The Sacred Manager Life - Chapter 87
“The money this bastard embezzled exceeds 400 million, and even after stripping him bare, we’re still short by 100 million. Might have to start harvesting his organs.”
I was on the phone with Viper.
“Handle that yourself. Just rewrite the contract for me.”
“What about my 100 million?”
“I sent it to Yang Seok-dae. Remember the guy who called to thank me for feeding him to Scarlet?”
Turns out, the place where Yang Seok-dae got wrecked was a pretty famous club in Gangnam’s nightlife district.
He bragged (and thanked me) for handing over the international faction to Yongho in exchange for taking over that place.
“Just saying. After all you’ve done for me, is 100 million really an issue? I’ll make sure the investment funds are properly reduced, so go ahead and show off to the CEO there.”
“I’ll handle that. Should I bring the contract to you?”
“I’ll send the guy in charge of contracts. He’ll take care of it.”
And just like that, Yoon Tae-hyung’s embezzled funds were settled.
“How could Manager Yoon do this…?”
CEO Lee Dae-hwan sat on the sofa with a dazed expression.
His beard was unkempt, as if he hadn’t been home in days.
“Over 400 million vanished. He’d been skimming from the previous investments too…”
Entrusting a cat to guard fish had led to this disastrous outcome.
He’d finally reported the embezzlement to the police, but they couldn’t find Yoon Tae-hyung.
At this rate, they’d only find his corpse.
Seeing him tear at his hair in distress, I brought up the investment funds.
“Luckily, I’m acquainted with their CEO. I’ll talk to him. There might be a way.”
“I appreciate it, but do you really think they’ll care about our situation just because you ask? If they even agree not to reclaim the investment, that’d be a miracle.”
Lee Dae-hwan brushed it off, clearly not expecting much.
But three days later, when I visited the office, he hugged me, tears and snot streaming down his face.
“Juwon-ah… Sniff! We’re saved, we’re saved!!”
Future Investment had agreed to revise the contract into a joint investment format for Honey Pop.
Normally, they’d demand company shares equivalent to the investment, but they waived that, opting instead to recoup the funds solely through future profit-sharing.
They’d forgone shares because they were considering an acquisition by Fine Entertainment.
“They said they’d deduct the embezzled amount and absorb the loss themselves. Where else would you find angels like that?!”
I’m the one who made them angels, CEO.
I couldn’t say that, so I just laughed.
“They said you spoke so convincingly about the company and Honey Pop’s potential. How on earth did you persuade them? Tell me, I want to learn.”
Persuasion? All I did was make one call to Viper.
Seems like he hyped me up through his contact.
“Hahaha, it wasn’t anything grand. I just talked about how hard you’ve been working for the company and the kids, and how Honey Pop has solid potential after two weeks of observation. That’s really all there was to it.”
I had no choice but to downplay it.
“Let’s say we get past this investment issue—what’s the plan going forward? Honey Pop needs to release a full album, right?”
Full albums require far more production costs than mini-albums or digital singles due to the number of tracks.
Given Mirinae Entertainment’s financial state, I wasn’t sure they could handle it.
“We’ll decide based on the digital single’s performance. If events start rolling in, we’ll secure more funding.”
“Would you consider acquisition or joint venture offers if they came?”
“Pfft, who’d even look at our company?”
“You never know. If such an opportunity arises, what would you do?”
“Hmm, not worrying about money while promoting would be great. If they guarantee employee retention and give me a stake, I’d consider it. I don’t want to abandon the team after all we’ve been through.”
He wasn’t opposed to acquisition.
That was enough for me to propose it as the department head.
The next day—
Yuna called.
“I heard from the CEO. The investment issue… Oppa, you solved it all…”
“Just got lucky. I happened to know their CEO. And it’s not like I solved it—they invested because they saw potential in you guys.”
“But you were the bridge, Oppa.”
“Well, yeah.”
“You really make everything happen just by speaking. You saved us, the ‘honey jars,’ and kept your promise to let us focus on working hard…”
“That’s just… good timing. Guess luck was on our side again.”
Yuna fell silent.
Only her slightly ragged breathing could be heard.
“Why so quiet? Is something…?”
“Oppa really is the answer. I’ve decided.”
“The answer? Decided?”
“Ah, never mind. I’ll call again later.”
She hung up abruptly.
What was that about?
As soon as Seo Yuna ended the call, she dialed Cha So-yeon.
