Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 815: Yeon Bo-Ra (2)

-Hahaha. Don't worry about the price. I'll send some photos first, so just see if you like it.

Jung Yoon-Ho let out a reassuring laugh and began sending photos to Yoo Jung-Hee's phone.

Ding, ding.

At that moment, the images popped up one by one. Yoo Jung-Hee realized these were homes far beyond what she could even dream of affording.

The suite was a sunlit third-floor room.

The fully-furnished two-bedroom was so large that it might as well be a three or even four bedroom apartment. The walls were painted in a soft lilac—just like her daughter's name, Bo-Ra[1]. And the sunlight pouring in through large windows lit every corner of the house. Beyond those wide windows, she could see upscale villas lining the neighborhood. It was clearly an expensive area.

Even after selling the now-soaring stocks of Hoop Entertainment, there was no way she could afford a home like this. Still, she had to ask again for her daughter's sake even if it felt shameless.

"I saw the photos... but isn't this way too expensive?"

Jung Yoon-Ho's gentle voice came through once more.

-Please don't worry. If the stock goes up just once more, what we call triple upper limit, you'll be able to afford it on a full lease. So please don't sell today. Trust me. Wait one more day, and I promise I'll make sure you can live in this house.

'Could I really? Is it possible to live in a place like this on that kind of budget?'

Yoo Jung-Hee still couldn't quite believe it. So she asked again, her voice hesitant.

"Even with a triple upper limit, that would only bring our investment from 130 million to about 169 million won. Add our current deposit of 50 million, and that's just under 220 million won. No matter how we pool our funds, that's all we've got. Are you saying we can live here on lease with that?"

Without hesitation, Jung Yoon-Ho answered.

-Yes. The benefactor is also a fan of Blooming and was deeply moved by you and your daughter's posts in the fan club website. They've agreed to rent the place for roughly half the market price, around 250 million won. So just hold off until the triple upper limit.

At that, tears began to roll down Yoo Jung-Hee's cheeks. It felt shameless to ask, but she was also grateful she did.

Bowing toward the phone in Cha Dae-Hyun's hands, Yoo Jung-Hee expressed her gratitude again and again.

"Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr. Jung."

-It's not me you should thank, but the benefactor. In any case, just wait until I arrive. I'm already on my way to Daebak Securities with them.

"Oh, alright. But I should probably step out and inform the real estate agent—"

-No, please don't. If you go out now, you'll only end up in an argument. Just stay inside and rest. I'll take care of everything when I get there.

"Okay, Mr. Jung."

Yoo Jung-Hee returned the phone to Cha Dae-Hyun, who nodded as he continued speaking with Jung Yoon-Ho.

Meanwhile, Yoo Jung-Hee turned to her daughter Yeon Bo-Ra and showed her the pictures she had received. "Bo-Ra, Mr. Jung Jung says we can live here. What do you think?"

One glance at the screen, and Yeon Bo-Ra's eyes widened in shock. "Mom! This is DH Villa!"

"DH what now?"

"This is Blooming's president Sung Ji-Yeon's building! Look at the living room layout. It's exactly the same!"

Yoo Jung-Hee's eyes widened too. "Oh, my... you're right."

"Yeah. Normal people can't even get to this place. The facilities are crazy luxurious. If we could live here, I'd be so happy!" Then mid-sentence, Yeon Bo-Ra's expression dimmed. "But Mom... we can't afford it. I don't want to be a burden. I'm happy just leaving the basement apartment. That's enough for me."

Yoo Jung-Hee wrapped her daughter in a tight hug, her eyes filled with warmth. "Mr. Jung Yoon-Ho said he's giving this place to us."

"Really?"

"Really, really. He's on his way right now."

At that moment, Yeon Bo-Ra's eyes filled with tears. "Mom..."

Yoo Jung-Hee hugged her daughter tightly, joy overflowing from both of them.

"That's right, sweetie. We can finally live somewhere nice now. And my beautiful daughter can finally have a real study room."

The two of them, the only family each had, clung to each other as they began dreaming of a better future.

At that moment, a disruptor's voice came in.

-Mrs. Yoo! Are you really not coming out after dragging me here? I'm leaving!

It was the voice of real estate agent Lee Tae-Gu, yelling from outside the VIP lounge.

Yoo Jung-Hee wiped away her tears and gently pulled away from Yeon Bo-Ra. "I need to go, Bo-Ra. You stay here."

