I Became the Eldest Daughter of 10 Siblings - Chapter 102

The ringtone like gunfire filled the room.

The men, instinctively sensing that something had gone wrong, did not answer their phones.

No, they couldn't answer.

Silence circled the room, leaving a chilly trace. No one dared to speak easily. Anxious glances mixed wildly.

And after wandering for a while, those gazes stuck to one man.

It was Yeon Sangho.

He was trying to maintain a nonchalant expression, but his physical reactions were honest.

His palms were already drenched in sweat, and his lips were cracked like a year of famine.

Yeon Sangho painfully swallowed a saliva ball as round as a steel ball. Then he slowly began to read the article.

The front page of the newspaper, called the face of the media.

Usually, it would feature major national matters like politics or economics.

But today was different.

It was all about him.

[Exclusive] Korean Entertainment Cartel... Unprecedented Idol Gate

[Exclusive] Yeon Sangho and His Group Took Hidden Camera Videos and Sent Them to KakaoTalk Chat Room.. Over 10 Victims

[Exclusive] "Who is it?" "I met her today" Even Broadcasted While Sharing Sex Videos

[Exclusive] Supernova's Yeon Sangho Suspected of Providing Sexual Entertainment to Southeast Asian Investors

[Exclusive] They Even Dabbled in Drugs, 'From Bad to Worse'

-Yesterday afternoon, this newspaper obtained a USB containing group chat conversations and video files in strict confidentiality, confirming that singer Yeon Sangho (33) and four acquaintances shared illegally filmed videos in an SNS group chat room.

-This data, in Excel file format, contained all the conversations Yeon Sangho had with his acquaintances. Yeon Sangho's group chat included a total of 5 people including singer Jeon Gwangmin, CEO Yu of Seongnam Holdings, an entertainment agency employee, and...

(▼ Conversation reconstructed by Gukson Ilbo from the group chat.)

[Yeon Sangho: Had a one-night stand with X]

[Yeon Sangho: (video)]

[Yeon Sangho: (photo)]

[Yeon Sangho: She passed out drunk lol]

[Jeon Gwangmin: Oh, killer]

[Jeon Gwangmin: But it's too short ㅡㅡ]

[Mr. Yu: She's a total slut lol]

[Yeon Sangho: As long as it's tasty]

[Mr. Yu: (video)]

[Mr. Yu: Gwangmin-ah, heal with mine]

[Jeon Gwangmin: Wow lol]

[.....]

[.....]

-Reporter Nam Euibeom (southerntiger.co.ks)

A drop of cold sweat fell from his forehead onto the phone screen. The transparent sweat drop felt as eerie as a blood drop.

Yeon Sangho's hand trembled finely.

Normally, he would have laughed it off as reporters' wild swing, but this time he couldn't.

The same tone. Clear evidence.

Because they had recreated their chat history like a photocopy in Photoshop.

It wasn't a wild swing cutting through the air, but a home run that would become the signal flare of his downfall.

"...Huh?"

Yeon Sangho, having grasped the entire situation, let out a short sigh.

In contrast to the noisy music outside, the room became as quiet as a temple.

They couldn't hear the music outside the door, let alone their own breathing.

Everyone was keeping their lips tightly shut, but inside they were all thinking the same thing.

Ah, we've been caught.

Ah, it's finally come.

Ah, we're all fucked.

They all slumped in their seats and let out groans through their dry throats.

Then, Jeon Gwangmin broke the silence.

"Aaargh, shit, really!"

A scream-like shout.

Jeon Gwangmin flipped over the birthday cake and demanded from Yeon Sangho.

"Hey, hyung! You said it was news to you? You said it didn't matter? You said it was okay! But what the fuck is this?"

No response.

Yeon Sangho, his lips tightly sealed, just stared blankly at his phone.

Jeon Gwangmin stomped the floor roughly with his shoe.

"Gukson Ilbo got their hands on a USB, they say. What does that mean? It means that when you had friction with Han Yujin at the party a few days ago, your phone got broken like an idiot, and things have come to this point!"

Then, the men beside him opened their mouths with pale expressions.

"Is that really what happened?"

"Sangho hyung, really... Ah."

"We're all about to cross the Jordan River because of Yeon Sangho, shit."

Before they knew it, the room had become a crucible of fear.

It was a natural progression. None of them had ever thought about the consequences.

Jeon Gwangmin downed the whiskey in his glass in one shot. Then he glared straight at Yeon Sangho and threatened.

"Ah, fuck it, I don't care. If police investigations or prosecutor investigations come in, I'm not dying alone. This happened because of you, so you take responsibility and clean it up, whether you become the chief mourner or a corpse."

Then he looked at the men and said,

"You're all pissed off like me, right? To be honest, if this hyung hadn't been caught with weed, we could have avoided catastrophe, right!"

"......"

"...That's true."

The men cleared their throats, looking around cautiously.

It was essentially agreement disguised as silence.

"How many people are getting fucked because of this hyung, shit, it's so annoying!"

