Chapter 686: We Are Friends, Aren't We? (3)

Before heading to Oasis Entertainment, I first called Lee Soo-Chan. Just earlier, Team Leads Gong Tae-Sang and Jeon Yoon-Gi had mentioned Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri's mother.

"Soo-Chan. Contact the private investigator we talked about and have them assign a few people to watch over Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri's mom. She sells fish at Jagalchi Market and works nights serving at a grilled fish restaurant. Her name's Mrs. Lee Hyun-Sook."

-Did something happen?

I briefly explained the situation.

"Yeah. Oasis Entertainment is threatening the girls using their mom. And just so you know, Oasis is backed by the Ohsung gang."

Lee Soo-Chan's voice suddenly sharpened.

-Did you say Ohsung gang?

"Yeah."

-Understood. I'll handle it.

Lee Soo-Chan answered in a tone that was unusually firm, then ended the call. Since he was also a former gangster, I felt a bit uneasy. However, this was Busan. Lee Soo-Chan had just taken a group of seniors from the shantytown on a trip to Gyeongju and likely already returned to Seoul. So I hung up without much concern.

After that, I headed to the waiting room, calming down Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri along the way.

For now, their safety came first.

***

The moment we arrived in the waiting room, Ji Yung-Sik, Sae-Ri, and Jung Sang-Bong burst in, panting.

Having heard that Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri had been threatened, Sae-Ri rushed over and asked them breathlessly, "What happened, you two?"

Sae-Ri put her hands on her hips and raised her chin.

Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri hesitated to respond.

So I stepped in and explained everything I knew first. "Hyo-Joo, Hyo-Ri. I know you're with Oasis Entertainment, and I also know you were forced to come here by adults. You don't have to hide it."

Shin Hyo-Joo looked shocked, then lowered her head. "I'm sorry. The company told us to go to

Project I.O.A

and just make sure we passed the first round."

Even at just seventeen-years-old, the twins definitely caught everyone's eyes. Shin Hyo-Joo stood at 172 cm and Shin Hyo-Ri at 170 cm. Both were strikingly beautiful, more than enough to start an acting career, and the fact that they were fraternal twins made them even more eye-catching.

That alone would have been a major draw, so Ji Yung-Sik, who had been filming them from the beginning, looked genuinely disappointed. "

Sigh.

.. What do we do now? We already filmed a ton of interviews and footage with them..."

He had assumed they would naturally pass the first round and started recording them from the moment they arrived. But the moment it was revealed they were already affiliated with another agency, there was no longer a place for them in

Project I.O.A.

When Sae-Ri heard that the twins had been forced to audition under threats from their agency, she started breathing heavily in anger. "

Ugh!

How can they do something like that!?"

Sae-Ri stomped her feet, furious on behalf of her friends.

I said, "Sae-Ri, calm down."

"Yoon-Ho oppa, how can I stay calm?"

She looked at me with teary eyes.

"I'll take care of everything. You trust me, right?"

Sae-Ri slowly nodded. "...Yeah."

Just then, the alarm from Ji Yung-Sik's smartwatch rang, signaling the end of the break.

Beep beep beep.

"

Sigh

... what now..."

"Mr. Ji. I'll handle the rest. Just go on ahead. They're not going to be auditioning anyway, right?"

Ji Yung-Sik's face relaxed a little. "Understood. I'll mark the twins as no-shows for now. It wouldn't be good for this to get out."

"Got it. And leave the rest to me. I'll send over the photo evidence that proves they're signed with Oasis Entertainment via Kk Talk."

"Alright."

Ji Yung-Sik promised to use the photos I provided to ensure Oasis Entertainment would face consequences.

He checked his watch again and looked at Sae-Ri. "Then I'll head back for part two of the recording. Sae-Ri, you coming?"

"Yes, Mr. Ji. I'll be right there."

Ji Yung-Sik nodded and left the waiting room. However, Sae-Ri didn't look like she wanted to go, so I stepped in again.

