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It was an offer that was not only unconventional but shocking. Dojun hadn’t even asked how much incentive Youngjae was supposed to receive. His reckless confidence even caused a sense of absurdity.
“Isn’t that too impulsive?”
“Perhaps less impulsive than someone who’s swayed by money.”
Dojun’s profession involved dealing with money. He understood the nature of money better than anyone and had witnessed countless times how people cried and laughed because of it. There was no way he wouldn’t know how to buy people with money. It even crossed his mind that Dojun might play with money more cleverly than Chairman Yoo.
“What’s your reason for going this far?”
“Don’t make Haejoo uncomfortable.”
“...”
“Interfering and helping are distinctly different.”
“I have my own commitments, so I can’t help it.”
“This probably won’t help your career either, will it?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“It means it’s not good for you to be imprinted as a bad memory for Haejoo.”
Dojun’s words weren’t wrong. No matter how successful a manager was, it was problematic if a bad rumor spread about them. Haejoo was pregnant, and stability was more important than ever. After childbirth, she would inevitably have to take a break, so being a global star or anything similar would only add to her burden. Youngjae couldn’t really respond. Despite being in a decent position as a manager, his pride was shattered after being treated poorly all day.
“I understand what you mean.”
“It’s best not to deal with Han Jintae from the start.”
“...”
“If I’m crazy, that bastard’s a thug.”
“...”
“If you don’t believe me, find out for yourself. So, even now...”
Dojun’s sharp gaze pierced Youngjae. After a brief silence, Dojun murmured in a languid voice.
“Run.”
All sorts of thoughts flooded Youngjae’s face. As his complicated emotions showed, Dojun turned around and added one more thing.
“If you take money the wrong way, you’ll choke on it. Think about my offer.”
Dojun entered the studio. As his sturdy back receded beyond the glass, Youngjae turned around. He went to the van, barely clinging to his recently muddled judgment. Considering he had abandoned a perfectly fine position due to Han Jintae’s temptation, money was indeed frightening.
“I made a crazy move.”
He had Mr. Park drive the van to GN Entertainment. The car keys, which the manager team leader had handed over before being fired, were left at the security office. Now that he had come to his senses, he felt embarrassed. Youngjae scratched his short hair and called Han Jintae.
________________________________________
Jinhan, who received Haejoo’s call, felt a headache from stress. Chairman Yoo’s stubbornness, which insisted on getting his way even if it meant squeezing people dry, was tormenting even his own son.
Jinhan headed to GN headquarters. He intentionally went without contacting anyone and passed through the first-floor gate.
“You’ve arrived?”
Several security guards and employees who recognized him bowed their heads. In the vast space consisting of three buildings, Jinhan paused for a moment.
“Is the Chairman in his office?”
“Yes, I’ll call Chief Secretary Han Jintae...”
“Don’t call.”
The security guard, who had picked up the receiver, nodded. Jinhan walked past the sculptures hanging from the high ceiling and went to the executive elevator. He arrived at the top floor just as he was adjusting his tie and shirt collar in the mirror. The place he stopped after walking down the hallway was Han Jintae’s office. He had to pass through here to meet Chairman Yoo.
He casually knocked and opened the door. Han Jintae and two employees stood up to greet him.
“Director, what brings you here without prior notice?”
“I came to see my father. Is he inside?”
“I’ll go and tell him...”
“Don’t bother.”
Jinhan could no longer tolerate Han Jintae’s arrogance. He intended to stop him from acting out, as Han Jintae was only relying on Chairman Yoo. Han Jintae, hiding his cold gaze, bowed. Jinhan ignored him, opened the office door, and merely pretended to knock.
“Father.”
“What brings you here at this hour?”
“Please spare me some time.”
“Come in.”
He locked the door to prevent Han Jintae from entering. Jinhan stepped inside and sat opposite Chairman Yoo.
“Father, do you know what Chief Secretary Han Jintae has been doing behind your back?”
