Chapter 58
“The weather is so nice today.” to the extent that it’s fascinating.’
Jang Sunho, who was smoking on the roof of the company, stared at the sky.
Then, Jang Sunho’s cell phone rang.
[Chief of Staff Kang Kyungsik]
“What’s wrong with him?”
Jang Sunho answered the phone immediately.
“Yes, sir. It’s Jang Sunho.”
[Oh, Mr. Jang]. It’s Kang Kyungsik. [Is it okay to talk on the phone?]
“Yes, what’s the matter?”
Jang Sunho’s voice was a little tense.
This is because Kang Kyungsik rarely calls.
“No matter how urgent it is, His a person who uses company messengers or e-mails…”
While thinking about that, I heard Kang Kyungsik’s laid-back voice.
[Oh, it’s not a big deal]. [Do you have an appointment tonight?]
“Nothing in particular.”
[That’s great]. Then let’s have dinner together.]
“Do you have anything to say in private?”
It made sense to make a phone call if it was this personal.
“I see. Then should we make a reservation for the meat restaurant we went to last time
[There?]? It tasted good. Is there a room there?]
“There will be no room. But that’s not a problem. I don’t think it’s okay to go anywhere if we’re going to eat together.”
When Jang Sunho asked as if he was puzzled, Kang Kyungsik answered in a calm voice.
[Oh, we’re not eating together today]
“···.”
[CEO is going to come too]. [He wants to talk]
I can’t believe the CEO is coming.
‘···You said it wasn’t a big deal.’
This was a very big deal.
I went to work, but it was much bigger than the company elevator being inspected.
***
‘Luckily I arrived a little early.’
Checking the time, Jang Sunho entered a high-end steak restaurant. The waiter approached Jang Sunho and asked politely.
“Did you make a reservation?”
“Yes. It will be booked under the name of Kang Kyungsik.”
The waiter briefly checked his laptop and said with a smile.
“Oh, you’re Jang Sunho, right? Come this way, please. Your companions are here first.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“I can’t believe they’re here first.” As expected, I should have come without changing my clothes.’
After Kang Kyungsik’s phone call, Jang Sunho immediately returned home and changed his clothes.
It was because Kang Kyungsik said, “I’m off work, so change into comfortable clothes.”
Even if it’s comfortable clothes. I can’t do that because it’s where the representatives are.’
Jang Sunho checked his clothes by looking at the mirror next to him. The suit I always wore to important meetings. It was the same suit as the armor worn by a knight who was about to fight.
knock, knock.
“Jang Sunho is here.”
“Yes, please come in.”
A familiar voice could be heard from the inside of the door as the waiter knocked on the door and announced his arrival.
“···.”
And when the door opened, two mountaineers sat down.
Two fashionable men who don’t fit in a fancy restaurant at all.
It was a ‘really’ comfortable outfit that matched makgeolli and green onion pancake rather than wine and steak.
It was the first time Kang Kyungsik and Oh Haneul were dressed like this, so Jang Sunho looked at them with a stunned look.
Kang Kyungsik said, gesturing to come in.
“Mr. Manager, why are you standing there? Without coming in.”
“Oh, yes. I’m sorry.”
Jang Sunho came into the room awkwardly. Oh Haneul, who scanned Jang Sunho from top to bottom, asked Kang Kyungsik.
“Didn’t you tell me him to dress comfortably?”
“I said, ‘It’s after work, so don’t be nervous about the CEO coming, he’ll come in a comfortable outfit.’
The two talked as if it was nothing, but it was a sweaty moment for Jang Sunho.
Oh Haneul said to Jang Sunho.
“I didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered a lot of things.”
“Oh, yes. Thank you for the food.”
I’ve been preparing my mind, but I was still nervous because it was in front of the representatives.
Jang Sunho started eating without showing as nervous as possible. But it’s because I’m nervous
I didn’t really enjoy the cognitive taste.
“Did you finish eating?”
“Yes, thank you for the meal.”
“You’re eating well. I’ll have to come with you once in a while.”
“Ha ha, ha, ha.”
Kang Kyungsik spoke in a serious voice when the tense atmosphere was resolved by talking for a while.
“Mr. Kang. There’s a story you told me about Mr. Jang’s brother in the past.”
Jang Sunho’s hand paused when he said “Brother.”
He replied with a slightly far-fetched smile.
“···· Yes.”
“I don’t want to bring up bad memories either.”
“···.”
“Can you say that again?”
Jang Sunho stared at Kang Kyungsik.
“Why are you doing that here?”
But I didn’t necessarily ask why. There must be a good reason for Kang Kyungsik to ask such a question when he is with the CEO.
Jang Sunho, who finished thinking, replied with a light sigh.
“I see. “Can I go get some fresh air before that?”
***
Jang Sunho went out to get some air.
He was smoking an e-cigarette on the roof. Originally, his preference was at the beginning of the year, but he brought it as a makeshift because it was a place where the CEO was present.
This is because it was not possible to smell cigarettes in front of a representative who was quitting smoking.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…”
I sucked in the smoke deeply and then let it out.
“Shall I slowly go back?”
It was then.
“If possible, quit smoking.” It’s not good for your health.”
“···!”
Jang Sunho was embarrassed by Oh Haneul’s voice suddenly heard from behind.
Unbeknownst to me, I hid my cigarette behind my back. Like a student caught smoking by a teacher.
Oh Haneul said, leaning on the railing next to Jang Sunho.
“Actually, I heard briefly from the manager earlier. A story about Mr. Jang’s younger brother.”
“···.”
“As you know, the chief of staff is not the type to talk behind other people’s stories, right? Still, looking at what I said, I think I felt sorry for Mr. Jang. So don’t get too angry.”