"Mom... I don't like that guy. He's always yelling and acting scary."

"I know, sweetie. I'll send him away. Just stay here with Mr. President and Mr. Team Lead. Alright?"

At that moment, Cha Dae-Hyun stepped forward. "There's no need, ma'am. Let's wait here for Mr. Jung."

Yoo Jung-Hee looked apologetic. "But he came all the way here with me. I can't just leave him out there."

"It's alright. Mr. Jung specifically asked me not to let you two meet him. He's almost here, so why don't we just wait a little longer."

Left with no other choice, Yoo Jung-Hee nodded.

Soon, Lee Tae-Gu's voice grew louder.

-Mrs. Yoo! Are you really doing this to me? Huh? I'm leaving!

Then came another voice. It was firm and resolute.

-Lee Tae-Gu. Why don't you stop scamming desperate people already?

It was Jung Yoon-Ho—the very voice Yoo Jung-Hee had just heard over the phone.

At that moment, Cha Dae-Hyun smiled. "He's earlier than expected. Let's go out."

He led the way out of the VIP room, and Yoo Jung-Hee followed with Yeon Bo-Ra, puzzled by the accusation of scamming.

***

When I arrived at Daebak Securities, I spotted Lee Tae-Gu still trying to force his way into the VIP lounge.

I raised my voice as soon as I saw him. "Lee Tae-Gu. Why don't you stop scamming desperate people already?"

There was no need for formalities when it came to crooks.

A man in his early 50s with a sleazy look turned to glare at me. "Who the hell are you?"

"Are you seriously trying to scam people who are barely getting by? Are you even human?"

Lee Tae-Gu's face contorted in anger. "You little punk! Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

"That's my line!" I turned toward the entrance and raised my hand high. "Over here!"

At that signal, a team of prosecutors stormed toward us from the entrance.

Lee Tae-Gu blinked, confused. "W-What the hell?"

That's when two burly investigators grabbed Lee Tae-Gu's arms, twisted them behind his back, and cuffed him.

Click!

One of the prosecutors spoke sharply, "This is Investigator Park Jung-Hoo from the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office. Mr. Lee Tae-Gu, you are under arrest for fraud and extortion. You have the right to remain silence an-"

The flustered Lee Tae-Gu shouted, "What the hell?! Let go of me! I didn't scam anyone! What is this?!"

I stared at Lee Tae-Gu coldly and said, "Mr. Lee Tae-Gu. You've already pulled this same rental scam in over ten cases. Victims are waiting to see you rot. You better brace yourself."

The moment I heard Lee Tae-Gu's name from Yoo Jung-Hee before coming here, I called Prosecutor Seo Jae-Ill at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. He had just returned to duty after internal investigations from the Chairman Choi Eun-Tae incident.

However, there was no time for pleasantries. I immediately reported Lee Tae-Gu.

Before the regression, Yeon Bo-Ra told me this man had conned her mother as part of a long streak of housing scams. Thanks to that tip, Seo Jae-Ill confirmed that Lee Tae-Gu was already under investigation in Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan.

I gave him Lee Tae-Gu's location, and Seo Jae-Ill called the prosecutors here.

"Mr. Jung!"

I turned to see Yoo Jung-Hee and Yeon Bo-Ra stepping out of the VIP lounge, guided by Cha Dae-Hyun.

Yoo Jung-Hee and Yeon Bo-Ra's eyes went wide as they saw Lee Tae‑Gu in handcuffs. "M-Mr... Lee...?"

At that moment, Lee Tae‑Gu glared at Yoo Jung-Hee and spat out a threat. "Hey! You reported me, didn't you? Damn it! I could've let things slide because your face is half‑decent... but you had to go and stab me in the back? How dare you!"

I stepped in front of Lee Tae-Gu and asked the prosecutor standing beside us. "Sir, is this considered a threat?"

"Yes. It is. We can add that to the attempted fraud charge as well."

Lee Tae‑Gu, taken aback, yelled. "What?! A threat? For that? Are you kidding me?!"

I looked at Lee Tae-Gu coldly and spoke. "Yes. What you just did is threatening. And listen carefully. These two people right here are going to be protected by me and Hoop Entertainment from now on. If you ever show up looking for them after you get out of prison... it won't end at just this."

