Chapter 981: As Everything Should Be
In the executive lounge at Hanullim Music, Director Choi Sang-Myun was asking for a way to save himself in exchange for paying ten billion won.
"So what do I do?"
I answered, "I'd prefer if we discussed this privately."
Choi Sang-Myun turned toward Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin. "You two, wait outside."
Sensing that the conversation was heading somewhere dangerous, Lee Joong-Heon immediately objected. "We can't leave! This is about our mother. We should be part of this discussion!"
Lee So-Jin also shouted anxiously. "Exactly! How can you promise to pay ten billion won without even consulting us first?!"
Choi Sang-Myun lowered his hand toward the hidden button beneath the table. "Do you want to be dragged out?"
Realizing he was threatening to summon the men next door, Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin trembled with anger before finally leaving.
Bang.
The lounge door slammed shut. The moment they were gone, Choi Sang-Myun looked at me. "There. Now, tell me. What should I do?"
"Claim that those two completely deceived you."
"Deceived me?"
"Yes. When they asked you to change the account where Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja's royalty payments were being deposited, they must have shown you documentation, right? Say that you changed the account based on those documents and believed the money had continued going to Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja all this time."
After Kim Hyun-Ja retired and went overseas, not a single payment had been deposited into her personal account. Which meant Lee Joong-Heon, Lee So-Jin, and Choi Sang-Myun had all been diverting money that rightfully belonged to her. Still, a self-preservation expert like Choi Sang-Myun would undoubtedly have prepared some sort of safeguard in case things ever went wrong.
After studying my expression, Choi Sang-Myun slowly nodded. "That's right. Not long after Mrs. Kim retired, those two brought me the paperwork. Since they were Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja's children, I handed over the money without any suspicion."
That was a lie. He had probably known from the beginning. A man who had served as Kim Hyun-Ja's talent agent for decades would have known exactly what kind of people Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin were. More likely, he saw an opportunity to skim money for himself and accepted it willingly.
Naturally, I pretended not to notice. "Well, at least you know the truth now. After paying us the ten billion owed to Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja, you can file fraud charges against those two and recover your losses."
Choi Sang-Myun's eyes lit up. "So we'd be victims too?"
"Exactly. The public is going to direct all of its anger toward Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin for abandoning Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja. While that's happening, release statements claiming Hanullim Music was also deceived. Slip out of the line of fire while everyone is focused on them."
"That's true. Then we can squeeze every last penny out of those unfilial bastards, and people will actually take our side! Even after paying you ten billion, Hanullim Music comes out unharmed! Hahaha! I like it. I like it a lot!"
Choi Sang-Myun burst into laughter.
'Good.'
This was exactly the reaction I had hoped for after all the effort I put into setting this up.
Under normal circumstances, the family exemption rule would have prevented Kim Hyun-Ja from recovering the money her children had stolen. That was why I was using this workaround to force the money back out of them.
Everything was proceeding smoothly. I wanted to laugh too, but there was still something I needed from Hanullim Music.
Keeping my true thoughts hidden, I spoke calmly. "However, I'd like a copy of those documents."
"Why?"
"If Hoop Entertainment is going to support Hanullim Music's version of events, we'll need evidence to back it up, won't we?"
"Hmm. Evidence, huh..."
"If you provide those documents from back then, Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja will state during the interview that Hanullim Music bears no responsibility."
Choi Sang-Myun considered it for a moment before finally nodding. "Fine. Give me a second."
He forwarded a copy of the ten-year-old contract from his phone through Kk Talk.
Buzz.
I opened the attached file and reviewed its contents. The contract, created using seals forged by Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin, stated that Hanullim Music would transfer the money to JS Company, a business established by the siblings.
At last, I had obtained proof of document forgery—the evidence needed to send Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin straight into the abyss.
"There. Happy now? Send the message," said Choi Sang-Myun.
I nodded. "Okay."
I immediately sent a Kk Talk message to President Kang Gam-Chan, who was currently conducting Kim Hyun-Ja's comeback press conference.
[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: Mr. Kang, I got the documents.]
A moment later, on the livestream playing on my phone, Kang Gam-Chan received the notification and glanced at his screen.
Nod.
After signaling that he understood, Kang Gam-Chan leaned over and whispered something to Kim Hyun-Ja.
The moment Choi Sang-Myun visibly relaxed, I spoke again. "Oh, and when you talk to President Yuk Sung-Hwan, tell him you had no choice because Minister Han Yung-Bok is a fan of Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja. Also tell him you intend to recover the ten billion from those two siblings."
"Okay. But when are you planning to deal with those unfilial brats? It'd make my conversation with President Yuk a lot easier if Hoop handled it."
"Right now."
At that moment, on my phone screen, Kim Hyun-Ja began speaking from her wheelchair. Her hair had turned completely white, and her body had become so frail that she looked unmistakably like a seriously ill patient. She slowly leaned toward the microphone.
