Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 694: Eun-Gi (1)

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: February 28, 2021]

[Fortune of the Day: Do not cross the sea. A farewell with someone precious awaits.]

In the current situation, this could only mean one thing. If I took the private jet to China, I risked losing Kang Eun-Gi, who was scheduled to be released as a special pardon tomorrow at 10 a.m.

I didn't know exactly how it would happen, but I couldn't ignore Everyday's warning. Especially now, when President Choi Man-Sik and Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon were both intent on eliminating Kang Eun-Gi. I had to be careful about everything.

In the end, I had no choice but to politely decline Wang Long's proposal to visit his father in China to discuss the white knight matter. "Wang Long, I can't go see your father right now."

A short while later, the judges from the Korean auditions for Project I.O.A boarded Wang Long's private jet to depart for China. When I told them I wouldn't be going, Wang Long and Lily both looked disappointed.

"Is that so...? That's too bad. Alright, I'll talk to my father about the white knight thing myself. If it's to help you, he won't back out."

"I'd really appreciate that. And please tell him I'm sorry I couldn't visit."

"Got it. Then I'll see you next time."

In any case, on March 14th, the date of the first live broadcast for Project I.O.A, Wang Long would be flying to Korea with the Chinese finalists on the private jet. I nodded at the thought that we would meet again then.

"Alright everyone~ let's wrap this up!" From the stage, Ji Yung-Sik began urging the staff to hurry.

With the Korean preliminaries of Project I.O.A finished, it was time to head to China.

"All staff scheduled for China, hand off the cleanup work to others and gather in one place. Once the headcount is done, we'll escort the judges to Gimhae Airport!"

I smiled. "You heard PD Ji Yung-Sik, right? Let's hurry. Meet in front of the gym in ten minutes."

Wang Long and Lily straightened their clothes and took deep breaths. They were in charge of escorting the Korean judges and staff to China. After fixing his outfit, Wang Long also instructed the bodyguards and company staff who came with him to prepare for departure.

I still had matters involving Kang Eun-Gi, but I decided to at least see them off at the airport. After all, Everyday had told me not to cross the sea, not to avoid the airport.

"I'll see you off to the airport," I said.

Wang Long grinned. "Good. In fact, stand next to me for the departure shots. After watching yesterday, I can tell you look great on camera."

Apparently, Wang Long had watched MBS' The Omniscient Viewpoint. I had no idea when he found the time to do that.

Lily also nodded beside him and spoke in awkward Korean. "That's right, Yoon-Ho oppa! I saw it too. Oppa, so handsome!"

Her clumsy Korean made my face warm up.

Wang Long smirked next to me. "How come you're so bad at handling compliments when you're good at everything else?"

'Sorry. Before my regression, I never had anyone compliment me.'

"Ahem, let's... just go! Let's go!"

I cleared my throat and gently pushed them toward the team heading to the airport.

***

Ji Yung-Sik continued filming inside the Gimhae Airport VIP lounge.

Since prior arrangements had been made with the airport staff, they could film without interference, allowing him to record interviews with Chief Lee Dong-Min and Wang Long inside the lounge.

"Cut! That's good. Once the private jet finishes refueling, we'll head out right away."

"Yes, sir."

Through the large lounge windows, I could see the private jet that the filming crew and judges would be boarding. It was a huge plane easily big enough to hold a hundred people with Project I.O.A written across its body along with Korean, Chinese, and Japanese lettering wrapped around it. Just looking at it, it was clear Shanghai New Media Inc. had spent big on this project.

Once the lounge filming wrapped, Sae-Ri, who would soon head to China as a judge, pressed her face up to the window with her cheeks squished like rice cakes and let out an excited cry.

"Wow~~ Yoon-Ho oppa! The plane! Look! My face is wrapped on the plane!"

At Sae-Ri's over-the-top reaction, Yang Eun-Bi shook her head like she couldn't understand it. "Seriously... how is she a number-one singer?"

Sae-Ri had just taken first place on a music show yesterday and today with 'Firefly Bridge.'

Watching her, Woo Yeon-Hee smiled like a proud mom. "Why not? She's cute~"

Yang Eun-Bi looked at her in disbelief.

"Cute? How? And unnie, the problem is you see everything through rose-colored glasses. You know all the contestants keep looking at you during judging, right?"

Yeon-Hee fidgeted with her fingers. "Well, I can't help it if I feel bad for them..."

Woo Yeon-Hee had tried to act firm on the first day of judging, but in the end, she couldn't hide her nature. The contestants were already calling her "Mother Yeon-Hee." Meanwhile, the logical Yang Eun-Bi had earned the nickname "Sharp Knife Eun-Bi." As for Sae-Ri, she was just Sae-Ri.

At that moment, still pressed against the glass, Sae-Ri suddenly spun around. "Eun-Bi unnie! You're talking about me again, aren't you?"

When Sae-Ri grumbled, Yang Eun-Bi stuck out her tongue. "Bleh~"

Sae-Ri flared up. "Hey! If you keep that up, I'll... I'll..."

