I Became the CEO of an Idol Company in a Game Chapter 51

<Episode 51>

 

Now I finally understood why reporter Kim Yerin had been acting so confidently.

‘So that’s what she knew.’

Spade Joker’s popularity was continuing to soar, and through the program ‘Reverse Perspective’, they were gaining strong public support with an image of honestly revealing everything and correcting their past mistakes.

If this fact were to come out in the middle of all that, it would undoubtedly turn into a major issue.

‘This is on a completely different level from the issues I revealed on Reverse Perspective.’

A schedule no-show.

And not just that… if it were revealed that the members had run away and that we had used illness as an excuse to cover it up, there would be no way out.

That part hadn’t even been revealed on ‘Reverse Perspective’.

‘There’s no choice here. I’ll have to use an item.’

“Just a moment. This looks like it’ll be a long conversation, so I’ll adjust my schedule.”

It would look suspicious if I suddenly started fiddling with my phone, so I made an excuse.

[Read the Opponent’s Mind: Allows you to read the other person’s thoughts for 10 minutes. Price: 5,000,000 won.]

Aside from testing a cheap item once, this was essentially my first real use of an item.

I wanted to use something better, but since I had confirmed that my resources wouldn’t replenish, I had no choice but to be cautious.

‘These items aren’t cheap.’

First, I needed to check what cards Kim Yerin was holding and then decide whether to use a more expensive item.

‘I’m nervous.’

I pressed the button.

[Item activation has begun.]

Text appeared on the phone screen.

“Please, have a seat.”

As if to display her emotions, Kim Yerin sat down heavily on the sofa with a loud thud.

[He thinks he’s so great. So full of himself.]

A blue window appeared in front of her, and text began to show.

‘So this is how it looks.’

Fortunately, it seemed the person whose thoughts were being revealed couldn’t see that blue window.

I only had 10 minutes.

I needed to use that time well.

Maintaining a calm expression, I sat across from her.

I could read all her cards, but she couldn’t read mine. That meant I had the advantage in this conversation.

“Please explain again, calmly. This is the first time I’m hearing about it.”

[So you’re going to pretend you don’t know? Ha. Fine. Go ahead and keep pretending when I have proof.]

‘She has proof?’

Sweat began to gather in my palms from anxiety.

But if I wiped it, she might notice I was nervous, so I stayed still.

“On the day Spade Joker claimed to be sick and missed their schedule, they were at the Han River.”

[Good thing I got that photo by chance. Who would’ve thought Spade Joker members would show up in a photo a senior took while covering something else at the Han River.]

If there really was a photo, that would be troublesome.

It would be undeniable evidence… I wouldn’t be able to deny it.

‘This is bad.’

I didn’t know how the photo had been taken, which made it even more frustrating.

If I could somehow see the image she had just thought of, it would help… but the item didn’t seem to go that far.

“The Han River? They did go there after visiting the hospital because they were sick. I don’t see what the problem is.”

“Oh, really?”

She raised her tone sarcastically.

“Then show me the hospital records.”

“Why should I?”

“What? You seem pretty relaxed.”

“It’s not that. It’s just that we can’t disclose hospital records over something like this. That falls under the artist’s private matters.”

Even if they really had gone to the hospital and showing the records would clear everything up, I still wouldn’t reveal them.

That was part of the artist’s private life.

And protecting that was the job of an entertainment company.

“We have a duty to protect our artists.”

“Does this look like protection to you? To me, it just looks like excuses.”

Her tone was very aggressive.

But to me, it didn’t feel threatening at all.

“If you want to think that way, go ahead.”

When I didn’t budge at all, the crease between her brows deepened.

[So annoying.]

I had already expected that kind of thought from her expression, so it didn’t affect me.

“What will you do if I release the photo right now?”

Based on everything she had said and the thoughts I had read, I judged that the photo wasn’t anything serious.

‘I’m sure of it. She’s just bluffing.’

