."I'm sorry, but from a legal standing point, it appears that you sold your son and you have also surrendered all your custodial rights for him."

"Can you get your wife to sort out a time to meet him?"

"I can assure you he's fine. Mun-Hee takes great care of her staff. Taeyang will be no exception."  David Lee stood up and pointed towards the door. "Now if you excuse me, I am sorry to cut you short, but I have an important client meeting."

***

Taeyang stared out the window of his hotel room, his eyes tracing the glittering skyline of Tokyo. His 18th birthday was only a few months away, but instead of feeling excited, he felt a deep sense of loneliness. He missed his family. He missed his perfect doctor brother. He even missed his drunk father.

But it wasn't just his family that he missed. Taeyang couldn't help but think of the other trainee idols he had met during his time in the industry. They were all skin and bones, their faces caked in makeup, their lives controlled by their agencies. He couldn't shake off the worry that they were all being exploited, that they were all suffering in silence. His godmother was giving him the best treatment, but it didn't take away the cruelty she tried to protect him from.

As he sat on the edge of his bed, lost in thought, Gong-Gi stirred beside him. Taeyang turned to him and reached out to pull Gong-Gi closer, but he pushed him away.
"What's wrong?" he asked, hurt by his rejection.

"I'm tired," Gong-Gi grumbled, his voice flat.

Taeyang sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knew that Gong-Gi's feelings were scripted by their agency, but Taeyang couldn't help the way he felt. He craved human connection, someone to talk to, to laugh with, to share his fears and worries. Gong-Gi used to be somebody that Taeyang was able to confide in, but not tonight.

"I'm missing home," Taeyang said, his voice soft.

Gong-Gi didn't reply, and Taeyang turned back to the window, feeling more alone than ever. When the sun will rise, so will the cameras. Then, the fairy tale will be alive again.

***

Poe Tree bounced up and down on her seat, her energy infectious. She wore a bright pink t-shirt with a unicorn graphic on it and her hair was styled in rainbow-coloured pigtails. She clutched her phone in her hand, scrolling through messages from friends who were curious about where she was staying in Kyoto.

"I love unicorns, Asian men, and bubble tea if you cannot tell already," she said, giggling to herself.

Suddenly, she let out a loud scream, causing several other travellers to turn and look at her in alarm.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, panting for breath. "This is the first time I have left my house in ages! I won a free ticket to a meet and greet in Kyoto! Ah! They've even paid for my flight. And I got a five star hotel room in the same hotel as the band."

She bounced up and down in her seat again, her excitement palpable.

As she looked back down at her phone, she saw more messages from her friends asking where she was staying in Kyoto. She put a finger to her lips and winked.

"No, I can't tell you. That's top secret!" she said with a grin.

Poe stepped into the hotel elevator, feeling a bit nervous as the doors closed and the elevator began to move. She curled up in the corner, feeling a bit claustrophobic as the floors ticked by.

"Oh wow, so many floors. Oh, I hate lifts," she muttered to herself, her palms growing sweaty. Her stream kept her going. So many comments comforting her. They were right. Her dream was coming true, and she couldn't wait to see the other fans who had won.

But finally, the elevator stopped on the floor she wanted and the doors opened with a soft ding. Poe stepped out, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

As she walked down the gold and red corridors of the hotel, Poe couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the luxurious surroundings. She felt a little out of place, but excited nonetheless.

As she approached her room, she slid her card key into the lock and pushed the door open. But instead of an empty room, she was greeted by Taeyang standing in the middle of the room.

Poe's eyes widened in surprise as she stumbled back a step. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know someone was in here," she apologised, feeling embarrassed. Peering towards the man, she dropped her phone, screamed, then dashed to hug him.

"Oh my god, I love you! I love you!"

***

Elaine watched in disgust as she saw Poe Tree on her screen fawning over Gong-Gi and Taeyang holding hands and kissing. She couldn't believe how Poe Tree was behaving after all the trouble she had caused in the past. "This is just ridiculous," Elaine muttered to herself. "She's acting like everything is fine and dandy after what she did to me. It's like she has no shame." Elaine shook her head and turned off the video, not wanting to watch any longer. She knew that Poe Tree was nothing but trouble and she wanted to distance herself as much as possible.

Elaine shook her head in disgust as she watched the live stream on her screen. "And if that wasn't enough, now we have this," she said to her viewers, pausing the video. "Taeyang's birth certificate has been leaked online. He's only 17 years old!" she exclaimed, her voice dripping with contempt. "This kiss is not romantic. It's disgusting," she continued, her tone becoming more and more heated. "I cannot believe that some people are cheering for this. It's wrong, plain and simple. All those other fangirls who won the contest are just as bad," she added, as she could see them clapping and cheering in the background of the video. "They all think this is sexy. Just how old are these girls anyways? Where are their parents? For my sanity, I hope that they are actresses."

Elaine continued to watch the live stream with her fans, despite her obvious disgust for the scene unfolding before her. The camera panned to show Taegong having breakfast with the lucky superfans, and as Elaine's eyes scanned the screen, she couldn't help but notice that they had to get two chairs for Poe. "Poe is so big they've got two chairs for her," she exclaimed. "The one sitting in the far corner...her waist is smaller than Poe's arm. How did Poe even get on a plane? I don't even want to know."

