Unexpected Confession
Finally, the reply came in.
Rejection, negotiation, or acceptance?
I just hoped they'd take it coolly.
Yes! That's exactly it!
I reined in the rush of excitement and answered calmly.
"Understood. I'll draw up the contract and come by."
Metflix had accepted my offer.
That put K-Sler at a total of ninety billion won and Hidden at forty-five billion. K-Sler still hadn't recouped its production costs, but with this deal Hidden would not only break even—it would clear twelve billion in pure profit.
Anyone who thought that was the end of it was dead wrong, though.
I planned to stay tightly linked with Metflix going forward. I already had two more pieces of content lined up to sell them, and I intended to push even more films and dramas their way.
"Once the money lands, what do I invest in first? No—wait. Over a hundred billion. I could green-light every single one of these and still have cash left over, right?"
A whole stack of scripts sat piled on my desk. Even that was a reduced pile. While investment decisions had been delayed, the projects that found other backers had already started shooting.
But something more important than any of that was waiting.
New hires.
Art Music and Art Actors both needed people, and the most critical, most urgent item was the new-hire interviews for U-I itself—scheduled for today.
"Sir, five minutes until the interviews."
"Got it, Sora. Let's go."
The U-I interview room.
The people seated there weren't the ordinary staffers like Lee Myeongjin, Heo Seonye, or Jeong Sora. They were all older than me. These were the department heads we'd headhunted through the same firm we'd used last time, brought in ahead of today's interviews.
From now on they would fill the countless seats I used to have to occupy myself because we simply didn't have enough rank-and-file staff. Today's interviews were no different.
"Don't just look at the résumés. We need people who can actually do the work, people with decent character, and people who know how to keep their mouths shut. You all understand that's what we need right now, right?"
"Yes."
"We understand."
"Understood, sir."
"We'll choose carefully."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
"Huh??"
"Aren't you sitting in with us, sir?"
"I've got something urgent. Ah—and Manager Kim."
"Yes, sir."
"Accept the Samyang offer. Politely decline the rest."
"Understood. Anything else you need passed along?"
"Mm… I've already told Secretary Jeong Sora, so she'll handle the rest. I'm off."
I cut the conversation short and fled.
Today I really did have something more important—something that looked a lot harder than running interviews.
I never imagined I'd end up doing something like this.
But it had been a long time for me too, and if I treated them well today, Serin would be more likely to keep the secret when I asked her later.
"Yay~!! Amusement park!!"
"Hurry up! Amusement park!"
"Kids, calm down..!!"
"Yeah. Settle down, sit properly, and buckle up. Otherwise we're not leaving."
"Yes~!!"
"Done!"
"Haa....."
At least Serin was in the passenger seat. If Minju or May—especially Minju—had claimed that seat, my eardrums would already be gone.
"So why the sudden amusement park trip?"
"We've been practicing for a whole year! No fun at all! It was harder than studying!!"
"She's right! In America you couldn't even imagine something like that!"
"You were a trainee first and then went to America."
"Anyway!"
"......"
Minju and May in the back were buzzing with excitement, but Serin up front barely reacted. Was she still awkward because of that night? She was still a kid, after all. She had to be way more embarrassed and flustered than I was. So today I'd play with them, smooth out the awkwardness, and then ask her to keep the secret.
I stared blankly into the mirror and muttered,
"Do I seriously have to wear this too..?"
"Of course!"
"It's the rule! The absolute rule!"
"How long has it been since I graduated...!"
School uniforms were something girls put on for fun, right? Guys didn't usually bother. And I hadn't even come with a girlfriend—I was here with a bunch of kids. Did I really need the uniform??
"Huuu....."
I tried denying reality, but in the end I changed into the uniform and stepped out.
A school uniform at twenty-seven.
And why were those three changing into uniforms again when they'd already arrived in them? What a waste of money.
"Now we go take pictures!"
"Hurry! Hurry!"
"This one's a little small..."
"That size is perfect on you!"
"She's right! You look so pretty! So let's go!"
"Ah, fine..!"
"......"
Minju and May forcibly dragged Serin—who kept tugging down the hem of her too-short, skin-tight skirt—and then glanced back, spotted me standing there dazed, and hauled me along too.
Only after we'd put on the uniforms, taken a four-cut photo strip, and then shot proper individual and group portraits at the studio next door were we finally allowed into the park itself.
But that was only the beginning.
Rides took a back seat while we bought headbands to wear around, tiny character bags because "we need somewhere to put our phones," and matching bead bracelets and rings like couple items.
"There's something I've been wondering."
"What is it?"
"What??"
"Why do you all act like it's completely natural to charge everything to my card? Sure, me paying is normal, but a little guilt or at least a thank-you would be—"
"Let's get pizza!"
"Pizza! Pizza!"
"Th-thank... Kyaa! You two!!"
"Those little...!!"
They completely ignored my perfectly reasonable protest, dragged Serin into the pizza place, and only after stuffing themselves on pizza I paid for did we finally start riding the attractions in earnest.
"Kyaaaaa~!!!!"
"Wooooaaah!!!!"
"Kyaaaaaaak!!!!!!!!"
"......"
Night and day.
Minju and May, who'd insisted on the very front row and forced their way there, were having the time of their lives. Serin, stuck right behind them because of those two, couldn't even lift her head—she just kept screaming.
And for a second I thought a guy was riding with us. Why did May scream like a man?
"Woooaaak!! Faster!! Faster!!!! Wooooaaaak!!!!"
"......"
Wait a second.
