Chapter 495: Insider and the Outsider (1)

[Real-time Search Rankings]

1st: Hoop Entertainment Jung Yoon-Ho

2nd: Reverse Entertainment Fall Accident

3rd: Lee Tae-Poong's Handsome Talent Agent

'

I'm ranked first in real-time searches?

'

Even celebrities struggled to hit the top spot, yet here I was. I couldn't hold back a dumbfounded laughter upon seeing my name at such an absurd ranking.

At that moment, Miso, who had been looking at the rankings, gasped and shouted in excitement. "Wow~ Uncle Yoon-Ho! You're number one!"

Yoo-Jin smiled and responded to Miso, "Right? He is more popular than celebrities, don't you think?"

Miso grinned happily, giving a double thumbs-up. "Yeah! Uncle Yoon-Ho is the best!"

Seeing the two of them naturally brought a smile to my face. For a moment, I wondered if what Everyday had called "happy things" wasn't about ranking first in search results but rather this—watching Miso's bright smile and seeing Yoo-Jin laugh because of it.

Still, I couldn't figure out why this had happened until I saw the entertainment and social news sections flooded with articles.

[(Exclusive) Reverse Entertainment Fall Accident Video]

[(Exclusive) Reverse Entertainment: Ju Yung-In and Miso's Rescue Footage]

(Comments)

-Reflexes 20, decision-making 20.

-This guy saved Ju Yung-In, Miso, and even the dispatched worker.

-He looks so familiar. Isn't he Lee Tae-Poong's talent agent from the Hwangryong Film Association? The one who helped his dyslexia?

-Yeah, that's him. He's also Jung Yoo-Jin and Miso's talent agent.

-He's quite famous in the industry. Jung Yoon-Ho from Hoop Entertainment.

-Whoa~ He's so good looking. Totally my type~

Besides the video of me rescuing Ju Yung-In and Miso, there was even an interview with the worker I had saved.

[(Exclusive) Interview with the Worker from the Fall Site]

- I thought I was going to die, but then I heard someone telling me to hold on. That voice gave me strength and I endured until the air mattress was set up. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here today. My daughters really want to meet him and thank him properly...

The worker in the video was expressing his gratitude in a way that was honestly a little embarrassing. Because of this, not only my name but also the names of the celebrities I manage were now all over the news.

Only then did I notice the missed calls and unread messages on my phone. I had 120 missed calls and 320 unread messages.

It looked like the company, entertainment reporters, and everyone else had been frantically trying to contact me. Since my phone was in airplane mode, I hadn't even noticed the calls coming in.

Kim Sung-Woon smirked and asked, "You'll do an interview, right?"

I grinned back and answered, "You called the news team first, and now you're asking for my permission?"

"Come on. Like I don't know you, Team Lead Jung. You would have just run away if I asked first."

As expected, Kim Sung-Woon knew me too well.

"Then I'll do it on one condition. Yoo-Jin, Miso, and the vice president of Reverse Entertainment have to be part of the interview too."

Lee Soo-Chan tilted his head. "Hyung-nim. Me too?"

"Yeah. You too."

As I expected, the article's comments were filled with criticism of Reverse Entertainment for making workers labor on a day like today. To prevent the situation from escalating, it was best to issue a clear apology.

Kim Sung-Woon nodded. "Understood."

The boys cleared the dining table to make space right away. Meanwhile, I called the company.

"Mr. Kang."

-Yoon-Ho! Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?

For some reason, my chest tightened at his words. While everyone else was treating today's incident like gossip, he was the only one genuinely concerned about me. Moments like these made Kang Gam-Chan feel like a father to me.

"Yes, I'm fine."

-

Phew

, that's a relief. I was shocked when I saw that heavy detergent container and toolbox fall right behind your back. But seriously, why didn't you call sooner if something like this happened? Do you know how worried I was?

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you worry since I wasn't injured anyway."

-Still, tell me next time. That way, I won't worry even more.

