Rumors, Plans, and a Troubling Report
The PD shook his head. After the broadcast aired, the response was absolutely explosive. They had smashed their previous peak viewership record by a massive margin! It was a historic achievement, one that became the talk of the entire station. Anyone with even a passing interest in gaming, or anyone who knew the name Lee Se-yeon... they had all flocked to watch, forming a massive audience. It was a spectacular success. A spectacular success, but...
I never want to do that again!
The PD shuddered. It was the first time in his career he had acted so unprofessionally during a broadcast. He had felt a genuine sense of crisis, a creeping dread that if things kept going the way they were, he would never be allowed to go home and would be trapped on that set forever.
"Could you put in a good word for us and get those two to appear on our show?"
"Their chemistry is amazing. Did you see the articles? At this point, having them on is a guaranteed jackpot. Please, help us out!"
Other PDs from different programs kept pestering him for an introduction, but he didn't even entertain the thought.
If I recommend them, those guys will probably grab me by the collar and strangle me later.
"Why are you spacing out like that?"
"Ah? It's nothing, sir."
"Anyway, great job. Congratulations. Do you have any plans to bring them back on the show next time? I think the response would be incredible."
The Director's tone was subtle, but his intention was glaringly obvious.
Get them back on the air somehow!
The PD understood the Director's perspective. With the show generating this much buzz, the station viewed the duo as a goose that laid golden eggs. And the PD wasn't some rigid, inflexible man; he was a typical salaryman who knew how to flatter his superiors and navigate workplace politics. In a situation like this, the correct answer was already decided.
"Absolutely not!"
"?!"
With a bright, refreshing smile that looked like he was about to fly away, the PD made his stance clear. That was how desperately he wanted to avoid ever meeting those two again.
"Ahem, cough. Son, come sit over here."
"...? Father, if this is about fighting the Guild Alliance, I'm not helping. Deal with it yourself."
"You little brat...!"
Of course, he hadn't called his son over to ask for help, but Tae-hyun's obnoxious habit of drawing a line right away immediately grated on Kim Tae-san's nerves.
"It's not about that, you punk!"
"Then what is it?"
"Ahem, well... you see..."
Bringing it up out of nowhere felt incredibly awkward. Kim Tae-san glanced around the room. If his wife, Yoon-hee, were nearby, things would get complicated. Fortunately, Yoon-hee had little interest in the news or newspapers, so she was still in the dark, but...
"...Are you dating her?"
"Pfft!"
This time, it was Tae-hyun's turn to spit out his drink. It had been a long time since he had been this caught off guard by his father's words.
"You are dating, aren't you? I knew it! You rascal..."
Kim Tae-san grinned, completely misinterpreting Tae-hyun's reaction. Even this kid—who is so wicked, cold, and calculating that I sometimes wonder who actually gave birth to him—gets embarrassed when it comes to his own love life!
"Who am I supposedly dating?"
"Why are you playing dumb? Who else would you be caught up in rumors with?"
"Uh..."
No matter how hard he thought, no one came to mind. Tae-hyun tilted his head. "No one?"
"Lee Se-yeon! I'm talking about Lee Se-yeon! Why are you acting so clueless and making this difficult?"
Thwack! Thwack!
Kim Tae-san slapped Tae-hyun on the back as he spoke. Ironically, Tae-san looked far more embarrassed talking about it than Tae-hyun did hearing it.
"Father, that actually hurts."
"Then you shouldn't have played dumb. How long have you two been dating? Ever since you lost to her in Pan-On 1?"
"What kind of absolute nonsense is... Who on earth is spreading such garbage?"
"These articles right here."
Kim Tae-san pointed to the articles pulled up on the internet.
"...Now, where did I put Lawyer Jung's number..."
"Hey, hey! That's just how entertainment news is. Why are you trying to sue them?!"
"Shouldn't I sue for defamation and the spread of false information?"
