VICE

“We’re getting married in five months, sweetheart.” Yikyung reminded him, fondly patting his cheek. Geonwu held Yikyung’s wrist in place, searching her face. He was so in love, it was ridiculous. How did he manage to find someone as amazing and as genuine as the woman sitting next to him? He knew they had less than half a year to wait, but he didn’t want to. For once, planning seemed stupid and pointless to him. He didn’t want to wait for his forever to start. 

“Wanna get married tonight?” He asked her in a quiet tone.  Yikyung chuckled, her eyes squinting with the curve of her lips. The smile died down when she realized Geonwu wasn’t joking.  “You’re serious?” Yikyung asked, eyes wide. Her chest bubbled with excitement. The thought of running off and getting married spontaneously sent instant waves of adrenaline through her veins.  “Dead serious.” Geonwu straightened himself up, holding Yikyung’s hands in his, searching his fiancee’s face.

“I- Yes.” Yikyung’s smile returned, a dazed sort of laugh on her lips. She looked down at her outfit, realizing that she was wearing grey sweatpants with a grey sweatshirt. She looked back up at her fiancee. “Should I go put on a dress or...?” 

“Are you going to wear a dress for the rest of your life?” Geonwu rolled his eyes, a playful smile on his face.  “No,”  “Then you don’t need one. I want to marry this Yikyung. This is the version of you that I want to grow old with. The one that wears groutfits and has,” His thumb brushed the edge of her lip. “Pizza sauce on her face.” Geonwu insisted with a laugh. Yikyung leaned forward and kissed him, pressing a smile against his lips. 

AESTHETICS:

Purple theme this time around.

A lot of fake fur and animal prints (never real, Vice doesn’t support use of real fur).

They lowkey looked  like Dionysus cosplayers this era.

The eye makeup this era…. Wow. Vice wanted to look as regal as possible, so they got a lot of purple eyeshadow and bronzer. 

Generally very lush and expensive-looking.

THE MUSIC VIDEO:

This music video is more performance-based than acting-based, but there still was solo shots of the boys sitting on their thrones with different crowns and objects on them.

M.H. is the center for this era, but he had minimal props besides a large crown on the top of his head. The throne he sat on was clearly the biggest and most goddy. One of his scenes, he stood up on the throne, placing one foot on the backrest. Then he pushed the throne back, riding the throne down like a surfboard.

Geonwu was on a throne that was covered with silvery purple silk sheets. The crown on his head was really delicate and silver. The wind blowing around him made the sheets ripple. Despite the regal energy he was exuding, he still slouched in his chair. In one shot, he has the crown on his index finger, lazily twirling it around in a circle.

Woodie’s throne was upholstered with a deep red velvet, and the back of his throne was carved ‘gold’ made to look like decorative flames. In his shots, he was seen leaning forward, tapping his finger onto his clenched jaw. One of the most memorable shots for Woodam was when he took the scepter in his hand and swung at the throne in slow motion, breaking the back piece of the throne.

Cyth’s throne had green vines growing around it, growing thickly as the shots of him progress. His crown has green emerald jewels embellished on it. In his shots, he’s leaning back in his throne, trying to look disinterested, but his jaw is tight and his facial expression is hard when he raps.

Seokyu’s throne is surrounded by gold and money. His throne is made out of what looks like gold coins. His crown is almost as goddy as M.H’s. Resting on his thigh is a deep purple velvet pouch, inferred to have money inside. His hand is always resting in front of it in a protective way. 

Ji’s throne looks like it’s made out of hands, painted in a rosy gold color. Half way through his shots, the hands start to move (cgi) and touch his chest and legs. His crown has little gold hearts embellished onto it. When he starts rapping and leaning forward, the hands reach out and pull him back, not allowing him to leave the throne. 

Kane is holding a golden apple while he lounges lazily on the throne. Strewn around him on the floor are the rinds of other golden apples. His throne looks very plush and comfortable. His last solo shot is him taking a huge bite of the apple. In the sequence of the video, the bite scene comes right before Woodie smashes his throne. 

The group shots are them dancing in a grand hall. The thrones that they are seen sitting on are positioned in a semicircle behind them. Above them is a grand chandelier and there is purple drapery coming down from the ceiling and covering the walls. 

The last shot is of all of them sitting on their respected thrones.

ERA NOTES:

Although Vice is finally breaking into the mainstream, this album didn’t sell as well as ARDOR. 

However, the era was still successful! 

The Satisfy music video reached 10 million views in the first 24 hours. 

The album topped at #5 on Melon, #3 on Mnet, and #10 on Bugs.

Satisfy won 3 music show wins.

After album promotions ended, Seokyu walked during a runway show for Dior in Seoul which caused a lot of people to be like “woah who’s that” and eventually start keeping tabs on Vice.

M.H. and Geonwu returned as MCs for Music Bank and were hosts when Satisfy got it’s first win. 

In July, Vice After Dark hosted their label mates and first juniors, S.O.T to talk about their debut. 

Speaking of which, S.O.T had a few interactions with M.H. and Geonwu at Music Bank during their debut and it was really heartwarming. 

FANDOM BEHAVIORS:

The fanbase didn’t really grow or shrink during this era, despite EGO not being as successful as their previous album

Since Triptych stans were stepping onto the scene, Virtues tried to be really sweet to them but it ended up with them being like “yo these kids are mad annoying lmaooo poor tyh.” 

Virtues got mad that Artychs weren’t streaming with them and got upset when an Artych called Vice old. 

“Okay... Sure.” Sungho didn’t argue. The good thing about rooming with someone who’s introverted; they never question your need for space. The rapper headed to the door, flinging his coat over his shoulder. “I’ll try to be home before two, but... no promises.” 

“Alright, be safe!” Woodam called, pretending to search something on his laptop.

“Again, no promises.” Cyth smirked at him from the doorway before closing the door. 

Woodam waited fifteen minutes before snapping his laptop shut. By now, the staff members should either be experiencing the nightlife that Amsterdam had to offer or unwinding in the privacy of their own rooms. It was time for him to get a move on.

Discarding his worn out clothes, he put on a nicer pair of jeans and one of his less-shabby sweatshirts. After a quick comb through his hair and a spritz of cologne for good luck, he exited his hotel room, heading for Saehyun’s down the hall.

Ever since Vice’s tour started, Saehyun, their photographer and past savior, had been dodging invites from Vice and the rest of the staff to unwind after work. At first, Woodam respected the rejection, even though he wished she occupied one of the empty chairs when the staff went out for dinner. But as the tour went on, Woodam felt like it was unfair that he was making all these memories while Saehyun, the person who saved him from a sasaeng all those years ago, sat alone in her hotel room. Tonight, he was going to repay her.

Woodie knocked on her door, swaying back and forth on the balls of his feet while he waited for her to answer. He heard the shuffle of footsteps stop before the door. Woodam looked at the peephole and waved enthusiastically. He was sure he heard a sigh before the door opened.

