#110

Fortunately or unfortunately, the placement of the chair was perfect, allowing me to see the scene below at a glance even while seated. It was clear that Oh Jiwan had put a lot of thought into the details.

I quietly opened my mouth while watching the chaos below, which seemed to be a break time.

“Sitting here feels kind of strange.”

“I feel the same way just watching you.”

While I was awkwardly fiddling with the table, Sung Yoojun spoke with a trace of amusement in his voice, prompting me to squint at him. He must’ve found the sight of me sitting at this oddly placed picnic table above the dimly lit ceiling quite amusing.

“Even if you look at me like that, I can’t sit with you. There’s only one chair.”

“I wasn’t looking because I wanted you to sit with me. Though I will admit, I’d kind of like to see you sit here.”

“It wouldn’t be a fitting look for me.”

“Well, same goes for me, right?”

At my leisurely comment, crossing my legs as I spoke, Sung Yoojun let out a soft chuckle.

“That’s certainly true.”

Seeing him not deny it for even a second made the corner of my mouth curve up. With our cold appearances, neither of us really matched the cute items like the picnic table sitting here.

“You may not be able to sit with me, but you will at least have a snack, right?”

“You’re actually going to eat the snacks?”

“Well, someone went through the trouble to prepare them. We should at least make it look like we appreciated it.”

With that, I picked up one of the cookies on the table. It was a chocolate chip cookie, with bits of sweet chocolate embedded throughout. As I took a bite and chewed, a sweet and nutty flavor spread through my mouth. I had been worried it might be too sweet, but thankfully it wasn’t.

“Not bad. It’s not overly sweet. I think it’ll suit your taste too, Secretary Sung.”

Thinking of how he didn’t particularly avoid any foods but also didn’t go out of his way to eat sweets, I made the comment, and he let out a short laugh.

“How do you know my taste so well?”

“We’re together every day. Wouldn’t it be weirder if I didn’t?”

Speaking in a light tone, I took another bite of the cookie I was holding. Then Sung Yoojun, who had been watching me quietly, reached for a cookie on the table. Soon, I could hear the crisp sound of him biting into it.

As Secretary Sung Yoojun and I quietly ate cookies together, a loud voice rang out from the chaotic scene below.

“Everyone, attention! We’re going to shoot again, so get ready!”

At the staff member’s booming voice, everyone quickly returned to their positions. I brushed the cookie crumbs from my hands and focused my attention below. The director, who had been absent earlier, was now sitting in a chair with an arrogant posture.

Casting a cold gaze toward him, I soon shifted my eyes toward Tartarus, who were standing in formation on the set for their choreography. All of them were dressed to fit the concept of the music video, and seeing them like that brought on a wave of emotion.

Those kids really are idols, huh? I was having that thought when the director raised his hand from his seat. Just then, Tartarus’s new song ‘Find’, which they had recently finished recording, began to echo through the set.

As the dry and heavy intro began to play, Tartarus started dancing in sync with the music.

I didn’t have much technical knowledge about music, but I did have enough of an eye and ear to tell whether a singer was talented or not. And from what I could see, Tartarus was genuinely skilled. Their sharp, precise movements and choreography executed so perfectly in unison it looked like a single person dancing—these were clear signs of just how much they had practiced.

“……They’re really good.”

“They are.”

Sung Yoojun agreed with my quiet admiration as we watched Tartarus’s powerful dance. I got so caught up in the performance, I completely forgot we were there in secret, leaning over the railing to watch intently.

Just as their already energetic performance reached its peak and my heart pounded with excitement, a sharp voice suddenly cut through the air.

“Stop! Stop!!”

The director’s voice echoed loudly throughout the set, despite not using a mic, his voice carrying with startling strength. All eyes in the studio immediately turned toward him.

“Turn the music off!”

With an irritated wave of his hand, the director gave the command, and the music cut off abruptly. A heavy silence fell over the set.

“Guys. Guys, guys, guys. I told you, didn’t I? This isn’t it. How many more times do I have to say it before you understand?”

