Chapter 3 |
I woke up early in the morning, contacted Lee Yooin, and made an appointment to visit SU Entertainment right away.
“My life is full of sh*t … nothing ever came easy.”
Yesterday’s incident made me realize that Han Seungbeom’s family was a real sh*tty family. I needed to get out of here as soon as possible.
I couldn’t figure out why this family was strange. Han Seungbeom didn’t leave any clues.
But it was okay. Once I signed the trainee contract and entered the dormitory, I would be able to escape this suffocating place.
‘If only there was a status window, I could easily figure it out.’
After trying this and that, the status window really did not appear, no matter what. It was foolish of me to have even briefly hoped for it. However, it wasn’t as if I was given nothing at all.
“….Kang Hyukwoo.”
I could hear him yesterday, despite being so far away. It was the same today.
“Hey, after something that big happened, it’s a bit too soon to be out there casting people.” “That’s true. What about that person?” “The contact has been lost. He seems to be traveling around a lot these days.”
“Ugh, those golden spoon guys are seriously awful.”
After enduring the hellish mealtime and experimenting alone until I was completely worn out, I discovered a special ability granted to me; the ability to hear someone else’s voice. However, this ability came with certain conditions.
First, I had to have the person’s name and face in my head.
Second, the ability to hear lasted only a few seconds and took a lot of stamina, so it was impossible to overuse it.
Third, the closer you were to the other person, the louder their voice would be, and you couldn’t hear them if they were too far away.
I didn’t realize how hard I’d pushed myself yesterday to figure out these conditions. I felt like I’d been on an international tour.
I stretched my stiff body and checked the date on my phone.
[November 15. Saturday]
The unfortunate part was that Han Seungbeom was still in his third year of high school and had to go to school. The fortunate part was that today was Saturday.
‘I’m lucky to be able to meet Lee Yooin right away.’
It bothered me that Han Seungbeom was a student preparing for CSAT1, but there was nothing I could do about it.
‘Seungbeom-ah, I’m sorry. I’ve never studied at school.’
My education level was only middle school graduate. Since studying was out of the question anyway, I planned to debut as soon as possible and put Kang Hyukwoo in his place. For this purpose, it’s never too late to start training as a trainee.
I folded the textbook with the foreign language neatly and tucked it away, pressed my hat on my head, and left the house.
***
When I arrived at the front gate of SU Entertainment after taking public transportation, Lee Yooin spotted me and ran over.
“Seungbeom! Thank you for coming.”
“Hello.”
I took off my hat and bowed my head to greet her, but Lee Yooin waved her hands frantically to stop me. She told me that there were a lot of fans of the agency’s celebrities around here, so it’s better for trainees to avoid showing their faces.
I pulled my hat down low again, and Lee Yooin led me toward the back door. As expected, the major entertainment agency was different; there was a separate passageway for celebrities and affiliated employees to use.
‘That f*cking RH….’
RH Entertainment had no such back door. I gritted my teeth as I remembered being hounded by reporters every time I went to and from work after the scandal broke.
“I’m sorry for making you go through all this trouble on your holiday. I just couldn’t get away from work.”
“It’s all right.”
As we emerged from the tightly concealed long corridor, a door appeared. Lee Yooin scanned her employee ID and unlocked the door. When she opened the door, we were directly led to the inside of the company. The neat interior proudly showcased its design, and the smell of money was thick in the air.
Leading the way with a swift stride, Lee Yooin walked into an empty conference room and pulled out a chair. She walked to the other side and pulled out a business card.
“I already gave it to you, but since we were in a rush at the time, let me formally give it to you again. I’m Lee Yooin, and I work at SU Entertainment. I’m from the New Artist Development team, and if Seungbeom joins our company, you’ll probably see me often.”
“Thank you. Oh, I’m still a student……”
I took the business card and deliberately trailed off at the end of my sentence, to which Lee Yooin waved her hand dismissively.
“Ah, it’s okay. When you work in this industry, it’s quite common to give things out one-sidedly. Celebrities don’t make business cards! Haha! Please sit down, Seungbeom!”
Lee Yooin responded brightly, mixing in a joke to avoid making me feel awkward, and gestured to the chair. As I sat down, she spread some documents in front of me and asked a few simple questions.
“Seungbeom, how old are you?”
“Nineteen this year. My birthday is January 2, so I’ll exactly be nineteen years old soon. I didn’t enroll in school early.”
“You’re a high school senior! Are your college entrance exam preparation going to be okay?”
“Yes. I’m going to work hard and aim for debut.”
“What about college?”
“I’m not considering it yet.”
“You should seriously consider it though.”
Among the trainees at this company, there was probably no one attending college or preparing for entrance exams. The kids aiming for a debut ran toward a single dream without ever looking back. Balancing both was close to impossible from the start. Knowing all that, I smiled faintly at her obvious attempt to test me.
“Isn’t it difficult to balance trainee life and college life at the same time? Besides, it’s a little late for me to join now, isn’t it?”
“That’s true, but I’m telling you just in case, so you don’t regret it later.”
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine.”
‘You need to have the brains to go to college to regret it. College isn’t something anyone can just go to.’
After hearing my polite refusal, Lee Yooin nodded and continued the conversation in a gentle tone. She explained the general details of the trainee contract, life as a trainee, and the rules.
“Alright, we’ve covered the general details. Shall we move on to the main point?”
Lee Yooin, who had organized the documents and pushed them aside, put both arms on the table and pulled up a chair.
‘Main point?’