“Sorry, Woodam. I’m not going out tonight.” Saehyun said, giving him a false look of apology. 

“Oh, no worries, me either.” Woodam beamed. The apologetic smile on the photographer’s face melted, being replaced with a mild look of bewilderment.

“Huh?” 

“The boys already left. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out?” Woodam proposed, his mouth dry. In his head, Saehyun would accept the invitation without hesitation and the rest of their night would be full of unforgettable memories. However, the strained smile on Saehyun’s face was bringing Woodam back to reality. Before Saehyun could give him an excuse, he continued speaking. “I don’t want to invade your space but you just seemed really stressed lately and I’m worried that you’re overworking yourself. I’m just worried.” 

Saehyun licked her lower lip, mulling the proposal over. Then she looked over her shoulder, surveying her current living situation. 

“Um, would you like to step in for a minute? We can plan out what we want to do.” She offered tentatively. 

“Only if you’re comfortable.” Woodam said sincerely. “You have the right to tell me to go away.” 

A ghost of a smile quirked on Saehyun’s lips as she stepped aside and welcomed him into her hotel room. 

The room was clean enough, but it was obvious that Saehyun had been living out of it for the duration of their time in Amsterdam. A collection of discarded takeout boxes were crammed into the overflowing trash can. Her pre-planned outfits for the week were neatly folded on the spare bed. Books were stacked on her nightstand, titles that Woodam had noticed several times on the job sight between breaks.

Woodie gestured to a well-worn paperback book. “Didn’t you finish that in Germany?” He asked.

Saehyun shrugged. “I’m re-reading it. I didn’t bring as much reading material as I thought I did.” 

Woodam perked up, an idea of how they can spend their night casting over him. “Hey, let’s go shopping for a new book for you to read. My treat.” 

Saehyun gave him an appreciative smile. “That’s sweet of you, Woodie, but it’s not necessary.” 

“Saehyun, come on.” Woodam pouted, giving the photographer pleading eyes. “You’ve been stuck in this hotel room for two nights now. It’ll be nice to get some fresh air, huh?” 

Woodam knew no one could resist his pouting, and Saehyun was no exception. Within ten minutes the pair was exiting the hotel, heading towards the downtown area. 

It didn’t take long for Woodam to locate the bookstore he mentioned. The outside was covered in ivy and had little window boxes filled with multicolored flowers. A string of delicate fairy lights draped over the doorway and windows. It looked like something out of a fairytale. Woodie opened the door for Saehyun and watched with satisfaction as his photographer’s jaw dropped every so slightly.

The inside of the bookstore was even more magical. There were books stacked from the floor to the ceiling, teetering in precarious towers. Paper mobiles hung from the rafters, taking shapes of animals or hot air balloons. Just like outside, there were fairylights draped over bookshelves and dangling from the ceiling. It was like stepping into a whole other world. 

“Wow.” Saehyun mouthed, looking around with wide eyes. Woodie smiled at Saehyun’s endearing amazement. He let Saehyun wander around as he followed behind her like a tethered puppy, occasionally glancing at titles as they passed. Unfortunately, the bulk of the inventory was written either in Dutch or English. As Saehyun began to notice, her smile started fading and becoming more strained.

Woodie looked around for something to cheer Saehyun up. His eyes fell on a display a few paces away. He walked over and picked up a copy, hurrying back over with a smile on his face. 

“What’s that?” Saehyun asked. Woodam held it up proudly. Saehyun arched an eyebrow, looking not nearly as impressed as Woodam imagined.

“A coloring book?” Saehyun wrinkled her nose.

“An adult coloring book.” Woodam emphasized, flipping through the pages, displaying all the intricate line drawings. Saehyun still didn’t seem hooked. Woodam snapped the book shut, accepting defeat. 

“Okay… What about…” Woodam looked around. He spent about fifteen minutes searching around the store for something Saehyun would like. Unfortunately, all he knew about Saehyun was that she liked to take pictures and that she probably wanted Woodam to leave her alone. He came up empty handed, and Saehyun looked bored.

“I don’t know…” Woodam sulked, glancing around the bookstore one last time. “I think we struck out.” “It’s getting late anyways.” Saehyun shrugged. “We should probably get back to the hotel before people realize we’re gone.” 

Woodam followed Saehyun towards the door silently, thoroughly discouraged that he couldn’t make this night memorable. He doesn’t even know if Saehyun smiled once tonight. That hurt Woodam the most. 

As they were passing the last row of displays, something caught Woodam’s eye. He halted in his tracks. To his left was a tall shelf full of journals. The covers ranged from classic leather bound to sparkled with rhinestones. Saehyun realized Woodam wasn’t behind her and backtracked to stand next to him. 

Woodam glanced over at the girl with a grin on his face. “What about writing your own story?” 

“Got any ideas about your first entry?” Woodam questioned as they walked down the sidewalk. Above them, the street lights buzzed, casting the two of them in an peachy tint. Saehyun peeked into the paper bag, examining her recent purchase. “Not sure.” Saehyun mused. “Maybe I’ll make it into a burn book.”

Woodam’s eyebrows shot up. “Working for HBH is that bad huh?” He teased.

Saehyun rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that. Most of the staff is lovely. I think.” A puzzled expression casted over her features. “It’s kind of hard to tell who’s nice and who isn’t if everyone talks to you simply.” 

“You haven’t made any friends yet?” Woodam asked with concern. 

Saehyun dryly chuckled. “I mean… I’m not really here to make friends. I’m here to photograph a boy band and to build up my resume.” 

“Still. It must get lonely if you don’t have someone to talk to.” Woodam sympathized. Saehyun didn’t respond. Laughter and cheers from the bars that lined the streets filtered into the night, contrasting the stiff silence between them. 

“Are you okay?” 

Woodam had been wanting to ask this question for weeks now. With no other staff members or his friends around, the question came out easily. Saehyun looked up at Woodam, her expression downcast.

“I mean… Yeah. I’m okay. But I guess you’re right. I am a little lonely.” 

The silence returned.

“You should write about tonight.” Woodam suggested as they were two blocks from their hotel. “In your journal, I mean.”

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. You might be less lonely when you look back on it.” Woodam smiled. Saehyun fought off a grin as she gave him a playful shove. “Yeah, I’ll look back on it and write about how you tried to get me to buy a coloring book.” Saehyun chuckled. “Hey, it was a good idea! You’re just boring.” “I’m not boring.” “I’d say otherwise…” “You don’t know me.” Saehyun arched her eyebrows playfully. Woodam slowed his walking, nodding his head.

“You’re right. I don’t really know you.” The idol gave the photographer a small smirk. “Maybe we should hang out more. Then I’ll be able to decide if you’re boring or not.” 

