Chapter 17

16. Mr. President

Tae-ju got up early in the morning, picked up the script for [Melody], and went to the office. Even though he had no particular schedule, people thought it was a bit strange that he came to the office without his manager, but soon Mr. Woo, the team leader, guided him in.

As soon as Tae-ju sat down at Mr. Woo's desk, Gyun-woo approached.

"What brings you here? If you had called, I would have come to pick you up."

While Gyun-woo spoke to Tae-ju, his eyes were on Tae-san, who was in the mobile cage. Since Tae-woo had returned to school, Tae-ju had to bring Tae-san along. Fortunately, it was no longer a burden to go out.

"I came to discuss this."

When Tae-ju showed the cover of the book he took out of his bag, both Mr. Woo and Gyun-woo's faces stiffened. They were already well aware of the story behind this movie script, as it involved their actor, Lee Seong-gun.

"Hmm. Where did you get this?"

"Lee Seong-gun senior gave it to me at Jin-hyuk senior's house yesterday."

"Violinist...?"

"Yes, he asked if I could play the violin and then gave it to me."

Tae-ju gently stroked the cover of the book.

"Meow!"

'Ugh. Tae-san, I'm being serious right now.'

Tae-ju's plan to set the mood and steer the conversation in a favorable direction was ruined by the white tiger cub who was uncomfortable in the mobile cage. Tae-ju sighed and opened the door of the mobile cage.

"Hmm."

It sounded like a strange noise, but he politely pretended not to notice and let Tae-san out. From past experience, he knew there was no need to forcibly keep Tae-san from moving. In the office, Tae-san was practically a king.

"I know the story behind the script. But I'm drawn to it."

"This is like a poisoned apple. There's always a reason why others avoid it."

"You're right. Tae-ju, now is not the time for such adventures."

As expected, the two opposed the idea of filming this work. Tae-ju wasn't particularly disappointed, as he had anticipated their opposition.

Rolling.

"Meow."

"Wow, you run well."

Mr. Woo turned his head toward Tae-san. Tae-san was enthusiastically chasing a ball thrown by someone in the office.

"Ahem. To be honest, I doubt that even if Actor Lee Tae-ju accepts the role, the film will start production properly."

"Why? They said they just need to find a violinist."

"There's no distributor."

"Oh!"

A film isn't complete just because it has actors. Many processes are needed to get it into theaters. Without a distributor, a completed film can't be shown in theaters.

"Also, if you look at this book, there's a lot of CG in the violin solo parts. Do you think the studios will cater to anyone? The director? The production company?"

"Right."

"Chances are, you won't even find a proper CG studio. It's obvious that the film's visual quality won't be up to par. Can you accept all the losses and still understand if the quality of the work drops?"

Of course not. Even though Tae-ju preferred commercial films, he didn't ignore the quality of the work. If he did, he wouldn't have achieved ten million viewers four times. A film can only be a hit when commercial appeal, artistic value, and completion are all met. No matter how much money is spent on promotion, if the quality of the work is poor, it will be ignored.

"Even if all the conditions you mentioned are met, it won't be easy for Actor Lee Tae-ju to start filming. You're shooting 'Busking' from June. We don't know how the 'Melody' schedule will go, but you might have to prepare for 'Melody' while shooting 'Busking'."

"That part is fine."

"Are you overconfident?"

This was a natural evaluation from Mr. Woo, who didn't know about Tae-ju's ability to practice music and acting in the garden. Tae-ju could have felt wronged, but he didn't. Since Mr. Woo didn't know that Tae-ju had 48 more hours than others, it was understandable. Perhaps he was seen as a genius, as the company had planned.

"I always practice enough for both the guitar and the violin. I practice so much that I sometimes wonder if I should change my career to a musician, so you don't need to worry about that part."

"What about the acting part?"

"Even if I say I'm confident now, it might be hard for you to believe. I don't have a way to convince you right now. It would be better to show you on set."

"Do you really like that role that much?"

"Yes, I really want to do it."