Jeon Gwangmin irritably opened the door and left. The men who had been watching from the middle followed Jeon Gwangmin out.

Silence flowed again.

An empty room.

In it, Yeon Sangho ran his hand through his hair and sank quietly into contemplation.

"...How did I end up like this."

At first, it was the recklessness of being the youngest.

Because of his inferiority complex towards Kwon Juwon, the team's leader, Yeon Sangho stepped into business, selling his pride and smile.

The business thrived as if heaven and earth were helping. At the same time, his arrogance and standards rose together.

Each time, acquaintances gave worried advice, but he didn't listen and let it slide.

That's how he started crossing lines, one by one.

Filming and drugs. Corruption and violence.

Every time he crossed a line, it felt so thrilling, like drinking carbonated water, that he couldn't stop.

And only now did he realize.

That he was standing on the edge of a cliff.

The image of himself in prison uniform rose like a mirage in his mind.

Yeon Sangho called Kwak Yunseop, the CEO of his agency, in an attempt to survive somehow. He firmly believed that Kwak Yunseop, who had taken care of him since he was young, would surely save him.

"Please, please..."

The dial tone painfully stabbed Yeon Sangho's ears.

With a click, a middle-aged voice was heard.

-Oh, what?

Hearing the voice like a lifeline, Yeon Sangho felt relieved like a child.

"C-CEO!"

-Speak.

It wasn't the usual gentle tone. The voice, imbued with ice shards, was low and hard.

"Did you see what broke on Gukson Ilbo just now?"

-Of course I saw.

Yeon Sangho pleaded, on the verge of tears.

"Please help me just this once, CEO, please. If you help me just this once, I'll..."

-Sangho-ya.

"Yes, CEO..."

A flat response came back.

-I'm the type to use things for a long time without minor repairs. Whether it's objects or people.

"I know. I know too well. That's why you've used someone like me for so long."

-Yes, that's right. But I think it's time to replace you because your expiration date is over.

"What do you,"

Yeon Sangho paused for a moment and changed his question.

"...Who are you replacing me with?"

-Who else would it be?

Kwak Yunseop laughed through his nose.

-The kids we've been ambitiously preparing this time, of course.

"...Han Yujin's sister?"

-Yes. Han Sejin.

"So you're saying you're going to throw me out and replace me with a complete rookie?"

-There's nothing wrong with that. That's how this industry cycle works. You were like that too.

Yeon Sangho bit his lower lip.

Although they say the entertainment industry is quick to rise and fall like smoke, it was unpleasant that a green rookie was replacing him.

And if that rookie was Han Yujin's sister, it was even more displeasing.

A dry laugh was heard from the receiver.

-And how am I supposed to cover this up? Even if I made the whole nation blind and deaf, it wouldn't work for something this size.

It was certainly true.

Other media outlets must have already taken the bait. They would be pouring out abuse articles like cell proliferation, rewriting Gukson Ilbo's scoop, and internet communities must be in an uproar.

-I clearly told you to stop there. You let it in one ear and out the other, and now you've dug your own grave.

"Yes, you're right. It's all because I'm incompetent. So please, if you help me just this once..."

-Help you?

"Yes..."

-Alright. I'll tell you step by step what you need to do from now on.

Yeon Sangho held his breath and listened.

-First, you'll receive a contract termination notice and a content-certified mail. Don't think about using any petty tricks, just sign it.

"Wait a minute. Is this..."

-You've filmed a lot of commercials and variety shows, right? The penalty fees attached to your tail are too big in scale. There'll be a lot coming out of your account, so brace yourself. Think of it as vomiting everything you've earned so far.

"...No, no. I don't understand what you're saying, CEO."

-Why do you keep asking when you clearly heard? I'm helping you right now. If not that, do you not understand Korean?

"No, that's not it, CEO!"

-Shut up, you trash!

A hot voice that seemed to set his ears on fire scorched Yeon Sangho's ears.

Flustered, Yeon Sangho stuttered and couldn't continue speaking. It was the first time since his debut that he had heard Kwak Yunseop swear.

To the rigid Yeon Sangho, Kwak Yunseop finally drove in the last nail.

-...Pathetic bastard.

The call ended mercilessly.

Kwak Yunseop's last words rippled like an echo.

Pathetic bastard. Pathetic bastard.

Yeon Sangho slumped helplessly onto the cold marble floor. His pupils trembled uncontrollably in despair, unable to find their bearings.

Now he had no strength left to tear at his hair, no will to bite his nails.

Only after laying his cheek on the cold floor did he finally realize.

That he had ended up like Gatsby in the novel.

"Aaaaargh! Fuck!"

As he let out a single curse,

The phone screen lit up.

Yeon Sangho checked the name on the screen with a dazed expression.

[Caller ID Restricted]

He pressed the call button firmly with his sweaty finger.

"...Hello."

An awkward silence spread.

"...Who is this?"

-......Heh.

A faint sneer. And immediately a voice followed.

-Hello?

As soon as he heard it, chills ran down Yeon Sangho's spine.

