The Unescapable Trap

When he opened his capsule and stepped out, Tae-hyun felt an eerie silence hanging over the mansion. It was a quietness like the calm before a storm!

...What's going on?

When he went down to the first floor, his father, Kim Tae-san, was standing in the living room with his arms crossed, wearing a smug grin. The moment Tae-hyun saw it, his heart sank. He was in deep trouble! That smile was undoubtedly the confident smirk of someone who had already laid out a wicked scheme. Tae-hyun had expected his father to seek petty revenge after being run ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠over by a motorcycle in-game, but this was far too fast.

"Haha! Tae-hyun! Come over here for a second!"

Tae-hyun instinctively looked toward the window, planning to throw it open and make a run for it. But Kim Tae-san had already anticipated his move and closed the distance.

*Grab!*

"Where do you think you're going, son?"

"I suddenly felt an urge to exercise. I was just going for a run."

"Sure, sure! Go right ahead—after we have a little chat!"

Drag, drag, drag. Tae-san dragged Tae-hyun over and shoved him onto the sofa. Sitting quietly across from them was his mother, Mrs. Jeong Yun-hee.

"Mother!"

"What is it?"

"Whatever Father told you, you mustn't listen to him!"

"..."

Tae-san stared at Tae-hyun with a thoroughly unimpressed look. Granted, he had set this up to torment his son, but to have him react like this before even hearing a single word was a bit much.

"Really? I actually thought it sounded like a good idea."

"Huh? What did?"

Not knowing what Tae-san had proposed, hearing Yun-hee say she approved was terrifying.

"That you're going to become a celebrity."

"...Excuse me?"

Tae-hyun looked as if he had been struck on the back of the head with a sledgehammer. What did she just say?

"What?!"

"Ahem. Allow me to explain."

Tae-san gestured grandly, his face practically glowing with delight. He looked absolutely thrilled to pieces!

"Now, look at yourself, Tae-hyun. You've gained quite a bit of popularity through your personal streams, and since you're competing in the tournament, you're bound to make headlines again."

"..."

Tae-hyun stared at his father in silence. His father was usually not this sophisticated when it came to tormenting people. When on earth had he leveled up his scheming skills to this degree?

Regardless of Tae-hyun's internal crisis, Tae-san continued his explanation.

"But that kind of popularity always has an expiration date. To maintain a steady stream of interest, you need proper management. You need to market the brand of 'Kim Tae-hyun' more aggressively to the general public. Right now, how many non-gamers even know your name?"

Tae-san slapped his knee, shouting as if it were a grave injustice. Dumbfounded, Tae-hyun retorted.

"Why on earth do non-gamers need to know my name?"

"You punk! Once you start something, you have to see it through to the end! Besides, isn't personal streaming basically the same as being a celebrity? It's all broadcasting!"

"They might sound similar, but they are completely different. What kind of nonsense is..."

The entertainment industry was no joke. There were plenty of people who excelled at running their own personal streams, but those who managed to survive on major network television—or even cable TV—were exceptionally rare.

When the Pan-On boom first started, several streamers who had struck gold with gaming broadcasts accepted offers from TV networks and tried their hand at mainstream broadcasting. Naturally, most of them failed miserably.

"Either way, you're stagnant right now. You're going to the tournament, but at this rate, even if you win, it'll be a waste of potential! You need to expand your stage and make your name known to the masses!"

"Father, you're only doing this because you know how much I hate the idea!"

"Haha! I can't hear you, you rascal! You shouldn't have run me over with that motorcycle!"

Tae-hyun forced himself to remain calm and spoke.

"And do you think just anyone can get on TV? Even if you want to, you can't do it without an opportunity. I might be famous in Pan-On, but if I say I want to go on a major network, do you really think the broadcasting stations will just say yes?"

"Haha! I've already solved that problem too, you rascal!" Tae-san looked like he might die of joy.

"Y-you solved it?"

"Yep. SI Entertainment contacted us first. They said they want to sign you."

"Wait, what kind of crazy bastards would—?!"

"My thoughts exactly, but hey, isn't the world full of crazy people? I guess they're just one of them."

If anyone from SI Entertainment had heard this, they would have been utterly flabbergasted. They had accepted Tae-hyun after receiving a serious recommendation from MBS Bureau Director Lee Jong-guk, and only after agonizing over the decision!

"I think it's a good idea."

"Mother...!"

"Didn't you say it yourself? That you would show us your path through this game. If so, you shouldn't stop here; you should keep moving forward. I did some research of my own, and it seems there are quite a few former pro-gamers who successfully transitioned into television personalities."

It seemed Mrs. Jeong Yun-hee, who always paid close attention to her son's affairs, had done some preliminary research. She was bringing up examples of pro-gamers from the pre-Pan-On era who had successfully transitioned into mainstream celebrities. Of course, to Tae-hyun, this was absolutely absurd.

"That's not something just anyone can do! Those people beat odds of one in hundreds!"

"But wouldn't you be able to do it? And even if you fail, so what? You have us. The only shameful thing is giving up without even trying."

I just wanted to focus on Pan-On! Tae-hyun hung his head and grit his teeth. His long-honed gamer instincts were screaming at him. There is absolutely no escaping this trap!

"Sigh. Fine. I understand."

If there was no escape, his only choice was to accept it. Tae-hyun quickly composed his emotions and yielded. Watching this, Tae-san smacked his lips.

He's my son, but seeing him adapt like this is honestly terrifying.

Once he realized a path was blocked, he immediately abandoned it and began formulating his next strategy. It was a trait highly characteristic of a top-tier pro-gamer.

