Yang Hyun-suk felt a flicker of unease—he hadn't expected Lucas to request financial reports so suddenly. Though it was within his rights as a shareholder, most investors weren't so hands-on.
Maintaining his composure, he gestured for his secretary to retrieve the necessary documents. Meanwhile, he poured tea for both Hollywood stars, his expression polite and welcoming.
Shifting the conversation with a smooth smile, he said, "Business aside, I'm really excited to give you both a tour of our company." He glanced between Lucas and Jennifer before focusing on Lucas. "And, of course, I'm especially looking forward to introducing you to our artists. They admire you a lot—not just as an actor, but as a musician."
The translator relayed his words, though Lucas understood Korean well enough. He didn't interrupt, knowing Jennifer needed the translation.
Once she heard it, Jennifer looked intrigued, a hint of amusement in her expression. She was well aware of YG Entertainment's influence in Asian music culture.
During their time in South Korea, she had watched performances by BigBang, EXO, and BTS, all because Lucas had been deeply into K-pop. Seeing his enthusiasm piqued her curiosity, and she had gradually started learning more about the industry.
She leaned slightly toward Lucas, whispering teasingly, "You have famous Koreans admiring you. I'm jealous."
Lucas chuckled at her playful tone but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to Hyun-suk and said, "I'm also quite interested in meeting them." He took a sip of tea before adding, "In fact, some YG artists have caught my attention."
Hyun-suk's brows lifted slightly in surprise. "Oh?" He exchanged glances with his brother, Min-suk. "Some of our artists actually caught the eye of the one and only Lucas Knight?"
Lucas nodded with an easy smile. "Yes."
Hyun-suk leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "Can I ask who these artists are?"
Even Jennifer and Min-suk looked at Lucas with curiosity, waiting for his answer.
Lucas seemed thoughtful for a moment before listing off names, "G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung, Kang Seung-yoon, Song Mino, Bobby, Psy… and a few others."
A stunned silence filled the room.
Jennifer, Hyun-suk, Min-suk, and even the translator were visibly surprised.
The two brothers exchanged glances, trying to gauge whether Lucas was genuinely familiar with these artists or just being polite. It was rare for a Hollywood celebrity—especially a Western musician—to know so many names from the YG Family.
Min-suk let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "I didn't expect that." He folded his arms, smiling. "So many of our artists caught your attention? I can't believe it."
"Yeah, I find it hard to believe as well," Hyun-suk admitted, still looking mildly astonished.
Lucas smiled knowingly. "It's not that hard to believe. YG has some of the most talented artists in the industry."
The sincerity in his tone left no room for doubt—he wasn't just being polite. He meant it.
Though it came as a surprise, the Yang brothers appreciated the fact that Lucas was genuinely familiar with so many YG Family artists. They could understand him knowing Psy, as his global hit Gangnam Style had reached international audiences, but recognizing artists who were primarily famous in Asia was unexpected.
At the same time, considering Lucas was an investor, it made sense that he had done his research.
"I noticed you mentioned four members of BigBang," Hyun-suk said, a curious smile playing on his lips. "But you left out one."
Lucas raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "Oh? Who?"
The brothers exchanged a confused glance. How could Lucas name nearly every BigBang member and not mention the missing one?
Min-suk leaned forward slightly, his expression puzzled. "It's Seungri. You don't know?"
Lucas gave a small nod, as if suddenly remembering. "Oh… that guy?" He paused, pretending to think it over before answering bluntly, "Yeah, I know him. But honestly, I'm not that impressed."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Jennifer, the translator, and even the Yang brothers were visibly caught off guard by Lucas's directness. Korean business culture typically avoided outright criticism, especially in face-to-face meetings. Lucas, however, had made his opinion clear without hesitation.
Hyun-suk leaned forward slightly, his curiosity piqued. "Can I ask why?"
Lucas shrugged. "I don't know. His talent is fine, but I just can't bring myself to like him."
His bluntness left everyone momentarily speechless.
There was an undercurrent of tension, but Lucas didn't elaborate. He simply sipped his tea as if he hadn't just openly dismissed one of YG's biggest stars.
Before the silence could stretch further, the secretary returned, carrying a stack of documents. She placed them neatly on the table before stepping back.
Lucas reached for them, his expression calm—until his eyes landed on the language printed across the pages.
"Hmm… it's not in English."
The words were casual, but the meaning behind them wasn't.
His gaze lifted slightly, subtly observing the Yang brothers' reactions. Neither spoke. They simply waited in silence.
It was intentional.
Lucas's fingers lightly tapped against the papers as he noticed their lack of reaction—at least, until the translator quietly explained his words.
Only then did Hyun-suk and Min-suk react, though their expressions remained unreadable.
Lucas smirked inwardly.
They wanted to see how he would handle it.
Hyun-suk offered a polite smile. "Oh, it seems we've given you the Korean copy by mistake. We'll have an English version prepared for you." He gestured for the secretary to take the documents back.
Before she could, Lucas casually raised a hand. "Wait a minute. I'd like to take a deeper look first."
Jennifer wasn't surprised in the slightest—she knew Lucas could understand and speak Korean fluently. But the Yang brothers looked visibly confused.
