Top Management

Chapter 23: You should act (1)

TL: Myoni

Edited: Myoni, Yoni

Team Leader Park readily agreed to get me Writer Hong Jumi's synopsis and I vowed to never leak the synopsis to the public.

Afterwards, thoughts only pertaining to the synopsis floated around in my head.

Even during a meeting and throughout the time we ate dinner with an event agency employee and were drinking down boilermakers.

I constantly looked up Writer Hong Jumi on the internet but there wasn't much information. In her mid-thirties. Married. Released two romance novels under a pen name and was completely new to writing dramas.

So this person was the one who hit the jackpot with her debuting work?

Then after this drama ends, her worth would go up tremendously. And this would be the only time she would be troubled with casting actors as a new writer.

So it was definitely a chance that wouldn't come twice.

If I was assigned to an actor, I would have immediately looked up the date of the audition. But, I wasn't. Even though I knew this would be a huge success, I had no actors to push.

My actor… when I thought that, I recalled Sung Dowon.

Should I ask him?

My eyes shined for 3 seconds before I shook my head. Ridiculous. What did he lack that he would do a new writer's drama, on a cable network to boot? He was a top actor who people would cling to cast in a public network drama for $70, 000 per episode.

Was there a new actor in W&U that I could talk to?

I recalled the frames on the fifth-floor hallway before shaking my head again.

This wasn't right.

I was currently Neptune's manager. I couldn't go to a new actor, show him the synopsis and ask him to do it with me. Those people would all have their assigned managers as well.

It would be a relief if I didn't get beat for touching someone else's rice bowl[1]. Even if it was me, I would be frigging pissed.

So an actor with no assigned manager, did I have to find an aspiring actor outside of W&U? However, since I was part of W&U, I didn't know if it was possible to approach a different actor and even if it was possible, I didn't know what to do. Unless my foresight ability kindly gave me new information on an aspiring actor that would pass the audition. Above all, I didn't have time to push this forward.

Since I was in a situation where I couldn't even go home and was sleeping in the company's sleeping quarters.

Of course, the traitor who lay above me and Hyunjo who lay on the other side were passed out.

Buzz.

My phone lit up as it vibrated.

Right, I forgot today was the day I was supposed to call my brother.

-Are you free to chat?

It seemed like someone had seen the light in that short moment as I heard someone move. I quickly put on my shoes and left the sleeping quarters. Blech… I was still drunk so every time I moved my head would ring.

I stood in the chilly hallway and called back. After a few rings, he answered.

-Yeah. Are you still working?

"I was lying down to sleep. I was going to call you once I finished but I forgot, sorry. Were you still up because of me?"

It was already passed 1 a.m. It was natural for me to be up at this hour but my brother was the type to sleep right at midnight.

-It's fine. I got lost in reading and didn't notice the time. Are you home?

"At the company."

-You are still in Seoul, right? You haven't been sold off to a faraway district, right?

"I am going back and forth from Chungdam-dong and Sangam-dong every day. Right now, I have no time. I'm constantly following behind Neptune but soon, the trai-, no, the person I work with and I are going to split the jobs and then I'll have some breathing room."

-Okay. Come to my house then. The kids are really looking forward to seeing you.

"It's been a long time since I've seen them. When I would see them once every two days."

-Come solidly prepared. It looks like they have a lot of questions for you. When you come, we might even have to set up a press conference.

I held my phone as I laughed for a long time. So those kids were looking forward to seeing me? I wasn't sure if they were waiting for me or something else… even if it was a bit embarrassing, I should ask if I could obtain some signed Blackout CDs.

-I think celebrity managers are at the same level as superheroes and the president.

My laugh instantly died down. I even awoke from my drunken state.

With the mention of superheroes, I thought of my supernatural ability.

-You probably need to rest so let's hang up. Wear warm clothes. You don't have anything going on, right?

Unorganized words I weren't sure of crept up to my throat before I stopped them. The words that came out of my mouth would be the same as an everyday joke.

"Lots of things. Every day is dynamic."

-Haha. That fits well with you.

"I am not the same person as I was in the past. It's been a while since my life's changed to a fantasy blockbuster."

This wasn't a joke; it was the truth.

-Hahaha. That seems like fun.

I could hear my brother's deep laugh.

As I was quietly listening, slowly a smile appeared on my lips.

It had a been a few days since my foresight ability suddenly squeezed into my life. At first I was at a loss, but afterwards, since it helped me, I embraced it. And the fact that no one knew and that I could be the sole person who possessed such an ability excited me as well.

However, somewhere in my heart, I felt nervous that I was caught in some unrealistic event.

It wasn't like I confessed anything but just talking casually like this relaxed my heart. Although I was caught up in something unreal, I was still reassured that I had my life and my family.

I ended my call with my brother and went to the office. I didn't know if it was because I awoke from my drunken state but I was thirsty.

I filled a paper cup to the brim with water, drank it and returned to the sleeping quarters with quick steps. It was too cold outside with only a t-shirt. If it was already like this, I wondered what I would do during the winter. Did I have to buy hot packs in bulk?

Brr, I needed to quickly slide myself into warm covers and rest my eyes for a bit.

Just when I was thinking that, my phone vibrated again.

-Oppa, sorry it's late. Are you still at the company?

It was a message from Seoyoung.

-Yeah. Why?

