Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Whale Gathering
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Jeong So-rim frowned as she stared at the road.
But the person she was looking for wasn't there.
So she asked.
"By any chance, was that guy wearing a gray tracksuit? Around 180 cm tall?"
"Huh? Yeah. Do you know him?"
"...Yes. Hyunwoo-ssi. I'm really sorry, but could you wait somewhere other than the bus stop up ahead? I'll be right there. I'll call you back."
Jeong So-rim hung up the phone.
Then she turned back the way she'd come.
With every step, her mind grew more tangled.
The man supposedly following her was most likely her boyfriend.
There had been a bit of an argument over today's outing.
Her boyfriend had grown suspicious because of the previous sleepover and all the KakaoTalk messages.
Wasn't there something going on with this sudden big spender who'd latched on?
Was that time she stayed out really just at a friend's place?
Why was she messaging so much lately?
Jeong So-rim couldn't completely shake off those suspicions.
She hadn't actually cheated, but she'd done things that were close enough.
And...
She couldn't tell him, but she'd harbored those kinds of feelings too.
Unable to prove her innocence, she'd lashed out in anger instead.
If she apologized, she'd have to come clean about everything—no choice there.
She couldn't do that.
Just a little longer.
Yeah, exactly one year.
If she could keep her relationship going with Lee Hyunwoo that long, she'd have enough saved for marriage—and even the house problem would be solved.
So it wasn't wrong.
Was she heading to meet Hyunwoo now just to feel good on her own?
No.
Marriage was a two-person deal, wasn't it?
"What are you doing here?"
She'd found him.
Behind a tree not far away.
Her boyfriend was hiding there.
He looked shabby and pathetic.
Compared to Soo-hyun's usual relaxed, well-mannered vibe...
'No, what am I even thinking...'
Jeong So-rim shook her head to dispel the thought that had slipped out unbidden.
This wasn't the time.
She deliberately hardened her expression.
She felt bad for her boyfriend, but she smothered it under a wave of anger.
"S-So-rim ah."
"Were you seriously tailing me? Worried I'd go meet that Chairman guy or whatever? Looks like Oppa doesn't trust me at all anymore."
"No, it's not like that. Just think about it. You never dress like that to go out. As your boyfriend..."
"Oh. So I can't dress like this? Should I just go around looking shabby every day?"
"That's not what I'm saying at all!"
"Then what is it? You're doing this because you don't trust me in the end!"
A fierce argument erupted right there on the roadside.
The ten-year couple screamed at each other, heedless of the onlookers.
And in the end...
Jeong So-rim made her declaration.
"Oppa, we've been together ten years. And you still don't trust me. Right? Let's take a break for a bit. I need some time to think. I'm not saying we should break up, so don't overreact. I really just need some space. I'm sick of the way you're acting right now."
She had no choice but to say it like that.
She had no more excuses to feed him for going to meet Hyunwoo anyway.
And she trusted her boyfriend.
They were each other's first loves.
Ten years together.
Jeong So-rim firmly believed they could weather a trial like this.
"Wait! So-rim ah!"
"Let go. You keep the place. I'll crash at Mom's for a while. See you around."
Her boyfriend grabbed her arm.
But Jeong So-rim roughly shook him off.
The clacking of her flats echoed as she walked away.
Her boyfriend stood there behind her, arm outstretched, staring blankly at her like some tragic male lead.
"Sorry. Was I too late?"
At their rearranged meeting spot.
Jeong So-rim climbed into the passenger seat of the black sports car and bowed her head slightly.
Her heart was still a mess.
But what could she do?
To make money, she had to work—and right now, she was working, so she had to shove her feelings aside.
"No, not really. Anyway, if he's an acquaintance of yours, does that mean..."
"Yeah. My boyfriend. He caught wind of the sleepover last time and all the KakaoTalks. He's suspicious now."
"Oh no, what do we do? You okay? Coming out like this?"
"Yeah. We just fought... Should be fine for a while."
It wasn't a topic she wanted to bring up.
But Hyunwoo had spotted her boyfriend, so it was unavoidable.
Jeong So-rim's face darkened, her head drooping automatically.
She was still filled with guilt toward her boyfriend.
At that moment, Hyunwoo slyly twisted his body and leaned over toward the passenger seat.
He gently pulled Jeong So-rim into a hug.
"...!"
"Don't worry about it too much. If he followed you all the way here, that means your boyfriend really likes you. Instead of dwelling on the bad stuff, why not enjoy this moment? Besides, during our date, I'm your boyfriend, right? Give me some attention too."
"Ah... Right..."
Jeong So-rim was startled by the sudden hug but didn't push Hyunwoo away.
Thanks to the idea planted in her head that the whale was her boyfriend during dates.
"Shall we get going then?"
Inside the black sports car, the two shared all sorts of conversation.
Among them was talk about their destination for the day.
"A Koreatv whale gathering?"
"Yeah. You might not have heard of it, but... they're pretty famous guys on Koreatv. I was actually planning a date just the two of us today, but the hyungs kept calling me over, so I had no choice but to join. You okay with that? Not too much pressure?"