Mr. Woo looked into Tae-ju's eyes for a long time. Tae-ju's eyes were calm. It didn't seem like he was taking the role just because he wanted to.

"I don't understand what you're thinking. I'll discuss this with the president first."

Mr. Woo concluded the conversation, shaking his head as if it was a headache. Gyun-woo, who had been watching with a strange expression, stood Tae-ju up.

"That's good. The president probably won't oppose it. He listens to the actor's opinion as much as possible."

Gyun-woo whispered this as he led Tae-ju back to his seat. Tae-ju tried not to look too happy by biting his lip.

"Meow."

"Wow! Did Tae-san catch it? Good job."

Tae-san was enjoying his popularity in the office. He even knew the employees who hadn't even introduced themselves to Tae-ju.

"Tae-san is really popular."

"He's cute, after all."

After chatting with Gyun-woo for a bit, Tae-ju left the office. He had no classes or appointments today. He declined Gyun-woo's offer to drive him and walked slowly. It was still chilly, but the sun was nice, making it a good day for a walk.

"Meow."

'His cry has gotten deeper. He's growing well.'

During the nearly two months of raising Tae-san, he hadn't been sick or injured, so Tae-ju had taken it lightly. However, Tae-san's situation was different from other pets. If he got sick or injured, he might not be able to take him to the vet. Although Tae-san looked like a white tiger, he wasn't exactly the same as a real one.

'I should have him checked once, though.'

Until now, Tae-ju had lived without a vet. Since Tae-san was the first pet he had ever raised, it was inevitable. Tae-ju resolved to become friends with a vet the next time he had the chance. Most importantly, he repeatedly resolved not to put Tae-san in danger.

*

A few days later, the company called. The president wanted to meet Tae-ju and asked him to come to the office when he had time. Tae-ju went to the company with Tae-san, as he had done before.

A while ago, Tae-ju had left Tae-san alone for a short time. Tae-woo was at school, and Yeon-woo was at the academy, so he went to the bakery to buy a sandwich for lunch. It was a short time, less than 20 minutes, but Tae-san was crying so much that he was running a fever.

Fortunately, the building was empty because it was a typical workday. The loud crying was shocking. Tae-ju thought Tae-san might have hurt himself, but fortunately, he hadn't. The sight of Tae-san crying with tears and snot was so heart-wrenching that Tae-ju had to promise several times not to leave him alone again before he could calm down. Since then, Tae-ju had been taking Tae-san with him whenever he went out.

"Today, we need to talk to the president, so be good, okay?"

"Meow?"

'Damn, he's cute.'

"Sure. Just do as you please. Who's going to say anything to you?"

Tae-ju surrendered to Tae-san, who was gnawing on the blanket in the mobile cage and tilting his head.

The president's office was simply decorated in neutral colors, different from Tae-ju's taste for antique furniture and vintage decor. Tae-ju sat on the sofa, waiting for the president to speak.

"About this movie, 'Melody.' The situation is unfortunate, but it's too bad for a newcomer. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know."

"Still, you want to do it, don't you?"

"Yes, I think I can do this role the best."

"Hmm. Confidence is good. Then, go ahead."

Tae-ju doubted his ears for a moment. Gyun-woo had hinted that the president might agree, but he didn't expect it to be this easy. He checked the president's face to see if he was serious. The president was smiling seriously and a bit amused.

"There's no need to doubt. If the work is good and the actor wants to do it, then they should. You don't need to worry about anything else. That's why we have a management company."

"Wow!"

"Indeed. There are other production companies, not just that one. If not there, can't our actor go somewhere else? Actor Lee Tae-ju, focus on your physical health. Looking at the schedule, you'll have to start right after 'Busking' without a break."

"You already checked the schedule?"

"I made it sound easy, but as a company, we have to consider many things."

"Thank you. I'll show you a good work."

"Hahaha. That's all I need."

The president was just as he was reputed to be. In the past, he had a tendency to shun everyone because of his grudge against Nam Ji-hyuk of Triz. However, the people Tae-ju met here were not as lowly as he had thought. Tae-ju scolded his past self for judging them based on prejudice. He resolved to try to see things more objectively in the future.

