Top Management

Sunwoo Jung was visibly startled.

"Manager, I thought you were inside..."

"I just came in from outside. What's up? Let's go in."

He handed a warm cup of tea to Jaei Jung, who was sitting on the sofa.

Internally, he quickly pondered.

What's going on? I have no clue.

The drama audition went well recently, and the director’s response was positive; all that's left is the script reading.

Could there be a personal issue?

"I... I have something I want to discuss. If you're not too busy."

"Speak freely. I have plenty of time."

It seemed he needed a big resolve as he hesitated, lips quivering.

When I was considering the worst possibilities,

Jaei Jung finally spoke.

"Could I possibly audition for other roles too?"

"Audition?"

"It seems I’ve gained some confidence from the recent drama audition, and I'd like to try other opportunities if they arise. It wouldn't work if the schedules overlap though..."

Ah. Auditions.

He was always enthusiastic about his work.

"I thought something serious had happened. Are auditions something to be so hesitant about?"

"I just..."

Jaei Jung looked at his teacup and spoke again.

I noticed he hadn't made eye contact even once until now.

"I think I might be too greedy."

"Greed? What's wrong with being ambitious in your work? It's natural."

"But I've made mistakes because of my greed before..."

Mistakes.

The time Prettygirl almost disbanded because of that 'mistake'. Is that why he's still troubled?

He’s doing well with Prettygirl now, but Jaei Jung always felt different from the other members.

While the others basked in the midday sun, Jaei Jung seemed to stand alone in the rain.

Sometimes, he seemed completely submerged in water.

Prettygirl’s fans liked his 'atmosphere'...

But self-loathing is too grueling an emotion to live with constantly.

"Forget about the past. Everyone makes mistakes, and I'm also constantly tempted to cross the line everyday."

Thinking about it, I'm not in a position to console anyone.

My life is the biggest issue right now.

"There’s no need to hesitate over ambition in front of me. I actually prefer people who are ambitious about their work. And about the audition..."

I looked at Jaei Jung thoughtfully, then remembered The Accomplices.

There was a role that would suit him well, though it wasn’t a major one.

The problem...

"I have one in mind."

"Yes?"

"But the leads for this movie are likely to be from our company, so even if you audition and get cast normally, people will think it's nepotism. There will obviously be negative reactions."

Jaei Jung listened intently, then spoke immediately.

"I'm okay with what people say."

"That's not something to take lightly. Songha took a lot of abuse during Cat Guardian Ghost. She held up because she’s tough."

Thinking back, it was almost madness.

The role in The Accomplices would be a waste...

"I'm mentally tough too. If I pass the audition, I can handle what comes next."

Well...

Having experienced all the bad things a lesser-known girl group could face in a previous agency, he wasn’t mentally fragile.

I've seen futures end in suicide due to rumors.

Even now, I often recall that scene.

A dark night. Reporters' palms banging on the window in the rain. The flash of cameras like lightning. The reporter's voice asking if I felt responsible for Jaei Jung's death.

Such intense memories.

I rubbed my chin and looked at Jaei Jung again.

"...Let's discuss the audition with the director first."

"Yes, yes! Thank you. I'll work really hard, like Senior Songha."

Like a clearing storm, a bright smile spread across Jaei Jung's face.

Suddenly, I remembered another title attached to a future Jaei Jung.

'The second Lee Songha'

*

Jijoon Seo closed the script.

"It's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's good?"

Throughout the reading, Bongjoon Lee, attached to Jijoon Seo like a Siamese twin, nodded.

Regaining some leisure, Jijoon Seo smiled happily.

"Shall we sign it right away? Before something else happens."

"I'll set up a meeting with the director. Ah, if it goes as planned, you’ll be shooting with Joowon Lim. Is that okay?"

"That’s fine, right?"

"Friction?"

Jijoon Seo tilted his head slightly. His elongated eyes narrowed.

"Ah, was there something?"

"What? Did you have something with Joowon Lim? Why didn't I know?"

"It was nothing. I have no problem working. I don’t know about him, though. Anyway, that doesn’t matter, please set up the meeting."

"Alright. It's annoying every time I

 hear about Spy, let’s decide on our next project and focus on our own work."

Bongjoon Lee looked at me with a scowl.

"Let’s not even associate with those shameless people who have no remorse stealing roles. We're much more cultured and dignified people, right?"

"...Yeah, whatever."

I responded with a soulless face.

Jijoon Seo held the script for The Accomplices and grinned.

"I hope this does better than Spy."

Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind.

"It will."

In the past few days, I might have lost my temper because of future visions,

But this was a relief.

In this moment, I could say with certainty, without a hint of hesitation.

"This project will do much better than Spy."

***

Park Seungho paused as he was pushing open the door of the collection, catching a glimpse of himself in the glass door.

His hair, grown out and slightly unkempt, was swept back to look natural as he entered the shop amidst the familiar scent of oil and a cacophony of voices.

"Hey, Park Seungho!"

"Seungho’s here, Seungho, hey, make some room."

Park Seungho settled into a space that had been cleared for him.

"Brother, did you just finish the second round? You’re always so busy by yourself."

"I missed the last train waiting for you, now I have to catch the first one."

"Let’s see the business cards, business cards! What does an entertainer's manager’s card look like?"

