Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 476: Go An-Na (2)

Madam Lee Hong-Yeon of Club Lucy asked in a trembling voice, "No way... Are you actually going to hit a woman?"

I was left dumbfounded by Lee Hong-Yeon's words. This was coming from someone who had gone as far as mobilizing gangsters to threaten Go An-Na.

I replied, "Yeah. I believe in gender equality."

As I showed no sign of stopping, Lee Hong-Yeon hastily pulled out her phone. She was likely about to call Yeonseong gang, her powerful backers.

At that moment, I swiftly extended my clenched fist.

Thud.

The phone flew out of her hand and skidded far away, hitting the wall and shattering the screen completely.

Lee Hong-Yeon shrieked and stumbled backward before tripping over her own feet. "Aaaah!"

Thud.

Slumped on the floor, Lee Hong-Yeon scooted backward in a panic. "D-don't come closer!"

I walked toward Lee Hong-Yeon and raised my fist slightly. "Seriously?"

I had no actual intention of hitting her, but she needed to be scared enough to never dare to threaten Go An-Na again. Based on my past experiences, this was the kind of person Lee Hong-Yeon of Club Lucy was.

At that moment, I felt someone grab me from behind.

Go An-Na wrapped her arms tightly around me and said, "Yoon-Ho! Stop it! If you hit her, she'll die!"

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Her intervention was well-timed. This seemed like a good place to wrap up the act.

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "Alright. I won't hit her."

"Really? You promise you won't hit her?"

"Yeah, I promise."

Only then did Go An-Na release her arms.

"But An-Na, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But hold on a moment."

After calming me down, Go An-Na approached Lee Hong-Yeon, who was still sitting on the ground.

Lee Hong-Yeon stammered with her voice trembling as she tried to justify herself. "A-An-Na, I didn't do this because I wanted to. It's true!"

Go An-Na nodded slightly. "I understand, unnie. You must have been pressured by someone with power as well. I get it."

Lee Hong-Yeon's expression brightened. "Y-Yeah. That's right. A VIP who was coming today told me to bring you here. I had no choice. I'm really sorry."

Go An-Na asked in a sharp tone, "I see. But unnie, who exactly is this VIP who wanted me at Lucy?"

Lee Hong-Yeon flinched and clamped her mouth shut. "I-I can't say."

Go An-Na pressed. "Why not?"

"No matter what else I tell you, you know I can't reveal anything about VIPs. You understand that."

At Club Lucy, true VIPs were exceptions to all rules. Disclosing their identities or actions could mean not just the club shutting down, but also grave repercussions for Lee Hong-Yeon herself.

Lee Hong-Yeon clasped her hands together and offered an alternative. "I'm sorry. Instead, let me make it up to you with money..."

Before she could finish, Go An-Na's expression turned cold. At that moment, she slapped Lee Hong-Yeon across the face with all her strength.

Smack!

Lee Hong-Yeon's face whipped to the side from the slap and her expression dazed. But Go An-Na's hand didn't stop there.

Smack!

A second slap landed on the opposite cheek. Blood trickled down Lee Hong-Yeon's nose as a result of the consecutive strikes.

Suddenly, Go An-Na grabbed Lee Hong-Yeon by the collar and shouted at the top of her lungs. "Tell me! Who the hell is the son of a bitch that told you to keep me here?!"

Go An-Na's fury was fueled by the fact that her younger sister's life had been threatened, leaving her consumed with rage.

Lee Hong-Yeon croaked and her face turned red as she struggled to breathe with Go An-Na gripping her collar tightly. "Gah! A-An-Na!"

The situation had completely reversed from when I had been confronting Lee Hong-Yeon earlier.

I quickly stepped in to stop Go An-Na. "An-Na, stop it!"

But Go An-Na didn't listen and shook Lee Hong-Yeon even harder. "Let go. Let go of me!"

I desperately grabbed Go An-Na's hands and shouted, "An-Na, leave it to me. I'll take care of that VIP bastard and Lee Hong-Yeon. I'll handle everything!"

Go An-Na looked at me with teary eyes. "Really? Yoon-Ho, do you mean it? If anything happens to Yoo-Na..."

"Nothing will happen to her. I promise. Now, let go of her."

