Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 488: Switching Sides (2)

"If you switch sides, I'll pay you double the amount you were offered. What do you think?"

Park Hee-Joon was stunned by my proposal. "Th-this is so sudden..."

Since I had the JS Club card that Jin Ah-Ram gave me, spending that much money wasn't a problem.

I continued, "As you know, both you and I have been caught up in the Jinseong Inc succession battle. In the end, only one person will survive. You might as well side with the winning team. And as you can see, this side is offering more money."

"..."

"Oh, and since working at Jinseong will be difficult for the time being, I'll also find you a new position where you can fully utilize your skills."

Recently, Reverse Entertainment had recruited Kim Seung-Moon as the chief secretary and he needed a competent subordinate. So I was thinking of offering Park Hee-Joon a position right under him.

Park Hee-Joon showed signs of wavering.

Taking advantage of the moment, I brought up his past. "Four consecutive years as the top scholarship student at Chungnam K University and the youngest team lead of management support at King Industries—your career is far too good to be wasted cleaning up after Jinseong Inc's mess. You didn't join Jinseong just to do petty work like this, did you?"

Park Hee-Joon's face turned red. "Did you... investigate me?"

"If I'm going to ask someone to switch sides, I need to at least know this much."

"And in return... you want information about Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu's corruption, don't you?"

I nodded. "Nothing comes for free."

After a long moment of hesitation, Park Hee-Joon shut his eyes tightly. "I'm sorry. I'll pretend I didn't hear any of this."

I could understand how Park Hee-Joon felt. Given the current state of Jinseong Inc's succession race, Jin Myung-Gyu was clearly ahead of his siblings. With a stable job and newborn twins barely a hundred days old, it was natural for him to be cautious.

Still, I was certain I had shaken him. The way he struggled to say that he never heard our conversation made that clear.

Then, after some hesitation, Park Hee-Joon spoke, "Mr. Jung."

"Yes?"

"You should be careful from now on. The Vice Chairman and Chief Secretary Choi Hyung-Woon will likely take some very rough measures against you."

"I appreciate the warning, but why are you telling me this?"

Park Hee-Joon hesitated before replying. "Consider it my way of repaying you... for the good offer you made me."

'I see.'

"Then let me return the favor with some information."

"No, that's okay."

As Park Hee-Joon turned to leave, I spoke of something that would soon happen. "Before long, Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu will place a heavy burden on you."

Park Hee-Joon stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean by burden?"

"You can probably guess. Something like taking the fall for the Vice Chairman's crimes."

"..."

"So just remember one thing. If you're ever given an unjust order, make a record of it. Whether it's a recording or a file backup, that could end up being your lifeline. Who knows? Those two might even start threatening you as early as today."

Park Hee-Joon's eyes wavered violently.

"Anyway, feel free to contact me anytime if you change your mind. I'll take care of it no matter the situation or the problem."

He looked conflicted but gave a slight bow before heading to his car. A moment later, his car's engine roared to life and he hurriedly sped out of the parking lot.

"Well, he's half convinced."

The bait was set. Now, I just had to wait. If he's ordered to take the fall for the accident in Eulwang-ri, he will soon start taking my words seriously.

That would be the time to bring Park Hee-Joon over.

***

On his way back to Seoul, Park Hee-Joon made a call. From the other end, Choi Hyung-Woon's voice erupted in anger.

-You useless idiot! You couldn't even convince him? This is why people from provincial universities are worthless!

Choi Hyung-Woon always insulted him like this, mocking him for his background while boasting about his own prestigious education from Korea University.

Park Hee-Joon sighed and asked what to do with the cash in his trunk. "Mr. Choi... what should I do with the money?"

-I'm in Eulwang-ri right now. Bring it to my office tomorrow, you moron. And listen. If you skim even a single bill, you're dead.

"I didn't touch a thing."

-I'm hanging up. Mr. Jin is calling. Damn it! I'm going to get chewed out because of you again.

Click.

As the call ended, a heavy sense of self-loathing washed over Park Hee-Joon.

"Sigh...Maybe I don't belong at Jinseong."

The thought of living like this for the rest of his life made Jung Yoon-Ho's offer seem more appealing.

At present, all three teams in the vice chairman's office were filled with Korea University alumni. However, as a provincial university graduate, Park Hee-Joon was stuck leading Team 4: the so-called "clean-up crew."

