“But sir.”

“Hmm? Yes, go ahead.”

“The details of performing together. By any chance, will there be an article released ahead of the performance?”

“Huh? I haven’t talked with them yet, but probably so, don’t you think? Whether it’s TBN or Lee Jin Ri’s agency, and honestly us too, I think the more heavily it’s promoted the better.”

“Ahh…”

If you thought of it simply, what Team Leader Shim Joon said was correct.

For an idol group, one of the sensitive issues was a scandal. Therefore, the KK members avoided unnecessary interactions with female celebrities as much as possible.

Do Wook had gotten along comfortably with other actors while filming ‘Get Ready 1999’ and made a lot of friends, but he was still careful when speaking with actresses.

There was about a ten-year age difference between Lee Jin Ri and Do Wook.

Compared to Lee Jin Ri, Do Wook was too young and too far behind as a hubae, so there was little concern about a scandal.

‘But the public is more curious than one might think and has a wild imagination.”

Do Wook felt that he had to be careful in any case.

When you considered the kind of press that could arise if you threw them even just a little bait of a man and woman meeting up, that was for the best.

Furthermore, it hadn’t happened yet in this timeline, but there was a time when Lee Jin Ri was involved in a scandal with an idol group member who was more than 12 years younger than her.

Lee Jin Ri’s image was extremely sexy and charming, so it was possible that something like that might really happen.

‘Also….’

Do Wook predicted that rather than giving them something to talk about however they wanted ahead of time, announcing it on the day of the award ceremony would have a bigger impact.

“Why? Is there something bothering you?”

“It’s just…”

Do Wook told Team Leader Shim Joon that he thought announcing it on the day itself would be better.

“That’s honestly out of my jurisdiction. I think it’d be better for you to talk to the Fan Marketing Team Leader. It’ll naturally be brought up when you discuss tomorrow’s performance.”

“Yes, I’ll talk with them later.”

Do Wook nodded his head. First, getting the broadcast station and Lee Jin Ri to agree was an important issue.

“Ok. The new Team Leader gave off a good impression.”

Team Leader Shim Joon mentioned Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung. Do Wook answered ambiguously, saying, “Is that so?”. Do Wook was still reserved about Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung.

“He could totally be a celebrity.”

“He was handsome.”

“Yes. Of course, not as handsome as you. Maybe as handsome as me? Haha.”

Do Wook made an embarrassed expression at Team Leader Shim Joon’s joke.

“Oh, sir.”

***

The next day, Do Wook went to Lee JIn Ri’s agency with Manager Oh Baek Ho and Album Production Team’s Assistant Manager Kwon Woo Chan.

Assistant Manager Kwon Woo Chan was the Album Production Team employee that was in charge of performances.

In the case of the KK concert, they were outsourcing to a professional concert team, but they were working to connect them to an internal team within HIT Entertainment.

If HIT Entertainment became a larger agency later, the company would be looking to have a concert planning team break off from the Album Production Team into its own department. When that time would come, Assistant Manager Kwon Woo Chan would naturally become the Team Leader.

Anyways, when Manager Kwon Woo Chan was planning out the concert, he had had a meeting with the KK members and he had already become acquainted with Do Wook.

Lee Jin Ri’s Double V Entertainment was an agency that was established when Lee Jin Ri had left the group Ruby and went solo. Lee Jin Ri wasn’t the President, but her influence in the company was so great that it could be said that the company revolved around her.

‘It means that she’s amazing enough to keep an entire company afloat.’

While thinking that, Do Wook headed towards the office he agreed to meet Lee Jin Ri at. The Double V Entertainment employee, who had already been waiting for them, guided them inside.

When they opened the office door, Lee Jin Ri, a staff member from her agency and a representative from the TBN Music Awards were already there and greeted Do Wook.

“Oh, you’re here!”

“Ah. Hello.”

Do Wook bowed his head and greeted her. Lee Jin Ri smiled brightly when she saw Do Wook.

“Wow, you’re as handsome as I’ve heard! The office totally lit up when you walked in.”

As easy-going as the rumors said, Lee Jin Ri greeted Do Wook with an exaggerated tone.

“Joon Ho, please bring me some sunglasses~!”

Everyone in the office couldn’t help but laugh when Lee Jin Ri made a fuss as she called her manager. Do Wook could immediately see why people liked Lee Jin Ri who made the vibe comfortable.

“Sorry to have you come personally when you’re the busiest person in the world these days. I should have come to you.”

“Not at all. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“You’re still so disciplined. I had heard your Manager is strict. Aren’t you being too hard on the kid?”

Manager Oh Baek Ho shook his head when Lee Jin Ri said that.

“No no. Our Do Wook has always had good manners.”

Lee Jin Ri shrugged her shoulders at what Manager Oh Baek Ho said, as if saying she couldn’t believe him.

After everyone settled down, the TBN Music Awards representative started explaining about the performance.

He explained it’d be a collaboration between the hottest stars. About 3 minutes would be set aside for a special performance. Do Wook nodded his head.

Before discussing the concept or content of the stage in detail, Lee Jin Ri asked Do Wook a question.

“I don’t think it’s time for me to relinquish the title of sexy female singer yet. What do you think, Do Wook?”

“Huh? Of course not, sunbae.”

“Don’t give me lip service. I’d like you to tell me honestly. We’re going to be performing together. We have to get along.”

After briefly thinking about it, Do Wook replied with a sincere expression,

“I mean it. Although, it’s a little different than the typical ‘sexy’ that idol groups these days do of course.”

“…different?”

Lee Jin Ri asked back. Rather than being offended, she was asking purely because she was curious what aspects were different.

