Chapter 318: Fake Video
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 318: Fake Video
Looking at Choi Jin-ah’s mint-colored suitcase, several thoughts crossed my mind at first.
I wondered if this was a precursor to something.
You know, the usual stuff. Since she’s my fiancée, maybe she sent her things over so we could start living together?
Even if it was a mistake, a suitcase is a pretty big thing to send to the wrong address by accident.
So, I wondered if something was going on behind the scenes without my knowledge.
— They say it was a mistake.
Hearing Choi Jin-ah’s exasperated voice over the phone, I realized it was all just my imagination.
— How could they even make a mistake like that?
"Ahem, I know, right?"
Have I been spending too much time with women lately? Is that why my mind went there?
Once the truth came out, I felt like a total narcissist who had been getting worked up over nothing.
How embarrassing.
— Anyway, I’ll come by to pick it up later, so don’t you dare open it. Got it?
"I’m not even curious."
— You absolutely must not open it, okay?
"Why? Now you’re making me curious."
— It’s common sense not to touch someone else’s suitcase!
"Who said I was going to open it? I have common sense too, you know. Just come get it soon. It’s annoying having it take up space in my dorm room."
I knew living together was impossible in a dormitory anyway.
So why did my brain skip over common sense and jump straight to the nonsensical?
— Someone with common sense wouldn't tell a girl's father that his daughter is bad at sex.
"Ahem."
— Sigh. I’ll try to get there as soon as I can. But I have a lot of work piled up from my trip to Hawaii, so I don’t think I can make it right away.
"But why are you coming, Jin-ah? Shouldn't the people who messed up handle it?"
— They’re my father’s people. That means I’d have to talk to them, and I don’t want to.
"Fine, fine. Do whatever you want."
Click.
After hanging up, I let out a sigh and flopped onto the bed.
I pushed the mint suitcase into a corner and turned on my phone.
A few messages had come in from the Idiots, but I just skimmed them and headed straight to the Bamboo Forest.
"Ugh, what is Yoo Ah-rin doing?"
Even if the Bamboo Forest needed stricter management lately, what was she thinking playing around like that?
Well, she could act like that because she didn't know the true identities of Unit 2 and Unit 3 yet.
I didn't plan on revealing them since it was an anonymous board, but if she kept playing these pranks, I’d have to give her a little hint.
"..."
It looked fun, so I joined in.
But not a single reply came.
Even the other anonymous users didn't leave a comment. I was starting to feel a bit hurt.
Ding.
After a few minutes, a reply finally appeared.
"..."
Eventually, new posts kept piling up, and mine was pushed to the next page.
"Is this what they call cyber-bullying?"
Grumbling, I mindlessly opened my post again.
There was one more comment.
"Ha, look at this guy."
Right after I returned from Hawaii, Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin had told me about another Bamboo Forest villain.
Someone who kept spamming about an open chat room using handles like Anonymous 222 or Anonymous 477.
Is it Anonymous 456 this time?
I had already been permanently banning these accounts. I must have banned at least five of them by now.
"Where on earth are they getting all these accounts?"
It was probably the same person.
I wondered if someone was selling accounts, but I couldn't find any place where such things were traded.
They’re all burner accounts.
While most of Gahyeon University used the Bamboo Forest, not everyone wrote posts or comments.
They might be contacting students directly to buy their IDs.
Or there’s a possibility they’re actually a Gahyeon University student.
They could be using their friends' IDs.
The important thing was this "open chat room."
When I heard about it from Lee Eun-woo—the grad student who was threatening Seo Ye-rin’s title as the "Sex Master"—it didn't seem like much.
She said she went in and there were about a hundred people.
But she was kicked out because she wouldn't verify her gender and name.
"This is getting annoying."
Should I just go into the open chat room myself?
But my position made it a bit awkward to just jump into something like that.
If something illegal was happening and it turned into a big scandal, I’d be dragged into it.
The mere fact that I, the youngest son of Uju Group, was a member of a strange group chat could damage our reputation.
But I can't really ask any of my friends to do it either.
