Ready When You Are (2)
A short while later, at the Incheon Devils' office.
"Yessssss!"
If a middle-aged man was shouting and tap-dancing in the middle of an office, what would people think?
Did he win the lottery?
Probably.
In fact, Chairman Song Juhyung had just secured a profit that couldn't even be compared to winning the lottery.
"Lee Hana! Lee Hana! Lee Hana!"
"Chairman, please calm down. We haven't put ink to paper yet."
"Hey! They said they'd give it a favorable review!"
Chairman Song Juhyung couldn't wipe the happiness off his face.
The secretaries summoned to his office had awkward smiles plastered on their faces, but none of them dared to bring him back to reality.
"Bwahaha! Lee Hana! Lee Hana is actually—!"
He was so incredibly happy.
Normally, they would have said, "Get a grip, Chairman," but when it came to the imminent signing of S-class superhuman Lee Hana, the secretaries had to bide their time.
"Honestly, I think I'm happier now than when my eldest got into Seoul National University and my second son awakened as a superhuman. Heh, would they be upset if they heard that?"
"They would be happy for you too, Chairman. Assuming the contract is finalized, that is."
"Ah, you guys are no fun."
Chairman Song Juhyung waved his hand as he sat down in his chair.
"Do you really think I'm popping the champagne too early?"
"Well, yes."
"Geez, really. I guess I'll have to ask someone else then. What do you think, Mayor Ahn Sang-tae?"
"Hmm."
On the small monitor opposite Chairman Song, the dignified face of a middle-aged man appeared.
"I don't know. Isn't that just a textbook polite rejection?"
Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-tae.
As soon as he received the report from the vice mayor, he accepted the Incheon Devils' urgent video call request and offered an objective opinion to Chairman Song Juhyung.
"From what I hear, that Lee Dokyung fellow didn't even bat an eye when the tax regulations were brought up. It was almost as if... he already knew all about it."
"Mayor. Who is Lee Dokyung?"
"What do you mean who is he? He's..."
"He's a former B-class hunter who works as a tactical analyst in the Superhuman League."
At Chairman Song's assertion, Mayor Ahn Sang-tae's eye twitched slightly before he let out a deep sigh.
"Well, yes, but..."
"You know how many 'monster parents' there are in Korea. How many people raise their kids well just to be compensated for the time and resources they poured in once the kid succeeds? He's no different."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. As someone who raised an S-class daughter, it's only natural he wants to be compensated. An unmarried man adopted and raised a girl because of government policy, throwing away his entire twenties and the prime of his early thirties. Of course he wants a payout."
"I suppose that's true."
Compensation for sacrifice.
If ten years of devotion were worth tens or hundreds of billions of won, and that reward was guaranteed, what parent in Korea would hesitate to adopt?
"Chairman. Although there is still plenty of time until the next local elections, it's a 3+1 year contract."
"Exactly the timing of the local elections."
"Yes. When she becomes an adult and can choose her own team without her parent's consent, if you, Mayor, convince Miss Hana to sign an extension with the Incheon Devils..."
"A perfect picture. There'd be no easier way to get re-elected."
Mayor Ahn Sang-tae didn't say much else.
Even to him, the existence of an S-class superhuman was the perfect tool to sweep up votes in a local election.
After all, wasn't there a saying in Yeouido?
The voters' hearts lie with the superhumans.
Even if a superhuman didn't actively play in the league, just having one residing in the region was enough to sway the public's favor.
"But this contract is definitely happening, right?"
"Of course. I am absolutely certain, Mayor. Starting tomorrow morning, we'll leak the story to the newspapers and start working the internet forums."
"And what if the negotiations fall through?"
"...Please, let's not even speak of such things."
Fall through?
That was impossible.
"If they had no intention of negotiating with the Incheon Devils, they wouldn't have agreed to meet with us in the first place."
After all, they hadn't held private meetings with any of the twelve clubs—no, twenty-four clubs—nor any overseas teams, not even the New York Tyrants.
"We are the only team in the entire world they've contacted. Looking at the New York Tyrants' precedent, they don't just poke around for no reason."
"True. I've heard stories about domestic superhumans acting like actual sports stars, lining up multiple clubs just to power-trip on them."
"...Miss Hana is skilled enough to do exactly that, but the fact that she doesn't makes her even more appealing."
