CHAPTER 37
While Min Chan-hyuk was trying hard to hide his anxiety, Jung Do-hyun spoke calmly.
“Thank you for making time for me, Producer Min.”
“It’s nothing. Of course I had to come.”
“It’s nothing special, but at least have a meal before you go. I come here often. The food is quite good.”
As soon as Jung Do-hyun finished speaking, there was a knock, and the door slid open.
“We’ll serve the dishes now.”
A luxurious spread was placed on the table.
Min Chan-hyuk’s mouth fell open. The staff explained each dish, but he barely heard a word.
At a glance, this was not food he could ever afford with his own money.
“Please, eat.”
The moment Jung Do-hyun said that, Min Chan-hyuk smiled brightly.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it!”
It would be rude to refuse. He immediately began using his chopsticks.
‘Wow. This is insane. What is this? It melts in my mouth.’
Caught up in the explosion of flavors, he forgot himself for a while.
After eating for some time, he finally realized Jung Do-hyun hadn’t even touched his chopsticks.
Embarrassed, Min Chan-hyuk slowly stopped eating.
“Um… Aren’t you going to eat, sir?”
“I’m fine. I had a formal dinner before coming here.”
“I see…”
“Please, don’t mind me. Eat more.”
But with Jung Do-hyun merely sipping wine, Min Chan-hyuk couldn’t keep devouring the food alone.
When he hesitated, silence fell.
As if waiting for that moment, Jung Do-hyun spoke quietly.
“The new song was impressive.”
Min Chan-hyuk stiffened.
The real conversation had begun.
Knowing Jung Do-hyun’s influence, fear and pressure washed over him at once.
Still, he forced a smile.
“Thank you. We were lucky.”
“You can’t create a song like that with luck alone.”
Jung Do-hyun gently swirled his wine glass.
“I heard you worked with a new composer. Did you already know each other?”
Here it comes.
Min Chan-hyuk straightened his back, keeping his guard up.
“I happened to hear an original song on SoundPlace. I liked it and scouted the composer.”
“I was told that the composer handled much of this new track as well.”
“Yes. It’s hard to believe they’re a rookie. Their sense is remarkable.”
“For you to praise someone like that… I’m curious. Next time, why don’t you bring that composer as well?”
“I can ask. But they’re very reluctant to appear in public, so I can’t promise anything.”
Min Chan-hyuk laughed casually, pretending not to know anything.
The way Jung Do-hyun smoothly shifted from praising the song to probing about the composer was impressive.
“It would not be a bad offer. For Composer YULE—and for you, Producer Min.”
“For me…?”
“I’ve heard you already know about me, so I’ll speak directly.”
Jung Do-hyun lifted his chin arrogantly.
“A long-term partnership. Overseas distribution. Brand sponsorships. I can open every line.”
“…”
“Not just domestic charts. Your name could appear on global charts.”
The scariest part was that this wasn’t empty bragging.
Min Chan-hyuk swallowed.
If Jung Do-hyun wanted to, he truly could make all of that happen.
“…Why go that far?”
Min Chan-hyuk asked, his voice trembling slightly.
“I simply like Composer YULE very much. If possible, I’d like to keep them by my side and support them fully—to see just how far they can rise.”
Just for that reason?
Min Chan-hyuk couldn’t understand such a massive investment.
Like an ant trying to comprehend a human’s motives, he knew he could never fully understand someone like Jung Do-hyun.
Seeing Min Chan-hyuk’s wavering eyes, Jung Do-hyun added calmly,
“Of course, I won’t forget the favor of introducing such valuable talent.”
It was an incredibly sweet offer.
If Min Chan-hyuk quietly handed over Yoon Seol’s information, he could probably retire immediately and live comfortably for the rest of his life.
Even if not, from that day forward, the entire entertainment industry would cooperate with him.
‘If I say I’m not tempted, that would be a lie.’
Anyone would be.
All it would take was closing his eyes once.
Min Chan-hyuk clenched his fist and lifted his head.
“I understand your proposal.”
Jung Do-hyun smiled, sensing victory.
“But I’m sorry.”
Min Chan-hyuk cut him off firmly.
“That’s something Composer YULE must decide. It’s not something I can force.”
A short silence followed. Even the air felt heavy.
Jung Do-hyun’s gaze sharpened.
For a moment, Min Chan-hyuk felt like prey standing before a predator.
The pressure made his shoulders tense.
But he did not take back his words. Instead, he straightened further.
“I can’t sell out an artist who trusted me.”
Clink.
Jung Do-hyun set his wine glass down deliberately.
After a brief pause, he laughed softly.
“You’re stubborn.”
“To survive in this industry, everyone needs a little stubbornness.”
His voice was steady now.
“Very well. But Producer Min—can you handle what happens after rejecting my offer?”
Min Chan-hyuk bit his lip.
Carrots and sticks are two sides of the same coin.
If the reward for accepting was huge, the consequences of rejecting would be harsh.
And this was Jung Do-hyun.
With his influence, tying up someone like Min Chan-hyuk would be effortless.
His heart began pounding faster.
Still, he did not lower his gaze.
“I can.”
He meant it.
Even if it meant risking his entire career.
There were things more frightening.
‘I’ve never seen anything good come from getting involved with chaebols.’
To them, the entertainment industry was just a circus.
They might cherish someone briefly, but never as equals.
Min Chan-hyuk had been in the industry long enough to see how it ends.
People get toyed with on a whim.
And once they lose interest, they discard them mercilessly.
Sometimes, they even crush them completely—just in case the discarded toy might one day stab them in the back.
He had seen too many tragic endings.
‘Yoon Seol is not someone who should fade like that.’
That brilliant talent.
He had seen many promising rookies, but none like her.
With proper refinement, there was no telling how high she could rise.
But what if she caught Jung Do-hyun’s attention and became one of his collectibles?
What if he cut off all her paths and turned her into a private music box just for himself?
A talent who might have left a mark on the entire industry would disappear.
‘I can’t let that happen.’
Min Chan-hyuk stared back fiercely.
“Interesting.”
Jung Do-hyun took a sip of wine.
“It’s rare for someone to reject me so directly.”
“…”
“Don’t worry too much about what I said earlier. I believe valuable talent should be handled with care.”
His words were smooth, but his eyes were still sharp.
“Let’s end it here. It was an enjoyable time.”
With that, Jung Do-hyun stood up, ending the meeting unilaterally.
He had realized he wouldn’t get any more information about YULE.
There was no need to waste more time.
Swish. Click.
The moment the door closed behind him, Min Chan-hyuk slumped like a puppet with its strings cut.
“Damn… my whole body.”
All the tension left at once, and his muscles ached.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and slowly opened his clenched hand.
Deep nail marks were etched into his palm.
The pain hit him belatedly.
“…Seol
A dry laugh escaped him.
“Why did you have to catch that guy’s eye of all people?”
