episode_0044

The CEO’s office fell silent for a moment.

“…?”

Sua’s mind went blank for a second. Sua malfunction.

It was because her brain had received an impact too overwhelming to handle. Just the fact that she could choose one was amazing, but she had received them all in an instant. Added up, it was a total of three cars.

But from Kim Iseo’s perspective, it was quite a reasonable thing.

It was because she had been prepared to lose even her house in the worst-case scenario. Rather, this was a cheap fix. If it was Sua, she would soon be able to cover the maintenance fees and insurance premiums for six cars just by breathing.

Sua tapped the box. She was quite dazed.

“You mean… all three? You’re giving me all three?”

“Yes. Every single one.”

“At first it was one. Then three. That’s a huge difference.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

Sua didn’t mean to argue either. She was just amazed. So incredibly amazed.

This moment suddenly felt unreal.

She thought there would never be a car in her life. The price of the car itself was significant, but frankly, the moment she had to pay for insurance and maintenance, saving would be completely impossible.

So she thought she would be a pedestrian forever.

Can life change this drastically? But refusing was out of the question. Sua was taken aback by the situation, but she didn’t want to kick away the opportunity.

Well, it’s not like Sua was doing anything bad to get it.

Imagination had already begun to unfold in her mind. An open highway, the accelerator pressed down hard, the roaring exhaust blasting like crazy as she zoomed forward….

‘Yeah. It’s right to accept it first. But…’

Sua thought additionally. Let’s ask for the reason.

“You must have put a lot of thought into it.”

What did she think of Sua to come to this conclusion?

It would surely be helpful to know. Someday, when she negotiates with someone else, it will be a great reference.

After thinking this far, Sua tilted her head without realizing it. What is this? Am I a little smarter now?

It was then that Kim Iseo nodded.

“That’s a matter of course.”

She stared at Sua.

“In the first place, prepayments are very rare in this industry. That is, providing something to an actor first.”

“Um.”

“Actors are like plants. You can only gauge them after they have fully grown. So usually, we make the first payment around the time we renew the contract or transfer them to another place. Postpaid.”

“That’s the story I knew until now.”

Sua pretended to know calmly. Sua understands.

“Why aren’t there any prepayments in this industry? If you think about it, it’s simple. It’s too difficult to set a price in advance. Who will rise, who will fall….”

Kim Iseo’s voice is clear and calm.

“…You can’t predict it at all. That’s how people live. You can’t guarantee a proper price until the price tag is attached. You can’t give anything in advance.”

“That’s right. That’s usually the case.”

“Of course, it’s not like we don’t give anything at all. Sometimes monster rookies appear in this industry. But even considering that, it’s not a car. At most a few months of living expenses?”

“Um.”

“In that regard, if people knew that I was providing this much to a rookie, everyone would say I was crazy. Even people who know Sua’s acting skills would discourage that much investment, saying it’s too risky. The entertainment industry is unpredictable.”

Kim Iseo nodded.

“Now, Sua. In that case, haven’t you noticed anything strange by now? Sua-yang is unknown and a rookie, so how can she receive this much in advance? Enough to shake Mystic.”

Sua was also curious. How did Sua become a strong team…?

But Sua was becoming cunning (?) about this. Sua, who was busily turning her head this way and that, soon found the best answer.

“They don’t usually say that kind of thing themselves.”

“That’s right. Sua knows something.”

Kim Iseo clasped her hands together. It was accompanied by the action of gently resting her chin on them.

“This means that Mystic doesn’t just think of Sua as an actress.”

Then what do they think of me as? A driver, maybe?

Ah, is that what it was?

Sua thought inwardly, but Kim Iseo continued.

“I thought I could become family with Sua.”

Sua repented for her thoughts. Kim Iseo’s words were truly warm, unlike she expected.

“Sua is basically a great actress. She also has an eye for choosing scripts. But that’s not the only reason she landed the lead role in Special Mobile Squad 808. The driving force behind the production of the short film ‘Sword’ is also the same. There’s one more reason.”

“Shall we hear it?”

“All actors have a scent, and Sua’s scent is very special.”

Kim Iseo put a little strength into her voice.

“Sua has a scent that encourages those around her. It makes the surroundings boil, and inspires inspiration to bloom. That’s why I’m trying to bring Sua into my family, even with this much investment.”

Kim Iseo said that much and held out one palm to the side. Then, Seo Yeon-ju placed a file on it.

“Think of the car as Mystic’s sincerity towards Sua-yang. The important story starts now. Ta-da, it’s the contract that Sua said was cute last time.”

