Come Back

“But if that image is in the hands of Lee Hae-sung, then it’s a different story, right?”

“……”

This time, Go Ji-woon’s expression also changed. His collapsed posture gradually returned to normal, and his eyes showed interest.

“If the video that Mr. Ko Ji-woon has meets our expectations, I would like to make a deal. Depending on the value of the video, I will set a reasonable price. If it is a video that can definitely strangle Jo Sung-hyun, I will offer up to 1 billion won.”

“Poem, poem… ten billion?”

“I’ll provide you with a separate residence. All I need is 1 billion won in cash.”

Go Ji-woon swallowed dry saliva and rolled his eyes here and there. He bit his lower lip without stopping, his face completely drained of the alcohol he had suddenly consumed. Lee Hae-seong urged him on with a flat voice.

“First, can I check the video first?”

A unique idiom that makes it sound like a polite request that is so gentle it almost sounds languid, but somehow sounds like a roundabout command.

Choi Hong-seo, who had been quietly looking around the small house, glanced at Lee Hae-seong, who was sitting so close that their knees were touching.

“If it’s okay with the director and the actor, can I see a little bit of the acting?”

The day I first met Lee Hae-seong at Director Kang Woo-hyun’s house. That’s how Lee Hae-seong treated Choi Hong-seo that day. Now I know that it was Lee Hae-seong’s businesslike attitude, but at the time, he was a special VIP in Choi Hong-seo’s eyes. It was the first time that a VIP, not even a top star, treated a celebrity nerd with such manners.

From the beginning, when he had kept his distance and treated her harshly, he had been like that since then. He was a salvation from President Cho’s dirty demands, and a salvation that turned the entertainment venue into a proper acting audition.

He felt Choi Hong-seo’s gaze and turned to look at him. Just by pulling the corners of his lips slightly, he was able to give Choi Hong-seo some peace of mind.

If only I could do that. Instead of making him run barefoot along the beach and not being able to sleep properly… If only I could end all the anxiety surrounding him. If only I could see him sleeping soundly next to me, with a comfortable smile and sweet dreams.

To do that, all he could do was do his best to solve the immediate problem. Choi Hong-seo smiled brightly at him. To reassure him.

In the meantime, Go Ji-woon, who had been thinking about it, made up his mind and quietly got up from his seat. Then, he searched through the drawer behind him and took out a cell phone that was hidden deep inside.

“If you’re trying to fuck that guy, then it might help. All people who try to get celebrities through sponsorship are like that, but that guy is especially a total pervert. He’s like, “Would you spend that much money just to have missionary sex in bed?”

Go Ji-woon, who laughed bitterly and snorted, turned on the phone and fiddled with it. When Go Ji-woon handed the phone to Lee Hae-seong, there was a paused video on the screen. And something flashed in Go Ji-woon’s eyes, which had been empty and vain.

“No matter how much of a person you are, it would be scary to see something like that spread around the world.”

Go Ji-woon, who had been talking up to that point, glanced at Yoon Hye-an.

“I’m sure you know this too, but Jo Seong-hyeon, you’re incredibly proud of the fact that you’re self-made. Chaebols are just lucky enough to be born into a good family, and they’re all idiots who don’t have the ability and only know how to bully their subordinates. You always say things that look down on chaebols, but hey, in my opinion, that’s an inferiority complex.”

“……”

“I envy the chaebols. Just hearing something like that makes me have a seizure.”

When Yoon Hye-an showed no response even though he spoke as if asking for consent, Go Ji-woon muttered as if talking to himself.

“Ah… Did you say you lost your memories after waking up?”

Go Ji-woon took another sip of soju and spoke calmly.

“You and I met at the same time as Jo Sung-hyun. You knew that I met Jo Sung-hyun and came to me, right? You’re being threatened because of that, so you’re trying to find a weakness… Right?”

“That’s right. If you know anything about Jo Seong-hyeon, just tell me.”

Instead of Choi Hong-seo, Lee Hae-seong stepped forward and answered.

“He’s the kind of person who doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he’s seeing other people at the same time. But when you ask him about this and that, he starts babbling again… I don’t know the details, but he really hates being jealous. He thinks you’re dating me right now.”

Go Ji-woon tilted his mug deeply, wondering if there was much soju left.

“Jo Sung-hyun acts like a really good sponsor at first. He lets me live in a fancy house, drives a fancy car, and gives me fancy roles. He’s a pervert, but like he says, I didn’t meet him to date him. He seems to spare no expense for me, so I listen to him. I couldn’t let him go, so I was almost out of my mind. But in reality, he controls me as he pleases. He told me to leave the group, right? He only lets me do the projects he picks for me. Since he has the ability to actually put me in the projects he picks for me, I listen to him even more. But when I come to my senses later, my skills haven’t improved at all, and I can’t get even a single minor role without Jo Sung-hyun’s help.”

