Los Angeles
The car that had been racing into downtown LA along the freeway from the airport peeled off through an exit ramp.
"Let's grab a quick coffee before we head to the hotel."
They hadn't even had a chance to catch their breath after going straight from the airport into the cars trailing the bodyguards, so the members all nodded.
Jeong Cheol-min stretched in the back seat.
"Uhaaam, finally setting foot on American soil."
Yeon-woo gazed at James Choi for a moment before preparing to get out.
First I need to find out through Team Leader Yoon Mi-yeon whether the CEO also suspects James Choi.
He needed a clearer picture of how James Choi had joined them and exactly what duties he had been handed for the American schedule.
The car stopped at a café. The bodyguards stepped out first, and the group followed.
Guided inside, they found the place completely empty of customers.
"Hmm? Business not doing so well?"
Bernard Fenton, who was just opening the door to enter, heard Jeong Cheol-min's muttering—though he couldn't have understood the Korean—and spoke up.
"This café belongs to me. I closed it to customers today so all of you can rest comfortably."
Hearing Fenton's words relayed through Yeon-woo, Jeong Cheol-min scratched his head.
"Aigoo, you didn't have to go that far. We're only staying a bit before heading to the hotel anyway."
"Fenton's made a fortune thanks to us, so no need to feel burdened."
"That so?"
As the members ordered their drinks and settled into seats to catch their breath, Yeon-woo took the chair beside Team Leader Yoon Mi-yeon and quietly struck up a conversation.
"Team Leader Yoon. What kind of work is this James fellow supposed to be handling here? Did we have any projects that needed investment attraction overseas?"
"Well... honestly, I'm not sure either. He's from the board side..."
Team Leader Yoon Mi-yeon trailed off.
Being planted by the board meant he had not been sent by CEO Kim Ju-seong.
Since James Choi was definitely someone moving on funds that had flowed out of Baeksol—whether he himself knew it or not—there was nothing more to examine there. Throughout the flight to America, Yeon-woo had been watching Team Leader Yoon rather than James.
Seeing how Team Leader Yoon Mi-yeon was surreptitiously monitoring James Choi's every move, she had almost certainly received orders from CEO Kim Ju-seong to stick close and mark him.
That means even within LN Entertainment there's a power struggle between CEO Kim Ju-seong and the board.
Last time, during the appointment of outside directors, the board and CEO Kim Ju-seong's side had each recommended one person.
But the fact that the man the board had inserted was moving on money from Baeksol's pocket...
It means Baeksol has co-opted either the entire board of LN Entertainment or at least a few of the powerful ones among them.
He would have to keep watching James Choi's movements, but he could roughly guess the purpose.
As he was organizing his thoughts, Jeong Su-yeon approached.
"Yeon-woo. What did you order?"
"Ah, I'm fine. Water's enough."
Looking around, Dong-ha was standing by the window taking photos of Han Byeol, and Jeong Cheol-min was sprawled in his chair, worn out from the long flight.
Hmm. James is important, but first we have to finish this talk show successfully.
Fortunately every member except Jeong Cheol-min could speak English, so things looked as though they would go more smoothly than expected.
Bernard Fenton sat down across from Yeon-woo and spoke.
"By the way—the Friday Night Show. Thanks to Ryu and the group coming to LA, I finally get to play host."
"I thought it would be New York at first, but the filming location is LA?"
"Mm, that's right. NBS headquarters is in New York, but most of the filming is done in LA. Hollywood's here, after all."
Thinking about it, most of the celebrities who appeared on talk shows lived in LA, so having the studio here was hardly strange.
"Right now the famous production and distribution companies in Hollywood are paying close attention to Mr. Ryu's visit to LA."
"To me?"
Bernard Fenton smiled and nodded.
"Probably for different reasons each, but Snowbish Mount will be grinding their teeth since their Alliance ended up flopping as a result, and the other production companies will jump at anything that's a golden goose with eyes blazing."
Nodding, Yeon-woo looked past Fenton at James and opened his mouth.
"So there might be production companies trying to contact us during this schedule?"
"Of course. Business can go through over the phone, but since you've come all the way from distant Korea into their backyard, the chances of them showing their faces are high."
At those words Yeon-woo quietly nodded.
Meanwhile, the writers of the Friday Night Show were in the middle of a heated meeting.
"It's different from back then. These actors are young, and more than anything their momentum is up right now."
"Look, I get that White Blood is the biggest hit right now. But that's about the drama. We're a talk show. Have you already forgotten the ratings when those Taiwanese actors appeared last time?"
At the negative comment one of the writers nodded and added their opinion.
"Asians are too polite and quiet. Well, that's fine as people, but their sense of humor doesn't match ours, so if we drag the time long the ratings will eventually plummet. Just hit the front part short, snag the ratings, wrap it up, and stick Bianca in the back half. I hear she's having her third wedding soon."
Then the show host, David Powell, stepped in to mediate.
"Then let's do this. Since we have some time to spare, we'll film both every other day, and if the White Blood actors pull their weight well, solo; if not, cut it in half and edit. How's that?"
At Powell's words the writers nodded.
"Good. Let's prepare that way."
After catching their breath at the café, the group climbed back into the cars and headed for the hotel.
