Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Livelihood Idols
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SAH Entertainment President Seo Jae-hyun was taken aback.
"Eh? Baekhansuryeo wants to use our song in a CF? Which one?"
"It's 'Walking Again Today,' the one sung by Ddaengddaeng-i."
Seo Jae-hyun broke into a wide grin.
"Wow, great songs always get noticed eventually. I felt bad that it wasn't getting any promo—no events, no airtime—but now it'll blow up through this CF! Free advertising like that will skyrocket the digital sales."
"But the condition is..."
Seo Jae-hyun said with a smile.
"We'll take any deal as long as it's not outrageous. If we don't jump on this now, when will we?"
"Mr. Na Gang-in has to handle the action scenes for the CF..."
"Huh? Mr. Na Gang-in? Uh..."
Seo Jae-hyun was a bit scared of Na Gang-in and didn't want to meet him in person.
"Have the manager go and sort it out nicely."
"Pardon? Mr. Na Gang-in isn't with our agency, so he doesn't have a dedicated manager."
"We've got Section Chief Park Woo-seop. He's not officially assigned, but ask him to handle it. Offer him a bonus."
***
Shin Eun-ha's manager, Park Woo-seop, called Na Gang-in.
"Mr. Gang-in, we need to discuss the CF deal."
- CF?
"They want to use 'Walking Again Today' as BGM, with you handling the action, and that's the condition for the offer."
- Who made the proposal?
"It's for Baekhansuryeo's new sports cosmetics line. They specifically said you have to take the role..."
- Ah, I get the picture. I'm in another region right now. Let's meet when I get back to Seoul. You free tomorrow?
Na Gang-in's response wasn't negative, so Park Woo-seop's face lit up.
"Got it. See you at the PC bang tomorrow."
Park Woo-seop deliberately set the meeting at the PC bang. He could score some of Na Gang-in's mixed snack mix there.
After hanging up, Park Woo-seop grinned broadly.
"Might as well mooch a meal too. No—better ask for three separate packs."
***
Na Gang-in ended the call and looked around the Daejeon Daedeok Research Complex.
"Not that different from what you know, huh?"
- All the key defense facilities in this area are gone.
"They just haven't been built yet. There's a 60-year time difference."
Na Gang-in and AI Jeon Ji-in gathered info on the current world via the internet.
But they didn't rely solely on the net. He often visited sites in person to verify info with his own eyes.
"It'd be nice if one of these labs could explain our situation."
- There's not even anywhere doing similar research.
"I had some hopes for the artificial sun lab."
- The nuclear fusion lab is over there, but its location and layout don't match my records at all.
No results, but no disappointment either.
"I didn't expect much, so nothing to be let down about."
- On the way back to base, how about some jjambbong?
"Found a good spot?"
AI Jeon Ji-in displayed a jjambbong joint in Chungcheongnam-do.
- Recommended route: head there from your current position, eat jjambbong, then hop on the highway straight back to base.
"You already scoped it out? Fine, let's go. Food's always a win."
***
On the way to the jjambbong place, Na Gang-in spotted a local event venue.
AI Jeon Ji-in suggested.
- Agent, how about sampling some festival food before the main meal?
"Ji-in, you're basically human now, but gluttony too?"
- Just researching new flavors.
"Good excuse. Alright, let's check it out."
Na Gang-in parked nearby and walked to the venue.
But he spotted some unexpected faces there.
"Don't I know those girls from somewhere?"
AI Jeon Ji-in remembered every face Na Gang-in had met in person.
- SAH Entertainment's girl group, Ppf Girls.
Ppf Girls' maknae, Choi Ji-hye, recognized Na Gang-in too.
"Ah! Hello!"
"Oh, hi."
Ppf Girls leader So Ji-young asked.
"Ji-hye, you know him?"
"He's the guy who was eating with Senior Shin Eun-ha at the company cafeteria before."
The other three quickly bowed.
"Ah! Hello, senior!"
Na Gang-in waved it off.
"I'm not in entertainment. Just acquaintances with Eun-ha."
"Oh, got it. Still, nice to run into someone who knows Senior Eun-ha here!"
"What brings you all here?"
Maknae Choi Ji-hye boasted.
"We have an event today. Heehee."
"Ah... this event..."
The event was tiny. Just a few pop-up food stalls under tents, not many locals around.
Na Gang-in recalled Shin Eun-ha mentioning Ppf Girls barely got gigs.
'Heard they scrape by on these occasional small shows for living expenses...'
"I see. Good luck, work hard. Oh, you already done?"
"No, we perform once at the start and once at the end."
"Huh? Twice? Waiting around till the end seems rough."
"Nah, it's fine. Nothing else to do anyway."
"What kind of manager books this...?"
"No manager. We came by ourselves."
Na Gang-in blinked in surprise.
"Pardon?"
Choi Ji-hye figured Na Gang-in was close to Shin Eun-ha, from seeing them at the cafeteria.
So she spilled company tea freely—stuff everyone knew anyway.
"Big project today, short on managers. When that happens, we handle events solo to save the company hassle and cut costs. Win-win."
Na Gang-in was floored.
"Whoa, SAH's going all out."
AI Jeon Ji-in noted.
- Reconsider the CF deal.
"Yeah, might need to."
Choi Ji-hye waved her hands.
"Ah, don't get the wrong idea. We volunteered. Heehee."
