Chapter 25
After checking on the trainees, who had begun vocal training in earnest, Se-rang quietly left the company.
She now had a meeting with the choreography team. <Burning Bunny>, the crew that had become independent from <Big Wave>.
It was a team she had shared a very deep connection with in her previous life. To begin with, Kim Inha, the leader of Burning Bunny, had been in charge of almost all the choreography for her idol group.
Inha was not merely a choreographer. She was also a director who knew exactly how to compose and dominate a stage. She had even planned overall concepts together with Se-rang.
So no matter what happened, Se-rang had to make Inha one of her people in this life too.
Holding the most expensive whiskey among the liquor she owned in one hand, Se-rang knocked on the door of Burning Bunny’s studio.
“Welcome.” Then Kim Inha, who was both loose and impeccably polite, opened the door.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Kim Inha. I’m Yeon Se-rang from Imperial.”
“Ah, yes, yes. I’m Kim Inha, the leader of Burning Bunny.”
Kim Inha seemed slightly nervous, but her expression also looked displeased somehow.
Even so, she politely guided Se-rang into the office inside the studio.
“This is my gift. Congratulations on becoming independent.”
“Oh, you really didn’t have to bring something like this… Ack. You really didn’t have to bring something like this!”
Inha, who had received the gift indifferently at first, gaped in shock. That was only natural, since Se-rang had brought a bottle of liquor worth tens of millions of won.
But to Se-rang, who had little interest in liquor and could not tell the difference in taste, it was simply a bottle that had been sleeping in the display cabinet.
It would just rot at home anyway. It’s better off with someone who knows how to enjoy liquor. Se-rang merely shrugged.
“I heard somewhere that you like liquor.”
“No, I do like liquor, but… this is too….” Inha stammered, not knowing what to do, before immediately accepting the liquor from Se-rang’s hand, as though afraid Se-rang might change her mind. “Anyway, I’ll gratefully accept it. You can’t ask me to return it later.”
“I’m not the kind of person who says two different things with one mouth.”
I’ve been saying that line a lot lately.
Se-rang sat down where Inha guided her.
“I think Secretary Cha already explained to you to some extent why I came here today.”
“Ah, yes. I heard very clearly. You’re doing a survival program this time, and you need my choreography for it.”
“Yes, that’s right. I desperately need the strength of Ms. Inha and the Burning Bunny crew. The schedule is a little tight, but we’ll offer treatment that matches—”
“Ah. Wait a second, wait a second.” Inha cut Se-rang off and smiled awkwardly.
Huh.
Warning signals began blaring inside Se-rang’s mind.
This doesn’t feel good.
“Um… since you came all the way here and even gave me such a gift, I feel a little sorry saying this….”
“Did something happen?”
“No, no. Nothing happened….” Inha let out a deep sigh, then returned the liquor she had been holding preciously against her chest to Se-rang.
This is a really bad sign. Kim Inha returned liquor she had already accepted.
“Actually, just this morning, another place already offered me a big project. If possible, I’d like to do both, but their project is too large, so I don’t think I can handle both at the same time.”
This morning?
At the ominous feeling that crept over her, Se-rang forced the corners of her mouth upward.
It might be needless worry, but isn’t the timing too perfect?
“May I ask which side made the offer?”
“Ah, that’s….”
“I’ll keep it absolutely confidential. I’m purely curious.”
Inha looked troubled and scratched the back of her head.
“Actually, I thought you already knew, Director. It’s a label under your company, Imperial.”
“You mean….”
“Blue Royal made the offer.”
I knew it.
Se-rang quietly clenched her fist.
“Haha. We belong to the same company, but we move independently. Still, we should have shared information smoothly. That was our mistake.”
After answering moderately, Se-rang’s mind spun quickly. How could she screw over Blue Royal and bring Burning Bunny over?
Ah. Se-rang quickly thought of something. “Actually, our side heard that Blue Royal had already signed a long-term contract with <Big Wave>.”
“!”
When the name <Big Wave>, the crew Burning Bunny came from, was mentioned, Inha’s expression stiffened.
“<Big Wave>…?”
That was understandable. After all, they had not become independent from Big Wave for a good reason in the first place.
Do Yunyung, the head of Big Wave, and Kim Inha, who had been the sub-leader, had shared hardships since childhood while also being rivals.
Because they had spent such a long time together, small emotional rifts had piled up and eventually led them to walk separate paths.
In particular, between the two of them, Kim Inha harbored tremendous anger toward Do Yunyung.
Since Se-rang had worked with Inha for a long time, she had heard plenty of that resentment during drinking sessions.
“Do Yunyung, that girl! Her skills are insane. I know! I know that, but… she’s too… she thinks she’s the only one who’s great. She doesn’t think about the crew members working with her at all. She only thinks she should become famous…. That’s why everyone couldn’t take it anymore and followed me out….”
Because Se-rang knew those feelings exactly, she knew Inha would not stay still.
…Honestly, using information Inha privately told me like this feels really uncomfortable….
But this is better than you going to Blue Royal and getting thoroughly wrung dry by Yeon Si-ho, Inha….
