After finishing all the preparations for Jamal’s release, Hyunseung was spending a leisurely moment.
How long had it been?
Since coming from Korea to America, during the half year he had spent here, when had he ever properly rested?
His memory was already growing hazy.
Still, thanks to having lived that way, the life he enjoyed now was more peaceful than anything.
The songs he had released in Korea steadily generated royalties.
And though the number of songs he had worked on in America was small, the royalties settled for them were on a scale incomparable to Korea.
Because there was money on that level that he could run his own label like this.
He could take responsibility for his family, for the people who were his own.
In addition, he had become able to pour an enormous amount of money into the miracle that might fix his father’s ears.
It was a rather satisfying life.
Of course, he could not say with certainty that his father’s ears could be fixed.
But hopeful results were being delivered from time to time, so that alone made it worth betting on a miracle.
Right.
Because life was something no one knew how it would turn out.
When he looked at it calmly…
Hadn’t the life he had come to live again been full of things that could only be called miracles?
He had thought he had faced a lonely death as the result of his karma…
But suddenly returning twelve years into the past and meeting his family again was something worthy of being called a miracle in his life.
Also, the fact that Kim Woohyun and Executive Director Park, who seemed like they would spend their entire lives at LS Entertainment, were now by his side.
The fact that Seo Jini, who had only heard people call her washed-up, became the queen of Oricon.
The fact that a trainee on the verge of being kicked out was reborn as the nation’s little sister.
The fact that Moon Beomjae, who had never once accepted a love call in his previous life, came to him on his own two feet.
The fact that Yoon Jaeyi, who had been so timid she could not say a word, threw a sauce slap into someone’s face.
The fact that Kang Hajun, who acquired a Poké bread manufacturing factory to fulfill a personal request, ended up hitting the jackpot.
And the fact that The Moon rose again as if saved by the fans at the last possible moment.
The fact that Lee Hyoeun, who had lived unable to say even one unpleasant thing, sent her mother away with her own hands.
The fact that Sarah Stewart and Matteo, though awkwardly, met again as father and daughter.
The fact that Jo Gyeongmi and Jo Yeri, mother and daughter, met again and came to sing a duet as mother and daughter.
Also the fact that he started a label because Vincent suggested it.
The fact that 4WAY fortunately made it onto the Billboard chart.
The fact that he made the Worlds theme song that had remained like a lingering regret before his death, and that team DRY, who could be called the protagonists of that theme song, ended up winning.
More than anything, the fact that he had been able to stand on stage with Daniel was something that could all be called a miracle.
Also, by chance….
From the New York Philharmonic.
From Man Records.
From Unice Music Group.
Just looking at the love calls he had received, wasn’t everything full of miracles?
In his previous life, even when he had boasted a higher name value than now, those were things he had not received, things that had not happened.
No.
Perhaps he had simply failed to think of all those things as miracles and had regarded them as natural.
But this life was different.
Right.
Because he had clearly lived differently.
Couldn’t a miracle that might truly fix his father’s ears happen too?
“Right.”
As if giving himself certainty in response to his own question, Hyunseung nodded slightly and muttered.
At that moment, a knocking sound interrupted his quiet leisure time.
Knock, knock.
That neat knocking sound belonged to his secretary, Michelle.
“Come in.”
He was certain all the approval documents for the day had already been finished.
Hyunseung found her visit somewhat questionable, but she was not someone who would knock on his door to say nonsense, so he answered immediately.
Then Michelle came in through the slightly opened doorway, stood at a distance, and stated the reason she had come.
“It’s nothing else. A guest suddenly came to visit.”
“A guest?”
“Yes. CEO Sung Wooyoung of Utopia Entertainment says he stopped by partly to greet you. What should I do?”
Hyunseung murmured, “Utopia?” for a moment.
“Tell him to come in.”
After realizing it was the entertainment company group 4WAY belonged to, he gave that instruction.
Then he soon fixed the posture he had been slouched in.
Because he was also curious about how the man was doing.
Whether his sleeves were still flapping now, whether he had gained a little weight.
“Hello. It’s been a while, CEO. I apologize for coming to see you so late.”
However, CEO Sung Wooyoung, who came in as if switching places with Michelle, looked more gaunt than before.
Was he having a hard time because he was so busy these days?
Still with his sleeves flapping, he walked over carrying a box of juice as large as his own upper body and greeted him.
“It really isn’t much, and it’s modest, but it’s a token of my gratitude, so please accept it comfortably.”
“Yes, I’ll accept it gratefully.”
Hyunseung gestured for him to sit across from him and carefully looked him over. As expected, from the oversized suit to the shoes with worn leather.
He looked not much different from when he had come to ask Hyunseung for a song.
“Putting that aside, how has the reaction been in Korea?”
“Thanks to the song you worked on for us, the song seems to have become fairly known, but there still aren’t as many people who recognize the girls’ faces as we expected.”
“That may be true, but they’re still staying on the Billboard chart, even if not near the top.”
“We were simply lucky.”
“There’s a saying that luck is skill too. Still, you must have gained some face in front of the girls now.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes, well… it’s thanks to you, CEO.”
As expected, not only his appearance, but even his temperament remained unchanged.
Usually, when an artist under someone suddenly started doing well, as the CEO who raised them, he could at least puff out his chest once….
But he was still shrinking in on himself.
Hyunseung continued speaking as if testing him.
