Chapter 723: Real Ramen (2)

The current time was 9:55 p.m. Five minutes before

Hwaranjeon

aired, the Real Ramen commercial began.

On screen, I was wearing an apron, cooking ramen, and placing the pot in front of Deok-Bae and Han-Ul. The frame was filled with glossy, chewy noodles of Real Ramen, looking absolutely mouthwatering.

A moment later, the scene shifted to the three of us—Deok-Bae, Han-Ul, and me—sitting at a table, eating ramen together. Deok-Bae served some noodles into Han-Ul's bowl and then picked up the pot himself and began eating heartily.

Slurp.

Munch, munch.

Slurp.

The realistic sounds of noodles and broth echoed through Deok-Bae's living room. With the sound team capturing every detail of the eating sounds, even Miso, Eun-Byul, and Han-Ul gulped down their saliva. And this was after they had already eaten a full meal of japchae and fried rice at 8 o'clock.

Just like that, thirty seconds flew by.

『Choose Real Ramen!』

Deok-Bae and Han-Ul raised their thumbs at the table. Behind them, I wrapped my arms around the two of them and gave a thumbs-up too.

As soon as the commercial ended, we heard the sound of someone repeatedly swallowing in Deok-Bae's room as if none of us had eaten a single meal all day.

While I stood frozen at the unexpected reaction, Miso flashed a cheeky smile and raised her thumb. "Uncle Yoon-Ho~ I'm hungry."

'

Miso, your belly still looks a bit bloated from earlier.

'

Then Han-Ul and Eun-Byul also turned to me with their thumbs raised.

"Uncle Yoon-Ho~ make us ramen~"

"Make us ramen!"

They hadn't eaten quite as much as Miso, but still, each of them had finished a full bowl of rice. And yet, the three of them clutched their stomachs with starving expressions like they hadn't eaten at all.

Then Yoo-Jin, holding both Love and Happy in her arms, looked at me with sparkly eyes and said, "Brother Yoon-Ho. This maiden too is starving~ If I do not taste Real Ramen, I may faint~ I beg you most humbly, please grant me a bowl~"

'

Yoo-Jin, save that acting talent for the screen, would you?

'

"Starving? You just said there's no shoot tomorrow and ate a bowl and a half of rice!"

"This maiden... remembers not such a thing~"

'

Oh, come on, Yoo-Jin

.'

Then Chae Sang-Woo and Lee Mi-Ri chimed in, asking for ramen too. They said it just looked too good when I made it.

In the end, I got up and loosened my fingers. "All right, I'll cook. One bowl per person?"

Miso leapt to her feet with her Sunrise Doll in hand and shouted, "Yes, Chef!"

Eun-Byul and Han-Ul sprang up and echoed her. "Yes, Chef!"

Yoo-Jin looked at Love and Happy, then tried to set them down and stand.

However, I shouted, "You, Yoo-Jin, stop right there!"

"

Aww

~come on. I'll just have a taste. I won't have a lot."

"Maybe wipe the drool from your lips first?"

"Fine. Just one bite! And since there's no filming tomorrow, I'll do extra workouts while resting. That works, right?"

'

One bite, huh? That means a full bowl for sure. Well...the commercial came out great and everyone loved it. I'll let it slide today.

But in exchange, let's throw in, say... 500 extra squats, Yoo-Jin

?'

"Fine. I'll just make you one bowl."

Yoo-Jin shivered as she caught my smile. "What the—why do you look scary? What were you thinking? Huh?"

Yoo-JIn was too sharp for her own good. I didn't answer and headed straight for the kitchen.

***

Slurp.

Munch.

Nom.

Episode 17 of

Hwaranjeon

had started, but everyone was barely watching. All attention was on the ramen. No one would have thought the real competition wouldn't be KBC's

Queen Jeong-Hee

, but Real Ramen ad. Still, no one would be changing the channel while they were eating, so the viewership ratings probably wouldn't take a hit.

