Chapter 210
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 210
Am I screwed?
Seong Ji-won stared at me with unwavering eyes.
Overlaid on his current expression was the face of the youthful Seong Ji-won from three years ago.
Back then, I had just been planning a new program. I figured with his looks and backstory, it would be easy to drum up hype and make him a star, so I told him not to give up on his dream of becoming an idol.
However, the program was scrapped and delayed several times. By the time the plan was finally finalized and a broadcast date was set, Seong Ji-won was nowhere to be found.
I didn't know if it was because he’d already debuted as a failed idol under Daepasung, or if my memory was just failing me—
No, that’s not what’s important right now.
Regardless, I had been forcibly summoned into a situation Seong Ji-won had carefully orchestrated.
I finally understood why he’d been acting out of character and dragged me all the way here. He wanted to test me in the exact same spot we’d met back then to see how I’d react.
“…Ho-yun.”
The person Seong Ji-won was looking for was definitely me.
Me, the PD.
But logically speaking, I shouldn't have looked like a twenty-one-year-old back then. Besides, I thought I’d only subtly hinted at being in the industry; I couldn't fathom why Seong Ji-won was so absolutely certain right now.
“…….”
Even if he suspected it was me, there were a dozen contradictions. Was he really going to believe it?
My mind raced with a sense of crisis, desperate to find a way out of this.
The system window, which had been flashing an ERROR message, had vanished after informing me that Seong Ji-won was suspicious of me. It hadn't reappeared since.
Excluding today, the ERROR message had only appeared twice before.
Once when Min Ji-heon used his ability to try and separate me from the system, and once when I leaked a penalty myself during Shining Star Season 2.
I can’t let this happen again.
The words the system window had displayed recently stuck in the corner of my mind like a nagging splinter.
The warning that the system was unstable, that the future was becoming increasingly unpredictable.
The warning that this would not be good for the Player.
“Seong Ji-won.”
“…Y-yeah!”
Having quickly assessed the situation, I rubbed the corner of my brow with my index finger, intentionally looking troubled.
“Is that guy as handsome as me?”
It was time to utilize my specialty.
Denial and stubbornness.
“That’s bizarre. I know I’m a looker, but I don’t exactly have a common face.”
“……But, Ho-yun.”
Seong Ji-won lowered his eyes slightly as he spoke.
“You really don’t have a common face, and that’s why it’s so… so strange. You’re just too similar. Your mannerisms, your vibe, even the location and shape of your scars. It’s enough to make me wonder if I’ve gone crazy.”
Of course it is. Because it’s me.
“Wow, that’s fascinating.”
“……Fascinating….”
“I guess he looks a lot like me?”
No matter what reason he gave, no matter how he tried to piece it together, the timelines didn't match up.
That was the excuse I could lean on, having jumped ten years through time.
“……A look-alike?”
Seong Ji-won tilted his head slightly and murmured to himself.
His tone was a mix of lingering doubt and a hint of dejection.
Still, it seemed even Ji-won realized his theory was bordering on wild speculation.
Just as I thought he might give up, he suddenly pulled out another card.
“Th-there’s something else. On Christmas, you asked me three questions. I wondered how you could possibly know all those details so perfectly….”
“Are you someone who works at a broadcasting station?”
“The one who was smoking?”
“That guy’s a total prick, isn’t he?”
Those were the questions I’d asked back then, thinking a Main Scenario was about to trigger.
“But if… if you really are that person—”
I cut him off mid-sentence, as he stammered on like a man clutching at straws.
“Hey, I’m hurt.”
“……Huh?”
Since my two specialties didn't seem like enough, I decided to add a third.
The "Is that all I mean to you?" strategy.
“I get that the guy helped you out, but what about me?”
I drooped my eyes as much as possible and pouted.
“I think I’ve been really good to you while we’ve been promoting as The Dawn.”
It had been a while since I’d used this skill, so I stole a few glances at Seong Ji-won to see if it was working.
“I understand he’s your benefactor and I’m not trying to stop you from looking for him, but listen to me for a second. I should mean more to you than just that.”
“…….”
“Right?”
“…Right.”
Seong Ji-won, who had been listening quietly, nodded slowly.
I couldn't read his expression to tell what he was thinking.
Sensing that things were mostly settled, I picked up the cake I’d bought earlier and stood up. Seong Ji-won followed suit, albeit a bit awkwardly.
He didn't say a word from the moment I paid for the food until we stepped out of the lobby.
I feel a bit bad.
Even though lying was usually nothing to me, I felt strangely uneasy.
I didn't think I’d been particularly kind to him, so why was he so desperate to find me?
Honestly, part of me wanted to tell him that I was indeed the person he was looking for.
But with the future uncertain and the system unstable, I didn't want to add the variable of Seong Ji-won knowing my true identity. That was the honest truth.
“Let’s go back. The others are waiting.”
“…O-oh, yeah.”
Answering a beat late as if he’d been spacing out, Seong Ji-won gave a faint smile, as if trying to fold up his overflowing emotions and hide them away.
“The guys will love this cake. Let’s hurry back and eat.”
“Sure.”
