Chapter 544: Advertisement Cancellation Issue (3)

The video that Park Yung-Oh handed over captured everything from the hurried conversation and suspicious actions of Gu Jin-Oh, Yang Gyu-Dong, Oh Joo-Hyun, and Lee Sun-Yung, to after Kim Cheon-Seok and I had left.

The footage began with Yang Gyu-Dong dashing to the door and returning.

-Mr. Gu! They're gone!

-What?

Gu Jin-Oh was visibly surprised, and Oh Joo-Hyun furrowed her brow.

-They left their clothes too?

Yang Gyu-Dong shouted.

-Who cares about clothes right now!?

-

Ugh

, why are you yelling at me? What do we do now?

-What else? We chase the bastards down immediately.

-How are we supposed to chase them if we don't know where they went?

Gu Jin-Oh frowned.

-Where else could they go? Probably to the president's place in Pyeongchang.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Oh Joo-Hyun tilted her head.

-The president?

-Yeah. Hurry—we have to get there first, no matter what.

-Got it.

All four of them scrambled to their feet. At that moment, Oh Joo-Hyun added.

-Mr. Gu! Our talent agents are great drivers!

-Really? Then have them drive. Screw the traffic and just floor it the whole way. If anything happens, we'll handle it with money.

-Understood.

-And if you see their car on the way, cause an accident if you have to. Just stop them. Got it?

-Got it. Let's go in three separate cars, just to be safe.

The video ended there.

I turned to look at Kim Cheon-Seok. "That could've been a serious accident if things had gone south."

Kim Cheon-Seok's face was flushed with anger. "Goddamn it... and I used to call those bastards my sunbaes..."

He looked ready to swing a fist the moment he saw them again. As furious as we both were, there was at least one major gain. The first recording I had taken didn't have proof of Gu Jin-Oh's involvement. But the second video from Park Yung-Oh clearly showed him orchestrating everything. Thanks to that, we now knew they would likely storm in very soon.

I said, "We don't have time to hesitate. Let's go meet Mr. Sung right away."

"Okay."

At that moment, just ahead of me, Kim Cheon-Seok came to a stop. "Mr. Jung. For what you've done today... I'll definitely repay you."

Kim Cheon-Seok was offering a gift, and there was no reason to refuse that.

"Let's wrap this up first. Then we can talk."

"Understood."

Still fired up, we hurried our steps.

***

Following the path connected to the parking lot, we arrived at the main entrance of the estate.

Out of caution, Kim Cheon-Seok warned me, "Um, Mr. Sung may appear gentle, but he's ruthless underneath... Be careful."

Sung Yoon-Jae, the head of Seven Star Electronics' mobile division, was the right-hand man of the company's vice president. At sixty years old, he wielded power nearly equal to that of the royal family within the conglomerate. He was also highly competent, eventually rising to become vice president of Seven Star Inc. himself.

Since I already knew what the future held, I had every intention of treating Sung Yoon-Jae with the utmost respect, even without Kim Cheon-Seok saying so.

I nodded. "Understood."

Just then, Sung Yoon-Jae's secretary, Choi Jong-Gyu, appeared at the front door in a suit. Despite the early hour, not a strand of hair was out of place.

"Mr. Sung is expecting you."

We followed Choi Jong-Gyu through a long hallway until we reached the living room. In the center of a space well over 50 pyeong in size, Sung Yoon-Jae waited for us, dressed in a flawlessly pressed suit. He looked tired, but even at 2 a.m., not a single crack showed in his demeanor before unexpected guests.

Both Kim Cheon-Seok and I bowed with apologies. "We apologize for disturbing you at this late hour, Mr. Sung."

Sung Yoon-Jae waved off the formalities and pointed to the sofa across from him. "Skip the greetings and sit. Tell me what exactly Vice President Gu and Director Yang are trying to fabricate."

Kim Cheon-Seok sat down and replied, "First, I'd like you to see the video."

When he glanced at me, I played the first video stored on my phone. It showed what happened while Kim Cheon-Seok and Gu Jin-Oh had stepped away to the restroom—a clear conspiracy to pin embezzlement and breach of duty on Kim Cheon-Seok.

Sleep instantly vanished from Sung Yoon-Jae's face. "Are they completely insane...?"

While the involvement of actresses was serious, the presence of Yang Gyu-Dong, a senior executive of Seven Star Electronics, was far worse. It meant one of their own was actively participating in criminal acts.

"What the hell is going on?"

Kim Cheon-Seok finally shared what he hadn't been able to say over the phone. "We were internally investigating Director Yang Gyu-Dong for misconduct. But then Mr. Gu called me out, saying he wanted to mediate things."

Sung Yoon-Jae's expression darkened as he processed this. If audit team information had leaked, it meant there were internal rats.

"Looks like there are a lot of people to weed out."