Saehyun’s smile melted a little. “That’s sweet, Woodie, but… I’m concerned of how it’ll look to everyone else if we start hanging out. My colleagues know I used to be a fansite, you know? They already have their assumptions as to why I’m here. I don’t want to look any less professional than I already do.” 

Woodam nodded in understanding. He looked around them. There were people around, but no one seemed to be paying any attention to them. He pointed a finger to the sky. “What if we hung out like this?” 

“At night?” Saehyun reacted as if Woodam suggested that they lay in the middle of the road. “If we get caught, I’ll be booted in a heartbeat.” 

“So we won’t.” Woodam grinned. “I’m better at keeping secrets than you may think.” 

Saehyun ran a hand through her hair, tugging the roots back as she thought about the proposal. Finally, her hand fell from her locks, the strain on her scalp being released. 

“I guess it was nice not spending a night alone.” She caved. Woodam beamed, resuming his walking.

“I forgot you had that soundboard.” Kane frowned, shaking his head slightly in disapproval.  “Oh you did? Does this setting jog your memory?” Ji smirked before pressing a button, prompting a clip of Kane saying “oh my god” with a major voice crack at the word “god”. Kane shook his head with a small smile on his face all while, giving Ji an seething look.  “No? Let me try again.” Ji pressed the button one more time. Then he pressed it again. And again. And again until Kane finally kicked his group mate under the table. 

“Ouch!” Ji scooted his chair back. While Ji was distracted, Kane took over the direction of the episode. 

“Anyways, Virtues better want to hang out for a little more, because tonight's topics are...” Kane inhaled through his teeth. “Well they’re pretty saucy.”  “Oooh, tell ‘em how saucy, Kangdae.” Ji played along. “Let’s just say... We are very lucky that this is a night-time airing, otherwise this whole episode would be censored.” Kane grinned mischievously.  “Woah, woah,” Ji put his hands up as he laughed. “It’s not that vulgar, don’t be a tease.”

“Alright, alright, it’s not that saucy, but maybe one day, who knows.” Kane shrugged. Ji shook his head and rolled his eyes.   “The day we have a saucy podcast episode, you’re getting replaced with Geonwu.” Ji said. Kane’s jaw dropped in offense. “What? Why?” The younger demanded. “Because what stories are you gonna tell? You’re gonna tell the audience about all the times you’ve made accidental eye contact with people at the airport?” Ji taunted. Kane glanced at the clock. “We’ve been recording for ten minutes and you already are causing problems...”

Ji laughed, amused at how annoyed Kane looked. “You know, I could say some really exposing things about you and your personal life.” Kane threatened, pointing a finger at Ji accusingly. “I have seen some things, Joongji.” “Nah, man, save those stories for another time. I’m not ready to be kicked out of Vice just yet.” Ji shook his head. Kane’s smile widened as he shook his head, returning to his notes. 

“Anyways, I have done some research and I managed to find a collection of questions that fans have about idols dating. I thought it would be interesting if the two of us answered them. At least, to the best of our abilities.” Kane suggested. “In other words, I’ll be the one answering the questions and you’ll pretend like you have experiences to reflect on.” Ji said. Kane pushed back his seat and stood up quickly, pretending like he was going to attack Ji. Unfortunately, Kane’s headphones were still plugged in, and his cord yanked him back towards the microphone, causing Kane’s whole set up to skew. Ji started laughing hysterically as Kane struggled to adjust his equipment. When the idol was finally settled, he sighed heavily into the microphone.  “Let’s just start the segment already.” 

“Question 1: Is it hard to plan dates when you’re an idol?” Kane posed. 

“Yes and no.” Ji answered. Kane nodded in agreement.  “Like... If the two of us want to go out to eat somewhere, you have to be really careful. I’ve actually heard of some idols like... Renting out a part of the restaurant so they could have some privacy.”  “By ‘some idols’, do you mean yourself?” Kane teased. Ji chuckled. “Nah, I’d never dropped that much money on a date unless if she was like... my wife or something.”   “’Your wife or something’. Lovely wording.” Kane teased. “Who knew you were such a romantic?” “Shut up, you know what I meant. Like a long-term girlfriend. Someone special.” Ji defended himself. “Can I ask how much you have spent on a date?” Kane asked. “Uh...” Ji pivoted his chair back and forth, thinking deeply. “Probably almost 900,000 won?”  “Jesus.” Kane blinked in shock. “I think I’ve spent probably like... almost 300,000 won on a date.” “Wasn’t that what our bill came out to for dinner the other night?” Ji teased. Kane threw his head back and chuckled. “How many times do I have to tell you, Kangdae? Taking the group out for a meal doesn’t count as a date!” Ji slammed his fist onto the table, followed by him pressing a button that signaled a sound affect of someone yelling “Loser!”, which sent Kane into a fit of laughter. 

“We didn’t even fully answer the question,” Kane reeled the conversation back in. “My answer is it’s only hard if you want to go somewhere popular.” Ji finalized. “You have to do a little extra planning if you go that route. Otherwise, at-home dates or dates to unpopular places are pretty easy and can be really fun.”  “I think going to places like the beach or hiking is really simple and easy to plan.” Kane offered.   “Ooh, how sentimental.” Ji said in a high-pitched, teasing voice. 

“Question 2: Do idols actually use Inkigayo sandwiches to flirt?” Ji read the question. 

“Yes.” Kane nodded. “They do.” “Gotten any sandwiches this promotional period, Kangdae?” Ji teased. Kane shook his head. “Unfortunately not.” Kane sighed in disappointment.  “There’s always next comeback. You know,” Ji smirked. “When your trims not so clapped.”  “I hate you.” Kane laughed, smoothing down his bangs. “I really do.” 

“Maybe you should be the sandwich giver.” Ji suggested. “You can be like-” He pressed a button and the sound board, which played a slow, sensual instrumental track.  “Hey girl...” Ji dropped his voice into a greasy drawl, getting close to the microphone. Kane pressed a hand over his eyes in embarrassment, letting out a whiny laugh. “It’s me...” Ji continued. “Bowlcut Boy. Just give me a chance girl, I know level 1 English, and you are, how you say.. Beautiful.”  “Okay, enough, enough! We’re moving on!” Kane said, miming closing a directors slate. 

“Question 3: Have you ever made a move on an idol that you’ve labeled as your ideal type?” Kane read.

“See,” Ji shifted in his seat. “Idols have celebrity crushes in the way that everyone else has celebrity crushes. I think Tiffany Young is beautiful and talented, but I probably would never ask her out.”  “You’d be lucky if Tiffany even looked at you, let alone talk to you.” Kane teased, looking satisfied that he was able to drag his friend after all the heat he’s endured this episode. Ji’s tongue poked his cheek as he nodded and leaned back from the microphone, feigning offense.

“But, no, I think it’s important to highlight to fans that when an idol has an ‘ideal type’, it doesn’t mean that the person or the attributes that they list aren’t like... The be-all-end-all.” Kane stated seriously. Ji nodded in agreement, dropping his act. 

