I Became the Eldest Daughter of 10 Siblings - Chapter 98
Han Yujin Risk, Idol Gate (6)The hand holding the chopsticks stops in mid-air.
I feel like my ears have been dirtied by hearing such filthy words. I want to wash my eardrums with saline solution right now.
Yeon Sangho being a big-hearted person...
This is the biggest bullshit I've heard this year.
I must have misheard, right?
It doesn't make sense.
It's too absurd for that bastard to be big-hearted, even if he might be small-minded.
No, you never know.
Maybe "big-hearted" means "big human excrement"?
...Of course, that's not it.
Then what is it?
Why is that trash being called big-hearted!
I turned on my phone and assessed the situation.
It started with a post uploaded yesterday.
[Title: Yeon Sangho just came to the ER;]
I'm a nurse working in the ER
For some reason, it was a white bed with no patients on Christmas Eve
So I was thinking this is great
When suddenly Yeon Sangho comes in carried by his manager
He was in a drunken state and said he was beaten by someone
His eyes were bruised, his lips were split..
Looks like something happened?
-No way this is just a rumor
└(Author) It's true though
-Seems likely to be true since he's such a ruffian
└(Author) For real
-Did he get a medical certificate?
└(Author) Yeah, when it came out as 2 weeks of treatment, the manager came and complained asking if it couldn't be 4 weeks lol
-It's probably 99% fake, but if what you're saying is true, there'll be an article soon, right?
└(Author) It'll definitely come out.. because it's a fact
And today.
While people were quietly buzzing about it in online communities,
Yeon Sangho turned on a live broadcast through a social platform exclusive to celebrities.
Under dim lighting.
When Yeon Sangho, who had been covering the camera, revealed his bare face and showed his injuries,
Fans were shocked and went wild.
What happened, is it special makeup, are you starting drama filming? Numerous questions rained down like arrows.
[It's not special makeup or filming. I heard rumors are already circulating in communities? That I was hit. Well, that's true.]
Yeon Sangho, wearing a sheep's disguise, answered with a seemingly relaxed expression.
And then he started mixing lies while playing the victim.
[I attended a private party yesterday, and there was a rookie model there who was very drunk.]
...Who was drunk?
You were the drunk one, you crazy bastard.
[That person suddenly started cursing and hit my face. Normally I would have dodged with my animal instincts, but I was in an unstable state then too, haha.]
The chat exploded after hearing Yeon Sangho's lies.
Domestic fans and international fans alike became Red Guards, ready to stab with bamboo spears.
In the end, the destination of the questions was one:
Who was the person who hit him?
[That person's name was Sung... what was it? Anyway, what I want to say is not that I'm going to sue that person or anything like that.]
Yeon Sangho smiled artificially while calming down the overheated chat atmosphere.
Then he holds up the injury medical certificate from the hospital in front of the camera.
[If I report this to the police, the person who hit me would surely be punished, right?]
And then suddenly...
He started tearing up the medical certificate.
Like an intentional performance.
[But I'm not going to report it. Everyone makes mistakes when they're young, right? Of course, I did too. I don't want to ruin a rookie model's future like this.]
"Crazy..."
Is this guy a sociopath?
How can he spout such hypocrisy without changing his expression at all?
From my perspective, knowing this man's dark true face, it gave me chills.
[Well then, Merry Christmas everyone!]
Yeon Sangho subtly promoted the product he was advertising and the variety show he was joining as a regular, then ended the broadcast.
The short 10-minute live broadcast became a clip and spread to all communities.
The reactions were all praise.
Saying he's a living bodhisattva, a cool big-hearted person, they thought he was a lying thug but he unexpectedly has a deep inner kindness...
The public seemed to have been completely fooled by Yeon Sangho's glib hypocrisy.
And the quick-acting online detective netizens searched intensively for who the rookie model was that assaulted Yeon Sangho.
Maybe because Sung Dojun's surname was unusual, or maybe because Yeon Sangho spread information through a back account, but netizens easily found Sung Dojun.
-Sung Dojun? They say it's this person?
-He's an unknown street model lol
-Does he have an agency?
└He's a college student model.
└I think I know why he hit him. Probably out of inferiority complex... too much to handle.
-He goes to a surprisingly good school though.
└So what, his personality is bad.
-If you caused trouble, shouldn't you go to hell, Dojun?
Everyone is tearing Sung Dojun apart to dust while even doing divination.
