Chapter 344: What’s in One’s Eyes Is All That Matters

JY Entertainment existed solely to manage Cheon Ji-young. Most of the company’s representatives and managers were people from the Heavenly Group.

I was the one who opened a proper path for them, not through brute force, and in return, they fiercely protected Cheon Ji-young.

They spared no efforts in supporting her entertainment activities, striving to avoid creating any gangster-like atmosphere.

Thinking of the potential harm to Ji-young, they always lowered their heads to others without hesitation.

Thus, for the first time, a hint of unease shone in Manager Hong Seong-hyeok’s eyes, who had always been obsequious.

Seeing that, Manager Han flinched, but perhaps due to pride, he bellowed in anger instead.

“You punk! You haven’t even been in this industry for a few years, and you’re talking back to your seniors? You looking to get yourself killed?!”

“Mind your words, regardless of status. You might just disappear without anyone noticing. Let’s wrap this up now, or else it’ll really be the end for you today!”

“What? What did you say? The end? End?”

With a glare that could kill, Hong Seong-hyeok swept his hair back.

But his tone still dripped with anger.

“Manager Han, let’s call it a day.”

Hong Seong-hyeok bit his lip tightly, trying not to show that he was holding back.

Despite his fist, as large as a pot lid, being tightly clenched, Manager Han poked at his chest with his finger as if dismissing him.

It was blatantly provocation.

“Tell me, you little punk. How long have you been in this industry? You think just because your actor is a lead, you are too? You’re delusional, aren’t you? If you’re feeling suicidal, keep running your mouth! What will you do if I say ‘I’ve said it’?!”

Unable to hold back any longer, Hong Seong-hyeok grabbed Manager Han’s hand.

As he squeezed tightly, Manager Han’s face contorted painfully, a groan escaping his lips.

Leaning in close enough for only us to hear, Hong Seong-hyeok said in a barely audible voice,

“Manager Han, if you keep this up, you might really die.”

Cheon Ji-young was at a loss, looking back and forth between us.

Having come to cheer her on, all I’d seen was an unpleasant scene. This was the last thing Ji-young would want.

Sighing deeply, I spoke to Hong Seong-hyeok.

“Manager Hong, let’s stop. There are a lot of eyes watching us.”

Following my directive, Hong Seong-hyeok pushed Manager Han roughly back.

“You little punk!”

“You should also stop.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?!”

With a flushed face, Manager Han turned his gaze towards me.

They say a noble’s dog barks differently, and it seems he thinks this is his territory. I shrugged and offered a vague apology.

“I really have no interest in the entertainment industry, so I didn’t recognize Lee Song-hee. Please understand and take your actor and go back. There’s no point in escalating this further, is there? Just look around.”

Glaring at the surroundings, Manager Han noted how many people were whispering about us.

“So you’re the rumored sponsor of Cheon Ji-young? You look young… What exactly do you do?”

Fiddling with the hand caught by Hong Seong-hyeok, Manager Han scrutinized me up and down.

I couldn’t help but laugh dryly. I certainly had no intention of making a big deal out of this for Ji-young’s image.

Yet, here we were, with some folks crossing the line.

“Manager Hong, please take Ji-young inside.”

“Oh, oppa.”

Cheon Ji-young called out to me in surprise.

Turning my head, I noticed her mouth quickly close.

She must have seen the tense look on my face. Ji-young shook her head, but I signaled firmly with my eyes.

“Manager Hong.”

“Yes, boss?”

Hong Seong-hyeok took Ji-young away. I stepped closer to Manager Han.

Then, leaning in close enough to whisper, I said,

“Say that one more time.”

“What? You little brat…”

“You keep throwing around ‘sponsor’ like that, and it makes me wonder if the woman behind you has one too? What’s in your eyes is all that matters, after all.”

“You punk!”

Taking the bait, he reached for me, but Manager Ma nonchalantly stopped him.

As he twisted Han’s hand, a whimper of pain escaped his lips.

“Aah!”

“If a person tells you not to escalate things, just let it go. Why do you keep poking the bear? Didn’t I just say I didn’t know anything?”

Under Manager Ma’s monstrous strength, color drained from Manager Han’s face.

