Chapter 50: Danger Detector

After finally settling into their new home, Seo-woo decided it was time to introduce himself and the triplets to their new neighbors, he needed to disguise himself. He wasn't particularly excited about it-he never imagined himself as the type to do neighborhood greetings-but he figured it was the right thing to do, especially since his kids would be growing up in this area.

"Dad, are we going to meet new friends?" Seo-min asked excitedly, practically bouncing on his feet as he helped pack the small gift boxes.

"More like new ahjummas and ahjussis," Seo-jun corrected, neatly placing a freshly baked red bean steamed rice cake inside a container. "But if they have kids, maybe we will."

Seo-jin, as usual, silently focused, making sure that each cake was placed perfectly. His lips were pursed in concentration as he carefully closed the last box.

Seo-woo chuckled, ruffling Seo-min's hair. "We'll see. But remember, we're just greeting them and giving these as a small gift."

With everything ready, the four of them stepped out of the house, each carrying a small bag filled with their homemade treats.

The neighborhood was quiet but welcoming, and the triplets eagerly knocked on doors, greeting each new face with a bright "Hello! We're your new neighbors!"

Most of the residents were pleasantly surprised to see a single father with triplets, especially when they learned that the sweet-smelling rice cakes were baked by them.

"Oh my, this is so thoughtful! Your children are adorable!" one elderly woman gushed, patting Seo-jun's head.

"They're well-behaved, too," another neighbor commented, smiling warmly. "Welcome to the neighborhood!"

"Thank you, Ajummas and Ajusshis!" the triplets said in unison, making Seo-woo smile at how natural they were at charming people.

As they finished their greetings and headed home, Seo-min grinned, whispering to Seo-jun, "I think they like us."

Seo-jin smirked. "Of course, we're amazing."

Seo-jun, who had been quiet the whole time, suddenly nodded. "The cakes helped, too."

Seo-woo let out a laugh, shaking his head at their adorable confidence.

When they returned home, the three new housekeepers were already waiting for them in the living room.

Seo-woo still wasn't used to it.

The idea of having strangers live in his house made him uncomfortable. He wasn't the young chaebol heir type who grew up with a household full of staff. He preferred doing things himself.

"You're only allowed to clean the first floor," Seo-woo reminded them again. "The second floor is off-limits."

Kim Rae-na and Lee Hae-mi nodded respectfully, but Oh Won-jin hesitated, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Understood," Rae-na and Hae-mi replied in unison.

Won-jin, however, couldn't stop staring at Seo-woo.

Seo-woo narrowed his eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that again? Is there something you want to say to me?"

Won-jin flinched and quickly lowered his gaze. "N-nothing, sir!"

But inside, his mind was a mess.

"Ryu Seo-woo... This guy is completely different from what I heard. But why did he disguise himself? Is he trying to run away from Won-jung hyung?"

Won-jin had seen him before, but back then, Seo-woo had been a broken man-someone drowning in debt, someone barely surviving.

But the Seo-woo in front of him now?

Confident. Composed. Strong.

"What the hell happened to him?"

Before he could ponder further, Ryu Jung-woo's strict warning echoed in his mind:

"Don't let a single word about who you're working for slip out. If you do, I'll make sure you never work in Seoul again."

Won-jin clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus on his job. He wanted to be independent like his hyung. So he needed to work hard without help from his family. But he was confused about Seo-woo.

"Why did he borrow a large amount of money from a loan shark if he was from a wealthy family? What a joke!"

The next morning, Seo-woo woke up early, stretching as he glanced at the clock-5:30 AM.

He turned his head towards the tiny figures curled up in bed beside him.

Seo-jin was still clutching his sleeve, his brows slightly furrowed as if he was having a serious dream. Seo-jun had one leg sprawled over Seo-min, while Seo-min was... half-hanging off the bed.

Seo-woo chuckled and gently shook them awake.

"Wake up, sleepyheads," he said in a soft voice.

"Mmm... five more minutes," Seo-jin mumbled, burying his face in the pillow.

"Daaaaad," Seo-min whined, his voice muffled. "I was dreaming about riding a unicorn!"

Seo-woo smirked. "Well, your unicorn is leaving without you, so you better hurry up."

