Top Management-Chapter 253

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“Still, it won't happen.”

Son Chaeyoung responded.

“Even if someone is capable of that, they wouldn’t want to become that kind of person.”

Isn’t that what’s important?

Trying not to become too awful.

“Is that so?”

Son Chaeyoung spoke in a humming tone.

“From what I've seen, people who could be that way eventually do become that way.”

Then she slammed the car door open.

As if waiting, a fierce storm burst in. Son Chaeyoung, pummeled by the rain, quickly closed the door and irritably swept back her dripping wet hair.

“...Can I borrow your umbrella? I have a shoot tomorrow, and I can’t afford to catch a cold.”

She handed over an umbrella from the backseat.

“I thought you said you couldn’t shoot?”

“I tend to respond better to poison than medicine.”

Then Son Chaeyoung looked straight at me.

“Tell Lee Songha that my teenage years aren’t ending any time soon, so she might as well keep growing up. And tell her that what was originally mine and what she now possesses, I’ll take it all back.”

The door opened again.

And Son Chaeyoung, holding a bright blue umbrella, drifted into the rain.

*

All the way back to the office, myriad thoughts crossed my mind.

Starting from the saying that such people eventually turn out that way,

To her last declaration of war.

After Son Chaeyoung's voice had whirled through my mind, I focused on one thought.

What is it?

Why does my foresight jump fences only when it's about Son Chaeyoung?

Well, it’s been odd since Cannes.

It’s been quite silent for a long while since I decided to join 'City Jungle' with Director Oh Hyunkyung, and then the foresight started popping out every other day.

Lately, from unlucky days, to snails, to repetitions, every work I chose seemed to drive people insane with its audio versions.

I thought it’d be better to just show me a successful piece than annoy me with this meddling, and as if waiting for that, it presented 'Accomplice'.

Honestly, that was the strangest part.

The timing was too perfect.

I wondered if foresight now intended to actively reflect my will.

After being stubbornly uncommunicative for years, was it finally thinking of communicating with me?

So, I simulated similar situations, and even tried calling out to foresight internally. But there was absolutely no response.

And yet,

Today, it repeated Son Chaeyoung three times, tricking me.

I clicked my tongue and tapped the steering wheel.

While waiting for the light at the red signal, people gripping umbrellas tightly crossed the crosswalk. I looked up at the still pouring murky sky and thought.

If you’re going to show me the future, at least send helpful information.

Rather that.

The conversation I had with Director Park twenty years from now.

I was more curious about what followed.

Just as I thought that,

The gloomy grey sky flipped, and bright sunlight poured through.

“Ah. I just remembered something else.”

I said.

My future self.

Director Park tilted his head curiously.

“What’s that?”

“A piece I’d like to give to my actor if I could go back twenty years. Wouldn’t that be around when 'First Love' was released?”

Look at that?

The timing, it's clearly not a coincidence?

I pushed aside the flurry of thoughts and focused on the conversation in front of me.

“Ah, 'First Love'. Right, that would be the time.”

Is 'First Love' the title?

A drama? A movie?

Director Park turned to Reporter Song and asked.

“Did you see it?”

“Of course, it's a timeless masterpiece. My mother and grandmother really loved it too; we always made sure to watch it live. Even though I was young, I remember it being very popular back then.”

“The ratings started at about 4%? And it almost reached 40%. Even back then, a 40% rating was unheard of.”

40%?

“The country was buzzing. It was a time when they were only producing light-hearted romcoms saying melodrama wouldn’t work, with unknown actors and a shoestring budget.”

With a slight exclamation, Director Park said.

“It proved that masterpieces are not confined by trends.”

“······.”

Once again, the dreary sky filled my view.

The loud noise of the beating rain resumed.

Through the water-soaked glass, people were still busily crossing the street.

'First Love'

A title I hadn’t heard before.

Well, it was the same with 'Accomplice'.

Is the script not out yet? Or did I miss it?

It doesn’t matter.

If it hasn’t come out yet, I just need to start looking for it now.

And if I missed it, I just need to bring it back.

Upon entering the company, I immediately sought out the marketing team.

Fortunately, Team Leader Park was at his desk.

As soon as he spotted me, his expression turned curious.

"With your colleague, Son Chaeyoung,"

"Team Leader, have you heard of the drama 'First Love'?"

"Huh?"

Team Leader Park blinked before replying.

"Yes."

His answer was so brief that I nearly stumbled over my words.

"You've heard of it? It's a melodrama, right?"

"Yes. Are you talking about the one by Author Hwang Geum-ju?"

"Hwang Geum-ju..."

She's a veteran melodrama writer with quite a career.

In her heyday, she even surpassed a 40% viewership rating.

Of course, that golden era was about twenty years ago, and after a long hiatus, she’s now considered a has-been, only remembered for her past glory.

"First Love? Was there such a work?"

A male colleague from the marketing team asked, and a female colleague immediately replied.

"Didn’t you see the proposal that came in recently? It's that melodramatic story where the cynical male and female protagonists fall in love after turning thirty and end up crying and cursing. The male lead contracts a terminal illness and dies at the end, and the female lead dies too."

