Chapter 987: She Has Appeared (1)
Lee Tae-Poong's first love, Kim Eun-Yung, stepped off the chartered bus wearing a yellow dress. For some reason, she seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood.
Smiling brightly, she walked over to fan club president Jang Yung-Sun. "President unnie, how long is today's shoot?"
Jang Yung-Sun answered, "The actual match is only forty minutes total—twenty minutes per half—but once you add the pre-shoot, post-shoot, and breaks, it'll easily go over five hours."
"Wow~ that's crazy. If filming goes on that long, will there be time for us members of Eye of the Typhoon to meet Tae-Poong oppa? I came here to get a photo with him by myself..."
"Of course. Chief Jung always takes good care of fan club members who come to the set, so Tae-Poong will probably make time for you too."
"Yay! Thanks for letting me know."
Kim Eun-Yung was twenty-five years old this year. Since she had spent years as an idol trainee, she knew filming sets better than most people. Yet she was pretending not to know a thing.
Watching that fake act, Lee Dae-Ho trembled with anger. "Mr. Jung. She's completely faking it. She... she..."
I nodded. "I know. Still, hold it in. If you make a scene, Tae-Poong will find out."
Lee Tae-Poong was completely absorbed in the idea of playing soccer and focused entirely on stretching. He hadn't even looked in our direction yet.
Lee Dae-Ho forced himself to calm down. "Sigh... Understood. Then what are you planning to do?"
"I'll handle it."
"I'm sorry? But Mr. Jung, you're supposed to be playing in the match soon."
Both teams had already arrived at the field and were stretching. After another ten minutes or so, filming would begin, and I still needed to put on my goalkeeper gear.
However, dealing with Kim Eun-Yung took priority.
"I'll finish this first. If things don't go smoothly..."
Thunk.
I handed my bag filled with goalkeeper gloves and protective gear to Lee Dae-Ho, whose frame was nearly twice my size.
"Mr. Dae-Ho, you'll have to play goalkeeper in my place."
After telling him I would be back as quickly as possible, I headed toward Kim Eun-Yung, the first love who had left Lee Tae-Poong with such painful memories.
***
"Excuse me. The lady in the yellow dress," I called out to Kim Eun-Yung.
Kim Eun-Yung had been helping fan club members unload cheering supplies from the luggage compartment. When she spotted me, she immediately bowed her head politely.
"Oh? Mr. Jung. Hello!"
I had expected her to recognize me or at least look surprised. Instead, she acted as if nothing had happened. The performance was impressive. Honestly, if she had pursued acting instead of becoming an idol, she might actually have succeeded. Still, if she wanted to pretend not to know me, that made things easier for me too.
I acted the same way. "Hello. Do you have a moment? I'd like to speak with you privately."
"Me? Um... I'm helping carry these things right now, and afterward I'm supposed to assist near the coffee truck. What should I do?"
I immediately turned to Jang Yung-Sun. "Yung-Sun noona, do you mind if I borrow her for a bit?"
Managing fan clubs was part of a talent agent's job, so I was already in close contact with the fan club leadership. Because of that, Jang Yung-Sun and I were on friendly terms.
Jang Yung-Sun narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What? She's pretty, but you're not trying to get a two-shot with Tae-Poong for her, are you?"
I answered with the most serious expression I could manage. "Have you ever seen me play favorites with fan club members? I just want to ask her a few questions."
Jang Yung-Sun relaxed and grinned. "True enough. Our Yoon-Ho isn't that kind of talent agent. Fine, take her."
At that moment, Kim Eun-Yung looked uneasy. "Where are we going?"
"Ah. The camera director asked me to find one fan club member willing to do an interview."
"Then wouldn't it make more sense for president unnie to do it?"
"We can't use anyone whose face is already known among the fan club members."
Jang Yung-Sun jumped in to help me. "That's right. If people like the fan club officers appear on TV, viewers recognize us immediately and start leaving nasty comments. That's why they usually interview newer members. Of course, if you really don't want to do it, you don't have to. But if it's for Tae-Poong..."
Kim Eun-Yung looked toward the field where Lee Tae-Poong was stretching before reluctantly nodding. "Okay. If it's for Tae-Poong oppa, I'll do it and come right back."
Having gone all in on her Eye of the Typhoon fan persona, Kim Eun-Yung had no choice but to follow me. It looked like she got caught in her own trap.
As I walked ahead, I casually tapped the screen of the phone in my inner pocket with my index finger.
