Chapter 845: Deok-Bae's Growth

Deok-Bae placed his script on the floor and pulled out his phone, gripping it tightly in his right hand.

He was mimicking how I always kept my phone in my right hand, ready for any call. Talent agents rarely let go of their phones, since a single missed call could mean losing an ad opportunity or a role to someone else.

'

The kid pays attention.

'

Just like Deok-Bae was portraying, most talent agents never part with their phones. There were countless cases where one missed call led to another celebrity snagging the opportunity instead.

Of course, the top-tier talents I managed now didn't have to cling to their phones anymore. Even if we missed a call, we could always follow up with persistent calls, texts, or messages. But still, the old habit of keeping the phone in hand never fully went away.

However, Deok-Bae wasn't done copying me. Just as he was about to stand, he glanced at his shoelaces, tucked the phone under his arm, and bent down again.

Then, he untied his shoes and retied them using a square knot with calm precision. Such a knot was called a talent agent's knot. The common granny knot with its vertical loops came undone too easily, which made it useless for talent agents who had to run around all day.

By mimicking even these small habits of busy talent agents, Deok-Bae left a strong impression on the judges before the audition even began. And that was what made Bong Tae-Sik visibly anxious.

Bong Tae-Sik leaned toward me and muttered, "Hey. Did you tell him to do that?"

I chuckled and replied, "Not at all. But shouldn't an actor capture that kind of detail? I mean, you've actually been a talent agent. So how is my actor more convincing than you?"

Bong Tae-Sik grimaced, realizing his mistake. "Damn it."

Meanwhile, Deok-Bae finished tying his shoes. He retrieved his phone from under his arm and stood up slowly.

"

Phew

~ I'm ready."

Without a word, Yeo Ik-Hwan gave a nod and signaled the start of the audition. "Scene 44. And... action!"

And just like that, Deok-Bae began his audition—already setting himself apart before even delivering his first line.

***

Step, step.

Deok-Bae slowly walked toward Yoo-Jin and stopped at the table. Still gripping his phone in his right hand, he gently placed his left on the tabletop. Then, he knelt down with deliberate calm.

Thud.

After a short breath, he spoke in a trembling, low voice, filled with urgency.

『Bit-Na. It's me, Ill-Seung.』

Unlike Bong Tae-Sik, who had come off like a debt collector trying to pressure someone, Deok-Bae embodied the gentle presence of a talent agent trying to comfort a heartbroken star. He showed more care for the singer than Bong Tae-Sik ever had, capturing everyone's full attention.

At that moment, Yoo-Jin unleashed another wave of emotional intensity.

『Han Bit-Na... is dead. So Ill-Seung oppa... don't ever come find me again!』

Yoo-Jin's tears fell like a waterfall once more. Naturally, all eyes turned to Deok-Bae. Everyone remembered how Bong Tae-Sik had lost his rhythm here—faltering under Yoo-Jin's performance and fizzling out afterward.

However, Deok-Bae was different.

Drip, drip.

Tears fell from Deok-Bae's eyes too.

『It's okay. I'll bring you back to life. But first, take a look at this.』

Crying softly, Deok-Bae reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a business card.

Deok-Bae tossed the business card beneath the judges' table. It landed at Yoo-Jin's feet.

『That's the card of Dr. Song Tae-Sik, Korea's top plastic surgeon. I've already talked to him and everything's set. If you want it, you can go back to how you were. Maybe even better than before! So come on out, okay?』

Unlike with Bong Tae-Sik, Yoo-Jin fully embraced Deok-Bae's performance. Then, she took it even further. It was as if everything she had shown so far had just been a warm-up.

Yoo-Jin twisted her face to one side as if damaged muscles kept it from moving properly. Then she slowly crouched down, picked up the card at her feet, and looked up.

『I know this guy...』

Deok-Bae wiped his tears with his arm and forced a bright smile.

『Great. Let's go to Dr. Song right now. I'll call him first and set up a—』

However, Yoo-Jin interrupted, her voice trembling in despair.

『But... isn't he money-obsessed? I heard he's really good, but also charges a fortune. You know I... don't have any money...』

That's when Deok-Bae clenched both fists so tightly his knuckles turned red and started pounding on his chest.

