# Chapter 19
“CEO Seo?”
Surprised by the unexpected name, the voice on the other end of the phone grew louder then faded. Calling suddenly and asking about Seo Dohyun without even exchanging pleasantries—Woojae couldn’t help but feel perplexed.
“Well, there are plenty of rumors about CEO Seo.”
“Rumors?”
“You know, even if you’re just barely involved in entertainment, rumors about CEO Seo are impossible to avoid.”
Woojae’s voice trailed off. The reason he didn’t directly gossip about Seo Dohyun was because he knew something about him.
He’d never intentionally tried to dig up information about Dohyun. He had approached the subject thinking it might be a big scoop, but he was repeatedly blocked or pressured from those around him, never achieving any significant results.
It was a blatant sign of what kind of person Seo Dohyun was, enough for him to figure it out. Resignation came faster than anger. This wasn’t the first time, and there was no harm in accepting it passively.
“I was actually curious. Seeing CEO Seo last time, you two definitely seemed to know each other…”
“Would I know him for anything good?”
Seowoo continued typing on his keyboard. The name “Seo Dohyun” appeared prominently in the search bar. The personal information displayed below didn’t reveal much. Besides being the CEO of T&C Entertainment, there was no meaningful information Seowoo could obtain.
As he scrolled down, several news articles appeared.
[Special Feature] T&C Entertainment and 20 Rising Stars!
[Exclusive] Actor Park Changhee in Talks with T&C? “Still in Discussion”
Similar headlines filled the news section. When he clicked “See More News,” countless other articles poured out.
“How did you get to know him? That’s what you were trying to talk about when we were drinking, right?”
“You’re asking early.”
“Well, you seemed so distressed that I didn’t ask. But I was very interested.”
Even at the coaxing, teasing tone, Seowoo could only snort in response. After all, hadn’t Dohyun thoroughly warned him to keep quiet? He was afraid of where Dohyun might pop up next, making it impossible to speak freely.
Seowoo clicked his tongue and scrolled down further.
“How many reasons would there be for a CEO and an actor to meet?”
“I know you’re dodging the question, right?”
At Woojae’s direct hit, Seowoo fell silent momentarily. This guy’s instincts were almost too sharp. Clearing his throat, he silently scanned the screen.
[Interview] T&C Entertainment CEO Seo Dohyun: “Already Among the Big 3? I’m Grateful”
A headline caught his eye. Dohyun’s face was visible in the small preview image. It was a familiar smile.
What’s so grateful about it? Acting like he made it to the top three through pure effort and passion. Knowing the truth, that interview was utterly disgusting.
“Our hyung has such a clean private life without anything to pick at, I don’t see how T&C could approach you. It’s strange.”
“Don’t think that way. I wasn’t compromised in that manner.”
At least not in terms of my private life. It wasn’t a lie.
Seowoo clicked on the link. The lengthy interview filling the screen was more about the T&C group and its entertainment subsidiary’s trajectory and achievements rather than about Seo Dohyun as a person. It wasn’t the information Seowoo was looking for.
Half-heartedly reading the interview, Seowoo scrolled down quickly. Though the internet was an ocean of information, it was insufficient to compete with someone like Seo Dohyun.
“Is how I met him important right now? I asked first. Tell me some of those abundant rumors.”
“Aren’t you usually someone who has no interest in gossip?”
“I’m calling now because I need it.”
As Woojae pointed out, Seowoo typically didn’t pay much attention to rumors. Being often the subject of gossip himself, he detested spreading and listening to such talk. Woojae’s suspicion was justified.
However, as Seowoo kept his lips tightly sealed, Woojae seemed to give up on pressing further and stopped probing with his subtle voice.
“Well… you probably know roughly, but they’re not good rumors. Regardless of whether they’re true or false, bad rumors spread faster than good ones, right?”
Especially if they involved someone like Seo Dohyun. Even Seowoo knew about T&C’s notoriety, which said it all.
“That’s obvious.”
“And since I haven’t personally fact-checked these rumors thoroughly… take them lightly, as just hearsay.”
After hesitating oddly, saying it was uncomfortable to share unconfirmed information, Woojae finally spoke slowly in response to Seowoo’s continued urging.
“There was a prosecutor from the Central District Prosecutors’ Office who really went after Seo Dohyun relentlessly.”
“A prosecutor?”
Now that he knew Dohyun was actually involved with gangsters, stories about him being acquainted with legal professionals or having been in prison weren’t surprising. But he couldn’t find any articles about it. Had they all been taken down? Or had the case never progressed enough to warrant news coverage?
A thousand thoughts crossed his mind instantly, but Seowoo feigned indifference and asked again.
“What happened?”
