Chapter 158: Recruitment Completed
After the announcement of Golden Road's hiatus, all the talent agents in Singer Division 1 were busy answering their phones because the advertisers were all rushing to request ad cancellations.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Jin. Yes, yes. Our legal division will review the penalty clause and get back to you within a week."
"Dissolution of Golden Road? There's no way, Mr. Bong. It's just a temporary hiatus, so please don't worry too much and..."
"Ah, no, please listen to me. No, it's not like that. You know what, I'll just go to your company now and we can talk about this in person."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Han. We tried our best to stop it but..."
"Mr. Kim! Please don't do this to me. Let's extend the contract period for now and make adjustments according to the situation when the girls come back."
As the talent agents were desperately clinging to their phones, Cha Sang-Jin got up from his seat with shaky legs.
Golden Road had to pay penalties to cancel contracts for five CFs today. At this rate, it seemed only a matter of time before the remaining 15 CFs were all canceled.
Cha Sang-Jin sighed heavily and headed to the break room.
"Oh? Mr. Cha. Would you like a cup of coffee?"
Kim Dong-Soo, who happened to be in the break room, greeted him.
But instead of returning the greeting, Cha Sang-Jin pleaded as if he had met a savior. "Chief Kim. Are we just going to take this lying down? I'm on the verge of dying because of complaints about Golden Road."
Kim Dong-Soo handed him a can of coffee from the vending machine, and Cha Sang-Jin reluctantly accepted it.
"Just wait a bit," said Kim Dong-Soo.
"No, don't just tell me to wait. What is Mr. Lee Gi-Cheol doing? Shouldn't he be coming up with a plan?" Cha Sang-Jin replied in an impatient tone.
Kim Dong-Soo frowned at Cha Sang-Jin's urging and said, "Mr. Lee is busy preparing a big move before President Kang returns."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. So just think of yourself as dead for the time being and wait it out. If Golden Road doesn't cause any more trouble, they could make their comeback in about six months."
Cha Sang-Jin couldn't hide his surprised expression. He thought that even with a good amount of luck, Golden Road would take at least a year to make a comeback. However, Kim Dong-Soo's words meant there was a way to turn the situation around.
After thinking for a few seconds, Cha Sang-Jin nodded. "Right, right. Six months should do it, huh?"
"But controlling Golden Road while they're in Korea will be challenging. To prevent any potential headaches from them being photographed at clubs or elsewhere, it's better to send them to Japan. I'll inform the head of our Tokyo office to monitor them closely."
"Oh, okay. That sounds like a plan. Sending them to Japan would ease our worries. Thank you for taking care of the situation, Chief Kim."
"Don't mention it. Alumni should help each other out, after all. And you know..."
Cha Sang-Jin nodded as he listened to Kim Dong-Soo's explanation of the plans and measures in place.
"Can I really just say it like that?" Cha Sang-Jin asked.
"Yes. Just tell him I haven't forgotten the favor I owe him from before."
They couldn't reverse the five CF contracts that were already canceled, but Kim Dong-Soo was confident they could stop about three of them from being canceled by discussing penalty fees. This was thanks to the rebate Kim Dong-Soo had given Chief Park Han-Cheol when arranging a contract in the past.
"Th-thank you."
"And if there are any more inquiries about canceling ad contracts, try to persuade them to switch the models to the actors from our Actor Division 3 instead of just terminating the contract. You can use my name too."
"Ar-are you sure?"
"Of course. Aren't we all from Suhyaejong?"
Cha Sang-Jin laughed and patted Kim Dong-Soo on the shoulder.
"Ha ha ha. As expected, you're the best at taking care of alumni, Chief Kim. Thanks a lot. I'll be off then."
"Take care, Mr. Cha."
As Cha Sang-Jin disappeared, Kim Dong-Soo smirked bitterly and brushed off the shoulder Cha Sang-Jin had touched.
"He calls himself sunbae when he's got no capability," Kim Dong-Soo muttered under his breath.
Kim Dong-Soo was considering bringing back Park Han-Cheol, who was fired recently, to replace Cha Sang-Jin. After all, the Golden Road scandal caused by Cha Sang-Jin not being able to properly manage them had cost a tremendous amount of money.
"The day Golden Road returns to the stage will be your funeral, Chief Cha."
Kim Dong-Soo felt increasingly irritated as he watched Cha Sang-Jin hurry away. At that moment, he naturally found a target to vent his anger on.
"Why hasn't this guy contacted me yet?"