This guy Lee Tae‑Gu wasn't just a fraudster. He specifically targeted people with no power and no connections like Yeon Bo-Ra and Yoo Jung-Hee, bleeding them dry. He was a classic bully who only picked on the weak. So I made sure he knew Hoop Entertainment would be watching them.

At that moment, Park Jung‑Hoo gave a slight warning. "Hey, Mr. Lee Tae‑Gu. You should know how lucky you are. Chief Jung here is someone even big‑time fighters would think twice about stepping to. If he decided to use his influence... hurting one person would be nothing. Understand?"

Park Jung‑Hoo, a 185 cm tall investigator drafted in through judo recruitment, shook his head at me. He himself looked so intimidating that it was hard to tell whether he was a detective or a mob enforcer.

Perhaps Park Jung-Hoo's words worked, because Lee Tae‑Gu swallowed hard and slowly turned his eyes away.

Then the other prosecutor who came with Park Jung‑Hoo dragged him off. "Come on. Let's go."

"Ow! That hurts! Take it easy!"

Trying not to catch everyone's gaze, Lee Tae‑Gu hung his head and was led off to the side. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

I watched him go, then turned back to Park Jung‑Hoo. "Mr. Park. That was... quite the intimidation."

Park Jung-Hoo snorted. "That wasn't intimidation. That was a fact. Seriously. Do you think I haven't heard how strong you are, Mr. Jung? I've heard plenty from Mr. Seo."

'Wait... what kind of image do I have in Seo Jae-Ill's office?'

Still, with the situation handled, I offered my thanks. "I can't call him right now since there are too many people around, but please give my thanks to Mr. Seo."

"Hahaha. Of course. He'll be happy about another successful case. Take care."

Park Jung-Hoo thanked me for the report and then left.

Almost at the same time, the Hoengseong Girls High School's girls and Cha Eun‑Sol came running in, out of breath. "Mr. Jung!! What happened?!"

"It's okay. Everything's settled."

"Phew~ Of course it is! You're the best!"

All five of them raised their thumbs in unison.

However, I urged them not to get too excited. "Alright, then... shall we go?"

"Yes!"

Just then, they spotted Yeon Bo-Ra standing in the VIP lounge and blinked at her.

"Whoa, why is she so pretty?"

At Sung Ji-Yeon's comment, Han Kkot‑nim, Yang Ji‑woo, and Park Han‑byul's eyes went wide too.

"Just a little styling and she'd be unstoppable."

"Look at her wrists and ankles. She's so delicate."

"She's really fragile looking."

When Yeon Bo-Ra first came to LT Amusement Park, she was wearing a hat and a mask to hide her face. Now her face was visible: long hair down past her waist, porcelain skin, a defined nose, striking features.

She was beautiful, but her slight frame especially triggered protective instincts. Yeon Bo-Ra's visuals completely captivate the fangirl hearts of the Blooming executives.

"Guys. Let's calm down and go talk to them," I said.

I quieted the excited girls, then headed with them toward Yeon Bo-Ra and Yoo Jung-Hee.

***

At the Daebak Securities VIP room, I gently reassured the startled Yoo Jung-Hee. "I spoke with President Sung Ji-Yeon and the rest of the Blooming admins. They saw the post Bo‑Ra wrote and wanted to help find you a place. That's why I stepped in on their behalf."

Yoo Jung-Hee steadied her beating heart and asked quietly. "B‑but how did you know President Lee Tae‑Gu was a housing scammer?"

"Oh, that guy? Someone I know got scammed by him in a rental fraud a while back. His name rang a bell, so I looked into it. And sure enough, it was him."

I deflected just enough to keep her from feeling overwhelmed.

Yoo Jung-Hee bowed her head in gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Jung. And you too, Miss Sung Ji-Yeon. I really mean it."

Yoo Jung-Hee gave a proper bow to both me and Sung Ji-Yeon.

With that, I figured it was time to handle the most pressing issue first. "As I mentioned before, please don't sell the stock today. Wait until Monday afternoon. You'll make several tens of millions more."

According to Daebak Securities' President Cha Dae-Hyun, there was a high chance the stock would hit a triple upper limit tomorrow, then dip slightly Monday morning before rising again in the afternoon. I recommended the best time to sell, so she could earn the most money.

"Yes, I'll do as you say, Mr. Jung." Then Yoo Jung-Hee turned to Sung Ji-Yeon. "But, is the generous donor offering us the house at half-price our president here? From the photo, it looked like the DH Villa."

