Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

We arrived at the entrance to unit 1606 of the K Officetel—Kim Dong-Soo's hideout.

Beep.

"There. It's unlocked."

Avoiding security cameras in the underground parking lot and opening the door had already consumed 10 minutes. We were now left with 20 minutes.

Click.

As the door opened and we stepped inside, the sensor activated hallway light turned on. The reddish glow illuminated the interior and revealed the space at a glance.

It was exactly as I remembered: completely barren with not a single piece of furniture in sight.

Lee Ho-Jae said, "Hold on a second, hyung-nim. There might be a security camera inside. Let me check."

"Don't worry about it."

What we were here for were the hidden camera photos—evidence so incriminating that mere possession could ruin someone.

In other words, Kim Dong-Soo couldn't even report the theft of these items to the police. We had only disguised ourselves to prevent Kim Dong-Soo from tracking us down later.

"Ho-Jae, this way."

"Yes, hyung-nim."

I turned off the hallway's automatic sensor switch and turned on a flashlight before heading to the smallest of the officetel's three rooms.

In the smallest room, there was a safe that had been moved earlier today along with ten cardboard boxes. Judging by the number, Kim Dong-Soo must have moved some of them here in advance.

"Ho-Jae, you take care of the safe. I'll check the boxes."

"Understood."

Lee Ho-Jae unpacked his tools and got to work on the safe. Meanwhile, I opened the boxes and began sorting through their contents.

The first three boxes contained nothing but miscellaneous documents. However, hidden camera photos and incriminating files about actresses began spilling out starting from the fourth box mixed in with the papers.

Some of the actresses were long retired while others had been used and discarded by him. The sight of their ruined lives made curses slip out of my mouth. "That bastard, Kim Dong-Soo…"

Tick tock.

Time flew by as I worked through the boxes. By the time I opened the seventh one, 25 minutes had passed. We were left with 5 minutes, but we still hadn't left Kim Dong-Soo's officetel. The hidden camera photos of the actresses we had recruited to Reverse Entertainment hadn't surfaced yet.

'Are the files in the safe?' I wondered.

Lee Ho-Jae was still sweating profusely as he struggled to crack the safe. It was clear he hadn't done this in a while and it wasn't going smoothly.

As I opened the eighth box, the 30 minute mark passed.

At that moment, my phone rang as if on cue.

[Caller ID: Seo Jae-Ill]

I stepped out of the room to take the call, knowing what it would be about but needing confirmation.

-Mr. Jung, Kim Dong-Soo just left the interrogation room.

If Kim Dong-Soo had left the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office, it would take him 10 to 20 minutes to reach here depending on traffic. There was no way to predict exactly how much time we had left.

-I'm sorry, but I couldn't hold him any longer. Taesung's lawyer caught on to the warrant denial and there wasn't much else I could do.

"No, you've done more than enough. Thank you for your efforts."

Seo Jae-Ill had kept his word and bought us as much time as he could. Now, everything was up to us.

After ending the call, I immediately dialed Lee Soo-Chan who was waiting in the underground parking lot.

"Soo-Chan, Kim Dong-Soo has been released and should be heading your way soon. Since Yang Tae-Min took the car, they'll likely appear near the entrance. Wait there and cause a commotion when they arrive."

-A commotion?

"Yeah. You're the Vice President of Reverse Entertainment, don't you? So confront Kim Dong-Soo. Demand to know what he plans to do by threatening our actresses and stall him until we're clear. And if you lose track of him, call me immediately."

-Oh! Got it!

I hung up and immediately resumed checking the remaining boxes for photos.

Time raced by like bullets.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

***

Thanks to Kwak Hyun-Sung from Taesung Law Firm, Kim Dong-Soo was promptly released.

As they exited the Central Prosecutor's Office together, Kwak Hyun-Sung leaned in and whispered. "It seems Prosecutor Seo was after something important at your Apgujeong officetel. You'd better return immediately and dispose of anything incriminating. If you hide it, do it thoroughly."

"...I understand. Please extend my thanks to that person."

"That's unnecessary. Just keep your end of the bargain."

The "bargain" referred to securing a sponsorship deal with the S-class actress Oh Joo-Hyun. That was the sole reason for Kim Dong-Soo's rescue.

Kim Dong-Soo bowed respectfully and replied, "I'll keep that in mind."

Kim Dong-Soo called a cab and headed for the officetel. With little traffic at past 1 a.m., he arrived in about ten minutes.

Just as he stepped out of the cab, a stocky man approached him. The moment Kim Dong-Soo squinted to see who it was, he was taken aback when the man suddenly yelled. "Hey! Kim Dong-Soo! You've been threatening our actresses, huh?"

