PAYBACK BOOK 2.

Chapter 5.

Luckily, it was still very early in the morning, so no one could see that I took the subway to work with Director Yoon. After parting ways with him at the company, I called my manager. The signal cut out several times before I heard his tense voice.

 

"Where are you located?"

 

"Oh...Taemin? I'm sorry, but I'm not really available to talk right now."

 

The manager's tense voice sounded slightly shaky. It seemed he had received the news and been called to the company in the early hours of the morning, and his world would probably collapse when they found out they were the culprit.

 

"I've heard the news. I'm at the company now."

 

The other end of the line was silent, as if someone had stopped breathing for a moment, before the manager spoke with a firm tone.

 

"Taemin, I'm not that kind of person."

 

"I know. That's why I came to the company. Where are you located?"

 

After hearing his location, I hung up and headed towards the stairs. I ran up several flights of stairs, reaching the seventh floor in the blink of an eye, before finally seeing the hallway. The hallway led to the boardroom, and inside the security door separating the corridor, a manager stood, pale-faced. Upon seeing me, he opened the door from the inside as if he had been waiting for me.

 

"How did you know? The company would never contact you..."

 

"Is Song Myung-shin inside?"

 

I asked the question first while walking ahead of him, but I didn't hear anyone following behind. When I turned around, I saw the manager still standing there with a grim expression. Right in front of the door, as usual.

 

"Do you know what's going on? Suddenly, in the early hours of this morning, someone contacted me with unbelievable news. I rushed out without even knowing what was happening. What happened?"

 

He swallowed hard before asking calmly. "Is Myungshin involved in this as well?"

 

"Well, I'm not sure."

 

"....”

 

"Please go ahead."

 

I shifted to the side and added, "Or you could just run away."

 

Shortly afterwards, the manager straightened his chest and led me in. I followed until we reached the middle of the hallway, then stopped in front of the room door. He raised his hand, knocked, and walked in. After a moment, he heard the manager ask for permission from inside the room.

 

"Excuse me, but the kid I'm looking after was worried and asked to come in," the manager signalled to me as I stood in the hallway leading into the spacious, carpeted conference room. I was struck by the long, black table that stood imposingly in the room.

 

I first saw three people standing in the middle of the room: Chief Park, Myungshin, and another employee who was close to Myungshin. I briefly saw Myungshin narrow his eyes before someone's voice speaking to the manager drew my attention. "If it's not necessary to be a babysitter, please have those not involved leave." 

 

Opposite the three, that crazy guy was sitting hunched over on the edge of the table, staring at his laptop. He glanced up at me before giving an order with a calm expression.

 

"If you're not involved, get out."

 

Myungshin smirked when he heard that sharp tone. I stared directly at the lunatic playing Director Yoon.

 

"Of course it's relevant, because I'm here as a witness. My manager was with me in city xxx for the entire month."

 

"For the whole month? But I heard that Manager Choi stopped by the office a few times while on set." We were repeating the same conversation we had at his house an hour ago, though the latter part of the sentence was slightly different.

 

"Because, according to the computer records, the date that file was first saved was the same day Manager Choi came to the office," he added some more details while checking something on his laptop, but I couldn't hear him because I was preoccupied with other thoughts. What were those things? So, they didn't just rush to fabricate false evidence because of me; they'd already created evidence that matched the date the manager came to the office, right? In other words, it was all pre-planned, wasn't it?

 

"Are there any other testimonies besides that?"

 

I glanced up at the slow, deliberate tone before speaking arrogantly.

 

"We'll have to assess the situation before discussing other testimonies," he said, smiling slightly and revealing his dimples, before turning to look at the three people across from him.

 

"I hope I hear information worthy of waking me from my sweetest dream in years," his eyes, fixed on the three men, held a cruel glint, quite different from the smile I received. He looked as if he was ready to kill anyone who made a mistake. 

 

Silence fell for a moment before Chief Park swallowed hard again and briefly reported what he had prepared. He mentioned evidence of the connection to a famous entertainment website where it had been uploaded, and the irony that the file containing that evidence was still stored on the computer.

 

Even the boss, Park, didn't seem to believe it, so he said it was an entertainment website anyone could access, adding that he wasn't sure whether any information had been released on it first. If so, the point is the evidence file. Chung Myungshin then stepped forward to explain the point, saying, "What kind of idiot would leave such blatant evidence behind?" while pointing at his manager.

 

"I know Manager Choi. He's not good with computers at all. He thinks that just dragging files into the Recycle Bin will make them disappear completely. And before that, I've seen him do the same thing before."

 

The manager shook his head, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are you talking about? I've never done anything like that!"

 

"Don't you remember? Back then, you uploaded old pictures of my rival celebrity from when she was in a bad state online, didn't you? And then I also found other photos that hadn't been uploaded to the internet in the trash folder on your computer. That's why I suspected you were the culprit."

 

"I didn't do that..."

 

"Isn't that the manager's computer? Do you have anything else to say?" 

 

The manager clenched his jaw, unlike Myungshin, who looked relaxed. Oh, I see. I looked at Myungshin, then at the manager, and realised he had done this once before, so this time they're just blaming the manager again. And since it involved me, they woke everyone up at midnight and staged this, huh? If he's prepared the evidence in advance, the situation will be more serious than we think. What should I do? Myungshin, thrilled by the false accusation, asked.

