Fame's Double Edge
Kim Jun didn't look back as he sprinted forward, but a burst of cheers erupted behind him. "Oppa!" came a loud cry next.
More kids were waiting near the parking lot.
"Hyung! That was so cool!"
"How can I become like you?"
"I wanna be a carrier too."
This time, it was boys.
Kim Jun couldn't reach his car. Instead, he bolted at full speed, escaping the apartment complex. He barely flagged down a passing taxi.
A few of the boys chased him all the way to the taxi.
The driver glanced at Kim Jun.
Kim Jun pulled sunglasses from his bag and slipped them on.
Sunglasses in the morning...?
"That... you're him, right?"
the driver asked.
"Yeah."
This time, he couldn't deny it or claim to be Choi Muhyun.
The driver lit up like he'd reunited with long-lost family. He asked how Kim Jun had mustered the courage in that terrifying dungeon. But before Kim Jun could reply, the man was already cursing cowardly raiders and praising Kim Jun as the true hero.
"Man, it felt like ten years of pent-up frustration just melted away. When I saw that video."
"Why's that?"
Kim Jun found the comment intriguing.
"'Cause a regular guy like me flattened the noses of those big shots."
"Ah, yeah."
Kim Jun had just done what he wanted, but this kind of reception felt awkward.
Then his phone rang.
"Yeah, it's me."
―You okay?
"...Not really."
Kim Jun whispered so the driver couldn't hear.
―Something happen?
Kim Jun kept the call going while texting a quick summary of the situation.
―My phone's buried in hate messages. Jealous much?
"Jealous?"
―Kidding. Looks like Pink Team numbers all leaked. Hey, how about we meet at Min-jeong's place? She's got that big house all to herself.
"Mm, got it."
Kim Jun gave the driver the new address.
The taxi, waiting at a light, U-turned immediately.
Yeom Sang-taek stepped out of the shower feeling good as he eyed the figures on his display shelf.
Gundam-style robots, anime characters with heads as big as their bodies—hundreds of large and small figures filled the case. The custom LED lights made them glow like living things.
He grabbed the remote and turned on the AC, then stood in front of the fan to dry the last bits of moisture.
Another remote press, and music flowed out—a goosebump-inducing girly voice from an anime OST.
The raider world was full of macho men, tough and rough. To survive there, you had to be strong or fake it.
The weak or weak-looking got weeded out.
That's why music like this—making his ears happy now—could only be enjoyed alone.
If word got out that a raider collected figures and listened to this stuff, he'd face mockery from all sides, and people's views of him would change entirely.
They'd probably say he should train harder instead of wasting time on this.
Truth be told, the biggest reason he'd left his Daejeon home for independent life in Seoul was those figures.
There was no way to keep them back home.
Once fully dry, Yeom Sang-taek picked up the Fusion Magic Manual from the table. A copy, but perfect contents. Mastering the spells in here would make him a bigger asset to the team as a buffer.
First, practice casting skills one-handed. Then, different skills with each hand. Finally, fuse two skills into one. It'll happen. It has to.
He unplugged his phone from the charger and held the power button.
Over a hundred texts.
Most were insults he'd never heard before. Still, Yeom Sang-taek smiled unwittingly. This kind of attention was a first in his life.
Sitting at the dining table, he read every one.
Some threatened to kill him.
Even those made his face beam. They proved he was important enough to warrant death threats.
Then his phone rang.
Yeom Sang-taek checked the screen.
"What's up this early?"
―You getting texts and calls too?
"Yeah."
He knew Choi Muhyun was in the same boat.
―Master was right.
"Yeah, I think so too. Master knows best."
Thanks to the master's warning, the flood of messages hadn't caught him off guard.
―Come to Min-jeong's.
"Now? Urgent?"
―Urgent if it is, not if it isn't. But we need a team meeting for countermeasures.
"Ah, Jun too? Got it."
Yeom Sang-taek threw on clothes in a hurry.
A warm feeling settled in his chest. Choi Muhyun had called early out of worry.
He was concerned about me.
And wanting to start the meeting together? He played it cool in reply, but inside, he wanted to whoop with joy.
I'm part of Uramata Guild's Pink Team.
Yeom Sang-taek dashed out to catch a taxi.
Skyla sat on a bench at the misty park entrance. Her beloved Harley stood proudly beside her.
She checked her watch.
Why hasn't he shown? He's always so punctual.
A text notification pinged.
She pulled out her phone and sighed at the message from one of her informants spread across Seoul. It included a video link. Clicking through led to a fresh upload.
Kim Jun escaping his apartment entrance, edited like an action movie scene.
One of the high school girls who'd mobbed his place must've posted it.
Luckily, the media wasn't biting. No appetite for rehashing old news.
Need to be careful. Embers like this could reignite.
Then a man with a bandaged right hand, hood up, ran into the park.
"Team Leader Yeon!"
Skyla called out.
He ran nearly ten meters before slowing and turning—it was Yeon Mu-jin.
Recognizing her, Yeon Mu-jin frowned instinctively, then switched to a curt, dry expression. Couldn't let that nosy reporter catch his real face.
"Ah, what brings Reporter Seo here?"
"You know why."
"Me?"
Yeon Mu-jin's eyes flickered as he approached.
What does this reporter really know to come here?
"Oh, you're hurt?"
Skyla's gaze lingered on his right hand.
"Minor training injury."
"Not like you, Team Leader. Maybe in a dungeon raid, but."
"I'm human too."
Chatting more risked a slip, so Yeon Mu-jin crouched to run again.
Then Skyla's bold question hit.
