Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 057
Chapter Title: How about a Lifetime Contract? (2)
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It wasn't the time to worry about the agency. Excluding the revenue share, every other aspect was truly the best conditions, just as Kwon Seonghyeon had boasted. There were countless clauses promising unconditional support for virtually every kind of assistance imaginable.
‘This is basically not a contract—it's just a list of everything they're offering.’
It felt like they were begging him to accept their money and support. Even though the contract was written in stiff, formal language, that's exactly the impression it gave.
But one part stood out.
“What's this?”
“Which part?”
“The contract period and termination clause. Is this... really okay?”
Yeonwoo's finger pointed to one spot. Kwon Seonghyeon answered nonchalantly.
“Don't you think 20 years is too short for you, Yeonwoo-ssi? Should we make it 30?”
“What? No, it's not that it's too short...”
“Ah. A lifetime contract isn't bad either. I was thinking too small.”
“Wait. That's not it either...”
“...By any chance, Yeonwoo-ssi, were you planning to terminate the contract?”
“Well, you never know with life...”
“So you're just going to use me and toss me aside?”
For some reason, the gaze he got back felt hurt.
“What?”
As Yeonwoo reflexively responded in disbelief, the Child Spirit chirped up too.
[Whoa. That's cold. You've learned how harsh society is way too fast. You're still so young!]
“But this still feels a bit excessive...”
“No. Even that feels a little lacking... But if that's what you want, Yeonwoo-ssi, I'll revise it.”
It somehow felt like he was doing something really evil. Even to Yeonwoo, who knew nothing about contracts, these terms were beyond top-tier—they were the absolute best of the best.
Normally, you'd want shorter terms with decent conditions so you could renegotiate for better ones later...
‘...Well. With conditions like these... it feels like no one else would ever match them in my lifetime.’
To reiterate, Yeonwoo's ‘gut feelings’ always hit with remarkably high accuracy.
“Alright. Let's sign.”
“Excellent decision. I'll call the lawyer right away.”
“What?”
“We need to get it notarized properly.”
Kwon Seonghyeon flashed a bright smile. After making a quick call somewhere, the bell rang just minutes later.
“They're here.”
“...”
Fast. Too fast!
‘No way they were waiting on standby?’
Definitely premeditated. Yeonwoo watched Kwon Seonghyeon greet the lawyer with a beaming smile, then let out a deep sigh.
Come to think of it, this guy had always been a bit odd. Yeonwoo gave up trying to understand.
***
“It's not because he's my client, but I can absolutely assure you this is no losing deal. I stake my 30 years in the legal field on it.”
Of course the lawyer would say that—it was a contract overwhelmingly favorable to the ‘A-party.’ For reference, the A-party wasn't the agency; it was Yeonwoo.
The lawyer added one more thing.
“As long as you don't terminate it... Haha. No one would want to break a deal like this. They'd just hope to renew on the same terms. And this isn't me bragging because I advised on it. I cherry-picked only the absolute best conditions I could imagine and crammed them all in. This is my masterpiece.”
The lawyer's face somehow looked immensely proud.
“If word of these terms gets out, the entire entertainment industry will be wailing. No one will want to sign with them anymore.”
“Yeah, sure.”
If the lawyer was saying that much, it had to be legit. This contract was undoubtedly a massive win for Yeonwoo.
“Now we're finally family.”
“We were basically already, just without the contract, weren't we?”
“No, it's different. Back then, we had no official connection, but now we're officially bound by contract.”
Kwon Seonghyeon looked utterly satisfied, like a cat that had eaten its fill. His eyes curved softly with a lazy contentment.
Yeonwoo had never seen him this relaxed before, so he reflected for a moment.
‘Have I been too casual with him?’
He hadn't started out that way, but after discovering those obsessive thoughts, he'd thought he'd been acting properly...
“I was a little anxious for a while, but now I can finally relax.”
“...I wasn't planning to leave, but if it came across that way, sorry.”
“That's not what I meant.”
Kwon Seonghyeon rubbed his chin with his finger.
“Whoever's more desperate is the one who gets anxious, that's all. No misunderstanding, so don't worry.”
“Yeah...”
“I can't wait to see how much brighter you'll shine, Yeonwoo-ssi. And I'm thrilled to be along for the ride.”
Yeonwoo had thought he was just a weird guy, but now he had to add something else.
‘No way he's getting scammed left and right, is he?’
Every project he touched broke 10 million viewers easily and set the whole nation abuzz—a top star like Kwon Seonghyeon wouldn't get duped anywhere. But right now, Yeonwoo seriously wondered.
‘Tch. Now that we're family, maybe I should watch out so he doesn't get taken advantage of.’
No matter that he'd saved his life, it was shocking to see someone giving this generously. If Kwon Seonghyeon knew, he'd just give an ambiguous smile at the misunderstanding, but Yeonwoo didn't realize.
***
“So, shall we go look for a house first?”
“What?”
What was this out of nowhere? Yeonwoo blinked at the unexpected words, and Kwon Seonghyeon tilted his head slightly, gesturing with his eyes to the contract on the table.