"Oh, I remember now."

Interrupting their conversation, I asked.

"I don't remember seeing it. When did it come in?"

I usually review every plausible script or synopsis that comes into the company. It's unlikely that I missed a new work by Author Hwang Geum-ju, even if she's considered outdated.

"The proposal came directly to Son Chaeyoung. Acting Team Leader Cho Byunghwan saw the plan and immediately rejected it. We didn’t even receive the script."

It had come directly to Son Chaeyoung?

"But this was worth rejecting. In today’s world, a melodrama with a terminal illness and a tragic ending is just outdated, completely stuck in the 1980s."

Team Leader Park scoffed.

"In these hard times, a drama where the protagonists die because of love? Young people today would ask, 'Do you have to die without love?'"

"The trend may not be popular now. But still, what can we do? It's Author Hwang Geum-ju's style. She used to draw good ratings with such melodramatic love stories."

"Yes. Twenty years ago. Back when people still used flip phones."

A female colleague cautiously added.

"Still, she’s a writer with a knack for compelling storytelling. Even if the trend is shifting towards lighter themes, such fateful love stories remain classic. I personally would love to experience such a romance at least once in my life."

"If you put it that way, it does make sense."

The male colleague agreed. Team Leader Park looked at them and asked.

"Are you guys preparing for your retirement?"

"Wow, hitting us with the reality check?"

"In this era of longevity, people who haven’t prepared for retirement talk about fateful love. Instead of that, why not save more?"

"No,"

"Team Leader."

A desperate voice chimed in.

"Is that proposal still around?"

The bustling conversation abruptly stopped.

Team Leader Park and the marketing team members stared straight at me.

"When Manager Jung Sunwoo picks out a project like this, the results are usually dramatic."

With the sound of wheels rolling, a chair was pushed back.

Team Leader Park stood up abruptly and approached me, his eyes shining.

"I always get excited when you're like this. Do you know what your face looks like right now?"

"..."

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.

Hearing Team Leader Park’s words, I realized what expression I was making and in what tone I was speaking. Even without a mirror, I could imagine the thrill and anticipation painted clearly on my face.

A drama that could achieve a viewership near 40%.

Not just a fleeting success, but a masterpiece revered even twenty years later.

But then,

"Seems like the main cast has already been set up?"

"What?"

"Here."

A male colleague, who had been typing on his laptop, turned his monitor towards me.

It was an article.

Written fifteen days ago, featuring the profile photos of a male and female actor confirmed for the casting of 'First Love.'

"Several articles have popped up, but no other promotions yet?"

"Jang Hyo-eun and Choi Jong-yoon? They're the main roles, not supporting?"

"The article says they are."

"The leads seem too weak. That's why there's no buzz. It's disappointing."

"Was the casting poorly done? Still, it’s a work by Author Hwang Geum-ju; that's a bit harsh."

The main cast has been finalized? Already?

I scrolled through the article myself. It seemed like a few casually written press releases distributed by the production company or actors' agencies were all there was.

Had contracts

been signed?

As long as filming hadn't started yet...

Then,

Then, what? What to do?

I bit my lip unconsciously.

"Jang Hyo-eun and Choi Jong-yoon met through that drama, right?"

It was the future again.

Journalist Song asked, and Director Park nodded.

"Yes. That's why there was such a fuss when they got married. The drama had a sad ending, but in reality, it was a happy one."

"How dramatic."

"That's why it's still considered their signature work. There wasn't much else that went well for them. Back then, there was a lot of talk among reporters that they were just a show couple, but who knew they'd end up so well?"

"Ah, but..."

Journalist Song spoke with an uneasy expression.

"Although it's just a hypothesis... If the director could go back and do this project, Jang Hyo-eun and Choi Jong-yoon would miss out on their life's work and even their marriage, wouldn't they?"

A sensation of ice water being poured over my head overwhelmed me.

My mouth opened, and a calm voice flowed out.

"That might be true. But is that a problem?"

"What?"

"If we were to consider all these personal circumstances while working, when would we ever succeed? Besides, someone who worries about such things wouldn't last long in this industry."

Then I turned to look at Director Park.

My cheeks moved, and the corners of my mouth slightly rose.

"Was I too honest? I shouldn't say such things during interviews."

At the same time, Director Park smiled, pulling at his black lips. He placed a hand on the slightly flustered journalist Song's shoulder, turning towards me.

"We were once like her too, weren't we?"

The face of Director Park in front of me suddenly transformed into that of Team Leader Park from the marketing team.

"Want to go to the conference room? Should we talk like last time?"

Like last time.

Like when Bae Myung-jin had come with a scenario to discuss.

"Ah, the proposal should be around here somewhere. Should I look for it first?"

"No."

I managed to extract my choked-up voice to respond.

"I don’t need it. We're not doing this."

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Top ManagementJung Sunwoo was an average man. He had just taken his first job as a celebrity manager. On his way to work, he fell into what appeared to be a lucid dream about his future...40 posts

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