Mindset
On weekends, I always went to the bathhouse.
There was nothing better than a sauna for working off the stress that built up during the week.
-SPLASH!
I eased myself into the hot bath first. When the heat had just begun to rise through my body, I moved to the sauna and sweated it out until I was drenched. Along with the sweat rolling down my jawline, all the strain I’d accumulated during the week seemed to drain away with it.
By the time I could barely breathe, I’d leave the sauna, take a quick shower, and sink into the cold bath. The chill made my teeth chatter on their own, jolting me awake.
"... Hah. Now that’s the stuff."
When I looked at it that way, I supposed it wasn’t for nothing that my friends called me an old man.
A 28-year-old guy whose hobby was weekend bathhouse trips.
Even I had to admit it was a little... dated.
But what was I supposed to do?
It was the kind of thing I liked.
I had no intention of living by anyone else’s standards.
The world was harsh enough as it was, even for living the way you wanted.
After climbing out of the cold bath and washing every inch of myself clean, I finished up and headed home.
I bought a 1,500-won banana milk from the bathhouse kiosk and gulped it down.
"...!"
With the last of my fatigue disappearing all at once, my head felt crystal clear.
After drying my hair, I opened the locker room door.
Even on the weekend, my smartphone was blazing with notifications.
I skimmed the messages, only checking the ones I needed, then went straight home.
For dinner, I ordered kimchi-jjim and cracked open a can of beer.
I hadn’t enjoyed a meal and a drink at such a leisurely pace in a while, and after catching up on the dramas I’d fallen behind on, I fell asleep.
I slept deeply, without dreaming even once.
And when I opened my eyes, it was Monday.
I stretched and turned my head.
Sunlight poured in through the window, bright enough to sting my eyes.
Shaking off the last traces of sleep, I muttered, "Let’s fight through another week."
All right. Time to get back to work.
Leaving the weekend’s ease behind, I headed out to work.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Sitting on a bench in the rooftop smoking area, I opened my saved messages.
-[INTER][NA][TION][AL] SENDER (image attached)]
Two days earlier, a new future text had arrived.
This one had two messages as well.
The first future text was about an entertainment program.
-[HOT Issue] A huge sensation with a 15% rating! "K-Singer-Songwriter" breathes new life into the fading world of competition variety shows!
"A singer-songwriter competition?"
I scratched my chin slowly.
A competition show, huh...
Until about three years ago, formats like this had swept through the broadcasters.
But with competition programs multiplying like weeds to chase the trend, their edge had worn thin.
And yet a competition show pulling 15 percent ratings...
From my perspective, that was too tempting not to lick my lips at.
"That’s basically a show custom-made for Gaeul, isn’t it?"
Youth Travel had taken first place on the charts.
Thanks to that, Park Ga-eul’s name as a rising star was already starting to lodge itself in the public consciousness.
-[Idol! Star Ranking!] Genius lyricist and composer To.Any’s Gaeul! Drawing attention as the next-generation singer-songwriter-!
Park Ga-eul was catching a sudden wave of popularity with the title of genius composer attached to her name.
And if she went on that competition show and won...
"She might stop being just a rising star and turn into a real superstar."
The corner of my mouth lifted.
If everything went according to plan, a 15 percent singer-songwriter competition would be a perfect opportunity for Park Ga-eul.
Even if an ordinary civilian won a competition like that, they’d get attention. If a rookie girl-group member won a 15 percent-rated competition show, it would create a massive stir.
The problem is... shows like this have just as many drawbacks as they do strengths.
If Park Ga-eul appeared on a competition program and failed to stand out, the genius lyricist-composer image we’d built would start to wobble.
And if she got hit with devil’s editing at the worst possible time, it could damage not just Gaeul’s image but the entire group’s as well.
I clicked my tongue.
"Looking at it that way, it’s a little iffy."
I wanted the opportunity, but if the plan went sideways, the losses were too obvious.
I shifted my gaze and checked the article attached to the future text.
The air date for K-Singer-Songwriter was February next year.
In terms of timing, there was still room.
"Put a pin in it. I’ll think about it some more."
My eyes moved to the second future text.
The corners of my mouth slowly curled upward.
"Honestly, this is the main event."
I couldn’t see my own face without a mirror, but I was probably wearing a thin, nasty little smile.
With a hollow laugh, I muttered, "A rat snuck in, huh?"
-[Exclusive] The quarter’s hottest film, "Black Bride" hit by an actor drug scandal!? The film industry thrown into chaos, with Black Bride at the center of it all!
With all casting complete and the read-through scheduled for later this week, Black Bride had a rat hiding inside it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The title of “drug-free country” had been gone from South Korea for a long time.
Using social media in Gangnam’s entertainment districts, anyone could get drugs without much trouble.
The entertainment industry was no exception.
Since it was so closely tied to the shadows, drugs were, if anything, even easier for people in the business to come by than for ordinary civilians.
Just a few days ago, there had been articles about a famous idol member taking propofol.
So, honestly... the article sent by the future text wasn’t shocking.
