The Manager Is a Gangster

29 – Like Family (Part 4)

0.

The morning after Jeong Baro prevented Haan Choe from quitting the Tulula, Haan Choe, alone, went up to the office to proceed with the trainee contract that hadn’t even started yesterday.

Since Haan Choe originally had no interest in the idol industry, it was natural that Jeong Baro had prepared the contract, and there was nothing strange in its contents.

No, considering that it’s a contract offered to a trainee whose skills haven’t even been verified, it’s a condition so good that it’s overwhelming. No contract fee, and trainers will provide one-on-one lessons.

Although trainers giving one-on-one lessons is simply because Haan Choe is the only trainee, even considering that, the contract offered to Haan Choe is one that no other trainee in the industry has ever received.

The company, which hadn’t done anything before, may offer less compared to other planning agencies, but still, the conditions are good enough that it won’t lose to the top in the industry.

Therefore, Jeong Baro was confident that Haan Choe would willingly sign this contract.

However, instead of signing, Haan Choe took out a pen from her pocket and added one more clause.

Haan Choe’s figure, adding a clause to the blank space at the bottom without even looking at the clauses written in the contract, was something Jeong Baro, who had contracted with numerous trainees until now, had never seen before.

What is this? What on earth is this…

“It doesn’t matter what’s written in front. If you keep this clause, I’ll sign.”

Haan Choe turned the contract toward the bewildered Jeong Baro.

Naturally, Jeong Baro’s eyes went to the last clause Haan Choe added, and the moment he checked that clause, Jeong Baro couldn’t help but furrow his brows slightly.

[This entire contract is only effective when ‘Kang Jinhyuk’ remains as the ‘Manager’ for ‘Eul.’]

“No, this is…”

Trainees don’t get managers. You get a manager after you debut.

But Haan Choe, who hasn’t even become a trainee yet, went beyond asking for a manager and directly designated her own manager.

Any producer would frown upon such presumptuous behavior, but Jeongbaro avoided the furrowed brow and instead smiled brightly, sidestepping the originally furrowed forehead.

“Of course, I can accept this much! If Haan joins our company as a trainee!”

From the start, there was only one celebrity in Bareungil Entertainment, Choi Cheolhoon, who was far from popular, and the only manager, Kang Jinhoek. This company was quite different from ordinary agencies.

In this agency, pride, dignity, or anything that one might care about in terms of presumptuous behavior was a dreadful luxury.

The fact that Kang Jinhoek was the assigned manager was already confirmed, and since it was a company founded by his cousin Lee Seong, there was no reason to leave the company.

From Jeongbaro’s perspective, if he just discarded his pride, there was practically no difference from what Haan had added to the clause.

Pride doesn’t put food on the table.

Now, Jeongbaro was not the genius producer who used to go on high-profile gigs but a salaryman who received a monthly salary and followed the orders of his pants-wearing boss.

That’s why, even with Haan’s arbitrarily added clause, he could easily nod his head.

“Well then, since Haan has added the clause, I’ll put it in right away. Just wait a bit.”

In case there’s a need for more clauses, Jeongbaro picked up the contract and headed towards his desk with a printer.

Not liking the current situation, Haan, who faced the back of Jeongbaro, spoke in a low voice.

“Choi Haan.”

“Yes?”

“Call me Choi Haan, not Haan.”

“Oh… Can I use informal language then?”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter.”

“Yeah, okay. Sure, Haan!”

“It’s Choi Haan.”

“Uh, yeah, Choi Haan.”

Quietly detaching the title, I called her “Ha-an,” but as expected, her response was as cold as the winter wind, reminiscent of an ice queen.

Lowering my head immediately, I complied with Ha-an’s request, placing emphasis on the title and reciting the full name, just as Jung Baro had instructed. He returned to his seat, a smile playing on his lips, ready to retrieve the modified contract.

Although addressing her by name had failed, allowing informal language was a positive step. Maybe, as time passed, we could get closer?

To Jung Baro, Ha-an was like an uncut gem, a precious stone he wanted to shape into the finest jewel. That’s why he thought removing formalities and honorifics would bring them closer, but reality proved otherwise.

Miss Ha-an was a title reserved for the manager, and “Ha-an” was an affectionate nickname only the manager could use. It couldn’t be left for just anyone to call her.

For Jung Baro, enforcing the title “Ha-an” was a term that Jinhyuk wouldn’t use, making it suitable for the situation.

With the contract signed, Ha-an officially became a trainee under Barun Entertainment.

A momentous first step as a trainee.

2.

On the evening Ha-an joined Barun Entertainment, having become a trainee abruptly, she didn’t do anything else and simply followed me around, accompanying me on my way home.

No, that’s not entirely accurate. She didn’t just follow me around; she diligently listened to my explanations as we roamed inside the company.

Ha-an attentively absorbed my explanations, mastering the structure of Barun Entertainment in just one day.

