The dinner had concluded with the ease of a eting that had gone exactly as planned. Joon-ho made his exit with polite bows and genuine expressions of gratitude for Dong’s hospitality, leaving the restaurant alone as night deepened over the city.
But the conversation between Chae-won and Dong continued in their private suite, the comfortable silence following Joon-ho’s departure giving way to curiosity.
"You were unusually open with him." Chae-won observed, settling onto the sofa with a glass of wine. "I’ve watched you entertain plenty of business propositions over the years, Brother Dong. So you hear out, so you dismiss imdiately, and most you approach with a healthy dose of skepticism. But with Joon-ho... you actually let him make his pitch. And more than that, you seed to be genuinely considering it."
Dong reclined in the armchair opposite her, swirling his own drink with thoughtful consideration. "Is that so unusual?"
"For you? Yes." Chae-won’s tone was affectionate but direct. "You’re selective about who you allow into your circle, especially when it cos to business. You’ve had too many experiences with people trying to use your na, your connections, your resources without offering anything of real value in return. The leeches, as you call them—they’re everywhere in our world."
She paused, studying him. "So what was different this ti? What made Joon-ho worth your ti?"
Dong took a slow sip of wine before answering. "It wasn’t just the business proposal, though I’ll admit the project sounds promising. No, it was more fundantal than that. It was how he approached —from the very beginning, in that PC bang, challenging on my own territory, matching skill for skill in sothing I take pride in."
A small smile touched his lips. "He didn’t try to flatter , didn’t try to impress with titles or connections. He just played—and he played well. That earns respect in my book. Being a good teammate matters, and he proved himself capable under pressure. When you find soone who can hold their own alongside you, who doesn’t crumble when the ga gets intense, that’s worth sothing."
"Plus," Dong continued, "he spoke with confidence. Not arrogance, not presumption—just straightforward certainty in what he was offering and what he believed he could accomplish. That’s different from the usual parade of people who approach , eyes wide with desperation or greed, stumbling over their words as they try to sell on ideas they barely understand themselves. Joon-ho knew exactly what he wanted, and he laid it out clearly. That kind of clarity is refreshing."
Chae-won nodded slowly, understanding his perspective. "You’ve always preferred people who are direct about their intentions. The gas people play, the hidden agendas, the maneuvering behind closed doors—you tolerate it because you have to in your position, but you don’t enjoy it."
"I don’t." Dong agreed readily. "Life is too short for unnecessary complications. And honestly? It’s not a bad investnt opportunity. Even if the Baek family situation doesn’t interest in the end, the entertainnt project itself has rit. LUNE has been making waves, and having a stake in sothing that could be a blockbuster is never a bad idea. A little spare money along the way, building relationships that might prove valuable later—there’s no downside I can see."
His expression softened as he looked at her. "But mostly, I’m curious to see where this goes. He’s interesting, Chae-won. The Coffee Prince, the gaming prodigy, the entertainnt mogul who moves in circles he wasn’t born into. There’s more to him than ets the eye, and I want to understand what that is."
Chae-won reached across the space between them, her hand finding his, her fingers interlacing with his. "As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters. We’ve been together a long ti, Brother Dong. Since I was a rookie just starting out, when you were the first one to see potential in , to sponsor when others were hesitant. I know how to read you—better than anyone else, I think."
She smiled, her eyes warm with affection. "And I know that you’re at your best when you’re engaged with sothing interesting, sothing challenging. If Joon-ho and his project provide that, then I’m all for it. Plus..." Her expression turned playful. "I have to admit, the role he’s proposing does sound intriguing. A complex antagonist with real depth? That’s not the kind of opportunity that cos along every day."
Dong squeezed her hand, returning her smile. "Then it seems we’re both invested in this venture, for our own reasons. We’ll see where it leads."
Outside the hotel, Joon-ho erged into the cool night air, his mind already processing the events of the evening. The eting had gone better than he’d dared to hope—Dong was genuinely interested, Chae-won was intrigued by the project, and the foundation for an alliance had been laid.
He walked toward his car, his steps asured, his thoughts organized. The third son of the Dong Group was more than just a gaming enthusiast with a pretty actress on his arm. Dong Min-jae had a sharp business mind, an instinct for opportunity, and a network of connections that extended far beyond his official family position. He might be the "spare" in the Dong hierarchy, but he was far from powerless.
Joon-ho had seen it in their conversation—the way Dong analyzed the proposal, the questions he asked, the way he balanced curiosity with caution. He was soone who understood value, who could spot potential, and who wasn’t afraid to take calculated risks when the odds made sense. That was exactly the kind of ally he needed.
When he reached his car, Joon-ho settled into the driver’s seat and pulled out his phone, dialing a number he knew by heart.
Harin answered on the second ring. "You’re alive. I was starting to worry you’d been recruited into a professional gaming team and forgotten you had an actual job to do."
