Chapter 193
[Make members of the Sabers internalize the school violence controversy involving ‘Yosea’ and spread rumors targeting Girl Revolution.]
[Quest completed! You have received a ‘Buff Reward Choice.’ ]
Seon Taeyang looked at the rising message and expressionlessly deleted the window.
That attitude was mechanical, as if he had done this countless times before.
Then he took out the electronic cigarette he had tucked into his suit pocket and lit it up.
An item bought in a moment of impulse, compromise, or change of heart that he occasionally used.
In a small balcony that felt cramped with just two people, Seon Taeyang enjoyed a moment without caring about anyone’s gaze.
At that moment, the balcony door opened, and the company’s president, Cheon Aram, walked in.
When Seon Taeyang recognized her, he almost extinguished the cigarette, but Cheon Aram’s words that he didn’t have to made him nod.
“….”
Without saying a word, Cheon Aram walked to the side of Seon Taeyang and leaned against the railing, looking up at the sky.
The sky was filled with dark clouds, a dull gray.
A gray city, gray people, and the synthetic fruity scent of the electronic cigarette.
Just when that scene and aroma started to feel familiar, Cheon Aram opened her mouth.
“Isn’t the recent school violence controversy surrounding Yosea from the Sabers the work of Team Leader Seon?”
Turning his head away from her, Seon Taeyang exhaled smoke into the sky and answered nonchalantly.
“It’s unfortunate for the Sabers, but how could I cause a school violence controversy? That’s just Yosea’s mistake.”
“Really? Is that all there is to it?”
Cheon Aram tapped her nose and said.
“You know me, right?”
Seeing her, Seon Taeyang bitterly smiled and opened his mouth again.
“…Honestly, I didn’t think I could hide it from President Cheon until the end.”
What he aimed for was just to make her realize it a moment later.
“Yes, your guess is correct, President. Yosea did not participate in the violence. Whether it was self-preservation or conviction, she merely observed and did not engage. And before long, this fact will be revealed. She may have stood by, but she did not partake.”
However, since all purposes had already been achieved, he had no intention of hiding it.
“Whispers will continue, and controversy will arise, but ultimately, it will be accepted within the fandom. However, in the meantime, the momentum of the Sabers aiming for the stronghold of Girl Revolution, which is challenging for the number one spot for seven consecutive weeks, will crumble. After all, being number one isn’t just about fandom.”
“The momentum of the Savers aiming for the top will surely collapse. Being number one isn’t just about the fandom, you know.”
“Right. To be number one, you need to have popularity as well. Fandom commerce has its limits.”
“Exactly. So, moral integrity is important. Well, in this case, Yoshea might feel wronged, but making good friends is also crucial. We must avoid any room for such issues.”
“….”
“Knowing that I, the one who succeeded in bringing down the competitors of Girl Revolution and dividing their hostile fandom, would say this will surely drive them crazy, but what can I do? They probably won’t find out… And even if they do later, it will be too late. Of course, I also didn’t let things slip to that extent.”
Watching Seon Taeyang confess that he detonated a bomb that covered the entertainment industry’s front page with little thrill, Cheon Aram said,
“What do you think Team Leader Seon’s scent is like right now?”
Seon Taeyang paused for a moment at the question, erasing even a hint of a smile, leaving only a bitter expression.
“It must smell bad.”
“Hmm… You’re not wrong, but that’s only half the answer.”
“Half… then what’s the complete answer?”
Their eyes met.
Cheon Aram gazed into his dark eyes and calmly replied,
“The answer is half and half.”
“…Half and half? Are you saying there’s both a bad odor and a fragrance at the same time?”
“Yep, exactly.”
After hearing Cheon Aram’s answer, Seon Taeyang contemplated for a moment before honing in on the crux.
“It seems a bit ambiguous. You’ve previously described the mixed scent of sweat from a good person as a vague smell, right? Is this different from that?”
“Yep, it’s different. Smelling them combined as one is completely different from being able to separate them.”
She cut off Seon Taeyang’s question about how that’s different before he could ask.
“Of course, I’m not exactly sure what it means either. But one thing is clear.”
And then, with eyes filled with regret and pity, she said the words she wanted to express.
“Team Leader Seon, you might end up being disliked by the kids.”
“….”
“It may seem frustrating for me, who benefits from your efforts, to say this. However, I really dislike the idea of you being hated by the kids more than the benefits you provide. Don’t you think the same?”
“I don’t care.”
Seon Taeyang said confidently.
“As long as those kids can rise to a higher place.”
*
At the public audition, the trainee Seri, who had just joined TwoBear, was imparting practical knowledge such as the etiquette for sharing practice rooms and the evaluation criteria deemed important by the trainers to her kind senior trainee, Jang Jin-yu.