-Songha still hasn't come home. She doesn't answer her phone. Could you check if she's in the practice room? I'm so worried I can't sleep. T^T

-Okay. I'll go check.

-Yes yes. Thank you!

I got on the elevator and went to the practice room located in the basement. It wasn't strange for Songha to stay late in the practice room. Since even I had seen her there a few times. At first, when I saw her roaming around with her hair down, my heart felt like it was about to stop.

Although Neptune did practice a lot, Songha was the one that spent the most time practicing among them.

As expected, the lights of the practice room were lit today as well.

Knock, knock.

I knocked a few times but there was no answer. When I opened the door and entered, I saw Songha coolly moving in front of the dance mirror. She was in the middle of practicing the choreography and the vocals of Neptune's title track. She practiced for so long that even her back was soaking wet.

I closed the door and briefly observed Songha.

Her actions and expression reflected on the mirror.

I thought this when I first saw her but Songha really wasn't simply pretty.

Maybe she was born with it or she was doing it deliberately but she really had a certain charm.

"Oh, my."

It seemed like the song had ended during the time I was blankly staring at her. Songha's eyes widened and her face stiffened as she turned towards me.

"When did you come?"

"Just now. Seoyoung was worried that she couldn't contact you."

"Ah… I didn't know it was already this late."

Songha who was surprised when she saw her phone replied to a text.

"I will just do another hour. You can go in first."

"You have to wake up before the sun rises for your schedule tomorrow. Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm fine. I eat as much as I use."

So there was a reason why she would eat so much every meal.

"You're working hard, practicing until morning by yourself."

"…Because I'm worried."

"About what?"

"They might lose because of me."

"Lose… Ah. The mission for Next K-Star?"

"Yes."

I could feel the worry in her voice.

So she was practicing this hard for the team mission.

The reason why she felt sad was because even if she practiced for an incredible amount of time, she wasn't as good at singing as Taehee and she wasn't as good at dancing as Seoyoung. That was why her position was subvocal and subdancer. And rap, well there was nothing to say.

She knew herself that she was lacking compared to the other members. And that was why she would practice alone.

Since she thought she was a burden to the team.

Even though her skills were lacking relative to the others, she had the most parts in the center in their dance. Even in music videos, her face would come up the most often. It definitely was a weight on her shoulders.

Although Hyunjo said that she had the most exposure since she was the prettiest, my thoughts were different. I couldn't say it in case they said, "What would you know?"

From my personal opinion, Songha's acting was good.

A short 3-minute 40-second track definitely had a story. Neptune's title track was about a woman who struggles between a man she loves and a man who loves her. The lyrics expressed the conflicted heart very well.

Although the girls were good at dancing and singing, outstanding singing abilities and dance skills weren't able to convey that emotion. It did look like those girls tried hard to convey it but they seemed to come short by 2%.

However, Songha was able to convey the conflicting emotion in the lyrics as they were. With only her expression and voice. It didn't even look like she was trying hard either.

So for the 3 minutes and 40 seconds, no, for the few seconds Songha would sing, I would be completely immersed in it. And of course, the lyrics would pour into my ears.

I thought that was really impressive.

It was a bit regrettable that she didn't think that way and only urged herself to practice areas she lacked.

No matter how much I thought about it, she really should be an actor…

I abruptly revealed the thoughts I had while observing her.

"Songha."

"Yes?"

"Did you ever think about acting?"

Huh?

I came to the future at a completed unexpected time.

I quickly grasped my surroundings. This time was once again the hazy failed connected future. I was sitting on a beige chair looking at a video on a laptop.

The table seemed very familiar… Ah, this was the meeting room.

The person in the video was Songha. She looked similar to her current age. Her hairstyle was different. It was the same straight black hair but it was bit longer. If you weren't sharp-sighted, you wouldn't notice it but in preparation for situations like this, I meticulously remembered the girls' appearances.

How long would it take for her hair to grow that much? No, since she could have cut it when it was longer, I can't determine the date just from her hair.

But what was Songha doing?

I narrowed my eyes and concentrated. In the video, Songha was talking and moving by herself. Because of the static, I couldn't hear it clearly but it seemed like she was talking in both Korean and English.

Was she perhaps… acting?

"Is that all?"

Someone asked from behind. Who was it?

My future self didn't even look at the person behind me and replied.

"Yes. We just need to send it."

"But how did they know about Songha and send her a synopsis?"

They sent a synopsis?

Then was she really acting? Was this an audition video?

"It looks like their casting director coincidentally saw her playing an interpreter and added her on their list."

"Aha… She really did play that one well. It was the rediscovering of Songha."

As expected!

I knew it. My thoughts were right.

That Songha would be good at acting.

I forcefully calmed down my excitement and shoved the information into my head. Role as an interpreter and a casting director coincidentally saw her acting and added her to their list.

The person behind me threw his thick arm on my shoulder. And I heard his voice.

"But do we really not know what this project is?"

"We really don't. We don't know the title and the director. We don't even know her role. It is a completely closed door audition. I am curious about their identity as well."

"Damn…"

"If Songha goes to the final audition… we'll probably know then."

"Acting?"

When I regained my senses, I was once again in the practice room.

In front of me, Songha was staring at me with a sour look.

At that moment, without my knowledge, without any filters, these words popped out.

"Yeah. You should act."

[1] So their paycheck.