WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 103: Is There Any Need to Be Careful?
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“...You’re saying that just bringing in a new live singer increased sales by thirteen hundred percent? You’re joking, right?”
“You can still call it a joke after seeing all those customers?”
Kim Seung-jun looked around.
Then, seeing the customers who had filled the live café before he knew it, he swallowed dryly.
Compared to how empty the place used to be every time he visited, like a school library during vacation, it certainly was a sight that made the difference in sales obvious.
That was why he had guessed three hundred percent.
He had never expected a number in an entirely different range.
Even Kim Seung-jun, who had introduced Eugene in the first place, found himself wondering whether Owner Jeong was exaggerating.
As if sensing his doubt, Owner Jeong gave a snort of laughter.
“Besides, if those two were only worth calling ‘new live singers,’ you wouldn’t have introduced Miss Eugene or come here every day to persuade them.”
“Well...”
“Am I wrong?”
“...”
Kim Seung-jun closed his mouth.
It was not merely because the remark had struck home.
Rimon had finished tuning and plucked the guitar strings, beginning their performance.
“Don’t look at me...”
A husky voice rang out.
A paradoxical silence settled over the café.
The conversations that should have been heard, the clinking of cups, the sounds of people drinking, even the sound of breathing.
In the space where every such sound had vanished, the guitar and song filled the café, yet felt as quiet as a whisper.
It was not a Skill, yet it seemed more like a Skill than any Skill.
Their melody held the power to make listeners focus so completely that they forgot even to breathe.
“Seung-jun.”
“Yes, Senior.”
“I’ve already stepped away from that line of work, so it may not be my place to say this. Still, as your senior, let me give you one piece of advice.”
The awe of seeing an uncut gem.
The regret of being unable to polish it.
Owner Jeong watched the two onstage with a complicated look born from both feelings and spoke quietly.
“Get those two no matter what. If you let them slip away, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“I know.”
Anyone with ears could tell.
Kim Seung-jun nodded in agreement and let out a soft sigh.
“The problem is that those two don’t know it.”
The moment they debuted, they would become the talk of the town. In the long run, they had more than enough potential to become world-famous musicians.
Yet one of them was utterly indifferent, while the other refused as though they had an allergy to broadcasting.
How was he supposed to persuade them?
The thought alone was daunting.
“Huh? Hey, isn’t that bastard over there?”
“That bastard? Which bastard?”
Owner Jeong looked toward the café entrance and spoke with displeasure.
Already nursing a headache over his worries, Kim Seung-jun made it obvious he was uninterested as he merely glanced in that direction.
But the moment he turned and saw the person Owner Jung was pointing at...
“The Manager Moon from WIM Guild who messed up your program this time.”
“...!”
Fire flashed in Kim Seung-jun’s eyes.
* * *
“Phew, that was some good soul today.”
“Enough already. Are you planning to sing until dawn again?”
“I like it!”
“I don’t, you singing fool.”
It took quite some time for Rimon and Eugene to get off the stage.
Encore requests kept pouring in, and Eugene gladly sang every time.
It was fortunate that Rimon had near-limitless stamina and Eugene never seemed to tire. Ordinary musicians would have collapsed long ago.
“What’s with the mood?”
After finally coming down from the stage, Rimon wore a suspicious expression.
Normally, Kim Seung-jun would have praised their incredible talent before launching into his usual pitch about signing a performance contract and debuting.
But it was not simply because Kim Seung-jun was pulling a face.
An unfamiliar person was sitting across from him.
Clap, clap, clap.
“That was a wonderful performance. Such distinctive singing and excellent playing.”
Crossed legs.
A tone that sounded as though he were evaluating them.
And the sunglasses on his face.
The man looked designed to provoke an old fogey’s instincts, and Rimon, something of an old fogey himself, frowned.
“Who are you, acting all familiar?”
“Hm? You don’t know who I am?”
“Do I need to?”
“Ah, how rude of me. There’s hardly anyone in this industry who doesn’t know me these days.”
As though he could not believe there were country bumpkins among musicians who did not know him, the man laughed heartily and pulled two business cards from his pocket, sliding them onto the table.
“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Moon Cheon-yeop, and I am a manager at WIM, an entertainment guild.”
“Hm?”
Rimon narrowed his eyes.
Of course, it was not because he had belatedly recognized Moon Cheon-yeop.
He did not even bother remembering the current president’s name. There was no chance he would know some manager from an entertainment guild.
Still, something else came to mind.
“Manager Moon? Claire the singer’s manager?”
“Hahaha! Among the singers I represent, Claire is certainly one of the most famous.”
Rimon unconsciously wore an odd expression as Moon Cheon-yeop puffed up with pride.
Over his head, Yoo Na-gyeong muttered awkwardly.
[Now I understand why Producer Kim looks so sour.]
‘He’s holding back well. If it were me, I’d start by punching him.’
[Only someone living as recklessly as you could do that, Team Leader.]
‘Oh yeah? Want me to make your bird life reckless too?’
While Rimon bantered with Yoo Na-gyeong in his head, Eugene, who had looked indifferent ever since seeing Moon Cheon-yeop’s business card, suddenly spoke.
“What does a singer’s manager want with us?”
