Top Management

Chapter 241

What list?

The Jung Sunwoo list.

My head malfunctioned.

It was all covered with blue screens.

According to a friend.

The friend is Neptunes road manager.

Currently, Neptune has two road managers.

Jang Seo-jeong and Park Seungho.

If this rumor turns out to be true, it means one of them is involved.

My goodness.

So, this means...

My goodness.

Are you okay... You dont look okay, do you?

Manager Jung? Sunwoo? Isnt he breathing?

Manager Park and Director Bon surrounded me, chattering noisily. They all looked bewildered. They seemed utterly confused by the situation.

Of course, I was confused too.

Just a moment.

I finally exhaled the breath I had been holding. It felt like my soul was escaping with it.

Then I immediately called Jang Seo-jeong and Park Seungho to stop whatever they were doing and come to the managers office. About three minutes later, I heard a knock.

You called... uh, hello, Director. Manager.

Hello...

Have a seat.

They awkwardly sat down on the empty chairs, mindful of Director Bon and Manager Park. Their faces were full of question marks, clearly clueless about what was going on.

Did you see this?

Huh?

As I showed them the post online, both of their eyes widened.

I observed them quietly.

We had carefully selected the road manager for Neptune. After Manager Kim Hyunjo, Team Leader 3, and I had all thoroughly reviewed the candidates, we made our choice.

In a world where some people resign via text just two days after being hired, I had thought several times that we had chosen well.

But this is just...

No, lets not jump to conclusions.

It could still be a misunderstanding.

I called you first because it mentioned Neptunes road manager.

As soon as I started speaking, the office tensed up.

Amid the precarious silence that felt like something was about to burst, Park Seungho kept glancing at Jang Seo-jeong and asked,

Hey... is it you?

What?

It has to be one of us if its Neptunes road manager, and its not me. So it must be you.

Jang Seo-jeong stood up abruptly.

Youre insane, man. It was you, wasnt it? Youve been spreading rumors!

Park Seungho also stood up.

It wasnt me! Have you lost your mind?

Youre always lurking around the managers office like some reporter. Not even a rat.

A rat?! Hey, Jang Seo-jeong! I have nothing to say to you?!

...What a mess.

Why not just grab each other by the collar?

Ah, they did.

I just watched, as if watching a trashy drama, when Jang Seo-jeong suddenly turned his head.

Manager! I swear on my late fathers name, it wasnt me.

Manager! It wasnt me either! Wow, this is driving me crazy! But, the evidence they posted isnt even solid. It could be someone who just manipulated things like an ID card or business card to look credible!

...

Right. Thats why I thought we shouldnt hastily suspect anyone.

But youre giving off a suspicious vibe.

Maybe I should just throw this out lightly.

Manager Park, do you think we can quietly handle this by reporting it to the police?

Police?

About whats written here. Ive never told anyone, and this note is all there is. Someone must have entered my office and looked at it. Theres CCTV outside and maybe fingerprints left inside.

Thats likely.

Its not a big deal if someone just peeked at the memo, but its unnerving if they tampered with anything else.

...!

Eureka.

That definitely sounded like the perpetrator.

As soon as fingerprints were mentioned, Park Seungho started fidgetingclenching and unclenching his fists, taking on and off his ring, rubbing and wipingjust making all kinds of nervous movements.

Watching this, I softened my tone a bit.

I dont understand. If youre curious about what my next project is, you could have just asked me directly. Why sneak around? What, are you some industrial spy?

Just check if anythings missing from your office.

Yeah. Like money, or maybe a watch.

As Manager Park and Director Bon chimed in,

Um, well...

Park Seungho hesitantly raised his hand.

His eyes darting back and forth, he hadnt even spoken yet, but I could guess what he was going to say.

Something else, I definitely didnt steal anything. I was just, you know, peeking a little to see what the Managers next project might be. Not to tell a

 reporter or anything, just out of curiosity... Im sorry...

Moans and sighs alternated from somewhere.

I asked again.

Putting that aside. What exactly did you blurt out outside?

