Chapter 422: Helping Sae-Ri (4)

I quietly headed to the basement recording studio and saw Bang Seon-Woo and Jang Ye-Bin standing outside.

I asked, "Seon-Woo, how's Sae-Ri doing?"

"I'm not sure. She's been inside talking for about ten minutes."

"But can she really sing? She couldn't even get her voice out properly a few days ago."

"As far as I know, recovering this quickly isn't exactly easy..."

At that moment, cheerful background music began to play from the recording studio as if waiting for me to arrive. The song was 'Ddu-Bi Ddu-Bi,' the theme song from the children's animation

Princess Ddu-Bi

. The song was about Princess Ddu-Bi marching through the forest with animals.

Sae-Ri's voice started flowing through the speakers.

『Ddu-Ddu Bi Ddu-Bi~』

"Huh? She's... singing?"

After spending just a few days with Kim Ae-Ran, Sae-Ri's voice showed almost no trace of trembling.

"Seon-Woo, isn't this a big improvement?"

Perfect pitch Bang Seon-Woo nodded. "Yeah. Her timing and pitch are still a bit off, and there's still a little vocal shaking... but the average person wouldn't even notice."

The panic disorder that had struck Sae-Ri so suddenly seemed to be fading away like magic.

Since 'Ddu-Bi Ddu-Bi' was a children's theme song, it was over in just a minute and thirty seconds. I thought practice would end there, but Kim Ae-Ran immediately had Sae-Ri start the next song.

This time, it was the Powertuff Girls theme song which Sae-Ri often sang with Miso.

『Cheer up~ Power Tuff! Together we~ Power Tuff!』

Sae-Ri's voice grew even more energetic as she sang 'Powertuff.' It was strong and lively, and I couldn't help but feel a little excited.

I turned to Bang Seon-Woo. "How is it now, Seon-Woo?"

Bang Seon-Woo replied excitedly, "Her timing and pitch are nearly perfect now, and the vocal shaking is almost completely gone."

A growing sense of hope began to bloom inside me.

The test continued for about ten more minutes. Then, the song that had saved Cherry Blossom from disbandment began to play.

『Hurry~ Up~!』

The moment Sae-Ri started singing 'Hurry Up!,' Bang Seon-Woo spoke first this time. "Hyung, she's really okay now. At this level, she could go straight on stage!"

Sae-Ri's condition was improving in real-time.

Encouraged, Sae-Ri continued and began singing 'My First Love Story,' the song that had held the number-one spot for four weeks.

At that moment, Bang Seon-Woo shouted in a thrilled voice, "Hyung, I think she's fully recovered now!"

I didn't know exactly what Kim Ae-Ran had done in the last three days, but it felt like a miracle was unfolding before our eyes.

Just when I thought it was over, the instrumental for 'Firefly Bridge' began playing.

"Huh? She's singing that one too?"

The last time Sae-Ri sang 'Firefly Bridge,' it triggered her panic attack.

Worried they might be pushing her too hard, I looked through the glass window into the recording studio. At that moment, Sae-Ri's voice began to flow through the speakers and blended beautifully with the dreamy instrumental of 'Firefly Bridge.'

『One step, then another~ On the bridge where fireflies softly land~』

'Firefly Bridge' was a five-and-a-half-minute song that required Sae-Ri to push her potential to the limit. It was so challenging that most would lose their breath before finishing it, but Sae-Ri sang all the way through without a single mistake.

Click.

After the song, Kim Ae-Ran spun her chair around and looked at me through the glass door. "Mr. Jung! Please bring Seon-Woo and Ye-Bin inside."

I hurriedly opened the door and stepped in with Bang Seon-Woo and Jang Ye-Bin.

Kim Ae-Ran let out a long sigh before speaking in a trembling voice. "Sae-Ri is going to be okay now."

My heart began pounding wildly. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. We caught it very early, so it was quicker to treat than I thought. It's all thanks to you, Mr. Jung."

"No, it's all thanks to your hard work, Ms. Kim."

"Hard work? Not at all. Sae-Ri overcame this all on her own."

Just then, the door opened and Sae-Ri stepped out with tears streaming down her face. She looked pale, likely from the emotional toll of the past few days.

Tears still falling, Sae-Ri ran toward me as she always did. "Yoon-Ho oppa~!"

Although she was sixteen years old now, she still seemed like a kid to me.

Cling.

Sae-Ri wrapped her arms around me and sobbed uncontrollably. "

Sob sob

... I can sing... I can finally sing again, Yoon-Ho oppa."

Tears and snot covered Sae-Ri's face as she cried her heart out.

I swallowed my own emotions and spoke as gently as I could. "I told you that you'd get better in no time, didn't I?"

"Yes...

sob

."

I silently patted Sae-Ri on the back as she nodded.

A tear rolled down my cheek without me realizing it.

***

I left Sae-Ri in the studio and stepped out for a moment into the hallway with Kim Ae-Ran.

"Mr. Jung, please keep in touch with Sae-Ri often. She relies on you a lot," Kim Ae-Ran said with a warm smile.

"Of course."