"Who are y…"

"Me? I'm Lee Soo-Chan from Reverse Entertainment! Did you really think you could get away with threatening our actresses over the phone?"

Before Kim Dong-Soo could react, Lee Soo-Chan lunged and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him clean off the ground with one powerful motion.

"Gah! I-I can't breathe... S-Security! Help! S-Security! Keuk!"

All Kim Dong-Soo could do was struggle and cry for the security guard.

***

Beep.

The safe finally clicked open.

Ten minutes had already passed since I last spoke to Lee Soo-Chan, leaving us with precious little time.

"I'm sorry, hyung-nim. I'm out of practice so my hands were stiff," Lee Ho-Jae said sheepishly.

"No, you did great. Let's pack up now."

Just as expected, inside the safe were the hidden camera photos of the ten actresses from Reverse Entertainment.

"It seems he kept the most important files here."

Unlike the other photos scattered in the boxes, these belonged to high-profile victims. Half of them were A-class actresses while the others were promising rookies. Kim Dong-Soo must have considered their photos especially valuable and kept them safely.

As we packed the photos, my eyes caught a stiff and bright yellow envelope that looked recently placed at the very back of the safe.

I was in a rush, yet I couldn't help but open it.

What I found inside left me speechless.

[X-FILE: Oh Joo-Hyun]

'This is unbelievable…'

It was an X-FILE compiled by Kim Dong-Soo, likely sourced from Colonel Baek. The level of detail was staggering from Oh Joo-Hyun's personality, skills, strengths, weaknesses, to even her current situation.

The worst part was that the file included compromising photos designed to control her completely. Holding this kind of file was no different from owning a leash on someone's life and career.

Before I could dwell further, my phone rang again.

[Caller ID: Lee Soo-Chan]

I quickly stuffed the X-FILE into my bag and answered Lee Soo-Chan's call. "Hey, Soo-Chan."

-Hyung-nim, the security guards showed up and I lost Kim Dong-Soo. You need to get out now. He's on his way up!

"Got it. We're done here and heading out now."

That's when an audacious idea flashed through my mind.

While Lee Ho-Jae packed up his tools, I picked up a piece of paper that had fallen to the floor. Then I used a marker to scribble a cryptic message in a way that made my handwriting unrecognizable like a calling card left by thieves.

I folded the paper in half and placed it inside the safe, ensuring it would be the first thing seen when the door was opened again.

Click.

"Ho-Jae, let's go."

"Okay, hyung-nim."

We split the bags between us and hurried out the door.

"This way."

Knowing Kim Dong-Soo would be taking the elevator, we rushed toward the emergency stairs. We kept our steps as quiet as possible as we descended rapidly. While doing so, I called Lee Soo-Chan.

The moment he answered, I whispered, "Soo-Chan, have the car ready."

-Yes, hyung-nim.

I finally had the hidden camera photos in my possession. I even got one of Kim Dong-Soo's X-FILEs as a bonus.

The situation had completely turned in our favor.

***

Ding.

-16th floor.

The elevator doors opened and Kim Dong-Soo stumbled out with his disheveled appearance betraying the struggle he had just endured. "Huff, huff, huff… I thought I was going to die."

Reverse Entertainment was infamous for having former gangsters as more than half its staff. Worse yet, the actresses he had photographed had all ended up signing with them.

Given the circumstances, Kim Dong-Soo had no choice but to keep the photos hidden for now.

"Someday... I'll get them back," he muttered.

For now he had bigger problems than Reverse Entertainment—Seo Jae-Ill possibly raiding his hideout.

Beep, beep, beep.

The sound of buttons echoed as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. However, the lights didn't turn on.

"What the...? Did the sensor light break?"

Kim Dong-Soo fumbled around and finally located the sensor switch.

Click.

As the lights flickered on, Kim Dong-Soo rushed to the room where he stored his files. The moment he opened the door, his legs gave out beneath him.

"W-What is this?!"

The cardboard boxes were all ripped open with their contents scattered. Anyone could tell at a glance that the place had been ransacked.

He frantically rifled through the boxes, but the hidden camera photos he had stored so carefully were all gone.

"Noooo!" he screamed.

The materials were as good as his life's work and losing them sent his head spinning. Then his eyes fell on the safe. The sight of it still securely locked brought a glimmer of hope.

"Yes! The most valuable files are in there... as long as the safe is fine, it's all okay."

Dragging himself forward on trembling legs, Kim Dong-Soo reached the safe.

Beep, beep.

The safe clicked open with the sound of the touchpad. However, the moment he peered inside, all the color drained from his face.

The envelopes containing the actresses' photos were gone, even the bright yellow envelope marked "X-FILE".

"N-no... this can't be happening..." Kim Dong-Soo stammered.