Just as everyone was finishing their bowls, I got a call from Jin Sung-Joon. As soon as I answered, an excited voice burst through.

-Mr. Jung! It's a jackpot!

"Sounds like the response is good."

-It's not just good! All of our stock sold out instantly and we're having to divert production from other lines just to keep up!

Real Ramen had once been Jinseong Food's flagship product, peaking at five hundred thousand units sold daily. But lately, it had dropped to just fifty thousand a day, falling behind Dongsan Food's Spicy Ramen which dominated the market.

Thanks to the new commercial, they had increased production to a hundred thousand a day. Yet after tonight's response, they decided to shoot back up to five hundred thousand. All other ramen production was being halted to prioritize Real Ramen.

Of course, Dongsan Food still had the upper hand, producing nearly 2 million packs daily. However, this was still huge.

"Congratulations, truly."

-Thank you. Oh, and we're going to increase the number of ad slots. We'll run the full family version with all three of you, and also the talent agent version with just Deok-Bae and you.

"Understood."

Then came the twist.

-And Mr. Chairman would like to meet you.

Real Ramen was the first product created after Jinseong Food was founded. Chairman Jin Dae-Woon had been deeply invested in the renewal, and after seeing the response, he immediately ordered an expansion of the production line.

-We watched the commercial together in his office. I've never seen him so happy.

"That's great news. When would he like to meet?"

-If possible, can we meet first thing tomorrow morning?

"Got it. I'll be there in the morning."

-And for helping us this much, I'll make sure you're rewarded appropriately at the Hoop Entertainment listing.

"That's very kind of you. Thank you."

After I hung up, I gave Deok-Bae a thumbs-up. "They sold out completely."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. They're saying Real Ramen might be on track to reclaim its glory days."

And just like that, cheers erupted once more in Deok-Bae's home.

***

Past midnight, Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon's daughter, Park Sang-Ah, sat alone in the VIP room of a Japanese restaurant in Yeouido.

She scowled as she stared at her phone. Every headline on the entertainment portal made her more and more irritated.

[

Hwaranjeon

Episode 17 reaches 32.1% viewership ratings.]

[Luxury drama

Hwaranjeon

dominates with no competition.]

[Choi Deok-Bae named model for renewed Real Ramen! Appears alongside Talent Agent Jung Yoon-Ho and younger brother Choi Han-Ul.]

[Is this the start of Real Ramen's second golden era?]

[Talent Agent Jung Yoon-Ho pledges to donate all ad proceeds.]

[Choi brothers donate full ad fee to senior citizens in poor neighborhoods. A touching act of gratitude.]

[Choi Deok-Bae: "Talent Agent Jung Yoon-Ho is the biggest reason for my success."]

Park Sang-Ah had tried everything to stir up scandals and block Hoop Entertainment's stock listing, but all the headlines were positive. Worse yet, Jung Yoon-Ho, the man she couldn't stand, was rising in reputation.

Frustrated, Park Sang-Ah muttered to herself. "A talent agent doing commercials? Who does he think he is!"

At this rate, blocking the listing seemed impossible. So tonight, she had called in people who could help her shift the tide.

Just then, the VIP room door opened.

Creak.

The first to arrive was Chairman Lee Sang-Pil of LSP Inc., a shareholder of Hoop Entertainment.

Park Sang-Ah said nothing and stared him down with a cold expression. "You're here."

Lee Sang-Pil said nothing and dropped into the seat across from her.

Thud.

"Why did you call me?" Lee Sang-Pil asked.

"What do you mean, why? With Mr. Park under arrest, we need a new strategy!"

"A strategy? What could we possibly do now?"

Park Sang-Ah's eyes flared. "Look here, Mr. Lee. Are you just going to sit back while that Jung Yoon-Ho runs wild? Are you seriously planning to just hand over Hoop Entertainment like that?"

Her sharp tone made Lee Sang-Pil narrow his eyes.

Park Sang-Ah snapped, "Why are you staring like that?"

"You've got nothing to say to me?"

"About what?"

