Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The One Who Laughs Last...(2)
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Damn it, what the hell kind of day is this?
Everyone's picking on me left and right.
And the timing couldn't be worse.
Is Go Min-cheol just clueless, or am I the one with bad luck...?
Maybe it's both...
"Right now? Just me?"
"Yeah. Right now. Just you."
Even after double-checking, nothing changed.
"Ha, look at this. I knew there was something shady going on. You filthy bitch. Just you wait. You think I'm gonna let this slide?"
Hong Yu-jeong was grinding her teeth even harder in this situation, looking more menacing than ever.
Why the hell is this woman always coming after me...?
"Th-that bitch over there, acting all high and mighty right in front of my eyes!"
Exactly.
You're not just a pushover to me—you get treated like one by everyone else too.
Jesus, what a useless piece of trash.
"Let's go, Section Chief."
I gave Go Min-cheol a pitiful look before taking the lead and marching right ahead.
"This bitch, that bitch—what a joke. There isn't a single decent woman in this company."
With a voice full of disbelief, Go Min-cheol trailed behind me.
"Un-unnie! B-be careful out there."
"Don't worry. I'll be back soon."
I waved reassuringly at the worried Kang Chae-rin as I stepped into the elevator.
Go Min-cheol pressed the button for the seventh floor, where the CEO's office was.
I watched him do it and thought to myself.
'Maybe it's time for a little refresh(?).'
This was just a hunch on my part.
A hunch that a succubus's powers wouldn't last forever.
As long as the power held, I could keep my secrets safe and seduce anyone I wanted, no problem.
But once the high wore off, I had a gut feeling the difficulty would skyrocket.
"Section Chief, try not to get so worked up around me. We're past that, aren't we?"
"Ha? What the hell are you on about now?"
"I'm just saying, give me the benefit of the doubt. We're gonna be seeing each other more than once or twice from now on. Better to get along, right?"
"I'll decide that based on how you act, you little slut."
Watching Go Min-cheol stay as prickly as ever, I made up my mind.
Yeah, if the chance comes, I should refresh him once.
Otherwise, this guy's gonna keep being a nervous wreck.
"......"
The elevator arrived at the seventh floor.
As I walked with Go Min-cheol toward the CEO's office, I felt tension creeping in.
Well, he is the CEO, after all.
Meeting him one-on-one has me a bit on edge.
'He did mention a private meeting before... but why did he call me here?'
Maybe because I've got so many skeletons in my closet.
Makes me paranoid for no reason.
"Sir, I've brought Kim Hyun-ah as you requested. May we come in?"
"Come on in."
Anyone would think this was the army.
'The hierarchy's a mess between everyone else, but with the CEO, it's ironclad.'
That meant the CEO, Jeong Byeong-in, had Purem Entertainment firmly under his thumb—like a well-drilled soldier.
"......"
I forced myself to act casual as I followed Go Min-cheol inside.
"Hmm. Sit wherever, make yourselves comfortable."
"Yes, sir."
Jeong Byeong-in glanced at Go Min-cheol before pointing to the sofa.
He must've been debating whether to dismiss him.
Personally, I would've preferred if he sent Go Min-cheol packing so it was just me and the CEO.
It'd make seducing the guy that much easier.
'Hell, if I snag this one guy, I could run this whole company however I want, right?'
I could clean up Hong Yu-jeong—who's been hostile to me and the other members—and handle any other issues just like that.
But Jeong Byeong-in ultimately didn't send Go Min-cheol away.
'Did he catch on? Or does he just have killer instincts...?'
Either way, it left me disappointed.
"Nice to meet you, Hyun-ah."
"Ah... Nice to meet you too, sir."
"Haha, I thought so before, but is it because you were in and out of the towers? You seem pretty disciplined, Hyun-ah."
"Thank you."
"Disciplined my ass......"
Go Min-cheol muttered under his breath from the side, but no one paid him any mind.
Jeong Byeong-in met my eyes and flashed a warm smile.
"I thought you were pretty back at the evaluation too. Seeing you up close like this, you're even prettier. Makes sense why Choreographer Wang Im-hwan picked you."
"......"
Jeong Byeong-in singled me out—not Luminous as a group.
This confirmed that I was the reason Wang Im-hwan had backed Luminous.
And it was an undeniable fact.
'Fuck... this guy's sharp as hell.'
I'd felt it at the evaluation too.
No matter how rotten an organization was—no, especially because it was rotten—the person at the top wasn't just anyone.
"I was pretty thrown back then. I'd never worked with a girl group before, and I never expected someone known across the industry for that niche to suddenly show interest in one."
"......"
Tap, tap.
Jeong Byeong-in drummed his fingers on the desk in a way that sent chills down my spine.
"Or maybe not. Maybe it was more unpleasant than surprising?"
"......"
My heart dropped in that instant.
If Jeong Byeong-in turned sour here, somehow, I had a feeling something huge would go down with Wang Im-hwan.
