K-Producer C41 Surprise

Min-ji's eyes flickered to the group behind him, then back to Byul-ho. "Business meeting?"

Byul-ho nodded, then curiosity got the better of him. "What brings you here, Min-ji-ssi?"

Min-ji's eyes darted around briefly before settling back on Byul-ho. "Oh, I was just... passing by. I remembered this was where your company was located."

Byul-ho's lips curved into a small smile, not entirely believing her casual explanation but deciding not to press the issue. "I see. Well, as it happens, we were just about to go out and celebrate. Would you like to join us?"

Min-ji's eyes widened in surprise, clearly caught off guard by the invitation. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between Byul-ho and the group of Ascend members watching from a distance.

"I... Are you sure?" she asked, her usual confident demeanor wavering slightly.

Byul-ho nodded, his smile widening. "Of course. The more, the merrier."

After another moment of hesitation, Min-ji gave a small nod. "Alright. Thank you."

As Byul-ho turned to lead Min-ji towards the group, he couldn't help but wonder about the real reason behind her unexpected visit. It wasn't like Min-ji to simply "pass by" without a purpose.

The Ascend members exchanged curious glances as Byul-ho and Min-ji approached. Jae-sung stepped forward with a welcoming smile. "Hi there! You must be a friend of Byul-ho's. I'm Jae-sung, nice to meet you."

As introductions were made, Byul-ho observed the interesting dynamic unfolding before him.

As the group made their way to the noraebang, Byul-ho couldn't help but steal glances at Min-ji. Her usual reserved demeanor had given way to a more open, almost friendly attitude that caught him off guard.

Inside the noraebang room, the celebration was in full swing. The Ascend members took turns belting out their favorite songs, their voices filled with joy and excitement. To Byul-ho's surprise, Min-ji seemed to be fitting in seamlessly, laughing at Sung-ho's jokes and even offering song suggestions.

Jae-sung stepped up to the microphone, scrolling through the song list. "Ah, here's a classic!" he exclaimed, selecting "말하자면" As I Told You by Kim Sung-jae, a beloved song from the 90s.

As Jae-sung's rich voice filled the room, Byul-ho took a sip of his beer, his eyes drifting to Min-ji. She was swaying slightly to the music, a soft smile on her face that he'd rarely seen before.

Min-ji must have felt his gaze because she turned to look at him, her expression curious. "What is it?" she asked, her voice barely audible over the music.

Byul-ho shook his head, offering a small smile. "Nothing. Just... surprised to see you here, I guess."

Min-ji's smile faltered for a moment before she nodded. "Me too, actually," she admitted.

As Jae-sung's powerful vocals filled the room, Min-ji leaned closer to Byul-ho, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the music. "By the way, what was that business meeting about? The one you missed school for?"

Byul-ho's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Is that why you came by the company? Because I was absent again?"

Min-ji's cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly shook her head. "N-no, that's not it. I just..." She paused, seemingly gathering her thoughts. "Actually, Seul-gi sent me a short clip of Ascend's concert. It was... impressive."

Byul-ho nodded, accepting the change of subject. "I see. Well, to answer your question, the meeting was about securing our first endorsement deal."

Min-ji's eyes widened in surprise. "First endorsement? But hasn't your company been around for a while now?"

Byul-ho chuckled softly, a hint of weariness in his voice. "It's not as easy as you might think. Especially for a new company with a rookie group."

Min-ji's expression shifted from surprise to curiosity. "Really? I always thought..."

She trailed off as Jae-sung finished his song to enthusiastic applause. Byul-ho took another sip of his beer, observing Min-ji's thoughtful expression.

"The entertainment industry is more complex than it appears from the outside," Byul-ho said, his tone more serious now. "Every step forward is a battle."

Byul-ho didn't expect Min-ji to truly grasp his situation. After all, she came from a privileged background with deep connections in the entertainment industry. She was worlds apart from someone like him, just starting out without much of a network. Even though his father had connections, those were his father's, not his own. In this industry, you had to build your own reputation.

Lost in these thoughts, Byul-ho was caught off guard when Min-ji suddenly spoke up.

"What if... what if I could offer Ascend an endorsement deal?" Min-ji said, her voice hesitant but clear.

Byul-ho blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly over the noise of the noraebang. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Min-ji took a deep breath, her confidence seemingly growing as she repeated herself. "I said, I could offer Ascend an endorsement deal. Through my mother's company, Mobs Club. I have some influence there."

Byul-ho stared at her, trying to process this unexpected offer. "An endorsement? With Mobs Club?" he asked, his tone a mixture of surprise and suspicion. "Why would you want to do that?"

Min-ji smiled, though there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "I've seen Ascend's potential. After watching that clip and seeing them perform... I think they could be a good fit for our brand."

Byul-ho studied her face, trying to decipher her true motives. This offer seemed too good to be true, especially coming from Min-ji.

"That's... very generous," he said carefully. "But I have to ask, why now? Why us?"

Min-ji's smile faltered slightly. "Is it so hard to believe that I might see value in your group?"

Byul-ho's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Is that why you were waiting at the company entrance? To offer this endorsement?"

Min-ji paused, caught off guard by the direct question. It was clear this wasn't her original intention, but she quickly composed herself and nodded. "You got me," she said, attempting a light laugh.

Byul-ho's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're still as business-minded and smart as ever, Min-ji-ssi. To see the potential in Ascend so quickly."

Min-ji laughed softly, a hint of relief in her voice. "Well, I try to keep my eyes open for good opportunities."

Raising his beer, Byul-ho's smile widened. "We can discuss the details later. For now, let's celebrate this potential new partnership."

Min-ji nodded, clinking her bottle against his. As they drank, Byul-ho couldn't resist adding, "You know, if offering an endorsement was your reason for coming, you could have just said so from the start. No need to hide it."

Min-ji's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "I... I wanted to see how you operated first. To make sure it was a good fit," she said, her voice steady but her eyes not quite meeting Byul-ho's.

Byul-ho nodded, accepting her explanation.

As the party wound down, Byul-ho noticed some of the members had dozed off, clearly affected by the alcohol. He decided it was time to call it a night.

"Alright, let's wrap this up," Byul-ho announced, gesturing to the coaches to help with the drowsy members. He then turned to Min-ji, who was gathering her things.

"Just contact me about the details when you're ready," he said with a nod.

Min-ji returned the nod. "I will. Thank you for having me."

As Min-ji stepped out of the noraebang, she glanced at her watch and a flicker of panic crossed her face. "8:45 already? Aish, my parents are probably worried sick," she muttered in annoyance.

Pulling out her phone, she saw a flood of missed calls and unread texts. Min-ji shook her head, realizing she had left her phone on silent mode the entire time.

"Great," she sighed, scrolling through the messages. The realization that she had lost track of time and potentially worried her family seemed to sober her up quickly.

Min-ji bit her lip, contemplating how to explain her absence to her parents. This spontaneous outing with Byul-ho and Ascend was so out of character for her, she wasn't quite sure how to frame it.

As she hailed a taxi, Min-ji couldn't help but reflect on the unexpected turn her day had taken. What had started as a curious impulse to check on Byul-ho had turned into an evening of celebration and a potential business deal. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

The taxi pulled up, and as Min-ji climbed in, she took a deep breath, preparing herself for the barrage of questions that would undoubtedly await her at home.