Pledis released the answer to the riddle as an official statement:

This is Pledis. S.Coups has decided that he release the answer to the riddle through this official statement. Before we start, I, as the CEO of Pledis, would like to issue a formal apology to the members of NU’EST. It is true that the members have faced injustice. I take full responsibility for the decisions I have made. Do not blame the S.Coups nor any of the Seventeen members for what we are about to reveal.

Here is S.Coups’ official answer to the riddle:

The answer to the riddle is Woozi. Woozi is the (blank space). The song 'Armor,' is a song written by a friend of NU’EST member Baekho. It was meant to be NU’EST’s comeback song in January. However, after Pledis Entertainment bought the rights to the song, they gave the song to Seventeen instead. Additionally, they had Woozi modify it, and take credit for being its composer. Woozi is a member in Seventeen, and arguably the most popular member. Hence, his name would fit in with the blank spaces of the original riddle:

“Our Armor was composed not by Woozi.
The Armor that would have lived up to our face.
Woozi is popular, fans’ precious gem.
The songs that are “his,” he didn’t write them.
It’s all made-up; it’s all media play.
Something NU’EST was denied in their day.

Woozi, the arguably most popular one,
Woozi, do consider the pun.
So think about Woozi, think hard and long.
Woozi, literally, it’s not your song.
Nor does it have any potential to be.
Unless lawsuits are in your agenda you see.”

Woozi is a precious and talented member. However, he is not the sole producer of all the songs people attribute to him. Pledis Entertainment overplays his role in the songs’ production as a promotional techinique. However, this is not Woozi’s fault. He did not want to claim the songs; it was a decision from the company.

NU’EST was denied such media play when they were rising as a kpop group. Pledis Entertainment has invested much in Seventeen, a lot more than it has for NU’EST. I am thankful to the company for all the support it has showed us, but I also do understand NU’EST’s dissatisfaction.

To NU’EST: Armor is your song. Seventeen officially and apologetically returns it to you. We hope you would reveal yourself, and come back to Korea so that I could apologize to you in person for anything I have said that may have caused offense. All Seventeen members are also very sorry for what you had to endure because of us.

I do hope this response to the riddle is sufficient. If not, then please do give me another chance before proceeding with your original plan. I will gladly admit anything you want me to admit.

-

NU’EST was popular now. As NU’EST had probably planned, much of the netizens have now shifted sides. They now feel that NU’EST is justified in what they’re doing; Pledis had wronged them and so their targeting Seventeen is justifiable.

Pledisboss is the one getting all the plaque now, not NU’EST. On the contrary, NU’EST got a lot of love.

Netizen top comments were as follows:

“pledis is worse than sm omg.”
“At first I hated nu’est but now I see that they never wanted to hurt seventeen. They just wanted pledis to come clean about the injustice. The poor things are now probably hiding out of fear that pledisboss would beat them up.”
“I always loved nu’est. anyone who watches them knows they’re kind and smart and lovable. What they did to make pledis admit the wrong is genius.”
“congrats on the international recognition nu’est! I can’t wait to hear the song armor! you pledis.”

There weren’t many comments about Seventeen, or Woozi. Woozi was happy about that. People were too distracted with NU’EST’s sudden splendor, that they forgot that Seventeen had been vastly overrated and their talents exaggerated. No one seemed to be commenting on the fact that he did not actually compose all those songs the Pledis said he did.

It was not exactly easy for Woozi to read the riddle. He understood that NU’EST were prickling at him, threatening his image and therefore Seventeen’s image. The prospect of telling the public that Woozi had been a faker was quite depressing for him. He couldn't let that happen. He just couldn't.

He wanted to issue an official apology himself for what had been revealed, but it seemed no one really cared. No one cared about Seventeen. It was either the glorious, talented, smart, and unfairly underrated NU’EST or the evil villain that is Pledisboss.

That’s the thing with media nowadays. People perceive of villains or of heroes; there is no in between. While NU’EST were villains just one day ago, suddenly everyone loves them.

They were smart though; Woozi would give them that. With the public on their side, Pledis could literally do nothing to punish them.

And to be honest, Pledisboss did not seem to want to punish them. On the contrary, he seemed extremely happy. All of those comments saying that he is a villain did not seem to affect the boss at all.

