Top Management
chapter-26

Chapter 26: The Calm before the Storm (1)

TL: Myoni

Edited: Myoni, Yoni

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An interpreter role that appeared in the drama, Cat Guardian Ghost.

And the information about how Songha played an interpreter role in the future.

Could this be a coincidence?

If it really was a coincidence, just that would send shivers down my spine. It wasn’t like it was friend 1 and 2 and an interpreter wasn’t a role that was in every drama. No matter how I thought about it, it wasn’t a coincidence.

But, if I thought that way, it was also strange.

In the future I saw, Cat Guardian Ghost was already a fish that got away.

Since the PR team employees were regretting not doing it due to scheduling issues when W&U got contacted about it. If Songha showed off her good acting skills in that role than the PR team employees would have mentioned it.

Then, it meant that, in that future, there was no relationship between Songha and Cat Guardian Ghost…

And the future I saw that night, they said that Songha was really good at acting as an interpreter. That it was the rediscovery of Songha. Then that meant that Songha really was cast for the Cat Guardian Ghost drama.

Then… did the future change?

Because I asked Songha if she wanted to act?

Wait. Let’s think about this.

The first future I saw, the future set twenty years in the future, the one with Director Park and Reporter Song was a fixed future. When I changed the present, that future didn’t change. That was why I thought it was set in a parallel universe.

But why did the future change this time?

After carefully thinking about it, there was a definite difference. Everything was clear in the fixed future and although it would cut off in the middle, it was still the continuation of the interview with Director Park and Reporter Song.

However, the changed futures, the hazy ones with a bad signal, showed a relatively closer future. It wasn’t like they were a continuation of the past ones and the people, time and place were always different.

Was it because it was a flexible future which could change that everything was hazy?

“Ah… I think I’m going crazy.”

Now that I confirmed that my actions would change the future, honestly, I was scared.

I gulped down my saliva.

There was a high possibility that twenty years from now, I would be a management company CEO.

Since he said that I that I struggled my way to the top, I probably went through a lot when I was young. And since he told Reporter Song that there was still much to do, it meant that I wasn’t satisfied and was looking at a higher goal.

However, to my present self, that future was a successful one.

If I didn’t change anything, that future would have been mine.

But… could I?

When I had the synopsis that would be a hit in my hands right now? Even when I knew that soon Sung Dowon would be caught in a perverted sex scandal trap that someone set up and that there would be a reversal later?

A chance only given to me, would I be able to live my life ignoring potentially life changing information and only look at the future twenty years from now?

I wasn’t confident.

I had already changed the future where I would have been backstabbed by the traitor and didn’t regret it at all. If I only watched the situation unfold even when I knew what would happen, it meant that I would have to watch the traitor getting called Lucky Charm. Then I might have fainted due to anger issues.

I pondered for a long time before getting up.

Since it was already like this, let’s do it without fear.

I didn’t know how long my foresight ability would help me… but let’s see if I could shape a better future with my hands.

After that day.

I thought of the best result from the information I knew so far. Since I was unable to obtain any more information about Sung Dowon’s case, the focus was obviously on Neptune.

After smoothly raising Neptune’s popularity, I would try to help them get first on their next album. Also, I would try to get Songha to play the role of an interpreter for the Cat Guardian Ghost drama.

This was the best I could think of.

So I tried to persuade Songha more aggressively.

Neptune was thoroughly preparing for the Next K-Star mission and there was nothing I could help them with at this time but Songha was different.

Of course, if Songha didn’t get the part, she might gloss over it but I felt like I would regret it so much that I wouldn’t be able to bare it.

I will definitely settle this today.

I held snacks in both hands as I made my way to the company. There was nothing scheduled today, so the girl would be gathered in the basement practice room practicing. As soon as I opened the door, I could see the girls sweating while they practiced their choreography in front of the mirror.

But there was only three. Where did Songha go?

“Oh? Doesn’t oppa have the day off today?”

The quick-witted Seoyoung was the first spot me.

“Right. I was passing by when I decided to visit.”

“Really?”

Of course, it was a lie. What kind of crazy person would loiter around their company on their day off?

The reason why I came here on my precious day off was because I was in a hurry. I had to convince Songha before they started the auditions for Cat Guardian Ghost.

“I bought some snacks, so take a break and eat.”

I handed out everything I had in my hands. Besides one bag.

“What’s that?”

“This is something I bought for Songha. Where is she?”

“The bathroom. Why? Are you going to ask her about acting again?”

“Yeah.”

“Songha’s stubbornness is no joke but oppa is amazing too. Hyunjo oppa tried several times before giving up.”

If Hyunjo knew what I knew, he would probably chase her around with lunch boxes to persuade her.

