As soon as I sat in Yoon Myung-Hee's ten-pyeong officetel, I quickly shared my proposal. "It is the role of the bodyguard for Princess Yu-Hwa, and you will be appearing until episode 15. There are many scenes with the lead, so the role is quite significant. The appearance fee is 1 million won per episode."
Usually, minor roles were paid between 300 thousand won and 500 thousand won. Having an appearance fee of 1 million won meant it was a semi-lead role.
Yoon Myung-Hee's face brightened slightly. "It is not just about the money. I don't mind the role as long as I can appear in the drama."
She was an actress with two years of experience. As she had been jumping between minor roles, getting her face known through any role was the priority. Becoming recognizable to the staff, writers, or directors would allow her to aim for the next project.
Seizing the opportunity, I made another suggestion. Before convincing her, I wanted Yoon Myung-Hee to know she had potential and a future as an actress.
I added, "And since I am the casting director for Jiri Mountain, I wanted to ask... Would you be interested in appearing in the film with Mr. Lee Tae-Poong? It is a victim role, but the character is strong and there are quite a few lines."
Yoon Myung-Hee's eyes widened. "Really? Y-you are recommending me for a role in Jiri Mountain too?"
"Yes. With your visuals, Ms. Myung-Hee, I think you could leave a strong impression. The appearance fee is around 10 million won."
For a moment, the pain on Yoon Myung-Hee's face disappeared and was replaced by anticipation.
Even Im Ha-Yeon smiled brightly and said, "Thank you for visiting us in person and offering such good proposals... We will definitely repay this kindness."Now that the role proposals had won their favor, it was time to convince Yoon Myung-Hee to forget Han Hyun-Ho and focus solely on acting.
As I pondered how to broach the subject, the excited Im Ha-Yeon lightly tapped Yoon Myung-Hee's shoulder and asked her to express her gratitude. "Myung-Hee, go ahead and thank Mr. Jung properly."
However, Yoon Myung-Hee grabbed her shoulder and bent forward in pain. "Ah!"
Although she tried to suppress the pain by closing her mouth, her body reacted reflexively.
"Oh my! What is wrong?" Im Ha-Yeon exclaimed with concern.
Yoon Myung-Hee broke out in a cold sweat. "I-it's nothing, Ms. Im."
"What do you mean nothing? Let me see."
Yoon Myung-Hee waved her hands dismissively. "M-Ms. Im, not with Mr. Jung here. I will talk to you later and..."
This was my chance. Sensing the moment, I began to reveal what I knew. "Did someone hit you by any chance?"
Yoon Myung-Hee's face turned pale. "N-no! I just tripped and fell..."
"Judging by your condition, it seems much worse than that."
Im Ha-Yeon realized something was wrong. "Myung-Hee, follow me to the bathroom right now."
"Ms. Im..."
"Now!"
Im Ha-Yeon shouted with a mix of concern and anger, then got up from her seat.
"Mr. Jung, you may leave for today. I will visit you tomorrow to apologize properly."
"Could I stay? I promise to keep quiet. Besides, I might be able to help."
After hesitating briefly, Im Ha-Yeon nodded. "Alright. Then please wait for a moment..."
Im Ha-Yeon led Yoon Myung-Hee into the bathroom and closed the door.
Click.
I quickly checked my planner.
[Everyday V11]
[Date: December 15, 2020]
-10:00 p.m.: General meeting (Meeting Agenda: Han Hyun-Ho arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, actress Yoon Myung-Hee. Decision pending on whether to compensate her agency, Angel Productions.)
Perhaps because I had not convinced Yoon Myung-Hee yet, the scheduled event remained unchanged.
At that moment, voices began leaking out from the bathroom where the two were talking.
-What the heck! Are you crazy? If you are going to hide something, hide it properly! Who did this to you?"
-I-it's not what you think, Ms. Im.
-Do not lie! This is clearly intentional! Who did this?
-Please keep your voice down…Mr. Jung might hear us outside.
-Does that matter right now? No matter how important a role is, it is not more important than you! Who did this? Are you going to tell me or not?
-M-Ms. Im…
-If you do not tell me by the count of three…I will call the police immediately. Speak!
-...
A moment later, the door opened slightly and Im Ha-Yeon stepped out with her face flushed red. "Myung-Hee, change your clothes and come out."
Yoon Myung-Hee answered as she shut the door. "Okay…"
Click.
Once the door closed, Im Ha-Yeon approached me. "Mr. Jung."
"Yes?"
"Forget the role for now. Let's talk."
The desperate look she had just moments ago as she pleaded for a role was gone. It was likely because the name Han Hyun-Ho of Hoop Entertainment had been mentioned.
"Do you know who did this to Myung-Hee?" Im Ha-Yeon looked at me sternly and asked.
"Who was it?" I responded.
"Han Hyun-Ho from your company. That tall weasel-like jerk."
"I see. More importantly, how is Ms. Myung-Hee's condition? She did not look good."
"She needs to be hospitalized immediately!"