“Right. Ideal types are garbage and don’t mean jack-” Ji used a censor sound effect to punctuate his statement, looking quite pleased with himself.

“Yes, thank you for that, Joongji.” Kane shook his head, reaching for another question. 

“Question 4: How hard is it to meet people as an idol?” Kane asked.

Ji shrugged. “I mean like... Idols meet people everywhere. ISAC is usually the time people start exchanging contact information. Or at like music shows and award ceremonies. Anywhere. Even in our own company. Like makeup artists, stylists, stage crew...” Ji gave Kane a quick, knowing glance. “Photographers-”  “Oop.” Kane’s eyes went wide.  The two of them stared at each other, their lips pressed together in thin lines to prevent themselves from laughing out loud. “Uh, anyway...” Ji tried to carry on, but Kane was laughing too hard. Across from him, the maknae removed his headphones and turned down his microphone volume so he could laugh without ruining the audio.

When Kane came back, he immediately started doing some damage control.  “Sorry, sorry, it’s an inside joke. We’re not attracted to any of our staff members,”  Now it was Ji’s turn to laugh loudly. He started flailing his feet at the huge hint that Kane just gave, knowing damn well that it would soar over their listeners heads. Woodam was going to kill the both of them if he ever played this episode back. 

“Not that we don’t think our staff members aren’t desirable!” Kane joked. “HBH has the best looking staff ever.”  “Alright, this is just getting weird.” Ji shook his hand under his chin, indicating that it was time to wrap things up. “I say we sign off for now.” 

“Vice After Dark will go back to normal airing schedule this week, so be sure to tune in next week when we invite our friend Sunmi on to talk about her upcoming album.” Kane said the usual outro, smiling at the camera.

“Until next week,” Ji raised his hand in farewell. “I’m Ji,” “And I’m Kane,”  “And this has been another episode of Vice After Dark.” Ji concluded the episode. Ji pressed play on his soundboard and their title track played through the speakers as the episode closed out. 

AESTHETICS: 

Unlike the past eras, this one isn’t as story-based as the others. Each album more or less has it’s own ‘story’ that it focuses on. Even though all the albums connect in some way, there isn’t really a ‘big picture’ focus on this era.

This album, being focused on ‘lust’, obviously had a lot of millennium pink and lace and leather. Oh yeah. We’re getting kinky with it. 

The music video was full of velvet, bedroom eyes, and leather bondage under silk and lace shirts. 

THE MUSIC VIDEO:

The whole video and song is about wanting the lust and attention from someone or something, but not wanting any sort of emotional investment. Each boy displays different things they lust for. 

Kane’s scenes were taken at a long table filled with sugary desserts. Most of his close up shots were of him either sitting on the table alongside these red, white, and pink desserts. His killer shot was where he’s licking strawberry syrup off his finger. The fanbase lowkey lost it at that one. 

M.H’s scenes involved actors and actresses, all crowding around the throne M.H was sitting on. The actors and actresses were peppering M.H’s face with kisses, leaving lipstick prints onto his face. His killer shot was when he had a girl on his lap running her hands through his hair and kissing his face. Her fingers slid through his hair upward and made a crown out of her fingers and ‘placed’ it above his head.

Cyth’s scenes were short due to his few rap lines, but he was focusing very hard on the camera, his expression almost stern, but in away like he was trying to gather the viewers attention. The killing point was when the camera started focusing on the background dancers, but Cyth came over and made it look like he was cupping the viewer’s chin with his hand, snapping the attention back to him. 

Woodie’s scenes were in the bathtub. He was sitting in this clawfoot bathtub filled with a pale milky liquid and rose petals. He kept making seductive eyes with the camera while he sang, occasionally holding up a rose petal to contemplate while he sang. The killing part was when he fully submerged himself under the water, then came up flicking his wet hair back and smoothing it down with his hand.

Seokyu’s scenes were a shock to everyone, since Seokyu has a ‘good-boy’ image. He was in what looked like a strip club. He was standing where the pole was, just holding onto it as he followed the camera in a circle as it circulated around the platform he was standing on. Actors on the side were throwing rose gold money at Seokyu. The killing point was Seokyu leaning against the pole with his shirt open as he slid the fake money up his abs.

Geonwu’s scenes also involved actors. He was laying on what looked like a bed while the camera shot from above. Geonwu was lounging on silk sheets while other actors laid next to him, all roaming their hands over his chest while he laid back, focusing only on the camera. The killing point was when he finally focused his attention on one of the actresses and gave her a lazy seductive grin, pushing a piece of her hair out of the way. We will later find out that this actress is his future wife, Yikyung.

Ji’s scenes were very minimal, despite him being the center for this era. He was lounging in a kissing booth, rapping his parts while kicking his feet up onto the counter and winking at the camera. People were in line for the kissing booth, and when the video swung to a different angle, you could see that the line went on for miles. Everyone that passed the kissing booth got kisses blown at them. As they walked on, their expressions seemed a little dazed. 

ERA NOTES:

The “Love Me” music video reached 10 million views within the first twenty-four hours. 

The album ARDOR peaked at #1 on Melon, #1 on Mnet, and #3 on Bugs on release day.

“Love Me” was nominated for song of the year at MAMA 2014.

ARDOR made the Billboard 200 chart at #60 - This is the first time Vice has made a Billboard chart.

They gained 11 more fansites this era (4 for Ji, 3 for Seokyu, 2 for Kane, and 1 for M.H.) 

The fanbase in general grew a ton during this era. The boys also received a ton of recognition from the general public of Korea. 

Even though Sorcerer is easily Vice’s claim to fame, ARDOR cements Vice as a presence in the industry.

Vice makes their biggest comeback yet with their 7th Mini Album and last “Coven” installment; Coven: Sorcerer. The third and final ritual begins. The last step is to act upon your reflections. They are now more powerful than ever before.

𝓣𝓡𝓐𝓒𝓚 𝓛𝓘𝓢𝓣

1. Sorcerer  2. Higher 3. K.O. 4. Black Out 5. Bring It

𝓟𝓛𝓞𝓣

The teaser shows a slow motion clip of the seven Vice boys walking down a hallway in their house in slow motion, all looking very serious. Each member has a colorful aura surrounding them. M.H is surrounded by dark purple, Geonwu has a grey blue glow to him, Woodie is glowing maroon, Cyth is surrounded by a forest green glow, Seokyu is glowing gold, Ji is emitting a dark pink color, and Kane has an orange glow. When they get closer to the camera, their auras become so bright that it’s blinding. The screen goes white, a snippet of Sorcerer starts playing. The release date is displayed. 