***
We headed toward behind the shower building outside the indoor futsal arena. Once we moved past the utility room and equipment storage building, all that awaited us was an empty open lot.
Kim Eun-Yung followed behind me before finally stopping. "What is this? You said it was an interview. Why did you bring me somewhere so secluded?"
I stopped as well and turned to face her. "Why are you here?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Everyone knows you were Tae-Poong's first girlfriend. You can drop the act now."
The innocent, frightened expression vanished instantly. Kim Eun-Yung's face twisted with irritation as her real personality emerged.
"Damn it. You knew the whole time?"
"Of course I did. Now answer my question. Why are you here?"
"Why? Am I not allowed to come see Tae-Poong oppa?"
"No. You're not. You sold his photos to your former agency for twenty million won. How do you have the nerve to show up here?"
"Seriously! My talent agent stole my phone and handed those pictures to the agency president! And the twenty million won was between me and the agency. It had nothing to do with Tae-Poong oppa!"
The excuse was ridiculous. Lee Tae-Poong had told me himself that Kim Eun-Yung was the one who handed over the photos in the first place.
"Cut the crap. If that were true, you would've gone to Tae-Poong and explained everything. Instead, you sold the photos and immediately ran off to America."
Kim Eun-Yung huffed angrily and snapped back. "Ugh, seriously. So what? What do you want me to do about it now?"
"What do I want? Turn around and leave. And don't ever show your face in front of Tae-Poong again. That's all."
"No thanks. I have something I absolutely need to tell Tae-Poong oppa."
"Tae-Poong has nothing he needs to hear from someone like you."
Kim Eun-Yung exploded. "Fuck, you're such a pain in the ass! Do you really want to see the bomb I'm holding go off?"
"A bomb?"
Kim Eun-Yung pulled out her phone. "Yep! If you don't want photos of me and Tae-Poong oppa getting leaked, then bring him here right now. Otherwise, I'll send everything saved on this phone to reporters."
She placed her thumb over the screen. But at that moment, I couldn't help letting out a laugh.
Kim Eun-Yung stared at me in disbelief. "Are you crazy? Why are you laughing?"
"Hey. Give it a rest. We both know there aren't any photos on there."
"There are! I made copies of everything!"
Kim Eun-Yung had originally handed the secretly taken photos to HONG Entertainment, Lee Tae-Poong's former agency. HONG Entertainment had then sold those photos to former Vice Chairman Kim Ae-Ja. Which meant the odds of Kim Eun-Yung still possessing copies were practically zero.
After spending a fortune to obtain leverage over Lee Tae-Poong, there was no way Kim Ae-Ja would have allowed anyone else to keep copies of such valuable material.
"I don't trust you. But I do trust Kim Ae-Ja's obsession. Someone like Kim Ae-Ja would've tracked you down along with your agency, seized your phone and computer, checked everything, and erased every last file."
Kim Eun-Yung clenched her teeth. Then she slowly lowered the phone she had been holding up.
"Damn it... Is there anything you don't know...?"
I smiled at the defeated look on Kim Eun-Yung's face. "Just assume there's not. So stop causing trouble and leave quietly. Otherwise, I'll call Yung-Sun noona and every fan club member over here and tell them you're Tae-Poong's ex-girlfriend and the one who sold his photos to the agency. Think you can handle that?"
"That's..."
For the first time, Kim Eun-Yung looked genuinely flustered. There were two things that enraged fan club members more than anything else. The first was when their favorite celebrity got caught up in dating rumors. The second was when someone hurt the celebrity they loved. Kim Eun-Yung happened to satisfy both conditions. The moment the fan club found out who she was, there was a good chance she would be torn apart.
In the end, Kim Eun-Yung threw up her hands and turned around. "Fine! I'll leave! Happy now?"
"Hey. Before you go, tell me why you came."
After taking about five steps, she whipped her head around. "I came to apologize to Tae-Poong oppa. Happy?"
"That's all?"
"That's all!"
Kim Eun-Yung stubbornly shut her mouth after that.
Still, I could make a pretty good guess. She had started a MeTube channel and was probably trying to clean up her past before attempting a return to the entertainment industry. However, that was her problem, not mine.
So I called out one final warning. "If you show up again, I won't let you off this easily. Oh, and if Tae-Poong's name comes up on your MeTube channel, I won't sit back and watch. Remember that."
I cupped my hands around my mouth to make sure she heard me clearly. However, Kim Eun-Yung didn't bother responding. She simply walked toward the eastern exit.
