Chapter 67
قال Gemini
Chapter 67
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Cuties Go Global
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Gong So-yeon entered the office with a radiant smile, offering a cheerful morning greeting to her staff.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Good morning, Manager."
"Did you all sleep well?"
Only a short while ago, none of the employees could have imagined exchanging such lighthearted pleasantries with Manager Gong. Yet now, the atmosphere was transformed, and they mirrored her bright expression as they responded.
"Manager, the video reactions are absolutely incredible," one staff member remarked enthusiastically.
"I couldn't take my eyes off it," another added. "I was there on the set during filming, but I still watched the final cut over and over again—I’ve honestly lost count of the views."
"Me too. I didn't get to bed until after 3 a.m. yesterday because I was scrolling through the comments. If it had been the weekend, I probably would've stayed up all night. It’s just so captivating."
"It isn't just about the cuteness, right?" Gong So-yeon asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Cute? It's much more than that. It’s selfless, warm, and righteous. It even demonstrates what a true leader should look like. It’s genuinely touching."
As the employees discussed their favorite moments, one pulled out their phone to share a specific clip.
"Look at this. I found this snippet today." It was a short video of Gray and Shadow carefully yielding tasty treats to one another. "After seeing that, I called my best friend immediately. We're making plans to meet up this weekend."
The speaker's eyes brimmed with a sudden sense of longing. A colleague teased, "Team Leader, you must not have seen that friend in ages to be so sentimental."
"No, we actually had drinks last week! But while we were eating chicken and beer, I realized I scarfed down both drumsticks without thinking. I felt so bad after watching the cats that this time, I’m giving both drumsticks to him."
The office erupted in laughter. "Watching Gray and Shadow yield something as tiny as a fingernail really made me reflect on my own life," the Team Leader admitted.
Another employee chimed in, showing a video of Gray hugging the seal they had met in Gangneung. "I cried watching this for the first time, and I found myself tearing up again this morning. It’s legendary—friendship and compassion transcending species. I have so much respect for Director Lee now."
"Me too. I thought he was just a talented vet who communicated well with animals, but I had no idea he was that incredible. Apparently, people overseas are already starting to pay attention to him."
"We’re so lucky then," a junior staffer noted. "Gray, Shadow, and Director Lee—we hit the jackpot. They’ll be untouchably famous soon."
"Probably. It’s a good thing we secured them early. Manager Gong, you really nailed this commercial. You wrapped the whole project up in just a few days."
"The company definitely owes you a bonus for this," another added. "We’re all enjoying this success because you pushed it through."
"No, the credit belongs to Team Leader Park," Gong So-yeon corrected modestly. "If he hadn't met Director Lee... well, I don't even want to think about where we'd be. The success of this CF is his doing."
Just as Gong So-yeon was resolving to thank Team Leader Park personally, her desk phone began to ring. She picked up, hearing a sudden burst of English that caught her off guard.
"Yes, Gong So-yeon speaking."
"-Manager Gong? Is that you?"
"Sh—Sharon?" Gong So-yeon glanced at the clock. It wasn't even 9 a.m. yet. Topika's headquarters was 13 hours behind, making it 8 p.m. there. For the HQ PR manager to call directly after hours instead of sending an email meant something significant was happening.
"H-Hello, Sharon, it’s been a long time..."
"-It’s so cute! Where on earth did you find these cuties?" Sharon interrupted, her voice a machine-gun barrage of excitement. "Everyone here thinks it’s high-end CGI—can you believe that? Our bosses are so stingy; they’d never spend that much on CG cats. They are truly amazing, perfect... Can I meet them? Please tell me I can meet the cuties."
"Oh, of course—well, I’m not entirely sure," Gong So-yeon stammered. "I’ll have to ask their guardian, Director Lee Jun, and get back to you."
"-Oh my god. Director Lee Jun—is that the same vet who treated the seal and the sea turtle?" Sharon asked, her tone shifting to awe. "Can you ask if I can meet him too? And please, send us the broadcast-ready version of the CF immediately."
"The CF?" Gong So-yeon asked. "The video is public on social media, but the television version hasn't aired yet."
"-Exactly. We’re planning to air the cuties' CF across the entire American continent. It’ll be officially decided in tomorrow’s meeting, but it’s basically a done deal."
"Oh... I might need to check the details on that," Gong So-yeon said carefully. "That specific usage wasn't in our initial contract. If you want to air the advertisement in America, we will need a new agreement."
"-Then make one quickly! What is the guarantee fee you’re thinking of?"
"Half a million," Sharon stated firmly.
Gong So-yeon’s eyes widened as she did the mental currency conversion. "S-Six hundred and fifty million won?" Their local contract with Lee Jun was for thirty million—which was already considered top-tier for a civilian. Sharon was offering more than twenty times that amount.
