Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: A Pitch on the Rooftop
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Director Lee Joo-won and Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon walked towards the entertainment department, accepting greetings from employees.
Their eyes fell on Min-jun, who was jotting something down in a notebook.
“That’s the kid, right?”
“Yes.”
“Dressed like that, he looks like an idol attending an awards show.”
“It’s a waste for him to be just a manager.”
“He said his goal is to be a producer, didn’t he?”
“Oh my. You remember that?”
“You know I’ve always had a good memory.”
Hearing a passing employee's greeting, Min-jun looked up at Director Lee Joo-won and approached with quick, confident strides.
“Good day, Director Lee Joo-won. Good day, Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon.”
“Hahaha. So you remember us?”
“You’re pillars of the industry. And you’ve given us a great opportunity when we needed it most.”
“Pillars? Me? I haven’t been director for that long.”
*Of course, he won’t become widely known for another year, but I already know.*
Min-jun thought to himself with a faint smile.
“More importantly, why are you standing out here instead of inside?”
“Well… it’s a bit too cramped inside.”
“What do you mean? Production Team 2 has the largest space.”
As Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon asked with a puzzled expression, Director Lee Joo-won approached the door.
“Let’s take a look.”
*Knock, knock, knock.*
The aforementioned rookie PD opened the door, his eyes widening in shock.
“…Good day, Director!”
The staff inside shot up in surprise.
Director Lee Joo-won’s eyes twitched as he saw Your Girl hesitantly get to their feet, and behind them, Answer standing without any chairs.
“Good day, sir!”
The staff bowed deeply, but Director Lee Joo-won didn’t acknowledge their greeting.
“Why is this group standing?”
The atmosphere around Director Lee Joo-won instantly changed, a chilling coldness radiating from him.
“This team arrived later.”
“Who was late?”
“……”
PD Hwang Beom-seok and the members of Your Girl were startled.
“So the team that arrived on time is left standing, while the team that was late gets to sit? Is that it?”
“…No, that’s… the Answer team offered their seats.”
PD Hwang Beom-seok lied.
Before Seul-bi could flinch, Seol-ah quickly took her hand to calm her.
“And I…”
PD Hwang Beom-seok moved closer to Director Lee Joo-won and whispered.
“We’re giving them special treatment to try and book Fire Emblem.”
At the PD’s words, Director Lee Joo-won’s face filled with irritation.
“You know Fire Emblem is a hot topic, so why would you leave their former member, the manager, standing outside?”
“…What are you talking about…?”
At Director Lee Joo-won’s rebuke, PD Hwang Beom-seok’s face was filled with confusion.
Min-jun was surprised that Director Lee Joo-won knew about the interview that was pre-released on Tube just last night.
“Good grief! How can an entertainment PD be so out of the loop?”
PD Hwang Beom-seok looked at Min-jun with an aggrieved expression.
“You didn’t know Answer’s manager was in Fire Emblem’s final debut lineup?”
“What?”
Everyone’s startled gazes turned to Min-jun.
As the atmosphere grew tense, Seol-ah spoke up.
“We didn’t have any other schedules today, and it seemed like Your Girl came from a tiring one, so it’s true that we offered our seats.”
Min-jun gave a pleased smile to Seol-ah for stepping in at the right moment.
It was a clever move that would leave a good impression without getting on the bad side of the main PD, Hwang Beom-seok.
“This project is a collaboration with SJ Enter, isn’t it?”
Director Lee Joo-won’s expression softened at Seol-ah’s words as he spoke.
“Yes, Director.”
PD Hwang Beom-seok said, unable to hide his sour expression.
“I hope you haven’t forgotten what we discussed in this morning’s meeting.”
“…I’ll keep it in mind, Director.”
Director Lee Joo-won turned to Seol-ah, his face breaking into a smile.
“You have a beautiful heart. I’ll be looking forward to your performance.”
“Th-thank you!”
Seol-ah and the members of Answer bowed to the director with surprised eyes.
As Director Lee Joo-won was leaving, he paused and spoke again.
“It might be interesting to have a segment that the manager can participate in, too.”
“The manager…?”
A look of bewilderment filled PD Hwang Beom-seok’s face.
“The fact that a member of Fire Emblem’s final debut lineup is now a manager is newsworthy in itself, isn’t it?”
“……”
“Where else are you going to find such an interesting story? The advertising department is crying for help these days, so give them a hand.”
His pride wounded, PD Hwang Beom-seok lowered his head and bit his lip.
* * *
I stood next to Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon, watching PD Hwang Beom-seok get chewed out by the director as if it had nothing to do with me.