Thump. Thump.

The sound of his fists echoed through the audition room. Without a hint of hesitation, Deok-Bae shouted with fierce conviction.

『Han Bit-Na! I'm Baek Ill-Seung. Baek Ill-Seung! I'll find the damn money myself. And haven't I always told you? All you need to do is trust me—Korea's top talent agent, Baek Ill-Seung!』

Deok-Bae's bold declaration shook the room. Just watching Deok-Bae filled me with a sense of reassurance like everything would be okay.

Then I heard the judges murmuring.

-That performance reminds me of someone. Doesn't it?

-Yeah, I swear I've seen it before somewhere.

-You all know exactly who, don't you? But you're pretending not to.

They exchanged knowing glances while sneaking looks in my direction. I couldn't help but wonder if I was really like that. However, one thing was certain: Deok-Bae's performance made me feel safe and secure like I could follow him anywhere.

In the script, this was the moment where Yoo-Jin was supposed to open the door and say she would return to the entertainment world.

At that moment, Deok-Bae, fully immersed in the role, began to improvise the lines on the spot. He clapped his hand as if he just realized something.

Clap!

『As for your new name, let's go with Byeol-Bit! Yeah, like starlight in the night sky, shining bright again. Lee Byeol-Bit fits perfectly, right? Sounds good, doesn't it?』

In the original script, Han Bit-Na would adopt the name Lee Byeol-Bit and restart her career as a singer. Deok-Bae had just used that setup as part of his ad-lib.

Wang Mi-In's eyes widened in surprise. "That ad-lib was so natural."

Yeo Ik-Hwan nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Honestly, I think that line works even better here. It’s confident, and it really shows the drive of a talent agent pulling a star back into the spotlight. I like it. He’s a much more optimistic Baek Ill-Seung than Bong Tae-Sik’s version, and I like that too."

Then, Wang Mi-In's expression shifted with concern. "But... Will Miss Yoo-Jin go with it? It would be a shame if the moment gets lost."

Deok-Bae had always stuck strictly to the script, so his sudden ad-lib had the judges quietly holding their breath.

At that moment, Yoo-Jin gently set down her tablet and stood up instead of delivering her scripted line about returning to showbiz.

Tap.

Yoo-Jin stepped out from behind the judges' table and walked up to Deok-Bae. Stopping right in front of him, she reached out and mimed turning a doorknob. Slowly, she acted out opening the door.

The startled Deok-Bae turned his head and looked at her with his expression frozen in awe.

Yoo-Jin lifted her right foot slightly, teetering as if unsure whether to step forward. She stood balanced on one leg, eyes squeezed shut, and then finally stepped down.

Tap.

The moment her foot touched the ground, she staggered. Deok-Bae instantly rose and caught her.

『B-Bit-Na!』

Still grimacing on one side of her face, Yoo-Jin replied.

『Didn't you say you'd call me Byeol-Bit from now?』

『Y-Yeah. Byeol-Bit...』

『"Good. Because the Bit-Na you knew is gone. So you better keep that promise to make me shine again!』

Deok-Bae stared at Yoo-Jin with his eyes wide.

Yoo-Jin squinted and asked.

『What are you staring at like that? Do I look hideous?』

With tears brimming, Deok-Bae broke into a grin.

『No. You still look the most beautiful to me.』

Yoo-Jin was about to grumble, then sighed and muttered.

『Spoken like a true talent agent. You still have that habit of saying only nice things. Honestly, you're probably the only one who'd say I'm pretty. Anyway, I've stepped outside now. So I'm your responsibility. Got it?』

Deok-Bae nodded enthusiastically.

『Of course! Just trust me! Don't you know how good I am? Baek Ill-Seung, Korea's top talent agent!』

Yoo-Jin gave a crooked smile.

『You mean... someone who

wants

to become Korea's top talent agent.』

『Yeah. And I will be. Starting with your comeback!』

As the two embodied the theme of

She Was Beautiful

—choosing to face the future rather than being trapped in the past—the judges were completely engrossed in their performance except for one person.

Right next to me, Bong Tae-Sik muttered under his breath, "Fuck."

It was barely audible, but no word could have better captured his current state of mind.

