~~The Next Day… Seoul, South Korea~~

“Woo-jae! Look over here!” 

The rising child actor smiled brightly for the flashing camera, his dazzling blue eyes capturing his audience’s attention. The staff oohed at the boy’s cute poses. How could anyone have such angelic features?!

Standing behind the photographer, Jae-in, the editor-in-chief for the iconic fashion magazine, V Style, couldn’t help but marvel at Woo-jae's effortless manipulation of his appearance and pose. It was astounding that a mere 8-year-old was capable of churning out so many quality shots without any need for the photographer to step in and direct him. She hadn’t expected much from the boy as this was supposedly his first modeling gig. 

“Pfft. He’s like a professional model who has at least a decade of experience under his belt.” Turning to her assistant, Jae-in slightly nudged the young woman, “Soo-ha, which agency is that kid under?”

“I don’t think he’s signed with any entertainment agencies yet.”

“But isn’t he a child actor?”

“Actually, I heard he debuted just a week ago. The drama he’s in is his first acting gig.”

“Soo-ha, stop pulling my leg; there’s no way that’s his first time acting on-screen.” 

“I’m not! Apparently, the director and writer have decided to increase his screen time in future episodes! The kid’s super talented!” Soo-ha gushed like a proud parent as Jae-in tried to wrap her head around this newfound information. 

“… What did you say his name was again?”

“Woo-jae. His name is Seol Woo-jae.”

Jae-in and Soo-ha flinched in surprise as they glanced at the young woman behind them. Her crystal blue eyes, the same ones as Woo-jae’s, shimmered against the bright lights of the studio. With a proud smile, she extended her hand towards Jae-in.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Woo-jae’s aunt, Cha A-rin.”

“I’m Park Jae-in, the editor-in-chief of V Style. This is my assistant Choi Soo-ha. Nice to meet you.” Jae-in smiled, taking the young woman’s hand while Soo-ha politely bowed.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation. I overheard you talking about my nephew, so I couldn’t help but pipe up.” A-rin timidly smiled at the imposing duo. 

The 25-year-old could feel her palms growing clammy under the pair’s watchful curiosity. Oh no… I shouldn’t have spoken up! I forgot that we should never interrupt the editor-in-chief when she’s talking! What if this ruins Woo-jae’s future opportunities to work with V Style later on?!

“There’s no need to apologize. We couldn’t help but notice Woo-jae’s exceptional talent! Speaking of… did he take any modeling or acting lessons prior to his debut?” Jae-in asked, her orange eyes flickering towards Woo-jae, who was finishing up the photo shoot.

“No, he hasn’t. Unless you count his social media account as modeling experience?”

“Social media…? Could I see it, if you don’t mind?”

“Sure! Just a sec—.”

“Aunty, I’m done!” The 8-year-old boy suddenly popped his head from behind A-rin as he cutely smiled at her.

“Oh, Woo-jae! You did amazing out there~!” A-rin sang as she hugged her beloved nephew, “Ah, right! You should introduce yourself. This is Kang—.”

“Hello, Ms. Kang Jae-in! My name is Seol Woo-jae, and I am currently eight years old! Pleasure to make your acquaintance!”

“Haha! Aren’t you adorable~!” Jae-in squatted down to Woo-jae’s eye level and shook the boy’s hand. “How did you figure out my name?”

“I saw the staff greeting you earlier. You’re the editor-in-chief for V Style, aren’t you?” Woo-jae sweetly asked. 

“Oh? Do you know what an editor-in-chief does?” 

“Mhm! You’re the leader! Which means everyone has to get your permission first before they can publish anything!”

“My, how smart you are!” Jae-in smiled, her shrewd gaze piercing through Woo-jae’s innocent act. I knew he wasn’t an ordinary child, but I never expected him to be so perceptive and tactful. He’s already figured out the hierarchy within this room. 

“Er, Woo-jae, you haven’t introduced yourself to Ms. Soo-ha, yet….” A-rin reminded Woo-jae while flashing an apologetic smile at Soo-ha. 

