Chapter 41
“…So that’s how it happened.”
The entire time she listened to Dowon’s explanation, Se-rang’s face kept twisting further and further in disgust.
What kind of revolting, infuriating bullshit was this? Who the hell were they calling a trainee killer right now?
Whenever she looked at artists, they just felt like children she had personally given birth to, and these lunatics were….
Urgh.
Se-rang forcefully suppressed the nausea rising in her throat and reassured the trainees.
“First of all, I’m sorry you even had to hear that kind of bullshit.”
“No, it’s okay….”
After saying that, Yuhyun cautiously glanced at her and asked, “So it’s not true, right?”
“Of course not!!” Se-rang shouted reflexively before calming herself back down.
“Ahem. Sorry for yelling. I’ve just never heard something this unfair before.”
After meeting each of the three trainees’ eyes one by one, she spoke.
“Kids, first of all, that rumor makes no sense. Do you know why?”
“Because trainees are mostly minors.”
Unexpectedly, the answer came from Dowon.
“Exactly! That’s it!” Se-rang felt like a decade-old blockage in her chest had finally cleared. “Unless I was planning to become a criminal, how the hell would I touch trainees?! It’s not like they’re idols who debuted fifteen years ago or something!”
“Uh, then what you mean is….”
As Yuhyun hesitantly asked, Se-rang shook her head more firmly than ever.
“I wouldn’t touch idols who debuted fifteen years ago either. I fundamentally don’t want to date artists. It’s physically impossible for me. To me, artists are basically children I gave birth to through microphones.”
“…What?”
“It’s seriously such ridiculous nonsense. And if I’d really been messing around with trainees, do you think my grandfather would’ve left me in the company? You guys just don’t know him. Chairman Yeon’s the type who puts the company above his own children.”
Se-rang truly meant it. Even when she had worked at Imperial as Kang Iwon, she had never dared touch anyone from Imperial.
Never.
Even Yeon Se-rang, who feared nothing in the world, feared Yeon Kangho.
Faced with Se-rang’s sincere attitude, the trainees slowly began lowering their guard.
However, Taeha raised his hand with eyes that clearly said he wouldn’t be convinced so easily. “Then why did a rumor like that spread in the first place?”
“…I mean, it’s not like I’ve never cheated before.”
At Se-rang’s words, strange disappointment spread across the three trainees’ faces.
Damn it.
This is so unfair and infuriating. My reputation getting shredded because of the old Yeon Se-rang’s behavior is seriously driving me insane.
“Representative Baek and I are engaged, but we don’t love each other. We’re strictly business partners. Baek Do-gyeong acts quiet on the surface, but behind the scenes, he’s definitely doing whatever he wants too.”
“Busi…ness?”
“Yeah. This isn’t something you kids need to worry about. It’s my personal private life.” Se-rang cut the conversation off cleanly before sighing. “Anyway, thank you for asking me directly even after hearing those rumors, Dowon.”
“It’s nothing. That’s only natural.”
“If it were me, I probably would’ve lost all trust already and run away. Dowon, you’re really amazing. It couldn’t have been easy bringing something like this to me. Thank you. Seriously.” Filled with gratitude, Se-rang bowed her head to Dowon.
She really saw Dowon in a new light. She’d thought he was just an innocent kid, but he had this side to him too.
Suddenly, Seo Dowon started looking like salt and light itself.
(Translator’s Note: Salt and Light — Biblical expression originating from the Gospel of Matthew, commonly used in Korea to describe someone seen as morally upright, trustworthy, or admirable.)
“It’s because my father passed away.”
“Hm?”
“He got scammed and died from stress-induced illness.”
“!”
Se-rang wasn’t the only one shocked hearing this for the first time. Taeha and Yuhyun both turned toward Dowon in surprise.
Dowon, who always wore a cheerful smile, was now looking at everyone calmly with not a trace of laughter on his face.
“That’s when I learned you can’t trust people carelessly.”
“…Then….” Se-rang’s words caught in her throat, and she could only stare at Dowon silently.
She had thought he was simply pure and upright, but behind that had been something like this.
“I wanted to trust you, Producer.” After hesitating briefly, Dowon added, “You gave me a chance.”
