The next day, Byul-ho arrived at the company to find Ascend already hard at work in the practice room. As he approached, the sound of music and synchronized footsteps filled the air. He stood at the doorway for a moment, watching with pride as his group moved in perfect harmony.
When they noticed him, the coaches quickly paused the music and nodded in greeting. Byul-ho returned the gesture before turning his attention to the members.
"What's up, guys? How are you doing?" Byul-ho...
2024-08-17 10:31:21 +0000 UTC
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Time continued passing and the Lupo family kept growing. They had a few minor problems off and on, but nothing that warranted Lorenzo’s direct attention.
A fortnight after Lorenzo met with the CEOs of major studios, construction crews broke ground on his broadcast network’s infrastructure. It was sunny when he stood in a Los Angeles lot, watching people move about busily around him.
Men in hardhats laid concrete and assembled steel while machinery whirred and instructions go...
2024-08-17 05:03:56 +0000 UTC
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Three days passed in a blur of anticipation and last-minute preparations. On the morning of my flight, I stood in my hotel room, surveying my belongings one last time. The electric guitar, the innovative piano, the experimental camera prototypes - all the fruits of my labor lay before me.
How would I manage to transport all of this without drawing unwanted attention?
Fortunately the system awarded me a useful skill just yesterday for completing a task: the {Inventory}.
Th...
2024-08-17 02:30:23 +0000 UTC
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Lucas and Scott had been discussing his unpublished songs and potential album plans when Lucas decided to address the elephant in the room.
"My contract with Big Machine Records is almost about to end," Lucas said, his tone matter-of-fact. "So... I think that's the real reason you wanted to meet with me?"
Scott chuckled dryly, nodding. "Can't slip anything past you, can I? Look, Lucas, we value you as an artist. Your success, your recent... high profile actions, they've only inc...
2024-08-17 00:18:47 +0000 UTC
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A while later, after finally convincing my sister, I found myself walking out of the palace gates. As I stepped through, I could feel Apollonia's gaze on my back. I didn't need to turn around to know she was crying.
I shook my head and sighed, pushing down the guilt that threatened to overwhelm me. This was necessary, I reminded myself. I had to do this.
As the palace receded into the distance behind me, I activated my disguise skill. In an instant, my appearance shimmered and c...
2024-08-16 22:52:28 +0000 UTC
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Apollonia stopped in her tracks as she heard me trying to explain. Her eyes, filled with worry, locked onto mine as she caressed my cheek gently.
"I am really worried about you, sixth brother," she said, her voice soft but urgent. "You're always so quiet, not interacting with anyone, only wanting to shut yourself from the world. I know you've always been... well, not the brightest. But I can't let you go and plan to end your life!"
I stared at her, speechless. "End my life? What...
2024-08-16 22:52:23 +0000 UTC
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As I collected my things, my mind raced with possibilities for leaving the demon realm.
The most straightforward option was by airplane, but that was out of the question. I couldn't board a plane without using my demon prince ID, which would immediately give me away. Even with my new disguise skill, where would I get a convincing fake ID? My isolated life in the palace meant I lacked the connections to forge one.
Traveling by boat or ship was another possibility, but the sea was...
2024-08-16 22:52:17 +0000 UTC
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I leaned in closer, my eyes narrowing as I scrutinized the floating panel before me. No, I wasn't hallucinating. It was really there, shimmering in the air like some sort of ethereal computer screen.
With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, I reached out and tapped the "Activate" button. The panel shimmered and shifted, reconfiguring itself before my eyes.
[Congratulations! You activated the system! You can now view your status and abilities.]
My hea...
2024-08-16 22:52:06 +0000 UTC
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#ThisIsDraft
(Original Novel. Maybe I'll make it a Patreon Exclusive.)
***
The streets were bustling with activity, a sea of humanoid figures with varying numbers of horns—some with one, some with multiple, and some with none at all—going about their daily lives. I walked among them, a young boy in a robe concealing expensive clothing beneath. As I moved through the crowd, I couldn't help but sigh.
"It's been 16 years..." I muttered to myself, my eyes scanning ...
2024-08-16 22:51:30 +0000 UTC
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Ga-eul took a deep breath, then clapped his hands twice. The noise cut through the office buzz, heads turning toward him.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Ga-eul’s voice shook a little but he kept going. “We’ve gotten multiple endorsement offers for Ascend. Byul-ho-ssi wants me to put together a team to handle negotiations.”
A wave of mutters traveled through the room. Some employees exchanged excited looks; others looked nervous.
“I need volunteers who ...
