Episode 33. Ill-fated Relationship (4)
Until Kang Yera’s filming.
With about three days left until then, Kang Dae-oh received a proposal from Executive Director Yoo In-seok during an executive meeting.
“CEO. Do you happen to have time on the 15th?”
“The 15th?”
“Yes. A forum is being held at a hotel in Gangnam, and I heard that many important F&B-related figures will be attending. A few government officials too. Members of parliament will probably make an appearance as well. I thought it might be good for you to attend this opportunity and build connections, so I mentioned it.”
It was an unscheduled event.
Indeed, as Executive Director Yoo In-seok said, it seemed there would be a lot to gain by attending.
However, Kang Dae-oh couldn’t easily answer yes.
The 15th.
This day was important to Kang Dae-oh.
It was the day Kang Yera’s filming was scheduled.
At that time, Kang Dae-oh had already told Kang Yera that he would go to the set with her.
Of course, Kang Yera had repeatedly emphasized that there was no need for him to do so, and that he didn’t have to take time out of his schedule to come.
It was because she felt her past was putting unnecessary pressure on her dad.
Ultimately, it was her own matter, and she didn’t want to rely on her dad for something like this.
But Kang Dae-oh’s thoughts were different.
Even if her mind was that of an adult.
The current Kang Yera was just a middle school student.
Considering CEO Ryu Hwang-jin’s personality, which Kang Dae-oh had heard about from his second and third daughters.
‘How much must he be looking down on my daughter right now?’
Even Kang Yera, who was an adult, had received such treatment.
There would be no exception for Kang Yera, a middle school student.
That’s why Kang Dae-oh intended to go to the set himself.
As an adult to an adult. He wanted to settle things with CEO Ryu Hwang-jin that way.
After much consideration, Kang Dae-oh decided to politely decline Executive Director Yoo In-seok’s proposal.
“I apologize, Executive Director. I have a prior engagement, so it seems I won’t be able to attend this.”
“A prior engagement, you say…?”
He was curious about the reason.
From Executive Director Yoo In-seok’s perspective, he judged that if Kang Dae-oh built connections with prominent figures in politics and business through such an opportunity, Kang Dae-oh and Amaare would be able to prosper even more in the future.
Business isn’t just about money, after all.
Relationships between people. This is also important.
Especially in Korean society, which strictly adheres to school ties, regional ties, and blood ties, these factors play a very significant role.
Kang Dae-oh wouldn’t be unaware of this.
Nevertheless, Executive Director Yoo In-seok couldn’t understand why he was trying to refuse such a good opportunity.
Kang Dae-oh seemed disinclined to explain at length and immediately stated the reason for his absence from the forum.
“My eldest daughter has something important that day. She’ll probably have a hard time if I’m not there.”
He couldn’t bring himself to tell the specific details.
It was content based on the premise that his daughters were regressors.
Naturally, Kang Dae-oh judged that no one would believe him even if he told the truth about regression.
He would just be treated like a lunatic.
Nevertheless.
Executive Director Yoo In-seok did not show any signs of wanting further detailed explanations from Kang Dae-oh.
He simply.
“Understood. I will keep that in mind.”
Only adopted an immediately accepting attitude.
One executive was greatly flustered by his reaction.
“Well… I apologize for being rude, but wouldn’t it be better if the CEO went?”
Executive Director Yoo In-seok shook his head and immediately countered the executive’s suggestion.
“That’s probably because you haven’t been with our company for long. The CEO is someone who prioritizes family above all else. It would be best to assume there’s a good reason why the CEO is saying this.”
As Executive Director Yoo In-seok showed understanding, Kang Dae-oh felt both apologetic and grateful.
“Thank you, Executive Director.”
“Not at all. I’m not sure exactly what the matter is, but I hope it resolves well. So, would it be alright if I attend the forum with a few executives instead? It would be a waste of the invitation we received.”
“Yes. Please do that.”
“Understood. I will do my best to create a satisfactory outcome for you, CEO.”
It was always like this, but today, Executive Director Yoo In-seok felt especially reliable.
He felt proud of his past self for deciding to bring him to Amaare.
To move to the filming set with Kang Yera, Kang Dae-oh took the wheel.
“Today, Dad’s going to be your one-day road manager, so if you want to boss me around, you can do it to your heart’s content.”
Looking up at her dad, who spoke with confidence, Kang Yera laughed loudly.
“Anyone who hears that would think I usually make my manager unnie work hard.”
“Is that how it sounds again?”
Today, they might encounter CEO Ryu Hwang-jin again.
Nevertheless, seeing Kang Yera’s bright expression, Kang Dae-oh felt a sense of relief.
No, perhaps she was forcing herself to act bright.
Even so, trying her best to smile was much better.
Because she was an entertainer.
And because she was an idol.
This was the conviction Kang Yera had held for a long time.
As further delay could lead to them being late, Kang Dae-oh gripped the steering wheel firmly.
It didn’t take long to get to the set.
Moreover, unlike the last filming, this one was scheduled to take place in an indoor studio rather than outdoors, so finding the location was not difficult either.