"You recognized it, huh?"

"Yes, Bo-Ra recognized it right away."

Sung Ji-Yeon smiled and nodded. "Yes, it's the third floor. The suite gets lots of sunlight. We'll only ask for a deposit equal to the Monday afternoon stock price, so don't worry. It'll be enough."

Yoo Jung-Hee asked cautiously. "But are we really not being a burden? Giving it to us at half-price sounds a bit... well..."

"It might seem a little over-the-top, but we really want to help. All we ask is that you keep being active in the Blooming fan club."

Just then, Yeon Bo-Ra tugged on her mom's arm. "Mom~ I promise I'll do my best!"

"Hold on, Bo-Ra. Let me talk to the president first."

"Okay, sorry."

Yoo Jung-Hee looked a little uneasy "To be honest, it's such a generous offer that I'd love to accept it right now. But what if someone else comes along later asking for the same deal? Won't it cause trouble? And... I also worry how your family might feel about this."

Despite being in a difficult situation herself, Yoo Jung-Hee was still thoughtful enough to consider the position of the one offering help. She was a true adult.

Of course, knowing Sung Ji-Yeon, she would probably just shrug it off with "Then I just won't offer it to anyone else." However, saying that out loud in front of others would just stir gossip.

"Ji-Yeon, give me a second," I said.

Now was the perfect opportunity to bring up scouting Yeon Bo-Ra.

While Sung Ji-Yeon tilted her head curiously, I turned to Yoo Jung-Hee. "Ma'am, if receiving this kind of help makes you uncomfortable, then I have a way to resolve that as well."

"What is it?"

"Bo-Ra can become a celebrity under Hoop Entertainment. If she joins us, we'll officially provide that DH Villa unit as her company housing. You won't even need to sell your stock."

"My daughter... becoming a celebrity?"

"Yes. If I'd met Bo-Ra on the street, I would've scouted her on the spot."

The idea must have caught her completely off guard, because Yoo Jung-Hee looked stunned. Yeon Bo-Ra on the other hand was clearly excited, watching eagerly for her mother's response.

As the silence dragged on, I gently tried to persuade Yoo Jung-Hee once again. "Ma'am, I heard Bo-Ra is first in her class. I understand wanting to prioritize her studies. But from what I can see, she has all the makings of-"

At that moment, Yoo Jung-Hee lifted her head and firmly shook it. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jung. But I can't let my daughter enter the entertainment world. If the condition for living in that villa is becoming a celebrity, then we'll have to decline."

Yoo Jung-Hee's firm rejection was unexpected. I was currently the most successful talent agent in the entertainment industry—the so-called "Midas Touch"—and she turned it down flat.

Even Yeon Bo-Ra looked confused. "Mom? Why?"

"Bo-Ra, listen to me. Not now, but someday, I promise I'll get us into a place like that on my own."

"But Mom..."

"Just listen to me."

I didn't know Yoo Jung-Hee's reason for declining, but I couldn't afford to lose these two.

"Ma'am, please don't misunderstand. Living in the villa isn't contingent on Bo-Ra becoming a celebrity. I was just presenting another option."

Yoo Jung-Hee gave me a cautious look. "Really...?"

"Yes. The decision to offer it at half-price was entirely Ji-Yeon's as the property owner."

Yoo Jung-Hee let out a sigh of relief.

I asked, "Still... may I ask why you're so strongly against it?"

Even Yeon Bo-Ra urged her mother on. "Yeah, Mom. I want to know too. I didn't say anything before since you've always been against me becoming a celebrity, but this isn't just any shady company. It's Hoop Entertainment!"

Yoo Jung-Hee calmed her daughter, then turned to me and said clearly, "Mr. Jung. Becoming a successful celebrity isn't easy. It might look glamorous, but many fade away in obscurity. Instead of risking that, I'd rather support what she already does well. Her studies."

'She thinks the celebrity under my care would end up fading in obscurity? That's not even a possibility. Not under my watch.'

However, I needed solid evidence if I wanted to convince someone like Yoo Jung-Hee. And fortunately, I had the perfect thing in mind.

"In that case, ma'am... would you take a look at this?" With a confident expression, I held out my phone.

Yoo Jung-Hee's eyes went wide. She couldn't say a word, because Yeon Bo-Ra wasn't "unknown" anymore.

"This... this is..."

1. Pastel purple or lilac in Korean is Bora ☜