“Oh! Sorry, hehe. I didn’t know your name, so I felt too shy to say hi. Nice to meet you, Ms. Soo-ha!” Woo-jae beamed, offering his tiny hand to the assistant. 

“No worries~! You did really well today!” Soo-ha cooed, shaking the boy’s hand.

“Thank you!”

“Oh, by the way, Ms. A-rin, could you stay for a few minutes?” Soo-ha asked, pointing to the small group near the set. “Jean was wondering if you could talk to him for a moment.” 

“Jean…?” A-rin repeated, confused at who Soo-ha was referring to.

“Jean’s the photographer. He probably wants to talk to you about future collabs since Woo-jae doesn’t have a proper agent or manager yet. Soo-ha, why don’t you accompany Ms. A-rin? I’ll stay with Woo-jae.” Jae-in gave a tight smile, masking her disappointment at the staff’s lack of professionalism. 

How could Jean not introduce himself to Woo-jae’s guardian? At the very least, the staff should have facilitated an introduction between the two. Guess it’s time to look for a new photographer. Tch, how annoying.

“Um, Ms. Jae-in?”  Woo-jae timidly pulled on Jae-in’s shirt, looking up at her with an innocent look in his radiant blue eyes. 

Flinching at Woo-jae’s striking gaze, Jae-in quickly recovered as she leaned towards the boy, “Yes?”

“May I inconvenience you with a quick chat?”

“Er…” Jae-in paused, taken aback by Woo-jae’s choice of words. Do kids talk like that these days? Weird. “I have some time. What’s up?”

“Um, is there a more private place we can move to?” Woo-jae muttered, while side-glancing at Soo-ha and A-rin, who were engrossed in their discussion with the photographer.

“Sure. Let’s wait for your aunt to finish her conversation, and then we can ask Jean if we can borrow his office for a bit.”

“No, I’d rather talk to you one-on-one. My aunt’s not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to the ins and outs of the industry.” 

“Hahaha!”

Jae-in let out an incredulous chuckle. She hadn’t expected Woo-jae to take off his innocent, childlike mask so soon. Not that she minded, as she preferred the boy’s shrewd nature. 

“You’re an interesting one, aren’t ya? Well, follow me. Let’s hear you out.” 

~~***~~

Woo-jae leisurely sipped his cup of banana milk on the couch while Jae-in studied him in amusement. She still couldn’t believe that Woo-jae had barely made his debut only a week ago. The way he carried himself made one think Woo-jae was a veteran actor and model. 

Most children were easily distracted by the various equipment and staff running around behind the scenes. But Woo-jae seemed unbothered by the new, unsettling environment, like he was used to the hustle and bustle and just wanted to get the job done as soon as possible. Jae-in smiled to herself. Who knew I’d find such a precious talent? 

“So, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?”

Woo-jae paused, his pink lips hovering above his straw. His blue eyes contemplatively shifted towards the infamous editor-in-chief for a brief second before he set down his cup on the coffee table. Reaching into his pocket, Woo-jae pulled out a huge stack of business cards and lightly placed them in front of Jae-in. 

“…? What’s all this?” Jae-in asked, her eyebrows raised as she shuffled through the stack. 

“They’re business cards I’ve collected from talent agents trying to scout me.”

“Hm, yes, I can see that… But why are you showing this to me?”

“I need your help.”

“My help? I don’t know what you’d need from me when you have so many companies reaching out to you.” 

Jae-in returned the stack of cards to Woo-jae as she leaned back in her seat. Was this kid trying to impress her? Hm, a child is still a child at the end of the day. 

“You’re right. On average, I get scouted at least five times a day, but none of these companies are worth looking at.” Woo-jae sternly replied, an irritated scowl on his face. He dismissively tossed the business cards into the trash can next to his seat, his blue eyes cold and calculating.

The editor-in-chief raised an eyebrow as she watched the cards flutter into the bin. Half of those business cards are from top talent agencies in both Korea and Hollywood. Yet, he thinks these companies aren’t “worth looking at.” His arrogance is through the roof. No wonder he hasn’t signed with an agency yet.

