<Episode 97>
“I did go there, but I was simply invited by the A-Pen members. It’s not like A-Pen is moving to our agency in the first place, is it? If that were the case, there would’ve already been an article about it.”
If A-Pen had been recruited into Ramos Entertainment, they would’ve released an article the very day their contract ended.
Announcing that they had become part of Ramos Entertainment and would now be under the same roof.
It was something CEO Joo Youngjun would find out eventually anyway, so delaying it wouldn’t change anything.
“Then why did you go to their place?”
“I told you. I was invited.”
“When did you even build enough of a relationship to be invited?”
“That part is private, so it’s difficult for me to disclose.”
“Hah.”
At my answer, CEO Joo Youngjun scoffed.
“Private, you say?”
“Yes. Now I believe you should answer my question as well. How did you find out my home address?”
“I had someone follow you.”
His shameless admission of doing something illegal was becoming something I might get used to.
“Are you saying you had me tailed?”
I discreetly moved my phone and started recording the conversation. It wasn’t to report or accuse him.
It was a kind of insurance.
“It wasn’t tailing… it was one of the actions taken to uncover the truth related to A-Pen.”
It was nothing more than a sly play on words.
“CEO, I simply have a personal relationship with A-Pen. If you want, I can prove it right now.”
“And how do you plan to prove that?”
“I can call A-Pen right now and let you hear that they are not transferring to Ramos Entertainment. Would that suffice?”
Even at my proposal, CEO Joo Youngjun’s expression didn’t soften.
“How do I know you haven’t already coordinated your story? Who am I supposed to trust… one phone call to clear all suspicion?”
“Hah….”
This wasn’t a situation where reason would work.
‘He’s not even drunk… This guy completely shuts his ears if something doesn’t suit him?’
There was no smell of alcohol on him, and his focus and voice were perfectly normal. He was clearly in his right mind.
“If that’s what you’re saying, then I have nothing more to add. Even if I offer proof, you say you won’t believe it. What exactly do you want from me?”
Joo Youngjun hadn’t come all this way just to question me about A-Pen.
As a seasoned businessman, he wouldn’t be so impulsive. He would also know that behaving this rudely wouldn’t benefit him in any way.
‘He may vent his anger in the moment, but that’s only temporary.’
I needed to hear what he truly wanted.
“If you’re really not taking A-Pen, then publicly show that we are in a cooperative relationship.”
“In what way?”
“Spade and Spade Joker. Do a joint broadcast.”
It was obvious he was in a desperate, all-or-nothing situation after losing A-Pen, judging by such an absurd proposal.
‘Is he trying to stir up noise marketing or something?’
If Spade and Spade Joker appeared on the same program, criticism would inevitably pour onto Spade.
To the public, Spade was merely a fake idol group that plagiarized Spade Joker.
‘He came all the way here just for that?’
“If that’s what you want, shouldn’t you apologize first for having me followed?”
CEO Joo Youngjun’s eyebrow twitched.
It seemed he truly hated the idea of apologizing to me.
‘If he’s acting this stubborn, there’s definitely something going on… but what is it?’
Unable to figure out his intentions, I used an item for the first time in a while… the same one I used when talking to reporter Kim Yerin.
[Read the opponent’s mind: For 10 minutes, you can read the opponent’s inner thoughts.
Price: 5,000,000 won.]
‘This was the most useful item.’
[Apologize? What nonsense. That brat. He just got lucky with one idol under him.]
I had already expected he thought of me that way, so it didn’t hurt.
[The manager said he recorded what that guy said to Spade, right? So if I can just capture him acting rude or doing something problematic here, that’s enough. He doesn’t look like it, though, so I have to be a bit careful.]
The moment I saw his thoughts, I felt a chill… if I hadn’t used a paid item, who knows what would have happened.
‘So this was to drag me down? He was probing me, trying to draw out something that would benefit him.’
[He threatened Spade and even tried to take A-Pen. If I leak just that much, reporters will swarm like a pack of dogs.]
“CEO, I do not want Spade and Spade Joker to appear on the same screen. Their names are already similar, and their outfit concepts are alike, causing enough controversy as it is. Is there any need to force them together?”
[He keeps trying to lecture people. What an annoying brat.]
“Moreover, I don’t think that has anything to do with proving that I didn’t take A-Pen.”
