Chapter 42
“Producer Han, have you gotten even more handsome since I last saw you?”
“Ah~ you, Director, you look younger yourself!”
The two men exchanged formal greetings.
“So, how long has it been since we last met?”
“Right? We used to have a drink together sometimes.”
“Director, I’m always welcome! Let’s have a drink together with Taejin hyung sometime.”
“Ah~ come on! I told you to call me ‘hyung,’ not ‘director.’”
“How can I do that~”
“What? Producer Han! Are you distancing yourself from me now? I’m offended.”
Im Jae-hoon grabbed his chest with an exaggerated expression.
“Oh! We can’t have our director offended! Got it, hyung! Hahaha.”
“Hahaha! Sounds so nice.”
Im Jae-hoon smiled slickly, his narrow eyes squinting even more. Then he gestured as if to take a drink and said:
“Speaking of which, how about today? I know a good place.”
“Um… I’m a bit busy today. When are you free, hyung?”
“I’m free anytime.”
“Then, let’s schedule with Taejin hyung…”
“Forget Taejin…”
Trailing off, Im Jae-hoon finally locked the faucet, grabbed a handful of hand towels, and tossed them into the trash.
“Just the two of us.”
“Huh? Why? Is something wrong with Taejin hyung?”
“Nothing like that.”
With a faint laugh, Im Jae-hoon threw the hand towel into the trash.
“Who wants to drink with their boss? Let’s just have a drink together. We should celebrate Producer Han joining Vista.”
“Ah~”
Han Jin-seo scrunched his nose and smiled.
“Right, it would feel weird drinking with your own company’s CEO. I was being too oblivious~”
“Thanks for understanding.”
“Ah! Lumis survived today.”
“Really? I heard the judges’ scores came out, and our Producer Han seemed to like you.”
“Actually, I didn’t give high scores.”
Han Jin-seo waved his hand awkwardly.
“If our soft-hearted Producer Han thought that, Lumis must have really done poorly. You got lucky.”
“Haha… is that so?”
Han Jin-seo smiled awkwardly. No matter what, even though they were “Mangdol,” ignoring their own company’s artists like that felt a bit much.
“Yeah, let’s meet soon.”
Im Jae-hoon lightly tapped Han Jin-seo’s shoulder, flashing a slick smile as he left the restroom.
“Hmm…”
Alone, Han Jin-seo stared at the mirror, the unpleasant aftertaste of the conversation lingering in his mouth.
“Ha~ too bad! Sian hyung, the production was really great!”
Kang Ian stretched and said. The hallway leading to the waiting room still carried the heat from the stage.
“Let’s do even better on the next stage!”
Ha Jin-woo clenched his fist, his cheeks flushed from excitement.
“Oh! Lumis was amazing today!”
The Spectrum leader passing through the hallway gave a thumbs-up to Lumis members.
“Thank you!”
“Spectrum was amazing too!”
Lumis members also raised their thumbs in response—a scene of healthy competition among peers.
“Who directed that? It was really cool!”
“Our Sian hyung directed it himself!”
Kang Ian leaned on Ryu Sian’s shoulder.
“Wow! Really? That’s amazing!”
Ryu Sian smiled sheepishly.
“Ah, I need to take this call.”
“Sure, go ahead!”
The members smiled brightly and turned away. Fourth place. Though the result was disappointing, they had given it their all, and their faces reflected pride.
“Wow~ Lumis prepared a lot, huh?”
A familiar voice called from behind. The previously warm atmosphere froze instantly.
“Ah, why is that bastard here again…”
Kang Ian muttered under his breath as he turned first.
“To be honest, I thought you’d fail this time.”
Jung Jae-yoon shrugged and approached, his flashy stage outfit glinting under the lights.
“…Don’t pick a fight, just go your way.”
Cha Eun-gyeol spoke lowly.
“You survived, huh?”
Jung Jae-yoon sneered again. Ryu Sian walked slowly toward him, step by step, with a faint smile.
“…W-What?”
Jung Jae-yoon instinctively stepped back.
“…Never mind. Forget it.”
Ryu Sian lost interest and smirked dismissively.
“Ah, is your leg okay?”
“…Ha! Leg? It’s fine. Did a mosquito bite me?”
“Ah~ so that’s why you screamed and rolled on the floor?”
“Kikikik.”
Kang Ian and Ha Jin-woo couldn’t help but laugh. Memories of the humiliation during the thigh-wrestling mini-game from the Position Battle flashed, turning Jung Jae-yoon’s face red.
“I-I was totally fine!”
“Really? Then one more round?”
Ryu Sian tapped his own thigh teasingly.
“Alright, alright!”
Though he spoke loudly, his thigh still tingled.
“Hyung, let’s go. Don’t waste time on this guy.”
Kang Ian tugged Ryu Sian’s sleeve. Ryu Sian nodded lightly and turned away, seeing no need to engage further.
“Are you sure? The next stage is the last one.”
Jung Jae-yoon mocked from behind Lumis. The members’ steps halted.
“2nd, 4th. Dropping further, huh? How low will you go next time?”
It was exactly the kind of comment someone like Jung Jae-yoon, who disliked Lumis, would make… yet it was oddly confident, as if he already knew the outcome.
“What… are you doing?”
Ryu Sian asked, stepping closer.
“I’m just a rookie; what can I do? I’m just saying.”
Jung Jae-yoon shrugged.
‘What is this bastard planning now…’
Kang Ian knew well. Jung Jae-yoon never said things like this without a plan.
“Jae-yoon.”
Baek Do-ha stepped forward.
“Let’s stop this. We’ve debuted, you’ve debuted, let’s just support our own paths.”