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

Seeing this, Lee Song-hee shouted. She was silent when Hong Seong-hyeok was being bullied, but now her manager was in trouble, and she seemed frantic. It was almost amusing.

I smirked at her.

“Do you know who I am, Lee Song-hee? You seem to think you do, but you don’t. It’s bizarre how angry you are that I don’t recognize you. I’m not the least bit mad. Perhaps that’s why you’re being labeled as outdated.”

“What did you just say?!”

“How does it feel to be on the receiving end? I came to see Ji-young, but now it seems like you’re just jealous of her. It’s quite pitiful. Why don’t you tone it down?”

After being mocked, Lee Song-hee glared daggers at me, but perhaps because of the sudden attention, she refrained from losing her temper any further.

At that moment, several people entered the restaurant. The people who had been observing hurried towards us.

“Who are you? What on earth is going on here…?”

Before they could grasp the situation, their abrupt confrontation made me chuckle.

It seemed this was Lee Song-hee’s domain. Another man quickly whispered something to him.

“Ah, my apologies. So you’re Ji-young’s cousin. I didn’t realize. I’m Director Lim Seung-ho. But what on earth is happening here?”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Mu-hyeok. Well, I came to cher Ji-young on and even arranged a catering service from the Myeong-dong Hotel, but suddenly Lee Song-hee decided to start a fight.”

Director Lim Seung-ho glanced at Lee Song-hee and sighed, lowering his head.

He seemed used to situations like this.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, Director Lim! Why are you apologizing? Did I do something wrong?”

“Senior, we need to handle this first.”

As Lee Song-hee raised her voice, Lim Seung-ho intervened with a tired tone and then apologized to me again.

“As the person responsible for this production, I sincerely apologize again.”

At least the director seemed like a decent person. I waved my hand dismissively.

In this situation, he hadn’t done anything wrong. If apologies were to be given, it should be directed to the one who ruined the atmosphere.

“No, Director. You have no need to apologize. I just want an apology from Lee Song-hee.”

“That…”

Director Lim looked uneasily at Lee Song-hee.

It was strange to see the director, who was practically the owner of this scene, looking to a supporting actress for approval.

I suspected that continuing to talk wouldn’t yield a positive outcome.

“That’s enough. I’m leaving now. I’ll be taking Ji-young with me today.”

“No, Kim Mu-hyeok. That’s not how thigs work!”

Director Lim exclaimed in surprise but then glanced around.

Though nobody visibly blamed Lee Song-hee, some people looked in the direction Ji-young had left, wearing expressions of disdain.

“It seems a lot of people here hold it against Ji-young. I don’t want her left alone in a place like this anymore.”

I turned away.

As Manager Ma let go of Manager Han, he followed behind me.

“Hey! Don’t you dare leave!”

Unable to contain his rage, Manager Han shouted as he hotly pursued me.

“What a pain.”

I muttered under my breath as Manager Ma turned around and punched Manager Han squarely in the face.

Manager Han stumbled loudly against a nearby table and collapsed in one shot. He lay there, seemingly unconscious, squirming but not rising again.

I glanced over at Lee Song-hee, who was still glaring at me, smirking.

“Feel free to file any lawsuits you want.”

Lee Song-hee appeared so enraged that she bit her lip hard, trying to keep her voice down. But no one dared accuse her or approach her.

It was a moment that clearly showed who reigned in this place.

The director, staff, and other actors all looked to her for guidance.

As I took another step, the crowd in front of the door parted like the Red Sea.

“Wait a moment.”

Director Lim hurriedly followed me outside the restaurant.

“What will you do if you just walk away like this? What about today’s shoot?”

I paused and turned around. While it’s good to be diligent, it’s a shame you don’t know whose sights to watch.

“Is that really important right now? Given the current atmosphere, do you expect me to leave Ji-young alone while some actors look at her with disdain even during a meal?”

“……”

Director Lim did not object. If he had handled things appropriately, this incident wouldn’t have occurred in the first place.

“If things are this bad with others around, it’s clear that if Ji-young had been alone, the situation would only have worsened. I refuse to leave my sister in a place like this.”