Only then did Kim Ae-Ran let out a long yawn. "

Ahh

~ I haven't slept in days. I'm dying here. I'm just going to sleep now. I don't care where as long as I can rest."

As Kim Ae-Ran walked toward the studio sofa, I quickly stopped her. "Wait, please use the overnight room."

I opened the door and called for Bang Seon-Woo and Jang Ye-Bin who were still with Sae-Ri. "Guys, could you take Ms. Kim to the overnight room? I'll take Sae-Ri back to the dorm."

"Okay, hyung."

"Sure."

With Bang Seon-Woo and Jang Ye-Bin supporting her, Kim Ae-Ran headed for the elevator. A moment later, tear-streaked Sae-Ri came out of the studio.

I looked at her and asked, "Sae-Ri, shall we head back to the dorm?"

Wiping her tears, Sae-Ri spoke shyly. "But... since I did so well, can we stop for mint chocolate ice cream on the way?"

Sae-Ri looking up at me reminded me of a pleading kitten. After all she had been through and getting her voice back, I couldn't say no.

"Okay. Today, we'll go to Basket-Robbins 51 and get a whole tub of mint chocolate ice cream."

At that, Sae-Ri beamed and shouted excitedly. "Yay~ Then you have to eat it with me, Yoon-Ho oppa!"

"Of course. You know I'm a mint chocolate fan too."

I remembered the stomachache I got the last time I ate mint chocolate, but I could endure anything for Sae-Ri. After all, I was her talent agent.

Just then, Sae-Ri caught up in her excitement, started bouncing her shoulders and rapping an absurd little tune.

"Mint chocolate is for mint chocolate fans~ That's right~ Ain't it~ NRG~ Yeah check it~ Right~ Now!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her silliness.

'

That mint chocolate she's talking about... I'm pretty sure it's not that mint chocolate. And NRG? What even is that?

' I wondered.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Sae-Ri bobbed to the beat awkwardly and waved her hands in the air. She even threw in some hand gestures trying to look cool. However, she simply looked like someone stirring instant noodles in a pot with chopsticks to me.

Feeling pleased with herself, Sae-Ri turned to me. "Oppa, don't you think I've got a knack for rapping? Should I add a rap track to my solo? Yea~ Drop the beat! One-two! One-two!"

It seemed like her confidence had temporarily skyrocketed now that she had overcome her panic attack. Still, I couldn't bear to kill her momentum as she had just recovered.

I scratched my head. "Th-that's... a great idea! But for now, let's go get some ice cream."

"Yay~ Let's get it!"

"Yeah, let's get it!"

Moments like these made me think that being a talent agent was one of the hardest jobs in the world.

***

After dropping Sae-Ri off at the dorm, I returned to the company and immediately called for a meeting. Other than Lee Dae-Ho, who was still down in Jiri Mountain for filming, the rest of the team gathered for the first time in a while.

I announced, "Sae-Ri's condition is stable now. There's nothing to worry about anymore."

The Team Jung talent agents erupted into cheers.

"Great work, Mr. Jung!"

"

Wow

~ That's our Mr. Jung!"

Their praise was so over the top that it made me embarrassed.

I cleared my throat. "

Ahem

. It's not because of me. Ms. Kim helped a lot and Sae-Ri pushed through on her own."

Lee Yung-Jin clapped his hands together. "With such good news, shouldn't we have a celebratory dinner?"

"Sorry, but there's no time for that. Han-Ul is getting discharged today, so I need to help Deok-Bae move. After that, I have to head straight to Gyeongju."

The clock read 11 a.m. Even so, there was still a mountain of work to get through today.

"

Whoa~

Forget dinner. You won't even have time to eat, huh?"

"Exactly. So let's get this meeting started quickly."

I immediately turned to Kim Mi-Hye. "Ms. Kim, can you start by briefing us on where the Team Jung celebrities stand right now?"

Kim Mi-Hye pulled up a presentation on the LCD screen. The chart showed how much airtime our actors and singers occupied during prime-time commercials across the three major networks.

She explained, "As you can see, our Team Jung celebrities account for about 15% of all commercials during prime time."

Prime time was the most coveted time slot as viewership ratings were highest and ads were most expensive. If 15% of those slots were taken by Team Jung's celebrities, it proved just how successful we were right now.

I said, "That's impressive."

"Yes. Plus, revenue is so good that advertisers are looking to extend their slots further."

"It's good, but let's keep pushing until we hit 30%. Don't slow down."

"Yes, sir!"

Next, Lee Yung-Jin chimed in excitedly. "Oh, did you hear? Haru's charcoal-grilled bulgogi is selling 30,000 units a day!"

During the

Table of Mukbang

semifinals, Haru introduced charcoal-grilled bulgogi using a Russian shashlik recipe. Subsequently, we partnered with Baek Jong-Suk to release a product called Haru's Charcoal Bulgogi.

The product was flying off the shelves, not just because it was delicious, but also because people were deeply moved by the heartwarming reunion between Haru and his mother on the show.

"The sales volume must be enormous."

"Yes. That means the licensing fee Haru will receive will be enormous too."