Seo-jin, the most obedient, was the first to sit up, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "...Morning, Dad."

One down, two to go.

Seo-woo leaned in and whispered in Seo-jin's ear, "Whoever wakes up first gets an extra strawberry in their lunchbox."

Seo-jin shot up immediately. "I'M AWAKE!"

Seo-min groaned dramatically. "Ugh, I hate waking up early..."

"But you love strawberries, right?" Seo-woo teased.

Seo-min bolted upright. "I'M UP!"

With the triplets awake, their morning routine officially started.

They rushed to the bathroom, each grabbing their own toothbrushes, as Seo-woo supervised them like a general leading an army.

"Seo-jun, don't use too much toothpaste."

"Seo-min, rinse properly-don't just spit once!"

"Seo-jin, don't squeeze your toothpaste from the middle!"

After successfully surviving the bathroom battle, they changed into their neat kindergarten uniforms.

Seo-woo packed their lunchboxes, carefully placing their food inside.

"Here you go," he said, handing them their bags.

"Thanks, Dad!"

The black sedan was already waiting outside, and the triplets climbed in excitedly.

As the car pulled away, Seo-woo sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I survived another morning."

---

After dropping off the triplets at kindergarten, Seo-woo leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Where to now, sir?" his driver asked.

"Dawn Entertainment," Seo-woo replied without hesitation.

The driver gave a brief nod. "Understood."

As the car smoothly pulled out onto the road, Seo-woo checked his phone. He had no new messages from Jung-woo or Auntie Song, which meant no emergencies-a rare blessing in his life.

The journey was uneventful, giving Seo-woo time to stare out the window and gather his thoughts.

"Joining Min-ho's company... I never imagined myself going back to the industry this soon."

Seo-woo had mixed feelings about returning to the entertainment world, but he knew one thing for sure-he needed money, stability, and control over his future. And Min-ho's offer? It was too good to ignore.

After an hour, the car pulled up in front of Dawn Entertainment's sleek, glass-paneled building.

Seo-woo took a deep breath before stepping out. He quickly messaged Min-ho.

Seo-woo: I'm here. Where are we meeting?

Min-ho's reply came instantly.

Min-ho: Come straight to my office.

Seo-woo: Got it.

Tucking his phone into his pocket, Seo-woo headed inside the modern, bustling lobby.

Just as he approached the elevators, a young man hurriedly rushed past him.

"Ah-!"

The man frantically pressed the elevator button, clearly in a rush. The doors slid open, and he dashed inside.

Seo-woo was just about to step in, but-

Ding!

The doors started closing, leaving Seo-woo standing outside.

The young man panicked, his face a mix of shock and regret. He pressed a button repeatedly, trying to stop the doors.

"I'm sorry!" he mouthed through the narrowing gap, his voice slightly muffled.

Seo-woo just blinked.

Then, the elevator disappeared upwards.

"...What just happened?" Seo-woo muttered, resisting the urge to laugh.

Shrugging, he waited for the next elevator.

By the time Seo-woo reached Min-ho's office floor, he was greeted by an elegantly designed hallway, lined with frosted glass panels. At the very end was CEO Min-ho's office, its door standing tall and imposing.

Seo-woo knocked lightly.

"Come in," Min-ho's voice called out.

Pushing the door open, Seo-woo was immediately greeted by the scent of cool, expensive cologne mixed with the slightly rich aroma of freshly brewed tea.

The office itself was sophisticated yet minimalistic-a space designed for someone who valued both power and aesthetics. A large, modern desk sat near the floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of the city skyline.

Min-ho was leaning casually against his desk, his arms crossed, wearing his signature smirk.

"Finally decided to show up, huh?" he teased.

Seo-woo rolled his eyes. "It's barely 8 a.m. Don't act like I made you wait hours."

Min-ho chuckled and gestured toward the seat across from him.

"Take a seat. I already prepared the contract."

As Seo-woo sat down, Min-ho pressed a button on his desk intercom.

"Assistant Jang, bring us some tea."

"Right away, sir," a voice replied.

Moments later, a neatly dressed assistant walked in, carefully placing a tray of tea in front of them before silently leaving the room.

Min-ho handed over a crisp, well-printed contract.

