Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: TrueDetective
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: 13. A Brief Commercial Break (5)
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What? Why is it selling so well? Is this a hidden camera?
The Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue as he watched me stare blankly at the Lion 6 pre-order status.
“You’re a worry even when it sells well.”
“This is huge, hyung!”
Jaha, who had been diligently searching something, made a fuss as he spoke.
“The Lion 6 Cheetah Black is out of stock, so even pre-order customers won’t get theirs for three months!”
“What about Heavenly Demon Red?”
“Saba Red is one month.”
“Dogshit taste.”
“You can’t call someone else’s taste dogshit.”
“Dogshit statement.”
I shook my head at the exchange between the Heavenly Demon and Jaha, then checked the report again.
The report also included survey results from pre-order customers.
The reasons for buying the Lion 6, in order, were as follows.
3rd place: Bought it because of the Nine Beggars Clan collab.
2nd place: Existing Lion 5 user, so bought the next series, 6.
“1st place… To block incoming swords.”
For real?
“You know those nutuber videos where they actually block swords with it after the ad came out?”
At Jaha’s words, Namgoong Moo nodded in agreement.
“I saw those videos too. It really worked as a sword shield.”
Yeah.
The reason it sold this well is because Lion really makes their smartphones tough.
If the Lion 6 had stopped working after getting hit by a sword in those test videos, it wouldn’t have hit these sales numbers.
But in every video, the Lion 6 kept working even after taking a sword hit—hell, even with the screen busted.
It was possible because the AI Cherry could still execute commands even without the display.
“But the sword-proof phone was your idea, hyung.”
That’s true.
Both the collab and the sword-proof phone were my ideas.
“You knew it would do well, right?”
“There’s such a thing as reasonable expectations.”
I figured the Lion, already the number one smartphone in market share, would sell well no matter what.
In that situation, I came up with the sword-proof phone idea to create a reason why they had to collab with the Nine Beggars Clan.
No matter what model they pushed, only our kids fit the sword-proof image.
So I expected a solid hit, but it ended up a massive smash.
Stopping pre-orders means it far exceeded Lion 6’s projected sales.
Lion accepted our idea, but they probably thought it’d just be a short buzz.
“This is all thanks to Brother Soi’s keen insight. This Dang Sacheon is impressed once again. I’ll follow you to the end.”
Well… Dang Sacheon was the most proactive in helping when I first brought up the sword-proof phone.
But.
“What’s with those sunglasses?”
“I’m being cautious in case people recognize me. I’m just the assistant manager, after all. Can’t have crowds swarming if they spot me, right?”
“……”
Dang Sacheon was the pedestrian in the ad.
I slipped him in to prep for his eventual major debut as one of the Five Great Stars, and apparently, he’s already got fans thanks to his decent looks.
Yeah… so I get why he’s being careful, and it’s admirable he hasn’t forgotten he’s the assistant manager.
“But this is my room? Mind wearing that outside?”
“Don’t let your guard down just because it’s the dorm. Anyone who’s even slightly trained in Nine Beggars Clan choreography can get in here easy.”
“How do you know that?”
“How could I not?”
No way he’s snuck into the dorm before.
Should I just sue this guy?
“Speaking of rooms.”
The Alliance Leader, who had been sitting quietly, spoke up.
“Why are we all crammed in Soi hyung’s room when there’s a big living room out there?”
Everyone except the Heavenly Demon—who had brazenly claimed the bed, right in front of the owner—was huddled on the floor.
Jaha, sitting between Yi Taeguk and Namgoong Moo, stretched out his legs and plopped his chin on the Alliance Leader’s knee.
“I’m good with this. It’s been forever since we were all together like this. The ad shoot was all CG, so we filmed separately and barely saw each other. Right, Taeguk hyung? What’re you thinking? You’ve been quiet.”
“This convo would’ve been perfect with U-Live on.”
“…You’re right.”
Jaha suddenly turned serious and pulled his legs off the Alliance Leader’s knee.
“Shouldn’t we do a group live sometime?”
Hmm. We haven’t done U-Live in way too long.
From what I hear, no one dared turn it on because of the Heavenly Demon’s controversies.
Now that the public knows he wanted to shoot the Lion 6 ad with the other members, sentiment has flipped, so a live stream should be fine.
‘I’m the one who posted on the gal pretending to be a Lion insider, though…’
The Heavenly Demon’s image rehab owed a lot to the Alliance Leader casually dropping it on <Caramel>.
I did think about asking him to, but he’s not the type to say something he doesn’t mean.
Never imagined he’d go that far for the Heavenly Demon.
Were all those pranks on the Heavenly Demon his way of showing affection for a member?
“Should I set up the camera?”
“Oh, wait! Give me a sec to do my makeup.”
“You haven’t even taken it off yet.”
“I’m gonna remove this and do no-makeup makeup.”
“If it’s no-makeup, it’s no-makeup. If it’s makeup, it’s makeup. What the hell is no-makeup makeup?”
The Heavenly Demon was saying something I only think but never voice.
“Hmph, you wouldn’t get it since you’re clueless and handsome by default.”
Jaha pretended to pout and left the room.
The Heavenly Demon watched him go with a “Hmph,” then turned to me.
“Am I that handsome?”
“…Get lost.”
“Heard ‘get lost,’ but it doesn’t feel half bad.”
The Alliance Leader chuckled softly, said he’d prep for U-Live too, and left the room.
“By that Mount Hua guy’s logic, he’s got nothing to prep either.”
