章 5: The Private Audition 1

2 days later, Memphis Entertainment, the CEO's office.

The new CEO of Memphis Entertainment, Kim Ae-ri, a slender woman in a bright red pantsuit sat behind the table, she leaned back on her seat, head tilted to the side as she listened ardently to the Manager in charge of VIXEN, sing praises on the former CEO's otherworldly intelligence and foresight at choosing the sexy concept for VIXEN.

She couldn't tell who was more stupid her father for being completely insensitive to the major changes around the world or this 'manager' for daring to push for the concept to be maintained even after the scandal their company was yet to recover from. She pulled the Dorset of the managerial staff of the company, compiled by her assistant closer. She picked up her pen and placed it in-between her index and ring finger as she flipped the file open and searched through the document until she got to the page where his detailed profile was listed.

As predicted the man's portfolio was flat at best, 'was this truly the best father could do. A manager with more failures than successes' she thought running a line across his name with her Pen.

"This won't do", she said looking up at the man, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as his eye met her cold gaze. He took his handkerchief out of his pants pocket and dabbed his face.

"Is.. is there something you don't like, Ma'am?"

"Yes, Everything", she shut the file and leaned back on her set and glared at him. "Do you have any idea how deep the hole the scandal involving the former CEO pushed the company into?" as he opened his mouth to reply, she raised her hand to stop him, "Don't bother, based on your Foolish ideas. I don't think you do. Maybe it is time to stimulate the entire management staff, starting with the team in charge of Vixen."

The manager's face paled on hearing that, however, he was dismissed from his position before he could say anything else. She didn't allow him to beg her to take him back, she picked up her bag and walked out of the company. Her driver was already parked by the entrance waiting, he stood a few steps away from the back door.

Kim Ae-ri left her office minutes later, turning a deaf ear to the manager's cries, She never went back on a decision. Her assistant Ms Shin followed her onto the elevator going down, She was as efficient as they come and had already notified the Four concerned departments, the personal department, the Legal department, the Finance department and the Director of team 2 of the dismissal of the manager. By the time they arrived at the car, an official email was sent to the entire staff.

"Do you need me to accompany you, CEO Kim?"

Kim Ae-ri nodded and got into the backseat of the car, while Ms Shin got into the passenger seat next to the driver.

"We are headed to Nanshan Restaurant", Kim Ae-ri said as the driver turned on the engine.

While en route to Nanshan Restaurant, she took her phone out of her bag and read through her new emails. She had sent a few to some of the industry professionals that worked freelance, she planned to recruit a few. She replied to various emails and spoke with a few potential investors until the car arrived at the Restaurant.

"We have arrived at the restaurant ma'am", Miss Shin said softly, looking back.

"Oh," She looked up from her phone and gazed out the window. "Thanks, let's go in", she opened the door and stepped out.

******

Nanshan Restaurant, twenty minutes later.

In a private room, Kim Ae-ri and Director Choi Siwoo sat on opposite sides of a low rectangular table. plates of various vegetables and meats surrounded the stewing pot of hot pot sauce at the centre of the table, just a hands length away from them. Kim Ae-ri picked up a few raw slices of meat with a chopstick and immersed them in the boiling source followed by some vegetables. She let them cook for some minutes before picking out a few and placing them on Director Choi's plate.

"here you go, Sunbaenim. I remembered that you like your meat half done".

Director Choi glanced from the meat on his plate to her smiling face, "Classmate Kim didn't I ask you out for dinner to congratulate you. Why do I feel like you are trying to soften me up, you are the CEO of a company. I should be trying to win your favour not the other way around. it can't be that you are trying to poach me from my current company?"

Kim Ae-ri grinned, "I dare not, it is not like you would leave such a cosy position at GK group. We have known each other since middle school, in the spirit of our long time friendship. please help me out by giving me a good trainee. GK Entertainment just finished their in-house audition, can you spare us a few of your average trainees. I am okay with your older trainees, I heard that you have a few with expiring contracts".

He tapped his chin gently, "A long time trainee with an expiring contract? That seems oddly specific. You are so well informed for someone that just returned to Korea from the states. Why are you interested in Hwang Nari? Why try to poach a trainee that failed to debut in three groups even after training for ten years with us. Apart from holding the title of our oldest trainee, what exactly does she have to offer".

