Chapter 193
Finally
Choi Yu-jin Appointed Chairman of JSENM
JSENM Holds Inauguration Ceremony for Chairman Choi Yu-jin, ‘Royal Family’ Gathers.
A few days after Yu Yeon-seo announced his break, Choi Yu-jin finally succeeded her father and became the chairman of JSENM.
“Wow, look at the class of these guests.”
Reporters had gathered in front of the Juseong Hotel since early morning, capturing photos of the political and business figures attending Choi Yu-jin’s inauguration.
“When is Yu Yeon-seo coming?”
“Maybe he’s coming alone this time, not with his family like before?”
“There!”
Their biggest interest was, of course, Yu Yeon-seo. Photos of the Juseong royal and actor attending a powerful family event were great for firing up the fans’ devotion, and the advertising revenue was exceptional.
[Photo] Yu Yeon-seo attending JSENM Chairman Choi Yu-jin’s inauguration ceremony
······JSENM’s internal director and actor, Yu Yeon-seo, is entering the Juseong Hotel holding a congratulatory bouquet.
“Congratulations, Mother.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to get me this.”
“It’s more romantic to give it to you in person, isn’t it?”
Choi Yu-jin beamed at the bouquet her son handed her and laughed heartily. She waved the bouquet at her friends, showing it off. Meanwhile, Yu Yeon-seo looked around.
“Looks like Uncle isn’t here. I thought I was going to see something interesting.”
He had greeted his maternal grandfather earlier, but Choi Sang-jin, Choi Yu-jin’s older brother who had been coveting the chairman position, was nowhere to be seen. Even Choi Ji-hun, who had caused the drug scandal, was shamelessly in attendance, hoping for some scraps······ Yu Yeon-seo caught Choi Ji-hun’s eye and gave him a wide grin and a wave.
“I know, right? I was planning on really getting under his skin······”
“How are you feeling?”
Yu Yeon-seo watched with amusement as Choi Ji-hun avoided him and headed off somewhere.
“How do I feel? Pretty great, becoming chairman before your father.”
“Oh, Dad.”
Choi Yu-jin flinched and turned around. Yu Geon-min and Yu Eun-ho were standing right behind her.
“D-did you hear that?”
“Yes. You must be very pleased.”
Yu Geon-min teased her, pretending to be sulky. The warm family atmosphere and their eye-catching looks made it impossible for those nearby to look away.
“By the way, Dad. Have my uncles-in-law not come?”
“They seem busy these days. Didn’t see them during the New Year’s holiday either.”
“Hmm······ Is that so?”
What a coincidence. It’s been a while since both of my uncles-in-law have attended a family event······
‘Maybe they’re anxious because the people they were trying to eliminate have disappeared.’
So the question of which of the two it was remained unsolved, but that mystery would likely be unraveled within the year.
“Um, Mother.”
“Yes?”
However, he was worried that all sorts of rumors might reach the uninvolved Choi Yu-jin.
Yu Yeon-seo had seen his family’s atmosphere crumble because of him. If Lee Hui-seo’s case was concluded to be not a suicide, his father would be the first to break down, and the mood in the house would be grim for a while······
“······It’s nothing. I just wanted to congratulate you again.”
“You already said that.”
Still, he couldn’t stop now. Yu Yeon-seo pressed his lips together.
While going about his daily routine, Yu Yeon-seo received a call from Im Seung-hyeon, who was keeping watch outside the building.
(Young Master, I’ve found someone who looks like Min Seong-cheol.)
“······Are you sure?”
(Yes. What should I do?)
Im Seung-hyeon, who had memorized Min Seong-cheol’s gait as well as Yu Yeon-seo had, spoke with a voice full of conviction.
“Follow him for now.”
(Understood.)
Sooner than I thought. Since he’d come all the way to the filming set, I figured he’d show himself soon enough. According to Yoon Ho-young, stalkers like him are desperate to make an impression on their target. I guess watching from a distance wasn’t enough for him.
No wonder I kept feeling eyes on me. Has he finally shown his face? Yu Yeon-seo said something had come up and left the building. He immediately ran towards the address Im Seung-hyeon had sent him.
“Where is he?”
“Gasp······”
Lee Tae-gyeom, who was tailing the suspicious person with Im Seung-hyeon, was so startled to see Yu Yeon-seo right behind them that he nearly collapsed.
