Chapter 88: Japan (7)

Translator: Dreamscribe

At present, 'MEG' had a total of three domestic subsidiaries. 'MEG Enter', 'FilmMEG', and 'FrameMEG'. An entertainment agency, a film company, and an animation studio. Counting the parent company, 'MEG', itself, that made four.

None of them were particularly big yet, but considering that 'MEG' had launched only a little over six months ago, the pace of expansion was staggering.

If word of this ever got out properly, it was sure to cause quite a stir.

Of course, in Kang Jae-ha's mind, MEG's subsidiaries didn't stop at three. He intended to keep adding more, gradually, as circumstances and timing allowed. This was something Lee Chan-hoo, the very first man to have met Jae-ha and the one now serving as MEG's figurehead CEO, was also aware of.

In the end, it would be a modern mercenary corps, only in the shape of the 'MEG' Group.

That said, Lee Chan-hoo didn't yet know about Kang Jae-ha's designs abroad. Which was precisely why.

"Anyway, I'm thinking of setting up an agency in Japan."

At the Commander's remark on the other end of the line, Lee Chan-hoo's narrow eyes widened a fraction in surprise.

"An agency? In Japan??"

"Yeah. For now, keep it between us."

Kang Jae-ha answered curtly, and Lee Chan-hoo pressed further.

"You mean you're setting up an entertainment company over in Japan??"

"Close. The main business will be entertainment, but think of it as something more comprehensive, a full-on agency."

"Out of the blue?"

"Yeah, out of the blue."

Kang Jae-ha tacked on the rest of his explanation flatly.

"But the agency we set up in Japan will go the acquisition route, same as MEG's other subsidiaries. If anything, since it's Japan and not home turf, we'll have to lean even harder that way."

"Yeah, makes sense, it being a foreign country and all. If we're setting up an agency in Japan, acquisition's the only way to go."

It had been true for MEG's other subsidiaries as well, but in Japan especially, buying a company outright was the simpler path. Building one from scratch wasn't impossible, but the process was a touch more complicated than back home, and movements weren't as smooth as a result.

For Kang Jae-ha right now, saving time was essential.

Lee Chan-hoo soon pulled over onto the shoulder for a moment and scratched his head.

"Still, Commander, this agency in Japan thing... it's a bit sudden."

"I know. But it was always part of the plan. Just moved up a little."

"That so? Well, in that case. If it was in your blueprint all along, there's no real problem. So what is this, then, we're setting up a 'MEG' Japan branch? Heh, that's pretty slick, actually."

"Nothing slick about it. It's a 'Japan branch' in name only. We're starting out of a hole in the wall."

"A good start's half the battle, right?"

"Can't argue with that."

Kang Jae-ha answered, then brought up Kamijo Yuu, the subordinate he'd met in Japan.

"Kamijo Yuu, so there were subordinates in Japan after all. Which means there are more besides her. Whether we'll find them or not, I can't say, but it's better to be ready."

"And that's what the 'MEG' Japan branch is for, you're saying."

"Right. And it ties into MEG's future, too. We're aiming to take homegrown animated films and the like global, so of course we need overseas branches."

"Fair enough. So we set up the 'MEG' Japan branch, and as the Japan-side comrades turn up, we gather them in."

Lee Chan-hoo nodded slowly and changed the subject.

"Commander, this Kamijo Yuu you mentioned. I looked into her separately, and turns out she's a pretty famous actress over in Japan??"

"So I heard."

"She's barely known in Korea, but in Japan she comes off as A-list. Her filmography's got a few real hits in it. Lately she's gone quiet, though."

"Feels a lot like the Choi Ri-na case."

"Ah, I see."

Kang Jae-ha then laid out only the key points about Kamijo Yuu, and Lee Chan-hoo, catching on at once, ran a hand along his jaw.

"Huh, if you hadn't stepped in, Commander, she, Kamijo Yuu, would've been in real trouble."

"It was a close call. Anyway, she's with Go Chun-seok for now, so first things first, Chan-hoo, you go book us a decent place to stay."

Having given Lee Chan-hoo his orders, Jae-ha closed with one last line.

"See you back in Korea."

After that.

