Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

It was 5 p.m.

Fans from the newly merged fan club, You & Me, began lining up in front of the company to support Yoo-Jin and Miso.

About 150 people were invited to fill the small theater today.

"Talent agent oppa! When can we go in?"

Despite the repeated questions from the fan club members, Lee Yung-Jin smiled warmly and answered, "The original time to enter is 5:30 p.m., but you can go in as soon as the theater is ready. Just don't sit anywhere other than your assigned seats. Everyone knows that, right?"

The fan club members who were wearing school uniforms grumbled playfully at Lee Yung-Jin, "Can't we just go in by order of arrival? We were the first ones here!"

"Well, no. Even if you came early, it doesn't work like that. I told you coming early wouldn't help, didn't I?"

"Ugh~ such a boomer."

"Seriously~"

Though he was called a 'boomer,' Lee Yung-Jin held back his frustration. "Why are you calling me that? I'm only 27, you know?"

The kids giggled. "Then you're a young boomer!"

That's when Do Ran-Hee approached the young fan club members with a wide smile, like someone who had gone insane. "Oh my~ kiddos, you won't be allowed into the theater if you speak carelessly like that. Should I swap roles with this young boomer oppa for today?"

The fan club members who had been teasing Lee Yung-Jin quickly shut their mouths at once. They figured something unexpected could happen judging by Do Ran-Hee's expression.

'As expected from Do Ran-Hee...' I remarked inwardly.

Although the designated seating had caused trouble for Lee Yung-Jin and some of the other talent agents, there was no other option. Without assigned seats, fans might rush to grab the front rows upon entering the theater, leading to potential accidents.

If that happened, today's event would be canceled.

Therefore, everyone balloted for their assigned seats with consideration given to allow groups who registered together to sit together.

As I was organizing the line, I got a KkTalk notification.

[Lovely♡Yoo-Jin: Oppa, I'll be there in ten minutes!]

[Miso♥Angel: Uncle Yoon-Ho, I'll be there in ten minutes too!]

[Team Lead Jung Yoon-Ho: When you arrive, go straight to the underground parking lot. Make sure you don't stick your head out of the car window.]

If Yoo-Jin showed her face through the car window, the carefully organized line could easily fall apart. Hence, I told them to go straight to the parking lot with the curtains drawn.

After replying to the KkTalk messages, I looked for the three underage fans I was in charge of.

I looked around and spotted them. 'There they are.'

At the very end of the long line were three girls chatting with each other.

Having previous experience as homema, Kim Yoo-Yeon and Lee Sang-Eun brought their DSLR cameras. Meanwhile, Cha Eun-Sol held a small compact digital camera with her face full of anticipation.

Cha Eun-Sol wasn't a homema yet but just an ordinary high school fan girl.

'Now, let's see if I can reel her in,' I thought.

Suppressing the grin that was about to break out on my face, I slowly made my way over to pick up this future top-tier homema.

***

At the end of the long line of fans, I found Cha Eun-Sol and her friends chatting.

Kim Yoo-Yeon, Lee Sang-Eun, and Cha Eun-Sol—the three high school friends had only been able to attend the fan club meeting today because it was their school's anniversary. ṚᴀŊ∅ᛒÊᶊ

All three were wearing name tags on their casual clothes to make it easier for Yoo-Jin to recognize them.

Kim Yoo-Yeon glanced at Cha Eun-Sol's camera and tilted her head in curiosity. "Eun-Sol, what's up with your camera?"

Lee Sang-Eun nodded in agreement. "Yeah, if you're going to be a homema, why not spend a bit more on a better one?"

I almost laughed at the absurdity. 'Criticizing the future top homema of Korea for her equipment, huh?'

Cha Eun-Sol had carried a DSLR with a massive lens in my past life, but she had gained fame long before that. She had already shaken up numerous communities with just photos taken on her phone.

However, that was still three years into the future.

Feeling embarrassed by her small camera compared to her friends, Cha Eun-Sol's voice became quieter. "What can I do when I don't have money?"

As Cha Eun-Sol grumbled, her friends responded apologetically.

"Well, it's better than having nothing."

"That's true."

Cha Eun-Sol's shoulders slumped slightly.

At that moment, my steps quickened without realizing it as I couldn't just stand by and watch my future team member lose confidence.

I approached them and spoke. "You guys are Yoo-Yeon, Sang-Eun, and Eun-Sol, right?"

Kim Yoo-Yeon turned her head toward me, smiling brightly and warmly. "Oh? It's Mr. Jung. Hello!"

The most important thing for fangirls was building a good relationship with the company's talent agents. After all, being on good terms with talent agents helped them get early information on the celebrities' schedules and secure good spots for photos.

However, considering what I'd just witnessed, Kim Yoo-Yeon probably wouldn't be getting any prime spots from me in the future.

