Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 560: Preliminary Call (1)

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: January 12, 2021]

-03:00 p.m. [NEW. Park Sang-Gyu] Visit to Lee Sa-Yeon at the hospital (Note: Lee Sa-Yeon started moving her fingers. Purchase a hand massager.)

I had planned to visit Lee Sa-Yeon's hospital room after the contract was finalized, but the newly added schedule entry included news that her condition was improving.

Even before the regression, the moment Lee Sa-Yeon started moving her fingers, her recovery had accelerated rapidly. Everyday was telling me that very moment was about to happen.

I almost shouted with joy without realizing it. I held back the excitement and checked the time—it was 2:30 p.m. I felt a sense of urgency.

"Mr. Kang, we'll be heading out now."

Kang Gam-Chan quickly asked, "Why don't you slow down and have a meal with us today?"

"Ah, we should share today's good news with Lee Sa-Yeon noo-nim, who's in the hospital."

Kang Gam-Chan chuckled. "True, I suppose that makes sense. Alright, go show her the contract first. We can eat together another time."

"Yes, sir."

Park Sang-Gyu also stood up to follow me. "Then we'll see you next week, Mr. Kang."

"Alright, Mr. Park. Once you finish moving, let's sit down together sometime."

"Yes, sir. And next time, please feel free to speak casually with me."

"Got it. I'll do that."

Just as I was about to thank Kang Gam-Chan once again for his endless consideration during Park Sang-Gyu's recruitment and head out, he suddenly spoke up.

"Oh, Chief Jung. You should be careful going forward. Today, Kang Sang-Joon asked to have you assigned to him."

"Kang Sang-Joon?"

"Yeah. That guy sure knows how to secure anything that benefits him."

I spoke as if I wanted Park Sang-Gyu to hear, "Even if I died and came back to life, I would never take on that man."

Kang Gam-Chan laughed heartily. "Hahaha. Truth is, I already told him the same. I said even I couldn't budge Chief Jung. Still, better be cautious."

"I'll keep that in mind."

After giving a respectful goodbye to Kang Gam-Chan, whose smile was as warm as a father's, I left Hoop Entertainment with Park Sang-Gyu.

With the exclusive contract with Hoop Entertainment and the casting contract for Doppelgänger in hand, Park Sang-Gyu's face was brighter than ever.

***

When we arrived at Room 410 in Hope Hospital, the clock read 2:50 p.m.

At Miso's request, I brought an electric massage pillow and some drinks. While I handed out the drinks to the patients and caregivers in the room, Park Sang-Gyu sat beside his wife and opened the exclusive contract with Hoop Entertainment and the casting contract for Doppelgänger.

"Honey. Can you see this?"

Lee Sa-Yeon blinked repeatedly, looking pleased.

After I finished passing out the drinks, I came to Lee Sa-Yeon's side. I picked up the tablet next to her bed and, matching the rhythm of her blinks, composed a message.

[H.o.n.e.y. I. k.n.e.w. i.t. w.o.u.l.d. b.e. y.o.u.]

Reading the words his wife had spelled with her eyes, Park Sang-Gyu beamed with a wide smile. "Yes. So let's both gather our strength and get back up."

Blink.

As soon as Lee Sa-Yeon blinked, I unwrapped the electric massage pillow I had prepared. "This is a gift from Miso, for the Sleeping Beauty auntie who's still resting."

Park Sang-Gyu smiled as he brushed back Lee Sa-Yeon's hair. "Honey, since you got a present, let's give it a try."

He carefully lifted his wife's head and activated the massager at its gentlest setting.

Buzz.

The electric massage pillow began to stimulate the back of her neck. It was now 2:59 p.m. Just one minute remained until 3 p.m, the time mentioned in the planner.

Buzzzzz.

The massage pillow gently pulsated against the nape of her neck. Then, all of a sudden, Lee Sa-Yeon blinked rapidly.

The startled Park Sang-Gyu quickly turned off the device. "Honey, what's wrong? Does it hurt?"

Lee Sa-Yeon blinked rapidly again.

"No? You want to say something? Okay, hold on."

Park Sang-Gyu brought the tablet in front of her eyes to transcribe what she was saying through blinks.

"First letter is... okay, I. Second is c. Next is.. Uh... Can? So that's can, right?"

Park Sang-Gyu confirmed each syllable carefully as he transcribed her words.

"The second word is can, right? Okay. Next... the letter is m plus..."

The third and fourth syllables were soon completed. Then, Park Sang-Gyu froze as he read the sentence on the screen.