"Understood. I'll start stoking the fire on my end as well."
Beep.
As the video call disconnected, Chairman Song Juhyung's face instantly contorted into a scowl.
"Tsk. Spouting jinxes like that. He's just a glorified four-year temp."
"Oh my. Is it really okay for you to say things like that so carelessly?"
Yoon Jinseo, also known as Misty Lady, who had been constantly checking her face in a hand mirror, broke her silence.
"That 'temp' could easily mess with the Devils' roster if things go south."
"Ha. And end up like Busan?"
Chairman Song Juhyung waved his hand dismissively and leaned back comfortably in his chair.
"Look at Busan. A politician interfered and wrecked their roster, and now the entire team is in shambles."
"And one of those players decided to join our team."
"Exactly. Phew. Thank goodness we signed him early. If the news about Lee Hana had gotten out first, he definitely would've demanded another five billion won."
"Hmm... wouldn't it be the opposite? I bet he would've paid five billion won just to play alongside her."
"Huh. You rate her even higher than I thought. Jin-seo, do you like Miss Hana that much?"
"It's not really Hana... Fufu."
Yoon Jinseo waved the photo displayed on her smartphone.
"Let's just say I took a liking to Lee Dokyung."
"What? You already took a picture of him?"
"Well, I am at the age to get married. Having a kid is a drawback, but if that kid is Lee Hana, that changes things."
"...Jin-seo. How many years do you have left on your contract?"
"Why? If I become Hana's stepmother, will you renew my contract?"
"Of course I would! Bwahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
A conglomerate chairman and an A-class superhuman.
The two burst into laughter, happier than ever, and the secretaries had no choice but to force smiles.
They couldn't afford to ruin the mood; after all, they were the breadwinners of their families.
"Alright. Start handling the media tomorrow morning. The rumors will probably start spreading from the financial districts first."
"The financial districts?"
"Yeah. Do you think the people at that restaurant would just post comments on social media, or would they text the people who manage their bank accounts? It's basically game over."
Chairman Song Juhyung scratched his chin and let out a sigh of relief.
"Unless some bizarre variable pops up out of nowhere and they tear up the contract, that is."
One day later.
Morning came, and I found myself looking at a pile of finely shredded paper inside the trash can.
"Hana. Is this the contract?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
The shredded contract was piled high in the trash can.
Even though it was destined to become scrap paper anyway, keeping it intact would have been useful for media play...
Well, whatever.
If we had to resort to dragging out a shredded contract to deal with the press, we were better off not doing it at all.
But...
"Hana."
"Yes, Dad?"
"I don't see that lady's business card in the trash. Did you not throw it away?"
The item that should have been with the contract—Misty Lady's business card—was nowhere to be seen.
"Ah, that? I just vaporized it."
Hana smiled and raised her index finger.
The way mana gathered at the tip of her finger looked ominous, but she quickly shook her hand, dispersing the mana into nothingness.
"Business cards contain personal information. I shredded it."
"Good job. An A-class superhuman's phone number or social media handle is sensitive information that shouldn't be leaked."
"Exactly. Especially if it's a private account."
"Huh?"
"Ah."
Hana looked briefly surprised, then smiled brightly and ran over to me.
"Up we go."
"Excuse me, you're seventeen now."
"There's no other place to sit on your chair, Dad."
Hana sat on my lap.
She used to sit like this when we used the computer together when she was ten, and it wasn't much different when she was fifteen.
What kind of daughter sits on her dad's lap at her age, you ask?
Right here.
They don't say "a well-raised daughter is worth ten sons" for nothing.
"You didn't know it was a private account?"
"I didn't even check it."
"Oh, really?"
"What's the point of adding her when we're just going to throw it away? Still, to think she'd give me her private account."
It was a bit unexpected.
"It just shows how serious Chairman Song Juhyung is about the contract. He tried to hook up his team's star with an old man like me, just like the rumors circulating in the media right now."
"......."
"What's wrong?"
"Mmh, it's nothing. More importantly, what rumors?"
Hana handed me a cup of coffee, and I took a quick sip before pointing at the monitor.
"Look at this."
I pointed to the real-time updates of various news articles.
Starting from exactly 10:00 AM, an explosive flood of articles was pouring out, all branching from a single topic.