The moment the vehicles entered downtown LA, Han Byeol stared out the window in awe.
"Wow. The skyscrapers stretch all the way to the sky!"
Watching her, Yeon-woo let out a soft snort of laughter.
"Not Han Byeol at all—that's pure Ella."
The memory of the day they had first entered the trading city of Thracia rose unbidden.
Jeong Su-yeon must have recalled the same scene; she smiled as well.
"Seoul has plenty of skyscrapers too. Why the sudden fuss?"
"Unnie, look at that!"
Han Byeol's head swiveled left and right without rest.
It was her first trip without her parents, and everything seemed to delight her.
Yeon-woo gazed out the window a moment longer before turning to Bernard Fenton.
"Which side is our hotel on?"
"Mm, I booked us into Beverly Hills. It's close to Hollywood, where you'll be filming tomorrow."
Yeon-woo quietly nodded at Fenton's words.
Because Beverly Hills sat so near Hollywood, famous foreign celebrities had begun living there, and ultra-luxury residences had followed until the area settled into its reputation as a premier wealthy enclave.
Han Byeol, who had been listening, raised her hand.
"Is there an ocean near the hotel too?"
Bernard Fenton smiled and glanced back.
"Does Ella like the ocean?"
Whether the pronunciation of "Han Byeol" was simply difficult for a foreigner or because her real-life image matched Ella so perfectly, Fenton had taken to calling her Ella.
"Yes! I love the ocean."
Fenton considered for a beat, then nodded.
"Hmm, you can't see the ocean from the hotel we're heading to now, but if you'd like I can change it. There's a rather nice hotel with an ocean view. If everyone prefers, we can stay there instead—how does that sound?"
Yeon-woo looked around at the members; every face clearly preferred a hotel with an ocean view if they had the choice.
"Team Leader Yoon, what do you think?"
"The actors' opinions matter most. I'm fine with anything."
"Teacher?"
"Fenton's offering to move us to a hotel with an ocean view? Sounds good to me."
After hearing the members out, Yeon-woo scratched his cheek.
Hmm, Beverly Hills is probably the more luxurious option... If it's the nearby ocean, that would be Santa Monica Beach.
He turned back to Fenton.
"Is it all right to change things so suddenly?"
"Oh, it actually makes things easier for me. The ocean-view hotel is mine, you see. Security will be simpler there too."
The way Fenton said it as if it were nothing left the members' mouths hanging open.
Even Dong-ha, who had been sitting quietly from fatigue, sat up straight in surprise.
"Holy crap. Uncle's ridiculously rich."
No kidding.
Bernard Fenton...
He really was loaded.
"Then let's go that way. Sorry for the trouble."
"Haha, trouble? I only booked the closer spot because I was worried you actors would be tired after the flight. Coming to my own hotel is better for me."
The cars swung around and headed for Santa Monica Beach.
"Ahhh, this is pure heaven."
Jeong Cheol-min, declaring that he was getting to enjoy every luxury thanks to them, gazed at the scenery with a flushed face.
They had arrived just as the sun was setting, and the sunset over Santa Monica Beach painted the hotel a beautiful crimson.
"It's a private villa, so you can use this entire building."
"Uncle Fenton is the best!"
"Thank you, Mr. Fenton."
Bernard Fenton grinned at the actors' thanks.
"Compared to the profits you've handed me, this is nothing."
Lately Bernard Fenton's standing in Hollywood had been shrinking as he lost ground even to the newly risen Jake, but the success of White Blood had brought a dramatic rebound in his reputation.
He hadn't collaborated with any of Hollywood's heavyweight powerhouses.
Partnering with LN Media—a company that was fairly large in Korea but completely unheard of on the world stage—and still succeeding had packed a serious punch.
David and Goliath.
The underdog effect.
A structure in which the weak toppled the strong had always been more than enough to capture people's attention, and Hollywood insiders were no exception.
"Woooow! Unnie, unnie! Come up to the second floor!"
"Han Byeol, you're going to trip if you keep running."
Han Byeol dashed about in pure excitement while Jeong Su-yeon followed her upstairs with a smile.
"Yeon-woo, I'm going to lie on a sunbed and watch the sunset for a bit."
"Yes, Teacher. You must be tired—please rest."
Dong-ha pulled out his smartphone and headed into the courtyard with the pool.
"Hyung, I'm gonna shoot a TikTok—wanna do it with me?"
"I'm good. I don't know how to do that stuff. Do it with Han Byeol later."
"Yep!"
Then, from somewhere, he produced a tripod, set his phone on it, and began dancing a short routine in front of the camera.
Hmm, so this is the vibe of kids these days.
Unlike the relatively mature Akhenaten, Dong-ha was the very picture of the current young generation.
Not that he lacked manners or adult thinking.
How to put it...
"Trendy, isn't he."
Hearing Bernard Fenton, who had been watching alongside him, Yeon-woo nodded.
"He is."
"According to my sources, some of the Friday Night Show production staff were fretting that tomorrow's shoot might be boring. Hollywood show directors tend to carry that kind of prejudice toward Asian actors."
At those words Yeon-woo smiled thinly.
He had lived abroad for so long, and his years of covert work had kept him active in high society, so his conversational skills had been constantly honed.
He was more than confident he could seize control of tomorrow's set.