Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Proof of Love. Insurance
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What the hell is this thing, anyway?
‘Does it have a normal mode and a special mode or something?’
And to begin with, isn’t there even a help menu?
I kept tapping on the smartphone. Ridiculously, there weren’t even any settings.
‘You’re really something else.’
I let out a sigh and closed my eyes. Well, whatever. It’s all the same to me. I’m going to use this as a cheat anyway.
‘I should at least put in a SIM card.’
I needed it for staying in touch with my sister anyway.
‘It’s like I saved money.’
Since I’ll be using this thing for life.
To celebrate getting a smartphone, I opened the video app. Luckily, the car had stopped, and it was picking up a faint Wi-Fi signal from somewhere.
‘I’m not trying to watch videos.’
I wanted to check the comments.
I opened the app and searched for Yumi. Her new music video popped up first. When I tapped it, the comments were a chaotic mess.
‘Huh?’
The first thing that caught my eye was the number. The view count had shot up quite a bit.
‘20,553,641? Twenty million?’
Isn’t that a lot?
“Uh, Manager. Yumi’s music video hit twenty million views.”
“Gasp! Really? That’s huge!”
Of course, ten years from now, surpassing twenty million would be common. But for right now, it was pretty exceptional.
I scrolled down the comments. They were a mix of English and Korean.
‘There are comments saying Yumi’s pretty, but…’
There were quite a few about the boy, too.
“Figured it out now, huh?”
The manager grinned.
“People might start recognizing you now.”
“From just one music video?”
“You blew it up! The CF we shot today is the same! Breadcrumbs keep dropping right when everyone’s paying attention—consider yourself lucky. The company might even start pushing you out there little by little.”
“I’ll work hard at whatever comes my way.”
“The company loves high-visibility kids.”
Did this raise my chances of making the next group?
‘I hope so.’
I kept checking the comments. A bit further down, there was even Arabic.
‘I’m really grateful to my senior.’
I wondered if Senior Yumi was sleeping well.
I grinned and closed my eyes. My heart was pounding; I wanted to keep filming forever.
***
When you make the debut team, you have to sign the contract. I put a new SIM into the smartphone and called my aunt. Luckily, she wasn’t busy and came straight to the company that evening.
“Oh, my boy!”
My aunt hugged me the moment she saw me and spun me around. I panicked a bit when my feet left the ground, but thinking about it, her hobby was mixed martial arts.
‘The women in my family all have intense hobbies.’
I landed safely on the floor and smiled brightly.
“Come on in!”
“Let me see that face of yours. Oh no, your pretty face has gotten all thin. You eating properly?”
“I’m eating well. Hello, Uncle.”
“Yeah. How’ve you been?”
My uncle grabbed my hand, holding a briefcase.
‘Why is he doing this?’
When I looked at him puzzled, he whispered softly.
“I’m Dad right now.”
Uh, Uncle. My father’s still alive. Well, no.
‘I don’t actually know if he’s alive or dead.’
We’d lost contact.
‘I get why he’s doing this.’
Life as an orphan is pretty harsh. I chuckled. If I were really sixteen, I might not get it, but I did. They were putting on a clumsy act for my sake.
“Let’s go in.”
“Yeah. Dowon.”
I led my aunt and uncle to the executive director’s office.
“The contract’s here, but I thought Mom should look it over.”
“I’ve already glanced at it. Don’t worry if there’s any issue. I’ll tear it apart bone from flesh.”
“Honey. Bones and flesh are already separate.”
Uh, Aunt? Uncle?
“Shall we take a look?”
My aunt smiled brightly and shook hands with Executive Director Joo. I smiled awkwardly.
‘Please go easy.’
I prayed silently, looking at her face.
“Straight to the point. Here’s the contract.”
My aunt looked it over leisurely and spoke.
“Not bad. No penalty fee. Even after trainee period ends, it’s not a mandatory contract but a priority negotiation—that’s the best part. The signing bonus is average too. For a big company, I thought it’d be higher.”
“This is the standard contract. Dowon’s aunt.”
“Oh. I’m Dowon’s mom right now.”
Executive Director Joo looked at me puzzled.
“She’s the mother right now.”
Don’t ask. If she says so, it is.
Executive Director Joo spoke with even more suspicious eyes.
“Any other questions?”
“I noticed something. About the settlements. What if they’re not done properly and my son Dowon takes a loss? There’s nothing about compensation for that?”
“Uh, th-this, ma’am?”
My aunt slammed down her pen and said.
“If you try to cheat with accounting or whatever and mess up the settlements, you have to pay the appropriate price!”
“You don’t trust us?”
“How can you trust a company? People are inherently untrustworthy. That’s why I brought this. Attached contract.”
When did she prepare that? My uncle pulled another contract from his briefcase and handed it to her like he’d been waiting.
Unlike my family, they were a perfectly matched couple.
“Read it carefully, thoroughly.”
I smiled awkwardly. Really…
‘My aunt’s amazing.’
Executive Director Joo looked stunned but read the contract. Then he sighed deeply and said.
“Some agencies do cheat on settlements. We don’t.”
“I know. I checked all the public audit reports.”
“I understand your concern, ma’am. Just a few years ago—not us, but others—things were pretty arbitrary.”
Executive Director Joo turned to me. I smiled prettily.
