Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Kneeling Recruiter and the Electric Car Gift
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"Hello. I'm Lee Jun-seo, the actor playing Kim Young-seok in [Guard the Pojangmacha!]."
There was no response.
They simply held their phones, listening intently to my words.
I hadn't expected this kind of reaction.
I'd thought I'd at least get some applause.
Looks like I'll have to wrap this up quickly...
"As this is my debut work, I hope you'll enjoy it despite any shortcomings."
Just as I finished the impromptu short ad and bowed my head,
"Oppa! Where's your daughter?"
A confident female voice rose from the crowd, a hand raised high.
Pushing forward was a girl in a neat school uniform.
She must have wanted to see Yu-na, the most popular character in the sitcom.
Oppa...
I couldn't help but chuckle at the pleasant term as I answered her question.
"Yu-na's at kindergarten right now."
"Oh, her name's Yu-na..."
Starting with that girl, a barrage of questions poured in.
"I have a question too! Is Kim So-ah from the sitcom really your daughter?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Amid the flood of questions, I approached a young woman who timidly raised her hand.
"Do you have something you'd like to ask?"
"Y-yes... Why don't you post your photos on Starlight?"
"...Starlight?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, I scratched the back of my head before replying.
"Well... Showing off Yu-na is kind of my hobby."
"Oh, I see..."
That was when it happened.
People sharply dressed in suits appeared and began dispersing the gathered crowd.
Of course, I was no exception.
"Please! You're blocking the customers' path. Kindly head back."
"You can't do this here."
"Everyone, please disperse."
They ignored the chorus of complaints.
Pushed by a burly man, I ended up inside the toy store.
'Now that the ad's done, maybe I should grab that electric car quick and head to the kindergarten?'
They'd said today was just the entrance ceremony and time to bond with classmates.
Come to think of it, that made sense.
Normally, kids go home after the ceremony.
I knew that from checking myself.
'It definitely ends at five.'
I'd originally planned to scout a one-room after, then pick up Yu-na...
But I wanted to give her an electric car as an entrance gift.
Which one would be good?
Right on cue, a staff member came rushing over, out of breath.
"Oh dear! Thank you for gracing our store again."
"My daughter started kindergarten today, and I want to get her an electric car as a gift. Got any recommendations?"
"I see. Lucky timing. A new model is coming soon, but... this one's our bestseller right now."
With practiced salesmanship, he showed me the most premium-looking electric car.
"It's matched to an adult walking speed, and for safety, it comes with a small remote for parents to control."
I nodded along as the staff explained.
Silence hung heavily over the Limited Team 2 Planning Department meeting room.
Team Leader Gu Min-hyuk had spotted a promising child actor and offered generous terms to her legal guardian.
A child star who wouldn't lose to Team 1.
If they could secure her, it would be a major win, letting them crush Team 1.
But...
'Why on earth! These are great terms!'
Gu Min-hyuk clenched his fist so hard it felt like his blood had stopped flowing. His knuckles turned white, trembling faintly.
He'd mustered the courage to reach out, but failed to sway rookie actor Lee Jun-seo.
"Team Leader, what now?"
Releasing his grip, Gu Min-hyuk replied softly to the employee's question.
"What else? We persuade him again."
"Should we... revise the terms?"
Gu Min-hyuk shook his head.
"No need for that."
"But what if Team 1 steals this like they did our last plan?"
The employee's urgent foot-tapping had merit. Team 1's moves were suspicious.
He'd heard they'd already signed contracts and were debating using two models.
"Lee Ha-yul... Losing her hurt, but this time's different. Lee Yu-na, was it?"
"Yes, sales spiked thanks to those photos from the shoot showing her using our product."
An anonymous photo upload had boosted Limited's sales.
The response showed she was more than qualified as their flagship CF model.
'Is there another way...'
Gu Min-hyuk was stroking his chin, racking his brain, when an entry-level employee burst in, phone in hand.
"T-Team Leader!"
"...Hey, no phones during meetings, you know that?"
"Look at this!"
"What's the big deal?"
Grumbling, he glanced at the phone screen the newbie thrust forward.
It showed actor Lee Jun-seo buying a Limited product at the department store, smiling contentedly.
'...Was he telling the truth?'
Honestly, Gu Min-hyuk hadn't believed Lee Jun-seo at all. He'd seen countless child actor guardians treat their kids as cash cows.
Lee Ha-yul's guardian was the same. Team 2 had adjusted schedules for the child's sake and shortened contracts, only to lose to Team 1 every time.
Face hardening, Gu Min-hyuk shot up, grabbing his coat.