It was even more satisfying because this was an unforeseen development not predicted by my ‘Third Eye.’
After giving a harsh lecture, Director Lee Joo-won came out.
“Have a good day, Director!”
PD Hwang Beom-seok’s face twisted further at the director’s lack of response.
“The interview seems like it’ll take a while. How about we get some tea?”
Director Lee Joo-won spoke to me.
“I was just wondering if you and the Chief Producer would recognize me if I came to greet you.”
“Haha. You’re a smooth talker for a young man.”
“Hoho. I agree.”
Director Lee Joo-won and Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon seemed to think I was just making it up on the spot.
“Hyung… I bought them…”
With perfect timing, Choi Yoo-jun arrived carrying four coffees.
Unaware of who Director Lee Joo-won and Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon were, Choi Yoo-jun hesitated and spoke.
“The director likes Caramel Macchiatos, and the Chief Producer likes milk tea.”
Director Lee Joo-won opened his mouth, a look of surprise on his face.
“So you really were planning on coming to see us?”
“Yes. That’s why I wore a suit today.”
If it weren’t for the gift certificate from Choi Yoo-jun’s sister, Choi Yoo-kyung, I probably wouldn’t have even thought of buying a suit.
“Hahaha. Chief Kim. We can’t hide our age, can we? We’ve become such cynics, quick to assume instead of taking people at their word.”
Director Lee Joo-won laughed heartily, and his aura surged.
This is my chance. I hope I can gain something from this!
[Use ‘Let's be friends(A)’ on the target?]
[Yes]
The aura seeping from my body mixed with Director Lee Joo-won’s, and a flash of light erupted.
[‘Let's be friends(A)’ successful.]
[The target will temporarily feel a maximized sense of friendliness towards you.]
It was as if an afterimage of the past flickered in Director Lee Joo-won’s eyes.
This must be what they mean when they say your life flashes before your eyes.
“Well, Chief Kim. Let’s let them treat us. Follow me.”
“Ah? Yes.”
Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon replied with an enigmatic smile.
Choi Yoo-jun and I followed Director Lee Joo-won into an elevator that seemed to be for executives only.
Is he taking us to the director’s office?
“Are we going to your office?”
“No, to our hideout.”
“…Yes.”
With a surprised look, Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon pressed the button for the top floor.
A hideout?
“When I become president, this executive elevator will be the first thing to go.”
“…Then how will we get to our hideout?”
Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon asked cautiously, as if conscious of our presence.
“We’ll figure that out when the time comes.”
The anti-authoritarian Director Lee Joo-won was clearly the kind of person who would make the industry a more vibrant place.
*Ding.*
The elevator doors opened, and we walked past piles of clutter and up a flight of stairs.
Director Lee Joo-won opened an emergency exit door that looked like it was never used.
A blast of cold midwinter air rushed in.
“Ah, refreshing!”
“I’m cold.”
It was a wide-open rooftop.
The sun was shining without a breeze, but it was still just as cold.
“Coffee tastes best when you drink it in a cold place like this.”
“That’s true.”
The director and the chief producer seemed as close as old friends.
*Slurp.*
“Ahh… that’s good.”
“It’s delicious.”
At the comments from Director Lee Joo-won and Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon, Choi Yoo-jun’s face lit up as he chimed in.
“The café on the first floor said they put extra care into these!”
“Is that so? No wonder.”
A part of the brilliant aura connecting me to Director Lee Joo-won flowed into Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon.
[Two individuals whose favor and trust have reached their peak will share the effect.]
“This reminds me of our time on *1 Night & 3 Days*.”
“That was already twenty years ago. No one knew you were the president’s son back then.”
“Hahaha. I can still picture the head of the drama department sweating bullets after badmouthing my father to his heart’s content.”
“That’s not something to be proud of. You just made people uncomfortable.”
Their conversation, as if they’d forgotten Choi Yoo-jun and I were even there, was fascinating.
“You really gave me a hard time, saying you were my senior by three months.”
“A hard time? I was just giving you advice.”
“Pfft. You nagged me for over a year about how you asked for milk tea, not steamed milk.”
“Because it’s true. How is warm milk the same as milk tea full of black tea? And was it only three months? I was hired through open recruitment, you were a special hire. Worlds apart.”
“Always so proud of that open recruitment….”
“I have every right to be! Imagine how you’d feel after studying so hard, only for the youngest member to waltz in as a special hire.”
“I bet I was a better student than you.”
“Still, try to see it from my perspective.”
The two of them chuckled, then turned around as if they’d just remembered we were there.
