Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All - Chapter 256: Getting Rid of Potential Danger (3)

“How? Simple. I collected all the evidence of her trying to bribe Choi Yung-Eun, our editor, and threatened to sue her,” Jang Ji-Hye replied.

Jang Ji-Hye said she showed all the documents she got from Choi Tae-Sung, the audit department’s team lead.

Kang Ji-Yung marveled at Jang Ji-Hye’s swift response. “Wow, big companies sure are scary~”

“That’s right. People usually hold back because the public might frown upon it, but there’s nothing they can do if they want to.”

Jang Ji-Hye smiled, then turned to me and added, “Still, you shouldn’t underestimate Han Se-Hwa’s connections, Team Lead Jung.”

I nodded. “Yes, she indeed has a wide network.”

“Well, at least she’ll stay quiet for a while. If she doesn’t want to fight me openly, she’ll pretend to reflect for now. So, how do you like my gift?” Jang Ji-Hye said as she gave me a smirk.

Ever since we played golf together, Jang Ji-Hye had been speaking more casually with me.

“I was a bit surprised by the unexpected gift, but I love it,” I responded with a smile.

“Good, let’s order some food then.”

Jang Ji-Hye pressed the bell to call the waitress and ordered a course meal which cost 200 thousand won per person.

Then, I asked her, “But what do you mean that Yoo-Jin is the model for the cover of the September issue of Womans?”

Jang Ji-Hye shrugged. “That’s my second gift. Since Miss Yoo-Jin is now an L.M.L model, I thought she should dress well and be the main feature. Many readers are curious about the new brand, you know. So consider it a Jung Yoo-Jin and L.M.L special.”

When Jang Ji-Hye lavishly praised Yoo-Jin, Kang Ji-Yung snorted. “You are an expert at taking advantage of others. I know you’re saying this to sneakily ask for sponsorship next month, but no way! L.M.L is a luxury brand!”

“Relax. I’m aware,” Jang Ji-Hye remarked.

“What? Then what are you planning to do?”

“We’ll get a few items from L.M.L as sponsorship and fill the rest with LM Apparel products.”

Jang Ji-Hye smiled and asked me, “What do you think, Team Lead Jung? Can you do it?”

“I’ll make a call.”

“Alright then.”

I immediately called Lee Yung-Ah from LM Apparel and she answered cheerfully.

-Sponsorship? We can provide up to 50,000 eco-bags with a small logo and up to five L.M.L bags.

I felt confident thanks to the generous support.

-I also think adding Miss Yoo-Jin’s autograph to the L.M.L bags would be a good idea.

Lee Yung-Ah eagerly offered her suggestion.

“I’ll check with the team and get back to you,” I replied.

-Sure. Please visit us soon. We need to finalize the contract for Miso children’s wear.

“Alright, I’ll visit soon.”

-See you soon~

Jang Ji-Hye seemed delighted with the unexpected success. “As expected of Team Lead Jung. Honestly, I would have asked you to work with me long ago if it weren’t for Ji-Yung.”

At that moment, Kang Ji-Yung looked at Jang Ji-Hye with a pout. “Unnie, what are you saying now?”

“Why are you looking at me like that? I said I didn’t ask because of you.”

“Don’t even dream about it. We’re not letting Team Lead Jung go!”

Jang Ji-Hye laughed. “Hold on tight. If your company can’t keep him, I’ll snatch him away.”

“There’s no way that’s happening,” Kang Ji-Yung retorted.

“What? Can’t I even talk about it?”

“Don’t even dream of putting a claim on him!”

I scratched my head and tried to change the subject.

At that moment, Jang Ji-Hye spoke up. “By the way, I heard an interesting story earlier…”

Kang Ji-Yung tilted her head. “What story?”

“The rumor that Team Lead Jung is actually the son of a very influential person.”

It was such an absurd story that I didn’t know how to respond.

“Me?” I uttered with a confused face.

Jang Ji-Hye nodded. “A little while ago, President Han said that Secretary Chief Ryu-Shin warned her not to mess with Team Lead Jung for now. And when I stepped in to back you up, she asked if you were the hidden son of some conglomerate family.”

I almost burst out laughing at Jang Ji-Hye’s words.

‘A conglomerate’s son, huh… that’s funny,‘ I thought to myself.

It was easy for people to think that way since they didn’t know I was an orphan nor did they know about the existence of my planner which was the source of all my information.

“That’s interesting,” I remarked and shrugged my shoulders.

Jang Ji-Hye smiled and said, “I guess it’s only natural to think that way. Your confident attitude, skillful handling of situations, and possession of information that even I didn’t know are impressive indeed. Oh, and not to mention spending all your money to buy Yetterang’s stocks. Those aren’t the actions of an ordinary office worker.”

Jang Ji-Hye seemed to know more about me than I expected, almost as if she had investigated me.

