Chapter 216. They Meet (1)

Lee HyunJi also gave opinions about who to bring to the party.

“This is a position that will represent the company, so I think we’ll have to take leaders if it’s a group. Like MinAh or HyunAh… If we include JiMin or Mr. JaeHoon, who are solo artists, that brings the list down to 4 people. There’s JinSeo as well, but she hasn’t done any official activities after she’s joined us, so I think it’s too early for that.”

KangYoon nodded his head in agreement.

“Okay. If we had some time, I believe JinSeo would have been the best choice but… it’s rather unfortunate. If we pick one, the other three might be disappointed.”
“There’s that too. Moreover, we might incite unnecessary trouble with MG. Speaking of which, it might be a little weird to take MinAh since Eddios was originally at MG.”

Hearing Lee HyunJi’s words, KangYoon shook his head.

“Let’s not mind something like that. We’ve already burned the bridge. In the first place, it was their fault, and we are just doing our best. I don’t think we need to be considerate of them.”
“Hahaha. I guess you’re right.”

Lee HyunJi shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

“Sometimes, you’re rather reckless, president.”
“Every man will take action when it comes down to it. Anyway, to come to a conclusion…”

KangYoon fell into contemplation for a while before voicing out his opinion.

“I think MinAh will be the most suited for this job.”
“MinAh? I thought JiMin would do fine. She’s someone we’ve raised from scratch, so wouldn’t that show off our abilities as well?”

Eunha.
She made her debut under World Entertainment, so wasn’t she more suitable? was what Lee HyunJi was saying.
However, KangYoon thought differently.

“There’s that, but this is the first time we’re showing up to such a place. We’re lacking in scale compared to other companies. I don’t think we should be lacking power as well. I’m sorry to JiMin, but with these criteria, MinAh has more power. Moreover, I also think that MinAh will be able to act with caution in the party since she has more experience.”
“So to sum it up, it’s the group you created, president, and since they have a lot of experience, MinAh is the best choice?”
“Yes.”

Lee HyunJi thought a little before agreeing to KangYoon’s words.

“Okay then. Should I tell MinAh then?”
“No, I’ll tell her, and I’ll ask you to do something else.”

Like that, the two decided on Jung MinAh to take to the party.

Meanwhile, HeeYoon was talking about music with Professor Choi ChanYang.

“…Wow. This is the first time I’ve heard of such a melody? This is so good!”
“How would you go about rearranging this music?”
“You said this was originally an EDM, right? I would…”

KangYoon smiled in satisfaction seeing that his sister was passionately talking about music with the professor.

***

Due to the unexpected strike from Yerang Entertainment in going to Japan, YoonSeul Entertainment turned their eyes to China.
Thanks to that, they were able to get a contract signed with one of the top entertainment companies in China, ETM Entertainment.
However, what they expected to be a smooth sail did have some unexpected obstacles.

[Wait, rethink the contract?… Director Zhang Wuwei. This is different from what you told me.]

Inside his office, President Choo ManJi used his little Chinese knowledge to express his current feelings.
However, the person on the other side of the phone was sighing with a sunken voice as well.

– We’re also in a rather difficult position. It was the Hayas Department Store that decided to hold off on the contract.
[Hayas did? Do you know why they did that?]

In one week, DiaTeen was going to go to China for a photoshoot and they had left out their schedule for that, but now there was suddenly this.
President Choo ManJi tried his best to calm down, but the pressure on his heart was rather large.

– From what I hear, they seem to be torn between DiaTeen and a group called Wincle.
[Wait, Wincle? Aren’t they from Yerang?]

President Choo ManJi was really surprised now.
Yerang must be busy in Japan now, but they’re suddenly in China? Moreover, it hadn’t been long since Wincle debuted, and they were coming to China already?
No rather than that, the fact that newbies like Wincle were trying to compete with a veteran like DiaTeen scratched his pride.