"What is he doing? It's not like he can understand our language," Min-suk muttered under his breath, eyeing Lucas with disbelief.
Hyun-suk kept his expression neutral, but his tone carried an air of quiet condescension. "Let him." He waved a hand dismissively. "It's not like he'll understand anything. He can read all he wants, but at the end of the day, it won't mean a thing."
Jennifer couldn't catch their hushed exchange, but she noticed how the translator and secretary fidgeted uncomfortably beside them. The way the two brothers spoke so openly, right in front of Lucas, as if he were deaf to their words, made the air in the room feel heavier.
Lucas, however, didn't react.
He remained perfectly composed, flipping through the pages with unwavering focus.
But his brows twitched slightly when Min-suk carelessly let something slip.
"Look at this superstar pretending to understand the reports," Min-suk muttered, his tone laced with arrogance. "I was worried he'd figure out that we're the ones who leaked his shares to the public and tipped off the media about his visit, but seeing him like this? I doubt he'll even notice."
Hyun-suk elbowed his brother sharply. "Quiet." His voice dropped lower, but the tension in his tone was clear. He glanced at the translator and secretary, his expression tightening. "That's better left unsaid, you fool."
Min-suk scoffed, unbothered. "Relax. I doubt the secretary will talk, and as for the translator…" He trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
Lucas still didn't flinch.
Even after hearing something so damning, he kept his face neutral, his eyes scanning the report as if nothing had happened.
He finally placed the document back on the table, exhaling softly.
Hyun-suk seized the moment to regain control. "We'll have the English copy for you soon."
To his absolute horror, Lucas replied smoothly in fluent Korean:
"No need."
The room froze.
The brothers stiffened, their eyes widening in shock.
Had they heard that right? Did Lucas just… speak Korean?
Before they could recover, he spoke again, his tone still calm but carrying a weight that made their stomachs sink.
"I can understand Korean just fine." He smiled slightly, "And from what I've seen, there are some concerning transactions in these reports. But we can discuss that later."
A heavy silence followed.
Hyun-suk and Min-suk exchanged glances, their confidence crumbling into quiet panic.
Min-suk stammered, his throat dry. "A-ah… M-Mr. Lucas, you actually speak Korean? That's… quite a surprise!"
"Y-yeah! I'm really surprised!" Hyun-suk forced an awkward laugh, trying to mask his growing unease.
Lucas only smiled, leaning back slightly in his chair. "Yes. Surprising, isn't it?"
Despite their status in the business world, the Yang brothers couldn't shake their growing nervousness—especially Min-suk.
After all, he was the one who had carelessly run his mouth just moments ago, not realizing that Lucas understood everything. Now, the weight of that mistake settled in his gut like a stone. He stole a glance at Hyun-suk, who, though trying to keep his composure, was gulping slightly as well.
Realizing the tension had stretched too long, Hyun-suk quickly shifted the subject.
"How about we tour the building?" His tone was overly enthusiastic, as if pretending nothing had happened. "I've already arranged for some of our most notable artists—the ones you mentioned—to meet you. They should be here soon, and I'm sure they're eager to see you two."
The room remained silent for a few seconds as Lucas simply observed them, his expression unreadable.
That silence was enough to send another wave of unease through the brothers.
Min-suk felt a bead of sweat forming at his temple. Why isn't he saying anything?
Meanwhile, Jennifer, though unable to understand the conversation, could feel the thick tension in the air. She leaned slightly toward Lucas, whispering, "What's going on? They look really nervous."
Lucas chuckled lightly, his gaze still on the two executives. "I'll tell you later."
Then, finally, he spoke.
"Well, I'm curious to see the new artists of the YG Family." His voice was calm, almost too calm. "Let's put business aside for now and take a tour."
The Yang brothers exhaled in visible relief.
"Of course, of course!" Min-suk nodded quickly, a little too eager.
Shortly after, they led Lucas and Jennifer to the training area of the company's K-pop trainees and idols. Though the brothers tried to maintain their usual authority, there was a noticeable stiffness in their movements—they were still nervous.
As they walked, Jennifer leaned in again, whispering, "They're still tense. What exactly happened back there?"
Lucas smirked. "I'll explain later. Just enjoy the tour for now."
Jennifer narrowed her eyes slightly at his vague response but decided to let it go—for now.
When they arrived at the training studio, the room was filled with aspiring idols, practicing their routines with laser focus.
That focus, however, shattered the moment they noticed their high-ranking executives entering the room—accompanied by Lucas and Jennifer.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Some trainees froze mid-movement, their eyes widening as realization struck. Whispers rippled across the room as the young artists tried to process what they were seeing.
At the front, two familiar faces stood out—Jisoo and Rosé from Blackpink.
The two women had been completely immersed in their training, but when they turned toward the entrance and saw the power couple walking in, their eyes widened in shock.
Jisoo's jaw nearly dropped. Rosé's expression shifted from focus to pure astonishment.
"Is that… Lucas Knight? And Jennifer Lawrence?!"
The murmurs in the room grew louder. Some trainees covered their mouths in disbelief, while others simply stood there, stunned beyond words.