It had been three weeks since he ordered Nal-Sae[1], who was out on bail, to dig up dirt on Jung Yoon-Ho to use as blackmail.
But there was still no news.
Kim Dong-Soo immediately called Nal-Sae and started questioning him aggressively.
"Hey! Nal-Sae! What are you doing right now?"
Nal-Sae responded in a subdued voice.
-Why are you yelling? I'm digging up dirt on Jung Yoon-Ho.
"Do you think I'm asking because I don't know? You said you could uncover even the deepest political corruption in three days, didn't you?"
-...Well, fuck. I didn't think Jung Yoon-Ho lived such a clean life. That guy came from an orphanage, right?
"Yes. What is it? You got nothing?"
-Nope. Nothing. Aside from some fights during his younger days, there's nothing major. And he's been on the elite boxing track since middle school.
"Elite track? So what? There's no way a guy who throws punches hasn't caused any trouble."
-You don't know what you're talking about. The lives of kids on the elite track are different from local thugs. Coaches and directors cover their tracks so well there's nothing to catch.
Kim Dong-Soo couldn't believe it.
"What about his high school days? Nothing there either?"
-I've just started digging into his high school days. Local gangsters might have tried to scout him since he was an orphan and a sports elite.
"You think so? Then focus on that area."
-But...what if I find nothing there either?
Kim Dong-Soo yelled at Nal-Sae for his weak reply.
"If there's nothing, make something up or dig after the celebrities Jung Yoon-Ho is with!"
-Ugh. Got it. I'll dig deeper.
Not being able to trust Nal-Sae, Kim Dong-Soo shouted once more.
"And if you can't find anything again this time, I'll send you back to prison. Got it?"
-Ugh. Okay, okay! Damn it.
Nal-Sae poured out a curse and hung up the phone.
After hanging up, Kim Dong-Soo let out a deep sigh.
"People always slack off the moment you give them a little leeway. They say they'll do anything if you let them loose, but look at the work they do."
Kim Dong-Soo thought the old saying was true, that people change as soon as they leave the restroom[2].
But at that moment, a call came from the one person Kim Dong-Soo dreaded the most. To receive a direct call from the backer, who usually only received reports, was unusual.
Cold sweat ran down Kim Dong-Soo's forehead and his face contorted as he answered the phone.
"Yes, sir. Pardon? You want me to arrange a meeting with Assistant Manager Jung...? What do you mean by that?"
-Just do as you're told without asking questions.
Kim Dong-Soo was caught off guard when President Choi Man-Sik, one of the shareholders of Hoop Entertainment, showed an interest in Jung Yoon-Ho.
"I-I understand. Then I will arrange a meeting soon."
Taking heed of the low-key warning to follow orders, Kim Dong-Soo agreed and hung up the phone.
Kim Dong-Soo headed straight to Lee Gi-Cheol because it was a serious matter that Choi Man-Sik had taken an interest in Jung Yoon-Ho.
The thought of potentially having to devise another plan as soon as possible made Kim Dong-Soo's head spin.
***
I kept checking my planner repeatedly while waiting for the elevator.
However, the schedule for Golden Road's comeback on December 12th remained unchanged.
'It seems like Kim Dong-Soo is starting to make his move,' I thought.
If the Suhyaejong line behind Kim Dong-Soo began actively spending money and lobbying, it could easily revive Golden Road from its hiatus.
I let out a sigh as a thought flashed through my mind. 'Nothing is easy in this world.'
But of course, I had no intention of being easily defeated even if Golden Road were to return. I was confident I would have become more powerful by then.
"Is it...because of me that you're so tired?" Haru asked in a trembling voice.
I turned my gaze toward Haru and replied, "Huh? What do you mean is it because of you?"
"I mean, you went through a lot to recruit me."
Worry filled Haru's eyes as he looked up at me. I put my phone away in my pocket and smiled at him.
"Haru."
"Yes?"
"Never say that to anyone ever again. You're worth so much more than the money spent on you."
I felt the need to debut Haru immediately as it seemed like the only way to solve his low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It wouldn't be easy, but it was definitely worth the challenge with the talent Haru showed before my regression.
Haru pondered over my words for a moment and blinked his large eyes before speaking.
"I'm sorry. I won't say such weak things anymore."
Facing the barriers before him, I could see courage and hope swirling in Haru's eyes.
"Good. Then shall we greet the Managing Director?"
"Okay!"
With Haru smiling brightly, I stepped into the elevator with vigorous steps.
***
Ding.
