Adults
Neoul returned home and asked Dong-dong to keep close watch over Myeong I-dam’s mother.
“If Dong-dong Geomsabok protects Lord Myeong I-dam’s mother, then Lord Myeong I-dam will be able to testify to the police without worry.”
“But what about Lord Idam? What if that murderous bastard attacks him? Who’s protecting him?”
To Dong-dong, Kim Ji-rok had become a murderous bastard.
“Would it not be better if I went and killed him before he could make a move?”
“Oh, wow. A little thing like you says ‘I want to become a criminal’ so easily, huh? You want to go to prison, Dong-dong?”
Won Hasin scolded her, but Dong-dong did not even twitch an eyebrow as vengeance burned in her eyes.
“Why would it be a crime to kill a murderous bastard?”
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
“Don’t stop me, land fish! I’m going to knock all that bastard’s teeth out!”
“Seriously, where did you even learn to call teeth ‘corn kernels’?”
“From the drama you were watching!”
“Ah. So that’s where you learned it.”
But there was no longer any need to worry about Myeong I-dam. The moment he was discharged from the hospital, he went to Won Hasin’s company, had a serious talk, and signed a contract.
“Myeong I-dam will be protected by our company. He’s an H.A.D artist now.”
Won Hasin moved Myeong I-dam to a place with tight security and arranged for the dedicated security team to escort him on his commute, along with the other trainees. Since the company building itself had five layers of security that kept outsiders out, there was nothing to worry about.
The H.A.D headquarters had spacious, spotless practice rooms, of course, but also studios, recording booths, a gym, a convenience store, a cafeteria, and even medical staff, so there was no need for anyone to leave the building at all.
But Dong-dong still had one more concern.
“They said the bastard’s first target was the prince. What if he tries to attack the prince again? My duty is to protect the prince. How could I abandon that duty and leave his side?”
“I’m perfectly fine. Besides, I think I’m a little stronger than Dong-dong Geomsabok.”
To Neoul, Dong-dong was not only extremely small in height and build, but even the thickness of her arms was thin. In truth, not just Dong-dong but all humans were small compared to Neoul.
Even Byeoldtongi, the whale shark who was bigger than Neoul and more than three meters long, seemed like someone Neoul had to protect. So tiny Dong-dong and the humans naturally seemed even smaller and weaker.
But Dong-dong shook her head.
“Prince, have you ever truly fought someone in your life, even once? Winning sparring matches against your retainers does not mean you truly won. Who would have fought you in earnest when you are such a precious prince? They were merely humoring you.”
Dong-dong shot out her hand. In the blink of an eye, the edge of her palm had stopped just beside Neoul’s nape.
“I may not be able to use all my abilities on land, but I am absolutely not weaker than the prince. I admit the difference in size and the lack of muscle. But the factors that decide victory are not so simple.”
“I understand. I lost. Still, I’m asking you, Dong-dong Geomsabok.”
Neoul tried to persuade her, holding out the letter he had received from Myeong I-dam.
“If I ask like this, will you still refuse? Really?”
“……”
“Really…? You won’t?”
Beside Neoul, who was asking with a glum expression, Won Hasin chimed in.
“Wherever he goes, Song Secretary drives him there and picks him up. What’s there to worry about? It’s not like you can follow him onto the filming set anyway.”
In the end, Dong-dong threw up both hands and both feet and said she would do it.
“Very well. But if anything should happen to the prince while I am away, I will seize the land fish and hold him responsible.”
“Huh? What did I do wrong in the middle of this?”
“Yes. Do that.”
“Hey! Fish! You too?”
Won Hasin glared at Neoul with a betrayed expression. Of course he didn’t want Neoul hurt, either, but... after being fed and housed, these sea creatures’ shamelessness had soared to the heavens.
Neoul gave Won Hasin a look that seemed to say, just this once, please help me.
“If Representative Won Hasin is dragged off and hung upside down by Dong-dong Geomsabok, then I shall come to rescue you.”
“What the hell are you talking about? If anything happens to you, Dong-dong will never let me live it down! And how the hell are you supposed to save me, you idiot fish?”
Neoul shrugged.
“Somehow, I am sure it will work out.”
“Agh! Fine, fine! I’ll make sure nothing happens to you, okay? If anything does, just drag me off and eat me or whatever! You two can do whatever you want!”
Won Hasin finally surrendered and flopped backward onto the sofa. Then he kicked the air in a fit of temper.
“If anything goes wrong with the fish, that rude Dong-dong won’t even need to step in before the Sea Witch tears me a new one anyway! I’m the neighborhood punching bag, aren’t I?”
“Representative Won Hasin, are you sulking?”
“I am not sulking! You brat! Do I look like a child to you?”
Won Hasin shouted in disbelief. Then Neoul said something even more absurd.
“I’m relieved. Then please lend me some money. As much as possible.”
“Huh? What do you need money for?”
Neoul explained the plan he and Myeong I-dam had devised. To divert Kim Ji-rok’s attention, they were going to uncover his past misdeeds and spread them around.
After hearing everything, Won Hasin flicked Neoul on the forehead.
“Ow.”
“Hey, you punk! If you’re going to debut, how can you be the one leading something like this? If you get caught digging into someone else’s background, your own image will tank too! Stuff like this is something you tell an adult right away!”
“An adult?”
Neoul blinked as if asking where an adult was supposed to be here.
“The Sea Witch?”
“I mean me! Me!”
Neoul tilted his head. Just the other day, this man had been shouting that he was the youngest rich kid and would live as carefree as he pleased, and now he was trying to play the grown-up.
What an inconsistent person.
