Choi Jong-Hyuk's face twisted with annoyance. Ju Yung-In had indeed heard everything.
"Fuck it. Go ahead, blabber all you want! I'll just deny it."
"Don't get angry with me, oppa. I don't intend to make things difficult for you."
"What are you talking about? Stop pissing me off and get straight to the point."
"Well, I'm telling you to just go ahead with your plan. I'll stay silent. I'll even help if you need."
Choi Jong-Hyuk sensed something off in Ju Yung-In's attitude.
'Is there a rift between her and Jung Yoo-Jin?'
Relieved by the thought, Choi Jong-Hyuk let out a sigh of relief.
"By the way, you got trampled by your hoobae today, didn't you?"
Ju Yung-In frowned and retorted sharply. "I wouldn't make comments that would upset me if I were you. Just focus on your plan. Anyway, you saw her talent agent, right? He's no ordinary guy. Any slip-up and you'll be humiliated."
Choi Jong-Hyuk chuckled. "Hey. How can a mere talent agent stop me? He's not even an actor. There'll be plenty of chances to be alone with Jung Yoo-Jin during the shoot. You know what happens in the drama between me and Yoo-Jin's role. We end up becoming a couple."
"And that's why I'm telling you to do your best."
Satisfied with Choi Jong-Hyuk's confidence, Ju Yung-In nodded.
Seong Clear, a role taken by Choi Jong-Hyuk, and Kim Twilight's characters in the drama, would always fight but inevitably fall in love in the drama, just like how Ju Yung-In and Ju Seong-Jin's characters would fall in love.
It was natural for men and women who worked closely together to be attracted to each other. Therefore, Choi Jong-Hyuk's attempts were very likely to succeed. However, it didn't matter to Ju Yung-In whether the plan would eventually succeed or not, as all she wanted was for Jung Yoo-Jin to be embroiled in a scandal.
"Anyway, I'll give you a gift if you succeed, oppa."
Choi Jong-Hyuk snorted. "Forget it. What could I possibly want from you?"
Choi Jong-Hyuk had agreed to play only a supporting role this time because the script and character were excellent. Choi Jong-Hyuk had been a bit subdued recently, but he was still a famous leading actor.
"You're mistaken once again, oppa. My gift isn't what you think."
"Then what is it…?"
"Oppa. You like Park Eun-Ah sunbae, right? I'm quite close to her. Maybe I can set something up between you two. How about that?"
Choi Jong-Hyuk's demeanor softened at Ju Yung-In's unexpected offer.
For someone with a preference for older and glamorous women, being introduced to the 33-year-old attractive Park Eun-Ah was an irresistible offer.
"R-really? I'm in. You better keep your promise."
"Of course. You know I always keep my promises."
The two exchanged cunning smiles, each harboring their own motives.
***
After ending the call with Choi Jong-Hyuk, Ma Dong-Pal ground his teeth in anger. "Fuck. That damn fool..."
Just then, a man walked into the lounge.
Dressed in an Ormani suit and gold-rimmed glasses, the cheerful figure was none other than Executive Director Cheon Lee-Sang—the second-in-command of TK Entertainment.
"Hey~ What's with the long face? Did some hooligan stir up trouble again?"
Cheon Lee-Sang, a former lawyer who led the legal team at one of Korea's largest conglomerates, had managed accounts and operations, cleaned up shady businesses, and created the TK Entertainment it was today. He has been close friends with Kim Tae-Kwon, the company's CEO, ever since high school.
Ma Dong-Pal quickly bowed. "What brings you to the lounge, Mr. Cheon?"
Cheon Lee-Sang grabbed two canned coffees from the vending machine. "Here, drink up. These cheap coffees are the best sometimes. The sugar gets the brain going."
"Ah, yes. Thank you, sir."
After gulping down the cans in an instant, the two sat down on the flamboyantly gaudy plastic chairs in the lounge.
"So, tell me. What's going on?"
"Ah, it's about Choi Jong-Hyuk."
"Choi Jong-Hyuk? What did he do this time? Should I speak with him?"
Cheon Lee-Sang wasn't the fist-fighting type because he didn't need to use his fists to destroy someone. His ability to ruin lives without resorting to physical force made him, in some ways, more frightening than a gangster.
Ma Dong-Pal scratched his head. "Actually, I assigned Choi Jong-Hyuk a task. But I'm not sure if he can pull it off. He started off sounding so unsure and it annoyed me."
"A task?"
Upon hearing the details from Ma Dong-Pal, Cheon Lee-Sang's expression turned serious.
"Dong-Pal, what do you gain by crushing Jung Yoo-Jin? The risks are too high and the head of the drama department will hate it. Furthermore, Writer Lee Ji-Yeon is backing Kim Soll-Ip as well."
Even Ma Dong-Pal grimaced at the mention of Lee Ji-Yeon. "Eun-Bin set that as a condition for renewing her contract with the company."
Just that one sentence was enough for Cheon Lee-Sang to understand the situation. Park Eun-Bin's capriciousness was notorious within the company but they couldn't afford to lose her, considering the tens of billions she brought in annually.
"That bitch, Park Eun-Bin. If only she'd fix that awful attitude of hers..."
Neither Ma Dong-Pal nor Cheon Lee-Sang felt any moral qualms about ruining another actor in a scandal. They were simply weighing the potential benefits and losses this situation might bring to them.