A New Interest
It was late in the afternoon, but the first script reading for Yeoyo War was in full swing inside the large conference room on the 19th floor of the Four Square building. The actors’ voices intertwined as the dialogue came alive, punctuated by occasional bursts of laughter and admiration from the staff. Yoon Eun-jung sat at one side of the table, completely absorbed in her lines and the emotional flow of her character. Everyone approached this unprecedentedly expensive production with pure, burning passion.
High on one wall of the heated conference room was a small window, positioned so close to the ceiling that an average person would have struggled to see inside. The glass entrance had been covered to avoid disturbing the reading, but this window had been left untouched—likely because its height made it seem harmless. Today, however, a shadow flickered beyond that glass.
It was Namgoong Min. The 192-centimeter-tall former soccer legend stood on his tiptoes, one hand braced on the windowsill, quietly observing the room. His gaze remained locked on Eun-jung. Each time she delivered her lines with feeling, a soft smile spread across his face.
Then Jo Jin-ho, seated near the window, suddenly looked up and spotted him.
Jo Jin-ho’s voice rang through the conference room, and every head turned at once.
“CEO Namgoong!”
Kim Hye-joo shot to her feet first, beaming.
“Is that really you? CEO Namgoong Min? Please, come in, come in!”
Han Seok-jung, the most senior actor, waved with a warm laugh.
“Nam, what are you doing out there? Come in and watch with us!”
They casually swapped between “Namgoong CEO” and “Min CEO,” the easy familiarity revealing just how comfortable they felt with him.
“Wow, the CEO’s actually standing on his tiptoes! Come in, come in!”
“CEO! It’s been a while!”
“Please, join us! There’s a seat right here!”
The conference room erupted into cheerful chaos. Actors rose from their chairs, waving toward the window and chanting for him to enter. These were national heroes and superstars in their own right, gathered for a massive historical drama, yet Namgoong Min remained a near-mythical figure to them. Many were seeing him in person for the first time, and his mere presence sent the atmosphere soaring.
Caught peering through the window, Namgoong Min gave an awkward smile, clearly a little embarrassed. As he lowered himself from his tiptoes and walked toward the door, Yoon Eun-jung watched him with a radiant smile.
The moment Namgoong Min opened the door and stepped inside, the room filled with applause and cheers.
“Wow, CEO!”
“Director Namgoong, you came yourself!”
They mixed “Nam CEO” and “Min CEO” freely, but the genuine warmth behind every greeting was unmistakable. Namgoong Min returned a gentle smile and greeted them all.
“Hahaha!”
“CEO, standing on your tiptoes? Hahaha. Come in, come in.”
As soon as he entered, questions poured in from every direction.
“CEO, why didn’t you come to the production announcement? We were all waiting for you!”
“Exactly! Everyone was so disappointed when you didn’t show. The scale of this drama is insane—they were losing their minds over it!”
“CEO, you came to see Eun-jung, right? Look at her face—she’s glowing with happiness!”
“She really is. That smile… She looks like someone completely in love!”
The teasing turned the conference room into a sea of laughter once again. Yoon Eun-jung’s face flushed bright red in an instant.
She covered her face with both hands, laughing shyly, yet even in her embarrassment her eyes continued to sparkle as they stayed fixed on Namgoong Min.
“Thanks to the CEO, we get to work on a masterpiece like this. I’m truly grateful.”
“I’m jealous that you’re under Four Square, Eun-jung!”
Amid all the noise, Eun-jung stood beside him and felt her heart swell with pride, joy, and love. In that moment, as his woman, she was experiencing the greatest happiness of her life.
The script reading had been briefly interrupted, but no one complained. Han Seok-jung, the eldest, took the lead in steering the mood.
Jo Jin-ho immediately chimed in.
Kim Hye-joo nudged Eun-jung’s arm with a playful grin.
The mischievous teasing made Eun-jung’s cheeks burn even hotter. Choi Min-ho laughed heartily.
“I agree! CEO, please come!”
“We’ll be upset if you don’t!”
“That’s a wonderful suggestion. CEO Namgoong, if you have time, please join us.”
All eyes turned to Namgoong Min. He stood beside the table, watching the lively scene with a gentle smile. Though his expression remained warm, a flicker of regret crossed his face.
The actors let out disappointed sighs but smiled in understanding.
“Ah, the CEO’s schedule is so busy. It can’t be helped. Next time, no excuses!”
“You can’t skip next time, CEO. We’ll all be waiting.”
Though clearly reluctant, they respected his decision and began preparing to head to the restaurant. Yoon Eun-jung smiled brightly on the outside, but inside she felt the sharpest pang of disappointment.
