Chapter 21
But when I thought about it carefully,
he was useful, but...
I didn’t want him close by.
For one thing, he had a loose mouth. And despite his gentle appearance, he had a sly side.
I could tell just from the way he was hiding here now.
‘He’d be perfect to use.’
I immediately stopped Yun Won-seok, who was about to spill the beans.
“How about we talk over a cup of coffee?”
“Ah. Thank you.”
If I only meant to use him, it couldn’t hurt to buy him a cup of coffee.
At least then it would seem like I’d paid him something in return.
For office workers, iced Americanos are practically an unwritten rule.
We grabbed iced Americanos from the café in the first-floor lobby, escaped to a nearby break room, and started talking.
“Do you know what we’ve had for lunch and dinner over the past three days?”
“What was it?”
“Gimbap. Tteokbokki. Fried food. Pork cutlet. Now, what do they have in common?”
What else?
It was obvious as soon as he said it.
“It’s all snack-bar food. Did some snack bar sponsor us or something?”
“No, but for the past few days, Team Leader Park kept making us eat at snack bars, then today it suddenly stopped.”
“What a surprise. That guy.”
Yun Won-seok looked around, swiveling his head left and right.
He leaned close and spoke carefully.
“Everyone else just let it go, saying, ‘Since when does Team Leader buy us meals? We’re tight on money these days, so it saves us food expenses.’ But I’m different.”
This bastard.
Why did he even come to work at a management company?
Well, when their assigned celebrity had no schedule, their managers didn’t have much to do either, so they usually stayed at the office.
“So I did some digging.”
“Is there a way to find that out?”
“Team Leader Park’s never been good at keeping secrets.”
That’s true.
Park Ju-yong was just as loose-lipped. No, maybe he was desperate to brag about the things he’d done.
“It was partly a coincidence. When I was hiding in the emergency exit, I overheard Team Leader Park talking to someone.”
Where the hell was this guy hiding every time I saw him?
Was he a ninja?
Was he an industrial spy?
“From what I heard, it seems like he found a sparkling gem so extraordinary that they’re bound to become hugely successful.”
“…….”
Crunch.
Without realizing it, I crunched down on the ice I’d been chewing.
My expression stiffened.
“Is that so?”
The fact that Park Ju-yong and I had already crossed a point of no return...
I knew it. Park Ju-yong knew it.
In fact, almost everyone at this company knew.
In other words, if I succeeded, Park Ju-yong would be screwed,
and if Park Ju-yong succeeded, I’d be screwed.
‘Well, as long as Nobel’s around, there’s no way I’ll lose. But you never know.’
Nobel was an absurdly capable AI,
but that didn’t mean it could solve everything.
If Nobel kept quiet, no one could predict what would happen or how.
In that situation, if I made a mistake,
or Park Ju-yong created a turn of events even Nobel couldn’t predict, the outcome could change.
[That’s right.]
[As a god-tier AI, I can read and predict most situations. But there are no absolute outcomes when it comes to the ‘future.’]
[It’s best to always remember that probabilities can shift.]
Maybe so.
Maybe Nobel knew everything.
But if it said something like that,
‘it’d be more fun.’
Right.
This was entertainment for a god. But for me, it was my life.
“I know you and Team Leader Park don’t get along, Team Leader Kim. But honestly, it’s true that Team Leader Park has made plenty of celebrities successful.”
“So it did make me a little nervous for a moment.”
Because I’d never seen a talent so exceptional that Park Ju-yong could be that confident.
And he hadn’t even sent one of his subordinates.
The fact that he’d personally made the effort for three days, like Liu Bei making repeated visits to Zhuge Liang’s thatched cottage,
clearly meant he’d found someone unbelievably extraordinary.
“But you don’t have to worry too much. If his sweet talk had worked, would Team Leader Park have been in a foul mood all day today? He’s gloomy because it didn’t work.”
That was a relief.
I couldn’t help sighing in relief.
“If Team Leader Park failed, should I find out who the talent is?”
What a sycophantic thing to say.
It felt like he’d bring me information now, then ask me for something once I succeeded later.
Actually, if what Yun Won-seok had just told me was true,
then getting that talent into my hands would drive a stake into Park Ju-yong’s heart for good.