“If I knew that much detail, I would have published an article by now. But T&C was so aggressive right after its launch that it would be stranger if there weren’t any problems. You were at Biro, so you know how agency presidents were furious watching T&C’s behavior, right?”
By that time, the actual hierarchy among agencies had already been established, and it was indeed too late for shoulder-pushing competitions.
Nevertheless, with the overwhelming support of the parent company and CEO Seo Dohyun’s business acumen, T&C rapidly grew to become one of the top five major agencies in the entertainment industry. Agency heads who had been pushed aside by this force were still gnashing their teeth.
“Given that, it’s not strange for a prosecutor to follow T&C, but it was such a long time ago, and it never went to trial, so people just accepted it, you know.”
“Did one person deliberately pursue him?”
“Seems like it?”
A prosecutor chasing a gangster’s tail all alone. This wasn’t a movie. It was dubious whether the rumor had been distorted or exaggerated.
Given Dohyun’s personality and way of speaking, he seemed the type to drag problems wherever he went, so there might have just been a personal grudge. From the prosecutor’s side, what might have been a private vendetta could have been exaggerated in others’ eyes.
As Seowoo listened without responding, Woojae vaguely concluded.
“The best way to find out about these things is to investigate on foot, but even what I’m telling you is just pieced together from things I heard while drinking a long time ago, so I’m not sure.”
“That’s how rumors are. Is the prosecutor not around these days?”
“No, this rumor was circulating much earlier. Before T&C grew as big as it is now.”
If it was that old, it was uncertain whether the prosecutor existed at all, and if real, they might have already retired. Seowoo groaned momentarily, propping his chin.
Beyond the monitor, Dohyun was maintaining a simple smile while making eye contact with Seowoo. Having to rack his brains because of this person—why me? Momentarily inflamed, Seowoo closed the interview article without hesitation.
“Anyway, thanks. That helps a bit.”
Woojae casually accepted the greeting, which seemed drained of energy, and laughed as if it was nothing.
“But why suddenly CEO Seo?”
“What?”
“You’ve never asked about what this person is like or if that person is okay. It’s the first time you’ve called specifically to bring up such a topic.”
Faced with a question that saw right through his attempt to feign ignorance, Seowoo couldn’t respond immediately and quietly closed his mouth.
“Honestly, hyung. Did you call urgently because you were curious about that?”
Was it too obvious that he just wanted to get what he needed and hang up? It was due to his impatience, feeling the need to find out somehow once his curiosity was piqued. Seowoo mumbled, embarrassed.
“Well… also to say hello.”
“Our hyung, you haven’t improved at lying at all, from the past till now. What kind of relationship do you have with CEO Seo?”
“……”
He had indeed become “some kind” of relationship. But whether it was okay to explain this relationship in a simple, flat way was questionable to begin with.
When he hesitated momentarily, at a loss for words, Woojae groaned inwardly. Before Seowoo could make excuses that it was nothing, Woojae grabbed the conversation as if he had realized something.
“I bet he really asked you to sign a contract this time? I’ve been hearing news that Seo Dohyun has been gathering good talent from all over, and sure enough, he’s reached out to our great actor as well.”
The accelerating voice when feeling close to the right answer was familiar. His tone was already assertive, as if he was certain.
Seowoo’s fingertips, which had instinctively tensed up, soon relaxed as the tension drained. A short sigh escaped without him realizing. It was an accurate guess, but it was in a completely different direction from what Seowoo had been worried about being discovered.
Well, even if Woojae was wary of Dohyun, he wouldn’t have thought that he would threaten and manipulate Seowoo. As Woojae said, the usual Seowoo was a well-behaved person who didn’t even give reasons to be blackmailed. The strength drained from Seowoo’s voice, making his tone naturally gentle.
“Yeah, this time he really asked me to sign a contract.”
“Right, what other reason could there be? So hyung, you’re completely saying goodbye to Biro?”
“That’s how it is for now.”
Just thinking about President Hwang made Seowoo feel uneasy in a corner of his heart. I should have explained and left properly. Turning his back so cleanly on someone with whom he had no ill feelings was, for Seowoo, more difficult than anything else, making him feel sour whenever he thought about it.
“Really? You made such a major decision without telling me? I guess Manager Park leaving was a bigger shock than I thought.”
His words were closer to a soliloquy than a question. It was an ambiguous tone, unclear whether he was feeling disappointed or puzzled. However, he didn’t probe further and simply offered a bright laugh.
“Well, if you’re thinking of leaving anyway, it’s good to thoroughly research. I know how well-prepared you always are, hyung.”
“Yeah, I need to… prepare well.”
Of course, far from being prepared, he couldn’t even properly pack his belongings and was dragged out—but Seowoo didn’t add this, only sending a slow smile as if going along with Woojae’s rhythm.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
