Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 724: Tie (1)

An MBS morning news segment was reporting, with subtitles, that Jinseong Inc. was entering the entertainment business. Even Jin Sung-Joon sitting beside me looked stunned. He clearly hadn't known about it either.

Meanwhile, the MBS TV news broadcast continued to air.

-This is reporter Jang Ji-Hoon, live at TNT Entertainment headquarters. According to sources, former Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu and President Jin Myung-Hee of Jinseong Inc. have invested in the company. It appears Jinseong has acquired over 40% of TNT Entertainment, effectively making it a subsidiary. This move is expected to bring major upheaval to the entertainment industry...

At the Hwaranjeon filming site, Min Gyu-Ri had once mentioned that President Yoo Kang-Seok was looking to sell TNT Entertainment. And now, that very thing was happening.

Although Yoo Kang-Seok was still officially the president, with Jinseong Inc.'s two heirs having secured stakes, it was only natural for the market to interpret this as Jinseong entering the entertainment industry.

'Well, I can't help but think the same. But calling this a gift, only to stab me in the back like this?'

Beep.

Seok Han-Joong turned off the TV.

I turned to Jin Dae-Woon and asked, "Is this what you meant by a gift?"

"I wouldn't insult you like that. Come on now."

"Then you're saying even you weren't aware of this?"

"That's right."

I found it hard to believe, but there was no use pressing the matter. It was smarter to prepare for the fallout now. With TNT Entertainment's human network, its still-prominent stars, and now Jinseong's capital—there was no telling what might happen next.

I stood up and said, "I'm sorry, but I think I'll need to take my leave for today."

Just then, Jin Dae-Woon stopped me. "Leave if you must, but at least take the gift before you go."

"Whatever the gift is, I doubt I'll need it."

"What if it helps Hoop Entertainment go public?"

I was halfway out of the meeting room but paused at that. I didn't know what Jin Dae-Woon was really after, but hearing him out wouldn't cost me anything.

"Judging by your expression, Chief Jung, you clearly don't believe me. But you've got it all wrong. The reason I called you here today was to tell you that Jinseong wants to be Hoop's white knight."

'Huh? Jin Dae-Woon siding with me?'

If I hadn't regressed, I might have taken the bait without hesitation. But no matter how hard I searched my memories, I couldn't recall a single time Jin Dae-Woon shared his gains with anyone. Even temporary partners were just prey to him once there was money to be made.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like a gift to me."

Jin Dae-Woon stared at me. "From the way you're talking, it sounds like you've got something else in mind."

I hadn't planned to ask for anything, but an idea struck me at that moment. "Yes. I do."

"Sigh. Alright then. If there's something you want, let's hear it. What would you like as your gift?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "I'd like Jinseong Inc. to refrain from getting involved in Hoop Entertainment's IPO. Not at all."

Jin Dae-Woon's eyebrow twitched. "You're not asking for help, but for us to stay out of it?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"That's right. Let us handle our business ourselves."

Asking Jin Dae-Woon to be a white knight was like inviting a tiger into your house. He wasn't a white knight. Rather, he was a black knight. And that was exactly why I couldn't accept his money.

Jin Dae-Woon stared at me in silence. Eventually, he let out a small sigh and spoke. "Alright. We'll do that."

Jin Dae-Woon looked at Seok Han-Joong. "You heard that, didn't you, Chief Seok? Inform the executives of our subsidiaries not to get involved in Hoop Entertainment's IPO."

"Yes, sir."

"And that includes Jinseong Foods. Keep them out of it too."

Jin Sung-Joon's eyes widened. "Mr. Chairman!"

"Aren't you part of Jinseong? Chief Jung told us not to interfere."

Blocking the funds from Jinseong Foods, which Jin Sung-Joon oversaw, was something I had already expected. Still, I wasn't too worried as there were plenty of other sources for funding besides Jinseong's money.

After giving the order, Jin Dae-Woon turned to me and said evenly, "Well, I've given you your gift for saving the Real Ramen brand. Don't go back on this later."

"You don't have to worry. And thank you for the gift."

Jin Dae-Woon stared at me for a moment, then gave a baffled chuckle. "Good grief. Alright, get going."

I gave a polite bow and turned to leave.

Just then, Jin Sung-Joon followed me out and quietly whispered, "Mr. Jung, could we speak privately for a moment?"

I needed to discuss the aftermath with Jin Sung-Joon anyway. I nodded. "Yes."

We quickly left the Jinseong Inc. chairman's office.

***

The moment Jung Yoon-Ho and Jin Sung-Joon walked out together, Jin Dae-Woon furrowed his brow. After all, the incident on TV had genuinely taken him by surprise.

"What the hell were Myung-Gyu and Myung-Hee thinking, pulling something like this all of a sudden?"

"My guess is they're following President Jin Sung-Joon's playbook."

"Following Sung-Joon?"