Already tipsy, the crowd around Park Seungho grew louder.

With resolve, he pulled out a designer card holder he had splurged on and handed out business cards neatly printed with ‘W&U Management Division, Team 4, Park Seungho’. Tired, he said,

"Sorry, I just finished work. I dropped off Songha and came straight here."

"Lee Songha?"

The casually mentioned name drew immediate attention.

"Are you Lee Songha’s manager?"

"Strictly speaking, I’m in charge of Neptune, but lately, I’ve been sticking closer to Songha because of her packed personal schedule."

Oohs and aahs of excitement pounded on the table.

"Are you close with Lee Songha?"

"What’s she really like? She seems like she might be difficult."

Faces full of curiosity waited for him to speak.

Park Seungho coughed awkwardly and took a sip of water. He was so exhausted that he could fall asleep within a minute of hitting the bed, yet the satisfaction of attending his university mates' drinking session was undeniable. It was more than worth it.

As he enjoyed the spotlight, from the back of the room someone said,

"You’re not really tight with the celebs yet, right? From what I hear, you’re mostly driving. Must be tough always being on the road."

It sounded like concern but was tinged with irritation.

Park Seungho lightly emptied his glass of soju and laughed.

"It's not just tough; it's killing me. But this is the best way to learn, on the field. Team Leader Jung Sunwoo started the same way. It helps you get close to the celebrities faster."

"Really?"

"And Songha is nice. Who says she’s difficult? She’s just shy, but once you get to know her, she’s very easy to work with. Of all the celebs I’ve met at W&U, she’s the nicest. Some of the others, though..."

He leisurely picked at some peppers and paused, mid-sentence,

"But don’t spread what I say here. I signed a confidentiality agreement when I joined. One wrong move and I could get fired and sued."

He feigned seriousness, drawing more intense attention.

"Really? You signed something like that?"

"Seeing the things I see with celebrities, I had to. It's not that I can’t talk; I’ve seen all sorts of ridiculous stuff."

"Oh, just spill a few juicy details!"

"I’ll listen and forget all about it here."

"No, I really can’t,"

Laughing, Park Seungho took another sip of soju.

His head, heavy with fatigue, buzzed with an odd excitement.

***

It was leisurely.

Soft sunlight seeped through the slats of the blinds.

As he sprawled in his chair, savoring a rare moment of peace,

The door burst open with a knock, and both the PR team leader Park and the department head rushed into the manager's office.

It was incredibly intriguing,

like people who had discovered something strange.

"Look at this, something bizarre just popped up on the internet."

Team Leader Park offered his phone.

"Is it an article?"

"No, just a post on a drama and movie community forum."

"Is it about Mr. Joo-won or Mr. Ji-jun?"

Frowning, he looked at the screen.

[W&U's Jung Sunwoo has revealed an amazing project list]

Insider info: Hong Gildong Jeon, Salt, Spy, Doctor 25 Hours

The insider is Neptune's road manager

└He's talking crap. Insider my assㅋㅋㅋDo you even have friends?

└Given the last post, better to ignore it

- I certify these are university mates.jpg

└?????? Really?

└Wasn't sure about Hong Gildong Jeon after seeing the trailer, but now I’ll watch it

└Thinking about investing? Damn, but I’m broke

└But posting this stuff online, isn't that bad for your friend? Might get him fired. Better delete it

└Photo deleted? Anyone see what it was?

└W&U company business card

└Fake newsㅋㅋㅋㅋManagers scatter their cards everywhere, and you claim that's proofㅋㅋWhere did you find it?

└There was also a staff ID photo? Got it through a message

As if he had caught a cockroach, chills ran down his spine.

What is this?

"Wow, you’re really making a name for yourself. All kinds of rumors flying around."

The department head laughed as he patted my shoulder.

Team Leader Park took up the conversation.

"Seeing Spy and Doctor 25 Hours in there, you must've picked up something? But what are Hong Gildong Jeon and Salt about, coming out of nowhere? Could this be a viral tactic from their side?"

"That’s possible. It would be quite effective."

"If that's true, then you really missed the mark. According to Mr. Sunwoo, both Spy and Doctor 25 Hours are likely to flop. This could turn out to be a list of flops instead of hits."

They chuckled as if it were the funniest thing.

I was the only one not laughing.

I just blinked blankly, wondering if this was a dream.

Why in the world...

"How could this...?"

The laughter slowly subsided.

The department head and Team Leader Park exchanged glances before looking at me.

"Is this list for real? Did this come from you?"

"Really?"

Ignoring their eager questioning, I retraced my memory.

I had never mentioned Hong Gildong Jeon and Salt out loud.

The trace I left...

I abruptly stood and fetched a notebook I had pushed aside on my desk.

Flipping through a few pages, a page marred with ink stains remained,

Listing Hong Gildong Jeon, Salt, Spy, Doctor 25 Hours side by side,

So, to summarize.

Someone had.

Sneaked into my office.

Rummaged through my notebook.

And blabbed about it outside.

What a mess.

"Hey, this is spreading all over social media now. They're calling it Jung Sunwoo’s list of next big hits, people are..."

Team Leader Park, looking at his phone, spoke with a shocked expression.

"They're calling it the Jung Sunwoo list?"

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