Chapter 195. Staking Everything On The Line… (3)

Manager Kim JooHwan was smoking in a smoking room located on one side of the lobby.

‘JinSeo’s schedule will only get harsher and harsher… what am I going to do?’

Manager Kim JooHwan was worried about Min JinSeo as he smoked.
Her schedule was tight enough as it was already, but it would only get tighter in the future.
She was nearing the end of her contract now as well so the fact that the company was having her work even more just showed how dire the financial situation was at the company.

‘Just why are they putting up a building… oh?’

Just as he was thinking about the company, his phone started ringing.
When he picked up, it was Min JinSeo.

“She usually doesn’t call me for anything other than schedules… hello?”
-Oppa, sorry for calling all of a sudden.
“Not at all. Is something up?”

Usually, Min JinSeo had a very soft voice, but right now she seemed to be very urgent about something.

– Oppa, please get me a ticket to Korea. Right now.
“What? Korea? Why so suddenly?”
-Don’t ask why. Just quickly.
“JinSeo, you know you have a sched…”
-Please.

Min JinSeo was reckless.
As she usually didn’t act on a whim like this, he thought for a moment before ending the call after saying okay.

“Just what is it? It’s not easy getting a plane ticket at this time…”

He sighed before opening a phone app to book a flight.

***

“I’ll be off then.”

Lee SamSoon waved at Han JooYeon and Jung MinAh as she left the residence.

“Have a safe trip.”
“Thanks. JooYeon. Are you going somewhere?”
“I have an appointment.”

Although the members did not put on make-up in their residence, Han JooYeon had thick make-up on today.
When Lee SamSoon left for her shoot, the two of them entered the room and got ready to get out.

Han JooYeon was putting on some make-up next to Jung MinAh and asked her out of curiosity.

“Are you going somewhere?”
“Nah, usual practice.”
“You’re putting on such thick make-up when you’re going to practice?”

Moreover, she was waterproofing her make-up, so Han JooYeon’s eyes widened. Jung MinAh was usually the most careless of the team but she was completely different today.

“You know, I want to try things out at times.”
“I call BS. Who is it? Tell this unni.”

Han JooYeon snorted.
There was no need for such an effort unless it was a guy, 9 out of 10. Moreover, Jung MinAh was even putting on a skirt, which she didn’t usually wear…
However, Jung MinAh snorted before retorting.

“I’m also a girl, you know?”
“…Oh? Tell me right this instant!”
“Hey hey! The make-up is smudging!”

They wrestled for a while, but Jung MinAh never spoke a man’s name even once.
In the end, Han JooYeon became bored and stood up first.

“I’m leaving first then.”
“You have an appointment? Wait, don’t tell me it’s the guy you spoke about last time…”
“No way, I’m not that crazy, you know?”

Han JooYeon shook her head as she left.

“Right? Haa… I’m the problem here, not her…”

Jung MinAh shook her head and left the residence to head to practice.
In the practice room, she changed her clothes as usual and put on the music loudly.
She let the music take her body away and danced along with all the songs that Eddios had sung until now.

*Pant, pant*

10 minutes, 20 minutes.
1 hour, 2 hours.
As she continued to dance, her breathing became heavier.
However, her moves never strayed from the original move and she did not miss a beat.
Her stamina was amazing.
Just as she was immersed in practice,

“You’re practicing today as well?”

The door quietly opened and a big man entered. It was KangYoon.
However, unlike before, she was ‘ready’ and just waved her hand at him.

“Hello.”
“Hi, you haven’t changed.”
“…What do you mean I haven’t changed? That sounds strange.”

Jung MinAh pouted before turning off the music.
KangYoon smiled and gave her some drinks. Jung MinAh gulped them down.

“Since it’s your rest period and all, why don’t you go home like the oth…oops.”

KangYoon immediately shut up after noticing his mistake.

“…You know what kind of situation I’m in.”

Jung MinAh became dejected.
KangYoon made a sorry expression and scratched his head.
She had no family. No parents, no siblings. She was completely alone by herself.
This was why he had to be very careful during the contract. As she had a high pride, the other members also found out later.
This was a top-secret that even her fans did not know about.

“Well, I can be forgetful at times.”
“Tch. I guess I’ll have to forgive you this time. Why don’t you buy me a meal then?”

Jung MinAh just laughed it over. She really didn’t like serious stuff.
KangYoon nodded and smiled as well.

“You want strange photos taken again like last time?”
“Whoa? Strange photos? It was a perfectly normal photo between the president and an artist? You’re being weird now.”

Jung MinAh stuck out her tongue.
KangYoon sighed.

