Season 3: Chapter 52: The Best Partner (2)
With disheveled hair, Ju-Hyeok rose from bed. The first thing he did was look for his phone.
‘Yesterday... the video I asked Ji-Ah for...’
He hadn’t been able to check Ji-Ah’s video until the end of yesterday.
‘Did it go well?’
He felt slightly anxious about it, but didn’t worry too much.
‘If it went according to plan, it should be fine.’
He couldn't lose that fight. They had won the moment BornToB zoomed in on their members typing inflammatory posts with their keyboards. It was only a matter of how big the win was.
Ju-Hyeok exclaimed as he opened Almond’s channel, “Wow…”
One video had already surpassed a million views.
[Suspected because he was too good]
The view count alone suggested how big their victory was.
“This is huge…”
He was full of anticipation as he played the video. Soon, he scratched his head with a puzzled look.
“Is this right?”
The editing was very different from what had been discussed. The original plan included inserting the interview footage directly, but this video had no such footage. Instead, it featured in-game subtitles explaining certain points. This didn’t give an official feel to it.
Ju-Hyeok was briefly worried, but then he realized it.
“... This is much better.”
It was actually better than the original plan. No, it was more than that.
‘If it had gone my way, it would have been dangerous.’
By watching this video, he realized how contrived and old-fashioned inserting documentary footage was. It would have been wrong to proceed as Ju-Hyeok wanted.
Public opinion could possibly not have supported them. He imagined them running around, conducting interviews, and explaining themselves less than a day after the controversy erupted.
‘It would seem too prepared.’
A controversy suddenly erupted, but they had already prepared interviews? It would look like someone anticipated the controversy and prepared for it. It could even seem like Hitman Corporation planned everything.
Trying too hard to clarify the issue could paradoxically make it less believable. It was a matter of instinct, not reason. The instinct to resist when someone suddenly tried to pull the reins.
What about Ji-Ah’s video? People didn’t realize they were being led by the nose. Watching what they thought was just a superplay gaming video, they laughed and unknowingly found themselves siding with Almond because the information Ju-Hyeok provided was seamlessly integrated into the gameplay.
“If it had gone my way, it would have been a disaster.”
Ju-Hyeok sent a praising message to Ji-Ah with a bitter smile.
[Ju-Hyeok: Saw the video. Seriously, no joke, it’s much better than the original plan hahaha]
No reply came. Ji-Ah was likely either busy or still asleep. Was she still sleeping? What time did she finish her work?
He absentmindedly checked the time on a corner of the screen.
“Huh?”
It was much later than he thought. Not much time was left for breakfast.
He quickly dressed and headed downstairs.
***
He rushed to the breakfast buffet and spotted Sang-Hyeon sitting there.
‘Hmm?’
However, Sang-Hyeon was talking with an unfamiliar man. Was it another streamer? No, he didn't feel like a streamer at all. There was none of the usual casualness that streamers possessed.
Ju-Hyeok instinctively felt it. That man was an employee from a management company.
"… If it were up to us, we could have resolved it more smoothly. There wouldn't have even been any room for misunderstandings. We have considerable know-how in crisis management…"
As he approached, he could hear the conversation.
The man's voice was louder and clearer than expected. It was the typical persuasive speech of a seasoned salesperson.
"The issue was eventually resolved, I know. However, it’s better not to shoulder such risks in the beginning. It's not something we do just for a day or two. There's no guarantee that risks won't erupt at any time."
"..."
Sang-Hyeon said something. His voice was too low to hear.
Again, the man's voice could be heard.
"… We judged that the risk was greater than the returns. It's not about producing results just once."
Ju-Hyeok's heart raced. Why was that man so aggressive? At first, he felt angry.
‘He knows I’m also here as Almond’s manager, yet he did this?’
However, Ju-Hyeok’s mind quickly cooled and accepted the situation.
‘It’s only natural.’
They were all just working for their own benefit. That man was simply someone who took his job seriously.
‘The reason I’m feeling upset right now...’
Ju-Hyeok felt upset and his heartbeat soared because he somewhat agreed with the man's words. If the proposal had been utterly ridiculous, he would have laughed it off rather than feeling bad.
On the other hand, this man was a real threat who could spin an entertainment company’s subsidiary into an MCU business. Could there be a more threatening competitor?
For a streamer like Sang-Hyeon, who had the aura of a celebrity, it would not be strange at all to choose such a path.
‘He could just quit streaming and live as a model or celebrity.’
Ju-Hyeok was aware of this possibility and had thought about it.
What if Ju-Hyeok was Sang-Hyeon? He would probably also talk to that man. Yes, that was the reality.
While contemplating—
“!”
Suddenly, Sang-Hyeon received a call and stood up, heading his way.
Ju-Hyeok's body reacted before his mind.
Patter-patter!
His legs were already running back to the room. Why was he running away? Ju-Hyeok didn’t know, but he just trusted his instincts.
***
Sang-Hyeon took a call behind a large pillar. His eyes sparkled.
"Exclusive?"
He suddenly received a proposal to be an exclusive model.
According to the voice on the other end, Manager Jeong said it was a very good offer.
