Chapter 30
The boardroom was quiet in the way only powerful rooms could be quiet—heavy, polished, and full of authority. The long glass table reflected the overhead lights, and the city beyond the windows shimmered in the distance like a field of scattered jewels. Inside, however, there was no softness, only business, strategy, and the weight of decisions made by men who controlled empires.
At the head of the table sat the highest-ranking men in the room: Mr. Kim, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Seo. Their presence alone commanded respect. These were not men who merely attended meetings; they shaped industries, moved markets, and made choices that affected entire business chains.
Today's meeting had one purpose.
The introduction of a newly brought-in luxury machine to their business
The McLaren 765LT Spider.
Standing at the front of the room was Mr. Park, a man who had become even more closely tied to their circle through his daughter's engagement to Lee Dae, Mr. Lee's son. Though he was not above the three senior men in rank, he had earned his place through competence, loyalty, and the trust that came with family connection.
Behind him, the large screen displayed the sleek image of the car: low, sharp, aggressive, and impossibly elegant.
Mr. Park adjusted his tie and began.
"Gentlemen, today I present to you the McLaren 765LT Spider."
He clicked the remote, and the image shifted to a rotating view of the car's exterior.
"This is a high-performance open-top supercar designed for clients who want speed, exclusivity, and prestige in one package. It features a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, lightweight carbon fiber construction, advanced aerodynamics, and a retractable hardtop. It is built for those who do not simply want to drive—they want Mr. Lee leaned back slightly, listening with interest.
Mr. Kim's expression remained calm and unreadable.
Mr. Seo watched the screen with quiet focus.
Mr. Park continued, "The vehicle is not only a machine. It is a statement. It represents power, taste, and status. For our market, it will appeal to elite buyers who value rarity and performance above all else."
He moved to the next slide.
"Now, in terms of operations, the departments involved will include the operation manager, logistics coordinator, supply chain manager, inventory controller, sales administrator, sales manager, social media manager, services advisor, services manager, financial controller, auditor, IT manager, network manager, and purchasing manager."
A few of the men around the table nodded. The structure was clear. The machine would require careful handling from the moment it entered their system until the moment it reached the customer.
Mr. Park folded his hands. "Each department will have a role in ensuring the car is received, stored, promoted, sold, and serviced properly. Because this is a premium vehicle, the price must reflect both its value and our brand position."
That was the moment the room shifted.
The price.
Mr. Kim spoke first. "What figure are we setting?"
Mr. Park looked down at his notes, then back up. "Since this is a newly brought-in model, we need to set our own official selling price for it. My recommendation is that we establish a strong premium figure that reflects exclusivity without discouraging serious buyers."
Mr. Lee nodded slowly. "Reasonable. But we need specifics."
The financial controller opened a folder. The auditor adjusted his glasses. The sales manager leaned forward. The purchasing manager was already calculating margins. The logistics coordinator and supply chain manager were thinking about handling costs, transport, and storage. The social media manager was considering how the price would affect public perception and campaign strategy.
The services manager and services advisor were focused on after-sales expectations. The IT manager and network manager were already considering how the car would be entered into the system, tracked, and managed across departments.
Mr. Seo finally spoke. "If we are setting the price ourselves, it must be high enough to protect the brand, but not so high that it becomes unrealistic."
Mr. Kim gave a slight nod. "Agreed."
Mr. Lee added, "The car is exclusive. The price should say that clearly."
Mr. Park stepped forward again. "Then let us discuss the figure."
What followed was a serious debate.
The sales manager argued for a price that would attract ultra-wealthy clients quickly. The financial controller suggested a figure that would secure healthy profit margins. The auditor insisted the number must be justified by internal records and business logic. The purchasing manager reminded them of import and acquisition costs. The logistics coordinator noted the expense of safe transport and handling. The supply chain manager added that limited availability should increase value. The social media manager pointed out that a strong price would also strengthen the car's image online.
