abcnovels
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Chapter 24
“After completing my shift at the cafe and while juggling part-time work at a warehouse, I received a text message bearing unfortunate news.
——
It’s been a while, Jinseok Kang. This is PD Na Jinho.
KSC Broadcasting Station and KL Entertainment’s film writer, Kwon Chaeyoon, has produced a work with content similar to ours. Consequently, there have been some complications with investment.”
“Nothing has been decided yet, but in the worst-case scenario, there is a possibility that filming will be canceled.
Alternatively, even if filming proceeds, Jinseok may not be included.
A promising rookie like Jinseok should never appear in a drama with an insufficient production budget.
I will contact you when there is new information to share.”
“I don’t know what happened, but judging by the content of the text, it didn’t seem like I was dropped because of dissatisfaction.
‘Then is it really because of investment…?’
I continued to sigh out of concern and disappointment regarding the project.
“Whoa…”
Mr. Kim beside me inquired.
“Hey~ Actor Kang Jinseok. Why are you sighing again? Hasn’t everything been going well these days?”
When Mr. Kim asked, the other guys turned their attention to me, indicating that perhaps they were curious too.
“Ah… yes. It was going well, but suddenly the project might be canceled.”
“Hmm? The work is canceled?”
“I don’t know the details, but I think it’s a money issue. The investor canceled the investment.”
Then each of the men added a word of support.
“Why is that? they gave it to you, and now they will take it away?”
“They are trash.”
“Those guys are worse than Park Chunsam!”
“Therefore! Even I couldn’t do it… Not this! What! What about you!”
If I was feeling disappointed about the work, the men were becoming angry at the investor.
These guys were angry on my behalf for a while, but they couldn’t come up with a proper solution.
“Don’t be too angry. The producer and writer are great people, so it will be resolved quickly.”
I spoke with a forced smile, but the men still seemed unable to shake off their anger.
At that moment, the work foreman spoke.
“Hey, Jinseok. Don’t be too discouraged. It’s not your fault. You will be fine.”
“Yes…”
He responded in a subdued voice. Normally, I would have replied with enthusiasm, but today I didn’t have the strength to do so.
The work foreman sighed loudly and exclaimed,
“Hey! Let’s work hard today and finish it quickly! And let’s go sing a song!”
It was a tradition in our warehouse to go to karaoke or have a drink whenever something bad happened.
However, I haven’t gone out for a drink since I got the role. The reason was that when I drink alcohol, I get a stomach ache like old men.
The work foreman looked at me and said,
“Jinseok, do you want to go too? You’re the most annoyed, so just go and sing one song together.”
“Hmm…”
I probably would have left with a smile, but honestly, I didn’t feel like going to a karaoke bar right now.
Since I had to prepare for the entrance exam, I didn’t have much time.
‘But they say they’re going because of me… I can’t not go.’
Even if I go to a karaoke bar, I don’t stay long anyway. There might be time to sing just one song.
“All right. Then I’ll just sing one song.”
When I told them I was joining, the guys moved faster.
Since I have something to do today, I have to finish it all before I can go to karaoke.
***
“Crossing the moonlit street.”
“Ah~nothing~! Ah, nothing! Your lonely apartment.”
“Ussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!”
‘They say they came here to help me cheer up, but they’re having a lot of fun.’
I arrived at the karaoke bar I used to frequent. As soon as they arrived, the men started singing with great enthusiasm.
I don’t know if everyone wanted to sing, or if they just suddenly got excited. But today the tension was higher than usual.
As I listened to the exhilarating song, my depressed mood seemed to lift.
Of course, I was still worried.
At that moment, after finishing their song, Mr. Park Chunsam spoke into the microphone.
“Guys! Then what’s next? Actor Kang Jinseok!”
“Waaah!”
“Come out! Kang Jinseok!”
“Jinseok, what are you going to sing?”
He took the microphone amid enthusiastic cheers.
‘What should I sing today?’