“…Fine then. That’s what it is.”
“Hehe. The reactions were good, weren’t they? It was warm seeing a good relationship between the president and the artist. That’s what it said, no?”
“…Warm? I’m glad that there’s no scandal.”
“Oh my, president. Aren’t you too confident in yourself? A scandal with me?”
“…Urgh.”

KangYoon had nothing to say.
He was worried that Jung MinAh had feelings towards him, but now that she rejected that idea outright, he felt embarrassed.

‘Was I too sensitive about it?’

Or is she playing with him?
KangYoon shook his head thinking that women were incomprehensible beings.
In the end, he decided to think that complicating things would just make it worse and forgot about it.
After shrugging he spoke.

“Fine then. Let’s just go get a meal.”
“Yes, yes. Oh, it’s really hard practicing.”
“Don’t practice too much. You’ll strain your joints.”
“I’m fine because I’m young. I’m still in my prime.”
“Hahaha.”

When KangYoon stood up first, Jung MinAh slowly stood up as well.
However, her shirt loosened a little and her chest was exposed towards KangYoon!

‘Oops.’

KangYoon momentarily didn’t know where to look. Jung MinAh didn’t seem to cover it up at all.
If he pointed out, it would be weird, but it would also be weird if he didn’t point it out so he was stuck in a dilemma.

“Let’s go then.”

She seemed oblivious to all this.
Jung MinAh stood up and grabbed KangYoon’s hand.
KangYoon was about to shake her hands off when the door suddenly opened and a lady entered.

“Sir?”

The lady raised her voice high while widening her eyes.
It was a beautiful lady wearing a long coat, Min JinSeo.

“JinSeo.”
“JinSeo?”

KangYoon’s eyes widened in surprise. Jung MinAh was likewise surprised. She was supposed to be busy in China, just how was she in this place?
Meanwhile, Min JinSeo’s eyes were fixed on Jung MinAh’s hand that was grabbing KangYoon’s.

‘Th… thi…’

The description of the photo talked about how warm the relationship was between the president and the artist, but her worries were on point.
She couldn’t relax even after leaving her ‘stamp’ on him.
There was a lot she wanted to say, and her innards were boiling as well.
Min JinSeo just barely calmed down and looked at KangYoon.

“H.e.l.l.o, s.i.r.”
“Ahaha. Hi, JinSeo.”

Her voice was stiff and KangYoon immediately noticed her mood.
He was in an awkward situation.

‘Oops, looks like she’s mad…’

Although Jung MinAh was young and was just an employee, she was still a girl. Moreover, there was that photo as well. It was no wonder Min JinSeo was angry.
KangYoon thought that he should clear the misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, Jung MinAh also immediately realized KangYoon’s change in attitude.

‘There’s something between these two.’

A storm brewed between the two women.

***

– The picture between the two–

Kim JaeHoon closed his eyes inside the studio as he immersed himself in singing.
“Wow…”

Kim JaeHoon’s emotional voice made In MoonHee tear up.
Seo HanYu was controlling the mixer next to her with a serious expression.

“This is hard. I want a deeper sound.”
“Seonbae-nim, is something not going well?”

When In Moonhee asked, Seo HanYu nodded.

“Yes. I added a delay to this. Oh, a delay means that the track will be played back after a bit of time, and this doesn’t seem to suit the music. I tried this to make the sound deeper-sounding… this is strange. It was good when the president did it…”
“It sounds like the president is really good at things like this.”

Hearing that, Seo HanYu looked up.

“He makes songs, he can utilize these machines well and his plans are… actually there’s nothing he can’t do. He’s like a real genius.”
“A genius? Is he that good?”
“You’ll be very hard-pressed to meet another person like him even at other companies. Moreover, he’s loyal as well… Maybe most women fall for him? Ah, what the hell am I saying.”

Seo HanYu covered her blushing face and continued adjusting the mixer.
At that moment, Kim JaeHoon spoke of his opinion through the mic.

– HanYu, why don’t you try putting in an echo rather than a delay?
“Echo? I don’t think it will suit this though…”
– Just try it once.

Seo HanYu put echo in and decreased the bass a little.
Kim JaeHoon seemed satisfied again as he immersed himself into the song, while In MoonHee turned around to Seo HanYu again.

“What is the president like? What’s his style?”
“His style? You mean how he works with the artists?”
“Yes.”

Seo HanYu contemplated for a little bit. What was KangYoon’s style of work?
Business owners of entertainment companies each had their own style of work.
There were people who read the trend and recruited people accordingly, others were bossier and tried to have the artists do their bidding while some only worked with artists of their style.
As for what the ideal work style the artist wanted?

“I think our president is someone who will let the singers sing what they want. And he makes their songs work on the general populace.”
“…Really? He’s making me sing trot though…”

In MoonHee tilted her head.
It was true that she had questions about the genre of music she was singing. Although she wasn’t questioning him since the practice was going well, she was still curious about why she was singing trot.
When she heard that, Seo HanYu asked back with a smile.