"Still, why...?"
"Gigs are rare, and these pay peanuts after expenses. Skipping the manager fee means we pocket more. The guys do it too."
Na Gang-in glanced where Choi Ji-hye pointed.
SAH's boy group was prepping their own stage nearby.
Na Gang-in muttered.
"Ah... SAH didn't just dump them blindly. Sent the groups together."
- Minimum combat power secured.
"Exactly."
- No reason to rethink the CF now.
Na Gang-in asked Choi Ji-hye.
"You all come in one car?"
"Yep, one van. Saving on vehicle costs means the company kicks back the full amount."
"I get the logic, but it's still kinda shocking."
Na Gang-in stepped aside and called Shin Eun-ha.
After explaining, he asked.
"This normal?"
Shin Eun-ha clarified.
- Not standard, but with four guys along, they can handle any heavy lifting. Company sends just them and pays out the usual fees in cash.
"Unique system."
- Gigs pay so little, they'd net nothing otherwise. Boss has quirky ideas.
"What if fans swarm? Idols blocking could make it worse."
- No way. They barely have fans. Seong-hwan's the exception.
PC bang trio's hacker college kid An Seong-hwan was a Ppf Girls fan.
Na Gang-in got it.
"Side gigs like this pad their living expenses."
- Yep. They're all sweet, so no trouble solo. Shame they can't break out. I snuck them into film/drama bit parts, but no dice.
Na Gang-in eyed Ppf Girls. All four checking mirrors, touching up makeup.
"Hold up. No one's with you— who does makeup?"
- They do it themselves. No assigned artist.
"Figures. Least I can do is help."
- With what?
"Got something in mind."
Na Gang-in hung up and asked AI Jeon Ji-in.
"Ji-in, you're great at drawing. Makeup too?"
- I know combat camo lotion application perfectly.
"You have Recon Terrain Description skill. You nailed that arsonist sketch with it before."
- You want me to paint civilians' faces with that skill?
"Spot on."
- Activating Terrain Detail Rendering and Military Equipment Painting skills. Need reference images.
Na Gang-in pulled out his smartphone.
"They've had full pro makeovers at salons. Find those pics."
AI Jeon Ji-in searched the net on his phone.
- Targets appeared on broadcast TV once since debut.
"Full glam then."
- Found the footage.
Na Gang-in watched.
"Cute. Recreate that exactly. Can do?"
- Of course.
Na Gang-in approached Ppf Girls.
"Need makeup help?"
"Pardon?"
"I'm pretty good."
The other three looked awkward. Entrusting faces to a stranger?
But maknae Choi Ji-hye shot her hand up.
"Me! Me! I suck at makeup, always bug sisters."
"Roger."
"Wipe first!"
AI Jeon Ji-in advised.
- Remove just 10% from current to recycle the rest. Cuts time.
"Nah, tweak on top. Minimal wipe."
Na Gang-in sat before Choi Ji-hye.
Goal: match her face to the video's full glam exactly.
He started. AI Jeon Ji-in guided his hands. Speed was blinding—looked like slapdash swipes.
Moments later, AI Jeon Ji-in reported.
- 95% match to video on target's face.
Na Gang-in set down tools.
"Done."
Choi Ji-hye checked the mirror and yelped.
"Ah!"
The other three, mid-makeup, rushed over.
"What? Botched?"
"It's fine, wipe it. Sis'll redo... Whoa?"
Choi Ji-hye spun, beaming.
"Sisters, look! It's exactly like that Cheongdam salon glam!"
"Whoa, identical!"
Choi Ji-hye grinned.
"Felt totally different technique, but perfect match? Amazing! How?"
Na Gang-in said.
"Saw you like this look, referenced the video. Still 5% off."
Choi Ji-hye jumped up, bowed at waist.
"Thank you!"
The other three eyed Na Gang-in hesitantly.
He asked.
"Next?"
Their faces lit up.
"Me!"
"Thanks!"
"Please!"
***
Na Gang-in referenced their one full-glam video.
AI Jeon Ji-in reused existing makeup to speed things up. Five minutes each.
Done, the four linked hands and bounced.
"Wow! We look so pretty!"
Na Gang-in smiled faintly.
"You all were pretty already."
"Thank you!"
Na Gang-in added.
"Hack to save time, so shorter wear than pro. But holds till after first set. Issues? Come find me."
"Yes!"
The boy group nearby prepped their stage. They noticed late, approached warily—creep alert?
But they gawked at Ppf Girls' faces.
"Whoa, what? Full glam? You weren't like this in the van."
Choi Ji-hye bragged.
"Heehee, this guy did us all!"
"Makeup artist? Company sent?"
"Nah, Eun-ha sister's friend. Saw him at cafeteria when we greeted her. Passed by, helped out."
Na Gang-in shrugged.
"Just 'cause Eun-ha asked me to look out."
The four boys bowed quick.
"Hello, senior!"
"Said already, not in the biz."
"Makeup pro then!"
"Nope... just passerby."
"Yes, passerby sir! We'll greet Noona Eun-ha properly!"
"Uh... I know. You did at the cafeteria. Why mention?"
The four boys' eyes sparkled.
"We want full glam too!"
Na Gang-in said lightly.
"Eun-ha asked, so sure."
Their faces bloomed.
"No need perfection like theirs!"
"Rough's fine!"
"Better than ours anyway!"