Contract

Amidst my father's astute awareness of the higher-ups' vested interest in me, the unfolding negotiation flowed with unexpected smoothness. His stance was unequivocal: concessions would not be granted without corresponding reciprocity.

Though I lacked access to the Internet to verify my suspicions, my father's resolute declarations hinted at their veracity.

Evidently, the resonance of our performance had reverberated across social media in this small amount of time already, making the play viral.

There would soon be a burgeoning wave of articles painting this a resounding success. This exposure, I knew, would serve as my grand introduction to the Entertainment Business, an overture designed to amplify my presence in the industry.

Those who chose to align with me and the company I will be affiliated with now would ride the crest of acclaim, basking in the prestige of nurturing a prodigious talent that had navigated its inaugural role with unwavering poise.

But, amid this orchestrated negotiation, the words exchanged transcended their surface meanings. I will gladly be a translator for you to get what it's happening now...

"...I believe Ren's future holds immense promise. His portrayal seamlessly captured the essence of the character we envisaged in this play. Furthermore, he deftly averted a potential crisis precipitated by a fellow child actor's escalating anxiety. With him as an integral asset, the spectrum of your concerns shall be significantly diminished."

This translation encapsulated the underlying sentiment: We're presenting you with an opportunity to invest in untarnished potential, replete with the implicit promise of augmented revenue streams. With this talent on your roster, unscrupulous maneuvers are unnecessary for financial prosperity.

An almost mirthful inclination accompanied the Managing Director's nod of acknowledgment.

"You make a compelling case, undoubtedly. However, Ren remains in the nascent stages of his career, devoid of formal training. One must consider the concomitant expenses associated with honing this genius, Kyouya. While I am genuinely excited about his prospects, I implore you to factor in the outlays required for his growth. As much as I wish to have him onboard, financial pragmatism demands prudent calculation..."

Translation: Talent is a worthwhile commodity, but don't misconstrue this as carte blanche. His career necessitates an equitable exchange, one that complements his prospective contributions.

To simplify it, he just wants to get more money in his pockets while giving me less.

Thus, a strategic ebb and flow ensued, a ballet of reciprocal negotiation, both parties steadfast in their positions. Pride and strategy collided in an intricate dance, each maneuver underpinned by the understanding that capitulation would necessitate a compromise of an ideological nature.

For me, this was the juncture to unveil my trump card, a calculated gambit designed to tip the scales subtly.

"...Father, if we are inconveniencing them, would it not be wise to ask someone else? I wouldn't want to burden anyone..."

Feigned innocence, draped in the veneer of childlike concern, was the linchpin to the unfolding scenario's inversion.

My father, burdened with the task of stewarding our familial interests while tethered to professional diplomacy, weighed his words cautiously.

He could lose his job if he said something too obviously against the Managing Director, but I had nothing to lose.

My scripted intervention held implications beyond the surface—a strategic pivot in our favor, albeit deftly disguised beneath the guise of a youthful child's care for others.

A genuine, yet subtly menacing, smile painted my father's visage, a manifestation of the veiled animosity that lay beneath.

Well, he had his reasons. If the Managing Director fired my Father right now after my comment, he could easily use the media to paint himself as just a father that wanted the best for his son while the evil Managing Director wanted to force the poor child to work in unfavorable conditions.

This kind of scam would excite any decent journalist to the point my father wouldn't even need to convince them. They would beg him to let them publish this story.

"...You speak the truth, my dear son. Should our presence prove inconvenient for you, esteemed sir, then perhaps..."

Before he could elaborate further, the Managing Director's interjection stopped him, an exhaled sigh accompanying his words.

"...Understood, Kyouya. Cut me some slack. The child will not be treated badly under us, I can assure you."

A reluctant bending of will, driven by the apprehension of losing a possible prodigy to rivals that would soon be pestering my father with even better conditions than whatever he would offer now.

Of course, even if the conditions were really not that favorable, I still needed to stay at Lala Lai. Both Ai and Hikaru were supposed to be part of this company, thus it was necessary for me to be here to interact with both of them.

I would not have any decent excuse to meet either Ai or Hikaru if that wasn't the case, so this Managing Director could be considered fortunate. If only he knew, he would probably make me work to the bone for nothing.

Anyways. Though the immediate benefits would be harvested by my father, as I obviously could not firm this contract on my own, it was still decided after this nice conversation, that I would get a good investment from them.

For child actors, you either worked to the bone for nothing or you got really unfair conditions, usually.

Contrastingly, my prospects under the proposed contract seemed rather promising. The terms held no hint of inequity; on the contrary, they bore a considerable array of advantages. Comprehensive training within their tutelage awaited me, supplemented by an allocated assistant, handpicked by my father, to ease the burden of minor things.

Furthermore, an additional clause stipulated that upon reaching an appropriate age, I would assume direct control over my remuneration—a detail I artfully interjected myself.

In a bid to achieve this, I explained an overheard conversation among my peers—a mere suggestion that managing one's finances independently was a commendable pursuit among teens. I thus expressed my eagerness to expedite this transition as well.

To this, my Father could not really say much. He was just unlucky I heard some wise kids that repeated words spoken by their parents.

Do you think I'd wait until I came of age? Not really. I needed money for many things, so it was obvious to have them as soon as possible.

With this, I was officially Lala Lai's new child actor.

Well, it was but another step taken.