At the same time, Kim Dong-Soo's eyes landed on a folded piece of paper lying in the empty safe. As he unfolded the paper with trembling hands, he read the taunting words scrawled across it.

[Guess who~?]

Kim Dong-Soo collapsed onto the cold floor. "Who... who are you?"

It was a cliché line fit for an old horror movie, but Kim Dong-Soo's whole body trembled uncontrollably. He couldn't shake the eerie sensation that someone was watching his every move.

He felt as if he were a pawn being manipulated on someone else's chessboard the entire day. Losing everything he had worked to hoard only heightened the dread.

'Choi Man-Sik? Yang Tae-Min? Nalsae? Or... Jung Yoon-Ho? Who could it be?'

Dozens of names flashed through his mind, but none of them made sense.

'How could anyone have known about this place where I just moved in today?'

Then, a sharp pang shot through him. His blood pressure surged and it felt as if thousands of needles were stabbing the back of his neck.

Darkness closed in and an eerie silence engulfed the room.

Thud.

Just like that, Kim Dong-Soo collapsed in the icy officetel.

***

Back at Reverse Entertainment, I immediately summoned all the actresses from the hidden camera victim list.

Alongside Lee Ho-Jae, I distributed the ten photo albums we had retrieved from Kim Dong-Soo's hideout. They were the same pictures I had shown them two days earlier.

"How... how did you...?"

"I can't explain the details, but rest assured. Kim Dong-Soo won't trouble you anymore. Starting tonight, you can sleep peacefully."

Choi Hye-Yeon stood abruptly and bowed deeply. "Thank you... Mr. Jung..."

I tried to help her up, but her shoulders trembled and tears streamed down her face like rain. The other actresses followed suit one by one, bowing their heads and weeping.

"Sniff, sniff..."

"Thank you, sniff..."

In the short time they had been dealing with Kim Dong-Soo, the pain they endured must have been unimaginable. I waited in silence to let their tears cleanse the burden they carried.

As the tears subsided and the actresses raised their heads, I spoke. "Since we retrieved the photos, sending Kim Dong-Soo to prison will be difficult. He'll likely walk free due to insufficient evidence even if we press charges."

Having dried her tears, Choi Hye-Yeon responded. "That's okay. Just being able to focus on acting without fear is enough for us."

Woo Ji-Yung, Park Eun-Chae, and Oh Soo-Jin all nodded in agreement, expressing relief that the ordeal was over.

Afterward, Lee Soo-Chan emphasized to the actresses that they must never reveal how the photos were recovered before letting them leave.

Once the room cleared, Lee Soo-Chan and I returned to his office. Lee Soo-Chan gestured toward the remaining bags containing other actresses' hidden camera photos and asked, "What are you going to do with those?"

"I'll destroy them all... except for one."

"One?"

I intended to keep the X-FILE on Oh Joo-Hyun.

Oh Joo-Hyun was an actress who relished using sponsors to secure roles. She frequently abused her position on set, emboldened by her powerful backers. If she were left unchecked, more victims would surely follow.

Keeping the X-FILE wasn't just about putting a leash on Kim Dong-Soo, but it was also about ensuring Oh Joo-Hyun couldn't continue her nasty behavior.

Lee Soo-Chan said with his frustration evident. "I admit, it's disappointing we couldn't finish Kim Dong-Soo off for good this time."

"Don't worry. That jerk's blood must have run cold by now. And remember, we still have another trump card against him."

While we couldn't implicate Kim Dong-Soo yet, I had discovered another critical weak point: Choi Sung-Ae.

When Ju Kang-Yong, the sleazy reporter from Entertainment Big News, had blackmailed Choi Sung-Ae with false articles, I overheard a phone call between him and Kim Dong-Soo in a basement parking lot.

The recording of that call held explosive potential. If it were released, countless people would be implicated including Kim Dong-Soo. More importantly, I had learned that Choi Sung-Ae's sudden disappearance from the entertainment industry was intricately tied to Kim Dong-Soo.

That's why I had dispatched Nalsae to the U.S. to track her down.

Lee Soo-Chan nodded "True. If Nalsae finds her and brings her back, it'll all be over,"

"Exactly. Speaking of which, why don't we call Nalsae for an update?" I suggested.

"Good idea, hyung-nim. I'll put it on speakerphone."

Beep beep beep.

Nalsae picked up after a few rings.

-Yo~ What's up? Isn't it super early over there?

"Hyung-nim wanted an update. Did you find Choi Sung-Ae?"

At that moment, Nalsae's tone shifted and he answered in a startled voice.

Ristretto's Thoughts

Ristretto: Um, can Kim Dong-Soo just die there right now? LOL

Maggy: hahaha that guy has nine lives man, just like our dear Yoon-Ho :')