“They were probably thinking of signing both crews and having you cooperate together.”
It was fairly common to receive choreography from multiple crews, then have an in-house choreographer take only the best parts from each crew’s choreography and use them.
Under ordinary circumstances, that would not be much of a problem, but….
“They didn’t tell us anything like that. This is difficult.”
Not for <Big Wave> and <Burning Bunny>.
“They were probably planning to tell you soon.”
Se-rang knew the relationship between Blue Royal and Big Wave.
In her previous life too, Blue Royal had based every team’s choreography on choreography created by Big Wave, then modified it by taking small parts from other teams’ choreography.
It was probably not very different this time either.
“…No, because… we verbally told them from the beginning that we did not want to cooperate with <Big Wave>….”
“Oh my, really?” Se-rang asked back as though this was the first she had heard of it.
“Yes. But… I suppose our request must have been forgotten….” Inha let out a deep sigh.
“I’m sure Blue Royal didn’t do it on purpose. They were probably in a hurry too and forgot.” After saying that, Se-rang subtly brought it up. “But it seems there was some noise when you became independent from <Big Wave>. Judging by how you say you don’t want to work together.”
“H-ha….” Inha trailed off awkwardly.
That’s right. You don’t need to say it yourself, Inha. I already know everything.
“Actually, Blue Royal said they would probably use <Big Wave>’s choreography as the main base. It’s not quite an exclusive contract, but they said it would likely go in that direction….”
“…….” Inha’s face darkened rapidly.
That was natural, since this contract must have been desperately important to Inha. <Burning Bunny> was a new crew that had only just become independent, so a contract with a large agency like Blue Royal would be critical.
“But we only want to work with <Burning Bunny>.”
“!”
“What do you think? Right now, I’m the only producer at Imperial… and I only want to work with <Burning Bunny>….”
Se-rang deliberately did not explain further.
Inha swallowed hard, as though she understood what would come next.
Se-rang knew exactly what she needed to do at this moment.
“Would you like to check the terms first?”
“Ah, yes, yes! Sounds good. Sounds good.”
Only then did Inha sweep a hand over her chest as though relieved and accept the contract with a beaming smile.
And while Inha read the contract, Se-rang hid her phone behind her back and quickly contacted Secretary Cha.
Secretary Cha Jeong-hui
[Please find out where that bastard Yeon Si-ho is right now.]
After sending the message, Se-rang smiled as she watched Inha nearly lose her mind over the contract terms.
“If it isn’t enough, please say so anytime.”
“E-enough? It isn’t lacking at all… not at all.”
“Compared to your ability, Ms. Inha, it’s nowhere near enough. We want to work with you for a very long time. And I have no doubt that the Burning Bunny crew will lead the next K-pop dance scene.”
At Se-rang’s extreme praise, Inha’s face flushed oddly, but she did not deny it.
That’s right. You should have at least that much pride in your ability. Se-rang thought that was very like Inha as she slowly rose from her seat.
“You don’t need to sign the contract immediately. Think it over carefully and contact me. But please listen to our song too, and please take a look at the image of the kids you’ll be working with.”
After saying that, Se-rang immediately sent Inha the song and videos of the trainees.
“These are the kids you’ll be in charge of if you sign, Ms. Inha. If it’s you… I think you’ll recognize their true value.”
“!”
Inha was surprised by Se-rang’s words, but she also seemed to have many thoughts as she fidgeted with the contract.
Se-rang waited for Inha slowly. The other side likely had plenty she wanted to ask.
“It’s true that our Burning Bunny was part of a famous dance studio…. But we haven’t been independent for long, and we haven’t proven much about our abilities yet. May I ask why you trust us this much?”
Se-rang expected this kind of question, so she was not flustered.
Instead, she gave the answer she had prepared.
“I watched every choreography video you participated in, every video of competitions you personally joined, and every video you uploaded to your personal YouTube channel.”
“What? No, you… watched all of that?” Inha asked in genuine shock.
Se-rang nodded. She really had watched all of it.
Not as Yeon Se-rang, but as Kang Iwon.
Back then, she had no capital, but her heart was desperate, so that much effort was only natural.
When Iwon approached the Burning Bunny crew, Burning Bunny was already the hottest choreographer team in the K-pop scene.
They were so popular that their schedule for nearly an entire year was almost full.
If she wanted Burning Bunny to take on choreography for an idol group from a small-to-medium entertainment company, Iwon needed a powerful weapon too.
But Iwon knew how to do nothing except work hard.
So she poured in effort. To persuade Inha why her idol group needed Burning Bunny’s Kim Inha and not someone else, she watched all of Inha’s videos, studied and analyzed her portfolio, and even gave a presentation.
Perhaps Inha felt something from her sincerity, because after thinking it over, she eventually agreed.
She never imagined that effort would be used like this. Se-rang smiled bitterly.
“That’s how much I need you, Ms. Kim Inha. So I would be grateful if you would review our proposal and our kids positively.” After saying that, Se-rang held out her hand to Inha.
And Inha stared at Se-rang’s hand before clasping it.
Just like the time Kang Iwon and Kim Inha first met.