Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 472: Jinseong Inc (2)

Jung Dae-Yoon asked, "Are you suggesting we sample the coffee at temperatures matching those of a warming cabinet, room temperature, and a refrigerator?..."

Convenience store warming cabinets typically maintained a temperature of 50–60°C, refrigerators around 6°C, and room temperature averaged around 22°C. Jung Dae-Yoon quickly grasped the reasoning behind my instructions.

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I nodded and answered, "Yes. Since Ready-to-Drink coffee is primarily consumed at convenience stores, I thought it would be best to match those conditions."

"Ha ha. You've caught us off guard. I didn't expect such expertise. While we do perform these kinds of tests before finalizing products, this approach should be incorporated earlier, even during development. This will be helpful for our future research as well."

At that moment, Jin Sung-Joon shrugged and smiled. "See? I told you not to underestimate Mr. Jung."

Jung Dae-Yoon nodded. "To be honest, when I heard he handled blending, I thought he was just good at brewing coffee. I didn't realize he had considered commercialization so thoroughly."

"Exactly. So don't dismiss his ideas just because he's not from our company. Treat his input as a directive from me and the other directors will respect it."

"Of course. That goes without saying. By the way, setting up everything to match the specified temperatures will take about five minutes. Is that alright?"

"That's fine. Take your time."

After a slight bow, Jung Dae-Yoon headed toward the tasting room with the researchers.

Jin Sung-Joon then turned to me with a grin. "You're far more professional than I expected."

I replied modestly, "You're too kind."

The stark contrast in how I was treated now compared to before my regression still felt surreal.

At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and Jin Ah-Ram and Choi Hee-Seon stepped out.

"Oppa, I'm here."

"Ah-Ram, what brings you here?"

"I had a meeting about beverage supplies for our hotel with Director Park. But I ran into Mr. Jung in the lobby and got curious, so I came up."

"Is that so? Well? What do you think now that you've met him?"

Blushing slightly, Jin Ah-Ram responded, "Do I really need to say it?"

Jin Sung-Joon teased, "Oh? So a man that catches your eyes does exist after all, huh?"

"Hey, stop it!"

Jin Ah-Ram and Jin Sung-Joon bantered playfully, showcasing their close relationship.

I had met the siblings before the regression too, but things were different back then. While they weren't rude, they kept their distance which made it impossible to build any rapport. Now, they were openly friendly with me.

But I had no intention of getting too close. Involvement with these two could easily entangle me in Jinseong Inc's succession battle.

I said, "I appreciate your interest, but I'm not in the same league as Ms. Jin. Let's leave it at that."

Jin Ah-Ram pouted, "Fine, fine. But you know how to reach me if you change your mind, right?"

It was clear she wasn't planning to give up so easily.

Jin Sung-Joon smiled and gestured toward the tasting room. "It looks like everything's set up. Shall we head in?"

"Yes, sir."

And just like that, we walked to the tasting room as if nothing had happened.

***

Inside the tasting room, the Jung Coffee samples I had prepared were arranged in small cups and divided by temperature.

With thirty types of coffee split into three temperature categories, there were ninety variations in total. Each sample was portioned into ten tasting cups, resulting in nine hundred small cups spread across the tables.

The tasting tables set to maintain precise temperatures were equipped with small stainless steel cups for spitting out samples and water bottles for rinsing between tastes.

Joining the tasting were Jin Sung-Joon, Yeo Jin-Soo, Jin Ah-Ram, Choi Hee-Seon, Jung Dae-Yoon, and other researchers known for their refined palates.

Each participant carried a tablet and tasted the coffee before scoring it on various criteria.

"This is pleasantly bitter but really fits my taste."

"Try number seven. I don't usually like sweet coffee, but this one is perfectly balanced. It's not cloying at all."

"The flavor barely changes even with temperature shifts. How incredible."

Though the standard protocol was to taste and spit out the coffee, most found themselves swallowing it instead, unable to resist. They quickly rinsed their mouths and moved on to the next sample.

The tasting panel continued sampling and logging their scores and evaluations on the tablets. After everyone finished, the scores were compiled and sent to Jung Dae-Yoon.

That's when Jung Dae-Yoon suddenly looked at Jin Sung-Joon with an astonished expression. "Uh, sir..."

"What's the matter? Are the reactions not good?"

The visibly excited Jung Dae-Yoon replied, "No, it's quite the opposite. All the averages came out above 97 points."

"Pardon?"

"These coffees are perfectly balanced. Normally, flavor changes significantly with temperature variations. But these blends remain remarkably consistent. I wonder how he achieved this?"

