By 10:30, everyone had arrived.
Everyone… except the man in charge.
By 11:30, the room had shifted from anxious to silently seething.
Then, finally, the door swung open.
Mr. Tang entered.
The gold chains around his neck clinked together like cheap wind chimes. Thick rings lined his fingers, and his suit—expensive but absurd—was a garish red with gold trimming. His grin alone carried the arrogance of a man who believed the world bent to his will, simply because he controlled the paychecks.
He moved slowly, deliberately, like a king entering his throne room. When he reached the head of the table, he sat back in the chair, arms spread wide, as though he owned the very air.
"Right," he said, voice casual. "Let's get to business."
He glanced at Thato, his eyes narrowing with mild amusement.
"So, you're the genius behind those tracks from yesterday. Not bad. Pretty catchy. Could use some polishing, but I see potential."
Thato didn't react.
Tang leaned forward, elbows on the table. His voice dropped, cold and sharp. "Here's what I'm offering. I'll buy the songs. In full. And I want you to be our exclusive producer—only for NovaBeat. You'll make music for our artists, handle arrangement, production, the whole thing."
He smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile.
"But if you sign with us," he continued, voice turning darker, "you'll only work with the artists we tell you to work with. You'll do as you're told. You'll be our property."
The room went deathly silent.
Then…
"Hahahaha…"
Thato's laugh filled the room—loud, unrestrained. His shoulders shook as he wiped tears from his eyes. It was the kind of laugh you give when something so absurd, so ridiculous, just makes you lose all control.
"I'm sorry," he said, still chuckling. "That's… that's the funniest thing I've heard all week."
Tang's smile faltered. His face tightened.
"And now that I've had my laugh…" Thato's voice turned cold and steady. "Let me make something crystal clear. I'm not some desperate kid you can push around with a fancy chair and a few cheap trinkets."
The VELA girls froze.
"I don't care how many chains you wear, or how loud you slam the door," Thato said, locking eyes with the CEO. "You can take your little offer and shove it somewhere deep and dark where light doesn't reach."
Tang's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't flinch. Slowly, deliberately, he stood up. Hanuel, struggling to hold back her laughter, dared to glance at Thato.
"Oh?" Tang said, voice still smooth, but there was an edge to it now. "Is that how it's going to be?"
He leaned over the table, his hands slamming down with force.
"You think this is a negotiation?" he asked, his voice low, threatening. "You think you're some kind of star?"
"I think I made good songs," Thato replied, unflinching. "And you think you can own people."
Tang chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You kids are all the same." His tone was condescending. "You think talent means something without power behind it." He pointed a ringed finger at Thato, his voice dropping even lower. "I know people. I can make those songs vanish. No royalties. No credits. Just gone. I've done it before."
He glanced sideways at the producer, who looked down, avoiding eye contact.
"And you know what else?" he said, turning back to Thato. His voice was almost sing-song now, taunting. "I know Haneul is your friend." He looked at her, his grin widening. "What's she in the group for? A pretty face? I think the girls can survive without her, don't you?"
The temperature in the room dropped.
"Funny thing about friends," Tang continued, pacing slowly around the table. "They're… disposable. Especially when they're under contract. I can kick her out of this company today, and there's nothing she can do about it. No warning. No press. She'll disappear before the internet even notices."
Thato's voice was tight, but controlled. "You wouldn't."
"I would." Tang's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "And I will. Unless you sign the deal. Right here. Right now."
With that, he tossed a thick folder onto the table. The front read: Producer Exclusive Agreement - NovaBeat Entertainment.
---
PRODUCER EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT
NovaBeat Entertainment
This Agreement is made between NovaBeat Entertainment ("Company") and Ren Saito ("Artist").
---
1. Term of Agreement
* The Artist agrees to an exclusive, binding contract with NovaBeat Entertainment for a period of *8 years, starting from the signing date.
* During this period, the Artist's creative output and professional identity are solely the property of the Company.
2. Ownership of Works
* All songs, compositions, performances, and any other creative works produced by the Artist during the term of this Agreement (the "Works") are irrevocably assigned to NovaBeat Entertainment.
* The Company shall hold exclusive rights to the Works, including full control over distribution, licensing, merchandising, and performance.
* The Artist grants the Company worldwide, perpetual, and exclusive rights to all future works.
3. Compensation
* The Artist will receive a 5% royalty from the net revenue generated by the Works (e.g., streaming, sales, performances), payable quarterly.
* No additional compensation or royalties will be owed beyond the 5%.
4. Artist's Obligations
* The Artist agrees to create music exclusively for the Company, abandoning all other opportunities and partnerships.
* The Artist will participate in any promotional activities as demanded by the Company, including media appearances, performances, and personal engagements.
* The Artist shall not engage in any work, collaboration, or opportunity that competes with or contradicts the interests of NovaBeat Entertainment without written consent.
5. Termination by Artist
* The Artist cannot terminate this Agreement under any circumstances.
* Should the Artist wish to leave the Company or break the contract for any reason, they will be obligated to pay NovaBeat Entertainment a termination fee of 300 billion won (₩300,000,000,000), an amount which is non-negotiable and enforceable in full.
6. Termination by Company
* The Company holds sole discretion to terminate the Agreement at any time, without cause.
* In the event of termination by the Company, the Artist will retain no rights to any Works created during the contract term, and all earnings will remain the property of NovaBeat Entertainment.
7. Artist's Soul and Identity
* By signing this Agreement, the Artist acknowledges and agrees that their creative identity, public persona, and all artistic endeavors will be owned and controlled by NovaBeat Entertainment for the duration of the contract.
* The Artist's connection to their creative work becomes a bond of servitude to the Company. The Artist's soul, as it pertains to their musical career, is forever linked to NovaBeat Entertainment.
---
Signatures:
For NovaBeat Entertainment:
---
"Make a smart decision, kid. Or your friend's going home with a black bag and no stage to stand on."
Thato glanced down at the contract. Then his gaze shifted to the VELA girls—Haneul was clenching her jaw, trying to hold back tears. The manager's face was as pale as a ghost. No one dared speak.
Then Thato stood.
"I'm going to say this once," he said, his voice quiet, but heavy with meaning. "If you touch Haneul—or any of them—I'll make sure every producer, every songwriter, every media outlet knows exactly what kind of fraud you are."
Tang scoffed. "You don't have that kind of pull."
"Not yet," Thato said. "But I will. And when I do, you'll be lucky if you're remembered as the man who wore gold to hide his rot."
Tang's face twisted with fury.
"Get. Out."
"Gladly."
Thato turned and walked out of the room, head held high. He didn't run. He didn't look back.
And in that moment, every girl in that room saw what real courage looked like—not in someone who followed power, but in someone who refused to be owned by it.