A voice beautiful like jade beads, yet eerie at the same time.

It was Han Yujin, whom he had wanted so badly.

-I thought it would be hard to call because reporters must be burning up your phone, but this is working.

"Where are you now? Let's meet."

Yeon Sangho got up abruptly and said, looking at the shopping bag thrown on the sofa.

"I bought a necklace to give you too. So let's meet and talk first, okay?"

-Did you receive my gift well?

"What? What gift?"

-That's strange. It should have arrived properly.

"No, what gift are you talking about!"

Irritation seeped into Yeon Sangho's voice.

A gleeful voice was heard again.

-What else could it be. The front page of Gukson Ilbo.

"Hey, hey, you... What are you saying?"

-The article that just came out. That's my work.

Scattered thoughts flashed by like a kaleidoscope.

Why Han Yujin suddenly broke his phone at the party.

Why Han Yujin was smiling in the waiting room at the commercial shoot.

Why she brought up The Great Gatsby story.

Why...

She was so confident all along.

As suspicion turned into certainty, anger welled up and burst from Yeon Sangho's mouth.

"Hey, you fucking bitch!"

He spat out every curse he could think of, wringing his brain.

However, an indifferent response came back.

-Are you done?

"...What?"

-It seems like we'll never talk like this again, so if you have any curses left, say them now. You won't be able to later even if you want to.

A subdued tone continued.

-The police's special investigation unit has probably already started an internal investigation. You won't be able to run away because a travel ban will be issued soon. An arrest warrant will be issued within a week. You'll be arrested in handcuffs, you know.

"Shut up."

-The illegal filming victims will file a class action lawsuit, your club will close, advertisers will demand astronomical penalty fees. KG Entertainment, which was your nest, will also demand damages for breach of exclusive contract... What else is there?

"I said shut your trap."

-Ah right. Your underlings will probably throw your name out first to reduce their sentences. After all, the Yeon Sangho meat chunk looks the most delicious.

"You crazy bitch, really!"

An annoying laugh leaked from the speaker.

-Shall I guess how long your sentence will be?

"Bitch, didn't I tell you to shut up?"

-Bitch? That's not bad.

A cold, metallic voice swept over Yeon Sangho's entire body.

-I'm guessing 10 years. Reflect deeply while rotting in prison for a long, long time.

"What? Hey, hey, wait a minute!"

The call ended weakly.

Yeon Sangho's legs gave out and he collapsed, clutching his head.

"Ah, fuck..."

It felt like Han Yujin's sneer was buzzing in his ears for a long time. And hot tears slid down his cheeks.

"Huu... sniff..."

The only thing he could do was cry out loud.

After hanging up the phone, I had that thought.

That I've become a bit cruel.

It was an action I didn't need to take. Yeon Sangho was already crumbling.

But I deliberately called to set fire and confirmed the kill while hearing his clearly sobbing voice. Like a shark drawn to the smell of blood.

How should I take this?

Should I say that something inside my heart is slowly breaking down, or that I've perfectly adapted to the law of the jungle where you bite or get bitten?

"...Achoo!"

With one sneeze, my thoughts melted away like snow.

Well, yeah...

To survive in a turbid world, you need to become a person with strong endurance.

If you're too honest, you'll be weeded out in the survival competition.

When I was a man, what was I like?

An only son, monopolizing my parents' love, living contentedly with a modest life.

Suddenly I remember when I first became a woman.

On my birthday. When I looked in the mirror, I met eyes with the woman I had become, and when I came to my senses, I had 9 dependents.

So without even time to be dazed, let alone celebrate my birthday, I instinctively went to the factory and worked hard to earn money.

...I cried a lot back then.

Sniffling while looking in the mirror. Sobbing in bed. Crying while resenting the world.

But now it's different. Because I've struggled like a loach to climb up from polluted water to first-grade water to protect my siblings.

"Ugh, it's cold."

The chilly dawn wind tousled my hair. The biting cold of December settled heavily on the balcony.

3 AM.

Seoul's night view spread out before my eyes.

Quiet roads. Yellow streetlights. Silent night sky. Empty bus stops.

It was quite a sight to behold.

I could also clearly see Gangnam's neon signs screaming various pleasures.

Yeon Sangho must be crying over there.

He's probably pounding the ground and regretting.

Thinking that, the night view looked dazzlingly brilliant.

I took a deep breath. It felt like the heat in my stomach was cooling down.

A puff of misty breath floated like cigarette smoke, then disappeared into thin air.

"I'll catch a cold."

I left the balcony and returned to the room.

And I immediately flopped onto the bed sheets like a bear going into hibernation.

As soon as I lay down, sleepiness poured down like a shower. Both my body and mind were exhausted from running around frantically until now.

Ah, I'm tired. I'm so physically and mentally drained.

Will tomorrow be busy too?

...Of course it will be.

I've sent off Yeon Sangho, now what should I do?

Blink, blink. My eyelids are getting heavy.

For now, let's think after sleeping.

After sleeping just a little...