"Yes, son! Wise decision. Let's set up a meeting with SI Entertainment!"

"...By the way, what kind of company is SI Entertainment? I don't really know much about that industry."

"Uh. Actually, I don't really..."

Neither father nor son had any interest in mainstream broadcasting! Instead, it was Yun-hee who knew more about SI Entertainment.

"It's an entertainment agency that manages idols and actors."

"How did you know that, Mother?"

"An actor in one of the dramas I watch is signed with them."

"Ah."

Tae-hyun nodded and turned his gaze back to Tae-san.

"Do you really think I should sign a contract under these circumstances? When I don't even know what SI Entertainment is?"

"How should I know? SI Entertainment must have had their reasons for reaching out to you."

"Tsk..."

Tae-hyun clicked his tongue. Tae-san grinned and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry! I'll introduce you to a great friend of mine. You can go together."

"Who?"

"Jeong Jun-sik."

"Why a lawyer?"

Jeong Jun-sik. He was Tae-san's childhood friend and a lawyer at B&A, one of the nation's top law firms.

"So you don't get scammed, of course!"

"Is SI Entertainment that kind of place?"

"N-no, of course not. I looked into them, and they're a perfectly respectable and reputable company."

Fearing Tae-hyun might use it as an excuse to back out, Tae-san quickly corrected himself.

"But you shouldn't just sign contracts willy-nilly. It's always best to have a lawyer by your side for these things."

"I'm sure Uncle Jun-sik will be absolutely thrilled."

Tae-hyun stared at his father with a look of pure pity. Tae-san sheepishly turned his head away. Since their youth, Tae-san had a long history of pestering Jun-sik with the most ridiculous matters.

Essentially, whenever Tae-san caused trouble, his first instinct was to call Jun-sik. To Tae-hyun, the fact that Jun-sik was still friends with his father was nothing short of a miracle.

"Anyway, I'll go with him. It's not like I have anything to lose."

"Good! Bwahaha!"

Tae-san slapped Tae-hyun on the back in delight.

"...I should definitely summon more demons."

"What did you just say?"

A building is the face of a company. In that regard, the modern high-rise of SI Entertainment, situated right in the heart of Gangnam, made its identity crystal clear.

Look how successful I am!

"Nice building, isn't it?"

"Your father's building is more expensive than that one."

"Come on, cheer up."

"Sigh... I suppose it's not your fault."

Jeong Jun-sik let out a heavy sigh.

"Dragging a man who is busy enough to die from overwork all the way out here..."

"Then, by any chance, do you want to play Pan—"

"If you utter so much as the first syllable of 'Pan-On', I will sue you."

"..."

"Do you have any idea how much your father calls me every single day, shouting, 'Jun-sik! Let's play Pan-On!'... No, forget it."

Deep exhaustion was etched into Jun-sik's face. Tae-hyun felt a strange sense of familiarity looking at him.

Why does he suddenly remind me of Cain?

"Anyway, I did a quick background check before coming. SI Entertainment is a solid company. Actually, 'solid' might be an understatement. They manage top-tier actors and singers, and as far as I can tell, there haven't been any ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠contract disputes or issues. That's probably why they're doing so well. Plus, they have someone who could be considered your role model..."

"My role model? Who?"

Before Jun-sik could answer, someone interrupted. A man in a sharp suit had been waiting for them.

"Welcome. We've been expecting you. You must be Mr. Kim Tae-hyun?"

"Yes."

"And this gentleman is?"

"My lawyer."

"...Pardon?"

"A bit unusual to bring a lawyer to a first meeting, isn't it? I thought so too."

"Ah, well... please follow me."

The man pulled out his phone to notify his superiors of Tae-hyun's arrival, then tapped an access card. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠doors slid open, revealing the sleek interior of the building.

As they walked toward the elevators, several eye-catching individuals passed by. They possessed a level of visual splendor far beyond that of ordinary people. It was immediately obvious they were celebrities.

Tae-hyun let out a low whistle.

"What is it? Did you see someone you know?"

"No. I literally don't recognize a single one of them."

"..."

Jun-sik sighed once more as he looked at Tae-hyun. Even he had recognized some of the celebrities they just passed. Yet this young punk didn't know a single one.

Like father, like son. Both of them are absolute gaming addicts...

He was only helping because Tae-san had asked, but could Tae-hyun really survive in the entertainment industry? Jun-sik could only envision a bleak, chaotic future.

No, no. Tae-hyun has to be better than Tae-san!

The three of them rode the elevator to the top floor. The employee knocked politely on the CEO's office door.

"Come in."

The man opened the door and stepped aside. Tae-hyun and Jun-sik walked in.

"Welcome, Kim Tae-hyun... Wait, you're not alone. Who is the gentleman next to you?"

"He's my lawyer."

"...Did I do something wrong?"

Even the mighty CEO of SI Entertainment seemed thoroughly flustered by the sight of someone bringing a lawyer to their very first meeting. Jun-sik spoke up to smooth things over.

"He's my friend's son, so I came along at his request. I figured the boy might not be very familiar with legal matters. Here is my card."

"Ah. Thank you."

The CEO's eyes widened as he looked at the business card. The credentials printed on it were far from ordinary.

"Well, in any case, welcome. Mr. Kim Tae-hyun. I am Lee Dong-pal, the CEO of SI Entertainment."

Lee Dong-pal was a handsome, middle-aged man. But while there are many types of handsome, Dong-pal was a bit...

Greasy.

Tae-hyun was already committing the silent discourtesy of judging the man's looks the very instant they met!