Those things we bought earlier—couldn't we productize them too? Turn the cute headbands into gat-style or K-Sler character headbands, merchandise the little bags and bracelets, then partner with amusement parks? If we could expand the collab beyond Korea to parks overseas, that could make real money.
"What are you doing?! Hurry up!"
"Bring Serin and come on!"
"I'm done...."
"If you don't come they'll just drag you again. Let's go."
"....Okay..."
Even here I was thinking about business. Guess I really had become a proper entrepreneur.
But what were they sprinting toward this time?
We still had a bunch of reservations left, yet Minju and May never stopped racing from ride to ride—dragging Serin and me the whole way.
"If we go in here first and then hit the ride, the timing's perfect!"
"We have to clear it in ten minutes!"
"Obviously! Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
"I-I...!! Kyaa!!!"
"Haa....."
After finishing their mental stopwatch calculations, Minju and May hauled Serin into the so-called haunted house. I sighed heavily and followed. Even inside, their personalities came through crystal clear.
"Kyaaaaa!!!!"
"Grrrrr..!!!!"
"....E-excuse me..?"
"Uhung!!!"
"Kyaak!!"
May locked eyes with the ghost actors and screamed right back at them, trying to scare them instead.
"Kyaaaaa!!!"
"Kyaak~!! It's a ghost~!!! Let's take a picture!"
"......"
"One~ two~"
Click!
Minju welcomed the ghosts with open arms, linked elbows with them, and snapped selfies.
And Serin, reduced to the park's weakest link—
"N-no..! Don't..! Please don't...!!!"
"Kyaaaaa!!!!"
"Kyaaaaaaaaaak!!!!!!!!"
"......"
"Don't!! Don't!!!! I told you not to scare meee..!! Hiiing..!!!"
"......"
She collapsed onto the floor, tears pouring, and looked up at me with eyes that screamed for the ghosts to leave her alone.
"Sorry about that. Serin, let's go."
"I told them not to..!! I said don't scare me...!! Hic!! Hic!!"
"They're done now. So come on."
"Come with me...! Hiiing..."
"Yeah, we'll go together. Up you get."
"Hic..! Hic..!"
Sniffling, Serin took my hand, stood, and then—just like she had in front of the school—threw her arms around me and pressed her whole body tight against mine.
Wasn't that a little too close..?
She was still a kid in age, but her body definitely wasn't....
"Get a grip!!"
"Kyaak!! Wh-what came out now..??"
"Nothing. Nothing came out. Let's go."
"Okaaay...! Hic!!"
We finally escaped the haunted house with Serin clinging to me like she wanted to fuse into one person. Minju and May, who'd already finished and were waiting outside, yelled,
"You're late! Hurry up!"
"If we don't go now we'll miss it!"
"I-I can't go anymore! If you're going, go by yourselves!!"
"Serin..."
"Hey..."
"Hiiik..! Hic..! Hiiing...!!"
"......"
"......"
Were they flustered by the sight of Serin sobbing with her face a mess of tears? Or feeling guilty?
As if.
"Then we're going without you~!!"
"You just wait here~!!"
"Hey..! Hey!! You two are the worst!!!!"
Now best friends, Minju and May left Serin behind and sprinted off toward their reserved ride. I found a nearby bench and sat down with her.
"Wait here a second. I'll grab something to wipe your face and a drink."
"I-I have some..."
Serin rummaged through the character bag I'd bought her, pulled out tissues and a small bottle of water, opened the cap, and held it out to me.
"That's for you to drink."
"Ah... okay..."
While she sipped water and wiped her tears, calming down, I tossed the question out casually.
"That night—the one who dropped the water glass. That was you, right?"
"......"
Serin's body locked up. She couldn't even look at me as she nodded. In an instant her face and ears flushed bright red.
Watching her made me feel awkward too.
"Huuu... The truth is, me and..."
"Dad...."
"Huh??"
"Can I... call you Dad now..?"
"What??"
What the hell was she saying?
Dad?
Me?
Why?
"Because Mom and... Oppa are... that kind of relationship...."
"......"
"Not Oppa... but Dad...."
"W-wait a second! What are you even talking about right now?!"
I shouted in pure shock. Serin squeezed her eyes shut, crushed the tissue in her fist, and the words tumbled out.
"You and Mom are dating!!"
"......"
My mind went blank. For a moment I couldn't find a single word. It was so absurd, so completely ridiculous, that speech itself failed me.
How on earth could anyone jump to a misunderstanding that insane?
"Yoo Serin. If she's your mom, she's my aunt. How am I supposed to..! No—how did you even come up with something that ridiculous?!"
"Because Mom was adopted... so she's not really your aunt..."
"What??"
Han Jihyun was adopted?
She wasn't my real aunt?
No—that wasn't the important part right now!
"Anyway, no! The person with me that night was Iseul..!"
"D-don't lie! Iseul unnie wasn't even home at that hour! I walked her out myself!!"
"So she came back in! Secretly at night..!!"
"I-is that true..?"
"Why would I lie to you about something like this?!"
"Well... because you're dating Mom...."
"I'm not!!! God... this is driving me crazy...!"
"......"
She still didn't believe me?
Then how was I supposed to clear this up?
Serin had overheard me and Iseul having sex, so I couldn't exactly ask Han Jihyun to explain the misunderstanding. And I couldn't tell Iseul, "Go explain to Serin that those were your moans," either....
"Is it really not true..?"
"Huh??"
"You're really not dating Mom...?"
"No! I'm not!!"
"Then.... is it okay if I like you...?"
"What...?"
"....I like you... Oppa....."
"......"
I couldn't say a single word.
I was even more stunned than a moment ago.
I'd known the day wouldn't be easy, but I never imagined it would be this hard.