Chapter 48. Ties Bring with it a Fraud (3)

Translator: Synopsis

There was no way the men in suit would recognize KangYoon. No, they thought that they didn’t even need to. Of course, their attitudes were polite. Since in front of them were their ‘customers.’

“I don’t know who you are and where you work, but let’s talk later. I do understand that you’re from the same industry but… the work with miss SoYoung is important.”

The man in the suit was smoothly passing it over even while feeling that something was wrong.

Of course, KangYoon realized the moment he saw the business card.

‘A scammer.’

The business card was very well made. At a glance, the logo, the company telephone, and even the position looked very well to the point that anyone would be fooled. However, there was no way that KangYoon wouldn’t know the business cards that the Liaison Team carried with them. Moreover, this man called Oh ChiSung said he didn’t know KangYoon. Someone who doesn’t know KangYoon within the company? Where was a person who didn’t even know the Planning Team Leader in MG Entertainment? There was no way he wouldn’t be suspicious.

When the man in the suit saw that KangYoon would interfere even despite that, he gave out a threat.

“I don’t know who you are, but I’m making a contract which would decide miss Park SoYoung’s future. It’s difficult for me if you keep interfering like this.”

KangYoon burst out laughing since a scammer was like that in front of the real deal. Any more politeness would be impossible.

“Yeah, you would be, since you can’t-do a scam. How dare you steal the tears of a pure student?”

“……. President, it’s difficult for us if you keep doing that. What do you mean a scam to a person who came for a contract? Just where is it a scam?” (T/N: Yes, the man says president… just being polite to KangYoon)

The man in the suit got angry. He was getting tired of KangYoon interfering, and couldn’t endure anymore. The expressions of the two men in suits turned fierce, but KangYoon didn’t lose out at all. No, he was even more firm.

“Excuse me, customer, if you keep interfering like this…”

When Park SoYoung’s father saw that the situation wasn’t going in a good direction, he tried to stop KangYoon. Then, KangYoon quietly took something out of his pocket and handed it to Park SoYoung. Park SoYoung received it thinking ‘what is this?’ and her eyes widened.

“MG Entertainment Planning and Management Team… Leader…. Lee KangYoon?! EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK?!”

This was completely different to the business card she received yesterday. Just the materials differed to the men in suits’ business card. Moreover, KangYoon took something else out and gave it to Park SoYoung. It was the employee card used for entering and exiting the company building. KangYoon’s face was right in the middle of it, and as it said ‘Planning and Management Team Leader,’ she couldn’t not believe it.

“One of the most important principles when MG Entertainment scouts for talent outside is to ‘never request money from the trainees.’ However, to say you want 20 million won since you would invest 30 million… What the fuck are you doing?”

The two men in suits looked at each other. They never knew that a real MG person would be here. Moreover, this guy wasn’t some manager on the scene, but the real thing! The two’s leisurely attitude disappeared.

“You fuckers!! Then you didn’t plan to make my dear SoYoung a star, but for money…?!”

“Hiiiiik!!”

After realizing the situation, Park SoYoung’s father picked up the bat on his side and started swinging it violently. At his threat, the two men hurriedly started running towards the door. KangYoon lightly tackled their legs as they were running past him. With a loud crash, the two men fell, but they stood up instantly and ran away without even wearing their shoes.

“You fuckers…!!”

Park SoYoung’s father didn’t even look back and chased after them, but they were fast. In the end, he lost them.

“Dammit, *Spit*!! Fuckers!!”

He violently spat on the ground. He felt like his anger had died down a little along with the spit. He finally saw KangYoon who stopped the accident.

“Customer, thank you. No, did you say you were a Team Leader? Thank you very much. Thank you.”

He held KangYoon’s hand and didn’t let go. It was KangYoon who was instead, embarrassed.

“Not at all. Those bastards should be driven away from this industry. It’s good that nothing bad happened.”

“Oooh, not at all. To think that I received such grace… I’ll forego your fees for your lodging. No, I will treat you grandly. SoYoung!! Get some beef from the fridge!!”

“You don’t have to do that…”

KangYoon said alright, but Park SoYoung’s father was very passionate. Thanks to that, KangYoon and HeeYoon could taste the passionate personalities of those living in Tongyeong.

***

“Uncleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

As always, JooAh slammed the door to the Chairman’s office open and entered with a strong presence.

“You’re as ever.”

“Hello.”

Chairman Won JinMoon was in the middle of talking with Min JinSeo. Min JinSeo stood up and politely greeted JooAh, who she hadn’t seen for a while.

“You, JinSeo!! Wow, I heard you made your debut. You really seem different.”

“Not as good as you.”

“Don’t be so humble. JinSeo is here… does that mean it’s you in charge of her?”

When JooAh’s stunned gaze headed towards Chairman Won JinMoon, he nodded his head. Then, JooAh spoke with shocked eyes.

“Amazing. Chairman doesn’t take anyone. JinSeo, you’ve grown up!!”

“Not at all.”

