“Ah, I didn’t get a stamp!”
“A stamp?”
Geuru pulled out a laminated sheet the size of a bookstand from her clothes. Three squares where stamps could be pressed were drawn on it.
“If I become a good police officer and get all the stamps here, Team Leader Honghong will give Geuru a present.”
“Give it here. I’ll stamp them all for you.”
When Jurim snatched the sheet away, Geuru clung to his arm and shook it.
“Nooo~ don’t do it~!”
In the end, Geuru, having retrieved the sheet, squinted her eyes like a flounder and glared at him.
“When you only try to use shortcuts like this, no wonder you don’t have anyone to help when you’re in trouble.”
“You have to live kindly, Daddy.”
Jurim felt an inexplicable unease and answered half-heartedly.
“Where is there anyone as kind as Daddy?”
Geuru turned her head away with a huff and pulled a cart out of her bag.
Several beverages were piled up snugly in the cart.
Reading from a script, Geuru spoke stiffly.
“Daddy, try this. It’s really cool and sweet. I’ve never tasted anything like this in my life.”
She had a solemn attitude, as if announcing to the whole world that they were filming a beverage PPL.
Geuru handed the script to Jurim too.
The script contained very detailed instructions on exactly how to film the PPL.
Jurim looked over the script with a face that clearly showed he hated this, but at Geuru’s urging gaze holding the camera, he had no choice but to go along with it.
He drank the beverage as scripted and delivered his line.
“Really? My thirst flies away as if washed clean? As expected, for quenching thirst, it’s O2 Vitamin Water.”
“Cut!”
Geuru shouted loudly and waved her hand.
“There’s no soul, no soul.”
“Where did you learn to talk like that?”
“From the filming set.”
“…….”
I need to make sure she doesn’t film anything again.
While Jurim was making that resolution, Geuru made him reshoot the PPL scene over and over.
Jurim felt it was unfair that he alone was scolded despite acting at a similar level, but at her continued urging, he had to perform with as much overflowing soul as Director Geuru wanted.
“That was great!”
Finally, when Director Geuru’s okay sign came down, Jurim hung his head and perched on the hallway bench.
Geuru trotted over, bent down, and looked up at him.
“Daddy, are you crying?”
“……I’m crying.”
Geuru hugged the weakly speaking Jurim tightly and comforted him.
“Cheer up, Daddy. There are things you have to do even if you hate them.”
“……Yeah.”
Just as Jurim was speaking as if he really wanted to cry.
“Guild Master, you were here! But your clothes…….”
Director Yun of the secretariat, who had come looking for him, trailed off with an expression that said he understood upon seeing Jurim’s appearance.
“We have a call from Japan that you need to take.”
“From Japan?”
Jurim got up.
“Daddy needs to go take care of some work. Is that okay?”
“Yeeah. Geuru has PPP to film too, so it’s okay.”
“It must be PPL.”
“Uh-huh. Also...”
“Daddy has something to do for a moment, so should Geuru go with Mister?”
“Okay.”
Jurim went up to the Guild Master’s office by the stairs, and Geuru, who had been following Director Yun obediently, fell into deep thought looking at the sheet.
“Director, where are there lots of people who need help?”
“If you mean help…… wouldn’t it be the lobby? Since people who don’t know Hyeonak well come and go there.”
“Aha!”
*
Inoue Kenzo looked up at a building in Yeouido, wearing an automatic interpretation earpiece.
When he saw the Hyeonak logo, his granddaughter’s words echoed in his ears.
[— Honestly, all along, production hasn’t been enjoyable.]
Inoue Kenzo knew all too well how timid his granddaughter was.
But just what had she experienced in Korea to say such things to him?
Not only was production no longer enjoyable, but she had no talent, and now she was thinking of putting it down.
She had probably called because she lacked the confidence to say it face-to-face, but even that alone could be called tremendous progress.
Yes, at any rate, that was good. That she had harbored such thoughts was vexing, but it meant that through some process, she had ultimately set her mind straight.
But the bombshell Haruna dropped wasn’t limited to that.
[— When I graduate from school, I want to join Korea’s Hyeonak.]
Daring to say she wouldn’t return to the family?
And using going to Hyeonak as the reason for it?
The rumor that Hyeonak were sly bastards was widespread even in Japan.
And to think the reason his granddaughter wouldn’t return to Japan was because of that very Hyeonak!
‘Is this why Hyeonak hasn’t revealed that Haruna isn’t S-rank?’