I nodded and lifted my phone. "Understood. I will call 119 first, then."
At that moment, Im Ha-Yeon grabbed my hand in a hurry. "What are you doing?"
"What else? I am calling 119 to get her to a hospital and notify the police."
My calm response left Im Ha-Yeon flustered instead. "Are you crazy? What if this turns into a scandal after she goes to the hospital?"
"Then are you planning to let the guy who did this go unchecked?"
"N-no, of course not!"
"Or are you hesitating because she might lose her recently secured role?"
"Th-that's part of it, but…"
"Or is it because you are afraid Hoop Entertainment might try to cover it up? Or do you think I am here to help bury the issue?"
Im Ha-Yeon closed her mouth. I figured that must have been the answer.
It was not uncommon for larger entertainment companies to pressure smaller agencies to cover up incidents with offers of money or roles.
I continued, "I believe that people who commit crimes should pay for them. That is also what our president has always emphasized."
Im Ha-Yeon looked at me with skeptical eyes. "You could just be saying that."
"If that were the case, why would I be trying to report this to the police?"
When I firmly stated my intention to report the case, Im Ha-Yeon finally understood my sincerity.
She nodded. "Sigh... Fine. Then go ahead and—"
At that moment, Yoon Myung-Hee endured her pain and rushed out to grab the hem of my clothes. "No, please! Do not report it…O-oppa just made a mistake."
Im Ha-Yeon glared at Yoon Myung-Hee with her eyes blazing. "Myung-Hee! Are you seriously going to act like this?"
"Ms. Im! Please, I am begging you!"
Frustrated, Im Ha-Yeon clutched her chest. "You silly girl. You could die like this. People who hit others out of habit do not just stop there! It only gets worse. One day, you could really end up dead."
"O-oppa has been under a lot of stress lately… That is why it happened. He is not usually like this."
"Are you kidding me? It does not matter if it is regular behavior or not: hitting someone is never acceptable!"
Yoon Myung-Hee's tears started flowing down her cheeks. More than just physical pain, she was emotionally scarred.
As I pondered what to do, I decided to console her as gently as possible. Each time Im Ha-Yeon pressed her, Yoon Myung-Hee became more defensive of Han Hyun-Ho.
Suppressing my anger, I began to persuade her. "Ms. Myung-Hee. You know, do you not? This is not love."
"... "
"I understand that right now, you feel scared, exhausted, and wish someone would help."
Yoon Myung-Hee flinched and glanced at me.
"I will help you. So please... listen to me. If this continues, you will only get more hurt."
"..."
"Saying they hit you because they love you—that is just what criminals say. And no matter what you do, this will eventually blow up. Please do not let yourself become the victim. If an article comes out, would you not rather it be on the entertainment page than on the social news page?"
"... "
"So please stop here. Before loving someone else, love yourself first. If something happens, it will leave a deep scar in your parents' hearts too."
For the first time, Yoon Myung-Hee, who had been silent until now, started crying harder at the mention of her parents.
Every time Han Hyun-Ho lost control and hit her, she must have been terrified and in pain. Yet she endured it because she loved him that much.
I pointed to Im Ha-Yeon and said one last thing. "And what about Ms. Im? If you were seriously hurt, how would she feel? Would you let her live with the guilt of not protecting you forever? This is not just your issue."
In my past life, after Yoon Myung-Hee was hurt, Im Ha-Yeon gave her all the compensation, treatment costs, and consolation money, before shutting down her company. She blamed herself for failing to notice her actress' injuries.
Yoon Myung-Hee's acting career and Im Ha-Yeon's fate depended on Yoon Myung-Hee's decision now.
I silently and desperately wished for Yoon Myung-Hee to change her mind, since it was the only way for things to change.
Yoon Myung-Hee cried silently as she looked at me and Im Ha-Yeon. Then, her head dropped as if she had given up.
I felt like my heart was sinking, thinking it might be over. 'Is this really not going to work?'
If Yoon Myung-Hee did not let go of Han Hyun-Ho, he would be released quickly even if he were to be arrested. Additionally, that would mean he would likely inflict even worse violence on her.
Since I could not be with Yoon Myung-Hee 24/7 to protect her, the decision had to be hers.
That's when Yoon Myung-Hee opened her mouth. "P-please... "
Her voice was so faint that I could barely hear her.
"Pardon me?"
"Please help me... " said Yoon Myung-Hee as she burst into tears and covered her face/
To be certain, I immediately checked my planner.
[Everyday V11]
[Date: December 15, 2020]
-10:00 p.m. <Scheduled Event Deleted>
(Deleted Scheduled Event: General meeting (Meeting Agenda: Han Hyun-Ho arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, actress Yoon Myung-Hee. Decision pending on whether to compensate her agency, Angel Productions.))
'It's done.'
I let out a short sigh of relief and spoke to the tearful Yoon Myung-Hee.
"Thank you for finding the courage to do the right thing. From now on, I will do everything in my power to help both of you."