“You called sooner than I expected. Did you think it through?”
“Yes. In the meantime, Oppa solved another company problem for us. He told us not to worry about funds and just focus on working hard.”
“At this point, I don’t know if Juwon-ssi is Red Blossom’s manager or Honey Pop’s. Yeoreum’s going to get jealous.”
“That’s why… I don’t think I can live without Oppa anymore.”
Cha So-yeon responded calmly to Yuna’s voice, which had risen an octave.
“If this is just curiosity dipping a toe in, it’s better not to start. In a way, this is a swamp. A sweet, sinking swamp with Juwon-ssi at the center.”
“I don’t care. I don’t want to lose Oppa’s light—no, I don’t want to lose him.”
The first time she saw Shin Juwon’s light in the interview video CEO Lee showed her,
The memory of marveling at how such a manager could exist while listening to the interview,
The awe of witnessing his light firsthand in the office,
The warmth of his light as they grew closer, laughing and chatting in the practice room,
“When he saved me and Sae-eon, I was sure. Oppa is definitely our lucky teddy bear.”
“Teddy bear?”
She recounted the dream where she was nearly kidnapped by a wolf but was saved by a handsome bear.
She even included the interpretation Juwon had given her in the practice room.
“At first, I thought he was joking, but looking back now, he was right. Oppa is absolutely our lucky teddy bear.”
“Well, he is dependable. But that dream… it’s not ordinary. Interpreting dreams might be one of Juwon-ssi’s talents. Was that your first time seeing it?”
“Really? Hehe, that makes me happy.”
“You’re already smitten. You’ve really made up your mind.”
“Yes. It’s not just me being swept up by the others.”
Seo Yuna clearly articulated the resolution in her heart.
“Oppa is kind. He saved us and saved the company without asking for anything in return. He just said he likes helping.”
“Oppa is trustworthy. He listens to my worries and always gives good advice. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care.”
“Oppa is considerate. He remembers even the smallest things I say and does them later. He indulges my whims, saying they’re cute. When our eyes meet as he smiles, I feel so happy.”
“Oppa is lovable. He strips off my clothes so boldly, finds my weak spots, and licks them. When he’s on top, he always holds me so it’s not too hard…”
“W-wait! What was that last part?!”
Cha So-yeon, who had been listening quietly, slammed on the brakes.
“Huh? What?”
“Why is Juwon-ssi stripping you and licking your weak spots?!”
“That was in a dream…”
Only then did Yuna process her own words and let out a shriek.
“Kyaaaah! U-unnie… it was a dream! Just a dream I had while thinking about Oppa. So, please forget it!!”
Her face burning red, Yuna half-heartedly mumbled the rest before hanging up.
Cha So-yeon stared at her phone with a dumbfounded expression and muttered,
“This girl’s dangerous. It’s not just her face that’s risqué—her thoughts are too.”
Daeyoung Group is a colossal conglomerate that has never fallen below fifth place in the corporate rankings.
More than any other chaebol, it has deep ties to the political world—thanks to its second-generation chairman, Cha Ki-woong.
Cha Ki-woong, the former chairman, was deeply committed to nurturing talent, funding numerous scholarship programs. Many of the students who studied under his scholarships went on to become politicians.
The term “Cha Ki-woong Kids” even emerged, referring to the fact that half of the National Assembly members and government officials in Yeouido were educated with his money.
Given that the scholarship programs began in the 1960s and continue to this day, the term makes sense.
Thus, many politicians revered Cha Ki-woong as an elder, and the ruling Democratic Peace Party was no exception.
The reason I’m suddenly talking about Daeyoung Group is that something absurd happened—I was summoned by former Chairman Cha Ki-woong.
“Grandfather asked me to bring you to him.”
This was the grandfather who assigned bodyguards, sprung someone from jail, and even toppled high-ranking officials.
I’d wondered who he was, but I never expected to be summoned like this.
“Why does he want to see me?”
“I told him about that perverted assemblyman. He wants to hear it directly from you, since you were there.”
Ah.
So he wants my firsthand testimony. That’s not a problem.
“Where should I go to meet him?”
“He said he’d send a car, so just ride with me.”
He didn’t say who the grandfather was.
He seemed reluctant to elaborate, so I didn’t press further.
I’d find out when I got there.
But I never imagined it would be former Chairman Cha Ki-woong.