Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 728: Warning (1)

[Everyday V13]

[Date: March 11, 2021]

-2:00 p.m. [NEW. Jang So-Yeon]

MBS 2 p.m. News: "Rose Villa Building 2 In Gangnam. Detective A sets his own home on fire in a fit of rage." (Emergency Meeting: Jang So-Yeon suffers second-degree burns on half her face. Book consultation with a burn-specialized dermatologist.)

Four hours from now, Jang So-Yeon's stepfather was going to set her house on fire in a fit of anger. My hands trembled as I read the notification, but I forced myself to stay calm and double-checked the schedule entry.

Something didn't add up. If the incident was really going to happen, that meant Jang So-Yeon had to go back to that house. However, she was holding her signed contract with joy written all over her face.

'Would she really go back now? It doesn't make sense at all.'

I turned to her directly. "So-Yeon, is there anything you need to grab from home?"

Jang So-Yeon shook her head. "No. If I go back, that bastard Jang Bok-Gil is definitely going to hit me for disobeying him. I'm never going back."

Just as I thought, she had no intention of returning.

I nodded. "Good. That's the right call. Don't even think about going back for now."

"Yes, Mr. Jung."

After getting Jang So-Yeon's promise that she wouldn't go back to her house, I checked the Everyday app again. The notification was still there and the schedule entry hadn't changed.

'Then what's going to happen?'

Something was clearly off. That's when I noticed how pale Jang So-Yeon looked, probably from being caught in the rain this morning. First things first, Jang So-Yeon needed rest. I decided to have her stay in our company's nearby housing, the DH Villa. With top-tier security and full security camera coverage, it was the safest place she could be.

"Ran-Hee, let's have So-Yeon rest at the villa today."

"Got it. I'll show her around, turn the heat on, and make sure she gets some rest."

"Good. And stay with her the entire day. Don't leave her side."

"Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll call right away." Do Ran-Hee got up from her seat. "So-Yeon, come on. Let's go check out your new place."

Jang So-Yeon nodded. "Okay, unnie."

The two of them bowed politely before heading out of the meeting room. After they left, I called TOP Security. Since Everyday had never lied to me, I needed bodyguards to protect Jang So-Yeon immediately.

-Yes, Mr. Jung? What brings you to call us so early in the day?

"I just signed a new actress. I'd like to arrange 24/7 protection for her over the next week. She's a female talent."

-Sounds like you've scouted another future star. But we've got a small issue—all our teams are deployed right now. We can have someone there in about an hour.

That was fine, since I was heading to the villa soon anyway.

"Understood. Please take care of it."

-Will do.

After ending the call, I rang Seo Jae-Ill again. It turned out he was already en route to our company. He wanted to obtain the security camera footage of Jang Bok-Gil's outburst and wanted to hear Jang So-Yeon's testimony.

"Then please contact me before you arrive."

-Alright, Mr. Jung.

I ended the call and made my way to Kwak Moo-Hyuk's office to prepare for what came next.

***

The rain had stopped, but puddles still dotted the streets outside the company.

As Jang So-Yeon carefully stepped around them on her way to the dorm, her thoughts began to drift.

'Yoon-Ho oppa...'

Technically, she and Jung Yoon-Ho had only spent a month together in the orphanage. That was as far their relationship went. For such a reason, she was worried that Jung Yoon-Ho might not remember her at all. However, those worries had been unnecessary.

Jung Yoon-Ho, now a public figure who even appeared on TV, had remembered her as the tiny little girl from 15 years ago. Back then, despite being only thirteen-years-old, Jung Yoon-Ho comforted her like an adult, making sure she had something to eat every day.

And one day, he told her how pretty her big eyes were and said she would look even prettier if she stopped crying. That memory had stayed with Jang So-Yeon all these years. It was the sliver of hope she clung to as she escaped the beatings and control of her abusive stepfather and went to find him.

And now, after all that time, Jung Yoon-Ho had welcomed her with the same warmth from the past even after her stepfather caused a scene at his company. Jang So-Yeon had no idea how to repay that kind of kindness.

Just as her heart swelled with gratitude, a voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"This is the place. Not bad, huh?" said Do Ran-Hee.

When Jang So-Yeon looked up, a luxury villa towered before her.

"This is... really where I'll be staying?"

"Yup. The security guard must've gone out for breakfast, so we'll register your fingerprint later."

"Oh, okay."

Do Ran-Hee placed her thumb on the sensor, and the door opened with a soft chime.

Buzz~

They walked down a pristine corridor flanked by six doors, and Do Ran-Hee stopped in front of Unit 101.

"This one's yours. Room 101."

Click.

The door opened to reveal a clean, fully furnished two-bedroom apartment bathed in warm sunlight. Perhaps because it was a luxury villa, it was easily twice the size of the room she used to share with her youngest sibling.