"Sae-Ri, I'll stay here with them. Don't worry and go back to the audition. We'll all head back together afterward."

Sae-Ri reluctantly nodded and turned to Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri. "You two better not do anything rash. Just wait until I'm done with the shoot! And no matter what happens, just trust Yoon-Ho oppa, okay?"

Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri nodded. "Got it, Sae-Ri."

I urged, "Alright then. Hurry. Mr. Ji's waiting."

Just then, Sae-Ri pressed her hands together and bowed deeply to me. "Yoon-Ho oppa, please help Hyo-Joo and Hyo-Ri. I'm begging you."

"Of course. Don't worry."

Only then did she breathe a little easier and leave the room. It was now 9:15 p.m.. There was less than an hour left until 10:10 p.m.—the time listed in Everyday.

Since I already knew enough about Oasis Entertainment, I decided to first get a full understanding of the girls' situation. The more I knew, the more leverage I'd have when facing the company's president.

***

"I see..."

The girls told me they lived in Busan until sixth grade, then moved to Seoul in middle school. Because Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri had always dreamed of becoming celebrities, their parents left behind their lives in Busan and relocated to Seoul for them.

Their father, who used to work at their maternal grandmother's fish stall in Jagalchi Market, quickly found a job at the Noryangjin Fish Market after the move. That was when the twins became trainees at Hoop Entertainment in Seoul and met Sae-Ri.

Then one day while driving back from Tongyeong with a load of seafood, their father got into an accident and passed away. Left alone, their mother could no longer support life in Seoul. So Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri gave up their idol dreams and returned to Busan.

Their mother started working at the grandmother's fish stall, but after her passing just a year later, she was now running the stall on her own, struggling to get by.

To help their mother, Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri auditioned again and signed with Oasis Entertainment. They thought if they became famous, they could take care of their mom.

But one day before their debut, Director Song Ha-Yoon, the real power inside the company, summoned them. She said since

Project I.O.A

. was getting popular, they could use the show just to get some exposure and debut later that year. They initially said no, but when she told them to leave the company if they refused, they got scared and had no choice but to go along with it.

After pouring her heart out, Shin Hyo-Joo's eyes welled with tears. "Mr. Jung... what's going to happen to us now? Are we going to jail?" Tears started falling as her shoulders shook. "Will we never see Mom again?"

They may have looked tall, but they were still just high school freshmen. Terrified, the two clutched each other's hands and cried. It made my blood boil to think anyone had tried to scare children like this.

However, I held back my anger and spoke firmly. "What are you talking about? No one's sending you to jail. If anyone's going, it's your president or director. You've done nothing wrong, so stop worrying."

My firm tone seemed to ease their anxiety a little. Just then, I got a call. It was from the number Lee Soo-Chan had sent earlier.

[Caller ID: 010-273X-749X]

I picked up, and the voice on the other end introduced himself as the head of the private investigation firm.

-Mr. Jung? I'm Lee Dae-Pal, director of Ajura Investigations in Busan. I got the request from Mr. Lee Soo-Chan in Seoul.

"Ah, yes. How did it go?"

-Mrs. Lee Hyun-Sook at Jagalchi Market finished selling fish and is now serving at a restaurant nearby. We've stationed four security staff around her. They're watching from a distance, so you don't need to worry. Whether it's Ohsung, Sasung, or even Samsung, we can handle anyone who shows up.

There was a bit of bravado in his voice, but it didn't sound bad.

"Understood. Let me know right away if anything happens."

-Yes, sir.

I ended the call and let out a sigh of relief. Then I told the girls about their mother's situation and reassured them that she was safe. Only then did Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri stop crying.

Now, it was time to fulfill Sae-Ri's request and time to throw a big wrench into Oasis Entertainment's plans.

"Have you two ever thought about switching companies?" I asked.

Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri blinked in surprise. "Us?"

