: What Comes and Goes Beneath the Water, a Trade (4)
TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir
What brings you here when we didn’t call you?
The team 2 leader was the first to ask.
Since I was interrupting a meeting, he would have been more direct under normal circumstances. However, he looked quite happy like a person who was finally about to poop after being constipated.
Seeing his smiling face, I could figure out what kind of discussion they were having.
I turned my gaze and looked at the people from Well-Made Production. An awkward expression flashed on General Manager Sung and the marketing head’s faces. It was a different attitude compared when they were happy that promoting their drama would be a breeze when I became a hot topic.
If I was emptyhanded, I would have felt slightly upset.
Still, my lips turned crooked at my displeasure.
Why are you here?
I came to do my job.
What?
My job. I have something to show you regarding Songha and Royal Family’s incident.
When I calmly said this, the Well-Made Production employees looked awkward.
The team 2 leader snorted.
So calm at a time like this. Don’t you know that you should lie low until things die down-!
Sit down comfortably. Don’t just stand there.
CEO Baek Hansung cut him off. He gestured towards me.
Let’s hear what he has to say.
CEO.
The team 2 leader shut his mouth while unable to control his expression. It seemed he couldn’t bring himself to contradict the CEO as he just gave me an unfavorable look. It seemed this person didn’t like anything I did, no, it seemed he just didn’t like me in general.
Well, that feeling was mutual.
I handed CEO Baek Hansung my laptop and sat in an empty seat.
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air as he looked at the small laptop screen. At first, people glanced at my laptop out of curiosity, but it seemed they felt it was inappropriate to crane their necks to see as their gazes soon fell on me.
Besides the director. He didn’t care and craned his neck out to see it.
The marketing head at Well-Made Production explained their circumstances with an apologetic face,
I’m sorry things became like this, Chief Jung. While we benefited from you these past few days, scandals are double-edged swords. When a scandal breaks out regarding an actress, the drama’s immersion might drop, and in extreme cases, the chemistry between actors may suffer.
General Manager Sung smacked his lips and added,
We don’t think there will be any problem since a correction will be made, but our investors are quite worried considered the amount of money being moved around. If you have someone else take care of Ms. Lee Songha’s personal schedule until things die down, we think it’ll be easier to persuade our investors.
Of course, if it’s something like that…
The team 2 leader’s face brightened at their words. I could clearly see that he intended on using this opportunity to change Lee Songha’s manager completely and not until things die down.
The team 2 leader checked CEO Baek Hansung’s reaction. CEO Baek Hansung was only staring at the screen with a delighted expression. It seemed the team 2 leader took his expression as an approving one as he readily nodded his head.
Since issues regarding scandals are laid out in the contract, it is only proper we handle it properly so that there aren’t any rumors. It’s not like this is our first time doing business with Well-Made either.
The team 2 leader chattered happily like a fish in water.
We didn’t even need a meeting for a matter like this.
Still, isn’t this a problem regarding W&U’s personnel?
It’s not like an actor is changing. All we’re doing is changing the chief assigned to her. We’ll handle this without any hiccups through an internal meeting and make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again.
If the team leader says so, then we’re relieved.
Standing behind CEO Baek Hansung, the team 3 leader’s brows wriggled. His expression read, ‘He’s enjoying himself.’ My expression was probably the same. However, either of us cut into their conversation.
Because there would soon be an entertaining scene.
Well, don’t worry about this matter any longer. You already have more than enough on your plate with trying to decide on the male lead. You need to hurry up and sign someone considering the filming schedule.
General Manager Sung clicked his tongue and nodded his head.
I was going to bring that up. When Yoon Taekyung and Park Dojin both said they wanted to do the project, we thought that we had hit jackpot, but choosing between the two is tough. The staff and investors are divided on who to choose.
Of course, it’s a shame to lose either one of them since they are both at the top in regards to global Korean stars.
Amused, I perked my ears at their conversation.
