Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Is the Author Omnipotent?
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Starting CY Entertainment had been tough at first.
JU Entertainment's pressure led countless PDs to snub them.
Bad rumors spread through the industry too.
Even recruiting actors became problematic.
It felt like everything would end before they could properly get started.
But he had to push through.
He needed to take responsibility for Eun-bi, who had left a major agency to follow him because she believed in him.
There was only one reason the once-promising star had chosen to come with him.
He was the one who had scouted her.
For that reason alone, she had followed him, and he had to take responsibility for her.
Above all, Woo-jong had made a vow.
To create an agency where talented artists were treated right.
To succeed without deceiving others.
He worked hard for that, and with a bit of luck, coincidence, and Eun-bi's talent, CY Entertainment managed to establish itself.
'Thank goodness.'
He had only learned about Ye-eun's situation after the company had gained some footing.
If he'd known before that, he wouldn't have been able to help even if he'd wanted to.
'Ye-eun has the potential to become an outstanding actress. I need to bring her on board before she gets disillusioned with this industry and leaves.'
Woo-jong picked up the phone.
* * *
Tae-seong held a meeting with the Otherworld Chef crew and actors.
'We'll postpone the filming schedule for Otherworld Chef Season 2 for the time being.'
'Postpone?'
Oh Young-tae asked with wide eyes.
In all the time working with Tae-seong, the schedule had never been delayed.
Everything had always proceeded steadily according to plan.
That's why his words came as such a shock.
'Yes. We need a bit more time to cast the actors, so it's unavoidable. Since this is a supporting role that appears as a lead-level character in Season 2, it's hard to film without filling the part.'
'Hmm, so how long will the delay be?'
The filming schedule was crucial for both crew and actors.
They needed to know to arrange their next gigs.
Most actors were freelancers.
They had to hustle schedules to make money and get by.
The crew was the same.
There was a base salary, but that was just the minimum.
They earned incentives by working on set.
If they could line up another job right away, great—but if not, problems arose.
That's when Tae-seong said something unexpected.
'The delay is entirely due to my own greed, so salaries will be paid as normal.'
'As normal...?'
'The postponed period will be calculated as normal working time, and you'll be paid accordingly.'
The actors and crew buzzed.
No set did things like this.
You didn't get paid until filming resumed.
So hearing they'd get paid anyway was astonishing.
Tae-seong smiled at their delighted faces.
* * *
After the meeting, Gabriel got into Tae-seong's car.
'Are you all right?'
'I'll take a hit on the budget, but yeah.'
'It's not about the money.'
Tae-seong sighed as he met Gabriel's steady gaze.
'How'd you know? Aren't you here in the flesh without your angelic powers?'
'Just because I don't have angelic powers doesn't mean all that experience vanishes.'
'Experience, huh...'
'You've lived many lives, but whenever you make that face, something's gone wrong.'
She was spot on, as always.
Of course—Gabriel had watched over 999 lives.
She knew him better than his own wife did...
'That's a creepy thought.'
He shook his head to clear it.
Then he told her about Ye-eun.
'Hmm. No matter how times change, there are always those who use women as stepping stones to climb.'
It wasn't just women.
They used every dirty trick to succeed.
No matter how the era or world shifted, that never changed.
Tae-seong despised people like that.
'Looks like you'll be getting involved after a long time.'
Gabriel knew well.
How Tae-seong handled situations like this.
He was a righteous man.
That's why, through 999 lives, his ticket to heaven never expired.
'I'll enjoy watching.'
'Enjoying watching others? Voyeur much?'
'Heh, I'm just faithful to my duty.'
Tae-seong shook his head.
* * *
'Haa...'
Ye-eun let out a sigh.
She'd been sighing more lately.
The reason was simple.
'Pillow business...?'
Something straight out of a drama or movie was happening to her.
She never saw it coming.
She'd thought hard work alone would make her an actress.
But no.
'Do I really have to go that far to become an actress?'
She asked herself.
She already knew the answer.
The reason she wanted to act was her late father.
When she was seven.
Her father died in a car accident in England.
Her mother brought the young Ye-eun back to Korea.
