Rurin And The Song (7)

“But, Director, she won’t try to kill herself again, right?”

“Hey, that’s just her quirk. They give her hush money like that, what kind of suicide are you talking about?”

Director Park answered Chief Manager Im’s question seriously.

“What about the roles?”

“Of course not. What tier do you think she is to fill roles with girls like that?”

“True, roles should be filled with girls who bring in more money. ‘Right person, right place’, I think that’s a good saying.”

Chief Manager Im agreed, nodding.

“That’s settled, but is that bastard father of Lee Eunji still causing trouble? Tell me if he shows up again. We have ways to handle it quietly.”

“Doesn’t seem necessary. He struggled but’s been quiet recently. Always came whining.”

“Has he finally sobered up? Heh heh, what can they do? Weaklings.”

Director Park showed a genuinely pathetic expression and shrugged. Then he laughed loudly, his mood vacillating wildly. He was annoyed about the money wasted on Lee Eunji’s affair, but happy about today’s jackpot deal.

“Tonight, let Yuseon do her job well and party hard. We landed a huge contract today. The big fish walked in on its own!”

Lee Jinseong’s daughter, Lee Eunji.

Just like that Eunji, the usual backdoor deals were planned, and money rolled in. Then the jackpot exploded.

Anyone in this industry would agree. Of course, even promising rookies sometimes don’t make it in entertainment. But this was different. A very sure talent.

The girl signed today was that guaranteed jackpot.

Her appearance and singing were perfect. Especially singing, it looked like it could become even more perfect with training.

Was her name ‘Iru-ri’?

Director Park indulged in pleasant fantasies. UU Entertainment had no singer with such a good tone. He’d squeeze every penny he could from her.

With that face backing it up, anything she did would be a money-maker.

Director Park, viewing people only as money, gave a rotten smile and asked Chief Manager Im.

“So, when’s Yuseon coming?”

“Soon, I think? Oh, I’m getting a call!”

Chief Manager Im fiddled with the screen and answered. After a short call, he opened his mouth with a sly smile.

“They’re at the parking lot. Heh heh, I’ll bring her.”

“Alright. Go get her.”

Director Park nodded and Chief Manager Im dashed out. Soon Lee Yuseon entered the Director’s office with Im. Yuseon was an actress very similar to Eunji. She hadn’t really made it big but had a strong desire for roles.

“Hello.”

“Good, you’re here. Sit there.”

Director Park pointed to the sofa; Yuseon nodded with a firm expression. Then she immediately asked a question. This was the most important matter for her.

“Are you really keeping the promise? What on earth happened to Eunji unnie?”

“I told you, she got greedy and failed. The one who broke the promise was her side. She threatened us to raise money. So if you just do what was promised, there won’t be a problem. Depending on the client, CFs, movies, anything is possible. Roles are promised, so they’ll obviously be given.”

“…Really, really?”

“Have you only been deceived all this time?”

Director Park answered strongly. Yuseon had no response as to whether she’d only been deceived.

“The person you’ll meet today is the director from D Group. You know the new film by director Kim Daegwon? He has full authority over investment. He’s the real decision maker.”

“Yes, I heard. That film role is really certain, then?”

“Ah, it really is. If you’re so nervous, just go see. Your contract is ending soon, right? Aren’t there other places that will take you?”

“Wh-who said so?”

Yuseon nodded at Director Park’s non-threat threat. If this worked out, the agency could put its main actress in a lead role. With very good conditions. That’s the money the agency would make. Of course, Yuseon, who made this happen, would be dumped without being given any roles.

“Then go out. Chief Manager Im will take you. Do well.”

Director Park stood and signaled Chief Manager Im.

This video, which started like this, continued. The angle was odd and blurry, as if to signal it was a hidden camera, but it was clear who was who.

Lee Yuseon arrived at the hotel with Chief Manager Im.

And the director from D Group appeared.

Up to the hotel meeting.

This was the video that caused the biggest issue on the internet right now.

Of course, this video wasn’t public from the start.

The first to be released was a post left by Lee Eunji.

Of course, releasing this could cause secondary harm to the deceased Eunji. So Lee Jinseong agonized. And agonized again.

His own daughter paid the price.

But Director Park and UU Entertainment didn’t. A gangster agency using all sorts of dirty tricks to catch up to big agencies.

More Eunji’s would continue to be born. Victims making wrong choices.

So they decided to release it. To punish Director Park.

A decision made hoping this conduct would end. But this post alone gained little traction and did not cause headlines on major portals or any buzz.

