#202
He was asking about you
Attorney Jeong Yeon-jae of the law firm Seo & Woo received a phone call while staying up late in her office.
"Oh, Ian-ah."
(Hello, auntie. Have you been doing okay?)
"You're working hard, aren't you?"
(I'm doing fine, too. Are you busy now?
Attorney Jeong is suspicious of why Ian called.
'Looks like he wants something.'
Since the progress of the complaint will be communicated through their agency, it was unlikely that he called because he was curious about the complaint.
"No matter how busy I am, I always have time to answer the phone from my nephew. What's happen? Please feel free to tell me."
(I want to invest, can you help me?)
"Invest? Yes, it is not difficult."
Attorney Jeong wrote down things that came to her mind as she rolled the pen.
(Yes, I will definitely reward you.)
"Hey, it's not difficult, so why go so far... ."
(No, this requires careful calculation.)
"In that respect, you resemble your grandfather again."
Attorney Jeong laughed lightly.
'Did you keep what we said before?'
She thought he shouldn't have put the wind in, but she also had a strange thought that if it is Ian, he would do well for some reason.
"Well, let me find a good investment company or agent."
(Thank you.)
"This is nothing. By the way, are you going to start investing?"
(I'll try it.)
Ian revived his memories of Kim Yong-min's days, but he hadn't been watching with interest before, so he doesn't know much information other than major events.
It's fortunate that Jin is quick with this kind of information. He decided to use Jin, who had recently changed aggressively.
"Don't push yourself too hard."
(Of course, I am the grandson of my grandfather.)
"Yes, he must have taught you well. Yes, Auntie will try her best."
(Yes, I'll see you again with my uncle next time.)
"Okay, see you later."
After hanging up the phone, Ian leaned back comfortably in his chair. He was worried because his nationality was different, but fortunately, he was classified as a foreigner treated as a national, so there was no difficulty in investing.
"I took one step at a time."
Because of his busy schedule, he was unable to jump in directly. He is lucky to have someone to help.
'Raising money is just the beginning, it's not such a priority.'
Jin represented Ian's feelings.
[You can't ignore your personal connections.]
'That's right.'
How will we do it. Ian's eyes lit up.
* * *
The commercial filming was also about to end. The members of A.W.Y went out of the dorm as a group to meet the members of My Kit using the day off.
"Oh, come. here!"
"Long time no see."
My Kit, who had been sitting in the restaurant beforehand and waiting for Awy, waved happily.
"You're here early?"
"It's been a while since I've seen our superstar, so I'll have to come in advance and wait."
"Oh, really, don't do that."
Mykit Kim Cheol-min's clever performance, Jo Tae-woong took off his mask and smiled a little.
Unlike the A.W.Y members who wore inconspicuous achromatic clothes, hats, and masks, the members of MYKIT wore relatively light clothes.
"Hey, look over there. Aren't they Awy?"
"Oh my god."
Despite the partitioned seats, some of the guests recognized Awy, they could hear someone taking pictures behind them.
"How have you all been? You said you went to Japan?"
Lee Ju-hyuk tried to ignore people's eyes and said. My Kit members' expressions blurred.
"We've been there for a while. We have to go again."
"Really?"
Park Seo-dam stopped drinking water and shouted in surprise. After the corona situation calmed down to some extent, Mykit's agency sent Mykit to Japan to live as an underground idol again, as if they had touched some money through Japanese activities.
"Because we are in demand there... ."
"It can't be helped it."
The leader of My Kit, Jung Ji-soo, laughed hard and changed the topic of conversation.
"Did Ian's drama preview come up?"
"Oh right. I saw it."
Mflix's drama, 'Z-Day', which Ian filmed, was scheduled to be released early next year after a long editing process.
Kim Chul-min recited the lines of Ian's play that appeared in the trailer. It might have been called acting, but it was very clumsy.
"Hey, Cheolmin. I'm telling you seriously, but you can't act."
"Why me!"
The other members had a conversation with each other, using Kim Chul-min and Kim Ju-yeong's bickering as the background sound.
Ian also circumspectively rejected the requests of people who came to take pictures while listening to the stories of Kim Cheol-min and Park Se-on, who are sitting across from him.
"I'm afraid I'll get a license or something like Ju-yeong. To stop being a celebrity."
"Why?"
Kim Chul-min sighed deeply and said. Ian and Kim Ju-yeong raised their heads.
"At this rate, I think I'll just become a common deep-sea (it can be 'too much' in a negative way) idol."
[Suddenly, a hook comes in.]
Ian wanted to refute why you guys are gross idols, but it seemed like it wouldn't work no matter what he said. He listened to what they had to say as he ate his food in silence.
"It's not a company that my company can renew the contract with, and I don't know if another company will take me."
"... okay?"
"But I'm not even a gold spoon. I think I should learn the technique right now."
Debuting as an idol was risky compared to dedicating time in your teens or 20s because there was no guarantee that you would be successful.
'I know that feeling well... .'
Ian smiled bitterly.
There were cases where one debuted less than a year after becoming a trainee, but it's not that many.
Usually, one started as a trainee from a young age, but it was all the more so because the agency prefers young trainees.
After living as a trainee for several years, the first hurdle comes from making debut, such as not being able to join the debut group or the company not having the ability to debut their debut schedule.
"To be honest, I don't even know Japan. How long will the underground life last? Idols are pouring in there too... ."
>In the Japanese idol industry, underground idols refers to idols who do not appear in major media such as television broadcasts or magazines and are active mainly in live performances
If he manages to debut after enduring like that, the period of support from the agency is about two years. If he doesn't achieve results that exceed the expectations of their agency, he will be neglected because they're going to aim for the success of the next debut group.