Since I already handed the evidence to CEO Baek Hansung, I no longer had to rush. I was also very excited to see their expression, especially the team 2 leader’s, when they learn that one of those ‘precious actors’ would ruin everything.
What are your thoughts, team leader?
The team 2 leader rubbed his beard at General Manager Sung’s question.
Yoon Taekyung has a good personality, and Park Dojin seemed like a good person as well when I had dinner with him last time. It’s a shame you have to choose one of the two, but no matter who you choose, it’s certain that the drama will be a success.
That’s true. Our concerns seem like complaints when compared to our peers who are having a hard time even casting people.
What the heck were you saying when ‘ruin’ was dangling in front of you?
I laughed along with them as they laughed in satisfaction. Hahaha.
When the marketing head saw me laugh, she asked,
How about you, Chief Jung? Which one do you think is best?
Why was she asking me? Did she think that I had no feelings because I was laughing at a time like this?
When I showed my displeasure, she examined my expression, thinking that she made a mistake. Since she tried to retract her words and apologize, I simply shrugged my shoulders and replied,
Well, it’s fine. That was going to be my condition anyways.
Pardon?
I think you need to undoubtedly cast Mr. Yoon Taekyung.
The marketing head and General Manager Sung looked at me strangely.
The team 2 leader had an expression that read, ‘What nonsense is he saying now?’ before suddenly frowning. He quickly stared at the laptop that CEO Baek Hansung passed to the director.
Wait. Jung Sunwoo, don’t tell me that ‘your job’ you were referring to just now was regarding Royal Family’s male lead?
It is.
It is?
Yes.
I nodded while hoping my nonchalant expression would get his panties in a bunch.
The team 2 leader opened and closed his mouth as if at a loss for words, and those from Well-Made Production looked taken aback. After glancing at them, the team 2 leader tightly clenched the sofa’s armrest. He looked like he would shout if they weren’t present.
Boiling with anger, he said,
It seems you’re mistaken because people around you call you ‘Midas’s Hand’ and tell you that you have good senses, but do you think this is something you can just come in and comment on?
I glanced at CEO Baek Hansung. He too was staring at me. It was still difficult to figure out what he was thinking. If I were to guess, he seemed to be amused.
Maybe something like, ‘I wonder where someone like him came along?’
The team 3 leader behind him was giving me an amused look as well.
Since it seemed like they would let things slide if I rolled my tongue a little, I smiled and said,
Well, like you said, this isn’t something I can comment about, but I couldn’t just let things be when the drama might flop at this rate. Then even Songha will be affected.
What? Flop?
If they cast Mr. Park Dojin, the drama might completely flop.
Maybe it was because I said it so casually, but they all seemed to suspect they heard me wrong. While the team 2 leader opened and closed his mouth like a bearded goldfish, General Manager Sung, who was first to recover, said in a serious expression,
The drama flopping, what are you saying? Why would Royal Family flop?
A scandal will break out.
A scandal? If it’s a scandal, then…
While mumbling, a frown creased General Manager Sung’s forehead.
Ms. Lee Songha and…
That’s a rumor. Also, how could a drama flop with a scandal like that? It’s not like a dating scandal is something huge. It has to be at least a drug scandal for it to be huge.
The air in the office froze.
Their eyes went wide as they wore shocked expressions, especially the team 2 leader. He was quite a sight. Enjoying his dumbfounded expression, I looked at the director who was holding my laptop.
Astonished, the director asked,
So the guy in these photos is really Park Dojin?
Yes, it is.
Oh my. A druggie lead in a Korean-Chinese project. If this broke out while we were broadcasting, then we would have suffered greatly and the drama would have been a complete failure.
People in the office jumped to their feet. Then they hastily gathered next to the director. Whenever there was a ‘click’, their faces gradually grew more shocked.
What-what is this? Is this really that Park Dojin bastard?
I-I think so. Even though it’s blurry, the outline of his face and his facial features are…
What do you mean ‘I think so’?! Ms. Kyunghee, did you know about this?
If I knew, I would have told you already! This is my first time seeing this!