2024-08-16 09:50:07 +0000 UTC
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Byul-ho squinted at his laptop screen, its brightness stinging his eyes. In the darkness of his room, the soft glow made his face look even more tired than it felt. Beside him, the digital clock on his bedside table blinked 3:27 AM.
He searched for answers to an onslaught of endorsement offers with rapid keystrokes. Among some K-pop forums and news sites, a blog post caught his eye.
"K-Critics," he murmured, leaning in closer. The name was unfamiliar but the impact was undeniabl...
2024-08-16 09:49:10 +0000 UTC
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All Star - Smash Mouth
***
The words of Thomas were there, heavy with possibility. Enoch and Dave shared a look, excitement mixed with disbelief passing between them.
Dave, drawing on years of experience in the industry, leaned forward slightly. "A permanent arrangement?" he asked, his voice casual but his eyes sharp. "What exactly did you have in mind, Thomas?"
Enoch, not wanting to be left out but aware of his inexperience, chimed in. "We're definitely interested...
2024-08-16 04:12:42 +0000 UTC
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The Harvey Weinstein case had been a headline and talking point across the nation as the days went on. On the fourth day after the stunning verdict, there was still no sign of the hype dying down.
Late-night shows scrambled for content around it. Jimmy Fallon cracked on The Tonight Show, “Hey, you guys hear about this Lucas Knight guy? He just sent a big shot to jail. So I guess Lucas Knight really knows how to give an amazing performance — on any screen!”
On The Late Show...
2024-08-16 00:48:39 +0000 UTC
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When the final notes of “Look Up” had faded out, the crowd erupted into genuine applause and cheers. The air was electric with enthusiasm; a far cry from the polite interest that had hovered over the venue at the beginning of the evening.
Many exchanged looks of pleasant surprise with their friends and fellow concertgoers. For thousands of first-time Ascend attendees in the audience, this performance had exceeded everything they could have imagined.
“Wow, I did not see tha...
2024-08-15 06:53:45 +0000 UTC
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Jae-sung moved to the front, clutching the microphone tightly as he peered across a sea of faces. “Thank you all for coming out tonight and supporting Ascend. We… we can’t put into words how much this means to us.”
The crowd erupted in cheers – not deafening, but warm and excited. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, his heart swelling with emotion.
There was a pause, then someone from the middle of the audience shouted: “Give us your best performance!”
2024-08-15 06:52:38 +0000 UTC
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Over the past two years, Lorenzo had made significant moves to consolidate his personal life alongside his empire. In a quiet, upscale neighborhood of Los Angeles, a new family had settled in - Apollonia's relatives from Sicily.
Lorenzo watched as Apollonia and their daughter Hera, now a precocious four-year-old, visited the family's new home. Apollonia's father, Signor, approached Lorenzo as the children played in the garden.
"Lorenzo," he said, his accent still thick despite m...
2024-08-15 01:11:59 +0000 UTC
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After Harvey’s outburst, the courtroom was filled with static. At home and in the gallery, viewers held their breath while watching Bob present his evidence.
One damning email after another was read aloud, each one exposing Harvey’s predatory behavior and abuse of power. Financial records revealed a pattern of hush payments. Testimonies from Harvey’s victims that had previously been doubted now seemed to fit perfectly with what Bob said and what had been documented.
The pr...
2024-08-15 01:10:48 +0000 UTC
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The next day at school, in the canteen of all places, Byul-ho had found himself sitting opposite a very enthusiastic Seul-gi. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement as she spoke about Ascend’s upcoming concert.
“I can’t believe I managed to get tickets!” Seul-gi exclaimed. “Olympic Hall, can you imagine? You guys have come so far!”
Byul-ho smiled at her words – it was hard not to find her energy contagious. “Thanks, Seul-gi. We’re really working to make it a g...
2024-08-14 10:23:59 +0000 UTC
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A week later, Byul-ho was in his office signing the final contracts for Mobs Club and Iniseu. He held the pen over the dotted line, then signed his name with a flourish. It felt good to accomplish something so tangible: Golden-Star Entertainment had just gotten deals for a total of fifty-eight million won.
Byul-ho called a meeting with his employees and Ascend members after he looked over the documents one more time. He knew everyone would be curious.
“I have some news,” he ...
2024-08-14 07:35:39 +0000 UTC
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Shinro started his recording studio, fixing up the lighting and camera angle. It had been a while since he uncovered his face to his YouTube viewers, and the effect was still reverberating through his fanbase.
He chuckled at the memory of the comments that came flooding in:
"OMG Yu-Gi-Oh is HOT?!"
"Wait, he's the CEO of KiShin?"