[EXCLUSIVE] 'World's Strongest' Lee Hana Spotted at Songdo Fine Dining... Close to Joining Incheon Devils?
Secret meeting confirmed: Over 3 hours with owner's entourage in luxury hotel suite in Songdo.
Industry insider: "A blank check was likely offered. KCL's highest-ever treatment is practically guaranteed."
[Incheon Real Estate Forum] "Rumors of a Songdo Penthouse Gift Circulating. Listings Locked Down Today!!"
"Chairman Song Juhyung has started leaking information."
"Hmm... that's strange. I didn't see any talk about it on the online communities."
"Because the rumors started in the financial districts."
The customers who saw us at the restaurant must have run their mental circuits after seeing Chairman Song Juhyung's group.
"Do you think the hotel leaked the information?"
"Even if the owners tried to accommodate us, it's impossible to keep every single employee's mouth shut."
A massive issue that had been stirring up Incheon—no, the entire nation—since morning.
Lee Hana, joining the Incheon Devils.
"Let's go. It's time to put an end to these rumors."
"Yes. Let's go see the ocean."
Late afternoon.
A time when post-lunch drowsiness should have settled in, the office of the Busan Seagulls was far from sleepy. Instead, the atmosphere was so grim it felt like a collective depression.
Whoosh.
Even the wind blowing in through the open window seemed to turn back, whispering, Is there a funeral going on?
"Haaaaah..."
"General Manager. Joo Han-ul called."
"What did he say?"
"He's going to Daejeon."
"Dammit."
The General Manager of the Busan Seagulls, Kim Jin-woo, slammed his head onto his desk.
"If I knew it would come to this, I should have bowed my head to the Association a long time ago."
An era of collusion between business and politics.
Without the capital of a major conglomerate or the solid backing of a local government, the Busan Seagulls were nothing more than prey for countless predators.
Their relationship with the Association wasn't good either.
Because Kim Jin-woo had clashed with them.
Although the Association president at the time had stepped down three months ago, the Seagulls had not recovered from the direct hit of the Association risk.
In fact, it was only getting worse.
"Three out of our four starters sold their souls for money, and one is going overseas. Ha, hahaha..."
"...They're professionals, after all."
"Sigh. Yeah. Nothing we can do. We just have to do our best in the stove league."
GM Kim Jin-woo scratched his head and held up his tablet.
"How's the old man's back?"
"He's expected to join around the end of the Spring League. Probably... before the promotion matches."
"Dammit. This is driving me crazy."
On one side of the monitor.
In the real-time updated stove league transfer list, the Busan Seagulls' roster was completely empty.
The community board was dizzying just to look at.
To some, it might be an exciting off-season, but to Kim Jin-woo, who was bearing the brunt of the curses from 2.5 million Busan citizens, it only made him lightheaded.
"Dammit, if only I could turn back time...!"
"You probably wouldn't have become the GM."
"No! Ugh, dammit. There's no choice. I'll have to use my last resort."
"What is it, General Manager?"
"Since it's come to this, I'm going to Incheon!"
"...Are you transferring?"
"No, no! I'll go to Incheon, stand in front of Miss Hana's house, and beg her to sign with us...!"
"Someone from the Association tried that and got sent to New York. Are you trying to get sent to Europe this time?"
At the secretary's words, GM Kim Jin-woo clutched his head.
"...It's a disaster, a total disaster. If we tank for a year now..."
"If Busan gets relegated to the second division, it won't just be your job on the line—your life might be in danger."
"......."
No matter how much he thought about it, there was no answer.
"O God of Superhumans! Please grant us a miracle—"
Clatter!
The door burst open.
"Who is making such a racket...!"
GM Kim Jin-woo, who had his arms raised high, hurriedly corrected his posture to maintain his dignity as GM—
"Huh?"
"Nice to meet you, General Manager Kim Jin-woo."
The person who opened the door and walked in was none other than Lee Dokyung.
And beside Lee Dokyung stood the S-class superhuman, Lee Hana, looking as if she were out for a stroll in a white dress.
"W-What brings you here...?"
"General Manager. I'll give you thirty minutes."
Lee Dokyung smiled brightly, sat down on the reception sofa, and pointed to his watch.
"Bring out the contract."