 

The manager continued to lightly counter the other manager's arguments, rambling on and on. Seeing Director Yoon looking at them with a weary expression, I remembered his warning to come up with a solution quickly. But what solution? The clue was another mole, Cha Jung-woo's manager. However, even if we revealed that person as the culprit, there wouldn't be any concrete evidence to incriminate them. It would just be shifting the blame unnecessarily. Even if that lunatic provided the evidence, it wouldn't be a clever method. What method can clear the manager's name and infuriate Myungshin...?

 

"Manager Choi, please stop using such dirty tactics. Don't you think what you're doing now is a bit outrageous? Even slandering a top star..."

 

“This has nothing to do with me at all...I told you I didn't do it."

 

I stepped forward and stopped in front of Myungshin, who stifled a laugh as if he had been waiting for me.

 

"Don't you see the evidence?"

 

I glanced at the files on the laptop on the table before looking up with a neutral expression, and saw that lunatic looking at me with a curious expression. There was no time to glare at him. He was right; there was a way. It might be a bit reckless, but if used well, it could turn the tables and win in one fell swoop. 

 

I slowly smiled at Chung Myungshin before the smile faded from his face, as if he had a bad premonition.

 

"Evidence? Great. Let's prove that my manager isn't the culprit."

 

"Prove it? How are you going to prove that...?"

 

Song Myungshin, who had been speaking angrily, suddenly realised someone was standing next to him and quickly smiled.

 

"How are you going to prove it, Mr Lee Tae-min?"

 

He removed the anger from his voice and added laughter, as if transforming into a new person. The intense glare he had directed at me vanished as if from someone who started displaying immediately after seeing the signal light on the camera.

 

"What you're saying sounds like you're implying I came here early in the morning specifically to lie. Sir, do I really look like someone who's that unemployed?"

 

"You seem to be unemployed..." I finished the sentence slowly, raising my eyebrows, "...yes."

 

"Is that so? Well, I'm extremely busy with work..." He smiled arrogantly before repeating "Yes, sir" after me.

 

"Because you haven't seen the evidence right in front of you, you don't know how busy your seniors are, do you?"

 

"Yeah, if that senior isn't a particularly good actor, I don't care if he's busy or not." His lips were tightly pressed together, as if afraid of blurting out something emotional, but Myungshin still managed a wide smile. It was as if he was saying my words were worthless and would go in one ear and out the other.

 

"What evidence do you, someone as naive as you, have to prove it?" Myungshin glared at me for a moment before glancing at Director Yoon.

 

"I'm really wondering: even though Director Yoon believed my not-so-outstanding words, they were at least more famous than the words of an unremarkable trainee. Even though you already know my name, hurry up and tell me."

 

Myungshin crossed his arms, deliberately trying to make it seem like nothing was a big deal, as if to say, "I'll listen." "Go ahead, tell me," I replied.

 

I quietly thanked them for listening, then turned to speak to Director Yoon, who was listening intently as if interested in our conversation.

 

"Director Yoon, could you please get rid of that unremarkable senior student? There's only one person I need to discuss with you."

 

"Hey, you! Who do you think you are...?"

 

"So, who do you think you are?" I interrupted him before taking a step forward.

 

"Are you in charge of this, or are you a company director responsible for receiving reports?"

 

I watched as his smile finally faded before turning towards Director Yoon. "After you've heard one side of the story, please listen to this side as well. However, I'd like to avoid speaking in front of others because my manager is still being falsely accused."

 

I clearly identified the "other person" as Myungshin and immediately saw his jaw clench. But I didn't have time to watch that any longer, because a slow, deliberate reply came first.

 

"That sounds reasonable."

 

Director Yoon spoke first, then turned to give orders to the others. "I heard you clearly. Everyone except Lee Taemin, please leave."

 

"Director Yoon, don't tell me you actually believed what that trainee said..."

 

"Mr Song Yoo-han"

 

The moment he called his name, Myungshin immediately shut his mouth and turned to look at the other person with a nervous expression. He slowly broke into a wide smile, revealing his dimples to Myungshin, but his eyes didn't smile along.

 

"Didn't I tell you that I hoped to hear some useful information worthy of waking me up from my sweetest sleep in years? But..."

 

"Reminiscing that you, Chung Yoo-han, gave me isn't worth listening to at this early hour," his dimples deepened as his melodious voice followed.

 

"Damn it! You woke me up just for something like this?"

 

It wasn't just Myungshin; everyone else was stunned by the sudden outburst of swearing, especially the leader, whose face looked unusually pale, yet the soft voice that escaped seemed completely indifferent to whether it created a harsh atmosphere.

 

"...That's all I was thinking. Or do you have other evidence that would truly surprise me?" 

 

Myungshin lightly bit his lower lip, unable to respond, before Director Yoon urged them to hurry.

 

"What are you doing? Why haven't you left yet?"

 

The moment he spoke, Chief Park was the first to flee the meeting room, while Myungshin didn't forget to glare at me as he walked out. Finally, as a little token of encouragement, he walked past me.

 

"It's all been a wasted effort."

 

After the doors closed, leaving only the manager and me inside, Director Yoon immediately asked the manager a question.

 

"Aren't you going out?"

 

"Uh, what did you say?"

 

The manager looked at me, then at him, before stammering a question with a bewildered expression.

 

"I...I have to go too? But about what Taemin wants to say..."

 

"Yes, I will be the one to listen to him."