But I shook my head.
“No. It’s fine.”
I explained why to the puzzled Yun Won-seok.
“Well, um. Team Leader Park may be a devil, but I respect his casting ability just as much as I hate him.”
He’d cast someone no matter what it took.
That wasn’t a lie.
He was the kind of man who could coax even someone who didn’t care the slightest bit about celebrities into signing a contract.
“He’s a tenacious bastard. Honestly, his personality’s awful, but I’ll give credit where it’s due.”
I’d borrowed Nobel’s power to bring Eun Hee-ju and Lee Da-young in,
but the reason I could casually carry out even the insane methods Nobel suggested was that I’d worked under a man like him for nearly three years.
“But if a man like that gives up after three days? That’s impossible. No one could do it.”
At my words, Yun Won-seok stared at me, seeming a little surprised, then muttered something horrifying.
“When I see this, you and Team Leader Park do seem a little alike.”
I gave Yun Won-seok a light thump on the chest and stood up.
“Don’t say something so fucking awful.”
“Hahaha.”
Besides, even if it wasn’t the person Park Ju-yong had been after, with Nobel’s help I could bring in another new talent soon enough.
That wasn’t what mattered right now.
“Aaaaaagh!! Cut it out already! You’re going to collapse!”
“I’m fine.”
The kind of profanity that should never come out of an idol’s mouth.
And a cold, expressionless face that was hard to imagine on an idol.
Instead of encouraging each other and improving, the two of them were bickering despite being a terrible match.
“Sorry, I’m a little late.”
“No, Team Leader-Manager.”
“Aagh! Team Leader, she’s seriously a psycho! Come on, let’s take a break. After an hour of practice, we should rest for ten minutes, right? Don’t you think?”
“I’m fine without a break. I’m not a weakling like someone.”
“You think I’m asking for a break because I’m weak? I’m saying it’s more efficient! I’m telling you this because the way you’re doing it is wrong! If I’m saying something right, then fucking listen!”
“Team Leader-Manager said he’d come teach us if we practiced properly. If you want to rest, unnie, go ahead. I’m fine.”
“Aaaaaaagh!! It’s like talking to a wall! I have to form a team and promote with this asshole? I’m gonna die of stress!! And we’ve barely started!”
They were so incompatible, I wondered if that was even possible.
It was hard to take either one’s side here.
Lee Da-young wasn’t wrong,
but Eun Hee-ju wasn’t an ordinary person either.
They were right to improve in their own ways.
[I agree.]
Even Nobel agreed.
All I had to do was let the two of them work hard in their own ways and try to get them to become closer in the process.
“Hold on. Calm down, both of you.”
“I’m not excited at all. I always listen to what you say, Team Leader-Manager.”
“Are you insane? Do I look like I’m not angry? She doesn’t listen to a word anyone says.”
Lee Da-young was fuming.
At this rate, she’d bolt right out like she had at the theater troupe yesterday.
I was just printing out the contract.
“Wait. Da-young, it’s fine to interfere with other people, but don’t do it with Hee-ju.”
“Huh? Excuse me, Team Leader. Aren’t you coddling her too much? Aren’t you treating her like she’s special? I’m a trainee you brought in, too.”
“Hee-ju is special.”
At that moment,
Eun Hee-ju’s body gave a small twitch, and I thought I saw the corners of her mouth move.
Was I imagining it?
“If it were someone else, Hee-ju might look pretty unstable. But I trust her. I can keep things under control. So don’t try to force your beliefs on Hee-ju for no reason. And, um, Lee Da-young, come talk with me one-on-one for a minute.”
This time, Lee Da-young flinched.
“……Yes.”
The active volcano that had looked ready to erupt at any moment went quiet in an instant.
“Hee-ju, could you practice a little longer? I’ll be right back.”
“Yes, Team Leader-Manager.”
I took Lee Da-young and headed for the emergency exit.
Somewhere people were even less likely to come by.
“Hey, Lee Da-young. Looks like you need some more training, huh? How long has it been since you were trained? And you’re already acting like this. Calm down. Watch your language, too. Why are you so foul-mouthed?”
“No. You should’ve seen what that Hee-ju girl was doing, Team Leader.”