“He handles his own affairs well enough; leave him be.”
“If you do that, he’ll ruin your future too.”
Despite Jinhan’s sincere words, Chairman Yoo merely chuckled. He raised his wrinkled eyes and showed his stubbornness.
“You’re still naive.”
“The world has changed.”
“What’s the point if only the shell changes, but people don’t?”
Chairman Yoo was confident. Although he was currently undergoing the management succession process with his eldest son, his influence was expected to remain unchanged. Even at his age, he had an uncanny knack for recognizing profitable ventures. The problem was that he was more accustomed to exploitation than fair competition, which was a constant headache.
“Chief Secretary Han Jintae threatened Haejoo’s manager.”
“He did?”
“Furthermore, he sent a new manager without my knowledge, disrupting her work.”
“You, too, should get your position straight.”
“Father!”
“You are my son, not Lee Haejoo’s servant.”
“What kind of talk is that?”
“You don’t have much time left.”
Currently, Jinhan was undergoing a test by Chairman Yoo. He knew how to gain Chairman Yoo’s favor. But he didn’t want to. Even if he had to leave, he didn’t want to grovel.
“Dissatisfaction with GN is boiling over, not just in the film industry but everywhere.”
“It’s just the complaints of incompetent people.”
“A sycophant like Chief Secretary Han Jintae is no help to you, Father!”
A strange light flickered in Chairman Yoo’s pupils. It was chilling enough to give him goosebumps, crisscrossed with red capillaries.
“Chief Secretary Han has a knack for making people his own. But what about you?”
“Father.”
“Is whining to your father, who raised you, all you’re capable of?”
“...”
“If a new manager has come, you should make him your person.”
“You know that if it’s different from the start, they can stab you in the back anytime!”
“I don’t need to hear more. You may leave.”
Chairman Yoo turned away. Jinhan had no choice but to leave GN. Han Jintae, who had been quietly observing as if he wasn’t, let his lips stretch into a smirk. Just as he guessed the reason for Jinhan’s visit, the expected person called.
“Yes, Manager Kim Young-jae.”
-Let’s just say the contract we had never existed.
“What’s the reason?”
-I’m not suitable to be Ms. Lee Haejoo’s manager.
“You must have met someone. For example... CEO Park Dojun.”
Suddenly, silence fell on the other end of the phone. Han Jintae, who had accurately seen through Youngjae, smirked. He showed confidence, knowing well how Dojun must have treated Youngjae without even seeing it.
“Don’t mind what CEO Park Dojun said.”
-What do you mean?
“That man is just someone who lives under Lee Haejoo’s skirt.”
-He wasn’t someone to be underestimated so easily.
“I know. I’ve experienced it too.”
Han Jintae gauged what kind of offer or warning Dojun might have given Youngjae. Since Dojun dealt with money, it was highly likely that money was his weapon. In that case, Han Jintae, backed by GN, simply needed to offer Youngjae honor.
“Currently, GN Entertainment is looking for a new executive.”
-Isn’t Director Yoo Jinhan supposed to become the CEO there?
“That’s what people think, but he has recently fallen out of Chairman’s favor quite a bit.”
-Hmm...
“If Manager Kim Young-jae faithfully fulfills his promised duties, I will recommend him to Chairman as the next CEO of GN Entertainment.”
-Executive, meaning CEO?
“That’s right. Doesn’t that sound like a bad offer?”
Han Jintae was confident. Nothing was more certain than having money combined with honor. Moreover, if a former manager became the CEO of a major entertainment company, it was like having everything. This was the path to becoming a legendary figure in the manager world. This much was enough to sway anyone.
-Can you promise that for sure?
“Let’s meet tomorrow and rewrite the contract.”
-Good.
Han Jintae ended the call and smoothed his hair and clothes. He left his seat and headed to Chairman Yoo.
“I have something important to tell you.”
Chairman Yoo nodded, his gaze different from when he saw Jinhan.
