Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Different Points of View
“Ah, it feels like a waste to go home just like this… How about we grab a drink around here before we head out?”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“A drink is the best way to deal with exhaustion.”
What kind of logic was that? Im Seung-hyeon furrowed his brow, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t go. Baek Seo-jun slung an arm around Lee Tae-gyeom’s shoulders.
“You’re coming too.”
“Huh? Me?”
“You’re the one who found the letter. I heard what you said earlier, so you’re already in the same boat as us.”
“Right…”
Before he knew it, Lee Tae-gyeom was sitting with them at a barbecue restaurant. Sizzle. He stared blankly at the grilling meat, then tuned into the two men’s conversation.
“We’ve caught the tail, but the problem is figuring out how to expose the head.”
“The Young Master believes there are more accomplices. He said it would be impossible for one person to do it, given the distance and time…”
“That could be true. You really think they only bribed one person?”
Lee Tae-gyeom awkwardly raised his hand.
“But…”
“What?”
“Is this really okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean… technically, he’s the victim. Is it really okay for a victim to be this involved in the investigation process? It doesn’t seem right, does it?”
Of course, he knew that if they said, “We’ll handle the investigation from here, you’re the victim, so stay out of it,” Yu Yeon-seo wouldn’t just say, “Oh, okay, got it,” and back down. But wasn’t it also a bad idea to tell him every little detail of the investigation?
Understanding the meaning behind his words, Baek Seo-jun sighed.
“It’s not like I haven’t thought about that, but he’s the only witness.”
“A witness? Is that even possible? It happened when he was a kid. Can he remember all of that?”
“He’s the same as Eun-ho.”
Eun-ho? What does his brother have to do with… Lee Tae-gyeom’s reaction was a beat too late.
“Really?”
Public interest in the Juseong family was immense. In particular, Lee Hui-seo’s sons, Yu Eun-ho and Yu Yeon-seo, had dozens of articles written about them even before they were born.
So, the fact that Yu Eun-ho was a certified genius was common knowledge to anyone who knew of him. Someone had leaked it to create a story.
“But why wasn’t it ever reported?”
“When Eun-ho’s case was revealed, it wasn’t through normal channels.”
“I know that. I think I saw something about them filing a huge lawsuit against the person who leaked it…”
“Anyway, they said it had such a negative effect on the child that when it came to Yeon-seo, they kept a tight lid on it, even if people knew. I bet even their relatives don’t know.”
“Wait, hold on. You’re saying he remembers everything? Even… what he saw?”
Lee Tae-gyeom’s words trailed off. Baek Seo-jun and Im Seung-hyeon’s expressions darkened. They had been so focused on finding the culprit that they hadn’t considered that part.
“Then shouldn’t he be kept even more separate from the investigation?”
“You’re right, but…”
The very reason they suspected this culprit in the first place was because of Yu Yeon-seo’s testimony. With no other leads, they had no choice but to base their investigation on his memories. Baek Seo-jun downed the contents of his soju glass in one gulp.
“Ugh, right now, we have no choice but to rely on his information.”
“I also don’t think this is having a good influence on the Young Master. I want to stop him, but I can’t…”
His own will was too strong. The reason he’d assigned Im Seung-hyeon to Baek Seo-jun, even as he was about to leave for a reward vacation, was so he could get real-time updates on the investigation.
“Wait a minute. Then the, uh, ‘head’ is…”
“It’s highly likely to be one of the relatives who were at the mansion. Who else could bribe people like that and plant someone inside a high-security residence?”
“Uh…”
Is this some kind of chaebol family power struggle? Lee Tae-gyeom swallowed hard. Should I even be here? He felt like he had been dragged into something massive.
“First of all, I get what you’re worried about. You’re surprisingly perceptive. Finding that letter and all.”
“That’s what happens when you’re an actor’s manager. You get all soft and sentimental.”
“Then what about a singer’s manager?”
“…Are they good at singing? I do know some idol managers who are good dancers.”
Lee Tae-gyeom made a silly comment and emptied his glass. The somewhat selfish thought that he’d be left high and dry if Yu Yeon-seo got into trouble was now an afterthought. After all, if a friend were caught up in something like this, wouldn’t you worry about them first?
“Anyway, we’ll have to make sure that Eun-ho kid keeps a close eye on him.”
“Technically, Eun-ho-hyungnim is a victim too, you know?”
“Damn it, then we just have to catch them before those two start moping around!”
At a loss for words, Baek Seo-jun shouted and poured another shot into Lee Tae-gyeom’s empty glass. Im Seung-hyeon watched them in silence. The topic wasn’t exactly pleasant, but he found the back-and-forth between the two amusing.
“So, what do you think is the psychology of this psycho who swapped places with Choi Nam-yun? You know anything? You’re a manager.”
“I’ve heard a lot from others in the business.”
The network among managers was surprisingly active. And he’d heard plenty of stories from other managers about crazy people they’d encountered.
There are always fans who go astray. Of course, calling such twisted individuals ‘fans’ was an insult to real fans… Let’s just call them crazy.
“Hmm… I don’t know. How would I know the psychology of a madman?”
“This is when you need to get drunk. Cheers.”
Baek Seo-jun urged Lee Tae-gyeom to drink up.
“I’m a lightweight…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Dazed, Lee Tae-gyeom drank every glass Baek Seo-jun poured for him until he was drunk. His neck was flushed red, and his eyes were half-closed.
“Stalkers enjoy obsessing over and tormenting their target, right? And they make it obvious because they want to see the other person suffer because of them, right?”
“Right.”
“But that psycho got rid of the person they were tormenting by killing them, right? Whoops? The object of obsession is gone? Does that mean the lunatic suddenly becomes sane? No way. They would’ve stayed crazy, right?”
