NOVEL WEB Chapter 219
Chapter 219
The reaction was explosive.
Far more than when Yeoreum’s doping scandal reignited before.
It seemed that people were much more interested in the fact that top active girl groups were suddenly entangled in dating rumors with a single manager than in the national beloved’s alleged drug use.
…Honestly, I’d be the same.
Reporters flocked to the company’s front like it was a protest. The number of people sneaking in and getting kicked out was considerable.
Every employee in the company was screaming and stumbling around like they’d just been hit by bombs.
And at such a moment, the first person that sprang to my mind was a man.
It was Seon Taeyang, who had struggled more than anyone to prevent such a situation.
Amidst the chaos, I blinked for a moment, and there I found Seon Taeyang chatting with some man on the terrace where he often dropped by.
“Take care of my back seat. Seon Taeyang.”
And I heard those words.
I instinctively hid my body, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.
The other person in the conversation was Cheon Jong-hoon, the chief producer of SS. I had never seen his face, but he was famous enough to recognize.
The topic of their conversation was a scout for Seon Taeyang.
Cheon Jong-hoon promised the best treatment and hoped that he would take the position of chief producer.
After he made his proposal and left, Seon Taeyang remained alone, seemingly deep in serious contemplation about the offer.
Even though the seat next to him was empty, I couldn’t approach as usual.
…Because I had no idea what to say.
In that moment, Cheon Aram appeared and said,
“I hope that Seon Taeyang, as a man, runs away.”
It was a statement I would have never expected from the company president.
She offered unwavering trust to the hesitant Seon Taeyang.
What he wanted to protect was that even if he ran away, he wouldn’t be blamed.
Seeing Seon Taeyang’s expression upon hearing that, I also realized what I needed to say to him.
After Cheon Aram left, I subtly approached him, who was left alone on the terrace.
Perhaps he had already noticed me, as he responded lightly while I tried to conceal my tension and said,
“Did you get a quest to go to SS?”
This was a leap I made based on the assumptions I had developed while watching that man for the past seven years.
Strange talents unfolding in every crisis, occasionally zoning out and seemingly ‘reading’ something in the air, the noticeable change in his behavior as if a guideline was suddenly established behind that reading gaze, and his unique reaction before displaying those strange talents while saying “Use.” The subtle differences in responses when hearing seemingly mundane words like quest, system, and rewards.
His subtle reactions were different.
I made a hypothesis amidst wild guesses and blurted it out.
If this hypothesis is wrong, I’ll just claim it was a joke while pretending to know everything, setting a trap for him to fall into.
“Yeah, the reward seems appropriate.”
And then he stepped into that trap.
“What is it?”
“Glasses that prevent others from recognizing me properly.”
“Perfect! It’s the ideal reward for getting used to things.”
“Right? It clearly looks like something meant to be used over there…”
His expression changed. He looked flustered as if his secrets had been revealed.
From that gaze, I was convinced.
It was certain. He really was dealing with the absurdity of a system.
Perhaps that quest was aimed at his success.
His movements after reading the letters in the air were structured in that way.
Moreover, there was a reward for those actions, and when he said ‘use,’ it likely imposed a special ability for a limited time.
That man should follow it. That would be the best course for him.
What I needed to do was persuade him based on that.
Following Cheon Jong-hoon right now was truly the way to help Seon Taeyang.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to accept the quest?”
But…
The moment I recognized that the system truly existed, I realized that the assumptions I had been guessing were also true.
That man could enjoy that nonsensical miracle all by himself, yet the fact was, he had never used those ‘rewards’ for his own sake even once.
He had always used that miracle solely for the sake of others, including me.
Tears flowed.
“That’s the best Taeyang can do. So why are you hesitating… why are you thinking so much?”
Acting was my only skill.
At least, I’ve never lost control of this mask on the surface.
I couldn’t hold back the tears.
“Ugh… It’s obvious, right? If everyone has such things, they’d obviously think of themselves first. Why be so foolish… ugh.”
That man’s foolishness, his stupidity, burrowed so deeply into me that I understood all his feelings and thoughts…
I couldn’t hold back the tears.
I needed to persuade him, but I also had to stop that man from taking on everything. My words stumbled, torn by tears as they spilled out like babbling.
Seon Taeyang embraced me.