“By the way, have you thought about getting a new suit tailored? I think you should be able to afford that much now.”
However, Sung Wooyoung only laughed awkwardly and kept folding his innocent sleeves, without giving any particular answer.
“Mm.”
Hyunseung let out a low sound for a moment.
“Did something perhaps happen?”
He asked, leaning his upper body forward.
No matter how he looked at it, it was because this was not the face of someone who had come only to convey his thanks.
“I keep getting the feeling that you have something to say, but you’re holding back.”
“Ah…”
“I don’t think you came all this way just to thank me. Am I wrong?”
“Pardon? That’s not it!”
Sung Wooyoung was startled by those words and desperately denied it.
“I really did come to express my gratitude!”
He even waved both hands frantically, flopping around like a freshly caught live fish.
However, before he knew it, a dark shadow had fallen over his face.
‘I knew it.’
Hyunseung did not press him any further and waited for him to open his mouth.
Before long, as if he had resolved himself, Sung Wooyoung tightly gripped the flapping hem of his pants with his hand, then let go and began to speak.
“But actually, there is one more thing I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I think I should also apologize to you as well.”
“Why?”
“The truth is, I am currently preparing a lawsuit against JN Entertainment.”
What he brought up went in a completely unexpected direction.
A lawsuit, out of nowhere?
And wasn’t JN Entertainment a major agency in Korea, comparable to LS Entertainment?
‘And it’s also the place where Director Kim Wooseok is, the guy who not only tried to take him away from Mom, but caused all kinds of trouble.’
Although this was unexpected, the mention of JN Entertainment caught Hyunseung’s interest, and he blinked as if telling him to keep talking.
“Some of the 4WAY members have filed for a provisional injunction to suspend the effect of their exclusive contracts…”
Even though no one was listening, Sung Wooyoung looked around cautiously, then lowered his voice and added the rest.
“I think JN Entertainment is behind it.”
“Do you have grounds for thinking that?”
“Yes, we are collecting evidence related to it.”
At those words, Hyunseung let out a low “Hmm.”
It did not seem like he was making things up.
But in truth, if a small agency like Utopia Entertainment filed a lawsuit against an entertainment company as enormous as JN, there was no chance of winning.
Right.
Not only would they end up closing the doors of the agency entirely, there was a higher chance they would never be able to set foot in this industry again.
Suddenly, that thought came to him.
Unexpected miracles can vanish like mirages too.
“By any chance, is Lee Sol included among those members?”
“Ah, Sol is not.”
“Then how about dropping the lawsuit and raising only Lee Sol instead?”
Hyunseung asked as if trying to dissuade Sung Wooyoung.
“If you go to court, it doesn’t look like there’s much hope.”
Then he immediately added firmly.
It might be a little bitter to hear, but there was no helping it.
The Sung Wooyoung Hyunseung knew cared greatly for the 4WAY members, but he was not someone with a temperament firm enough to run an entertainment agency.
If such a soft person legally clashed with JN Entertainment, wouldn’t it be obvious he would be smashed apart?
As for miracles…
Even if they suddenly disappeared, they were never originally his, so that was all right. But it would not be all right if the company he had built with his own hands disappeared.
“No. I absolutely have to do this.”
However, unlike himself, he answered with a stubborn attitude.
“All right. Let’s say that, even by some miracle, you win the lawsuit against JN Entertainment.”
As if frustrated by him, Hyunseung added.
“But what meaning is there in forcibly keeping together a group that has already been damaged?”
“I know that well. Since it is already a relationship with cracks in it, even if it is restored, it will soon break apart again.”
As he answered like that, a bitter smile appeared briefly on Sung Wooyoung’s face.
“But in a situation where even the song you gave us, composer-nim, could be taken away, I can’t just sit back and do nothing, can I?”
Before long, for the first time, he asked back with a gaze where poison was barely wavering.
“Mm?”
So he’s not only a soft person, is that it?
Hyunseung looked at Sung Wooyoung, then covered his mouth and smiled silently.
It was not that he laughed because it was funny.
He only laughed because the man suddenly looked brave out of nowhere.
No.
Should he say he laughed because he looked far too reckless?
“Yes, then please make sure you protect the song I made for you so it is never taken away.”
That was all Hyunseung could say to him.
It was not an agency that had formed a cooperative relationship with VINCIS.
And their relationship was not deep enough for him to help any further.
“The truth is, the person who tried to tamper with the girls this time (*prior contact before the exclusive contract ends) is a director at JN Entertainment and a so-called friend of mine.”
At that moment, Sung Wooyoung suddenly added in a tone sunk in thought.
“I will somehow try to handle it.”
Then, leaving behind words that carried firm resolve, he got up from his seat.
“Wait a moment.”
However, at Hyunseung’s call, he had no choice but to stop moving while standing halfway up awkwardly.
“Did you just say a director at JN Entertainment?”
“Yes. Do you perhaps know someone at JN Entertainment….”
At the atmosphere that had suddenly turned murderous, he trailed off while watching Hyunseung’s expression.
“That bastard director. What is his name?”
“He is called Kim Wooseok…”
“He still hasn’t come to his senses after being scolded by Dad.”
Sung Wooyoung could not understand at all what Hyunseung was saying right now, but.
“Let me see the evidence you said you collected.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes….”
Hyunseung’s face was twisted enough that he seemed murderous, so he could not go against him.
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