Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Episode 19: Unexpected Opportunity (4)
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Choi Ye-hee, who had stayed at the library until late to finish her school assignment and was now rushing to get ready to head home, turned her gaze to the clock on the wall.
The time it showed was 10:30 p.m.
‘I’m gonna get an earful from Mom and Dad.’
Just the other week, when she’d come home close to 11, she’d gotten a lecture about how it was dangerous for a grown woman to be out alone at night.
Of course, Choi Ye-hee knew it was scolding mixed with worry. That’s why she didn’t want to worry her parents and was eager to get home early.
But school assignments had held her back.
As a college student, she couldn’t exactly ignore her grades.
That’s why she had no choice but to stay late like this to grind through her work.
Still, her safety mattered more than assignments. The world was so scary these days—who knew what could happen if she wandered around alone late at night? So Ye-hee hurried her steps home.
*Ring ring!*
“……!!”
A sudden text notification startled her.
Realizing a beat later that it was her smartphone, Choi Ye-hee broke out in a cold sweat as she pulled it from her pocket.
‘Is it Mom or Dad?’
They might’ve texted out of worry about why she was coming home so late.
She checked the message.
‘Yep.’
Her guess was spot on.
A text urging her to hurry home filled her screen.
“Seriously. You worry too much.”
There were still people around here and there.
It wasn’t anything to fret over that much, but parents always worried about their kids.
She understood, but overbearing interference could still stress her out.
That’s when it happened, just as Choi Ye-hee started walking again.
“…….”
“…….”
Two men standing side by side on the path to the school gate.
What was odd was that even at this late hour, both wore dark sunglasses.
It felt like they didn’t want anyone noticing them.
That was Choi Ye-hee’s first impression upon seeing them.
These aren’t ordinary people!
And those not-so-ordinary men…… slowly started approaching her.
Startled, Choi Ye-hee stepped back, but then she changed her mind.
‘No, it’s fine. They probably don’t have business with me. And there are tons of people around.’
Behind her, to the sides, and across the street—plenty of young people who looked like fellow university students.
Who’d be bold enough to attempt a kidnapping in a situation like this? Ridiculous.
Maybe she was overthinking it. She decided to play dumb and keep walking.
Worrying would just make her lose.
That’s what she thought…….
But as the distance closed, an inexplicable unease crept over Choi Ye-hee.
They were clearly walking in the opposite direction. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling they were heading straight for her.
Should I run?
She considered it, but it was already too late.
“Excuse me.”
One of the men called out to her.
Choi Ye-hee nearly shrieked, but his next action forced the scream back down.
“We’re from LC Entertainment. You’re Choi Ye-hee, right?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Any interest in debuting as a singer?”
“……Huh?”
The unexpected opportunity wasn’t just for Kang Han-do—it had come knocking for Choi Ye-hee too.
* * *
Here’s how it all went down.
The moment Speed Man featuring Kang Han-do and Choi Ye-hee aired.
Yoon Chae-won, CEO of LC Entertainment—one of the entertainment industry’s big players—saw her singing in front of everyone and immediately decided.
‘This woman was born to be a singer!’
But she was just a regular person who’d made a one-off appearance, not a celebrity. No one had her contact info.
So Yoon Chae-won pulled out all the stops and learned she was a student at a nearby university.
After digging around relentlessly, she finally tracked down Choi Ye-hee.
Of course, their first encounter ended up scaring her instead—hardly an ideal meeting.
But they’d found her. That was something.
Choi Ye-hee took the business card and headed home, her mind blank for a good while.
She could barely remember the trip back.
The one thing she clearly recalled? LC Entertainment had offered her a debut as a singer.
“LC Entertainment is a pretty big name, right?”
Just to be safe, she double-checked online. It was legit.
“Wh-what do I do…….”
Panicking again, Choi Ye-hee floundered, unsure what to do.
She’d auditioned a time or two, but a street casting like this? First time ever.
