Chapter 108: A Trial Contract
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 108: A Trial Contract
“Well. To be honest, the Closer Project is in a completely different department from us.”
The team leader looked a bit awkward, as if he hadn't expected me to ask such a question.
“It's difficult to give you a definite answer right now about what we can or can't do for you.”
“Ah... I see...”
Then I might as well not do it, right?
There were too many complicated interests involved to jump in just for the possibility of helping Doah.
“However, if you, Taemin, were to propose support for Luka as a condition of the contract, we would hold an official internal meeting on our end.”
“Haven't you and the team leader of the Metaverse Team, the one in charge of Closer, been colleagues for ten years?” the manager subtly chimed in.
“Twelve years, to be exact. Six years here, and six years at our previous company.”
“If Taemin agrees to do this seriously, I think some additional support should be possible...”
The more I heard, the more attractive the offer seemed.
Because this was a surefire way to support Doah. This was it.
“Then.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and took my hand off the glass of coffee.
“Would it be possible to do it this way?”
“Go ahead.”
“To be honest, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do, and I'm not confident I can do it well, so...”
Yes. This seems like the most reasonable decision.
“Would it be... possible... to do something like a provisional contract, just to try it out for a few months...?”
“Ah... That might be a bit difficult... We're a company that has to submit proposals and secure investments, you see.”
Just as the manager's awkward laugh made me think it was a no-go...
“Let's do that, then.”
Doah's manager was even more surprised than I was by the team leader's cool declaration.
“What? Team Leader. Are you sure it's okay to handle it like that?”
“Well. I consider this part of the investment.”
“But... then...”
“There's no need for you to worry, Yejin. This is something for our casting team to handle.”
The manager looked like she wanted to say something, but I was too clueless to guess what it was.
“The term will be six months. No, wait. How about trying it for about three months?”
If he'd said six months, I would have refused, but three months...
He seemed to be a man who knew how to get through to people.
“I'd like to make it even shorter if I could, but honestly, that wouldn't be enough time to learn anything and produce any real results.”
The way he put it actually made me feel like I was the bad guy.
“Ah... well, if it's just for three months... then...”
“An excellent decision. This will certainly be a great opportunity for you, Taemin, and for Luka—ah, did you say Doah? For Doah as well.”
“We'll send over the official contract as soon as it's ready on our end. Someone other than myself or Yejin will probably contact you.”
Perhaps because I'd given a positive answer, the two people sitting across from me looked pleased.
“Well then, we'll see you at the company next time.”
They bowed deeply and even saw me off on my way home.
“Humm~ hmm~ hmmhmmhmm~”
Oppa probably hasn't had lunch, right?
My boyfriend was the type to eat a hearty breakfast, so he'd probably skipped lunch, or had a slice of bread at most.
Today's menu: tteokbokki.
I knew it would taste better if I ordered delivery, but I'd been living off takeout so much lately that I wanted to try cooking myself.
Following a popular YouTuber's recipe, I couldn't help but frown.
“...Isn't this just a dish of powder?”
Seriously? Do you really add this much MSG?
The chef in the video claimed this was the secret to making it taste like you bought it, and dumped in a ton of the powder.
It feels like it's half seasoning, half powder.
As I was measuring out the proper amount with a paper cup, I paused to think.
...Maybe I should just add half.
Putting in such a ridiculously destructive amount seemed like it would be bad for you.
I'd heard somewhere that it's not actually true, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
As the bright red sauce began to thicken, the spicy aroma wafted up to my nose.
“Mmm!”
I blew on a spoonful of the sauce to cool it down and tasted it, an exclamation escaping my lips.
This is good! It's better than I thought!
Tteokbokki never disappoints.
-Bzzzzzt-
Just then, my phone rang.
I answered without checking who it was, but sure enough, it was the person I was expecting.
[Hello?]
[Are you done?]
[Yeah. I'm almost there.]
[Oh... Did it go well?]
