Chapter 17
Kim Mi-young answered.
"I discussed it with Sung-guk's parents, and they want to reduce the exclusive contract period from three years to two years."
"Father, is the amount we offered not to your liking?"
Secretary Yang asked carefully. Contracts could be overturned or concluded due to one subtle clause. Dad answered carefully.
"I think the amount is too much. It's just that when Sung-guk turns five, he has to go to kindergarten. We both want him to grow up normally without showing his face in commercials or broadcasts anymore."
[I was born special, you can't tell me to grow up normally.]
I babbled vigorously. Secretary Yang smiled at me.
"It seems Sung-guk doesn't like that either?"
"150 million won for a three-year exclusive contract, the amount you offered is honestly too much. Even if we reduce the amount to 100 million won, we want a two-year contract."
Dad had a pretty serious face.
"If you become our exclusive model, it will be a much better condition for Sung-guk than filming several commercials here and there."
"Of course, I know that well. It's not that I'm greedy for other commercials, it's just that I really want to raise Sung-guk normally when he turns five. He'll be going to kindergarten then, and he'll have to hang out with his friends, but I don't want him to miss kindergarten because of work."
Tap. Tap. Tap. I deliberately tapped the table nervously.
[Are you telling me to go to kindergarten with snotty kids? Rather, I want to work and make money. Dad!]
Dad held my hand tightly with his big hand. Secretary Yang nodded with an inscrutable face.
"I understand Sung-guk's parents' opinions. Can we coordinate with the company and contact you again?"
Since Secretary Yang was Dad's proxy, he didn't have the authority to express or make decisions on anything on the spot.
"Yes, please contact me."
Kim Mi-young answered politely.
As soon as he went out, Secretary Yang called Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung. Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung's voice was heard over the phone.
What about the contract?
"Sung-guk's family wants a two-year contract even if they reduce the contract fee. They said they want to let Sung-guk live normally when he turns five. What should we do?"
Hmm.
Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung was heard thinking for a moment. Secretary Yang calmly waited for Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung's words.
Do what Sung-guk's family wants. The contract fee is as they said. Instead, I want to give them a gift.
"Vice Chairman, you're giving them a gift even though you're giving them the contract period?"
Secretary Yang asked back in surprise.
I was wondering if we could raise him as a Samjeon Group scholarship student. I want to test if we can plant a Samjeon Group scholarship student in the entertainment industry through this child.
"Yes, Vice Chairman."
Secretary Yang didn't add any more words. Once Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung made up his mind, he pushed through to the end. There was no negotiation or agreement in Vice Chairman Jeon Jae-hyung's deals. There was only a proposal.
A week later, Secretary Yang came to our house in person. It was Dad's day off, so he happened to be home. The young man next to Secretary Yang handed a gift box to Dad.
"It's a small gift, but it's Korean beef. Please think of it as a small token of appreciation for signing a contract with us this time."
"You shouldn't have gone to this trouble. Thank you."
Dad received the Korean beef gift set with a slightly bewildered face. It was the first time he had received such an expensive gift. Soon, Secretary Yang looked at the small one-room apartment and smiled.
"It's humble, but please come in and have some coffee."
Mom quickly cleaned up the clutter scattered around the room.
"Thank you."
Secretary Yang came in with a smile. Grandpa told us not to ignore the lives of ordinary people, no matter how rich we were. Of course, except for Grandpa, who was self-made, none of us knew much about the lives of ordinary people. I had only seen one-room apartments on TV until I was born into this poor house.
[I'm living in that one-room apartment on TV...]
I staggered over and grabbed Secretary Yang's pants. And I bowed politely.
"Hi-."
"Sung-guk is greeting us now?"
"Yes!"
This was a confident pronunciation.
"Sung-guk seems really smart. His parents must be happy."
"We can't believe how this lucky charm came from parents like us every day."
In the meantime, Mom handed Secretary Yang the mix coffee she had boiled. The mug containing the coffee had a clear mark that said 'Bossam's Famous Restaurant Happiness Bossam.' Secretary Yang took a sip of the coffee and looked at Mom.
"The coffee is very delicious."
"I worked as an accountant after graduating from high school. I made a lot of coffee."
[Sigh, Mom. That's TMI.]
Secretary Yang would have known all of this before Mom said it anyway. A background check on a model who becomes the image of Samjeon Group was essential. Secretary Yang put the mug on the floor. And he looked at Mom and Dad alternately. I recognized that look at once. It was the look when he was conveying the instructions of Jeon Jae-hyung, my father from my previous life.
"I came here today not only to thank you for the contract but also to give you a gift."
"You gave us Korean beef."
[Dad, Korean beef is not a gift. It's just a greeting. It's the same as a handshake.]
I looked at Secretary Yang with sparkling eyes. Samjeon Group's gift was clearly different in size. Secretary Yang slowly opened his mouth.
"The period has been reduced, but we offered the exclusive model fee of 150 million won, but you refused to take only 100 million won."
"We have to get paid for what we worked for."
Dad nodded firmly. Secretary Yang smiled warmly.
"So. The Vice Chairman prepared two gifts as a special token of appreciation."
"Yes?"
Dad looked at Secretary Yang blankly with his mouth open in surprise. Secretary Yang calmly took out two brochures from his bag. One was a brochure distributed at an apartment model house, and the other was a stock-related brochure.
[This is it!]
I quickly crawled to the stock-related brochure with both hands. At that moment, Dad picked me up.
"Sung-guk, just a moment."
[How can you say just a moment? I'm very excited now. Do you know how much Samjeon Electronics stock will be worth in 10 years, no, 20 years, Dad?]