 

He cut him off, nodding towards the door as if telling him to leave. The manager looked at me with a face that clearly wanted to say something, but he finally left the room reluctantly. A moment of silence followed, accompanied by the sound of the door closing again, before I turned to look at my secret ally, whom no one knew about yet. He rose from his precariously positioned table and walked towards me. I intended to tell him my plan as he approached, but he didn't slow down. 

 

I cried out, "Huh?" before he grabbed my shoulder. Before I could react, I found his arm wrapped around my waist. I pushed his shoulder away and tried to escape. Out of habit, I said, "What the hell are you doing?"

 

He grabbed my waist as I struggled to escape, pulling me into a tighter embrace before asking curtly from above my head.

 

"Have you figured it out yet?"

 

I stopped moving when I realised he was asking about how to prove the manager's innocence. When I turned to the side to look up, I met his gaze. After a moment's pause, seeing the look in his eyes that suggested, "Go ahead and tell me," I mumbled softly, trying to think of a method that came to mind. 

 

He didn't know if it were an interesting method I would come up with, but it was the best he could think of. And the twist was that Cha Jung-woo's manager was the one who betrayed them.

 

"Is that correct?"

 

When I cautiously and softly asked if it was what I thought, a smile slowly formed on the corner of his mouth.

 

"Yes"

 

The hand that was wrapped around my waist slid down as the answer was given. I tensed and twisted my body without realising it. Soon, I heard a comforting voice.

 

"I won't do anything to you."

 

At the same time, his hand caressed my hips.

 

"Isn't it obvious that you're doing it?"

 

I frowned before he used his other hand to stroke the edge of my chin as he rambled on about nonsense.

 

"Your nose is swollen."

 

"And you're not swollen, are you...?"

 

I retorted, turning my face away to avoid his touch, but swallowed the rest of my words when I saw his face. I had only slept for a few hours since early morning, leaving me quite tired, yet his face still looked healthy.

 

"Well, it's good that im not swollen." He smirked before replying in a calm voice.

"But the lower part is swelling up."

 

Being a fellow man, I understood immediately what he meant. Actually, I'd felt it for a while through our lower bodies touching, even before he spoke. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten an erection like that, but I still wasn't used to it. The same question lingered in my mind: why did that part of him get aroused by me? Before I could react, his next words brought my attention back to the topic we'd been discussing.

 

"Resolve all the problems within three days. Until then, I'll help keep the matter of your manager's affair a secret."

 

"Does that mean I can just do that?"

 

I need Director Yoon's permission to prove my innocence first. Of course, he came up with this idea from the start, so it's essentially a tacit permission. But honestly, it's a little unexpected. I have to use my manager's abilities to make this happen. Even though I've been very insistent and confident in my manager, it's strange that even that idiot thinks the same way.

 

"Yes, I'll take responsibility for obtaining permission from the company myself, and I'll prepare all the necessary documents. But it has to be done within three days." The laughter in his voice bothered me, but I focused on the three-day deadline. Even though I had a plan to get back at him, the annoyance still lingered. Still feeling anxious, wondering if I'd be able to finish on time, I suddenly had an important thought.

 

"Before that, I asked for evidence that Cha Jung-woo's manager betrayed... oops!"

 

His lips interrupted my words mid-sentence, while his hand gripped my hair, preventing me from escaping. I don't know if it was because his hand was gripping too tightly, as if he were trying to abandon me, but for a moment, it felt as if this wasn't a kiss at all. The aggressive, intrusive tongue invading my mouth made it feel like I was being subdued as much as the hand gripping my head with full force.

 

I gasped for breath, and after only a few deep breaths, I felt his kiss, his slender tongue entering my mouth and sucking on it. In a moment of anger, before I could regain my senses, the kiss that had started so unexpectedly was over. All the pressure on my body had disappeared, leaving me wondering what had just happened. It was such a brief moment that I was left speechless, my mouth agape in shock. Then, when I glanced up, he had stepped back before turning around as if nothing had happened. That bastard...

 

"This," I called out to him as he stepped towards the door.

 

"Why would you do this?"

 

He tilted his head to the side before narrowing his eyes at me, as if asking, "Don't you even know something this simple?" I held back my rapid breaths, my emotions surging.

 

"Even if you're upset with me because of your terrible taste, why would you do that?"

 

"What"

 

He asked back with a smile. I couldn't explain it in words because I felt that if I did, it would become true. I could overlook what he said about feeling sexually attracted to me and wanting me—that could be his preference. But this was different. And then there was the kiss in the bathroom last time. And this... There was something that couldn't be explained by lust alone.

 

"I asked what it was."

 

"It's strange. I'm uncomfortable with your kiss." As I said softly, he immediately smiled. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon."

 

"It's so strange, how am I supposed to get used to it...?"

 

"I don't care about your feelings."

 

A sudden, cold voice echoed through the spacious conference room before his expressionless face, the smile of which seemed to have vanished, leaned closer.

 

"This is the first time in my life I've ever restrained myself like this, so just shut up and accept it. Or, if you really want to, I'm ready. I can start the engine right here without feeling uncomfortable at all."

 

He walked towards me, his piercing black eyes holding no emotion. "I'm just holding back my own limits, that's all. I don't care how you feel." 

 

I stared at him intently before he returned to his usual cheerful smile. "Don't mistakenly think I'm holding back because I'm thinking about your feelings."

 

"Damn, who would ever overestimate themselves like that?"