'Is it finally over?'
I pulled out my phone and checked the screen.
[Recording Ended]
I had recorded my conversation with Kim Eun-Yung, but Everyday wasn't displaying any new schedule entries.
'Is that really the end of it?'
Thinking there was nothing left to worry about, I turned to head back to the filming location.
Then, I noticed Kim Eun-Yung, who had exited through the eastern gate, climbing into the passenger seat of a black Merciless Binz parked nearby.
'She came with the fan club on the bus, but she's leaving in a car that was already waiting for her?'
Just as I realized she had come here with a specific plan in mind, a notification from Everyday finally sounded.
Buzz.
[Everyday V13]
[Notification: A new schedule entry related to Lee Tae-Poong has been registered for May 21, 2021.]
May 21st was three days away. It was the day of Lee Tae-Poong's meeting with Director Choi Sung-Moon. Yet the new schedule that appeared was utterly absurd.
[Everyday V13]
[Date: May 21, 2021]
-10:00 p.m.: [NEW. Lee Tae-Poong]
Shocking Report. Lee Tae-Poong Suspends Activities!
(Emergency Meeting: After hearing news of Kim Eun-Yung's death earlier today, Lee Tae-Poong is in shock and is even considering retirement. Countermeasures required.)
'Kim Eun-Yung is going to die? The very Kim Eun-Yung who had just gotten into that car?'
***
I had sent her away peacefully, yet a schedule entry predicting Kim Eun-Yung's death had appeared. The problem was that the schedule entry itself gave no clue as to why she would lose her life. There was only one lead—the alert had appeared the moment she got into that car.
I disliked Kim Eun-Yung, but that didn't mean I could stand by and watch someone die. And if it happened, the shock might push Lee Tae-Poong into retirement. So I decided to find out who the driver was and stop whatever was coming.
First, I ran to the facilities management office at Jinseong Resort on Yeongjong Island and requested access to the security camera footage. The security camera footage did capture the driver. Unfortunately, the person was wearing sunglasses, a hat, and a mask, making identification impossible. There was, however, a license plate number.
So I contacted Chief Choi Go-Yoon of The Best Detective Agency and asked him to track it down. Afterward, I sought out Jang Yung-Sun and obtained Kim Eun-Yung's phone number and contact information. However, when I tried calling her directly, I discovered the number was fake. In the end, I had no choice but to ask Choi Go-Yoon to track down Kim Eun-Yung's location as well.
And while all of that was happening, it became time to begin filming the first episode of KBC's futsal variety show People Who Can Kick a Ball.
"Chief Jung! Hurry up! Get in goal!"
"Yes, I'm coming!"
I had already done everything I could. Now all I could do was wait for information to come in.
***
I was in the middle of proving my reputation as the Punching King once again while playing both halves of the futsal match. When about a minute remained, thanks to Lee Tae-Poong's goals and my saves, Hoop Entertainment was leading 4–0. The ball was currently deep in Reverse Entertainment's half, threatening their goal.
Tick. Tick.
With the match nearly over, I turned my head toward Hoop Entertainment's seating section. However, Lee Dae-Ho immediately raised my phone and crossed his arms into an X. It was the signal that Choi Go-Yoon still hadn't sent any information.
-Yoon-Ho hyung!!
Then, I instinctively turned my head at Lee Tae-Poong's shout. And at that exact moment, a shot blasted from the halfway line by Kang Eun-Gi came flying straight toward my face. It was a critical moment. If this went in, my clean sheet would be gone.
Gritting my teeth, I made a split-second decision and shifted my face toward the ball.
Thunk!
The powerful shot struck me squarely in the forehead. My neck snapped backward, and darkness flashed across my vision. At the same time, the referee's whistle rang out.
"Fweeeeeet! Match over!"
"Nice one, Yoon-Ho hyung!"
"Wow! Now you're stopping shots with your face instead of your fists?"
"Chief Jung is today's MVP!"
I could hear the players, the PD, and even the staff cheering. My head was throbbing, but I slowly raised a thumbs-up with a smile.
No matter how difficult things became, the show had to go on.
***
"Good work, everyone."
Hoop Entertainment defeated Reverse Entertainment by a score of 4–0. Lee Tae-Poong scored twice, Jung Sang-Bong added one goal, and Jang Joon-Hyuk chipped in with a poacher's goal to finish things off.
As for me, I put on a proper Punching King performance. I made save after save and even blocked one shot with my face. Because of that, there was talk of giving the MVP award jointly to Lee Tae-Poong and me.
