Chapter 98

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Translator: Wjin

Chapter: 98

Chapter Title: The Stalker's Downfall

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"Seung-jun... You should've lived a decent life... Right? If you had, you wouldn't even have anything to say after getting the crap beat out of you by me."

Lee Seung-jun groaned under the crushing pain in his shoulder but couldn't tear his eyes away from the phone.

"You disgusting bastard... People don't change, huh? How the hell did you get even worse?"

Cha Tae-hyun swiped once on the phone, and a flood of secretly taken photos scrolled down.

It wasn't just photos of Cha Ji-hyun. There were kids from the orphanage, random civilians... all neatly categorized.

If these ever got out, there'd be no excuse—no way to avoid total social ruin or prison time.

Cha Tae-hyun scrolled through the categories, pausing at "Cha Ji-hyun" with a heavy sigh.

"Guhk...!"

A lightning-fast punch whipped Lee Seung-jun's face around.

They say extreme pain leaves you too stunned to even scream.

As Lee Seung-jun shook his head dazedly, Cha Tae-hyun grabbed his collar and yanked him to his feet.

"...Hoo, Seung-jun. Getting whiny about me beating you up? I don't give a damn. But... Ji-hyun... You never should've touched Ji-hyun!"

-Wham!

Another punch slammed straight into Lee Seung-jun's face.

Clutching his nose, Lee Seung-jun ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠desperately opened his mouth.

"Kgh... Guhk... T-Tae-hyun... Wait... Just wait a sec! This... this is too much..."

Cha Tae-hyun let out a hollow chuckle.

"Too much...? You don't think about how you tormented Ji-hyun? No, you're done. Get up. Not getting up?"

Just as Cha Tae-hyun reached down to grab Lee Seung-jun's collar from the floor...

Lee Si-ha wrapped her arms around his and held him back.

"That's enough, honey... I get how you feel, but no need to give them ammo, right?"

Looking up at Lee Si-ha's worried eyes, Cha Tae-hyun released his grip on Lee Seung-jun's collar.

"...Yeah. Whatever. Like our Seung-jun said, in this day and age, there's plenty of ways to sort things out without fists."

Lee Si-ha smiled faintly and hugged his arm tighter.

"Exactly. Leave the rest to me. People don't just die physically, you know? Putting trash like this down socially... It's nothing."

Lee Seung-jun, slumped on the floor like a dead rat, kept stealing glances at the phone in Cha Tae-hyun's hand, waiting for a chance to snatch it.

If I can just get that back, I've still got a way out.

Hell, I could even bury Cha Tae-hyun with this assault charge.

Crazy bastard... Thinks real life is some noir flick.

Taking a deep breath, he lunged the moment Cha Tae-hyun got distracted by Lee Si-ha.

"Grrraaah!!!"

But he didn't snag the phone—instead, he took a brutal kick to the gut and rolled across the floor.

"Seung-jun, come on... Why ask for more punishment? Huh? I said I'd stop, so why flip out? You know you're screwed if I take this, don't you?"

Lee Seung-jun glared at the phone dangling in front of him, clutching his stomach.

He gritted his teeth and reached out again.

"Guhhhk!"

Cha Tae-hyun's hand shot out faster, grabbing his wrist.

"No can do, Seung-jun... I'm telling you straight: behave before I expose every last bit."

Lee Seung-jun flinched and froze in place.

He hated to admit it, but with Cha Tae-hyun holding that phone, the guy had his life in his hands.

Fuck... As shitty as it is, I gotta play along for now...

"Want your phone back?"

"Of course...!"

"Then how're you gonna make it up to me? The damage you've caused is massive."

"I... I'm really sorry, for real. Sorry, Tae-hyun. I guess... I get jealous easy. Seeing you do so well. It was impulsive... Yeah! I must've lost my mind for a bit! So I'll go public, say I went nuts and did it—national apology, whatever."

"So you'll admit the whole controversy was your bullshit?"

Lee Seung-jun nodded frantically.

If he did that, it wouldn't just end in backlash—he could face charges for spreading false info, defamation...

Sexual crime sentences are no joke these days... Can't let that happen.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, right now! I'll confess right away. Got the Recka Newtuber's number—the top dog there, bigger reach than most reporters. What, I can call right here! Got a reporter's number too!"

Seeing Cha Tae-hyun surprisingly agreeable lit a spark of hope in Lee Seung-jun's eyes.

"Alright, Seung-jun. Do it. Right now."

"F-For real...? Thanks, Tae-hyun... Seriously, thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah, got it. Hurry up and confess your sins."

"Y-Yeah... But... give me the phone first."

"Why should I?"

"You said you'd give it back once I confessed...?"

Cha Tae-hyun smirked.

"What if you grab it and bolt? I'm not an idiot."

"N-No, I won't! Come on, trust me a little, Tae-hyun? Flip it around—you could confess and I might not give your phone back..."

"True, Seung-jun. You're not a total airhead. Yeah, could happen."

Cha Tae-hyun stepped closer, placing his hand on Lee Seung-jun's shoulder again. A slight squeeze drew a whimper.

"So, you hate that? Should I just take this to the cops? 'Found it by chance in a cafe, and these pics popped up.' They'd get a warrant fast... Sexual crimes move quick these days, right?"

You son of a bitch...

