You’re the One, Aren’t You?
Baek Ji-won, moving at an unhurried pace, lit the Diptyque candle that had made the French luxury brand so famous in Paris.
The scent of fig tree, one of Diptyque’s signature fragrances, filled Baek Ji-won’s office. After closing her eyes for a moment to enjoy it, she asked lightly, “What book is that all of a sudden?”
The top-star actress sitting on the sofa, Lee Ha-eun, murmured, “A new hobby.”
“That’s strange. Since when have you been reading that sort of book?”
“What do you want?”
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, and you’re still this cold?”
Lee Ha-eun shut the book with a sharp snap. Baek Ji-won’s gaze dropped naturally to the cover.
How to Turn Criticism into Applause.
That was the book the top-star actress had been reading just moments ago.
Why on earth was that arrogant actress reading something like this? The question flickered through her mind, but she didn’t dwell on it. Lee Ha-eun, legs crossed, was looking at her steadily.
“If you don’t have anything else, I’m leaving.”
Baek Ji-won gathered her gaze and answered, “Fine. Let’s talk business, then.”
She walked over and sat down in front of Lee Ha-eun.
“Do you remember the offer I made last time?”
“What offer?”
“Hollywood.”
A peculiar smile touched Baek Ji-won’s lips.
“How long are you going to cling to Korea? It’s about time you moved into the U.S.”
Lee Ha-eun replied in a flat voice. “I think I told you the last time, too.”
“That it’s still too early?”
“Yes. There’s no reason to rush, is there?”
Baek Ji-won nodded slowly.
“There’s no reason to rush, sure, but there’s no reason to delay either. Hollywood was your dream, wasn’t it?”
A brief laugh slipped from Lee Ha-eun’s mouth.
“That was ages ago.”
“Ages ago?” Baek Ji-won echoed. “I still remember it perfectly.”
“Why are you being sentimental? That’s not like you, Representative Baek.”
Lee Ha-eun rose from her seat.
“If that’s all you came to say, may I leave?”
Baek Ji-won’s eyes narrowed. She watched Lee Ha-eun in silence for a moment before saying, almost offhandedly, “Let’s have dinner. I made a reservation at the restaurant you like.”
“I told you I have plans.”
“Are those plans more important than dinner with me? We haven’t eaten together in a while.”
At that, Lee Ha-eun turned her head.
After looking at Baek Ji-won for a moment, she spoke slowly. “Yes, they’re more important. And...”
Baek Ji-won’s eye corner twitched.
“I don’t want to eat with you because it feels like I’d get indigestion. That’s all from me.”
***
TAN variety studio.
The staff who had just finished the rehearsal shoot were staring fixedly at something without even cleaning up after themselves.
Among them were the K-Singer-Songwriter contestants who had just wrapped filming.
Within that concentrated attention, Jo PD tapped Hwang PD on the shoulder in surprise.
“Hwang PD, what’s going on?”
At Jo PD’s question, Hwang PD’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
“...Yeah, what is going on?”
“The person who just arrived is SAG’s representative, right?”
“Yeah, probably...”
“Wh-why would someone that important be taking the Baekhak team leader away?”
Hwang PD’s expression turned solemn.
“...Isn’t it obvious he came to scout him?”
“What? SAG’s CEO personally came to scout him?”
“If not that, then why else would SAG’s representative come all the way here to meet a mere manager?”
Hwang PD clicked his tongue.
“Wow... that’s seriously something. Team Leader Kwon, what’s so special about him? How did SAG’s CEO move personally to scout him?”
That wasn’t something only Hwang PD was saying.
Everyone on the K-Singer-Songwriter production team was whispering the same thing while staring at the meeting room.
Scouting, Team Leader Kwon, Representative Park Su-chan.
The suddenly erupting gossip had warmed the atmosphere on set in a strange way.
But only one person stood apart from that mood, glaring sharply at the meeting room.
...
Kim Su-ji, SAG’s team leader.
She clenched both fists tightly, as if furious.
***
My throat felt scorched by the tension of an unfamiliar situation.
I wanted water, but I’d rushed into the meeting room without preparing any.
In the end, all I could do was wet my dry throat with saliva when the man sitting across from me opened his mouth.
“You look uncomfortable.”
Did I really look that obvious? I let out a groan inwardly.
But on second thought, it made sense.
The man in front of me was one of the industry’s major powers, right alongside Baek Ji-won.
SAG’s Representative Park Su-chan.
What manager wouldn’t tense up in front of him?
And I was his competitor’s team leader.
By situation alone, I was facing the head of the enemy camp.
Feeling a tension I hadn’t experienced in a while crawling up my spine, I answered slowly, “I am, a little.”
At my words, Representative Park Su-chan burst out laughing.