I could guess to some extent why Go Ji-woon and Yoon Hye-an attempted suicide. If their relationship with their sponsor ended in that situation, it would mean the end of their entertainment careers. What if that sponsor had countless sex videos and photos of them, and even blackmailed them with them?

Choi Hong-seo slowly exhaled while looking down. He felt dizzy for a moment as if he was standing on the 32nd floor again.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Lee Hae-seong asked worriedly, holding Choi Hong-seo’s upper body.

“No. Just take a deep breath. Let’s check the video together.”

Understanding had an expression of complete reluctance. The moment his eyes met hers, Choi Hong-seo could feel all of his emotions. The affectionate warmth that wanted to protect him from being shocked or hurt. The deep protective instinct toward himself.

Choi Hong-seo also answered him with an unwavering gaze. It was okay. He said he wanted to go through each and every one of these processes with you.

Hmm… Lee Hae-seong let out a low sigh, as if he had no choice, and spoke to Go Ji-woon.

“If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll turn down the volume and play it.”

“……”

Go Ji-woon frowned and frowned. It was an expression as if he had heard something he shouldn’t have heard.

“Why are you doing that?”

“No, it’s just… ARA is understanding. But, the fact that she considers the position of a guy like me… I just find that amazing. Like the rumors say, she really is a model student… I thought.”

“Just as not all poor people are cowardly before money, not all powerful people live like Jo Seong-hyeon. Everyone is different.”

“……”

“Well, it’s true that most people are unlucky.”

Lee Hae-seong’s expression was serious, but Go Ji-woon burst out into a short laugh. He himself seemed to be at a loss for laughter in this situation, so he rubbed his face as if he was crushing it. However, Lee Hae-seong’s own face showed no change at all.

“And, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not as good of a model student as people say I am.”

“……”

“Once you make up your mind, there is no need to be a backstabber . ”

“This… fire… what is it?”

Go Ji-woon asked with an expression that said he had no idea what was going on, and Lee Hae-seong shook his head and held up his cell phone.

“It’s nothing. Then can I watch the video now?”

Go Ji-woon’s expression, which had seemed to relax for a moment, became heavy again. Then, he nodded thoughtfully and slowly.

“Leave the volume as it is. Even the words you babble are art.”

Go Ji-woon answered like that, leaning his back against the back chest of drawers, and tilted the mug containing soju.

Hae-seong adjusted the position of his phone so that he could see it with Choi Hong-seo. Then he touched the triangular arrow on the screen. A video shot in the bathroom, not the bedroom, was played.

Meanwhile, Go Ji-woon went to the refrigerator and brought out another bottle of soju.

While watching the video, Choi Hong-seo felt like vomiting several times. He held back the urge to throw up what he had eaten. He clearly didn’t show it, but at some point, Lee Hae-seong put his arm around his shoulder. It was a strong hug, holding him tightly so that he wouldn’t collapse or fall. He didn’t try to act strong, but leaned against him.

Jo Seong-hyeon said that it is not worth spending a lot of money to have sex on the top in bed. I thought I knew the psychology of those in power better than anyone else, but even Choi Hong-seo was able to keep his mouth shut.

Jo Seong-hyeon was a pervert on par with Lee Seo-kyung.

No, if we were to judge it as a psychological shock, it was even worse than Lee Seo-kyung’s taste.

If the video were to be released, it would certainly be a scandal that would turn the entire country upside down, and all the self-made fruits that Jo Sung-hyun considered so important would go down the drain. That was the extent of the impact of the video.

His breathing was getting rougher. Choi Hong-seo, who was almost completely embraced by Lee Hae-seong and only had his eyes focused on the video, was holding onto Lee Hae-seong’s coat collar tightly.

He couldn’t even think of closing his eyes or looking away, and he couldn’t take his eyes off the video as if he were being tortured.

“Ugh, ugh…”

The moment my breathing completely became disordered, my vision darkened. By a soft and warm movement, the hand of Hae-seong, who had been holding my shoulder, came over and covered the upper part of my face.

The video, which was about an hour long, played for only about 15 minutes, and Lee Hae-seong stopped it. Pulling Choi Hong-seo’s face, which was covered by his eyes, to his chest, Lee Hae-seong’s gaze turned to Go Ji-woon, who was sitting across from him.

“This is enough. Okay. I’ll trade for 1 billion.”

Unlike the bloodless and trembling lips of Choi Hong-seo revealed under Lee Hae-seong’s large hand, Lee Hae-seong’s voice and complexion were no different from before he saw the video.

Go Ji-woon opened his eyes wide and his mouth was open, as if he couldn’t believe it. He looked bewildered. It was partly because of the shock of actually being offered 1 billion won, and partly because of ARA’s Hae-seong’s lovey-dovey display right in front of his eyes.