"Cheonroegeom. You took it, right?"
Yeon Mu-jin nearly toppled forward, body shaking.
"...What'd you say?"
He barely steadied himself, glaring back.
"Why so shocked? I make weird jokes all the time."
"In Yeon Ga, Cheonroegeom is never a joking matter."
Yeon Mu-jin replied seriously.
"Ah, my bad."
Skyla grinned playfully.
"Well, see ya."
Yeon Mu-jin bolted away at double his usual speed, vanishing from sight. Skyla sat back on the bench with a sly smile.
As expected...
After a moment's thought, she pulled out her notebook. Checked the date, chuckled, and mounted the Harley Davidson. The roar on startup made her shiver.
Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong.
The doorbell rang insistently.
"Who the hell at this hour?"
Yeon Jong-ho grumbled from bed, kicking away the half-naked woman beside him.
She yelped, tumbling to the floor.
"What're you waiting for? Check who the psycho is."
Absurd as it was, she threw on a robe and headed to the living room. The intercom showed a woman with brown curly hair past her shoulders.
Back in bed, she crossed her arms.
"Oppa, seeing other girls besides me?"
"What bullshit."
"Some woman's here for you."
"What?"
Yeon Jong-ho sat up, rubbed his eyes, yawned, and shuffled to the intercom. Seeing the screen, he froze.
That's the snout-nose. How'd she get here? How does she even know this place...?
His phone buzzed by the bed.
The woman fetched it.
Yeon Jong-ho answered cautiously.
"Hello."
―I know everything inside.
He nearly dropped the phone.
―Surprised? Come out now. Stay longer, and I'll call every reporter in town. Got it? Waiting outside. Ten minutes. Ten.
Call ended.
Yeon Jong-ho stomped in frustration.
Couldn't call his secretary or guards. His history of scandals with women meant this place couldn't leak.
"Hoo, this is all your fault."
"My fault? Who's she?"
"Shut up."
He threw on clothes haphazardly, tossed her some checks, and headed to the villa gate.
A massive bike waited, Skyla waving beside it.
"Give me exactly ten minutes, and I saw nothing today. Don't even know where this is."
"...Fine."
"I'll lead. Follow. Stray, and you're soup."
"I said got it."
Yeon Jong-ho chased the Harley in his sports car from the parking lot.
The bike stopped at a 24-hour café.
He parked nearby, scanned with sunglasses on, and entered.
"How'd you know?"
"Who do you think I am?"
"Damn it!"
"Know how many informants I have in Seoul? We'll be meeting like this a lot."
She teased that it didn't matter to her, but Yeon Jong-ho didn't bite back. Avoid shit 'cause it's dirty or scary?
"Fine. But why harass me like this?"
"Cheonroegeom."
Shit.
His pupils shook. He swallowed hard. Despite his guard, the direct hit rattled him.
Skyla's lips curved.
Definitely easier than Yeon Mu-jin.
Nearly ten seconds later, shock faded from his face.
"What's Cheonroegeom got to do with it?"
"Heard the one stored at Uramata Guildhouse vanished?"
"...News to me."
Yeon Jong-ho smiled, but forced.
"They say Yeon Ga stole it."
"What? Why would we?"
"Why play dumb? Know what hits the morning papers tomorrow?"
"What're you on about?"
Yeon Jong-ho shouted, flustered.
"Yeon Ga, Minor Guild Steals Cheonroegeom. Ringleader: Young Heir Yeon Jong-ho!"
"Fuck! Don't spout nonsense!"
"Article's done. I'm first tomorrow morning, but by afternoon, papers and net will be flooded. Huge scandal."
Ah, damn. Fuck, why me?
Yeon Jong-ho panicked. Fallout this big, even Grandpa couldn't shield him. His young heir seat was done.
"I hate that Uramata even exists—a pipsqueak guild. This mess? Their fault for shitty security, losing the item. And Yeon Ga takes the heat unfairly."
His usual gripes spilled out fiery.
Skyla nodded along vaguely.
"Could be... But cops are investigating already. Association's gearing up too. Answers soon. Anyway... if Yeon Ga did steal Cheonroegeom..."
"We didn't!"
Yeon Jong-ho bellowed.
"Who did?"
Skyla stared at his fluster.
"Listen. If even you don't know, some individual's gone rogue."
She nodded for agreement; he did too.
A idea struck. Eye-sore Yeon Mu-jin—perfect chance to axe him?
"Right. If anyone from Yeon Ga did it, only one suspect."
He paused dramatically.
"Yeon Mu-jin."
"Yeon Mu-jin."
Skyla jumped in like it just hit her. Nice timing—resist clapping.
"Grandpa's relic, after all."
"Exactly."
"Outcast in Yeon Ga too."
"Outcast? Hm... yeah. Guy's incompetent."
Who're you calling incompetent, to whom? Skyla thought, but stayed mum.
"Heard he badly injured his hand?"
"Yeah. Dungeon last time."
"Oh, really?"
Skyla smirked.
Lies need consistency. One says training, the other dungeon?
"Why, Cheonroegeom chooses its wielder... injury from rejection?"
Damn vixen. Yeon Jong-ho snapped back to senses.
"No. Definitely dungeon. Sure of it."
"Ah, okay, okay."
Skyla smiled. In that instant, she read his shaken heart. Suspicion confirmed.
"That enough?"
Yeon Jong-ho stood.
"Yes."
"Let's not meet again this lifetime."
"Live quiet, no trouble, no reason to."
"Tch."
He muttered curses under his breath, stormed out, and peeled off in his sports car.