Acquisition (2)
Kang Jaeha was looking at Choi Rina, with her long purple hair. In their ears, too, they heard a woman’s voice that had a familiar, almost nauseatingly recognizable ring to it.
The co-worker, or subordinate, has awakened thanks to Kang Jaeha’s otherworldly objective completion.
If the co-worker, or subordinate, betrays or rebels against the commander, it will be regarded as opposing Absolute Obedience, and they will die.
...
By the time the woman’s voice had been droning on for a while, Jaeha’s expression and gaze were utterly indifferent. His eyes stayed fixed on Choi Rina. Choi Rina, too, was staring at Kang Jaeha with wide eyes. Even so, the degree of shock was not all that great compared to the other subordinates.
Then.
“Ughhh!”
A man’s groan came from the side. Go Chunseok was still gripping the back of the red-faced man’s neck. The man’s companions, who had been all over Choi Rina with sleazy intent only moments earlier, were now cowering under Go Chunseok’s massive presence and unable to do anything at all.
Kang Jaeha then turned his head and gave a simple order.
“Let him go.”
The moment the order fell, Go Chunseok nodded and released his grip. Freed at last, the man collapsed onto the ground with a choking sound. Two of his companions hurried to help him up, and Lee Chanhoo, his eyes narrowed to slits, warned them coldly.
“Get lost. And next time, drink like civilized people.”
The men yelped something like “Hiiik!” and fled in a panic. By then Cha Chunghyun had given a small yawn and, apparently too lazy to keep standing, sat neatly down on the nearest bench. Lee Chanhoo and Go Chunseok took up positions right beside the commander.
Once the area had mostly settled, Kang Jaeha asked Choi Rina,
“You were busking?”
Choi Rina, who had been blinking at Jaeha, suddenly broke into a smiling squint.
“Whoa! Whoa!! It really is the commander!!”
Still high-strung, I see. Jaeha let out a faint laugh to himself.
“Yeah, it’s me. Long time no see.”
“Totally! It’s been forever!”
“But you don’t seem that surprised.”
“No, I am! I was super surprised!”
“Less than the others.”
Choi Rina giggled and went on.
“To be honest, I saw you by chance in an article last time!”
“...”
“The photo wasn’t clear, so at first I wasn’t sure, but it really was you!”
It seemed she was talking about an article related to the Busan International Film Festival. Kang Jaeha had blocked out his own photos as much as he could, but that did nothing against candid shots. Choi Rina clapped both hands together with a sharp smack and spoke again.
“Amazing! Not just the commander, either, other people were there too.”
After scanning the faces of Lee Chanhoo, Go Chunseok, and Cha Chunghyun for a moment, Choi Rina smiled again.
“So weird. Super weird.”
Kang Jaeha watched the high-energy Choi Rina closely. It wasn’t forced energy.
She’s always been like that. She adapted quickly, too.
His gaze then dropped to the acoustic guitar in her hands.
This, though, I didn’t expect.
He had thought the subordinates’ jobs on this side of the world would be varied, but he had never expected someone to show up as a singer, or more exactly, an idol trainee. Kang Jaeha recalled what Park Zahi, the CEO of LX Entertainment, had said during their earlier meeting over the acquisition.
“Rina... she was one of the members of a failed girl group. She’s the only one left now. As far as talent goes, she’s the most outstanding. She was the main vocal, and she’s good at composing too.”
She had also said Choi Rina was skilled with several instruments. Lately, though, she had apparently grown unexpectedly gloomy and depressed. Sorting through Park Zahi’s words, Kang Jaeha looked at the Choi Rina standing in front of him and asked,
“Can you play the guitar?”
“Yes! As much as you want.”
With a surprisingly spirited nod, Choi Rina swept back her long purple hair and lifted the acoustic guitar. Then she began to play again.
-♬♪
The melody was gentle, but rhythmic, and little by little the beat grew stronger. It wasn’t a song he recognized. Probably an original composition. Since they had said she composed well, that made sense. Go Chunseok, already completely absorbed in the music, parted his lips slightly, while Lee Chanhoo and Cha Chunghyun each felt admiration rise quietly in their chests.
Oh-
Kang Jaeha was no different.
She really is good.
The guitar playing was at a professional level. Not the touch of an amateur, but of someone who knew exactly what they were doing. After a while, Choi Rina cut the performance off with a laugh.
“Ah- embarrassing, that’s enough!”
Jaeha gave a small clap and asked,
“An original?”
