119 - Upki Girl

< Let's Move Towards Terminating the Contract > Yona sensed an unusual tension in the air and hurriedly thought of an excuse. "If she asks what we talked about, just say we were talking about my dad." "Yeah, we actually did talk about that." Suwon's behavior didn’t deviate from expectations. Like a wife catching her husband in an affair, she suddenly swung open the van’s side door. "Hmm?" Like a drug-sniffing dog, her nose twitched as she assessed the atmosphere inside the car. "What’s so fun that you're not coming in? If you have something to talk about, come inside. Plenty of rooms, why insist on the cramped car?" "Uh... we were talking about Yona’s father." "I thought Yona was up to something weird again... Oh right, we weren't supposed to mention that. Sorry, Yona." "It’s okay." "The conversation’s over. Let’s go inside." As I tried to wrap things up, Suwon entered the car. "Yona, you go ahead. I have something to talk about with the manager." "Okay." "What do you want to talk about?" "Why? Can’t I talk to him one-on-one?" "Well... there are plenty of rooms inside, why insist on the car...?" "I’ll kill you..." "Hey, Suwon, you should speak nicely to the manager, okay?" "Well then, I’ll take my leave." As Yona passed by Suwon on her way out, she sent me a look. It was a non-verbal cue to keep whatever I was thinking to myself. —Clunk! Game over. Like the final scene in 'Saw 1', the van door closed, and Suwon took the seat behind the driver's seat previously occupied by Yona. "What did you really talk about with Yona?" "I told you, we were discussing if there’s a way her relationship with her dad could improve." "Really?" "Yes!" "Look me in the eyes and say it." "Geez, you’re like... Never mind. If you have something to say, make it quick. I’m hungry." "I don’t have anything to say." "Right? Nothing?" "Yeah, I just lied so we could be together. Heehee." "I figured. Honesty suits you. So, do you like being with me?" "Yes." "What do you like so much?" "Just everything." "You're quite the tomboy, aren’t you?" "If you prefer coy girls, I can act coy. Should I?" "No." It’s overwhelming. I guess I’m not compatible with assertive women. I subtly hinted at wanting her to back off. "Hasn’t a male celebrity secretly approached you at the broadcasting station? Like asking for your number or something." "Not really. Why? Did Yona have someone?" "No, just wondering if any male idols asked for your number after the music show or something." "If it happens later, I’ll let you know." "Is there anyone you’re interested in?" Suwon answered immediately. "Sungjin." "Sungjin? From which group?" "KOL." "KOL? Isn’t that the game you play? King of Legends?" She nodded. Ah, she was talking about a pro gamer. "I meant, not pro gamers, any idols?" "Hmm... I’m not really interested in idols. Oh, if I had to pick, maybe Ryu from Bodyguard Battle? He seems decent." "If Ryu asked you out, would you date him?" "No." "Why?" "He’s just cool on stage, you dummy." "Your speech is getting shorter these days." "So what? Eunbi and Ria talk informally all the time. I’m thinking of just dropping the honorifics too." "I prefer women who use honorifics..." I muttered without thinking, and she snapped back like an angry crayfish. "Oh, really? From now on, if you have any preferences, say them clearly. Besides honorifics, what else do you like a woman to do, hmm? Hmm?" I’m completely at a loss. "Let’s head inside." "Aw, come on. Am I bothering you?" "I’m hungry." "Oh, right. Grant me a wish if Replay Girl wins." "What’s with these... are you guys getting used to asking for wishes?" "Hmm? Who else asked for something?" Oops. Nobody knows Yona asked to watch a movie. I quickly changed the subject. "Hey. Did anyone tell you guys to win?" "We talked among ourselves. We think we can win if the manager grants each of us a wish." "What nonsense. Is winning for my benefit or yours? Sure, I like winning too, but it’s not for my satisfaction." "It’s motivation." "We haven’t even started filming yet. Say that after recording starts." "Yay! I’ll assume you’ve agreed and think of a wish." Besides, I don’t want to hear what your wish is. Just then, a call came from an unknown number. I picked it up, thinking it might be a schedule inquiry. "Hello, this is Upkey Girl’s manager, Kim Yoon-ho speaking." ―Hello? A mature male voice. "Yes, go ahead." ―Is this Yona's manager's phone? "Yes, it is. Who is this?" ―I’m Yona’s father. Oh, wow. My heart nearly dropped. "Ah, hello, sir." ―Is my daughter nearby? "No, she’s not here." ―I came to the office to discuss something, but they said everyone left for the day? He probably got my contact through the office. "Yes, the practice just ended, and we