Well, I was out drinking with some friends for the first time in a while, and it just came up... But none of my friends are in this line of work. I told them not to tell anyone else!

The office was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone looked at Park Seungho with piercing gazes. Unaware, he continued, pleading for trust.

Manager! I really wont ever do something like this again!

In the future? Again?

I heard loud footsteps in my ears.

The sound of sanity leaving.

Hey, you...

Future or not.

Dont even think about coming into my sight again. If you do, anywhere...

Harsh words rose to my throat. A few even slipped out.

These clich lines seemed all too familiar. They stuck in the mouth.

Not wanting to spout more trite dialogue, I picked up the tumbler on the desk. It was heavyperfect to cleanly end this situation.

Just as I was about to lift it, Manager Park and Director Bon quickly grabbed my arm.

Hold on! Solve this with words, or rather, legally!

Just calm down. Maybe have a drink... Oh, is there any alcohol here?

Held by both arms, I sat back down.

After dragging my sanity back in, I said to Park Seungho,

Just pack up your things and leave.

Huh?

Pack up and leave. Now. Immediately.

Park Seungho, realizing late, jumped up in shock.

Manager! Just looking at that memo isnt a big deal...

Of course its a big deal. But thats not it, its that you immediately tried to pin it on Seo-jeong.

That...!

I have trauma from a backstabbing colleague.

The traitor. All because of Choi Gun-young.

He left a scratch on my once soft soul.

I already had trust issues, and from today, theyre only going to worsen.

So leave. Go home and wait for a call from the legal team.

This way, just, can the Manager just fire me like this?

Yes.

Isnt that wrong? Unfair dismissal or something...

Unfair dismissal my foot. Dont you remember signing a confidentiality agreement when you were hired? Should we talk about it with a lawyer?

Park Seungho seemed to be searching for allies as he glanced back and forth between Director Park, Jang Seo-jeong, and the department head, only to shrink under their icy stares.

I...

The hesitant man was eventually dragged out by the security team.

After consoling Jang Seo-jeong, who had been struck by misfortune due to her association, and ensuring that Park Seungho was only taking his neatly packed belongings, the office finally returned to calm.

Oh dear...

The department head looked at me.

He seemed to be suppressing a laugh, the corners of his mouth twitching.

It's not the right time to say this. But fighting over collars in the company among colleagues... Isnt that tradition?

...

Director, it's really not the time for such words.

Director Park, with a phone in hand, flicked his fingers as he spoke.

His phone was still vibrating continuously, seemingly receiving texts and calls.

The list of Jung Sunwoo keeps spreading. Its everywhere.

Ah, that... Could this get big?

Mister Sunwoo.

Director Park counted on his fingers, holding nothing.

Hong Gil-dong, Salt, Spy, Doctor 25 Hours. Among these, he threw Spy away thinking it would flop, and he criticized Doctor 25 Hours after receiving it from Mr. Joowon, right?

Yes.

I'm asking because I'm a bit harsh, but could these other two also...

...

Seem like they will flop. Oh...

Director Park paused with his mouth slightly open.

His eyes slowly moved from left to right, then blinked.

Okay, got it. So, whats spreading on the internet as Jung Sunwoo's blockbuster list is actually his list of flops, right?

Thats correct.

My God...

Agnostic Director Park found his faith.

He eventually threw his phone and clasped his hands together as if praying.

What do we do now? What do we do, Chief?

Things will quiet down after some time,

There's no way!

Director Park pointed angrily at the list on his phone.

If I were in the PR team, Id spread this everywhereSNS, communities, everywhere busy with people! Why? Because everyone should know that Jung Sunwoo picked our movie, our drama as blockbusters!

Without any basis...

What if its a rumor? It ends if people believe it. You know how much money they burn before a premiere just to create such rumors. Hong Gil-dong, Salt, Spy, oh, choosing blockbusters of all things. Those all together would cost at least a hundred billion in marketing!

Having said it, Director Park clicked his tongue in shock.