-[Exclusive] The quarter’s hottest film, "Black Bride" hit by an actor drug scandal!? The film industry thrown into chaos, with Black Bride at the center of it all!
Among the actors cast in Black Bride, there could absolutely be a drug user.
There were plenty of actors receiving propofol injections in secret.
The problem was that this drug user was trying to smear my project with filth.
Feeling my blood turn cold, I murmured, "Interesting."
Hmm.
Yeah.
Lately, things really had been going too smoothly, hadn’t they?
Maybe that was why.
Instead of making me annoyed, this unexpected obstacle gave me a good, clean jolt of tension.
That cold sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time made my mind snap into sharp focus.
All right, Kwon Chan. Let’s reason this out objectively.
There’s a drug user mixed in with a project that’s already been cast.
So, had the golden time already passed?
No. There’s still a chance.
It was a shame I hadn’t known before casting, but it wasn’t beyond saving.
As long as I root this rat out before filming starts, that’s enough.
If I caught the bastard before then...
I might even be able to use it as the right kind of issue.
Drug scandals are one of the most sensational kinds of drama the public will ever pounce on.
Handled well, it could do a lot to promote Black Bride.
"The problem is that aside from the fact that there’s a drug user, I don’t have any other information..."
Who exactly was it?
I opened the actor profile file for Black Bride.
The first names to catch my eye were the lead actors, Lee Ha-eun and Seo Tae-jun.
My eyes narrowed.
Could Lee Ha-eun or Seo Tae-jun be the drug user?
I shook my head.
I can vouch for Lee Ha-eun as her former manager, and as for Seo Tae-jun... well, considering the Choi Su-hyeon affair scandal, his odds of being the one are pretty low.
It wasn’t because they were my people that I was judging them that way.
Objectively speaking, the two of them were unlikely to be the drug user.
Of course, I still left a sliver of possibility open.
You never really know with people.
A little part of my heart ached at the thought, but there was nothing to be done.
It was right to include those two in the minimum scope of the investigation.
After flipping past their profiles, I crossed my arms.
"So this is where the road splits."
Just going by the future article...
The fallout from this incident seemed pretty huge.
Is the incident big because it’s drugs, or will it become a scandal because the actor who used them is a big name?
Among entertainment scandals, the easiest to make huge are affairs, drunk driving, and drugs.
Especially in cases like drugs, where the scale of the issue could explode regardless of the celebrity’s actual fame.
To be blunt, even if some barely relevant bit player used drugs, you could still blow up the size of the issue.
Did that mean I had to go through the profiles of the fifty or so minor actors too?
I slowly shook my head.
"That’d be a waste of time."
Bit players didn’t really matter that much, even if they were using drugs.
With the Baekhak publicity team behind me, I could just bury it in the articles.
"Then what’s left are the supporting actors."
Right.
Honestly, that was the most likely group.
If one of the lead actors had been on drugs, the project wouldn’t just have been shaken; it would have collapsed outright.
But if only the project wobbled and got dragged into a sudden scandal...
Then the culprit was probably a supporting actor with some weight behind them.
I picked up the profiles of the four actors who were, at least, the most significant supporting roles in Black Bride.
"Veteran actor Park Tae-sik."
Go Ju-eun, the so-called Cinderella of Chungmuro.
Kim Nam-seong, the supposedly top-notch supporting actor.
Kwon Ho-jun, the idol-turned-actor with acknowledged acting skills.
I tapped each of the four profiles with my fingers.
"For now, these four are my suspects."
All right. The field of investigation had narrowed.
Now all that remained was finding the culprit.
I picked up my phone and, for the first time in a while, called Reporter Seo.
"How about dinner tonight, Reporter Seo?"
I didn’t have time to waste.
Starting today, I had to throw everything I had into finding the drug user trying to taint Black Bride.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I drove to the cocktail bar where I’d arranged to meet Reporter Seo.
The place stood out with its antique wooden furniture and marble tables.
It was a high-end bar at a glance.
Half-listening to the jazz drifting through the air, I looked for Reporter Seo, only for a familiar but unfamiliar nickname to stab into my ears.
"Star Manager-nim! Over here, over here!"
...Damn it?
That embarrassing nickname had spread even among the entertainment reporters?
Exhaling a long sigh, I waved a hand.
"I’m not a star manager, Reporter Seo."
"Huh? Weren’t you the Superman who saved a crisis-ridden idol with a flash of quick wit?"
"No, I wasn’t. Stop messing with me."
"Hahaha... come on, it’s a good nickname! It doesn’t even mean anything bad."
"My face isn’t thick enough to enjoy that nickname."
Reporter Seo burst out laughing.
"Wow... our Kwon Siljang? I’ve never seen you make a face like that before."
"Do I really seem that serious?"
"I can feel the seriousness, but that just makes me want to tease you more."
"Should I leave?"
I actually stood up.
Reporter Seo grabbed my wrist and pleaded, "Hey, hey, I’m just kidding. Sorry, sorry."
Playing along, I sat back down.
Reporter Seo handed me the menu and said, "What are you drinking?"
"I asked you out for a meal. Is the right move really to drag me to a bar?"