They were imparting practical knowledge about evaluation factors that insiders consider important.
“Did you get that so far?”
“Yes! I remember everything.”
“Okay, seems like you understand well enough, so it’s worth telling you… Now, let me introduce you to the people you must never offend while working at this company. In other words, you need to impress them as much as possible.”
“Impress them? Isn’t it enough to show a good side to all the staff?”
Hearing this, senior trainee Jang Jin-yu gasped and said,
“Wow, if all the new hires thought like you, that would be great… But sometimes there are those who think just being a trainee makes them an idol already, ranking people and ignoring those they consider lower than themselves.”
“Uh… they don’t sound like the type of people I’d want to befriend.”
“By the way you’re talking, I don’t think you need to worry much. Even so, I should tell you that the people I’m about to mention are the power players at TwoBear.”
At Jang Jin-yu’s words, Seri tilted her head and asked,
“Power players? Are you talking about the President?”
“The President is definitely a power player. However, as a trainee, you’ll probably have little chance to see them. So the ones we really need to pay attention to are the others.”
Jang Jin-yu raised three fingers and folded one, stating,
“The first is Director James Oh, who oversees A&R. If you have any interest in singing, you surely must know of him, right? He’s responsible for countless hit songs to the point where it seems absurd to be at a company like TwoBear. Back when they only had Girl Revolution, this place literally started from nothing.”
“Why would someone like him join here?”
“Well…, I’m not exactly sure, but I had a chance to talk to senior Yuri once and she said he joined because the job is close to his hobby.”
Hearing that, Seri shuddered slightly and said,
“His job is his hobby? …He sounds intimidating.”
“Yeah, he’s serious about his work, so if you can’t show him your skills, you might as well forget about getting a good song.”
Seeing Seri get tense and hesitant, Jang Jin-yu folded his second finger and said,
“The second is Director Seo Soo-yeon, who oversees finance. She boasts an absolutely ridiculous degree and work history, too. I’ve heard she received numerous scouting offers from huge financial firms.”
“Wow… she sounds impressive.”
“Right? It’s not just her experience; her current authority is also insane. She manages all the investment scales for every project at TwoBear. So obviously, you need to impress her. Plus, she acts like the President’s secretary, meaning how you present yourself to her is directly linked to how you’re seen by President Cheon Aram. No need to say it, you better impress her!”
“Since you’re someone like Seon Taeyang, how you present yourself is directly linked to how Cheon Aram sees you. …Needless to say, you’ve got to show off your best, right?”
As Seri nodded along vigorously, Jang Jin-yu folded her last finger and spoke about the most important person.
“And the last one you already know….”
Just then, the elevator doors opened, and a man walked out.
All eyes in TwoBear shifted towards that man.
Long-time staff greeted him warmly while the junior staff bowed their heads.
Jang Jin-yu gazed at the true power player of TwoBear, who effortlessly pulled the entire company’s atmosphere, and said his name.
“It’s Director Seon Taeyang.”
“….”
“He’s the one who, without any base in the beginning, managed to elevate ‘Girl Revolution’ to its peak despite countless controversies, and subsequently made the boy group ‘Ashd’ and the project group ‘Road to Girls’ successful, making him the unquestionable number one contributor to the current TwoBear.”
“…I know. I’ve seen him on TV since I was young.”
“Yep, right now, the number of people who can be called star managers includes him, which you can count on one hand. His unique way of speaking is playful enough to make the viewer cheerful but never crosses the line, and he elevates others above himself, which ensures he gets positive responses on shows every time. Thanks to that image, he still has three fixed programs. Plus, he’s immensely talented in composition and music, so he gets a ton of collaboration requests.”
And as Jang Jin-yu watched that man, her cheeks flushed strangely.
“Given those achievements, he obviously has the strongest speaking rights, aside from the President. I’ve heard talks about him becoming a vice president. Moreover, he’s incredibly gentle and charming…. In any case, you must make a good impression no matter what.”
Seri faced the employees’ greetings while watching Seon Taeyang bustling away somewhere.
His eyes were dark and deep, drawing you in, with an alluring yet cold gaze and lips that seemed decadent.
That image, while playful, looked serious and even cold, quite different from his fun-loving brotherly persona on entertainment shows.
‘What kind of thoughts does someone like that live with?’
As she silently questioned herself, Seri confidently assured herself while looking at Seon Taeyang solemnly walking through the door.
‘Yeah, he’s definitely cool and calm, pondering the future of the company.’
*
Upon arriving at the promised location outside TwoBear and spotting Oh Yoori, Seon Taeyang exclaimed as if screaming.
“Yoori, I’m in deep trouble!”
It was a far cry from his cool and calm demeanor.
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