“Yes. I wrote it while thinking about the other world, right after I came back to this one.”
Kang Jaeha glanced at the bystanders who had gathered around them, then changed the subject.
“Let’s talk.”
Choi Rina lowered her guitar and nodded.
“Yeah, we should.”
Late at night, the MEG office.
Though it was late, the MEG office was still lit up. Kang Jaeha’s day was not over yet. He sat first at a table for six, then gestured to the seat across from him for Choi Rina as she came in behind him.
“Sit.”
“Whoa, what is this place?”
After looking around the office, she sat opposite Kang Jaeha. Lee Chanhoo, Go Chunseok, and Cha Chunghyun settled wherever they wanted. Ha Yeonji, who had been called late, was also on her way over. Jaeha had told her not to come, but she had insisted on seeing Choi Rina herself and was coming no matter what.
Whatever the reason, Choi Rina, still looking around the MEG office, licked her lips and spoke again.
“But seriously... this is wild.”
“Is it?”
“Of course! You and the others are on this side of the world!”
Bouncing in place, Choi Rina asked something else.
“How many more are there besides the people here?”
“Hard to say. Counting you, there are five.”
Kang Jaeha deliberately left out Kim Hoyeon.
“We’re gradually increasing the number, and if you include Korea and overseas together, there are probably quite a few.”
“I see... but commander, your whole vibe has changed a little.”
“Has it?”
“Yeah! You’re still scary, but not so much that I can’t even look at you??”
“You seemed to look at me just fine.”
“No, not when I first saw you. Back then it was hard just to make eye contact.”
At that moment, the office door flew open in a rush. It was Ha Yeonji, wearing a hat. The instant she saw Choi Rina, she greeted her exuberantly.
“Oh my god! Oh my god, who is this!”
“Whoa!”
Ha Yeonji hugged Choi Rina fiercely, then proceeded to overdo it by pinching and squishing her face. Which, to be fair, was understandable. There were women in the mercenary group, though not nearly as many as men, so the women had always gotten along especially well.
Among those two women, Kang Jaeha turned his eyes to Choi Rina, who was smiling with narrowed eyes.
She’s adapting pretty well, in her own way.
Choi Rina had been non-combat personnel in the mercenary group, like Cha Chunghyun. Chunghyun had handled supplies and logistics, so he had still taken part in war, but Choi Rina had never done anything of the sort. That was only natural. Her main duty in the mercenary group had been cleaning.
Her main job was basically housekeeper. Her side job was something like minstrel.
She would sing from time to time, cleansing the mercenaries’ hearts with her voice. If she was a support, then she was a support. She never took part in battle.
There had been other people in the mercenary group who handled cleaning and household work, but among them, Choi Rina had stood out the most to Kang Jaeha. And that wasn’t just the commander’s opinion. Lee Chanhoo, resting his chin in his hand while watching Ha Yeonji and the bouncing Choi Rina, thought the same.
Mm, yeah. She really did sing well back then. Her voice was good too. Heh, I still remember how some of the idiots in the mercenary group practically lost their minds over her.
Then a horrific scene flashed through Lee Chanhoo’s mind. The mercenary group under attack. The slaughter of the people who handled the household work. Choi Rina had been among them. Attacks were common enough, but the commander Lee Chanhoo had seen then, Kang Jaeha, had been nothing like his usual self.
It was the first time I’d ever seen the commander make a face like that. It was pure frenzy. Like he’d tear apart anyone who got in front of him.
Just looking at it would have made anyone piss themselves. In fact, that day Kang Jaeha had torn apart and killed a vast number of demons and monsters. For a moment, Lee Chanhoo felt a chill and glanced at Jaeha, who now spoke to Choi Rina in a calm voice.
“How did you keep the abilities you had in the other world? The vocals, the instruments. There had to be limits.”
“Ah! It was hard. But composing was possible as long as I had paper, and there were instruments in that world too. They weren’t exactly the same as the ones here, but still! I practiced whenever I could, secretly.”
“...”
“There were pros and cons! The upside was the experience of emotions?? Music is ultimately made out of experience, emotion, and your own imagination! Who has ever lived through a life in another world?”
The downside was probably the changed environment. Kang Jaeha slowly nodded and crossed his legs.
“I heard from Park Zahi that you can’t sing right now.”
“Ah.”
Instantly, her energy dropped and Choi Rina forced a bitter smile.
“That’s... I don’t really know why. Since coming back here, whenever I try to sing, it just doesn’t come out right. It feels like something is blocking my throat?”