For several minutes, the room filled with controlled disagreement.
No one shouted. No one needed to.
These were men who understood that power did not require noise.
Mr. Kim listened carefully, then asked, "What is the price we should set for this model as of today?"
Mr. Park answered clearly, "I recommend $425,000 USD as the official newly set price for the McLaren 765LT Spider."
The room went quiet.
Mr. Lee considered it. "That is strong."
Mr. Seo folded his hands. "It is premium, but still within the range our clients would accept."
The financial controller checked the figures again. The auditor reviewed the logic. The sales manager nodded with approval. The purchasing manager did not object. The logistics and supply chain teams accepted the operational implications. The social media manager smiled faintly, already imagining the attention such a figure would bring.
Mr. Kim looked from one man to another, then gave a final, decisive nod.
"Then that will be the price."
Mr. Lee agreed immediately. "Set it."
Mr. Seo's expression remained calm, but his approval was clear. Mr. Park exhaled quietly, satisfied that the matter had been settled.
The financial controller recorded the number. The auditor confirmed it. The sales manager prepared to move forward. The IT and network managers updated the system. The logistics and supply chain teams would handle the vehicle's movement. The services department would prepare for future client support.
Mr. Kim closed the folder in front of him.
"Meeting dismissed."
The men began to rise from their seats, the atmosphere easing now that the decision had been made. Mr. Park gathered his materials and stepped back respectfully. He had done his part well.
Mr. Lee exchanged a brief glance with Mr. Seo, both already thinking ahead to the next stage of business.
But Mr. Seo did not leave immediately.
The meeting had ended, yet the worry in his heart had not.
He turned to Mr. Kim and Mr. Lee, and the three men moved away from the boardroom into a quieter private lounge where they could speak freely as business partners and as friends.
The atmosphere changed at once.
This was no longer about cars, pricing, or departments.
This was about family.
Mr. Seo sat down heavily, his face drawn with concern. "I need to ask you both something serious."
Mr. Kim and Mr. Lee exchanged a glance, then sat across from him.
"It is abMr. Lee's expression tightened. "Still no contact?"
Mr. Seo shook his head. "Nothing. More than a month now. No calls. No messages. No public appearance. No one is telling us anything useful."
Mr. Kim leaned back, his face unreadable for a moment. Then he spoke in a calm, low voice. "I know."
Mr. Seo looked at him sharply. "You know something?"
Mr. Kim nodded once. "I have been handling my own son's situation too."
Mr. Lee frowned. "Kim Jo?"
"Yes," Mr. Kim said. "I stopped Kim Jo from continuing his music career for three months."
Mr. Seo and Mr. Lee both looked at him in surprise.
Mr. Kim continued, his tone steady and deliberate. "He will not return to music until he brings me his bride."
There was a brief silence.
Then Mr. Seo let out a slow breath, and Mr. Lee looked stunned for a second before shaking his head in disbelief.
Mr. Kim went on, "And Seo Joon and Lee Dae will mostly be with Kim Jo to help solve the case."
That made both men pause.
Mr. Seo's shoulders eased slightly. "So they are together?"
"Yes," Mr. Kim replied. "They are not just sitting around. They are looking into things quietly. If Seo Joon is hiding, missing, or being kept away, then we will find out."
Mr. Lee exhaled slowly, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "So there is a plan."
"There is always a plan," Mr. Kim said.
Mr. Seo looked down for a moment, then leaned back and let out a long breath of relief. For the first time in days, his chest felt a little lighter. The fear had not disappeared, but at least now he knew he was not standing alone in it.
Mr. Lee nodded slowly. "That gives me something to tell my wife."
Mr. Seo gave a tired smile. "And me too."
The three men sat in silence for a moment, each one thinking of the women waiting at home, each one preparing the words they would need to calm worried wives and protectMr. Seo finally said, "At least now I know there is movement."