________________________________________
Jinhan left GN and parked his car in a quiet spot. There was a coffee shop on the roadside, so he bought an Americano with an extra shot and returned to the car. Soon, a bitter aroma flowed into his chest. He sighed deeply, picked up his phone, and pressed the call button.
“Mother, it’s me. Have you thought about what I asked for?”
-What on earth is going on?
“I told you. Father is trying to push me out and put someone Han Jintae wants in charge of GN Entertainment.”
-Chief Secretary Han Jintae wouldn’t be so impertinent.
Frustrated, Jinhan gulped down the remaining Americano in one go.
“Father’s way of working is dangerous. There will be a huge disaster one day.”
-It’s always been like that, hasn’t it?
“Anyway, aren’t you going to divorce Father?”
-I’ll do it after you get married.
Hwang Yeong-ok held a 20% stake in GN Entertainment. At the time of the acquisition, Hwang Yeong-ok had planned to sit as CEO and manage the company. However, due to Chairman Yoo’s long-standing infidelity, their relationship had completely soured. She was planning a twilight divorce but was enduring it for her youngest unmarried son.
“Give me the shares you hold, Mother. In return, I’ll go on blind dates.”
-Really?
“Yes, please keep it a secret from Father.”
-You’d better not go back on your word later.
“I’ll meet them at least three times, as you wish, Mother.”
-I’ll subtly sound out your father’s intentions later and call you.
When Jinhan first asked for the GN Entertainment shares, Hwang Yeong-ok didn’t budge. With no other choice, Jinhan compromised by making a concession. He decided to go on blind dates, something he had vehemently refused before. It was sickening, but he couldn’t help it. For Chairman Yoo, it might be a betrayal, but if he didn’t do this, he could face even greater trouble.
Returning to the company, Jinhan called Hyunseong. After hearing about the day’s constant friction with Youngjae, he hung up the phone. As expected, Chairman Yoo was the biggest problem.
________________________________________
Director Kwak had received several calls from Jinhan asking to meet. He kept postponing the meeting but called today.
“I was busy, so I couldn’t contact you earlier.”
-No, it’s alright. I apologize on behalf of my father.
“It’s difficult to meet right now, but let’s have a meal once things get better.”
Director Kwak casually dismissed the meeting with Jinhan with a common pleasantry. Jinhan, noticing the veiled refusal, readily accepted.
________________________________________
-Understood. And I really need to tell you this.
“What is it?”
-A while ago, when I went to see Father, I saw some freelance directors with him.
“...That’s unsettling.”
-It seems the camera director had leaked the rough-cut footage filmed in Jeju Island.
“Is that true?”
Something absolutely impossible had happened. It was no small matter for the main staff, the camera director, to leak footage externally. It was, of course, a breach of contract and an act of deceit towards the film industry and Director Kwak.
-Father told me directly, so it must be true.
“Thank you for telling me.”
-I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
The call ended with Jinhan’s apology. However, Director Kwak, who was furious, was restless. For now, he was frustrated because there was no evidence that the footage had been leaked. He was about to call the assistant director to find out if there was anyone friendly at the camera director’s company.
Unexpectedly, art director Lee Yoon-hee visited. She had been close with Director Kwak since their rookie days.
“I don’t have the face to see you, Director, but I came despite the impoliteness.”
“Have a seat.”
Tea was placed before the two, and silence fell. Lee Yoon-hee, who had sighed several times, then conveyed the circumstances she had been holding in.
“GN has been trying to persuade and threaten me quite severely.”
“Did they ask you to betray me?”
“Something like that. I was so scared.”
Director Kwak’s eyes sank in gloom.
“But I... I didn’t betray you, Director.”
Lee Yoon-hee took out a USB from her bag and handed it over.
“I received a call from CEO Park Dojun when the Jeju Island shoot was nearing its end.”
As expected, Dojun was involved. Director Kwak perked up his ears, hoping for a glimmer of hope.
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