“Are you saying you want to terminate the contract?”

“That’s for Ji-young to decide.”

“The penalty for breach of contract is…”

Hearing him awkwardly bring up the penalty made me chuckle.

I wonder how many people know the extent of Cheon Ji-young’s wealth.

Additionally, even if it were not her, I could manage this on my own, which made his threats seem somewhat silly.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it. By the way, you seem to be struggling being this attentive to your actors.”

Director Lim’s face flushed with embarrassment, but I simply turned away.

I opened the car door, where Ji-young was waiting.

“Oppa…”

I had the manager sitting in the driver’s seat and Hong Seong-hyeok in the passenger seat along with the staff in the back all exit.

Ji-young looked at me with eyes that seemed to waver. Perhaps she could guess what I was about to say.

“Ji-young.”

“……”

“Cheon Ji-young.”

“Yes…”

“It’s great that you want to do this work, but I can’t bear to see you get looked down upon by others.”

I refuse to see someone I care about be disrespected by others.

Cheon Ji-young was family to me. Someone I hold dear. So it’s natural for me to protect her.

Honestly, I wanted to make those who treated her poorly, especially Lee Song-hee, and her manager, who followed in the footsteps of those who sidelined Ji-young, suffer.

However, that would ensure Ji-young could never work in the entertainment industry again.

“Oppa, but…”

“I understand what you want to say, but don’t. I don’t care if they say it’s the way of the industry or that older seniors have to endure; that doesn’t matter to me. You are far more important to me.”

Ji-young’s lips quivered.

She likely had many things to say, but knowing my personality as well as she does, she decided to hold her tongue.

“I’ll handle this myself, so you cancel your film appearance.”

“I don’t want to do that.”

“……”

“This is a role I really want. This kind of role doesn’t come easily for me. No matter what you say, I’m going to do it.”

Her firm response took me by surprise. This was the first time I’d seen her so resolute.

“I get you don’t want me to, but I will do it. You always told me to do what I wanted! So why are you telling me not to?”

I found myself at a loss for words as I looked into Ji-young’s eyes.

Seeing the determination behind her teary eyes left me speechless.

After a moment of reflection, I nodded.

“Fine, if that’s what you really want, then go for it.”

“Huh? Really?”

My affirmative response seemed to confuse Ji-young, as she asked again in disbelief.

The tears that had been welling up in her eyes vanished in an instant. She had been trying to deceive her oppa all along.

I lightly patted Ji-young’s shoulder, chuckling.

“I had said if I told you not to, it would be contradictory. Just keep Lee Song-hee out of it.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll take care of it. Just rest for a few days.”

“But the shooting schedule is all set…”

Perhaps realizing how lenient I was being, she spoke hesitantly while darting her eyes at me.

“That’s something they need to manage. The most I can offer is that far, and if you don’t want to do that, I won’t budge either.”

“Got it. I’ll rest for a few days.”

“Alright, just rest until I deal with Lee Song-hee.”

After finishing our discussion, I knocked on the car door. The door swung open, and I stepped out alone.

“Everyone else can head in except for Manager Hong.”

Everyone turned to look at Hong Seong-hyeok. Once he nodded, the rest of the crew climbed into the van.

The two of us surveyed the surroundings before I asked Hong Seong-hyeok.

“Lee Song-hee has been bullying Ji-young, hasn’t she?”

“…She doesn’t outright bully her, but the atmosphere she creates is hard to change once established. She subtly demeaned her, embarrassed her, and other people rode on that vibe. I protested several times, but all I got back was that I shouldn’t overreact. Ji-young herself told me not to speak up.”

If Hong Seong-hyeok was determined, dismantling this situation wouldn’t have been difficult.

But I knew he held back for fear of Ji-young receiving bad rumors.

Understanding the predicament Hong Seong-hyeok was in, I patted his shoulder and said,

“I understand. You did well.”

“Thank you.”

Hong Seong-hyeok bowed deeply. Not just Ji-young, he must have gone through a lot this past time as well.

“By the way, who is it that’s backing Lee Song-hee?”

Hong Seong-hyeok scanned the surroundings briefly before replying.