At that moment, Jang Ji-Hye saw my expression and looked slightly apologetic. “I hope you don’t take what I said the wrong way. Someone in my position gets a report on the people I meet first thing in the morning.”

“Is that so?” I asked.

“Sometimes it feels unpleasant like I’m prying into others’ private lives. But that’s that. From now on, you should be careful. There will be people who know more than I do and are more ambitious in recruiting you,” Jang Ji-Hye warned me.

It made sense. Jang Wei had also sent his right-hand man, Ryu-Shin, to bring me over after just a brief meeting.

The continuous love calls unlike anything I had experienced in my past life were a bit overwhelming.

However, all these did not matter. I still believed being a talent agent was my calling. No matter how much money I could make, I had no intention of switching industries. After all, seeing stars grow under my guidance was so rewarding and enjoyable.

“Thank you for the advice.”

Jang Ji-Hye smiled. “See? You take everything so calmly. Sometimes I feel like you’re from another world. Are you really 27?”

‘No. I’m not 27, I’m 37. And I did live in a different world,‘ I remarked inwardly.

I simply smiled in response and said, “Thank you for your advice and for choosing Yoo-Jin as the cover model for the next issue of Womans.”

Jang Ji-Hye couldn’t hide her joy. “I’m the one who should be thankful. Today’s entertainment section was half-filled with Miss Yoo-Jin’s articles. Thanks to her, we’ve printed three editions this month. I can’t remember the last time that happened.”

Just then, the appetizers came.

Since we skipped the aperitif, the assorted appetizers, or Antipasto Misto, began to be served on dark oak plates.

Jang Ji-Hye picked at the ham and cheese on the plate and asked, “Um, Team Lead Jung. You know our magazine covers a lot of restaurants, right?”

“Yes, I know.”

“I think it would be well-received if Haru and you visited and interviewed the top ten restaurants we’ve selected for the year…”

After a brief moment of thought, I nodded. “In return, can you also cover the restaurants featured in Master of Mukbang until the September issue? If you can, I’d definitely be down.”

Jang Ji-Hye’s face brightened. “Okay. I’ll get it arranged right away. You know you can’t break this promise, right?”

Jang Ji-Hye put down her fork and immediately made a call to her office. Seeing her handle business even in this situation made Kang Ji-Yung click her tongue in amazement.

After finishing her call, Jang Ji-Hye smiled.

“Enjoy your meal today. We’ll see each other again during the cover shoot. Let’s meet at one of the restaurants Haru goes to next time.”

At that moment, Kang Ji-Yung joined in. “Talking about Haru makes me crave braised short ribs.”

“You too?” Jang Ji-Hye asked.

Kang Ji-Yung nodded and looked at me. “What about you, Team Lead Jung?”

“M-me too,” I scratched my head and replied.

I had already tasted the braised short ribs Haru made, but revealing this might lead to envious stares and ruin my meal.

“It’s a shame, but let’s eat this first. I need to get back to work soon.”

“Okay~.”

We continued to enjoy the course meal while discussing the current status of the celebrities I managed.

With Jang Ji-Hye as my solid backer, I had eliminated yet another potential threat today.

***

Episode 3 of Master of Mukbang was about to air.

After handling an urgent matter at work, I returned home and changed into comfortable clothes. When I went downstairs, Miso greeted me with a bright smile. “Uncle Yoon-Ho!”

The moment Miso saw me and shouted, the Cherry Blossom members turned to look at me.

“Oh, it’s Yoon-Ho oppa.”

“Yoon-Ho oppa!”

They all welcomed me with bright expressions as if I were a celebrity.

“Are you planning to have dinner here again today?” I asked.

“Yes. Haru told me to come because he’s making Korean pancakes.”

Sae-Ri was determined to eat a lot of Korean pancakes today.

“We did all the hard work with the batter ourselves!” Sae-Ri exclaimed.

Sae-Ri repeatedly emphasized that she and the Cherry Blossom members made the batter, not just Haru and Jung In-Ji.

“But will Korean pancakes be enough for dinner?” I asked.

“That’s why we’re going to have two each,” Sae-Ri replied with an excited smile.

“You might as well…eat some rice instead.”

Sae-Ri shook her head in response. “No, no. Today is Korean pancake day for sure! Don’t you know it’s a trend to eat the same food while watching Master of Mukbang?”

I glanced at the window in the living room and saw raindrops falling against the window.

I thought, ‘People will eat a lot of Korean pancakes since it’s raining.‘[1]

The rain was indeed timely.

“Yeah. Korean pancakes taste great on rainy days. Let’s eat.”

The TV was already set to the TVM channel and a tablecloth was spread on the dining table.

Excited by having many guests at home, Miso tugged at my clothes. “Uncle Yoon-Ho! I wish there were this many people every day!”

“Miso, do you like having a lot of people around?” I asked her in a gentle tone.