 

There's no way I could have imagined someone like that lunatic would ever consider my feelings from the start. I swallowed the words in my heart before asking what was on my mind, unable to contain my curiosity.

 

"Then why endure it?"

 

He turned around and answered my question softly. "I'm afraid I'll shatter your predictions." He turned his head halfway, allowing my eyes to meet his calm, expressionless gaze.

 

"Whatever the outcome of your revenge is, I feel that if I let it go without caring, you seem to be escaping my clutches. That was really fun, wasn't it? I can't possibly be with a decaying corpse for the rest of my life."

 

The word "corpse" sounded so serious it sent shivers down my spine, and the phrase "lifetime" was particularly unsettling. I felt bad about that attitude, but I wasn't angry. It's like seeing the real him, the creepy side he only shows occasionally. No matter what, if he's the one I have to run from or fight after this, I have to get used to his true self. I still have that fighting spirit from my days as a gangster. It's a raging emotion, a desire to pounce on my opponent, even though I know I'm certain to lose. Even though the feelings I thought had disappeared have faded, there's still a burning ember whenever I see him.

 

"You underestimate yourself. Someone like you, when you're in the mood, could even take a skeleton," I retorted sarcastically, walking towards the door like him, before hearing a serious retort.

 

"Then you wouldn't get the feeling of being hugged and embraced."

 

I stopped walking and looked up at the guy who was muttering seriously. This lunatic...

 

"Just use a rubber band to tie your own things and then do it."

 

He grinned as if he enjoyed my solution. "Will a rubber band be able to hold as tightly as you?"

 

I was about to immediately retort to that unpleasant compliment by saying, "A rubber band can hold on tighter than me, so go ahead and use a rubber band then," but then I saw the smile in his eyes quickly vanish as he closed his mouth. The look in his eyes was the same as when I said "Brujoa." Damn it. There's no need to entertain him with this pointless conversation. 

 

I continued walking with the dignity of an ant before he, who was walking behind me, suddenly spoke up. "Therefore, you mustn't die without my permission."

 

Click! I was about to reach for the doorknob, but I stopped short and turned to look. He, however, had already grabbed the doorknob and turned it as if nothing had happened. In a languid tone, he told me something before opening the door and walking away.

 

"The evidence of corruption to evade military service that has spread on the internet is an audio recording of a conversation between the broker and Cha Jung-woo."

 

"Try finding that file, turn the volume up to the maximum, and listen to it. You'll find something interesting in the background noise within the audio file itself."

 

Does that mean the evidence points to Cha Jung-woo's manager as the culprit? Just as I was thinking that, the door creaked, followed by everyone's stares. They gazed through the simultaneously open doors, as if waiting.

 

"Three days. Mr Lee Taemin said he would prove it within that time. So until then, please keep quiet and don't let this matter spread. Thank you."

 

After giving orders to everyone, Director Yoon turned to look at Myungshin and his close associate at the end of his sentence, then added: "In three days, we'll find out who the real culprit is."

 

"Taemin, what exactly did you say?"

 

As Director Yoon led Chief Park into the room at the end of the hallway, the manager standing beside him immediately asked a question, but another voice interrupted.

 

"I don't know how you've managed to evade responsibility, but as long as there's concrete evidence, the lies will eventually come out."

 

I must not be imagining things, but I sensed a hint of anxiety in Myungshin's mocking tone. When I turned to look at him, Myungshin, meeting my gaze, continued speaking with a cold expression.

 

"Three days, huh? Well, I'll wait and see what happens to you guys after narrowly escaping this seizure for another three days. But it seems the timeframe isn't really critical. What's the big deal?"

 

"Hmm, just you wait and see. I'm looking forward to it too."

 

After I finished speaking, I glanced at Myungshin, then at the other employee standing beside him, who had a serious expression. Myungshin, however, didn't show much change in his expression. Even after Director Yoon finished speaking, the other employee's face visibly turned pale. When he saw me smirk, his expression became even more distressed.

 

"During the three days we'll be observing, it's a good idea to be prepared."

 

"What should I prepare?"

 

"The mistakes you guys made," I added when I saw Myungshin's eyes starting to look stressed, just like that employee's. "Look carefully, among all the evidence you've fabricated, do you make any mistakes that make you look like an idiot?" 

 

The employee swallowed hard, stepped back, and began dragging Myungshin, who was glaring at me, away. The two of them whispered to each other before quickly walking behind the security door. I watched them both disappear into the elevator lobby a moment later, silently encouraging them.  Okay, keep searching. That way they'll be too busy to interfere with us for the next three days. After all, no lie is perfect in this world, and every plan has its flaws. They'll probably find a loophole somewhere and worry unnecessarily.

 

"So, there's an issue about the evidence, huh? Have you found the evidence yet?"

 

I shook my head at the manager the moment I heard his question, which was a mixture of shock and expectation.

 

"No."

 

"Hey, but you just talked to those two a moment ago..."

 

"I was just saying."

 

Disappointment immediately spread across the manager's face upon hearing the answer. Perhaps the manager himself thought he only had three days to resolve the immediate problem. I guess it's like Myungshin said.

 

"So...what did you say to Director Yoon? Do you have a way to prove it?"

 

"Manager," I called out to him, who was looking worried, before the elderly man nodded in response like a child.

 

"Hmm, Taemin."

 

"I have a way of doing it, and I've already gotten permission."

 

I ignored his question about whether he had permitted it to continue.