At this, Go An-Na reluctantly let go of Lee Hong-Yeon.

Thud.

Lee Hong-Yeon clutched her throat and gasped for air. "Cough, cough!"

As I consoled the sobbing Go An-Na, I turned to Lee Hong-Yeon and said, "Madam. Unless you want things to get worse, tell us who that VIP was that insisted on bringing An-Na here."

Lee Hong-Yeon stammered, "I...I can't!"

I replied, motioning toward the sound of footsteps echoing from the emergency exit. "You'd better. Don't you hear that?"

Thump, thump, thump.

That's when a deep, booming voice called out, "Team Lead Jung! Are you alright?"

"Over here!"

Hearing my voice, Choi Yung-Ho hastened his steps. Entering through the emergency exit, he glanced at the four unconscious men sprawled near the entrance and barked orders to his men. "Tie them up."

"Yes, sir."

After issuing his commands, Choi Yung-Ho walked confidently toward us.

Lee Hong-Yeon's eyes widened in shock as she recognized him. "Mr. Choi...?"

Choi Yung-Ho said with mock sympathy, "Madam Lee, your face looks like a complete mess."

Lee Hong-Yeon's expression was filled with confusion. "W-what are you doing here, Mr. Choi?"

Choi Yung-Ho raised his hand and said, "I'm not here today as the president of Daeheung Savings Bank. I'm here on orders from Mr. Choi Eun-Tae. Think carefully before you speak."

By invoking the name of Choi Eun-Tae, Choi Yung-Ho was making it clear that he was ready to resort to violence without hesitation as the leader of the Daeho gang.

The terrified Lee Hong-Yeon nodded quickly. She understood that no matter how powerful her backers in Yeonseong gang or her VIP were, no one would protect her now that Choi Eun-Tae's name had been brought into this.

Lee Hong-Yeon stammered, "I-I understand."

Choi Yung-Ho nodded in approval. "Alright, then. What's the VIP's name?"

Lee Hong-Yeon closed her eyes tightly and blurted out, "It's Mr. Hong Sung-Beom!"

"Hong Sung-Beom? Are you talking about the fourth son of HK Inc?"

"Yes. That man registered as a VIP at our Club Lucy a month ago. He saw An-Na and became infatuated, demanding that I bring her here today no matter what."

Hong Sung-Beom was notorious for his behavior. On the verge of being promoted to the head of HK Apparel, he had previously attempted to recruit Yoo-Jin as an advertising model. But his true motive was to exploit actresses, a fact he was infamous for.

And now, he has appeared again targeting my friend, Go An-Na, instead of Yoo-Jin.

'I guess this is what you would call a bad fate.'

Choi Yung-Ho patted my shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry too much. Mr. Choi specifically instructed us to clean this up thoroughly."

I replied firmly, "No, I'll handle him myself."

"You will?"

If Choi Eun-Tae directly went after HK Inc, the situation would escalate out of control. A major player in the Myeongdong private loan market going head-to-head with the 12th largest corporation in the country would surely draw the attention of both the government and the prosecution.

It was far better for me to use the power of the planner to take down Hong Sung-Beom quietly.

"Just cover this area for me, Mr. Choi. That's all I ask."

"Will that be enough?"

"Yes, sir."

Choi Yung-Ho nodded before casting a cold gaze toward Lee Hong-Yeon. "Alright then."

Lee Hong-Yeon panicked and blurted out, "I swear! I'll never contact An-Na again! I'll even close down Club Lucy! I mean it! Please believe me!"

Choi Yung-Ho pulled out his phone and said, "Make that promise again. But this time, directly to Mr. Choi Eun-Tae."

Lee Hong-Yeon clenched her eyes shut and nodded frantically. "A-alright."

Choi Yung-Ho dialed Choi Eun-Tae on speakerphone.

-Yung-Ho? How did it go?

"Team Lead Jung has already cleaned up the scene."

-Hah, that kid. I was going to use this as an excuse to lend him a hand and score some points, but I guess that's off the table. Ha ha.

After hearing the situation, Choi Eun-Tae called out to Lee Hong-Yeon.

-Madam Lee. Are you there?