It was understandable, Woozi thought. Pledis’ net value increased tenfold over the course of the past few days because of this whole scandal. All the international attention NU’EST was now receiving, all of the new albums and songs being bought, all of the extra hits, all of the new attention Pledis in general was getting did Pledisboss well, even if Pledisboss’ reputation went down the drain and could never be recovered.

Woozi was angry. He was really angry. Who was NU’EST to do this to Seventeen? To ruin everything that all thirteen boys had achieved? To belittle them, to throw dirt all over their names and make them nothing more but Pledisboss’ dupes?

They made S.Coups crazy as well. That morning, he was huddled in a corner, unable to move. He would not let anyone open the window, and when Seokmin left to get chips, S.Coups screamed at him and started to cry. He seemed to be afraid that NU’EST would murder them or something. Pledisboss had to actually hire a psychologist for him for the day. It was weird, but then again, S.Coups had always been weird.

Woozi knew NU’EST well, of course. He was one of the early trainees, and so he trained with them a lot. They had been on very good terms. But later, things had gone down between him and the group, mostly between him and a certain member of the group: Baekho.

Baekho and Woozi learned song-composition together before Baekho debuted. They took a course with other trainees. Being the only two male Pledis trainees in the class, they naturally grew closer. Woozi had thought Baekho was the nicest and happiest boy in the world.

One of those pre-debut days, Baekho had confessed his love for Woozi.

“Jihoonnie,” young Baekho had told Woozi when the two of them were in the park together, “I don’t know how to say this, but I think you’re the cutest person in the world, and I think I love you.”

At first Woozi didn’t take it seriously. He wasn’t very familiar with the idea that two boys could be in love the same way his parents were in love. He had heard that it happened, but never saw it or considered it further. He didn’t think that Baekho was alluding to such a relationship in the first place.

It was only a little after Baekho debuted and when Woozi couldn’t see him as often that Woozi realized how much Baekho really meant to him.

The beginning of their intimate relationship began in the green practice room. Baekho had stayed in after NU’EST finished practice in order to meet Woozi.

“I miss you,” young Jihoonie had told Baekho as they sat against the green walls of the Pledis studio, “I wish we debuted in the same band.”

“You don’t know how much I wish that too,” Baekho had responded.

After a moment’s hesitation, Woozi kissed Baekho’s cheek, to which Baekho had become extremely flustered. Woozi, amused at his supposedly manly hyung’s shyness, had laughed.

“Don’t tease me like that, Jihoon,” Baekho had said, scratching the back of his neck shyly, “you know how I feel about you.”

Woozi then had gotten up on his knees, put both of his hands on Baekho’s broad shoulders and leaned his forehead against Baekho’s.

“What are you doing,” Baekho had stuttered, looking into Woozi’s now proximate eyes. Woozi remembered feeling Baekho heart beat fast.

“I want to kiss you,” Woozi had answered, “can I?”

Baekho had not taken a moment to answer. Immediately afterwards, he had put his hands on the back of Woozi’s neck and brought their lips together.

That was the beginning of the most intimate relationship Woozi had ever had and probably ever will have. Woozi recalled all of those late night escapades, the risky adventures, all of the incomparable experiences that Baekho had given him.

Experiences were not the only thing Baekho had given Woozi. Baekho had also once gifted Woozi with a song.

Baekho’s song-writing skills were not great. He wrote songs, but he wasn’t all that skillful at it. That one course he took with Woozi was not really enough for him to call himself a songwriter. Woozi was slightly better at it, but only because he kept taking courses as Baekho was kept busy with his group’s promotional activities instead.

That one song that Baekho had written for Woozi, however, was relatively good. Baekho thought it was his best work, and the lyrics he wrote for it were inspired by Woozi: “So what I mean is, I want to know all of you. I want to sing about you, U Hoo. I want to sing about you, U Hoo. Even if my lips are dry, I need to say this baby. I adore you, I adore you, enough to get dizzy.”

Woozi loved the song when Baekho had first given it to him. He had loved Baekho for it, and for a long time he would keep listening to the track over and over and over again.

