Chapter 850: Answer (3)

Hanbyeol smiled brightly and greeted Han Youngjun.

“Have you been well, Director?”

“Yeah. I’ve been well.”

Han Youngjun’s eyebrow lifted slightly.

It was awkward to point out that Hanbyeol was still using his old title from his executive director days, but the expression on his face clearly showed he wasn’t pleased.

Taehyeon, who had been holding down the elevator open button, watched with the expression of someone munching popcorn.

“Ha ha. CEO Han, you made it.”

Our CEO stepped in to smooth things over.

“You must be busy, so thank you for taking the time to come. I hope the trip wasn’t inconvenient.”

“It’s right across the street. What inconvenience could there be?”

“We didn’t expect you to actually come. It’s an honor. Ha ha.”

As we boarded the elevator, the warm conversation between the CEOs continued.

On the surface, it sounded cordial.

Translated, it was more like:

I thought you’d use being busy as an excuse not to show up, but you actually came?

It’s right across the street. How could I not? Though your location is pretty damn inconvenient.

Han Youngjun stepped aside to let us in.

As Taehyeon and I exchanged smiles, a subtle silence settled between Hanbyeol and Han Youngjun.

Ding.

[9th floor. Doors opening.]

As soon as the doors opened, a dazzling garden came into view.

It was enclosed in glass like a greenhouse, warm inside, filled with flowers and plants like a botanical garden.

With the catered buffet already set up, it felt like we had stepped into an outdoor garden party.

“Shall we?”

“Ah, you go ahead. I have something to discuss with these kids.”

As Han Youngjun waved them off, our CEO smiled and walked away.

The middle-aged man in gold-rimmed glasses looked at me with an awkward smile.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has. I used to call you Director all the time. I suppose I should call you CEO now. Congratulations.”

Our eyes curved politely.

“Congratulations to you too, Wooju. A major shareholder... you’ve made it.”

Translation: The trainee who used to be under me just the other day sure did make it big.

“I learned a lot at TJ. And somehow I ended up right back near TJ again. Ha ha.”

Translation: How do you like our new building location?

We exchanged restrained compliments, neither friendly nor hostile.

Unlike before, there was a faint sense of distance in his attitude toward me.

I guess I really had succeeded.

“And......”

Han Youngjun shifted his gaze to Hanbyeol.

An awkward silence.

Their mouths smiled, but their eyes did not.

It was painfully obvious they disliked each other.

Even back when he was executive director, Han Youngjun had been well-liked among trainees, but fundamentally, he was a TJ man through and through.

We made him money. What exactly is his problem? We worked hard to secure his activities, so why is he dissatisfied?

He simply could not understand Hanbyeol’s desire to focus on activities in Korea.

In that sense, he was no different from Chairman Park Taejun.

From Hanbyeol’s perspective, though, he had more than enough reason to resent TJ.

“About last time......”

Han Youngjun spoke plainly.

“I heard two planning team staff visited ahead of the Pyeongchang closing ceremony. As someone responsible for managing my subordinates, I want to apologize.”

“Well... it’s fine.”

“I promise that won’t happen again. The planning team no longer exists at our company. Nor do the two staff responsible.”

He delivered that chilling statement as if it were nothing.

It seemed he had used Hanbyeol’s incident as a chance to eliminate internal rivals.

“I know you don’t feel positively toward us, Hanbyeol... but I hope there won’t be any discomfort as we work together on TNT’s album.”

“What discomfort could there be?”

Hanbyeol smiled politely.

“I have an agency now. Lemon Entertainment.”

“......”

“So communication can go through the company. I don’t see any reason for discomfort. Don’t you agree?”

“Right... I suppose so.”

A faint vein stood out on Han Youngjun’s forehead as he smiled.

Hanbyeol’s eyes still burned.

Whatever else happened, it was clear they would continue to dislike each other.

As Han Youngjun walked toward Park Gyuho, Hanbyeol let out a breath.

“Phew......”

Then he looked at us.

He glared at Taehyeon, who quickly raised both hands.

“He’s my uncle, but we’re not close. No contact.”

“Then you pass.”

Taehyeon and I burst out laughing.

Hanbyeol scratched his head.

“Damn, I was trying to stay calm. But the moment I saw his face, my blood just boiled.”

“You did fine.”

“Next time, I’ll hold it in.”

His time being shuffled around in China must have taken a toll; Taehyeon patted his shoulder.

I smiled at the two TNT members.

“By the way, I heard you’re releasing a full-member album. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

It was something Hanbyeol had told me recently.

Not officially announced yet, but after the closing ceremony, they had talked all night and decided.

Before Seonung enlisted, they would release one more album together.

“What about the others? I heard everyone was coming.”

“They’ll probably drive over on their own....”

Taehyeon added,

“Jihanbin stopped by the TJ practice room for a little experiment.”

“What kind of experiment?”

“To check it, we need to see your practice room. Can you show us the sixth floor?”

“Of course.”

We glanced at the rooftop party in preparation and headed down to the sixth floor.

Hearing that we used an entire floor left both singers stunned.

Taehyeon pointed at one practice room.

“Here.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s go inside.”

He opened the door and strode straight to the window.

With a serious expression, he studied TJ Entertainment across the street, then called someone.

“Yeah, it’s me. We’re in position. Check from your side too.”

We stood beside him and looked out.

TJ’s building stood across from us.

“What’s the experiment?” I asked.

“Now we’re facing each other, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So I was wondering... if we lift the blinds during breaks, could we see each other from across the street?”

He chuckled and yanked the blinds up.

And then—

“Can’t see anything.”

His phone crackled.