"Here," he said, sliding the document across the table. "Take your time."

Seo-woo took it and began reading carefully.

As his eyes scanned each clause, he searched for loopholes or any suspicious conditions.

"No overly restrictive clauses..."

"Fair revenue share..."

"Creative freedom remains with me..."

As he reached the final page, relief washed over him.

"No hidden traps. Min-ho actually played fair."

Without hesitation, he picked up the pen and signed.

Min-ho's smirk widened. "Welcome to Dawn Entertainment."

He extended a hand toward Seo-woo.

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow. "Are we really doing this handshake thing?"

"It's official business," Min-ho said smugly.

Seo-woo sighed but shook his hand anyway.

"Congratulations," Min-ho said, his grip firm. "You just signed a contract with one of the most ambitious CEOs in the industry."

Seo-woo smirked. "And you just signed with the most unpredictable person you'll ever work with."

Min-ho threw his head back and laughed.

"Oh, this is going to be fun."

After sealing the deal with his signature, Seo-woo leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"So, did you finally fire that snake, Kwon Si-hyuk?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Min-ho, who was casually sipping his tea, simply smirked. "Not yet."

Seo-woo frowned. "Why?"

Min-ho placed his cup down and rested his chin on his hand. "Because I still need something from him."

Seo-woo narrowed his eyes. "Something that could help you?"

Min-ho said, "Not me, but my poor friend."

Seo-woo said without any concerns. "Okay."

But just as he was about to change the topic, Min-ho leaned forward and grinned.

"Wow. Did your kink for gossiping weaken?"

Seo-woo immediately choked on his tea. "Excuse me?!"

Min-ho laughed, leaning back in his chair. "You heard me."

Seo-woo wiped his mouth and glared. "I do not have a 'gossip kink.'"

Min-ho dramatically gasped. "Really? Because every time something juicy happens, you perk up like a cat hearing a can of tuna being opened."

"You're overreacting," Seo-woo scoffed.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

Min-ho just chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I'll let it slide this time."

Seo-woo rolled his eyes but couldn't help smirking.

Before their banter could continue, Min-ho's phone suddenly rang.

Seo-woo watched as Min-ho answered, his expression unreadable.

"Hmm," Min-ho hummed.

A pause.

"Okay."

Another pause.

"Alright."

Then, he hung up without saying anything else.

Seo-woo narrowed his eyes. "You look suspiciously happy. Should I be worried?"

Min-ho placed his phone down and smiled-a smile that screamed he was up to something.

Seo-woo tensed. "Min-ho..."

Min-ho clasped his hands together. "How do you feel about sitting in on some interviews?"

Seo-woo blinked. "Interviews?"

"For new trainees."

Seo-woo hesitated. "Why me?"

Min-ho shrugged. "Because you're good at reading people. I want to see if any of them have actual potential-or if they're just pretty faces with zero talent."

Seo-woo opened his mouth to refuse, but then he remembered something.

His status window skill.

He could see people's talents, hidden strengths, weaknesses, and even potential.

"This... might be fun."

Checking the time, he realized he had no other commitments today. The triplets would be in kindergarten until 2 p.m. because of their school club activities.

"Hmm... But just in case, I'll ask Jung-woo to come to the kindergarten to pick them up."

Then, he sent a message to Jung-woo.

Min-ho watched him with amusement. "So? Are you in or not?"

Seo-woo finally nodded. "Fine. I'll do it."

Min-ho grinned. "Knew you'd say yes."

But before heading to the interview room, a thought struck Seo-woo.

"I can see other people's status windows... but I've never checked Min-ho's."

Curiosity sparked in his mind.

Without hesitation, he activated his skill and peeked at Min-ho's status window.

━━ [Status Window: Choi Min-ho] ━━

🔹 Age: 29

🔹 Talent Skills: Business Strategy (Master), Talent Scouting (Advanced), Acting (Intermediate), Singing (Beginner), Martial Arts (Intermediate)

🔹 Passive Skills: Negotiation Genius, Sharp Instincts, Unbreakable Poker Face

🔹 Health Status: Excellent (but drinks too much coffee)

🔹 Financial Status: Wealthy (But very, VERY stingy)

🔹 Weaknesses: Soft-hearted toward certain people (though he denies it), Overworks himself, Terrible at cooking, Zero interest in dating (due to psychological trauma)

━━ [End of Status Window] ━━

Seo-woo stared at the screen, his lips twitching.

