Those Who Call Themselves Parents - 1

Lee Hayeon's father had shown up at the company demanding money?

Was this about the beating from yesterday?

Was he after a settlement for that?

"Sunwoo."

"What happened?"

"Well..."

The moment I parked and stepped out in front of the building, Park Daeseok was already waiting. I asked him for the full picture.

Guesswork wouldn't cut it. I needed the facts before I could deal with this cleanly.

"About an hour ago, Hayeon's father showed up. Said he knew his runaway daughter was here. Made a complete scene in the lobby, screaming for us to hand her over."

"And then?"

"What do you mean, 'and then'? A guy comes looking for his missing daughter, so of course I brought Hayeon out first. Had to confirm he was actually her dad, and that she'd really left home. That's when things went sideways. Out of nowhere he starts yelling that he never agreed to her becoming a trainee, that we had no right to put a minor on TV or make her a trainee without his consent, that he'd sue us—the whole rant. The man is impossible to reason with."

"Bottom line?"

"Thirty million for her appearance fee on The Project 32. Ten million for the debut-team introduction video. Another ten million as 'compensation' for training her without parental consent. And if we want him to agree to her staying a trainee and debuting, he wants fifty million more on top. Total: one hundred million. It's insane. If anything, we're the ones who should be collecting money."

Damn it. If he'd just come for hush money over the beating, this would've been simple.

But was walking in right now even the right move?

What if he recognized me and the whole mess got worse?

"Where is he now?"

"The president's office."

If I went in, things could spiral. He could turn around and sue me for assault and trespassing. And without knowing what was being said inside, barging in might unravel a conversation that was already heading somewhere useful.

The smartest play was to trust President Won Chaeyoung and the lawyer who'd rushed over from Hanul, and wait. If they hadn't needed me, I would've gotten a wrap-up call after it was all over.

I shoved the door open.

Four people sat facing each other on the sofas: President Won Chaeyoung, the Hanul lawyer, Lee Hayeon, and her father.

"Haa..."

"It's been a while."

"Save the pleasantries for later."

"Yes."

"You're here, Representative."

"Representative..."

Won Chaeyoung looked exasperated. The lawyer's face was blank. Lee Hayeon looked wretched. And last of all, that garbage of a father, looking me up and down like he was already running the numbers.

"Representative? Ha... give me a break. This isn't some kids' game of house..."

"Sir, please watch your language."

"It's fine, President. Good afternoon. I'm Cha Sunwoo."

"Yeah~ I'm Hayeon's father."

He didn't even take my offered hand, just stayed planted in his seat. I pulled the awkward hand back and watched him grumble.

"......"

"Ugh... a woman and a kid running a company... look at this place..."

"Father...!"

"You stay out of it!"

What? He didn't recognize me?

Then there was no reason to play meek.

I walked around the sofa and took the head seat. Leaned back, crossed my legs, and looked at him.

"What are you staring at?"

"I hear you want a hundred million."

"That's right."

"President, did you explain our company's system to him?"

"Yes."

"How much have we spent on Hayeon so far?"

"Around sixty-nine million won."

"And how long has she been an official trainee?"

"A little over five months."

Sixty-nine million over five months. That came to about thirteen point eight million a month.

It might sound excessive, but it wasn't. Not even close.

Vocal coaching, choreography, composition, acting, personal training, foreign language lessons. Practice room rentals. Meals. For some trainees, housing. Hayeon commuted from home, so no lodging costs—but other expenses filled the gap. Lime was covering her academy fees so she could keep up with school.

With that level of support, our rates were among the lowest in the industry.

"Since you've already heard all that, this should be simple. We're the ones who should be collecting money—not handing it out."

Honestly, a hundred million would have been the easy way out. Just throw it at him and send him home.

But once you let a man like this bleed you once, he never stops. Leave a bad precedent and it would keep happening. In an industry this small, word that we were a soft touch would spread overnight. And above all, he'd spend the rest of Hayeon's life with a straw stuck in her back.

"Didn't we already settle that earlier?"

"Let's discuss this separately with the Representative."

"Don't waste my time...! Listen here, little Representative. I don't care about any of that. You made money off my daughter's face—hand it over! And you dragged a minor in here without her parents' permission, worked her half to death practicing, tried to debut her behind our backs—you owe us damages! Compensation for the harm!"

"What damages? What harm have you suffered?"

"You...!! Are you playing word games with me right now?!!"

He shot to his feet, bellowing, eyes bulging—but this wasn't elementary school. Nobody in the room was going to flinch at a performance like that.

Except Lee Hayeon.