Karaoke has always been associated with old men.
Because I didn’t have time or leisure to go to karaoke alone.
So the songs I often sang were almost the same as the songs they liked.
Most of them were trot songs or emotional ballads that were hits in the 90s and 2000s.
“Today…”
The moment I grabbed the karaoke remote control and tried to choose a trot song that everyone knew, my vision started to blur.
‘…Suddenly?’
“Streetlight fire… passing by on a cloudy night… your scent…”
“Mom! I like this song!”
“Right? This is the song my dad sang when he proposed to my mom!”
“Really?! I guess Dad sang well!”
“Okay~! Mom fell in love with Dad because he sang this song!”
“This…”
It was Kim Yeonmi’s memory. When she was young, it seemed like it was still a memory of her mother before she died.
Yeonmi’s mother sits cross-legged on the floor, plays an old acoustic guitar, and sings.
She looked at her mother with a bright smile.
Ding ding… ding…
“Streetlight fire… passing by on a cloudy night… your scent…”
Kim Yeonmi, who looked like a middle school student.
She was practicing her guitar, sitting on the floor in the same position as her mother. She must not have practiced much yet, and she was awkward at playing the guitar and singing.
However, Yeonmi continued to practice while reminiscing about her memories with her mother.
—
“…”
‘Yeonmi…’
—
Yeonmi’s father secretly watched this. Yeonmi’s father could barely hold back his tears.
Ding ding~ ding~!
“The light of the streetlight~ Your scent passing by on a cloudy night~”
—
Kim Yeonmi, wearing a high school uniform.
She was sitting on the floor in the same position as before, playing her guitar.
I guess I’m quite used to it now, but the playing was perfect.
The singing was also of a high standard. So much so that I was amazed when I heard it.
—
“I want to convey my feelings! Uh…!”
“Hmph! I keep getting annoyed at this part… I think my mom was like that too…”
—
Yeonmi cleared her throat and sang her song again.
—
“I want to sit down! Her…!”
“Why do I keep making mistakes here?”
—
Kim Yeonmi keeps getting the same part wrong.
What’s surprising is that once you get past that part, the song continues so smoothly.
—
“Dad! I will sing as my specialty when I take the practical exam at Seoguk University tomorrow, is that okay?”
“…Do you really have to sing? It’s hard to stand out in singing unless you’re good at it.”
“I’m good at singing! I practiced for a very long time! You’re exactly like your mom!”
“…Okay. But you keep making mistakes in the same lyrics… are you okay?”
“It’s a lot better these days! Uh? But how did you know that I kept making mistakes?”
—
Yeonmi Kim was holding her guitar in front of her father. She smiles and looks at her father.
The father couldn’t look at Yeonmi properly like that. He didn’t drop her head, but he continued to avoid her gaze.
On the other hand, Yeonmi continued to smile brightly and say,
‘I didn’t mean to do it.’
Kim Yeonmi was into ‘acting’ from this point on. She acts like a childish person who doesn’t know her father’s feelings.
It was an ironic performance that showed a sad yet bright side.
With her acting, Kim Yeonmi hoped that her father would no longer be sad and that he would be happy.
Her performance was so perfect that it almost went unnoticed. But I could tell that I could feel her emotions.
Now he knows that when Yeonmi smiles, she doesn’t smile.
Let’s think like that.
I returned to the karaoke room again.
“Hey Jinseok! What are you going to sing?”
“The ‘Tiger Butterfly’ you always sing?”
“I can’t think of anything, I’ll select first?”
‘Sharing these memories… Maybe Yeonmi is asking me for a favor.’
She asked me to sing the song she intended to perform in front of her father during the entrance exam.
After thinking about it, I played the song using the karaoke remote control.
The name of the song was “Holding You in My Arms.”
***
Oh Haneul, who called the chief secretary, was lost in thought.
‘I was planning to start a business in the entertainment industry… Not bad timing.’
