After finishing my call with Lee Danbi, there was no conversation between us during the drive.
After Nam Yihwon told me to ‘
stay by his side
‘, it felt pretty much the same as all the times I’d
simply been
by his side.
Actually, I wasn’t sure what exactly Nam Yihwon wanted from me.
I wasn’t even sure what I could do for him right now.
But my feet felt heavy, and I didn’t want to reject him again, so I got in the car without thinking rationally about the aftermath.
‘…Is this really okay?’
Despite my cowardly rationalization, my anxiety didn’t go away.
This was something that required taking on a huge risk.
If I kept in contact with Prism, it was only a matter of time before Lim Seunghoon or Kang Hyukwoo saw me with them. And when that happened, I wasn’t confident I could keep my emotions from being read.
Especially not in front of someone like Kang Hyukwoo, who has an uncanny knack for finding people’s weaknesses
‘It’s only a matter of time before Kang Hyukwoo and Lim Seunghoon hear about my visit to Lee Chise’s studio. What if that makes them suspicious of me?’
More and more realistic thoughts crowded my mind, making it spin.
But even so, I couldn’t bring myself to say I wanted to go back to Nam Yihwon, so I sighed in resignation.
Thud, thud, thud.
Just then, I heard the sound of raindrops hitting the window and breaking into tiny splashes.
It seemed to be raining.
As I slowly looked up, I could see through the window that the sky was overcast with heavy storm clouds, making it completely hazy. While the dark window tint certainly contributed to the gloom, the weather was undeniably bad.
“…The pain gets worse when it rains.”
As I leaned my head against the window, quietly watching the scene, I thought of Jo Inchan.
‘Is Jo Inchan coming too?’
Lee Chise had already held a separate party with his acquaintances and other associates. I heard that this time, it was supposed to be just the members of Prism. I wondered if he would show up. According to Jay, Jo Inchan seemed to be avoiding contact from members. Would he end up not coming this time as well?
“I’m scared.”
“Save me, hyung…….”
I slowly closed my eyes as the voice lingering in my head refused to fade.
Ever since I watched that video, this kept happening whenever things grew quiet around me. I remembered someone saying that if you kept hearing sounds that weren’t real, you should seek treatment, but I didn’t particularly feel the need to.
It would have been too irresponsible for me to let myself find comfort on my own.
When you were holding a bomb, it was only natural to hear the fuse slowly burning away.
I couldn’t run away from this until I set Jo Inchan free.
With the exception of Jay, the other members all knew what had happened to Jo Inchan, so they were bound to feel anxious.
I wish I could say, ‘
It’s alright. Jo Inchan did nothing wrong. That video is completely edited. I have the only original video, and I’ve also secured a witness. So, at least for now, you didn’t have to worry
.’
The thought made me truly regretful that I couldn’t fully pass on the information I had obtained to Prism.
‘If the Prism’s members knew the information I’ve gathered so far, it would ease their burden.’
The most valuable piece of information I had learned since gaining leverage over Lim Seunghoon was that Kang Hyukwoo and the gangsters by his side were not on equal footing.
“…In my eyes, it looked like an amicable relationship. They joked around, and addressed each other comfortably…….”
“That means nothing. Kang Hyukwoo has a huge ego. He’s bound to put on a front and act like he’s the one in charge. If you don’t want to be fooled by that facade, you need to follow the flow of money.”
“…Money?”
Considering that Kang Hyukwoo involved amateurs like Lim Seunghoon and Taeui’s father when filming Jo Inchan’s video, I suspected that his relationship with the gangsters wasn’t as good as it appeared. Based on that assumption, I instructed Lim Seunghoon to thoroughly investigate the flow of Kang Hyukwoo’s funds.
“Money doesn’t lie. Just like how you got yourself stuck with no way out after splurging on luxury goods.”
In this way, I was able to confirm that Kang Hyukwoo was not only paying his suppliers a percentage of revenue, but also handing them a fixed amount of cash every month.
And that the amount was increasing.
