T/N: BONUS chapter because I finished my homework.
Half a day before the press conference.
“Are you really going to hold a press conference?”
“Yes. Please hurry and get it ready. Make it as grand as possible.”
“I can do it for you instead.”
“No. From here on, this is something I have to resolve myself.”
Hyunseung judged that, to make the most of the circumstances and testimony Kim Woohyun had uncovered, the best course was to hold an official press conference and bring everything into the open.
Right.
Doctored photos, articles spreading through unverified channels, and rumors swirling through the stock-market forums.
It might even be that the person who put him on the guillotine in his previous life was Hidden.
Even if the one who ruined him back then wasn’t Hidden, he was still going to hold the press conference.
From what he’d heard, it wasn’t just him; it sounded like quite a few composers had been pushed out that way.
Hidden needed to get a taste of it too.
No.
Either way, it was only getting back what he’d done. He’d never know how miserable it is to have no one believe you for something you didn’t do.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
Maybe it was thanks to “Dad Kim,” who kept patting his shoulder and murmuring.
“That kid didn’t do it.”
As the press conference neared, Hyunseung found his head lighter than expected and his breathing settling.
Step, step.
With each step toward the press room, it felt like old traumas were flaking off.
His stride felt noticeably lighter.
Even when countless flashes popped in his direction as he sat at the table draped in white cloth, he was fine.
“Hello. Thank you to all the reporters who came. I’m the composer HS.”
He dipped his head lightly, then adjusted the mic on the table up to his lips.
“The reason I suddenly decided to hold this press conference is….”
It was his first time stepping into someone else’s life to say what is or isn’t, but—
“I want to speak honestly about the unsavory things swirling around me lately.”
He had to.
“First, Jayble and I are absolutely not in a romantic relationship.”
And to keep there from being any more victims.
Click, click!
With the shutter sounds, a reporter spoke up.
“Then is the rumor that you’re homosexual true?”
“That is absolutely not true either. I’m just a very ordinary man who still carries his first love, a woman, in his heart.”
At that one line, the room began to stir.
At the keyword “first love,” the reporters smacked their lips with gleaming eyes like hyenas that had just found prey.
But since it was far off from the purpose of today’s press conference, none of them dared throw the question easily.
“I’ll take questions after I’ve said what I came to say.”
Seizing that opening, Hyunseung pressed on to make his position crystal clear.
“In short: the rumors about drugs, wild parties, being gay—all of it is false.”
The clatter of typing rose from all around.
“Believe it or not, that’s up to you and the public. But if a prosecutorial investigation is opened on the drug issue, I will cooperate fully.”
After letting his gaze sweep the room—
“And as for the story that I stole Hidden’s job….”
He added, with practiced pacing:
“Yes. I took it.”
A beat of silence.
Tap, tatatat—
The reporters’ fingers flew even faster across their keyboards.
“However, I did not set out to take it. When I heard that a song I composed had been selected as the main theme sample for that drama’s OST, I expressed that I wanted to work on it. After discussions with the people involved, I proceeded.”
He drew a breath and turned his head to the right, where Kim Woohyun was standing, watching him steadily.
As if to say:
“You’re doing well. I’m right here—don’t worry.”
“And from that point, the rumor mill started. As if on cue, every kind of rumor began to circulate, and doctored photos started appearing.”
Ending with a loaded line, he saw Gye Jinseong in the front row narrow his eyes and speak.
“Are you saying perhaps….”
Catching the baton, Hyunseung answered at once:
“At first, it was only circumstantial.”
Nothing gives trust like a person’s eyes.
Tok!
With resolute hands, Hyunseung tipped his visor lightly up.
At the same moment—
The reporters’ hands froze.
“That’s why I didn’t rush to respond. Not because it was true.”
As if their minds had shorted out, no one could even raise a camera.
“To trace the source of the rumor-mongering, we put together a legal team, and as a result, we found physical evidence.”
He tapped the stack of documents on the table with his long, slim fingers.
Only then did the reporters focus on what he was saying. This wasn’t some simple rumor.
“Yes. The person who fabricated and spread these absurd rumors was my senior, the composer Hidden.”
They instinctively understood that he wanted to bare the ugly truth and face of the music industry.
“I can’t say for certain why, but my judgment is that it was retaliation for losing the job.”
He cleared his throat and added:
“And to speak in defense of the recent Jayble incident, Jayble was probably one of the victims as well. His actions were likely a loss of temper that followed from that.”
Since the other victim, Jayble, wasn’t here, he had to avoid any word that could be misconstrued.
Carefully—again carefully—he chose each word.
“I’m not saying what Jayble did was right, but compared to the pain he must have endured, pouring water on someone’s head is, frankly, kid stuff.”
Unable to hold back any longer, the reporters who had been dutifully transcribing shot their hands up to win the floor.
“J—just a moment!”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“You say he’s one of the victims—so are you saying there are more people who were fabricated besides Mr. Jayble and you?”
“I can’t say that much for certain. But if you look closely at the composers who suddenly vanished under absurd rumors and tabloid slander, I expect you’ll confirm additional victims.”
“Can you disclose the circumstances or evidence that Hidden fabricated things?”
Hyunseung lowered his visor with a soft tak and spoke calmly.
“As much as I’d like to, I judged that revealing it here might undermine its credibility.”
“T—then—”
“I filed a complaint just before coming here. Once the investigation is complete, we’ll release the results through an official statement.”
Then, toward the murmuring room, he raised a hand and added:
“I’ll take official questions now.”