"Yes, I will."

-Anyway, as long as you're not hurt, that's what matters. What about Yoo-Jin and Miso? They must've been really shaken up. Are they doing okay?

"Yes. We're at a gamjatang restaurant and eating now."

-That's good.

Then, Kang Gam-Chan hesitated before carefully asking.

-And... Yung-In... Is she okay?

For Kang Gam-Chan, Ju Yung-In was a painful memory. He had discovered and nurtured her himself, only for her to leave Hoop Entertainment.

"Yes. I also told her to see her doctor for a proper prescription."

-Good job.

He then shared company updates and mentioned that many people, including Kang Ji-Yung, had expressed their concern. Hearing all this, I felt proud of my decision to protect Hoop Entertainment and my colleagues after my regression.

-Come to think of it, you made the news last year too. And now, you're in the headlines again. It looks like 'Star Jung' is just your fate.

That reminded me of the viral video that Jang Moon-Ki had posted recklessly back then. That was when I had earned the nickname "Star Jung."

'

Reporter Jang is probably going crazy right now.

'

Sure enough, my phone was flooded with Kk Talk messages from him.

"Mr. Kang. I need to make some other calls, so I'll hang up now."

-Alright. Hearing your voice is enough. See you tomorrow.

Just as I ended the call and was about to ring up Jang Moon-Ki, a group of people entered the restaurant.

"PD Kim! Are you here?"

"Yes, Mr. Choi."

Choi Yang-Soo, a PD from MBS News, had arrived with his staff.

"Team Lead Jung! What were you doing here? I nearly lost my mind trying to reach you."

"Ah, well..."

"Never mind the greetings. Let's start the interview first. We need to get this on the news tonight."

Before I could even properly say hello, I was already being pulled into an interview with the reporter standing beside me.

"Today, we're here with Mr. Jung Yoon-Ho, the talent agent from Hoop Entertainment who prevented the fall accident in Sinsa-dong. The site is still..."

Starting with me, the interview continued with Yoo-Jin, Miso, and Lee Soo-Chan right beside a table piled high with gamjatang bones.

And just like that, I became a slightly different "Star Jung" than I was a year ago.

***

Three shareholders of Hoop Entertainment, excluding Choi Eun-Tae, had gathered at the Sichuan Castle Chinese Restaurant located in Myeong-dong.

They were: Choi Man-Sik, Choi Eun-Tae's adopted son and a powerful figure in underground finance; Lee Sang-Pil, the chairman of LSP Inc, a leading player in Korea-Japan trade; and Park Hyung-Moon, the so-called "Crown Prince of Venture Capital" from True Angels.

Ever since Bang Sang-Yung was expelled, the three had been struggling as things inside Hoop Entertainment no longer went their way. Because of that, none of them had touched the extravagant Chinese cuisine laid out before them. Instead, they were drowning themselves in alcohol.

Park Hyung-Moon swirled his shot glass and spoke up. "President Choi, what's the plan now? Our hands and feet have been cut off, and that bastard Dong-Soo isn't even answering his phone."

Choi Man-Sik furrowed his brows in silence.

Then, Lee Sang-Pil spoke up in a rough voice. "We need a drastic countermeasure. If we just sit back and watch, Hoop Entertainment will be completely taken over by that bastard Jung Yoon-Ho."

Choi Man-Sik's face twisted even further.

Sensing the tension, Park Hyung-Moon cautiously tried to smooth things over. "President Choi. At this rate, even if we merge with Gwanwoo Entertainment, it'll just end up in Jung Yoon-Ho's hands. So why don't we just create a new company and run it our way..."

Bang!

Choi Man-Sik slammed his shot glass onto the table. The liquor splashed everywhere, soaking the clothes of the two men sitting across from him.

"What the hell?!"

"Hey! President Choi! I know you don't like what we're saying, but this is too much..."

Choi Man-Sik glared at them coldly. His face, flushed red with anger, made the two instantly shut their mouths.

