One More Kill (1)
Sidius Enter, the agency, was currently wracked with headaches over actress Yoo Jeong-ah's scandal.
The actor management team was breaking out in cold sweats, desperately trying to soothe furious fans and contain the fallout.
The scandal's star herself was utterly carefree, without a worry in the world, leaving her manager, coordinator, and the rest of the staff feeling deeply wronged.
"Jeong-ah, the CEO's calling you."
"Me? Why?"
"What do you think? The scandal, obviously."
"Oppa, it's not a scandal—it's just a little mishap."
"We know that. But do you think the fans will buy it? You're at the peak of your career right now, and this crap had to splash on you. Ugh."
"That's too harsh. If anything, Jeong Seo-hoon got crushed under a rock just as his career was sprouting because of me."
"Is the kid one of ours? Anyway, get up there already."
"Got it."
Yoo Jeong-ah sauntered off with her usual haughty stride.
As she entered the CEO's office, a lean man in his early-to-mid forties—CEO Jang Seung-won—spread his arms wide in warm welcome.
"Oh, Jeong-ah! Come on in. Heard you had a wrap party last night?"
"Yeah, we did."
"Great job filming that drama. Ratings are through the roof, historic levels. CF deals are pouring in. Your price is gonna jump again—no, it already has."
"And you called me up here to say something like, 'Why can't you behave so a scandal article pops up? What am I supposed to do if all those CFs fly away?'"
"Hah, straight to the point."
The smile vanished from Jang Seung-won's face.
"Be honest."
"It was just a mishap."
"Hey, anyone else I might let slide, but not with me—you gotta be straight. Are you marrying the guy? Got a kid on the way? Just having fun? I need to know for real so I can handle this right."
"Whoa, jumping to conclusions much? I told you, mishap. That night, I was drinking with writer Kim Sang-hee, and she called Jeong Seo-hoon over later."
"What? For real?"
"Writer Kim was right next to me when the photo got snapped. She just didn't make it into the shot."
Jang Seung-won clutched his chest like he'd aged ten years, then suddenly erupted in outrage.
"Those bastards! No wonder reporters get called 'trash' instead of journalists! After all the booze and meals I've shoveled their way, they swarm like gawkers at a fire for the clickbait frenzy?"
"You were pacing around too, CEO."
"I'm the one babying my artist like she'll vanish if I blink. Anyway! Nothing's going on, right?"
"It's me, Yoo Jeong-ah."
"Right, you're Yoo Jeong-ah. Whew, reliable as ever. Come here, you beauty."
CEO Jang Seung-won let out a hearty laugh, hit the intercom, and barked an order.
"Get the PR team up here now—deputy manager level and above, all of 'em."
***
Oh So-hee roved endlessly through SNS, her eyes bloodshot as she fired off comments and replies.
Kim Da-hye was right beside her, furiously joining the online war via her phone.
It was all because of the Jeong Seo-hoon & Yoo Jeong-ah scandal controversy.
The whole world seemed overflowing with hate for Jeong Seo-hoon.
"Fuck. Why's the whole world shitting on our Seo-hoon?"
"Even if there's hate, that bitch Yoo Jeong-ah should take it—why our Seo-hoon?"
"Look at it any way, she's the one who seduced him. People who didn't even watch Illegal talking shit about our Seo-hoon?!"
"This ain't an actor fandom—it's sasaeng girl group stalker level!"
The pristine beauty with no scandals or dating history—Yoo Jeong-ah's fans were a vigorous bunch.
Latecomers who'd caught wind of the scandal after work and dove into the drama were everywhere too.
They spared Yoo Jeong-ah a fingertip's touch while savagely tearing into Jeong Seo-hoon alone.
Jeong Seo-hoon's fanbase, built from Illegal viewers, was putting up a fight but hopelessly outnumbered. Most on the other side hadn't even seen the drama.
Mid-keyboard battle, the two women glanced at the clock and grew anxious.
"Shit. Live episode's starting soon. If we stop now, they'll say we're speechless and shaking in rage—prime cope material."
"Screw it, prioritize the live watch. Those basement dwellers got no jobs anyway. Boosting ratings hurts 'em more than arguing."
"But where's that Siberian grizzly? Said he'd grab beers—did he rob the convenience store?"
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
"Speak of the devil."
Oh So-hee grumbled as she opened the door. Oh Tae-woo, bear-like in bulk, lumbered in laden with beer.
"Oppa, isn't your vacation over?"
"It is."
"Violent crimes unit this idle?"
"Said I had family stuff and slipped out. They figured it was bad and let me go. How much time left?"
"20 minutes."
"Oh, and this."
Oh Tae-woo rummaged and pulled out something.
Neatly laminated signed polaroids from various actors.
Handing them out by type, the two women gawked in delight as they took theirs.