Oh Haneul is the CEO of ‘OS International’, an affiliate of ‘OS Group’, one of the top 10 groups in Korea, and one of the three sons of the chairman of ‘OS Group’.
As the chairman has recently aged rapidly, Oh Haneul is also being mentioned as a candidate for the next chairman. However, he was significantly pushed out by his other two older brothers.
There is only one reason.
‘It’s because he’s a latecomer and came to work late…’
Just because he was born late doesn’t mean he lacked ability. However, he was not raised with much care.
Rather, he grew up much more difficult than his other brothers, and his abilities were also full.
When Oh Haneul was growing up, he was going through the IMF crisis when his company was on the verge of collapse.
As a result, unlike his older brothers raised as chaebols from a young age, he did not enjoy the life of a chaebol. Instead, the experience at that time proved to be helpful. Thanks to it, he quickly opened his eyes to the way the world works.
‘So, My father wants to give me a company. The problem is that there is no way the brothers can stay still.’
Although Oh Haneul is more capable than his other brothers, he holds the lowest rank. If the company is handed over to Oh Haneul, the lowest-ranking person, it is natural that the company will split up.
Nevertheless, the chairman of OS Group, who wanted to hand over the company to Oh Haneul, ended up putting forward these conditions as the next best option.
“I will give the company to the son who achieves the best results.”
To fulfill this condition, Oh Haneul thought of the ‘entertainment business.’
Entertainment is a business area that OS Group has not yet touched. If he succeeds greatly in that field, no one will be able to oppose Oh Haneul becoming the group’s chairman.
Now, Oh Haneul was about to take the first step.
“Come on in,” he responded to the Chief Secretary.
Immediately, the door opened, and a man wearing glasses came in.
“Did you call me, representative?”
“Yes, manager. I’m sorry; you must be busy.”
“No.”
Oh Haneul corrected his posture and spoke as he sat down.
“Did you know that KL Entertainment and KSC broadcasting stations keep BDD broadcasting stations in check?”
“Of course.”
Recently, Oh Haneul has been showing interest in the entertainment industry. Oh Haneul’s chief of staff couldn’t have been unaware of the most important concerns in the entertainment industry today.
After hearing the chief secretary’s answer, Oh Haneul spoke quietly.
“It looks like they’re playing with money… We will provide that money. Wouldn’t it be easy for OS Entertainment to establish itself then? How is it?”
The secretary thought for a moment, then smiled and said.
“I think it’s a good idea to start an entertainment business while investing in their work.”
“Yes.”
“But is there a reason you are investing in this work? I’m sure there are many other works.”
Oh Haneul smiled at the secretary’s words. It was the smile of a businessman harboring a typical competitive spirit.
“Of course, there is a special reason.”
Oh Haneul continued speaking calmly.
“First of all, it is the work of PD Na Jinho, who is being mentioned as a candidate for the next director of BDD. This is an opportunity to owe a big debt to a man who might become the next director.”
“···.”
“At the same time, it is the work of artist Cho Seokwon. If we help us this time, won’t it be advantageous for our actors to get roles in the future?”
The chief secretary nodded. Oh Haneul noticed that and continued speaking.
“As a result of my personal research, the actors at the BDD broadcasting station were much better than those at the KSC broadcasting station.”
Oh Haneul said that and took a moment to catch his breath and think of Jinseok.
“And···. There is one more reason, but it may be too early.”
The chief secretary, who had been quietly listening to Oh Haneul for a while, pondered for a moment and then lowered his head.
“If we can win the hearts of the next director and star writer by investing in their work, it seems like it would work cheaply. There···.”
“···.”
“I didn’t mention it, but if there’s one more reason, I think it’s an investment that must be made.”
Oh Haneul smiled with satisfaction at the secretary’s positive words. The chief secretary bowed his head and said.
“Then, I assume you understand-.”
“···.”
“Go ahead.”
A big hand began to move from a place no one expected.