The Judge Bids Farewell
In the corridor of the Yibyeon broadcasting station, I was chatting with the PD about the lead actress's next project schedule when someone approached and greeted us. The PD mentioned she was a rookie writer, so I exchanged greetings and reached for my business card—only for my eyes to lock onto a very specific spot.
Whoa, E-cup? F? Is that size even possible on a Korean woman?
Her breasts were so massive that even Bora nuna's would look modest by comparison. Realizing I'd draw suspicion if I kept staring, I quickly averted my gaze, but the writer flashed a sly smile, like she knew exactly what was up. Her face was plain enough, but the sultry vibe trailing from the corners of her eyes was anything but ordinary.
We met a few more times over casting matters, and before I knew it, she was sidling up next to me, laying on the charm.
"Jinho, you keep staring at my chest... Got any ideas? Honestly, your face is totally my type."
With that, she subtly tugged my arm toward her bosom. This woman knew exactly how to leverage her assets. She must've pegged me for a one-night stand.
Normally, I'd laugh it off and change the subject, but that size was too tempting to pass up. Opportunities like this don't come often—maybe I should play hard to get? She looked like she'd strip the second I gave the green light. As I wrestled with the dilemma, a weird thought hit me.
Her voice... it's not saying anything?
Whenever I wavered like this, that voice would immediately chime in with a YES or NO. What the hell? Neutral gear?
I stalled, acting indecisive, but it stayed dead silent. Something felt off, so I brushed her off politely and made my exit.
I used to hate that voice, but after Seoah, I'd started looking forward to its judgments. So why the sudden silence?
A few more women sent signals after that, but the voice never responded. I was starting to get anxious.
Fine. Next time, I'll go all the way. Maybe it'll react once we're at the sex stage?
For an experiment like that, I had the perfect candidate.
"Sorry about last time. You even invited me to your housewarming, and I ghosted. You free tonight or tomorrow? Dinner's on me—someplace nice."
Her sulky expression finally melted. I'd made the first move, so it must've felt like manna from heaven. Word was she put out easily anyway, so a one-nighter should be no issue.
I'd deliberately picked someone the voice had rejected twice before. Since it'd clearly said no, trying again might provoke some kind of reaction.
The next day, we grabbed a half-hearted dinner and headed straight to a motel. Yeah, this was her goal all along.
"Ahhng... So that's why you played hard to get. Fuck, you're delicious, hee-hee...!"
She was damn good. Right now, she was on top, mid-sixty-nine, and her tongue work was no joke. One slip in focus, and I'd blow. I summoned every ounce of endurance from my core, relentlessly teasing her G-spot. Her moans were so filthy, it felt like live ASMR from a pro voice actress.
—Slap, slap, smack, smack
"Ahhng...! Hah, haaah... haaaang...! There, more, haa... hiaaang!"
I pounded her doggy-style, powerful thrusts in and out, and she matched my rhythm with expert hip rolls. This girl could make a fortune filming amateur vids on the side. I'd started this to test the voice, but somewhere along the line, my mind went blank—nothing left but frantic pumping.
Fourth round? I was spent, staring at the ceiling to catch my breath, when my original goal resurfaced. No reaction, even after all that? What the hell happened to that voice?
That night, I had a strange dream.
It was an unfamiliar space.
Everything around me was pure white—no way to tell if I was trapped in a room or adrift in an endless void. Wandering aimlessly, I spotted something moving ahead. A person?
Up close, it was humanoid, but its edges kept shifting—like cheap CGI from a B-movie sci-fi flick. Why was I seeing this? And was this even a dream? It felt way too real.
[What a shame. I should've picked you first.]
It spoke.
[Next time, you're my choice. Don't die before then.]
Worried about my death, even.
[No more interference from me. Fuck your brains out.]
Even endorsing the sex.
[....]
Then it vanished.
I opened my eyes to the familiar ceiling of my one-room. Too vivid for a dream—more like a divine revelation.
'Hero candidate, alas, you were not chosen by the oracle. From this day, live as a commoner, but all is not lost. Next time, you shall be the hero. Until then, bear the burdens of life without forgetting your destiny.'
Felt like some stern goddess delivering that line. I chuckled, but the "don't die" part nagged at me. Like a prophecy of my future?
After that, the voice never returned, no matter who I met. It tormented me for months, then poof—gone, just like that. The vibe was it'd chosen someone else, but why had it vetted my hookups in the first place?
Should've asked its purpose when we could still talk.
As that mix of questions and emptiness faded into memory, big changes hit the company.
CEO Kim Jongho, who'd founded the company, stepped down. Some backroom deal must've gone down, because the majority shareholder, Oseong Group, moved fast to appoint a new CEO—and created a new Executive Director position overseeing actors and singers.
The new CEO was Hong Seongi, half-brother to Oseong Group Chairman Hong Seonho. Mid-30s, supposedly a total hunk, but I hadn't seen his face since he took over. The reclusive CEO type from the news?
New CEO or not, new exec or not—it didn't affect a peon like me. They wouldn't even know my name, and I wasn't doing anything so crucial that I'd need to watch my back around them.
The real shift hit when I heard Team Leader Bang Chanhho was quitting.
"Quitting out of nowhere? You didn't say a word last week."
"Been planning to go independent for a while. The higher-ups' purge just sped it up."
"You scouted me—you can't just bail like this. What am I supposed to do?"
"You're already the talk of the town for being a top performer. What's to worry about?"
I'd heard I was quick on the uptake, good at reading rooms. Growing up in the orphanage drilled that in, plus my natural sharp eyes made me useful around the office.
"Listen, since it's you—watch out for the new Executive Director."
"Who is it?"
"Park Hyungpil. The chairman's wife's brother."
Oseong's chairman's wife was chaebol royalty too. So the new exec was basically on the CEO's level—loaded.
"Why watch out? Something wrong?"
"Looks clean on the surface, but he's infamous in the stock market gossip rags. Where there's smoke, there's fire, right?"
Embezzling company funds for money laundering, funding Gangnam gangsters, extreme sadist with a trail of hospitalized women, hosting debauched sex parties at his villa whenever bored—every rumor from Team Leader Bang was a bombshell.
He'd divorced twice, supposedly over his perverted tastes.
"Some might be bullshit, but the fact these stories circulate is trouble enough. Steer clear if you can. You're entry-level now, no overlap, but pin manager or team lead on you, and he'll notice. You're good—I see it."
Team Leader Bang's parting advice before he left.
"Have a seat. Coffee?"
"Yes, thank you."
I was shocked when Park Hyungpil, the Executive Director, summoned me. How did he even know me? And why?
Sipping my coffee, I watched him warily as he flipped through my resume, tilting his head.
"Korea University grad, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
I'd dropped out once JH hiring was locked in. Bora nuna tried talking me out of it, but with my sights on agency CEO, I wanted to build industry connections ASAP. No need to mention the dropout to the exec.
"With that pedigree, you could've done anything. Why road manager?"
"A connection got me in, and they needed one. Wasn't my choice, but it suits me, so I've stuck with it."
"Suits you, huh..."
He seemed lost in thought, so I waited quietly.
"Plan to stay a road manager forever?"
"No. Any role that teaches me how this industry ticks works for me."
Once I had solid connections, I'd dip into production or finance. More experience now meant more ammo when I started my own company.
"Team leads rave about your work. I like smart, quick guys. You're wasted as a road manager."
"Thank you."
"So, how about working under me on something else?"
The "choice" I'd expected far in the future was suddenly right in front of me.