The Sacred Manager Life - Chapter 85

Cha Soyeon opens the Honey Pop's fancam video and scrutinizes the screen.

"That's the one. The fourth one."

She points at Seo Yuna and speaks.

"Fourth one?"

"Every time Juwon causes trouble outside, he always comes back with a woman clinging to him."

She looks like a scorned wife glaring at her husband bringing home a love child.

"How could I just stand by when I knew she was about to be mistreated there? And Yuna and I aren’t like that."

"So her name is Yuna, huh."

She examines the screen again intently.

"How can someone be this provocative… It’s dangerous."

Muttering to herself, she eventually turns to look at me.

"I really love that about Juwon’s personality—how you can’t just walk past someone in need… But next time, you have to tell me first. I won’t say no outright from now on. I know you’ve received favors, but the world is unpredictable. If I lose you, Juwon… I really… couldn’t go on."

As she says this, she pulls me into a tight embrace.

Cha Soyeon’s signature subtle fragrance tickles my nose.

The soft press of her chest clouds my mind.

In more ways than one, she’s bad for my heart.

"I’m sorry. I’ll tell you next time."

Satisfied, she lets go and waves a business card.

"What should we do about this guy?"

"Make sure he can never return to politics. He’s the kind of scum who tried to call a freshly graduated high school girl to a drinking party for entertainment. Someone like him shouldn’t represent the people."

"Got it. I’ll make sure he has no choice but to kill himself."

She says something terrifying as if it’s nothing.

That night—

Cha Soyeon gathered Min Ayoung and Ryu Yeoreum in a KakaoTalk group chat.

The group name was "Shinsamo" (The Association for Loving Shin Juwon).

(Photo)

https://mootu.be/BLVsvCDB0T2

1stSoyeon: Feels like Juwon’s gonna get another woman lol
RuinedYeoreum: Honey Pop’s. They debuted last year.
GwangmyeongAyoung: She’s a fox. Do guys really like that face?
GwangmyeongAyoung: Is it true Juwon isn’t satisfied with us? Haha
RuinedYeoreum: If a girl clings to him, Manager-nim can’t fend her off.
1stSoyeon: I’ll find out what she’s up to, so stay quiet till then.
GwangmyeongAyoung: K
RuinedYeoreum: (Roughly an emoji meaning "got it")

As usual, I brought snacks and headed to Mirinae Entertainment.

The usually quiet office was bustling like never before.

CEO Lee Daehwan was flipping through documents and making calls left and right.

"Yes, yes, I’ll check and get back to you. Manager Yoon isn’t here right now."

"Manager Yoon said that? Okay, I’ll look into it."

"I can’t reach him right now. I’ll call you later."

Seems the viper had already dealt with Manager Yoon Taehyung.

Lee Daehwan, who barely understands company operations, was struggling.

"Oh, you’re here? It’s especially chaotic today."

"Come sit. I have something to tell you."

"Yeah? Just a sec."

He kept flipping through papers, checking his PC screen, and after a while, plopped onto the couch with a sigh.

"I can’t reach Manager Yoon. It’s been three days now. He’s never done this before—it’s weird."

"That’s what I wanted to talk about. You should investigate whether Manager Yoon managed the funds properly."

"Why?"

"I went to the investment firm you introduced. Turns out, the CEO is someone I know. I was shocked."

"Wow, Juwon, you’re amazing. You even know the CEO of an investment firm?"

"I’m nothing special, but I have a lot of impressive seniors. He’s one of them—I had no idea he ran an investment firm."

The viper had suddenly become my school senior.

"He was concerned. He said Manager Yoon often sent investment updates, but the details were sloppy and the numbers didn’t add up."

"Really?"

"He mentioned it casually, but it sounds like they’ll investigate formally soon. That senior has a razor-sharp personality—if something’s off, he’ll pull the investment immediately. You should check the funds yourself before it gets serious."

The viper suspected Yoon Taehyung had embezzled over 300 million won.

With that amount, Lee Daehwan couldn’t have missed it.

I’d given him enough hints—he should realize the severity now.

If he can’t find a solution, bringing up the acquisition will be effective.

"I’ll go check on the girls. Make sure to review the investment records."

"Got it."

I took the snacks and went downstairs.

Since the two youngest had school, only Yuna and Seoah were in the practice room.

"Welcome, Oppa."

Yuna greeted me first.

Seoah fidgeted—seems she’s still shaken.

Slapping that perverted congressman must’ve been quite the shock.

"I thought you’d come right away, but it took three days."