 

"But the manager has to prove it himself."

 

"Y-yes...whatever. I'll do everything. It's no trouble at all," the manager shouted, his voice echoing down the hallway as if he'd completely forgotten where he was.

 

"I'm serious. If only I could clear my name, I'd do anything. Because I didn't do it. Everything Myungshin said is a complete lie."

 

"I know." I cut him off abruptly, grabbed his arm, and led him towards the door, asking casually as I spoke. "By the way, what will happen to Cha Jung-woo in the future?"

 

"Huh? That guy?" He frowned, surprised by the sudden change in topic.

 

"From now on, it depends on how he handles it. He's going to have to do his military service anyway. But the problem is, if he doesn't handle the situation well, even if he passes. Even after many years, he'll never regain his former glory. As you know, Cha Jung-woo is a top star who gained popularity more for his handsome looks and masculine image than for his acting skills. Therefore, the older he gets, the more his value decreases."

 

He only explained that much, but it means that if they can't restore their image, the remaining popularity, which will last for a few years, will disappear completely. If that happens, that means you're down on your luck, huh?

 

"Is there no other way?" I asked, opening the glass door, before the manager tilted his head and asked, "The method?"

 

"That's right, if things go downhill, they can't go back up, can they? The company would probably suffer a huge loss," I stopped in front of the empty elevator lobby before turning back to look at him.

 

"Doesn't the manager have a solution?"

 

"That's right. If it were me..." He paused for a moment before bursting into dazed laughter. "Restoring the image is the most important thing. If it were me, that's what I would do," he said, listing a few methods before immediately shaking his head. “But the company, or Cha Jung-woo, probably wouldn't buy my method. You're not going to tell me to suggest this to the company, are you?"

 

"I heard that the culprit who leaked the news on the internet might be Cha Jung-woo's manager."

 

"What did you say?!"

 

The manager was stunned, as if to say something completely inappropriate! Before I calmly asked him...

 

"The person who suffered the most from this, right?"

 

"Of course."

 

"Then it makes it even easier to prove the manager's innocence, doesn't it?" I explained simply to the manager, who was blinking in confusion, not understanding what I was talking about.

 

"Cha Jung-woo was betrayed by his manager, who was the culprit. The manager then found a way to salvage Cha Jung-woo's tarnished image. So, it's proven true." I paused, staring at him as he widened his eyes in astonishment.

 

"We fired Cha Jung-woo's manager, and you became his manager instead. What more effective proof could there be than the testimony of a victim? The leaked evidence confirms that you are not the culprit."

 

Besides, this is the most fun way to get back at Myungshin. I left the manager sitting absentmindedly in the third-floor conference room and left my own room. He'd been like that for about two hours, just staring at the wall, which made me think. I figured he couldn't make a decision easily, so he just sat there staring blankly. 

 

Meanwhile, I'd memorised the remaining lines in PD Song's film, so I went out to the dressing room, which had a vending machine and took the opportunity to wake myself up. I have two scenes left to film. One is the scene we tested when I first met PD Song, and the second is the suicide scene, which doesn't require a script.

 

There's only one scene to memorise. Even so, the feeling of cramming the lines into my brain is completely different from how it felt when I first practised reciting them. Even though I saw this script a month ago, it feels like I'm reading it for the first time. It also feels strange and unfamiliar with each word. When I read this script without knowing anything about it, I didn't have anything to worry about, unlike now, when my mind is completely blank. It's a simple sentence, easily expressed, but that's not enough. I feel it needs an underlying meaning.

 

Despite trying to recall the character's cold demeanour, he kept reciting the lines in his head while sipping on the red ginseng drink his manager often consumed. As I went to get a can of water, I heard a familiar voice in the distance.

 

"Cha Jung-woon is finished."

 

I held a cold can and walked straight to the vending machine. I used the vending machine as a shield and looked to see who was having such an animated conversation there. Entering the room, I saw a blond-haired man I hadn't seen in a long time. He was dressed more elegantly than before, his hair was neatly styled, and he was conversing intently with a young man I'd never met.

 

"He's in a difficult situation now. I heard the broker has been arrested, and Cha Jung-woo will also be summoned for questioning by the police today. If he's questioned and he spills the beans, he'll probably be dragged to the military within a month. Just think about it. Right now, the company is keeping things under wraps, so nothing has leaked out yet. But Cha Jung-woo already hit his manager with a golf club. Apparently, he couldn't control his emotions and went on a killing spree, so he's practically been under house arrest."

 

The blond-haired man was standing at an angle, so I couldn't see him clearly, but the young man opposite him widened his eyes and asked, with an innocent look, "What's his name?"

 

"Is Cha Jung-woo really that bad?"

 

"That's quite something. Because no news leaked out, the general public thought he was a gentleman. But people in the industry are spreading rumours that he's a smooth talker."

 

"He's just greedy for money. Haven't you heard about Cha Jung-woo changing stylists every two months? That guy is obsessed with the accessories he wears for photoshoots, so he has a knack for lying about losing things to avoid returning the watches or sunglasses he gets from sponsors. That's why the stylists always end up paying for them. And it's not just once or twice. Everyone says the stylists cried and quit en masse. Cha Jung-woo could buy hundreds of those things with his own money, but he's incredibly stingy and obsessed with designer brands."

 

The blond-haired man shook his head before boasting to the young man as a final gesture.