“Is that so? Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. You made headlines with a mere three-minute appearance on the show.” Jae-in dryly replied, directing her attention to her well-manicured nails. “I’m not sure how I can help since you apparently believe those top-rated entertainment companies are below your standards.”

“Ah. I guess you could misinterpret my words in such a manner.” Woo-jae awkwardly grinned as he scratched the back of his head. “It’s not that I think I’m ‘too good’ for those agencies, I’m just looking for a specific environment that’ll benefit my career in the long-run.”

“Pfft. Geez, who would believe that you’re a rookie? Alright, then. Tell me what you’re looking for, and I’ll help narrow down which company is right for you.” 

“Actually, I already know which company I want to work with. That wasn’t why I needed your help.”

Jae-in froze, too flabbergasted to form a proper response to Woo-jae’s flat-out rejection of her offer. If he already knew which agency he wanted to sign with, then what possibly could he need help with?! The editor-in-chief let out a small scoff as she shook her head. Man, he keeps surprising me to no end. Who the hell is this kid?!

“I’m genuinely surprised you already have a company in mind, considering your high standards.” Jae-in mused as she leaned forward in her seat. “You’ve got me all curious, now. Which entertainment company is it?”

“It’s Parang. PARANG Entertainment.”

~~***~~

“Ha….”

The editor-in-chief untied her blond hair from her tight bun and stared at Woo-jae’s angelic face on her computer screen. For the first time in her career, Jae-in was presented with an impossible proposition. How was she supposed to get out of this mess?! 

Her head hung low, Jae-in silently sat in her dark office, her thoughts all jumbled up from the day’s events. How did that kid know about Parang? The company didn’t even exist yet!

“Did he overhear someone talking about the company…? No, that’s not possible. Soo-ha and I are the only ones aware of my cousin’s plans to start an entertainment company. Plus, Soo-ha was by my side nearly the entire time; there’s no way she would’ve let it slip.”

There was no doubt that Seol Woo-jae possessed all the traits that made one an A-list star. He had exceptional talent in acting (and a pretty face to boot) that made headlines as soon as he was shown on-screen. Even Jae-in, who had witnessed countless gifted individuals, had been stunned by Woo-jae’s ability to instantly command and captivate his audience. Needless to say, finding a child actor like Woo-jae was hard to come by. So how could Jae-in not be tempted to scout him for her cousin’s company? 

Yet, Jae-in couldn’t understand why Woo-jae was so adamant about joining Parang. When asked, the child actor refused to comment and, instead, spent the entire time listing GAA’s* unethical practices that only a few industry experts knew about. It was almost like Woo-jae was recounting his firsthand experience working with South Korea’s top entertainment agency. 

Obviously, Jae-in knew that was impossible. But it was weird that a mere 8-year-old had such extensive knowledge of the inner workings of the entertainment industry. Jae-in wryly smiled at the memory of Woo-jae’s murderous gaze when talking about GAA. That kid was not a force to be reckoned with.

“Huuu… Honestly, it’d be a waste to lose him to the other agencies. But the real question is, will my poor cousin be able to handle this crazy kid?”

Jae-in sighed for the umpteenth time. Just why did she get swept up in all of this?! “…Ugh! No matter how much I think about it, I really don’t want those bastards to get their hands on him.” 

Scowling at Woo-Jae’s adorable smile, Jae-in picked up her cellphone, and dialed her cousin’s phone number. Here goes nothing…! After a few rings, her cousin finally answered the call. 

“Jae-in! What’s up? I didn’t expect you to call me so late at night.” Her cousin yawned on the other side of the line.

“Ryan, are you still looking for talents to recruit?”

“Well, yeah. Why, you have someone you want to recommend?”

“Yep. He’s a rising star who’s still on the hunt for a talent agency… You interested?”

“Of course! What’s his name?”

“Seol Woo-jae.”

“Oh. Wait– WHAAAAT?!”

SIDE NOTE:

*GAA: “Global Actors Agency” is the #1 agency in South Korea that houses numerous globally-acclaimed actors and actresses. It was also the same agency that Song Yoo (aka Woo-jae) had signed with.

**NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.**