[I.can.move.]

"You can move?"

At that exact moment, the clock on my phone turned to 3 p.m. And right then, the index finger on Lee Sa-Yeon's right hand began to move.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap tap tap.

Unsure of where the sound was coming from, Park Sang-Gyu spotted his wife's finger tapping the bed.

"Huh... What... Honey, did you just...?"

Lee Sa-Yeon's finger tapped the bed again. In that instant, Park Sang-Gyu reached out with trembling hands and grabbed her moving hand.

"H-honey!!"

Tears rolled down Park Sang-Gyu's face as he embraced his wife. Holding her hand, he shouted out with overflowing emotion, loud enough to shake the hospital room.

"She's... moving!"

Immediately, all the patients and caregivers in the room began to cheer and congratulate them in unison.

"Oh my, that's wonderful!"

"Missus, you'll be up and running in no time now!"

"Congratulations, Mr. Sang-Gyu!"

"This calls for celebration~"

Everyone in the room joined in the celebration. And Park Sang-Gyu was smothering his wife with kisses, praising her endlessly.

Watching the deeply moving scene, I spoke silently in my heart.

'Hyung-nim, are you at peace now?'

Now that Lee Sa-Yeon had started to recover, only good things lay ahead in Park Sang-Gyu's life.

And I planned to stay by his side every step of the way, because that's what a talent agent was meant to do.

***

Beep beep beep.

A loud alarm jolted me awake. It was Wednesday, January 13, 1 p.m.

After staying up late discussing Park Sang-Gyu's Doppelgänger filming schedule, I had only fallen asleep at dawn.

Stretching, I walked out into the living room and turned on the TV. Just in time, the news was on.

Reporter Jang Ha-Jin of TVK was standing in front of HK Electronics headquarters, holding a microphone.

-We are currently in front of the HK Electronics headquarters. Amid ongoing protests from civic groups and laid-off employees, it has been confirmed that HK Inc.'s third-generation heir, President Hong Seok-Joon, was involved in embezzlement and stock manipulation...

HK Inc. had done everything it could to prevent Hong Seok-Joon's arrest, but ultimately failed. A moment later, footage aired showing Hong Seok-Joon being led away in handcuffs after a surprise arrest. He had avoided direct questioning by only sending his lawyer in response to a summons.

-Hey! Don't you know who I am?! Huh?! You little punks... Hey! Don't film me! I said, don't film me!

Even as he was being dragged away, Hong Seok-Joon shouted and pointed fingers, completely lacking self-awareness.

"He's digging his own grave."

At this point, even a judge wouldn't be able to go easy on him.

"Goodbye, Hong Seok-Joon."

Though I felt a slight twinge, having had some involvement in the downfall of two HK Inc. heirs, that wasn't my focus today. Today was the premiere of Hwaranjeon and the day of Miso's elementary school orientation.

"Phew... I wonder what else today will bring..."

As usual, I checked Fortune of the Day on Everyday—and a particular line caught my eye.

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: January 13, 2021]

[Fortune of the Day: Someone with bad intentions will approach you.]

Most likely, this was about reporters who would try to take pictures of Miso during orientation.

"I'd better be cautious."

I wasted no time calling Choi Yang-Han, president of TOP Security, who handled protection for Yoo-Jin and Miso.

***

Cheonho Best Elementary School's orientation was at 3 p.m. At 2:30 p.m, I got dressed and headed downstairs.

Excited for her big day, Miso greeted me, already wearing her Power Tuff Girls backpack that she had been carrying since lunch.

Miso ran toward me. "Ah! It's Uncle Yoon-Ho! Uncle~ Yoon-Ho~"

Behind her, Baekseolgi and Injeolmi followed along to greet me too.

"Woof woof!"

"Meow~!"

Standing in front of me, Miso looked up with sparkling eyes. Next to her, Baekseolgi and Injeolmi looked up at me the same way.

"Uncle Yoon-Ho, did you sleep well?"

"Yup. How about you, Miso?"

"I slept great too!"

I smiled warmly at Miso and asked, "Do you like the idea of going to school?"

"Yes! I've really wanted to go!"

Before the regression, Miso had passed away before even getting to attend elementary school. Now, to see her standing here with her school bag and heading off to orientation, my heart was full.

"Good. Then Miso, when you start school, you have to study hard. Okay?"

"Okay~~!"

At that moment, as if mimicking her, Baekseolgi and Injeolmi chimed in.

"Woof!"

"Meow~!"

