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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Black Knight
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A few days later, Yeongin ran into Ji Seungchan in front of the company parking garage elevator on her way back from meeting a film production manager.
"Team Leader Yeongin."
It was the first time she had seen him since his birthday.
"Oh, Seungchan."
Though the anger from the blatant attack during the drinking game still lingered, she showed no outward sign of it.
"I came to the company to meet up with you. And to get a proper tour of the place."
Today was the day of Management Team 5’s company dinner. Anyone, whether staff or actor, belonging to Team 5 was welcome to attend.
"Hyesung was absolutely tiny, but this place, just looking at the parking lot, makes my chest swell with awe."
"..."
Yeongin felt uncomfortable hearing him disparage her first workplace. Even if it was true, she had no intention of agreeing.
"Oh, right, Team Leader. What happened the other day?"
"What do you mean?"
"On my birthday, why did you leave without a word? I was going to take you home."
Seungchan's face clearly showed his disappointment.
"Someone came to pick me up."
Yeongin swallowed the words she wanted to say: that even if no one had picked her up, there was no way he would have taken her home.
"Who?"
At that moment, the sound of the elevator arriving echoed.
Yeongin instinctively turned to the elevator and froze.
Speak of the devil, the face of the "who" Seungchan had asked about filled her vision.
"Team Leader Chae, what are you doing here?"
As Seonghyeok stepped out of the elevator, his gaze was fixed on Seungchan, not Yeongin, the person he had addressed.
"I just ran into Seungchan and we were chatting for a moment, CEO."
A bright smile appeared on Seungchan's face as he realized the identity of the man staring intently at him.
"Oh, you're the CEO. Hello. I'm actor Ji Seungchan."
He was completely innocent, unaware that Seonghyeok was glaring at him. It would have been better if he had stopped at the greeting, but what he thought was wit ended up chilling the atmosphere considerably.
"Look forward to it, CEO. I'll make you a lot of money from now on."
Yeongin's pupils trembled violently.
*Please, just see him as an eager rookie.*
As if her desperate wish had been granted, a rather calm remark came from Seonghyeok's lips.
"How much time is left on your contract?"
"My contract? About a year, I think?"
"You'll have to work very hard to make a lot of money in one year."
"Don't worry. I intend to renew."
Not only Seungchan but also Yeongin had no idea what Seonghyeok's intention was behind his words.
"Actually, after my contract with Hyesung ended, I was thinking of moving to a big agency."
Seungchan had long been interested in SL Entertainment. Since Hyesung had been acquired by SL, there was no longer any need for him to look for another agency. But there was one thing he had overlooked.
"I hope you find a good place to move to."
"Excuse me?"
"SL has no intention of renewing Ji Seungchan's contract."
That a contract renewal couldn't happen if only one party wanted it.
"...Huh?"
Seungchan stared blankly at Seonghyeok's expressionless face, dumbfounded.
*Oh, I can't believe this.*
Yeongin let out a resigned sigh that Seungchan didn't hear.
Aside from her bewilderment, she couldn't help but think it was so typical of Cha Seonghyeok. He truly had a knack for astonishing people.
***
Yeongin led the dumbfounded Seungchan, who remained stunned long after Seonghyeok left, up to the office.
Barely having regained his composure, he grabbed Haeyun and finally vented his belated indignation.
"Just because he's the CEO? What right does he have to say he has no intention of renewing?"
"If the CEO says he has no intention of renewing, isn't that the end of it?"
Teasing with innocent eyes was Haeyun's specialty. It was retaliation for Seungchan's earlier annoyance when he had sent Yeongin away alone on his birthday.
"No, what agency CEO treats a money-making artist like this?"
"Maybe he doesn't think you're a money-making artist."
Seungchan's face contorted unpleasantly.
"Haeyun, you're talking strange. Objectively, my sales aren't so bad that I can't renew, are they?"
"Exactly. I don't think they're that bad, but maybe the CEO thought they were? Or perhaps there was something else he didn't like besides your sales?"
Quick-witted Haeyun had guessed why Seonghyeok had acted that way towards him.
"What else?"
"His personality? Or his looks?"
Seungchan's brow furrowed abruptly. He disliked the idea that the reason he fell out of the CEO's favor was his sales, but he disliked the idea of it being his looks or personality even more.
"Damn it, what if the CEO goes around badmouthing me? It'd be a disaster if it affected my casting."
Yeongin, who was secretly cheering on Haeyun as she fully displayed her specialty, instinctively knew it was time for her to step in.
She was worried that her team members might think CEO Cha Seonghyeok was crazy if they only listened to Seungchan's side of the story. While he might be a *little* crazy, she didn't want everyone else to know it.
"Seungchan, I heard something."
"What?"
"CEO Cha Seonghyeok isn't the type to badmouth people behind their backs."