Somehow Yeon Sangho had become a righteous person who forgave his attacker, and Sung Dojun had become a trash personality with no consideration for others.
At the same time, as abusive articles poured out, the assault incident's scale kept growing.
[Yeon Sangho, "I'll forgive because I was like that too"]
[Yeon Sangho's touching forgiveness, giving up pride to gain public favor]
[Yeon Sangho confesses assault at private party.. Who is the rookie model?]
Media play like a slippery eel.
To be honest, he scored a hit.
Taking both the victim image and the big-hearted image at the same time, with subtle promotion as a bonus marketing effect.
As expected of an idol who's been in the entertainment industry for over 10 years, his skill at manipulating the public was a level above mine.
A dull heat tightens around my solar plexus.
The emotion that constricts my chest, which I've felt dozens of times since becoming a woman.
This feeling that I should be used to by now but still can't get close to.
Pressure.
Damn pressure...
As always, I comforted myself again.
It's okay, Yujin.
Everything will be fine. For sure.
At times like this, you need to be even more composed.
It's not like you haven't been through situations like this before, right?
Now, let's think.
The best move I can make right now.
What would that be?
...What else could it be.
The USB file containing Yeon Sangho and his gang's illegal filming, collusion with the police, and drug-related evidence.
No matter what tricks that bastard uses, with that, it's game over.
"I'll be right back!"
I said as I got up, but Hyun Junho firmly grabbed my wrist.
"Eat first."
"...Huh?"
"Whatever it is, finish eating before you go."
What's with this grandmotherly line, like serving a heaping bowl of rice when a country dog visits...
Hyun Junho's expression looked quite serious, so I sat back down.
Son Yena looked at me and spoke with difficulty.
"Unnie. I'm sorry."
"Why do you keep apologizing?"
"Aren't you angry because I teased you?"
"Not at all."
Hearing my answer, Son Yena sighed in relief, smoothing her chest.
"Your expression was so dark, I thought you were upset because of me."
"...It's not like that."
Looking at Hyun Junho and Son Yena, a refreshing smile burst from my mouth.
Right. Now I have people like this by my side. People who worry about me.
So don't take it too seriously and think and act like usual.
Like a lotus flower blooming in the mud.
I ate the noodles solemnly like combat rations, making that resolution.
I called Reporter Nam Euibeom right away.
After the dial tone, a heavy voice was heard quietly.
-Yes, Player Han Yujin.
"Did you secure the evidence?"
-Ah, about that...
Nam Euibeom's words trailed off.
I felt anxious.
-I'm trying, but it's not going well.
"Then I'll come there now."
-What? Ah, where I am is...
"No. I know where you are."
I took a taxi and went straight to where Nam Euibeom was.
"It's here!"
Nam Euibeom blinked his eyes looking at me.
He seemed to be wondering how I came when he didn't even tell me the location.
"Did you perhaps put a GPS on my phone? I didn't even tell you where..."
"Is there another phone restoration company operating on holidays besides this one?"
"...Ah."
In my past life, the Yeon Sangho incident also happened on a holiday.
Which means the forensic company in front of me now is the same as the one in my past life...
Nam Euibeom opened and closed his mouth, explaining the situation so far.
"This morning, Yeon Sangho's manager left the phone at this company. And three hours later, he came back to retrieve the phone."
That's not the important part.
The key was whether he obtained the phone restoration file that could be used as evidence for criminal punishment against Yeon Sangho.
Nam Euibeom, looking dejected, spoke in a voice crawling like a worm.
"I tried to reveal my identity to the owner and get the USB, but he consistently played dumb. From the atmosphere, it seemed like he had made a separate backup..."
Nam Euibeom grumbled while crunching the snow on the ground.
"At times like this, I wish the Good Samaritan law really existed. To punish those who don't cooperate with good deeds."
"We can't force that on the owner."
"I know that. How frustrated do you think I was to say this?"
"Anyway, I'll go in and try to persuade him myself."
"What, do you have a good method?"
...No?
I haven't thought of anything at all.
But I have to get it somehow.
Whether I have to stuff a wad of bills in the owner's mouth, or gag him.
By any means necessary, whatever it takes.
In a workroom filled with cigarette smoke.
A man with his face buried in his palms was deep in thought.
This morning.
An unidentifiable visitor came and requested phone restoration.