Hey, Han Tae. I can’t see a thing.

“......”

Can you see us?

“No. We can’t see you either.”

Taehyeon’s eyes turned glossy in real time.

I burst out laughing.

For a moment, we truly understood how thorough agencies were about security.

7 p.m.

“Hello!”

“Oh? You’re here. Long time no see.”

“Have you been well?”

Guests began arriving for Lemon Entertainment’s opening party.

Junghyun wore the happiest expression.

“Junghyun. Are you happy?”

“Yes. I’m so happy. Hyung, can you take a photo of me with those flowers later?”

“Let’s do it now. Strike a pose.”

He kept smiling at the unique flowers and plants in the greenhouse.

Meanwhile, more guests in suits and dresses arrived.

It felt like a coronation ceremony.

Broadcasting directors and industry figures entered like foreign envoys to the Lemon Kingdom.

“Ha ha. It’s been a while, CEO Park Gyuho.”

They greeted him warmly before approaching us.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Hansu, head of production at Knet.”

“Long time no see since the sitcom! Remember? Kim Wooyong from Gon Pictures, who produced My Family Is an Alien!”

Handshakes and business cards flew around.

Through our CEO, they approached us like dignitaries seeking an audience with royalty.

We blinked at each other.

Were we the kings?

If this rooftop flew away, the entertainment industry would probably freeze for weeks.

And then—

“Isn’t that CEO Heo Kangmin?”

“CEO Park Mino is here too. He rarely attends events.”

“The heads of the four major agencies are all here. Or should we call it five now?”

Murmurs spread.

Han Youngjun of TJ.

Heo Kangmin of KM.

Park Mino of MOP.

Jang Sohee of SNH.

They spoke seriously together.

“They must be discussing something important.”

“They’re talking about restaurants.”

Junghyun whispered.

Fair enough.

Meanwhile, we greeted fellow artists.

“Pile the meat high.”

“This is so good, unnie.”

We approached the meat goddesses loading their buffet plates.

Scarlet waved.

“Hey, Kim Deokchun. Long time.”

“How have you been, noona?”

“So-so.”

I greeted Ara first, then Bom and Rina.

Daisy, cheeks puffed like white rice cakes, waved.

“Hi, oppas.”

“Talk after you swallow. You’re spraying crumbs.”

“The food’s amazing. Have you seen the practice rooms? Yoon Chanhyuk was crying earlier.”

“He’s still crying.”

In the distance, Lemon’s first recruited artist sipped wine with tears in his eyes.

Nearby, I exchanged smiles with TJ singer Jang Sowon.

Daisy said,

“Your closing ceremony stage was incredible. So cool.”

“Thanks.”

“I was jealous watching it. Standing on that stage must have been......”

“It was insane.”

Scarlet then beckoned us aside, grinning.

“But now we won’t be jealous of you anymore.”

“Oh?”

“We’re going to Pyongyang.”

“!”

“For a friendship stage.”

“!!”

“And guess what? We’re eating Pyongyang cold noodles.”

“!!!”

Never mind. We were jealous again.

“Who’s going?”

“Daylight is going too.”

“Daylight?”

I remembered drunken mutterings after the closing ceremony.

Let’s go north!

So that was a spoiler.

We forced smiles.

“Congratulations......”

“We’ll color Pyongyang in our own way.”

“Isn’t your signature color red?”

“Let’s get more meat!”

As they walked off, Lavian Rose from DNS arrived.

Then—

“Hi.”

“You enjoyed performing at the closing ceremony without us, huh?”

Street Boys had arrived.

Hanjo handed me a floral tracksuit.

“What should we call you now? Major shareholder?”

“Call me the Great Woojuseon.”

“Chuseon....”

“You’re not implying ugly, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Why so late?”

“We checked out the sixth floor. Since we’re a label now, we can use it too, right?”

“Yeah.”

LB sighed.

“Can’t we just merge into Lemon?”

“That would be an acquisition.”

“We’d live here if we were Lemon.”

“Traitor.”

They laughed.

“Where’s CEO Lim Hyunsik?”

“He didn’t come. Said he’d want to fight if he saw Park Gyuho.”

“Wise decision.”

The party grew lively.

CEOs discussed business.

Artists chatted.

A&R fled whenever I approached.

“Where is he......”

I wandered the rooftop garden.

It was huge.

I closed my eyes and listened.

Clink.

There.

Behind bushes, a handsome man smiled at his dessert plate.

“Senior Lee Gyeonwoo.”

“Hiiik!”

“I thought you’d be here.”

“Cough! Cough!”

“I brought water.”

He drank deeply.

“Long time.”

“It has.”

Some people reset to zero familiarity after a month.

“Senior.”

“Yeah?”

“I heard you’re on break after filming. Are you interested in a movie?”

“A movie?”

“Hollywood.”

His eyes sparkled.

“What role?”

“My father.”

“.......”

Water dripped from his mouth.

“How does that sound?”

I didn’t see him again that night.

The party ended beautifully.

After seeing everyone off—

“Phew.”

We gathered °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° in the practice room.

Something felt off.

“Hmm......”

The room was amazing.

But something bothered us.

Then—

“Ah!”

We all realized.

Late at night.

Three practice rooms still had lights on.

NewBlack. Scarlet. The trainees.

“Hmm......”

Then—

“Ah!”

Kim Junghyun stood on tiptoe.

Ara climbed onto the youngest’s shoulders.

Trainees brought ladders.

They all removed the wall clocks.

“Done.”

“Yeah. That’s it.”

The artists of Lemon Entertainment smiled.

They had finally settled into the new headquarters.