"... You're saying sales went up 1,300% just because you brought in a couple of new live performers? You're joking, right?"

"Can you look at all these customers and still call it a joke?"

Kim Seung-jun looked around. The live music café had filled with customers before he knew it, and he swallowed hard. Compared to his previous visits, when the place had been as deserted as a school library during vacation, the sight certainly suggested an enormous jump in sales. That was why he'd guessed 300%. He hadn't expected a figure in an entirely different league. Even Kim, who had introduced Eugene to the café, wondered if Mr. Jeong was exaggerating.

As though sensing his doubt, Mr. Jeong chuckled. "Besides, if those two were nothing more than 'a couple of new live performers,' you wouldn't have introduced Miss Eugene to me or come by every day trying to persuade them."

"Well..."

"Am I wrong?"

"..."

Kim fell silent, and not only because Mr. Jeong had hit the mark. Limon had finally finished tuning his guitar. He plucked the strings, and their performance began.

Don't look at me—

A husky voice rang out, and a paradoxical silence fell over the café. Conversation, the clatter of dishes, the sound of people drinking—even the sound of breathing—all vanished. The guitar and song filled that silent space, yet somehow seemed no louder than a whisper. It was a scene more like a skill than any actual skill. Their music held the power to make listeners forget to breathe as they gave it their full attention.

"Seung-jun."

"Yes, sir?"

"I've left that business behind, so it isn't really my place to say this. But as your senior, let me give you one piece of advice."

Mr. Jeong watched the two onstage with a complicated look, moved as though he'd discovered uncut gems and disappointed that he couldn't polish them himself. He continued quietly, "You have to sign those two. If you let them get away, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

"I know." Anyone with ears would. Kim nodded in agreement and let out a small sigh. "The problem is, they're the ones who don't know it."

If they debuted, they'd become an instant sensation, and in the long run, they had more than enough potential to become world-class musicians. But one was utterly indifferent, while the other refused so adamantly she might as well have been allergic to television. Just thinking about how to persuade them left him at a loss.

"Huh? Hey, isn't that the bastard?"

"What bastard?"

Mr. Jeong was looking toward the café entrance. Already consumed by his worries, Kim made his lack of interest obvious and merely glanced that way. But the moment he turned and saw whom Mr. Jeong meant—

"You know, Chief Moon from the WIM Guild. The one you said screwed up your show."

"...!"

Kim's eyes blazed.

* * *

"Whew. That was some good soul today, too."

"Give it a rest. Are you planning to sing until dawn again?"

"I'd love to!"

"Well, I wouldn't, you music maniac."

It took Limon and Eugene a long time to come offstage. Encore requests had poured in one after another, and Eugene had happily sung for each one. It was fortunate Limon had virtually limitless stamina and Eugene seemed incapable of tiring. An ordinary musician would have collapsed long ago.

"What? What's with the atmosphere?"

Once they were offstage, Limon looked suspicious. Ordinarily, Kim Seung-jun would have praised their incredible talent and used it as a lead-in to yet another pitch to sign up for his show. But it wasn't only the sour look on Kim's face that caught Limon's attention. A stranger was sitting across from him.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP.

"I enjoyed your performance. Your singing was truly distinctive, and the accompaniment was excellent."

The man sat with his legs crossed, spoke as though he were assessing them, and even wore sunglasses indoors. Everything about him brought out the curmudgeon in Limon, who was something of a curmudgeon himself. He frowned.

"Who are you to act like you know us?"

"Hm? You don't know who I am?"

"Should I?"

"Ah, my apologies. These days, everyone in the industry knows me, you see."

The man let out a hearty laugh, as if it had never occurred to him that a musician could be such a bumpkin as not to know him. He took two business cards from his pocket and slid them across the table. "Forgive the late introduction. My name is Moon Cheon-yeop, and I'm a chief at the entertainment guild WIM."

"Hm?"

Limon narrowed his eyes. It certainly wasn't because he had belatedly recognized Moon Cheon-yeop. He hadn't even bothered to remember the name of the president in this era; there was no way he'd know some chief at an entertainment guild. Something else had come to mind, though.

"Chief Moon? The manager of that singer Claire?"

"Ha ha! Claire is certainly the most famous of the singers I manage."

Moon puffed up with pride. Limon couldn't help giving him an odd look, while Yu Na-gyeong muttered from atop his head.

["Now I see why Producer Kim looks so sour."]

'He's showing remarkable restraint. I'd have punched the bastard by now.'

["That's only possible for someone as reckless with his life as you, Team Leader."]

'Want me to make your next life a reckless one too?'

As Limon bantered with Yu Na-gyeong in his head, Eugene spoke up.

She had looked unimpressed ever since she'd seen Moon's business card. "What's a singer's manager want with us?"