“How did you get here?”
“I ran.”
“What, that whole way······?”
Lee Tae-gyeom looked behind Yu Yeon-seo in astonishment. It was quite a distance from the gym to here, yet Yu Yeon-seo wasn’t even out of breath.
“Never mind that. Do you see him now?”
“He went that way.”
Following Im Seung-hyeon and Lee Tae-gyeom, Yu Yeon-seo felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
‘Why is this so familiar?’
This street, this neighborhood. I’ve stayed here for a while before. As if struck by lightning, Yu Yeon-seo realized something and let out a breath.
“Wait a minute.”
“Why? We’re going to lose him.”
“We don’t need to follow him anymore.”
Yu Yeon-seo stopped and looked around. Right······ this was a neighborhood he knew. Min Seong-cheol was probably in that house. He cursed under his breath.
“Ha, this is insane.”
“Are you sure this is the place?”
Yu Yeon-seo immediately called Baek Seo-jun and summoned him. He was shocked that Yu Yeon-seo had used himself as bait to track Min Seong-cheol, but that wasn’t important right now.
“I’m sure. This is······ where I lived when I was in the dorms.”
“Hah, the thought process of a madman······”
The neighborhood where Lee Hui-seo had lived was redeveloped long ago, and no trace of it remained. But a trace of Yu Yeon-seo’s past was still here. It was the house AST Entertainment had used as a trainee dorm before Yu Yeon-seo debuted with One Seven.
As if obsessing over the mother wasn’t enough, now he’s fixated on the son······ It was a behavior Baek Seo-jun’s mind couldn’t comprehend.
“What if this isn’t the house······”
“It’s fine even if it’s not. I’ll just spend some money.”
“Typical rich people.”
A celebrity showing up out of the blue, looking like he’s about to tear the house down······ That would be shocking in its own right, but was it thanks to the benefit of ‘Insight’? Yu Yeon-seo was certain that Min Seong-cheol was in this house. Baek Seo-jun let out a small sigh.
“Alright. I’ll check it out, so you go on home.”
Min Seong-cheol’s relentless obsession had ended with Lee Hui-seo’s death. He’d heard the man had even followed Yeon-seo to the filming set. Now that he’d changed his target, there was no telling what harm Min Seong-cheol might inflict on Yu Yeon-seo. He might even hurt him for not playing along with his delusions.
“You’re not hiding anything from me, are you?”
Unaware of Baek Seo-jun’s concerns, the young man before him was already suspicious. Baek Seo-jun decided to feign ignorance.
“I’m not.”
“No, I think you are.”
Yu Yeon-seo narrowed his eyes, observing Baek Seo-jun. He had always been perceptive, but there was no fooling the ‘Insight’ given to him by Beta. It seemed like Baek Seo-jun had found something important, but since he wasn’t saying anything, Yeon-seo was uncertain.
“Anyway, I’m not just going to sit back and twiddle my thumbs.”
“Yeon-seo.”
“What if he escapes while we’re standing here arguing?”
Seeing his unyielding stance, Baek Seo-jun sighed quietly. Arguing here was just giving the culprit time to escape.
‘Should I have brought my team?’
The investigation into Lee Hui-seo’s death was top secret, so he’d kept it from even his close colleagues. He had hinted to them to be on standby as he gathered solid evidence to catch the ‘mastermind’.
“What floor?”
“Second floor, unit 201.”
“Alright, stick close behind me.”
Having given in to Yu Yeon-seo’s stubbornness, Baek Seo-jun led the way into the building.
“What the—the door’s open? Hey, hey, wait a minute······”
“There!”
Yu Yeon-seo threw the open door wide. At the tip of his pointing finger was Min Seong-cheol, perched on the windowsill. Baek Seo-jun immediately drew his pistol.
“Don’t move!”
“Wait!”
Yu Yeon-seo tried to gently coax Min Seong-cheol down. But the other man was faster. Min Seong-cheol gave them a mocking grin and then leaped outside. The three of them, startled, dashed forward.
‘When are they coming out?’
While Yu Yeon-seo, Baek Seo-jun, and Im Seung-hyeon went inside, Lee Tae-gyeom waited in the car. He figured he wouldn’t be much help anyway.