Choi Man-Sik was the youngest among the four major shareholders of Hoop Entertainment. However, he was unmatched when it came to recklessness.

"You want me to admit defeat to Jung Yoon-Ho? To a mere talent agent?"

His words were dripping with venom. In truth, even Choi Man-Sik had considered backing out of the Gwanwoo Entertainment merger. Kim Dong-Soo had been suspended and was completely out of contact, while Bang Sang-Yung, the alternative candidate he had been pushing, was no match for Jung Yoon-Ho and had been tossed aside.

At this point, even if he brought in Kim Guan-Woo, the experienced president of Gwanwoo Entertainment, he wasn't sure they could stand against the powerhouse duo of Jung Yoon-Ho and Kang Gam-Chan.

'

That damn bastard!

'

Jung Yoon-Ho never stopped. Every day, he acted as if the whole world belonged to him. The actors he nurtured were constantly making headlines, and now, even he himself was all over the news.

But Choi Man-Sik couldn't back down now. If he failed to accomplish his goals because of a single talent agent, his pride would never allow it.

Choi Man-Sik's eyes burned with determination. "I've already taken care of things. Just wait and see."

Sensing Choi Man-Sik's confidence, Lee Sang-Pil and Park Hyung-Moon took a step back to let him save face. After all, they were currently supporting Choi Man-Sik to become the next kingpin of Myeong-dong.

"Hah! Of course! President Choi isn't someone to go down that easily."

That's when Lee Sang-Pil asked after a moment of hesitation, "But what do you mean you already took care of things?"

Choi Man-Sik responded, "This time, President Kang Gam-Chan is bringing in some new talent. I've already recruited one of them."

Lee Sang-Pil and Park Hyung-Moon's eyes gleamed with interest. "Judging by how confident you are, this guy must be something special."

Choi Man-Sik smirked. "His name is Baek Sae-Gi, a team lead from Ace Entertainment. He's an orphan with a seven-year age gap with Jung Yoon-Ho, who practically treats him like an older brother. And he's just as capable as Kim Dong-Soo. A bit obsessed with money, but he should be more than enough to handle Jung Yoon-Ho."

Lee Sang-Pil and Park Hyung-Moon grinned. "Wow~ Where did you even find a guy like that?"

"Just got lucky, I suppose."

"This is great news."

Relieved that they had a new card to play, the two men finally relaxed and exchanged glances.

Lee Sang-Pil nodded and poured drinks into Choi Man-Sik's empty glass. "By the way, your engagement to Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon's daughter isn't off the table, right?"

"Yeah, what's taking so long with that?"

If Choi Man-Sik wanted to free himself from Choi Eun-Tae's influence, he needed a powerful backer. And the best candidate was Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon. Despite his diminished influence due to a bribery scandal, he was still a strong contender for the next presidency.

Only then did Choi Man-Sik finally smile. "The wedding date will be set soon. But Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon asked me for a favor. That's why I've been distracted from Hoop Entertainment and other matters."

"A favor?"

As he refilled their glasses, Choi Man-Sik explained the task Park Sang-Gon had given him and that it would require a massive amount of money.

Though the amount was daunting, both Lee Sang-Pil and Park Hyung-Moon agreed to contribute without hesitation. After all, breaking free from Choi Eun-Tae was their only path forward.

The satisfied Choi Man-Sik poured drinks for the two men again.

'

That guy better do his job properly...

'

As Choi Man-Sik drank, he could only hope that Baek Sae-Gi, the man he had planted in Hoop Entertainment, would fulfill his role. However, thoughts of Jung Yoon-Ho refused to leave his mind no matter how much he drank.

A nobody he had once dismissed had grown so large that he was now blocking his path.

***

As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the ceiling of the third-floor living room. Warm sunlight poured through the windows and made me feel drowsy.

Still lying down, I checked Everyday. The 'Fortune of the Day' section had indeed become noticeably more specific compared to before.

