He hauled Eunjae over to the window. Through the barest gap in the blinds, Eunjae saw a sea of grief-stricken faces. The oddness he’d noticed all night suddenly made terrible sense — the crowd being so subdued, all those groups of Sunshines crying with their arms around each other. He’d pushed his suspicions aside because half the audience always seemed to be in tears at Apollo events. Tears of happiness, tears brought on by euphoria. Eunjae hadn’t even considered that the fans might be crying out of sorrow.
“They’ve disbanded us,” said Jungwoo, his voice ringing hollow in Eunjae’s ears. “Haewon and Soyeon were going to announce it on stage, but the microphones weren’t working. My guess is that it rolled out on social media while the crew was trying to figure out the audio issues. All that’s left is to march everyone out there and make us say goodbye.”
“But they can’t do that!” Eunjae felt like he’d taken the punch instead of Jungwoo. “I didn’t break my contract. I told them I was staying.”
“Ari, they’re furious with you. You’ve run away twice now.”
“That doesn’t matter. I could run away again and Emerald still wouldn’t retain the right to just disband us out of the blue. I’ve read that contract a thousand times. They can only do that under the penalty clause, and the only way for us to trigger the penalty clause is for someone to break contract.”
Kazu spoke up from the other side of the room. “Then maybe they haven’t disbanded us. You don’t know that for sure, right? Whatever they planned to say up there, they haven’t gotten to say it yet.”
“It’s a disbandment. Why else would the fans be that upset? Look at them.”
“A good guess, Jungwoo, but not exactly right.”
Haewon came through the orange door with Soyeon close behind her. They were dressed for their stage appearance in coordinating outfits of brilliant, blazing white. Emeralds glittered at their wrists and throats. Soyeon’s necklace was studded with gems so large and so close together that the piece brought to mind a jeweled collar. Armor, Eunjae thought. And here he’d shown up as his plain, vulnerable self.
“We haven’t disbanded Apollo,” Soyeon said dully. “Your fans have simply assumed that a disbandment is forthcoming.”
They were treated to Haewon’s frosty smile. “What else can they expect? It's only logical now that Ari’s contract has been terminated.”
Translated from handwritten letters posted by Choi Haewon and Sun Soyeon on the day of Jewell’s official disbandment, roughly one year before the founding of Emerald Entertainment
8/12/2008
Dear Jewelbox, our beloved fans,
The first time I appeared before you as Jewell’s Haewon, I was only 17 years old. Back then, I felt all the time that I was lacking. I knew I could work harder and become a better Haewon who would make you proud. With all of my heart, I thank you for the ten years you've spent watching over me. Jewell was able to shine so bright because of our fans who believed in us no matter what. Someday when I look back on my youth, I know I won't regret that I gave those precious years to you. We belong to you, our fans. That will always be true.
The title of our final album was Emerald Green. I've read that emeralds are a symbol of rebirth. I didn't choose this name for the album, but it seems meaningful, doesn't it? That's what I want to believe.
To sing and dance for you, and to be with my sisters, has been the great joy of my life. Even now as I write you this letter, my eyes are filled with tears and it's so difficult to see the page. The only thing that helps is the knowledge that we will meet again soon. Keep watching over me. I won't let you down!
Shine forever,
Jewell’s Haewon
12 August 2008
Dear Jewelbox,
We always began and ended our shows with these words: shine forever. Isn't forever a long time? It's such a long time that I can't imagine it.
I know that when you hear the news today, you'll feel so many things at once: sadness, confusion, maybe anger. It might feel like the end. I understand. But I also hope you'll feel pride in what we've become together: Jewell and our Jewelbox, always shining side by side. It might be the end… but it doesn't mean that we need to say goodbye.
There have been so many days when I've felt too tired or too imperfect to keep following this path. On those days, I've thought of my sisters, and I've also thought of you. It's when I think of your smiling faces that I know for sure: we can shine forever, after all.
Soyeon
43
“Terminated,”murmuredEunjae.They’dfired him. That was the big news.
Haewon had a leather folio tucked under her arm. She produced a crisp sheaf of documents and fanned them out on a nearby table, pushing the napkin holder aside with a manicured hand. She said, “The termination can be revoked. It’s not too late to fix what you’ve done, even after that outrageous video you posted. We have new paperwork right here.”
“For fuck’s sake,” raged Max.
His outburst garnered no reaction. “Instead of saying goodbye to all those sad people out there, you can simply tell them what happened. The official story, that is.”