I refused calmly.
[A-Pen definitely received help from him… but I can’t figure out how.]
He had strong suspicions but no concrete evidence, so he couldn’t push further. That was why he came here personally… to restrain me through other means since he lacked proof.
Originally, I would have just waited for him to collapse on his own, but seeing him act this aggressively made me think I shouldn’t just wait; I should actively bring him down.
‘I thought losing A-Pen would quiet him down, but to think he’d go even further.’
The fact that he had someone follow me and even found my home address was enough to send chills down my spine.
“If you’re done talking, I’ll be going now. I hope we never have to meet like this again.”
With that, I passed by CEO Joo Youngjun.
There was still time left on the item, but it was obvious I’d only hear more insults, and I had already gotten what I needed, so I didn’t feel it was a waste.
I went home, washed up, and lay down on the bed.
‘What a long day.’
***
I only woke up around lunchtime.
It seemed I had overslept due to accumulated fatigue and the stress from meeting CEO Joo Youngjun the night before.
“Ugh…”
I forced myself up.
After washing up and eating something simple, I changed into casual clothes instead of a suit since I wasn’t heading to the office. Then I left home and headed toward the building our company would be moving into.
Maybe because it was the weekend, the traffic was heavy.
Bzzzz.
[Kang Woojin]
He had been quiet lately due to drama filming, but as soon as the weekend came, Kang Woojin called.
“Hello.”
I switched to speaker mode and answered.
“Hyung!”
Kang Woojin greeted me with a cheerful voice.
“Oh? Are you in the car? Where are you going? It’s the weekend.”
“You’ve got sharp ears. The company is relocating, so I’m on my way to check the progress of the interior construction.”
“Oh? The company is moving?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, congratulations! Where to?”
“Not far from where we are now.”
By the time I finished talking with Kang Woojin, I had already reached my destination.
“By the way, aren’t you filming?”
“I’m on standby right now. Oh! I heard Leejoo got cast in a drama? Congratulations.”
I was once again surprised that news of Leejoo’s casting had already spread.
It hadn’t even been officially reported yet.
‘There’s really no place where rumors spread faster than this industry.’
“Please tell him that yourself. He’ll like it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’ve arrived at my destination, so I’ll hang up now. Good luck with filming.”
“Got it. I’ll come visit on my day off! See you then.”
I was about to tell him he didn’t have to, but Kang Woojin quickly hung up.
‘He’s so pushy.’
After putting my phone in my pocket, I entered the building.
The first floor was very messy due to the practice room construction. Workers were still actively working, making it noisy.
I went up to the second floor using the stairs.
‘This place is at least somewhat organized.’
Since they decided to keep the existing interior on the second floor and only make slight structural changes, it was relatively tidy.
“Oh? CEO.”
At the familiar voice, I turned my head and saw Han Suseok.
“What? Why are you here?”
“Ah, some items for my office on the third floor are arriving today. I came to check on that and look around at other things.”
Until now, Han Suseok had been working in a space separated from other employees by just a partition, so after the move, this would be his own dedicated space… the first thing he had decided to create.
“Do you like your office?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good.”
“I came earlier to take a look, and the interior work is progressing well.”
“Really? Then there’s nothing more to check.”
If Han Suseok was that confident, there was no need to look around further.
“Then I’ll head to the Florence music video shoot. You go home and get some rest.”
“Let’s go together.”
“Han Suseok, today’s your day off.”
“I want to go see it.”
Han Suseok was unexpectedly stubborn, making it impossible to stop him.
“I’ll drive.”
“Then what about your car?”
“I can just leave it here.”
“It’ll be inconvenient when you go home.”
“It’s fine.”
I suggested multiple times that we take separate cars, but Han Suseok was firm.
In the end, I gave in.
“Fine. You drive.”
I handed him the car keys.
“Yes, understood.”
After getting into the passenger seat and fastening my seatbelt…
“Come to think of it, CEO Joo Youngjun and Spade have been quiet.”
After briefly debating whether to bring it up, I told Han Sooseok about how CEO Joo Youngjun had come to see me the night before.
“What? Are you okay?”
“Yeah. He didn’t come to hit me or harm me… just to probe me.”
Han Suseok let out a sigh of relief.
“He doesn’t have any solid evidence anyway, so there’s no way he can really do anything.”
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