Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 57

How About a Lifetime Contract? (2)

2021.12.27.

Yeon-woo didn’t have the luxury to worry about the agency’s intentions. Excluding the profit aspect, the terms were genuinely exceptional, just as Kwon Seong-hyeon had assured him. Numerous clauses guaranteed almost unconditional support in every conceivable way. ‘This isn’t a contract; it’s more like a list of things they’re offering to do for me?’ It practically begged him to accept the money and support. Although the contract was written in formal language, that eagerness was palpable. However, one part stood out. “What about this part?”

“Which part are you referring to?”

“The contract duration and termination clauses. Is this… really okay?” Yeon-woo’s finger pointed to a specific section. Kwon Seong-hyeon replied nonchalantly, “You think 20 years is too short, right? Should we make it 30?”

“Huh? No, it’s not that it’s too short…”

“Ah. A lifetime contract wouldn’t be bad either. My thinking was a bit short-sighted.”

“Wait. That’s not it either…”

“…Were you perhaps thinking of terminating the contract, Yeon-woo?”

“Well, you never know what might happen…”

“So, you’re saying you’ll use me and then throw me away?” For some reason, his gaze seemed hurt.

“Excuse me?” Just as he was about to retort in bewilderment, even Dong Ja-ryeong started chirping. [Wow. So cold. He realized the harshness of society too quickly. And he’s still so young!]

“Still, this seems a bit excessive…”

“No. It still feels a bit lacking… But if you want, I can revise it.” He felt like he was doing something terribly wrong. Even to Yeon-woo, who knew nothing about such conditions, it was clear that they were beyond the best, the absolute top-tier. Under normal circumstances, he should keep the contract period short to negotiate better terms upon renewal, but…

‘…Well. With these conditions… I have a feeling I’ll never get anything like this again in my life.’ Again, Yeon-woo’s ‘gut feeling’ boasted a very high probability of being accurate.

“Alright. Let’s sign the contract.”

“Excellent decision. I’ll call the lawyer right away.”

“Pardon?”

“We need to get it notarized properly.” Kwon Seong-hyeon smiled faintly. As soon as he made a call, the bell rang in less than a few minutes.

“Looks like they’re here.”

“……”

So fast. Too fast! ‘Was he waiting in advance?’ He was definitely a premeditator. Yeon-woo watched Kwon Seong-hyeon greet the lawyer with a bright smile and sighed deeply. Come to think of it, that guy had always been a bit strange. Yeon-woo gave up trying to understand.

***

“It’s not just because he’s my client, but I can assure you that this is definitely not a disadvantageous contract. I can say that with certainty, putting my 30 years of experience in the legal field on the line.” The lawyer’s words were natural, as the contract was entirely in favor of the ‘甲’ (gap) [the first party in a contract, usually the one with more power or providing the service], which, in this case, was Yeon-woo, not the management company. The lawyer added, “As long as you don’t terminate the contract… Haha. With these conditions, no one would ever want to terminate it. They’d only wish to renew it under the same terms! It’s not just because I advised on these conditions that I’m saying this. I meticulously selected and included only the best possible terms I could think of. This is my masterpiece.” For some reason, the lawyer’s face looked very proud.

“If these conditions become known, the entertainment industry will probably be in tears. No one will want to sign with them.”

“Yeah, well.” If the lawyer was saying all that, it must be true. This contract was definitely a huge benefit to Yeon-woo.

“We’re finally one family.”

“We were already similar even without the contract, weren’t we?”

“It’s different. Back then, there was no official connection, but now we’re firmly bound by a formal relationship called a contract.” Kwon Seong-hyeon said with a very satisfied look on his face. His eyes were softly curved, filled with a languid energy. It was the first time Yeon-woo had seen him so relaxed, and he briefly reflected. ‘Have I been too casual?’ He thought he had been behaving properly since discovering the wandering thoughts, even though he might have been a bit like that at first.

“I was a little anxious all this time, but now I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”

“…I didn’t mean to test the waters, but I’m sorry if it seemed that way.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Kwon Seong-hyeon rubbed his chin with his finger. “It’s just that the one who’s more eager is always more impatient. Don’t worry, I didn’t misunderstand.”

“Yes…”

“I’m already looking forward to seeing how much brighter you’ll shine, Yeon-woo. I’m even happier that I can be a part of that journey.” He had only thought of him as a strange person, but he needed to add one more thing. ‘He’s not getting scammed somewhere, is he?’ Kwon Seong-hyeon was a top actor who easily drew millions of viewers to every project and stirred the entire nation. It was unlikely that someone like him would get scammed, but at this moment, Yeon-woo was seriously concerned. ‘Sigh. Now that we’re one family, I need to make sure he doesn’t get taken advantage of.’ Even though he was the benefactor who saved his life, it was still surprising to see someone giving so much. If Kwon Seong-hyeon knew, he would only give an ambiguous smile, but Yeon-woo didn’t know.

***

“Then, shall we start looking for a house?”

“Excuse me?” What was that out-of-the-blue remark? When Yeon-woo asked back, taken aback by the unexpected words, Kwon Seong-hyeon tilted his head slightly and pointed to the contract on the table with his eyes. “The clause that says ‘We will spare no support.’ Naturally, that includes your accommodation.”

“I’m already satisfied with this house, though?”

“You might think so. Right now.” He seemed to agree, but then added a condition. A condition that limited the point in time to ‘now.’

“So, you’re saying it won’t be in the future?”

“Probably.”