Nonetheless, I spoke as kindly as possible because she was still a fan of Yoo-Jin. "I'll be in charge until the evening since Sang-Bong is busy. But I see Yoo-Yeon and Sang-Eun are using good cameras. Are you two in charge of taking photos today?"

"Yes. The fan club president asked us to handle the photos today."

The fan club president had entrusted them with the responsibility of taking photos for the fan page as they were both experienced homemas.

"Then Eun-Sol, are you also taking photos for the fan page as well?"

Cha Eun-Sol shook her head. "No, I'm not good enough yet. I just brought my camera to take some for myself."

She sounded like she didn't think she was qualified to upload photos of Yoo-Jin to the fan page.

'What? That's nonsense!' I remarked inwardly.

I gave Cha Eun-Sol a warm smile and reassured her. "Skill doesn't matter when you're taking pictures of someone you love. As long as your heart's in it, that's all that counts. Right?"

Cha Eun-Sol's expression brightened a little.

"And can you send me some of the pictures you take later?" I asked.

"The ones I take?"

"Yeah. I want to give them to Yoo-Jin. Oh, and to Miso as well."

Cha Eun-Sol nodded eagerly with a bright expression. "For sure, talent agent oppa!"

Taking photos with inadequate equipment only highlights a person's actual skill.

I planned to use this opportunity to check Cha Eun-Sol's future potential and also her current skill level.

After boosting Cha Eun-Sol's spirits, I turned to Kim Yoo-Yeon and Lee Sang-Eun. "You two as well. Please make sure to take great photos for the fan page today, okay?"

Although I wasn't happy with how they treated Cha Eun-Sol earlier, I spoke kindly as they were still valuable members of the fan club.

In response, Kim Yoo-Yeon and Lee Sang-Eun grinned and answered cheerfully.

"Okay, talent agent oppa!"

"Leave it to us!"

Nodding enthusiastically, the two girls began discussing with Cha Eun-Sol how they should take their photos.

***

In Hoop Entertainment's underground theater, all 150 fan club members had taken their designated seats.

It was now 5:30 p.m.

Episode 24 of In the Name of God was scheduled to air at 10 p.m., but several events were planned before that.

No professional MC had been hired since it was a small event, so I took on the role myself.

I introduced Yoo-Jin and Miso with a bit of exaggerated flair. "All right, thank you so much for waiting! Please welcome the always beautiful Jung Yoo-Jin and always shining Jung Miso!"

Holding Miso's hand, Yoo-Jin waved at the audience as she stepped onto the stage.

Yoo-Jin dressed in a pure white gown and wore a lily hairpin, while Miso wore a pink dress and had her hair styled in a cute apple ponytail.

"Unnie! You look so beautiful today!"

"Noona! Please look over here!"

"Miso, look over here! Right here!"

"Ahhhh! Miso!"

"Miso is so cute!"

The cheers from the You & Me fan club had doubled now that they were combined.

Fans began snapping photos of Yoo-Jin and Miso with their cameras and phones.

Kim Yoo-Yeon and Lee Sang-Eun holding their DSLRs took continuous shots from both sides of the aisle.

However, Cha Eun-Sol still hadn't started taking pictures.

After a short while, Cha Eun-Sol finally began photographing once she had finished setting up.

She was intensely focused on Yoo-Jin and Miso on stage, moving with such steady precision that there wasn't even the slightest shake in her shots despite the high-pitched screams echoing around her.

I nodded to myself. 'She's got talent and there's no doubt about it.'

I was curious about the photos Cha Eun-Sol was taking.

***

The first event on the schedule was the appointment ceremony for the fan club staff.

The fan club was now managed by Choi Sang-Min, Jung Ah-Reum, and Lee Ji-Ho, who had previously worked with the Cheonho-dong's Burger Maiden fan club.

Since they couldn't use their nicknames like 'Burger Man,' 'Patty Girl,' and 'Lettuce Boy' in this formal setting, Yoo-Jin handed them the certificates using their real names.

After Yoo-Jin handed out the certificates, Miso eagerly insisted on giving them one as well. "Please take good care of us, oppa and unnie!"

With each certificate Miso handed out while shaking her ponytail, the three fan club staff members clutched their hearts in adoration.

Once the ceremony ended, it was time for the fan signing and photo session.

Yoo-Jin and Miso sat side by side at a table and shook hands with the approaching fans while making eye contact.

"What's your name?"

"Wow! Your name is so pretty, unnie. Ye-Ji~!"

As Yoo-Jin and Miso personally signed autographs for each fan, the fans screamed in delight.

Then, the time came for the program Miso had been most excited about.

"Now, we'll begin the 'Follow Miso's Fishcake Making' segment!"

A large batch of pre-made fish cake dough was brought out and placed on a plastic-covered table.

Miso, wearing a bread-shaped hat and an apron, stood at the table. Her face was filled with a bright smile, and she had sanitary gloves on both hands.

"Alright~ I'll be taking five volunteers to make fishcakes with Miso!"

Honestly, I doubted anyone would want to make 'fishcake dough' at an event like this.