“I love it!” Miso exclaimed with glee.

When I patted Miso’s head feeling sorry for her, she smiled brightly like sunshine.

At that moment, Jung In-Ji shouted from the kitchen, “Kids, I’m starting to fry Korean pancakes now, so come and get them as they’re ready.”

“Yes, ma’am~.”

Everyone responded in unison, and the Korean pancake batter began to sizzle on the heated frying pan. As the batter hit the hot and oiled pan, the sizzling sound reached the living room.

The batter crackled as it cooked in the oil. Soon, the savory smell wafted from the kitchen to the living room.

“Ugh… I can’t wait,” said the drooling Sae-Ri and everyone nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, really.”

“The smell is amazing!”

The first Korean pancake landed on the plate with a splat.

“Here, take one first. I’ll give you more soon,” said Jung In-Ji.

“Awesome! Miso, let’s go!”

“Okay, Sae-Ri unnie!”

Sae-Ri and Miso jumped up and ran to the kitchen and returned with a reverent expression as if carrying the Olympic flame.

Sae-Ri carefully placed the plate of pancakes on the living room table.

The Korean pancakes served on a white porcelain plate were golden brown and crispy at the edges.

The Korean pancake was packed with chives, mussels, and squid, making it look filling even with just one serving.[2]

“Uncle Yoon-Ho~ I’m going to eat three of these!”

“Miso, you can eat as much as you want.”

Sae-Ri gave me a pouty look. “Yoon-Ho oppa, why does Miso get three?”

“Because Miso is still growing.”

Sae-Ri proudly puffed out her chest. “I’m still growing too!”

‘I’m sorry, Sae-Ri, but you’ve finished growing,’ I said silently in my heart.

However, I didn’t want to crush her spirit, so I whispered, “One pancake is 550 kcal…”

Sae-Ri flinched. “R-really?”

Seeing Sae-Ri’s confused look, Yang Eun-Bi put her hand on Sae-Ri’s shoulder. “Let’s just eat one. Okay, Sae-Ri?”

“Eun-Bi unnie. Yoon-Ho oppa is lying, right? How can one Korean pancake have that many calories?”

“Isn’t science just amazing?”

Girl groups were more sensitive to calories than anyone else as they were constantly on a diet.

Thanks to that, Sae-Ri’s plan to eat two Korean pancakes quietly vanished.

***

After a while, Jung In-Ji brought the last of six Korean pancakes out.

“It’s starting.”

When episode 3 of Master of Mukbang began, we clasped our hands and shouted, “Thank you for the meal~!”

Everyone started putting Korean pancakes on their plates and began to eat.

When the golden-brown pancake was cut in half, small pieces of mussel and squid fell out.

I picked up the fallen mussel and squid with chopsticks, placed them back on the torn Korean pancake, dipped it in Haru’s special soy sauce, and took a bite.

The salty, tangy, and sweet taste of the sauce, the savory flavor of the mussels, the freshness of the chives, and the chewy texture of the squid hit me all at once.

‘This tastes amazing,‘ I thought to myself.

Miso exclaimed with a surprised expression, “Wow, it’s really delicious! Haru oppa! You’re the best!”

“Really?” Haru asked sheepishly.

“Yeah, yeah!”

Everyone started exclaiming one after another.

“Miso’s right. How can a Korean pancake be this good?”

“Haru, teach me the recipe later!”

“You know, I always thought that you’d be successful even if you started a food business.”

Haru’s perfect batter ratio made it taste like a professional dish.

Haru waved his hands shyly. “No, not at all.”

At that moment, a scene of Miso eating Korean pancakes appeared in episode 3 of Master of Mukbang.

Seeing Miso burn the roof of her mouth with the hot Korean pancake, Eun-Ah asked worriedly, “Miso, did it hurt a lot during filming? Are you okay now?”

Miso shook her head when Eun-Ah asked in a cautious voice. “Eun-Ah unnie. That Korean pancake was cold.”

“What…? You ate it cold? Then it was all acting?”

“Yeah!”

When Miso answered calmly, everyone looked at me. I told them what happened on the filming set.

The curious Eun-Ah asked, “Miso, how did you act like that?”

At that moment, Miso picked up the remaining Korean pancake on her plate and took a bite. She dropped her chopsticks, patted her mouth with both hands and shouted, “It’s hot~ too hot~!”

Everyone was startled by Miso’s sudden acting.

“A-are you okay, Miso?”

“Haru, we need water! Where’s the water?”

Eun-Ah screamed in panic as Miso’s face turned bright red, and Sae-Ri sprang up like a spring and started looking for water.

At that moment, Miso swallowed the Korean pancake and grinned with a look that said, ‘It’s that easy.’

1. Koreans eat Korean pancakes on rainy days ☜

2. Korean pancakes are usually thin, making it not very filling ☜

Ristretto’s Thoughts

Great. My mouth is watering