Gu Seong-Cheol handed me some documents. Even if it was only a tentative agreement that we were trying to secure with Lee Tae-Poong, having it written on paper would prevent future issues.
That was when Kim Dong-Soo and Ju Yung-In unexpectedly appeared at our office.
"Wow, you guys must be busy, huh?"
Ju Yung-In was dressed in a flowing sky-blue dress appropriate for her role of Kim Sky in Blue Sky. Judging from her fancy outfit, it seemed that she had something on her schedule today.
"Do you have an interview today?"
Kim Dong-Soo nodded and mentioned they had an interview scheduled with Baro Star, one of the top three entertainment magazines. Typically, if more than one actress from the same company were to star in the same drama, they would do joint interviews. However, Kim Dong-Soo had not informed Division 2 about this interview, seemingly trying to get revenge for yesterday.
Gu Seong-Cheol stared at Kim Dong-Soo and Ju Yung-In for a moment before speaking.
"Is that so? Good luck with your interview."
Kim Dong-Soo made a curious expression at Gu Seong-Cheol's calm reaction. Thanks to his calm reaction, Kim Dong-Soo and Ju Yung-In were utterly perplexed as they had expected more of a reaction from us.
"Oh, okay…"
Gu Seong-Cheol then turned to Oh Duk-Gu and me, telling us we needed to hurry. I could see the corner of his lips slightly lifted because we were on our way to outsmart Kim Dong-Soo right now.
Leaving behind the confused Kim Dong-Soo and Ju Yung-In, we made our way to the underground parking lot.
Vroom!
When I started the engine, Gu Seong-Cheol quietly muttered, "Let's secure Lee Tae-Poong's recruitment today no matter what."
"Yes, sir."
The provocation by Kim Dong-Soo spurred Gu Seong-Cheol's determination to recruit Lee Tae-Poong.
'What a surprise that Kim Dong-Soo can be helpful sometimes.'
***
Screech.
"Wow. Nice house."
Lee Tae-Poong's residence was in a high-end villa neighborhood in Cheongdam-dong. Known for being a homebody, he apparently invested most of his CF earnings into his home. The tall, red brick walls gave off the vibes of a medieval castle rather than a house.
Ding-dong.
-Who is it?
"Hello. We are from Hoop Entertainment."
-Oh, okay. Please wait a moment.
Click.
After a brief answer, the oak-colored gate to the parking area lifted with a buzzing sound.
"We won't have to worry about parking."
The huge parking area offered more than enough parking space. As we entered upon parking the car, we noticed a gazebo in the grassy yard surrounded by outdoor curtains, creating a cozy atmosphere.
"That'd be a perfect spot for a barbecue, don't you think?"
I quietly laughed at Gu Seong-Cheol's remark, because it was indeed used for such purposes.
As we approached the front door, it opened as if someone was waiting.
"Welcome," greeted Lee Tae-Poong, whose good looks were so striking that even I was left speechless.
His long hair was casually tied up, but his effortless style seemed straight out of a magazine. With his tall stature, sculpted face, and long limbs, Lee Tae-Poong's simple home attire also reflected a sense of style.
Indeed, he pulled off and accentuated his clothing perfectly with his good looks. His striking good looks almost forced all of our gazes to stay fixed on him.
Lee Tae-Poong, accustomed to such attention, didn't seem bothered and led us to the living room.
Gu Seong-Cheol snapped out of his brief trance and coughed to clear his throat.
"Ke hem. He really is incredibly handsome."
"Yes, indeed. He looks even better in person," Oh Duk-Gu agreed.
However, this beautiful flower, named Lee Tae-Poong, had its thorns—thorns that only I could remove.
Upon arriving at the spacious living room, I spotted a huge TV. As a movie fan since a young age, Lee Tae-Poong had a diverse collection of DVDs on his bookshelf. However, not a single book was in sight, possibly due to his dyslexia.
'Not even comic books, huh.'
"I'm sorry. I only have this to offer for a drink."
Lee Tae-Poong served us sujeonggwa[1] with pine nuts on the table.
"Thank you. We appreciate it."
Gu Seong-Cheol and Oh Duk-Gu took a sip of cold sujeonggwa. Then, the two quickly moved on to the main topic after exchanging greetings, because they knew time was of the essence for everyone.
"If you join our company..."
Lee Tae-Poong quietly listened to Oh Duk-Gu's explanation of our proposal. In the meantime, I was lost in my memories. In my past life, Lee Tae-Poong once whispered to me in the hospital, thinking I was asleep.
He probably didn't know I was awake, but I still couldn't forget what he said back then.
-Why would you die after saving me? Wake up. Please. You said you wanted to work with me again someday, didn't you? Hyung…
His mournful voice resonated in my heart, but I couldn't respond as I was dying. Only now in my second life did this opportunity to work with Lee Tae-Poong again arise.
'Tae-Poong, I won't let you suffer this time.'
In my past life, it was only after a long time since he joined Division 3 that I managed to help him overcome his dyslexia. He had attempted suicide due to despair over his acting career. When I discovered the cause of his acting struggles, I found a way to treat his dyslexia.
But in this life, I planned to spare him that pain right from the start.
As Oh Duk-Gu finished explaining the contract terms, Lee Tae-Poong asked, "A one-year short-term contract?"
Gu Seong-Cheol candidly replied, "We're open to all other conditions but we want to be cautious with the contract duration. However, once your next project is confirmed, we'll immediately switch the contract to a long-term contract."
Lee Tae-Poong's expression grew serious as Gu Seong-Cheol spoke. At that moment, I gave Gu Seong-Cheol a cue. He then nodded and pointed to me as he spoke. "To be honest with you, Talent Agent Jung Yoon-Ho here strongly recommended you."
Lee Tae-Poong slowly turned to me and met my eyes. "This person?"
'Yes, it's me, Tae-Poong.'
With all eyes on me, I nodded. "Yes. I was the one who strongly recommended you, Mr. Lee Tae-Poong. I have a plan prepared for you."
With that, I spread out the files I had prepared on the table.
At that moment, Lee Tae-Poong's eyes began to show a change, a flicker of interest sparked by my words.