Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 81

Underdog’s Rebellion (1)

* * *

The situation ended.

The landlord appeared, and they couldn’t keep fighting.

With regretful expressions, the invited guests dispersed.

The atmosphere, which had been heated up in anticipation of a big event, lingered in the air.

“Please ensure that today’s events are not leaked externally. This is the head of headquarters’ order.”

Meanwhile, officials from Jarmani Korea went around, trying to silence the reporters.

“You’re telling us not to write about this? Even if it’s something everyone knows, asking us to cut it out entirely…”

The team leader of a certain entertainment magazine, who had been complaining, grinned and picked up a new champagne glass after hearing that he could ‘spice it up appropriately and release it’.

In fact, it didn’t make sense to gather them to watch the event and then tell them to keep their mouths shut. In this industry, buzz and interest are money.

“Ah, so it ends like this.”

A reporter muttered, clicking his tongue.

The head of Jarmani Korea.
The situation was brought to a close with the appearance of Shim Soo-jin, the only Korean executive at Royal Jarmani (JMRY), a leader in the global luxury market.

She entered with Park Geon, gave some instructions to the staff, and quickly left.

It always seems like the one who hits last wins the fight.

Perhaps because she seemed to have a connection with Shim Soo-jin, the DG [DG Entertainment] and Joinus alliance, led by Gi Eun-seo, retreated with displeased expressions, sensing the shift in atmosphere.

It was a disappointing end for the invited guests who had been expecting a battle of words between Gi Eun-seo and Baek Ha-ni.

“Who do you think would have won earlier? If Park Geon hadn’t shown up with Director Shim.”

To the actress who had been whispering earlier, a colleague replied.

“I’d bet on Baek Ha-ni. I’d put up to 100,000 won on it.”

“Why? Gi Eun-seo has caused plenty of trouble too.”

“Gi Eun-seo is all talk; at best, she’s got her bare hands. Baek Ha-ni is a civilized person.”

“Civilized?”

“She uses tools. She hits and throws things.”

The colleague, who was well-versed in entertainment gossip and known as a ‘social butterfly’, replied. As expected of Queen Baek… The actress, impressed, clicked her tongue and asked.

“Then what about Park Geon and Moon Han-bin?”

The colleague looked at her as if she were hearing something absurd.

“Even if all the DG actors came, they wouldn’t stand a chance. Have you seen Park Geon pick his targets when he fights?”

*

The lounge on the second floor of the venue, created for the invited guests to relax.

Baek Ha-ni, who had thrown off her jacket, scoffed as if it were ridiculous.

“How old is she to be senile already? If she’s a headquarters manager, she should just sell bags well.”

“Everyone can hear you.”

“That’s why I’m saying it. I’m disgusted by the sight of her pitting actors against each other.”

Even after being dragged upstairs by Park Geon and Jo Hyeon-ah, Baek Ha-ni continued her scathing criticism.

She was furious at Shim Soo-jin, the head of headquarters, not at the ‘Hyperion’ leads like Gi Eun-seo, for being an arrogant subordinate who only sells brands from other countries and for trying to screw over the actors.

Yu Jun-il, the manager who had come along to take care of the actors, quickly poured her some champagne.

“Ha-ni, I understand, so drink this first. It’s your favorite drink, alcohol. Huh?”

“I don’t need it. Who do you think I am, a drunkard?”

Baek Ha-ni snapped back and snatched the full champagne glass, gulping it down in one go.

Jo Hyeon-ah, whose face had finally regained some composure, swept back her hair.

“But what’s going on? The Roman people [likely referring to powerful or influential figures] at this kind of event, and all together at that.”

Park Geon, who had been standing at the lounge railing looking down at the venue, turned around.

“I asked them to come. There’s someone I’m looking for, and I thought they might show up if I showed my face.”

“Someone you’re looking for?”

“Yes. I was a little late because I brought Baek Ha-ni along the way, I’m sorry.”

Even if she was a veteran actress, there weren’t many opportunities to fight once she reached this position.

Moreover, it was an alliance of the two major agencies. Top actors had gathered and openly expressed their hostility, so Jo Hyeon-ah had also gone through some hardship.

“It’s okay. It would have been a problem if Ha-ni hadn’t come; you really have a sense of duty.”

As Jo Hyeon-ah said with a smile, Baek Ha-ni, who had downed another glass, coldly replied.