However, I was completely wrong.

"Me!"

"I've recreated all of Miso's fishcake recipes at home! Pick me, pick me!"

About 30 out of the 150 attendees shot their hands into the air.

At the same time, Miso's face lit up and her excitement echoed through the microphone across the small theater.

"Wow~~"

That's when even more people started raising their hands as if under a spell.

"M-me too!"

"Mr. Jung! If you don't pick me, I'm not going home today!"

As Miso cheered on, more hands shot up as if enchanted by her energy.

In the end, I had to conduct a ballot as 53 people had raised their hands.

Only five lucky fans were selected while the rest descended from the stage with disappointed expressions.

The chosen volunteers followed Miso's lead, putting on aprons and sanitary gloves. Then they gathered around the table and began to make the fish cake dough after watching Miso.

Miso started shaping the fishcake dough on the table with her small hands. "To make a T-Rex, you have to knead the dough like this!"

As Miso formed the tail, legs, and head of a Tyrannosaurus-shaped fish cake, the others began to follow suit. She managed to craft a 30cm-long T-Rex fish cake using only dough and flour.

I was surprised by how it turned out. 'Wow. It really is a T-Rex.'

Miso proudly pointed to her creation, but the fans' fish cakes were only half-formed. "Tada~! See? It's easy!"

Seeing this, Miso walked around and offered her thoughts on the fans' creations.

"Oh! This one's an elephant!"

"This... is a giraffe, right?"

"This one... looks like a monkey... maybe? I'm not sure!"

"Wow~ This one's a mermaid!"

It was supposed to be a 'follow Miso's fish cake making' session, but creative masterpieces were popping up everywhere instead.

However, the kind-hearted Miso showered everyone with compliments, saying they did a great job no matter what they made.

Shortly after, the finished fish cakes were handed over to the talent agents and delivered to the kitchen where they would be deep-fried. The remaining dough would be shaped into round fish cakes by the kitchen staff.

The event continued in a lively and enjoyable atmosphere.

***

During a brief break, I called Cha Eun-Sol to a quiet corner of the small theater. "Eun-Sol, could I take a look at some of the photos you've taken so far?"

After thinking for a moment, Cha Eun-Sol selected a few photos and handed them to me. "Which of these three do you like the most?"

I was left speechless as soon as I saw the photos. 'This is incredible. Were these really taken with a compact camera?'

One photo showed Yoo-Jin and Miso holding hands while waving to the audience. Another captured Yoo-Jin crouching down, listening to Miso with a bright smile. The final one was of me standing beside Yoo-Jin and Miso to introduce them while the two looked at me and smiled.

The photos of Yoo-Jin and Miso were so vibrant and full of life. It was as if a professional photographer had shot them with a top-tier DSLR.

If she had better equipment, she could showcase the talent she had possessed to become a homema in my past life.

At that moment, Cha Eun-Sol looked at me with a worried expression. "Mr. Jung, which one do you like the most?"

I snapped back to reality and replied, "I like all of them, but… I think the second one is the best."

Cha Eun-Sol tilted her head in confusion. "I thought the third one had the best expressions… it looks the most lively."

To be honest, I agreed with Cha Eun-Sol. However, I couldn't choose the third one, because there was an unexplainable flutter in my heart when I saw the way Yoo-Jin looked at me in the photo.

'I definitely can't let that one be made public...' I thought.

Ignoring my racing heart, I requested Cha Eun-Sol. "Eun-Sol, can you do me a favor and delete that last photo with me in it?"

Cha Eun-Sol looked puzzled. "Is it really that bad?"

"No, it's not that… it's just that this is a fan club for Yoo-Jin and Miso. It might be a bit weird if a talent agent is in the photo."

"I don't mind, though…"

"Even if you don't mind, there are plenty of fans who wouldn't like seeing a talent agent in a picture with their favorite celebrities. Please, just do this for me."

After a moment of hesitation, Cha Eun-Sol nodded.

"Okay. But it seems like a waste to just delete it. So I'll give it to you, Mr. Jung."

"Thanks. Yoo-Jin and Miso will love it."

Cha Eun-Sol smiled happily.

Having confirmed her talent, it was time to make my move.

"Eun-Sol, you seem to have a real gift for photography. Once you get into college, how about working part-time at our company?"

Currently, Cha Eun-Sol had applied to Hongyeon University's design major through early admissions.

According to my memory from my past life, she would pass the first round with a breeze.

Knowing her future, I sweetened the deal and offered her an hourly rate of 15 thousand won with additional incentives.

However, Cha Eun-Sol bowed her head without hesitation. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jung. But I don't think I can do that."

Just like in my past life, Cha Eun-Sol turned down my offer right from the start again.

However, unlike before, I knew exactly why she was refusing this time.

'Well then. It's time to start negotiating.'

Ristretto's Thoughts

Ristretto: OMG is the loveline finally starting

Yojj: Yooooo is it finally happening???

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