***

After finishing her part with Deok-Bae, Yoo-Jin returned to her seat. Deok-Bae, still lost in the role, struggled to pull himself together. He kept crying uncontrollably.

I immediately signaled to Team Lead Yeon So-Hee. She rushed over and handed Deok-Bae a handkerchief.

"Here, Deok-Bae."

"

Ah

, I'm sorry, Ms. Yeon."

"Don't be sorry. It's fine. Just take a deep breath and calm down."

Deok-Bae took the handkerchief and covered his face, breathing slowly and deeply. The judges waited patiently, giving him time to recover.

Meanwhile, the behind-the-scenes crew filming from both sides of the room zoomed in for a close-up. To them, this was a highlight moment.

'

Keep rolling, directors. I've got plans for that footage.

'

A moment later, Deok-Bae lowered the handkerchief. His eyes were bloodshot with emotion, but he bowed politely.

"I'm Number 31, Choi Deok-Bae. Thank you. And... I apologize for improvising."

Wang Mi-In shook her head. "No, actually, I loved that line about changing her name to Byeol-Bit at that moment. Using it like that was very clever. You must've read the script thoroughly?"

"Yes. I figured the scene needed one more line with impact, so I added it."

"You might've understood the character better than I did. It was wonderful."

Deok-Bae bowed again. "Thank you."

Next, Yeo Ik-Hwan spoke up. "I noticed you started the scene gripping your phone. Why?"

"My role model talent agent always holds his phone like that. He's constantly getting ad inquiries, calls from reporters, checking news—he never lets go of it except when sleeping. I wanted to reflect that."

"And the shoelaces?" Yeo Ik-Hwan asked. "I noticed they were already tied properly. Is it just a superstition or something?"

Deok-Bae shook his head. "No, I got that from my talent agent hyung too. He walks so much every day that he always double-knots his laces in the morning with a square knot so they don't come undone."

Yeo Ik-Hwan nodded with a chuckle. "

Haha

. I see... Anyway, I really enjoyed your performance. You brought your own interpretation to the role and your acting was solid all around."

Lee Eun-Joo chimed in with her own praise. "That deep, resonant voice of yours is really pleasant to listen to. Just be careful though, with that kind of voice, your diction could get muddy if you're not careful. So keep taking care of your throat."

"Yes, ma'am."

Though Bong Tae-Sik was still seated nearby, no one held back in praising Deok-Bae.

"Alright, let's wrap this up and score him," said Shin Jong-Ki, bringing things to a close.

Everyone nodded and turned to their tablets.

Scribble, scribble.

After a few moments, the scoring was complete and the results were in.

Yeo Ik-Hwan glanced at the numbers and announced, "Mr. Deok-Bae's average score is 90.5. Mr. Bong Tae-Sik scored 85.5. All the judges agree that, in terms of overall acting ability, chemistry with the lead Jung Yoo-Jin, and interpretation of the character Baek Ill-Seung—Mr. Deok-Bae was stronger."

Clench.

Deok-Bae curled his fists in silent triumph. I clenched mine too.

'

When did this kid grow up so much?

'

Not long ago, he was a rookie I had to watch over every step of the way. But here and now, Deok-Bae had won an intense audition against a top-tier rival all on his own. I felt like hoisting him onto my back and running circles around the building. This was my actor.

'

Deok-Bae is amazing.

'

I could barely contain my pride, my shoulders practically bouncing with it.

Then Shin Jong-Ki turned to Bong Tae-Sik. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Bong Tae-Sik bowed his head, swallowing his frustration. "No, sir."

"Alright. You worked hard. Maybe next time."

"Yes."

"Then go on. We've got some things to discuss among ourselves."

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Bong Tae-Sik and Yang Sung-Taek bowed and exited the room.

Clack.

The door closed, and Shin Jong-Ki clicked his tongue. Then, he turned to Deok-Bae with a warm smile. "Just looking at you gives me confidence. Keep working hard. I'll be watching."

"Thank you very much."

Then Shin Jong-Ki gestured toward me. "You should thank Chief Jung over there, not me. Without your role model, you wouldn't have had such a great performance today, right?"

Deok-Bae grinned. "I always thank Yoon-Ho hyung. But I plan to thank him properly again, too."