His voice turned icy cold, and I could practically feel the storm brewing.

At that moment, the intercom on the side table vibrated.

Buzz.

Sung Yoon-Jae answered, and his face stiffened again.

"Let them in."

Click.

He set the receiver down and spoke. "Vice President Gu is here. Says he has something urgent to tell me. What do you think? Do you want to be present?"

Just as I suspected, they had rushed here, speeding recklessly.

Kim Cheon-Seok quickly interjected. "Mr. Sung, Vice President Gu is also involved in all of this."

"The vice president? Do you have proof?"

"I do."

I played the second video, the one Park Yung-Oh had given me. It clearly showed Gu Jin-Oh in control, fully aware, and leading the group.

After watching it, Sung Yoon-Jae's face was clouded with betrayal. "So they planned this whole mess together. And on top of that, they wanted to cause a car crash just to cover their tracks? These bastards..."

Every company has factional conflict, but this had gone too far. This was serious enough to warrant arrest if reported to the prosecution.

Though Sung Yoon-Jae now fully understood the situation, he seemed deeply troubled. The real reason for his unease was that the crucial evidence wasn't held by someone within the company, but by me. If I handed it over to the prosecution, Seven Star Electronics' mobile division would suffer a massive public relations disaster.

Sung Yoon-Jae said, "Chief Jung. As much as I want to destroy those bastards right now, I need you to hold back. We'll speak privately, just the two of us, later."

I had things I wanted to say to him as well, so I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Then both of you, calm yourselves and wait. Let's hear what those bastards have to say."

Despite everything we had heard, including their plan to stage a traffic accident, Kim Cheon-Seok and I used every ounce of strength to stay composed.

"Yes, sir."

Just then, the interior door to the living room creaked open. Gu Jin-Oh and Yang Gyu-Dong entered, their appearances disheveled. It looked like Oh Joo-Hyun and Lee Sun-Yung were waiting outside.

Thump, thump, thump.

Gu Jin-Oh marched in loudly, then spotted us and quickly spoke, "Mr. Sung! Whatever you've heard, it's a misunderstanding!"

Yang Gyu-Dong nodded urgently beside him. "Yes, Mr. Sung. That's right."

Neither of them had any idea that they had been recorded, so they kept bluffing with confidence.

Sung Yoon-Jae stared at them both. There was no anger or surprise on his face, but only a calm, unreadable curiosity. His expression was eerily composed.

He asked, "What misunderstanding are you talking about?"

Breathing hard, Gu Jin-Oh tried to salvage the situation. "Director Yang was under internal review recently, but no concrete evidence came out. That's why I just thought we could clear things up privately."

"So you're saying that Executive Director Kim's report was false?"

"Exactly. He really misjudged things this time."

Sung Yoon-Jae turned his gaze to Yang Gyu-Dong. "Director Yang. Is that what you think too? That you've done nothing wrong?"

"Yes, sir. I'm innocent. I think it's gone too far just because of a few words from Chief Jung."

It was clear they had decided to pin the blame on me. They even hinted that Kim Cheon-Seok had overreacted to what an outsider said. It looked like they tried to think things through on their way up to Seoul, but they had no idea that there was zero chance their lies would work. After all, we already had the footage.

And then, the calm mask shattered and Sung Yoon-Jae exploded. "You worthless pieces of trash think this is what you say to me at 2 a.m.?!"

Gu Jin-Oh and Yang Gyu-Dong suddenly looked like they realized something had gone very wrong. "Mr. Sung, please..."

Sung Yoon-Jae picked up my phone from the table and hit play. "You filthy rats! Here! See for yourselves! Every word you said and every move you made is all on video!"

Gu Jin-Oh and Yang Gyu-Dong's faces turned pale.

Sung Yoon-Jae played the second video next, which captured everything after we had left. "See that? Do you see it?"

Every drop of blood drained from the two's faces. Now that their crimes were fully exposed, Yang Gyu-Dong panicked and stumbled away from the sofa.

Thud.

He dropped to his knees on the floor, trembling. "Mr. Sung! I have committed an unforgivable sin!"

Gu Jin-Oh crawled next to him on his knees. "Sir! Please, just once, please spare us! We were just desperate to survive!"

Sung Yoon-Jae glared down at them with absolute disgust. "You tried to destroy Executive Director Kim just to save your own skins, and you think this is the time to beg for mercy?"

Gu Jin-Oh stammered, "I-it wasn't really our intention... we didn't mean it like that..."

"I've heard enough!"

Sung Yoon-Jae's hand trembled as he gripped the phone. He clearly wanted to call the prosecution that very second, but the potential damage to the company held him back.

Grinding his teeth, Sung Yoon-Jae turned. "Executive Director Kim. What would you like done with these men?"

"I defer to your judgment, sir."

"My judgment?"