If the photo truly proved misconduct, she would have shown it immediately.

The fact that she hadn’t revealed it, even though I was being this firm, meant she didn’t really have anything.

‘From what I heard in her thoughts, that senior wasn’t even there to investigate Spade Joker in the first place. So there’s no way they got a proper shot.’

“Go ahead and release the photo. Then we’ll issue an official statement and file a formal lawsuit against you.”

Her eyes wavered.

[Is he insane? Is he saying it’s fine to release it? Or does he have a way out? How does he know what kind of photo I have? Were they actually sick?]

I could see her thoughts growing more tangled in real time.

‘Just as I thought. That ‘evidence’ isn’t anything solid. If it really proved misconduct, she wouldn’t be reacting like this. ‘Were they actually sick?’… she just made up a whole story in her head and rushed here. Even if it’s not true, rumors like that alone would seriously damage the group’s image.’

Of course, even rumors alone could hurt the group’s image significantly.

But there was something she had overlooked.

Even if she published an article about the schedule no-show with that photo, we could just drag it into a mudslinging fight.

We’d respond by saying they did visit the hospital but couldn’t reveal records due to privacy, and that the journalist who wrote the article had previously published private conversations without consent under the guise of an interview.

Then it would turn into a messy battle.

One where no one could clearly determine who was right or wrong.

‘And my image has been improving steadily since Reverse Perspective, while Kim Yerin’s credibility has dropped due to her recent misconduct. Even if she’s telling the truth, people won’t believe her.’

This was exactly when the importance of one’s usual conduct became apparent.

Without definitive evidence, the public would side with me more.

Right now, I am seen as someone who acknowledged past mistakes and was consistently working to correct them.

‘I didn’t expect appearing on that observational variety show to help like this. I’m really glad I did it.’

“Director.”

She called out to me, forcing a composed expression.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Let’s not do this. What do we gain from this? It only harms both sides.”

Now she finally seemed to realize the situation she was in.

So she was trying to negotiate, but it was too late.

‘Now that I know the photo isn’t anything serious, there’s no need to negotiate.’

It was true that the members had skipped their schedule and gone to the Han River.

So shifting the blame onto someone else with lies wouldn’t feel great.

But she hadn’t approached carefully.

She had stormed into the company, demanded an apology, and caused a scene.

That erased any hesitation I might have had.

This situation was entirely her own doing.

“Reporter Kim Yerin.”

“Yes.”

“You barged in here, said everything you wanted, and now you’re asking to stop? Don’t you think that’s a bit shameless?”

[What do I do? Did I get too emotional? This is driving me crazy. No, pull yourself together. You still have the upper hand. Don’t get shaken.]

She understood the situation perfectly.

If she had stayed calm and chosen her words carefully, I would have been the one cornered by now.

‘This is why you can’t act emotionally, no matter the situation. She’s a reporter… she should know that.’

Of course, she couldn’t entirely help it.

I didn’t know her exact age, but judging by her appearance, she seemed to be in her early to mid-20s.

She didn’t feel like someone in her 30s.

‘If she had been an experienced reporter, she wouldn’t have made this mistake in the first place.’

Since she was clearly a newcomer, if she sincerely apologized, I would have been willing to let this go lightly.

After all, I had also lied to cover up the members’ schedule no-show, and avoiding unnecessary noise was better.

“Just leave quietly. Then I won’t pursue this any further.”

Her eyebrow twitched.

It seemed my offer was tempting.

‘Of course, she won’t accept it right away. Her pride is hurt.’

But in the end, she had no choice but to accept.

Otherwise, she would be the one in trouble.

Ding.

[The mind-reading item will expire in 1 minute.]

A notification appeared along with the sound.

It didn’t matter.

I had already gotten all the information I needed.

I had even been prepared to take a bigger loss if necessary, but this was resolved more easily than expected.

‘As expected of the paid item shop. Pretty useful. If I didn’t have the mind-reading item, I would’ve been completely played.’