"Yeah. But not as idols—more like actors. I'm sorry, but you two really don't have what it takes to be idols. I saw your old trainee files from when you were at Hoop Entertainment, and honestly, you showed more potential in acting."

I used non-existent past data to persuade them. They seemed to agree as if they didn't think they were cut out for idol life either.

Their eyes lit up instantly as they asked, "Then... are you scouting us for Hoop?"

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

That had originally been the plan. But their home situation was too difficult, so I decided to introduce them to Reverse Entertainment instead. Lee Soo-Chan could give them more support than I could at the moment. And with the Ohsung gang backing Oasis Entertainment, Reverse would be much better suited to protect the girls than Hoop Entertainment.

"No, it's a company called Reverse Entertainment. The vice president there is like a brother to me. I'll introduce you. They're doing really well lately, and you'll get the best support in the country."

"Oh, Reverse!"

"Yeah, we've heard of them!"

They replied that they had heard of Reverse Entertainment. That was thanks to the company absorbing half of Ace Entertainment recently and growing rapidly.

Then Shin Hyo-Joo asked, "But what about our contract with Oasis?"

"I'll take care of that. And I'll talk to your mother, so just tell me what you want."

Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri exchanged glances and nodded. "We want to do it."

'

Good, it's done.

'

As I calmed the girls and talked things through, it became 9:50 p.m.. Only twenty minutes remained until the 10:10 p.m. schedule entry listed in Everyday.

'

Knowing their type, they'll definitely come back...

'

The gangster-turned-talent agents were not known for their patience. And the executives at Oasis Entertainment were no different.

Just then, I heard noise outside the waiting room.

Bang!

Do Ran-Hee burst through the door. "Mr. Jung! There are about twenty gangsters outside the gym screaming for you and the girls to come out!"

"For me?"

"Yes. We were about to call the police, but they said if we did, they'd barge in right away, so we..."

Just as I expected, they came. If we just waited around, Sae-Ri would show up again right at 10 p.m. And there was no way Sae-Ri would just stand by if her friends were in danger no matter how timid she is. If those thugs burst inside, she would probably try to stop them from taking her friends and get hurt in the process.

This meant it was time for me to act first.

"Got it."

I stood up from my seat.

"Wait, Mr. Jung. What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna go meet them.

Oh

, and I might stop by Oasis, too, so heads up."

"What??"

"If I take anyone else, it'll make things more difficult. So Ran-Hee, you stay here and keep Sae-Ri in place if she shows up."

"B-but Mr. Jung..."

"And don't tell Sae-Ri where I went. If she finds out, things might get complicated."

I reassured Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri not to worry, then stepped out of the gym to make tonight not a false but a truly lucky day.

'

Alright... let's wrap this up

.'

***

Outside the gym, around twenty men in suits, including Team Lead Gong Tae-Sang and Team Lead Jeon Yoon-Gi, were facing off with our security team.

Both Gong Tae-Sang and Jeon Yoon-Gi had dark bruises around their left eyes and split lips. Just as I suspected, they got beaten up for failing to bring Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri.

But unaware that I had anticipated all of this, Gong Tae-Sang grinned as he looked at me. He must have thought he was finally getting his revenge.

"Hey~ You've really got no fear, huh? We tell you to come out, and you actually come out alone?"

I shrugged. "You told me to come alone, didn't you?"

"You bastard! You should've brought Hyo-Joo and Hyo-Ri with you!"

I snorted. "They're not coming. Just take me to your president. I've got something to say."

"You hear this guy? Who do you think you are? You think our president's your buddy? Stop the nonsense and come have a little talk with me—using these fists!"

Before the regression, Oasis Entertainment had been a partner of Top Entertainment, so I knew all about their shady business. They weren't hard to deal with, but managing an agitated Gong Tae-Sang would be a hassle.

