Chapter 290 (1/2)

“Well, I’m doing that right now. Did you have your meal yet?”

-That’s the only thing you’re interested in, isn’t it?

“Well, it means that you’re healthy,” Maru spoke as he watched the guardrails that flashed by.

“Are you practicing even now?”

-Obviously. I have juniors now. I have to teach my juniors so that we can take the grand prize again this year. I also want a personal prize as well.

“Aren’t you being too greedy? If Myunghwa high school wins this time around, it’s the 3rd year in a row, isn’t it?”

-No, it’s the fourth.

“Then it’s about time you hand it over to us. Let’s have a symbiotic relationship.”

-Hell no.

“How cruel.”

-If you want it so much, win it from us.

A fufu laugh could be heard over the phone. Maru smiled as he imagined her with a satisfied smirk.

“Then you don’t have any time during weekdays?”

-I don’t. Sorry.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. How about the weekend?”

-I can do Saturday.

“Then let’s meet then. Aren’t we seeing each other too little even though we’re students?”

-Well, we would’ve been able to meet yesterday but a certain someone had to go somewhere else for shooting a movie.

“...Fine, it’s my fault.”

-How was it? Did you do well?

“I think I did a decent job?”

-You don’t sound so confident. Are you sure you won’t be edited out?

“I guess I have to pray for that to not happen.”

The express bus slowed down and entered a service area. The driver got off the bus as he told everyone to visit the bathroom.

-Are you in the bus?

“Yeah. I’m going up to Suwon right now.”

-When are you arriving?

“I think there’s still 3 hours to go. I think I’ll make it home before six.”

-Isn’t it tiring?

“I’m doing nothing but sitting still. Rather than that, don’t you need to get going? I think I hear something.”

-Yeah, we just resumed practice, I need to go.

“Be careful. Watch out for your stamina. Don’t forget to stay hydrated.”

-Yeah, yeah, sure. Don’t worry about me and worry about yourself instead. Also… congratulations on your debut. Let’s go look at it together once it’s out.

“Okay.”

-Let’s hang up then.

“After you.”

Silence continued for a moment before the call ended abruptly. Maru stretched his arms out as he stood up. He got off the bus and entered the convenience store in the service area. He bought some bread and milk as lunch before returning to the bus.

“We’re departing. Please check if your companions are here.”

“Hello?”

-Is this Mr. Han Maru’s phone?”

“Yes, it is, journalist.”

-Aah, yes, that’s right. Your voice sounded so mature, so I was wondering if I got the wrong number. Where are you right now?”

“In a bus to Suwon.”

-Damn! I guess we missed each other.

“Miss each other?”

-I’m driving to Yeongdeok right now. Because of work.

“Oh, work. It’s about the movie then?”

-Yes. Oh, and also, why didn’t you tell me back then?

“Tell you what back then?”

-Stop pretending to be ignorant. I’m going to Yeongdeok to collect news. I already talked with your president.

“Oh, I see.”

-Oh, I see? I did feel this back then, but you really are quite something. You belong to JA and you didn’t tell me anything about it. I’m kinda sad, you know?

“Well, that was because I didn’t see the need to. But what do you mean when you said that you already talked to the president?”

-We’re helping each other out now, is what I mean. Your president, though, he’s quite a scary man. He first investigates me in secret, and then he tests me out in secret as well. Though, I do like him for it though.

Dongwook started speaking about that event as he laughed.

* * *

“Geez, looks like I took a hit this time. I thought it was a good fish I can chew on, but it turns out it was bait to fish out a man,” Dongwook spoke as he looked at Lee Junmin, who was in front of him.

“It’s natural for an employer to look into the abilities of a potential employee, no?” Junmin replied as though it was only natural.

Dongwook smiled bitterly as he remembered about the youth named Yoo Sooil from a while ago.

The information that youth indirectly told him was actually just bait. The evidence that JA is planning to make a big move was a huge news topic in the entertainment industry, so it was very valuable to those that worked in news outlets.

Dongwook pondered what to do with that information. If JA was preparing to list its stocks, there would be a prior notice about it to gather potential buyers, so that wasn’t much of a big news at all. However, Dongwook believed that JA wasn’t going to list itself so hastily. No, on the surface, JA didn’t pass the requirements to be listed, so he believed that they would keep being unlisted. This meant that this info was only valuable to the shareholders of unlisted stocks. Being unlisted didn’t mean that it wasn’t free from market logic, if JA decided that it wanted to grow in size, the price of JA’s over-the-counter stocks would rise.