It was hard to tell how things went just from the sound of his voice.
He didn't sound like he was in a bad mood, though.
I was worried he might have just signed on the dotted line without reading the fine print.
[I'll tell you when I get inside. I'm right there.]
[Ah. Okay, got it~]
He really was right outside; less than a minute later, Oppa knocked on the door.
“It's cold, isn't it?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Hurry and come in.”
Unable to leave the pot for long, I went back to the induction stove while Oppa, as if he were used to it by now, took off his coat and hung it on the rack.
“Oh, what's this? Are you making tteokbokki?”
“The color looks perfect, right?”
“It really does.”
“Can you set up the table?”
Oppa said okay and went further inside.
The two of us sat facing each other on the floor.
Steam was rising gently from the pot.
“Let's eat!”
“Ah, but Oppa, you seem a little overdressed to be eating tteokbokki here today.”
I was so preoccupied I didn't get a good look earlier.
Looking at him now, Oppa was sitting on the floor dressed like he was going to a relative's wedding.
“I was meeting people from your company. How could I just go dressed casually?”
Oppa slurped up some ramyeon noodles, then frantically looked for water, as if it was too hot.
“Agh, hot.”
“Be careful. You'll burn your tongue.”
“I think it already landed a critical hit.”
Watching him frown as if in pain, I smiled softly. It was time to ask what I was really curious about.
“So, tell me. How did it go today?”
“Ah... well, first, your manager and the guy who's the casting team leader came.”
In a calm, quiet voice, Oppa told me, one by one, what they had talked about.
“Hmm. So it's a three-month thing?”
“Like a preview? That's the idea.”
“But if you make any profit from it, did they say they'd share it with you?”
“Hmm... I guess I'll know the details when I get the contract. They said they'll give it to me next week.”
Still, from what I'd heard so far, it didn't seem like a bad deal.
It wasn't some heavy, five-year contract, after all.
I didn't want his life's path to change because of me.
I believed his career path was his own to decide.
“If you do it, what kind of work will you start with? Acting? Modeling?”
“Well, what was it... They mentioned appearing in a web drama.”
My eyes widened at the unexpected answer.
...Oppa is going to be in a web drama?
I felt more worried than excited.
“...Are you going to act?”
“No? They said just showing my face, like a cameo, would be enough.”
“Ah. So you won't have any lines?”
“Probably for the best, right? If they made me act, the drama would probably flop.”
Oppa burst out laughing, as if he found the thought amusing himself.
“Well, if I do it, I'll just do whatever they tell me to.”
Seeing him shrug made me feel restless.
“Oppa, what if you become a huge hit and pictures of your face start circulating all over the internet?”
It was a common occurrence.
The backup dancer who outshines the singer.
The handsome supporting actor who's better-looking than the lead.
Maybe it was just my rose-colored glasses, but I felt that if it came down to just looks, Oppa could easily claim that title.
“Ugh... I'd hate that.”
Oppa shook his head as if the very thought was repulsive.
“And what if underclassmen at school start asking for your autograph?”
I kept listing things that could happen to him as they came to mind, but for some reason, my boyfriend looked like he was about to crumble into dust and disappear.
“Doah... maybe this is impossible after all...”
“Hey! Just a minute ago you said you'd think about it positively.”
I picked up the egg I'd saved for last and brought it to Oppa's mouth.
“Say ahh~”
“It'll be dry if I eat it in one bite.”
“Lu... Luka-tan. My arm hurts. How could you not eat this for me?”
As I raised my voice into Luka's signature sweet, coquettish tone, Oppa opened his mouth wide.
“Geez. Honestly.”
Why didn't you just eat it when I offered it the first time?
Out of spite, I shoved the whole egg into his mouth without breaking it, and his teeth began to grind the contents with impressive vigor.
“...Water.”
Yep, a non-speaking cameo role definitely suited Oppa a hundred times better than a speaking one.