But its a relief its spreading as a blockbuster list. If it got out as a list of doomed projects, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely it should not leave under the name of Mr. Sunwoo. Not now.

Director Park stressed again and again.

Think about Mr. Sunwoos name value and influence now. If the rumor spreads that Jung Sunwoo endorsed it as a blockbuster, then investments that werent sticking will stick now. But if it's said that Jung Sunwoo predicted it would fail? That would turn into a blacklist and the rumor would spread everywhere. Those are tentpole projects by major domestic investment distributors at stake!

Then he turned to me swiftly and added.

We could really get sued, seriously.

I took a deep breath.

Then, I cleared the error screen and rebooted my mind to a conclusion.

Lets go with it being baseless.

Eh?

Whatever list, I dont know about it. I just wrote down recent script and screenplay titles I saw, and Road might have seen that and misunderstood it.

Hearing my words, Director Park nodded.

Lets go with that. Its baseless.

But you know.

The chief examined the list thoughtfully.

Sunwoo, I know you have a unique intuition but... Do you really think all these will fail? Why do you think that? These dont look like theyll easily fail.

...

I just smiled without a reply.

The chief sipped his now cold milk tea with a grimace.

If all these fail, there will be groaning in the film industry. Investors will start to back off too. Oh dear, isnt Hong Gil-dong almost uprooting World Art Pictures to make it? Why would...

Thats not the problem. If everything on this list really fails. That would be it.

Director Park looked at me with a strange gaze and raised his hands.

Then you wont have the Midas touch anymore.

...Would I?

Gods hand, Gods hand.

...

Even at this moment, Director Parks phone kept vibrating.

My phone rang too. It was a reporter.

I ignored it.

And then I slumped back on the sofa

, looking at the sky beyond the blinds.

Jung Sunwoo's list or whatever, I dont know.

Its none of my business.

So.

Its nice weather today. What should we eat for lunch?

...

***

Group/Entertainment friends/Lets survive together

-Did everyone see? The Jung Sunwoo list

-Are you in a place with no phone signal?

-Because of that, the article I released today got buried. I mean, Jung Sunwoo isnt even a celebrity, why is this such a big issue?

-People are hoping it would be

-Now his name is a brand

-I dont know who did but they nailed the title. Jung Sunwoo list. It sounds like Jung Sunwoo exposed entertainment industry abuses. How can you not click on it? Arent you curious?

-So curious

-But is the list real? Has anyone verified the facts?

-Contacted the W&U PR team, they laughed saying its baseless?

-Really? Got fired?

-A senior friendly with the PR head asked, and apparently Jung Sunwoo just scribbled down titles of synopses he saw recently, and Road spread it outside, causing the rumor to get distorted?

-Well

-Dont know about others, but Spy is definitely a go. Jung Sunwoo said to Seo Ji-joon that this has to be done after reading the Spy scenario

-So the list isnt entirely a rumor

-But people are keeping quiet about Hong Gil-dong, internal previews have been meh, even talk of delaying the premiere?

-Its poorly made, theyre insecure so the embargo is long, right? Went to the preview and they say this time Jung Sunwoo definitely chose wrong?

-Jung Sunwoo finally made a mistake?

-Can only tell by the box office. Did anyone think City Jungle would do well?

-Jung Sunwoo himself says the list is baseless, does no one believe him?

-But theres no Jung Sunwoo in Hong Gil-dong or Salt? Spy also fell through and I heard it was intercepted by Cho Soo-young before it went to Seo Ji-joon

-Thats also said to be baseless by W&U

-They want to advertise having their roles stolen? Its Seo Ji-joon

-So is only Doctor 25 Hours happening? Thats Lim Joowon, right?

-I asked the production company, and W&U trashed it?

-What, did Lim Joowon trash it?

-Lim Joowon isnt in a position to be so picky about works brought by Jung Sunwoo

-You never know, seemed a bit peculiar in interviews

-Its weird

-Whats weird?

-None of the actors in Jung Sunwoos blockbuster list list, doesnt that seem strange?

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