Do Ran-Hee glanced at her, puzzled. "What's wrong? Don't you like it? It's not forever, you know. Once you make it big, we'll move you somewhere way nicer and..."

"No, no. I'm just shocked. It feels like a palace."

"A palace? Please. If you stick with Mr. Jung, you'll be living in an actual mansion before long. Now come on in."

Still wide-eyed, Jang So-Yeon followed Do Ran-Hee inside. After a quick rundown of how to use the appliances and heating system, the two of them sat in the living room.

As Do Ran-Hee checked the place over, she asked, "Hey, are you okay being apart from your mom and siblings?"

Jang So-Yeon finally collected her thoughts and replied, "My mom... doesn't really care what I do. But I do worry about my siblings. Especially the youngest. She cries a lot when I'm not around..."

"They're all half-siblings, right?"

"Yes."

"Huh. You all get along surprisingly well."

"We have no one else but each other."

"I see... So how old's the youngest?"

"She's four."

"Whoa, that's a big age gap."

"Yes. I basically raised her."

Just saying it made Jang So-Yeon's face fall. The youngest, Jang Yeon-Joo, treated her more like a mother than a sister. Jang So-Yeon's heart ached just thinking about her, but there wasn't anything she could do at the moment.

"Hey, don't worry. Once you're successful, we'll figure something out. I'll talk to Mr. Jung too, okay? So don't stress too much."

"Thanks, unnie."

Just then, Jang So-Yeon winced and clutched her stomach.

Do Ran-Hee tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

"I... I think I need the bathroom. My stomach kind of hurts," Jang So-Yeon said as she blushed with embarrassment.

"Oh, no. We're out of toilet paper... Wait, I'll go out and get some."

"I'll come with you."

"Nope. Mr. Jung said not to let you out of my sight today. Lock the door tight and use the double lock. No matter what, don't open it for anyone but me. Got it?"

"Okay."

After giving strict instructions, Do Ran-Hee stepped outside. Now alone in the large villa, silence settled around Jang So-Yeon like a heavy fog. As soon as Do Ran-Hee stepped out, Jang So-Yeon thought she should use the bathroom first. But before she could move, her Galactica 7 buzzed loudly.

Buzz~

[Caller ID: Mom]

Jang So-Yeon hesitated for a moment, then she squeezed her eyes shut and answered. She had made up her mind to cut ties, and this would be the last call. However, the voice on the other end sounded nothing like usual but there was urgency in it.

-Where are you right now? Yeon-Joo went looking for you and got hit by a car!

Upon hearing that the four-year-old baby sister she had raised like a daughter got into an accident, her mind went blank.

"Yeon-Joo... got hit by a car?"

-Yes! We're at Apgujeong A Hospital, in the emergency room! Hurry!

That was all it took. The second she heard that her little sister had been hurt, Jang So-Yeon lost all sense of reason. Slipping on only one of her house slippers, Jang So-Yeon burst out of the villa.

After all, Apgujeong A Hospital wasn't far from her location.

***

Before heading out of the company, I had made one last request to Kwak Moo-Hyuk to make sure Jang Bok-Gil couldn't come anywhere near Jang So-Yeon. Kwak Moo-Hyuk promised to handle it and keep him far away from the company perimeter.

Satisfied, I stepped out of the building. The rain had stopped, but the streets were still littered with puddles.

That's when I saw Jang So-Yeon running down the street in just one slipper, looking completely out of it.

'What the hell? Why is she out here alone?'

I was extremely perplexed, but I shouted her name without thinking. "So-Yeon!"

However, Jang So-Yeon didn't hear me. Instead, she darted into a side alley without even glancing back. That's when the schedule entry from Everyday hit me. I broke into a sprint and followed her into the alley.

Tap tap tap.

I turned the corner about 30 meters away, and I spotted a black van. In front of it were three bulky men in suits, dragging Jang So-Yeon toward the open side door.

"Why's she putting up such a fight?"

"Jin-Cheol, grab her legs!"

Their buzzcuts and neck tattoos instantly implied they were gangsters. The moment I heard Jang So-Yeon scream, my body moved on instinct.

"Ahhh!"

There were only ten meters left between them and I. I closed the distance fast and slammed my fist into the guy holding Jang So-Yeon's legs.

Thunk!

He took the hit to the jaw and dropped like a stone, still clinging to Jang So-Yeon's ankle. The other two barely had time to react before I hit them too with one punch each.

Wham. Wham.

Both crumpled in an instant and their heads fell into nearby puddles with a splash.

Splash.

Jang So-Yeon stumbled on the verge of collapsing. I caught her just in time and asked, "So-Yeon. Are you okay?"

Shocked, Jang So-Yeon's eyes were unfocused as she whispered, "Y-yeah... I think so..."

While supporting her, I quickly checked Everyday again.