"What? What are you gonna do, huh?"

"I'm gonna eat all your snacks! I saw the stash in your case last night!"

For the first time, Yang Eun-Bi froze. "Wait... you didn't touch my snacks, did you?"

Yang Eun-Bi didn't eat much, but she had one weakness—snacks. For this China trip, she had packed an entire case full of individually sealed treats, carefully chosen one of each variety.

When she saw Yang Eun-Bi's panic, Sae-Ri smirked. "I wonder if your choco-mini balls are still safe."

"Ch-choco-mini balls? You ate those?!"

"I don't know. Did I~?"

"You ate them? Hey! get back here!"

"Nope~"

Yang Eun-Bi chased her, Sae-Ri ran, and Woo Yeon-Hee shook her head before running after them to calm things down.

"Girls, don't run~"

Then I noticed Ji Yung-Sik raising his camera to film them.

I quickly moved to block him. "Mr. Ji, please don't film this."

"Why? It's lively and fun to watch."

"It might be fun, but they're still judges. If viewers see them acting like elementary school kids, won't it hurt their authority?"

I had to protect my celebrity's image.

Ji Yung-Sik smacked his lips in disappointment. "Ah~ it would make a great shot... but you've got a point. Alright."

Ji Yung-Sik reluctantly lowered the camera. Meanwhile, Yang Eun-Bi had gotten Sae-Ri to admit she hadn't eaten the choco-mini balls, and she walked over with a triumphant smile.

Then, still panting, Yang Eun-Bi pointed at the camera. "Yoon-Ho oppa! The light! The camera light's still on!"

'Meticulous as ever. As expected of Yang Eun-Bi.'

Ji Yung-Sik cleared his throat awkwardly and turned off the camera he had lowered. "Oh, it wasn't off? Haha."

Click.

Finally, the red REC light went out. This was the reason to never let my guard down around TV station people.

A moment later, word came that the private jet had finished refueling, and the exit doors of the VIP lounge opened.

Whir~

Wang Long and Lily took the lead in greeting everyone, and behind them Ji Yung-Sik and the staff began moving out.

Woo Yeon-Hee, Yang Eun-Bi, and Sae-Ri held hands together and waved to me as if they had never been bickering.

"We'll be back~"

Once everyone had left the lounge, I was alone. There was a faint twinge of loneliness, but I quickly shook it off and got my emotions under control.

From here on, I had to focus on saving Kang Eun-Gi.

***

From the VIP lounge, I looked out at the runway. The private jet was slowly taking off into the darkening evening sky.

At that moment, Everyday buzzed with an updated fortune.

[Notice: Fortune of the Day has been updated.]

I immediately checked it.

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: February 28, 2021]

[Fortune of the Day: An unexpected event will occur. To protect what is precious, do not let your guard down for even a moment.

(Deleted Fortune: Do not cross the sea. A farewell with someone precious awaits.)]

The updated fortune left me puzzled.

Tomorrow at 10 a.m., most of the Reverse Entertainment boys with no schedules would be going out to greet Kang Eun-Gi and ensure his safety upon release. They were action types who had seen countless real fights back in their gang days, each one tougher than the average bodyguard. On top of that, plainclothes guards sent by Choi Eun-Tae would be watching from a distance.

'With such a double layer of security, why is fortune warning me not to relax?'

That left me with only one course of action.

***

I arrived at Choi Eun-Tae's residence in Myeongdong.

It was past 11:50 p.m., but Choi Yung-Ho was waiting for me. He had come earlier to prepare for Kang Eun-Gi's release tomorrow. And when I called, he stayed behind to meet me.

I said, "I'm sorry for disturbing you so late."

Choi Yung-Ho shook his head. "Not at all. This isn't the kind of situation where we watch the clock."

After a quick greeting, I hurried into the main room. Choi Eun-Tae was also waiting, dressed in silk pajamas he wore before bed.

"So, what was so urgent that you had to see me right away?" Choi Eun-Tae asked.

On the way here, I had thought hard about how to say it. I had to convince him that even with two layers of security, there was a real chance someone sent by Choi Man-Sik could get to Kang Eun-Gi. However, I couldn't reveal that Everyday had shown me the future.

So I decided to be bold. "I have an informant inside the prison who told me to be extra careful. There are people targeting Kang Eun-Gi."

Choi Eun-Tae's face turned cold. "Is that... true?"

"They already tried to kill him once when he was in detention. But tomorrow, Kang Eun-Gi will be released alone as a special pardon without the other boys of the Kanghan gang. From the moment he steps out, you'll need to be alert."

Choi Eun-Tae studied me in silence, then nodded. "Yes... if it's your intel, it's worth trusting."

Advice I had once heard flashed through my mind: If you succeed, people will find meaning in everything you do. Thankfully, based on my past successes, Choi Eun-Tae seemed ready to believe me without pressing for details.

After a moment's thought, Choi Eun-Tae turned to Choi Yung-Ho. "Yung-Ho, can you get in touch with the prison staff we've placed inside?"

"I can't reach them instantly, but I'll try to contact them as quickly as possible."

