First Snow and Shallow Tricks
SSK employees flocked to the smoking area after lunch, all looking up at the sky.
"Snow's falling?"
"Isn't this the first snow?"
It had been warm throughout November, but now that early December had arrived, the first snow of the season was coming down.
They'd known from the calendar, but it really drove home how the year was ending.
"When I was a kid, first snow made me happy. Now I just regret washing my car."
"Another year older."
"Incentives should be decent this year, right?"
The conversation shifted among the employees with cigarettes dangling from their lips.
"Gonna be huge. All the company's projects killed it. Blockbusters, hits, even the mid-tiers lined up."
"At Your Fingertips wasn't just a blockbuster—it was a mega-mega-blockbuster. Still crushing it overseas."
"Heard Do Hyun-woo got hit with an incentive bomb."
"Even if the overall incentive pool isn't huge, it's not that big, is it?"
"Nah, they say upper management hooked him up separately. Hundreds of millions."
"Hundreds of millions? For real?"
"Rumors say over a billion."
"No way. That's bullshit."
"Not impossible. Think about the cash At Your Fingertips is raking in."
"...Fuck. Should've gone to CL team."
Resignation and jealousy flickered across their faces.
It was only natural for the talk to turn to gossip.
"So what happened with Do Hyun-woo's webdrama?"
"Dropped Tug of War and switched to an original webdrama, I heard."
"Couldn't snag the rights after all?"
"His nose is in the clouds. Got cocky and SBX shut him down."
"How bad did he fuck up to lose even webdrama rights?"
"Pushing to shoot without securing rights is even more off-putting."
The employees ripping into Do Hyun-woo suddenly shut up.
"Enjoy your meals?"
It was because Joo Young-hoon had appeared in the smoking area.
"Mm."
"Heading in."
The research team employees scattered, and Joo Young-hoon lit a cigarette.
He'd overheard by chance, but it was all wrong.
Do Hyun-woo was arrogant, sure—but failing to secure rights wasn't his fault.
SBX had staged it all to steal his project.
Steal...
Joo Young-hoon sank into thought amid the drifting smoke.
By the time casting for Tug of War Season 2 was nearly complete, good news hit Team 4.
"It's on! It's approved!"
"No way! For real?"
"Passed on the first try? Headquarters loved it?"
"Yes!"
Kwon Cheol's undercover gangster drama, Dark Adaptation: Law of Evil, had been greenlit for production.
After the last feedback, he'd nailed the vibe and churned out episodes 1-4 perfectly.
"Thank you. This is all thanks to you, CE Do."
"Nah, you earned it, CE Kwon."
She'd helped a ton, but Kwon Cheol had really delivered.
He'd even gone on field trips with the writer to capture the real gangster world.
Heaven must've been moved by his effort—the production schedule was prime too.
Dramas don't go straight to production just because the script's good.
Tons of factors: no similar projects in the queue? Top-choice actors available? Production teams ready?
Kwon Cheol got lucky.
No undercover gangster dramas lately, so upper management fast-tracked it.
Top actors' schedules were open, production slots ready to roll.
Of course, killer script made it smooth sailing.
Even Do Hyun-woo had been blown away reading it.
No clue how long polishing all 16 episodes would take, but the full script existed.
If quick, shooting could start March next year.
"Damn. A solo project..."
Congratulating teary-eyed Kwon Cheol, Do Hyun-woo glanced at Chae Seo-hee, who shrugged.
"Showing it next week."
"Finally?"
"Don't look at me like I'm a sloth. Only four months in."
True—script revisions could drag a year.
Hard to greenlight billions on a few 40-page scripts.
"Drinks tonight! On me!"
"Ooh, pork belly?"
"Hell yeah?"
Laughter blooming with the team—then:
"What, Kwon Cheol? Production greenlit?"
Familiar voice. Turning, there stood Team 1 Senior Ryu Hyun-seok.
Former Team 1's Kwon Cheol bolted over.
"Senior! I did it!"
"No shit? That undercover one?"
"Yes! Headquarters read the script and said it was hilarious! Called the agencies for top picks right there..."
Word was Ryu Hyun-seok had the best rep among CL seniors.
Not a saint, but fair and reasonable.
That's the take on him.
Seniors played politics, bossed juniors, raged at flops—but never humiliated personally.
Compared to Joo Young-hoon, that made him a sage.
Team 2 senior was nasty too.
Joo Young-hoon was explosive; Team 2's was sneaky.
Ryu Hyun-seok was rock-solid, mistake-free—tons of big projects handpicked him.
Especially tentpoles.
In a way, total opposite of Do Hyun-woo's style.
Lost in that thought, Ryu Hyun-seok finished congratulating Kwon Cheol and turned.
"CE Do."
"Yes, Senior."
"Chat for a sec?"
"Sure."
Here for me?
What's up?
Ryu Hyun-seok led him to the vending machine, popped two coffees, and spoke.
"You know I'm setting up Familiarly, Strangely?"
"Heard."
"Dealing with SBX a lot. Got something to say."
"Listening."
"Drop the stubborn act and hit up SBX first? They seem to be waiting."
Not just rumor-mongering.
"Their staff said the National Director's been waiting for your call."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Not from him direct, but felt like they wanted me to pass it on. Face matters at that level. Hard to reach out first."
Unexpected.
Middleman Nam CP botch the nuance?
But they quoted 500 million out the gate? What nuance?
"You're not doing this CE gig forever. Being too rigid ain't good. Get me?"
Solid advice.
"Got it."
"Cool. Got the National Director's number?"
"No."
"Sending it."
Ryu Hyun-seok left after sharing the contact. Sipping canned coffee, Do Hyun-woo pondered.
He had plans, but senior wasn't wrong.
Not a lifer here—awkward with SBX later?
If they were waiting, reasonable terms might flow.
Costs nothing to text.
Decided, he messaged the SBX National Director: business card attached, "Looking forward to your call."
Ten seconds later—phone rang.
"Yes, SSK Do Hyun-woo speaking."
—Ah, CE Do! We finally connect!
Pretty upbeat voice.
—About the rights, right? Free tonight? Dinner?
"Sure. Where?"
—Amazing omakase spot by the station...
Dinner set, Do Hyun-woo tilted his head.
Nam CP really screw up the middleman bit?
Incentive greed make him overreach?
"Pulling such shallow tricks just throws me off, y'know?"
Yup.
No way it'd be that easy.
Dinner with the SBX National Director stayed cheerful throughout.
When Do Hyun-woo brought up business, he said after eating—nodded.
But right after, out came that "shallow tricks" line.
Caught him off guard.
Didn't expect it so blunt...
But he kinda saw it coming.
Felt the guy looking down like he was cute the whole time.
Watching Do Hyun-woo's face closely, the National Director spoke.
"I held off on business so you could eat comfy. Good, right? Hard to book."
"Yes, delicious."
"Gotta taste it properly. That's why after."
"Thanks, ate great."
His reaction surprised the Director, who tilted his head—but attitude held.
"Drop the bravado, be real. Heard you're already teamed with D.P, setting up the shoot?"
"Yeah."
"Then why so stiff? Shouldn't you be begging for rights?"
"Begging?"
"Bad word choice? Sorry. Still..."
The National Director smiled softly.
"The side holding the goods is top dog, right?"