As she continued to watch, Elaine's attention was drawn to Gong-Gi's table manners, which she described as a 'crying shame.' He ate and drank like a pig. Elaine couldn't help but wonder if he would have his trousers down later that night. She speculated about the ages of the other girls, knowing that Gong-Gi, who was thirty-two, was far too old to be sleeping with his fans. "In the K-Pop industry, sleeping with your fans is a big no-no, but that doesn't stop Gong-Gi, the self-proclaimed superhero and casanova. He's a nonce that needs locking up!"

Despite her anger and frustration, Elaine remained professional and cut the stream off before shifting gears to her next segment. "So she's cut the stream off here. I have Taeyang's family on Zoom with me," she announced, her voice steady and determined. With a quick click, she switched the camera to show Taeyang's family on the screen, ready to continue with her coverage of the corrupt K-Pop Industry.

Elaine addressed the Gang family on the Zoom call, making sure to confirm their identities before delving into the topic at hand. "First of all, thank you all for joining. Now as I understand, you are Taeyang's parents and you, Doctor Lee, are Taeyang's older brother, is that right?" They all nodded, confirming their identities. Mrs. and Mr. Gang held hands tightly as they did so, seemingly anxious about what was to come. Mr. Gang tapped his eldest son's shoulder, indicating that he wanted him to speak next.

Elaine wasted no time getting straight to the point, asking the family how they felt about their son and brother being involved in such a corrupt industry. The question hung heavily in the air, causing the Gangs to shift uncomfortably in their seats.

Doctor Lee had wiped away his tears and taken a deep breath. "I just want to say that we miss our brother, our son, so much. We were proud of his talents, but we hate how he was being used. He is so young, and the industry is so corrupt. It was heartbreaking to see him get caught up in all of this."

As he spoke, Mrs. Gang started to cry. Her husband had put his arm around her and held her close. "We never wanted this for him," she had said through sobs. "We just wanted him to be happy and do what he loves. But it seemed like he was just a commodity to them. It wasn't fair."

Doctor Lee nodded in agreement. "It isn't fair at all. Taeyang deserves so much better than that. He had worked so hard to get where he was. It was painful to see him being treated like that."

Mr. Gang had spoken up, his voice stern. "We had always told Taeyang to stay true to himself and his values. We didn't want him to compromise who he was for the sake of fame and fortune. We had hoped that he could find a way to navigate the industry while staying true to himself."

The room had fallen silent as they all sat with their thoughts and emotions. It had been clear that the Gang family was struggling with the reality of Taeyang's situation. They were fiercely protective of him and his wellbeing.

Elaine Jinx had taken a deep breath and asked a tough question, "Mr. Gang, there have been reports of your struggles with alcoholism. Can you address those concerns?"

Mr. Gang had looked down at his hands for a moment before speaking. "Yes, it's true that I had struggled with alcoholism in the past. But I want to use this opportunity to declare to the world that I am giving up drinking. I am taking steps to get help and make sure that my family and I have a better future."

Mrs. Gang nodded and wiped away tears from her eyes. "We have all been through a lot as a family, but we were trying our best to move forward and support each other."

Elaine Jinx nodded understandingly and continued, "And what about the reports of you seeking help from authorities?"

Mr. Gang's expression had turned serious as he had replied, "Yes, I had gone to see a lawyer and I had reached out to authorities for help. But unfortunately, I didn't receive the assistance I needed. It had been a difficult time for me and my family, but we were determined to persevere and come out stronger on the other side."

The room had fallen silent for a moment as everyone had processed Mr. Gang's words. Finally, Doctor Lee had spoken up, "We had been grateful for your willingness to ask these tough questions. It had been important that the truth had come out and we could work towards a better future for our family and for the industry."

Elaine leaned over to ask a question to Taeyang's family. "Can you confirm Taeyang's age?"

Mr Gang stumbled for a moment, unable to remember off the top of his head. "Late summer and autumn time. I know Lee's is on 25th September."

Mrs. Gang came to his rescue, stating that Taeyang's birthday was also in September. Doctor Lee then declared that Taeyang was born on October 10, 2030, which made him 17 years old.

The room fell silent as everyone took in the information. Taeyang was still a minor and had been thrust into the spotlight at such a young age. It was clear that the pressure and scrutiny of the industry had taken its toll on him and his family.

Elaine nodded solemnly before continuing the interview. It was clear that there was much more to uncover about Taeyang's story and the dark side of the entertainment industry as a whole.

"You were aware that I do say things that come across as controversial or sharp-tongued. And I can assure you that I do not hate anybody in the LGBTQ+ community and I am certainly not racist. I was married to a Sri Lankan woman for 7 years. What I am against is rainbow capitalism and exploitation, which is clearly happening. Sadly, I will have to wrap this up now, but Mrs. Gang, I understand that you and Sun Mun-Hee, or Flo Glitz as she was known, were friends. Do you feel betrayed?"

"Yes!" Mrs Gang said. "I was promised he would have a career. But this is not how I want my son to be seen. He's not very smart. He struggled at school and had bad grades. He's going to have no future after this!"

"Well, thank you very much for your time!" Elaine said and she ended the call and the stream. The band wasn't going to end tonight, but they were on the path to doom.