Hands shot up high from every direction, pleading eyes fixed on him.
Probably… among them were plenty who had copied those rumors straight into their articles.
“A bitter reality.”
Thinking that to himself, Hyunseung pointed to the reporter who was waving most desperately.
“So there’s absolutely no other relationship between you and Hidden?”
“None. We’ve never even met.”
In this life, he swallowed adding. If he didn’t want to look like a madman.
“Once the investigation into Hidden is over, what action will you take?”
“That won’t be up to me—it’ll be for the court to decide.”
“Is there anything you’d like to say to Hidden?”
“Mm….”
After a deep hum, he answered:
“I apologize for taking the job, but I want to make it clear it was simply an opportunity I earned with my skills.”
Folding his fingers together, he added:
“Ah—so please tell him this too: instead of scheming from the shadows, he’d be better served spending that time improving his craft.”
As if he’d said all he came to say, Hyunseung straightened his collar and rose.
At once, like kids at show-and-tell, reporters stretched their arms out and cried, “One moment! One last question!”
Step, step.
Tilting his head as if at a loss, Hyunseung pointed to the woman reporter whose plea looked the most earnest.
“I’ll take one last question.”
“Is there still no plan to reveal your face publicly going forward? Because people don’t know your face, when fake photos circulate they have no choice but to believe them.”
At her question, the room went so quiet it was as if time itself had stopped.
Scritch, scritch.
Hyunseung scratched the back of his head (the helmet), then:
“I’ll reveal it only for the fans who didn’t fall for those photos and believed in me.”
Leaving that behind, he exited with the staff.
After the press conference, Hyunseung took Kim Woohyun, Senior Managing Director Park, and the outside legal team’s Lee Eun-woo to his regular Korean restaurant, Son Su.
“What are you sneaking looks at like that?”
For a moment, Kim Woohyun kept cutting side-glances at the young waitress popping in and out with the appetizers.
“Huh? Oh, nothing.”
Caught by Hyunseung’s sharp eye.
“Fast. Everyone’s quick.”
Then, as if nothing had happened, he pulled out his phone to check the flood of real-time articles.
[ [Official] HS states his position at press conference: “None of it is true.” ]
[ Truth reversed—was it Hidden who fabricated the rumors about HS and Jayble? Says circumstantial evidence and proof secured…. ]
[ HS says he and Jayble were merely “victims” of Hidden’s game; expects there are many more victims…. ]
[ Composer HS files complaint against composer “Hidden” for defamation and spreading falsehoods ]
[ HS appears at presser wearing helmet—still no public reveal; says he’ll show his face “only to fans.” ]
↳ Geulseung: Wow, Hidden gives me chills—playing victim when he’s the perpetrator. Utterly gross;;
↳ Ain–writersaresocute: Don’t go far. It was filthy meeting you; let’s never see each other again. You piece of— (38 upvotes)
↳ Seunghyun: People like that should be kept from setting foot in society at all;
↳ Ahyeon: The real point of this presser is that HS said he’ll reveal his face only to fans.
↳ K: “The reason I held this press conference is that I think it’s time to reveal my face.” (35 upvotes)
Reading, a grin he couldn’t suppress smeared all over Kim Woohyun’s face.
No wonder.
Hyunseung’s complexion, which had grown so dark lately, was bright again; even if he pretended otherwise, he must have been worrying a lot.
Now that things were going smoothly, Division Head Kim couldn’t help but feel good.
“From here on, the legal team will handle everything.”
“You mean that person over there is going to handle everything, right?”
At Hyunseung’s question, Kim glanced at Lee Eun-woo beside him—who was shoveling down the pine-nut porridge appetizer—and shook his head.
“Mm… probably….”
Somehow reliable, somehow not.
“HS, isn’t that helmet stuffy? We keep client secrets to the grave. Feel free to take it off while you eat.”
“I’m fine. You’ve all worked hard; Counselor, please, eat your fill.”
Looking at the manic light in Eun-woo’s eyes, Hyunseung pressed his helmet down again, thinking life would get exhausting if you crossed a guy like that.
“But….”
After finishing his porridge, Senior Managing Director Park set down his spoon and spoke.
“The way you’re handling it is a bit lacking.”
At that, Eun-woo jerked his head up from the bowl he’d nearly buried his nose in.
“What do you mean?”
“That bastard Hidden’s got money. If he feels like it, he can put together a team from a big firm like Gaon—the usual defamation and false-statement stuff is nothing to wriggle out of.”
Waving a hand with a grin, he added:
“C’mon. If it were that trivial, I wouldn’t be in on it.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ll tie the rumor-pushing paper company to the Chinese subsidiary above it and strip every line of tax evasion he’s gotten away with.”
At that, Kim shot up, startled.
“What? That’s not what you said when you pried the testimony out of that guy!”
“Of course. Does anyone feel the same going into the bathroom to poop and coming out? Division Head, I didn’t take you for someone so pure.”
“…Huh.”
“Besides, Hidden isn’t the only perpetrator here, is he? Fair’s fair. Everyone should be punished.”
Sloppy as he seemed, he was meticulous.
Which was to say: good.
Kim had wanted to crush everyone who’d smeared Hyunseung—and this was “we’ll do it for you,” wasn’t it?
“We’ve already finished all our prep.”
And then wiping porridge from the corner of his mouth, Eun-woo added:
“So, yes. Hidden’s finished too.”
For the first time, Eun-woo looked truly dependable.
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