Tormenting herself wouldn’t solve anything. Realizing that, one name flashed in her mind.
‘I’ll ask Han-do for advice.’
She grabbed her smartphone and searched for his number.
That’s when she noticed the time on the screen.
11:58 p.m.
Practically midnight.
“Calling this late would just be a bother.”
But she’d already imposed on him big time once before.
That time she’d run away from home and barged into his place unannounced.
If she’d done worse than a late-night call already, what did she have to lose? Bolstered in a weird way, Choi Ye-hee tapped his number.
After a few rings, a familiar male voice answered.
-Hello?
“Ah, Han-do? It’s Ye-hee…….”
She caught her breath, then dove right in.
* * *
Kang Han-do, prepping for tomorrow’s Pobokjeoldo recording with a script read-through, was caught off guard by the unexpected call.
Not by who it was, but by the hour.
“Why’s Ye-hee calling this late…….”
Had she run away again? Dread filled his head.
With her track record of one massive incident, it was natural to suspect the worst.
Doesn’t it always work that way? The first time’s the hardest; after that, it’s easy if you set your mind to it.
But he couldn’t ignore it.
It was Choi Ye-hee. Swallowing his worry, he hit accept.
Her voice, now so familiar, came through.
-Hello? Han-do?
“Yeah, Ye-hee. What’s up?”
-Sorry for calling so late. Actually……
She hesitated a bit.
One of her habits before broaching tricky topics.
‘She ran away again?!’
His mind grew chaotic when she dropped a bombshell that flipped his assumption.
-Do you know LC Entertainment?
“Yeah, I’ve heard of them.”
-Well…… they scouted me.
“What?!”
In a way, even more shocking than a runaway stunt.
LC Entertainment scouting Ye-hee? No way.
One of the industry’s top agencies, LC Entertainment housed major stars.
It started as a label focused solely on singers, but now it managed entertainers, actors, and more—a full-fledged powerhouse.
For the record, O Shin-hoon, the national MC, was signed there too.
“You said LC Entertainment?”
-Yeah, I got their card. Checked it out to be sure, and it’s real.
“I see.”
At least it wasn’t a scam.
LC Entertainment was solid. CEO Yoon Chae-won was a stand-up guy.
He didn’t treat his artists like cash machines—saw them as partners in the industry and went all-in on treating them right.
Even looking at the future, LC Entertainment had zero scandals. Clean as they come, beloved by fans and insiders alike.
Unless an artist caused trouble, the agency never stirred any up. That was LC Entertainment.
If they were interested in Ye-hee, this could be her golden ticket.
But first, he needed to check something crucial.
Her own feelings.
“What do you think, Ye-hee?”
-I……
This could launch her dream of debuting as a singer.
But she was still a student. And her family opposed her entertainment path.
Did she have the resolve to chase a dream without support?
The guts for it?
Her answer would decide whether to accept or decline.
She’d clearly thought it through carefully and gave her response.
-I want to give it a shot.
“If that’s what you’ve decided, I won’t stand in your way.”
He worried, but he couldn’t tell her to give up her dream.
He had no right or authority to.
Best to tread carefully in moments like these.
“Contact them first, set up a meeting time and place, then hash out details. Want me to go with you?”
-Really?! That’d be great! I was super nervous about going alone. With you there, I’d feel safe!
It was natural she’d be scared.
She knew zilch about the industry, and the other side was powerhouse LC Entertainment.
If she signed, the contract might label her the big shot and them the little guy, but in reality, LC held all the power.
Years of know-how, capital, and connections—who was lone Ye-hee to stand against that?
She could end up with a bad deal from their savvy negotiations.
Sure, Yoon Chae-won’s character made that unlikely, but you never know.
Just because the boss was clean didn’t mean everyone below was.
He’d barely kept her from a future lawsuit with her agency. No way was he letting a botched LC deal spark new drama.
Choi Ye-hee thanked Kang Han-do profusely.
-Thank you. Having you there really puts me at ease.
That alone was enough for him.