"Pfft- He's bad at cooking? That explains why he always orders food instead of making anything himself."

And that 'soft-hearted' part?

Seo-woo glanced at Min-ho, who was waiting for him with a smug expression.

"Denies it, huh?"

Seo-woo smirked.

Maybe today would be interesting.

But before he closed Min-ho's status window, he was shocked at the last part of his weakness.

Seo-woo finally understood why his friend rejected every blind date and romantic approach-it wasn't because he was picky, but because of psychological trauma.

"So that's why..."

Seo-woo felt a pang of sympathy in his chest. But why didn't he tell his mother about it?

Min-ho, noticing his sudden change in mood, frowned. "What's with that look?"

Seo-woo blinked. "What look?"

Min-ho narrowed his eyes. "You look like a cat that just saw its owner throw away its favorite toy."

Seo-woo scoffed. "Excuse me?!"

Before Min-ho could say anything else, Seo-woo's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Mr. Lee, the triplets' kindergarten teacher.

Attached was a photo of his three little troublemakers, grinning widely while holding up handmade letters for him.

Seo-woo's heart melted instantly.

"These little rascals..."

A smile automatically formed on his lips as he typed a quick reply:

"Thank you for the photo, Mr. Lee. Please let the triplets know their Uncle Jung-woo will pick them up later."

A response came almost immediately.

Mr. Lee: "You're welcome, Mr. Ryu! Okay, I will tell them."

Seo-woo chuckled softly.

Min-ho, who had been silently watching, crossed his arms. "You're so unreadable."

Seo-woo looked up. "Huh?"

"One second, you look like you're about to cry. The next second, you're smiling like an idiot." Min-ho shook his head with an amused sigh.

Seo-woo rolled his eyes. "It's called being human, Min-ho."

"Couldn't be me," Min-ho replied dryly.

Seo-woo just chuckled.

Just as Seo-woo was about to say something, a familiar blue window suddenly appeared in front of him.

🔹 [Special Quest: The Birth of a Future Star!] 🔹

🔹Objective: Select and form either a boy group or a girl group from today's applicants.

🔹Reward: Passive Device - 'Danger Detector'

🔹Description: Greatness lies in the hands of those who dare to create! Find the perfect individuals, guide them, and bring forth a legendary group that will shake the entertainment industry!

Note: The Danger Detector allows the user to sense threats within a 10-meter radius. The higher the threat level, the stronger the response.

Seo-woo's eyes widened in shock.

"A 'Danger Detector'? That's a crazy useful skill!"

Without hesitation, he immediately pressed "Accept".

He had no idea what he was about to get himself into, but the reward alone was worth the risk.

Seo-woo suddenly stood up from his seat.

"Let's go," he said, his voice filled with new determination.

Min-ho raised an eyebrow. "What's with the sudden energy boost?"

"Nothing," Seo-woo grinned. "Just excited to see the talent pool."

Min-ho smirked. "Good. Then let's head to the interview room."

As they walked down the hallway, Seo-woo suddenly felt a pressing need.

He sighed and turned to Min-ho. "Where's the bathroom?"

Min-ho gave him a flat look. "You're a grown man, and you don't know where the bathroom is?"

Seo-woo groaned. "Min-ho, I swear-"

Min-ho chuckled and signaled for his assistant to guide him. "Go ahead. I'll wait at the interview venue."

Seo-woo nodded and followed the assistant.

As he walked away, he couldn't shake the weird feeling in his gut-as if something unexpected was about to happen.

---

Min-ho tapped his fingers impatiently against the armrest of his chair, his gaze fixed on the door.

"Where the hell is Seo-woo?"

It had been ten minutes since Seo-woo excused himself to go to the bathroom, but there was no sign of him returning.

Instead, the ones who entered the interview room were two well-known music producers and a director, who immediately bowed apologetically upon seeing their CEO seated before them.

"Ah, CEO Choi, we apologize for arriving later than you," one of them said awkwardly.