In Korea, they must have wanted to pull in Japan’s strength, so it would be advantageous not to reveal that Haruna wasn’t S-rank.
That way, they could officially announce that they had recruited Japan’s S-rank.
In Japan, it would be difficult for them to back away from their claim that Haruna, who they had publicly declared to be S-rank, was actually a fake.
‘……I did something unnecessary.’
Participating in the creation of a false S-rank had been due to his paltry pride.
That an S-rank producer had failed to emerge from the Inoue family had seemed like it would remain a pent-up grudge for a long time.
He had thought that even if it was revealed she wasn’t S-rank, if the Inoue family pooled their strength to create an S+-rank, everything would be covered up.
He just needed to buy time until then…… Who would have thought the truth would be revealed this easily.
With the family’s prestige plummeting to the point where it seemed to be staring into the abyss…….
[“You want to go to Hyeonak? Are you in your right mind saying that right now!”]
[— The person who taught me the joy of production again is at Hyeonak. I’ve already decided, Grandfather.]
To suddenly say she’s going to Korea like this. And to Hyeonak, of all places.
‘The person who taught her the joy of production again?’
Ha! Kenzo scoffed.
It must have been easy to lure in one naive child who knows nothing.
Since she’s still a child, if On Jurim had stuck his slick face in front of her and seduced her, it would be understandable.
‘That bastard On Jurim. Wasn’t Kazuki enough, that he had to go after Haruna too……!’
Even if she was a bit lacking, Haruna was a direct descendant of the Inoue family.
‘Can’t leave her in another’s hands.’
Today, he had come to give On Jurim a stern talking-to for seducing his child.
And he would take Haruna back to Japan.
Clack! Clack! Clack!
He entered the Hyeonak building.
‘Where is On Jurim?’
Just as Kenzo was burning with rage and looking around sharply with fierce eyes.
Someone gently tugged at his clothes and spoke to him.
“Grandpa! Do you need help?”
“What?”
It was the voice of a child who looked about five years old.
The child was dressed like a security guard, her eyes sparkling as she raised the end of her words saying “Help? Help?”
“Does Hyeonak even make little brats like you do security work?”
Geuru, not understanding Kenzo’s words, opened her mouth wide.
Um. It was true that Hyeonak had her working.
Nod nod.
Tsk tsk tsk. Kenzo clicked his tongue.
“As expected of cunning bastards.”
“Cunning? Thank you!”
“You can’t even understand properly…….”
“Thank you!”
“Sure.”
Geuru grinned broadly.
At that smile, Kenzo’s anger melted away and he let out a hollow laugh.
“Grandpa. Geuru will guide you anywhere.”
“Fine. Then On Jurim…… no.”
“……?”
Kenzo stopped speaking and stroked his chin.
He wanted to rush to that bastard On Jurim and roar.
But even if he thoroughly grilled On Jurim, it didn’t seem the child would easily return of her own accord.
Rather, children like Haruna tended to become even more stubborn once they set their minds to something.
Therefore, Kenzo thought it would be good to reveal Hyeonak’s true nature and persuade her gently.
They were people who made such a young kid do security work. It was obvious that their support for producers would be terrible too.
If she had come to love production again, she needed to know that the only place that could make it bloom was the Inoue family, which had carried the name of master craftsmen for generations.
Not some fly-by-night group like Hyeonak!
“Yes, little one. Where is Hyeonak’s equipment production lab? Guide me.”
“Huk! The production lab……. Not just anyone can go in…….”
“Is that so? Then forget it.”
He was about to vent at On Jurim as per his original plan, but Geuru, who had been staring holes into the sheet, suddenly grabbed his hand.
“I’ll take you! But Grandpa has to stamp Geuru’s card.”
“Stamp?”
Geuru held up the sheet high with both hands.
“This.”
“Yes, that’s nothing difficult.”
“Heehee!”
The corners of Kenzo’s mouth rose slightly.
The child took the lead as if guiding him and got on the elevator.
The employees who got on the elevator together smiled and greeted the child immediately, took pictures together, and doted on her.
‘Is this child some kind of mascot for Hyeonak?’
Thinking that they had uncharacteristically brought in something cute as a company mascot, Kenzo followed Geuru off.
[Production Research Lab]
While Geuru opened the door with a card key after passing through the hallway, Kenzo crossed his arms.
It was a fierce face ready to find fault with anything.
Beep.
Finally the door opened, and Kenzo, entering the Production Research Lab, let out a low sound.
“……What is all this……?”