However, I declined. There was no way I was going to take away a chance for my actor to have the spotlight all to himself. So I watched as Lee Tae-Poong accepted the MVP trophy and gave his interview.
That was when Lee Dae-Ho approached and handed me my phone. "Mr. Jung. We still haven't heard back from Chief Choi."
"Not yet?"
"No."
After taking the phone, I pressed the ice pack Lee Dae-Ho handed me against my forehead.
Then Lee Dae-Ho asked, "Mr. Jung, are you going to tell Tae-Poong that Eun-Yung came today?"
I shook my head. "No. Don't tell Tae-Poong anything until I give permission."
I didn't want to ruin Lee Tae-Poong's mood. Right now, he looked happier holding an MVP trophy from a futsal variety show than he had when winning the Grand Prize at the Hwangryong film association.
A short while later, Lee Tae-Poong walked over carrying the MVP trophy. Then he tilted his head after seeing my face. "Hyung. You're not upset because you didn't get MVP, are you?"
The schedule entry from Everyday predicting Kim Eun-Yung's death was something only I knew about. And if I managed to prevent her death, it would become an event that never happened in the first place. There was no reason to burden Lee Tae-Poong with half-baked information about Kim Eun-Yung. After all, I was his talent agent.
I brushed the thought aside and smiled. "Tae-Poong. You trust me, right?"
"Of course. If I don't trust you, who would I trust?" Lee Tae-Poong looked at me with absolute faith in his eyes.
"Good. I'll take care of all the difficult stuff, so don't worry."
The trust Lee Tae-Poong placed in me filled me with renewed strength.
Then, the message I had been waiting for finally arrived from Choi Go-Yoon.
Buzz.
[Chief Choi Go-Yoon: The vehicle you gave me turned out to be a stolen plate car. Fortunately, one of my men was traveling from Yeongjong Island to Seoul and managed to capture footage of it entering HNH Villa, a luxury residential complex in Nonhyeon-dong.]
HNH Villa in Nonhyeon-dong was an ultra-luxury complex consisting of only thirty residences. The cheapest units were worth around five billion won, making it a place beyond the reach of ordinary wealth. If Kim Eun-Yung, who had supposedly fled to America with only twenty million won in her pocket, had entered a place like that, then someone had to be backing her.
'Who the hell is trying to mess with Tae-Poong?'
Countless actors envied and resented Lee Tae-Poong's status as a top star. However, actors usually stopped at petty rivalries. They weren't the type to target someone's life. Which meant there was a much greater chance that whoever was behind this was actually targeting me.
I couldn't even rule out Sung Hak-Soo, the former chairman mentioned by Daechon Inc. earlier today.
'Whoever it is... I'm not letting them get away with it.'
After making up my mind, I left the rest to the others and headed straight for the parking lot. I had to save Kim Eun-Yung's life and protect Lee Tae-Poong's place at the top.
***
My Ventley stood out far too much, so I parked it in a paid parking lot near HNH Villa in Nonhyeon-dong. Then I walked directly to Choi Go-Yoon's sedan, which was monitoring the villa entrance, and climbed into the passenger seat.
Choi Go-Yoon pointed toward the villa gate. "The vehicle that brought Kim Eun-Yung here still hasn't come out."
"That's good."
"Good? What do you mean?"
"She's a rat trapped in a cage. If we stake the place out long enough, they'll come out eventually."
"Looks like we're doing another stakeout after all."
According to Everyday, Kim Eun-Yung's death would occur three days from now. There was no way someone would kill her simply because she failed to meet Lee Tae-Poong. That meant whoever was behind this was planning something else and would have to make a move soon.
Just then, as if on cue, the black Merciless Binz from Yeongjong Island emerged from the underground parking garage. The driver wore sunglasses and a mask, hiding his face. It was the same person I had seen in the security camera footage.
"So what now?" Choi Go-Yoon asked. "Should we follow them?"
I smiled and gripped the assist handle above the passenger-side window. Then I flashed a wide grin. "Let's cause an accident."
Choi Go-Yoon immediately understood what I meant. "Don't tell me... an actual accident?"
"Yes. Just a minor bump. I'll cover all the damages."
Choi Go-Yoon grinned. "Understood. Then hold on tight."
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and pressed his foot onto the accelerator.
Vroooom.
Our car surged forward toward the black Merciless Binz that had just cleared the entrance barrier of the villa.
'Whoever you are...You picked the wrong person to mess with.'