Chapter 827: Change In Contract (1)

After starting the recording on my phone, I approached the Jeonghan University student who was frowning hard. He stood around 185 centimeters tall, with a buzz cut and a stocky frame that screamed gym rat.

He scowled again and said, "

Ugh

. Mister, mind your own-

oh

?"

It was only then that the Jeonghan University student who had earlier told me to get lost realized who I was and flinched.

"I got out because this seems to be a matter involving my company. I heard some disagreement about Berry Six. What's going on exactly?" I asked.

The Jeonghan University student spoke again with the same grating attitude, not even offering an apology. "Oh... it's nothing major. I'm Choi Tae-Jong, the student council president of Jeonghan University in Seoul. We had a little conflict with the Daeseong University student council over booking acts for next month's spring festival. But I've already spoken with Mr. Yoon Dong-Gu, so you can stay out of it."

I figured he must still be unaware of my influence within Hoop Entertainment. It was so ridiculous I nearly laughed, but before I could respond, the female student from Daeseong University in Suwon spoke up in frustration.

"I'm Lee Seo-Hae, president of the student council at Daeseong University. Last week, we made a verbal agreement with Mr. Yoon Dong-Gu to book Berry Six for five million won. But then Jeonghan University swooped in and stole them."

Choi Tae-Jong, the Jeonghan president, exploded. "Stole? What do you mean stole! You didn't have the money, so you couldn't seal the deal!"

I gave Choi Tae-Jong a sharp glare. "I'm talking with this student right now, aren't I?"

That shut him up, huffing and puffing but staying quiet.

I turned back to the Daeseong University president. "Please continue."

"Mr. Yoon Dong-Gu said to wait one more week before signing the contract, but today he suddenly changed the price to twenty million won. We rushed over to object, but then these Jeonghan University students just paid it and sealed the deal."

I got the picture. Berry Six had hit number one on a music show today, which must have prompted Yoon Dong-Gu to jack up the price.

University spring festivals usually spanned two weeks at most, and even then, a group could only realistically perform at three events a day—five tops if you push it hard within Seoul. For this reason, Yoon Dong-Gu had clearly tried to maximize profit by securing the highest offer possible.

I couldn't blame someone at the company for trying to make money. After all, that was the nature of the business. However, the problem was that he changed the deal after making a verbal agreement.

That part was clearly on Yoon Dong-Gu, so I asked just in case. "Do you have any kind of evidence of the verbal agreement? Even a recorded call could help."

At that moment, Lee Seo-Hae shook her head. "No. Aside from the call history between our vice principal of the school council and Mr. Yoon, we don't have anything."

Probably because they weren't working professionals, they hadn't thought to use auto-recording in case things went south even though the phone she was holding was a domestic model with that feature.

I took a moment to consider what I could do, disappointed by the Daeseong University school council's lack of foresight.

Just then, Choi Tae-Jong butted in again. "Mr. Jung, what's the point of arguing over something that's already done? Let them fucking whine about us stealing their booking, but we're not giving it up."

Lee Seo-Hae flared up. "Fucking whine? Did you just swear at me?"

"I was talking to myself. Just muttering."

Lee Seo-Hae and her vice president were trembling with frustration, but there was no winning this one. All I could do was try to ease their disappointment.

Right then, a good idea flashed through my mind. It was a way to turn a five-million-won budget into a legendary school festival. But before I could share that, I needed to defuse this situation first.

I stepped between the groups and turned to Lee Seo-Hae. "I understand how unfair this must feel for you, but it's hard to push this any further without even a provisional contract or a recorded verbal agreement."

I only said it to separate the two sides, but Lee Seo-Hae and her vice president's shoulders slumped.

'

Don't worry, you two. I've got something even better in mind.

'

Just then, Choi Tae-Jong chuckled smugly and said, "See? Even Chief Jung says it's a no-go."

As irritating as he was, I couldn't beat someone over something like this. So I decided to just take the Daeseong University student council members inside the building and explain my idea to them.