Jung Jae-yoon scoffed, then shot a sharp retort:
“Hyung, you know what’s always disgusted me the most?”
“……”
“This attitude of yours. Pretending to understand everything, embrace everything, carry the world on your own.”
Was he talking about Baek Do-ha? He had no choice. As leader and eldest, if he wavered, the group would wobble.
“Mangdol? It’s all because of you.”
“Hey, Jung Jae-yoon!”
Finally, Kang Ian exploded.
“What do you even know? At least you don’t have the right to say that!”
“Ian, stop it.”
Baek Do-ha intervened.
“Kang Ian, you’re always the same. You react emotionally to everything. Oh, is it because you grew up without parents?”
Suddenly—!
Before the members could stop him, Kang Ian lunged at Jung Jae-yoon.
“Ian hyung!”
“Hey, Kang Ian!”
“Jae-yoon hyung!”
“Jung Jae-yoon!”
Bitwelve and Lumis members rushed in at the same time.
“You orphaned bastard!”
“Say that again, you son of a—!”
The two grabbed each other by the collar, shouting. Members tried to separate them, but it became chaotic. Doors to the waiting room opened one by one.
“What’s going on?”
“A fight?”
“OMG!”
Soon, idol members and staff crowded in. The hallway was packed instantly.
“Hey! What are you guys doing?”
Finally, Choi Eun-bi and staff arrived.
“Stop this immediately!”
The situation was barely controlled.
“Haah… orphaned bastard.”
“That bastard!”
Both glared at each other, hatred burning in their eyes.
“Enjoy it while you can! This is your end anyway!”
Jung Jae-yoon’s smile was sinister. Kang Ian was about to charge again, but:
“Kang Ian!”
Baek Do-ha’s almost desperate shout stopped him.
A heavy silence settled over the hallway.
Click—
A smartphone camera shutter sounded softly.
The next day, Clef Entertainment meeting room.
“Puhahaha!”
Luha laughed, clutching his stomach. His face was flushed red, and his small body hung precariously on the chair.
“……”
Yoon Tae-jin glared at the little devil, moving only his lips.
‘Jin Do-hyun! Wait until the revival ends, then you’ll see…!’
If it were Jo-ka, he would’ve hit the kid, but the thought that this little brat was genius producer Jin Do-hyun only made him resentful.
“This is fun after a long time, really fun!”
Luha wiped away a small tear with his fingertip.
“Not something to laugh about! In the middle of a broadcast station hallway! And you’re an idol! What will everyone think?”
“What will they think? ‘They’re passionate!’ That’s what kids are like—they grow up fighting.”
Luha shrugged. For an idol to wrestle in the middle of a broadcast hallway? For image-conscious idols, an assault controversy would be fatal. But the opponent was Jung Jae-yoon, and strangely, that gave a satisfying thrill.
‘Would’ve been better if I’d seen it directly!’
Imagining Jung Jae-yoon’s annoying face twisted like that made him laugh.
“…Enough.”
Yoon Tae-jin finally controlled his emotions.
“What do you want to know?”
“Ah!”
Luha adjusted his posture, his previously smiling face now calm.
“Is Im Mal-ko here?”
“……?”
Yoon Tae-jin tilted his head in confusion.
“Im… I think he’s a director?”
“Director? Jae-hoon hyung?”
“Ah, yes! Im Mal-ko!”
“You’re… still a producer under Clef, shouldn’t you at least know the executive names?”
“The boss is friendly, so why bother?”
Luha scratched his ear and looked away.
“Ha, right. What was I expecting from you?”
Yoon Tae-jin shook his head in disbelief.
“Why Jae-hoon hyung?”
“He came back from Japan yesterday?”
“Ah~ Jae-hoon hyung is in charge of global business. Overseas activities, expansion strategy, collaborations, that kind of stuff.”
“Wow? This place has everything, huh.”
“…Is that a compliment or an insult?”
“Never mind.”
Luha straightened in his chair.
“What’s he like?”
“Like what?”
“I mean, his personality. Is he a bit sly or cheap?”
“Jae-hoon hyung? Ah~ he’s such a good person.”
“…Good?”
Luha raised an eyebrow. Yesterday, in the restroom, the conversation, the cold glare—it didn’t feel like he was a good person.
“He’s proper, takes care of staff.”
‘No way. His looks, the way he talks… total trash.’
“Then Jong-hyuk? Do you know him?”
“Jong-hyuk…? Oh, Jong-hyuk?”
“You know him?”
“Yeah, he was Lumis’ manager. Before Seo-jun.”
“What…?”
As Luha frowned, cheers erupted in the hallway.
“Director! Thank you!”
“What? Isn’t this expensive?”
“Oh! Are you giving me one too?”
“As expected, only Director!”
The cheers could be heard even inside the meeting room.
“Ah~ this hyung! I told you to take one more day off!”
Yoon Tae-jin dashed out into the hallway, smiling.
“……!”
It was Im Jae-hoon.
He smiled brightly, handing each staff member a high-end brand shopping bag.
“Hyung! Take a day off.”
“The CEO works too, so I should work hard too.”
The hallway was filled with laughter. Seeing him casually mingling with staff, giving gifts brought from overseas—if not for yesterday’s conversation and gaze, he might seem like a pretty decent person.
“Ah, hyung! This is Luha…”
“Saw you yesterday. Hi, Luha.”
Im Jae-hoon paused briefly in the meeting room, then smiled warmly at Luha, handing over chocolate.
“……”
Luha nodded roughly. At that moment, he noticed:
Im Jae-hoon’s gaze had flickered ever so slightly.
‘Yep, still reeks of something fishy.’