Kim Ae-ri smiled at his words, his word seemed too heated almost like he wanted to discourage her from approaching the trainee which just pique her interest more. She had met the trainee during a GK entertainment festival a year ago and was impressed by her vocal range. She had been surprised when her assistant informed her that Hwang Nari failed to make it to the official lineup for the new group. Choi Siwoo's reaction made her rethink her plans, she decided to go through a more relaxed angle.

She placed a slice of extra meat in his bowl as she replied, "her visuals are quite impeccable, isn't it? I just lost a visual to your company's new Subsidiary Inspire Entertainment. Last I checked you have no plans of renewing a contract with a trainee her age. If you release this new girl group this year, the next time you will be releasing a group will be in the next five to six years. By then she would be twenty-eight, long past the ideal debut age. Why so salty, Classmate Choi, help out your old friend".

She knew that she had him at this moment, his relaxed gaze and leaned back posture said it all. To people like him who only cared about results, holding on to a trainer who is of no use is not exactly ideal. Which was why she decided to take such an angle with him, and as expected he bought into such an idea since it would benefit him for her to owe him a favour. Even after so many years, Choi Siwoo had not changed.

As expected, at the end of their dinner. He sent her a file containing the trainee's contact information. They talked about other things for thirty minutes before calling it a night. Kim Ae-ri left First and Director Choi left after her. He deleted the folder containing Hwang Nari's files during the ride back, he saw no need in keeping them when she is not going to remain in the company.

Unlike Director Choi who was headed to his house, Kim Ae-ri returned to the company. She dismissed her driver for the day and went back up to her office with her assistant in toe. It was already 10:30 pm but the entire company was still active. After a change in management, the various departments rushed to adjust to the new management style gradually introduced by Kim Ae-ri. Staff members bowed as she walked through the hallway leading to her office.

"Miss Shin, please inform all the staff of the artist management teams that there will be a meeting at noon tomorrow", Kim Ae-ri said as she walked to her desk and took a seat. She picked up the Dorset containing the profiles of all the staff of the management teams and flipped to the first page.

"I will get right to it" Miss Shi unlocked her notepad, her fingers diverted over the email app as she came across a message sent by one of team 1 administrative assistants. She bit her like lightly as she looked up, "Director Oh from Team 1, may not make it to the meeting, according to the mail submitted by his assistant yesterday. He is out of town right now. He has a meeting with the PD in charge of FBC's annual festival concerning booking a spot for ECHO. The PD is currently filming another program out of town, the transit might take from forty minutes to an hour because of traffic" Miss Shin said, her hands moving quickly on the tablet in her hands as she drafted an official document to be sent to all the Team leaders.

Kim Ae-ri frowned as she looked up from the forest, "This meeting concerns everyone, I cannot give him special treatment just because he manages ECHO. I read the mail and he is meeting with the director this night. That shouldn't stop him from joining the meeting. Maybe if he drank less, he would be able to make it on time. I will only give him an extra 30 minutes. He better report to the company by 12:30 or he could consider looking for another job".

Miss Shin looked up from the tablet, she was a little bit taken back by that statement. Based on the cold look in her boss's eyes, Kim Ae-ri meant every word she said. Miss Shin had served as Kim Ae-Ri's assistant ever since Ae-ri was promoted to a senior executive at her former company, AVK Records. After 5 years of working together, she was familiar with Kim Ae-ri. She took her phone out of her purse and immediately searched for Director Oh's phone number, "I will inform him immediately".

Kim Ae-ri nodded and returned her gaze to the open forest, "See that you do, Oh and dismiss the staff. it is nearly 10: 30 PM, they should call it a night. They don't need to stay so late, the company is recovering from a sexual abuse scandal. I don't need an employee maltreatment scandal thrown in there".

"Yes, Miss Kim" she sent out the message to the Management team, and a newly sent trainee profile came up as she closed the message tab. She gazed in passing at the picture on the left-hand side of the document as she minimized the tab and clicked on another app. "Should I instruct a manager to approach Moss Hwang?"

"No, I will handle that personally. The rumours about our company are quite bad, I should meet her personally".

Miss Shin nodded, "If there is nothing else, I will take my leave".

"Okay, see you tomorrow".

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