“Duty my ass, I’m just annoyed, so I’m just giving them some shit. I hate those who harass people when they can’t even fight.”

“That’s funny. I’m always harassing you, aren’t I?”

Manager Yu protested, but no one paid attention. Jo Hyeon-ah turned to Park Geon this time.

“Oh, but were you originally acquainted with Director Shim? You seemed close.”

“That’s right, Director Shim and our Park actor came in together, and the force was just… Shim Soo-jin also had quite the chaebol [family-owned conglomerate] scandal back in the day.”

“No, I met her for the first time today.”

Manager Yu Jun-il tilted his head.

“Uh, uh? You were definitely earlier…”

After the fight fizzled out, Director Shim had a brief but friendly conversation with him.

He thought they were acquainted because they both spoke fluent German, but that wasn’t the case?

Park Geon calmly explained the situation.

“I met her on the way here. She said she was a fan and greeted me first, so I asked her why she had called all those people. She said the ‘Hyperion’ actors were here and it was noisy from the entrance.”

“······.”

This time, Jo Hyeon-ah’s eyes widened. If she was an executive at JMRY and the head of the biggest luxury brand, her position in the fashion world would be enormous.

You could hear the lip service of being a fan, but what kind of nerve did she have to say that to her face?

“Th-then what did she say?”

“She apologized. She said the acting I did when I stood on the runway during the ‘Hoe-do Team’ [likely a TV show or drama] was impressive, and she asked me to stand on the show as a model soon.”

It was too much to be surprised anymore. The words ‘stand on our show’ from the mouth of a headquarters-level person were not just lip service.

Manager Yu, who knew the value of those words, handed over the champagne bottle.

“Wow, you’re really Roman’s lucky charm. If Director Shim said that much, it means she’s going to offer an exclusive contract soon, so let’s raise it to the CEO and try to expand the board as much as possible.”

“Congratulations, I feel good too.”

Jo Hyeon-ah also offered her congratulations, while Baek Ha-ni’s reaction was lukewarm.

“You’ve become a top star. Just stop filming and go now; Paris Fashion Week isn’t far away.”

“I’ll charge you a penalty for breach of contract.”

“Have you ever cared about that?”

“I’m a rookie with a long way to go. I can’t throw the head of headquarters’ nameplate around like Ha-ni.”

“…Unbelievable, really!”

Baek Ha-ni, who jumped up, stomped down the stairs, and Manager Yu followed behind, picking up the scattered jacket as if he were used to it.

Jo Hyeon-ah, watching the two-shot with a faint smile, muttered.

“This will take up the front page of the entertainment section tomorrow. Baek General and Hyperion came to the Jarmani event and fought.”

“That’s right. Director Shim Soo-jin seemed to be aiming for it and set up the board.”

“That’s right, get along well with that side too. If you really stand on the overseas fashion week, you’ll have a lot of global fans.”

“It’s possible that she’s just talking like that and won’t call. In the end, Hyperion and Baek General, the more valuable lineup will be the model…”

While continuing to speak, Park Geon’s gaze suddenly turned to the dark side of the venue.

It was a quick and agile movement, like a leopard that had found its prey.

“Why, did you see a familiar face?”

Jo Hyeon-ah asked, but Park Geon shook his head.

“No. Let’s get up too.”

*

At the entrance of a park a little away from the venue, Cha In-hyeok lit a cigarette.

There was a sign that said ‘No Smoking’, but for people like him, laws that can be silenced with money are not laws.

“Did you check?”

The female secretary, who was a DG official today and had contacted the internal staff on his behalf, bowed her head.

“Baek Ha-ni left first. Jo Hyeon-ah and Park Geon also left the venue a little while ago.”

“They thought the picture came out and there was no need to stay any longer. What about Gi Eun-seo?”

“I think she went to the company with actor Moon Han-bin.”

Cha In-hyeok took out the gold-rimmed glasses he had taken off for a while from his suit pocket.

“Those fools, they think their lives have changed just because they’ve enjoyed a little popularity. At best, they’re entertainers with a shelf life of five or six years.”

Today, Gi Eun-seo was thoroughly humiliated.

Even if Moon Han-bin didn’t say anything, the news that she had stabbed Jo Hyeon-ah and been badly beaten by Baek Ha-ni would spread quickly.

‘When the price goes up, you have to think about raising it even more, but the way she’s spilling it is just like a kid holding chocolate.’

He didn’t like CEO Byeon Dong-geun’s ‘meritocratic carrot’ very much.