Still, if they stormed into the gym, it would be trouble. I was about ready to knock them all out and head to Oasis alone. Just then, I spotted a familiar face at the back of the group. A skinny man in a suit was Ahn Hyun-Gyu, chief secretary to Oasis Entertainment's president, Jang Jong-Gu. He was the highest-ranking person here.

I immediately called out to him. "Mr. Ahn! Do you want Mr. Jang Jong-Gu's corruption exposed by tomorrow morning? I'm talking about the Busan Media Center."

The Busan Media Center was a five-story facility under construction, and Oasis was in charge of the largest section—the Idol Hall. They had received about three billion won in government funding, but all of it was funneled into Jang Jong-Gu's personal accounts.

The corruption wouldn't come to light until three years from now, and since Jang Jong-Gu had split the profits with politicians and officials, there wouldn't be much punishment in the end. Still, this was one of the skeletons in their closet that I knew.

At that, Ahn Hyun-Gyu's eyes flared as he stepped forward. "How... do you know that?"

"I can't disclose my sources. So, what'll it be? You want me to knock all these guys out and go rat to the cops? Or are you going to take me to see your president?"

Ahn Hyun-Gyu glared at me for a long moment, then turned and barked an order. "Everyone, fall back!"

"What? But hyung-nim! There's no way we're gonna lose to this bastard!"

"Don't call me hyung-nim, call me Mr. Ahn! And when I say fall back, you fall back! Got it?!"

With Ahn Hyun-Gyu's firm command, the men reluctantly began to retreat.

Grinding his teeth, Ahn Hyun-Gyu growled at me. "Follow me."

As Ahn Hyun-Gyu stormed ahead, I quickly checked Everyday.

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: February 26, 2021]

-10:10 p.m.

(Deleted Schedule Entry: [NEW. Kim Sae-Ri] Transported to Busan University Hospital Emergency Room. (Emergency Meeting:

Project I.O.A

Busan preliminaries suspended.))

The schedule entry had been finally deleted. That meant the crisis had been averted.

Now, it was time to get Shin Hyo-Joo and Shin Hyo-Ri out of Oasis Entertainment for good.

***

Inside the president's office in Oasis Entertainment, former wrestling athlete and current gangster president Jang Jong-Gu stared silently at me. He was fifty-five-years-old this year but still had the solid build of an athlete in his prime.

Beside him sat the real power player of the company, Director Song Ha-Yoon, along with Chief Secretary Ahn Hyun-Gyu, Team Lead Gong Tae-Sang, and Team Lead Jeon Yoon-Gi.

Jang Jong-Gu ran a hand through his hair and spoke. "So you led with the Media Center dirt, which means you're not here to leak anything... Why'd you want a private meeting with me?"

"I came to ask you to release Hyo-Joo and Hyo-Ri."

Jang Jong-Gu grinned. "Chief Jung, you're pushing it. Do you think I'm just going to hand over the girls that Korea's top talent agent came asking for? I'm no fool. And as for the Media Center, I'll just toss a few underlings in jail. Don't even bother counting that. I'm not letting go of the girls over some corruption talk."

He knew who I was and started licking his lips. Being famous was a disadvantage at times like this. However, Oasis Entertainment had more weaknesses than just that. Still, negotiations had to start somewhere.

I asked, "Let's make this easy. What are your terms?"

Jang Jong-Gu clapped his hands. "

Hmm

~ Well, we're all in the biz. If the money's right, I might let them go. Just pay a reasonable penalty fee and they're yours. I'm not looking to cause unnecessary trouble."

Yet the greed in Jang Jong-Gu's eyes only deepened as he spoke.

'

Fine. Then let's talk about that penalty fee

.'

With a calm face, I pulled out my wallet and placed a piece of paper on the table.

Tap.

King Sejong smiled brightly, all alone on that ten thousand won bill[1].

"Will this be enough?"

A penalty fee of ten thousand won was all I'm willing to offer.

1. King Sejong on

₩10,000

☜