Reboot the heyday

"toot toot"

The call was abruptly ended.

Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, Seolhyun froze on the spot, holding her phone, her face burning as if she had been slapped silently from afar.

She had never been rejected so bluntly, even to the point of being humiliating.

The key point is, I haven't even said who I am yet, have I? At this moment, grievance, anger, and a trace of barely perceptible panic intertwined, making Seolhyun almost breathless.

There always seems to be a wall between thoughts and reality. Seolhyun originally thought that the most awkward time would be when they talked face-to-face. But now she realizes that she doesn't even have the right to talk to anyone.

Reality was like a bucket of ice water, quickly extinguishing Seolhyun's anger, leaving only a cold sense of powerlessness. She looked up at the reflection on the ceiling, at herself who was still beautiful, but whose eyes had lost their former luster. She then thought of Choa and the other members, whose resources had soared and who looked radiant. A poisonous vine of regret entwined her heart, tightening its grip.

"I'm not that bad."

"No, we can't just give up like this."

Seolhyun took a deep breath, suppressing all her complicated emotions. She had one last, desperate measure: to go home.

Because Seolhyun's family is well-off, not an ordinary family, she should be able to arrange a meeting with Wang Taika using her family's connections.

Seolhyun really didn't want to go home unless absolutely necessary. But now she really had no choice but to ask her family for help.

This path was indeed easy. What parent wouldn't feel sorry for their daughter? After learning about Seolhyun's recent situation, they used their connections to try and create an opportunity for their daughter to talk to Wang Taika in person.

Pity the parents of the world.

Wang Taika was informed by Duck King that a certain business partner had requested a meeting. The request was minor, so there was no need to refuse.

It was only then that Wang Taika realized Seolhyun wanted to talk to him about her personal plans. Wang Taika was curious; did this really need to go through all this trouble? Couldn't she just have come directly to him?

In the end, it was all a misunderstanding. Wang Taika didn't have Seolhyun's contact information, and when he received the call, the other party didn't introduce herself and asked to meet. Not knowing who the other party was, Wang Taika naturally ignored her.

Seolhyun, however, was purely imagining things and assumed that Wang Taika didn't want to see her. Seolhyun subconsciously felt that Wang Taika probably knew who she was, so hanging up the phone meant rejection.

It can only be said that Seolhyun is overthinking things. Because she is a beautiful woman and a very famous female idol, she feels that everyone should know her.

When will Wang Taika fall for this?
Anyway, at least they can meet now. Her family wanted to go together, but Seolhyun declined. She believes in handling her own affairs.

Xuexue dressed up carefully, wearing clothes that best highlighted her strengths, and with a do-or-die determination, went straight to the headquarters building of XB Entertainment.

The receptionist, clearly having been informed beforehand, politely but distantly told her she would have to wait a moment. Seolhyun didn't ask any questions, simply standing quietly in a corner of the lobby. She looked somewhat like someone betrayed by a heartless person, coming to collect a debt, which drew glances from passing employees, but she seemed oblivious, her gaze fixed firmly on the direction of the office.

Seolhyun didn't check the time and didn't know how long she had waited until her legs started to ache and her anxiety was almost overwhelming. Finally, her secretary told her she could go in.

It wasn't that Wang Taika was putting on airs; actually, Seolhyun arrived too early.

"Hello, Mr. Wang."

Seolhyun, having set aside her former pride, greeted him politely. "You're here early," Wang Taika said, gesturing to the side. "Sit down and let's talk. If it's about AOA's comeback, everything is handled by the team. You should talk to your manager."

Seolhyun was stung by Wang Taika's nonchalant attitude. A surge of anger rushed to her head, and she blurted out, "Mr. Wang, do you feel particularly relieved now that I'm like this?"

Wang Taika showed no emotional change. Although he didn't know the full story, he wasn't stupid enough to know why Seolhyun had come. He could figure it out by putting himself in her shoes.

Surprisingly, Wang Taika can put himself in others' shoes!
But in the current situation, everything is being done impartially, and there's no question of anyone targeting anyone. So Seolhyun is a girl, a pretty one at that, and one who's been favored; it's normal for her to have a little temper.

Wang Taika, too lazy to argue, said, "XB Entertainment has many artists under its umbrella, and AOA is just one of them, and you are one of AOA. But for me, XB Entertainment is just one of many companies. I don't know what treatment you've received or what grievances you've suffered, but it has nothing to do with me. Don't act like you're kicking someone when they're down. Remember, you're the one who came to me today, not the other way around."

Seolhyun suddenly froze.

Wang Taika said, "It took a lot of effort to get me to meet you through family connections. If you're just complaining and spouting nonsense, then you're wasting the favor your family has shown you. So, let's get down to business."

All the words she had anticipated were swallowed back. Seolhyun finally shook her head, her tone filled with resentment and a hint of self-mockery: "Yes, in the end, it was my fault. I admit I'm ridiculous now. I was short-sighted back then and didn't choose to believe you. But were my concerns completely wrong at that time? Is it wrong for any artist with their own career to be cautious when facing an uncertain future?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Taika smiled gently. There was no sarcasm in his smile, only a condescending and almost pitying tolerance.

"Seolhyun, you overestimate yourself and underestimate me. I have a lot of things to deal with every day. Do you think I have the time and energy to hold a grudge against your trivial distrust from the past? Do I have to wait for you to come to me so I can enjoy the so-called pleasure of being slapped in the face?"

Wang Taika sighed, feeling helpless but understanding. It's not that beautiful women are brainless, but rather that those who are favored tend to be more narcissistic. Perhaps in Seolhyun's eyes, Wang Taika is still the same cameraman he once was.

Although reality is completely different now, Wang Taika has never shown his influence in front of Seolhyun, so Seolhyun never really felt the difference in their status.

Wang Taika completely understands this.

He could even understand that the real reason Seolhyun was putting on a brave face in front of him was actually a way of proving that she was unwilling, thereby attracting Wang Taika's attention.

Although Seolhyun herself wasn't aware of the problem, psychologically, it definitely had an impact. If it were someone else, Seolhyun would have handled the situation more calmly. But facing Wang Taika, Seolhyun was unusually determined to remain defiant.

Perhaps it was because Wang Taika's reputation for being a womanizer had spread so widely that Seolhyun subconsciously felt that she was being targeted. However, she didn't really dislike Wang Taika; it was just that Wang Taika was clearly closer to Choa and her group, so Seolhyun didn't want to follow suit.

This is an inherent arrogance. Since others are nice to you, even though I also think you are nice, I don't want to try to get close to them at this time, because I feel that would seem mercenary.

However, by the time Wang Taika had truly gained power, the best opportunity to bring him into the plan had been lost.

Why does Wang Taika understand? Because Wang Taika is that kind of person too. He never does anything to add to someone's already good fortune. As for offering help in times of need, that depends on his mood.

That's how amazing things are in this world. Two people who could have become friends might end up not knowing each other at all because of the timing of their meeting or because the other person has friends around them.

Because in this world, everyone is trying their best to live their own life well.

Nobody wants to be anyone's supporting character, and nobody wants to revolve around anyone else.

Even if you're Wang Taika, what difference does it make? You expect me to take the initiative? (End of Chapter)