After the wrap party the night before, most of the crew was still basking in the afterglow of a job well done.
But not Jihoon. While others recovered from champagne and celebration, he was deep in the editing suite with the VFX team, eyes glued to the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard, matching each emotional beat of the film with just the right visual effect.
It was the final stretch—tweaking, trimming, and refining every frame until it aligned with the vision he had carried in his head from day one.
Every act had to flow, every scene had to breathe. Nothing less than perfection would satisfy him.
He had barely noticed the hours slipping by when his phone buzzed on the desk.
The name on the screen made him blink a little.
Hyunbin.
Jihoon swiped to answer, resting the phone between his ear and shoulder as he continued clicking through a color grade timeline.
"Jihoon-ah," came Hyunbin's familiar voice, warm and easy. "Got a minute? Thought we could grab coffee."
"I'm flying back to Korea tomorrow, figured we could meet one last time before I go. Just a quick chat... and I need to thank you. Again."
Jihoon paused the playback and leaned back in his chair, letting out a small sigh of relief. The idea of coffee and a break actually sounded perfect.
"Yeah, hyung. Let's meet," Jihoon said with a smile.
A short while later, Jihoon made his way to the cafe Hyunbin had picked out—a cozy little spot tucked between a row of art galleries in West Hollywood.
The place was buzzing with locals and tourists, but Jihoon spotted Hyunbin easily—seated right in the middle of the shop with a half-empty iced Americano in front of him, sunglasses perched on his head, scrolling through his phone.
It was a rare sight.
If they were in Seoul, Hyunbin wouldn't last five seconds out in the open like this.
He'd be swarmed by fans, paparazzi, or some overly curious ajumma with a camera.
But here in Hollywood, despite having his name pop up in a few local entertainment papers, he was still just another face in the crowd.
A promising one, yes—but a newcomer all the same. It gave him a rare moment of peace.
Jihoon smiled and walked over, setting down a couple of shopping bags beside the chair before plopping down across from him.
"Hyung… sorry I kept you waiting. I was stuck in post again. The VFX guys wouldn't let me go," he said, stretching his arms with a quiet groan.
Hyunbin looked up with a grin. "Hey, no worries. I wasn't waiting long. I figured you'd be neck-deep in edits anyway."
He pointed at the bags beside Jihoon's chair. "But what's with all the baggage? You moving out?"
Jihoon chuckled. "Ah… this is actually the second reason I'm late."
He slid the bags closer to Hyunbin's side. "Do me a favor, hyung. Can you take these back to Korea and drop them off with my sister, Jieun?"
Hyunbin blinked. "These all are for you sister?"
"Some are," Jihoon replied, unzipping the biggest bag and showing the contents—a stack of neatly wrapped gifts, each with a pastel-colored name tag.
"This big one's for her. The rest are for some friends back home. I labeled them all, so just hand them to Jieun. She'll handle the rest."
"Wow," Hyunbin laughed, picking up one of the tags. "You're really a doting brother, huh?"
Jihoon shrugged sheepishly. "She's been nagging me for souvenirs ever since I left. Figured I'd better deliver or she'll never let me hear the end of it."
Hyunbin began inspecting the tags. "Hmm… okay, so this one's Jieun. Got it. But wait—what's this? Taeyeon? Jessica? These two gifts are almost as big as your sister's!"
He looked up with a teasing smirk.
"Jihoon-ah," he said with a playful glint in his eyes. "Mind telling me who these two are, huh? Big gifts, huh? Sounds… suspicious."
Jihoon gave a crooked grin, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Hyung, don't start. They're just friends," he said, though the pink creeping up his cheeks suggested there was more to the story.
Let's just say, it had been a few months since Jihoon last saw them in person, but that didn't stop the regular exchange of calls and messages.
So while the gifts were technically just friendly souvenirs… there was more to it than that.
Both Jessica and Taeyeon had strongly "encouraged" him to bring something back for them—but if you read between the lines, it felt more like a protection fee, the kind a local mafia boss might demand from a helpless civilian.
And in this scenario, Jihoon was definitely the civilian.
But honestly, that was just another normal day when dealing with SNSD.