As he waited, scanning the surroundings, Lee Tae-gyeom spotted a man on the second-floor window, tapping his foot as if to a rhythm.
“······Huh?”
Isn’t that the guy we were chasing? No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Min Seong-cheol jumped out of the window. There was an awning below, allowing him to land without issue.
“Young Master!”
“Hey! What are you doing? That’s dangerous!”
“We don’t have time for this!”
Right after, Yu Yeon-seo tried to jump out too, but Baek Seo-jun and Im Seung-hyeon could be seen grabbing his arms to stop him.
With his future body, he could have jumped and been perfectly fine, but Im Seung-hyeon and Baek Seo-jun, who didn’t know that, were horrified.
In that time, Min Seong-cheol got into his car.
“Wh-what the.”
Lee Tae-gyeom, who had been watching the scene in a daze, started his car and chased after Min Seong-cheol. The three who ran out of the building also got into Baek Seo-jun’s car and followed.
Lee Tae-gyeom answered a call from Yu Yeon-seo and put it on speakerphone.
“Hey, I’m following him, what should I do?”
(Don’t lose him. We have to catch him, no matter what.)
Right, but how was he supposed to do that? Lee Tae-gyeom was in a tight spot, but his driving skill was one talent even Yu Yeon-seo acknowledged. He managed to keep up with Min Seong-cheol without much trouble, but a cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
No matter how confident he was in his driving, this was the first time he’d ever chased someone. And someone they absolutely could not afford to lose, at that.
‘What do I do?’
Min Seong-cheol also tried to shake Lee Tae-gyeom off, weaving through lanes. Lee Tae-gyeom turned the wheel without hesitation. Other cars honked their horns, but he couldn’t pay them any mind.
(What’s happening?)
At Yu Yeon-seo’s pressing question, Lee Tae-gyeom bit his lower lip. Just following him like this, they’d never catch him.
He had volunteered to be Yu Yeon-seo’s driver even on days with no schedule, so this wasn’t a company car. It was Yu Yeon-seo’s personal car, and every single one of Yu Yeon-seo’s cars was expensive.
“······Hey. Don’t get mad at me later.”
(What? Hey, wait a second!)
He’s got plenty of money, surely he won’t blame me for this? Yu Yeon-seo, realizing Lee Tae-gyeom’s intention, shouted loudly, but Lee Tae-gyeom acted faster. He took a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel tightly.
“Ah, screw it······!”
Pulling up close beside Min Seong-cheol’s car, Lee Tae-gyeom jerked the wheel sideways.
Screeeech! The sound of tires scraping was followed by a loud crash! The impact whipped Lee Tae-gyeom’s head to the side, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
(Hey! Lee Tae-gyeom!)
He could hear Yu Yeon-seo, Im Seung-hyeon, and Baek Seo-jun shouting through the phone.
‘He can’t get away······’
Min Seong-cheol’s car was sandwiched between the guardrail and the car Lee Tae-gyeom was driving. Pushed by the impact, the door of Min Seong-cheol’s car was crumpled and wouldn’t open properly.
Even in his dazed state, Lee Tae-gyeom had the absurd thought that, as expected of an expensive car, it performed reliably.
“I swear, you’re just as reckless as your friend!”
First Yu Yeon-seo tried to jump from the second floor after Min Seong-cheol, and now Lee Tae-gyeom had caused an intentional car accident. Baek Seo-jun, who had followed behind, felt his head throb, but he stopped the car and jumped out.
“Mr. Im, please check on Lee Tae-gyeom first.”
“Understood.”
Im Seung-hyeon quickly approached Lee Tae-gyeom. Seeing him come to his senses and lower the window, he seemed to be fine.
“Are you okay?”
“······Did you get him?”
Im Seung-hyeon looked up. Yu Yeon-seo, who had approached Min Seong-cheol’s car with Baek Seo-jun, wrenched open the crumpled, stuck door in one go. Baek Seo-jun stared at him in surprise, but Yeon-seo paid him no mind.
Min Seong-cheol, bleeding from his temple, saw Yu Yeon-seo before him and superimposed Lee Hui-seo’s image onto him, smiling ecstatically.
“Hello, my son.”
The sight made Yu Yeon-seo want to retch, but instead, the corners of his mouth curled upwards.
Finally caught him.