“I'm not just saying this because it's my company. You can think of the contract terms as a token of our gratitude. Due to this incident, the CEO wants to express his appreciation…”
Well, he couldn't simply take it at face value when the ones making the offer said their proposal was advantageous.
'Is that so?'
Despite everything, the corners of Sang-Hyeon's mouth couldn't help but rise.
"Ah, yes, Manager. I know where my manager is, so I'll consult with him and let you know soon."
“Yes, yes! I really hope you will consider it favorably!”
Manager Jeong seemed like he was in a hurry, yet he gracefully backed off at the mention of consideration.
'Some people are different.'
Sang-Hyeon thought of one particular person who continually made him uncomfortable as he returned to his seat. The employee from the entertainment agency noticed Sang-Hyeon's subtle smile.
"Ah, it looks like you have good news?"
"Ah, yes. I've received a proposal to become an exclusive model under favorable terms."
"!"
The words, “exclusive model,” hovered at the edge of the employee's mouth. However, he restrained himself.
Congratulatory words were due, but showing too much surprise would reveal their ignorance of such achievements. He mustered all his facial muscles to bloom a radiant smile and clapped his hands.
"That's great! You really are doing well! Haha! Almond’s growth really is..."
Sang-Hyeon rolled his eyes at the unblinking congratulatory performance.
'He’s dangerous.'
That man could be a trained assassin and not just a salesperson.
"Ah? Oppa!"
Suddenly, Miho appeared. She seemed to be staying at the same hotel.
"You stayed here too, oppa?!"
"Ah, yes."
"Ah? But who is this…?"
Miho looked at the unfamiliar man.
The enterprising employee seized the moment and introduced himself, "Hello! Ms. Miho, I am Park Jin-Ho from Navi Entertainment! You look even more beautiful in person!"
He flashed his practiced sales smile as he handed out his business card.
"Ah… Navi?"
Miho cocked her head briefly.
Then, she suddenly raised her voice, "Wow! Did you come here to do business? During a meal!?"
Both the employee and even Sang-Hyeon were taken aback, nearly spilling their coffee.
"Ah… I… just happened to be passing by… haha."
His once confident expression quickly vanished.
"You're too diligent. So diligent it's shocking… Oppa, aren’t you going to get indigestion?"
Miho looked at Sang-Hyeon with concern.
"Ah… actually, I haven't eaten yet."
"Really? I did. Oh. I feel bloated. Bloated… Uwaaaack!"
"!?"
As she mimicked throwing up, the employee's face turned pale.
"?”
Sang-Hyeon was sure that if this were being streamed, the chat would be filled with comments like, “Wow~” and “ I feel so refreshed.”
At that moment, he realized how fearsome Miho could be.
"Uwaaaack!"
With continued sounds of vomiting, the employee said goodbye to them with a trembling voice and disappeared.
"Ah… I apologize. That was rude of me."
As he walked away briskly, Miho turned back to Sang-Hyeon and chuckled.
"How about that? I learned that skill from the model seniors. How to fend off annoying people."
"The vomiting part too?"
"No, that was improv."
Miho laughed as she picked up her fork.
"Since I've fended him off for you, you have to eat with me now."
She had already naturally taken the seat across from him.
"Sure. I came alone anyway."
"Ah, oppa. But where's your manager?"
"He's sleeping."
"Really...? I thought I saw him earlier."
"That can't be."
Wasn’t he still sleeping?
"I saw him earlier. Around here."
"Near here? He was definitely sleeping..."
Sang-Hyeon trailed off. It had been quite a while since he last saw Ju-Hyeok.
"Ah. It has been a while."
Considering the time, it wouldn't be strange if Ju-Hyeok came down here. The strange part was something else.
"He would have come to eat, wouldn't he? He's much better at taking care of his meals than I am."
The question was why Ju-Hyeok would come all the way down here and just turn around.
"Hmm? I don't know... I just thought the manager had already eaten and went up since you overslept."
Ju-Hyeok had already gotten up to eat and left? That meant he was headed from the buffet to their room. Sang-Hyeon found that even more odd and concluded that it couldn't have been Ju-Hyeok.
"Maybe it was someone who looks like him. Cleanly dressed, rimless glasses, big build… it sounds like Ju-Hyeok."
"Umm... he was wearing a beige turtleneck sweater..."
"Oh..."
That was a piece of clothing that Ju-Hyeok brought.
"Why did he just leave…? And he's not answering his phone."
Sang-Hyeon tilted his head, puzzled by the myriad of odd points. Not eating was one thing, but why wasn't he answering his phone?
"Phone?"
"Yeah. Hitman called me. They said my manager wasn’t picking up."
That was why Sang-Hyeon was so sure that Ju-Hyeok was still asleep. He found it strange.
"That's odd… Really odd..."
As Sang-Hyeon pondered something deeply, he suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up abruptly.
"Ah. I... need to go."
"Huh?"
"I just remembered something I need to do. Take your time eating."
Without waiting for a response, Sang-Hyeon quickly disappeared.
"Ah..."
Miho looked sullen as she watched his retreating figure.
"Should I not have said anything?"
She began furiously devouring a piece of cake as if venting her frustration.