“You have a vibe that only you can give off. Like maturity…”

“He really knows his stuff. That’s it. That’s what I was trying to do,”

Lee Jin Ri said, laughing.

“That was one of the reasons why I wanted to perform with a young person like you. I want to give off a certain amount of tension between a man and a woman, but I don’t want to be called cheap again.”

“Ahhh…”

“I thought it’d be good to emphasize a more mature vibe since I’m going for a sexy concept in a classy way so I purposely looked for someone with a straight image like you.”

Do Wook, who understood what Lee Jin Ri meant, nodded his head.

‘But at the same time, I have to show my masculine appeal.’

Lee Jin Ri already had a strong aura. If he were just pushed around by her aura, it wouldn’t help Do Wook nor would it create the performance Lee Jin Ri wants that is overflowing with tension.

“For the song, we plan on doing a pop song, then doing a remix with my new song for the last 20 seconds or so…”

Lee Jin Ri said as she observed Do Wook and his teams’ reaction.

“I’m fine with that.”

Lee Jin Ri nodded her head, happy with how firmly Do Wook answered.

“We will go with whatever you want. As long as it’s not too extreme.”

“We don’t want to overwork either~!”

Lee Jin Ri said in reply to what Assistant Manager Kwon Woo Chan said.

The TBN Music Awards representative, who honestly had expected some conflict between the two singers, was relieved that the discussion was going smoothly.

Lee Jin Ri was a top star among top stars, so of course she’d voice her opinion.

However, KK was currently the hottest idol group. For outward appearances it’d look good for KK as the junior to give in, but in reality it happened every day that people would become blinded and act stubborn, thinking they were a big shot after gaining a little popularity.

Thankfully neither Do Wook nor HIT Entertainment showed any intention of proceeding like that.

“Ah, but I…have something I’d like to suggest.”

The TBN Music Awards representative subtly raised his eyebrow when Do Wook said that in the middle of a conversation that had been flowing like water.

The broadcast station representative seemed to be thinking, “Is it going to go that way again?”. His mouth became dry, wondering what Do Wook would say.

For now, Lee Jin Ri was maintaining a cheerful atmosphere and laughing, but it was a known fact that her personality was not easy.

If Lee Jin Ri became offended and the collaboration performance between Do Wook and Lee Jin Ri ended up falling through, the person it’d cause the biggest headache for was the TBN representative.

It was a special performance that he had planned. Thinking of having to go through the recruitment process all over again made him dizzy.

“What is it? Please speak freely,”

Lee Jin Ri said readily.

Do Wook had already finished discussing it with Assistant Manager Kwon Woo Chan and Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung before coming here.

“I’d like this performance to be a secret until the award ceremony.”

“Hmmm?”

“It’d probably be helpful if it were promoted ahead of time…is there a problem?”

Lee Jin Ri as well as the TBN representative were puzzled.

***

“Do Wook, are you coming back from meeting Lee Jin Ri?”

“Tsk, how can you say Lee Jin Ri? It’s Lee Jin Ri sunbae.”

“Ok, did you just meet sunbae?”

As soon as Do Wook got back to the dormitory, the members gathered around Do Wook. Ahn Hyung Seo and Jung Yoon Ki in particular showed a great deal of interest.

The members were in the middle of packing to leave for Taiwan.

The schedule in store for KK was leaving for Taiwan on an evening flight today, a concert tomorrow evening, then going to Hong Kong the very next day.

“Yes.”

Do Wook had wanted to go to his room and pack immediately, but was stopped in the living room by the members blocking him. Since Lee Jin Ri was a top star and the opposite gender on top of that, it was the number one topic among them.

“How was it…Do Wook?”

Even Park Tae Hyung, who had seemed completely uninterested in female celebrities, asked Do Wook.

“How was it, is she really glamorous? We’ll be able to see her at the award ceremony too, right?”

“You’ll be able to see her before the award ceremony too.”

When Do Wook answered Ahn Hyung Seo’s question, the other members’ eyes became big.

“Before? When before, how?”

“Well…she’ll be coming to our rehearsal hall. To rehearse together.”

“Lit!”

Even Suk Ji Hoon, who was a little too young to have known Lee JIn Ri when she was at the height of her popularity, dropped his jaw and said “Woah!”.

“Close your mouth, bugs will go in,”

Manager Oh Baek Ho, who came in behind Do Wook, scolded the members.

“Just pack your bags already. It’s almost time to head to the airport.”

“Man, Lee Jin Ri…”

Not really listening to Manager Oh Baek Ho, the members muttered, dazed.

“Oh, also! You guys can’t tell anyone about this performance.”

“What?”

“This will be strictly kept a secret until the day of the awards ceremony.”

The members blinked their eyes.

In a meeting a little earlier, Do Wook had suggested to Lee Jin Ri and TBN that it be a secret.

Assistant Manager Kwon Woo Chan had explained the reasoning. Along with the explanation that this would make it more shocking when it was announced on the day itself, he had added that Do Wook was an idol so they wanted to avoid any unnecessary risk.

Lee Jin Ri, who had been silently thinking it over, had soon replied to Do Wook “okay”.

“Alright. I’m not sure if it’ll be possible to keep it a secret, but we’ll try as much as we can.”

Lee Jin Ri, who was once an idol, understood Do Wook’s perspective. She also thought that Do Wook’s team was right that announcing it the day itself would be impactful.

Also, the fact that she liked the content of the performance that Do Wook had suggested afterwards very much was another reason.

While the members scattered around trying to pack, Manager Oh Baek Ho checked his cell phone then looked up.

“Hey, Do Wook.”

“Yes?”

Do Wook, who was coming out of the room and dragging his suitcase, replied.

“The nominees have been announced.”

“What?”

“The nominees for the Best New Actor Award…”

—

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