"Using celebrities to create a media buzz. Real Ramen sensation was thanks to that commercial, wasn't it?"

"Still, they're supposed to be laying low. What were they thinking, making headlines now?"

"Officially, they'll probably spin it as a private investment. And leaving the current president in place at TNT Entertainment seems like a move to downplay the social backlash."

Jin Dae-Woon clicked his tongue and shook his head. Even if that were true, with the by-election looming, this kind of move risked collateral damage.

"Mr. Chairman, what should we say if the press asks about it?"

"What else? Say it's a misunderstanding, that this isn't an official Jinseong Inc. investment. Tell them it's a personal investment by former executives and that we have no plans to enter the entertainment business. Request a correction."

"Understood, sir."

After issuing the order, Jin Dae-Woon let out a long sigh. Somehow, things always seemed to go off-script whenever he dealt with Jung Yoon-Ho. However, what weighed on his mind more than anything else was that exchange just now. Jin Dae-Woon couldn't stop thinking about how boldly and firmly Jung Yoon-Ho had turned him down.

"Hey, Chief Seok."

Seok Han-Joong, who had been holding a tablet, bowed his head. "Yes, sir."

"If it were you, could you have done what he just did?"

"I'm not sure I understand..."

"Could you have turned down the chairman of Jinseong offering help, like Jung Yoon-Ho just did?"

Seok Han-Joong thought it over, then shook his head. "No, I probably would've accepted your help—reluctantly, if only for show. With a conglomerate like ours stepping in as a white knight, the offering price could easily multiply. That'd benefit both sides, wouldn't it?"

"Right? Then why do you think he turned it down?"

"Maybe he's just extremely cautious, or maybe he has backers we don't know about. If Jinseong were to step in as a white knight, it could reduce their own stake."

"Hmm. Fair point. Then look into whether he's already got any white knights backing him."

"Understood, sir."

Seok Han-Joong decided to assign a much larger intel team to watch Jung Yoon-Ho. Jung Yoon-Ho was too unpredictable like a goblin, always one step ahead.

After taking down Jin Dae-Wono's orders, Seok Han-Joong asked carefully, "But... are you really going to keep that promise to Chief Jung?"

"Tch. I'm the chairman of Jinseong Inc. A promise made from this seat has to mean something. Still, keep monitoring the situation."

Seok Han-Joong nodded, thinking of course. Jin Dae-Woon was the kind of man who could swallow someone whole the moment he sensed weakness.

Jin Dae-Woon smacked his lips and asked, "Is there anything else left to report? If not, let's have some breakfast with the renewed Real Ramen."

Jin Dae-Woon eating instant noodles in the morning was something he hadn't done since Real Ramen first launched twenty years ago. But now, after seeing the revamped commercial, he wanted to eat it for old time's sake.

Seok Han-Joong added, "There's one last thing I need to report."

"What is it?"

"Yesterday, Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu and President Jin Myung-Hee met with Miss Park Sang-Ah."

Joy flashed across Jin Dae-Woon's face. "Haha, you should've opened with that!"

"I apologize. According to the intel team, Chief Jung and President Choi Man-Sik are not on good terms. It seems Miss Park Sang-Ah is forming an alliance with Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu and President Jin Myung-Hee against Jung Yoon-Ho."

"Hahaha. I knew it. There's no way my bloodline would roll over after one hit!"

Excitement glimmered on Jin Dae-Woon's face. He had thought the succession battle had ended too quietly. Yet now it turned out Jin Myung-Gyu and Jin Myung-Hee had joined forces with the daughter of the next potential president.

Only then did Jin Dae-Woon understand why they had made such a reckless move to acquire TNT Entertainment. It was all to win Park Sang-Ah's favor.

"In that case, Chief Seok, support Myung-Gyu and Myung-Hee behind the scenes. Let's also curry favor with Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon and rebalance the succession battle a bit. It wouldn't be any fun if this ended too quickly, would it?"

"Understood. I'll relay the instructions."

"Now then, I'm getting hungry. Let's have some Real Ramen."

"I'll have it served right away."

A rare sight unfolded where the head of a conglomerate and his chief secretary sat down to eat instant noodles for breakfast.

***

We arrived at the president's office of Jinseong Foods.

Jin Sung-Joon looked serious as he met with me privately. "Mr. Jung. You rejected my father's offer to help. What are you planning to do now?"

He had intended to become my white knight using Jinseong Foods, but that plan had just crumbled.

I answered, "To be blunt, Mr. Chairman's white knight would've eventually turned into a black knight. And when that happened, you would've been the one caught in the middle."

Jin Sung-Joon was briefly speechless before letting out a sigh and speaking again. "Sigh... You're right, Mr. Jung. My father would do exactly that. In that case... I'll help with my personal assets instead. He only told us not to invest under Jinseong Foods' name, but he didn't say anything about using my own."

"What if he explodes when he finds out?"