If Jung Yoon-Ho was right, he really might end up taking the fall for the vice chairman's crimes. At that moment, a sudden thought crossed his mind.

'Should I stop by the company first?'

The company computers stored files on all the cases Team 4 had been assigned by the other teams. Most of them were encrypted for the chief secretary's eyes only, but plenty weren't.

For the sake of his family relying solely on him, Park Hee-Joon turned his car around and headed for the company instead of home.

***

After finishing filming at the Hwaranjeon set in Gyeongju, I returned to my home in Cheonho-dong. By the time I brought Yoo-Jin and Miso upstairs, it was already 10 p.m.

At that moment, an article was uploaded just as my planner had predicted.

[(Breaking) "Eulwang-ri Drunk Driving Accident: Jinseong Inc's Successor A Spotted Alone with B? Exclusive Coverage!"]

'It's up.'

While driving back to Seoul earlier, I had received a call from Jin Sung-Joon around 9 p.m explaining that Jin Myung-Gyu had caused an accident on his way back from Eulwang-ri.

Jin Sung-Joon had wanted to report it to the press right away, but I had calmed him down and told him to keep following the situation because if it was Jin Myung-Gyu, he would definitely try to cover this up legally or not.

Jin Sung-Joon must have thought my reasoning made sense as he continued tailing him.

'I should contact Jin Sung-Joon.'

It was time to meet and discuss how to handle this.

Just then, my phone rang.

[Caller ID: Unknown Number]

'Could it be Park Hee-Joon?'

I answered. As expected, it was Park Hee-Joon's voice. However, he sounded far more shaken than I anticipated.

-P-please... please save me, Mr. Jung.

The tremor in his voice made it clear that he had been threatened.

"Are you ready to switch sides?"

-Yes, I'll do it. So please...

"Don't worry. I'll help you."

Without hesitation, I headed straight for Park Hee-Joon's home.

***

After finishing his quiet phone call in the living room of a two bedroom villa, Park Hee-Joon let out a deep sigh.

"Sigh... seriously... what do I do...?"

The moment he got home, a call had come from work. Jin Myung-Gyu had caused an accident and he was ordered to clean it up, just as Jung Yoon-Ho had predicted.

Park Hee-Joon recorded the call. Unaware of this, Choi Hyung-Woon pressured him to go to the police and turn himself in.

He explained that the black box footage had already been erased and his alibi had been fabricated. He further insisted it wouldn't be a big deal since there were no fatalities. Besides, the actress, who had been with the vice chairman, her talent agent had agreed to take the blame instead.

As compensation, they were offering Park Hee-Joon a move to a three bedroom apartment.

As the situation unfolded exactly as Jung Yoon-Ho had warned, a chill ran down Park Hee-Joon's spine. That's when a surge of courage rose up from somewhere deep within and he shouted that he wouldn't do it, saying this wasn't what he had joined Jinseong Inc for.

That's when Choi Hyung-Woon's tone changed in an instant.

-Oh, so I've been too soft on you and now you don't know your place? Some country bumpkin from a provincial university thinks he can pick and choose his work? Get your ass to the office now, before I send someone over. Got it?

Park Hee-Joon refused again. However, Choi Hyung-Woon hit him with an unexpected threat this time.

-If you don't come right now, that three hundred million won in your hands? I'll have you charged with embezzlement.

Park Hee-Joon never imagined that the money he was told to give to Jung Yoon-Ho would become a shackle around his neck.

"Sigh... what a shitty life..."

Just then, a small door creaked open and his elderly mother peered out with a worried expression. "Hee-Joon... is something wrong?"

His mother, who had raised him alone her entire life, had been struggling with back pain recently. She leaned against the door and looked at him with concern.

Park Hee-Joon felt a lump forming in his throat. However, he couldn't let her worry, so he forced a smile. "No, it's nothing, Mom. Work just called asking me to finish up something quickly."

She looked at him with a sorrowful expression. "I know it's a big company, but do they have to overwork you so much?"

"They do it because I'm the ace. The company wouldn't function without me, you know?"

Park Hee-Joon exaggerated to reassure her.

She slowly nodded, though she didn't seem convinced. "My poor son... I feel bad that I can't do anything to help."

"Come on, don't say that, Mom. How would Yeon-Joo manage the twins all by herself without you? Please don't worry and just get some rest."

Swallowing back his emotions, Park Hee-Joon urged his mother to return to her room.