"Alright. Once you reach them, instruct them to ensure Eun-Gi's safety from the moment he leaves his cell until he walks out of the prison. And just in case, see if there's any useful intel we can gather."

"Yes, sir. I'll handle it immediately," Choi Yung-Ho bowed and stood up.

Clack.

As Choi Yung-Ho left, Choi Eun-Tae cleared his throat, looking slightly apologetic for having planted people inside the prison. "I said I wouldn't interfere, but I wanted Eun-Gi to be safe... so I placed someone inside the prison just in case. Especially after his classification level dropped recently..."

This was something I had half-expected. As a father, he couldn't just sit by while his son was behind bars.

I shook my head. "It's fine. Thanks to that, we can get a better understanding of what's going on inside."

"Thank you for understanding."

From that moment on, time seemed to drag painfully.

Tick, tock.

The quiet was so deep that I could hear the small clock's second hand moving on the table beside Choi Eun-Tae.

Click.

Midnight struck as the second hand aligned with the hour hand. And right then, Fortune of the Day flashed before my eyes again.

[Everyday V12.2]

[Date: March 1, 2021]

[Fortune of the Day: You will hear news of a close friend's death.]

My mouth went dry.

***

The current time was 3:30 a.m.

Choi Eun-Tae had asked me to tell him about Kang Eun-Gi, so to ease the tension, I started sharing stories from his childhood. Some of them I had told before, but Choi Eun-Tae still wanted to hear more.

At that moment, Choi Yung-Ho burst in without knocking, looking urgent.

Clatter.

"Mr. Chairman! Eun-Gi is being released at 4:30 a.m.!"

"What?" Despite being seventy-six years old, Choi Eun-Tae shot up from his seat like a spring.

There was less than an hour left before 4:30 a.m.

"His release has been moved up? Why?"

"The Ministry of Justice sent an urgent notice to release him as early as possible."

There had been a time when special releases happened at midnight. Later, it was changed to 5 a.m. to avoid nighttime transport issues and trouble. Then it was moved again to 10 a.m. While changes had happened before, this was the first time the release time had shifted on the same day. This could only mean someone had pulled strings.

In an instant, all our carefully prepared security plans were ruined.

Choi Eun-Tae staggered forward in urgency. "This won't do. I'll go myself."

At that moment, I immediately stood and stopped him. "No, Mr. Chairman. I'll go."

If Choi Eun-Tae went, unexpected variables could arise, and it would be like announcing to the world that Kang Eun-Gi was his son. In recent days, I had carefully built the narrative that Choi Yung-Ho was simply keeping an eye on Kang Eun-Gi as a promising investment. I couldn't let that work go to waste now.

Choi Eun-Tae asked, "You'll go?"

"Yes. I'll bring Eun-Gi back myself."

Choi Yung-Ho sided with me. "I think that's best. If you step in personally, Mr. Chairman, it will put too much pressure on everyone involved. It's better that as few outsiders as possible know that Eun-Gi is your son."

Choi Eun-Tae's body trembled before he let out a deep sigh. His enemies weren't limited to just Choi Man-Sik, so he gritted his teeth and nodded.

With a trembling voice, Choi Eun-Tae said, "Please bring my son back... Chief Jung."

I bowed my head to his earnest plea. "Yes, sir. I'll bring my friend back safely."

With my resolve firm, I hurriedly got into the car with Choi Yung-Ho.

***

By the time we arrived at Seoul Southern Detention Center, it was 4:25 a.m.

Since parking at the prison gate wasn't possible, we left the car in a lot about thirty meters away and waited. Right now, the only vehicles here were the Binz sedan carrying me, Choi Yung-Ho, and his secretary, and another car with Lee Soo-Chan and three of our guys.

Everyone else had thought the release was happening at 10 a.m., so the others were still on their way. Reinforcements from our side and the security team were hurrying toward the prison as we waited.

Choi Yung-Ho spoke first. "Once he's out, we put him straight in the car and head to Reverse Entertainment. Our only goal is to get him there as fast as possible."

"Understood. I'll tell Soo-Chan. Our guys will join us en route as soon as they can."

"Same for our side. The others will link up with us on the way."

We finalized the extraction plan and waited for Kang Eun-Gi to appear.

Then, the detention center's steel gates swung open.

Clank.

Eun-Gi walked out under the escort of four correctional officers. We had called ahead, so they had been protecting him from the moment he left his cell. Once Kang Eun-Gi was outside the gates, the officers bid him farewell and returned inside. Behind him, a small group of other released inmates followed.

With the sudden change in release time, we were the only ones here to greet anyone. Feeling the urgency, I stepped out of the car and raised my hand toward Kang Eun-Gi.

Kang Eun-Gi spotted me, broke into a smile, and raised his own hand in greeting. "Hey, Yoon-Ho!"

That's when I noticed it—one of the released men was moving differently from the rest. A man in a black cap was closing in on Kang Eun-Gi at speed.

In that instant, I realized this was the most dangerous moment.

I bellowed with all the force I had, "Head down!!"