A Natural Talent for Making Things Happen
Early in the morning, Seola paid him a visit, and they immediately shared a passionate embrace.
"Did you miss me?"
"Yeah. Thanks to you, I've composed countless breakup songs."
"Whaaat? You're going to be the death of me!"
Seola playfully patted and stroked Saebyeok's broad chest.
"Want to hear one? You won't be able to listen without crying..."
Realizing he would keep teasing her if left to his own devices, she decided to shut him up quickly.
The two shared a deep, passionate kiss before exchanging gazes dripping with sweet affection.
"Are we really doing this first thing in the morning?"
"Hmph... I'm not listening to any breakup songs."
"Why? A song is just a song!"
Seola pulled Saebyeok's face down and buried it in her chest.
He seemed to quiet down immediately, but his hands quickly became mischievous.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly sultry, she realized she was the one who had started it.
Sensing the need for immediate damage control, she spoke up in a hurry.
"T-Today, let's stop here. We have to leave early..."
"What time do we need to be there?"
"Before lunch... Kyaaaah!"
It was a familiar ceiling.
Once again, she had been swept up in his arms. She still couldn't figure out the physics behind how he lifted her so effortlessly.
"We have plenty of time, then."
"No, we don't!"
As she was carried off to the bedroom in the blink of an eye, a desperate cry escaped Seola's lips.
"B-Baby? Not today. It's getting dangerous!"
"Oh... so that's what you're worried about?"
"I-I want to be loved by you so much too, but we really can't help it today. Hehe..."
Laid out on the bed, Seola put on her best desperate acting performance, but Saebyeok only smirked.
Rrrrrip.
It was an ominous sound.
"I figured you'd say that, so I bought some in advance."
"Why would you do that?!"
A massive storm had swept through the now-stifling bedroom.
"Haaah... Seriously. No matter how much I think about it, our gender roles are totally reversed."
"You're only realizing that now? Oh dear."
"I don't care... My legs are like jelly again. Today is an important day!"
Seola glared at him with all the intensity she could muster, but Saebyeok didn't even flinch.
So, she decided to get revenge. She wanted to see him flustered for once.
"I have absolutely no strength left, so do whatever you want. Go by yourself, or don't!"
"That's fine. Shall we take a shower then?"
She had momentarily forgotten that he was a mysterious creature who was utterly impossible to defeat.
"Wait, you don't mean...?"
Lifted into the air once again in an instant, she was dragged to the bathroom and thoroughly washed from head to toe.
She really shouldn't have dreamed of such a half-baked revenge.
Whirrrrr—
"Feels good, right? You feel totally refreshed, don't you?"
"Whew... I should just keep my mouth shut."
Saebyeok was humming a tune as he diligently blow-dried her hair.
She found it absurd, yet she couldn't help but chuckle.
If I told anyone about this, they'd say I'm a spoiled brat who doesn't know how good she has it.
Seola fell for Saebyeok all over again.
"Ta-da! All done. Want me to do your makeup too?"
"...No thanks. I'll do it myself!"
"Oh... actually, now that I think about it, you look way prettier bare-faced."
"W-What are you talking about? Don't say that in public. People will curse at me!"
"Why not?"
"...I'll just do some basic skincare. You go get ready to head out too!"
"Aye, aye, ma'am!"
"Saebyeok, even if my sister acts a bit cold, okay?"
"You've been saying that the whole way here. I told you, I'm fine."
"Whew... She's my sister, but you have no idea how difficult she can be. Please don't get mad, okay?"
"Don't worry."
Saebyeok hugged Seola tightly to reassure her.
I'm a man who has navigated the cutthroat, icy waters of the music business countless times. A girlfriend's older sister is nothing... Oh my God. Who am I kidding? This is a completely different story!
Realizing the gravity of the situation, he finally began to feel the nerves kicking in.
Is that door the gateway to hell?
He recalled the confessions of his fellow artists back on Earth, who had claimed that meeting their father-in-law or their partner's family was one of the most terrifying experiences of their lives.
'Ed, don't ever get married.'
'Why?'
'Just don't do it if I tell you not to, you bastard!'
Why on earth were these memories flashing before his eyes like a dying man's panorama right now?
Cold sweat began to drench his back.
*Click, clack.*
A woman appeared, accompanied by the rhythmic clicking of high heels.
"Saebyeok. This is Yeonju. She's a sisterly figure I've known since childhood, and she's also my second sister's secretary. Kim Yeonju."
"Nice to meet you. I am Kim Yeonju."
"Hello. I'm Moon Saebyeok."
Kim Yeonju exuded the aura of a classic, cool-headed elite beauty.
Her silver-rimmed glasses and sharp business suit—the armor of the corporate world—suited her perfectly.
"This way, please. The Head of Division is waiting for you."
The final boss was right behind that door...
*Creak—*
Was that the wailing of a banshee from hell?
Gulping involuntarily, Saebyeok nodded and stepped forward.
Since Korean Confucian etiquette dictated bowing to one's elders first, his body moved on pure spinal reflex.
"Hello. I am Moon Saebyeok."
"...Welcome. I'm Seola's older sister, Choi Seunga. Secretary Kim? Some coffee, please. You drink coffee, right?"
"Yes. I'm not picky."
Looking up slightly, he saw a woman who bore a striking resemblance to Seola. If he had to compare, she looked like Seola when she was in her 'Hyde' mode.
Her eyes are sharper, and her figure is more mature—cough!
What am I doing, evaluating her? Get it together!
"...I've heard a lot about you from Seola. I hear you're active as a streamer?"
"Yes, I broadcast on a platform called Tweety TV."
"Before we discuss business, I'd like to talk about some personal matters first. Would that be alright?"