“I’m not particularly extravagant, though. Nor am I very materialistic.” It wasn’t just idle talk. In reality, Yeon-woo didn’t really care about the quality of his food, clothes, or shelter, as long as he had enough to eat, wear, and a place to sleep. ‘After all, money is money, water is water, and mountains are mountains.’ The position of a spiritually powerful shaman often shows him a lot. Seeing that many of the visitors who came to his mother, Madam Kang’s, shrine came because of financial problems, he would sometimes feel that money was good, but then become 허허실실 (heoheosilshil – empty and carefree) [a state of being detached from worldly concerns].

‘It’s lifespan that matters more than money. If you don’t have a lifespan, it’s the end, no matter how much money you have.’ You can’t take money with you when you die anyway. Yeon-woo’s ‘enough’ stemmed from this. Moreover, Yeon-woo was starting to worry about the pushover in front of him, no, Kwon Seong-hyeon.

“Kwon Seong-hyeon.”

“Yes?”

“Please don’t misunderstand me when I say this.”

“Yes. I’m listening.”

“I know you grew up in a wealthy environment and have a lot of assets. But it’s good to be frugal, isn’t it? Money comes and goes, you know?” Of course, this might not really apply to Kwon Seong-hyeon, a second-generation chaebol [family-owned conglomerate]. No. Should I even say this? ‘Is this meddling?’ But seeing that human lifespan vending machine, who was even giving away lifespans, spending money like water made him feel guilty.

“From what I see, this world is more dangerous than usual. I know you’re a good person, Kwon Seong-hyeon, and I know you feel indebted to me, but still, giving too much is dangerous. Well, it’s not like I’m going to stab you in the back. Don’t misunderstand. Even if I’m okay, wouldn’t other people take advantage of you and scam you?” Case by case, celebrities are generally known to earn a lot of money. That’s why there are many people who deliberately approach them to commit fraud, and there are also many who start businesses and go bankrupt, ending up in debt.

“Ah……” Kwon Seong-hyeon, who had been wearing a blank expression, suddenly burst into a refreshing laugh. It was the first time Yeon-woo had seen such a hearty laugh. Perhaps it was because tears welled up from laughing. His already sparkling eyes seemed to shine even more brightly, filled with light.

“You’re the first person to worry about that for me, Yeon-woo.”

“Really? That’s a bit serious. Has no one ever told you not to give things away?”

“Yes. Because I’m not usually the type to give so much.”

“……?” Then what is he giving away now? As Yeon-woo stared blankly at Kwon Seong-hyeon, Kwon Seong-hyeon’s eyes softened.

“If you’re worried, would you like to manage my assets for me instead, Yeon-woo? Then you can cut them off in the middle even if I get scammed somewhere.”

“No. That’s a bit much.”

“That’s a shame. Just let me know anytime. You saved my life, so you can just take all my assets.”

“No. That’s also a bit much.” Well, people come before money, not the other way around. From the perspective of Kwon Seong-hyeon, who was like a walking corporation, he might be thinking that those assets were nothing compared to his life. ‘Unexpectedly, we think alike in this aspect.’ He seemed like a strange person, but that ideology was properly ingrained in him.

“Anyway, Yeon-woo. Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I’m saying you’re extravagant, nor am I spending money like crazy because I have too much.”

“……Then what do you mean by suddenly having to change accommodations?”

“Let’s just say that external factors that will occur in the near future will interfere with your life here.”

“External factors?”

“As you become more famous, the number of people who recognize you will increase, and there will be people who try to dig into your every move. Reporters, stalker fans, and so on. Once a celebrity’s residence becomes known, all sorts of miscellaneous people come, in addition to those two. For example, people who ask if you believe in 도 (do – a religious or philosophical path) [a religious or philosophical path], or people who ask for donations.”

“Surely not…?”

“Why else would there be a saying that ‘surely’ always gets people?” Kwon Seong-hyeon smiled gently, not at all like someone who had just dropped such a shocking statement. [So, what the actor is saying is… he might get stalked if things go wrong?]

“That’s right, Dong Ja-ryeong. If Yeon-woo remains unknown, maybe not… Ah, even that’s not entirely safe. There are even people who deliberately seek out unknowns who are bound to be thirsty for attention.” For example, there are those who ‘raise them to devour them.’ Yeon-woo felt goosebumps rise at Kwon Seong-hyeon’s added words.

“It’s also questionable whether you can remain unknown even if you want to…” That was true. He needed to become famous and solidify his influence, so being unknown was out of the question.

“So, it’s better to find a new house now in many ways. There’s the issue of safety, and it will also be difficult to set up a studio in this house. There’s not enough space either.”

“……I’m sorry for misunderstanding.”

“Why are you apologizing for something like that? We’re close. If there’s a misunderstanding, we can just clear it up.” Kwon Seong-hyeon smiled brightly again as if nothing had happened. “Then, shall we go look for a house now?”

***

“……Are you sure you want to look for a house?”

“Of course.”

“But why do I keep feeling like I’m just running errands?”

“I wonder. Isn’t it just your imagination?” Kwon Seong-hyeon, sitting across from him, smiled. [I thought the last house was pretty good. Why didn’t you like it?]

“The water pressure is weak.” [Huh?]

“If the water pressure is weak, it’s very inconvenient to shower. When I turned on the tap and flushed the toilet earlier, the water pressure in the sink weakened.”

“What does that have to do with…”

“It has a lot to do with it. Time is of the essence for celebrities. You need to reduce losses in other areas as much as possible to increase the time you spend focusing on your work. If the water pressure is weak, it will take longer to shower, which could delay your schedule, which could lead to a negative evaluation from the people involved, which could ultimately lead to a decline in recognition……”