EPISODE 1

[EXCLUSIVE] Popular idol group COSMOS member ‘Woo Hyunui’ missing

Amidst the release of the teaser for the next regular album of the male idol group under Heaven Entertainment, the whereabouts of member ‘Woo Hyunui’ remain mysterious.

According to officials, it is presumed that he went missing while taking a rest at the dormitory on the evening of the 13th.

Member Shin, who was using the same room as Woo, stated, “He hasn’t been seen since we fell asleep together before the incident.”

On the day of the incident, the agency, Heaven Entertainment, immediately reported the case to the police as a suspected abduction, but even after two weeks, Woo’s whereabouts have not been found despite various clues, including CCTV footage, making the investigation difficult.

Last year, as a participant in the highly trending idol survival program on Music Net, <Grade 1 Idol> Season 4, he achieved 8th place, so fans’ concerns are growing due to this incident.

I was stunned when I saw the article right after finishing my military service.

“Euijin, is this about your younger brother?”

What nonsense is this about Hyunui being missing?

***

“Mr. Eujin, we are also working diligently on the investigation regarding Hyunui’s disappearance…”

“Yes, diligently watching from the sidelines, I assume?”

I barely managed to hold back my profanity. It’s been over two months since he went missing, and there’s not a single clue. Can you believe that? Well, what can I expect from those who didn’t even bother to contact me when my brother disappeared?

If it weren’t for the article reported two weeks after his disappearance, I would have remained oblivious for a few more days.

“The kid who was peacefully sleeping in the dormitory suddenly vanished into thin air?”

“For now, please calm down… We have also conducted an investigation regarding that, but he truly disappeared out of the blue…”

“Yes, so could you at least let me talk to the other members…just once, please. Or at least let me connect me through a phone call. Since all the members were in the dormitory at the time of his disappearance, they might know something.”

“You see, the other members are also going through a lot mentally because of Hyunui’s disappearance…”

It’s not like I’m perfectly fine either.

“If you just wait a little longer, there will be progress in the investigation. It’s better for you to go home…”

“...Yes, it seems like I’ve been holding up busy people for too long. I’ll go now.”

This is the fourth time my request to meet the members of my brother’s group has been rejected.

“There’s no point in saying anything more here.”

I could only let out a bitter laugh.

After seeing the news of my brother’s disappearance right after my discharge, I was both shocked and overwhelmed. Thankfully, my friend was there to keep me grounded. However, my mind was already filled with terrible scenarios. If someone had seen me, they would have thought I was crazy.

“If he’s in any serious danger or his life is at risk…”

On the train to Seoul, I desperately tried calling my sibling’s group members and their manager, but no one answered. I became increasingly anxious, thinking that something serious might have happened. My whole body trembled with unease. Sitting next to me, Jeho, who had been watching me the entire time, held my hand and spoke.

“Eujin, let’s start by going to Hyunui’s place together.”

“…Okay.”

As we were about to turn back due to the crowding reporters gathered at the entrance of my brother’s dormitory, we coincidentally ran into the management team leader of my brother’s agency.

The team leader looked at me and said,

“Mr. Eujin? Come to think of it, it’s already your discharge date.”

I grabbed his collar in frustration at his insensitive comment, but he quickly turned the conversation around, saying that there were circumstances that prevented them from informing the family about the disappearance.

That’s all we heard from the team leader for the past few months as if talking to a wall.

There were no traces of my missing sibling, and the investigation showed no progress. The police seemed exhausted and were only pretending to investigate.

Netizens, who were initially outraged by the disappearance, soon turned to making ridiculous speculations, mocking the situation.

Some even suggested that my sibling intentionally disappeared without notifying the agency.

@It seems like the agency doesn’t care at all. Maybe they are the ones who made him disappear, lol.

⌞Seriously, Heaven Entertainment isn’t known for neglecting its artists.

⌞Yeah, what’s with the conspiracy theories?