“Haha, I suppose this is a sudden visit, even by my own standards.”
“What brings you to see me?”
Without bothering to feel him out, I went straight for the point.
After all, he’d come here without feeling me out first, so there was no reason for me to do the same.
Park Su-chan’s mouth curved as if he found my directness amusing, and then he met it with the same kind of straight shot.
“I understand that I sent you a good offer through a headhunter before.”
With that, he smiled faintly.
That smile looked a lot like Baek Ji-won’s.
“I thought the offer was a decent one, but you turned it down.”
The two of them were similar and yet different.
Still, there was something more unpleasantly off about Park Su-chan.
How should I put it?
He had the air of someone looking down on everyone else.
If Baek Ji-won was the type who simply wasn’t interested in people, this guy was the type who didn’t respect them.
“I turned it down because I have no intention of changing companies.”
“Ah, so the conditions weren’t bad?”
“Right. And it wasn’t an offer that came through a proper route, either.”
Park Su-chan slowly crossed one leg over the other.
“How much would it take?”
My brow twitched.
“Since you don’t seem to have any particular reason for refusing to move, let me make the offer again. How much would it take to bring Team Leader Kwon to SAG?”
My hand started to itch.
It was an unpleasant sensation, like insects were gnawing at my skin.
I raised my head and looked at Park Su-chan.
He was wearing an expression that seemed to say, Can you really refuse an offer like this without budging?
I nearly laughed to myself.
...Ah. He’s exactly the type I hate.
His attitude, his expression, even his voice.
From every angle, he radiated arrogant self-love and a complete lack of respect for the person in front of him.
To my surprise, Representative Park Su-chan possessed every trait I couldn’t stand in a person.
In that instant, the irritating sensation tickling the back of my hand vanished cleanly.
“Didn’t I tell you? I have no intention of changing companies.”
My voice, when it came out, was perfectly calm.
Park Su-chan, sitting across from me, tilted his head.
“You’re saying you have no intention of moving, even though I offered better conditions than Baekhak?”
“Yes.”
“...Interesting. Are you perhaps the type who takes loyalty vows to the company you work for?”
Me? The kind of person who takes loyalty vows to a company?
Well.
The last loyalty vow I’d ever made was to the military. Why would I ever be loyal to a company?
The reason I’d rejected Park Su-chan’s offer wasn’t simply because I disliked him; it was because I could tell, plain as day, that whatever he was about to offer wouldn’t be attractive.
I already had enough money, and the best he could probably offer was a team leader position.
Was there any reason to leave Baekhak for SAG over that?
No. None at all.
But there was no need to spell out every thought in my head.
The reason was simple.
I just didn’t like the man.
Even now, with that look that seemed to belittle me, I rose from my seat in plain sight of him.
“If you’ve said everything you came to say, may I go now?”
Park Su-chan, watching me steadily, burst out laughing.
“You’re really something.”
“That’s the first time I’ve heard that. I’m actually a pretty uninteresting person.”
“Really? I find you very interesting. I think I’m starting to understand why.”
I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”
“Why Baek Ji-won keeps shielding you.”
My eyes widened slightly.
In that moment, Park Su-chan continued.
“Now that I’ve seen you in person, I can understand it. You’ve got good eyes.”
***
TAN Sangam variety studio.
Park Su-chan, who had come there without warning, was just about to leave the set when Kim Su-ji came running from far away and shouted, “Representative!”
Park Su-chan stopped walking for a moment and turned his head.
By then, Kim Su-ji had run up to him and was panting as she said, “Why are you here...”
Instead of answering, Park Su-chan jerked his chin toward his secretary beside him.
The rear door of the luxury sedan opened.
Park Su-chan got into the back seat and said, “Get in and we’ll talk.”
After giving the secretary a slight bow, Kim Su-ji followed Park Su-chan into the back seat.
Park Su-chan rubbed at his eyes and said, “Team Leader Kim Su-ji.”
“Yes, Representative.”
“That Team Leader Kwon guy was amusing.”
“...?”
A question mark appeared on Kim Su-ji’s face, but she quickly composed herself and asked, “When you say amusing...”
“Arrogant.”
“...”
“He’s arrogant, but he’s not obnoxious. He doesn’t seem like he’s putting on airs, either... how should I put it? Right. Amusing. It’s been a while since I met someone amusing.”
Because he’d been rubbing his eyes, Park Su-chan’s eyes were red.
In that state, he let out a series of low chuckles.
“They said Baek Ji-won keeps protecting him, and I can see why. It’s been a long time since I met a manager who just says whatever he wants right in front of me.”
Kim Su-ji’s eyes went wide.
This was the first time she had ever heard Park Su-chan praise or acknowledge someone like this.
Then Park Su-chan put a cigarette between his lips and murmured, “So I want to knock that nose down a bit first, Team Leader Kim Su-ji.”