"What's this? Oppa, did you hit the set?"
"On stakeout nearby, peeked in. Told 'em I was undercover, they signed as thanks."
"Jackpot. Seo-hoon's autograph collection just grew by one."
Kim Da-hye beamed over her set, then asked,
"Oppa, did you see him acting? Talk to him?"
"Too far—couldn't see great. Jeong-ah still looked stunning, though. Ah, pisses me off thinking about it. You saw the scandal articles?"
"Yeah. Who the hell pairs our Seo-hoon with her? Any angle, he's way better."
"Kim Da-hye, nah. Jeong Seo-hoon's climbing a tree he can't reach. You know how mad the uncle fans are?"
"Eh, no way."
A brief spat ensued, but they quickly agreed to a ceasefire.
As ads ended and the drama opening hit, Oh Tae-woo stared at the TV and declared,
"Anyway, our Jeong-ah's off-limits."
"Says the guy with no say. We oppose this scandal—totally."
The finale began.
***
With Hwang Hak-jin and his rival gang battered and exhausted, Lee Jin-wook tells Gu Je-man to watch, then bursts in to slaughter the drained group.
"Catch me if you can. Stop me if you're able."
Sneering at Gu Je-man like that, Lee Jin-wook drags off the knocked-out Hwang Hak-jin.
Hwang Sun-hye gets Lee Jin-wook's offer—all info Hwang Hak-jin knows, tribute ledgers, high-official sex tapes—and after hesitation, moves.
"Now state your terms. What do I do for those files?"
"Don't chase me anymore—just watch. I'll keep helping the prosecutor from here on."
Hwang Sun-hye feels tempted by the proposal, then a twinge of self-loathing for biting her tongue.
Lee Jin-wook smiles faintly, as if to say don't.
"What I really want is separate."
"Spit it out."
"Watch from there—like that lawyer hiding."
Hwang Sun-hye startles, glances aside; busted stakeout Gu Je-man flinches but holds back.
Lee Jin-wook glances warmly at Gu Je-man's spot, then yanks aside the black cloth like raising a stage curtain.
"Urk..."
Like livestock pre-slaughter, naked and trussed tight—Hwang Hak-jin's sight makes Hwang Sun-hye retch.
Gu Je-man clamps his mouth, stifling a groan.
"Ladies and gentlemen, now for a special roast pig. Old and vicious, but delicious."
"Stop! That's insane!"
Gu Je-man can't hold back, charges out—but Lee Jin-wook grins creepier, licks a butchering knife.
"Yes! Scream more. Louder—make my heart tingle."
"Lee Jin-wook! Please! Stop!"
Unlike Gu Je-man desperate to halt the crime, Hwang Sun-hye's eyes coolly settle.
Lee Jin-wook grins at her.
"Prosecutor, what'd I say? We're different, but we can walk together."
***
Oh Tae-woo clenched his fist tight.
Onscreen, Lee Jin-wook calmly tortured the hostage.
Slicing wrists and ankles for agony, casually gouging eyeballs with fingers.
Most not shown direct—broadcast ban otherwise.
Saw-teeth rasping sounds, Hwang Hak-jin's piggish howls.
Close-up on Lee Jin-wook's mad eyes alone conjured the offscreen horrors below.
Hiding it amplified the visceral imagination of disassembly.
The unseen brutality etched crystal-clear in minds.
Oh Tae-woo recalled a serial killer's eyes from before.
The one who refused surrender, fled, shot dead—still smirking to his last breath.
Eerily identical chill.
'Looks like he's really killed dozens, hundreds.'
Not suspecting him a killer.
Just acknowledging the killer's gaze acting was perfection.
Beside him, sister and her friend held breaths, gripped by Lee Jin-wook's madness.
Screams faded at last.
Dead? Passed out?
Desperate to know offscreen happenings.
'...!'
Then the screen shifted.
From close-up on Lee Jin-wook looming over Hwang Hak-jin, it panned down.
His face enlarged, eyes tilting to stare 'this way'.
Now from below his waist,仰gazing up at him.
Viewers' spectator gaze swapped to Hwang Hak-jin's dead scream-eyes.
No longer bystanders.
Trapped in those eyes, forced to meet Lee Jin-wook's stare head-on.
Oh Tae-woo felt himself as Hwang Hak-jin, flat on back, staring into the madness.
Other viewers surely ensnared alike.
Ultra-close: bloodshot eyes burst with thrill fill the frame.
"Chairman, quite tasty. Better than expected."
Over the rundown warehouse field's bare pillars and ceiling, thick drab rain pours.
Burst shot expands from head to chest in rain; Lee Jin-wook wipes face-rain with hand-back, giggles.
'That guy's for real...'
Oh Tae-woo groaned softly.
Rain drenching head to face looked like a starving beast's drool.
A perfect murderer stood there.
***