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The year was 2019, on a freezing winter night on a day off from performing. Performing in front of thousands of fans, fans who were their pillar, the ones they are the most grateful for and their literal everything. It was not even midnight yet, but Jackson felt tired. So, so tired of everything that was happening. Why was it so tiring to accept that this was what was best for them?
The leader took a deep breath. They have been on this topic for hours now, never truly coming to an agreement until Jaebeom brought it up as an option.
“We are not actually doing anything until we can all agree on an endpoint. And to reach a common understanding, we need to ask this very question to ourselves.” Jaebeom gazed at the other six members, more like his brothers than anything, making sure to maintain eye contact with each of them. From Youngjae’s almost frozen figure, to Yugyeom’s slouching figure seemingly trying to disappear into the chair he sat in. These were the people he grew up with. He taught BamBam and Yugyeom how to shave, fooled around with Jinyoung and Jackson, yelled and cursed at computer screens with Mark, embraced Youngjae in his arms when he felt inadequate as a member. They were so young, too young to know anything. But not anymore. The kids he first met eight, nine years ago are now all grown up. These seven men have a decision to make. And he had to make the first step.
“What do you want to do?”
Jinyoung suddenly flashed back to just a few years ago, after he finished filming ‘He is Psychometric’. He had gotten together with Jaebeom one late night, drinking soju in his new apartment. Just the two of them, just like how it was before the rest of their family came into the picture. He could remember Jaebeom asking, voice slurred from the alcohol, “ Jinyoungie, you did so well as an actor, you could become a proper actor. Like...Suzy-sunbaenim did. Then we can come as GOT7 and make fun of your many scenes with agasae. It would...make a great concert topic.”
Jinyoung could still hear himself laugh, objecting as violently as he could.
“ I’ll never let the maknaes have that pleasure!”
He was drunk then. Now, the only thing making him giddy was the inevitable choice looming closer and closer to him. His whole life, he simply mindlessly chased his dreams of music, dancing and performing. Even in acting, he did his best because he liked it. What did he want?
“I want to stay in GOT7,” Mark piped up, “That’s all I want.”
“Is it?” Jinyoung wondered aloud. Jaebeom looked straight at Jinyoung, their strange telepathy coming into play once again. All those years spent with each other, managing seven men with very strong personalities; there was nothing they could hide from each other. Including the things they hid from themselves.
BamBam curled up into a ball on his chair, resting his chin on his knees. It made him look much younger than the twenty-two year old he is. All the songs hidden in his computer, all the concepts he wanted to try, all the careers he wanted to experience. Did he want to stay an idol? Or did he just want GOT7?
GOT7 TO NOT RENEW CONTRACTS. BREATH OF LOVE WILL BE THEIR LAST PROMOTION
GOT7 TO SPLIT WAYS AFTER FINAL PROMOTION
JYPE RELEASES OFFICIAL STATEMENT ABOUT GOT7’S DEPARTURE
Two years.
Two years of research, asking around and going to more financial advisers and consultants than he has ever seen in his whole life. Jaebeom honestly feels as lost as he was ten years ago, right after JJ Project had first gone on an indefinite hiatus. This time, he was not just fighting for himself and Jinyoung, but another five more brothers forced under his wing at the tender age of twenty.
Nora leaped off his lap when the doorbell rang. Jaebeom rubbed his eyes, wondering who would be visiting him at two in the morning. He was clad in only an old shirt and boxers, thick black glasses perched on his nose betraying his teary bloodshot eyes from staring at the screen for too long. After handling GOT7’s trademark and settling legal issues about their contracts, Jaebeom had developed a deep profound respect for anyone who did it on a daily basis. He was abysmal at mathematics in middle school, and relied on his mobile phone’s calculator a little too much. But he was getting there. They were getting there.
“Hyung, you look like shit.” Jackson chuckled when Jaebeom threw open the door for him. Ever since he and Jinyoung had carried a very drunk Jaebeom back home on an unfortunate night, both 94’ liners have been abusing the fact that they finally knew where their leader lived, dropping by whenever they felt like it. Not that Jaebeom minded the company though. He was no crazy cat lady after all.
“How’s it going along? Still struggling with the trademark?” Jackson asked, scratching behind Odd’s ears. Jaebeom merely let out an obnoxiously big yawn as a reply. The Hong Kong native smiled sympathetically at his leader. He had enough trouble learning how to make his own trademark when starting Team Wang, he could not imagine what Jaebeom was swamped with to make an existing trademark their own. Unfortunately Jackson had no idea as to how the legal matters worked, not to mention Jaebeom was far too stubborn and self-righteous to get help for his group anyway.
Before Jackson could speak, Jaebeom chided “ Don’t tell me to take care of myself, Seun-ah. You are the last one allowed to tell me that, Mr. I-Sleep-An-Hour-A-Day.”
Jaebeom patted Jackson’s shoulder, nudging him in the direction of his room.
“I’ll take the couch, no buts. Night, Seun-ah,”
The following week, Jaebeom sent a picture of a legal document stating that the GOT7 trademark now belonged to the seven members, signed Im Jaebeom, leader of GOT7.