Jihoon sat across from Lee Sooman in his spacious, well-lit office.
The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the faint aroma of paper and ink from the script Lee Sooman was reading.
The old man leaned back in his chair, his eyes moving over each page with the sharp focus of an eagle, catching every detail with practiced precision.
Silence hung between them.
Jihoon, as relaxed as ever, took a slow sip of his coffee, casually observing the old man's reaction.
He couldn't help but wonder—could a music producer truly grasp the nuances of the script? To make things easier, he had also included a storyboard, ensuring that every scene was visually laid out for better understanding.
Meanwhile, Lee Sooman remained fully engrossed in the script, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his chair as he read, deep in thought.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lee Sooman exhaled a small sigh, closed the script, and placed it gently on the table.
He tapped his fingers on the cover before meeting Jihoon's gaze.
"It's a good script," Lee Sooman admitted, his tone thoughtful. "It pulled me in right from the start. The pacing, the structure—it's all solid. But if I were to compare it to your last film..."
He hesitated for a moment, carefully considering his next words. "Honestly, this one falls a step below your usual standard."
Jihoon arched an eyebrow and set his coffee cup down with a soft clink.
Lee Sooman continued, "Your last film had a certain artistry to it—layered and thought-provoking. It can make people stop and reflect when watching it."
"While this one still has that same intellectual spark, but something feels different. It seems to lack the same depth, that artistic essence that made your previous work stand out."
Jihoon smirked, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed casually.
"That's because it is different," he said smoothly. "The last film was made for awards. This one? It's made for the box office."
Lee Sooman blinked, then let out a short chuckle as realization dawned on him. "Ah… Now I get it!"
He snapped his fingers and nodded. "That's it! It's missing that pure cinematic artistry—the kind you'd expect from a festival film."
"Exactly," Jihoon confirmed, his smile widening. "It's our strategic shift."
"JH Entertainment isn't just about making prestige films. We also need to focus on profitability."
"That's why directors at JH will have a choice. They can start with a commercial film and follow it up with an artistic one, or vice versa. But either way, they need to show they can deliver a profitable movie, not just a work of art."
Lee Sooman hummed in understanding. "So you're alternating between artistic integrity and commercial success… Interesting. That way, they don't get boxed into just one style."
Jihoon nodded. "We need to secure our financial standing first. A critically acclaimed film is great, but it doesn't always bring in the numbers."
"Commercial films, on the other hand, generate revenue that allows us to take bigger risks on artistic projects later."
Lee Sooman grinned. "Smart. You're balancing both worlds—blockbuster appeal and critical recognition."
Jihoon raised his coffee cup in a mock toast. "Bingo. Gotta play the long game."
Lee Sooman chuckled softly, shaking his head as he looked at Jihoon.
"You really are something, Jihoon," he said with amusement.
"Most directors either chase awards or chase money. But… Let me guess, all of this is Jaehyun's plan right?"
Jihoon was about to take a sip of his coffee, his calm and confident demeanor fully intact.
But at Lee Sooman's words, his hand froze mid-air. The question hit him like a subtle punch, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to thicken.
He paused, letting the weight of embarrassment sink in.
Jihoon set the cup down slowly, the porcelain making a soft clink as it met the saucer.
He leaned back, the familiar smirk returning to his lips. Without shame, he said, "I paid him to do his job," his tone cool. "As long as JH is my company, his decisions are mine too."
His eyes met Lee Sooman's, steady and unflinching. "It's not just about making movies anymore," he continued, his voice steady and unwavering. "It's about building an empire."
Lee Sooman's face shifted, his amusement quickly replaced by a sneer. He shook his head, unimpressed. "Capitalism," he muttered under his breath, the word dripping with disdain.
Jihoon's smile didn't falter.
He leaned forward slightly, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Says the man who built a factory-like entertainment empire," Jihoon shot back, raising an eyebrow. "You're the king of it, aren't you?"
Before Lee Sooman could even think of a response, Jihoon's eyes sparkled with amusement. "At least my employees are of legal age. Not like yours. They're still underage, and you—"
He let the pause hang in the air. "You're breaking child labor laws, Mr. Lee Sooman. How do you explain that?" Jihoon said, sounding like a prosecutor grilling a suspect in an interrogation room.
The words landed like an unexpected plot twist. Lee Sooman's face turned crimson with fury, his hands clenching into fists, the script he was holding crumpling in his grasp.
"YA!" Lee Sooman bellowed, his voice booming as he hurled the script at Jihoon.
The paper slapped the table with a sharp thud, then fluttered to the floor like an angry bird trying to escape.
"Don't you dare spread rumors like that!" he shouted, his face turning an even deeper shade of red.
"It's not labor, Jihoon! We're training those kids to be idols! There's nothing wrong with it!"
Lee Sooman knew that, legally, it was allowed in Korea to train kids from a young age for the entertainment industry.
But ethically? That was a different story. If the public ever started questioning this practice or raising concerns, SM would be facing a massive scandal that could bring everything crashing down.