Dad quickly patted my butt.
"Sung-guk, shush!"
Secretary Yang looked at me and smiled brightly.
"Then, I'll tell you. This brochure is a brochure for an apartment that our Samjeon Construction is building in Jamsil. The Vice Chairman told me to give you a special sale of one of them. It's the 34-pyeong apartment on page 4."
Dad and Mom only blinked at the word apartment. Samjeon Construction, one of Samjeon Group's affiliates. The word special sale was a kind of privilege given to Samjeon Group employees, etc., and it meant that they would just give them an apartment built by Samjeon Construction. Mom and Dad didn't understand what this meant and just blinked. Dad thought for a moment and carefully opened his mouth.
"Secretary Yang, I'm sorry, but as you can see, we can't afford to move to Jamsil. An apartment in Jamsil would cost well over 100 million won at the very least. Even if we get a sale, we can't afford the down payment. We're going to save Sung-guk's model fee for Sung-guk. We talked with my wife that we wouldn't touch that."
Secretary Yang smiled warmly. He immediately noticed that Dad didn't understand Secretary Yang's words properly.
"Sung-guk's father, what I mean is. We'll give you a free sale on the condition that Sung-guk is our exclusive model for two years. Of course, you'll have to pay the minor taxes."
"Yes?!"
Dad couldn't say anything again with his mouth open. Mom was the same. I shrugged.
[An apartment is just one of the many grains of sand for a conglomerate like Samjeon. Who would know if one grain flows between their fingers?]
I pulled on Dad's collar.
[Mom, Dad, stop acting like you don't have anything and take it quickly. This is all thanks to me.]
Min-guk, who was starting to crawl, came up next to me and poked me with his little fist.
[This guy is touching my nerves when I have to manage my image in front of adults. Go away.]
I gently pushed Min-guk with my foot. Min-guk smiled with his toothless mouth wide open, as if he liked it.
"Hehehe."
[He likes it.]
This guy Min-guk smiled at me whenever he saw me.
[A man shouldn't smile so easily.]
Secretary Yang, who was watching me and Min-guk, smiled warmly. He straightened his posture, finished drinking the coffee that Mom had made, and looked at Dad. Now it was the stock.
[Come on, Secretary Yang. Tell me!]
I urged Secretary Yang. Secretary Yang pushed the remaining brochure to Mom and Dad.
"We originally offered 150 million won, but you lowered it to 100 million won. We're going to give you the reduced contract fee of 50 million won in stocks. This is the second gift."
[Jackpot!]
I jumped up from my seat and started dancing shoulder dance.
[Hooray for Secretary Yang! No, hooray for Samjeon Electronics! Long-term investment!]
Mom looked at Dad and opened her mouth quietly.
"The stocks will be in Sung-guk's name, right?"
"The legal team will take care of it without any problems, so don't worry about that."
Dad stared at Mom.
"So-young, do you know anything about stocks?"
"I don't know much, but Sung-guk watches the news all the time. As I watched it with him, he said that we should buy Samjeon stocks unconditionally these days."
[As expected, it's worth educating Mom with the news.]
I quickly patted Mom's back twice. Dad was the only one in a daze. Secretary Yang looked at our family with a warm smile.
"Sung-guk's father, there's a clause that says you can do commercials as long as they don't overlap with our products, but you have to consult with us."
Samjeon Electronics always included this clause. It was to prevent celebrities from damaging the efficiency of commercials by filming commercials indiscriminately that were different from or overlapped with the image Samjeon Electronics was pursuing. Dad nodded.
"Yes, I thought that was natural. He's an exclusive model."
"Please think of it as compensation for the restrictions."
Secretary Yang smiled kindly.
"But... this is too much. Not only money, but an apartment and stocks. I'm too embarrassed even if there are restrictions. Can we discuss it among ourselves for a few days?"
"Of course. Can we give you about a week? We need to film the new product commercial at the beginning of next month at the latest."
"Yes, we'll discuss it quickly and contact you."
Dad bowed to Secretary Yang, who was leaving.
[Oh my, my head.]
I picked up the baby bottle next to me and gulped down the milk. Mom ran over in surprise.
"Sung-guk, are you hungry? How can you eat Min-guk's?"
[I'm not hungry, my stomach is burning. Mom, persuade Dad. Why refuse what they're giving for free?]
Dad closed the front door and came in.
"Honey, are they really giving us the apartment for free?"
"But... Jamsil is a place I've never been to, and it's too far from the bossam restaurant. I think it's better to refuse."
The moment I tried to touch Min-guk's baby bottle again, Min-guk quickly bit the baby bottle.
[As expected, siblings are eternal rivals.]
"Honey, how about we consult with Mi-young unnie? She's our Sung-guk's manager, and she knows more about real estate and stocks than we do."
"Of course, we should. That's why I didn't answer right away. Honestly, how big and scary is a conglomerate? There's no way they'd give us such a big thing for nothing."
I crossed my arms and nodded.
[That's right, Dad.]
I also found it a bit strange. Even if they reduced the period and lowered the amount, the contract fee was still the highest among baby models, so what was with the special gift? There's no free lunch in the world. Mom picked me up, who was lost in thought.
"Let's rest today, and I'll meet unnie tomorrow and talk about it."
"Sung-guk, come to Dad. You're getting heavy now, Mom is having a hard time."
Dad lifted me up.
"Sung-guk, are you nervous too?"
[I'm not nervous, I'm thinking about the other side of that deal. Samjeon Group is definitely not an easy company, Dad.]