At some point in 2014, when NU’EST had started spending extended periods of time in Japan and China, Woozi and Baekho could not see each other often. Baekho often spoke to Woozi, but Woozi had started to lose interest.

Woozi could no longer remain faithful. He first had a small relationship with Soonyoung from his group, and later started seeing a girl from his high school. He went all the way with her. Baekho had found out about it from a staff member, and had been absolutely devastated because of it.

They broke up. Woozi learned that Baekho had fallen into depression because of it. Woozi felt kind of bad because his former lover was going through all of this, but he also thought it kind of pathetic that someone as “manly” and “muscular” as Baekho would be so affected by the end of a transient youthful gay romance.

From then on, all of the NU’EST members stopped talking to Woozi. Minhyun gave him the cold shoulder. Aron and JR would not even look at him. Ren would sometimes scowl at him. Ren had also told Woozi that Baekho was now “broken” because of him, whatever that meant.

Woozi had seen Baekho a few times after the break-up in the Pledis building. Baekho had tried to talk to him, to restore some kind of friendship between them, but Woozi rejected all of Baekho’s advances. He didn’t want to have anything to with Baekho anymore.

“Sorry Baekho,” Woozi had told him, “you are a phase in my life I want to forget. Don’t talk to me anymore.”

Baekho heeded that request.

A few months before their debut, the company had started pressuring Woozi to get working on modifying song templates so that they could say Woozi composed them. Woozi had worked on some templates, but it seemed like everything he touched turned to dust. The company rejected every modification Woozi had made. No song had been good enough for them.

Woozi, stressed and unable to create anything new himself, had looked through the files he had and came across Baekho’s song: Adore U.  Woozi listened to it; it wasn’t a great song yet, but Woozi knew he could use it as a template. He could change it up a bit, add a few instruments, add rapping bits, make it sound better and more professional. When Woozi was done with it, he thought it was his best work yet.

It was really his work. Sure Baekho helped, but Woozi changed it so much, Baekho’s contribution cannot be more than inspiration. That’s how Woozi justified it to himself. Yes, he used the same lyrics for the chorus and parts of the verses, but still…

When he gave the song to the company, they were impressed with it. The company song-makers modified it a bit more (a lot more, actually), and released it as Seventeen’s debut saying that Woozi had composed it.

Woozi had received a call from Baekho when the song was released.

“That was my song,” Baekho said as soon as Woozi picked up.

“I changed it a lot though,” Woozi had defended himself.

“But it’s still my song,” Baekho responded, “the same rhythm, the same lyrics…”

“It’s not yours Baekho. Stop belittling my contribution to it. Sorry I didn’t credit you at all, but really the version you sent me is compared to the one that I created.”

Baekho had fallen silent in response to that.

“Are you going to file a lawsuit or something?” Woozi had asked. Baekho could file it, but Woozi knew that Baekho wouldn’t. Everyone knew that Baekho was still in love with Woozi after all, and the last thing Baekho would want is to destroy Woozi’s career from so early on.

“I won’t. You’re right. It is your song. I gave it to you as a gift, remember? You could do whatever you want with it, including claim it as your own and use it as your debut song,” Baekho had responded. He then closed in Woozi’s face, and that must have been the last time the two of them had spoken.

When Woozi read the riddle that Minhyun had posted, he knew that something about that riddle was referring to Adore U, and not only Armor. Woozi still had not admitted to anybody that Adore U was originally Baekho’s, and he was not really planning to. He couldn't let NU'EST reveal the truth about Adore U. It was his song.

Woozi was unsure about whether or not the NU’EST members expected that Woozi turn himself in with the answer to this riddle, but the riddle was meant for S.Coups, not him, and S.Coups did not know.

Woozi was scared about what would happen to Seventeen if Baekho does speak up. Baekho would have the files as proof that the song is his, and a lawsuit could go badly for Seventeen and completely ruin Seventeen’s reputation.

Somehow though, Woozi just knew that Baekho wouldn’t do it. It's been a while, but Baekho was still in love with him after all...

A/N: NEW SHIP NAME: BaekHoon. It's such a random ship, but somehow it just fit into this story so i thought why not ? Plus it's cute because it's the littlest Pledis boy with the biggest Pledis boy so yeahh ...