recently returned." ―What’s your name again? "It’s Kim Yoon-ho." ―So, you’re the one in charge of my daughter, right? "Yes." ―I’ll head over there, so don’t tell my daughter and let’s meet up. Is that okay with you? "I’ll come to your location, sir." ―I heard the dorm is in Hannam-dong. Since it's on my way, it's more convenient for me to stop by. If there’s a café around, find a seat there and send me the address. I’ll leave right away. "Yes, understood." Yona’s father reiterated, "Don’t tell her," and ended the call. While maintaining decorum, his voice carried an imposing tone that overwhelmed me, much like talking to a senior executive. I found myself sweating under my arms and down my back. "Who was that?" "Yona's dad." "Really? Why?" "Uh... he wants to meet briefly. Don’t tell Yona." "Okay." I hung up and checked the messages from Yeom. Yeom, CEO [Yona’s father is at the office. He asked who’s in charge, so I gave him your number.] Yeom, CEO [His presence is no joke. Let me know after your conversation.] *** Settling in a café near the dorm entrance, I organized Upkey Girl's contract, sales and settlement status, training details, and schedule on my laptop while waiting for Yona's father. About 30 minutes later. It seems I have a natural sense for these things. My gaze drifted unconsciously to the entry, and a broad-shouldered, bear-like middle-aged man entered, removing his sunglasses. I half-expected Arnold Schwarzenegger, but it was clearly Yona’s father. Standing mid-180s, with a clean two-block hairstyle and bronzed skin, he exuded the aura of someone who might practice judo or hapkido. Clad in a casual blazer and jeans, he exuded a tough presence. He seemed to glance around, phone in hand, seeking my location, so I approached first. "Sir, over here." "Ah." After identifying my table, he proceeded to order his drink at the counter. I offered to get it for him, but he irritably gestured me back to my seat. Intimidated, I complied and returned. Yona’s father asked for the quickest drink to be served, and the staff suggested a bottled juice from their showcase refrigerator. "Okay, that one. Just pour it directly into an ice cup, no tray needed." "Sure thing." His speech hinted at someone who values efficiency and time. Drinks in hand, he approached, extending his hand. "Pleased to meet you. I’m Lee Dong-joon." Finally, I understood what they meant by 'hands like a cauldron lid.' I shook his hand respectfully. "Nice to meet you too. I’m Kim Yoon-ho. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner." "Kim Yoon-ho... I heard there are different kinds of managers. What's your title?" "I’m the planning director." "Planning director... Sit." "Yes." Lee-san had a habit of echoing what others said, as if confirming them. "How old are you?" "I'm thirty-five." "Thirty-five... Which year?" "Born in '83." "'83... What's your work experience?" "Uh... I worked at a construction company for seven years and switched to being a manager about half a year ago." "Construction company... Where?" "Dae-hyun Construction." "Dae-hyun Construction... I see." His eyebrows raised unexpectedly. The air between us subtly shifted; one advantage of having a big-name corporate background. "Let’s see, seven years... assistant manager? Senior manager?" "Senior manager." "Senior manager... Promoted on schedule, no gaps?" "Yes, that’s correct." Without realizing it, I slipped into military-like speech. It felt like a job interview. "Then why?" He probably wondered why I left a stable job, what I lacked that made me leave. What answer would be reliable? But before I could even think, the answer popped out mechanically. "I left to pursue a challenge before it’s too late." "Is there really a vision in this field?" "Yes. I see it as a gamble worth taking." "Well, that’s your life, so make of it what you will..." Time to get to the main topic. He seemed a bit warm and removed his jacket, adjusting himself in the seat. Wearing a tight turtleneck, his stature resembled a beetle’s shell. "Did Yona tell you anything about me?" "Yes." "What did she say?" "She mentioned you're a professor in physical education... and that despite your disapproval of her singing career, she wants to earn your recognition through hard work." "Recognition... what kind of recognition?" "Recognition as a singer." "As a singer... that’s nonsense. I'm someone who opposes the idol industry, how would I acknowledge it? Are you married?" "Not yet." "If Kim Yoon-ho’s daughter wanted to be an idol in the future, would you allow it?" "I haven't considered it." "Then think now. How would you feel if a middle-school or high-school kid dressed scantily and danced like a stripper, labeled sexy or whatever?" A chill ran