The girls were out of the question.
Given that they demanded verification, there was no telling what they might do.
If their identities were revealed and they got targeted by some creeps, nothing would make me feel worse.
"The Idiots?"
They seemed like a safe bet.
"Ah."
One person suddenly flashed through my mind.
I called him immediately, and he picked up as if he had been waiting.
— Hello?
"Bong-geun, you got a minute?"
— What now? You want to meet up with those girls again?
"No, not that. I was wondering if you could help me with something."
— You’re always taking help but never thinking about helping me.
"Is that any way to talk to a friend?"
— You’re not my friend.
"That’s cold, man. We had so much fun back then."
— Fun? You mean that mental breakdown?
"That is fun. Having absolutely nothing on your mind."
— Whatever, what is it?
Look at him, listening anyway.
As soon as I told him about the open chat room, Bong-geun’s brow furrowed.
— I’ve heard of similar cases abroad.
"Oh? What happened?"
— It was about people sharing hidden camera footage and stuff like that.
"Hmm."
— So you want me to go undercover as a Gahyeon University student? I'll give it a shot.
I sent him the link to the open chat I had saved. A few minutes later, Bong-geun called back.
— I failed.
"Huh?"
— I did what you said and told them I was Lee Bong-geun from the English Department. I even mixed in some lies to verify myself, but they caught me immediately and kicked me out.
"Wow, look at these guys."
— I’m not sure if they have a connection at Gahyeon University to verify identities or if it’s something else. Either way, they’re surprisingly thorough.
I thought they’d fall for it if he just pretended to verify himself, but they were unexpectedly sharp at weeding people out.
— So? You want me to help in some other way?
"Hmm, can you look into other schools too?"
— I can, but... why do I feel like I’m the only one losing out here?
"Is that any way to talk to a friend? I’ll help you if you ever need it."
— What could you possibly help me with?
"You have to figure that out. I figured out what I needed help with and told you, didn't I?"
— ...You’re surprisingly logical.
Is this guy an idiot?
No, that’s not it.
"Thanks, Bong-geun. The girls said they want to meet you again. Let’s grab a drink later."
— Only if you don't make me cross-dress.
"I already have photos of you in drag, so just come."
— ...Are you the one running that open chat room?
"Don't talk nonsense."
Click.
I hung up.
I felt a lingering sense of unease.
Vrrr! Vrrr! Vrrr!
My phone rang again.
I thought it was Bong-geun, but it was Choi Jin-ah.
— Why were you on the phone for so long?!
"Why? What’s the problem?"
— The suitcase! The suitcase keeps vibrating! What is going on with that?!
"Huh? Vibrating?"
Well, there shouldn't be anything vibrating—
Ah.
"It’s an egg."
— An egg? Like a chicken egg? Why is an egg vibrating? Is it turning into a chicken?
That was a terrible joke.
"It’s a rotor. A vibrator."
— A rotor? What are you talking about?
"Don't be so dense. It’s a sex toy. For women."
— What?!
"I bought it to use on the trip when I was feeling tired and stressed. But I didn't use it."
— Could you please not brag about that? It makes me imagine things!
"Anyway, just leave it alone. Don't open someone else's suitcase."
— How can I leave it alone! It’s been buzzing non-stop!
Did it get turned on to full power?
— If I have to, I’ll ask your mother or another family member for help.
"That’s even worse."
— Why?
Why? Because I don't want my family seeing that stuff, obviously.
"Just leave it. How loud can it be?"
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
— You hear that? No, someone’s going to die if they use it like that!
"...Maybe it's because I put fresh batteries in it."
— Sigh. I’m just going to turn it off. I won't look at anything else.
"Wait, no—!"
Zip!
The sound of a zipper opening echoed.
At the same time, Choi Jin-ah let out a scream.
— Eek! Wh-what is this! What on earth are all these hideous things?!
"Did I mention? I used to work part-time at an adult store."
— Oh, I feel dizzy. I can see just how serious you are about your libido, Woo-jin.
"You can't go to a battlefield without packing your weapons."