– That Wincle team seems to have given them quite a good offer. It looks like it isn’t just a financial matter. They seem to be rather ‘proactive’. The manager over at Hayas Department Store seems to have taken a liking to a girl named Jin HyeYoung from that group… but I don’t know any details.
[……]
– I’m telling you this to be careful, but I think we’ll have to prepare a lot. Since this is using singers as models, it looks like they want flawless planning and budget use.

After the call, President Choo ManJi palmed his forehead.

“Kang ShiMyoung, this guy… he just had to interfere with other people’s business… Sheesh, he’s incredibly sensitive to the smell of money. Now then, what do I do about this…”

It wasn’t easy to get the attention of the advertiser.
All of the company’s resources must be put into it.
President Choo ManJi’s worries deepened as he looked outside the window.

***

“… I’m sorry.”

Director Jung HyunTae was bowing his head to Richard.
As Min JinSeo was stolen by World, he was at unease all this time.

“It’s fine.”

However, unlike what Director Jung HyunTae thought, the caucasian man, Richard, had no change to his tone of voice.

“It’s just, I’m a little disappointed in you, direc…”
“I’m sorry!”

Before he could even finish his words, Director Jung HyunTae shouted even louder.
However, Richard’s scary words did not end there.

“Being criticized by the public means that she has the power to attract attention, no? That means she is the interest of many people. Even if their interest wanes, she’ll be able to make a comeback again with some… ‘sponsors’.”
“Th, that’s…”

Those were some scary words, but Richard continued to speak with a cold smile.

“But, you just let go of such a valuable star just like that? I’m disappointed.”
“……”
“…Phew.”

Richard heaved a deep sigh before turning around to the window.

“You were invited to the party, this time, no?”
“What? Ah, yes.”
“I shall go as well.”
“You too, branch president? But there’s no need for you to…”

Director Jung HyunTae urged him not to, but Richard curved his lips and shook his head.

“I’m curious now, as to who the man that is blocking our way is.”

***

Eddios returned to their respective homes after getting discharged from the hospital.
This was per KangYoon’s instructions. Thanks to that, Ailee and Christie went back to America, while the other members went back to their respective homes to meet their families.

“Haaa….”

However, there was also someone who stayed at their empty residence.

“This is boring.”

Thanks to no one being there to send her off, Jung MinAh didn’t want to go to practice either.
TV was boring, and computers were never her hobby.
…She was just unmotivated today.
Jung MinAh lied down on the sofa.

“…Tch, they’re so apathetic.”

How could they leave her all alone to go to their families?
However, she did understand. Experiencing such a thing, the first thing that would be on their minds was their families.

“Haa. I want to see ahjussi…”

Dingdong!
At that moment, the bell suddenly rang.

“Who is it?”

She hadn’t ordered anything online, so it rather annoyed her when something broke her out of her train of thought.
However, when she had a look at the interphone, the man she wanted to see so much was standing right there!
It took an instant for annoyance to turn into joy.

“Yes…! No wait.’

However, she hadn’t put on her make-up right now!

“Please wait a moment!”

Jung MinAh went to the bathroom quickly and started putting on make-up.
She even changed her clothes in a flash before opening the door.

“…You had me waiting for 30 minutes outside the door.”

KangYoon shrugged his shoulders while entering.
The faint fragrance in the air as well as Jung MinAh’s college girl aesthetic would make anyone’s heart pound.

“…Who told you to visit so suddenly?”

Unlike her emotions, her words were rather twisted.
KangYoon smiled and patted her head before sitting down.
As all the members of Eddios as well as their manager, were given leave, she was really alone now.

“What were you doing?”
“…Studying, and some reading…”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“…..”

Jung MinAh became embarrassed and coughed awkwardly.

“Tch, I was resting, alright? I can’t be practicing all day.”
“Yeah, well done. You must be rather bored right now since the others aren’t here, right?”
“Well, it’s not… that bad,”

KangYoon chuckled seeing that Jung MinAh was trying to act tough.
Actually, he did not say that he was worried about her being alone. He knew that Jung MinAh wanted to look tough even though she easily felt lonely and was weak at times.
He asked her about a few things before taking out the invitation.

