"Are You Rejecting the Exclusive Contract?"
"Are you saying you're rejecting the exclusive contract?"
"You have no intention of working with G&X?"
Seo Hyun-woo answered.
"Obviously the former, right?"
He shot back at Jung Pil-woon without a hint of pressure on his face.
"I'm not the type to be tied down under someone."
"Mr. Seo Hyun-woo. Aren't you being a bit too cocky in front of the CEO? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from the heavens."
There wasn't a shred of fluster. No matter how bold a rookie composer might be, anyone in this industry should know just how much goodwill they were extending.
They'd tailored the contract terms—no one would complain about them, not even the pickiest. And the CEO of G&X himself had stepped up, someone whose shadow was hard to catch for most.
Any sane person would get it. How much effort they were putting in.
If he spoke plainly what he'd seen and felt, it would be ingratitude. Put nicely, it was brashness overflowing.
Seo Hyun-woo picked up the contract again and shook his head.
"Yes, exactly. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from the heavens that won't come twice."
Team Leader Yeo Eun-seong stood up.
"If you know that, then right now..."
"For you guys."
"Pardon?"
"This isn't heavenly luck for me. It's misfortune. Not an opportunity at all."
Seo Hyun-woo pushed the contract away.
"Not just G&X. I have no plans for an exclusive anywhere. I can handle it on my own."
Those eyes that had shone toward them.
Jung Pil-woon couldn't help but think—what if this kid had been an idol from the start? If they'd polished him just a little more?
Could he have written a new legend?
Jung Pil-woon unwittingly licked his lips. It wasn't just an age issue. Seo Hyun-woo's image was already too consumed to turn back.
He'd come too far to return, and now he was trying to walk away.
He rose from his seat, and Seo Hyun-woo stood with a smile.
Many who followed Jung Pil-woon sneered at such a Seo Hyun-woo, but he was different. It wasn't baseless bravado destined to be dismissed as bluff.
An inexplicable faith took root. If Seo Hyun-woo said he could do it, he probably could.
It felt like looking at his younger self. While others pointed fingers, calling him clueless, they were the truly ignorant ones.
Jung Pil-woon had pulled it off spectacularly, and now Seo Hyun-woo resembled him.
"So that's why."
Jung Pil-woon recalled the events from days ago and let out a scoff.
"Why are you laughing?"
The secretary driving toward the meeting spot asked.
"Nothing, just thought of something funny."
"If it's the last scene from Cheonbihoe, I feel the same. Viewers are already posting tons about you, sir. Here."
The secretary in the passenger seat twisted around and handed Jung Pil-woon the tablet.
I'd assumed the G&X CEO would be some stiff, stern type, but he was so hearty. Unlike his suit, he seemed like the friendly uncle next door. Warm. A charming twist. Approachable.
With this image, it should offset the auto-complete scandals like "G&X unfair contracts" and "power trips" that popped up after typing just "G&X" in search portals.
The results matched his intentions perfectly.
The secretary's face lit up with satisfaction.
"This is good enough for more appearances, sir."
"No. This is plenty. What's the point if the CEO gets more famous than our artists?"
It was the artists who needed to bring in the money, not Jung Pil-woon.
With the CEO stating his stance so firmly, the secretary fell silent.
Instead, he realized the answer to his earlier question.
"Was that laugh about Falcon, by any chance?"
"Yeah."
Jung Pil-woon nodded. No need or reason to hide it.
"I see. Speaking of composers, the A&R team's scrambling, but... tracks like Nemesis and the other boy group songs are hard to source."
So?
He listened calmly, lips pressed tight, but the unspoken question hung there. As if this weren't the first time, the secretary gauged Jung Pil-woon's mood.
"Looks like we'll have to swallow our pride and ask Falcon again."
"No need to watch my face. If there's a good track, contact him anytime. Pride won't pay our bills."
Jung Pil-woon turned his head.
"Right?"
The driver's eyes met his in the rearview, and he stammered.
"Y-yes... yes, sir."
"Everyone looks after their own rice bowl."
High schooler?
"Right? Falcon."
Round eyes looking up at me from a high school... no, wait. A high schooler drinking at this hour? College student. A proper young woman who looked the part approached, confirming my identity.
"Right? Right? Don't even think about denying it."
The college girl gestured to her eyes with two fingers, emphasizing toward me.
"You have no idea how many times I searched to track you down."
I hadn't planned to deny it, but now it felt like I had to affirm even if not. Scary.