"Even if it's false, how is your reputation defamed? If anyone's reputation is being damaged here, it's Lee Se-yeon's!"
"Father, are you really my father?"
"Sometimes I wonder if you're really my son, too."
Kim Tae-san and Tae-hyun glared at each other for a moment, before their expressions softened.
"But seriously, you're not?"
"If I were dating her, don't you think I would be the first to know?"
"Hmph, quite logical. Still, this is an opportunity. Why not use this to your advantage? It didn't seem like Lee Se-yeon completely disliked you."
Kim Tae-san gave him a knowing look and tried to nudge Tae-hyun's ribs with his elbow. Tae-hyun quickly dodged. His father's nudges genuinely hurt.
"Lee Se-yeon doesn't dislike me? Father, you must be getting really old. Your eyesight is failing..."
"You punk! I know way more about romance than you do!"
"And on what basis?"
"Have you ever been married?"
"..."
It was the most childish argument in the world. He had just finished bickering childishly with Lee Se-yeon on a live broadcast, and now he was doing the exact same thing with Kim Tae-san. Of course, Tae-hyun felt absolutely no shame about engaging in such petty squabbling.
"According to Mother, you did some incredibly embarrassing things back when you two were dating..."
"...L-love is naturally embarrassing."
"I think your case was exceptionally embarrassing..."
Tae-hyun shot a deeply suspicious look at Kim Tae-san. Feeling the sting of truth, Kim Tae-san couldn't bring himself to meet his son's eyes.
"Anyway, someone like Lee Se-yeon is way out of your league! She has a great education, a great family, and a great personality."
"I have a great education, a great family, and a great personality too..."
"...A great personality? Do you have no conscience?"
"First of all, Lee Se-yeon's personality isn't even that good. You have no idea how petty and vengeful she is. More importantly, how do you know so much about her, Father? You've barely even met her."
"I was curious, so I looked up reruns of the broadcasts she appeared on."
"..."
Of course she would look good on television; they only broadcasted her best moments. Tae-hyun was utterly speechless.
"And there's one more thing."
"...?"
"Lee Se-yeon is incredibly beautiful! Come on, you can't possibly deny that!"
"...I am your son."
"Hmph. Trying that on me won't work."
Even Tae-hyun couldn't bring himself to say, I'm just as good-looking as Lee Se-yeon! Even a shameless man like Tae-hyun possessed a shred of conscience.
Bzzzz—
Just then, Tae-hyun's phone began to vibrate. Kim Tae-san glanced over.
"Is it Lee Se-yeon?"
"No, it's the lawyer."
"Are—are you really going to sue?!"
Kim Tae-san was startled. Of course, if it were a case of malicious defamation, Tae-san would have been the first to yell, "Let's sue them!" But this didn't seem like something worth taking to court.
"What? What are you talking about? I consulted him about establishing our gaming team."
"Ah... right..."
Embarrassed, Kim Tae-san sat back down.
"Are you really going through with it?"
"We need a gaming team to participate in tournaments. Otherwise, the number of competitions we can enter will be severely limited."
"But... couldn't you just join an existing team...?"
"None of them really appeal to me. Besides, if I join another team, I'll have to adjust to their rules and schedule..."
"So basically, you want to be the boss, which is why you're making a new one?"
"Yes!"
"...Where did I go wrong in raising you...?"
Kim Tae-san clutched his head in dismay. Something had gone terribly wrong.
"So, have you gathered any players?"
"I'm gathering whoever I can for now. Most tournaments require a roster of five..."
Not only for 5v5 tournaments, but there were also rumors that even 1v1 tournaments might feature modified rules requiring five-man team matches. After all, the public wanted to see gaming teams face off against each other.
"I feel like clearing dungeons with only five people might be tough..."
"Well, that's where skill comes in. Yes, hello, Uncle."
Tae-hyun stopped chatting with his father and answered the call. Kim Tae-san silently cursed his son, thinking him an incredibly obnoxious brat.