Look, didn’t the Joinus guys just watch and run away like their CEO?

Moon Han-bin is the only one who has some sense, but most of DG’s top stars, including Gi Eun-seo, are stupid trash, whether they’re musicians or actors.

“…Even Baek Ha-ni is fiercely protecting her personal information.”

“Yes?”

“No, not you.”

At the answer mixed with a faint annoyance, the female secretary bowed her head and stepped back.

Park Geon and Baek Ha-ni, the actors who will be in ‘Baekjeong General’ this time, have been digging into their backgrounds since the beginning.

But… nothing comes out.

The people below weren’t trustworthy at all, and the paparazzi team he had hired separately only made whining noises.

-Give us a little more down payment. No, we’re not blackmailing you, but strange guys are sticking to us?

-Strange guys?

-Yes. They look like a security team… I think they’re going with Park Geon’s manager and taking care of the leads.

-You should stick to them and find out.

-Oh, Director Cha. Times have changed; celebrities will sue you right away if you catch paparazzi, stalkers, or followers. If we get caught, your name will come out too.

The blue blood vessels popped out on Cha In-hyeok’s fist, which was holding the glasses tightly.

‘It’s been like that since he was a rookie. Things keep getting twisted because of him; it’s annoying and bothersome.’

However, this also means that the swamp that binds him is getting deeper.

That’s how violence is in the first place. One hit, two hits, and if that’s not enough to make them bend, you have no choice but to hit them more… and more harshly.

‘He’s definitely a guy with a good sense…’.

When he made eye contact with Park Geon inside the venue ten minutes ago, he was secretly surprised.

He had only gone in to see his face from afar because he heard he was still at the venue.

-He’s on the second floor.

It was the moment he looked up at the second-floor lounge after receiving the report coming to the earpiece. Park Geon, who suddenly turned his head, looked exactly where he was.

As if he felt the gaze from this side.

Even if he knew his face, it was a dark place where it was difficult to recognize him, so it was right to see him as a guy with a terribly good sense.

“Special forces, that ridiculous background is bothering a lot of people.”

The female secretary did not respond to her boss’s mutter this time either.

Cha In-hyeok opened his hand and threw the glasses, one of whose legs was crushed, on the bench where cigarette butts were rolling around.

“Put the same thing on my desk by morning. Double the number of field personnel in Buyeo.”

*

DG’s Cheongdam-dong Headquarters 1.

The internal security team kicked out all the trainees and staff from the underground lounge.

In the lounge where no one was left, another top actor screams.

“What is it, that bitch!”

Gi Eun-seo’s anger did not subside, even though she had caused all sorts of disturbances in the manager’s car all the way here.

It’s because the more she thinks about it, the more angry she gets at the humiliation she suffered in that place.

“I should have just established discipline! Whether anyone saw it or not, whether Director Shim came or not! Isn’t that right, oppa [term used by females to refer to older brothers or close male friends]?”

Moon Han-bin, who was standing far away with his hands in his pockets, said.

“Well, Park Geon brought Shim Soo-jin, and the board was broken.”

“That Park Geon guy… that bastard is also arrogant; what’s he doing appearing last like he’s something? Has he ever brought in 10 million viewers, huh? Has he ever held a concert overseas!”

Gi Eun-seo looked around with glittering eyes, then threw two cups of coffee that no one owned onto the floor at the same time.

Watching DG’s representative actor go crazy, Moon Han-bin thought indifferently.

‘The public relations team will have a hard time soon.’

Gi Eun-seo’s anger control varies depending on the level of the person. Even when she’s furious, her colleague decides whether to pour coffee on her body or on her face, depending on who the person in front of her is.

“Pay me back when you meet them later. They’re faces you’ll see at film festivals and fashion shows anyway.”

“Really? Then we can punish them twice as much then, right?”

As proof of that, the boiling anger disappeared, and a normal face returned.

She realized that there was no one to vent her anger on, and that making a mess of the lounge would only drain her energy.

“But I’m annoyed, so I should go to the set a little late tomorrow. No, should I go early?”

Gi Eun-seo muttered to herself in a cheerful tone and smiled brightly.

“Oppa. I should tell the CEO in advance, right?”

“Do whatever.”

“Okay, then first, I’ll gather all the managers tonight…”

And DG’s two representative actors overlooked it.

That the war with the outside world sometimes becomes the seed of internal strife.

* * *