“I heard there were some incredible musicians here, so I came to have a look. But now that I have seen you both in person, you have exceeded my expectations.”
“Yeah?”
“Ahem. Of course, I can see a few areas that need work. But with steady guidance from professionals at a proper entertainment guild, I think those issues could easily be resolved.”
Moon Cheon-yeop nodded as if impressed that unknown performers had done this well.
Rimon tilted his head at him.
“A proper entertainment guild... You mean somewhere like WIM?”
“Hahaha, not to boast, but there is no entertainment guild as proper as WIM.”
Moon Cheon-yeop claimed not to boast while doing exactly that.
The one to object was Kim Seung-jun, who had been glaring at him the entire time.
“Does a proper guild suddenly dump a program they had promised to appear on?”
“Now, now. Please refrain from saying things others might misunderstand. It would be troublesome for many people if someone from KTB tried to slander our guild.”
Kim Seung-jun’s face twitched.
A major network or a cable station with some influence might have been one thing.
But if a giant entertainment guild like WIM filed a lawsuit against a tiny broadcaster on the verge of collapse like KTB?
Not only would the program they were preparing go up in smoke, the station itself might go under.
Though Kim Seung-jun would probably be fired before then.
“Anyway, Producer Kim tells me neither of you seems to have an agency at the moment. How about signing with WIM?”
Having easily brushed aside the nuisance, Moon Cheon-yeop continued triumphantly, like a general who had won a war.
“From what I have learned, it seems you two have suffered tremendous exploitation here until now.”
“No, that’s...!”
“Now, Producer Kim, if you have any conscience, please stay quiet. Does it make any sense for a producer of all people to stand by and watch such an unfair contract?”
“...”
Kim Seung-jun looked wronged.
Eugene’s strange employment conditions were entirely what she had wanted.
Both he and Owner Jeong had tried desperately to draw up a fair contract, to the point of practically foaming at the mouth, but Rimon and Eugene had ignored them completely.
Naturally, Moon Cheon-yeop knew nothing of that and confidently continued his pitch.
“If you sign with us, you will never have to come to such a miserable place again. We will promise you the best conditions and performances on the finest stages.”
“The finest stages?”
“Yes. A major network would be ideal, but if you are not particular, we can arrange cable appearances immediately.”
Moon Cheon-yeop paused, glanced at Kim Seung-jun, and gave a meaningful smile.
“As it happens, a producer I know is looking for a fill-in for a program.”
‘That bastard, Manager Moon...!’
Kim Seung-jun swallowed a groan.
He had realized that the man was offering to put them on the program if Kim helped persuade them.
He had threatened him just moments ago, and now he was dangling a carrot.
The scheme was painfully obvious, but Kim Seung-jun was trapped. The fate of the program and KTB itself hung by a thread.
It made clear why Moon Cheon-yeop was called WIM Guild’s real power.
‘It won’t go your way!’
Yet Kim Seung-jun wore a triumphant smile.
He knew what would happen next.
“And the signing bonus...”
“Don’t need it.”
“Pardon?”
“Money. Contract. Don’t need either. Go.”
The moment she heard the words signing bonus, Eugene scowled as though she had seen filth and ordered him out.
“Hm, thank you for the offer, but we are not interested in that sort of thing. The exit is over there.”
Rimon merely shrugged and pointed indifferently toward the way out.
“Wait, what is this...?”
Moon Cheon-yeop could only gape in bewilderment, unable to find anything to say in response to the clean rejection.
Kim Seung-jun struggled not to burst into laughter.
If money or a stage were enough to sway those two, he would not have been suffering this much to recruit them.
And that idiot had strutted in so confidently, only to be rejected without realizing any of it!
“Now, do you even understand what sort of offer you are rejecting? It is an offer from WIM Guild. WIM Guild!”
“So what?”
“What’s WIM?”
“...”
Rimon and Eugene treated the nation’s leading entertainment guild as though it were some unknown nobody.
Perhaps Moon Cheon-yeop finally realized that these two did not think like ordinary people.
His face flushed red, then pale.
“...Fine. It seems I was too hasty today. We can discuss this again another time.”
Perhaps he realized this would not work.
Or perhaps he could not bear the humiliation.
Moon Cheon-yeop tried to act calm as he left, but he could not hide his angry stride.
Kim Seung-jun laughed out loud for a while before finally stopping and cautiously studying the two.
“Ahem! Ahem! Well, I am glad things turned out this way, but are you two really all right?”
“Why wouldn’t we be?”
“WIM Guild has enormous influence. If Manager Moon puts his mind to it, he could stop you two from ever debuting...”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“We have no intention of debuting.”
“Ah, yes. Of course you don’t.”
Kim Seung-jun gave a bitter smile as he looked at the two, who remained utterly unfazed.
It was satisfying to see Moon Cheon-yeop get what he deserved, but it also reminded him just how difficult it would be to recruit Rimon and Eugene.
“Still, be careful. I have heard rumors that Manager Moon stops at nothing to get what he wants.”
“Well, I don’t know how many tricks that little prick has up his sleeve, but there is nothing I need to be careful about.”
Rimon snorted.
Resting his chin on one hand, he added playfully.
“My fiancée has quite a lot of money.”
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