Chapter 43 – Idols Are Also Judged on Their Character

When Geum Nae-yeong suddenly demanded payment for the food, fluster flashed across the men’s faces.

“Uh… is it closing time here by any chance?”

“No. There is still a long way to go.”

“Then… do you take advance payment?”

Geum Nae-yeong spoke in a calm attitude.

“No. Since this table has an eighty percent probability of committing a misdemeanor, we collect first.”

Instantly, the brow of the man called senior furrowed.

“M… misdemeanor? What do you mean by that?”

“It is what is commonly called dining and dashing.”

Geum Nae-yeong’s tone was firm.

“CCTV has not been installed in our shop yet. However, this table seems highly likely to leave without paying for the food. So we will receive it in advance.”

Geum Nae-yeong wrote down the total amount and pushed the order sheet forward as if telling them to check.

“What?”

The man’s voice suddenly rose sharply, as if displeased.

“Are you saying we look like we don’t have money right now?”

“No. You look like you have money, but you also look like you have criminal records.”

“Criminal records?”

At that single word, the man claiming to be a certified realtor jumped up from his seat.

“Look here. Aren’t you speaking way too carelessly? What are you doing coming to a customer’s table right now?”

Geum Nae-yeong retorted.

“Normally, I do not interfere in other people’s business, but since it concerns my parents, it is not other people’s business.”

“This is ridiculous! Geez… Senior, let’s go somewhere else.”

The man who was a realtor said as he stood up from his seat with a sneer. The man called senior forced a laugh and pulled out a long wallet from his breast pocket.

Tap.

The man placed sixty thousand won on the table with a thud and shouted as if feeling extremely displeased.

“No need for change, and I’m never coming back here. What kind of crazy place is this?”

At that noise, Geum Nae-yeong’s mother jumped up.

“What? Look here. What did you just say?”

As voices rose, his father quickly stepped in front of his mother.

“Hold on, honey. I will resolve it.”

His father spoke to the men in a calm manner.

“Forget the money. Just leave.”

However, the man called senior did not back down at all either.

“Look here, boss. No matter what, isn’t saying we look like convicts going too far? What kind of bolt from the blue is this while having a meal?

Educate your son well! He looks decent, but he is completely…”

Geum Nae-yeong’s gaze looking at them was extremely cold.

“Among the three of you, at least one is a scammer and one is an accomplice. Then the remaining one must be currently getting scammed.”

“What? A scammer?”

The man called senior approached, but Geum Nae-yeong did not care.

“According to the Academy Establishment Act, school curriculum instruction academies cannot be established in the same building as harmful establishments. There are exceptions.

It is possible only when the total floor area is 1,650 square meters or more. However, even in that case, there are conditions. The same floor must be twenty meters or more away from harmful establishments, and the upper and lower floors must be at least six meters away.”

Geum Nae-yeong looked at the certified realtor.

“The five-story building at this intersection. It is one of the places in the list I saw while looking for this shop’s space.

Although the coin karaoke is inside the second floor, the horizontal distance between the commercial space right in front of the elevator does not exceed twenty meters.

In other words, once you finish all the interior design and apply for an academy establishment permit at the district office, it will be one hundred percent rejected.”

The senior and the certified realtor looked at each other. Anxiety hovered on their faces.

“If so, the lessee of that commercial space will lose at least tens of millions of won. Nevertheless, if he demands a premium claiming that the spot is good for an academy.

That person is either not a certified realtor or is committing fraud.

In the end, since both are people who do not keep the law, they might not pay for a small meal price.”

When Geum Nae-yeong finished speaking, the certified realtor forced back his startled look and began to frame Geum Nae-yeong as a weirdo.

“No, what kind of place is this! Are you crazy? What, fraud?? Where did you pick up and hear such sloppy internet information…

Hey!! You just finish the serving you were doing! Don’t meddle in others’ business?!”

“······”

The certified realtor shouted loudly, but the inside of the shop was only quiet.