Mr. Kim folded his hands. "There is."
Mr. Lee looked between them. "Then we keep this quiet for now."
"Of course," Mr. Kim said. "The less panic, the better."
Mr. Seo nodded. "Agreed."
The tension in the room eased, not because the problem was solved, but because they now had direction. They had a lead. They had a plan. And most importantly, they had each other.
Across the city, in the headquarters of the BVS entertainment empire, another conversation was about to begin.
Mr. Jim, the BVS director and manager of the K-pop industry, sat in his office surrounded by files, schedules, and digital screens displaying artist promotions, performance plans, and international event calendars. The room was sleek and modern, filled with the quiet hum of a powerful industry always in motion.
His phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and raised an eyebrow.
The name on the screen belonged to a rich celebrity known as Austin.
Mr. Jim answered. "Hello?"
Austin's voice came through clearly, smooth and confident. "Mr. Jim, good day. I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Not at all," Mr. Jim replied. "What can I do for you?"
Austin did not waste time. "I'm calling because I would like to request something special. Is it possible for the BVS kings to come perform at my birthday celebration in the United States? California, to be exact."
Mr. Jim leaned back in his chair, listening carefully.
Austin continued, "It would be an honor to have them there. I know they are extremely busy, but I wanted to ask directly before making any further arrangements."
Mr. Jim glanced at the papers on his desk, already thinking through schedules, travel, security, and the group's availability. The request was not impossible, but it would require careful planning.
He remained calm and professional. "I understand. Let me review the schedule and speak with the team."
Austin's tone remained polite and hopeful. "Of course. I would appreciate that."
Mr. Jim nodded, though Austin could not see it. "I'll get back to you."
The call ended.
Mr. Jim set the phone down slowly and stared at the screen for a moment, already considering the implications of the request. A performance in California for a wealthy celebrity's birthday would be a major event, one that could bring prestige, publicity, and pressure all at once.
He leaned back in his chair and exhaled.
The world of the BVS kings never stayed still for long.
And now, another decision was waiting to be made.
Meanwhile, the supermarket photos had already begun to spread across social media.
At first, it was only a few posts.
Then a few more.
Then suddenly, the internet began to buzz with excitement.
Pictures of the boys taken at the supermarket had started circulating online, and the caption attached to them made fans go wild:
"We found our handsome BVS kings lookalikes today at a super market."
The photos were blurry in some places, clearer in others, but the resemblance was enough to send the internet into a frenzy. Fans zoomed in, compared faces, and flooded the comment sections with disbelief, excitement, and endless speculation.
"Wait… they really do look like them!"
"No way, this is too much!"
"Are they brothers?"
"Why have we never seen them before?"
"BVS kings lookalikes? They are literally stunning!"
The posts spread fast, faster than anyone expected.
And then, one by one, the fathers received notifications on their phones.
Mr. Kim's phone lit up first.
Then Mr. Lee's.
Then Mr. Seo's.
Each man glanced down at the screen, and the moment they saw the post, they all sighed at the same time.
"There they are..."
The words came almost in union, low and resigned, as if they had already known this would happen sooner or later.
Mr. Kim rubbed his forehead. "Of course the internet would find them."
Mr. Lee gave a tired chuckle. "They cannot even go to a supermarket quietly."
Mr. Seo looked at the screen again, his expression somewhere between concern and disbelief. "And now the fans will not stop talking."
He was right.
The internet continued to boom.
Comments multiplied by the second. Fans debated whether the boys were actual relatives, hidden trainees, or secret members of the BVS world. Some insisted they had seen them before. Others claimed the resemblance was impossible. A few were already demanding more pictures, more information, and more proof.
The supermarket photos became the latest obsession online.
And while the fathers sat with their phones in hand, sighing at the chaos unfolding across social media, the internet kept growing louder, the fans kept talking, and
the mystery of the BVS lookalikes only became more intense.