All he'd done was stand up and raise his voice, and she was trembling so hard it hurt just to watch.

"Sir, we acknowledge that we offered her a trainee contract. But Hayeon accepted it, and we also obtained her mother's consent. The videos you claim we 'sold her face' with were shot under formal appearance contracts, with appearance fees paid per episode. On top of that, we've been covering her academy fees so she can keep up academically. How exactly do you arrive at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the conclusion that we owe you money?"

"What is this...!! You people are impossible! Get up. We're going home."

"Ah, Father..."

"I said get up! Now!!!"

Hayeon had been glancing between me and Won Chaeyoung. At her father's murderous glare and the roar that followed, she wiped her tears and stood.

"Ha! A woman as president and some wet-behind-the-ears brat calling himself the company rep? I'm not leaving my daughter in a company that's about to go under! Debut or whatever—do it without my kid!!"

"Are you saying you want to terminate the trainee contract?"

"Terminate the contract? Do whatever the hell you want!"

"Counselor."

"In the event of a unilateral contract termination, you would be required to pay a penalty equal to three times the total billed costs. That would come to approximately two hundred million won."

"Two hundred million? Oh no~ whatever will I do? I don't have that kind of money even if I sold everything I own to eat! If you want it so bad, go ahead and cut open my belly and take it~"

He stuck his gut out and swaggered.

Was this man really her father? Nothing about him resembled her. The polite, well-mannered girl I knew and this creature might as well have been from different planets.

And this was still the company his daughter worked for. He'd walked in looking like a vagrant. Fine—maybe he couldn't afford decent clothes. But he could at least have shaved that filthy beard. Or covered the bruises I'd left on his face yesterday.

He was dragging her name through the mud with every step.

"What? Can't bring yourself to gut a man? Then should I sell the girl to a bar to pay you back?"

"......"

"Excuse me, sir!!"

"Father...."

For a second I nearly hit him.

If Won Chaeyoung hadn't exploded in my place, and if the lawyer hadn't caught my eye and shaken his head, I would have.

"So I'm saying I can't pay two hundred million or whatever, so go ahead and sue me, report me, do whatever you want. And you—tell me where your mother is! Before I actually sell you to a bar. Got it?!"

"Have you been drinking?"

"What?!"

"I'm asking if you're drunk and just spouting whatever garbage comes into your head."

"You little—!!"

I stood, crossed the space in a few strides, and bent down until my nose was nearly against his face.

"Reeks."

"I—I drink, so what? Did you buy me a single bottle?! You son of a—! Ever since yesterday my luck's been—"

I grabbed the back of his neck as he tried to turn away. Not by the throat—just the nape, and pulled him in. Then I whispered, low enough for only him.

If you're going to be a parent, act like one. And wait. I'll be coming for that two hundred million.

"Y-you little bastard, what did you just say?!! Get your hand off me!"

He swung his arm, knocked mine away, seized Hayeon's wrist, and dragged her out of the office. Through the still-open door, shouting filled the hallway.

"You—who the hell are you?!!"

"Let go of her hand."

"I'm taking my own daughter—what's it to you?!"

"This is the last time I ask nicely. Let go of—"

"Daeseok."

"......"

Park Daeseok had stepped in front of the man to protect Hayeon, and for a moment the corridor was chaos. I went out and settled it. Hayeon left the building still in her father's grip.

"How could you just let them go like that!"

"He's still her legal guardian."

"Even so...! Dragged out like that—how is Hayeon supposed to show her face here again?!"

"I know..."

That was the real problem. A sensitive seventeen-year-old girl, humiliated in front of the entire company—would she even be able to come back? He'd made a scene not just in the president's office but in the lobby as well.

"So what now? You're not seriously going to leave Hayeon with that man, are you? That so-called father is pure trash."

"I'm bringing her back. Without that piece of garbage."

"How?"

"I'll figure that out from here. First, I need to hear the story."

"The story...?"

We got in the car. Destination: a hotel near Dongdaemun Station—the same one where I'd put Hayeon and her mother the night before.

"Did you go to the hospital?"

"Yes... thanks to you... And this..."

She held out the credit card I'd given Hayeon.

She'd gotten treatment, at least—but her face looked worse than the father's after I'd hit him. Bruises spread blue-black across her features, her split lip swollen so badly that passersby kept glancing over.

"Thank you so much for yesterday... And for letting Hayeon do what she wants to do... Thank you... I haven't been able to do anything for her as a mother... sob..."

"We can save the thanks for another time. More importantly—your husband will be here ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠soon."

"What?? H-him...?"

"He came to the company and took Hayeon."

