Awakening Of Grace: Kyung Jin-ju II (8)
Jin-ju, who had been staring at Do-kyung for a while, slowly opened her mouth.
"Are you joking?"
"No, I'm serious."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Ha…"
Jin-ju let out a sudden sigh. Do-kyung waited, curious to understand the reason behind it. If it was because of her past working in private rooms, it wouldn't be an issue, but if there was another reason, he needed to know. Her perception of being an actress was also important.
Min-jung, intrigued by the conversation, watched with keen interest.
"Mister."
"Yeah. Is it not okay?"
"Nooo… it's not that, phew. Mister, don't you remember where we met?"
"I do."
He glanced at Min-jung, but her expression didn't change. Jin-ju also noticed this and gave a broad smile.
"It's okay, you can talk about it. Min-jung knows everything."
"Really?"
"Yes."
That glance, and yet they still remained friends? He was quite impressed by Min-jung. Normally, people—even peers—tended to look down on women who had worked at private rooms. Even at his age, Do-kyung didn't have a favorable view of women in that line of work, and he expected young people to feel similarly.
Min-jung, however, only looked back at him with an oddly amused smile. He turned his attention back to Jin-ju.
"Is that the problem?"
"Well… wouldn't there be an uproar if it came out?"
She looked downcast.
This was the first time he'd seen Jin-ju with such a forlorn expression, and he found it refreshing.
"Is that the only issue? Nothing else? Like disliking celebrities or anything?"
"It's not that. I had dreams about it once. If I didn't need to make money, I dreamed of appearing on TV, becoming an idol, or even an actress."
"Really? Hmm…"
Fortunately, she didn't seem to have a negative view of being a celebrity. As for the Subordinate Foresight, Do-kyung wondered if he truly needed to follow it strictly.
'If there's no penalty for not doing it, isn't it okay not to do it?'
With this thought, he decided to discuss it further. Just as he was about to speak to Jin-ju again, Min-jung interjected.
"Should we move to another place for this talk, Oppa? With a drink, maybe?"
"Yeah… that sounds good."
Nodding at Min-jung's suggestion, Do-kyung paid the bill and stepped outside. Although the meal cost a fair amount, it was nothing he couldn't afford. Thanks to the Jo-sung Group crisis unfolding that week, Joon-young had likely made billions, so he had no reason to worry.
After calling for a driver, he returned to a bar near his home that he frequented. He ordered the usual charcoal-grilled meat and alcohol, and the serious conversation began. He first explained why he brought up this topic.
Of course, since it was about work, he didn't elaborate much. He mentioned that he was assigned this project, planned to acquire an entertainment company, thought of Jin-ju's talent in the process, and was considering debuting her as an actress if possible.
After explaining in such a long-winded manner, Min-jung unexpectedly asked for a business card. So, when he gave it, Jin-ju's eyes sparkled. Min-jung's eyes widened as well. It seemed to be because it was a large corporation.
"Oh… you work at Dae-jin, Mister?"
"Well, it's an affiliate, but yes, it's Dae-jin."
"Were you a capable man?"
"What do you mean capable man?"
He had lived like a fool as a faraway father.
"I'm sorry. Can I take this?"
When Min-jung asked, he nodded, and Jin-ju whined for one, too, so he took out another card and gave it to Jin-ju. Clearing her throat, Min-jung shook her head as she watched Jin-ju delightedly receive the card, then summarized his words.
"So, to sum it up, you're overseeing a project in the entertainment industry, thought of Jin-ju, and wanted to see if she'd be interested, right?"
"That's right."
It was a short and concise summary.
As he nodded, Jin-ju straightened up. She naturally knew how to adjust her posture according to the flow of conversation.
"So, what do you think?"
"I'm not sure… it's scary. What if it comes out? People will gossip and point fingers."
"So, you're not interested? You don't want to do it?"
"Hmm… What about you, Mister? Do you want me to do it?"
Jin-ju seemed reluctant to make the decision herself and passed the ball to Do-kyung. After briefly pondering her words, he took out a cigarette from his pocket.
"Ah, do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?"
"Of course, may I light one too?"
"Of course."
Just then, the snacks and soju arrived, and Do-kyung lit a cigarette and fell back into thought. The Subordinate Foresight clearly indicated that Kyung Jin-ju's future shone brightly as an actress. He believed it to be true. Evidence of this included Chairman Jo Deok-jae's arrest last Monday, the National Tax Service's investigation yesterday, and the Financial Supervisory Service's probe today, all corroborating the foresight as reality.
"So Jin-ju shines. Brighter than anyone else."
Like a star in the night sky, more brilliant than anything.
There was no doubt about it.
One thing that had puzzled him, though, was how future Jin-ju's history as a hostess had remained hidden. It had been years worth of articles. And in all that time, there was no mention of the top actress's past.
Was it impossible to find? Or were they only showing what looked good?
He considered a crucial point:
'Foresight shows things as they are, whether good or bad, and there's a chance that's all there is.'