“What did I need to see? Hee-ju really does exactly what I tell her. Shut up and stick your ass out.”
“H-Here?”
“If your master tells you to spread your legs, spread them, you fucking bitch. Anywhere.”
“Ah. All right, M-Master.”
The switch flipped again, and Lee Da-young bashfully stuck her butt out.
I pulled down her pants and spanked her hard.
Smack!
“Haaah!”
Then I put my cock in her mouth and calmed her down a little.
“Embarrassing, isn’t it? I told you that if you didn’t keep your temper in check in front of me, I’d punish you every time. Don’t think this is all there is.”
“Slurrrp, I’m sorry. Mmph……”
But why was it?
“Spread your pussy, too. I’ll give you a load.”
“Yes, Master.”
Maybe it was my imagination,
“Hngh, hngh.”
but Lee Da-young’s voice as I fucked her seemed to hold not only pleasure, but a little happiness, too.
[Women are all foxes, I’m telling you.]
[Master needs to understand that.]
What?
I know that, too.
I’m always aware of that.
[Well, what would a man know?]
[Even if I told you that their level of bewitching slyness is almost twice what men imagine, you’d never understand.]
“Haaang! Master’s cum is filling me up. Hngh, there’s so much, my panties are all soaked.”
“Keep it plugged up. Don’t let it run all the way onto the floor.”
“Yes, Master.”
After we finished our quickie in the emergency exit,
Lee Da-young carefully opened her mouth.
“By the way, Master.”
“Yeah?”
“Hee-ju.”
Her again?
“Why does she call you Team Leader-Manager? Isn’t that weird?”
“That’s because…”
Come to think of it.
“I don’t know either. She could just call me Team Leader or Manager by now. She always does that.”
[There’s a reason for it.]
Then why don’t you explain it to me?
Fuck, you’re being so frustrating, just giving me a taste of it.
[Why are you blaming me for being oblivious and stupid, Master?!]
[Unbelievable.]
“…….”
[……. ]
I’d gotten needlessly worked up, so I carefully apologized.
‘Sorry.’
[Since you apologized, I’ll let it slide this time.]
No, that wasn’t what mattered right now.
“Let’s eat something good for lunch instead of eating at the company. Wait here.”
If they ate something delicious at the same table, they’d get closer.
With that in mind, I immediately searched the internet for foods women went crazy for.
The result was instant.
[Number one is tteokbokki.]
[Tteokbokkiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!! Women go absolutely nuts for tteokbokki, I tell you!!!!!!!!!]
[Half the meals I had with my ex-girlfriend were tteokbokki.]
No.
Was there some ghost who died because they couldn’t eat tteokbokki?
I looked through six blogs, and they all had the exact same answer.
[Tteokbokki’s great. I like it, too.]
I liked spicy stir-fried pork or pork cutlet.
[Tsk. Men, honestly.]
I nearly got into another argument with Nobel right there.
“Ugh. Fine. Let’s have tteokbokki.”
Spicy stir-fried pork was delicious, though.
Fuck.
[Yes! I love tteokbokki. This time, I think I’ll have to share my taste with you for a bit, Master. Oh, there’s a place nearby famous for its tteokbokki. Let’s go there.]
This was the god-tier AI who wouldn’t give me the information I needed, but could find a tteokbokki place with incredible precision.
[I’m excited. It’s so famous that it already has over a thousand reviews, even though it opened less than a week ago.]
What’s the name of the place?
[It’s called Min-seo Tteokbokki.]
[It’s about 526 meters from here. It’ll take around eight minutes on foot.]
In the end, I took Eun Hee-ju and Lee Da-young to the restaurant Nobel had told me about.
Right.
Hoping they’d make up over some delicious tteokbokki.
But then.
“Oh! Welcome! This is Min-seo Tteokbokki. We’re pretty busy, so could you wait about five minutes? Haha! Sorry! Please wait just a little! It’s really delicious here. You have to try it before you go! You absolutely won’t regret it!”
A cute, pretty girl with so much energy that she made us feel like we had to match it was the first to greet us.
Even more surprising was—
[Gil Min-seo, SS+]
She ranked even higher than Eun Hee-ju.