"Yes, yes. I sent over all the relevant documents. Uh... the location? Ah... right. I understand. I'll start thinking about it. Well, I have plenty of properties, so I can just pick one and use it."
"..."
Kim Tae-san stared at Tae-hyun with a sour expression, having realized what the conversation was about.
"Are you looking for a building to use for the gaming team?"
"Yes."
"You do know that almost all the buildings under your name currently have tenants, right?"
"What about your buildings, Father...?"
"Don't even dream about it."
"Tsk. Stingy."
"Hey! You already have all those buildings, and you're calling me stingy?!"
To be called stingy even after gifting his son multiple buildings—Kim Tae-san suddenly felt deeply wronged.
"Call the property manager and ask. They'll tell you which of your properties are currently vacant. But are you planning to move out and live there too?"
"Me? I haven't really thought about it."
"You clingy brat..." Kim Tae-san muttered.
"Did you just call me clingy? I should tell Mother..."
"Haha, what are you talking about, Tae-hyun? Of course I love living with my son! I only asked because I was worried you'd leave!"
Kim Tae-san smacked his lips. If Tae-hyun moved out and became independent, he could finally enjoy a peaceful, cozy life alone with his wife. If it were anyone else, it might be different, but Tae-hyun was already more than capable of supporting himself!
"The gaming team's registration will be tied to that address anyway, and it would be a waste to leave it empty... I think using it as a gaming house for the team would be a good idea."
Tae-hyun thought of Cain.
Sob, sob! Kim Tae-hyun! Hurry up and make the team so you can let me in! The glares I'm getting at home are too painful to bear!
If they set up a building for a gaming house, Cain would undoubtedly be the very first to pack his bags and move in.
"Without you?"
"I don't really have any reason to go there..."
"Son," Kim Tae-san said solemnly, desperately trying to find a way to kick Tae-hyun out. "A man needs to become independent to truly..."
"I'm not moving out."
"Damn it! Why?!"
"Well, I don't really mind moving out, but since you hate me staying here so much, I figured I could use this as leverage against you later..."
"You absolute little menace!" Kim Tae-san roared in frustration.
As they bickered, Tae-hyun's phone buzzed again. He frowned as he looked at the screen.
"What is it? Is it finally Lee Se-yeon this time?"
"No... it's somewhere else."
"Where?"
"An errand center."
"...Huh?"
An errand center—also known as a private investigation agency, a place that would do anything as long as they were paid.
"What on earth are you up to?!"
"Don't worry. It's a place recommended by one of your friends."
"Ah, I see... Like hell I would say that! What kind of trouble are you getting into that you're getting calls from an errand center?! Don't tell me you hired them to dig up dirt on your gaming rivals?!"
"...? Who would do something so underhanded... Wait, Father, did you actually do that before?"
"..."
By making wild guesses, Kim Tae-san had accidentally exposed his own shameful past.
"N-no, I didn't."
"I need to take this call, so please be quiet."
"You punk...! Ugh, Jun-sik, that bastard... He's a lawyer, so why did he recommend such a shady company?!"
If Lawyer Jung Jun-sik had heard him, he would have snapped back, Look at this hypocrite, acting all innocent when he used them himself in the past!
"Hello, Boss."
"Yes. I'm listening."
The voice on the other end was deep and reliable. Just as Lawyer Jung had guaranteed, this agency's capabilities were top-notch. And the task Tae-hyun had entrusted to them, relying on that reputation, was...
The investigation and surveillance of Lee Da-bi's household.
If Kim Tae-san had known, he would have lost his mind, screaming, You absolute lunatic, what do you think you're doing?! But since he was still completely in the dark, he could only watch with a curious gaze.
"Did you read the report we sent you last time?"
"Yes, I read it thoroughly. If I recall, I asked you to keep an eye on the area and contact me if anything happened. Did something happen?"
"Yes, Boss. We've run into a bit of a problem here."