-...Since being diagnosed with dementia three years ago, my husband and I have been living alone without our children. In an old villa in Dunchon-dong.
A statement that explosive right from the beginning immediately drew attention.
Reporter Jang Moon-Ki shot his hand into the air.
-Wait a moment. Then what about your grown son and daughter? Why were you living in an old villa? And what happened to the buildings that were under your name?
Kim Hyun-Ja let out a small sigh.
-I... don't know.
-Just a second. Are you saying your children took your assets?
-Yes. While my husband and I were overseas, they transferred all of our assets into their own names. That's why... I had no choice but to sing again. At the very least, my husband and I need a way to survive in our old age.
The moment the reporters heard Kim Hyun-Ja confess that she had been abandoned by her own children, outrage erupted throughout the room. Even though it was still a press conference, angry comments began flying from every direction.
After a brief commotion, the reporters regained their composure and resumed firing questions while camera flashes exploded around the room. Kim Hyun-Ja answered every question in a soft, steady voice.
-Thankfully, Hoop Entertainment provided us with a home and has taken very good care of us, so many of our worries have been eased. My former agency, Hanullim Music, also contacted me after learning the truth. They said they had been deceived by my children as well...
The moment Kim Hyun-Ja publicly stated that Hanullim Music was not responsible, Choi Sang-Myun finally released a long breath.
"Phew..."
Now it was time for the finishing blow.
"Mr. Choi. If Hanullim Music wants complete absolution, it would be best to cut ties with both of them immediately."
"Understood. I'll do that."
That was when the lounge door flew open.
Bang!
Lee Joong-Heon stormed back inside, fuming. "Hey! Jung Yoon-Ho! You're the one who set up our mother's interview, aren't you?!"
Apparently, he had been watching the livestream outside.
"Who knows?" I shrugged.
"You son of a bitch! Stop pretending you don't know!"
Completely losing control, Lee Joong-Heon lunged at me with both arms outstretched. I briefly considered planting a punch in his face to bring him back to reality. However, there was no reason to get tangled up in a fight with someone who had already fallen into the abyss.
I sidestepped Lee Joong-Heon with a light boxing step and casually slipped my leg in front of his.
Tap.
Caught by my leg, Lee Joong-Heon windmilled his arms before crashing face-first onto the wooden table.
Bang!
"Aaagh! My nose! My nose!"
Lee Joong-Heon's face had struck the table directly. Clutching his nose, he rolled across the floor in agony. Blood immediately poured from both nostrils.
I glanced toward Lee So-Jin by the door, wondering if she might charge at me too. Instead, she simply turned her head and pretended not to see anything.
'Not much loyalty between siblings, I see.'
I let out a disbelieving laugh before speaking to them both. "Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja can't sue you because of the family exemption rule. But did you know document forgery isn't covered by it? Start getting ready for prison food."
A few moments ago, I had obtained a copy of the contract from Choi Sang-Myun. That meant I could finally press charges against both of them.
At that instant, Lee So-Jin's legs gave out.
Thud.
"That's impossible..."
After glaring at the stunned siblings, I turned to Choi Sang-Myun. "I'll be leaving now. Please make the transfer by the end of the week."
"Don't worry. I will."
I walked past Choi Sang-Myun, who was sighing in relief, past Lee Joong-Heon clutching his bleeding nose, and past Lee So-Jin collapsed by the doorway. Then I stepped out of the lounge.
At the same time, I found myself anticipating the storm that would soon descend upon Choi Sang-Myun as well. After all, President Yuk Sung-Hwan was not the kind of man who took betrayal lightly.
'Director Choi Sang-Myun. Thanks for the documents. And good luck. You deserve some suffering for turning a blind eye to Mrs. Kim Hyun-Ja.'
***
The moment Jung Yoon-Ho disappeared, Lee Joong-Heon held his nose and spoke to Choi Sang-Myun.
"Mr. Choi, please testify that Jung Yoon-Ho hit me. If you do, I'll sue that bastard immediately."
Lee So-Jin, still sitting by the door, finally recovered enough to support her brother. "Yes, Mr. Choi. I'll testify too—that Jung Yoon-Ho attacked my brother."
Instead of answering, Choi Sang-Myun calmly pressed the hidden button beneath the table.
Click.
The door opened. Five large men with traces of black bean sauce stains on their faces came rushing in.
"What's going on?"
"Huh?"
Choi Sang-Myun tilted his head toward the siblings. "Grab them."
"Yes, sir!"
The men immediately swarmed Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin.
"Mr. Choi!"
"W-What are you doing?!"
A grin spread across Choi Sang-Myun's face. "That ten billion won? You two are going to pay it."
"What?"
