Chapter 314 - 11.6
"Jay, Mr. Lee Yongsun wants to meet you, be good because this might be our most potential sponsor!"
Everyone was stunned by the sudden news, but the one who was stunned the most was Haneul. Well, to be more specific, Yunyu was shocked to the bone.
[Wait, wait, wait, wait! Did I hear it wrong? Lee Yongsun picked Jay instead of me?!]
[Pupa: You heard it right.]
[But I am obviously so charming on the stage, why did he not pick me?! Did I do something wrong?]
[Pupa: Maybe because Jay is more charming than you. If I am a human, I'd definitely Pick Jay over you, of course.]
[Unacceptable, this is unacceptable!]
Pupa was enjoying Yunyu's inner mental breakdown. This was the first time the master of the world did not have a slight interest in Yunyu. Not even hatred, just a total nonchalant, which was refreshing to see.
Jay was stunned. He glanced at Han, who also had the same expression, "Hyung…" Jay asked, unsure if he needed to go or not. Because truthfully, he didn't like that Lee Yongsun guy a bit. He hated that guy for his arrogance, in fact.
And he was sure that Lee Yongsun was up to no good by calling him like this.
Han hurriedly fixed his expression and patted Jay's back, "Jay, your performance is indeed incredible, your breakdance is amazing, Mr. Lee must be amazed by your work. Go meet him. Maybe he will give our group something good, okay?"
Jay was hesitant. Honestly, if it was not because of Han Hyun's persuasion, he wouldn't even think twice about rejecting the offer. But Han Hyun knew the best. That was what Jay had in his heart.
Thus, he braced himself and nodded, "Okay, Hyung. Since you say so."
Jay followed Lee Yongsun's subordinate to leave the backstage and went to the room reserved for Mr. Lee Yongsun.
"Hyung, do you think everything will be alright?" Kyong asked Han.
"Hm? Why?"
"Because…" Kyong wanted to say that Jay seemed to hate Mr. Lee, but if Mr. Lee Yongsun wanted to do anything with Jay, as long as he said it, then Jay would definitely fall into Mr. Lee's hand.
'What if Mr. Lee Yongsun does something unscrupulous to Jay Hyung? Han Hyung will definitely be heartbroken…"
"N—Nothing, Hyung," Kyong shook his head and joined Taeyang and Taesa to rest in their space. Kyong glanced at Han Hyung, who stood alone, watching Jay Hyung's back getting farther from him.
'Poor Han Hyung…'
[NOOOOOOO!!!]
[Pupa: What? Why are you screaming? You are so loud, you know that, right?]
[I just… I can't accept this! How could my gorgeous, handsome, beautiful, amazing, charming self get beaten by Jay?! I bet they will be doing the *BEEP* and *BEEP* while *BEEP* without me! Goddamn this, I'm so envious!]
[Pupa: And half an hour ago, you are worried that Jay might be heartbroken if you got summoned by Lee Yongsun, now you are envious of him. You are so unreliable.]
[That was because I don't want to break Jay's heart! Now I am the one who got brokenhearted instead!]
***
Jay followed the subordinate to a room with an expensive rug beneath their shoes. The subordinate walked behind a partition and then returned to Jay, "Mr. Lee Yongsun wants to meet you."
Jay clenched his fist for a moment. He knew this guy was up to no good. But this was for his group… and his beloved Han Hyung.
Jay took a deep breath and walked behind the partition.
Mr. Lee Yongsun was sitting on a velvet chair. He crossed his leg while he lit up his cigarette. He smoked once and blew up the smoke. His imposing and intimidating figure could really scare people or at least made them tense.
"I heard you call me, Sir," Jay asked, neither arrogant nor humble. Jay didn't want to be looked down and underestimated by this guy.
Lee Yongsun chuckled mirthlessly when Jay seemed trying to challenge his authority.
"I see that you have no ounce of respect to me. Do you know that I can make or break your group? I am Lee Yongsun, the new chairman of Lee group, and also the highest investor of many music companies in this cutthroat industry."
"…" Jay said nothing, but he acknowledged this as a threat.
Lee Yongsun looked at Jay from his head down to his shoes. "You have a great body as an idol, very potential, probably the one with the most potential out of the bunch in this generation. But without my help, you will just be another random idol destined to fail."
Jay clenched his fist, "My group will definitely make it to the top!" He said emotionally. His mind was filled with Han Hyung right now. Han Hyung would definitely feel sad if someone told him that his group wouldn't succeed.
Because Han Hyung worked too hard for the group to the point of exhaustion.
Lee Yongsun was not surprised by such youth idealism. Of course, he knew how it ended for most of them.
Either drown in depression and failure or worked to death but still had nothing when they were older and unfit as an idol, leaving an empty carcass of a bitter man who regretted his young life.
"Listen, kid. I'm here not to argue with you and your empty dream," Lee Yongsun smoked his cigarette again and continued, "I don't want to waste my time circling around with your useless ideal. What I want to say here is… I will sponsor you, but only you as a solo artist. I will take 30% of your earning as a solo artist, but 70% of your earning will be given to your company with a strict rule for your company to use that money to develop your group."
"After your five years contract with them ends, then you will be coming with me and debut as a full time solo artist in my company."
Jay was silenced as he didn't know what to react. This was abrupt, too abrupt for him, in fact. He thought Lee Yongsun would just ridicule him and his group. So he came with full prejudice.
But maybe, Mr. Lee Yongsun was not as bad as he looked.
"Is this… for real?" Jay asked, unsure. He started to imagine the happy face of Han Hyung because if he got successful with this solo project, he could bring more popularity for their group and could also provide for their group. So, Han Hyung could rest and stopped doing his part time job.
"I am not someone you can joke around, Im Jaehwa," Lee Yongsun said with a mysterious grin. "I will give you the best sponsorship you can have in this industry, with full access to the best dance instructors, music produces, stage directors. But you need to succeed. Because with all these privileges, if you fail, that is just because you are not good enough."
"If you don't succeed, though…" Lee Yongsun's mysterious grin turned into a smirk.
"I will have to get my investment back, and your body, I can sell you to some of my colleagues as a male prostitute. I'm sure they will pay a lot for your service."