At that moment, Choi Tae-Jong called out to me again. "Wait a second, Mr. Jung."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Is Cherry Blossom not doing any festivals? I asked Mr. Lee Dong-Min and he said no, but if there's a chance, we could offer up to thirty million won for them."

Cherry Blossom wasn't participating in this year's spring festivals. They were currently judging

Project I.O.A

in Ilsan and preparing their next release.

"I'm sorry, but Cherry Blossom won't be doing any spring festivals this year. Their broadcast schedule is packed," I drew the line and turned away.

Then came a low mutter behind me. "Fucking hell. Acting all high and mighty. What, do they want more than thirty mil?"

I froze in place. Sure, public perception of entertainment talent agents wasn't great, but this was beyond disrespectful. I had let it slide earlier because they were students and had no ties to the broadcasting or entertainment industry, but this was unacceptable.

I slowly turned around and locked eyes with Choi Tae-Jong. He loomed over me being 185 centimeters of muscular build with a hardened look.

"What? I can't even talk to myself now?"

I stared him down and replied, "Our company understands very well that university festivals are run on students' hard-earned dues. That's why we work hard to make our artists worth the price. When students chant for an encore, we perform three or more songs to make it feel like a mini concert. And you're saying we're overpriced? Try saying that to another agency. Also... don't act like student council funds are your personal piggy bank. That money belongs to the students, not you."

When other companies send S-class idols, they were lucky to get one encore. Yet ever since Director Lee Gi-Cheol was dismissed, Hoop Entertainment had followed President Shin Jong-Ki's directive to give more for higher fees. We couldn't discount arbitrarily as this was still a business, but we had committed to doing things right.

So for S-class artists, they would do at least two encore songs beyond the contracted one. Cherry Blossom sometimes did full mini-concerts with over three songs and a talk segment. That meant our price per song was actually lower than most A-class idols from other agencies.

I made that point clear, but Choi Tae-Jong shrugged it off like it meant nothing.

"Fuck off. Acting like you're doing us a favor when all you are is some glorified errand boy. You're still just here to cash in, right? And what? You telling me how I should spend student funds? I'm the president, so I'll spend it however the hell I want. And Cherry Blossom? Forget it. Berry Six is the real trend now!"

I could have ignored everything else. However, comparing Cherry Blossom to Berry Six just because they hit number one once was ridiculous.

'

Yeah. It's time to teach this punk what a talent agent really is

.'

I reached into my pocket and stopped the voice recording.

Beep.

Then I showed him the screen and played the recording right in front of his face.

–I'm the president, so I'll spend it however the hell I want...

Beep.

After stopping the playback, I dropped all polite speech. "Hey, punk. Should I take this to your school and blast it over the PA system?"

Choi Tae-Jong blinked in shock. "What? You, you—"

"Or maybe I post it on your school's online community? I hear every school's got one. I'll have a Jeonghan student upload this file so everyone hears it. Then it'll spread to major communities, your info gets doxxed...

oh

man, that'd be a blast."

Panicking, Choi Tae-Jong lunged to grab my phone. "Gimme that! Hand it over!"

I caught his wrist midair and drove my thumb down into the pressure point just below it.

"

Ughhhh

...!"

With a pained groan, his big frame crumpled to his knees.

Thud.

On the pavement, he trembled like he had been electrocuted. The female student from Jeonghan University, who had seemed ready to help him, was now quietly backing away.

'

So much for loyalty

.'

Still kneeling, Choi Tae-Jong muttered in a shaky voice, "P-please...Let go of my wrist..."

"What, I drop honorifics and you think you can too? Hey, how old are you?"

"I-I'm twenty-three..."

"Have you served in the military?"

"No..."

"What? So you're not even a returning student?"

"No..."

This guy, who looked like he was pushing thirty-three, had been acting all smug like a seasoned upperclassman. I figured it must have gone to his head after getting that student council president title.

"And here I am wasting my time on a damn kid,

sigh

..."