"

Haha

! And here I thought you'd never worked in a company before. Turns out you're smoother than most!"

The room burst into laughter.

Then Shin Jong-Ki turned to me. "Chief Jung, is there anything else you'd like to add?"

I straightened my posture and said, "Yes. About Deok-Bae's pay—how much are you planning to offer?"

Shin Jong-Ki gave me a look of disbelief. "Chief Jung, aren't you the casting director for

She Was Beautiful

? Isn't that a bit inappropriate to bring up?"

"The audition's over now. It's time I switch back into talent agent mode, don't you think?"

"You really never let your guard down, do you?" Shin Jong-Ki chuckled, then pointed at Lee Eun-Joo. "You'll negotiate his fee with her."

Lee Eun-Joo instantly barked, "Why do I always get stuck with the difficult stuff?"

"Because I'm the president?"

Lee Eun-Joo glared at Shin Jong-Ki, huffing with annoyance. Then she suddenly smirked. "Fine. But no take-backs, okay?"

"What are you—?"

Without answering him, Lee Eun-Joo turned to me "Mr. Jung, name your price! I'll sign off on whatever you ask."

Shin Jong-Ki jumped. "Hey! Managing Director! I mean, Eun-Joo! Are you trying to bankrupt the company?!"

"Well, I'm not the president, am I?"

"You're really using that against me?"

"When else would I use it if not now?"

Watching them go back and forth, I could tell this was my chance to go big.

'

You earned this, Deok-Bae. I'll take care of the rest.

'

Without hesitation, I threw out a bold number that matched Bong Tae-Sik's bracket. "For Deok-Bae's appearance fee, I'd like it to be at the level of an A-list actor."

Both of them paused mid-banter. A-list meant a ballpark of two to three hundred million won.

Lee Eun-Joo's voice tensed slightly. "Please give me an exact figure. You're always scary when you say things like that."

"250 million won. Plus, a 1% profit share."

She went quiet for a moment, then grinned and fired back. "Done. And I'll throw in an extra 50 million won with a 0.5% boost in profit share. That brings it to 300 million and 1.5%."

Even though this wasn't a poker game, Lee Eun-Joo slammed down a better hand on the table.

Shin Jong-Ki's eyes went wide. "Managing Director Lee! You're supposed to negotiate down, not up! I know you like Chief Jung, but come on—"

"

Oh

, hush, will you?" Lee Eun-Joo looked me dead in the eye. "If anything goes wrong with the production, I need you to step in, okay? That's what this is about—stick with the project till the end. You remember we upped your profit share last time too."

She meant she wanted me to help screen out more garbage like I did with Baek Hong-Gyun earlier. I still had one more landmine left to defuse, so this was the right time to seal the deal.

"Deal."

"Deal it is!"

Shin Jong-Ki let out a dry laugh. "You could've just said that from the start."

"If that's how it's gonna be, you should handle negotiations from now on."

"No, no, I'm good. Anyway, if we're done here, how about dinner?"

"Hot pot?"

"Deal!"

The judges laughed and stood from their seats.

However, I shook my head. "I'll join you later. I've still got a job to do."

"A job?"

I smiled. I knew better than anyone that Bong Tae-Sik wasn't going to walk away quietly.

"I'll explain after I handle it."

Right then, I sent a text to The Best Detective Agency.

[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: Please tail Bong Tae-Sik from Ace Entertainment. He just left the LT Entertainment HQ in Samseong-dong and is likely heading to meet reporters. The vehicle plate number is 35 38XX.]

At that moment, I got a notification.

Buzz~

[Everyday V13]

[Alert: April 5, 2021 – A new schedule entry has been added for Choi Deok-Bae.]

This time, I had beaten Everyday to the punch. That was how well I knew that bastard Bong Tae-Sik. Still, I double-checked the Everyday alert. And sure enough, there was a warning that rumors about Deok-Bae and I were about to be spread by Bong Tae-Sik's camp.

'

Oh, Tae-Sik. You really don't know the world's changed, do you?

'

Just as Jung Yoo-Jin wasn't the same person she used to be, neither was I. And this time, I would make damn sure Bong Tae-Sik learned that the hard way.