Kang Jae-ha and An Ji-hee wrapped up their Japan schedule around early afternoon. The last item was a meeting with 'Shiori Production', the company behind 'Spring at the Borderline'. An Ji-hee was already locked in for 'Spring at the Borderline', and 'Shiori Production' briefed Kang Jae-ha on the schedule going forward and the rest.

As they were parting, the production chief, Ogawa Sayaka, sidled up to Jae-ha.

"Kang Jae-ha-ssi, I'll make absolutely certain to look further into the matter you mentioned."

What she was referring to was, of course, the affair Kang Jae-ha had subtly let slip, the one between Japanese comedian Minase Kanata and Towase Rino, the actress set to appear in 'Spring at the Borderline'. Having recalled the related 'Deja Vu', Kang Jae-ha had already taken his own measures. He answered Sayaka in Japanese, his tone low and firm.

"Yes. If it isn't made certain, An Ji-hee-ssi may not be able to take part in the shoot."

"......Yes, I understand."

In truth, Kang Jae-ha intended to pull An Ji-hee out if the matter of Towase Rino's affair wasn't cleaned up. Though that was, admittedly, his last of last resorts.

Meanwhile, back in Korea, the fallout from LN Entertainment was growing more severe by the day.

《Corporate Entertaining Was a Given, Now Sponsorship Too? Just How Far Will LN Entertainment Fall?》

《[Big Issue] Testimonies Spilling Out One After Another as the Scandal Breaks; Former LN Entertainment Manager Says, "Assaulting Staff Was Routine"》

《'Idol Trainee Sexual Assault', the Never-Ending Parade of CEO Seo Hyun-su's Ugly Crimes》

Starting from tax evasion and slush funds, now sponsorship, corporate entertaining, and assault cases were all rising to the surface, and the whole thing was in an uproar. Press and public opinion alike were tearing into LN Entertainment.

The scandal had blown up so big that it had even earned itself the name 'the LN Entertainment Gate'.

The further LN Entertainment fell, the more the country's other agencies smiled, by and large. Naturally. With a competitor collapsing all on its own, what agency would weep over it? In particular, Leon Entertainment, the one most often named as its biggest rival, struck up the loudest celebration of all.

Leon's employees were grinning ear to ear, every last one of them.

"So this is how LN goes down, huh..."

"Kind of satisfying, isn't it?? I hope more and more of it keeps blowing up."

"At this rate, does that put our Leon in the TOP 5!"

"A few more solid hits and we're TOP 5, just like that!"

"Some articles are already saying Leon's overtaken LN??"

Amid all the talk centered on LN Entertainment, a curious rumor was also making the rounds inside Leon Entertainment. It concerned Kang Jae-ha.

"Did you hear?? Team 4's Manager Kang Jae-ha. He's over in Japan handling An Ji-hee's schedule right now, and apparently Manager Kang Jae-ha speaks Japanese like a total native?"

"Huh? No way. Sure, he can speak a little Japanese, but native level??"

"It's true, it's really true. The stylist who went with them told us, said he just rattled off Japanese with the production company staff like it was nothing."

"What is Manager Kang, some kind of onion?? Feels like the more you peel, the more keeps coming out."

"My point exactly! Anyway, everyone's losing it over how cool Manager Kang Jae-ha is, speaking Japanese and all."

"Ah, a guy who's good with foreign languages is pretty sexy, true. Manager Kang's popularity has shot up lately, hasn't it??"

The rumor that Kang Jae-ha's Japanese was something monstrous had spread far and wide. As it was, the suddenly transformed Jae-ha had already been a big topic at Leon. That attention was only set to grow.

Around this time, Ra Yoon, Seriel's visual center and leader, also caught wind of the rumor about Jae-ha's native-level Japanese.

'N, no way. That guy??! Back when he went to Japan with us 'Seriel', he was talking to the Japanese staff with frantic hand and foot gestures like some kind of caveman??'

Thinking back to the flustered Kang Jae-ha of a few years ago, the rumor really was absurd. And yet, Ra Yoon found herself recalling the Jae-ha who had come to hand over Seriel's songs.

'......He's definitely changed. To a ridiculous degree.'

