When Jo So-hee's gaze grew intent, Park Geon-ho held out the red credit card.
He was about to explain what had happened yesterday when Jo So-hee smiled and spoke.
"Just keep it."
"Pardon?"
"You'll need it to cover expenses."
Receiving a corporate card from the company did not mean one could use it however one pleased.
There was no issue during official schedules.
But as a rule, individuals had to cover any expenses incurred during unofficial schedules.
In Jo So-hee's case, she covered most expenses herself.
"Use that starting today."
"No, thank you. I can use the corporate card today."
"Then my distant uncle won't like it, will he?"
"He owes me one today. I plan to call it even with that."
The distant uncle Jo So-hee was referring to was Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan.
Both belonged to the Unyang Jo clan, so Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan had asked about her ancestral seat when they first met. As it turned out, they were distantly related as uncle and niece.
Of course, Jo So-hee had openly displayed her discomfort, so Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan watched what he said around her.
Jo So-hee herself, however, called Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan whatever she felt like.
"More importantly, aren't you going to ask?"
"About what?"
"The ten million won."
"Ah. That? Hye-ju unnie told me."
"In any case, I'm sorry I used it without permission."
Park Geon-ho bowed his head slightly.
Whatever the circumstances, charging ten million won without even asking Jo So-hee's permission bordered on lunacy.
But Jo So-hee simply laughed it off.
"It's fine. You did it for Senior Han Do-hoon, didn't you?"
Until that morning, she had planned to ask Park Geon-ho about it directly when she saw him.
But Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju had explained everything on the way over, and Jo had come to understand the circumstances.
The corporate card's limit had nearly cost the actor under his care his dignity. What more was there to say?
If anything, Jo found it impressive that he had used her card without hesitation.
"For reference, that card has no limit."
"Surely that doesn't mean unlimited, does it?"
"What was it again? I think they told me I could comfortably charge up to 500 million won?"
"Good grief. How am I supposed to use this when my hands will be shaking?"
"That's why you should keep it safe. And when you need it, use it without worrying about what anyone thinks."
"Understood. I'll be careful not to lose it."
His official appointment had not been made yet.
But returning the card today only to receive it again tomorrow would be a bother, so he slipped it back into his wallet.
Just then, the salads they had ordered arrived.
"Enjoy your meal, and press the bell anytime if you need anything~"
"Thank you."
While Jo So-hee tasted the soup that came with her salad.
Park cut the chili chicken in his spicy Mexican salad into more manageable pieces and pushed them to one side.
Jo So-hee smiled and asked.
"Is that for me?"
"Try both and eat whichever one you like better."
"What is this? You're just like Hye-ju unnie."
Jo So-hee did not decline. She speared a piece of chili chicken with her fork and popped it into her mouth.
After chewing it with an endearingly tiny motion, she furrowed her brow slightly.
"It's spicier than I expected."
"You can't handle spicy food?"
"That's not true, you know? I'm good with spicy food, you know?"
As if to prove him wrong, Jo So-hee ate a few more pieces, but eventually soothed her tongue with the soup.
She had become fairly good at handling spicy food after turning 30, but still.
It seemed they would have to start over with mild tteokbokki.
"You'll upset your stomach if it's too spicy, so stop eating it."
"Am I the only one who finds it spicy? Are you all right, Geon-ho?"
"I'm good with spicy food."
He had never particularly liked spicy food to begin with.
But after being exposed to every kind of spicy food thanks to Jo So-hee, he had reached a point where he could easily handle food measuring around 10,000 Scoville units.
Or at least he had.
"......!"
The instant he put it in his mouth, his tongue caught fire.
"Whoa. What is this?"
"Pfft."
Ignoring the snicker that erupted right in front of him, Park hurriedly spooned soup into his mouth.
If he wanted to avoid losing to Jo So-hee, it seemed he needed to begin special training first.
5
After finishing the electrifying meal, Park went downstairs and presented the corporate card.
"Your total is 46,800 won. Would you like to pay in installments?"
"No. Please charge it as a single payment."
"Certainly."
Park Seong-a smiled and swiped the card.
Then she tilted her head and spoke quietly enough that only Park Geon-ho could hear.
