Top Management

"Do you have the initial draft of the script with you right now?"

"It's with Chang-in. He hardly lets it out."

If it won’t come out,

then I must go in.

Lifting a glass, as the ice melted, droplets clouded and trickled down its surface. I wiped away the moisture with my thumb and asked,

"So, about the casting for the lead roles?"

"The lead roles?"

Representative Do Hyeong-tae’s eyes sparkled.

His gaze upon me grew distinctly warmer.

"We should keep our options open for the leads."

"Nothing’s been decided yet?"

I sipped my lemonade.

The cold, tart liquid quenched the fire in my stomach.

"The director’s opinion matters, but Chang-in has holed up with the script. We were planning to consult him soon. It's easier to discuss investments once the leads are confirmed."

"Ah, the director must be having a hard time, constantly working."

"He seems quite run-down. He's a rather bulky fellow."

"Does the director like nourishing food? There’s a place that does great samgyetang."

"He loves samgyetang. Shall we go there together sometime?"

"Speaking of which, how about tonight?"

Representative Do Hyeong-tae’s eyes widened.

"Tonight?"

"Yes. Tonight."

After confirming the script, if it's good, I'll have to bring it quickly.

It has to be in my hands to be mine.

*

At a majestic samgyetang restaurant for the first round.

We moved to a grill house, a favorite of Director Lee Chang-in for 12 years, for the second round.

And for the third round, we went to Director Lee Chang-in's studio in Yangcheon-gu.

"Come in, oh, I would have cleaned up if I knew we had guests."

"It looks clean?"

After half a day of feigning, lies now flowed easily.

I had maintained a hospitable face so long my jaw muscles ached.

After tossing a drunken Representative Do Hyeong-tae carelessly on the sofa, I was massaging my jaw beneath when Director Lee Chang-in, having rummaged through the fridge, returned empty-handed.

"Is there nothing decent to offer? Should I go buy something from the convenience store?"

"No need. There’s nowhere else to go now."

"Still, you’re a guest..."

Director Lee Chang-in sat awkwardly opposite me.

Was the silence burdensome, or was it me?

From his appearance, one might think he'd never been in a quarrel in his life, yet after a few words, it was clear he was extremely shy. Only after guzzling alcohol like water at the grill house did his boundaries somewhat blur.

After a brief pause, I broke the silence.

"Shall we continue talking about the script?"

"...The script? Did I talk about the script?"

"You mentioned a startup founder appears in it."

"Ah, right."

Director Lee Chang-in slapped his cheeks with his thick hands.

His eyes, previously blurry from drink, suddenly lit up.

"It's late at night. About... 3 AM."

Beyond his low, slow voice,

that scene unfolded.

"A young startup founder came to a 24-hour café for coffee. He's going to sell his shares tomorrow and become a billionaire. He visited a café where his high school friend works to reminisce about their poor past and boast a bit, needing time to bask in his achievements. He couldn’t sleep anyway."

The café, lit like an emergency room in a hospital.

The second hand on the decorative wall clock had just passed 3 AM.

A night-shift part-timer. And a few other customers, each likely with a story, sparsely occupied the tables.

A slow jazz tune played in the background.

"But at that dawn, in that café, the founder killed someone."

Suddenly, a corpse dropped.

"A different high school friend of the founder came to the café, and they had a bit of an argument. Just an unfortunate accident, but the guy died. His head was smashed, and bright red blood splattered everywhere..."

A corpse with a smashed head.

Blood gushing, staining the white tiles.

And the witnesses.

"It was an accident. Just bad luck. What if the police think it was premeditated murder? Could I go to jail for this when I’m on the brink of a bright future? I’m supposed to become a billionaire tomorrow, about to live a glamorous life. Isn’t this too unfair?"

A voice mixed with frustration asked.

"Fuck, but what do I do? The person is already dead, and there are five witnesses. Then... the part-time friend suggested."

A whisper that sounded like consolation or temptation.

"If you make the witnesses accomplices, maybe this murder can be justified as self-defense or a perfect crime?"

"..."

"That’s how the story begins."

Director Lee Chang-in exhaled a long, alcohol-laden breath.

I licked

 my dry lips and asked.

"Is the founder the protagonist? The sole lead?"

"It’s a dual lead. The founder and the café part-timer friend. There’s a twist with him."

My cheeks ached.

Since some point, the corners of my mouth had risen high.

"I'm so curious about what happens next. Since we've come all the way to the studio, if it’s okay, I’d like to read the script."

"I usually don’t show it to anyone before it’s finished..."

"I’ll only look at it. I’m so curious I won’t be able to sleep."

Persuaded, Director Lee Chang-in finally stood up, opened a desk drawer, and pulled out a script printed on A4 paper, handing it to me with a hesitant gesture.

"It's a bit nerve-wracking to show it to you, Team Leader Jung Sunwoo. It’s not finished, so please overlook any mess and just skim through it."

I took the stack of papers and looked down at the cover.

Accomplices.

A script of 112 scenes, 89 pages long, was now in my hands.

*

Let's see how good it is.

That’s what I had been thinking until just now.

Because of a clairvoyant prediction.

I've been ruthlessly critiquing the projects I selected, and now let’s see how magnificent the one you chose is, that was the attitude.

What if I see it and don’t like it?

What if I decide not to do it?

Just as I had been relentlessly bothered for days, I wanted to roast clairvoyance on the pan as well.

...But the script was too good.

As soon as I turned the first page, I thought:

I must do this.

By page seven, I thought again:

I absolutely must do this.