"The paperwork you brought claiming it came from your mother was fake, wasn't it? The seals were forged too. So naturally, you're going to cover the losses. Don't you think so?"
The color drained from both siblings' faces.
Then Choi Sang-Myun added, "Oh, and effective immediately, you're both fired."
Lee Joong-Heon exploded. "Hey! Choi Sang-Myun! You took your cut too!"
"Got proof?"
"What?"
"I said, do you have proof, you little pieces of shit?!"
Choi Sang-Myun's thunderous roar left Lee Joong-Heon speechless. Everything had been discussed verbally, so there was no documentary evidence.
Seeing their stunned expressions, Choi Sang-Myun smirked and turned toward the thugs. "Take them away. And get that ten billion no matter what. Sell their houses and real estate if you have to. You'll raise the money easily and still have some left over."
One of the thugs wiped the jjajangmyeon stains from around his mouth and effortlessly lifted Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin before dragging them out.
"Hey! Director Choi! Are you really doing this?! I won't go down alone!" Lee Joong-Heon screamed at the top of his lungs.
Watching him being hauled away, Choi Sang-Myun merely chuckled. "Idiots. What exactly do you think you can do?"
Considering the two were about to become the most hated people in the country, he wasn't worried in the slightest. The only thing that still concerned him was having to explain the ten-billion-won payment to Yuk Sung-Hwan.
"Damn it. That old man isn't going to let this slide easily..."
Still, Choi Sang-Myun had no choice. Jung Yoon-Ho knew too much about his secrets.
"Fuck. There's no other way. I'll just have to face him and deal with whatever happens."
He rose from his seat, intending to head to Yuk Sung-Hwan's office on the thirtieth floor. But at that moment, the lounge door opened. Standing there was Yuk Sung-Hwan, the seventy-seven-year-old president of Hanullim Music. He wore a white suit, a white hat, and carried a black cane.
Click.
Click.
Keeping his back perfectly straight, Yuk Sung-Hwan approached with an ivory fashion cane in hand.
The moment Choi Sang-Myun saw him, he bowed. "Mr. Yuk. You've arrived."
"I heard Chief Jung was here. Where is he?"
"He left as soon as he finished his business."
"Did he?"
"Yes. Ah, and there's something I need to tell you."
Choi Sang-Myun explained everything that had happened. Only at the very end did he mention the agreement with Jung Yoon-Ho.
"...We'll have to pay ten billion won, but we'll recover that money from those two who just left. And I secured a promise from Hoop Entertainment that they won't sue us."
Crack!
Choi Sang-Myun clutched his head and collapsed back into his seat.
"Ugh!"
Yuk Sung-Hwan had struck him with his cane.
"You idiot. Are you proud of that?"
Smack!
Smack!
Smack!
"M-Mr. Yuk! Sir! Why... why are you doing this?"
Instead of answering, Yuk Sung-Hwan swung the cane even harder.
Unable to endure the pain, Choi Sang-Myun dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."
Breathing heavily, Yuk Sung-Hwan barked, "Huff, huff, huff... Do you even know what you're apologizing for?"
"For... paying the ten billion..."
"That's not it!"
"Then what is it...?"
Looking genuinely wronged, Choi Sang-Myun stared up at him. Yuk Sung-Hwan responded by turning on his phone. On the screen, footage from Kim Hyun-Ja's now-finished press conference was playing.
-Mrs. Kim. If you'll forgive the question, isn't it difficult for someone in your current condition to make a comeback as a singer?
At that moment, Kim Hyun-Ja smiled warmly at the reporter.
-Not at all.
More accurately, she began to sing.
『Life keeps turning and turning~』
Standing before the microphone, Kim Hyun-Ja's voice rang out with a power that rivaled her prime. They said she had dementia. Yet while singing, there was not the slightest trace of it.
Just then, another voice was added.
『Life keeps turning and turning~』
Beside her, Kim Hyun-Ji, known as Kim Hyun-Ja's tribute singer, and the popular trot singer Lee Mal-Soon joined in. Together, they sang alongside her. It looked like a scene straight out of a dinner show.
"If you'd had half a brain, you should've brought Kim Hyun-Ja back no matter what! If you had, we could've avoided all the backlash and made tens of billions more! And instead you throw away an opportunity like that?"
"That's..."
"You got played by some greenhorn talent agent. Thirty-five years of experience wasted, you idiot."
Grinding his teeth, Choi Sang-Myun shouted back. "There was nothing I could do. Minister Han Yung-Bok got involved."
"Nothing you could do? You moron! Is that really your excuse? Minister Han is famous for barely interfering in industry matters, and you got scared because of that? If he pressured us, we could've used our connections at the broadcasting stations and accused him of abusing his authority! You fool!"
Crack!
Yuk Sung-Hwan's beating resumed.