Of course, I wasn't surprised. These were my blends, meticulously crafted with precise temperature measurements and adjustments to ensure uniform taste.

Jin Sung-Joon swallowed hard. "It's that good?"

"Yes. Any of these could be commercialized as it is. Honestly, I thought my palate was off at first. But after reviewing everyone else's scores, the consensus is unanimous."

"Send me the score sheets as well."

"Yes, sir."

Jin Sung-Joon reviewed the data on his tablet. "97.9, 98.7, 98.3, 99.1... Wow, you're right."

"Yes. Even if we expanded the sample size from ten tasters to a thousand, I doubt the results would vary by much."

Turning his gaze from the tablet, Jin Sung-Joon looked at me with an impressed expression. "Mr. Jung, what on earth did you do to these coffees?"

I answered, "I've developed a knack for coffee after years of catering to the picky palates of actors and writers."

Before my regression, I had gone through countless trials and errors to create coffees that satisfied even the most discerning tastes. I drank more coffee than most baristas, perfecting recipes tailored to individual preferences.

The coffees presented today were the culmination of all those efforts. It was truly my labor of love. Seeing them receive such recognition brought a genuine smile to my face.

At that moment, Jin Sung-Joon made a decisive statement. "Mr. Jung, I'd like you to select three blends for us to commercialize. If they're all excellent, your recommendation will carry the most weight."

Without needing to consult the score sheets, I chose three blends right away. After all, every coffee's flavor profile was etched in my mind.

"For the Americano style, I recommend number seven. For the café latte style, number thirteen. And for the espresso style, number twenty-five. I believe these will appeal most broadly."

Jin Sung-Joon looked at the tablet and marveled. "You truly are remarkable."

Behind him, Jung Dae-Yoon and the researchers nodded in agreement.

Jung Dae-Yoon confirmed, "Indeed. All three are among the highest-scoring blends, each rated above 99 points."

Even the researchers buzzed with excitement as they reviewed the score sheets.

The satisfied Jin Sung-Joon smiled broadly. "Then let's move forward with these. Please provide the recipes for the selected products."

"Yes, sir."

At the same time, Jin Sung-Joon turned his head and asked, "The contract is ready, yes?"

Yeo Jin-Soo handed me the prepared contract. "Please review it, Mr. Jung."

I examined the contract more thoroughly this time and checked for discrepancies.

***

While reviewing the contract, I noticed some differences from what was verbally agreed upon.

"Excuse me, but some clauses seem a bit off."

"Which ones?"

"It states a royalty of 1.2% instead of the 1% we discussed. Also, the licensing period for the recipe is twenty years, but instead of defaulting to Jinseong Foods, it's set to automatically renew unless either party objects."

The offer was actually more favorable than expected with an additional 0.2% royalty. While 0.2% might not seem significant, it meant an extra two billion won per year for annual sales in the hundreds of billions of won.

Additionally, the recipe would not transfer ownership to Jinseong Foods but remain my property even after twenty years, which meant it was merely leased to them. This clause ensured I retained rights to the recipe indefinitely if I chose.

At that moment, Jin Sung-Joon chuckled and pointed to a clause in the contract. "Please check Clause 7 under Section 1."

Clause 7, Section 1.

The First Party (Jung Yoon-Ho) agrees to actively cooperate with the Second Party (Jinseong Foods) in reviewing and revising the recipe for product renewals. Failure to cooperate will result in the recipe transferring ownership to the Second Party. In such a case, the Second Party will continue paying royalties to the First Party for three years from the date of transfer.

It was clear that the clause was designed as an excuse for ongoing collaboration with me. Jin Sung-Joon was essentially embedding a reason for us to stay in contact into the contract.

I asked, "You're saying you want to see me regularly?"

"Well, recipe adjustments can be necessary due to equipment changes, water differences, and so on. And of course, staying on friendly terms is a bonus."

It was obvious that Jin Sung-Joon wanted to keep me around because of my perceived "Fortuneteller" instincts. Still, his request wasn't unreasonable considering the potential for earning tens of billions annually.

"Alright, but let's limit it to twice a year."

"Agreed."

When I signed the contract and handed over the recipe after finalizing minor adjustments, Yeo Jin-Soo took the document to the research director for secure handling.

At that moment, Jin Ah-Ram, who had been silently observing, spoke up with a proposal. "Why don't you provide a recipe for Jinseong Hotels & Resorts as well? We'll offer the same 1.2% royalty."

I asked back, "But isn't that a luxury resort? My coffee is primarily designed for a general audience."