"Very funny." Joon-ho’s tone was dry but affectionate. "The eting went well. Better than expected, actually."
"Do tell." Harin’s interest was evident. "Did you manage to secure our mystery actress, or should I keep looking at other options?"
"Consider her secured." Joon-ho relayed the details of the evening—the gaming session, the dinner, the conversation with Dong and Chae-won. "Chae-won is on board for the antagonist role. She’s genuinely interested in the character, and she sees the potential in the project. Dong is willing to provide investnt support, which gives us additional resources and political cover."
The silence on the other end of the line lasted for several seconds before Harin found her voice.
"You’re kidding." She sounded genuinely shocked. "Chae-won? The A-list actress who turns down more projects in a year than most actors see in a lifeti? You actually managed to secure her for this role?"
"I did."
"How?" Harin demanded. "Her schedule is booked solid for the next two years. Her agency guards her availability like it’s a state secret. Getting her to commit to a LUNE production... that’s not supposed to happen without months of negotiations and astronomical fees."
"Sotis things fall into place when the right opportunity presents itself." Joon-ho replied. "She’s looking for a role that will challenge her, sothing different from what she’s been doing lately. And having Dong’s backing didn’t hurt—he’s invested in the project as well."
Harin absorbed this, her mind clearly working through the implications. "This changes everything, you know. With Mirae as the protagonist and Chae-won as the antagonist, we have the kind of casting that generates headlines before we even start filming. The industry is going to go crazy when this gets out."
"It will." Joon-ho agreed. "Which ans we need to be ready for the attention. Make sure the production team is prepared, that the director is on board with the casting choices, and that everything is docunted properly. I want this handled professionally from start to finish."
"Of course." Harin’s enthusiasm was building. "I’ll start the paperwork imdiately, reach out to Chae-won’s managent team, and get the contract finalized. This is... this is huge, Joon-ho. Seriously huge."
She paused, then her tone turned teasing. "Although I have to ask—what exactly did you do to convince her? Did you pull out all the stops? Wine her, dine her, charm her until she couldn’t say no? Or did you have to resort to more drastic asures? Maybe fuck her into submission?"
The question was delivered with her customary humor, but Joon-ho could hear the laughter behind it. Still, he felt compelled to set the record straight.
"She belongs to Dong, Harin. Everyone at that table knew it, and no one was pretending otherwise." His tone was serious, making it clear this wasn’t a joking matter. "I wasn’t negotiating with a free agent—I was negotiating with soone who is in a committed relationship with one of the most powerful young n in the country. Whatever influence I had, whatever interest she showed in the project, it had nothing to do with anything other than professional respect for the role itself."
"Point taken." Harin’s voice softened, the teasing note fading. "I didn’t an to imply anything untoward. I was just making a joke—you know how I get when I’m excited about sothing."
"I know." Joon-ho’s tone relaxed again. "But be careful with that kind of talk, especially now that we’re entering this level of the industry. Words have consequences, and rumors spread quickly. The last thing we need is soone getting the wrong idea and causing complications with Dong."
"Understood." Harin was all business now. "I’ll make sure the official communications reflect that this is a straightforward casting decision based on artistic rit and mutual professional interest. No gossip, no rumors, nothing that could be misinterpreted."
She paused, then continued, "This actually completes our main casting for the project, doesn’t it? We have Mirae as the lead, Chae-won as the antagonist, and the supporting roles are already filled. That ans we can move forward with pre-production in earnest."
"That’s right." Joon-ho confird. "Contact Chae-won’s manager tomorrow morning—first thing. I want the contract finalized as quickly as possible, but I also want to make sure all the terms are clear and mutually beneficial. This isn’t just about getting a signature on paper; it’s about establishing a working relationship that can lead to future collaborations."
"Consider it done." Harin’s confidence was reassuring. "I’ve handled plenty of high-profile contracts before. This one might have more zeros than usual, but the process is the sa. I’ll make sure everything is airtight and that both sides are happy with the arrangent."
"Good." Joon-ho nodded, satisfied with the plan. "Once that’s settled, we can focus on the next phase—building the alliance with Dong, using the entertainnt project as the foundation for sothing bigger. The Baek family won’t know what hit them."
"I like the sound of that." Harin’s voice was warm with approval. "You’ve had a productive evening, haven’t you?"
"I have." Joon-ho glanced out the window at the city lights passing by. "And we’re just getting started."
He ended the call and started the car, the engine purring to life beneath him. The night was still young, but Joon-ho had accomplished what he’d set out to do. The pieces were falling into place, the foundation was being built, and the path forward was becoming clearer with each calculated move.
The Baek family was powerful, yes. But they weren’t the only power in Seoul. And with allies like Dong Min-jae in his corner, Joon-ho was confident that he could level the playing field.
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