Lee Sang-Pil's expression twisted. "I'm talking about Choi Man-Sik."

"What about him?"

Lee Sang-Pil spoke with open irritation. "I heard he hired someone to take out that ex-gangster, Kang Eun-Gi—CEO of Reverse Entertainment. Is that true?"

Park Sang-Ah's face contorted. She had worked so hard to keep it hidden, and now random outsiders had figured it out.

Lee Sang-Pil's expression hardened further. "So it is true. Then I've got nothing else to say. I can't trust you, so I'll handle things my own way."

He started to get up with a smug look, but Park Sang-Ah glared and spoke sharply. "Mr. Lee. Do you really think Mr. Choi Eun-Tae in Myeongdong will take you back if you walk out now?"

"That depends entirely on what I do. My shares are still valuable to him."

"How ridiculous. That's exactly why you're not going anywhere."

Lee Sang-Pil turned sharply toward her. "Wh-what did you just say?"

"You think Mr. Man-Sik is just going to go down like this? That a judge is going to throw him in jail based solely on a gangster's testimony and no evidence?"

"Well, of course! Your future husband tried to kill someone! You think he's just walking away from that?"

Park Sang-Ah scoffed. "Mr. Lee. You don't think we have someone who's ready to testify that the witness made it all up?"

"What?"

"And you really think my father would sit back while his future son-in-law goes to prison? Who do you think my dad is? And what do you take Mr. Man-Sik for?"

Only then did Lee Sang-Pil realize he had made a mistake. If what Park Sang-Ah said was true, Choi Man-Sik would be released the moment he returned to Korea no matter what it took. It wouldn't be easy, but Park Sang-Gon was the top contender for the presidency. Park Sang-Ah's words didn't sound far-fetched at all.

'

Shit. I'm screwed

.'

Lee Sang-Pil had no idea how to navigate this situation. At times like this, there was only one option left—Swallow his pride and apologize.

"L-Look, Miss Sang-Ah. I think I may have misjudged things a bit. I-I'm sorry. Hearing that all of a sudden must've made me lose my head. Please forgive me."

Even as the head of a top-100 company, all that would mean nothing if Park Sang-Gon became president. And even if he didn't, just the sight of Choi Man-Sik showing up would be too much to handle.

Now that Lee Sang-Pil had bowed his head, Park Sang-Ah grudgingly accepted it. After all, his shares in Hoop Entertainment weren't insignificant.

"This is your last chance, Mr. Lee. No more indecisiveness. The person helping us with this will be here soon, so don't you dare disappoint."

Lee Sang-Pil raised his head, puzzled. "Huh? Someone else? Who?"

"You'll see."

Just then, the door opened again.

Creak.

In walked Jin Myung-Gyu, former vice chairman of Jinseong Inc, and Jin Myung-Hee, its former president.

"Sorry we're a bit late.."

"I'm sorry, Sang-Ah. We're late, aren't we?"

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Park Sang-Ah greeted them with a smile, clearly familiar with Jin Myung-Hee. "It's no problem."

Lee Sang-Pil began to look visibly uneasy. He hadn't expected such heavy hitters—once the real power behind Jinseong Inc. ranked 25th in the business world—even if they had recently been sidelined.

"Mr. Jin Myung-Gyu and Ms. Jin Myung-Hee... what brings you here?"

"We've got our own score to settle with Jung Yoon-Ho."

However, they weren't the last to arrive.

Creak.

"Looks like you're all here already. Sorry I'm late."

In walked Chairman Hong Moon-Gyu of HK Inc.—ranked 12th in the industry—accompanied by his chief secretary, Park Han-Bok.

Immediately, everyone in the room including Park Sang-Ah stood to greet him.

"Mr. Hong. This way, please."

Park Sang-Ah gestured toward the seat of honor, and Hong Moon-Gyu took his place with his secretary at his side.

Tap, tap, tap.