Swish. Kim Iseo pushed it towards Sua.

“I’ve revised the settlement ratio and contract period. I’m confident that it’s pretty now, so take a look.”

As soon as Sua saw the paper, she felt dizzy. All she could see was difficult jargon. So she immediately closed the contract.

“…I don’t need to see it. I’ll listen to it from you, CEO-nim.”

Then Kim Iseo chuckled.

“Actually, speaking about this kind of thing out loud is something that many entertainment companies avoid. Because not all actors can have the same conditions.”

She pointed her chin at Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Seon-il next to her.

“Think about it. I signed a 5:5 ratio contract, but someone signed a 6:4 contract, and someone else signed a 7:3. Wouldn’t the atmosphere of the agency naturally become strange? But.”

Kim Seon-il and Seo Yeon-ju nodded at the same time. As if they didn’t care.

“Yeon-ju and Seon-il even agreed to these conditions. So the final contract conditions for Sua are.”

Sua perked up her ears. What will my conditions be?

“The ratio is 8:2. The contract period is 1 year. Same as Yeon-ju.”

Same conditions as Seo Yeon-ju? It was unbelievable.

“The explanation is over. So what are Sua’s thoughts?”

Sua didn’t answer.

However, she signed.

◈◈◈◈◈

Meanwhile, at Lee Yeon-hwa Hair Studio.

The space that would normally be filled with the sound of scissors was unusually quiet now. This was because all the employees, including Director Lee Yeon-hwa, were gathered in a circle for a meeting.

Among them was Chief Seo Jae-woo. He was the one who confidently shouted that Lee Sua was at her lowest point right now.

He raised his voice.

“If you don’t grab her now, she’ll become too expensive later and you won’t be able to hold onto her! You have to grab her now. You guys felt it too when you saw her in person, right? It’s a jackpot, isn’t it?”

Everyone nodded in unison.

“Her aura was extraordinary. She was born to be a model.”

“I guess celebrities aren’t celebrities for nothing. She definitely has a different vibe than ordinary people. It’s a bit scary.”

“But no matter how much I search, I can’t find anything.”

Chief Seo Jae-woo nodded.

“That’s why now is even more of an opportunity. She’s going to show her face in a huge deal soon. I can’t tell you what it is, but I’m serious.”

He continued in a serious tone.

“In the first place, if you just grab Lee Sua, all the promotions you guys wanted will be solved at once, right? Without anything complicated.”

“That’s true. Just filming the hair cutting process like a vlog would be useful for various purposes.”

“Yeah, but even if she hits it big in the meantime, this hair salon will explode too. All the problems you’re facing can be solved with just Lee Sua.”

It was then that Director Lee Yeon-hwa shrugged.

“She seemed like a really great person, but we can only wait. I’ve already sent a message. Of course, she might not have seen my message at all….”

“Hmm.”

“Still, thank you. When you think about it, it’s not Jae-woo oppa’s job, but it feels really grateful that you’re going to such lengths.”

Lee Yeon-hwa is right.

Seo Jae-woo is involved in the film distribution industry. In other words, he has no connection with this hair studio. But there was a calculation in his head as well.

─She has the face of someone who would kill people with bundles of money!

In fact, Seo Jae-woo had told a famous director about Sua. But the director’s answer was to bring her directly. It was really difficult to connect the two….

‘…If I mediate well in the middle, wouldn’t it be natural to take her to the director as well?’

The director is desperately looking for the role of ‘the youngest daughter of a chaebol family’. He’s even promising huge rewards if he finds a suitable actor as if he’s offering a bounty.

It’s impossible to even guess how much the spoils will be. It already tastes sweet. He will be recognized as a competent chief by the famous director, and he will be a great oppa who solves problems for Yeon-hwa.

Once he becomes an oppa, becoming a dad will be instantaneous.

Seo Jae-woo took out his cell phone.

“Yeon-hwa. Don’t worry. I’ll call her now.”

Seo Jae-woo came out of the hair salon to make a call.

After three rings, a click, the sound of someone answering.

Luck was on his side. The other person answered the phone.

“Ah, yes! Hello! I’m calling because!”

That was the reason why Seo Jae-woo was calling from outside the hair salon. He didn’t want to show himself groveling in front of Yeon-hwa.

But.

“Huh? Who is this? Isn’t this Sua’s number?”

Soon, panic was evident in his voice.

“Huh? Ah, Mystic CEO-nim? Yes?”

Seo Jae-woo blinked like a toad.

“Uh… You’re coming here right now…?”

He asked back without realizing it.

“Why…?”