Let's Just Blow It
"I'm asking you right now to become the female lead, Eun-jung."
The staggering figure of 550 billion won and the sheer scale Namgoong Min presented drove both Eun-jung and her manager into profound shock.
Especially his final words, which kept echoing in Eun-jung's ears.
550 billion won... That's nearly ten times the budget of a typical drama, even when compared to a film. And he wants me as the female lead in a project like that?
The outrageous production budget and casting offer he had casually thrown out left her mind in complete disarray.
Not only Eun-jung, but her manager too was so overwhelmed that he could only move his lips wordlessly for a moment.
The pair simply blinked at each other, unable to produce a single sound for several long seconds.
The first to recover was the manager.
He cleared his throat, yet his voice still trembled.
"C-CEO. With an amount like this, does it mean Complex has approved full production support? If they're willing to invest this much, it must mean they're already certain it'll be a massive success, right?"
Namgoong Min shook his head gently.
A soft, relaxed smile graced his face.
Yet his eyes carried the quiet confidence of someone who seemed to say, All of this is within my domain.
"No. This project will be funded entirely out of my own pocket."
His answer brought another heavy silence over the office.
The declaration that he would spend 550 billion won of his personal fortune seemed to confirm the rumors that his net worth reached into the trillions.
Min tapped the tablet screen lightly with his finger and continued.
"Complex has only signed a 20 billion won contract to purchase the OTT streaming rights for our content. Additional incentives based on performance could bring that up to around 150 billion at most."
Another long silence descended.
Investing 550 billion won to recover at most 170 billion?
It was an investment that defied all common sense.
Eun-jung bit her lip and finally forced out her voice.
"Then, CEO... this overwhelming production cost won't be recouped. How do you plan to recover the investment...?"
Namgoong Min looked directly into her eyes.
His gaze was steady, his expression warm and composed, yet his words carried absolute conviction.
"I won't."
"...Pardon?"
Min answered with such calm serenity that it felt entirely at odds with what he had just said.
What came next was even more shocking.
"I'm not starting this project with recovery in mind. Let's just blow it. Simple as that."
At his response, Eun-jung and the manager moved beyond shock into pure bewilderment.
They simply could not comprehend the mindset of this young man who spoke so casually about throwing away 550 billion won.
What am I even listening to right now?
The overwhelming scale, the nonsensical content, and the man before them still wearing that relaxed smile.
It felt as if her grip on reality was beginning to fail.
Forgetting even the secret thrill she felt toward him, Eun-jung could not tear her eyes away.
Min offered the dazed pair a gentle smile and continued.
"Did I explain it too haphazardly? But the substance of what I said is true. My goal with this project isn't commercial success, but the revival of authentic historical dramas that have long been neglected, along with flawless historical accuracy."
The two remained trapped in shock.
It was difficult to accept that such an enormous sum was being poured into abstract values like historical fidelity and revival rather than box-office returns.
In a company that placed profit above all else, an unprecedented budget for such intangible goals?
It simply didn't add up.
Even so, Min kept speaking.
"That's precisely why I established our content production team, Four Square. From now on, our team will develop projects without any budgetary constraints. Of course, not every single one will be on this scale."
Eun-jung finally steadied herself and asked carefully.
"Then... what are the other reasons? I've heard the rumors about your assets being in the trillions. But to commit this kind of money..."
Min paused for a moment before answering with a soft smile.
"It's because I want talented and captivating people like you, Eun-jung, to meet better works in better environments. I believe the greatest talent deserves the greatest treatment."
His direct, affectionate praise made her cheeks burn in an instant.
Her heart wasn't pounding as violently as before, yet his words struck a deep chord inside her.
It didn't feel like mere business. There was a distinctly personal warmth behind it.
The manager glanced sideways at her flushed face and sent her a meaningful look.
Blushing like that from a single compliment from the CEO... That's not like Eun-jung at all...
Watching the subtle shift in her demeanor toward the CEO, the manager once again felt the full weight of Namgoong Min's presence.
Min's expression grew serious again as he returned to the main topic.