I let out a deep sigh and released Choi Tae-Jong's wrist.

"

Ug

h..."

Clutching his sore wrist, Choi Tae-Jong stepped back.

Only then did the Jeonghan University female student rush over to check on him. "Oppa, are you okay?"

Choi Tae-Jong snapped at her. "Does it look like I'm okay to you?"

I warned Choi Tae-Jong, fed up with his pathetic behavior. "You don't have to be a saint, but at least try to act with some decency, yeah? Don't make me go spreading that recording and dragging both you and your school down with it. Got it?"

If I handed that file to a reporter instead of uploading it to a campus community, it could ruin someone's entire future. The school would immediately launch an audit into his role as student council president. If that stain ended up on his record, even job hunting could become difficult.

He must have sensed it, because Choi Tae-Jong lowered his head while clutching his wrist. "I'm sorry... I was wrong."

Then the Jeonghan University girl bowed as well. "Mr. Jung, I'm actually the vice president. My boyfriend always tries to act tough in front of me. And while our student council fund is pretty big, we don't actually spend it recklessly. If you could please forgive us, we'll give up the Berry Six booking too."

So that was what it was. Choi Tae-Jong had been showing off in front of his girlfriend without realizing how close he came to ruining himself.

'

Wait. They're giving up Berry Six

?'

I immediately turned to the Daeseong University student council members and asked,

"If I step in, I might be able to talk the price for Berry Six down a bit. But honestly, five million won still won't be enough."

Even though Hoop Entertainment's chiefs had decision-making authority, I doubted I could get the price under fifteen million.

Lee Seo-Hae shook her head. "No, it's okay. We're hitting our budget limits anyway. And more importantly, we lost trust in Mr. Yoon. We can't work with him anymore."

Ahn Moon-Cheol, the vice president who came with her, agreed. "I'm over Berry Six too. I don't even like them now."

Since they no longer wanted Berry Six, I waved off the Jeonghan University couple. "You two. I'll accept your apology, so get lost. Just don't forget that I've still got that recording. And from now on, watch what you say and spend that student council money carefully. It's not yours, remember?"

Choi Tae-Jong gave a small nod, then spun around and stormed off. The two of them took off like they were being chased. I had a feeling they would never look down on a talent agent again.

Then Lee Seo-Hae let out a long sigh and said, "Well, we'll get going too. Thank you for standing up for us."

Ahn Moon-Cheol also bowed. "Yes, thank you.

Oh

, and I'm Blooming... I just wanted to say thanks for always taking good care of Cherry Blossom."

Even now, the guy was worried about Cherry Blossom.

'

Hold on. Did he just say he's Blooming

?'

That changed everything. I quickly stopped them before they could leave.

"Then what are you planning for your guest performer?" I asked.

Lee Seo-Hae shook her head. "We don't know yet. We'll have to think about it some more."

They looked like third-years and were still very young. It wasn't like they had any solid backup plan.

"These days, artist fees are way up. It's hard to book an idol group for five million during festival season. So... what about a trot singer[1]?"

"A trot singer?"

"Yes."

Trot singers were also sought after for festivals. They were powerful live performers and knew how to hype a crowd.

Lee Seo-Hae and Ahn Moon-Cheol exchanged glances, then nodded. "As long as they can make the festival fun, a trot singer's fine. But... may we ask who it is?"

"The singer's name is Kim Hyun-Ji. She's technically a rookie, but she went on a nationwide tour decades ago—so she's a veteran rookie. But more importantly... the featuring artist is the real jackpot. That's why the fee is five million even though she's new."

"A featuring artist? Who is it?"

"Mrs. Lee Mal-Soon."

"Wha- really?!"

Most featured artists, while they were there, would at least sing one song. But Lee Mal-Soon, the queen of trot, commanded a performance fee of over fifty million won during the festival season. Her discography was filled with festive and upbeat hits, making her a perfect fit for live events. And now she would be performing for just five million won.

The two student council members eagerly nodded.

"That's amazing! We're totally in!"