[Everyday V12.1]

[Date: December 13, 2020]

[Fortune of the Day: Just as fate changes, so do people. Be cautious today.]

Hoop Entertainment was currently preparing for a merger with Gwanwoo Entertainment, all while managing the busy December event schedule. To counter this, Kang Gam-Chan had been recruiting actors and talent agents from outside Suhyaejong.

Today, I was scheduled to meet some of the newly recruited team leads. However, Everyday seemed to be warning me about them.

"Huh? What does it mean by people changing?"

There were four team leads joining today, and each had been carefully selected for their reliability. Because of this reason, I had no idea who among them I should be suspicious of.

One thing I knew for sure was that Everyday had never lied to me before.

'

I can't believe it, but I can't ignore it either.

'

Yesterday's events had only solidified my trust in Everyday. For now, I decided to meet them first and assess the situation.

Setting my phone down, I forced myself to sit up and prepare for work.

Just then, a soft baby-like snore reached my ears.

"Piyuuu~.

"

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

I turned my head to the right and saw Miso sprawled out, wearing Powertuff Girls pajamas. She had insisted on sleeping with me last night after getting scared, so she came up to the third floor.

Then, another breathy snore came from my left side this time.

"

Whew~.

"

Yoo-Jin was sleeping with her hands neatly clasped, wearing a different-colored Powertuff Girls pajama set.

However, that wasn't all.

"

Mmnya~ mnya~.

"

"

Grooowl~

."

"

Mmm...

"

Breathing sounds were coming from the foot of the bed as well.

'

Right, they were here too.

'

The members of Cherry Blossom, Kang Ha-Na, Do Ran-Hee, and Haru had all gathered on the third-floor living room to sleep together. They had all been worried about Yoo-Jin and Miso, so they had come over and ended up staying the night.

The time was already 5:30 a.m. With everyone having packed year-end schedules, they needed to wake up right now. I pulled out my phone and played Cherry Blossom's song through the Bluetooth speaker.

At that moment, powerful alarm-like music blasted through the room.

『Hurry~ up~ Listen~ up~』

As soon as Cherry Blossom's 'Hurry Up!' started playing, everyone groaned and slowly woke up.

"

Ugh..

."

"What time is it..."

"

Ahhh~

."

While everyone struggled but managed to sit up, Sae-Ri was different. With her eyes still closed, she suddenly shot up and started doing the 'Hurry Up!' choreography, raising both hands toward the sky.

Seeing her move, Woo Yeon-Hee, Yang Eun-Bi, and Yoo Eun-Ah automatically followed, raising their hands in sync with the dance. Their bodies instinctively reacting to the music was the occupational habit of being an idol.

"Come on, wake up. We need to eat breakfast."

Only when I turned off the music did the girls finally lower their hands.

"Huh? What time is it?"

"5:30 a.m."

"

Ugh

... I want more sleep..."

I felt bad waking them up, but there was no other choice with year-end schedules piling up.

Just then, my phone rang.

[Caller ID: Ju Yung-In]

'

Is this about what she wanted to say yesterday?

'

As I answered, Ju Yung-In confirmed my guess. She wanted to tell me what she couldn't say before.

- Oppa, I'm in front of your house right now. Can we talk?

"Alright."

I quickly told Do Ran-Hee to take care of everyone and washed my face before rushing outside.

***

I pulled my cap low and entered the reserved room in the cafe near Cheonho-dong.

Inside, Ju Yung-In was already seated with Ahn Yung-Hee. A cup of coffee was already set on the table, so I sat across from Ju Yung-In without ordering anything.

I asked, "Did you sleep well?"

Ju Yung-In answered, "I did. It's all thanks to you, oppa."

"That's good. But why did you want to meet so early? Is it that urgent?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

Ju Yung-In looked at me with a serious expression.

However, the words that came out of her mouth were completely absurd.

"Well, the thing is..."