What on earth could have changed that man so much? If he'd changed a little, fine, but he'd turned into a whole different person, and Ra Yoon simply couldn't wrap her head around it.

'I don't get it, I really don't. Ha! No, stop thinking about it. Even when I try not to care, I keep hearing about it, so it just keeps getting on my nerves!'

Ra Yoon shook her head and turned her focus back to the choreography practice she'd been at. For reference, 'Seriel' was already past the midpoint of work on their comeback single album.

Recording for 'Nyxtra' and 'My Page', the songs bought from Choi Ri-na, also known as the composer 'Rina', was finished, and the choreography for both had already come in, so 'Seriel' was wholly absorbed in practicing the songs and learning the moves.

-♬♪

Inside the glass-walled practice room, Ra Yoon and the 'Seriel' members ran through their choreography in sync.

True to a top-tier girl group, their drive was something to behold.

On top of that, the A&R team had decided to shoot music videos for both 'Nyxtra' and 'My Page', which meant both tracks on the single album could effectively be treated as title songs.

Then, around late afternoon, Seriel's comeback schedule was finalized.

Leon's marketing team leaked Seriel's comeback to the press right away.

《'Seriel' Confirmed for November Comeback with Single Album, Which Track Will Take the Stage by Storm This Time?》

At that same moment, Kang Jae-ha and An Ji-hee's team appeared at the airport arrivals gate. They'd made it back to Korea. The moment she returned, An Ji-hee had a press interview on her schedule and had to head out.

Just as a few onlookers in the arrivals hall recognized An Ji-hee and started snapping photos, Kang Jae-ha spoke to her in front of the waiting van.

"This is as far as I go."

It meant Jae-ha's care for her ended here. She'd been told as much in advance, but An Ji-hee couldn't quite hide her disappointment.

"Ah......yes! Thank you so much for all your hard work, Manager-nim!"

"Yes, you did well too, An Ji-hee-ssi."

With their goodbyes wrapped up, the van carrying An Ji-hee and her team soon pulled away. As Kang Jae-ha watched the van vanish for a moment, a stern man's voice cut in from behind him.

"Commander."

When Jae-ha turned, the hulking Go Chun-seok was approaching. Only, Go Chun-seok wasn't alone. A woman in sunglasses trailed behind him.

"Let's go."

As the Commander set off, Go Chun-seok and the woman in sunglasses followed.

It was Kamijo Yuu, his first subordinate in Japan.

Late at night. Shibuya, Japan.

It was a secluded spot well away from Shibuya's bustling downtown, a place where hardly a soul could be seen. Amid the bleak, desolate air, a two-story wooden house caught the eye.

At a glance, it almost looked like a mountain lodge.

It didn't seem like a home anyone lived in, more like something kept as a villa. Japan had no shortage of vacant houses, and using empty places as villas like this was a common thing.

In any case, a single car pulled up in front of the wooden house.

The car glided in and finished a sloppy park job, and the instant its headlights went dark, two people stepped out. A man from the driver's seat, a woman from the passenger's.

On a closer look, the man was the famous Japanese comedian Minase Kanata.

"Is it too late?"

The woman was Towase Rino, the A-list actress Kang Jae-ha had seen at the preliminary meeting for 'Spring at the Borderline'.

"No, no, the timing's perfect?"

"Haha, right. Come here."

The instant they were out of the car, the two threw their arms around each other and started smooching. They were carrying on the affair, exactly as Jae-ha had seen in his 'Deja Vu'. This house was a villa the two of them frequented.

Then, still smooching, the two went inside the villa, wrapped around each other.

An eerie wind blew.

It seemed as though no one was around, but there were eyes watching the two who had just gone into the villa. They belonged to a van parked a good distance from the place. Inside the van, whispered Japanese passed back and forth.

"You got it clean, right?"

"For sure, I got it for sure."

The ones Ha Yeon-ji had slipped the information to, on Kang Jae-ha's orders.

"Haha, we landed a scoop. Minase Kanata, Towase Rino. It really was an affair."

"We watch a few more days and then break it right away, yeah?"

"Obviously."

They were reporters from a well-known Japanese weekly magazine.

*****

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