"Um, is that Tae-san in there?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. It's Tae-san. He's sleeping now."

"Oh, that's a shame. I heard he's a great hunter."

The mouse-shaped toy that had caught his eye was probably prepared for Tae-san. Today, Tae-san had been gnawing on the blanket in the mobile cage and was now curled up asleep. The president's disappointed look was a bit concerning, but he couldn't wake a sleeping child.

*

Tae-ju was harvesting strawberries for the first time in a while. Pumpkins were good for the price, but they couldn't be eaten as snacks, so he decided to harvest strawberries in one of the gardens.

'This is strange, there are too few.'

"Hi, let's eat strawberries."

"Sure, Tae-ju."

After harvesting the strawberries, he pulled out the plants. He planned to sell half and bring the other half to the real world. It was awkward to explain the identity of the strawberries, but he wanted to share them with the office staff. He was grateful for their help with Tae-san, and he might need to leave Tae-san with them again in the future, so he wanted to spread some bribes in advance.

"Tae-ju, I heard a scary sound last night."

"What? What do you mean, Hi? Tell me more."

"You were sleeping, right? But I heard a 'swish' sound."

"No, I didn't sleep. I was fishing."

He did sleep. He threw the fishing rod and slept soundly with Tae-san in his arms. He just pretended to be embarrassed, but seeing Hi, he felt he shouldn't lie.

"Sorry, Hi. I fell asleep while fishing."

"It's okay, Tae-ju. You just don't find fishing interesting, right?"

"Kind of. It might be more fun if I caught something."

Hi accepted Tae-ju's apology with a broad mind.

"Tae-ju, I heard a 'swish' sound last night."

"Sound? Maybe there's a slime left?"

"No. Slimes make 'plop' and 'thud' sounds."

"Right. Then where did the sound come from? Hi, let's eat strawberries and check the garden."

"Sure, Tae-ju. It's an adventure."

Hi was excited, flapping her wings. Sparkling dust spread in the air. It wasn't really an adventure, but good things are good. Tae-ju joined in Hi's excitement.

Tae-ju, Hi, and Tae-san set out on their expedition. They decided to check the garden thoroughly for anything unusual.

"Shall we go to the river to catch fish♪? Shall we go to the sea to catch fish♩?"

When Tae-ju sang a children's song, Tae-san and Hi were delighted. These two little ones were familiar with songs and music because Tae-ju played music or put on music every day. Of course, their tastes were a bit different.

Tae-san and Hi loved children's songs the most. Thanks to them, Tae-ju became familiar with children's songs he had never sung in his life. Each time he played the guitar, a treasure with a piece of the sun, he felt a bit guilty, but he was happy to play for them.

"Hi, look at this. Are these footprints?"

"Right, Tae-ju. They are footprints."

It seemed like there was an intruder in the garden. There were several footprints under the fruit trees. Perhaps the lack of strawberries was also due to this intruder.

"What should we do? Should we buy a magic spell book from the store? Like last time when we caught the slime king?"

"We don't know who it is yet. I'll keep watch tonight."

"Hi, it might be dangerous."

"I'm okay. I'll watch from a high tree."

Tae-ju was worried about Hi, but he had to leave the garden before nightfall. There was a limit to the time he could spend in the garden.

"Still, let's buy a speed-up spell book. Just in case."

"Okay. Then, buy me a magic rope."

"Magic rope?"

"Yes. I'll use the magic rope to catch the intruder."

"Hi! Don't do anything dangerous."

"But, I'm the garden manager. I'll protect the garden."

Hi became the manager solely because of Tae-ju's wish. Tae-ju felt a bit guilty. Despite Tae-ju's objections, Hi insisted, so he finally bought her a magic rope. Tae-ju repeatedly warned her not to do anything dangerous before returning to the real world.

After Tae-ju returned to the real world, Hi clenched her small fist and resolved to protect the garden.

'The garden is Hi and Tae-ju's home. I'll protect it.'