“What do you mean ‘not at all’!!? I heard a little, but wasn’t the drama a big hit? It had over 30% of viewer ratings. I heard you were hot nowadays?”

“What do you mean ‘hot’?”

“What, It’s the truth.”

Totally different to the humble Min JinSeo, JooAh was very boastful about her popularity. They were two different people.

“JooAh, what are you doing in Korea? You are supposed to be recording with the Japanese producer this time. I heard the recording was there too?”

“We finished the recording… but I have a bad feeling about it.”

JooAh started speaking what she was thinking about to Chairman Won JinMoon.

“We finished recording and even finished preparing, but something’s weighing on my mind. I just need to release the album, but I don’t like it the more I listen to it. So, in the end, I fought with the PD and came here.”

“So that’s why there was a call yesterday.”

“They told you already? Japanese are so narrow-minded. Anyway!! Where’s KangYoon-oppa?”

The main point was this. Lee KangYoon!!

The aim JooAh had for coming to Korea was him.

“Team Leader Lee? He’s on vacation, why?”

“I knew it!! His phone was turned off too!! I’m planning to ask KangYoon-oppa. If I can release this or not.”

“Hey… The planner on that side won’t like that.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s his fault for not making me trust him.”

Chairman Won JinMoon heaved a deep sigh. After JooAh worked with KangYoon, she compared most planners with KangYoon. This wasn’t a good phenomenon. It was definite that the Japanese side wouldn’t like this.

“Excuse me… Seonbae-nim. Then you came here to work with sir?”

“Sir? Oh, you mean KangYoon-oppa?”

“Oppa?”

Min JinSeo’s voice became strange. Whether she knew it or not, JooAh kept speaking.

“Of course, or else, how would I have come here despite my busy schedule? Uncle, when does KangYoon-oppa’s vacation end?”

“… Tomorrow.”

“Tch, I should wait then.”

While looking at the grumbling JooAh, Min JinSeo’s lips strangely curved upwards.

***

‘Uuu… I think my stomach is still full…’

At the night beef party, KangYoon’s stomach was swollen. However, as the beef that Park SoYoung’s father grilled was very delicious, he overate and overate…

Even in the morning, his stomach was full.

“Uuuuu…”

“You’re up?”

“Uuuuu…”

HeeYoon headed towards the toilet with her hair crumpled. As she didn’t come out for a long time, it was clear that she was ‘suffering’ in there.

Kangyoon went outside. However, Park SoYoung was waiting for him outside.

“Did you have a nice sleep?”

“Hello, sleep well?”

“Yes. I… was waiting.”

“For me?”

Did she have something to say? KangYoon sat on a rock while questioning.

“Thank you for stopping us yesterday. I think I was a bit off that time.”

“I received full appreciation from your father.”

KangYoon tapped his stomach. Park SoYoung laughed when she heard that.

“I was scared of you even though you were HeeYoon’s brother.. But you’re interesting.”

“Really? Some other kids say that too.”

“Really? Well, you’re the Planning Team Leader, so that’s reasonable. Oppa’s position, you have to make singers’ albums and such, right?”

“Correct.”

“Wow… I’ve met an amazing person.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It wasn’t easy for Park SoYoung to meet someone like KangYoon. She didn’t want to miss this opportunity. KangYoon started walking on the beach, and she followed.

“I wanted to ask yesterday but couldn’t. How was my song?”

“Song? Oh, you mean when you played the guitar?”

“…….”

She seemed to be embarrassed and couldn’t speak anymore. To request another person for evaluation was something difficult. Was it easy to be devastated by another person?

“Hmm… You were good.”

“I want you to be honest. I’m also an aspirant of this path.”

“……”

KangYoon thought for a moment. Should he evaluate or not. Should he bury it under some praises or not – various thoughts flashed by in his mind.

‘She’s HeeYoon’s friend.’

And resolved.

“You were a composer aspirant, right?”

“Yes.”

“Your original composition needs some polishing. I feel that the intro had a weak impact. It feels like just running water.”

KangYoon thought back to the musical notes he saw that day. The brightness of the notes was neither strong nor weak. If it were strong, then it would have been bright; and should have given a positive effect on the light.

“Also, the guitar and the voice, it felt like these two didn’t mix well. A bit like the melody and the chord don’t match, I think? It felt a bit off. If you match those, then I think a good song may be created.”

“Ahh…”

“Although I might not be a big help since I’m not that related to composing, I wish it could help you.”

Park SoYoung opened a memo on her phone and recorded KangYoon’s words. She didn’t want to miss out a single word and asked again and again to repeat. Even KangYoon was surprised.

After writing all of KangYoon’s words down, Park SoYoung started walking again.

“Thank you. If I become well, Team Leader… Oh, can I call you that?”

“You’re HeeYoon’s friend so just call me oppa.”

“Yes, oppa.”

Although there was a little desire behind that, Park SoYoung complied. (T/N: All most Korean men want to be called oppa (by girls, ofc)… Don’t call me Chamber-oppa tho… I know most of the readers are male)(E/N: you are gonna get called oppa now chamber)

“If I do well, then I will repay you all back.”