"Yes, please feel free."
"...Saebyeok? Since I'm Seola's older sister, I'll speak comfortably with you."
"Yes, that works for me too."
Seola tried to interject several times, but Yeonju signaled her with a look.
Youngest Miss. It would be best to stay quiet for now.
...Fine.
Seunga elegantly lifted her coffee cup, took a light sip, and threw a straight fastball the moment she set it down.
"When do you plan on getting married?"
"Sister!"
Saebyeok was momentarily left speechless.
Was this a family trait? The way they threw direct, no-nonsense questions right down the middle was no joke.
Marriage... Honestly, he had thought about it.
Was it a change of heart, or was it because he had been reborn?
Looking past his old-world common sense, marriage in this reversed world wasn't a major blemish for celebrities.
The famous singer Philip from Airbeer was active and popular even with eleven wives, and there was a famous actress who had three husbands.
It wasn't that the concept of parasocial relationships between fans and artists didn't exist, but rather it was a societal norm born from the miraculous 2:8 male-to-female ratio.
So, before making a decision, he ran a quick mental checklist of true or false.
1. If marriage hinders my career as an artist, do I plan to avoid it? [FALSE]
2. Do I love Choi Seola enough to marry her? [TRUE]
3. If condition 2 is met, do I need more time to get to know her? [FALSE]
The conclusion came much more easily than expected.
Seola was an incredible presence who had blown away the fears that had been eating at Saebyeok for a long time.
If this wasn't love, he didn't know what was.
He tightly squeezed the hand of Seola, who was still shouting at her sister, and spoke.
"I am dating Seola with the serious intention of marriage."
The corners of Choi Seunga's lips curled up slightly, while Seola's face flushed bright red in an instant.
"...Can I trust those words?"
"Yes. A man's word is his bond!"
"Hahaha... You mean a woman's word is her bond. Anyway, I've heard your resolve."
Seola kept her head lowered, unable to say a word.
The gaze Choi Seunga cast upon her younger sister was incredibly warm.
But why does she look at me like a lioness ruling over the safari?!
"I don't want to give you an old-fashioned lecture in this day and age. However, as her older sister and now the head of the household, I want to make one first and last request."
"Please, go ahead."
"Just don't make Seola cry. Even if you bring in more women in the future, I'd appreciate it if you managed things well in the middle so you don't hurt each other's feelings."
The request had taken a bizarrely twisted turn, but... he could feel her genuine, deep concern for her younger sister.
"Yes. I will treat Seola well."
"Okay. You pass. Secretary Kim? You have the contract we prepared, right?"
"Yes, Director."
"Shall we discuss business now? I've heard the explanation from Seola, but it's never as good as hearing it directly from the person themselves, is it?"
Saebyeok looked at Seola in confusion, and she avoided his gaze with a flushed face.
"...Excuse me, but the only thing I heard from Seola was to wait because she was preparing something."
"What? Hahaha... Oh, my little sister. You're already so devoted to your husband!"
"Sister! Please. I'm dying of embarrassment here!"
"Secretary Kim? Look at her. Where did yesterday's boldness go? Why is she acting so coy now?"
Choi Seunga laughed heartily, thoroughly enjoying teasing Seola.
Kim Yeonju pushed up her glasses slightly, choosing a brilliant stance of neutrality.
"If the young ladies are happy, then I am happy as well."
Saebyeok couldn't help but think that corporate life was truly not easy.
Meanwhile, Saebyeok stole a glance at the contract laid out in front of him.
Establishment of an MCN company?
Looking at the clauses, they contained the things he had discussed with Seola. Publishing, music copyrights, and so on.
In short, it was practically an exclusive agency existing solely for the artist 'Saebyeok.'
"Oh... you were reading it. How is it? Everything you requested should be in there."
"To be honest, this contract is unilaterally favorable to me. Under these terms, there's almost no way for me to generate profit for the company. Are these conditions really correct?"
"...So you're not a shameless fellow. Yes, that's right. It's practically a company that exists entirely for you."
"My conscience is pricking me, so I think we need to revise the contract."
"Hahaha! I appreciate the sentiment, but if we did that, my little sister would nag me to death."
"Still..."
Choi Seunga gently raised her hand to stop Saebyeok from speaking.
"We're family. That's all that matters. I'd appreciate it if you looked at this as an early wedding gift from me."
"...Thank you. I will repay you with great results."
Glancing at Seola for a moment, Choi Seunga cleared her throat lightly and continued.
"...Ahem. Of course, just because we're family doesn't mean I can keep giving handouts forever, right? Business is business, no matter how close we are. From next time, it's give-and-take, okay?"
"Sister! That's not what we agreed on!"
Holding the hand of the once-again flared-up Seola, Saebyeok nodded deeply and replied.
"I agree. A healthy relationship must be mutually beneficial."
"Did you see that, Secretary Kim? Our youngest really found herself a good man. And look, he just holds her hand once and she can't even squeak. Hahaha!"
If looks could kill, Seola's glare would have sliced her sister in half several times over.
Seunga, who was still gasping for breath from laughing, snapped out of it when Secretary Kim desperately nudged her in the ribs.
"C-Cough. Well then, shall we continue our business discussion?"
Even as she spoke, she stealthily avoided Seola's gaze.
Just when it seemed like they would move on, Seola slammed her foot on the gas.
"Sister, can I talk to you for a second before that?"
"Huh...? Right now, we're in the middle of important business with Saebyeok..."
"Cut the crap. Step outside."
"T-Then, Saebyeok? Secretary Kim? Why don't you two polish up the clauses for a bit? Okay?"
For some reason, Seunga's voice sounded incredibly pitiful as she reluctantly followed Seola out.