The moment Hong Moon-Gyu sat down, one last man entered. It was a stern-looking man with neatly combed hair and glasses. He was none other than Sung Hak-Soo—son-in-law of Kim Bu-Ho, honorary chairman of Daechon Inc., and husband to Vice President Kim Ae-Ja. After stepping down from all management positions when his wife went to prison, Sung Hak-Soo had vanished until now.

Seeing so many corporate giants in one place, Lee Sang-Pil felt dizzy. He couldn't help but realize just how powerful Park Sang-Ah—or rather, Park Sang-Gon—really was.

Then Park Sang-Ah turned to Lee Sang-Pil. "Mr. Lee. Will this be enough?"

Lee Sang-Pil swallowed hard. "Y-yes. If they are with us, crushing that punk Jung Yoon-Ho and stopping Hoop's IPO will be no problem."

The moment Jung Yoon-Ho's name was mentioned, everyone's eyes flashed. The tension was so chilling that it knocked the breath out of Lee Sang-Pil.

Hong Moon-Gyu's reaction was especially intense. "Jung Yoon-Ho... just hearing that name sends my blood pressure up."

Rumors had long swirled through the industry that Hong Moon-Gyu's third and fourth sons had been arrested because of Jung Yoon-Ho.

Remembering that, Lee Sang-Pil quickly bowed his head. "I apologize, Mr. Chairman."

At that moment, Park Sang-Ah clapped her hands to lighten the mood. "Since we've gathered such a rare company, I think we should name this group, don't you?"

"What name do you have in mind?"

"Faithful."

"Faithful?"

"Yes. It means we are people faithful to bring Jung Yoon-Ho down for good and end him."

Hong Moon-Gyu nodded. "It has a nice ring to it."

"Great. Then let's get to the point—Hoop Entertainment's IPO is next month. That's our first target."

And just like that, a new version of Faithful was born in a private room of a Japanese restaurant in Yeouido.

Their sole mission was to sabotage Hoop Entertainment's listing and bring down Jung Yoon-Ho.

***

As soon as I woke up the next morning, I checked the entertainment news.

[Real Ramen ad sends sales skyrocketing.]

[Sold out across all online stores.]

[Convenience stores and supermarkets report stock shortages.]

[Production increased to five hundred thousand daily units! Gunning for Spicy Ramen's throne?]

[Choi Deok-Bae joins the ranks of "Sold-Out Stars."]

"They're really going overboard for one day..."

I thought the reporters were exaggerating, but I was still pleased with the articles calling Deok-Bae a "sold-out star." That title alone makes advertisers rush to sign a celebrity. Thanks to that, I was off to a cheerful start.

After a quick shower, I headed straight to Jinseong Inc. as promised. At the entrance, I met Jin Sung-Joon and followed him to the chairman's office. Inside were Chairman Jin Dae-Woon, Chief Secretary Seok Han-Joong, and head of Security Unit 1, Seok Han-Ill.

I bowed. "It's been a while, Mr. Chairman."

Jin Dae-Woon smiled. "Long time no see, Chief Jung. Please take a seat. I just wanted to thank you properly. Thanks to you, our Real Ramen is back in the spotlight."

He was smiling at me, but I couldn't trust that smile at face value. After all, Jin Dae-Woon was the father of Jin Myung-Gyu and Jin Myung-Hee, the very two I had helped oust.

I shook my head and said, "It's really nothing, Mr. Chairman. I just lent a small hand. The real work was done by Mr. Jin Sung-Joon here."

I deliberately shifted the credit to Jin Sung-Joon. For now, he was only a strong candidate for succession, not the confirmed heir. Giving him the spotlight would help solidify that status.

However, Jin Dae-Woon chuckled. "I know how much you helped him. So don't argue and just accept my gift."

At that moment, Seok Han-Joong's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and his expression changed. "Mr. Chairman. I'm sorry to interrupt, but you need to see this."

"Is it urgent?"

"Yes, sir."

Seok Han-Joong turned on the TV. MBS morning news was airing. And suddenly, a bizarre headline appeared.

[Jinseong Inc. to enter the entertainment business?]