"Order some side dishes. The seasoned fried chicken here is good."
If it was good, then I might as well order it.
I ordered the yangnyeom chicken and the house signature cocktail.
Reporter Seo downed a glass of liquor that looked strong enough to strip paint, as casually as if it were water, then said, "All right, now spill it. Why’d you want to see me?"
I glanced sideways at him, reading the room.
He was pretending otherwise, but I could see the interest dripping out of his eyes at this sudden meeting.
Looks like I set the bait well enough.
Still, just in case, I decided to test the waters a little.
I opened my mouth and got to the point.
"I heard a strange rumor."
Reporter Seo tilted his head. "What rumor?"
"That there’s a drug user over at HB Entertainment."
"!"
Reporter Seo’s eyes widened.
"HB? Isn’t that the company with veteran actor Park Tae-sik?"
I nodded.
That was right. It was the agency of Park Tae-sik, the veteran supporting actor in this round’s Black Bride.
Go Ju-eun, the other supporting role often called Chungmuro’s Cinderella, was also signed to HB Entertainment.
Meanwhile, Reporter Seo moistened his dry lips with the tip of his tongue and murmured, "Hmm. You’re tossing out another tempting morsel, aren’t you, Kwon Siljang?"
"I wouldn’t call it a morsel."
"Heh... and yet the Choi Su-hyeon incident was exactly right, wasn’t it?"
I smiled faintly.
Reporter Seo’s expression sharpened a little as he muttered, "Let me think... if it’s HB Entertainment and Park Tae-sik..."
His eyes flashed.
"Because Park Tae-sik is in Black Bride this time as a lead-supporting role, you’re leaking me bait, aren’t you?"
Sharp as ever, our Reporter Seo.
That saved me the trouble of explaining the situation.
I leaned forward.
"How about a deal, Reporter Seo?"
"A deal? What kind of deal all of a sudden?"
"If you dig into this incident and the real drug user comes out, I’ll hand everything over to you."
"!"
"But that’s not enough, is it? Even if the drug user doesn’t come out, I’ll personally make sure you get the Black Bride scoop."
I threw out both bait and carrot at once.
Reporter Seo clicked his tongue and looked at me steadily.
"That’s so sweet it feels like it might rot my teeth."
"I’m giving it to you so your teeth will rot."
"Hmm, but you know..."
Reporter Seo trailed off, then grinned.
"What are you going to do if I refuse your offer, Kwon Siljang?"
My eyes went wide as a dinner plate.
***
It was a joke.
A light joke from Reporter Seo, who always had a playful streak.
And yet my expression had apparently frozen before I could take it as one.
"Whoa... Kwon Siljang, that face is insane. I’m kidding, I’m kidding! I’ve got principles! How could I take your scoop and eat it all alone?"
A cold tension crawled up my spine.
Along with it came a numbing pain, as though I’d been whacked in the back of the head with a hammer.
"I was just taking one step back! So relax your face!"
At Reporter Seo’s shout, my blurred thoughts cleared, and Park PD came back to me.
Right. I trusted Park PD too, and got hit from behind.
That meme that had caused all the recent noise had been edited with exactly that kind of intent by Park PD.
Park Ga-eul’s expression, faintly flushed from a cold.
For a variety PD obsessed with ratings, it must have been hard to pass up a cut that juicy.
But instead of getting angry at Park PD, the man who’d created that controversial image...
I was angry at myself.
If I’d paid a little more attention, I could have prevented that mess.
But I’d trusted Park PD, and because I trusted him, I hadn’t paid enough attention.
I’d forgotten that in this business, there are no eternal allies, and no eternal enemies.
So... wasn’t Reporter Seo the same?
If I found the drug user hiding inside Black Bride and drugs turned up around Seo Tae-jun or Lee Ha-eun, wouldn’t Reporter Seo get greedy then too?
No, he probably would.
Of course, the odds were low.
It was worry born from my own excess caution.
But if that situation did happen?
Would Reporter Seo really not betray me then?
Even if it didn’t come to that, wasn’t there a chance he’d run off on his own once he landed a major scoop?
Even if Reporter Seo and I were close, in the end we’d met as business partners.
Anything could happen.
At that moment, my expression went cold.
Right.
I’d made one mistake.
So this was... me testing the bridge before I crossed it.
Testing whether the bridge named Reporter Seo was actually safe.
I took a short breath and lifted my head.
Reporter Seo was still joking around.
"Huh? Why the long face? I told you I was joking! You’re smiling with your eyes while threatening me, Kwon Siljang."
If Chairman Baek Ji-won were in this situation, what kind of expression would she wear?
Yes...
She’d probably just use that faint, knowing smile of hers and shake a person’s nerves to pieces.
I raised the corners of my mouth and mimicked it.
"Reporter Seo. I want to keep doing business with you for a long time."
One mistake was enough.
If you made the same mistake twice, it stopped being a mistake and became a skill.
With that mindset, I whispered to Reporter Seo, "But if you say something like that as a joke... it makes me want to threaten you for real, not do business."
Reporter Seo, who’d been laughing carelessly a moment ago, went wide-eyed.