Melting Point — Chapter 9

YUM, I HAVEN'T HAD BEEF IN AGES!

HANWOO BEEF, NO LESS! I HAVEN'T HAD THAT SINCE OUR NEW YEAR'S PARTY!

THANK YOU, MR. BAEK.

WHO, ME?

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE DIRECTOR DIDN'T SINGLE OUT ANY TEAM IN PARTICULAR...

BUT WE ALL KNOW WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS IMPROMPTU DINNER.

THIS GUY RIGHT HERE!

THIS PLAIN T-SHIRT THAT IAN'S WEARING... THEY'RE SAYING THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND!

THE MAGAZINE THAT RAN THE SHOOT IS SOLD OUT, TOO.

PEOPLE ARE PAYING DOUBLE TO GET THEIR HANDS ON IT.

EH, YOU SHOULDN'T BE THANKING ME FOR THAT.

IT WAS ALL IAN.

AT LEAST YOU ADMIT IT.

THANKS FOR SADDLING US WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL, BY THE WAY.

MR. OH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S...

I'M JUST SAYING, I WOULDN'T GET TOO COCKY IF I WERE YOU.

ALL THESE PLAYERS, THEY DON'T MAKE 'EM LIKE THEY USED TO.

IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME STORY. THEY TAKE OFF THE MINUTE THEY GET A BETTER DEAL WITH ONE OF OUR COMPETITORS.

GUESS WHO GETS CHEWED OUT FOR SHODDY TREATMENT OF THE TALENT, THEN?

OF COURSE RYU IAN'S JUST BIDING HIS TIME HERE.

YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IAN, DO YOU?

HE GAVE UP HIS SHARE TO SIGN WITH US.

AND IT'S MR. BAEK WHO MADE HIM DO THAT.

HYESU, WAIT...

WELL, DUH.

THAT'S JUST SO HE WON'T LOOK BAD LATER.

YOU POOR, INNOCENTS LITTLE THINGS.

OOPS, DID I JUST RAIN ON YOUR PARADE?

I WAS JUST GIVING YOU SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE, YOU KNOW. ALWAYS BE PREPARED, HAHA!

JEEZ, TALK ABOUT A POISON TONGUE! CAN YOU BELIEVE HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A COPYWRITER?

SHH, HE CAN HEAR YOU.

AND WHAT'S ALL THAT ABOUT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL?

WHO SAYS THAT ABOUT SOCCER, FOR CHRISSAKE? ALL OF OUR STAR PLAYERS ARE STILL THERE, TOO.

IT'S HIS FAULT HIS CAMPAIGN TANKED THIS SEASON.

SHHH!!

NEVER MIND WHAT HE SAYS, MR. BAEK.

OH, I'M FINE. DON'T LET HIM GET TO YOU, EITHER.

ACTUALLY, HIS SNIPING...

...HIT PRETTY CLOSE TO HOME.

THERE'S THIS TINY VOICE INSIDE MY HEAD THAT KEEPS ASKING...

WHY IAN WON'T SAY WHAT REALLY MADE HIM SIGN WITH US.

NOT THAT I THINK HE'S THAT DEVIOUS...

OH, WELL.

IF HE GOES OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE AFTER HIS CONTRACT'S OVER, I CAN'T STOP HIM.

GOTTA FOLLOW THAT SWEET, SWEET MONEY...

AN UNKNOWN NUMBER?

HELLO?

WHEN CAN I COME OVER?

WHO-

YOU...!

HOW DID YOU GET MY NUMBER?

I ASKED MY MANAGER.

OH.

YOU TOLD ME TO COME OVER AND THEN YOU JUST TOOK OFF WITHOUT EVEN GIVING ME YOUR NUMBER, LAST TIME.

OH...LOOK, I WASN'T GHOSTING YOU OR ANYTHING. YOU KNOW IT WAS CHAOS THAT DAY.

IT'S BEEN A WEEK. HASN'T THE DUST SETTLED YET?

CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!

YOU'RE NOT AT WORK RIGHT NOW?

WE'RE HAVING A TEAM DINNER. I'LL INVITE YOU OVER SOME OTHER TIME. I'LL CALL YOU.

HEY, LET ME FILL THAT UP FOR YOU!

WAIT, WHERE ARE YOU NOW? ARE YOU DRINKING, TOO?

THANKS!

TALK LATER, OKAY? BYE.

UGH... AFTER I FINALLY GOT THE FEELING OF THAT...

...THAT THING OUT OF MY MIND!

I'VE BEEN AVOIDING HIM ALL WEEK BECAUSE I COULDN'T BEAR TO FACE HIM... A LOT OF GOOD THAT DID...

JUST HEARING HIS VOICE BRINGS IT ALL BACK.

AND HE WASN'T EVEN HARD.

IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE FLACCID, THEN HOW BIG DOES IT GET WHEN HE-

ARGH! STOP IT!!

WHY THE HELL AM I IMAGINING HOW BIG IAN'S JUNK GETS?!

OH, LOOK! MR. BAEK'S DRUNK ALREADY!

STOP DRINKING, YOU LIGHTWEIGHT!

NO, BRING IT ON!

I NEED TO DRINK AND FORGET.

OOH, TOUGH GUY!

CHUG, CHUG!

HEY.

WAKE UP, WILL YOU?

IAN'S HERE.

N'WAY... HE'S NOT HERE...

HE'S REALLY WASTED.

HERE, TAKE THIS.

I GOT SOME HANGOVER DRINKS FOR ALL OF YOU.

THANKS FOR TELLING ME WHERE TO COME.

WOW, WHAT'S ALL THIS?

THANK YOU!

CAN I...?

OH, SURE, GO AHEAD! WE'RE ABOUT DONE HERE, I THINK.

SUNBAE, TIME TO GO HOME.

SLEEPY...

YOU WANT ME TO CALL AN UVER?

NO, THANKS.

CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME SUNBAE'S ADDRESS?

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

WHERE'S THE BED...?

WHEW... SO YOU'RE A SMOKER AND A DRUNK?

YOU REALLY ARE A JADED ADULT NOW.

THAT STINGS...

MUST'VE HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET HIM THROUGH THE DOOR.

WHAT'S YOUR CODE?!

WHERE'S THE BATHROOM-

HEY.

OH, YOU WOKE UP-

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DITCH US, ARE YOU?

WHAT?

YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP ON ME, WILL YOU...?

I NEVER GAVE UP ON YOU, EVER.

AND I NEVER WILL.

THAT’S MY BOY...

HMMMMPH

SHEESH...

DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU JUST SAID?

HMMM...

I GOT THIS BECAUSE OF YOU...

ZZZ

...SO YOU SHOULD LICK IT BETTER.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?