And said,
“I’ve been found out… how embarrassing.”
“… Ugh, if that’s the case, instead of being an idol manager and cleaning up after others, you should be a conglomerate or go into politics, or do something to live well! Ugh, sob.”
“Shouldn’t I have become a chaebol or gone into politics or done something to live well? Ugh, sigh.”
“Well, this is the life I wanted.”
“Why are people so stupid?”
“Haha, then since I’ve been found out, should I be a little more honest?”
He gently stroked my hair and said.
“My parents died because of me.”
“….”
My heart thudded.
“My parents wanted me to be a good kid, one who cares for others. But I was too young to understand that and lived foolishly. So they promised me that if I behaved well, they’d buy me the toys I wanted. I wanted that so badly that I picked up trash and followed the orphanage around, doing all sorts of good deeds. All for the toys.”
With a face full of regret and bitterness, he spoke in a weary tone.
“And so they bought me the toy I wished for, but it was a little different from what I wanted. I foolishly threw a tantrum, saying, ‘I’m a good kid, so I deserve proper rewards.’ Hearing that, my parents laughed and set off late at night to exchange it for the toy I really wanted. That was the last time I saw them… They got into a car accident.”
I hesitantly spoke up.
“That’s… that’s not Taeyang’s fault, right? How could something like that be blamed on him?”
“Well… I can see how you might think that, but back then, I couldn’t think that way; I felt like being a good kid was a given, and wanting a reward for something like a toy made me a bad kid who deserved to be punished.”
“…So you’re living like this now? Acting like you need nothing, taking responsibility for everything without taking any rewards?”
“Yeah, I’ve had that compulsion. So it started similarly, but now it’s different.”
“What’s different?”
“Now I’m receiving rewards. From you, Gyeoul, Gaeul, Yeoreum, and everyone in TwoBear.”
“…What have we given to Taeyang?”
“You’ve given me the chance to love.”
“…”
With a smile warm enough to melt even spring, he said.
“I’ve learned that the love I hold and give can make someone happy… And because of that, I’ve found happiness.”
“….”
Looking at his face, I couldn’t help but speak.
“When I was young, I had a dog. It was quite a big dog. I think it was some kind of hunting dog. My mother really liked it.”
Feeling his hand brushing through my hair, I pulled up a memory from the depths of my mind.
“One day, that dog was looking at my mother. But something was off. It had its eyes wide open, showing the whites all around while its pupils were tiny. According to what I read in a book, it seemed like a symptom called ‘pointer.’ It’s a sign before a hunt. The dog kept licking its nose and was about to pounce on my mother, baring its teeth. …At that moment, I stabbed the dog’s neck with the scissors I was holding.”
“….”
“And my mother, seeing that, screamed and said to me, ‘You monster of a child.’”
That past felt so cheap and disgusting I couldn’t bear to look at Seon Taeyang’s face.
So, with my head down, I said, “Honestly, I was probably mistaken. Why would a dog that was well-taken care of suddenly turn on its owner? It followed my mother so devotedly. And to stab it with scissors just because it acted that way in an instant? How disgusting and chilling is that? Of course, I’d be called a monster…”
“Yuri.”
I lifted my head.
And looked at his face.
Seon Taeyang was crying.
The one who used to laugh through countless pains and obstacles now looked deeply hurt by what I said.
He held me tightly and said, “You’re a good kid.”
“…”
“Even if you can’t empathize, or rather because you can’t, you’re truly a good kid.”
Tears streaming down touched me.
And I realized.
As Seon Taeyang was digging into my mind like a wave, Oh Yoori was doing the same.
“So please don’t hate yourself. …It’s okay for you to be happy.”
“…”
With an awkward posture, I embraced Taeyang tightly.
With all my strength, with all my might.
Feeling the warmth in his embrace, I prayed silently.
…Ah,
…Ahh,
Please, please, I beg you.
Whether it’s a god, a demon, or a system, I don’t care, just please make that person happy.
Take everything I have if you need to, just please… make that kind person happy.
In his arms, I kept praying and begging.
Even though I rationally knew such prayers had no effect at all.
Not knowing how to make him happy, nor having the ability to do so, I could only desperately plead.
Through the night, continuously.
*
The next day, Seon Taeyang held a press conference.
“…”
And as always, he chose to bear everything on his shoulders.