⌞Maybe the agency is secretly involved?

@Woo Hyunui was always a crazy magnet… Is he really kidnapped?

⌞I’m a fan, and even thought the same thing.

⌞Remember when he was in Season 4 of Grade 1 Idol? All sorts of weirdos were after him, and the rankings got messed up.

⌞No, it’s not about the rankings, it’s about the PD.

⌞This time, it seems he got caught up in something serious and was actually kidnapped. Didn’t something similar happen before?

⌞Maybe it’s related to the stalker incident from last time?

⌞I believe this…It’s probably related to someone powerful who can’t be touched. How can there be no CCTV footage of a person who went missing?

@Comments are going crazy lol. Do you guys really think it’s just a disappearance?

⌞Seriously, how many attention seekers are there?

⌞333

⌞4444 There are so many losers who only think like this, I can’t understand how they live their lives ^^; Do they even have any experience being ignored and forgotten?

⌞They probably secretly think the same way even though they say otherwise.

⌞Dude, instead of getting angry sitting in your room browsing the internet, go outside and get some fresh air, okay?

I wanted to go and confront them all, turn their lives upside down.

Asking if it’s fun to say those things to someone whose survival is still unknown.

Asking if it’s nice to gossip about someone else’s life.

“Damn it…”

I kept chain-smoking, something I never did even in the military, and as I looked to the side, a man was reflected in the glass window. His face was gaunt, with sunken cheeks and a sickly appearance like a dying man.

---The kids say you’re collapsing even during practice. Take care of yourself, man.

---It’s not your place to tell me that, hyung. Besides, I’m healthier than you.

Conversations I had with my sibling in the past echoed in my ears.

“…If he comes and sees me, he’ll probably nag at me.”

Finally, I took out everything I had in my hands and in my pockets and threw them all in the trash. The reflection of the man in the glass window looked slightly better than before.

***

Personally, I had entrusted some private investigators, but there wasn't much income from it.

I didn't have high expectations to begin with. Seeing the attitude of my sibling's agency, it was more convincing that they were hiding something internally.

"It's strange that they're not doing anything when one of their group members disappeared without a trace..."

The situation had become unclear, with the member of a group that was in the midst of their popularity suddenly going missing. Their upcoming album release and activities were all in limbo. And yet, they were being so passive?

I may not be in that position anymore, but I have experienced being an idol debutant, so I know a bit about how this industry works.

Not only did my sibling's group achieve as much success as any top idol group upon debut, but their future prospects were even better, not even a year after their debut. From the agency's perspective, there was no way the treatment would be bad, as they could continue to cash in for several more years.

"Besides, they've put in so much effort, so to just abandon it like this doesn't make sense."

Even if their intention was to continue promoting with the remaining members, I couldn't understand it.

Now that it's known that the last sighting was at the dormitory, if they just watched the situation without taking any action, it would only raise suspicions among the public. It wouldn't be good for the agency either to have the case remain unsolved. They could be labeled unnecessarily.

Usually, when someone goes missing, it's common for people to actively participate in the investigation. But this company...

"I heard that the manager who first realized the situation and contacted the police was disciplined."

If it wasn't a real disappearance, it could be said that the manager acted too hastily, but considering the current situation, it wasn't a bad response. In fact, it made the agency's attitude feel excessive.

The other members of my sibling's group, whose contact suddenly stopped, were also strange.

They were all members I had frequent contact with, and they even acted friendly towards me as the member's older brother. But now, I couldn't reach any of them.

At first, I thought maybe they felt guilty or had a sense of responsibility towards me because of Hyunui's disappearance, so I asked the agency to pass along a letter for me.

I don't blame you, so let's just meet face-to-face at least once.

If it's too burdensome, are you guys okay?

I'm just worried that something might have happened, so please just reply and tell me you're okay.

But there was no reply.

"Did the agency even bother to pass along the letter in the first place?"