We crossed the lobby, chatting idly as if nothing had happened.
“What are you going to do when we get back?”
“Maybe I’ll watch you do your birthday live stream.”
We took a taxi I’d called through an app and headed toward the dorm.
Raindrops began to fall from the heavily clouded sky.
“It’s raining.”
“Ah, you’re right.”
I was debating whether to ask the driver to drop us off right in front of the dorm instead of the main road when Seong Ji-won, rustling beside me, pulled a small three-fold umbrella out of his bag and held it out.
He seemed a bit down, so I spoke in a joking tone.
“Whoa, you even brought an umbrella?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re as meticulous as you look—”
The moment the words left my mouth, I bit the inside of my cheek in regret.
“……Meticulous.”
“You’re as meticulous as you look.”
Those were the exact words I’d said to Seong Ji-won on that day, when it was drizzling just like today.
I turned my head away and fixed my gaze on the car window, which was now covered in pitter-pattering raindrops.
A cold sweat ran down my spine at the intense intuition that I was truly screwed.
Whatever he was thinking, Seong Ji-won remained silent as well.
Silence had never felt this heavy.
As soon as we arrived at the dorm, I scrambled out of the taxi and strode forward through the rain.
Let’s just run. If I get caught, I’ll just pretend I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Behind me, I heard the splash, splash of someone stepping through puddles.
“Ho-yun!”
Soon after, Seong Ji-won grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. Breathing slightly hard, he tilted his opened umbrella over me.
“Ho-yun, listen.”
My heart hammered, and my mind was a mess.
My nerves were on edge, wondering what sentence would come out of his mouth and how I should respond.
However,
“You might not know this, but I’m actually….”
“Uh, yeah?”
“I’m very jealous, I’m greedy, and I have a pretty bad personality.”
What Seong Ji-won actually said was something completely unexpected.
“But strangely enough, from the moment we first met, I really wanted to be good to you.”
The "first time" he meant was the day I’d stormed into Daepasung, demanding Cheong-beom’s song. Seong Ji-won was the only one who had welcomed me.
“I guess it was because you and that person were so similar, just like you said.”
The rain, which was growing heavier, soaked Seong Ji-won’s shoulder.
“Don’t be upset. You’re more precious to me now. It’s just… I really wanted to tell that person thank you.”
Seong Ji-won’s lowered eyelashes slowly lifted, and his clear eyes met mine.
“I don’t know why, but when he told me to see him again, those words meant a lot to me. I held onto them and endured everything—”
Seong Ji-won’s voice was steady, as if he’d rehearsed this countless times.
I had to keep my mouth shut and struggle to keep my expression from crumbling.
“—And that’s why I’m here now.”
“…….”
Even though he was soaked himself, Seong Ji-won carefully brushed off the rain that had splattered onto my shoulder before meeting my eyes again.
“Because of you, Hyung.”
And then, he gave a small smile.
His expression looked a bit nervous, yet also relieved.
“I wanted to promise that I’d definitely repay this debt somehow, but ahaha….”
Repay what debt?
I swallowed a sigh as I looked at him.
“…Hey.”
I spoke as I pushed the umbrella handle back toward Seong Ji-won.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but let’s get one thing straight.”
There was one comment that particularly bothered me.
“You would have stayed in this industry even without that guy.”
“……Huh?”
“Look in a mirror. With a face like yours, who else would be a celebrity if not you?”
Even putting aside my personal taste and looking at him objectively from every angle, I truly meant it.
Charm, talent, looks.
In this industry, you can make a living with just one of those if you work hard enough. But Seong Ji-won had the charm, the talent, and the looks—and on top of that, he worked twice as hard as everyone else.
The only reason the Daepasung practice room was lit up every single day was because of Seong Ji-won.
“You were just born for this, you brat.”
Seong Ji-won, who had been listening blankly with wide eyes, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ah…….”
“…….”
“Ah, seriously, Seo Ho-yun.”
The laughter that went on for a long time eventually turned into sniffling.
“You’re right. I was born to be a celebrity.”
“Obviously.”
Seong Ji-won would probably keep doubting. No, based on our conversation just now, he seemed already certain.
But as long as I remained here, there would only be one truth for the rest of our lives.
That the ‘Seo Ho-yun’ of that day was not the ‘Seo Ho-yun’ of now.
It can’t be helped.
That’s just how life is.
Sometimes there are things you have to bury and pretend not to know, even when you do.
Just as I was pretending not to hear Seong Ji-won’s quiet sobbing muffled by the sound of the rain.
“……Ho-yun.”
“Yeah.”
“I left the cake in the taxi.”
“No wonder you jumped out so fast.”
When I played along, Seong Ji-won wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and let his lips curl into a slight smile.
“Forget it. I’ll buy you something even tastier for your next birthday.”
“…Okay.”
Though I couldn't acknowledge him because of the scenario, we had met again like this.
In the end, I had kept the promise I’d made.
I called out the name of the guy whose eyes and nose were flushed red.
“Ji-won.”
Seong Ji-won, who was kind even to a bastard like me who would remain selfish until the very end.
“Happy birthday.”
You don’t have to keep your promise.