"Huh? No, it's f-fine. A place full of whales? That sounds great. I can make some connections too."
This was sincere.
A gathering of whales.
For a broadcaster, it was practically a dream spot.
If she could get friendly with another whale there...
That'd mean another source of income besides Hyunwoo.
Sure, they might not drop as much cash as him.
They arrived at some spot in Seoul.
A modern building with no sign.
It was big and looked sleek, but it didn't seem like a full-on villa.
But once inside, it was a whole different world from the outside.
The soundproofing was insane—no music had been audible from outside, but now it blared loudly.
Laughter and chatter from people too.
She'd given a quick greeting on her SpringSummer broadcast saying she was heading out, so she was a bit late—and in the meantime, things had heated up.
"Let's go. They're on the third floor."
"Y-Yeah."
Evidently not expecting a place like this, Jeong So-rim replied with a slight tremble in her voice.
Hyunwoo hadn't known either.
But he grabbed her hand and climbed the stairs, pretending to be calm.
The building seemed built purely for entertainment and lodging—skipping past the various facilities on the first and second floors, they reached a space decked out in modern decor.
A room big enough for at least forty or fifty people.
Inside, seven pairs of men and women were reveling wildly.
What was the origin of "reveling wildly," anyway?
Wasn't it from the Joseon era, when King Yeonsangun ruined himself playing with palace gisaengs called heungcheong?
The whale hyungs he was seeing for the first time—and the women—were partying exactly like that.
Among those sitting or standing here, few were properly dressed.
And even those who were? All men.
The women gathered here were all stripped down.
Their discarded clothes lay scattered around the tables and sofas.
Atop the tables sat angular briefcases known as 007 bags.
Inside them: stacks of fifty-thousand-won bills.
They'd been pulled out several times already—about half were gone.
"Hey! Who's that?"
Someone spotted the newly arrived Hyunwoo and Jeong So-rim and shouted.
His face was beet red—he was thoroughly sloshed.
One of the relatively sober whales pieced it together.
"Unemployed? That's you, right? Just got here? You're pretty late."
"Yes. That's me. Hello, hyungs. Unemployed King Lee Hyunwoo."
"Yeah, Unemployed! You're here! Come on in, come on in."
"Alright, hyungs and bros. Unemployed's new, so let's freshen up the vibe. He's never been here before—if we go hard right away, he won't keep up, right? Everyone sober up and take a seat. Good. Unemployed, over here."
The whales welcomed Hyunwoo enthusiastically.
It was only natural.
From their perspective, there was no reason to refuse another rich guy joining their group chat.
He wasn't competition.
They helped each other out—and one more like that was a good thing.
"H-Hyunwoo-ssi... Is this the usual vibe here...?"
Jeong So-rim, trailing behind with her hand in his, asked in a cautious but urgent tone.
If she'd known it was like this, she wouldn't have come.
This wasn't some fun, lively group hangout.
It was more like a den of debauchery, some shady pleasure joint.
Even Hyunwoo hadn't known.
Someone had said it'd be fun, but this was practically a sex party atmosphere—he was pretty shocked too.
Still, he wasn't too worried.
'Don't stress. No one's gonna touch your girl. There are plenty of other women around—no one's crazy enough in this room to go after the partner you brought.'
That was from the group chat before they arrived.
When Hyunwoo had voiced concerns about bringing a partner, one of the whales had reassured him.
"Don't worry. The hyungs and girls over there are all into each other. No one's gonna force you if you say no. And if anyone tries, I'll have your back."
"Ah, okay..."
Even with Hyunwoo's words, Jeong So-rim looked conflicted.
Her face said she was thinking of turning back right now.
Hyunwoo decided to ease her concerns.
"See the money on that table?"
"Huh? Yeah, I see it."
"Jerry hyung set up this whole place and the girls today. And he's planning to blow all that cash here. You know who it's getting spent on, right?"
"Ah..."
The worry vanished from Jeong So-rim's face.
What was the reason she'd fought with her boyfriend and followed Hyunwoo here?
Money.
For their marriage fund.
And right there on the table were dozens of bundles of fifty-thousand-won bills.
Five million per bundle—it was easily over a hundred, maybe two hundred million.
"What're you two whispering about? Hurry up and come over. Quick. Gotta do three penalty shots. Hahaha."
"Ugh, hyung, total dad vibes. That's ancient. Unemployed, you know three penalty shots, right? Gotta match pace, so bottoms up together. Let's go!"
It wasn't actually three glasses.
Just a single glass that felt like three.
And it was over forty-proof whiskey handed to Hyunwoo and Jeong So-rim.
"Yes! Bottoms up!"
Hyunwoo grabbed the glass with gusto.
And downed it in one go.
The harsh liquor burned hot as it slid down his throat.
Seeing that, Jeong So-rim carefully took hold of her glass.
And gulped it down.
Or tried to.
"Urk...!"
The whiskey was too bitter, too strong, too fiery.
It wasn't her first time drinking the stuff.
But chugging this much at once? Never.
Way too intense to down in one shot.
That's when someone shouted at Jeong So-rim.
"One-shot it again—five mil!"