What grudge did I have against her to get hunted down like this? What did I do wrong?
Black Label fan, maybe? If so, shouldn't this aggression be off-limits? Not that I'd say it myself, but still. Who saved Black Label?
No. Watching her scowl, she didn't seem like a Black Label fan no matter how I sliced it.
Then... Kickkick Band fan? That might make more narrative sense, easier to buy. Even malice would stick more to them than Black Label.
Uh... but had any broadcast aired bad blood with Kickkick Band? Regular viewers wouldn't know those behind-the-scenes details.
No way Choi Jeong spilled it on SNS live? Nah, I hadn't heard that.
But that's ridiculous too. Kickkick Band wasn't holding the winner's trophy—they were just contenders.
Resenting me now...
"Mr. Falcon. I asked you not to think of dodging this meeting with some excuse."
"Wasn't planning to dodge."
I had plenty of worries on how to handle it, though.
Alright, back to basics.
"You seem to know everything already, so no need for intros. Who are you?"
"Um..."
The college girl hesitated. See? The hardcore fan type who puts people on the spot.
"Do I need to tell you that right now?"
Kim Min-hyuk finally cut in, unable to stand it.
"Uh... hey? We need to know to continue the convo, right? Are you a fan?"
Kim Min-hyuk shot to his feet, arms wide, face full of drunken cheer.
"If you're a fan, fan service first. Hug, autograph, photo. Which one?"
The college girl didn't even glance at him. Like a hyena locked on prey, her eyes stayed on mine.
She tapped two cute fingers to her lips, pondering.
"Hmm... autograph would be nice."
"Autograph? Knew this day'd come."
Kim Min-hyuk folded his broad frame naturally—no one was hugging him anyway—and pulled a marker from his back pocket.
"Where to?"
The girl ignored him completely. Not even pretending to hear. Rather than me awkwardly covering for him, she'd decided to treat Kim Min-hyuk like he didn't exist.
"Not on a T-shirt? Here then."
She pulled out a stiff document envelope—too formal for an autograph request. I'd seen plenty of those yesterday.
Contract. My edge sharpened instinctively.
"Management staff?"
"Hmm. Do I look it? Not like an idol?"
With Kim Min-hyuk needing backup, another landmine exploded underfoot.
"Kidding. You were so sharp, thought I'd lighten the mood with a joke."
At least she knew how to handle her own mess. She dragged a chair over.
"Mind if I sit?"
"You're already sitting."
"Come on, Mr. Seo Hyun-woo. You've been so stiff. Here~"
She raised her hand high.
"One more draft beer 500."
The server, oblivious, poured and brought it right away.
"Here you go."
"Thanks!"
She raised her glass.
"Cheers~?"
Her energy was hard to match—Kim Min-hyuk being loud was an excuse. Everything since she sat felt calculated.
Not just a fan. Looking closely now, maybe not even a college girl.
"No cheers?"
I lifted my glass half-heartedly, and she eyed my nearly empty one with complaint.
"Come on, what's this? I'd be hurt."
She called the server again. Checked Kim Min-hyuk's half-full glass.
"Sorry, I didn't notice. One more draft 500, please?"
"Sure~."
Refills were lightning fast. Server brought mine; she waved her other hand to hype it up.
"Okay, okay, down a cool beer, then like you said, my intro."
"Ooh~ nice."
What was nice? Composer's ear might be sharp, but social sense? Zero.
She raised her glass high.
"One shot!"
Not quite. Just a sip to wet her throat.
She chided me for whining, but that wasn't the point.
She slammed half the beer in one go and set it down.
"Anyway, intro time... I'm a writer."
"Writer? What kind? Drama?"
Impatient Kim Min-hyuk jumped in.
"No. Radio writer. Well, not main..."
The college girl—no, radio writer—ruffled her hair.
"Not the baby either. Simply put, mid-tier. Real power? Middle management?"
Vague tenure, vague dodge. Classic trait.
"Oh Seo-young, radio writer. Nice to meet you."
"Radio—which program?"
"Right."
Oh Seo-young pulled a handbag from beside her. Started fishing a business card from her wallet, then stopped.
"Old card, can't give it. Haha."
Realizing her unsecured spot, she sat back.
"The program? I work on A Pleasant Afternoon with Hwang Sun-young. Well..."
She slyly eyed the contract she'd set down.
"You probably guessed from that contract, but I want to book Falcon—Mr. Seo Hyun-woo."
[Unconfirmed alarms have piled up!]
[An undisclosed area has been discovered!]