Min-ho waved a hand dismissively. "Doesn't matter."

They still looked ashamed, but Min-ho had more pressing matters to think about.

His secretary approached, holding a thick folder containing applicant profiles. "Sir, the interviews will start in 15 minutes."

Min-ho nodded absentmindedly. "I'll be back in a moment."

He stood up and left the room.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom, Seo-woo sat inside a cubicle, regretting drinking that tea earlier.

"Damn it, my stomach hurts... Min-ho, what kind of poison did you serve me?"

As he was finishing up, he suddenly heard the door creak open.

One set of footsteps echoed through the bathroom, followed by another, and soon after, an intense verbal argument erupted.

Guy A: "Hey, you really think you're gonna pass the interview? You bumpkin? Of all people?"

Guy B: "I don't need to think, I know I will. Whether you like it or not, I'll make it."

Guy A scoffed loudly. "You? Debut? Don't make me laugh, Bae Sung-min. You're nothing but a street rat who got lucky with your looks. No talent, no connections-just an ugly little dream."

Guy B-Bae Sung-min-responded in a calm yet firm voice. "At least I have a dream, Bang Tae-ki. Unlike you, who only knows how to bring others down because you're afraid of being left behind and you always use your connections."

There was a tense silence.

Seo-woo, still inside the cubicle, froze.

"Okay... this is getting interesting, but how the hell do I get out of here unnoticed?"

He hesitated to flush the toilet because it would alert the two guys that someone had been listening the whole time.

But before he could think of a way out, the bathroom door opened again.

A third voice entered the conversation.

A voice Seo-woo instantly recognized.

Min-ho.

Min-ho sighed as he stepped into the bathroom.

He had one goal-find Seo-woo and drag his ass back before the interviews started.

But instead of Seo-woo, he was met with a peculiar sight.

A young man-Bae Sung-min-suddenly turned to him with a bright, hopeful expression.

Without warning, Bae Sung-min rushed toward him and clung to his arm asking for help.

Seo-woo, still inside the cubicle, had just flushed the toilet when he heard those words.

Then, he stepped out-and immediately froze in place.

Min-ho, standing near the sinks, looked up at Seo-woo just in time to see his utterly shocked face.

Seo-woo's wide eyes screamed:

"What in the world is happening?!"

Min-ho shoved Bae Sung-min off him immediately.

"What the hell are you doing?" Min-ho snapped, adjusting his blazer with a disgusted expression.

Sung-min, looking genuinely confused, asked, "You don't remember me? We had an intimate encounter in an alley!"

The entire bathroom fell into silence.

Seo-woo's brain short-circuited.

Bang Tae-ki, still near the stalls, snorted loudly, barely holding back his laughter.

Bae Sung-min, however, looked dead serious.

Min-ho's face remained stoic, but his left eye twitched slightly.

With a sigh, he forcibly pried the man off him and pushed him away.

"Where's your dignity?" Min-ho asked, tone flat.

The silver-haired guy-Bae Sung-min-looked hurt. "You don't remember me?"

Min-ho rubbed his temples. "Yeah, I remember you being a troublemaker that day, but I sure as hell don't remember having any intimate moment in an alley. Instead, you harassed me that day."

Bae Sung-min flinched.

Seo-woo coughed. "Ahem."

Min-ho turned to him. "Don't say anything."

Seo-woo smirked. "Wasn't gonna."

Seo-woo felt like he had just walked into a drama scene he didn't sign up for.

But Seo-woo suddenly said, "Oh, I also remember you. You were the one I ran into earlier near the elevator."

Bae Sung-min became nervous.

Min-ho, utterly done with the situation, grabbed Seo-woo by the wrist and yanked him out of the bathroom.

"Let's go," he muttered through gritted teeth.

Seo-woo, still in shock, stumbled along.

As they exited, the bathroom door swung shut behind them, leaving Bae Sung-min and Bang Tae-ki alone inside.

Tae-ki crossed his arms and smirked. "Congratulations, Bae Sung-min. You just clung to the CEO of Dawn Entertainment. You're officially doomed."

Sung-min's face went pale.

Tae-ki let out a low chuckle before walking out.

Sung-min stood there, his mind racing.

"What... have I done?"