When I asked how she could memorize the layout so quickly, she replied that sharp eyes were essential to navigate well.

Anyway, after leaving work with Ha-an, I took out a special piece of meat secretly bought from the butcher while she was signing the contract.

“Ha-an, do you like meat? I prepared some to celebrate us becoming colleagues.”

“Wow… is this beef?”

Ha-an’s eyes sparkled like stars at the sight of the red meat in the disposable container.

Seems like she really loves meat. Her eyes are shining so brightly. She enjoyed the meat a lot yesterday too. It was a good call to bring beef. Beef is truly the way to go.

Ignoring the resemblance of Ha-an’s gaze at the meat to the one she gave me, I proceeded to the kitchen for the cooking preparations.

“Then please wait a little. I’ll grill it deliciously and serve it to you.”

“Ah, okay.”

Alright, let’s grill it nicely once…

“…”

“…”

I was trying to grill the beef nicely, but for some reason, Haan followed me into the kitchen.

What’s this? Could it be that he’s noticing that I’m the only one working while he rests? But Haan should rest when he can, considering he’ll be taking lessons and practicing from now on.

The reason I, as the landlord, take care of all the household chores is because Haan has more important things to do than just household chores.

There’s no room to spare for wasting energy in a place like this.

So, I conveyed that fact to Haan, who was standing there hesitantly, as if he sensed it.

“Haan, please go and rest on the couch. I’ll take care of this. You’ll be busy with trainee activities from now on, so you should rest whenever you can.”

I said that, but it was a very manager-like statement.

Feeling good after saying something manager-like, I decided to add a bit more manager-like words.

“Now that you’re a trainee, Haan, and I’m the manager you found, we should respect each other’s roles. Now is the time to respect me as the manager, so please go and rest. I’ll grill the meat deliciously.”

Wow, the idol found by the manager. And the manager found by the idol. How romantic is this relationship?

After reaffirming our relationship like this, I started to feel my excitement rise for some reason.

That Kang Jin-hyuk, damn it, who knew he could say something like this!

Just as I was feeling proud and intoxicated by the manager’s sense of accomplishment, an awkward voice came from Haan.

“No, I didn’t come here to ask for help or anything… I just wanted to say something.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t grill meat. I’ve never tried grilling meat. I’ve never even attempted to make anything in the kitchen.”

“Oh, um. Okay.”

So, did that mean I grandly expressed that it’s okay if I don’t help the person who didn’t even think of asking for help?

In this world, it feels like my face is about to flush and explode.

At that time, when I was feeling too embarrassed, and even the tone of my thoughts in my head strangely changed, a shy voice came from Haan.

“Well… If you want to know what I wanted to say to Manager-nim.”

“You can just say it directly.”

“Yes?”

“No, go on. What did you want to say?”

Whether I’m embarrassed or not, Haan started to speak her mind.

If I had shown consideration in this situation, it would have only increased her embarrassment. So, I thanked her for her independent attitude and listened to her voice.

“Um… Manager-nim and I are officially bound by the relationship between a manager and an idol, no, a trainee now, right?”

“Yes. Normally, a manager isn’t assigned to a trainee, but since Haan will definitely be my assigned idol, the manager-idol relationship is appropriate.”

“Then… Please drop the formalities now, Manager-nim.”

“Yes?”

Suddenly? Let go of the formality? Didn’t the address ‘Haan’ already stick in my mouth?

Expressing that sentiment with a questioning tone, Haan abandoned her shyness and boldly demanded me to use informal speech.

“Manager-nim, you’re older than me, and it’s better for the relationship between the idol and the manager to be closer. So, Manager-nim, you have to drop the formalities with me.”

“No, Haan, even if you say that all of a sudden…”

“You shouldn’t even call me Haan. What manager addresses an idol much younger than them with a formal title?”

Can’t I stick around with Mr. C? It’s not even that much, and there’s only a five-year age difference. The young lady who’s four years older than me used to call me oppa.

Whether she grumbled inwardly or said it aloud, Han seemed to capture me with sparkling eyes that felt dangerously dazzling.

The gaze directed at me was remarkably similar to the one that had just been aimed at the marbled beef moments ago.

In that instant of realizing it wasn’t a mistake that the gaze at the meat and the gaze at me resembled each other, shivers ran down my spine.

What’s the deal? Why is she looking at me like I’m a piece of meat?

Feeling a creepy fear from that gaze, I unconsciously took a step back, but my back was already against the sink, and there was nowhere for me to escape.

“So, Manager-nim, please call me Han. No, call me Han-ah.”

But Han was not constrained by the limitations of space, and she approached me slowly, like a tiger approaching a rabbit trapped in a ditch.

“Yeah, like a family.”

“What, what?!”

“We live like a family. Because Manager-nim and I are the manager and the idol in charge.”

Ironically, Han’s eyes, which were not at all idol-like, sparkled even more than usual.