"N-no...! My Hayeon..."

"They're on their way here. Nothing will happen. But—forgive me for asking—could you tell me about your husband? If there's anything I can do to help, I will."

At first she said nothing. She sat on the lobby sofa with a troubled look and kept silent. Hayeon and her father might arrive any minute, but I didn't push.

Eventually, she began to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠talk.

"He wasn't always like this... He was kind... warm... He really cherished Hayeon and me... We promised to spend our lives together..."

The order of things felt off. So I asked.

"He's not Hayeon's biological father?"

"No..."

I thought as much.

Even a complete bastard wouldn't talk about selling his own blood daughter to a bar.

The story ran long. Single mother. Remarriage. Business failure. Alcoholism. Gambling. The kind, warm man had been ground down by one vicious cycle after another until he became someone else entirely.

And still she hadn't left with her daughter—because he had once been their savior, the man who'd pulled a single mother and her impoverished child out of the dark. She never used the word "benefactor" outright, but it was clear she'd married him more out of gratitude and economic necessity than love.

For Hayeon's sake, it had probably been the best choice available at the time.

Of course, it had led to the worst possible outcome now.

"Hayeon...!"

"Go to her. I'll come see you again."

"Ah, yes... Ha-Hayeon!!"

"Mom...!"

"Hey!! Do you have money stashed somewhere I don't know about?! What the hell did you use to pay for this place?!"

"That's... j-just come outside and we'll talk...!"

"You son of a—!"

The whole scene made me sigh. But in the conversation with her mother, I'd found the thread I needed.

I was going to make exactly three phone calls.

And within a few days, this would be finished.

"Noona, just a second!"

"Can you take on an illegal gambling den case?"

"I haven't confirmed it yet."

"If it falls under your jurisdiction, take it for me."

"Please."

She talked like that, but she'd either take it herself or put a reliable prosecutor on it—using her father Jeong Seokmun's influence if she had to.

"Hyeonuk hyung."

First call: Jeong Suyeon, prosecutor at the Central District Prosecutors' Office. Second: Hwang Hyeonuk, detective with the Metropolitan Investigation Unit.

"I need you to raid an illegal gambling den."

"Would I? If I were going to gamble, I'd go to Las Vegas or Macau and hit a real casino."

"I've got my reasons. Anyway—can you do it? This isn't a request. It's a tip."

I'd already framed it as a tip with Jeong Suyeon first, not a favor. Looking back, I probably hadn't needed to bother.

"I'll tip you again once I've confirmed."

I hung up and made the third call.

"I need someone dug up. Base fee of a hundred million, up to five hundred depending on results."

Still deep in my debt, Geum Gangsan threw himself into the job with real enthusiasm.

And I didn't have to wait long. He called back that same evening.

"Whoa... what is all this?"

"Pretty wild, right?"

The place Geum Gangsan's tip led us to was Naegok-dong, a Seocho neighborhood right by the Heolleung IC. A stretch of shuttered furniture shops left to rot. Among them, one building closer to a factory than a storefront—that was the illegal gambling den Hayeon's father frequented.

The exterior was blackened as if by fire. In the lot beside it, luxury foreign cars worth hundreds of millions sat parked in rows, advertising the scale of the operation.

"So it's just the two of you going in? Kick up a fuss in there and the heavies are going to pour out."

"What are you talking about? It's three."

"Three?"

"Me, Daeseok, and you."

"....I'll be taking my leave now, customer."

"Walk away and it's a hundred million. Help us and it's five hundred."

"You son of a—!! A place this size is run by organized crime! You go in there and start something, you die for real!!"

"Relax. You're not the type who dies easy."

"How the hell would you know that?!!!"

I had no intention of starting a brawl. Just get inside, watch for an opening.

"And what are these?"

"Entry tickets."

"These??"

Park Daeseok looked back and forth between the two attaché cases in his hands, frowning. He'd understand soon enough why they were tickets.

"How may I help you?"

"A mutual acquaintance referred us."

"And the name of that acquaintance?"

"Do you really need to know?"

"I'm sorry, but this establishment is for premium members only—"

"Daeseok."

"Huh?"

"......"

"Ah!"

After a brief moment of blank confusion, Park Daeseok set both attaché cases on the floor and opened one of them.

Thunk. Thunk.

Sssss—

Inside, yellow banknotes shimmered under the light. Three hundred million in fifty-thousand-won notes. Two cases—six hundred million total.

"May we come in?"

"We've got guests~!!!"

A booming voice, and the doors of the secret illegal gambling den swung open.

Clack! Clack! Creeeeeak...!!!!