"Eyes open, Seung-jun. Keep that rotten look, and I might just spill it all right now."

Lee Seung-jun forced an awkward smile and nodded.

"Good. Write down the numbers you need. Now scram. Confess within the hour. Unless you want to be tomorrow's morning news."

"......"

"Answer me."

"O-Okay... I'm going now!"

Lee Seung-jun shouted and bolted from the interview room.

Lee Si-ha and Cha Tae-hyun watched him go, then burst out laughing and high-fived.

"Things worked out perfectly. Would've been trouble without those pics on the phone... Never thought it'd have even more."

This guy had exceeded even my wildest expectations of crazy.

Enough pics to wonder how he hadn't gotten caught sooner.

Lee Seung-jun might go down as one of history's all-time creepiest stalkers.

Oh, and by the way—the phone? One of Lee Si-ha's underlings took it straight to the station. Should arrive in ten minutes...

"Gotta say, this one's all thanks to you. Seriously grateful. I'll pay this back someday."

"No big deal."

"Nah, can't just brush it off. Without you, this would've dragged on forever."

In this era overrun by emotional netizens swayed by feelings over facts, proving innocence ain't easy.

Lee Si-ha quietly pulled a chair next to me and rested my head on her shoulder.

"Just helping out a friend! Now rest. You haven't slept since yesterday."

"I'm fine..."

"Still. Sleep's important. You cleared a huge hurdle. Take a break."

Was it her surprisingly soft shoulder, or that faint sweet scent from her body? My eyes started drooping on their own.

"...Gotta sort out the thug controversy next."

I mumbled, and she giggled, gently closing my eyes with her hand.

"Chairman, time to sleep. It's dawn."

"Still on that... gimmick..."

I tried to retort, but my mouth stopped.

Couldn't fight the overwhelming drowsiness. Leaning on her shoulder, I slowly drifted off.

"You worked so hard... Tae-hyun."

While Cha Tae-hyun enjoyed sweet slumber, Lee Seung-jun was sprinting, drenched in sweat.

"Huff... Huff... Fuck, an hour's too damn tight!"

Threatened that no confession in an hour meant the phone goes to the cops, he'd run like hell to the nearest Recka Newtuber.

He'd confessed, sure—worth the sprint.

Oof... To make that call... But props for owning up. I'll edit it easy on you!

Bullshit... Views-obsessed prick...

Still sprinting post-confession? No phone to report back. Payphones? Extinct by 2028.

Desperate, heading home for the landline.

-Beep beep beep!

He unlocked the door fast, burst in, panting, and snatched the home phone.

First, checked the clock on it. No phone meant no time check—he was on the verge of madness wondering if the hour was up.

The time...

"Huh...?"

Two minutes past. His mind went blank.

Heart pounding wildly, palms slick with sweat.

"No... Just two minutes. Fuck... They haven't left yet."

Steadying his breath, he dialed the number Cha Tae-hyun gave him.

Ring... Ring...

Today, the rings felt endless. What if they ignore it and ghost?

Every nightmare scenario flashing, heart about to burst—then it connected.

"Haa... Thank god. T-Tae-hyun... I did it! For real! Confessed to the Newtuber who started it all. Guy's Recka's top—bigger impact than most reporters. Controversy dies by morning. So..."

-Oh... Faster than I thought. But Seung-jun... Two minutes late.

His heart dropped.

"N-No, Tae-hyun, the confession was way earlier! Phone's gone, so couldn't report... Not late, really..."

-You're out. Lee Seung-jun, you're done with us.

"N-No, wait! That's not fair!"

-Oh? Just snapped?

Biting his lip, he calmed his rage.

"Sorry, got heated from running. Anyway... Two minutes, Tae-hyun. Cut me some slack. Give the phone back, I'll do anything—bark, roll over, name it!"

-Then bark.

"...Woof! Woof!"

-Woof-woof's more like arf-arf, no?

"Arf! Arf!"

-Hahaha! Quick on the uptake, Seung-jun?

Mocking laughter from the speaker—he ground his teeth but had no choice. Obey.

-Thanks for the laughs, Seung-jun. Great effort.

His lips twitched up—but crashed down.

-Keep that comedy gold, you'll be a hit in the slammer.

"Wha...? Tae-hyun? What the hell?"

-What? Your life's fucked, duh.

"You mean the phone's already...?"

A scoff from the speaker crumpled his face.

"You... fucking bastard!"

-Who's the bastard? The one woofing? Anyway, Seung-jun... Life's real. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Reflect hard in prison, come out new.

"Hey! You fucking prick Cha Tae-hyun! Where are you?! WHERE?!"

-Good luck~.

Click.

Gripping the dead phone, Lee Seung-jun exploded in rage—but it faded fast.

Fuck... What now...

His life was truly fucked now; anger couldn't hold.

He rushed to his computer and posted on the forum.

"Fuck..."

He spat curses, but his pounding heart wouldn't calm. Desperate for the reactions to be wrong, he scoured the net.

But the more he searched, the more he realized he was utterly screwed.

"Hic... Fuck, really... Shouldn't have messed with that psycho... Hic!"

Tears started flowing. Overwhelmed, he shut off the computer and collapsed into bed.

Didn't want to think anymore.

Praying ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it would all vanish by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠morning like a bad dream, he closed his eyes.

The next day, a call from the police station woke the sleeping Lee Seung-jun.