"All my father cares about is results. If it works, he'll say I bet on the winning horse and praise me for it."

In a way, Jin Dae-Woon was easy to understand. As long as you delivered results, he didn't care about the process.

Just then, the door burst open and Jin Ah-Ram, acting CEO of Jinseong Hotel & Resort, rushed in.

Bang.

"Oppa! What the hell is going on? Why are we entering the entertainment business—oh, Mr. Jung, you're here too?" Panting, Jin Ah-Ram turned to me. "Mr. Jung, this wasn't our doing. Please don't misunderstand."

I reassured her. "I know. I just came from seeing your father."

Jin Sung-Joon backed me up. "We were just talking about it. Come sit."

Catching her breath, Jin Ah-Ram plopped down beside me. Her usual perfume lingered gently in the air. "So what are you going to do, oppa?"

"Since Father told me not to invest through Jinseong, I'm going to use my personal funds."

"Then I'll put in some of my own, too."

"You too?"

"Of course I will. Mr. Jung and we are already in this together. Aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are."

The two siblings met my eyes, promising together, "We'll pool whatever liquid assets we can to help you. Don't worry."

The liquid assets of chaebol heirs easily exceed tens of billions. Of course, they wouldn't use it all on me. Yet with stock purchase limits per individual, even that would be more than enough support.

Now that everything was settled, Jin Ah-Ram smiled at me and said, "By the way, how about Real Ramen for breakfast?"

Jin Sung-Joon let out a chuckle and asked, "What, you're going to cook it yourself, Ah-Ram?"

Jin Ah-Ram rolled up her sleeves. "Yeah. I'll cook it in the break room."

Jin Sung-Joon frowned. "I'll just ask the secretarial office. You've never even stepped into a kitchen in your life."

Flustered, Jin Ah-Ram shouted, "W-why are you lying like that, oppa?" Then she turned to me, waving her hands as she tried to explain. "Mr. Jung, he's joking. I can cook ramen. It's just... getting the water ratio right is a bit tricky..."

Jin Sung-Joon snickered. "The water is everything in ramen, and you can't even get that right? Please."

Jin Ah-Ram glared at Jin Sung-Joon, but he didn't back down. "You can stare all you want, but I'm not eating anything you cook. There's no way I'm starting my day with soggy noodles."

"Ugh, seriously, oppa. Mr. Jung's going to get the wrong idea!"

'Yep, they're definitely siblings. No one else can tease that annoyingly.'

Even though Jin Ah-Ram insisted she would do it, Jin Sung-Joon ignored her and called the secretarial office. "Can you send up three bowls of ramen? Make them extra firm."

Eventually, Jin Ah-Ram gave up on cooking and added one request. "And add eggs, please."

Moments later, we sat together eating the revamped Real Ramen, forming our ramen alliance against Jinseong Inc.'s first and second heirs, and TNT.

***

After wrapping things up at Jinseong Foods, I returned to the company.

Because of last night's ads and articles, the front of the building was swarming with hopefuls wanting to become celebrities. It was a scene you might expect in front of any agency, but today the crowd was unusually large, so I just took down contact info and sent them away. Since rain was pouring down like a monsoon, they all left without much protest.

Once I was back upstairs, I began handling some urgent tasks. Then suddenly, my phone buzzed with a notification—it was Fortune of the Day.

[Everyday V13]

[Date: March 11, 2021]

[Fortune of the Day: You'll encounter a karmic bond from a past life. But every relationship depends on effort. Destiny can be changed.]

In my past life, I had lived a life I never wanted. Because of that, I had tangled with many people in bad ways. So I couldn't tell who this fortune referred to. However, the part about changing fate struck a chord. As long as someone wasn't rotten to the core, I wanted to turn that bad tie into a good one in this life.

Just then, a call came into the office.

Lee Yung-Jin answered it and looked at me. "Mr. Jung, there's someone in the lobby asking for you."

'Someone asking for me? Could it be that past-life tie the fortune mentioned?'

"Who is it?" I asked,

"They didn't say, but they insist you come down."

"Why would I go down when I don't even know who it is?"

"Apparently, they look like a mess. If you don't come down, we might have to call the police."

'It's so bad that they can't even describe the situation properly?'

Lee Yung-Jin asked, "Should I go down instead?"

I shook my head. "No. They say they know me, so I'll go."

I headed straight for the elevator.

Ding.

As soon as I reached the lobby, I saw the woman the security guards had mentioned. A tall woman stood there, soaked in rain, wearing just a thin layer of clothing and slippers on her bare feet. She looked like she had run away from home, but even through her limp, wet hair, her sharp features stood out. She was beautiful.

And as the guard had said, she was someone I knew.

'Jang So-Yeon? How did you even...'

She was one of the so-called Three Plagues I nicknamed back in the Top Entertainment days, grouped with So Yi-Yung and Min Gyu-Ri.

'But... How does she know me? We haven't even met in this life.'