[Everyday V13]

[Date: March 11, 2021]

-2:00 p.m. [NEW. Jang So-Yeon]

MBS 2 p.m. News: "Rose Villa Building 2 In Gangnam. Detective A sets his own home on fire in a fit of rage." (Emergency Meeting: Jang So-Yeon suffers second-degree burns on half her face. Book consultation with a burn-specialized dermatologist.)

I was still wondering why the schedule entry hadn't disappeared when Jang So-Yeon suddenly burst into tears and grabbed my arm.

"Oppa... Yeon-Joo... something happened to Yeon-Joo... I need to go see her. Please, take me there."

"Where is it?"

"Apgujeong A Hospital. Yeon-Joo... Yeon-Joo is..."

Jang So-Yeon was barely coherent. I had to calm her down first. "Who's Yeon-Joo?"

"She's my baby sister. My mom called and said she got into an accident while trying to find me. She's in the ER at A Hospital. I need to go, right now."

Even before the regression, Jang So-Yeon's mom was notorious for her trashy behavior. She always used her daughter's name to borrow money or scam people. That was just another Tuesday for her. So it wouldn't surprise me if this was all a setup where her mother teamed up with Jang Bok-Gil to lure Jang So-Yeon out.

"Calm down, So-Yeon. Let me call the hospital first. How old is Yeon-Joo?"

"She's four."

I immediately called the emergency room at A Hospital.

-Yes, A Hospital ER.

"Did a four-year-old girl named Jang Yeon-Joo come in today?"

The voice on the other end was calm and indifferent.

-No, we've only had elderly patients come in today.

Just as I suspected, Jang So-Yeon's mother had lured her out using a tactic straight out of a voice phishing scam.

"Thank you for your time."

I ended the call and gently reassured Jang So-Yeon.

"Don't worry. Your sister's fine. They said no such patient ever came in."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It looks like... your mom might've been trying to trick you into coming out."

Jang So-Yeon collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face. "Sob, sob. Thank god..."

It was almost a disaster. A cop had his wife lure her own daughter out and sent gangsters to kidnap her. The whole thing was so absurd that I could only laugh bitterly.

At that moment, one of the thugs who tried to kidnap Jang So-Yeon staggered and tried to get up.

"Ugh..."

'Perfect. A little more pressure and I'd get Jang Bok-Gil's location.'

***

Once they regained consciousness and saw my fists, the gangsters dropped to their knees.

"Please, hyung-nim! We're sorry!"

At least they knew how to read a room. It seemed like there would be no need to rough them up again.

"Did Detective Jang Bok-Gil send you?" I asked.

They all nodded like bobbleheads.

"Yes, sir. We were just following orders. He said if we brought his runaway daughter back, we wouldn't have to pay him protection money for two months."

"Right. He said it wasn't a crime since she's his daughter."

These guys were part of the Yeongil Gang, one of the outfits paying regular bribes to Jang Bok-Gil.

"When the prosecutor gets here, you'll testify. Understood?"

All three of them nodded furiously. "Yes! Of course!"

Just then, my phone rang. It was Do Ran-Hee.

-Mr.Jung! So-Yeon's gone!

"Don't worry. We're in the alley behind Hanseong Building. She's here with me."

-She's there? Got it. I'm on my way!

Click.

Not long after, Do Ran-Hee came running, her hair disheveled and her face pale with panic. Lee Yung-Jin was with her too.

"Mr. Jung! So-Yeon!"

Do Ran-Hee sprinted over and wrapped her arms around the crying Jang So-Yeon. Then she turned to me and apologized over and over.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Jung. I just went out to buy toilet paper just right in front..."

"It's okay."

I knew Jang So-Yeon's mother was messed up, but I never imagined she would resort to phishing-style schemes to lure out her own daughter. If it weren't for Everyday, even I might have fallen for it. There was no way I was blaming Do Ran-Hee for this.

At that moment, Do Ran-Hee pointed to Jang So-Yeon's feet. "Huh? Her feet...she's bleeding!"

Jang So-Yeon's slippers had long fallen off, and both soles were torn and bleeding badly. She had sprinted out barefoot, thinking her baby sister was hurt. Jang So-Yeon tried to hide her feet where blood was still streaming down.

"I-I'm fine. I'll wash it off and put some ointment on..."

Clearly, she was used to pushing through pain. However, this wasn't something a little ointment could fix.

I immediately turned to Do Ran-Hee. "Ran-Hee, could you bring the car around?"

"Yes, of course!"

Do Ran-Hee dashed off to get the car. Meanwhile, I started thinking about which hospital to take her to. There were two options nearby—A Hospital; about 200 meters away, and S Hospital; 300 meters out. However, the fact that Jang So-Yeon's mother had specifically said A Hospital made me uneasy.

Still, if I didn't deal with the root of the problem now, Everyday would just keep pinging me with more warnings. This all started with Jang Bok-Gil, and it would only end with him.

I made up my mind. We were going to A Hospital. And this time, it was my turn to set the trap.

'Jang Bok-Gil, your time's up!'