"As an employee on the payroll, what more can I say than that?"

There was trust in his eyes, faith that Sung Yoon-Jae would handle things accordingly.

After a brief moment of thought, Sung Yoon-Jae replied. "Very well. I can't say what method I'll use, but I'll make sure you feel it was enough to settle the score."

"Thank you, Mr. Sung."

Then Sung Yoon-Jae looked at me. He was clearly weighing how to persuade me, the outsider holding all the evidence.

But I spoke before he could say anything. "Mr. Sung. Just like Executive Director Kim, I leave this matter entirely in your hands."

"You... really mean that?"

A man in Sung Yoon-Jae's position rarely hears such deference, as people usually tried to curry favor or negotiate something in return. And upsetting someone with that kind of power, especially someone destined to become the next vice president of the Seven Star Inc., would only make things worse. Not to mention, getting closer to him could be more valuable long term.

Still, Sung Yoon-Jae seemed genuinely surprised. "You're not asking for anything in return?"

"No, sir. All I ask is that you keep your promise to use Yoo-Jin as the model for the ad."

Sung Yoon-Jae gave me a once-over, clearly suspecting I wanted more. And truthfully, I did. Just not right now. What I wanted from him would come years later, when it really mattered. When the time came, I would make sure to collect properly.

Still watching me closely, Sung Yoon-Jae finally let out a long sigh. "This is strange. Not asking for anything feels like I owe you a tremendous debt. Wouldn't it be better to request something now? If it's within my power, I'll grant it."

I said nothing and only offered a faint smile.

Sung Yoon-Jae stared at me a moment longer before speaking again as if reading my thoughts. "

Sigh

... very well. I'll repay this favor when the time comes. For now, let's take care of the urgent mess, and have a chat afterward."

"Yes, sir."

Having promised to repay me later, Sung Yoon-Jae turned his cold gaze to the two men still kneeling before him.

I took the chance to discreetly check my planner.

[Everyday V12.1]

[Date: January 8, 2021]

-1:00 p.m.

(Deleted Schedule Entry: [NEW. Jung Yoo-Jin] Galactica ad main contract canceled.)

'

It's done.

'

Thankfully, the warning about the contract cancellation was now gone.

Just then, Sung Yoon-Jae's voice echoed with barely contained fury. Under normal circumstances, he would remain composed. However, the crimes committed by Gu Jin-Oh and Yang Gyu-Dong were not matters that could be brushed off.

"You two have nothing to say for yourselves?"

Neither Gu Jin-Oh nor Yang Gyu-Dong could even raise their heads.

"Of course not. What else could garbage like you say now?"

Sung Yoon-Jae shot them a look of pure contempt and reached for the intercom beside the sofa.

"Secretary Choi, come to the living room right now."

Moments later, the door opened and Choi Jong-Gyu entered, still immaculate in appearance.

Sung Yoon-Jae ordered, "Schedule a disciplinary hearing for these two first things in the morning. Grounds are undermining company integrity. I'll provide the details directly."

"Yes, sir."

"And dig into every bit of their past conduct. Demand repayment on any tuition assistance given to their kids. Print out records of management expenses covered for their families, and place them on my desk by morning. Also, flag anything remotely resembling embezzlement or breach of duty. We're not treating this as a simple incident, but we're going after them as economic criminals. I want enough material to put them away for at least ten years."

"Understood."

"Oh, and one more thing. Notify promotion team across all subsidiaries to remove Oh Joo-Hyun and Lee Sun-Yung from any ongoing ad campaigns. Then, find a way to make sure they never work in the entertainment industry again. I'll personally report all this to the Vice Chairman."

Choi Jong-Gyu's stylus didn't stop moving across the tablet as he fired off orders like a storm.

Then suddenly, Gu Jin-Oh, looking ashen, cried out desperately. "S-Sir! Please don't do this!"

Sung Yoon-Jae narrowed his eyes. "If you're going to beg for your life, don't even bother. I'm holding myself back from calling the security team and burying you on the spot."

"I-I still have some dignity and I wouldn't ask for mercy. Just...please leave Oh Joo-Hyun out of this. I say this for your sake and the company's."

Sung Yoon-Jae let out a smirk. They only spoke up now, after realizing their crimes were about to be exposed, pretending concern for the company.

Yet, Sung Yoon-Jae played along and asked, "And who exactly are you in a position to advise me? If you want even a shred of leniency, then spill everything you know right now!"

The expressions on both Gu Jin-Oh and Yang Gyu-Dong changed instantly. Everyone in the room knew that Sung Yoon-Jae was a man who, while ruthless, never broke a promise once made.

At that moment, Gu Jin-Oh tightly closed his eyes and began to reveal the true reason this whole incident had been orchestrated—And it wasn't just internal corporate factionalism.

'

That's what this was really about?

'