Changcheon Group HQ, executive penthouse.
Chairman Kim Chung-seok was replaying today’s duel of nerves with Director Jin Bong-gu when his face twisted in distaste.
The Cheonggang Group was, beyond dispute, South Korea’s No. 1 conglomerate.
For Changcheon, leagues below it in the business hierarchy, today’s victory should have felt exhilarating yet the good mood had been ruined.
“ …Hmph.”
He raked a hand through his hair, sighed, then picked up his phone.
“Where’s Chung-gi right now?”
—“At Kingdom of Star, sir.”
“Make sure he doesn’t cause trouble. Keep an eye on him.”
—“Yes, three bodyguards are on him.”
“And see that nothing leaks.”
—“Understood.”
Kim wiped a palm down his face.
He’d planned to shelve the new album, bring his “show-biz hobby” to an end, and ship his youngest brother off to a comfortable post at the U.S. branch. After a few years, people would forget.
“Where the hell did that upstart crawl out from…”
Grinding his teeth, he glared at the portraits of former chairmen on the wall.
Even on a weekday, Kingdom of Star’s entrance was packed. A line snaked far down the street while security staff bustled about.
Beside the main door, however, stood another, luxuriously paneled and firmly shut, guarded by only two men.
Blocking the pathway toward that private door, hefty bouncers confronted two middle-aged men.
“Look, gentlemen. There’s a nice middle-aged club down the road, okay?”
“We were told everything was arranged.”
“Nobody told us.”
At least once a day someone shouted, “Don’t you know who I am?”
Even dripping with designer brands, most failed to qualify for this club’s VIP entrance let alone two shabby middle-aged guys.
The taller of the pair scratched the scar beside his eye, looking embarrassed.
The bouncers tried to stay cool, yet when he lifted his huge hand, they all flinched. The scar gave off a frightening aura.
Just then the head of security hurried out: legendary Gangnam enforcer Yang Gu-cheol, rumored ex-chief enforcer of a nationwide gang. Staff called his takedowns “art.”
He strode over.
“Boss, these gentlemen keep insisting…”
Gu-cheol raised a hand, silencing him, then bowed.
“Hyung-nim, long time no see.”
“Oh, keeping well?”
The surrounding staff stared. Gu-cheol whispered, “I got word late. Sorry for the delay.”
“No big deal. We almost ended up at that ‘middle-aged club’ though…”
At the jab, one bouncer quickly averted his eyes.
Gu-cheol memorised the man’s face, then jerked his chin toward a CCTV camera.
Staff understood at once. Create a blind spot.
They positioned themselves to block the lens, a standard for top-tier VIPs who wished to leave no record.
Confirming their positions, Gu-cheol escorted the two men through the private door leading straight to the VIP suites.
Left behind, the employees could only stare at the closed door, bewildered.
Seo Gyeong-jin stood midway down the public queue, scanning the crowd.
Tonight was the appearance of EDM king Chris Jerry. As a Hongdae DJ, he could not miss it.
His fellow DJ Da-on frowned. “Those middle-aged guys just walked right in. What’s that door?”
Gyeong-jin knew. Once, thanks to a chaebol acquaintance, he had passed through that very door into a separate world with its own VIP floor.
“Anyone who goes in there isn’t ordinary,” he said. “Chaebol, top celebs—bump into T-A-I-L in the restroom.”
“Whoa.”
The line inched forward. He noticed several industry faces. Everyone was here for Jerry.
Da-on bounced with excitement. “Looks like we’re next!”
She was a “visual DJ”—gorgeous, flashy, mediocre. Probably had come just because a famous name was in town.
While he dissected tracks and studied mixes, she worried about looking prettier. The thought irked him.
“Let’s go,” he muttered, giving her a nudge as security beckoned.
Past the rope, Da-on vanished. Gyeong-jin clicked his tongue. Jerry’s set had already begun.
“Baby bird,” he thought, dismissing her.
She’d have fun alone. Unaware she had taken a wrong security elevator to the VIP floor, he squeezed into the throbbing crowd, determined not to miss a beat.
VIP floor, Kingdom of Star.
Security chief Gu-cheol said, “Past this point I can’t escort you, sir. We’ve masked the foyer cameras; interior units are dummies. But your friend has three bodyguards tonight—can you reach him?”
“We’ll see.”
Jang Ha eyed the farthest suite, where three men in black stood guard. Sister Kim Woo-hui had sent word, but no names—Jang Ha was persona non grata to the powerful brothers.
He needed to look into his friend’s eyes himself; if they wavered even slightly, he would kidnap him if necessary.
“That’s enough. I’ll handle it now.”
“Yes, hyung-nim. Pleasure to meet you.”
Gu-cheol bowed then froze. Out on the balcony DJ booth stood the other middle-aged man behind the DJX-900NXS2mixer, gazing down at the dance floor.
“Oh hell,” Jang muttered. They were in an unfamiliar EDM jungle. Cho’s eyes would already be blazing. Too late to stop him.
He spotted a rack of animal masks provided for anonymous VIPs. Snatching a lion mask, he grinned.
Which animal did that maniac like again? It didn’t matter. He would wear the lion.
Meanwhile, inside a suite, singer-actor Han Ju-seung poured whisky.
“Have a drink, Director.”
He grinned at Kim Chung-gi, now an EMP Entertainment board member in name only.
In this room should have been only Chung-gi and star vocalist T-A-I-L. Ju-seung must have been planted here probably by the second brother.
“Why not cut the drama and drop an album?” the actor wheedled.
“You want an album?”
“You saw my last musical, sir. I can match T-A-I-L if I try.”
T-A-I-L hid a smirk behind his glass.
Ju-seung kept pressing, hinting at the vice-president’s approval.
Chung-gi’s jaw tensed. His brothers controlled everything, even his phone. He’d tried to place his own song on the record—rejected.
Now Ju-seung parroted their message. Keep this comeback “within limits.” The negative article had done its job; the cycle from two years ago repeated.
Chung-gi downed whisky, a bitter smile twisting.
“Director…?” T-A-I-L asked timidly. “Vice-President Woo-hui called. She asked… do you still want to climb the wall?”
His eyes flared.
“The genius is back, and she said tonight is the last chance. She said you’d know what that means…”
Chung-gi stared at the door through which Ju-seung had gone to the restroom.
The huge wall of childhood loomed in memory. The heart he thought long dead beat like a rising tide.
One floor below, the crowd roared.
On the VIP balcony DJ booth, Cho Jin-hyeok grinned wildly, hands poised over the mixer.
From behind, Jang-ha in a lion mask approached.
The wall was about to shake.
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