"...I'll meet actor Lee Jun-seo in person and convince him."
"You're going yourself, Team Leader?"
"Yeah. Even if I have to kneel, I'll get that contract signed."
'What the hell is going on?'
My timing was off, so I'd ducked into a coffee shop inside the department store, waiting for kindergarten to end.
Then suddenly, a middle-aged man appeared and knelt right in front of me.
He had a buzz cut with a scar on his eyebrow, giving him a fierce look.
For such a guy to bow his head like that was utterly bewildering.
"W-what are you doing!"
"Please, Jun-seo! No, honored Jun-seo! Can't you just reconsider a little? I'm begging you!"
His pose—like a commoner prostrating before the king in a historical drama—drew everyone's stares.
And that voice...
It sounded like the guy who'd pitched Yu-na as a model.
"Gu Min-hyuk, Team Leader?"
"Yes, the hope of our Team 2. Please, sir... change your mind."
"......"
As I clamped my mouth shut,
Gu Min-hyuk slammed his forehead to the floor with a thud, pleading.
'What's wrong with that guy?'
'Did he commit some mortal sin?'
'How bad must it have been...'
Amid the whispers, I jumped up to avoid misunderstandings and pulled him to his feet.
"Ah, seriously! I'll think about it, so stop this here!"
"Really? Ha! Thank you."
He brushed the dust off his knees and sat in the seat across from me.
As if nothing had happened.
"The coffee aroma here's nice."
"......"
Did I... just get played?
I've hooked onto a weirdo.
Never dreamed he'd pull something like this. Not even in my past life.
I had no clue how to handle it.
I'd said I'd think about it.
Can't take back my words.
"Haa... How'd you know I was here?"
He perused the menu on the table and answered my question.
"Active celebrities' locations pop up in searches. Ah! I'll have this."
His face, brazenly smiling like a steel plate, grated on me.
'What the...? He acts like I've already agreed.'
Rising smoothly, he pulled documents from his bag and placed them on the table.
"I'll leave the contract here. Take your time reviewing... Feel free to ask about anything."
With that, he grabbed his wallet and headed to order coffee.
'The terms aren't bad, for sure.'
But why kneel just to cast Yu-na as a model?
The contract showed improvements on the points he'd mentioned over the phone.
'And now I'm included too...'
Gu Min-hyuk, back with his coffee, sat and asked,
"The issue was your daughter's education... No, missing kindergarten, right?"
"Yes, naturally."
"If we schedule around her days off, that'd be fine?"
"......"
Hard to argue with that.
I pored over the contract again. Can't afford to miss a single word and regret it.
Soon after, having read it all.
Not a single bad term.
With a deep sigh, I set it down. Gu Min-hyuk's face stiffened.
"Is it not to your liking?"
I shook my head at his words.
"The terms are great. But... why do I have to appear too?"
"If it's just your daughter alone, her smile won't feel natural."
Fair point.
The key to a CF is naturalness. Awkward moves create dissonance, turning viewers off.
It's like acting. That's why model skill matters most.
'Even with me by Yu-na's side, can I pull off a good CF?'
And...
'Will Yu-na even like it?'
Worried my choice might force her into something she hates, I pondered carefully.
It's a product she likes, so the contract seems okay...
No clear answer. I let out a quiet sigh, folded the contract, and pocketed it.
"I need to hear my daughter's opinion first. Can I contact you later?"
"Oh, of course. Here's my card. Choose wisely, and I'll be grateful for your call."
"Yes, sorry I can't decide right now."
Only after sending Gu Min-hyuk off could I finally sip my coffee in peace.
Now, time to head to New Sprout Kindergarten?
Kindergarten entrance ceremony today, so Yu-na and I headed home early.
"Daddy! Something's in front of the house!"
"Ah, they delivered it right away today."
"What's this?"
I held back on answering Yu-na's question.
This was her entrance gift.
"Shall we open it inside?"
"Yesss!"
I lugged the hefty large box into the house with effort.
Yu-na bounced in place, urging me to hurry and set it down.
"Daddy! Quick! Okay?"
"Got it. Now to open it."
Her tiny fingers peeling the tape off the box was adorably cute.
"Daddyyy. Help please."
I shrugged, grabbed a utility knife, and cut the tape.
Opening the box, Yu-na's eyes went wide, mouth agape.
"Waaah! It's ZingZing!"
"Z-ZingZing?"
Yu-na hopped onto the electric car, still wrapped in plastic.
How excited must she be for her body to move first?
"Yu-na, shall we play outside with it?"
"Really? Waaah!"