Chapter 129

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 129

Chapter Title: Na Min-seo

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Just the other day, there hadn't been any mention of 'drugs', but now it was added. She'd gone from an ordinary person to a drug user.

'What on earth happened?'

Curiosity bubbled up. What circumstances had led her—what reasons—to dip her hands into something as sinful as drugs?

At the same time, it was heartbreaking. She was so pretty, such an attractive woman, and yet at her young age, she'd become a junkie?

'Should I help her?'

Jin-seong's gaze shifted to the man approaching Na Min-seo.

The guy was in his mid-to-late twenties. He was handsome and looked wealthy.

"Min-seo, I'm heading out now, bro."

"Yeah, see you later, oppa."

"You didn't forget about the party tomorrow, right?"

"Of course not. See you tomorrow."

"Alright. Let's meet tomorrow evening. Ha-neul, if you have time, join the party too. There are lots of great friends among the party crew."

"Oppa, you could talk to him all day and he still wouldn't show up to a party. You have no idea how much he dodges with excuses about being busy."

"I appreciate the invite, but I'll pass. I don't really like parties anyway, and life is too hectic for that."

"That's a shame. Everyone would love it if Ha-neul came. Hit me up anytime if you get some free time later."

The man slipped out of the cafe with a gentle smile.

Jin-seong narrowed his eyes, staring endlessly at the man's retreating back.

He was the epitome of a villain.

Unlike his kind exterior, his inner self was pure evil.

The world was vast, full of villains beyond imagination.

He peeked into Shin Seon-woo's inner thoughts.

They were straight from the devil himself.

He pieced the situation together.

Na Min-seo must have gotten into drugs after attending a party.

Shin Seon-woo planned to corrupt her into a junkie.

And he'd set his sights on Jung Ha-neul's beauty, aiming to turn her into one too.

'What an absolute scumbag.'

Anger surged within Jin-seong.

'This is the kind of villain who shouldn't exist in this world.'

He ground his molars together.

"President?"

He snapped out of his thoughts. Jung Ha-neul, who had spotted him, was approaching.

Jin-seong forced a smile, trying to hide his emotions.

"President, hello?"

"Hi, Ha-neul."

"What brings you to the cafe?"

"Oh? Well, I spotted some talent."

"Talent?"

She tilted her head quizzically.

"Yeah, talent."

He answered and scanned the cafe.

Business was business, personal grudges aside.

He couldn't drop a recruitment just because of Shin Seon-woo.

It wasn't hard to spot the girl.

She sat by the window, fiddling with her phone.

"Excuse me."

He approached.

"Yes?"

She pulled out her earphones.

"Sorry, but I have a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠boyfriend."

"No, it's not like that..."

He trailed off and handed her his business card.

The girl took the card and alternated glances between it and Jin-seong.

"Ever thought about becoming an idol?"

"...An idol?"

"Idol? Is the talent you mentioned Su-ah?"

He looked to the side.

"Ha-neul? You two know each other?"

"Yeah, Su-ah's my little sister."

"Ah...?"

It was unexpected.

He hadn't imagined Jung Ha-neul's sister would be the talent.

"Su-ah, say hi. This is my agency's president."

"Hi! I'm Jung Su-ah, Ha-neul unnie's sister."

"Hi. I'm Yoo Jin-seong, president of YSP Entertainment."

"You look older than me, so feel free to talk casually."

"Got it."

"I've heard a lot about you from unnie."

They sat at the table.

"Me, an idol? Do I have talent?"

"Yeah. You do."

"No way. I have no talent. I can't sing. I suck at dancing."

She shook her head.

She'd long since lost her confidence.

Being an idol wasn't just about a pretty mask.

It wasn't something you could become just because you wanted to.

"From what I see, you have plenty of potential. You could definitely make it big as an idol."

Jung Su-ah couldn't understand.

She'd been disappointed in her own talent and prospects, yet Jin-seong spoke with absolute certainty.

"Ever tried rapping?"

"Rap? No."

"Composing?"

"I've tried composing, but no talent there."

"Lyrics?"

"Never tried that."

"How about checking if you have talent for rap and lyrics?"

Jung Su-ah lacked confidence.

No talent in singing, dancing, or composing—probably none in rap or lyrics either.

But she couldn't refuse.

Her sister's words suddenly came to mind.

Jin-seong's eyes brimmed with conviction.

Nod, nod.

She nodded in agreement.

"Okay. If I really have talent like you say, President, I'll give it a shot."

Jin-seong clutched the pill case, lost in thought.

'Na Min-seo...'

He was torn.

Should he help her or not?

'Honestly, helping her wouldn't benefit me much.'

'My company already has geniuses better than her.'

'Turning her into my woman? My girlfriends are way prettier.'

'She doesn't even desperately want my help.'

'But.'

Jin-seong let out a sigh.

'At the very least, I have to stop her from becoming a junkie.'

'Turning a blind eye when I have the power to fix it—that's a sin.'

'I'll help her, think of it as saving one person's life.'

He tucked the pill case into his bag.

He headed to Twosome.

"Excuse me."

He caught Na Min-seo as she was leaving work.

"Could we talk for a bit?"

"Why? Here to scout me as an entertainer?"

"No, I just want to chat."

Na Min-seo eyed him up and down.

A satisfied smile crept onto Na Min-seo's lips.

Her satisfied smile deepened.

"Sure."

Na Min-seo replied coyly.

"Haha..."

Jin-seong scratched his cheek with his index finger.

'What an interesting girl.'

Her favorability had skyrocketed from -10 to +40 in an instant.

She'd disliked him, but now she was into him.

'I just wanted to talk to help the poor girl who was about to fall into drugs...'

A huge misunderstanding. But it didn't feel bad.

Honestly, a beauty's favorability exploding upward felt great. Even better that she was thinking of seducing him.

'Feels like I'm an alpha male.'

Not bad at all.

"President, you like booze?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Me too. Buy me a drink."

He'd planned on just grabbing tea.

"...Alright."

He couldn't bring himself to say no.

His resolve wasn't that ironclad against a beauty's drinking invite.

They found a nice vibe bar and ordered soju, veggie egg rolls, and tofu ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stir-fry.

Downed the soju first.

"President, you hold your liquor well."

"A bit. You drink often?"

"Yeah, like 2-3 times a week? Feels like 2-3 days drinking and 3-4 dying from hangovers."

"Ah. What's your limit?"

"Light nights, about 3 bottles? Heavy nights, 5?"

3 on light days?

5 on heavy?

Impressive tolerance.

No wonder the hangovers hit hard.

"Kuh, this soju hits good."

"Tasty."

It had been a while since he'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had soju. Damn good.

"You got a car?"

"No car. No license either."

"Huh?"

A bit surprising.

With drunk driving as a trait, he'd assumed she drove hammered like it was nothing, but no license?

"Try not to drive if you can help it."

"Huh? Why?"

"People who love drinking should avoid driving. Get drunk behind the wheel, and boom—accident."

"Oh...? Yeah... I probably shouldn't drive. Truth is, when I get wasted, I turn half-thug. Hehe."

"Whoa? Really? Then you absolutely can't drink to blackout."

"Sigh, I know, but it's not easy. I wanna hold back, but once the vibe hits, I go all the way."

They chatted on various topics.

Jin-seong got a rough read on what kind of woman Na Min-seo was.

One word summed her up.

'Airhead.'

She was good-hearted but thoughtless. Not bad, just full of problems.