Upon arriving at the studio with Kang Yera, Kang Yera’s real manager, Hong Yoon-ah, who was already there, greeted Kang Dae-oh.
“Hello, sir. Thank you for bringing Yera here.”
“Not at all. It felt like I was out on a drive with my eldest daughter for the first time in a while, so personally, I didn’t feel tired at all.”
It was actually good.
It wasn’t just empty words to reassure Hong Yoon-ah. Kang Dae-oh truly felt that way.
At Kang Dae-oh’s warm words, Manager Hong Yoon-ah was able to erase even the slightest bit of burden remaining in her heart.
Before the actual filming began.
The newly arrived cast members were seen greeting the PD and staff along with their managers and company employees.
Among them was CEO Ryu Hwang-jin.
“I am Ryu Hwang-jin, CEO of LBH. Our kids are still rookies, so they’ll be very lacking. That’s why I came along myself, to ask you to please take good care of them. Please look favorably upon them.”
The staff nodded and continued their brief greetings with CEO Ryu Hwang-jin.
As he continued his hurried greetings, he eventually reached where Kang Dae-oh and Kang Yera were.
“Oh? Hello! Sir! We meet again.”
“Yes, CEO. Hello. It’s been a while.”
Kang Dae-oh preempted CEO Ryu Hwang-jin before he could speak to Kang Yera.
“Yoon-ah! Didn’t you say Yera needed to get her makeup done?”
“Huh? Oh, right! Yera. Let’s go with unnie.”
Kang Yera expressed her gratitude for her dad’s consideration with a glance.
Kang Dae-oh nodded briefly and then found himself alone, facing CEO Ryu Hwang-jin.
CEO Ryu Hwang-jin, on the contrary, reacted as if it was a good thing.
“I wanted to talk to you, sir, about what we couldn’t finish last time. It seems a good opportunity has presented itself. Have you thought about what I mentioned last time?”
It was about transferring Kang Yera to LBH.
Regarding this, Kang Dae-oh replied with a short statement.
“I’m going to decline that.”
“What?”
For a moment, bewilderment spread across CEO Ryu Hwang-jin’s face.
Questions like ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ filled his mind.
And rightly so. LBH, which he managed, was evaluated as being much larger in scale and having better business capabilities compared to Irowool Entertainment.
Even if it wasn’t Kang Yera, he had expected Kang Dae-oh, who knew a lot about society, would definitely choose LBH over Irowool.
Since this expectation was shattered instantly, it was natural for him to be flustered.
Kang Dae-oh continued to explain step by step why he declined CEO Ryu Hwang-jin’s offer.
“Yera said she wanted to stay at Irowool. So I told her to do that.”
“Well… sir. Irowool has no vision. Are you just going to stand by and watch your daughter’s talent be buried with such a small company? Entrust Yera to me. I will take responsibility and raise her properly!”
It was CEO Ryu Hwang-jin speaking with renewed emphasis, but.
It was still insufficient to persuade Kang Dae-oh.
“CEO. Do you know what I value most?”
“Well… I wonder. Your business? Or the company’s financial power? Money, perhaps? Because you need money to do anything.”
“No. It’s family.”
Kang Dae-oh recalled the moment he first met Kang Yera as a newborn when she was first born.
That for this child, he would do anything.
“After having and raising children, I realized there are things more important than money.”
“……”
“It’s okay if my daughter makes a wrong choice. It’s okay if she makes a mistaken choice. As long as she doesn’t regret that choice. I’m satisfied with that.”
And Kang Dae-oh reaffirmed that this was his role.
CEO Ryu Hwang-jin still shook his head.
“I don’t quite understand.”
“You might not. Life always has something more that can’t be calculated, no matter how much you press the calculator.”
Kang Dae-oh stood up and delivered his final words to CEO Ryu Hwang-jin.
“I hope you, CEO, won’t only look at the calculator from now on. If you only pursue and calculate immediate profits, you might miss out on something much bigger.”
The ‘something much bigger’ Kang Dae-oh spoke of was, to anyone’s eyes, Kang Yera, a future superstar.
CEO Ryu Hwang-jin, who had been staring blankly at Kang Dae-oh’s receding back for a while, could only scratch his head for some time.
Kang Dae-oh, who found Kang Yera in the waiting room, shared in detail what conversation he had with CEO Ryu Hwang-jin and how they concluded it.
“Dad handled the refusal well. From now on, CEO Ryu won’t try to talk to our daughter. But if, by any chance, he tries to say useless things like asking you to transfer to his company again, then contact Dad right away. Dad will use every means, whether it’s the anti-stalking law or anything else, to make sure he gets punished.”
At her reliable dad’s words, Kang Yera smiled sweetly.
“Thank you, Dad.”
No matter what bodyguard she hired in the world, there would be no one as reliable as her dad.
Kang Dae-oh was happy just seeing his daughter at ease.
“Dad, am I good at being our daughter’s manager?”
“Of course! Even more than Yoon-ah unnie!”
Hong Yoon-ah, who was nearby, glanced at her and said jokingly.
“I’m going to go write my resignation at the company?”
“Aw. I’m just kidding, unnie.”
The three of them looked at each other and laughed heartily.