Anyways, to these girls who didn’t know anything, I probably did look persistent in their eyes.

After stopping their practice, the approaching Taehee sat down on the floor and opened her mouth.

“I heard that you originally applied to the actor team.”

“Huh?”

“I investigated and heard that you said you wanted to join the actor team during your interview.”

What did you do?

I was surprised but Seoyoung and LJ looked at me with wide eyes.

Taehee lowered her head and said.

“Sorry. There are just so many weird people in the world. I investigated because we had to stay together every day. In the past, there was someone who tried to take a picture of us naked.”

“What a crazy…”

“That’s what I’m saying. But… are you trying to convince Songha for that reason? Because you want to be assigned to an actor?”

What?

“That’s not it. If Songha really doesn’t want to act, I won’t force her. I won’t bring it up again.”

Since the most important part was Songha’s thoughts.

If she really didn’t want to become an actress, a successful drama wasn’t a chance for her.

“Songha had a hard time when she took acting lessons.”

Taehee sighed as she said.

“I didn’t witness it myself but it seemed like she was being harshly punished by the instructor.”

She was punished?

LJ and Seoyoung added in.

“She really was stressed then.”

“Right. Even when she was scolded tons of times by our vocal and dance instructors, I never saw her discouraged. She was originally a girl who be fine after eating but she looked really pitiable when she was getting acting lessons. It was the first time I had seen her like that.”

“Since she had to relieve her pent-up stress, she would be depressed while eating 3 servings of food every night and then she eventually quit.”

“It looked like she was looking forward to acting lessons before she started…”

Did she get traumatized during her lessons?

Was that why she would slowly escape whenever I brought it up?

I met eyes with Taehee who spoke with a heavy tone.

“Like you said. If Songha really doesn’t want to do it, please don’t force her.”

“Of course.”

I immediately nodded my head.

“But if she thinks she is bad at acting, it really is regrettable. I think Songha will really be good at it.”

“…What do you think?”

Taehee looked behind me and asked.

“Do you want to act again? Or do you not?”

I hurriedly turned around and saw Songha standing behind the half-opened door.

It was silent for a moment. As if she had something say, she scratched her head with a complicated expression and sat next to me.

She had only escaped until now. Was she finally prepared to say something?

As I was expectedly waiting for an answer, Songha looked at the bag I was holding.

“What is this smell?”

“Oh? This? It’s sweet pancakes made with sticky rice and brown sugar filling. Want it?”

“Please.”

I handed her the whole bag. And I quietly waited while Songha was eating the pancakes. Though I did give her a wet wipe to wipe off the sugar filling dripping out of the pancake.

“Wipe it with this.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

“Your wrist too.”

“Yes.”

“You have some on your chin.”

“Yes.”

What was this! I was about to clean it like I did with my nephews and nieces.

Soon after, Songha’s clean mouth opened.

“Do you really think I will be good at acting?”

“I think so.”

“He said that kids like me should never become actresses.”

What did you say?

“Actors who were originally idols had make pain-staking efforts to rid themselves of that tag. If someone like me who wasn’t good at acting and had nothing to show was to become an actress, I would be insulting my seniors… And that I was taking away the chance new actors could have and to not even show myself and quit acting lessons.”

“… Your acting instructor said that?”

Songha nodded her head.

I was speechless. That she should never act, not show her face? If anyone heard those words, of course, they would quit! Wasn’t this person who called himself an instructor completely crushing a young girl’s ambitions? With what thoughts did he say that?

“Songha. Did he really say that?”

“What kind of person is that? Why would he say such things?”

“You frustrating kid! Why did you who is so good at speaking roughly to us just listen to that? Why didn’t you tell us?!”

The other girls were fuming with anger. Songha looked like she had more to say and was avoiding their eyes.

I abruptly got up.

“I’ll be back.”

I will go up to the office and find the instructor’s phone number, then I will ask him why he said that to Songha.

I pressed the fourth-floor button but the elevator stopped at the first floor. And someone I had met once or twice in the company got on. With an incredibly serious expression.

What happened?

The bearded middle-aged man grilled someone.

“Why isn’t Sung Dowon coming? Where is he right now?”

“He was in the middle of a photo shoot…”

“Is a photo shoot the problem right now?!”

“They said they stopped everything and are on their way here. They will be here soon.”

“Did you check with Sung Dowon? How much of it is real?”

“That is…”

“Wait.”

The bearded man glanced at me who was in the corner.

“Let’s talk when we get up. And tell Sung Dowon to come right away.”

The elevator arrived at the fourth floor. As soon as I got off, the elevator went up.

The sixth floor, where the CEO’s office was.

I instinctively knew.

It had started.