The man, who was a forensic operator, received the broken phone and started the restoration without any particular suspicion.
Due to the nature of forensic work, he had to see the contents inside to restore it.
And.
"What on earth..."
The man covered his mouth and turned pale seeing the contents stored in the memory.
A woman collapsed under the influence of drugs.
Men giggling as they undress that woman.
KakaoTalk conversations related to drugs.
Circumstances suggesting collusion with the police.
Like opening Pandora's box, horrific emotions enveloped the man's body.
The man guessed that the owner of this phone was the famous celebrity Yeon Sangho.
And he transferred all the KakaoTalk conversations, videos, and photo information in Yeon Sangho's phone to a USB. It was an instinctive action.
A little later.
"I'm Reporter Nam Euibeom."
A person who introduced himself as a social affairs reporter from Gukson Ilbo came and asked if he could get the restoration file.
After much deliberation, the man,
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
Played dumb.
Even though Nam Euibeom begged and pleaded several times, the man kept pretending not to know.
"I understand..."
After the reporter left, an uncomfortable heaviness settled in a corner of his heart.
He felt ashamed of himself.
He knew well that he should rightfully report it to the investigative authorities and severely punish these devil-like guys.
But...
What if something goes wrong?
He would become a shameless forensic operator who stole customer information.
Hadn't he already seen with his own eyes how close Yeon Sangho was with the police?
If things go wrong, he could become unemployed in an instant.
What conscience at my level? My livelihood and family are much more important.
This was too big of an issue for a common citizen to consider ethics and morality.
While he was immersed in self-loathing,
"Owner?"
A pure voice echoed from outside the workroom.
The man hurriedly put out his cigarette in the ashtray and rushed to the store, cramming on his shoes.
"Oh my, look at me."
He tried to joke while hiding his burning inner feelings.
In the store stood a young woman with a hat pulled down and her face covered by a mask.
Only her pale green eyes were visible, as if wrapped in bandages like a mummy, but her alluring beauty pierced through the mask.
The man asked, rubbing his hands.
"Yes, what brings you here...?"
The woman didn't answer and started scanning around with her eyes.
Looking at the man's family photo. Looking at the man's phone case.
And then a clear voice like silver bells flowed from behind the mask.
"You seem to be a HaYoo fan."
"...How did you know?"
To the man's question, the woman moved her lips and then answered.
"Your phone case is my merch... I mean, HaYoo merch, isn't it?"
"Ah, that's right!"
A familiar voice and tone.
The man tilted his head but then denied it inwardly.
That can't be. There's no way Han Yujin would come here on Christmas.
"Haha. You know well. My daughter is a huge HaYoo fan, so I watched along and found her unexpectedly genuine."
"Ah, I see."
The woman leaned on the glass display case and whispered softly.
"I'd like to do some restoration too."
"What kind?"
"My lips."
"...Pardon?"
The woman slowly took off her mask.
The face I had suspected was revealed.
Though her makeup was light, her face was as clear as if every eyebrow hair had been meticulously drawn.
It was Han Yujin.
"Oh my!"
"Hello, owner."
The man couldn't hide his smile.
Working hard even on Christmas brings such gifts, I see.
"Oh, ah, hello. No, what brings Han Yujin here? And why are your lips like that..."
When the man asked, Han Yujin smiled brightly and said.
"I was hit by someone."
"That crazy... What a jerk!"
"Would you like to scold him for me?"
"Who is it?"
"Yeon Sangho."
Yeon Sangho.
Hearing that name, the man's heart sank.
He naturally understood why Han Yujin had come to his store on Christmas.
She came to receive it. The USB.
"Owner. I'm not good at expressing things indirectly because it doesn't suit my personality."
"...I know. I've watched Han Yujin's broadcasts so many times."
"Yes, so I'll tell you honestly."
Han Yujin closed her calm eyes deeply and then opened them, parting her lips.
"The Yeon Sangho phone restoration file... please hand it over to me."
"......"
Goosebumps rose like thorns along the man's spine.
But soon he shook his head with a bitter smile on his lips.
"I'm a family man. If something goes wrong and I can't do this work anymore, my whole family will be out on the streets right away."
"That won't happen."
"No, it could! I took a peek, and this Yeon Sangho person seems to have close ties with the police."
"I know. That's why I'm going to blow it up in the media first and request an investigation from the prosecution. It's a kind of preemptive action, post-reporting."