The video is focused on the final showdown between Vice and the evil spirit. Vice are clearly stronger than they were when they first started the series. All seven boys carry themselves in a more dignified and self-assured way. They make their way to a field where the spirit is waiting, dark energy curling up from the apparition like smoke. The scene keeps switching from the dance routine - taking place in the same field - and the battle between Vice and the spirit. The dark spirit breaks into 7 parts, each one taunting a Vice member. Throughout the fight, Vice relies on each other heavily to help defeat the seven spirits. A lot of action scenes are over-dramatized for entertainment purposes, but the special effects budget definitely was upped for this video, which may be why the video itself takes place in one location and only has two alternating scenes. 

Eventually, the spirits are all defeated when Vice links arms and makes a blasting motion, which parallels with the dance routine. Once the spirit is defeated, the filter on the video is changed to a brighter one, and the field looks greener. The twenty seconds of the video are purely dance-focused. 

𝓢𝓨𝓜𝓑𝓞𝓛𝓘𝓢𝓜 & 𝓓𝓘𝓢𝓒𝓤𝓢𝓢𝓘𝓞𝓝

This whole era has been a bit more light-hearted than Darkness Era, therefore the symbolism isn’t as deep. However, the members did offer some insight on the wrap up of this era: 

“This era may seem really similar to the first era, Darkness.” Minho, better known as M.H, shares. “It still follows the theme of self-discovery and self-love. I think the reason why we revisited this underlying theme is because progress is never linear. We get better, then get worse again, and then get better again. We want Virtues to know that whatever they are going through, don’t be discouraged. Keep trying your best.” 

“Relying on others is what got us through this plot line.” Seokyu reflects. “In the last era, the original members kind of worked separately and the fall out was sufficient, but it wasn’t as powerful as this one. I think this once again proves that Vice is stronger together.”

“You already have unlimited power within you.” Woodie insists. “The members just had to put a little bit of effort in. Once we did that, we had as much power as we needed to defeat our demons. If there’s one thing you take away from this era, it’s don’t doubt yourself and never give up.” 

𝓔𝓡𝓐 𝓝𝓞𝓣𝓔𝓢

They finally got their first win this era! Yes!!! Sorcerer gave Vice 5 Music Show wins!

Virtues like to think it’s because they spammed “Stream Sorcerer” under every single tweet, post, and youtube video. Virtues RAN twitter during Sorcerer era.

This album did so well that it got an all-kill on Melon unexpectedly. Literally no one saw this coming.

The boys went out to celebrate their first ever all-kill by taking themselves, some friends, and the company staff out for drinks in Hongdae. Geonwu gets a little too drunk and throws up in the streets, which is shown all over social media within the next 48 hours.

This video sort of gave Vice a little bit of a controversy, since a lot of people were criticizing Geonwu for drinking. It blew over pretty quickly once Geonwu made a public apology on VLive and stressed the importance of safe drinking (he really had to force those words out). 

This era Virtues stopped being a neutral fanbase and started to beef with other fanbases. Mostly ARMYs and EXO-Ls, despite EXO-Ls being friendly with Virtues up until then.

The official lightstick was released this era: The Poison Apple! (a green poison apple with a bite taken out of it surrounded by a clear plastic dome.) It was designed by Kane and fans treasure it because of that.

Vice also went on their first world tour this era! They visited America and got to see Minho’s city: Boston. 

His eyes traveled around the room before landing on a specific staff member. Saehyun was helping herself to some food, reaching around other staff members who were blocking the buffet. Woodam felt a little guilty. He’s overheard many staff members complaining about her to one another. It’s not that they don’t like her, it’s just that they think she’s a little too inexperienced to be handling such a large job. And Woodam can see why. 

Saehyun’s a good worker and focuses on the task at hand when need be, but she’s also not used to working in a climate like this. Everything is super fast-paced and Saehyun seems to be one step behind everyone else. Everyone’s been working around her rather than with her. 

Saehyun took her plate and sat down on a fold out chair alone while her peers ate around her in clusters. She seemed a little glum as she stabbed the leafy greens with her fork. 

“Hey, I’ll be right back.” Woodam excused himself once Minho took a breathing break.

“Yeah, sure just uh,” Minho caught Woodam’s arm before he could get out of his reach. The leader looked between Saehyun and Woodam, knowing that Woodam was about to go converse with their old friend. “Make it professional, you know?” 

Woodam nodded before continuing his path towards the photographer. He sat in the fold-out chair next to her, grinning at her. She didn’t return the smile. “What are you doing?” She asked quietly, looking around to see if any of the other staff members noticed them. “You looked lonely, that’s all.” Woodam responded simply. “Are you ready for tonight?”  Saehyun sighed, tapping her fork against her bowl. “I kind of have to be, even if I don’t feel like I am.”  Woodam nodded in agreement, understanding the feeling. He shoveled some food into his mouth, trying to think of something to say to the photographer. He gestured to the camera bag on the floor next to Saehyun’s foot. “Did you take any shots during rehearsal?” “Yes.” Saehyun responded shortly. “Well, let’s see them!” Woodie grinned. Saehyun placed her fork down and gave Woodie a stubborn glare. Woodam wiggled his eyebrows and widened his smile. The cute actions influenced Saehyun to reach down to pick up her camera. She showed him the previews of the shots she took on the monitor.  “Wow... You’re really talented...” Woodam complimented, observing each shot. “Yeah, well...” Saehyun shrugged, not accepting the compliment.  “No, really, you made Ji look cool for once. That’s hard to do.” Woodam teased. Saehyun bit her lip, as if she was fighting back a chuckle.

𝓣𝓡𝓐𝓒𝓚 𝓛𝓘𝓢𝓣

1. J’Adore 2. Love Is Love 3. Mirror 4. Head Up 5. Beautiful

𝓟𝓛𝓞𝓣

The screen is black for the first two seconds of the teaser. The only thing you can hear is a thick bubbling sound. Then the screen comes to life, displaying a bubbling cauldron with dark pink liquid inside. In the background, you can hear the instrumental version of ‘J’adore’ being played, but it sounds distant and low quality, like it’s being played over an old record player. A hand comes into frame, clutching a ladle, pouring the thick pink concoction into a heart-shaped bottle. The bottle is secured with a cork and a tag is placed around it. Then there’s a close-up shot of the bottle. The tag has the title track and the release date printed on it.

The music video itself has the same slightly-silly, slightly-serious vibe as the last one. The boys are doing things that are considered self-love and preparing for the big battle at the same time. There’s a scene where the boys are shown to be meditating in the mildewy backyard pool on floaties, but when the camera pans out, you can see that there are deck chairs and beach balls being levitated. They also have a scene where they are doing yoga, but when they extend their palms, multi-colored flames shoot out from their hands. You can tell that the boys execute their powers with mastery. The balance between love and power seems to give them all the confidence they need to solidify themselves as powerful warlocks. The choreography in this video didn’t gain the same traction as Evil Eye’s choreography, but it still holds up well with the video. It’s powerful and involves a lot more arm movements than their previous dance routines. Some could make the comparison between J’Adore’s choreography and some well-known girlgroup’s choreography. 