She had wanted to watch him naturally mingle with the actors over dinner, and she had wanted everyone to see her sitting beside him. Their eyes met briefly. His gaze seemed to say, I’m sorry. Next time, I promise. Eun-jung gave him a quiet smile and a small nod.
As the actors filed out of the conference room and passed him, his hand lightly brushed the back of hers. During the long filming period ahead, he would be by her side. That knowledge alone was enough to fill her with happiness.
In a Korean barbecue restaurant in Gangnam, the actors had surrounded Yoon Eun-jung and were mercilessly pressing her about her relationship with Namgoong Min.
“Yeah, yeah! We all saw it, Eun-jung. The moment he appeared, your eyes were sparkling. Don’t even try to deny it!”
“Tell us the truth. What exactly is going on between you and the CEO? Hahaha!”
Eun-jung stammered, completely flustered.
She waved her hands in denial, but her voice lacked conviction. The actors only laughed louder, teasing her without mercy.
“Whoa? That’s suspicious… Why are you stuttering?”
“Exactly. Our sharp, confident Eun-jung is stuttering? That’s basically a confession.”
“I never believed those scandal rumors before… but there really does seem to be something between you two, doesn’t there?”
Eun-jung’s face burned crimson as she lowered her head in embarrassment, yet deep inside she felt a secret thrill of pride.
Even as the teasing continued, she couldn’t hide the happy smile that kept blooming on her lips. The table overflowed with laughter and the clink of soju glasses, and she savored every second of it. This drama, these people, and the CEO—it all marked the beginning of her new chapter.
While the actors’ dinner was reaching its peak, Namgoong Min sat in his office on the 20th floor of the Four Square building. He had gently set aside thoughts of his heated time with Eun-jung and was now fully focused on the entertainment side of his business. Files on the Blossoms members lay spread across his desk, while his monitor displayed individual data and video clips for each girl.
As he had publicly promised, he was preparing for one-on-one meetings with every member and was carefully considering his approach. The first file he opened belonged to the center, Shin Ju-ri. She was undeniably the standout of the team. From her tall, model-like visuals and star quality to her performance skills, and even her attitude and social intelligence, she was a flawless “born idol.”
Her various metrics proved this external evaluation; they overwhelmingly surpassed the other members. He wondered what kind of conversation he should have with her during their meeting. As he weighed the possibilities, his hand moved to the next file.
Min Seo-eun. Twenty-two years old. Future goal: aspiring actress. The profile photo showed a pure, elegant beauty. Her features were so perfectly refined that calling her a “sculpted goddess” felt almost insufficient. Her gentle, kind eyes and soft expression tempered that brilliance, creating a unique aura that blended purity with glamour rather than coming across as overly intense.
Despite her overwhelming F-cup figure, she didn’t appear heavy; instead, she wore her clothes beautifully and radiated a bright, healthy image. Overall, she was a perfectly balanced member with a slender frame, dazzling beauty, and innocent charm.
Yet her popularity lingered at the very bottom of the team. Her direct cam views, merchandise sales, and every other metric showed popularity that seemed impossible to reconcile with her visuals.
She was like a flower without fragrance—stunning on the outside but lacking that magnetic pull. Namgoong Min stared at her photo for a moment, then turned to the screen playing her stage performances and fan-meeting footage.
On screen she executed the choreography with precise movements, yet something felt missing. Was it her timid personality? Even though the steps were identical, her expressions and performance somehow looked awkward. Even Namgoong Min found his eyes drifting more often toward center Ju-ri.
When he turned back to the report, the managing director’s comment caught his eye.
Thanks to her timid and quiet personality, there are even jokes that it’s a miracle she’s managing idol activities at all. She is currently working on building confidence on stage.
Namgoong Min smiled as he read it. A deep spark of interest flickered in his eyes.
The dream of becoming an actress paired with a timid personality. On the surface she seemed perfect, yet she hid fierce desire beneath—eerily similar to how Yoon Eun-jung had been in the beginning. Eun-jung had concealed uncontrollable passion beneath her pure appearance, and that had been the driving force that made her his woman. If Min Seo-eun’s timidity behind her innocent beauty could be properly drawn out, it seemed she might possess a similar explosive potential.
His gaze lingered once more on her profile photo. She wore a graceful, pure smile. Her fair skin, large eyes, and the kindness and innocence radiating from her expression stood out beautifully. Namgoong Min’s interest, which had begun with center Shin Ju-ri, was now shifting toward this quiet, timid beauty as well.