Han Yujin's plan without any excess.
The man swallowed dry saliva.
It felt like moisture was evaporating from his brain and blood was drying up throughout his body.
Han Yujin gently caressed the man's family photo.
"Your daughter is very cute."
"Y-yes..."
"Like me."
"...I-is that so?"
And then she spoke quietly in a somewhat sad voice.
"Shouldn't we at least prevent your daughter from living in such a world?"
"Ah..."
The refined tone lingered in his ears, leaving no room for consideration.
"I can be certain that you will help me, owner."
"......"
"Because you're the kind of person who would."
The lump in his heart started to crack and shatter.
The man's tightly set lips melted softly.
"Oh my, well..."
With a faint smile as if admitting defeat to stubbornness, he handed the USB to Han Yujin.
"I give up."
But Han Yujin didn't take it and just fidgeted with her fingers.
The man pursed his lips and urged.
"Take it quickly. Before I change my mind."
"...Thank you."
Then Han Yujin took out her phone and called someone, then got the man's account number.
"Owner. Please check the deposit."
"What deposit?"
"You should receive payment for the USB."
The man blinked his eyes seeing the incoming deposit notification text.
"...What is this?"
"It's for your rights, owner."
The amount was too large to be called rights.
100 million won.
The man said, swallowing a warm breath.
"I'm not doing this for a large sum of money."
"No. You should claim your rights. I've given you twice the amount you would have received as a reward if you had made a public interest report. So please accept it."
As if certain that the man would have made a public interest report someday.
The man asked, bewildered.
"I'm really grateful, but... how are you so sure I would have done that?"
"Well..."
Han Yujin smiled warmly.
"Because you're my fan."
I handed the USB to Nam Euibeom.
"Reporter Nam. I'm counting on you."
"You worked hard, Player Han Yujin."
Nam Euibeom carefully receives the USB as if enshrining a sacred object.
"I'll hold onto this tightly like a lottery winning ticket and take it with me."
There's no need to go that far.
"But how did you get it?"
...How did I get it?
I was so nervous that my memory of just moments ago became hazy.
"I used feminine wiles, appealed to sympathy, gave money, did everything."
Of course, it wasn't me who paid the money, but my agent who secretly paid it.
Nam Euibeom stuck out his tongue and gave a thumbs up.
"Wow... This is amazing, really. It seems like Player Han Yujin has some kind of mystical energy. Like the whole universe's energy is helping by gathering all its strength."
Maybe that's really true.
I feel like I could win even if a dimensional gate suddenly opened in the sky and pink aliens appeared.
Nam Euibeom stretched out wide and checked the time.
"Alright. With this, I can upload it to CMS and publish it in tomorrow's morning newspaper."
"No. Tomorrow won't work."
I continued speaking.
"Please publish the article on the 27th, not the 26th."
"Why?"
"Yeon Sangho's penalty fees."
There's something entertainers fear more than ruining their work.
Penalties.
The astronomical cancellation fees ranging from at least 100 million won to several billion won.
"Yeon Sangho's coffee CF and the variety program he's joining as a regular are airing for the first time tomorrow."
"Ah, you want to make him pay the maximum penalty fee to inflict the greatest loss? Wow, Player Han Yujin, you're really scary."
Of course I have to do that!
How many victims has that bastard made.
I said, suppressing my anger.
"He's made so many people's hearts bleed tears, this is cheap compared to that."
"Then shall we set it for the 27th?"
"Yes, please do that."
Nam Euibeom checked the date and curled up the corners of his mouth widely.
"Haha. December 27th happens to be Yeon Sangho's birthday, right? Then that bastard will be born on his birthday and die on his birthday?"
"Oh, that's right."
A guy born in winter, debuted in winter, and finally ruined in winter.
...Interesting.
I wonder how he'll feel?
How it feels to be buried by me, who was born in spring and became a woman in spring.
I'll have to ask him tomorrow.
Coincidentally, tomorrow is the day I'm filming the public service announcement with Yeon Sangho.
And the morning after that.
When he reads the newspaper announcing his downfall to the world.
What expression will Yeon Sangho make?
Ugh, I'm dying of curiosity!
Whatever happens...
It will surely be the best Christmas present of my life.
Suppressing the laughter boiling up in my chest, I muttered to myself.
See you tomorrow, Yeon Sangho.
I'll watch your expression closely, not missing a single moment.