 

"The company already fired him because of those kinds of behaviours. Now he's finished, beyond redemption. Apparently, the company's board has been meeting since early this morning and is still in session. Besides, the contract only has half a year left. The company will probably..."

 

The blond-haired man lowered his voice so I couldn't hear the next sentence, but I could guess from the hand movements. I saw him make a gesture like a pair of scissors snapping, indicating that the company should have fired Cha Jung-woo, and then speak arrogantly to the arrogant young man.

 

"Do you know how many commercials Cha Jung-woo has done? The company couldn't do anything but promote stars with a similar image to replace him."

 

"To mitigate the damage, you know. I heard the higher-ups have discussed it. Who do you think that person is?"

 

"Ah, or could it be?!"

 

The young man gasped before uttering someone's name, which he seemed to have answered correctly, because the blond-haired person smiled, put their arm around the young man's shoulder, and then turned and disappeared into the hallway.

 

Looking only at their backs, it seemed like two friends pointing at each other. In my eyes, it reflected the image of a victim trapped in a spider's web more than anything else. Right now, that blond-haired guy looks just like Myungshin, the one I didn't know in the early days of his acting career. And soon, he'll probably be just like Myungshin. Maybe he heard the young man mention "Song Yoohan" and it reminded him of his future self. Even so, I'm not worried about Myungshin being the topic of conversation, or what the blond-haired guy said about Cha Jungwoo. My only question is, where is the kind-hearted, dark-faced guy? 

 

As I was heading back to the meeting room where the manager was, I ran into Han-Soo coming down the hallway.

 

"Huh? What's this urgent matter?"

 

Han-Soo's hair was dishevelled, and his face was slightly puffy, as if he had just woken up and rushed over as soon as he saw my message.

 

"Sorry, I stayed up all night last night and only got to sleep this morning, so I didn't see your message," he apologised profusely as he walked closer, then opened the door and continued his cheerful conversation.

 

"Well, you see, yesterday when I got home I was practising in front of the camera... Oh, manager!" Han-Soo ran excitedly to his manager, grabbing the still-dazed man and explaining non-stop.

 

"Manager, I practised in front of the camera all night last night! Actually, I'm still shaking a lot, and my voice is trembling so much that I can't speak smoothly. Even so..."

 

"..."

 

"Even so, I memorised the entire script... Manager," Han Soo noticed that the manager was acting strangely and turned to look at me.

 

"Uh, what happened?"

 

Instead of answering Han Soo’s question, which was asked in a slightly frightened tone, I sat down in front of the manager as he placed the can of ginseng on the table with a loud bang! The manager was startled and finally noticed me.

 

"I heard that Cha Jung-woo was called in for questioning by the police today."

 

The manager swallowed hard again and nodded. So I continued telling him what I had heard from the blond-haired man, who still couldn't speak.

 

"I heard he's going to be drafted into the military within a month, and the company is having serious discussions about whether it's a good idea to get rid of him since he only has half a year left on his contract. Wouldn't it be more beneficial to go?"

 

The manager spoke with difficulty, his face tense.

 

"If the contract only has six months left and you can't handle the problems well enough to avoid ruining everything, then being fired might be a better option," he said, before asking me with a questioning look.

 

"Speaking of which, you said Director Yoon gave you permission..."

 

"Yes, but there are conditions."

 

"Uh...conditions?"

 

I looked into his eyes, which were screaming, 

 

"You didn't tell me that!" before replying simply.

 

"He told me to get it done within three days. He's waiting to see how the manager handles this problem within those three days, and then they will make a decision later."

 

They will assign him to manage the player whose contract is expiring in six months, or if the manager can guide Cha Jung-woo through the crisis beyond expectations, then his contract will be extended."

 

"...Three days is way too exhausting."

 

"Of course. The company didn't give this opportunity because they acknowledged the manager's high potential."

 

"..."

 

"But now that we've got the information from Director Yoon, it's easier, isn't it?"

 

"Information?"

 

"He said the traitor is Cha Jung-woo's manager."

 

I brought up this topic while looking at the manager, who blinked in confusion.

 

"But even if we did that, if the manager doesn't like Cha Jung-woo and doesn't agree to be his manager, it's all pointless," Han Soo, standing beside me, mouthed something, wondering what we were talking about, before reacting accordingly.

 

"Are you saying the manager has to go be Cha Jung-woo's manager? Why? What happened?" 

 

I felt I had to say something to shut Han-soo up, so I explained helplessly, in an annoyed tone.

 

"The manager was framed, so we're determined to get revenge on Chung Myung-shin."

 

"...What did you say?"

 

Han Soo asked back with a dazed expression, just like the manager earlier, but I turned my face away like that. Well, I think that explanation is enough, isn't it?

 

"Telling Cha Jung-woo that his manager is a traitor shouldn't be too difficult. I heard he has a bad habit of hitting his manager with a golf club. They might already know that there are some clues."

 

"A golf club?"

 

"And he went on a rampage threatening to kill everyone, so he's been confined to his home. That means he should be easy to find."

 

"He went on a rampage...and now he's under house arrest?"

 

"Shall we go to Cha Jung-woo's house right now?"

 

"T-now..."

 

".."

 

"...You didn't want to punch me, did you?"

 

Upon hearing the manager say that, I unconsciously loosened my fists and glanced at Han Soo, who stammered out what he was doing. Do you understand everything I explained correctly?