“What’s this…? An invitation to a party?”
“Yeah I hope me, the director, and you, the three of us, can go together, representing the company.”
“Represent… the company?”

Jung MinAh blinked several times dumbfoundedly.
She was wondering if it was alright for her to represent the company. KangYoon added.

“Right now, the artist that represents World Entertainment could be said to be Eddios. Although you girls came over from MG, I was the one who produced you guys and your comeback was through me as well. Your current position is no different. I want you, the leader, to represent the company at the party.”
“…Are you really fine with me?”

When Jung MinAh asked again while blinking, KangYoon nodded.

“Of course.”
“Ugh… that makes me nervous. You need me, right?”
“What? Ah, yes… I guess?”

Although the words were rather abstract, KangYoon answered anyway.
Then, Jung MinAh’s expression became bright again.

“Good. I’ll be your face at the party. But…”
“But?”

Jung MinAh twisted her body and asked.
“Do we need to dance there, like a waltz or something?”
“…..”

KangYoon was at a loss for words.

***

At the K-pop party hosted by MCST.
The venue was a huge lounge of a 5-star hotel in Gangnam.
The venue started being filled with the people that were invited to the party.

“Hello.”
“Hello, there.”

Like the party’s theme, the music being played was K-pop, and various invitees greeted each other over a glass of wine.
All of the participants were influential figures in the entertainment industry.
Among these people were Director Jung HyunTae of MG Entertainment, President Kang ShiMyoung of Yerang Entertainment as well as President Choo ManJi of Yoonseul entertainment.
Next to them were celebrities that represented their respective companies.

‘Fuaam… so boring’.

JooAh, who was next to Director Jung HyunTae, was sighing, wondering when this boring business conversation that Director Jung HyunTae was having, would end.
Although she was supposed to be busy in America right now, she had cleared some time in her schedule for this. She was also promised to never be bothered again until her matters in America were over.
Jin HyeYoung of Wincle, who followed President Kang ShiMyoung, was busy greeting the influential figures in a polite manner.

‘I heard KangYoon-oppa was coming. Is he not here yet?’

Director Jung HyunTae was as boring as he could be.
Business talks could be made fun, but he just had to talk about it in the most boring way possible.
At that moment, someone caught her attention.

“Miss JooAh.”
“Yes? Ah, yes.”

He was the tall Caucasian man, Richard.
Richard was interested in JooAh while JooAh was interested in this caucasian man who could speak fluent Korean.

“Hahaha, it must be boring for you, isn’t it?”
“Boring? Yeah, a lot.”
“Hahahahahaha.”

Richard toasted with JooAh and continued to speak.

“I like your honesty.”
“I hear that a lot. You were called Richard right? I heard you invested in us…”
“Things turned out that way. MG is a rather solid company. There are good stars like you, Miss JooAh. Actually… money is the only thing I have.”
“Pffft.”

JooAh burst out laughing.
It was rare to see people who boasted about money.

“Pffft, hahaha. Richard, hahaha.”
“I’m serious, you know? Should I show you my bank balance?”
“Hahaha.”

This leisurely attitude of Richard’s tickled JooAh’s curiosity.
Maybe British gentlemen were like this? The tall height and their unique leisurely attitude.
JooAh’s wariness was being loosened up without her knowing.
At that moment, people at the entrance started becoming noisy.

(T/N: I know, the author’s image of British people seems to be overly idealized… but I translate what I got…)

“Looks like he’s finally here.”
“Who are you talking about?”

When Richard asked, JooAh smirked and started walking.

“It’s World. It was fun talking to you, Richard. See you later.”

When JooAh left, Richard smiled coldly again.

“World, huh. Well then. Should I meet them too?”

His eyes turned sharp like a hawk’s and he started walking towards KangYoon, who was greeting other people.