“Ah, sorry about that. And thanks for the coffee. It’s really delicious, put me in a good mood.”
“I’m so glad you enjoyed it.”
Director Lee Joo-won pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to me and Choi Yoo-jun.
“Everyone used to smoke up here back in the day. You can’t have that kind of romanticism anymore.”
“No, thank you. We don’t smoke.”
“Don’t trainees sneak smokes? A shame, I was hoping to make some accomplices.”
A smile crept onto my face at the item’s undeniable effect.
I was sure I could get something big out of this.
The director offered a cigarette to Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon.
After a moment’s hesitation, Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon took one and put it to her lips.
“…Should we indulge in a little deviation for old times’ sake?”
“Aren’t cigarettes meant to be enjoyed with coffee?”
It seemed she was referring to smoking in a non-smoking area as a “deviation.”
It was something to be criticized, but there was something strangely human about them.
*Click! Shhh!*
With a cheerful expression, Director Lee Joo-won lit Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon’s cigarette.
“We really should quit, you know.”
“I quit to set a good example for others. I only smoke when I’m with you, Director.”
“Ha! That’s not quitting.”
“It is. I’m just smoking to entertain you, Director.”
“Wow… making me out to be the bad guy.”
They seemed to be on much more familiar terms than I’d thought.
With the cigarette in her mouth, Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon walked straight over to a ventilation fan. She then took out a small can, the motion looking incredibly practiced.
Strangely, the two of them looked cool.
“*Sssss… Hooo.* Delicious, so delicious.”
The image of them exhaling smoke strangely overlapped with how they must have looked decades ago.
“Min-jun and…”
“Choi! Yoo-jun!”
“Right. You’re both very handsome. But did you know? I used to be a trainee myself.”
Choi Yoo-jun and I couldn’t hide our surprise at the words of the director, who was in his forties.
“I almost debuted behind my father’s back, but I got caught.”
Director Lee Joo-won began to speak, recounting his past.
“My father wanted to be a singer too, but my grandfather told him he’d disown him if he became an entertainer. And yet, he did the same thing to me…”
Director Lee Joo-won, as if filled with lingering regret, rambled on endlessly.
The mystery of why he was so particularly interested in music was finally solved.
“*Hooo.* I just wish broadcasting was a bit more pure. I mean, I wish truly talented people would create buzz, not stars made with money. Right, Chief Kim?”
“*Hooo.* Still, it’s more transparent than it used to be. It needs to change more, but isn’t that the business you’re already in?”
Their replies, accompanied by cigarette smoke, seemed to exhale a past full of regret.
Director Lee Joo-won looked back at us.
“We’ve really become old geezers. Just rambling on about ourselves.”
“Not at all. Thank you for bestowing such a great favor on us. It’s truly a great honor.”
“Hehe. You’re a young man, but you talk like one of us old-timers.”
“Hoho. He does, doesn’t he.”
“I should at least pay you back for the coffee. Is there anything you’d like to ask for?”
The opportunity had arrived.
The gears in my head started turning at high speed.
There would surely be a segment on *Best Idol* to showcase Seol-ah’s singing or Seul-bi’s dancing. In that case, what about a way to highlight Seul-bi’s unique trait as a ‘gourmand,’ or Ro-si, who specializes in acting?
“I was thinking, what about a *Best Idol* spin-off that uses a girl group in the style of that popular show, *Steel Troops*?”
“You want to put a girl group through the wringer?”
“Yes. There are plenty of former girl group members these days who show off their strength, martial arts skills, or charisma, aren't there? I think focusing on two points—girl crush and catharsis—could be a huge boost for viewership.”
“That sounds like a really good idea. We could secure a stable inflow of viewers from *Best Idol* right from the start.”
“Exactly. It gives people who are left wanting more after the weekly episode of *Best Idol* another chance to tune in.”
Director Lee Joo-won and Chief Producer Kim Soo-yeon were smiling happily, as if they’d returned to their days as directors.
“If we titled it something like *Idols of Steel*, I think it would also help generate a lot of buzz.”
“That’s really good. The title alone would let people know it’s a spin-off and build anticipation.”
“I love it! This guy… this guy. It’s a real waste for him to be just a manager.”
They were genuinely delighted by the idea I had cautiously proposed.
It seemed less like the effect of a one-time item and more like I had truly piqued the interest of these born-and-bred producers.
And I had only just pitched one idea.
I could vividly picture Seol-ah captivating viewers with her vocals pushed to their limit, and Seul-bi dominating a *Steel*-type variety show with her incredible physique.