𝓢𝓨𝓜𝓑𝓞𝓛𝓘𝓢𝓜 & 𝓓𝓘𝓢𝓒𝓤𝓢𝓢𝓘𝓞𝓝

When asked about the meaning behind this installment to the Coven series, the members explain what the title track means to them.

“This album is supposed to be up for interpretation and for Virtues to apply their own personal experiences to.” Kane shares. “We all have pieces of ourselves that we don’t like or that we wish we could change, and these insecurities vary from person to person. We hope that listeners can take pieces of our strength and learn to accept themselves too. Let’s rise together, Virtues!” 

“We want Virtues and listeners to realize the importance of taking care of oneself.” Woodie emphasized. “If internally loving yourself is too hard right now, that’s okay. Focus on physically caring for yourself for now. You will get stronger over time, just like we did in our video.” 

𝓔𝓡𝓐 𝓝𝓞𝓣𝓔𝓢

After two years, they are finally not seen as rookies in the industry and have made a name for themselves with this mini album.

The release of J’Adore, their leading single for their mini album, Enchantment, brings up their popularity wildly. Enchantment has the best sales they’ve ever received since debut. 

The music video for J’Adore broke their record of how many views they could collect in the first 24 hours. Previously, it was one million. J’adore racked up 11 million views within the first 24 hours. 

They didn’t get their first win again. Robbed kings. J’adore was still really popular, but it just wasn’t pulling through compared to the other songs that were being promoted during that time. 

The song “Love Is Love” was questioned heavily by knets because the title is usually used as a supportive statement to the LGBT+ community. Vice made the song for the purpose of making their Virtues feel at home with them, regardless of their sexuality, race, or gender, hence the use of non-gender specific pronouns in the song. 

𝓣𝓡𝓐𝓒𝓚 𝓛𝓘𝓢𝓣

1. Evil Eye 2. Listen 3. Past v. Present 4. Destiny 5. Fate Intertwines Us

𝓟𝓛𝓞𝓣

The teaser starts us off right away with a zoomed in angle of someone flipping through an old, weathered spell book. The words on the paper seem to be glowing purple, and the words “PART ONE” shine the brightest. When the person flips the pages again, it lands on the words “KNOW THY SELF”. The next clip is just a simple silhouette of all the Vice boys, showing a snippet of their title song, Evil Eye, and choreography. After a few seconds, the release date is revealed. 

In the video for Evil Eye, the boys are in training to become better at controlling their magical abilities. Much like the previous video, this one has a more humorous and lighthearted tone. The viewers watch as each boy slowly builds up their powers by practicing dueling with one another, reading up in the Coven’s library, causing objects to float around them, and creating some interesting and highly dangerous looking potions. In between these scenes, the choreography is displayed much more than the previous video. The powerful, yet fluid dance moves are captivating and very catchy. The choreography to Evil Eye will go down as one of the best Vice choreographies in the group’s history.

By the end of the music video, it’s clear that the boys have unlocked their full power and are ready to continue to the next phase.

𝓢𝓨𝓜𝓑𝓞𝓛𝓘𝓢𝓜 & 𝓓𝓘𝓢𝓒𝓤𝓢𝓢𝓘𝓞𝓝

Since this video was much more relaxed and choreography focused, there isn’t much here to dissect. 

The boys mastering different magical skills is supposed to represent how each boy brings something unique and new to the group that helps Vice as a whole progress and develop.

“Even though we all are on the same team, we come from very different backgrounds and lifestyles. We also have different talents that we bring to the table. Without every member present, we wouldn’t be as strong as we are today.” Leader M.H. says confidently.

“This is Seokyu and I’s second comeback with Vice,” Newbie rapper Ji shares. “But I feel like together, the seven of us make Vice whole. Because I took an extra year to train, I was able to bring my talents to the table in a more complete form. Every Vice member is important and needed.”

𝓔𝓡𝓐 𝓝𝓞𝓣𝓔𝓢

Everyone was so sure that this would be the era that Vice got their first win. Alas. They did not. 

BUT this era opened up a lot of opportunities for Vice!

For example, this era was when Seokyu got his first modeling gig with Dior South Korea

And Ji and Kane received their own radio show called “Vice After Dark” where they discuss things that idols don’t really talk about (what the industry is like, how exhausting promotion season is, how idols date, etc.) They never drop names or hints about who they are talking about so they never get in trouble, but Vice After Dark definitely stirred up some drama in the community

Minho and Geonwu become MCs on Music Bank, where they start meeting a ton of idols and start turning into the well-connected idols they are today

Cyth gets into trouble with the company and knets after firing back on haters online after he posted pictures of his first ever tattoo - his mom’s birth date. The company tells him to start behaving or he’ll get lines cut from the next comeback.

Cyth is no longer allowed to use social media unsupervised. 

Seokyu realized on the eighth morning in the HBH cafeteria that they wanted him to make the first move. 

He noticed how Kane looked up from his cereal bowl at him, like he was expecting Seokyu to disappear again if he didn’t keep an eye on him. Seokyu swallowed thickly and cleared his throat. 

Spoons stopped scraping bowls. Eyes all darted to the dancer. 

“Um. Can we talk?” Seokyu asked. The other six men nodded their heads, clearly waiting for this moment. 

“You guys know I’m sorry about scaring you, right? I didn’t mean to upset you.” Seokyu looked between his friends.  “We know you didn’t, buddy.” Woodie sighed.  “Then can you stop ignoring me?” Seokyu asked, his tone a bit sharper than intended. “We’re not ignoring you because of that.” Geonwu responded with the same snippy tone. “We’re ignoring you because you clearly don’t trust us anymore.”  “So do you not want to rebuild trust or something?” Seokyu arched his eyebrows. “You think that leaving me out and treating me like a stranger would build trust between us?”  The other six men went silent. Kane suddenly seemed very invested in chasing soggy corn flakes around with his spoon.

Seokyu wet his lower lip. “I didn’t leave because of you guys, you know that, right? I left because I just wanted to do something for myself.” "But you couldn’t trust us with that? You really had to go completely off the radar?” Cyth questioned, hurt laced into every word. “I’ve already apologized for that.” Seokyu blinked.  Cyth shook his head, pushing his chair back. “You don’t get it, Kyu.” He mumbled, picking up his bowl of cereal and dumping it into the trash can. He disappeared through the cafeteria’s double doors, heading in the direction of the practice rooms.  Seokyu watched him go, trying to keep his frustration under control. What more could they want from him? 

“Sungho means that we were worried for a week straight. We risked our careers for you, left our families, girlfriends, and responsibilities all to make sure you got home safe.” Woodam explained calmly. “For you to show up and imply that you don’t trust us made us wonder... if you value us as much as we value you?”

Seokyu let the words burn into his heart and brain. This would be one of those moments that he will never forget, no matter how old he got. The moment he realized that he truly broke his friends. He caused them heartbreak and anxiety and sleepless nights. The wrongfulness of his actions started boiling in his gut. 