"I'd heard there were some remarkable musicians here, so I thought I'd come take a look... Having seen you both, I must say you exceeded my expectations."

"Did we?"

"Ahem. Of course, I can see areas that need work. But with steady guidance from professionals at a proper entertainment guild, I'm sure those can be addressed."

Moon nodded as though the two were impressive for unknown musicians. Watching him, Limon tilted his head. "A proper entertainment guild... You mean somewhere like WIM?"

"Ha ha! I don't mean to brag, but there isn't an entertainment guild more professional than WIM."

Moon went on bragging despite his disclaimer.

It was Kim Seung-jun, whose expression had been sour throughout, who challenged him. "Does a proper guild suddenly pull out of a show it already agreed to appear on?"

"Now, please refrain from saying things that might give people the wrong idea. If someone from KTB makes false accusations against our guild, a lot of people could find themselves in trouble, couldn't they?"

Kim's face twitched. It might be different for a terrestrial network or a cable channel with some name recognition. But if a huge entertainment guild like WIM sued a small broadcaster like KTB, which was already on the verge of collapse, the show he was preparing would be finished—and the entire station might go under. Though Kim was more likely to be fired before that happened.

"At any rate, from what Producer Kim tells me, neither of you has an agency at present. How would you feel about signing with WIM?"

Having brushed the obstacle aside, Moon continued triumphantly, like a general who had won a battle. "I looked into your situation, and it seems you've been terribly exploited here."

"No, that's—"

"Come now, Producer Kim. If you have a conscience, please stay quiet. How could a producer like you stand by and let such an unfair contract continue?"

"..."

Kim looked aggrieved. The odd terms of Eugene's employment were exactly what she had wanted. He and Mr. Jeong had tried so hard to draw up a fair contract they'd practically foamed at the mouth, only for Limon and Eugene to ignore them completely. But Moon, who couldn't have known any of that, pressed his offer with confidence.

"If you sign with us, you'll never have to come to a shabby place like this again. I promise you the best terms and performances on the finest stages."

"The finest stages?"

"Yes. A terrestrial network would be preferable, but if you aren't particular, I can get you on cable right away."

Moon paused, glanced at Kim, and smiled pointedly. "As it happens, I know a producer who's looking for a replacement act for his show."

'That bastard, Chief Moon...!'

Kim swallowed a groan. He understood the offer: help persuade the two, and Moon would put them on his show. First a threat, and now a carrot. It was an obvious maneuver, but with the fate of both his show and KTB hanging by a thread, Kim had little choice. No wonder Moon was called the power behind the WIM Guild.

'It's not going to go your way!'

Kim smiled to himself instead. He could already see what was coming.

"And as for the signing bonus..."

"Don't need it."

"Pardon?"

"Money. Contract. Don't need either. Go."

The instant Eugene heard "signing bonus," she screwed up her face as if she'd seen something filthy and ordered him out.

"Hm. I appreciate the offer, but we're not interested in that sort of thing. The exit's over there."

Limon merely shrugged and casually pointed him toward the door.

"No, wait. What is this...?"

Moon stared in disbelief, opening and closing his mouth without finding a word to say. Kim struggled not to burst out laughing.

Money or a bigger stage—if either of those could sway the two, Kim wouldn't have been working so hard himself. And there was Moon, strutting around like an idiot only to get rejected!

"Come now. Do you even understand what you're turning down? This is an offer from the WIM Guild. The WIM Guild!"

"So what?"

"WIM? What's that?"

"..."

Limon and Eugene treated the name of the country's leading entertainment guild as though it were some nobody they'd never heard of. Perhaps Moon had finally realized that the two didn't think like ordinary people. His face flushed with anger.

"... Very well. It seems I was too hasty today. We can discuss this another time."

Perhaps he realized he couldn't get anywhere like this. Or perhaps he simply couldn't bear the humiliation. Moon left, trying to appear calm but unable to hide the anger in his stride. Kim finally laughed out loud. After a while, he managed to stop, cleared his throat, and studied the two.

"Ahem! I'm relieved things turned out this way, but are you two really going to be all right?"

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"The WIM Guild has a great deal of influence. If Chief Moon puts his mind to it, he could even keep you from ever making your debut..."

"Why would that matter?"

"We have no intention of debuting."

"Ah. Right. Of course you don't."

Kim gave them a wry smile. Neither had wavered in the slightest. It had been satisfying to see Moon humiliated, but it also reminded him how hard it would be to recruit Limon and Eugene himself.

"Still, be careful. I've heard Chief Moon will do whatever it takes to get his way."

"I don't know what tricks that obnoxious bastard has up his sleeve, but I doubt I need to be careful."

Limon chuckled. Resting his chin on one hand, he added playfully, "My fiancée has quite a bit of money."