"-If you shoot one more campaign for us, we’re willing to double that," Sharon continued. "But in exchange, we want an exclusive one-year contract with our company for all pet food endorsements."
Gong So-yeon raced to the Meongmeong Animal Hospital immediately after hanging up. Lee Jun was swamped with appointments, so she spent two hours waiting in the lobby.
"I’m so sorry to keep you waiting when you're this busy," Lee Jun apologized when he finally emerged.
"No worries at all! It was a very informative time, and the coffee was great," she replied with a smile. Lee Jun noted how well she put people at ease, thinking her perfectly suited for public relations, though her own staff might have disagreed with his assessment of her temperament.
While waiting, Gong So-yeon had lost all track of time just watching Gray and Shadow. 'What an incredible healing session,' she thought. The cats had welcomed her warmly, especially since she had brought an assortment of snacks and catnip gum.
After relaying Sharon’s proposal, Lee Jun was stunned. "What? That much money?"
"Yes. Headquarters is in a frenzy. They assumed the original contract was global, but when they realized it was restricted to local use only, they were shocked. You negotiated brilliantly, Director. Honestly, I didn’t think much of that clause at the time, but we almost missed this jackpot."
Lee Jun realized he owed his thanks to CEO Namgung Hyun. It was Namgung’s legal team that had advised him to insist on the "local only" condition, predicting that the global headquarters would eventually covet Gray and Shadow’s image.
"Hmm, this isn't something I can decide on the spot," Lee Jun said thoughtfully.
"I understand," Gong So-yeon said, her eyes sparkling. "Honestly, if someone offered me that much, I’d take it in a heartbeat. But I know you’re prioritizing the cats' health."
"Exactly. They were exhausted for days after the last shoot. Most importantly, it’s their call. If they don't enjoy the process, there won't be another one. I won't force them."
Once Gong So-yeon left, Dr. Go Gi-jin, who had been eavesdropping with interest, swooped in to hug the cats. "Whoa, our cats are going global! Can you believe it?"
"[I—I can't breathe, meow!]" Gray complained. "[Let go, Dr. Go! What is this?!]" Shadow added as they squirmed in his tight grip.
Go Gi-jin just laughed, rubbing his face against theirs. "You two are real lucky charms! Ever since you arrived, good things just keep happening."
Jang So-ra chimed in, showing them a popular online cat cafe board. "The members there love Gray and Shadow. They’ve even dedicated a whole section to them called 'The Lucky Charms'."
On the screen, a video played of Gray and Shadow scaling a cliff. Seeing himself, Gray’s eyes lit up. "[There was so much tasty food on that tree, meow! The fruits were hanging like ornaments. I want to climb it again.]"
"[Crossing the water was fun too,]" Shadow added. "[I had a blast for once.]"
Lee Jun had worried the two days of solid sleep they took after the shoot meant they were overextended, but seeing their sparkling eyes, he began to reconsider.
That night at home, Lee Jun played the final commercial for the cats on the television. They were fixated on the screen like magnets, pawing the air and hopping in place as they watched themselves.
"Was it really that fun for you?" Lee Jun asked.
"[Yeah, meow!]" Gray responded enthusiastically.
"Then how about we do one more round?"
"[Really? For real?]" In an instant, they bolted to the entryway and zipped themselves into their travel carriers. "[Let’s go! Vet bro, let's go right now!]"
Lee Jun chuckled at their impatience. "They said they’d give you even more treats if you do another one..."
Gray’s eyes went wide, looking toward the small room in the apartment that was already overflowing with the snacks and kibble they had received from the first set. "[There is still so much, meow. It’s too much for us.]"
Lee Jun agreed, thinking of the donation he had already sent to 'Our Yard Shelter'. "If we do one more shoot, there will be enough food to feed all your minions at the park forever."
"[Do it! Let's go! If we can feed the whole crew, we'll go anywhere!]" they chirped.
"But what if it's more than the park cats need? Could you eat it all alone?"
"[Not this much, meow,]" Gray admitted. "[We’ll give the leftovers to our friends. To Jamongi, Ttangkongi, Aji, and Dalkomi.]"
"[And to the turtle friend,]" Shadow added. "[And the friend with the sore throat. We should share with everyone.]" Shadow even recalled the cats Haenguni had mentioned from the shelter.
"Got it. We’ll share with the park minions, the sea friends, and Haenguni’s friends," Lee Jun promised.
"[Heh, this is nice, meow,]" Gray purred. "[I’m the luckiest cat in the world.]"
Soon, the rhythmic sound of purring and soft snores filled the room as all three fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.