“I-” Seokyu couldn’t finish his words. Hot tears started bubbling up on his waterline. The guilt was too much. He ducked his head, hoping that the trainees sitting two tables away couldn’t see his tears.  “Hey, bud, don’t cry.” Minho sighed. Next to him, Ji clapped a hand over Seokyu’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, guys. I d-don’t know how many times I should s-say it but I’m s-sorry.” Seokyu blubbered, wiping his eyes. He sniffled loudly, swallowing thickly so he could speak. “And I’m not crying to like... emotionally manipulate anyone or anything. It’s just a reflex.” 

Ji let out an amused huff. “He’s still our Seokyu. Only Seokyu would worry about the mentality of the other person while he’s crying.”  “We know you’re sorry, Kyu.” Kane reached across the table to take his friend’s hand. “We just... We need time to forgive you, you know?”  “From now on we’ll try to work on forgiveness without excluding you.” Minho promised. “Things aren’t going to go ‘back to normal’ for a bit,” Geonwu stated. “But we’ll work on talking about the things that hurt us in effective ways.” Seokyu nodded, drying his eyes with his sleeve.  “And Sungho will probably be the first one to forgive you.” Woodam angled his head in the direction of the cafeteria exit. “He wants things to go back to normal just as badly.”  “And you’ve got him wrapped around your finger.” Geonwu sighed. “For a scary looking motherfucker, he’s a total softy.” 

Seokyu managed a watery chuckle. After receiving a pat on the back from his members, the five men rose and made their way out of the cafeteria. Most of the trainees and artists were starting to pack up too, heading to their first practice or lesson of the day. In the surge of talented individuals, one particular girl stood out to Seokyu.

“Hey, I’ll see you guys in the practice room. I gotta make one more apology.” Seokyu said to his members. He back tracked his steps until he fell in line with Promise’s leader, Kwon Jimin. 

“Hey, uh,” Seokyu scratched the back of his neck. “Do you have a minute before your practice starts?”

The other members of Promise took the hint right away. The four other members hurried ahead, mumbling ‘see you’s to Seokyu as they left.  Jimin gave him a weary look, as if the next words coming from Seokyu’s mouth might be a heads up on his next departure. 

“Uh, I know what I’ve done wasn’t fair. I probably scared you really bad.” Seokyu licked his lips, breaking eye contact. “But... I just wanted to let you know that I’m sorry and that I will be honest with you from now on.”  Jimin pulled over to the side of the hallway, letting the trainees behind them pass. She shook her head in amazement, looking up at Seokyu with hurt in her eyes. “Do you have any idea how hurt I was? How hurt I still am?” Jimin asked, her jaw clenched.  “I know-” “No, Seokyu, I really don’t think you do know.” Jimin took a step back, as if seeing Seokyu differently for the first time. “You left without telling any of us. You have a family here and you completely disregarded our feelings.” Seokyu nodded in understanding. “Trust me, Min, I know. I fucked up.”  “Yeah. You did.” Jimin sighed. “I’m just thankful you’re safe.” A small smirk formed on Seokyu’s lips. “Can I start making it up to you? Do you wanna come over tonight?” Jimin’s expression turned into one of guilt. She shifted her weight. “I... I can’t.”  “Oh?” Seokyu’s smile faded. “I started seeing someone.” Jimin blurted out. “Oh.” Seokyu responded again. He shouldn’t be that hurt. They were never committed to each other or exclusive. But after having a mutual crush on each other for years, he forgot that someone else could be added into this equation at any time.

The five other members must have recognized it to. With a quick glance at each other, the group sprinted towards the pub. Woodam’s pulse was rapid, pulsing in his neck.

The door to the pub flung open, and Woodam almost let out a relieved cry. On the small, dingy stage stood his lost friend. Seokyu’s hair was grown out a little, curling around his ears and the nape of his neck, clearly unstyled. He wore a well-worn button down and dirty jeans, a pair of beat up sneakers on his feet. He looked like an average guy, but his stage presence could not be dimmed. He had a bright smile on his face while he played his guitar, winking at the small group of people cluttered around him. 

When Seokyu’s gaze landed on his group mates, his fingers fumbled on the guitar, halting the song. The audience around him paused their enthusiastic head bobbing and turned their attention to where Seokyu was staring. A few gasps strangled out. Clearly, Vice was recognizable to a few.

Seokyu, without another word, hopped off the stage. He gestured to the boys shortly with a head nod in the direction of the back exit. The group hesitated, giving each other a weary look. Realizing that they had no other option, they headed towards the exit. The crowd parted to let Vice through, everyone still muttering under their breath. 

Outside, Seokyu was pacing anxiously, staring down at his feet. When the back door closed, Seokyu’s head snapped up. Woodam had hoped that when they were reunited that Seokyu would smile his warming smile and stretch his arms out for a big hug. But Woodam could see in Seokyu’s eyes the confusion and slight annoyance that his younger friend was feeling. The vocalists heart sank, dreading what conversation would be taking place next.

“How did you find me?” Seokyu asked. The sharp question took the group back a little. Then Geonwu squared his shoulders like he does when he’s about to argue.  “What do you mean, how did we find you?” Geonwu asked angrily. “We’ve been looking all over the fucking country for your dumb ass!” Seokyu furrowed his eyebrows. “I didn’t think you guys would come looking.” 

“What?” Woodam blinked. “You went missing! Did you really think we’d just let you go? We were worried sick.”  “We’re your brothers, Kyu.” Kane’s eyes looked a little glossy, like tears were forming. “What did you expect us to do?”

Seokyu ran a hand through his hair, looking back at the pub that they just came out of. “I appreciate that you guys care, really, but…” Seokyu shook his head, looking back down to the dirt. “I’m assuming you want me to come back with you guys, right?”  Another quiet spell fell over the group. What was with Seokyu? Why was he looking so disappointed? “Are you fucking serious?” Cyth asked in a deadly calm voice. “No. We just came all this way to watch you disappear again. You’re coming back with us, Seokyu. We’re not leaving you behind.” “Yeah, man, the deadline for your contract ends in 5 days and we have to be back at the company before the end of today…” Ji explained. “Do you not wanna come back?” Seokyu stayed silent. “For fucks sake, can you at least look at us?” Cyth spat.

Seokyu bit his lip, looking back up at his friends. “It’s not that I don’t want to come back. I just...  I wanted to live normally just a little bit longer.” A pink flush tinted his cheeks and ears. 

“Normally? You think performing in shitty bars and fucking psychics is normal?” Minho asked, arching an eyebrow. “You’re not living normally, you’re being reckless.” “Which I never was able to do!” Seokyu’s voice raised a little. “Ever since I was nineteen my life has been under the control of a corporation. I just... I just wanted to have a little bit of freedom to do the things that I will never be able to do again.” 