Which meant that Jin-ju had managed to keep it hidden somehow. As he finished his cigarette, he decided to stop worrying. He'd set a direction and proceed.
"Jin-ju."
"Yes?"
"Answer honestly. Do you want to act or not? Don't think about anything else; just consider that one thing and answer."
"Um… If you say so, I'd like to try."
"No, excluding me."
Shaking his head, he asked her again, and she shook her head as well.
"Without you, it doesn't work. Being a celebrity was just something I watched on TV. But because you brought it up, I'm thinking about it and even considering it. So, I can't picture it without you."
Hearing her determined answer, he could see it wasn't a passive decision, so he understood.
"Mister. If I decide to do it, will you support me?"
"In the beginning."
"The beginning?"
"Once the agency is somewhat established, I'll step back. Instead, another professional manager will come in to help you."
"Oh…"
"So, I was thinking of supporting you while I'm around. You have the talent for it, so I thought you could succeed no matter what you do. Although it hasn't been included in the proposal yet, I was planning to hold an audition after acquiring the entertainment company. With the name Dae-jin, it would create some buzz, and I intended to debut the top participants with contracts and ads from Dae-jin."
Do-kyung's words were something Lee Joon-seok and Shin Na-kyung didn't know.
"Once things are settled, I'll step back. I can't run an entertainment company as a salaryman."
"Oh… so you're just giving me a chance?"
"That's right."
"Then I'll give it a try. Since you said I have talent, if I fail the audition or things don't work out while you're in charge, I can just stop then, right?"
"Yeah, that's fine too."
"Then I'll do it."
Jin-ju answered while looking directly at Do-kyung. Min-jung was listening to their conversation with a subtle smile. Both Do-kyung and Jin-ju were so engrossed in their talk that they didn't notice her gaze.
"Don't take it too lightly. You know how tough it is to be a celebrity, right?"
The foresight had shown him Jin-ju becoming a huge star. She would receive an enormous spotlight, and because of her elevated status, she would face strict (often arbitrary) demands. Conduct, speech, and so on. That's just the beginning. Her private life would be severely restricted, and she wouldn't be able to easily go to crowded places. That was the reality of being a celebrity, and it was also the future awaiting Jin-ju.
'By this time next year, she'll probably be too busy to even walk around like this.'
But Jin-ju nodded, undeterred.
"It's okay. But Mister…"
"What?"
"If I become famous… you'll still see me, right?"
"Is that what you're worried about?"
"Of course!"
Jin-ju's face was full of disappointment as she shouted. It was the kind of disappointment that asked why he didn't understand her feelings.
"Don't be like that. They say when you become famous, you cut ties with acquaintances and family."
"I won't do that! Hmph!"
"Yeah, yeah, it's something for later anyway, so let's move on. So you're really okay with it?"
"Yes, I've made up my mind. I'm going to try becoming a celebrity."
Jin-ju smiled the usual smile she always showed Do-kyung, feeling relieved after making her decision. As the conversation was wrapping up, Min-jung quietly picked up the soju and spoke.
"Now that the talk is over, shall we drink?"
"Oh, sorry. Our Min-jung wanted to drink so badly, huh?"
"Yeah, and this meat looks delicious too. I wanted to eat it, but I was afraid of ruining the mood, so I held back."
"Sorry, sorry, our Min-jung, ah."
"Aaah…"
When Jin-ju dipped salt and brought it to her mouth, Min-jung gladly accepted it. Chewing the meat, Min-jung gave Do-kyung a big thumbs up. It was likely an expression of how delicious it was. He also picked up and ate a piece of meat. As always, this place maintained a consistent flavor, with the freshness, aging, and grilling all done to perfection—a true mark of craftsmanship.
A round of Hallasan soju went around.
"Kreuh…"
"Kreuh…"
"..."
Jin-ju and Min-jung sighed at the strong soju.
Thus began the serious drinking session. When the second bottle of soju was emptied, the snacks that had been ordered in advance came out again. Min-jung was… still amazing. Despite the heavy meal earlier, she nearly devoured the entire 600 grams of grilled meat on her own. Even as she did so, her complexion didn't change, and for a moment, Do-kyung unconsciously thought about casting Min-jung as a food fighter celebrity… Lost in thought, he accidentally bit his cheek, drawing blood.
Four bottles of soju were emptied in an instant.
When Jin-ju's voice gradually became high-pitched, Min-jung looked at Do-kyung with slightly unfocused eyes and spoke.
"Do-kyung oppa."
"Yeah?"
"Um…"
"What is it? Tell me."
When Do-kyung urged her, Min-jung, who had been hesitating for a moment, straightened her posture and spoke again with a serious expression.
"I want to try being a celebrity like Jin-ju."
"What? You want to try what?"
"Being a celebrity. Could you give me a chance to audition together?"
"What?"
In that moment, Do-kyung's eyes widened in surprise.
[The power of Goddess Gaia's Subordination Imprint has been engraved on the subject.]
A message that sobered him up instantly echoed into his mind.