Lee Hong-Yeon, her face swollen and both nostrils stuffed with tissues, replied.

"Yes, Mr. Choi..."

-Hmm? What's wrong with your voice?

"I-it's nothing..."

-Tsk, tsk. Got roughed up, did you? Well, you have to own up to yourself. Now, empty the place by today.

"T-today? But it'll take at least a few days just to clear everything out..."

-Don't try to outsmart me, Madam Lee. I'll buy out the club myself. And don't even think about contacting President Jang from Yeonseong gang. I'll handle him too.

"...Understood, sir."

-And one last thing just to be clear. Don't show your face near Miss An-Na again, not even by mistake. Next time, it won't end so nicely. Do you understand?

Lee Hong-Yeon shuddered visibly as she imagined what would happen if she crossed Choi Eun-Tae again.

Lee Hong-Yeon exclaimed, dropping to her knees and pleading desperately.

"I-I'll stay far away, Mr. Choi. I'll even leave the country!"

It seemed like I didn't need to worry anymore. After expressing my gratitude to Choi Eun-Tae, I asked Choi Yung-Ho to handle the cleanup and left Club Lucy with Go An-Na.

It was the same place Go An-Na had been unable to escape before the regression, but now she was free.

***

After finishing his work in his office, Hong Sung-Beom rose from his chair and prepared to head to Club Lucy.

"I hope the madam prepared everything properly..."

Just then, the door burst open and his secretary, Kim Seung-Moon, rushed in. "Mr. Hong, Club Lucy has shut down."

"Huh? What nonsense are you spouting? That place is thriving. Why would it shut down?"

"I just got a call from Madam Lee Hong-Yeon. She said the police raided the place."

"The police?"

"Yes. The frontman took the fall and got arrested, while the madam barely managed to escape. She said she's going into hiding."

"Damn it! Why today of all days?!"

Hong Sung-Beom had planned to make Go An-Na his tonight, going as far as giving special instructions to bring her in. But now, he had learned the club had shut down.

Kim Seung-Moon said, "I'm sorry, sir."

"Sorry? Is that it? Figure something out!"

"I've made a reservation at VIP Club Rose instead. I'll arrange for you to go there..."

Before he could finish, Hong Sung-Beom strode up and punched Kim Seung-Moon in the chest.

Thud!

Kim Seung-Moon collapsed to his knees and clutched his chest. "Ugh..."

"Listen, you idiot. Do you think I'm drinking for fun? What about Go An-Na? What am I supposed to do about not bringing her here tonight?!"

Kim Seung-Moon crouched on the floor as he struggled to catch his breath. "Gah..."

Hong Sung-Beom barked. "Hey, stop exaggerating and get up! I didn't even hit you that hard!"

Despite his words, the pain spreading across Kim Seung-Moon's chest left him disoriented. But he had no choice but to get up. Knowing Hong Sung-Beom's short temper, he feared another punch or even a kick if he stayed down too long.

Panting heavily, Kim Seung-Moon slowly pushed himself to his feet. "I-I'm sorry..."

"Forget your apologies. You know where that An-Na girl lives, don't you?"

After a brief hesitation, Kim Seung-Moon gave a reluctant nod.

Hong Sung-Beom clicked his tongue in irritation. "Fuck it. I'll just go visit her myself. Lead the way!"

The shocked Kim Seung-Moon grabbed Hong Sung-Beom's arm. "Mr. Hong. With your promotion to president coming up soon, you should really exercise caution..."

Hong Sung-Beom shot Kim Seung-Moon a chilling glare. "Let go of me. Do you want to die, you little bastard?"

Startled, Kim Seung-Moon quickly released his grip. "S-sorry, sir."

"This is your final warning. Don't you ever lay a hand on me again. Got it?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"What are you waiting for? Move!"

Clutching his aching chest, Kim Seung-Moon had no choice but to lead the way toward the elevator.

***

After safely bringing Go An-Na home, I gathered Go Yoo-Na, Lee Soo-Chan and the other boys. Together, we headed to a nearby Korean barbecue restaurant near Go An-Na's house.

As we were eating, Lee Soo-Chan wasted no time in making a proposal to Go An-Na after hearing about what happened at Club Lucy. "Noona, how about debuting as a celebrity at our company?"