Jihoon didn't even flinch. He stayed cool, leaning back in his chair with the calmest smile, almost as if he was watching a bad reality show. "Is that what you tell yourself every night?" he asked innocently, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"That it's fine because you train them? At the cost of their childhood, where they can't even have a normal kid life?"
Lee Sooman's nostrils flared, and his grip on the table tightened so much that his knuckles turned white.
"You and your mouth!" Lee Sooman snapped, his face a mixture of disbelief and fury. "I shouldn't have invited you here!"
Jihoon chuckled softly, shaking his head as if he'd just seen the funniest thing in the world. "Same here," he quipped.
"You brat!!" Lee Sooman exclaimed, his face twisted in frustration, his voice cracking with the force of his anger.
Both men locked eyes, their personalities clashing like fire and ice, the atmosphere simmering with Jihoon playful tension.
But deep down, they both knew this was just a game—an old, familiar one they had played countless times.
Neither of them was truly angry. It wasn't about winning or losing, but about getting under each other's skin for the sake of a good laugh.
Their rivalry, if anyone could even call it that, had evolved into something like an old friendship, a friendship beyod age.
Jihoon leaned back in his chair, the mischievous gleam in his eyes never fading as he watched Lee Sooman's frustration build.
He knew exactly how to push his buttons and loved every second of it. When the silence between them stretched long enough for Lee Sooman to finally give in, Jihoon couldn't help but smile.
"If that's it, you can get the fuck out of my office," Lee Sooman grumbled, throwing his hands up in mock defeat, clearly giving up on trying to maintain the upper hand.
Jihoon, however, seemed perfectly content to keep the charade going.
He casually glanced at his watch, feigning a sense of urgency. "What, no lunch?" he asked, his voice dripping with playful innocence, clearly enjoying the look of exasperation that crossed Lee Sooman's face.
Lee Sooman stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Ha! You've got the nerve to ask for a free lunch? What makes you think I'd feed you after all this?" he scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.
Jihoon shrugged nonchalantly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Just because I'm making you money," he said with an exaggerated wink, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Lee Sooman rolled his eyes dramatically, slapping his forehead with an exaggerated groan.
"I swear, I wish I'd never met you," he muttered, clearly at the end of his patience, though the hint of amusement in his voice betrayed him.
Jihoon, undeterred, shot him a mischievous grin. "Then SM would lose its money tree," he retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm and humor.
Lee Sooman rubbed his temples in exasperation, the exhaustion starting to catch up with him.
He was used to Jihoon's nonsense, but today seemed to push him to his limit. "Alright, alright. What do you want to eat?" he asked, already bracing himself for whatever ridiculous answer Jihoon was about to give.
Without hesitation, Jihoon leaned back in his chair, his expression smug. "Hanwoo. The expensive type," he replied, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to ask for a luxury meal.
Lee Sooman blinked, caught off guard by the sheer audacity of the request.
He stared at Jihoon, momentarily speechless. "Is this about the SNSD extortion?" he asked, a knowing glint in his eyes.
Jihoon chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.
"Who told you to be their boss? They're not making any money yet, so you're the one stuck paying their debt," he said, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Lee Sooman's eyes widened slightly as he recalled the rumors about Jihoon, the famous film director, being extorted by trainees.
The stories of him buying hanwoo and snacks worth over a thousand dollars had come from SNSD's trainers and managers, but he'd never confirmed them.
Now, seeing Jihoon looking a bit defeated, Lee Sooman couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction.
"Alright, fine," Lee Sooman said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'll pay their debt. But only if you keep quiet about it."
He stood up, signaling for Jihoon to follow him. "Let's go get lunch before I lose any more brain cells dealing with you."
Lee Sooman knew it was best not to confirm the rumors.
If they debut with this kind of scandal, SNSD's debut would be tarnished.
In the Korean entertainment industry, where newcomers had to prove themselves, any hint of disrespect or bad behavior could spark a storm of anti-fans. It was a risk he wasn't willing to take.
Jihoon grinned, enjoying every moment. "Oh, and you need to buy me some snacks too," he added nonchalantly, his tone almost playful. "The kind that costs a small fortune."
Lee Sooman shot him a glare, his patience clearly wearing thin.
"Although our surnames are both Lee, that doesn't make me your dad!" he snapped, shaking his head in disbelief at Jihoon's shamelessness.
They both stood up, bickering lightheartedly as they walked out of the office.
Their argument, as absurd as it was familiar, felt like the banter of old friends who couldn't resist poking fun at each other. As they walked out, the door clicked shut behind them, and the room fell into a quiet, almost eerie stillness.
The script Jihoon had brought earlier was left forgotten on the floor after Lee Sooman tossed it at him during their argument. Its cover was gently lit by the soft light streaming through the window.
The lights shined on the title of the book, 'Your Name.', which stared back at the room, its presence lingering in the silence.
But for now, neither of them cared. They had more important matters to argue about.
[Author's Note: Heartfelt thanks to Wandererlithe, RainPrint, Daoist098135 and DaoistaLrAXA for bestowing the power stone!]