"Stupid bastard. Useless bastard. Getting outplayed by some kid. Ignorant bastard! Worthless bastard! Damn bastard!"
"Mr. Yuk... Ugh... Please... stop..."
The pain cut deep enough to chill his bones. Yet all he could do was endure it in silence. He could never admit that he made his decision because Jung Yoon-Ho held evidence of his Busan and Gwangju nightclub kickback schemes.
As the beating continued, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
'That bastard Jung Yoon-Ho... Don't tell me... He gave me that advice specifically to provoke President Yuk's anger?'
There was no way to know. And so Choi Sang-Myun could only continue taking the beating until bruises covered his entire body all while groaning from the depths of his stomach.
"Kgh... Ugh... Mr. Yuk..."
***
[Superstar of Trot Kim Hyun-Ja Announces Her Comeback. "Her Singing Is Still As Powerful As Ever!"]
[Kim Hyun-Ja Sings Alongside Former Tribute Singer Kim Hyun-Ji Before Reporters. An Emotional Street Performance. Spring is Coming.]
[The Heinous Acts of Unfilial Children Who Coveted Their Parents' Wealth.]
[Kim Hyun-Ja's Children Sued by Hanullim Music for Fraud.]
[Kim Hyun-Ja's Children Sued for Document Forgery, a Crime Not Protected by the Family Exemption Rule. The Fate of Those Who Abused the Law.]
[President Kang Gam-Chan of Hoop Entertainment: "We Didn't Sign Kim Hyun-Ja Because of Old Ties. We Signed Her Because of Her Talent."]
[KBC Music Stage: Cherry Blossom's 'Cherry Blossom' Takes First Place. Seo Yeon-Woo's 'Flower Rain' Comes in Second.]
[Project I.O.A Reaches Number One in Search Rankings Across Eight Asian Countries. A New Era of Audition Programs.]
[Minister Han Yung-Bok of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Selects Kim Hyun-Ja as Promotional Ambassador for the Arts-Based Dementia Healing Project.]
The impact of Kim Hyun-Ja's brief interview and impromptu performance was much larger than anyone had expected. Entertainment headlines that had previously been dominated by Cherry Blossom's first-place victory and the buzz surrounding Project I.O.A were now filled almost entirely with stories about Kim Hyun-Ja.
On top of that, Lee Joong-Heon and Lee So-Jin had been sued. Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
Just then, I heard a voice.
"Are you going to keep staring at your phone all day, oppa?"
At Yoo-Jin's voice, I looked up. Gathered in the courtyard of Chairman Choi Eun-Tae's traditional residence for a late cherry blossom picnic were familiar faces.
They were Kim Hyun-Ja, Lee Mal-Soon, Kim Hyun-Ji, Yoo-Jin, Miso, Seo Yeon-Woo and his grandmother, Jung In-Ji, Writer Lee Ji-Yeon, Kang Gam-Chan, Director Kang Ji-Yung, Kang Eun-Gi, Lee Yeon-Sil, and their twins Yoon-Soo and Eun-Soo.
Beneath an enormous cherry blossom tree, whose petals drifted down like flower rain, everyone sat on picnic mats smiling at me.
Choi Eun-Tae smiled warmly. "Yoo-Jin's right. On a day like this, put your phone away and get some rest, Yoon-Ho."
"Ah, yes."
Just as I was about to put my phone away, a cherry blossom petal floated down in front of me. Its gentle descent was so beautiful that I instinctively reached out and caught it.
At that moment, Miso shouted excitedly, "Uncle Yoon-Ho! Make a wish! A wish!"
"Huh?"
"If you catch a falling cherry blossom petal, your wish comes true. Hurry and make a wish."
"Really?"
"What? They teach everyone that in kindergarten. Don't you know?"
'Miso... Sorry. Your uncle never went to kindergarten.'
At that moment, Lee Yeon-Sil smiled. "Miso, Yoon-Ho oppa never went to kindergarten. We just played together at the orphanage."
Miso looked at me with sad eyes. "Uncle Yoon-Ho..."
I hated seeing that expression on her face, so I hurriedly responded. "It's okay, Miso. I never went to kindergarten or college, but I still became successful."
Miso shook her head vigorously. "But you never learned how to make wishes. Think about how many wishes you've missed all this time. One, two..."
She began folding her fingers while counting.
'Well... Maybe she has a point.'
Then Choi Eun-Tae chuckled. "Yoon-Ho has already achieved everything. I don't think he has any wishes left, Miso."
Everyone nodded in agreement. "That's true. What wish could Chief Jung possibly have?"
At that moment, Miso stopped counting and looked directly at me. "Uncle Yoon-Ho. Do you really not have a wish?"
"No. I do."
"What is it?"
As everyone stared at me with curious eyes, wondering what wish I could possibly have left, I began speaking about the one wish that remained.
"My wish is..."