“……”

“There’s a problem with every single thing. I don’t even know where to start pointing things out. You can’t be doing this. Do you even realize how much your oh-so-important president is investing in you guys?”

What does how much I invest in them has anything to do with him? I couldn’t stop my brow from furrowing as I turned to Secretary Sung Yoojun.

“What was his name again?”

“It’s Lee Gilseon.”

Right. That was it. I leaned an elbow on the railing, resting my chin on my hand as I turned my attention back to what was unfolding below.

“When someone believes in you enough to invest, don’t you think you should live up to that trust? This is a mess. I honestly don’t know how I’m supposed to create a final product out of this. If you keep this up, how am I supposed to face the president, huh?”

Shaking his head as if he were truly weary, Director Lee Gilseon sighed. Anyone watching might think he was speaking from some deep artistic principle. The reality, though, was nothing more than nonsense masked as concern.

“To be honest, I had really high hopes for this shoot. You guys are famous in this industry, aren’t you? I believed all of it. But now that I’ve seen it for myself, I’m starting to think it was all just hype. Your president probably brought you in based on that reputation, too. Poor guy……”

“……”

“Oh, well. He’s probably got more money than he knows what to do with, so maybe it doesn’t matter. Who knows? Maybe getting into entertainment was just another rich boy’s weird hobby.”

The more Director Lee Gilseon talked, the worse the expressions on Tartarus’s faces became. Looking down at them clenching their fists, their faces rigid with frustration, I felt a growing heaviness inside me. It was obvious—they all wanted to speak up, but they were holding back. They were afraid that saying something might cause trouble, not for themselves, but for me, their president.

I told them yesterday they didn’t have to do that, but of course, it made no difference. I figured it would turn out this way anyway. Still, they really were far too kind.

Watching those guys like that made me want to go down immediately and put an end to the situation. But I held myself back, because I hadn’t forgotten the reason I snuck in here in the first place.

My goal was to return the humiliation Tartarus had received from Director Lee Gilseon right back at him. I repeated that in my head, tightening my grip on the railing. Not yet. Just a little longer. I had to wait for him to spew just a bit more nonsense before I stormed the set—at the perfect moment, with no way for him to escape.

“Tch, seriously, kids these days…… They think everything’s easy. Do they even know how brutal this industry is? Just waltzing in like it’s nothing. And when the business goes under, they’ve got enough money to bail themselves out anyway. No passion, no work ethic. They think they can just throw money around and get anywhere. I can’t respect that.”

“……”

“Soon as things get hard, I bet he’ll just bring in a new president and go back to whatever cushy life he came from. It’s obvious. People like that never think about the mess they leave behind for the rest. You guys shouldn’t get too attached either. What’s the point of getting close to someone who could disappear any second? You’ve gotta learn to keep a safe distance and blend in—that’s how you survive in this world.”

“President. Should I take care of it?”

Secretary Sung Yoojun’s voice was tense, teeth clenched in anger. But I shook my head. Then I reached out and gently patted his hand, which had been balled so tightly into a fist that the veins stood out.

As the warmth of my touch spread across our skin, the strength in his hand began to noticeably ease.

I slowly slid my fingers between his, entwining them. Then, interlocking our hands tightly, I gave a soft tug. His gaze, which had been fixed firmly downward, gradually lifted to meet mine.

There was a deep, stormy anger simmering in his eyes. Looking into them, I offered a soft smile. Then I spoke firmly.

“That man’s mine. Even you, Secretary Sung, don’t get to take this one from me.”

It was a declaration that no matter what, I would be the one to deal with Director Lee Gilseon—no compromises. His expression shifted strangely at my words. He stared at me for a moment, as if weighing something, then finally let out a long, heavy sigh.

“Understood.”

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need for you to thank me, sir. After all, you’re the one who was insulted. It’s only right you’re the one to act.”

As he said that, Sung Yoojun tightened his grip on my hand. It stung a little, the pressure on my interlocked fingers making me flinch. Immediately, he loosened his grip.

Satisfied that the sting in my fingers had faded, I turned my gaze back to the scene below.