But later, ledgers involving the agency and celebrities were revealed. Because many were implicated, it caused a huge buzz online. The first to blow it up was a major community site.

But the implicated people were such big shots that nothing appeared on major portals or news sections, and rather quiet days continued.

Community users were angry, but no matter how loud the chatter on the internet boards, they couldn’t make it a nationwide issue.

Because news portals that pop up on phones failed to mention this matter at all.

Instead, public opinion started to say the ledger was fake, and then this video broke out.

A video featuring the last people on the real ledger.

This video uploaded on OTube caused a big stir. The actress side was pixelated but other parties’ faces were very clearly recorded.

“UU Entertainment, is this for real?”

“Are they crazy? In this day and age?”

“Previous comment, what world do you think this is? This is the world we live in, you jerk.”

“UU Entertainment is originally a gangster agency.”

“Whoa, isn’t the group Serious there?”

“Did you watch the video? The face of that director they met that day is in it.”

“Jackpot lol.”

“Crazy huh? Have you seen the circulating ledger? Lots of famous names.”

This was the internet reaction and the case moved to a new phase. When no investigation happened on UU Entertainment, people writing jokingly exploded.

Later, protests demanding truth about politics, business, and UU Entertainment rose, so investigation could no longer be avoided. Big shots lost their influence.

Afterward, many claiming to be victims appeared everywhere, even more so.

The government aware of votes, politicians, and police also began moving.

Of course, the first step was scapegoating.

But citizens who saw the leaked ledger got even more angry at the sloppy scapegoating.

Eventually, the President gave special orders and powerful figures listed in the ledger were summoned one after another.

But strangely, the main culprits—UU Entertainment’s Director and his right hand Chief Manager Im—were not summoned.

Because they had been missing since yesterday.

“What on earth happened? Is this a dream? What the hell!”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Shut up and give me water! You bastard!”

“Water? I don’t have any.”

“What do you mean don’t have? I saw you drink it all!”

Smack-!

Director Park’s fist hit Chief Manager Im in the face. Given the situation, Im would normally endure it, but now he snapped.

“Damn, I really don’t have it! Is being a Director everything? Seriously, I didn’t drink it, I think you did? Or why is the untouched water bottle gone? You bastard, I was just standing still!”

Right after that shout, another smack-! sounded.

This time Chief Manager Im hit Director Park’s face, making him scream. Eventually, the two tangled and started fistfighting.

But the more they fought, the worse their dehydration became. The two, weakened, seemed to see phantom water bottles in the air and began waving their hands.

The reason these two are like this.

It was simple.

Because Chief Manager Im and Director Park were in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

For some reason, when they opened their eyes, they were here. The day before, Director Park had been sweating trying to handle the ledger at the agency, and when the video broke out, he was staring blankly and suddenly lost consciousness. It was the same Chief Manager Im.

At first, they thought it was a dream, but it was vain hope. Though utterly unreal, they were definitely in the middle of the desert.

They could only think someone kidnapped them and dropped them in the desert.

Of course, that thought was correct.

But it wasn’t a helicopter drop after kidnapping. Just a very simple method, teleportation.

The water bottles they claimed to have drunk were illusions too. An illusion created by Rurin, so to speak.

A punishment designed to make them doubt each other and weaken them further. They were experiencing a hell of suspicion created by El. Sponsored by Rurin’s magic.

“Huff, huff.”

“S-stopp! This is no time for this!”

Director Park and Chief Manager Im stopped, gasping with parched throats.

A situation where they felt the threat of survival.

“You!”

At that moment, Rurin suddenly appeared like a mirage before their eyes. The Rurin they knew as Iru-ri.

“You, you are!”

Chief Manager Im and Director Park pointed at Rurin simultaneously. But Rurin ignored them as if they didn’t exist, really not caring, staring only at El and shouting again.

“You!”

“Hmm? Yeah.”

“What are you doing!”

“Sorry, just thinking for a moment.”

El shrugged and answered. El, also startled, ignored the two and only looked at Rurin.

“I appeared before those guys because I said I’d be right back. But you were lost in thought! What were you thinking?”

“No, no special thoughts. It’s hot and sand sticks to the head, so I thought maybe I should braid my dear’s hair, something like that?”

“Oh? Then, do it!”

At El’s words, Rurin flipped her long hair and quickly turned around.

“Wait, but… Come to think of it, you put up a barrier, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s fine.”

“Is that so?”

“What the hell are you guys doing! Was it you who brought us here?”

As their banter continued, Director Park couldn’t hold back and kept pointing fingers. Then Rurin tilted her head slightly and lifted the water bottle in her hand.