 

"Um, well, the manager was framed in the Cha Jung-woo case... and Yoo Han hyung, no, Youngshin hyung is the mastermind, right? Because of that, the manager has to be the one..."

"Cha Jung-woo orchestrated this to betray Myungshin and clear his own name."

 

"Yes, didn't I just say that?"

 

"...."

 

I changed the subject before asking Han Soo, who had a strangely puzzled expression.

 

"Could you please find the information I'm about to tell you on the internet?"

 

"Ah, yes, I'll definitely do it. Just tell me if you need anything. But did Myungshin really slander our manager?"

 

“yes"

Han Soo clenched his jaw tightly as he glanced at the manager, as if he had only just felt angry.

 

"Manager, I'll do everything Taemin tells me to do. Let's go behind that guy's back. Damn it, manager, you're not my punching bag!"

 

"Hey! Why do people always have to meddle in my peaceful life?! I'm getting really annoyed! Ugh!"

 

When Han Soo shouted Chung Myungshin's name angrily, the manager nodded calmly, as if he had made a firm decision.

 

"Okay, let's ambush him from behind."

 

Then he stood up from his seat and called out to me.

 

"Taemin"

 

"yes"

 

"You're right. This is something I have to handle, isn't it? Even if I got through this crisis by another means, Myungshin would still falsely accuse me of cleaning up after him. It's still filthy, isn't it? If I want to end this vicious cycle... that's right, I have to become Cha Jung-woo's manager so he won't bother me anymore. Of course, Cha Jung-woo also has to become a decent person and get a smooth contract renewal with the company, haha... speaking of which..."

 

The manager stared into the air, letting out a vacant laugh.

"This is a huge opportunity for me. If it weren't for Myungshin, I would have continued to train new talent on behalf of the company relentlessly, but I have to thank him for completely changing my fortune."

 

He was still smiling, though his face looked strangely dejected. Then, he held his breath before turning back to look at me.

 

"Thinking about it, being a manager is what I'm best at without having to worry about anything," I replied with a slight smile before quickly glancing at my watch.

 

"He was just called in for his first round of questioning, so we should probably postpone it today. We might be able to see each other if we go now."

 

"I'll go too."

 

The manager looked at me silently for a while before giving me a firm instruction.

 

"Okay, but I'll do all the persuasion myself. You stay by my side."

 

"In that case, I'd like to come along too..." Han Soo stood up and interrupted, but the manager shook his head at him.

 

"No need. You stay here and find the information Taemin asked for."

 

When both of their eyes turned to look at me at the same time, I asked Han Soo to get a few things before leaving the room with the manager. I saw Han Soo leave behind; he immediately went to his notebook as the door closed, and the manager asked, puzzled.

 

"By the way, why are you suddenly asking me to find a catalogue of designer brands?"

 

"Just in case."

 

The manager wondered what I meant, but I wasn't sure myself, so I couldn't answer him. It was just a hunch. If things went well, we could take advantage of the psychological tactic of Cha Jung-woo secretly stealing a few designer accessories he received from sponsors. While the manager went up to the office to find Cha Jung-woo's address and phone number, I waited in the underground parking lot.

 

I leaned against the manager's old car parked around the corner and looked around the parking lot. Although the lights were bright, they didn't cover the entire area. The basement had a unique darkness. Once I became accustomed to the invisible darkness, I felt as if I were merging with it. The silence that enveloped the area blocked out all sounds from above, but my imagination continued to work tirelessly.

 

The sound of multiple footsteps echoed throughout the basement. Moreover, I could hear the footsteps growing louder, as if they were approaching me, accompanied by a sound...The conversation was mostly the voice of a middle-aged man, as if he were the main speaker, though occasional short responses were heard. Just as I was beginning to suspect we hadn't made it this far, a group of people appeared beside the pillar that was obstructing my view. I saw a man in his fifties and a man in his mid-twenties, who seemed to be a secretary, follow him, then Chief Park and Director Yoon. Suddenly, I regretted completely forgetting to get my car keys from the manager. The man in his mid-fifties was so engrossed in conversation that he didn't notice me, unlike that idiot.

 

"This is a real problem. The reporters have set up camp outside, so we had to come all the way down to the parking lot. Hey Jay, you didn't bring your car today, did you?" When he addressed that jerk familiarly by his name, the guy glanced at me and nodded. The person who seemed to be his secretary addressed the middle-aged man as 'Sir'.

 

"The chairman," he said, adding something else before walking to a luxurious car parked nearby. Ah, so that's the chairman. The chairman, with grey hair he hadn't dyed, had a friendly face that contrasted with his sharp gaze. In fact, the people there were chatting casually and without any tension, even though the company's top star was having problems. The chairman, however, seemed more uncomfortable having to go down to the parking lot to get into his car himself.

 

He decided to wait and see how Cha Jung-doo handles his problems in the next three days, so that's why he's acting that way, or something? Then the secretary drove up in a luxury car and slowly reversed it towards the group. Chief Park quickly stepped forward to open the car door before the chairman walked towards them.

 

However, the crazy guy standing behind him called out for him to stop and wait for a moment before turning around and walking straight towards me. The feeling I had while watching him...My listlessness turned into tension when I was suddenly stared at, and then he called my name, just as I had expected.

 

"Mr Lee Taemin"

 

Upon hearing that deep, low voice echoing through the basement, this time it wasn't just the chairman; Chief Park, who hadn't noticed me, also turned to look. Feeling like everyone was staring at me, I reluctantly moved away from the car I was leaning against. Even though I gave him a look asking why he called me, he just silently raised one eyebrow, as if to say, 'I called you, so you should come to me. Why haven't you come yet?'