Yoon Myung-Hee broke down and began to cry uncontrollably.
Im Ha-Yeon patted her back gently, avoiding the areas where she had been hit. "Why didn't you ask for help sooner, Myung-Hee? Why did you endure it all this time?"
"Ms. Im…sniffle.'
"Don't cry. It's okay now. You don't have to worry anymore."
Now that Yoon Myung-Hee had let go of her hopes for Han Hyun-Ho, I could move freely.
I said, "Ms. Im."
"Yes?"
"First, we need to take Ms. Myung-Hee to the hospital."
"Ah, understood."
I pulled out a corporate card from my inside pocket and handed it to her. "And here, take this."
"W-what's this?'
"It would be best to use a VIP room to prevent Han Hyun-Ho from showing up at the hospital. Our company will cover all the costs, so please use it without hesitation for Ms. Myung-Hee's sake."
"O-oh, no. We also have expenses…"
"It's our fault for not knowing and stopping this earlier. We're not trying to hush things up with this, so don't misunderstand and please just use it for Ms. Myung-Hee's sake."
Running a deficit was routine for small agencies like Angel Planning. They couldn't afford to worry about even small expenses, so I couldn't burden them further.
Im Ha-Yeon tightly shut her eyes before accepting the card. It must have hurt her pride, but she did it for her actress. "Alright, Mr. Jung. I'll ensure Myung-Hee is protected in a VIP room."
Then, I called Kang Gam-Chan to discuss what would happen next.
When informed that Yoon Myung-Hee would be filing charges and had agreed to testify about the assault, Kang Gam-Chan responded warmly.
-Ms. Myung-Hee. I'll support you as well, so don't lose heart. Once you're feeling better, I'll visit you in person.
The previously isolated Yoon Myung-Hee was now surrounded by people who were willing and could help. Hence, she found the courage to end the toxic relationship she once thought was love.
After ending the call with Kang Gam-Chan, I assured them that Yoon Myung-Hee's role offers were still valid before dialing 119.
Moments later, Yoon Myung-Hee was on her way to the hospital in an ambulance for treatment and a medical assessment to help her case against Han Hyun-Ho.
Leaving the officetel, I made another call—this time to Choi So-Hye. "Ms. Choi, I have an exclusive scoop. Are you interested?"
-Of course I'm interested. What is it, Team Lead Jung?
I told her about Han Hyun-Ho's, but added the condition that the story's release had to align with my timing.
Choi So-Hye agreed.
-Alright. While it's important to expose a piece of trash like that, we also need to consider the victim. I'll be waiting in the company lobby for your cue.
"Thank you so much. I'll contact you once the schedule is set."
-Got it. Watching Han Hyun-Ho's arrest will be a blockbuster scoop! Hehe.
After ending the call with the excited Choi So-Hye, I immediately dialed Seo Jae-Ill.
***
The next day, Kang Gam-Chan held a team lead meeting after finishing the morning tasks.
As the agenda was about the OST for Hwaranjeon, Han Hyun-Ho attended the meeting as well.
Han Hyun-Ho swaggered and glanced at us. "I heard you all were talking a lot about me yesterday."
Kang Gam-Chan answered briefly. "Yes."
"Did anything change?"
"There's nothing to change—it's already been decided."
Han Hyun-Ho glared at Kang Gam-Chan coldly. "You're being ruthless even after all the years we've spent together. Fine, then. Can I move to Ace Entertainment? After all, you chose Bang Seon-Woo over me."
Kang Gam-Chan asked calmly. "Did Ace Entertainment promise to manage you well?"
"Of course. Unlike here, they're assigning me my own team. So let's terminate the contract right now."
"Right now?"
"Wouldn't that make things easier for both sides? Let's not leave on bad terms after all this time."
Thinking he was leaving, Han Hyun-Ho's tone became more aggressive.
Kang Gam-Chan nodded. "Alright. Let's do that."
Kang Gam-Chan instructed Kwak Moo-Hyuk to prepare the termination papers immediately. Within minutes, Kwak Moo-Hyuk returned with the documents.
After signing the papers, Kwak Moo-Hyuk handed one copy to Han Hyun-Ho and left the room for notarization.
When the termination was finalized, Han Hyun-Ho sneered at us. "Well, good luck without me, everyone. And you, President Kang—this isn't how you should act. I'll be watching you closely."
Han Hyun-Ho discarded any pretense of goodwill as soon as the contract was void.
Kang Gam-Chan simply looked at him with a calm expression. "Don't worry about us. Worry about yourself."
Han Hyun-Ho scoffed, acting as if he had nothing to fear. "President Kang, you'll regret letting me go!'
Then, he turned to leave the room. At that moment, the door suddenly opened.
Bang!
"Is Mr. Han Hyun-Ho here?"
Right on cue, two large police officers entered the meeting room.
I smirked. 'Goodbye, Han Hyun-Ho.'
Ristretto's Thoughts
DO NOT LET YOUR PARTNER ABUSE YOU!!! THAT IS NOT LOVE
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