‘…What?’

Before him, Geum Nae-yeong did not even blink an eye. Geum Nae-yeong’s parents were also strange.

Normally, they would step forward to stop him or scold their son while being at a loss before customers, but they only watched.

Even their expressions were filled with absolute trust. That there must be some reason for their son’s words.

‘These people… what are they?’

At that time, the man called junior who was sitting next to them asked a question.

“But… is there really such a law when establishing an academy?”

“There is.”

As Geum Nae-yeong spoke with his arms crossed expressionlessly, the angry certified realtor crumpled his face.

“There is no such thing! Where do you get off looking at the internet and interfering with someone’s business! You rascal, come over here!”

And he quickly tried to grab Geum Nae-yeong by the collar.

In an instant, the world spun.

Clatter.

“Aaaah-! My hand, hand, hand!”

The certified realtor rolled beside the table. He sprained his wrist while trying to support himself on the floor to avoid falling further.

“…Where do you think you’re causing a scene.”

A low voice heard from somewhere.

The one who subdued the man in a single blow was Seong Tae-gyu.

From behind Seong Tae-gyu, Seong Seok-ju slowly pulled down his brother’s arm. Seong Seok-ju spoke briefly toward Geum Nae-yeong.

“Lawyer Geum. I was on my way to grab a drink after work and happened to pass by and see this.”

Seong Seok-ju bowed his head to pay respects to Geum Nae-yeong’s parents.

“I don’t know the circumstances either, but… I apologize for being in a hurry. Then we will be on our way.”

The moment the two were about to turn around.

The certified realtor who had fallen on the floor staggered and got up.

He shook his wrist back and forth.

“Ha… fuck, what are you? A lawyer?”

“……”

“What is the guy who hit me, are you a lawyer too?”

His tone was rough, but he seemed to have already sensed that the scam had failed. Bluster drained from his face, revealing a base expression.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re running away after hitting a person? Ridiculous, seriously.”

Staggering up, the man took out his cell phone.

Click, click—

He took photos of the spot where he fell, the shoe that slipped off, and his slightly red wrist without missing anything.

“Fine, securing evidence is done. You guys must have really resolved to eat prison food, huh? Hitting a person and running away?

Sigh… oh dear. Suddenly my waist and neck won’t move?”

He deliberately grabbed his waist and groaned, then frowned and pretended to be in pain.

Seong Tae-gyu snickered and spoke.

“Hey. Your wrist was twisted, so why does your waist hurt? Is your hand attached to your waist?”

The man glared.

“Only twisted my wrist? You pushed me earlier, clearly!! Shoving me hard! Ah… ah! I’m in too much pain to stand.”

As the man staggered and sat down again, Seong Seok-ju pulled out a business card from his suit jacket inner pocket and placed it on the table with a tap.

“If you are going to file a complaint for this case, make the address to this side. I am the representative.”

The man was dazed for a moment, then stood up and picked up the business card.

At that time, Seong Tae-gyu muttered sarcastically.

“You look perfectly fine? You said you couldn’t get up because of pain, but you jumped up because you were curious about the business card?”

At those words, the man raised his head sharply.

“Ah~! It seems the guy who hit me is not a lawyer? Good, very… I will get tons of medical certificates… and you guys!!”

While the man was shouting.

Step, step.

Geum Nae-yeong suddenly walked toward the front door of the shop.

Click. And pop!

Instantly, all the lights inside the shop went out.

“What? What is it?”

Instantly, the inside of the shop became dark. In the midst of not being able to see anything, only the sound of the refrigerator motor was faintly heard.

And a few seconds later.

Buzz, flash.

The fluorescent light flashed and the lights returned to the shop.

“Ah… a sudden power outage? Maybe because it hasn’t been long since the shop opened. The electricity is unstable.”

Geum Nae-yeong calmly checked the light switch area, then turned his steps and walked back as if nothing happened.