At that moment, an idea to build on this momentum struck me. "Hold on, everyone. Please be quiet for a moment."

I immediately called Baek Jong-Suk, the broadcaster and restaurateur who had judged the cooking competition.

His cheerful voice greeted me through the phone.

-Well, look who it is~

Judging by his playful tone, it seemed he was in a great mood—likely because of how well Haru's charcoal-grilled bulgogi was selling.

"Mr. Baek, how's business going these days?" I asked.

Baek Jong-Suk chuckled.

-

Haha.

Couldn't be better. If it keeps going like this, I've got nothing to complain about.

After chatting briefly with Baek Jong-Suk, I got to the point. "Mr. Baek, would it be possible to feature Haru on your channel?"

Baek Jong-Suk's MeTube channel boasted a staggering four million subscribers. If Haru could appear on a massive platform like that, the publicity effect would be far greater than any variety show appearance.

-This sounds like some strong competition coming my way. However, if it's Haru, I'm more than happy to help.

Baek Jong-Suk generously agreed to let us share videos on Haru's channel as well.

-I'll also get TVM on board. They'll be more than happy as long as their shows get some extra promotion.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Baek."

-No, no~ I'm the one who should be grateful.

If Haru's MeTube channel got up and running properly, every food brand out there would be lining up to advertise with us.

***

After the call with Baek Jong-Suk, I immediately instructed the team to organize a dedicated MeTube editing team. "Haru will be working as a cooking MeTuber, so please get the staff ready."

"But we already have two people working under Miss Ha-Na."

"That's not going to be enough. We need to assemble a professional team. Post job openings for a producer and video editors, and let them know interviews will be happening soon."

Kang Ha-Na already had a MeTube editing team since she streamed live every night. They also managed Team Jung's official MeTube channel, "J'Z TEAM."

J'Z TEAM was a channel where fans could find all videos related to Team Jung's actors and singers in one place. Right now, most of the uploads were Ha-Na's. However, with other celebrities joining in, we needed to be prepared.

Just then, I got a call from TVM's Director Jo Eung-Cheon.

-Team Lead Jung, I heard from President Baek that Haru's going to be on his channel?

"Yes. We're planning to film a series of videos soon."

-Okay. TVM will fully cooperate with that. Oh, hang on. PD Yoo here wants to talk to you.

PD Yoo Hyun-Ji's excitement was overflowing.

-Mr. Jung! The title for the follow-up show has been decided. It's going to be called

The Foodie Nomads

.

This was good news. The follow-up to

The Master of Mukbang

had been delayed for a while, so we had been waiting anxiously.

"When does filming start?"

-We'll start in early December. Also, you're free to use network materials for promotion, so take every chance you get to spread the word.

"Of course. I'll make sure of it."

-Oh, and our network's year-end awards... you can look forward to them.

This year, TVM's most talked-about figure was undoubtedly Haru. The final live episode where Haru reunited with his long-lost mother became a national sensation, even making headlines on public news broadcasts multiple times.

It seemed like Haru needed to start preparing for the year-end awards.

'

If things keep going like this...

' I pondered.

I could feel it. The goals I had set after traveling back in time were slowly turning into reality.

***

After finishing the meeting, I headed down to the underground parking lot to drive to Gangbuk Seven Star Hospital.

Just then, my phone buzzed.

"It's another update..." I muttered.

[Everyday V4 has been released.]

[Would you like to update your planner? YES/NO? (Applicable versions: Everyday V3, Everyday V11)]

In my past life, Everyday had rolled out several updates around this period.

"If I remember correctly, it was some massive patch involving a horoscope program..."

At any rate, I wouldn't be able to use Everyday or check the patch details if I didn't update. I pressed the update button without hesitation. "Yes!"

Immediately, the installation files started downloading just like always.

[Downloading installation files.]

[Downloading Everyday V4 installation file.]

[Downloading Everyday V12 installation file.]

A short while later, the files finished downloading and the installation was complete.

[Installation complete.]

I opened the patch notes to check what had been updated.

[Everyday V12]

[Details]

-40% of your planner's future events have been altered.

-Changes to past events have now affected future events.

[Patch Notes]

-1. The "Horoscope of the Day" feature has been added.

-2. However, the horoscope will only appear on days with a high accuracy rate.

-3. New scheduled entries have been added for "Choi Deok-Bae."

With the V12 update, a "Horoscope of the Day" feature had been added along with a glimpse into Deok-Bae's future.

I didn't think much of it at first. However, when I noticed the "Horoscope of the Day" feature, I perked up.

"Wait a second. Doesn't that mean I can see

my

future too?"

I had only been able to see the futures of the celebrities until now. Although it was only on days when the horoscope was highly accurate, I could now see glimpses of my own future.

"Well, horoscopes are usually all over the place anyway. Maybe this is for the best."

I opened today's schedule with a sense of urgency. Then, I saw something under "Horoscope of the Day" that left me stunned.

[Everyday V12]

[Date: November 20, 2020]

[Horoscope of the Day: You will meet your acquaintance's lost family member.]

"Acquaintance's... lost family member?"