“Dowon, that was a chance you earned fairly. I didn’t give you anything.”
“No. I know I’m not really worthy of something like that.” After saying that, Dowon gave an awkward smile toward the younger trainees. “Sorry for talking to Producer without discussing it with you guys first. But no matter how much I thought about it, this felt like the right thing to do.”
“No, hyung. It’s good we cleared up the misunderstanding this quickly.”
“That’s right…! If it weren’t for hyung, honestly… I probably wouldn’t even have been able to sleep tonight….”
Watching the trainees chatter rapidly, Se-rang made another vow to herself.
No matter what happened.
She would make these kids’ dreams come true.
She would personally crush every obstacle and villain standing in the way of those dreams.
With that in mind—
“Kids. You said Seungha told you that, right?”
“Ah, yes. But—”
“I know. This isn’t Seungha’s fault. I think there’s probably more going on behind the scenes.” Se-rang smiled brightly. “From here on, I’ll handle it myself. You kids only need to worry about practicing.”
“…!”
“U-uh, P-Producer…. Y-your bag handle is ripping….”
Ignoring Yuhyun’s warning, Se-rang ended up tearing the bag handle off completely.
You’re all dead.
“The more I thought about it, the less it made sense for Seungha to suddenly attack me. There’s no reason for her to pull something this petty just to win some program competition. He’s not desperate enough for that. Money comes rolling in for her even if she stays still, so why would she willingly take on that kind of risk? Which means someone’s definitely behind this. The question is who. I thought about it for a long time.” Se-rang glared at Do-gyeong through the rearview mirror.
At the man staring back at her expressionlessly.
“At first, I wondered if it was one of my two older brothers, but it didn’t feel like Yeon Sae-byeok. I’d literally just had a meal with him, and he didn’t seem like someone who’d be pulling that kind of thing behind the scenes at the same time. And it also felt too sophisticated to be something Yeon Si-ho came up with. So after eliminating those two through process of elimination….” Se-rang clapped her hands together loudly. “There was one person left. Someone who personally raised Seungha and kept giving her songs until recently. Someone pretending to join hands with me while also holding plenty of dissatisfaction toward me. Someone who absolutely needs to break me.”
“You’ve gotten smarter.”
“You pull this kind of shit behind people’s backs?”
At that, Baek Do-gyeong let out a scoffing laugh. “Am I really the only one screwing people over behind their backs between the two of us?”
“What?”
“I know you met Yeon Sae-byeok today.”
“So what? I can meet my own biological brother if I want. What’s your problem with that?”
“I don’t know what you two talked about… but I didn’t like it.”
“Who the hell are you to decide whether you like my schedule or not? And who are you to dare pull something like this on my trainees?”
Se-rang was so furious her head felt dizzy. It wasn’t simply because Baek Do-gyeong had attacked her.
What Baek Do-gyeong had touched were her trainees. The fact that he dared pull dirty tricks involving her artists was what truly enraged her.
You did this in my past life too, and now you’re pulling the exact same bullshit again in this life?
“You know this is the first time you’ve ever gotten this angry at me?” Baek Do-gyeong spoke with a fake gentle smile.
“Stop changing the subject.”
“I’m not changing the subject, Yeon Se-rang. I’m talking about the core of the problem.”
“This bullshit is your ‘core problem’?”
“The core problem is that you’re sincerely trying to protect your trainees. Anyone else would be one thing, but you can’t be like that.” Baek Do-gyeong pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and placed it between his lips.
Se-rang stared at him for a moment before opening the tumbler beside the driver’s seat and splashing it onto him.
The iced coffee soaked not only the cigarette, but also his perfect suit and face.
Ha. Baek Do-gyeong let out a hollow laugh. “You….”
“I knew there was something cold inside before I threw it, so don’t worry too much.” Mimicking Do-gyeong’s ever-gentle smile, Se-rang smiled back at him. “I don’t know why it’s such a problem for you that I’m sincere toward my artists, but since apparently it is, let me tell you something too.”
After saying that, Se-rang opened the car door and slammed it shut as she got out.
“You’re finished now, you son of a bitch.”