through my body. Upkey Girl doesn't have that concept, I wanted to say, because it’s true, but wardrobe controversies can’t be completely avoided. Even before becoming a manager, I’d thought modern girl groups were excessive. "I’m not an inflexible person." "Yes, I understand you weren’t entirely against it initially." "It’s upsetting, hearing that both want to be entertainers." "Right..." Instead of instant relief, I took a moment, sensing possible compromise. "My students somehow know Yona is my daughter. She showed up on some hip-hop show?" "Yes, it garnered more attention than anticipated. Her image is favorable; she’s getting advertisement offers. Perhaps with the next album..." "No. Let’s move towards contract termination." "Excuse me?" "I’ve been so distressed I considered severing ties with her, but I think I need to make a decision now before I regret it later." "Sir, Yona is doing well right now. She has a schedule lined up with a new SBS program, and she gets along great with her members." "I’m not talking about that. Even if she were going to Hollywood, what father can just watch his daughter become a sexual object for a faceless crowd? Don’t you agree?" "Uh... It seems there’s a misunderstanding. That's not the concept we aim for, sir." "I’ve checked the online comments myself." "Er... I’m not sure what sites you saw, but..." My voice rose out of frustration before I caught myself, calming down to continue. "Our company’s direction isn’t aligned with that at all." "Yet she wears clothes showing her navel and sings lyrics like 'I'll be your obedient doll.' How can you say it’s not aligned? Those lyrics, Yona wrote them, didn’t she?" Despite the strained relationship, it seemed he kept tabs on Yona's activities. Wait. If he saw the girl-crush Yona episode... Twerking, oh, the twerking! That intense booty dance! Still, by today’s standards, that’s not even high exposure... The lyrics have a double meaning... If quitting singing was the deal for this, wouldn't all the other girl group parents have cut ties too... I had so much to say, but in this situation, anything I said might sound like an excuse or deflection, so I couldn't bring myself to speak. Yona’s father even brought up eye-contact issues. Look at them, not working it out, so resorting to crude concepts, is there any guarantee she won’t follow the same path? Yona's sister did the same thing and ended up with me terminating the contract. Dealing with human trash like that guy with Suwon’s family was easier. However, this wasn't about right or wrong, or good versus evil, but simply a difference in viewpoint. With Professor Lee having already made up his mind, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be easy to change it. All I can argue is the content of the contract with adult Yona. The company hasn’t breached the contract. If you want to terminate it, you need to pay a penalty fee, three times the contract deposit and the costs invested in the team thus far. Even if Yona herself doesn’t want to terminate the contract, not even her father or grandfather can change that. But what use is any of this? Having family disputes because of career choices already signals a major warning... "So, what’ll it be? Do we pretend this never happened, or shall we spare the time and proceed with a lawsuit?" Seeing my inability to respond, Yona’s father prompted. In this scenario, I couldn’t just roll over. "Yes, I understand your stance. I fully grasp the concerns you’ve raised. However, I think it would be best to discuss the termination directly with Yona. We have a contract with her, and there's no issue in fulfilling its terms. The company already has detailed plans up to the first half of next year, so this sudden announcement is quite shocking." "A plan is just a plan. Let’s carry out the existing schedule and then terminate it." "Sir, this isn’t just about removing Yona. You also need to consider the other members and the company staff." "The other members... Alright, we’ve shared our perspectives, so let’s not waste any more time. I’ll send you my email address via text; send me a copy of my daughter’s contract and the company’s financial and settlement statements." Is he indeed considering a lawsuit? I confidently opened my laptop. "Sure, I’ll send it right now." There’s no fault with the company’s operations, contract, or settlement processes. Silverlight operates more transparently than clear skin. Yona’s father began typing his email address into his phone's memo when suddenly— "Dad, what are you doing here?" How she knew, I could only guess, but Yona came into the café. Yona’s father’s expression hardened. "Lee Yona, you...” < Let's Move Towards Terminating the Contract > End