"Um, Manager. Why does it say the card has been declined?"
"......Pardon?"
Park was dumbfounded, but he kept it from showing and held out the card Jo So-hee had given him.
"Ah, I gave you the wrong card."
"Yes. The payment went through. Would you like the receipt?"
"Yes, please."
As they left the restaurant, Jo So-hee gave him an irritating smile from beside him.
Judging by her expression, she seemed to have anticipated that this would happen.
"Ms. So-hee, what's on your schedule this afternoon?"
"You're asking me that?"
"I haven't received the handover yet."
"Nothing in particular. I just came to see your face, Geon-ho."
"I need to return to the office for now......."
"Then let's go together."
On the way, Park called Team Leader Han Sang-woo and demanded an explanation.
The reply he received was a masterpiece.
-Ah, they must have temporarily suspended it.
"Are you insane? No, how can you block the card when you don't know what might happen?"
-Did you just call your team leader insane, you punk? Anyway, wait. After you left earlier, the division director gave the deputy division director an earful, so they'll reactivate it.
Division Director Kang Young-jin had said the disciplinary action was canceled.
But that information apparently had not been communicated clearly yet.
-More importantly, when are you coming back?
"I'm on my way back after having lunch with Actress Jo."
-What? Actress Jo is coming too? But why?
"How would I know?"
-Take her home instead. She doesn't have any other schedule today, does she?
"Deputy Team Leader Ahn stepped away. I think Ms. So-hee will have to wait at the office for now."
-Hey! Park Geon-ho! Are you trying to make everyone uncomfortable?
"Anyway, we're coming in."
-Hey! Hey, you puuunk!
Team Leader Han Sang-woo practically had a fit, but Park Geon-ho casually ignored him.
When Jo So-hee herself wanted to visit her agency, who would dare stop her?
"Let's go."
After ending the call, Park matched his stride to Jo So-hee's.
"You're all right walking this far, aren't you?"
"When the weather is nice."
"When we eat near the office, it's better to walk. As you can see, there isn't anywhere convenient to park."
"That's why I've barely been around here. There are more decent-looking places to eat than I expected, aren't there?"
This was already her third calendar year as a Wooju Entertainment artist.
Yet Jo So-hee happily read off the names of the restaurants that caught her eye.
"Let's go there next time."
"Mara Workshop?"
"Why? You can't handle spicy food?"
"Ha ha ha. Of course I can."
She apparently wanted to tease him for pouring yogurt sauce over the spicy Mexican salad earlier.
But it had been almost ten years since he had trained his tongue on the numbing spice of malatang.
After strolling at a relaxed pace and stopping at the crosswalk, they saw the Wooju Entertainment building across the street.
It had four basement levels and ten floors above ground.
It stood on a 2,200-square-meter lot, roughly 660 pyeong, and had a building footprint of 1,320 square meters, roughly 400 pyeong.
It was one of the largest entertainment agency buildings in South Korea. But could it be because the building was over 20 years old?
It felt somewhat out of place in Gangnam.
"It's dreary."
"It does feel that way."
"When is Wooju building its new headquarters?"
"Who knows. They keep saying they will, but I'm not sure they'll manage it before your contract ends."
As latecomers rushed to build new headquarters and raise their brand value, Wooju Entertainment had also pursued a move to a new building.
But when it failed to secure a better location than its current one, the plan quietly fizzled out.
They crossed the street and entered the building.
As they passed through the automatic doors, the security guards stationed on either side bowed.
After returning their greeting with a slight bow, Park guided Jo So-hee toward the access gate.
When he tapped his access card, a beep sounded and his basic information appeared on a screen mounted beside the gate.
Actor Division Team 5 Manager Park Geon-ho.
Facial recognition in progress.
Following calls to strengthen security like other entertainment agencies, Wooju Entertainment had introduced a facial-recognition system, but it took quite some time to identify a person.
-Welcome.
The gate opened with a high-pitched mechanical voice.
Jo So-hee quickly passed through alongside Park Geon-ho.
"Does that thing actually work properly?"
"I heard the recognition rate is a little low because it's an older model."
"Then isn't there no point in having it? It just wastes time."