"My personal wish is for you to take the role of female lead in this production. Naturally, since we're aiming for a genuine historical drama, you may not receive as much spotlight as the male leads who play war heroes... but I believe it would still be beneficial for your career. That's why I arranged this meeting to make the request."
Request?
Eun-jung nearly burst into laughter.
To call the casting of the female lead in a mega-project worth 550 billion won a mere request.
At this scale, top actors would clearly scramble by any means possible.
Yet he had used the word request.
Once again she felt a strange dissonance in his manner of speaking.
But that was simply who Namgoong Min was.
A man who possessed everything and therefore needed to force nothing.
He simply made gentle suggestions about what he desired.
She slowly raised her head.
What filled her eyes now was no longer shock or doubt.
Instead, only conviction and an indescribable wave of emotion remained.
"...CEO."
At that moment, the air in the office shifted subtly.
Her voice was quiet, but the resolve it carried was anything but light.
"I... I want to do it."
A slow smile spread across Min's lips.
It was not mere satisfaction, but a deep, warm smile that signaled the beginning of something new.
Gazing at that smile, Eun-jung beamed back at him.
The van that had left the Four Square building glided smoothly through the night streets of Gangnam.
The interior was filled with the faint lily fragrance that clung to Eun-jung and the lingering heat of shock that had yet to fade.
In that space where even the engine seemed to murmur softly, Manager Kim Jin-ho's voice burst out first.
"Eun-jung, this is... insane. Absolutely insane!"
The moment he fastened his seatbelt, he gripped the wheel tightly and shook his head.
His voice was hoarse with excitement.
"550 billion! From his own pocket! When he said 'Let's just blow it,' I honestly thought my heart would stop. Is that something a CEO should say? Even overseas blockbusters couldn't dream of 9.1 billion per episode... This will go down as a legend not just in Korea but in the entire history of global content!"
The manager stared out the window, repeatedly running his hand through his hair as he poured out his thoughts.
"And he's doing all of it purely for historical accuracy and revival? Saying he won't even try to recover the money? Wow... The CEO really doesn't measure things in money, but in values. It's impressive even from a man's perspective. No, it's downright admirable."
Still unable to calm down, he glanced at Eun-jung.
"A man like that personally asked our Eun-jung to be the female lead. He used the word request! You're not going to stop at being the goddess of Chungmuro anymore. You're going to become a globally renowned actress, a true international star. Seriously... shouldn't we turn around and thank him again?"
Eun-jung listened quietly to her manager's endless stream of chatter.
She kept her gaze fixed on the window, studying her own reflection in the glass as the lights of Gangnam streaked past.
Her pure, intelligent features. Cheeks still faintly flushed.
Outwardly she appeared composed, but inside she was still churning.
550 billion won... and let's just blow it.
That single phrase kept spinning in her head.
More shocking than the number itself was his attitude toward it.
Their CEO was not a man who moved for the sake of earning money.
He was a man who moved money and the world itself to realize his vision.
That overwhelming composure and certainty, and the warm gaze he had turned on her.
Every time those words echoed in her ears, her body reacted with a faint shiver once more.
The ticklish sensation she had felt in the office.
The firm, unmistakable hardness of her nipples rising unconsciously beneath his gaze. The blatant outline they had made against her thin blouse. And the lukewarm, sweet dampness that had begun deep between her legs and slowly soaked the center of her panties.
Even now, the mere memory made her sex swell slightly, sending a delicate tremor through her.
To think I became that aroused in front of the CEO...
Shame and an intense thrill raced across her entire body.
She pressed her knees together a little tighter, tensing her thighs.
She could feel her panties growing wet again, slowly, steadily.
Beneath the calm mask of the intelligent actress, the honest desires of a mature woman were stirring restlessly.
Why does this only happen with him?
Eun-jung let out a quiet sigh as she stared out the window.
She already knew.
He was the kind of man who would transform not only her career but her entire life.
That this 550-billion-won project was not merely a drama, but the dazzling first chapter of a grand overture that would lead her into Namgoong Min's world.
The car raced through the night streets, yet Eun-jung's heart had already traveled far ahead, dreaming of the future she would share with him.
A quiet smile bloomed on her lips.
With it, the delicate scent of lilies spread gently through the car.