I thought the conversation would wrap up around here, but when she mentioned main topic, my interest was piqued.
“I heard that you turned down a casting offer from RH Entertainment. Is that right? They even offered a living allowance, but you rejected it.”
“You’re quick to get the news.”
“I’m not just quick with the news, I’m also quick-witted. I’m the one who found and honed the kids who are now the pillars of this company. When I look at a person, I get a sense of it. How much money they’ll bring to our company, how smart they are, how scary they can be.”
I disliked foolish people and quite liked capable ones. From what I could see, the person in front of me seemed to be very clever and fell into the category of being quite capable.
“I don’t think the size of the company is the only reason Seungbeom chose our company. Am I wrong?”
“…….”
RH Entertainment was sh*thole filled with dim-witted apes. Not only could they not help me, but they also ruined things with their lack of sense, all while being greedy for money.
“Haha.”
Finally. It was finally happening. I I found my perfect match, a highly intelligent person who would support me in every way.
“To be honest, Seungbeom’s appearance is far from normal. This is the first time I’ve seen someone look better than celebrities, even without any photo editing or heavy makeup. Seungbeom, you realized it yourself, right? Your own value.”
“…….”
“What do you wish for?”
“….The survival debut project that starts filming next year. Please send me there.”
Just before I was about to die, I gathered up all the information floating around in the entertainment industry, indiscriminately. It wasn’t because I had a plan, but more out of an obsession.
According to the information, filming for a survival program of a project idol group would begin early next year. That was my goal. As soon as I said what I wanted, Lee Yooin gently narrowed her eyes.
“You’re quick with the news. The media probably hasn’t even dropped any hints yet, so how would an ordinary high school student know about it?”
“Not just quick with the news, but I’m also quick-witted.”
When I fired back exactly what I had heard, Lee Yooin laughed out loud.
“Then you must know how many trainees are waiting for their chance in the basement of our company. I need an excuse. I trust Seungbeom’s potential, but the company doesn’t.”
“You say that like you’re going to grant me everything I wish for.” I was already expecting that. But I joked about it anyway.
“I’m sorry, the higher-ups are a bit strict. I’ll accommodate the rest. But I’m sure the quick-witted Seungbeom has a plan, right? You’ve got some great material, after all.”
Knowing it was a joke, Lee Yooin raised her eyebrows and pointed at my face playfully. Since I had a good face, it seemed like she was telling me to come up with some reason. I immediately opened my mouth.
“Do you know any reporters? Could you please ask them to spare some time two days from now? If possible, someone as capable as you, Manager-nim. And please arrange accommodations for me as well.”
“Sure. But why a reporter?”
“We have a big event in two days, don’t we?”
“No way.”
I nodded at Lee Yooin’s words, as she laughed in disbelief. Then, Lee Yooin tightly shut her eyes.
“Seungbeom, you really have the face of an angel, but I don’t think that’s what’s inside.”
“If I do well, your evaluation will go up, manager-nim.”
“Seungbeom, go ahead! Do it! I’m rooting for you!”
Lee Yooin, who quickly changed her attitude, searched through her phone contacts with urgent movements.
***
After my conversation with Lee Yooin, I started moving again to fulfill my promise to my ‘Aunt’. The location of the shop she had texted me was not far from the SU Entertainment building.
‘I don’t even need to take public transportation.’
A 20-minute walk. Considering that Cheongdam-dong is quite expensive, the fact that she runs a shop here must mean her business is doing pretty well.
“Turn right here, go straight past the convenience store……”
I checked the map and walked steadily, and it took me less time than I thought. Arriving at the address in the text, I almost turned back the way I came, thinking I was in the wrong place.
“This can’t be his aunt’s shop.”
In disbelief, I blankly lifted my head and stared at the sign.
[Sueun Story Cheongdam Main Branch.]
“I didn’t expect it to be the best makeup salon in Cheongdam-dong.”
Sueun Story was a makeup salon that was rumored to be so popular in the industry that top celebrities raced to get a reservation on this place. Rumor had it that the owner was called the “Hand of God.”
“Who would call such a large makeup salon ‘Aunt’s Shop’?”
I thought it was just a small neighborhood shop based on how she talked, so I came with a light heart, but I never imagined it would turn out like this.
I cautiously opened the door and walked in, and the staff greeted me with a big smile.
“Seungbeom is here! It’s been a while. The director is in the VIP room! Just come in.”
“Thank you.”
“Oh! Your face is getting more and more handsome. Are you really not going to be a celebrity?”
I’m going to.
“Yes, hello.”
I hastily answered the flood of comments and quickly entered the VIP room. Inside the VIP room, there was a table with simple drinks prepared and one woman.
“Aunt?”
When I closed the door and called her “Aunt” the woman lifted her head.
“Uh, you’re here? Sit here.”
So, this is his aunt.
“Yes.”
As soon as I sat down at the table, the woman set her jaw and smiled brightly. Then, she opened her mouth.
“So. Who are you?”
….Umm?
“I’m Seungbeom.”
Your nephew.
“Don’t lie to me.”
The woman slammed her fist on the table.
“…….”
It was hopeless.
It looks like I’m going to be exposed in just two days. As expected, life isn’t easy.
It was a mountain beyond a mountain.
As expected, life is not easy.
Translator’s Corner:
- The word used is 수험생, it literally means “test taker”, but it used to refer to a high school student who is preparing for the highly competitive College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), which is a standardized test that determines university admissions in South Korea. CSAT is such a big big thing in Korea. ↩︎