"But it would recognize you accurately, Ms. So-hee."
"Because I'm pretty?"
"Yes."
"Psh."
He had originally intended to say that the clearer one's facial features, the higher the recognition rate.
But it seemed fine to replace that with the word pretty.
They took the elevator waiting on the first floor, and Park pressed the button for the sixth.
The Actor Division used the sixth and seventh floors of the ten-story building.
The offices were on the sixth floor, while the conference rooms and a lounge for the actors were on the seventh.
"Since you're here, you should see the division director before you leave."
"Mister? Why?"
"Because you haven't visited in a while?"
"Hmm....... All right."
Had his formal appointment as Jo So-hee's dedicated manager already been made, he would have dropped her off on the seventh floor and come back down.
But today, at least, it seemed better to keep Jo So-hee beside him like a personal guard.
Sure enough.
"Hey! Park Geon-ho!"
The moment he stepped out of the elevator, Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan's roar came from some distance away.
While Park was at the café, Team Leader Han Sang-woo had sent a KkaeTalk message asking where he was.
It seemed Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan had been waiting ever since for him to return.
But as Park moved beyond the partition that blocked the view from the elevators and Jo So-hee came into sight, Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan's expression turned sour.
"I'm a little late."
"Do you know what time it is? You're only coming back now?"
"Actress Jo So-hee's lunch ran late. We ate together."
Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan's frowning gaze slid past Park Geon-ho and landed on Jo So-hee.
But as before, Jo So-hee ignored Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan and approached Team Leader Han Sang-woo.
"Team Leader, you know my assigned manager has changed, don't you?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes. I was informed."
"Then there's no problem, right?"
"Ah....... Even so, you should observe the lunch break......."
"Is that so? Then what are all these empty desks?"
Jo So-hee spoke as she looked around.
Quite a few desks were empty, both in Team 5 and elsewhere.
"It's fine if they're out for a schedule."
"Weren't we working too?"
"Working?"
"We had to introduce ourselves and get acquainted. Deputy Team Leader Ahn Hye-ju will be away starting next week. Were we supposed to remain awkward around each other?"
"Ah....... Yes. Then it's fine."
When Jo So-hee challenged him point by point, Team Leader Han Sang-woo backed down.
He wanted to side with Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan, but nothing Jo So-hee said was wrong.
Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan then turned on the blameless Team Leader Han Sang-woo.
"Team Leader Han! How on earth are you managing your staff?"
"I'm sorry."
"Be careful from now on!"
"Yes. I'll make sure of it."
After glancing at Jo So-hee, Deputy Division Director Jo Yeong-chan returned to his desk.
Jo So-hee also moved on and entered the division director's office.
"Phew....... This is exhausting."
"It's hardly anything new."
"You little punk? Is this fun because it isn't your problem? Are you enjoying yourself?"
"Why would I enjoy seeing you get chewed out, Team Leader? I feel bad."
"You feel bad, my ass. Then why did you come back empty-handed?"
"I was going to buy you coffee, but the corporate card got cut off."
"Sigh. Forget it. Forget I said anything. More importantly, did Actress Jo So-hee come to see the division director?"
"Wouldn't you say that was part of it? Nothing is final until she signs the contract."
"True. The division director looks after Actress Jo personally."
Team Leader Han Sang-woo nodded.
Division Director Kang Young-jin paid special attention to Teams 1 and 2, which managed the star actors, as well as to Jo So-hee.
"More importantly, are you really going to do it?"
"Do what?"
"Take charge of Actress Jo So-hee."
"I have to."
"Are you doing it because you were told to? Or are you confident you can do it well?"
"Both."
"Sigh. You're all talk. Anyway, if you're going to do it, do it right. Understood?"
"If you reactivate my corporate card."
"It'll be reactivated tomorrow, you punk."
Just then, Team Leader Han Sang-woo felt his phone vibrate and checked it.
Then he heaved a sigh deep enough to sink the earth.
"Why is everyone doing this to me today?"
"Why? Did the deputy division director tell you to follow him to the roof?"
"Not the roof. A conference room."
"Whoa......."
"I'm begging you. Please don't make this any worse. Understood?"