“Fish, don’t stick your nose in this and just get ready for the stage! Debut already and go find the rabbit as fast as you can! I’ll handle the rest! Got it? The Sea Witch stuck me to you lot so I could help when something like this happened!”
Still... he was reassuring, in his own way.
“Yes. Understood.”
“And Myeong I-dam is an H.A.D artist now, okay? Anything involving Kim Ji-rok is my business too! Don’t try to handle it yourselves like some little kids! Huh? Tell me everything! You hear me?”
Won Hasin widened his eyes and spoke as though issuing a stern warning. Then he straightened his shoulders and let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Seriously, where else are you going to find an adult like me—rich, smart, and trustworthy?”
Neoul’s “An adult?” had clearly struck a nerve.
Neoul gave him a gentle smile, bowed his head slowly, then lifted it again. Thanks to that, things seemed as though they might be much easier to handle.
“Thank you, Representative Won Hasin.”
“Mm-hm.”
Won Hasin waved him off as if saying he was done being bothered and should get lost. Then he turned around—and found himself eye to eye with Dong-dong’s murderous glare.
He flinched and sat up from the sofa.
“W-what. Why does Dong-dong look even more insolent now...?”
“How dare you...”
“Wh-what? Why? What?”
Crack.
Dong-dong clenched her fist and worked the joints. A dark, ominous voice drifted out.
“To lay a hand on the prince’s precious head...?”
“Eek!”
“Stand still! You land fish!”
Aaaaagh!
With a scream, Won Hasin bolted into the bedroom. Dong-dong shot after him like an arrow and grabbed his hair.
Kyaaahhh!
Won Hasin’s pitiful screams echoed on and on.
Left alone, Neoul blinked dumbly at the chaos that had erupted in the blink of an eye. Then he hurriedly got up and ran to Won Hasin’s room to stop Dong-dong.
“Dong-dong Geomsabok! You mustn’t kill him!”
Yeo Do-bin, who had been working on his laptop in the guest room with headphones on, was also startled by the scream that had cut through the music and rushed outside.
“W-what happened...?”
At any rate, not a single day ever passed peacefully.
* * *
Meanwhile, the chief culprit in the affair, Kim Ji-rok, was spending a leisurely volunteer shift at a shelter for abandoned dogs. He was helping wash the dogs.
At the second ranking announcement, Kim Ji-rok had nearly been eliminated and only barely survived through the losers’ revival round, which left him deeply uneasy.
If things keep going like this, I’m going to get cut.
On top of that, his score in the third performance round had been nothing to brag about, either. If he wanted to survive the next ranking announcement, the first priority was to repair his ruined image.
The most effective way to recover one’s image was volunteer work. And the reason he had chosen dog-washing volunteer work was simple.
There’s that saying that no one who likes animals can be a bad person.
It was the perfect way to create the image of a warm-hearted man. A handsome face and a dog—what an effective combination.
Whenever people looked at him with frightened eyes, or glanced at him as if he were a little odd, Kim Ji-rok would make a point of going out to volunteer. And after that, they would relax completely.
— I guess I was being overly sensitive. He’s such a kind kid.
— Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like there’s really anything wrong with him. He’s just a little awkward at expressing himself sometimes.
A striking face made people generous. The desire to believe there was nothing wrong blinded them and distorted the truth.
Kim Ji-rok had always hidden his true self behind their trust and goodwill. Everything had been so easy.
This time will be exactly the same.
Kiiing— whine—
Ignoring the dog’s protest, Kim Ji-rok soaked its fur with a showerhead. Then he squeezed out shampoo, worked it into a lather, and thought,
I warned Myeong I-dam properly. He’ll keep his mouth shut.
He’d already wiped clean the ridiculous recording attempt, too. There was no evidence left.
Fine. Don’t panic. I didn’t do anything wrong. It didn’t even kill him, anyway.
Kim Ji-rok scrubbed hard at the fluffy fur of the medium-sized dog and turned on the water. Fwoosh— the suds washed away cleanly. With them, he let the uncomfortable feelings flow right down the drain.
After wiping the wet fur dry with a towel and blow-drying it, Kim Ji-rok carried the dog out and deliberately petted it and gave it kisses.
Ugh, why are you licking my nose? Disgusting, you little—
“You worked hard getting washed. Aww, you’re so cute.”
As he forced out compliments he didn’t mean, it was only natural that he noticed the other volunteers who were grooming or cleaning nearby sneaking glances at him, or staring blankly.
One of the people who had been watching hesitantly approached him and spoke with care.
“Um, excuse me... You’re Kim Ji-rok from Idol Travel, right? Your stage was amazing...”
“Ah, thank you.”
Kim Ji-rok turned with a smile, as though it were awkward to be recognized. He had been waiting for this very moment.
“Oppa, can I take one photo with you?”
“Of course.”
After posing a few times and taking the picture, the others who had only been watching nervously began to speak up one by one.
“M-me too...!”
“I’m actually a fan of Oppa! I just stayed quiet because I didn’t want to be a bother!”
“Sir, could I have a photo too...! You dance so well and wow, you’re really handsome! I was watching with my girlfriend, and we both became fans together and are cheering for you.”
Kim Ji-rok enjoyed the concentrated attention, cradling the freshly fluffed dog in his arms while he took pictures.
“Thank you. With such wonderful fans cheering me on, I’ll have to work even harder. Haha.”
These would come out well.
“I had no idea you volunteered here! Is it okay if I post the photo on social media?”
“Yes, of course.”
That was the whole reason he had come. Of course they should post it.
It had been a while since he’d done volunteer work here after staying away for so long. He needed to have as many photos taken as possible. He was even planning to go out on a dog-walking volunteer shift later.