“This isn’t much though.”

“I can go to MG Entertainment, right?”

“Ok, come. I will treat you.”

“No, I will become big and treat you.”

The two exchanged phone numbers. KangYoon liked the fact that Park SoYoung was HeeYoon’s friend, and to Park SoYoung, KangYoon was her savior. The two did have something in common.

Soon, they went to the beach and came back to the lodging. Now they needed to head home. They had to stop by the hospital for dialysis, so KangYoon hurried up.

“Thank you!! Please come back again!!”

“See you later.”

KangYoon and HeeYoon left the lodging while receiving the farewells from Park SoYoung’s family.

They were heading towards a hospital in Tongyeong KangYoon looked up beforehand for the dialysis when HeeYoon checked her phone and spoke.

“Oppa, SoYoung says ‘let’s meet in Seoul next year.’”

“Good.”

This meant that she would go to a university in Seoul. KangYoon smiled, thinking that Park SoYoung’s resolve was excellent.

***

After the vacation, KangYoon got through the hell train and went to work. The employees seemed to be curious when KangYoon came back after a while, as KangYoon was even more curious as to why they were greeting him with so much vigor.

When he went up to his office, his desk was clean.

‘So there isn’t any Concert Teamwork yet.’

After the Directors’ meeting last time, it seemed the Concert Teamwork hasn’t included in his work anymore. After the work with The ACE, there wasn’t any work with the Concert Team for two months, so KangYoon thought it was weird. However, as he had no work, he was also happy.

As soon as his work time came, the trainers brought him the reports. They were the reports on the girl group project.

‘They went on vacation, and now they’re back to practice. Now I should start on their conversation techniques and foreign languages.’ (T/N: Idols are… omnipotent… They can sing, dance, converse well, can speak multiple languages,… and most of all, are pretty…)

Although it wasn’t like that now, in three to four years, China would become a huge market. KangYoon prepared for that and made them learn Chinese as compulsory. Of course, the girls were screaming saying that the four tones or whatever were extremely difficult.

When he checked over all of them, it was over 11 o’clock. He craved for coffee and was about to stand up when the door slammed open.

“KangYoon-oppa!!”

With that, an amazing personnel intruded. It was JooAh with a lively smile. KangYoon was stunned and dropped the paper cup on the floor.

“Hey!! I was frightened.”

“Heheh. I’m here. You’re delighted, right? Right?”

“Not at all.”

“……What the hell?”

At KangYoon’s not so big reaction, JooAh seemed disappointed as she cringed. At her honest reaction, KangYoon just smiled.

“So knock next time, knock.”

“Oh, whatever. I understand.”

To JooAh, who didn’t like instant coffee, KangYoon gave her green tea. JooAh grumbled saying she only drank green tea from tea leaves, but there was no way it would work on KangYoon.

“Drink what you get.”

“Why is the customer service like this here.”

“If you don’t want it, then leave.”

“Reflect.”

However, JooAh was strong. She lightly passed over KangYoon’s urging and even attacked back. She was a strong enemy amongst strong enemies.

After a childish prank, JooAh started talking about the main reason she came here today.

“I will release a mini album in Japan this time, but I’m a bit unsettled.”

“Then talk to the planner on that side.”

“But I can’t seem to get through to that planner. I find the song strange no matter how I listen to it, but that guy says it’s alright. I’m not assured about this, so to ask you, I came here with that song.”

“Is that person from a cooperating company?”

“He is. He’s called ‘Akabashi Tao’ and this guy’s so self-asserting and doesn’t listen to my opinion. Although his works were good in the past, nowadays they’re just so-so… I don’t know if his senses dulled or something.”

JooAh insulted that planner for a long time. The grumbling kept on as she had a lot piled up in her heart. KangYoon didn’t cut her off and kept listening to her.

“…Ahhh. It’s annoying.”

“No wonder you find it so annoying. So, in the end, you find that planner unreliable, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. I sure get my words through to you, oppa.”

JooAh felt her heart at ease. Although it was a trivial conversation, she felt like the feeling she had when the Japan project was taking place, was coming alive again. A feeling that something was there to support her, a good feeling that she would do well in whatever she does.

“I’ll take a look.”

“I knew it!!”

“However, even if there’s a problem, it’s a different problem to edit it. It’s rude to the producer on that side, and we have to ask the cooperating company too, and we might have to change the release schedule as well. Moreover, I’m not the person in charge of your album right now. You know that, right?”

“Okay, so listen to it first!!”

She didn’t seem to like complicated things, as she was very forceful. She looked exactly like a little sister who asked her brother to do everything for her. And here, she was so picky the first time he worked with her, and now, she was saying ‘you’re the only one’. KangYoon only smiled.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Yay!!”

When KangYoon agreed and stood up, JooAh also became delighted and followed him out.

Like that, the two headed towards the underground studio.

***