“Do you not like trot?”
“It’s not like that. In fact, I like it quite a lot.”
“You are the best when you sing trot. I haven’t heard that much… but I think the president knows that as well.”
“…Am I that good?”

Seo HanYu strongly nodded.

“Yes. I’ve never seen anyone sing trot better than you, unni.”
“You’re embarrassing me…”
“I’m serious. In my opinion, I think the president is pushing trot onto you because you’re so good at it.”
“……”

Kim JaeHoon was nearing the end of his singing.
Being acknowledged by someone who was doing well in the industry, In MoonHee blushed, but still felt really good.

‘Because I’m so good at it?’

Seo HanYu told her that after Namhoon as well.
While she was being nagged at by the vice-principal at school, at this place…
She was acknowledged.

‘…They have trust in me.’

Being trusted by someone wasn’t something she had felt with anyone.

***

“……”
“……”

KangYoon was sweating profusely as he looked at the two ladies seated in front of him, Jung MinAh and Min JinSeo.

“Uhm, girls…”
“……”

The two ladies were both smiling at him, but clearly, they weren’t ‘smiling’.
The two seemed at odds with each other.

“What budae-jjigae should we order?”
“Seafood.”
“I want ham.”

Jung MinAh replied ‘seafood’ while Min JinSeo wanted ‘ham’, so KangYoon was in a dilemma.
Both of them did not relent their choices.

“…Let me just order the assorted one then. With lots of noodles.”

KangYoon sighed and mediated between the two.
At that time, he felt a strange sensation on his legs.

‘JinSeo?’
‘……’

When KangYoon looked down after making the excuse that ‘he dropped something’, he saw Min JinSeo hitting his legs with hers. She was very pouty and had puffed her cheeks.
KangYoon sighed a little before shaking her head.

‘We do need to have a talk, but… haa. It’s somewhat difficult to talk alone too.’

KangYoon also wanted to take care of her more, but it was somewhat difficult to do in this situation.
Unfortunately, he had no choice.
He could only secretly message Min JinSeo that he was sorry when he went to the bathroom.
The owner of the restaurant served them directly and even gave them a lot of free food like extra dumplings and drinks. However, the mood at the table wasn’t that good. They only smiled when some fans approached them wanting an autograph.
The budae-jjigae boiled.
KangYoon scooped the soup up first and gave a bowl to Min JinSeo.

“Thank you.”

Min JinSeo looked at Jung MinAh with a ‘victory’ expression.

‘This girl?’

Jung MinAh pouted with an expression of displeasure.
However…

“Thank you for the meal.”

When KangYoon gave Jung MinAh a bowl as well, Min JinSeo’s expression turned dark as well.
Moreover…

“Ahjussi. Let me do it for you.”
“It’s fine.”
“Don’t refuse~.”

Jung MinAh took the ladle away from KangYoon while even acting cute and scooped KangYoon a bowl.

‘Whoa? haha, haha!’

There was no need to mention that Min JinSeo was boiling with rage on the inside.

***

They didn’t speak a lot during the meal.
Jung MinAh and Min JinSeo did not speak a word to each other as though they were uninterested.
They only replied to KangYoon’s questions.
It was like walking on a thin sheet of ice.

‘Were these two always at odds with each other?’

While paying for the meal, KangYoon was rather confused.
Min JinSeo had a look at the time in front of the store before speaking.

“Sir, I think I should get going now.”
“Already?”
“…Yes. I don’t have a lot of time until my flight.”
“What about your manager?”
“……”

Min JinSeo shook her head.
She meant that he wasn’t here.
KangYoon spoke worriedly.

“I’ll give you a ride then.”
“It’s fine. I can just take the taxi…”
“No, no. You have to go right now, right? Let’s go.”

Min JinSeo followed KangYoon ‘unwillingly’. She tapped on her phone a few times as she followed him.
Just as KangYoon was walking forward, Jung MinAh grumbled next to Min JinSeo.

“You fiery fox…”
“…You’re no better, unni.”
“What was that!?”

Just as the two spat flames from their eyes, KangYoon turned around.

“Girls, come on.”
“Yes.”

The two smiled as though nothing had happened.

‘…I should come here quickly. I can’t leave him alone. Even if I have to…’

Seeing Jung MinAh, Min JinSeo couldn’t be at ease at all.
Following KangYoon, she bit her lips slightly.
At that moment.

“Ahjussi. Can I go with you? You’ll be lonely when you drive back by yourself.”

Jung MinAh asked KangYoon with an ‘I don’t know anything’ face.

‘She what!?’

Min JinSeo’s expression turned extremely dark in an instant.