“Dowon is a talented trainee.”
Executive Director Joo signed the contract in front of my aunt and stamped the company seal.
“This is my trust. Dowon’s mom, uncle. Trust me.”
Wow.
‘Executive Director Joo’s got guts.’
I was honestly a little surprised. No need to go that far. Why?
‘Ah.’
Is this the visibility the manager mentioned?
‘Sure, there are tons of trainees, but ones with visibility are rare.’
This was pretty sincere.
‘Executive Director Joo’s got big ambitions.’
No wonder he’d lead the Hallyu wave a few years later.
My aunt seemed pleased too, smiling in satisfaction.
“You’re straightforward. Director.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
The contract wrapped up smoothly after that. After finishing the debut team contract, my aunt patted my head and said.
“My boy, you need to eat well. Mom’s busy with a big case.”
“I’m grateful you even came.”
“I’m glad you’re doing well. Mom’s heading out. Oh, honey. Didn’t you have something to say to Dowon?”
“Ah! I forgot. Dowon, can you sign this?”
What?
My uncle pulled out a prepared file from his briefcase.
‘You don’t sign things lightly.’
I checked the paper and was a bit surprised.
“Comprehensive insurance, right?”
“I’ll pay for it. Just sign.”
I couldn’t figure it out at all.
“I was thinking what I could do for my one and only nephew. I don’t know much about the industry. I just want you healthy. This is good coverage. Cancer, brain, heart—all covered, and the diagnostic benefits are generous!”
Uh, Uncle?
Blood rushed to my face. I’d never imagined this.
‘What do I do? I’m so grateful.’
I knew they were good people who lived righteously even without laws, even before my regression. But this? No way.
“It might not be a big deal.”
“No! How’s this not a big deal? It costs money every month!”
“The rates are good right now. It’ll go up in four days—rare opportunity. Oh, Sora already got hers!”
The premium was around 30,000 won—cheap. Really good. No reason to hesitate. I signed right away.
“Thanks, Dowon.”
“No. I wouldn’t have picked such good insurance myself.”
My chest tightened.
‘I’m going crazy with gratitude.’
Not even his kid, just a nephew. No reason to care this much. Helping legally was already too much—why this too?
“Uncle, I’ll definitely succeed.”
“No, no.”
My uncle shook his head.
“We only worry about your health, Dowon.”
How can people be this good?
“Gotta go. I’ve got work piled up. I’ll send the insurance guarantee to this company later.”
I bowed.
“Yes, Uncle.”
A sigh escaped me. I waved until they were out of sight, then dropped my arm.
“You’ll need my success.”
A few years from now, my aunt would run for National Assembly.
‘She fell flat.’
Her once comfortable family finances would struggle after.
I smiled bitterly and turned.
‘I’ll help you then.’
By being a rich nephew.
I shook my head and walked on. To become a rich nephew, I needed to push harder in practice today.
‘Let’s raise my dance and vocal grades quick.’
Skill isn’t everything, but right now, it’s what I need most. I dashed off. My footsteps echoed lightly down the hall.
***
Executive Director Joo strode down the hall with a tablet in hand. He knocked on the heavy door, saying out loud.
“Knock knock!”
Kang Minje, wearing headphones, looked up. He smiled faintly and nodded.
“Got time, Minje?”
“Time? Never have enough.”
Executive Director Joo pulled up a chair and sat. Kang Minje rolled his shoulders and said.
“What’s up?”
“Heard about Vita?”
“Oh, drunk driving, right? Have to delay the comeback. Can’t even finish the song now.”
“Big problem that Vita’s our only boy idol group.”
Kang Minje grinned.
“We’ll have another soon.”
“Need to make it faster.”
“How fast?”
Executive Director Joo rested his chin on his hand and crossed his legs.
“Latest, within six months.”
“Wow.”
Kang Minje looked at the ceiling and said.
“Members aren’t even decided.”
“Pick from the debut team.”
“Easier said than done. Oh, we have plenty of songs ready.”
“I know. And Minje.”
Executive Director Joo shoved the tablet forward.
“Look.”
Kang Minje tapped the screen. A video played. It showed him and a familiar younger trainee moving.
“Dowon.”
“Watch to the end.”
The CF was a mere 30 seconds. But in every moment, Cha Dowon acted perfectly.
“Tried a bunch of projects, but never seen a kid with this much sense.”
“He’s really good at acting.”
“Honestly, Yumi’s MV was whatever, but this is different.”
In the video, the boy held a child and looked around. He was pretty and fresh. A bit naive role, but no flaws—just cute.
“This kid’s the real deal.”
It was an unreleased CF. He’d checked it via email and was blown away.
“This was originally Vita’s, right?”
“Yeah. But even Vita couldn’t pull this off. Talented or not, how? Why’s he good from the start?”
“Who knows. He’s got talent.”
Kang Minje thought of Cha Dowon dancing. Definitely something that drew the eye.
“Our Dowon’s amazing?”
Kang Minje couldn’t hold back a laugh.
“Not sure about ‘our’ Dowon, but Cha Dowon’s building visibility as a trainee.”
“Visibility’s good. Adds attention, skyrockets success odds.”
Kang Minje stared piercingly at Cha Dowon on the paused screen.
“You really are fun, Dowon.”