He was rambling, probably because he was drunk. But Baek Seo-jun offered encouraging words, urging him to continue. He, too, might have his own biases. He needed a completely different perspective.
“I don’t know what they were doing quietly for twenty years, but seeing as they think of Yu Yeon-seo as their son in the letter, they must have thought of the deceased as their wife…”
“That’s likely.”
“But Yu Yeon-seo looks a lot like her, doesn’t he?”
Baek Seo-jun fell silent. Misinterpreting his expression as a sign of disbelief, Lee Tae-gyeom waved his hands dismissively.
“No, I mean, it’s possible, isn’t it? The fact that they’ve shown up now and bothered to send a letter is to get his attention. Maybe the object of obsession shifted from her to Yu Yeon-seo?”
“It’s possible.”
“So, killing Choi Nam-yun to show him that they exist… that’s probably a stretch, right?”
It wasn’t yet certain who killed Choi Nam-yun. It could have been the psycho, or it could have been the ‘head’ who orchestrated everything. But it was a rather fresh take. Baek Seo-jun reassured the hesitant Lee Tae-gyeom.
“No, different points of view are good.”
“If that’s the case, will he be in danger too?”
Lee Tae-gyeom muttered quietly and lowered his head. Crap, did I give him too much to drink? Baek Seo-jun scratched the back of his head.
“What do you think?”
“It’s plausible.”
“Right? I should get him drunk more often.”
“He looks like he’ll pass out if you make him drink a second time.”
Baek Seo-jun chuckled. It was Im Seung-hyeon’s job to refill his empty glass. This guy can really hold his liquor.
“But I see it differently.”
“How so?”
“This psycho. Do you really think they only sent a letter to the agency and threatened Choi Nam-yun?”
Baek Seo-jun tapped his temple with his index finger. Despite plying Lee Tae-gyeom with so much alcohol, his own complexion hadn’t changed at all.
“What if they gave the ‘head’ some kind of pretext? Then Choi Nam-yun might not have been killed by the psycho, but by the head, right?”
“If they used the events of that day to provoke them, the ‘head’ wouldn’t have just stood by and watched.”
“Exactly. It’s all just speculation for now, but… the more ‘what ifs’ we have, the better. Of course, it’s a problem if that turns into a fixed bias.”
Different points of view, what ifs… Lost in thought for a moment, Im Seung-hyeon spoke in a low voice.
“…Could we also see the funeral hall’s CCTV footage?”
The identity of the person he saw back then seemed suspicious. What if the person who demanded what Choi Nam-yun had left behind was also part of this?
Taking a short, deep breath, Yu Yeon-seo answered the phone.
“Oh, Dad. I was just about to call you.”
“Son, why didn’t you call? It’s been hours since you got back!”
He could tell from his tone that he was pouting. Yu Yeon-seo thought of a good excuse.
“I was eating with Hyung. He kept telling me to eat first before calling.”
“Well, Eun-ho is doing the right thing. Just like me…”
In a country where the standard greeting was “Have you eaten?” Yu Geon-min’s tone changed upon hearing his sons were eating well. Whether his two sons did well or poorly, it was Yu Geon-min’s habit to say, “Just like me.” He found it a little amusing and chuckled softly.
“I had a great trip. Why did you prepare so much?”
“If you’re going to go, you might as well have the time of your life. I was originally planning to do more, but Secretary Park stopped me…”
“What were you originally planning to do?”
“You know our island villa…”
“Ah, that’s a bit much…”
He had already received more than enough attention. Taking them to a privately owned island? That would be burdensome in its own way. Not for Yu Yeon-seo, but for ‘The Imperial Seal’ team.
Whenever Yu Geon-min set off something like the fireworks he’d prepared, the people around them would be so overwhelmed they wouldn’t know what to do. He knew it was his way of expressing himself, but it was a little troublesome.
“Anyway, I had a good time.”
“Anyway?”
“Thank you, Dad.”
As Yu Yeon-seo said it so readily, Yu Geon-min laughed heartily, clearly pleased.
“I’ll see you next week. Do you need anything? I bought some souvenirs, by the way.”
“That’s enough. Does my son need anything else?”
He already had more than enough, yet his father was desperate to give him more. He opened his mouth without thinking.
“Dad. I’m okay now.”
Those words held a lot of meaning. After a moment of silence, Yu Geon-min spoke softly. His voice was thick with emotion, but it quickly brightened.
“I know. I’m doing this because I want to.”
The fact that he hadn’t been able to pay attention to his sons while trying to uncover the truth about his wife’s death still remained a burden. That was why he doted on them excessively. But this doting behavior surprisingly suited his personality, so he just kept it up.
“Hoo…”
After hanging up, Yu Yeon-seo leaned the back of his head against the wall. Having a family is a good thing…
I shouldn’t be impatient. At least I’m not alone.
“Just go and stay quiet.”
“Hyung, I’m an actor.”
“I know.”
“You, on the other hand, show everything on your face.”
“…I do?”
The two brothers got out of the car and looked at Chairman Yu’s mansion.
‘Will I be able to stay sane?’
Whenever he went to Chairman Yu’s mansion, the annex was right there, and for some reason, he often felt sick. It had been the same for the past Yu Yeon-seo.
On top of that, the ‘head’ was within arm’s reach. It could even be the person sitting next to him. In this situation, could he get through it without panicking like before?
“Hyung, you’re here?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
When they went inside, it was not a servant but Park Seon-woo who greeted them first. He said he saw the car arriving. Passing him, they headed to the living room, where all the relatives who had already arrived greeted him.
“Eun-ho, you’re here?”
“Yeon-seo!”
Yu Yeon-seo raised the corners of his mouth into a smile.
“Hello, everyone.”