Was it like PTSD? Even someone who seemed that cheerful might be carrying some kind of mental wound. Like Jaeha and the other subordinates, they had all died once. Still, Choi Rina remained upbeat.
“But I’m still trying hard! I think it’ll come back someday!”
“It should.”
Ha Yeonji, pity showing in her eyes, comforted her.
“Ugh, that’s such a waste. Your singing and your voice were seriously beautiful.”
“I’ll be able to sing again soon!”
Kang Jaeha thought Choi Rina was different from the other subordinates. On the surface, she seemed similar to Cha Chunghyun, but in the end she was completely different.
She’s not someone to put to work at MEG. She’s someone whose abilities and talent should be developed.
A picture formed in his mind: not assigning her tasks within MEG, but bringing her in as an artist under MEG. In the end, if she regained her lost vocals and even became a proper singer, wouldn’t that be better? For a brief moment, Kang Jaeha imagined Choi Rina holding a solo concert and smiled faintly.
Either way, as long as she stays in MEG, that’s enough.
An entertainer under a mercenary group. Choi Rina was clearly different in flavor from the other subordinates, but the road she walked was the same. Kang Jaeha then explained things to her. The process was the same as it had been with the other subordinates: MEG’s direction, and so on.
Lee Chanhoo took over the explanations here and there.
Even as she listened, Choi Rina wore a range of expressions. What she seemed to like best was Ha Yeonji.
“Ah, but seriously, I was the only girl here, so it felt kind of dreary. Just look at it, Rina, you’re not even doing anything and it’s already getting brighter.”
Cha Chunghyun, who had been listening quietly the whole time, cut in with a low murmur.
“That means... the commander is dreary too.”
“Huh? No! The commander’s excluded! I meant you guys were dreary.”
Go Chunseok shook his head with solemn gravity.
“I am not dreary.”
Choi Rina, who had been quietly listening to her colleagues’ conversation, let out a bright laugh.
“What is this, the atmosphere is so good! It makes me think of the old days. Oh no, I’m going to cry!”
Kang Jaeha asked her again.
“Choi Rina, what are your goals on this side of the world?”
“Mm. Before I went to the other world, I was an idol. But that crashed and burned. Honestly, I wanted to be a singer! A singer-songwriter!”
“What are you good at?”
“I can handle pretty much every instrument! And, uh, lyrics and composition too! Singing as well! No, I mean, I was good at it.”
Lee Chanhoo jumped in.
“Confident, huh?”
“I really am good at it...! Ah, but what am I supposed to call you here? In the other world I just spoke casually, but here should I say... oppa?”
Lee Chanhoo’s face quickly went awkward, and he cleared his throat.
“What do you mean, oppa? I’m just an old man. You can talk casually here too. It’s the same thing. Just be careful around other people.”
“Okay! Got it!”
By the time the question of how to address him had been settled, Kang Jaeha called Choi Rina again.
“So? Do you want to stay with MEG?”
Everyone turned to look at Choi Rina, and she looked a little flustered.
“I... wasn’t I already joining? Don’t abandon me, commander. I definitely want to stay with you. Ah! But I don’t know if I’ll be useful.”
“It’s fine. You just need to become a MEG entertainer. Grow well and bring in money, and that makes you one of us. It’s not more complicated than that.”
“Ah! Really? If I had nothing to do, I was thinking I’d clean here too!”
“Forget it. Just recover your vocals, and grow.”
Another subordinate, Choi Rina, joined MEG. At the same time, Kang Jaeha felt that the subordinates’ territory was expanding.
Interesting. Not boring at all.
As Choi Rina was being rubbed and fussed over by Ha Yeonji, Kang Jaeha changed the subject.
“By the way, what’s your ability?”
Choi Rina’s eyes widened, and she answered at once.
“Ah! So everyone has one, right?? Mine is... kind of pathetic. Have you heard of perfect pitch?”
“I know it.”
“Think of it as a higher version of that? Like, whenever I imagine some kind of experience or image, musical ideas just burst into my head, and even if I only hear a song once, the notes naturally spread across my mind.”
She seemed born to make music. That was no petty ability. For music, it was practically broken.
“Handling instruments is just a bonus.”
After hearing the explanation of her ability, Kang Jaeha asked,
“So composing songs is easy for you. Could you do drama OSTs, film scores, things like that too?”
Choi Rina smiled brightly and nodded.
“Totally. It’s a piece of cake!”
In Jaeha’s mind, the blueprint was already taking shape.
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