But Go An-Na drew the line at once. "I appreciate the thought, but no. Someone like me, who worked at a club, becoming a celebrity? That's ridiculous."

"You'd be surprised how many celebrities have erased their pasts and started fresh. We'd handle all the cleanup for you, so you wouldn't need to worry..."

Go An-Na shook her head firmly. "No, I don't want to burden you guys with something like that. Besides, I never wanted to be a celebrity in the first place."

While Lee Soo-Chan was right that there were plenty in the industry with more scandalous pasts, Go An-Na didn't want to impose.

After observing quietly for a while, I offered an alternative. "Then how about becoming a stylist?"

Go An-Na turned her head toward me. "A stylist?"

"Yeah. You already handle your own makeup and outfits, right?"

Go An-Na had always done her own styling even while working at the club to save money. She would scour Dongdaemun and small boutiques for affordable and high-quality items. She also handpicked her accessories from budget shops, yet people often mistook her looks for high-end designer fashion.

Her sense of style was undeniable.

Go An-Na showed interest and said, "That... might work."

At that moment, Lee Soo-Chan chimed in enthusiastically. "Great! Then come work as a stylist for our company, noona. We've been struggling without one!"

Go An-Na asked cautiously, "Do you think I can actually do it?"

Lee Soo-Chan replied without hesitation, "Absolutely!"

I smiled and added, "You can start by learning from Assistant Manager Lee Mi-Ri and Assistant Manager Yang So-Ri about styling. I'll talk to them for you."

Go An-Na looked between Lee Soo-Chan and I before slowly nodding. "Alright. I'll give it a try. And... thank you, both of you."

The excited Lee Soo-Chan even suggested Go An-Na move into the company housing right away, joking that it was punishment for having cut off contact with everyone for so long.

'That kid's thrilled.'

Looking back, I remembered how much Lee Soo-Chan had liked the kind-hearted Go An-Na since we were kids.

Thanks to this, Go An-Na was finally free from the club she had wanted to escape for so long and began a new chapter as a stylist for Reverse Entertainment.

***

After the dinner, I walked Go An-Na and Go Yoo-Na home.

Even though Choi Eun-Tae had taken care of the Club Lucy situation, I couldn't shake the worry that someone from there might show up at their house. Go An-Na insisted she would be fine, but I couldn't relax until I checked her door lock and the security bars on her windows.

While I was doing that, Go An-Na went to the kitchen and returned with a cold drink. "Here, drink this before you go."

"Thanks. And if anything happens, call me or Soo-Chan right away."

"Alright."

As I finished the drink and turned to leave, Go An-Na stopped me again. "Thank you, Yoon-Ho. Honestly, if it weren't for you..."

"Come on. You know there's no need for thanks between us. Just one is enough. Instead, call Mom. She must be worried."

Go An-Na wiped the tears gathering at the corner of her eyes and nodded. "Okay."

But at that moment, the doorbell rang.

Ding dong.

I asked, "An-Na, were you expecting someone at this hour? It's already 11 p.m"

"No, I wasn't."

A bad feeling crept up my spine.

'Could it be someone from Yeonseong gang sent to her house?'

"Hold on. Stay quiet."

I pressed the button for the intercom screen. On the monitor appeared none other than Hong Sung-Beom, the fourth son of HK Inc, along with his secretary, Kim Seung-Moon.

'These bastards came all the way to her house now?'

The same men who had tried to trap Go An-Na at Club Lucy had now shown up on her doorstep. I had already planned to deal with Hong Sung-Beom eventually, so this seemed like a golden opportunity.

"An-Na, go to your room."

Go An-Na's voice trembled as she responded. "No, I'll stay here."

"No. Listen to me. Go into your room, lock the door, and stay quiet like no one's home."

"Fine. But I'm calling the police if anything seems dangerous. Got it?"

"Alright."

Go An-Na headed to her room after much hesitation, pulling Go Yoo-Na in with her and covering her mouth to keep her quiet.

I turned on the video recording function on my phone and placed it on top of the shoe cabinet.

'Let's end this bad fate between us here and now, Hong Sung-Beom.'

Determined to bring Hong Sung-Beom down, I slowly opened the door.