“The Alliance Leader went to contact the staff.”
“Hyung.”
Nahani, who’d been silent the whole time, suddenly called me, startling me.
“W-Why, Nahani?”
“I’ll go prep and come back.”
“Monk, what prep do you need?”
“My lines.”
Nahani gave that curt reply to the Heavenly Demon and left the room.
…Nahani seems to dislike the Heavenly Demon, but it’s probably just my imagination?
The Heavenly Demon shot a bewildered glare at the spot where Nahani had been.
“What lines does a guy who only says ‘Namu Amida But’ need?”
Nahani agonizes over every word he says.
Unlike the Heavenly Demon, who blurts things out.
“You… you’re thinking something very irreverent.”
“Me? No way.”
“Then say it without that pathetic look in your eyes.”
“I……”
As the Heavenly Demon and I bickered, Namgoong Moo hesitantly spoke up.
“I’m glad the ad wrapped up well. You didn’t have to push yourself to keep your promise to me……”
“What promise?”
“Ah… The one where you’d film it with me… You forgot?”
“Ah. Of course I remembered.”
He forgot, the bastard.
But the naive Namgoong Moo firmly believed the Heavenly Demon did it for him.
“But was it necessary? Me getting famous doesn’t help find hyung……”
“If Namgoong Joon is hiding somewhere in this world.”
If Namgoong Joon wasn’t dead but alive somewhere.
“You need to get even more famous. So no one can touch Namgoong Joon recklessly. And to let everyone know the one left behind—you—is safe.”
“…I understand.”
Namgoong Moo forced a look of resolve onto his face.
“Didn’t know Namgoong Joon had a twin.”
Yi Taeguk, who’d been listening quietly, spoke up.
I’d already filled Taeguk in on Namgoong Moo’s story long ago.
“You heard about the summoning and the risks too?”
“Yes.”
“If you still decided to stay, I’ll respect that.”
“Thank you, but……”
Namgoong Moo glanced around cautiously before asking quietly.
“Jaha sunbae still doesn’t know?”
“Time to tell him. The Alliance Leader and Nahani too.”
“You should tell Jaha sunbae first. He won’t be happy learning it last.”
He butts heads with Jaha a lot, so he knows what he’s like.
Jaha would definitely be super upset if he found out last about a secret like this.
I’d been putting it off since convincing him wouldn’t be hard, but it’s about time.
“That Mount Hua punk gets all timid whenever Jongnam comes up. Better let him clear the air.”
As the Heavenly Demon said, Jaha needs to know now that Shin Tae-eul’s departure wasn’t his fault.
Even if the real reason for leaving was worse than bullying……
“But that Jongnam punk hasn’t been around lately? Used to show up all the time.”
“Yeah.”
I glanced at Yi Taeguk as I said it, and his expression looked oddly off.
“…I haven’t heard from him recently either.”
“No contact?”
“It’s not unheard of, so I’m waiting it out.”
“Since when?”
“Since fanmeeting day.”
Fanmeeting day?
The Heavenly Demon and I met Shin Tae-eul at midnight that day, so no contact since then feels suspicious.
“The Wave disciples haven’t said anything?”
“We only communicated through Shin Tae-eul, so we don’t know each other directly.”
“…I see.”
Did the middleman just vanish?
Something feels ominous.
Right then, my pocket phone screamed.
It was the CEO calling.
* * *
The CEO grinned as he spoke.
“The Lion CEO wants to meet you, Soi.”
Why does the Lion CEO want to see me?
Because of the Lion 6 sales explosion?
It makes sense he’d want to see the face behind the collab proposal, especially since pre-orders got paused.
But only the members and the CEO know it was my idea.
Did the CEO tell him?
The Lion CEO sat across from me.
He was nothing like I’d imagined.
The red suit, top to bottom, suited him perfectly.
So it wasn’t the outfit.
Black hair on a Westerner? Not an issue.
The problem was his eyes—red irises.
‘This guy… kinda resembles Wi Hwajin in a weird way.’
As I thought that, the Lion CEO, who’d been staring at me, suddenly let out a small chuckle.
“…Why is that?”
“Oh, sorry. I just thought, ‘He really came along.’”
The one the Lion CEO looked at was the Heavenly Demon, arms crossed beside me.
The Heavenly Demon asked with a sour expression.
“What’s so funny?”
“There are managers following idols on schedule, but an idol following a manager’s schedule? Hilarious.”
…Did he just diss the Heavenly Demon?
He’s not using formal speech with me either?
The Heavenly Demon raised one eyebrow, stared at the Lion CEO for a moment, then shook his head curtly.
“That’s why this lord has no choice but to tag along.”
“Nice, very nice.”
Am I the only one who doesn’t get what’s nice about it?
The CEO’s been grinning the whole time too.
And the CEO grinning like that isn’t a good sign.
It means he doesn’t like this situation.
Looks like he didn’t set this meeting up because he wanted to.
“Sword-proof phone. I heard it was your idea, Mr. Soi.”
“Oh, yeah. It was nothing.”
He stared right at me as I answered professionally.
“Koreans are so humble. No ambition either.”
“I’ve got ambition.”
“Really? Perfect then.”
The Lion CEO brushed his long hair back over his shoulder and said in a soft voice.
“How about working under me?”
“Pardon?”
Is he… headhunting me right in front of our CEO?
The mind-blowing offer didn’t stop there.
The Lion CEO smiled brightly and added.
“Whatever you’re making now, I’ll double it, guaranteed.”