AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 130

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2018

 

"Sun-Mi isn't the same person she seemed to be, even a year ago. If you can't see that, then love has blinded you." -- Kim Sun-Dal

 

 

HYUNG-CHUL'S OFFICE, MBS YEOUIDO HQ...

 

"I've resolved the announcer problem..."

 

Sun-Dal is exuberant as he sits down in Hyung-Chul's office, a smile on his face.

 

Hyung-Chul looks up from his work and remarks, "Someone from that list of outside talent Kim had you draw up?"

 

"Nope, this was totally unexpected..."

 

"I don't have time to beat around the bush, so say it directly," Hyung-Chul grumbles impatiently.

 

"It's Jin Sun-Mi," Sun-Dal announces. "I got a tipoff that she was coming back to Seoul, so I put out an offer."

 

"Sun-Mi? What about her health?" Hyung-Chul gives Sun-Dal a skeptical eye. "And aside from that, GNN holds her contract now."

 

"Apparently, the health problem resolved itself just a few days ago," Sun-Dal reports. "And John White was persuaded to let us buy out the remainder of her contract, so all that's left is the formalities... and your approval."

 

"Don't you mean President Kim's approval?"

 

"Kim gave me free rein to act on my own accord," Sun-Dal pointedly reminds Hyung-Chul that the decision is in his own hands alone. "So my visit here is not a matter of permission, but courtesy, as she's your Junior and former fianc�e."

 

"I think the key word here is former," Hyung-Chul makes his position clear. "It's totally up to Sun-Mi, and not my role to get involved."

 

"Her coming back isn't going to be a problem for you and Young-Mi?"

 

"Sooner or later, reality has to be faced," Hyung-Chul states fatalistically. "And in my book, sooner is better..."

 

"Got it," Sun-Dal nods. "Then I'll move forward on this ASAP."

 

 

But Hyung-Chul is curious, and asks,. "So what slot do you have in mind for Sun-Mi?"

 

"Actually, I got a three-for-one," Sun-Dal boasts. "One -- Sun-Mi will continue her appearances on 'Fashion Today!'... Two -- she'll replace Joo-Hee as Announcer 1 Team Manager and direct the Announcers' Training, and Three -- she's anchoring the News At Nine."

 

That surprises Hyung-Chul. "Don't you mean co-anchor?"

 

"Nope... solo anchor," Sun-Dal confirms.

 

"That would be a completely new image for MBS. A lot of our audience is older and on the conservative side. How do you intend to market it?" Hyung-Chul plays the devil's advocate.

 

"As a crossover... 'Hard News meets High Fashion'..." Sun-Dal jokes, grinning slyly.

 

Hyung-Chul raises an eyebrow. "Huh?"

 

"I have the polling data to support it. Against a dozen hypothetical combinations, men and women, paired and solo, Sun-Mi won hands-down," Sun-Dal informs him of his research results. "Because of 9/11, she has among the highest name recognition and popularity ratings in both the Seoul and national markets... We can't afford not to capitalize on that."

 

"Okay, point taken," Hyung-Chul concurs, "but what is it costing us?"

 

"GNN had already offered a Lead Correspondent slot to Sun-Mi, as a counter to CBS, so it wasn't cheap," Sun-Dal states as a lead-in. "Don't shoot me when you see it..."

 

He passes the contract over.

 

Hyung-Chul scans the document and looks up at Sun-Dal with amazement... "Did Sun-Mi actually negotiate this with you?"

 

"Well..." Sun-Dal hems, "not exactly. Now that Sun-Mi's something of a celebrity, she has an agent handling her contracts."

 

"An agent?"

 

"Yeah... the usual character is showing his face here, too..."

 

Hyung-Chul guesses, "Michael Atwater?"

 

"He's the one who told me Sun-Mi was coming back to Seoul, and opened the door to negotiations," Sun-Dal acknowledges.

 

"This puts Sun-Mi above the highest paid announcers in the country," Hyung-Chul remarks, "Do you really thinks she's worth it?"

 

 

"Actually, if she moves us into first place in the ratings, it could turn out to be a bargain," Sun-Dal shares the reasoning behind his plan.

 

"There's no profit gained without a substantial investment," Hyung-Chul replies. "I always believe we get what we pay for."

 

"I'll call Atwater and seal the deal today," Sun-Dal affirms. "But let's keep this under wraps, so rumors don't get started."

 

"My thought too," Hyung-Chul concurs. "Just one question... where do you intend to get the money? President Kim froze budgets for the rest of the year, until the stock issue goes through."

 

"We're in an emergency situation, and that calls for drastic action. So I'm drawing from the Master's playbook," Sun-Dal hints.

 

Hyung-Chul immediately gets the meaning. "You're planning a retrenchment to cut payroll costs? What about your previous feelings of 'Company as family', that you can't sacrifice your own lambs?"

 

"It's different now, I have my own family to consider first," Sun-Dal justifies his decision. "Under President Kim, it's every man for himself, sink or swim, and I don't intend to sink..."

 

"I can't disagree with that. I still want my best drinking buddy at my back, too," Hyung-Chul replies with a grin.

 

"Then, as it's settled, I'm off..." Sun-Dal concludes as he stands to leave.

 

 

"One more thing, before you go," Hyung-Chul stops him, "Did Atwater mention anything about the stock issue?"

 

"Not directly, but it was the elephant in the room," Sun-Dal replies. "I wasn't about to bargain too hard, knowing that in a short time, he could be in a position to affect my future."

 

"I'm beginning to wonder if his involvement from the beginning, was for this end," Hyung-Chul speculates. "As a Board member and Sun-Mi's backer, he can get her into any position he wants."

 

"Or... any position SHE wants," Sun-Dal points out. "What if it was Sun-Mi's intention all along, to come back as the Queen of MBS, and get her revenge on you? That would explain a lot..."

 

"Do you really think Sun-Mi is capable of scheming to that level?" Hyung-Chul scoffs, expressing his incredulity.

 

"I didn't use to think so, but isn't the saying, 'the gentle looking cat sits next to the fire first?'..." Sun-Dal quotes the proverb. "Sun-Mi isn't the same person that she seemed to be, even a year ago. If you can't see that, then love has blinded you to the truth."

 

 

Hyung-Chul ponders that possibility, recalling what Sun-Mi herself had warned on the day they hiked the mountain...

 

... I'm not the good person you think I am ... You see what you want to see. But what if it's only an image that you take pictures of with your eyes? ... Think about it... What if I'm really someone who is willing to do anything, to get what she wants for herself? ...