“Customer. The power just went out. Ah, dear. The table has been overturned? I will move it for you.”

“W… what? What are you doing…”

“You must be careful since it is not visible during such power outages.”

At Geum Nae-yeong’s calm tone, the certified realtor could not grasp the situation and only blinked his eyes.

Thereupon, Geum Nae-yeong’s mother quickly caught on.

“Oh my? Honey! I was trimming bean sprouts and the power must have gone out? I didn’t see anything?”

“Oh… yeah, I also didn’t see the power outage. Let’s see if the TV works…”

His father coughed for no reason, avoided his gaze, and held the TV remote control, pressing it here and there.

The man’s face flushed red.

“No, what are you all saying as a group? Are you crazy? What do you mean you didn’t see! Just now this huge guy twisted my wrist and shoved me hard!”

At that time, Geum Nae-yeong slowly spoke.

“Well. I didn’t see it.”

The certified realtor asked the junior with a bewildered expression.

“No, didn’t you see it either, junior?”

The man fell into thought for a moment, then answered coldly.

“…Not at all. And I am not your junior.”

The man called junior, who almost got scammed, approached Geum Nae-yeong.

“Could you give me your business card if you have one? My life almost staggered.”

Geum Nae-yeong quietly handed over his business card, and the man took it and bowed politely to Geum Nae-yeong’s parents.

“Boss, thank you for the meal.”

He greeted shortly and left the shop.

The remaining senior grabbed the certified realtor’s collar and whispered low in his ear.

“Hey, let’s not make it a big deal and just leave. This is over.”

They quickly left the shop as if fleeing.

Meanwhile, Seong Seok-ju also left the shop after exchanging greetings along with his brother. As soon as Seong Seok-ju came out, he spoke harsh words to his brother.

“You. Must fix that habit of using your hands so easily.”

“Yes… but that guy was trying to beat up Lawyer Geum. That’s why… I’ll be careful in the future.”

Seong Seok-ju watched his brother for a moment. Then he patted his discouraged shoulders.

“…Still, you did well.”

The commotion of that day was thus neatly settled thanks to the appearance of the brothers Seong Seok-ju and Tae-gyu.

***

The next day. Geum Nae-yeong, who went to work at the office, was concentrating in front of the monitor with a serious face.

“Dance Dance Revolution…? It seems there was no such thing in Lawyer Gil Man-uk’s room. The size is also very large…”

Thinking about his father’s advice from the previous day, he quietly scrolled through the search bar.

Geum Nae-yeong nodded slightly and enlarged the photo of the game machine.

“Shall we go with this then…”

Buzz—

The cell phone of Geum Nae-yeong, who was in deep thought, vibrated. He checked the screen and pressed the call button.

“Hello.”

“Is this Lawyer Geum Nae-yeong’s cell phone?”

“Yes, that is correct. Who is this?”

“Hello, Lawyer. This is M-tvs broadcasting station.”

“Broadcasting station?”

“Yes. We are a famous music broadcast channel. We would like to invite you as a special judge in the new program PRODUCE 102 we are planning this time.”

Geum Nae-yeong remained silent for a moment and then continued.

“…A judge? I don’t know popular songs very well. However, there is no idol I don’t know.”

The other party answered with a laugh.

“Yes. That much is enough. PRODUCE 102 was planned as a program to select idols.

However, these days we also look at the idol’s character and personality as important.”

“Personality?”

“Yes! So we want to include the trainees’ usual attitude, like character and conduct, in the score. We contacted you while looking for someone who could evaluate this part fairly and interestingly.”

Geum Nae-yeong tilted his head slightly.

“Hmm… personality…”

The writer laughed as if expecting Geum Nae-yeong’s reaction and emphasized.

“…When the program is aired, we will insert the name ‘Law Office Teum, Lawyer Geum Nae-yeong’ in the sponsorship and advisory credits. Since you appear once, this is virtually a massive advertising effect.”

Geum Nae-yeong answered immediately.

“I will do it.”