Just then, Yoo-Jin walked in carrying Miso's outfit. "Oppa, is Eun-Byul going to make it today?"

Chae Sang-Woo and Lee Mi-Ri's daughter, Eun-Byul, who had recently moved near our home, would also be attending Cheonho Best Elementary School. A former pediatric leukemia patient, Eun-Byul had just finished her first round of treatment.

Originally, Chae Sang-Woo and Lee Mi-Ri were planning to wait until the March entrance ceremony to send her. However, the doctors said returning to normal life as soon as possible would help her recovery, so they decided to let her attend orientation today.

"Yeah. They'll be here soon. Han-Ul is coming too."

Not just Eun-Byul, but Han-Ul, Deok-Bae's younger brother, would also be attending the same school. Han-Ul lived at Yoo-Jin's home in Amsa-dong, but he got lucky and was able to attend Cheonho Best Elementary School as well. Especially since all three of them had been assigned to Class 1 of the first grade, it was truly a relief.

Just then, I heard the sound of the parking gate opening in the yard.

Whirr.

Looking outside through the first-floor window, I saw Yeon So-Hee arriving with Deok-Bae and Han-Ul.

Deok-Bae stepped out of the car dressed in a sharp black suit. Han-Ul appeared in a brown coat, white sneakers, and a black backpack. Wearing the clothes Yoo-Jin had bought them, the two of them looked like they had stepped out of a fashion magazine.

Deok-Bae, now his younger brother's guardian, approached with a sheepish smile. Han-Ul spotted me and beamed brightly, bowing politely.

"Hello, Uncle Yoon-Ho."

He had gained some weight since I last saw him. His clear features and pale skin made him look like a child actor.

"You're looking so much better, Han-Ul."

Han-Ul grinned wide, showing his teeth. "Yes. It's all thanks to you, Uncle Yoon-Ho."

Just then, Miso approached Han-Ul and held out her right hand. "Han-Ul! You have to hold my hand tight today, okay? Don't let go, no matter what!"

Miso boldly declared she would protect Han-Ul, who was still recovering.

Han-Ul shyly but firmly grasped Miso's hand. "Okay. Got it."

Watching them, Yoo-Jin leaned in and whispered with a smile, "Oppa. Isn't our Miso the sweetest?"

"Yeah. The sweetest in the whole world."

If everyone could see the world through Miso's eyes, I don't think there would ever be conflict.

At that moment, the parking gate opened again and Chae Sang-Woo and Lee Mi-Ri's car arrived. The backseat door opened, and Eun-Byul stepped out. She was wearing a pink parka, a scarf around her neck, and a red fur hat.

Though not fully recovered and still needing hospital visits until March, she was clearly excited to be attending orientation. Due to the side effects of chemotherapy, she had lost much of her hair and was wearing the hat to cover it.

Eun-Byul approached and bowed to all of us. "Hello, Uncle Yoon-Ho."

"Hi, Eun-Byul. Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes. I'm not sick at all anymore."

That's when Miso, still holding Han-Ul's hand, walked over to Eun-Byul. "Eun-Byul! You're really not sick anymore?"

"Nope. I'm all better now! But just in case, they'll keep watching me until March."

With a determined look, Miso extended her left hand. "Hmm. Got it~ Then today you have to stick close to me too. I'll protect you."

Eun-Byul smiled softly and took Miso's hand. "Okay. And in March, let's go on a picnic together. I have so many places I want to go."

Miso bounced up and down while holding Eun-Byul's hand. "Really? Wow~ I'm so excited!"

Apparently feeling much better, Eun-Byul started jumping in place too. And because of that, Han-Ul had no choice but to bounce along with them.

'Sorry, Han-Ul. Miso's a bit too energetic.'

But thanks to Miso, Han-Ul—who had once buried himself in books with dreams of becoming a doctor—was slowly becoming more cheerful.

"Alright, shall we head out now?"

"Yes. Let's go."

After saying goodbye to Jung In-Ji, we split into two vehicles and headed for Cheonho Best Elementary School.

***

Cheonho Best Elementary School was only about 700 meters away, but for safety reasons, we traveled by car.

Han-Ul, Deok-Bae, Yeon So-Hee, Yoo-Jin, and Miso were all in the first van. Eun-Byul followed right behind in the car driven by Chae Sang-Woo and Lee Mi-Ri.

And just as expected, I received a call from Choi Yang-Han, informing me that reporters had gathered in front of the school.

-Mr. Jung, there are about fifty teams of reporters at the main gate. Only four teams are at the back gate, which is closed right now.