 

Damn it! Normally, I would have retorted that whoever has business should come here themselves. Still, it's hard to say that when all four of them are staring at me—all at once, especially the chairman, who was staring at me with particularly interested eyes. So I slowly walked towards him, under his gaze. The chairman's gaze swept me from head to toe as if appraising a commodity, while Chief Park remained apprehensive about my past as a delivery man.

 

The president's secretary, who had been watching from the driver's seat with a curious, stinging look, arrived first, wondering, "Who is that person?" After taking short strides that felt like tens of kilometres, I finally stopped in front of that crazy guy.

 

"Do you have something you want to talk to me about?"

 

I asked a slightly provocative question before he gave me a polite smile and took something out of his pocket. Looking down, I saw a small bag and the smart key with the fancy keychain hanging from it—I felt like I'd seen it somewhere before. Soon, a memory surfaced: it was something he'd grabbed from the table when he left home in the early hours of the morning. Just as I glanced up to see what it was, he reached closer.

 

"I saw you drop it this morning."

 

"Me?" I asked in surprise, before he gave me a wide smile.

 

"Yes, Mr Lee Taemin."

 

"It's not mine."

 

"Yes, that's right. Or was I imagining things?"

 

You weren't just spouting nonsense; you were talking at length! I wanted to retort like that, but I swallowed my words with difficulty because three people were diligently acting as spectators of three hundred people. The secretary, for some reason, was so curious that he feared missing the conversation and leaned halfway towards the driver's seat. Of course, I felt pressured by the chairman, who had openly walked over to stand next to that lunatic and was staring at me with an extremely sharp gaze.

 

"You're mistaken. That's not mine."

 

As I took a step back and shook my head, the lunatic took another step towards me, followed closely by the chairman standing beside him, who walked behind as if they were attached at the hip.

 

"I wasn't mistaken. I told you it's yours, Lee Taemin," he said, extending his hand again, causing everyone to turn and look at me. I was about to reply that it wasn't, but that jerk added, smiling, before I could.

 

"If you don't have this, how are you going to get home this evening?"

 

"Home? That's when I realised it was his house key. That just made me want to refuse even more, because this bastard intends to give me the keys however he likes.

 

"That's the question. How are you going to get into the house?"

 

When I turned to look at the president who had suddenly interrupted, he let out an "Imm" sound, glancing at me and then at the keys before urging me on again.

 

"Hurry up and take it!"

 

"This isn't mine..."

 

"Ah, are you like this because you're shy?"

 

...What did you say? I spun around to face the lunatic who suddenly started spouting nonsense out of nowhere.

 

"Did you sell out your job by dozing off and drooling on the subway this morning? Or were you embarrassed that you gaped open and your body twitched until you woke up?"

 

"Yes, I thought something was wrong with you, Mr Taemin, but I was a little surprised that you fell asleep so immediately."

 

He said something completely illogical. I fell asleep on the Don Mueang subway. I was staring wide-eyed because he leaned over and squeezed in next to me even though there was plenty of space in my seat.

 

"That's a lot more than that. When did I even doze off...? Then I remembered last night. I sat waiting for him until I dozed off in front of his house gate. He must have seen me sleeping like that. Damn it!" Just as I was about to argue back, the chairman interrupted again.

 

"The subway, Jay? Did you take the subway this morning?" The idiot moved his lips to answer the president with a "yes," without taking his eyes off me.

 

"There's more than that, but I'll keep it a secret. So take it, don't be shy." More than that? Did he watch me sleep and take notes? I was too lazy to argue further, so I grabbed the keys from his hands.

 

"Thank you so much. You kept my pathetic state while I was sleeping a secret, and you even kept my house key for me. I don't know how to thank you enough."

 

I deliberately said "thank you" in a way that didn't sound like a thank-you, using a sarcastic tone.

 

"It's alright. I have to protect the actors under my company's management."

 

That lunatic shamelessly came back after exposing my pathetic sleeping habits. When the president found out I was an actor under his management, he got his eye on me. His face was stern, as if he had never seen my face before.

 

"Hmm, so you're an actor."

 

Meanwhile, the chairman secretly glanced back at Chief Park, who was standing behind him, and calmly clasped his hands in front of him. But as soon as he was noticed by the chairman, he quickly walked over to his side and explained it briefly.

 

"Manager Choi cast him two months ago."

 

The chairman nodded, "Ah, Chairman Choi," before scrutinising me closely again. After a while, his gaze settled on an uncomfortable, unsettling expression. Contrary to his appearance, he looked like an old man because he was interrupted by that lunatic.

 

"Mr Chairman, let's go."

 

When the crazy guy grabbed his arm and spun around, the president seemed to want to say something, but followed along obediently, not without first asking the crazy guy.

I'm going to get on the bus.

 

"Oh, Jay, I heard you arrived at the company at seven in the morning. Was the subway already running then?" the crazy guy who was holding the car door open, waiting for the president to get in, replied boastfully.

 

"Of course, Mr Chairman, it would be good for you to know the time the first subway train runs," said the speaker. Soon, the sound of a car door closing echoed, and the car, which had been waiting for a long time, slowly drove out of the parking lot until it disappeared from sight.

 

And I still didn't move... I don't know why, but I felt angry...