"I heard otherwise. Didn't even someone as picky as Writer Lee Ji-Yeon fall in love with your coffee on the first try?"

How she knew that was a mystery, but she wasn't entirely wrong.

"If we package it more luxuriously, would you consider tweaking the blend with a higher coffee bean ratio for us?"

It was another opportunity to earn money, but I hesitated. After all, Jinseong Hotels & Resorts was about to face financial strain due to the fraudulent accounting at Sejin Resort.

"For now, let's observe the sales of the products Jinseong Foods launches. Then we can discuss this further."

"Fine. But now that the contract's settled, why don't you join us in my brother's office for tea? Just a quick break before you go."

Jin Sung-Joon added, "Indeed. There's another advertising proposal I'd like to discuss with you."

Although I needed to check on Seo Hee-Joo's skill test, the potential value of an advertising deal made it hard to refuse.

"Alright, but I can only spare ten minutes."

"That should be enough. Let's go."

Just as we turned toward the elevator, the doors opened with a chime.

Ding~

A group of people stepped out and a familiar voice called out.

"Well, well! Here you all are."

It was Jinseong Inc's eldest sibling, Vice Chairman Jin Myung-Gyu, waving as he exited.

He had been the president of Jinseong Foods until a year ago, but now he held the title of vice chairman. Following closely behind him was Jin Myung-Hee, the second sibling and president of Jinseong Hotels & Resorts, accompanied by a procession of executives.

Seeing the siblings brought an involuntary shudder.

Before my regression, these two had forced Hoop Entertainment's celebrities to attend events they organized without payment under the guise of boosting their careers as models for Jinseong Inc. The memory of their exploitation left a bitter taste.

I had even been forced to wear a waiter's uniform and serve at their events.

These two siblings were no strangers to wielding their power. And currently, they held a dominant position in Jinseong Inc's succession battle.

At forty-six-years-old and forty-four-years-old, Jin Myung-Gyu and Jin Myung-Hee were a full zodiac cycle older than Jin Sung-Joon and Jin Ah-Ram, giving them a significant advantage.

Most of the executives also aligned with the elder siblings, cementing their grip on the company.

As Jin Myung-Gyu entered and flaunted his influence, Jin Sung-Joon's expression soured. "What brings you and noo-nim here?"

Jin Myung-Gyu shrugged nonchalantly and smiled casually. "I heard you were up to something interesting, so I came to check it out. Changing the research director and working on a new coffee recipe piqued my curiosity."

The Jinseong Foods research lab's proximity to headquarters meant news of my visit had quickly reached him.

Jin Sung-Jooon said with a frustrated tone, "I thought you agreed to let me handle the food division."

"Of course. Whether you're making coffee or replacing the research director, it's all your call. I acknowledge that. But..."

Fixing a sharp gaze on Jin Sung-Joon, Jin Myung-Gyu continued.

"I hear this new coffee recipe wasn't created by one of our own but by an outsider. Is that true?"

Jin Myung-Gyu's accusation rendered Jin Sung-Joon momentarily speechless. Jin Myung-Gyu's words carried an implicit criticism: how could Jinseong Foods, a titan in the industry, fail to create its own coffee recipe?

"It's not like that..."

"Then what is it? You've dragged in outsiders and tarnished Jinseong's reputation. How dare you fumbling for excuses!"

As Jin Myung-Gyu's scornful voice rang out, Jin Sung-Joon's face flushed red with anger and embarrassment. But the fact that he didn't retaliate spoke volumes about the power imbalance between them.

After publicly humiliating Jin Sung-Joon, Jin Myung-Gyu turned his attention to me. "So you're the one stirring up trouble at Jinseong Foods?"

Jin Myung-Gyu addressed me in a rude and condescending tone with his eyes full of suspicion. His gaze was unnerving and charged with hostility. It seemed he had already heard that his half-brother had gained a valuable asset in me and he was on guard.

Before the regression, Jin Myung-Gyu had been a man who refused to cede even the smallest advantage to his siblings. His current demeanor left no doubt that I was now entangled in Jinseong Inc's succession battle.

Once someone fell out of Jin Myung-Gyu's favor, there was no path to reconciliation.

'So it's come to this after all.'

Faced with this inevitability, my options narrowed. Supporting Jin Sung-Joon's bid for chairman became the only viable course of action.

It wouldn't be easy, but victory wasn't out of reach with the foresight granted by my planner.

'Fine. Let's do this.'

And so, the curtain rose on Jinseong Inc's succession war in this unexpected setting.