Chapter 59

59. God Entertainment

The demon Seokgu took a step back in fear, assuming a horse-riding stance.

It was now Dad Mountain's turn, which he had been practicing diligently.

'Dad Mountain' is one of the ways fathers play with their children, where the child climbs up the father's body by holding hands with the father.

Seokgu often played Dad Mountain with his kindergarten-aged son at home.

In Seokgu's son's case, he would climb up his father's body to the top and then come down with a cool spin, guided by his father.

The points to be careful about when playing this game are—

First, when the child spins and comes down, the father must be careful to help them down.

And second—

Seokgu and Siwoo exchanged glances.

'This is it! Siwoo!'

'Yeah! I got it!'

Siwoo ran over.

Seokgu naturally extended his hands forward as if to block Siwoo's attack.

Siwoo firmly grabbed Seokgu's hands, placed his left foot on one of Seokgu's thighs, and was about to place his right foot on the other thigh—

Seokgu's body wobbled suddenly.

He had lost his balance by stepping on a protruding rock.

Seokgu barely managed to hold his ground.

Thud.

It happened in an instant.

Because Seokgu wobbled, the position of his body shifted slightly, causing Siwoo's foot to step on a different spot with force.

A different spot—

Siwoo's eyes widened in shock as he climbed up Seokgu's body.

The five-year-old Siwoo and the thirty-eight-year-old Seokgu communicated through their eyes.

'...I'm sorry, Uncle. I thought it was your thigh.'

'Yeah... It's okay, Siwoo. My son sometimes steps on me at home too.'

Seokgu let go of Siwoo's hands and instead held his body.

He couldn't bear it any longer.

His mission, while still conscious, was to safely put Siwoo down.

After setting Siwoo on the ground, Seokgu let out a scream.

'Gahaaaaa-!'

The pain was so intense that no sound came out of his mouth.

Crunch, crunch.

Seokgu's eyes began to tremble.

His muscles started to contract, and soon all the strength in his legs was gone.

Holding the spot where Siwoo had stepped, Seokgu staggered and collapsed on the ground.

...

The staff, Director Choi Min-cheol, Han Yoo-ri, who had been watching the action scene from the dirt ground with half-closed eyes, Hyun-ju, Ji-ho's mother, and Ji-yeon—

Everyone stood with their mouths slightly open, unable to say a word.

The set was quiet.

Even the birds in the trees seemed to sense the atmosphere and stopped chirping.

In the midst of the heavy silence, Siwoo slowly approached the seemingly lifeless Seokgu.

Siwoo squatted next to Seokgu and patted his back with his tiny hand.

Tap... tap tap tap...

Seokgu, in pain, held his breath and froze.

Siwoo...

cast healing magic generously.

On the way home.

Ji-ho's mother, who was driving, said:

"Siwoo was so cool today! With the CG effects, he'll look even better in the movie! I want to come and cheer for the next shoot too!"

"Hee~"

Siwoo smiled lightly while eating the kimbap he bought from a nearby snack shop.

Ji-yeon was alternately feeding kimbap to Siwoo and Ji-ho.

"When that martial arts director fell, I thought something really bad had happened. Didn't you, Siwoo's mom? I thought we'd have to call an ambulance."

"Pfff."

The kimbap in Siwoo's mouth flew out.

"It's okay, Siwoo. I'll clean it up for you."

Ji-yeon took out a tissue and wiped the car seat and Siwoo's mouth where the kimbap had fallen.

Seokgu, who had miraculously revived thanks to the healing magic, returned to the shoot unharmed.

The problem was what came next.

Director Choi Min-cheol, looking really apologetic, approached Seokgu and spoke carefully.

"You're a pro, and I'm a pro. How about we keep that scene? Honestly... as a human, we shouldn't, but it was kind of funny, right?"

"..."

Without any guarantee of appearing in the movie, Seokgu repeated the demon performance, where he was hit in a sensitive spot by Yama, over a dozen times.

Thinking about Seokgu's uncle's passionate performance, Siwoo turned his gaze out the car window.

'Acting... is really difficult.'

* * *

Two months later.

The cherry blossoms that had bloomed in abundance had withered, and the beautiful roses were in full bloom.

Siwoo, who had been attending the same kindergarten since he was three, played with Gyeong-ho and Jin-a, and enjoyed a peaceful daily life with Ji-ho in the neighborhood, riding kick scooters and tricycles.

One change since the action scene shoot was that Ji-ho, who had been nagging her mother to enroll in a taekwondo academy, had registered both children in a taekwondo academy.

Originally, Hyun-ju had considered sending Siwoo to a music academy, but thinking that three academies would be too much for a five-year-old, she decided to send him to a taekwondo academy and a Go academy for now.

The taekwondo academy, which was right below the Go academy.

Hyun-ju and Ji-ho's mother came to pick up the children.

The taekwondo master called out to Siwoo and Ji-ho.

"Siwoo! Ji-ho! Bow to your parents!"

The two cute five-year-old boys, dressed in their taekwondo uniforms, bowed to their mothers in unison.

"Ta-ae! Gyeon! Bow to your parents! Show respect!"

Paf!

Siwoo and Ji-ho made a neat and beautiful arm movement.

Hyun-ju and Ji-ho's mother couldn't help but smile widely at how adorable the children were.

Recently, the taekwondo academy was quite different from the ones Hyun-ju and Ji-ho's mother knew when they were young.

They often took the children on field trips to strawberry farms, sheep farms, and pizza-making experiences, and on weekend evenings, they held pizza and chicken parties at the taekwondo gym, point parties where children could buy toys with points they had accumulated, and various games, taking care of the children for a one-night, two-day stay.

"I don't know about other places, but they really take good care of the kids here. I should have sent them earlier."