“It’s all right. I don’t really care about that.”
When Jang Sunho answered, Oh Haneul took something out of his pocket.
It was a cigarette.
“Actually, I smoke too. Cigarettes are a must when smokers talk to each other. Oh, it’s a secret from the manager. Because I think I hung up now.”
Jang Sunho received a cigarette from Oh Haneul.
“CEO, you said you wanted to hear about my brother, right?”
“Yes.”
“My brother was an actor. He wasn’t a famous actor, but he was just a playwright acting in a small theater in the province.”
Jang Sunho said, looking at the darkened sky.
“Then one day, my brother called me crying. He wasn’t usually a sick person. It wasn’t long before I joined OS International.”
Jang Sunho’s eyes got a little moist.
“It’s so hard. So when someone asked what was hard, I said this.”
“···.”
‘I’m just saying it. Never mind.’
Jang Sunho’s dry voice began to tremble.
“We shouldn’t have let it go then. A week later, my brother was found dead in his own room.”
“···.”
“The police investigated, and it turned out that something bad happened at the theater where my brother belonged. And my brother’s will was also found.”
Jang Sunho took out his wallet after finishing his speech. He took out a piece of folded paper from the wallet and showed it to Oh Haneul.
“This is my brother’s will. Do you know what it says here?”
Jang Sunho asked, but Oh Haneul didn’t answer anything.
“···.”
“The paper says, ‘Bro, I thought my job as an actor was someone who gave comfort and happiness to others. But it wasn’t like that. What have I been holding out for?’ it said
After saying that, Jang Sunho bit the cigarette he had in his hand in his mouth.
Oh Haneul lent his lighter to Jang Sunho.
“Thank you.”
Smoke rose with red flames as the cigarette was lit.
Oh Haneul asked while watching Jang Sunho’s cigarette smoke.
“If that had happened, . . . Assistant Manager Jang Sunho must hate the job of being an ‘actor’ that made his younger brother like that.”
It was a natural question and thought.
However, Jang Sunho was different.
“No, it’s not. Hating them doesn’t mean your brother will come back alive, right? And the job of being an actor isn’t the problem. It’s the people who killed my brother. I don’t think they speak for the actor.”
“···.”
“Rather, after that day, I became interested in the job of ‘actor’. What is the “actor who gives comfort and happiness to someone” that his younger brother said, and how he passed away after holding out so hard, ··.”
“···.”
“If I knew that, I thought I could understand a little bit of the pain and frustration my brother felt. So I had a part-time job on the set and went to see a play on the weekend, but I couldn’t find it in the end.”
“I couldn’t find it”
“I couldn’t tell what kind of actor my younger brother was talking about by simply acting in sight. What we see is ‘acting’ and ‘image’ made.”
Jang Sunho with a wry smile.
Oh Haneul was looking into Jang Sunho’s eyes from the side all the time he spoke.
Eyes are the window of the soul.
If you look into their eyes, you can tell if the other person is telling a lie or if they mean it.
‘This friend, you mean it.’
And there was no lie in Jang Sunho’s words reflected in Oh Haneul’s eyes. There’s no reason to make up a story like this.
“He’s a friend who thinks ahead of the irreversible past.”
Oh Haneul looked into Jang Sunho’s eyes and asked.
“Let me ask you one last question.”
“Yes.”
“Are you still interested in acting?”
Jang Sunho hesitated for a moment to an unexpected question, but soon realized the intention of the question and answered it.
“If I’m looking for a ‘good actor’ that my brother mentioned, of course I’m interested. The problem is….”
“The question is, didn’t you have a chance to enter the entertainment industry yourself?”
“Yes. Actually, I thought about changing jobs when OS Entertainment was launched, but it was difficult in reality. It’s still tight to pay for my parents’ hospital bills. It’s a big difference from the salary I’m getting now.”
Jang Sunho said with a little hesitation. This is because it seemed to be talking about personal matters that shouldn’t have to be revealed.
“Then let’s do this.”
“What?”
“Go to work on OS Entertainment starting tomorrow. As a ‘manager.’
“···.”
“I’ll give you 1.5 times the annual salary you have now. I want to give you more, but I have to think about other managers as well.”
1.5 times a year. It’s a tempting offer that anyone can ask.
However, Jang Sunho calmly examined Oh Haneul’s intention first.
“May I ask you one question before I give you an answer?”
“Ask me anything.”
“Who’s the manager of this team? Why are you suggesting this?”
Unlike Jang Sunho’s cautious voice, Oh Haneul said in a nonchalant voice.
“There’s an actor that I’m investing a lot in. He’s very talented and a nice person. Sometimes I get into trouble, but I also have the sense and guts to respond in moderation.”
“Yes.”
“I want to put Mr. Jang Sunho on the actor. As part of the “investment” I mentioned earlier. You can make money somehow, but it’s hard to get a good person.”
“···.”
“That’s why I’m doing it like this. I’m also a businessman, so I don’t do this to people who don’t have value.”
When Jang Sunho heard that, he sighed slightly with his nose.
Whoo.
It didn’t mean it was hard or hateful. It was such a sigh that I felt better than that.
“I see. Then I’ll go to work as OS Entertainment from tomorrow.”
“Yes. I’ll talk to the manager.”
Oh Haneul rubbed out the cigarette he was smoking and said.
“Then, shall we go meet the actor in charge?”
“What? Now?”
“Yes. I think it would be better to get to know each other in advance if you want to work from tomorrow.”
“It’s very late. Wouldn’t the actor feel uncomfortable?”
“It’s all right.”
Jang Sunho asks anxiously.
Oh Haneul said with a smile to Jang Sunho.
“That actor is having a drama end party at Hotel W right next door.”