The sudden change turned her outgoing personality inward.
Her father's death, the abrupt environment shift.
On top of that, her mother had to work to support them, leaving home often.
She spent time with her grandparents, but everything piling up overwhelmed her.
Just as her heart was wearing down.
She came across a video of her father on stage.
Her father had been a theater actor.
Watching his performance on YouTube moved her deeply.
Especially seeing the audience's eyes fixed on him sparked her curiosity.
[What was Dad thinking while acting?]
She wanted to feel even a fraction of her father's emotions.
So she dove into acting on a whim.
With a goal, she changed.
Her introverted nature turned proactive, and friends started gathering.
Time passed, and she got on stage.
Then she realized.
How joyful acting was.
Above all, acting let her share her late father's experience.
It felt like being with him.
So she threw herself into it even more.
For her, acting was a way to be with her deceased father.
But now, that was being taken away.
'Haa...'
After refusing the casting couch, all her schedules stopped.
This was prime time for auditions and landing various roles.
Yet they all got canceled.
Even roles she'd already booked were recast with other actresses.
All support dried up too.
She had savings, so no immediate crisis—but if this dragged on, it'd hurt.
'What should I do?'
Everything felt chaotic then.
Her phone rang—an unknown number.
'Hello?'
[Is this Lee Ye-eun's phone?]
'Yes, this is Lee Ye-eun. Who's calling?'
[Ah! It's Choi Woo-jong. Do you remember me?]
A call from someone she hadn't expected.
* * *
'Uh... so, you want to scout me?'
Ye-eun asked again, eyes wide.
Choi Woo-jong, sitting across from her, nodded with a serious face.
'Yes.'
'I'm sorry, but you know I'm under exclusive contract with JU Entertainment, right?'
'Of course. I signed you myself.'
'Then you know the terms too?'
'Yes. If you terminate during the contract period, you pay three times the invested costs as penalty. That's the clause.'
'Yeah...'
Entertaining costs a lot.
Even for trainees.
Acting lessons, styling, diet, various training.
Plus living expenses—all covered by the agency.
It was an investment.
If the trainee jumped ship suddenly, the agency took a huge loss.
Hence the penalty clause as a safeguard.
'You signed with JU about three years ago, right?'
'You know your stuff.'
'I cast you myself.'
Woo-jong paused, then spoke.
'The invested amount the company figures is probably around 100 million won.'
'Really?'
Ye-eun didn't know that part.
No proper accounting yet, so no way to check costs received.
'Yes. I've managed many trainees, so I know the average. It won't be far off.'
Everyone knew Woo-jong had worked long at JU Entertainment.
'Penalty around 300 million won, then.'
Hearing 300 million made her sigh.
For Ye-eun, just turned adult, it was unimaginable.
It made solving this even harder.
'I can't do something like the casting couch.'
Her father wouldn't want her to go that far for acting.
Then Woo-jong said something unexpected.
'CY Enter will cover the full penalty.'
'What?'
'Of course, on the condition you sign with us.'
She expected that part.
But the key was them covering the entire penalty.
'Why...?'
Ye-eun knew her place.
One grain of sand in the desert of aspiring actors.
An actress like her could be found anywhere.
No reason to pay 300 million to snag her.
So why was her first question.
'I scouted you because I saw talent. I should have kept supporting you at the agency, but circumstances forced me to go independent.'
She knew.
Woo-jong was central to her JU contract.
He supported steadily at first.
Cared for her in every way, and she trusted and followed.
Then one day, her manager changed.
She heard Woo-jong had gone independent.
She felt a bit betrayed.
He left without a word.
So she harbored some resentment.
Woo-jong continued.
'The real reason I left the company... I saw its dark side.'
Her heart sank.
Dark side.
She knew exactly what that meant.
'You asked why?'
'...Yes.'
'Even if I didn't know, I put you in that company. You're not the only one. I plan to take responsibility for all the actors who trusted me and signed with JU.'
Actors he had to take responsibility for.
Those who signed with JU because they believed in him.
That was Woo-jong's true heart.
Ye-eun could clearly feel it.