‘The amount they were demanding was getting bigger and bigger.’
In the end, Kang Hyukwoo was essentially paying them a sort of tribute, and he seemed quite unhappy about it. He didn’t seem to trust them either.
‘Kang Hyukwoo isn’t sharing any information about the celebrities he’s got dirt on, or even a list of their names, with the gangsters.’
“…Just like you said, Seungbeom-ssi, those people have been coming to the club more frequently lately. It’s almost like they’re keeping an eye on us.”
The gangsters, too, seemed to be gradually becoming wary of Kang Hyukwoo. It was no surprise. After all, they wouldn’t put up with an ordinary man, who just happened to have some pull in the entertainment industry, overstepping his bounds indefinitely.
For me, it was very helpful information.
Since I wasn’t looking for legal punishment, I’d have to find alternative solutions, and if I played my cards right, I could easily turn the situation to my advantage.
‘But Lim Seunghoon probably doesn’t even realize that.’
Remembering Lim Seunghoon’s clueless expression as he watched me deduce the relationship between Kang Hyukwoo and the gangsters, it was clear he genuinely had no idea. Yet, he didn’t seem nervous or afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.
Through that, I realized that the weakness Lim Seunghoon was using against Kang Hyukwoo was something else entirely.
‘There must be something bigger than this with Kang Hyukwoo. A weakness I don’t know about.’
I knew that rushing things could lead to mistakes, but I couldn’t help but wish I could figure it out quickly and set Prism free.
‘…Before Han Seungbeom returns, even a day sooner would be better.…’
Just as I was thinking that, Nam Yihwon stopped the car and turned off the engine.
“Get out.”
We had arrived at Lee Chise’s studio.
***
Even though it was obvious I wasn’t going to run away, Nam Yihwon gripped my arm tightly and dragged me along. Then, just before we reached the studio door, he said this to me.
“Don’t make a mistake in front of the members. Don’t show any signs.”
Unlike the relaxed tone he had shown me earlier, his words now seemed more like a warning, as if he were addressing someone else. He clearly meant that I should behave myself so our conversation wouldn’t be found out.
“…Yes.”
I gave him a slow nod, but Nam Yihwon didn’t even bother to listen to my answer before opening the door. Once we entered the studio, Jay spotted me, held stiffly like a cat with its neck in the jaws of a beast, and burst into laughter.
“Ahahaha! Heuk, this is crazy. Is
that
how you caught him? Haha! So, Seungbeom-ah, why did you run away? Who in the world ghosted their
Suuunbaenim
like that?”
As I stood there looking like I’d just bitten into something sour, Jay eventually started playfully ruffling my hair and acting cheeky.
If there had been no one around, I would’ve given him a good flick on the forehead for his overly provocative words and actions. However, the look on Lee Chise’s face behind him was so chilling that I couldn’t do it. This sly fox knew exactly what he was doing.
‘How many years has it been since I’ve seen Lee Chise this angry?’
Honestly, no matter how much I heard about how scary Prism’s members were out there, they all just looked funny to me. They were about as intimidating as house cats nibbling at my fingers.
But Lee Chise was the only one whose anger I couldn’t just take lightly.
Maybe it was because he was the type of person who didn’t get angry easily. Or maybe it was because I knew that if there was ever a situation that would make Lee Chise angry, it would be 100% my fault.
“Finally, I get to see your face.”
His voice, which normally was the epitome of cheerfulness, had turned cold.
“Wow, with the album doing this great, I never imagined I wouldn’t even be able to say a single word of thanks to the title track’s composer. What on earth happened that made our Han Seungbeom suddenly run away like that? This hyung of yours is dying to know?”
“…….”
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
When I hesitated and lowered my head in response to the question, Jay silently mouthed “
I’m sorryyyy
” to me with a deliberately cute and playful expression.
‘Damn it.’
I can’t do this damned junior act twice.
I clenched my teeth as I was battling with these thoughts, but finally managed to let out a small voice.