By page 35, I wanted to wake up Director Lee Chang-in, who had dozed off.

By page 79, I couldn’t sit still, so I walked around the dark studio with the script and ended up stepping on Director Lee Chang-in.

As I closed the last page, I decided:

Both protagonists.

I must take them all for myself.

***

Steaming vapor rose through the air from a well-cooked egg, scallion, and black pepper.

As Do Hyeong-tae hurriedly scooped up the hot pollock soup, he suddenly slapped me on the cheek with his free left hand. At the sound of the slap, Director Lee Chang-in, who was also spooning up the soup like pecking birds, jumped in surprise.

"Why did you do that?"

"I thought it was a dream. Being here in your studio, getting pollock soup from Manager Jung Sunwoo—it’s all so bizarre. What’s going on?"

"For me, it's just as weird. I first saw it yesterday when I was eating ginseng chicken soup."

"I barely know this soup either... This pollock soup is insane. Why is it so delicious? Did Manager Jung make it himself?”

“No, he bought it.”

At my words, Do Hyeong-tae resumed his eating with a grunt.

Passing the kimchi plate to Director Lee Chang-in, he said,

“I really enjoyed the screenplay, Director.”

“Ah... Right. Did you finish it?”

Having sobered up, Director Lee Chang-in looked over shyly. Do Hyeong-tae, who had been confused by his side, gave a thumbs up.

“Did you read the script yesterday? Even after drinking that much? At that time? You could see it?”

“How was it?”

Director Lee Chang-in asked.

I blinked my dry eyes and replied,

“I stayed up all night because of it. I couldn’t stop in the middle. It’s been a long time since I felt like this. I want to see it as a movie right now.”

Director Lee Chang-in’s shoulders relaxed.

Watching his reaction, I continued,

“Especially the two main characters... they were really interesting.”

Do Hyeong-tae even wiggled in his seat.

“Right? The characters are good, aren’t they?”

“Yes, that’s why I wanted to mention it.”

Looking back and forth between Director Lee Chang-in and Do Hyeong-tae, I said,

“I want this.”

The usually lively chairman froze.

His mind visibly racing through calculations.

After finishing, he tentatively asked,

“The main character? Who, the founder? The part-timer?”

“But.”

Director Lee Chang-in suddenly said,

“I have someone in mind for the part-timer, Lee Yejun.”

“Really?”

“Who? Who?”

The chairman seemed more surprised than I was.

Director Lee Chang-in said again,

“Bae Myungjin.”

...Ah.

I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.

“At the year-end party, I met him, and he fits the image of Yejin so well that I told him to try and lose about fifteen kilograms. I said let’s work on a project together.”

So.

That means no contract yet.

Fifteen kilograms...

I pulled out my phone and searched for Bae Myungjin's most recent photo on social media.

Meanwhile, Director Lee Chang-in and Do Hyeong-tae kept talking.

“Bae Myungjin... he’s too weak. What about the founder? Do you have an actor in mind for that?”

“My first choice is Oh Gyeongmin?”

“Are you crazy? Oh Gyeongmin was caught up in a bullying scandal last month. He’s laying low right now. If we cast him, the movie might blow up too.”

“...Really? Then, Park Jungho.”

“That guy got a DUI a few months ago... Do you even know who the president is right now?”

Flustered, Director Lee Chang-in bit his lip.

“Then, Cho Soo-young?”

“Cho Soo-young... might be okay, but I heard he’s been cast in a new action movie by Director Lee Geum-hyeong. That shooting is known to be grueling, it’d be hard to manage with our schedules.”

As he spoke, Do Hyeong-tae glanced at me sneakily.

He must have heard some rumors involving Cho Soo-young.

Cho Soo-young. Could it really be Cho Soo-young...?

Lost in thought, I paused.

“Here’s a recent photo of Bae Myungjin. From last week.”

“Is there a photo? Did he lose some weight?”

Director Lee Chang-in leaned in to look at the phone screen and fell silent.

It appeared to be someone's birthday party, with everyone in the group photo visibly drunk, gathered around a cake. Bae Myungjin was holding heavy liquor bottles in both hands, thoroughly enjoying himself.

“He’s gotten even heavier?”

“Hey. At this rate, he’s probably not thinking about working with you?”

Do Hyeong-tae quietly remarked.

Staring hard at the photo, Director Lee Chang-in shook his head.

“This guy’s image is perfect for Yejun... If he hits the gym and manages his weight until we start shooting, couldn’t he get in

 shape? Once I finish revising the script, I’ll send it to him to see...”

“Wait, just a minute.”

Do Hyeong-tae cut him off and looked at me.

“Let’s hear what our Manager Jung has to say first. What role were you talking about? The founder? The part-timer?”

“Both.”

Do Hyeong-tae and Director Lee Chang-in both paused.

“Both? Both roles?”

“Yes. I’ll need to discuss it with the actors, but from what I see, the role of founder Choi Chang-ho should go to Seo Ji-joon...”

“Wow!”

Do Hyeong-tae sprang up. The dining chair clattered back.

“That’s great! Seo Ji-joon, that’s really good, right? Hey, isn’t it?”

“Seo Ji-joon... Yes, he seems like a good fit. If Seo Ji-joon is positive about it, shall we have a meeting? I haven’t met him personally yet.”

“Of course. And for the part-timer, Lee Yejun role...”

That was the easy part.

The problem was.

“How about Lim Joowon?”

“No.”

Director Lee Chang-in cut me off without hesitation.

“Lim Joowon won’t work. His image doesn’t fit.”

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