“The clause about not skimping on any support. That naturally includes your living arrangements.”
“This place is more than enough for me right now?”
“You might think that. For now.”
He seemed agreeable at first, but then came the caveat—limited to the present.
“So you're saying it won't be in the future?”
“Probably not.”
“I'm not really into luxury anyway. Not very materialistic.”
He wasn't just saying that. In truth, Yeonwoo didn't fuss much over the quality of food, clothes, or shelter as long as he had the basics.
‘Money is money, water is water, and mountains are mountains, after all.’
Being the son of a powerful shaman showed him a lot sometimes. Plenty of visitors to his mother Lady Kang's shrine came for money troubles, proving how fleeting wealth could be.
‘Lifespan over money. Without it, all the riches in the world mean nothing in the end.’
You couldn't take it with you anyway. That was the root of Yeonwoo's idea of ‘enough.’
Plus, he was starting to worry about the sucker—no, Kwon Seonghyeon—in front of him.
“Kwon Seonghyeon-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“Don't take this the wrong way.”
“Got it. I'm listening.”
“I know you grew up wealthy and have a ton of assets. Still, isn't it better to live frugally? Money comes and goes.”
It might not apply to a chaebol heir like Kwon Seonghyeon. Wait.
‘Am I being nosy?’
But watching this human lifespan vending machine squander money too felt prickly on his conscience.
“From what I've seen, this world's brutal—not just normally brutal. I get you're a good guy, and maybe you feel indebted to me, but giving too freely is dangerous. Not saying I'd stab you in the back or anything—don't misunderstand. But others might see you as an easy mark and scam you.”
Case by case, sure, but entertainers were known for making bank. That's why scammers targeted them, or they'd dive into businesses, crash, and end up in debt.
“Ah...”
Kwon Seonghyeon, who had been spacing out, suddenly burst into a clear, refreshing laugh. It was the most hearty laugh Yeonwoo had ever seen from him.
“Oh man, Yeonwoo-ssi.”
His voice still carried traces of laughter. Were those tears from laughing? His already sparkling eyes seemed to shine even brighter.
“You're the first person to ever worry about that for me.”
“What? That's kinda serious. No one's ever told you not to give so much?”
“Yeah. Because I'm not the type to give like this.”
“...?”
Then what was this now? As Yeonwoo's eyes went wide in confusion, Kwon Seonghyeon's curved softly.
“If you're that worried, Yeonwoo-ssi, how about managing my assets for me? Then you could step in if anyone tries to scam me.”
“No. That's a bit much.”
“Too bad. Just say the word anytime. You saved my life, so feel free to take all my money.”
“No. That's also a bit much.”
Fair enough. People are born, then money comes—or however it went. To someone like Kwon Seonghyeon, practically a walking corporation, a bit of wealth probably paled next to his life.
‘Surprisingly, we're alike in that way.’
He seemed like such a weirdo, but at least his values there were solid.
“Anyway, Yeonwoo-ssi, don't worry. I'm not saying you'll go all extravagant, and I'm not burning cash like crazy just because I have extra.”
“...Then why suddenly change living arrangements?”
“It's more like external factors coming soon will disrupt the life you're enjoying here.”
“External factors?”
“As you get more famous, more people will recognize you, and more will dig into your every move. Reporters, sasaeng fans, you name it. Once a celebrity's address leaks, all sorts show up—from ‘Do you believe in the Lord?’ types to beggars asking for donations.”
“No way...”
“That's why they say ‘no way’ is what gets people.”
Kwon Seonghyeon smiled gently, despite dropping such a bombshell.
[So the actor means... this guy could get stalked if things go south?]
“Exactly, Dongja-ssi. If Yeonwoo-ssi stayed unknown, maybe... Ah, even that's not totally safe. Some target rookies desperate for attention on purpose.”
In other words, types who ‘raise them up just to devour them.’
A chill ran down his spine at Kwon Seonghyeon's addition.
“Even if you wanted to stay unknown, that might be impossible now...”
True. Staying obscure went against building influence.
“So for a bunch of reasons, it's best to house-hunt now. Safety issues, plus this place isn't ideal for setting up a workspace. Not enough space either.”
“...Sorry for misunderstanding.”
“What's to be sorry about between us? Misunderstandings happen—we clear them up.”
Kwon Seonghyeon smiled brightly, as if it were nothing.
“So, shall we go house-hunting now?”
***
“...You do want to look at houses, right?”
“Of course.”
“But why do I keep feeling like I'm being spun around?”
“Who knows. Must be your imagination?”
Kwon Seonghyeon, sitting across from him, grinned.
[I thought the last house was pretty good. Why not that one?]
“The water pressure's weak.”
[Eh?]
“Weak water pressure makes showering a pain. I tested the faucet earlier—the sink pressure dropped noticeably.”
“What does that have to...”
“It matters a lot. For entertainers, time is life. Minimize even tiny losses elsewhere to focus on work. Weak pressure means longer showers, which delays schedules, sours impressions with staff, and could even lead to dropping popularity...”