The six other men fell silent. Woodam unfortunately knew what Seokyu was talking about. The boys have never been able to do what other 20-something-year-olds do. Everything had to appear perfect and flawless for the sake of their image. Every single one of them daydreamed about normal, mundane life from time to time. But the difference was, none of them actually ran away.

“Why didn’t you tell us though?” Woodie asked, trying not to sound too selfish or hurt.  Seokyu shrugged, looking a little bashful. “I don’t know. I think I liked the idea of being completely on my own.”  “This was really fucking stupid of you, Seokyu.” Minho shook his head in disappointment.  “I know. I’m sorry.” Seokyu bowed his head in shame. 

Woodam fought back the urge to respond with ‘it’s okay’. He knew it was not. This was a big blow to the groups trust with each other. It wouldn’t be okay for a while.

The ride home was the quietest Woodie has seen the group. Not one person spoke the whole way back to Seoul. Seokyu’s posture was stiff next to him on the train, looking out the window and occasionally jumping his leg nervously. When they finally arrived at HBH Entertainment, Hak Bonghwa was waiting outside the company. When the founder saw Seokyu, he opened his arms up. 

“Welcome home, Seokyu!” He grinned, shaking the vocalist’s hand when he was closer. “I hope that you’re here to discuss your contract?” 

Seokyu nodded. “Yes, sir.” 

“Fantastic.” Hak Bonghwa wrapped a fatherly arm around Seokyu’s shoulder. “I have it ready for your review in my office. Your lawyer is already waiting inside. I’ll be up with you soon.” 

He gave Seokyu’s shoulder a squeeze before releasing him, watching him walk into the building. When Seokyu was gone, Bonghwa turned to the six men in front of him.

“Well, good work, boys. I’m glad you all made it home safely.” Bonghwa nodded. “Understand that this will be the last time an act like this happens. The lack of communication between us is dangerous and can end up with someone getting hurt. Are we in an understanding?” 

The six men nodded silently. 

“Are you giving up on him?” Kane asked defensively. squaring his shoulders.  “Seokyu’s the one that gave up on us. He’s the one that left without saying anything.” Geonwu snapped, hurt etched into his words. “Besides, I have a family to get home to.”  “Seokyu is our family.” Kane insisted, his fists balled. "I love Seokyu, but I’m starting to agree with Wu.” Cyth frowned. “I feel like this has just been one big game of cat and mouse. Clearly Seokyu is alive and well... Maybe we should just let him do what he has to do.”  “But if he misses the deadline-” Woodam started. “Then we carry on Vice without him.” Geonwu said flatly. “Of course you two are the first to give up on him.” Ji criticized. “You guys only care about yourselves.”  “I only care about myself?” Geonwu repeated incredulously. “Is that why I left my wife and child to go on cross country trip? Is that why I’m putting my career at sake?”  "We have other parts of our lives that require us to be present.” Cyth defended. “And I think we’ve all spent a little too much time on Seokyu.” 

The last comment sent the boy group into a frenzy of bickering and accusations. Minho, who has learned from experience that it’s best to just let his group mates hash it out before intervening, finally broke the argument up when Ji reeled his fist back as if he was preparing to punch Geonwu.  “Okay, okay, let’s cut this out.” Minho got between his members, extending his arms to force them apart. The voices around him quieted down, but his members still looked incredibly tense.  “We’re all sacrificing something by being here, that’s not a unique loss.” Minho reasoned. “No one’s making anyone stay. If you really want to go home, you can.” He paused, giving anyone the opportunity to drop out now, but no one moved. He knew his friends well enough to know that none of them would really give up on Seokyu. A small smile threatened to tug at his lips.  “Alright. That’s what I thought. How about we find someplace to sleep. Tomorrow we’ll find Seokyu. I promise.” 

The next morning, the boys ate their complimentary breakfast in silence. The tension from last night had carried over, the air between each member feeling fragile and stiff.  “I’ve been thinking.” Geonwu said carefully, placing his utensils down on his plate. “I know you guys don’t want to give up on Seokyu, but we should consider bringing in some extra help.” 

“What do you mean?” Ji asked, giving Geonwu a weary look.

“We should call Detective Min. Maybe with our new information, he’ll open the case up again. He’s probably more equipped to find a missing person that we are.” Geonwu reasoned. 

The other men let the suggestion sit in the air. Geonwu was right, but something about sitting back and waiting for something to happen didn’t settle right in their conscious.

Minho’s ringtone broke the silence, causing the leader to flinch back in surprise. The caller ID read ‘Hak Bonghwa’. Giving a cautious look around at the other members, Minho picked up the phone.

“Hello?” He answered.  “Minho.” The founder’s voice sounded tense. “Where are you? You haven’t been around the company in a few days.”  “Oh, you know...” Minho tried to think of an acceptable excuse. “We’re just working on some music independently. Wanted to get away from the stress of Seoul.”  “I wasn’t born yesterday, son.” Hak Bonghwa responded flatly. “You know that my support is always with you boys, but I have a company to run. Wherever you are, I want you back to the company before tomorrow night. Otherwise, I will have to cancel your comeback due to under-preparedness.” Minho swallowed thickly. “Yes, sir.” Hak Bonghwa exhaled a tired sigh. “Get back safely. See you soon.” The call ended and Minho looked around at his members. It was over. They had no choice now but to call in Detective Min and hope for the best. 

“We could take one last sweep of the city?” Woodam tried to sound soothing. “Maybe we missed something last night.” 

Even though the boys gave another good search, there was nothing. They didn’t want to interact with too many people out of the fear of being exposed by a fan. Whatever they could do to continue the search resulted in nothing.  As the sun reached it’s peak in the sky, the boys decided that it was time to pack up their things and check out of Yuso. 

As they were just blocks away from their hotel, Ji suddenly let out an exclamation of realization, slapping his palm to his forehead. The other five members turned around, halting their movement.  “What’s wrong?” Minho asked. “I know what he’s doing!” Ji yelled out, pacing in a circle, hand still over his face. “God, why didn’t I realize it sooner!” “Uh, Ji, you gonna fill us in or...?” Cyth prompted.

“This is all my fault… On New Years Eve, I told him that if there’s places he wants to visit, he should go visit them because life is too short.” Ji explained. 

“You’re a philosopher.” Geonwu mumbled sarcastically. 

“But I know where he’s going!” Ji ran his fingers through his hair. “What’s the one place Seokyu always writes down for our group vacations?”

Everyone blankly stared back at Ji. The rapper let out a disappointed sigh.

“I’ll give you a hint: his grandparents retired there not too long ago.” Joongji continues.

“Jeju?” The group responded in unison.

“Bingo.”  “That explains why he was looking at pictures of his grandmother before he left. He probably wanted to go visit her.” Minho realized.  “What if he’s not in Jeju? Then what?” Kane asked. “We don’t have to be back at the company for another twenty four hours.” Woodam reasoned. “I’d rather take this chance than miss it completely.”