That's when his mother stopped him. "Wait a moment."

Park Hee-Joon's mother shuffled inside and came back with a neatly wrapped black box.

"Take this with you. It's been getting cold lately."

"What is it?"

"It's a scarf. I bought it for you."

Park Hee-Joon clenched his jaw to hold back his tears. The spending money he gave her was barely a hundred thousand won a month. With the cost of housing in Seoul and raising newborn twins, he hadn't been able to send her more.

The thought that his mother had saved from that small amount to buy him a scarf made his throat tighten.

"You didn't have to buy something like this..."

"Of course I did. I didn't want my son to be cold. But... Hee-Joon, are you crying?"

Wiping at his eyes, Park Hee-Joon forced another smile. "N-no, I'm not."

At that moment, the door to the master bedroom opened. His wife, Lee Yeon-Joo, stepped out with an exhausted look, holding a coat and some clothes.

Lee Yeon-Joo's voice trembled with emotion. "Dear... she bought one for me too. Even though we barely gave her any money, she wanted us to have matching scarves..."

Park Hee-Joon's mother chuckled. "An old woman like me doesn't need to spend money on anything. What matters is that my son and daughter-in-law stay healthy. Don't worry about me."

Park Hee-Joon felt like his heart was being torn apart. His mother, his wife, and their newborn twins were relying on him.

Just then, Lee Yeon-Joo approached and hugged Park Hee-Joon tightly. "Honey... we're okay. Really, we're okay... So please don't push yourself too hard."

Biting back his tears, Park Hee-Joon answered. "I'm okay. It's fine. Everything will work out."

Just then, the doorbell rang unexpectedly.

Ding dong.

Park Hee-Joon's heart pounded like crazy.

Jung Yoon-Ho shouldn't have arrived yet since he had left from Cheonho-dong. Judging by the time, it was more likely that Choi Hyung-Woon had sent other secretaries. Since Jin Myung-Gyu lived in Hannam-dong, most of his secretaries resided nearby in Itaewon or Yongsan.

Park Hee-Joon knew he just had to hold out until Jung Yoon-Ho arrived. He slowly pressed the intercom button.

Beep.

The screen showed a group of unfamiliar men standing outside.

"...Who is it?"

A young man spoke in a bright voice.

-Hello! This is Lee Soo-Chan from Reverse Entertainment. Mr. Jung Yoon-Ho sent us.

"Reverse... Entertainment?"

At that moment, Jung Yoon-Ho's voice came from the phone Lee Soo-Chan held up.

-Mr. Park. It's me, Jung Yoon-Ho.

"Oh! Yes, Mr. Jung! But who are all these people?"

-They're employees from the company you'll be moving to. I'll explain everything later, but for now, take your mother, your wife, and the twins and go with them.

It was a clear warning that there was a chance the Jinseong Inc secretaries might come for him soon. Jung Yoon-Ho spoke as if he could see the future, and that made Park Hee-Joon trust him even more.

"U-understood."

Park Hee-Joon opened the door and quickly turned to his wife. "Yeon-Joo, get the kids. I'll take care of Mom. Get ready to leave."

"H-honey, what is going on?"

"I'll explain on the way! I didn't do anything wrong, so don't worry."

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"Alright, okay."

Click.

As the door opened, Lee Soo-Chan and his men rushed in with warm clothing. "Leave everything behind. Just bring your phone and wallet. Quickly now."

"Got it. But where are we going?"

The six employees from Reverse Entertainment smiled reassuringly. "You're heading to your new residence. It's a luxury villa with far better security than this place."

"Understood. Then we'll be in your care."

Lee Soo-Chan smiled and bowed slightly. "Welcome to Reverse Entertainment."

***

A luxury HQ villa complex located in Sinsa-dong was designed like an upscale apartment community with thirty households.

Reverse Entertainment owned three of these units. And in one of them, Unit 201, Park Hee-Joon's family was now gathered.

But his mother and wife looked visibly unsettled after having realized that Park Hee-Joon had nearly been made a scapegoat by his company.

After reassuring them, Park Hee-Joon handed me a microSD card. "Here, Mr. Jung. Take this."

"What is it?"

"A recording of my call with Chief Secretary Choi Hyung-Woon and some confidential files I retrieved from the company. About 90% is encrypted but I had the authority to unlock the rest, so I did."

Finally, I had a weapon capable of dealing a fatal blow to Jin Myung-Gyu.