“…I’m sorry.”
Immediately, Lee Chise’s face, which had been as cold as a winter wind, softened, and he gently smoothed the hair Jay had messed up.
“Okay, I’ll accept your apology. But you can’t do this again next time, okay?”
“…….”
“Come in quickly. It was cold outside, wasn’t it?”
He hurried us from the front door and led us inside.
As we entered the inside of the studio, I saw foods and drinks that the members of Prism liked piled up on the table, along with the congratulatory gifts they had brought. After scanning the room, Nam Yihwon, noticing that some members were missing, rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand and asked Jay.
“Are you the only one who’s come so far?”
“Well, we’ve always been like that. Nobody ever keeps to the agreed time, everyone just shows up whenever they feel like it. They’re all taking after the leader……”
Jay, who had been answering Nam Yihwon’s question with a resigned tone, casually mentioned me and then trailed off. He belatedly remembered that the other members, who still didn’t know that I had come back to life, were still finding it difficult to talk about me.
“…….”
“…….”
In the frozen atmosphere, Lee Chise tried to casually change the topic as if nothing was wrong.
“Hwon-ah, if you’re tired, why don’t you lie down for a bit? I told you I would go pick him up. Why are you being so stubborn……”
“…It’s okay. Just go ahead and have a drink.”
At that, Nam Yihwon frowned, irritably tossed his coat aside, and filled his glass with alcohol.
.
.
.
“Why are you all here so early?”
“…Hyung, you’re the one who’s late.”
About 35 minutes later, Cha Woon arrived at the studio, and the party officially began. Not all the members were present yet, but Lee Chise also didn’t seem to expect them all to come. After thanking me without showing any particular expression, he took the lead in setting the tone for the atmosphere.
“No, at first, I was going to turn down the trainer offer. But I thought if I didn’t work, I wouldn’t be able to live like a person, so I just went for it. Ahahaha! But after the show aired, people were saying I looked like a psycho.”
“Me too, I was very surprised because you looked so fine on camera. I clearly remember you being completely drunk and crawling around, but the second the camera turned on, you suddenly turned into Jay of Prism. I could never pull that off. Hahahaha!”
As the alcohol began to take hold, risky stories started spilling out, and everyone burst into exaggerated laughter, as if they were under some kind of pressure to laugh. Of course, I was completely sober, so I witnessed the whole thing.
After a long period of wild laughter and boisterous chatter that left them exhausted, the members finally started to bring up one or two stories about what they’d been doing lately.
Stories about work, stories about dramas, stories about programs they were on.
It was all the things I really wanted to hear.
And in the end, they said something like this,
“…Still, it feels good to see all the members together again after such a long time.”
Actually, I was the last person who should have felt comfortable in this situation, but I wasn’t.
I wasn’t even drunk like the other members, but I couldn’t stop laughing.
I was just happy to be here.
…I was
happy.
‘…Come quickly, Seo Yuseong.’
I let out a carefree laugh and muttered those words to myself.
Shifting my gaze to the window, I noticed the sky was much darker than before. Ever since I opened my eyes in Han Seungbeom’s body, there had always been stars, which felt almost miraculous. But tonight, strangely, there wasn’t a single one. As I was feeling a little empty because of that, I gazed into the deepening shadows and suddenly felt a strange sensation.
‘…Am I imagining things?’
Out of the blue, I felt like I saw Dalli’s face.
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Translator’s Corner:
OMG I FINALLY, FINALLY REACHED THIS POINT T_T I’M HAPPY, I TRANSLATED THE WHOLE 200 CHAPTERS JUST FOR THIS MOMENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You. Will. Love. The. Next. Chapter !
I’m going to get a good night sleep and buy sweets tomorrow for this … let’s go, Prism!
Honestly I would give anything to get isekai-d to this story ……. I want them in real life too T_T I will be your #1 Sera …… I’m a veteran at fanwar, I stanned the person who used to be the most hated idol in the country, my keyboard fighting talent is 100% guaranteed …..