Seeing their behavior, it was more likely that they didn't bother and just threw it in the trash.

Even if they claimed it was for the protection of the artists, I couldn't understand why they would act like this.

What about me? What about my sibling?

If the agency had just taken the initiative to solve this situation, I wouldn't be this angry.

"Sigh..."

Unless someone forcibly hid them, how could they disappear to this extent?

My only family member disappeared without a trace. It made me feel so helpless.

* * *

[♬♪~]

"I finally fell asleep..."

I picked up my phone that was ringing loudly next to my bed, absentmindedly messing with the bedside table.

[ 03:28 A.M. ]

Who would call at this hour?

"...This is Eujin."

- Yes, Eujin, I'm sorry to call you in the middle of the night. I'm the private investigator you hired, 007 Detective Agency.

My eyes widened. Honestly, I had entrusted the case with the mindset of grasping at straws, but I didn't expect any results.

"Hello, have you found anything?"

- Well, there was a witness who claimed to have seen someone resembling your sibling. The location is not far from your residence, so I called you immediately. It's in XX district, right?

"Yes, please send me the address of the sighting. I'll go check it out."

- Sure, we have also deployed our team, so let's search together. I'll send you the address via text.

This is the location where the sighting occurred.

Seoul, XX District, XX Road, XX Intersection

It was a 15-minute walk from my house, less than 5 minutes by taxi.

I quickly put on my coat and walked out the door.

"Finally...!"

It had been almost three months since my sibling went missing, and I was starting to think that I should give up.

I had been living on alcohol and medication for a few days. The thought of what I would do if I survived tortured me, but I endured it with the mindset that if Hyunui returned later, I couldn't afford to be gone as well.

"He doesn't have a common face, so it's likely to be Hyunui"

And with the popularity of the survival show he had been on, there were many people who recognized him on the streets, so the chances of the sighting being my sibling were high.

I ran towards the destination with all my strength, not wanting to waste any time waiting for a taxi.

"Please be there..."

I ran for about 5 minutes.

Breathing heavily, I looked around the area where the sighting was reported, but I couldn't see a single ant.

"Where could it be?"

I pressed the call button, wondering if there was any progress at the police station, and looked around.

- Yes, Eujin?

"Yes, where are you? I'm right in front of the address you sent me."

- Oh! Just a moment.

I could hear the voice on the other side of the phone.

Client, intersection, arrival, informant.

- Eujin, do you see a convenience store near there?

"Just a moment... Yes, I see it."

- There should be a tall guy in the alley to the right. We attached a tracking device so we can track his location in real time. It would be easier for you to work together.

"Okay, thank you."

I hung up the call and walked towards the convenience store, looking for the tall man.

"Is that him?"

As the agency had mentioned, there was a man who looked like he could be around 190cm tall standing in the alley next to the convenience store.

As I approached him and was about to say hello, our eyes met.

"...Huh?"

It was a familiar face.

Well, familiar to me, at least.

That's because this man was a top-level actor, so to speak. He was currently the male lead in a drama with over 40% viewership ratings, so if you claimed not to know him in modern-day South Korea, people would think you were a spy.

"Shin Eun Gyeol, what are you doing? We need to move him, so help me lift him up."

And that voice, I had heard it somewhere before.

"...Shin Eun Hwa?"

She was a member of a popular girl group in the midst of their prime.

Both of them were from the same agency as my sibling, so I had encountered them in the waiting room during Hyunui's group concert. They probably wouldn't remember me, so I didn't bother pretending to know them.

'These two aren't likely to be involved with the drug dealers... What's going on, did they get mixed up?'

Since Shin Eun Hwa and Shin Eun Gyeol were siblings, it wasn't strange for them to be together. It was probably dangerous for them to be alone in the middle of the night, so they must have come out together. They had nothing to do with me, so I just nodded my head and tried to pass by.

If only there wasn't someone lying on the ground.

"...Hyunui?"

It was my sibling.