This crazy bastard, he shouldn’t have kept quiet about something like this…!
While General Manager Sung and the marketing head’s faces alternated between pale and red, the team 2 leader opened and closed his mouth with his gaze fixated on the screen. When he looked at me with confusion and disbelief, I simply shrugged.
The director, having handed them the laptop, looked at me and said,
Lucky Charm, where did you hear about this?
Hmm, I’m also curious about that.
CEO Baek Hansung, who had been quiet all this time, added. The team 3 leader also said,
Yeah, how did you find this when not even rats or birds knew about it{1}
?
Even if rats and birds didn’t know about it, the paparazzi did. I got it directly from the paparazzi.
The director was taken aback by my words.
The paparazzi? You received this directly from the paparazzi?
You said you were going to meet reporters or something, so it was this?
It looked like the team 3 leader heard a few things from Kim Hyunjo.
Hmm… It seemed now was the time to show off.
I was looking around to make sure there wouldn’t be any problems because this was an important next project for Songha when I came across some unpleasant information. I asked around and found this.
Look at this wonderful charm.
The director came up to me and patted my shoulder as he laughed.
Just then, stammering, the team 2 leader cut in,
This… This is really Park Dojin? You can’t say with 100% cert-
Since it seemed like he didn’t want to face reality, I said with a brighter smile than before,
These aren’t the best shots. The paparazzi has better photos. They’ll probably be published soon. If Park Dojin was cast, I think Star Search of Hong Kong was planning on releasing it when Royal Family was at its peak, but since this information was leaked because of me, they’ll probably release it sooner.
I told them what I knew. The color drained from the two Well-Made Production people’s faces, and when I mentioned Star Search, their faces went pale.
They looked at me with gazes filled with various emotions then looked at CEO Baek Hansung. After a long time, they finally recollected themselves.
Chief Jung, CEO Baek Hansung, we’ll contact you soon.
After tightly holding my hand and asking for CEO Baek Hansung’s understanding, they quickly ran out to the office. I heard the sounds of them on the phone growing distant.
Something about stopping everything regarding Park Dojin’s contract immediately and to keep a lid on it so that it doesn’t leak to the press. To hurriedly schedule a meeting to resolve this before the investors are shaken by this news. Stuff like that.
The only ones left in the office were CEO Baek Hansung, the director, team 3 leader, and me.
Also, a red-faced team 2 leader staring at the laptop screen.
The team 3 leader smiled crookedly as he said,
What? You had dinner with Park Dojin and he seemed like a good person? What ‘good person’? What were you going to do if we signed an exclusive contract with him? My, my. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine. How can I trust your eyes now?
The team 2 leader couldn’t utter a word despite being harshly mocked. Let alone arguing back, he looked more urgent to figure out a way to save his skin.
CEO Baek Hansung tapped his sofa’s armrest as he said,
Team 2 leader.
Yes, yes, CEO.
Take your hands off Lee Songha’s matter now. Don’t bring up changing her manager.
CEO Baek Hansung said slowly yet firmly before looking at me and saying,
Regarding Lee Songha, I don’t think there’ll be a chief better than Jung Sunwoo in Team 2.
After a storm had gone by.
Looking like he was running away, the team 2 leader was first to leave the CEO’s office. I felt refreshed. I hoped I didn’t have to see him for a while.
The director and the team 3 leader chattered noisily. Of course, they were talking about me. I answered their questions as vaguely as possible and took my laptop and the USB drive. Then I looked at CEO Baek Hansung.
He had been observing me for a while now.
With a gaze that tingled my spine.
I cleared my throat. I planned on telling Lee Songha of today’s victory once I received a definite answer regarding my position. This was because I had to sit her down in front of me and ask her a few questions.
Just as I was about to speak,
You two can go and do your work.
CEO Baek Hansung said first.
Chief Jung, I hope you can stay behind so we can talk. It’s been a while.
{1}
Pretty self-explanatory. Kept it literal to match the next sentence.