"Got it. I'll contact you once we decide on the entrance."

-Okay. Let us know and we'll clear the way.

Since it was best to avoid clashing with reporters, I called Principal Cheon Hae-Joo to request that the back gate be opened. Perhaps seeing the crowd of reporters at the main gate, Cheon Hae-Joo offered a suggestion.

-Mr. Jung. If it's alright with you, would you consider coming the day after tomorrow? That's when Miso's homeroom teacher will be at school.

Considering the ominous fortune from this morning, I actually thought it might be a good idea. But then, I saw Miso's reflection in the rearview mirror. Excited about meeting her teacher and new friends today, Miso had grown visibly sad upon hearing my phone call.

Right away, I racked my brain for a solution. I couldn't let Miso be disappointed no matter what.

"Would it be possible to open the back gate?"

-That's no problem, but what are you planning to do?

"I'm thinking of pulling off a feint. Please open the back gate when I give the signal."

-Understood.

After hanging up, I drove down a side alley. About 200 meters from the back gate, I parked the car. Chae Sang-Woo's car, with Eun-Byul inside, stopped behind us.

I turned to Yoo-Jin and said, "Yoo-Jin, let's have only Miso and Han-Ul ride in that car."

"Just the kids?"

"Yeah. When you start the interview at the main gate, the reporters at the back will rush to the front. During that window, we'll sneak Miso, Eun-Byul, and Han-Ul into the school through the back gate in Mr. Chae Sang-Woo's car."

"Ooh~ I like it."

Deok-Bae nodded in agreement. "Yeah, hyung. Let's do it."

"Okay. Get the kids hats, masks, and scarves. We can't let the reporters recognize them."

"Got it."

In no time, the two kids were fully bundled up with only their eyes showing. They looked like Michelin mascots.

"Kids, go with Mrs. Yeon for now. See you in a bit, alright?"

"Okay~~"

Yeon So-Hee looked around carefully, then took Miso and Han-Ul by the hand, walked them over to Chae Sang-Woo's car, and returned.

"Mr. Jung, they're all set."

"Great."

I then called Choi Yang-Han stationed at the main gate.

"Mr. Choi, while Yoo-Jin does the interview at the front to buy us time, we're going to sneak the kids in through the back. Please create a bit of a distraction."

-Understood. I'll also send the reporters at the back gate over to the front. That should draw them away.

"Perfect. Thank you so much."

-See you at the main gate then.

After hanging up, I turned to Yeon So-Hee. "Let's head to the main gate."

"Yes, sir."

We turned back down the alley and drove toward the front of the school.

***

As we approached the main gate of Cheonho Best Elementary School, we saw a swarm of reporters.

Choi Yang-Han had created a human barricade, keeping the reporters to one side while waiting for us. Though he kept reasoning with them, the reporters were still bickering, each trying to get a better position.

If it hadn't been for TOP Security, things could've gotten chaotic. Since today was also the premiere of Hwaranjeon, they weren't just after Miso but they were aiming to capture Yoo-Jin too.

As we parked the van along the curb, security agents quickly rushed up to surround the vehicle.

I turned to Yoo-Jin as she prepared to get out. "Yoo-Jin, go out first with Team Lead Yeon and start the interview. I'll stay here and monitor the kids entering from the back."

Since I needed to confirm their safe entry, I couldn't leave the car yet.

"Got it, oppa. Let me know once they're inside. I'll come right back to the car."

"Okay."

Yoo-Jin gave me a smile and stepped out. As the door opened, reporters began shouting and flashing their cameras.

"Miss Jung Yoo-Jin! Could we get a quick comment about today's Hwaranjeon premiere?"

"You were voted the most polite actor by the Hwaranjeon crew, and..."

"Excuse me, where is Miss Miso today?"

Yoo-Jin waved and began to answer their questions.

About two minutes later, I received the message I had been waiting for.

[Chae Sang-Woo: The reporters at the back gate are gone. We got into the school safely. We'll head to the classroom first.]

The plan was a success.

At that moment, my phone vibrated again.

Buzz~

Thinking Fortune of the Day had changed, I quickly opened Everyday. But instead of an update to the fortune, it was an alert about a new schedule entry.

[Notification: January 13, 2021. A new schedule entry has been registered for Jung Yoo-Jin.]

The moment I saw the update, my heart started pounding.

'It wasn't about Miso after all!'

I immediately flung open the driver's door and jumped out of the car. Without hesitation, I rushed toward Yoo-Jin, who was still in the middle of the interview.

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