“...Yes, Representative.”
“He can win this competition, right?”
At Park Su-chan’s question, Kim Su-ji answered without hesitation.
“Yes. Unless something unusual happens, K-1 should take first place.”
“Good. I’m counting on you.”
“Thank you, Representative.”
“You can go now.”
Kim Su-ji wanted to ask why he had come all the way to the variety studio just to meet Team Leader Kwon, but in the end the words wouldn’t come out.
She bit her lip and got out of the car.
“Take care, Representative.”
With Kim Su-ji’s farewell, the luxury sedan carrying Park Su-chan pulled away.
By the time it was leaving TAN’s variety studio behind, Park Su-chan had lit a cigarette and was slowly muttering to himself.
“Secretary Park.”
“Yes, Representative.”
“Find out more about that Team Leader Kwon guy.”
The secretary, hands on the wheel, asked cautiously, “How far should I go?”
“From the top of his head to the soles of his feet. Tear through everything. Leave nothing out.”
Park Su-chan flicked ash from his cigarette and said, “I’m really curious now. Just what kind of man Team Leader Kwon is.”
***
At that same time,
while riding back to Baekhak in the van driven by Team Leader Kwon, Lee Ye-ji, sitting in the passenger seat, spoke carefully.
“Um... Team Leader?”
“Yes?”
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but... why did SAG’s representative come looking for you just now?”
At Lee Ye-ji’s question, Team Leader Kwon let out a snort of laughter.
“He told me to come work for his company.”
Lee Ye-ji’s mouth fell open in shock.
“What!? SAG’s CEO personally made you an offer to change companies... oh my?”
Her eyes went huge.
Meanwhile, Park Ga-eul, sitting in the back seat, leaned forward and asked urgently, “Team Leader, you’re not going to SAG, are you?”
Team Leader Kwon answered in an unhurried voice. “I’m not going. Why would I leave Baekhak for SAG?”
A sigh of relief slipped out of Park Ga-eul.
Watching that with a bewildered expression, Lee Ye-ji asked back, “If SAG’s CEO personally moved, wouldn’t that mean the terms were amazing, Team Leader?”
“The conditions were pretty good.”
“...How was the offer made?”
Team Leader Kwon glanced at Lee Ye-ji.
“Lee Ye-ji, are you secretly interested in changing to SAG?”
“N-no! I’m just curious, that’s all! The company’s representative came looking for you personally!”
“That’s a little too deep to be just curiosity...”
“Huh! Are you doubting me, Team Leader?”
Team Leader Kwon laughed softly. “I’m kidding. Anyway, it wasn’t much of a conversation.”
“...Tch. If you don’t want to tell me, just say so!”
“Then I’ll leave it at that. Right, we’re here, so go ahead and get inside and prepare for the meeting. I’ll park the car and come up.”
“Yes, understood!”
Lee Ye-ji and Park Ga-eul got out of the car.
After carrying their things into Baekhak’s headquarters, the two of them immediately started preparing the meeting room.
By the time Lee Ye-ji had finished setting up the laptop and was stretching her arms, Park Ga-eul murmured slowly, “Unni.”
“Hmm?”
“...Team Leader isn’t really going to SAG, right?”
Lee Ye-ji shrugged. “He said he’s not going, so I don’t think he’s going.”
“...But if the representative personally went out of his way to make the offer, wouldn’t Team Leader have been tempted?”
“Hmm, maybe? Still, I mean, if it’s SAG’s representative, he’s a massive big shot.”
Park Ga-eul let out a long sigh.
Watching her, the corners of Lee Ye-ji’s mouth curled up mischievously.
“Why, are you worried?”
“...Yes.”
“Hey, don’t worry. Even if he changed companies, Team Leader isn’t the kind of person who’d do it without thinking about responsibility!”
At Lee Ye-ji’s words, Park Ga-eul gave an uncertain smile.
Then there was a knock at the door.
Park Ga-eul and Lee Ye-ji turned toward it.
Lee Ye-ji stood up and called out, “Team Leader! You can just open the door and come in!”
At that, the door opened.
At the same moment, Lee Ye-ji, who had risen to her feet, froze solid.
“....................?”
A faint perfume scent flooded the meeting room all at once.
It was a fragrance that felt cold, yet somehow sweet.
Within it, Lee Ye-ji’s frozen pupils trembled violently up and down.
Beside her, Park Ga-eul’s mouth parted slightly.
“.....Huh?”
With Lee Ye-ji’s belated exclamation, the top-star actress leaning lazily against the doorway slowly turned her head.
When Park Ga-eul met her gaze and unknowingly held her breath, a bright smile spread across Lee Ha-eun’s lips.
“You’re the one, aren’t you?”