"Absolutely yes!"

"Then please come with me. Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ji is already here at the company."

"Yes, sir!"

Their faces lit up with excitement.

***

Together with the Daeseong University student council members, I arrived at the entrance of Recording Studio 4.

When I opened the door and stepped inside, Bang Seon-Woo was seated at the main controller. Next to him sat the composer duo Yoon Sae-Yeon and Han Hye-Jung, who had written 'Youth, Once Again!' Both were looking nervous.

Kang Ha-Na was also present with her mother, Kim Hyun-Ji, who, being at the company for the first time, was dressed in full stage makeup and styling from head to toe. Standing at 169 centimeters, she had maintained her figure so well that she looked stunning in a white performance dress with shimmering pearl accents even at 56. Thanks to Deputy Manager Yang So-Ri's makeup work, the scars on her face were completely hidden.

I told the student council members to wait just a moment, then walked over to Kim Hyun-Ji. "You look fantastic today, Mrs. Kim."

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Kim Hyun-Ji blushed slightly in embarrassment. "I've been cutting back on food the last few days just to fit into this dress. I'm glad it looks good."

As she smiled softly, I couldn't help but see flashes of Kang Ha-Na's face in hers.

Then Kang Ha-Na came up beside her. "Yoon-Ho oppa, our Mrs. Hyun-Ji looks gorgeous, right?"

Since their relationship was still a secret, we'd decided to simply tell people they were relatives for now. That's why Kang Ha-Na referred to her mother by name.

I nodded to Kang Ha-Na, then turned to Kim Hyun-Ji. "Mrs. Kim, these students are the Daeseong University student council. They're looking to book a performer for their spring festival. I was thinking it might be great for your debut stage to be there. What do you think?"

"I'll do whatever you decide, Mr. Jung."

"Thank you for trusting me. And don't worry too much. We'll release the track on MeTube first before anything else."

Kim Hyun-Ji smiled again. "I'm not worried."

Just then, the door swung open and Lee Mal-Soon burst into the room.

Bang!

"Hyun-Ji unnie~"

The moment she saw Kim Hyun-Ji, Lee Mal-Soon ran in and gave her a big hug.

Thump.

The warmth in their eyes radiated so clearly it could have melted the room.

Lee Mal-Soon showered Kim Hyun-Ji with affectionate compliments. "Unnie, are you really fifty-six? Your skin's so firm and you've got zero fat! Anyone would think you were in your early thirties~"

"You've gotten a lot smoother with your flattery, haven't you?"

Kim Hyun-Ji teased her playfully, and Lee Mal-Soon sagged her shoulders dramatically. "

Sigh

... Unlike you, I've gained some weight lately..."

"

Pfft

. And you've gotten bolder too."

"More like gained weight in my jawline."

At fifty-six, Kim Hyun-Ji looked at fifty-three-year-old Lee Mal-Soon with the same fondness as she had decades ago. In that moment, the queen of trot had shed her stage persona and become her old self.

After a bit, Lee Mal-Soon let go of the hug and looked toward me. "So, who are the students in the back...?"

"

Ah

, they're from Daeseong University's student council. We're considering making their spring festival your offline debut stage."

"

Oh

, really?" Lee Mal-Soon smiled gently. "And what's the fee for the stage?"

"Five million won including the featuring artist."

Lee Mal-Soon grinned at the students. "You two know you hit the jackpot, right? Getting me on stage too?"

With Lee Mal-Soon confirming it herself, both Lee Seo-Hae and Ahn Moon-Cheol looked like their smiles were going to split their faces.

"Yes!"

"Totally!"

Lee Mal-Soon grinned again. "Okay! Then while you're here, why don't you stay and listen to Hyun-Ji unnie sing? Honestly, she sings even better than I do."

The student council members nodded, faces full of excitement.

However, my plan to make the Daeseong University festival legendary didn't end with just Lee Mal-Soon's guest appearance.

'

You two don't even know how lucky you got today.

'

1.

Example of trot

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