"From masked gamer to tech mogul... what a plot twist!"
As Shinro got ready to record, he thought about how this one truth had chan...
2024-08-14 04:30:56 +0000 UTC
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The following day, Ryan found Vito and Joe at a quiet booth in the back of a local diner. Sliding into the booth with them, Ryan’s face, normally stoic, carried a hint of a smile.
“Good job, boys,” he said softly, pushing two envelopes across the table. “The boss is happy. Real happy.”
Vito exchanged a quick glance with Joe before speaking up. “So it worked then?”
Ryan nodded as he took a sip of his coffee. “Like a charm. Clemente is pissed off and the Iri...
2024-08-14 01:36:57 +0000 UTC
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A woman, who appeared to be serious and in her sixties, began the proceedings. “We have Knight v. Weinstein today. This is a court of law, not a Hollywood show. I expect everyone here to act accordingly.”
Harvey’s lawyer was a slick man in an expensive suit. “My client denies everything Mr. Knight has said about him,” he said. “It’s just youth stardom trying to get attention by making up stories about my client.”
Lucas’ attorney stood next; she was sharp-eyed a...
2024-08-14 00:28:28 +0000 UTC
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As Byul-ho and the group entered the practice room, they were greeted by the sight of their coaches, who had arrived earlier and were waiting with a mix of concern and amusement on their faces.
"Well, well," the dance coach, Tae-hyun, said with a smirk. "Look who finally decided to join us. Rough night?"
The vocal coach, Mi-sook, shook her head, trying to hide her smile. "I hope you all learned a valuable lesson about celebrating responsibly."
The members had the decency ...
2024-08-13 05:33:58 +0000 UTC
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Min-ji's voice came through the line, clear and professional. "Good morning, Byul-ho-ssi. I'm calling about the endorsement we discussed last night."
Byul-ho felt a surge of surprise and tried to keep his tone measured. "I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised you're following up so quickly. I wasn't sure if you were entirely serious."
There was a brief pause before Min-ji responded, her voice taking on a slightly indignant tone. "I'm always serious when it comes to business matter...
2024-08-13 05:32:34 +0000 UTC
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A year had passed, and Los Angeles was thriving like never before. The city hummed with energy, its streets bustling with tourists from across the states or around the world. The new airport buzzed with activity, bringing in a constant stream of visitors eager to experience the glamour of Hollywood and the California sunshine.
But ask any local, and they'd tell you the real reason for the city's prosperity: the Lupo Family.
Eight months ago, the Lupo Family had stepped into the ...
2024-08-13 01:13:21 +0000 UTC
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In his plush office at Warner Bros., Vince Knight leaned back in his chair, his face a mask of irritation. He'd just received word that Lucas's manager had declined his offer of help.
"Goddamn stubborn kid," Vince muttered, tossing the report onto his desk.
His assistant, hovering nervously in the doorway, cleared her throat. "Should I arrange another call, sir? Maybe if you spoke to Lucas directly-"
"No," Vince snapped, cutting her off. "If he wants to be an idiot and fa...
2024-08-13 01:12:31 +0000 UTC
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As Min-ji stepped into the house, she could feel the tension in the air. Making her way to the dining room, she found her parents and, to her surprise, her elder brother waiting for her.
Her father's stern voice broke the silence. "Where have you been, Min-ji? We've been trying to reach you for hours."
Her mother chimed in, worry evident in her tone. "We were about to call the police, young lady."
Min-ji took a deep breath. "I'm sorry for worrying you. It was... business-...
2024-08-12 09:28:33 +0000 UTC
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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, a...
2024-08-12 09:26:26 +0000 UTC
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Weeks had passed, and the indie game studios that received KiShin's game engine were finally ready to showcase their creations. The first wave of these games hit the Tokyo market, with Japanese gamers approaching them with cautious optimism.
At a bustling game store in Akihabara, a group of friends browsed the new releases.
"Hey, check this out," one said, holding up a game case. "It's not by KiShin, but it's for their console."
His friend shrugged. "Eh, probably not as g...
2024-08-12 02:50:50 +0000 UTC
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After the dinner party at Lorenzo's mansion, Max took Noodles to one of the Lupo Family's clubs. The two sat at a quiet corner booth, nursing their drinks.
Max watched his old friend, noting the slump in his shoulders. "Listen, Noodles," he began, his voice gentle but firm. "I know it's tough, but you gotta move on. Deborah's got a different life now."
Noodles took a long swig of his whiskey, wincing slightly. "Yeah, I get it. It's just... seeing her like that. With the baby and...
2024-08-11 23:41:49 +0000 UTC
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