"What do you mean he isn't? Team Leader, you saw how the CEO treated me. At that point, it wouldn't just be badmouthing, he'd be swearing like a sailor."
"Whether it's badmouthing or swearing, he does it to your face. Not behind your back."
"Ah..."
Seungchan unconsciously conceded. Looking back at the recent situation, it seemed entirely plausible.
Yeongin left the office, leaving Seungchan, who was now consoling himself that at least he hadn't been cursed at to his face.
It was a small repayment for the only man in the world who avenged her.
***
As soon as work ended, Management Team 5 moved to a craft beer pub near the company. However, shortly after the dinner began, Huiran and Hyeonsim appeared.
Jingyo, who spotted the two first, tilted his head in confusion.
"Huiran, what brings you to our team dinner?"
"Oppa, are you trying to pick sides among people from the same company?"
"It's not about picking sides, it's Team 5's dinner."
"Seungchan just told me to come, so I did."
Huiran used Seungchan's polite invitation when they ran into each other at the company as an excuse.
*As if I *wanted* to come.*
She had come because Seo Jingyo and Chae Yeongin were both attending, hoping to find something to pick apart.
It was a scheme born from the belief that mistakes were more likely to happen when drinking, and her certainty that the two were more than just colleagues.
But after Huiran and Hyeonsim, another uninvited guest appeared.
This time, it was Seonghyeok.
Jingyo asked with a bewildered expression,
"CEO, what brings you here?"
"I heard from Baek Huiran that Team 5 was having a dinner, so I came."
Huiran had called Seonghyeok's number, which she had gotten through Hyeonsim, rambling about unnecessary things, then mentioned she might go to Team 5's dinner before hanging up.
If he hadn't known, it would have been different, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Yeongin alone at a drinking gathering where Seo Jingyo and Ji Seungchan were present, so he had quickly finished his meeting and come.
Seungchan, who had inadvertently expanded the gathering, was already quite drunk before Seonghyeok arrived. So, unaware that Seonghyeok was sitting right next to him, he began to make advances on Yeongin, who was seated opposite.
"Team Leader, let's clink glasses."
At the same moment Seonghyeok frowned, Jingyo, who was sitting next to Yeongin, cut him off.
"Yeongin quit drinking."
An awkward smile appeared on Yeongin's face as she only ate appetizers.
She was just refraining from drinking because she planned to go back to the company to get her car after the dinner. She thought her car would be better than a taxi for an early start tomorrow morning.
She glanced at Haeyun, with whom she had drunk last week, and Haeyun had a look that said, 'When did you quit drinking?'
"Oh, come on, just have one today."
At that moment, a voice so cold it sent shivers down Seungchan's spine, who was grinning foolishly, flowed into his ears.
"I'll drink on behalf of Team Leader Chae."
Seungchan slowly turned his head and flinched in surprise at Seonghyeok's face.
"...C-CEO?"
"Think of it as... a black knight."
"..."
As Seungchan just rolled his eyes, unsure how to react, a gentle voice diffused the frozen atmosphere.
"CEO, let's have a drink."
Everyone's gaze turned to Huiran, who was smiling brightly, holding a beer glass.
Seonghyeok had no intention of completely ruining the dinner, so he naturally accepted Huiran's offer.
"Let's all have a drink together. Those who aren't drinking can have water or whatever they prefer."
Yeongin, who had been on edge, finally let out a sigh of relief.
However, contrary to the peaceful atmosphere, Yeongin's nerves became increasingly frayed. Her entire attention was focused on Seonghyeok and Huiran, who were seated side by side. No matter how hard she tried not to look, every time she heard Huiran's flirtatious voice, her body involuntarily flinched.
Having failed to regain her composure, Yeongin quietly got up and went to the restroom.
When she returned to her seat after composing herself, two seats were empty. They were Seonghyeok's and Huiran's.
As Yeongin stared blankly at the empty seats, the assistant team leader rushed over.
"Team Leader, Baek Huiran left. How shameless is she? After what she did to you, how dare she show up here?"
Yeongin wasn't curious about Huiran. She didn't care if she came or went.
"Did the CEO leave too?"
"Baek Huiran asked the CEO to take her home, so I guess they left together."
Yeongin belatedly realized that Huiran sending Hyeonsim away first after Seonghyeok arrived was a calculated move to get him to take her home.
*He can take her home. It's not a big deal.*
Even though she tried to think that way, she couldn't easily shake off her troubled feelings, largely because there were widespread rumors that Baek Huiran was openly flirting with CEO Cha Seonghyeok.
"Shall we start wrapping up?"
At Yeongin's declaration to wrap up, everyone began to gather their belongings, getting ready to leave.
Yeongin, as usual, took care of her team members and sent them off first, then settled the bill before leaving the pub. Just as she was about to adjust her bag to head to the company, a languid voice drifted into her ears.
"Are you done with everything?"
Turning around, she saw Seonghyeok smiling, his hands in his pockets.
