Shin Jaewoo's Car
Can you find just one person for me?
When he heard those words through the receiver, Lee Jinmyeong's eyes blazed brighter than ever. It was inevitable.
'This is the Chairman's first direct order.'
In truth, Shin Jaewoo had given other instructions before. Clean up the anonymous accounts. Recruit some people. Those were his initial commands. And recruiting was already as good as done. He'd left the household staff to his sister, Lee Jinshil, but the Chairman's secretarial team was fully prepared.
All of them handpicked by the former chairman, Daniel Shin. To be precise, some weeding out had already occurred. You never really knew people's true colors. He'd assembled a team he thought trustworthy, yet a traitor had emerged.
Anyway, their first official task was now set.
"...Of course, it's possible, sir."
Even as he spoke, Lee Jinmyeong felt a twinge of regret. Daniel had begun building a Korean network only when his end was near. He'd considered the possibility of Shin Jaewoo coming to America, but deemed it unlikely. Still, the Korean foundation was shaky. Daniel had passed before every plan reached completion. Lee Jinmyeong hadn't been able to focus much on inheritance procedures or internal purges. Only recently had he started rebuilding the Korean network.
'The person the Chairman wants is probably Korean.'
It was a shame—the Korean network was still so thin. But there was a silver lining. Korea wasn't as vast as America.
"What kind of person should we be looking for?"
His enthusiasm was palpable. Lee Jinmyeong burned with determination.
- About three years ago... a manager at an entertainment agency called Nimo Entertainment. His name was something like... Kim Mincheol, I think.
Lee Jinmyeong jotted down Nimo Entertainment manager Kim Mincheol.
He passed the note to the person beside him.
- He's probably still there. I heard he was the president's son or nephew or something. Age-wise... around my age, or a bit younger.
More brief notes. Passed along again.
The recipient relayed the info further. Contacts went out through the Korean network they'd established. Meanwhile, the others began searching for info on Nimo Entertainment.
- That's about all I know.
Lee Jinmyeong smiled at Shin Jaewoo's words.
"That's more than enough."
With that, they sprang into action to track down Kim Mincheol. Personal details came up fast. Just as Shin Jaewoo had said.
'Still working as a team leader at Nimo, huh.'
Three years ago, his rank was unclear, but now he was a team leader. For the idol division, no less. He managed two girl groups. Even the address surfaced. And rumors followed.
"...Team Leader. This guy's trash."
"What do you mean?"
"Looks like he assaulted some trainees. The Nimo president covered it up with his position and money."
Nimo Entertainment. Not a powerhouse, just mid-tier. But their sales hustle was impressive. Strong broadcasting connections.
"Probably... that, right?"
Forcing agency idols or trainees into illicit entertainment gigs. It was an open secret in the industry.
"Tch."
Lee Jinmyeong clicked his tongue upon confirmation. If the company itself operated that way, no wonder the president's nephew thought he could lay hands on trainees.
'Even so, lots of them are minors...'
It was reviled worldwide, not just in Korea. Sure, she was likely past puberty, but that only fueled the anger.
"...And there's a trainee he got pregnant?"
"Yes. They say she had an abortion."
That was the kind of talk circulating. But Lee Jinmyeong's team weren't self-righteous crusaders. They frowned, but didn't get emotionally invested.
Lee Jinmyeong sent the update.
- Found him.
It was dawn in Korea, but Shin Jaewoo checked it immediately. They'd sent it knowing he wasn't sleeping. They could monitor his activities from here too.
'Inbang Excel, huh...'
They were tracking that stream as well. That's how they learned about Kim Minseo emerging there. They already knew she was Shin Jaewoo's cousin. And from the investigation, that she'd been a Nimo Entertainment trainee in the past.
"...No wonder she dances so well."
Separate from her cute face, her dance lines were razor-sharp. Real skill. And it was clear: she loved dancing.
Bzzz.
Lee Jinmyeong's smartphone buzzed. A message from Shin Jaewoo.
Screech.
Shin Jaewoo's car pulled up at the address Kim Minseo had sent.
"...This the place?"
A small building stood before him. Word was, Kuni Corporation's studio was in the basement.
Once parked, he turned the broadcast back on.
"No, bros, let's eat already!"
One matchup in the Excel rankings:
Minseo-jjang (182,555) vs Kuni (114,591)
The gap was about 70,000 points.
'At this rate, no chance of a comeback.'
That's what he thought at first. But then came the reversal.
A single massive donation flipped the script.
"Yesssss! Go-men oppa!"
Kuni lit up, belting out the tune. He shook his body to the thumping beat, reveling in it. The score gap exploded.
Minseo-jjang (182,555) vs Kuni (414,591)
"Go-men, I'm truly sorry. But as the rep, I gotta eat. I'll buy you a real drink later, bros."
"No, bro. If you bring girls to drinks, you won't cheers with me. And if girls come play, I might end up in cuffs if I'm not careful."
"Bro, no..."
SweetPotatoLatte. Troll or serious, Kuni addressed it anyway.
"Got it, bro. You got the donation, so log off now. Hey, kick the bro out."
"If Go-men stays on after the young'uns log off, he'll get banned anyway. We're protecting him."
"And to avoid misunderstandings, folks... Go-men's lines aren't just trolling. They're one hundred percent serious."
The momentum had fully swung from Kim Minseo to Kuni.
"...PD's got it bad too."
Hera. He already knew that was Lee Hae-in. In response, Shin Jaewoo switched back to Kuni's stream.
And then—
He announced his arrival to her.
The chat exploded in excitement. But it wasn't over.
His 300,000 balloons. And no more would go through.
He hadn't known that.
'When would I ever need more than 300k?'
He wasn't even used to 30k yet. Every new fact was a revelation.
Anyway, maybe because he was waiting outside—
"Bro, come in and eat with us."
The food was set. He didn't fully oblige Kuni's request, but had Kim Minseo order delivery.
"Oppa!"
Kim Minseo burst out. Not alone—Kuni was with her.
Kuni bowed his head.
"Hello, bro. I'm Kuni."
"Ah, yeah..."
Kuni sized up Shin Jaewoo as he greeted him. He'd come straight from home. Still adjusting to chaebol life.
"...You're a chaebol, but what the hell's with that outfit?"
"What's wrong with it? It's comfy."
"Comfy sure, but that stretched-out neck T-shirt is..."
She cringed. A Dongdaemun market tee with a baggy neck. Gray training pants—Adidas knockoff. Three-stripe slippers.
"Oppa, you really a chaebol?"
"I'm not a chaebol."
While Shin Jaewoo bickered with Kim Minseo, Kuni eyed the car he leaned against.
'Fuck.'
Dressed like a average studio-apartment dude. But the ride? A Rolls-Royce Phantom.
"Ooh, oppa's car... Huh, where's the handle?"
Kim Minseo, clueless on cars, approached curiously.
"Here."
Shin Jaewoo stepped away from the door. Kim Minseo chattered at the center handle.
"Why's the handle like this? Door opens backward? I heard fancy cars open upward, but this is weird too? Is this expensive?"
"Not that expensive."
Kuni's mind shattered at the cousins' banter.
'Shit.'
Shin Jaewoo shrugged.
"Bought it used 'cause I needed something quick. Not really my style anyway."
Kuni was certain. Those indifferent eyes. He didn't baby the car at all. Like neither knew what a Rolls-Royce even was.