Well, I didn't end up using them, though.
— It wasn't just one that was on. Ugh, what is this? Cosplay? Gross.
Damn, this is so humiliating.
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be?"
I immediately headed for the mint suitcase I had shoved into the corner.
If she was going to be like that, I figured I should tease her back, so I opened the suitcase.
— Sigh. Go ahead, look all you want. I don't have anything embarrassing like that.
Jin-ah sounded confident.
There really wasn't much in the suitcase.
It was just normal luggage for a trip.
"...You're over twenty, and you still wear teddy bear panties?"
— I-I’m coming over right now, so close it! That’s merch!
"Who makes merch out of panties?"
She was talking nonsense.
* * *
A few days later.
Students were wandering around Gahyeon University like zombies.
A virus called "the start of the semester" had broken out on campus, and while most students were dying, they weren't quite dead yet.
I was no exception.
"Ah, I'm so tired."
"Tteok! Tteok! Yeop-tteok!"
Beside me, Yoo Ah-rin was humming, having spent the whole day pestering me to go eat Yeop-tteok.
My side still ached from where she pinched me earlier after I made a joke about eating Yeop-tteok and then "eating" her.
"By the way, what happened with that open chat room? It’s been quiet since the semester started."
"Ah, that."
My face darkened like a detective facing a cold case.
"It went quiet. It vanished completely, and they don't even post on the Bamboo Forest anymore. The chat room link is still there, but I’m hesitant to go in. Those guys are more thorough than I thought."
They were experts at spotting fake identities.
I even tried using other schools, but I was blocked.
"Just having a record of being in a place like that could be a problem. So I’m hesitant to ask anyone else."
"Hmm, should I try going in?"
"Forget it. If they’re doing something illegal, they’ll get caught eventually."
We were just ordinary college students, after all.
The conversation naturally shifted to other topics.
"Did you spend time with Ye-rin after that?"
"Man, don't even get me started. She wore that cow cosplay again, and it was just—!"
Pinch!
Yoo Ah-rin pinched my side hard.
Why did she even ask if she was going to do that?
"It was just..."
"Just... I just thought of Ah-rin in her cat cosplay."
"A cat is better than a cow."
"Ahem."
"Oh, by the way, did you know someone’s been stalking Seo-ah lately? She even went to the police station because of it."
"Stalking?"
Lee Seo-ah.
She was a film major and a high school classmate of Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin.
Along with Han Bom from the design department, the four of them were often seen together.
"Yeah, but it’s not just Seo-ah. Apparently, the whole film department is in an uproar over it."
"Geez."
There really are all sorts of things happening in the world.
Tsk-tsking at the state of the world, we were passing through the main gate when a peculiar man approached us.
He was a middle-aged man with a lean, impressive build. The lingering scent of cigarettes on him only added to his "middle-aged man" aura.
"Are you student Kim Woo-jin?"
"Yes, that's me."
I answered as I subtly pulled Yoo Ah-rin behind me. The man pulled out a police ID from his pocket and introduced himself.
"Hello. I am Inspector Baek Ho-hwan from the Cyber Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency."
"Huh? The police?"
What?
And the Cyber Investigation Unit?
"We are currently investigating cases related to fake filmed and edited materials that have been prevalent lately. We received a report that you, Kim Woo-jin, may be involved."
"Me? No, that’s impossible."
"Exactly! He might look like this, but he’s never been short on women!"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
The inspector is right here, Ah-rin.
"We’re just here to verify since a report was filed."
"No, what is there to verify? The person who reported me must have had some kind of evidence to do so."
I couldn't believe how unfair this was.
If it was "fake filmed materials," they were probably talking about deepfakes or edited lewd photos.
I didn't know how to do anything other than the basic video editing I learned for my assignments.
"There have been many reports regarding fake videos lately, so we are checking them one by one. We received a tip that you posted fake videos as your messenger profile picture."
"What? My profile picture? I didn't—!"
As I started to speak, it suddenly hit me.
One thing came to mind.
"The ahegao shots of those idiots?!"