"I figured you’d need time to calm down."

I sat in a corner of the practice room and listened to how they ended up there.

As expected, Yoon Taehyung’s gaslighting had been relentless.

"He kept saying the company was in trouble, so I felt like I had to do something. It felt like it was all my fault, so if this could save the company… Sob."

"Unnie, don’t cry… Sniff."

Nothing they could’ve done would’ve magically brought in nonexistent investors.

That congressman didn’t want investment—he wanted entertainment.

Yang Seokdae and Yoon Taehyung had schemed, and the naive duo had fallen for gaslighting bordering on brainwashing.

"Don’t worry anymore. The company’s financial issues will be resolved."

"Huh, how…?"

"Another investor is coming in. One you won’t need to entertain. The company will be fine, so just focus on preparing for your single."

The artists just need to work hard and earn money.

I’ll make sure Honey Pop’s never has to worry about the company again.

I also heard what happened at the entertainment gathering.

"The congressman kept trying to take Seoah to a hotel, but then I remembered Oppa’s dream interpretation."

The part where the honey jar bounced playfully on the wolf’s head.

Buying time like that led to the appearance of a handsome bear.

Yuna sang the congressman’s favorite song to stall.

Meanwhile, I crushed Yang Seokdae and his lackeys and found the hidden room.

"Wow, how did you even think of that? Yuna, you’re amazing."

"It’s all thanks to you, Oppa. Your dream interpretation was spot-on—even the part about the handsome bear saving us."

It wasn’t me—just a god’s whims changing the delivery method.

Yuna hands me a fountain pen.

"What’s this?"

"A recorder. I recorded everything the congressman said in the room."

It was a pen-shaped recorder.

They took our phones, but they didn’t check this.

"I recorded it just in case. I always record if things get weird at fan meetings too."

An unexpected piece of evidence.

Cha Soyeon’s handling things, so it might not be needed—but you never know.

"I’m more surprised you even thought to record. Weren’t you scared?"

"Well… I watch a lot of spy movies, so it felt more like a fantasy than something scary. Recording didn’t scare me at all."

Yuna was a spy movie fanatic.

It was time to head to the girls’ practice room, so I got up.

"Um… Oppa, do you have a girlfriend?"

Yuna suddenly asked if I had a girlfriend.

The faces of Cha Soyeon, Yeoreum, and Min Ayoung flashed through my mind.

How should I describe my relationship with these three?

Calling them just female friends or acquaintances feels too distant, calling them girlfriends makes me seem like trash, and I don’t want to let any of them go…

After realizing Cha Soyeon and Yeoreum’s feelings, I remembered Byun Hajin, who embraced both women.

With Ayoung added, I’ve got more, but if the women are fine with it, maybe this is okay?

‘I’m not deceiving anyone…’

I hesitated too long to answer, and Yuna took it the wrong way.

"You do…"

She saw me off with a lonely expression.

"Sigh…"

"Unnie. You’re way off. Are you hurt?"

After Shin Juwon left, Seo Yuna couldn’t focus on practice.

She’d mustered the courage to ask, but his silence was answer enough.

‘Of course Oppa has a girlfriend. What kind of woman would leave him alone?’

Ever since that incident, thinking about Shin Juwon sends a tingle down her lower abdomen.

For three days, she dreamed of being held by him and had to wash her panties daily.

‘Stop it. He has a girlfriend.’

As she thought this, her phone rang.

An unknown number.

Normally, she wouldn’t answer, but this time, her gut told her otherwise.

"Hello?"

A moment later, Seo Yuna dropped her phone in shock.

It was a call from someone she never expected.

The house was enormous.

A mansion like an art gallery stood in a garden fit for a drama’s chairman.

"Welcome."

As I entered the foyer, Cha Soyeon greeted me.

Her face was expressionless, but a faint smile played at her lips.

"I-I, uh, th-thank you for inviting me!"

Nervous, Seo Yuna stammered through her greeting.

"You must be nervous. How cute~"

Behind her stood Min Ayoung, a top actress who’d suddenly halted activities two years ago—once Cha Soyeon’s rival.

"Wow, you’re even more provocat—I mean, sexy in person."

Ryu Yeoreum, leader of Red Blossom.

Her dance lines were so captivating, Yuna had always wanted to see her up close.

These two, plus Cha Soyeon… What kind of combination is this?

Seo Yuna stared blankly, unsure what to say.

"Come in. I called you because I have something to ask."

"Me?"

"Yeah. It’s about Juwon."

Another unexpected name popped up.