"Well... water under the bridge, so let's leave it at that. Not a bad idea to have Wang Im-hwan owe me one. Show me what you can do—who knows? Maybe he's got untapped talent for girl group choreography and hits it big. Can't hurt the agency, right?"
"......"
Now he was dropping the "choreographer" title altogether.
Calling Wang Im-hwan by name outright.
It was downright eerie.
Like seeing the CEO's true face.
"Or who knows? Maybe Hyun-ah, you could get something on Wang Im-hwan."
"...Pardon?"
"The way he looked at you back then? Like he was ready to walk right into your mouth on his own two feet. So I got this feeling—if you really wanted to, you could wrap that guy around your finger. Hmm, might take some bold moves on your part, but that's just par for the course in this industry."
"......"
The more I listened to Jeong Byeong-in, the more goosebumps crawled up my skin.
Was this bastard spying on my daily life with hidden cameras or something?
His insight was too spot-on for anything less.
"Hmm, I'd like to hear your take, Hyun-ah. What do you think? If Wang Im-hwan makes some unreasonable demands?"
"I..."
I swallowed hard.
I'd been trying to play it cool, but my tension was showing plain as day now.
Instinct told me I had to answer carefully here.
"......I think I'd refuse."
"Oh? That's unexpected. I figured you'd jump at it. Refuse, huh...? Why?"
His perceptiveness was on another level.
I'd already heard Wang Im-hwan's side and was on my way back from doing just that.
'But he doesn't see everything.'
Feeling a small wave of relief, I racked my brain for the most plausible response.
"Long tails get caught."
"Hm?"
"That'd just become my weakness... and make life a pain."
"Hahaha, spot on. Smart girl. Maybe it's because you're older than the others? Out of everyone I've seen, you get how the real world works best."
"Thank you..."
"No need to thank me for that."
"......"
Jeong Byeong-in's gaze lingered on me without end.
Like he was eyeing a tasty meal.
Gave me the creeps.
"Still, no risk, no reward. That's life, and that's the towers too, right?"
"Yes, you're right."
"So sometimes you gotta do the dirty work. Everyone does. No successful person hasn't."
"......"
Not wrong, technically.
But there's a world of difference between "ah" and "eo," as they say.
In Jeong Byeong-in's case, he'd probably done dirtier deeds than most—a hundred times over.
And here he was, spouting this shamelessly...
"Anyway, you seem good at navigating society and quick on the uptake, so I'm telling this just to you."
"......"
I tried my hardest to predict what would come out of Jeong Byeong-in's mouth next.
What could it be?
Why drag me all the way up here?
I wracked my brain, but what he said next blew every guess out of the water.
"Ever thought about leaving Luminous and debuting solo?"
"......!!"
It was the last thing I expected.
He'd shoved me into Luminous out of nowhere before, and now this?
Sure, Go Min-cheol was behind that, but still...
"Must've been a shock, going from trainee straight into Luminous like that. I chewed out Section Chief Go pretty good on evaluation day for it. Still ridiculous thinking back. Tsk tsk."
"......"
Go Min-cheol, already silent as a clam, hung his head even lower.
He brought it on himself, but unlike Hong Yu-jeong, I felt a twinge of pity.
Maybe because we'd slept together?
Office life sure ain't easy.
"......"
As I kept my mouth shut, Jeong Byeong-in smacked his lips and continued.
"Even in that short time, you all poured your hearts into preparing for evaluation day, so bonds must've formed. But think it over, Hyun-ah. You know from grinding in the towers how harsh reality is."
"......"
"Not knocking the Luminous girls, but let's be real—they wouldn't have passed without you. Right?"
"Ha, but... I came to an agency because I'm scared of going solo."
"Oh, so you were thinking personal streams or MeTube at first?"
"......I don't think I could do it alone. Doesn't suit my personality."
I mixed some honesty into my words.
Jeong Byeong-in chuckled like it was cute.
"Then no worries there. If you leave Luminous and go solo, the company will back you up big time."
"......"
"At least two dedicated managers, and we'll accommodate whatever you want as much as possible. Good press if you need it, any songs you like—we'll provide them. Same for acting gigs."
"......"
"Solo activities only. But really, you'll have more support than now. I think it's the better deal, no matter how you slice it. You strike me as having talents totally different from the other Luminous members. Talents that'd shine brightest solo."
"......"
"What do you say, Hyun-ah? Your call in the end."
"I..."
If I knew nothing about Purem Entertainment...
Or if my real goal here wasn't 'Kang Chae-rin,' it would've been tempting.
It was basically promising full backing and success to a mere trainee.
But...
'That "unique talent"? Fuck, it reeks of the sleazy side of the industry.'
This bastard had me pegged from the first glance.
Like, oh, this one's gonna dominate the AV or adults-only scene.
So my answer was set.
"......I'd like to stick with the members and prepare for Luminous debut as is."
In that moment.
For the first time, the corner of CEO Jeong Byeong-in's mouth twitched oddly.
Like he was slightly displeased.