And it wasn't just those two. Jihoon had prepared gifts for the rest of the girls too—because if he didn't, they'd probably hunt him down the moment he landed back in Korea.
As for why Jessica also received a big present like Taeyeon? Well, her gift was more of a defense mechanism than anything else.
The endless pestering, playful threats, and relentless pressure she put on him left Jihoon with no choice but to cave in.
"Uh huh," Hyunbin said, drawing out the syllables with a knowing nod. "Got it. Just friends, huh? That's what they all say," he said with playful suspicion.
"Please don't stir anything up," Jihoon groaned, slouching in his seat.
Hyunbin laughed. "No promises, but I'll do my best."
The two shared a moment of silence, letting the noise of the cafe drift around them like a warm blanket. T
hen Hyunbin spoke again, his tone a little more sincere this time.
"Honestly though, Jihoon… I meant what I said on the phone. Thank you. You didn't have to pick me for this role. With your name and status now, you could've given it to anyone. But you remembered our conversation from last year… you kept your word. That means more than you know."
Jihoon met his gaze and smiled. "Of course I remembered. A promise is a promise, hyung. And you earned it. You killed that role."
Hyunbin chuckled, looking down into his coffee. "Still. Just wanted to say thanks. Again."
Jihoon clinked his cup lightly against Hyunbin's. "Then I'll say you're welcome. Again."
They both laughed, the kind of easy laughter that only came from real friendship—one built on trust, hard work, and a few well-timed coffee breaks in between.
After a pause, Hyunbin glanced at Jihoon and asked, "Now that filming's wrapped, what's next for you?"
Jihoon leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly. "Hmm… I just want to finish editing quickly, then maybe take a little time to travel around the city. Clear my head before the next storm hits."
"That sounds like a plan," Hyunbin nodded. But there was a subtle shift in his expression, like he was hesitating—working through something in his mind.
Jihoon noticed the change, but didn't push.
Then, after a beat, Hyunbin spoke. "Jihoon-ah… is your studio still signing artists? And if so, do you think I could join?"
Jihoon wasn't surprised. He'd suspected something like this from the moment Hyunbin started repeatedly thanking him.
And honestly, who could blame him?
Anyone paying attention would already see Jihoon's meteoric rise.
A young director who managed to shake up the industry with just three films, and now—with 'Inception' quietly brewing behind the scenes—was standing at the threshold of global recognition.
Hollywood wasn't just on the horizon; it was already knocking.
And Hyunbin, having seen the process firsthand as part of the 'Inception' cast, knew exactly what Jihoon was building.
Jihoon took a breath, then replied carefully. "Hyung… I'll be honest with you."
"So far, my studio's only signed Ji Changwook. And the reason I signed him is because his acting is still raw—but that rawness can be shaped. Directed."
He leaned in slightly, his tone sincere. "The agency I've created isn't like traditional ones."
"It's more of a talent pool—actors I work with and personally guide to fit into the world of my films."
"The purpose isn't to chase fame, but to make my projects smoother, more cohesive, from the inside out."
He paused. "So if you're okay with that—knowing that your work will likely be tied to my films, and that outside roles might be limited to preserve the image we build together—then I'd be happy to bring you on board."
Hyunbin blinked, processing.
He hadn't expected that explanation, but it made sense.
It wasn't the most flexible setup—he'd likely have to put most of his outside acting on hold.
His image, roles, and future work would revolve around Jihoon's creative vision. That kind of commitment was risky.
But then again… so was every worthwhile thing in life.
With Jihoon's rising star and the critical acclaim already surrounding his work, this wasn't just a gamble—it was the best opportunity Hyunbin had seen in years.
Not to mention the second director under Jihoon's banner, Jongbin, had just won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in May.
So Hyunbin didn't hesitate. He extended his hand across the table and grinned.
"Then let's do it."
Jihoon smiled and took his hand. "Welcome to the team, hyung."
Another clink of coffee cups followed—sealing the deal not just as a contract, but also marking the two artists now working under a banner bearing Jihoon's name, their identities personally tied to his vision.
[Author's Note: Heartfelt thanks to Wandererlithe, JiangXiu and Daoistadj for bestowing the power stone!]