"We are contract bound, so we can't do things like My Tube."
"You know what's funny? Our company doesn't even allow part-time jobs?"
"Oh, my."
Moreover, depending on the terms of the contract, they are legally bound to not do anything other than idol activities.
Usually, an artist contract lasts for 7 years, and men have to go to the military, so it's not until they reach their 30s that they can start anew, but at that time, they'll have nothing to achieve and nothing to learn, so it's a daunting time.
"Still, should I say that I'm glad we came back to Japan... I do not know."
"I'm afraid I'll try something like a heavy equipment technician, so if I go around Japan, wouldn't I still be able to buy at least one piece of heavy equipment?"
"But our company... no."
In the days of Kim Yong-min, Ian persevered and endured, but he usually puts an end to his activities in the entertainment industry and looks for other things.
"I'm glad you guys are doing well."
"Honestly, I knew it would work out. Everyone is good at it."
Kim Chul-min and Park Se-on laughed bitterly. Ian and Kim Ju-yeong, who were listening from the other side, could not say anything.
Kim Ju-yeong thought deeply about the idea that such a figure could have been Awy's future, and Ian seemed to notice.
* * *
As he moved to the second location, Ian received a call from lawyer Jeong Yeon-jae.
Moving to the second location, Ian received a phone call from lawyer Jeong Yeon-jae.
"Yes, auntie."
(Hi, Ian. You asked me to do something before. I got a nice guy.)
"Thank you very much."
(It turned out that this guy had a relationship with your grandfather, too. This person will be nice to you.)
"Really?"
Grandpa, what are you?
Anyway, that is good news. Ian smiled broadly.
(Anyway, since I talked about it, they liked it. This person said to leave it to them?)
"Then, when do we get together for a meal? The schedule... Can I see you later and call you back?"
(Okay.)
When he became Choi Ian, he thought it was only his face and body, but he was born with family virtue and luck.
'I'm lucky.'
[You are really lucky since you saved the country?]
Ian hung up the phone and was about to enter the restaurant with light steps when he found Park Seon smoking a cigarette in the alley next.
"Did you ever smoke?"
"No. It's been a while since it (the flower) bloomed."
He looked lonely as he smoked alone, so Ian looked at the small sky between the alleys next to Park Se-on.
"... Actually, I don't think our company is in such a good situation."
"How?"
"The settlement was overdue."
"That's a bit... Isn't that serious?"
Ian frowned. I can't believe they're behind in their payments while not letting them do anything else.
'Where was their agency?'
[ST Entertainment.]
'Do you remember anything?'
[...none.]
He looked through his past memories, but there was no memory of ST Entertainment or My Kit. Jin also made a mechanical sound, trying to recall something, but nothing.
[Even if there are some bottlenecks, won't they get better later? So don't you remember?]
'Okay?'
If it was Jin who had a lot of information, that would be the case, but Ian's trembling feelings could not be erased.
"Well, even if it's pushed back, I've come in a while, so it'll be the same this time."
Even this isn't the first time. As Ian sighed, Park Se-on, who had finished smoking, exhaled his last smoke.
"I'm sorry for saying this in a meeting after a long time. I have nowhere else to say... there was only you People who keep in touch with us... ."
Park Se-on's 'Personality + power' strategy, which stood out at the Olympic Games, had a reaction for about half a year, then quickly withered. Sometimes Park Se-on's ill-mannered character is called when he needs it, but he hasn't even had that since they resumed their activities in Japan.
"It's okay, you're my friend."
Maybe it was because Ian had gone through his days as an idol in the past, so Park Seon's situation was not like anyone else's.
Ian's answer made Park Se-on's expression brighter.
Even after they became famous around the world, he felt sorry because he seemed to complain to the members of Awy who treated them consistently.
"Even if we don't talk, everyone is grateful."
"What do you have to be thankful for? Of course. Aren't they all waiting? Let's just go in."
Ian tapped Park Se-on on the forearm. The moment they were about to enter the restaurant, Park Seon grabbed Ian's shoulder.
"Wait, Ian. Do you know reporter Yang In-joon?"
"... yes. Why is that person, what happened?"
Yang Injun. Fact flix reporter got quiet after sending a strange text message to Ian after making a sponsor offer and rejecting it.
"That is... . He called me out of the blue and asked about you. A little... On the bad side."
"Okay? What did he ask?"
"There are alcohol problems and women problems. So I just hung up. Something's weird about it so I didn't think I should even answer."
As Ian's expression hardened in an instant, Park Seon hurriedly continued.
"Didn't I say anything wrong? I don't know what's going on, but I think you should know."
"No, it was really necessary. thanks for letting me know. He's a reporter from Fact Fix. There is nothing good about getting involved."
"Wa."
Park Seon frowned.
"Even if you become famous, you will be tired. If you have a reporter like that."
"You be careful too. Just in case."
"Why will they get interested in a mandol like me? I'll let you know if he gets in touch with me again."
"Thanks."
Park Seon said that and went into the restaurant. Jo Tae-woong was scolding him for coming so late.
Ian came in after him and sat down in an empty seat without a word. Noticing the unusual atmosphere, the A.W.Y members deliberately did not speak.
'Jin.'
[Yes.]
'Is there anything else I can use? Give me more information.'
Yang Injun, that person. I didn't like it from the first time I saw him. What tricks are you going to do this time?
'I'll have to move up the plan a bit.'
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