The LED inside the elevator flashed as it reached the sixth floor where Kang Ji-Yung was located.
Entering the director's office, we found Gu Seong-Cheol already waiting. After introducing Haru to everyone and taking our seats on the sofa, Kang Ji-Yung made a serious expression.
"You look even more handsome than you do in your photos. But I can see that your hair color is unique. Did you dye it?"
Haru's hair was a shade lighter than brown, leaning more toward a pale yellow.
"No, my mother is of Russian descent."
"That explains it. I thought you were wearing colored lenses."
Haru's features and the color of his eyes contributed to his popularity in my past life, earning him the nickname, Mysterious Captivating Man, implying his entrancing gaze.
Seeing Haru stiffen up, I asked Kang Ji-Yung to speak more casually to ease him.
"Would you be okay with that?" Kang Ji-Yung asked.
"Of course!" Haru replied as his face lit up with a smile.
"By the way, you have a pretty name. Are you planning to keep it for your career in entertainment?"
Haru asked cautiously, "Um, can I use a stage name?"
"Why? Do you have something in mind?"
"I do."
It was exactly as I had expected because he had done the same before my regression.
"Alright then. What would you like to be called?"
"Haru."
"Huh?"
"I'd like my stage name to simply be Haru, not Lee Haru."
"Just Haru without the surname?"
"Yes. I don't want to lose the name Haru that my mom gave me. She named me that so I would live each day to the fullest[3]."
It was only now that I fully grasped the meaning behind the stage name, Haru, that he had chosen.
I needed to find Haru's mom as soon as possible. While Haru seemed to want to leave his memories of his dad behind, his longing for his mom who had left him seemed to still linger.
I wasn't sure what Haru's mom would think, but I was prepared to help them reunite if there was any lingering affection. Otherwise, it would be better to sort things out in advance, just as I did with Haru's dad.
Kang Ji-Yung readily accepted Haru's request to change his stage name.
"Got it. Then I'll have it updated in your profile too."
"Thank you so much! I promise to give it all I've got!"
And just like that, Lee Haru became Haru, just like in my past life.
***
I asked Jung Sang-Bong to show Haru around the company. In the meantime, I stayed in the director's office for a meeting with Kang Ji-Yung.
"How does he seem in person?" I asked.
Kang Ji-Yung spoke with a sly smile. "His voice is good and he has a nice look. I'm not sure about his acting yet, but building a fandom would be easy with the right stylist to glow him up."
Gu Seong-Cheol agreed with that. "He's 16 this year which is a great age to debut at."
But as expected, Kang Ji-Yung raised a concern. "The only thing that bothers me is his height. To be only 160 cm at 16 as a guy...He might be considered short even after he's fully grown."
Gu Seong-Cheol shook his head. "You might not be aware, but it's common for boys to have growth spurts later. He's only in ninth grade. I bet he'll probably shoot up soon."
But I knew Kang Ji-Yung's concern was valid.
"That's why I was thinking, what if we take Haru to a growth clinic for a check-up?" I suggested.
Kang Ji-Yung gestured with her hands as if she had misspoken.
"Ah, did I cause unnecessary worry? I'm sorry."
"No, your concern makes sense to me as well. I'd like to at least get him checked."
Kang Ji-Yung smiled ambiguously. "And what do you plan to do if there's an issue from the check-up?"
'She's sharp.'
"If you trust my judgment, you'll need to be ready to invest in him."
I thought to myself, 'Being short is no problem these days. There are measures that can be taken to help him grow taller with enough money.'
I recalled how the living football legend Lionel Messi from Barcelona was able to grow taller thanks to intensive growth treatments.
"Alright. We'll get the tests done and the company will cover all the costs for the growth clinic if there's an issue. Okay?"
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. But instead, isn't there something you need to do in return?"
Finally, the inevitable choice appeared before me. It was the promotion to the team lead position.
For the average employee, this would be a joyous occasion. But in front of me was the swirling vortex of a massive storm. With Kang Gam-Chan absent, the clash between the two factions intensified further.
It was a proposition made just to recruit Haru, but I had to take more decisive action if I wanted to protect my actors and Hoop Entertainment.
'You got this, Yoon-Ho,' I cheered myself silently.
I steeled myself with determination and replied Kang Ji-Yung, "I'll accept the promotion to team lead."
1. The paparazzi who got caught taking photos of actresses in the previous chapters ☜
2. Korean idiom saying that people are willing to do anything when asking others for a favor but quickly change their mind after the favor has been done ☜
3. Haru means the day ☜
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