"Sending them at five is early. They seem to let the kids play a lot."

Hyun-ju and Ji-ho's mother, who seemed to be the academy's promotional ambassadors, chatted as they entered the apartment complex.

Siwoo's kids' phone rang.

- Banana cha cha~ Banana cha cha~

It was Seung-hyun.

Siwoo answered the call.

"Brother~ Hi!"

"Hey! How's brother~?"

Siwoo smiled.

Why is he asking such a thing?

"Um... Um... I'm fine!"

"Okay!"

"No way~ It's a kids' phone~ Can't reach~"

A moment later, Hyun-ju's mobile phone rang.

"Hey, Seung-hyun. What's up?"

"Of course, I know."

Seung-hyun's mother had told him, and he had seen it in the news.

...But why bring it up now?

Seung-hyun's voice continued over the phone.

"Uh-huh?! If it's the CEO of God Entertainment... Shin Young-min CEO?!"

God Entertainment, which had abruptly acquired the medium-sized actor-specific entertainment company Seung-hyun originally belonged to, was one of the super-large entertainment companies, often referred to as one of the two major agencies.

Originally specializing in K-POP idols, God Entertainment had recently joined the actor acquisition and training race, not to be outdone by its rival, MGS Entertainment, which had started showing remarkable achievements in the acting department a few years ago.

On a Saturday morning in May, when there was no filming for "In the Name of God."

Seung-hyun and his manager came to pick up Siwoo and Hyun-ju.

A black van appeared in the apartment complex.

Hyun-ju, who was in the car, looked around and said to the manager:

"The car... seems to have changed?"

"Ah, God Entertainment gave new cars to the actors who joined. Since Seung-hyun is a minor, he got a van."

"All the actors?"

"Only the actors who have been in the industry for more than five years."

Siwoo thought.

'I debuted as Mr. Moonlight when I was one... so it's been four years? I've been in the industry for quite a while.'

By the time he's in his twenties, it will be almost 20 years since his debut.

That's incredible.

The car drove smoothly and safely to the God Entertainment headquarters in the heart of Gangnam.

"Wow... this is the famous..."

Hyun-ju couldn't hide her amazement at the God Entertainment building visible through the car window.

It was the birthplace of K-POP idols that were spreading worldwide.

"The building is really impressive."

The manager replied to Hyun-ju.

"Entertainment company buildings are usually quite luxurious, but God Entertainment and MSG... no, MGS Entertainment, are a bit extreme. If you go a little further, you'll see the MGS building. They've been glaring at each other for over 10 years."

Not only in scale, but the exterior of the building was also very shiny.

At the top of the building, the letters "G O D" were embedded like diamonds, shining brightly.

The building seemed to be shouting, "This is God Entertainment!"

The manager, who had parked the car in the underground parking lot, led Siwoo and Hyun-ju upstairs.

Siwoo and Hyun-ju, along with Seung-hyun, were gaping and looking around.

"Why are you amazed, brother? Isn't this your company?"

"Well, actually, it's my first time here. When I have work, I go to the old company's office."

This was partly because Seung-hyun's schedule had been busy and partly because the actor department of God Entertainment was not yet fully organized.

They were still relying on the staff and environment of the acquired actor companies.

When they reached the reception desk, an entertainment company employee came to greet them.

"You have an appointment with the CEO, right? Nice to meet you, Seung-hyun. And nice to meet you, Siwoo."

It was a beautiful female employee.

Siwoo and Seung-hyun held hands and bowed.

"You're about 40 minutes early. The CEO is still practicing. How about going up to the practice room and watching for a bit?"

Before Hyun-ju or the manager could answer, Siwoo raised his hand and said to the employee.

"Sure~!"

Watching the practice?

He was interested.

Siwoo held Seung-hyun's hand and went up to the 7th floor, where the practice rooms were located.

Following the employee's guidance, they opened the largest door at the end and entered the CEO Shin Young-min's private practice room.

Many people were dancing to the music, sweating.

"Wow~!"

Siwoo was captivated by the dancers' dazzling movements.

'Wow, this is more amazing than martial arts when seen in person?'

He already knew martial arts, but this was the first time he had seen such dancing.

Not just in this life, but in all his lives.

It was a fresh shock.

The man leading the many dancers, dancing at the front.

The man who had created one of the two major agencies, God Entertainment, and who, despite the many stars under his management, was the biggest star himself.

The king of the idol empire, who, at the age of forty, had been forced to debut internationally before his own idols.

Shin Young-min.

That was him.

Siwoo felt a strong aura from Young-min.

Not internal energy, but a very strong personal presence.

His presence was enormous.

"Is it okay for us to watch this?"

Hyun-ju asked the God Entertainment employee cautiously.

The employee nodded readily.

"Yes, of course. Since you're here for the music video, it's better to see it in person than just listen to an explanation later."

Siwoo and Seung-hyun sat on the chairs in the practice room and continued to watch the dancers.

Young-min... upon closer inspection, his dancing was not particularly outstanding compared to his presence.

However, his strong personality made his dancing stand out even more than the dancers.

After a while, the intense practice ended.

It was exactly 10 minutes before the scheduled meeting time with Siwoo.

Young-min, after shaking hands with each dancer and thanking them for their hard work, wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and walked over to where Siwoo was.

Young-min greeted Hyun-ju and Seung-hyun and sat down next to Siwoo.

When Siwoo turned his head, Young-min's... strong personality was waiting for him.

His dancing, his face, his business style—everything was a bundle of personality.

"Hi, do you know who I am?"

Siwoo said to Young-min with a smile.

"Yep~ Seung-hyun's brother told me. The greater god~ Young-min~"

Seung-hyun's face turned red.

This time, Siwoo asked the opposite.

"Do you know who I am~?"