Kim Dusik’s mouth was bone-dry.
After Harin’s news aired, every person he encountered at the office mentioned they were looking forward to the follow-up report.
“Fuck.”
He couldn’t get in touch with No Seungsik, whom he had intended to use as his lackey.
Since the man had betrayed him anyway, he wouldn’t have used him again, but he couldn’t just let this slide. However, there was a mountain far larger than No Seungsik standing in his way.
— Rrrrrrrr.
— Rrrrrrrr.
— Rrrrrrrr.
The phone of CEO Choi of SOME Entertainment rang incessantly.
It was all because of Lee Hyeonwook; everything had been ruined.
CEO Choi had lost Harin, and now he was the one being cut loose as the fall guy.
[I will handle this. First, I’ll report the loan sharks to put out the immediate fire. I would appreciate it if you could tell me who you assigned the work to. I will repay this favor manifold later.]
Instead of answering CEO Choi’s call, which would only result in him being cursed at, he sent a text.
It was better to publish a follow-up report, solidify his position within the company, and keep an eye out for the next opportunity regarding Harin.
“Anchor. What’s the reporting route for today?”
For now, he had been assigned a camera journalist.
Therefore, he had to at least pretend to be out in the field.
It would have been a simple matter if CEO Choi had just provided the information, but there was no response.
Strangely, after he sent the text, the calls stopped as well.
He was curious about the situation, but he decided to ignore it.
The priority was to resolve at least one thing.
“Today, I’ll go first…”
He tried to brush the camera journalist off with a vague excuse.
— Ding!
But then, a notification sounded, signaling an email had arrived on his computer.
His gaze naturally drifted toward it, and he saw a subject line that immediately gripped his attention.
[I have met the ponytail loan shark.]
It was a tip-off email!
— I am currently at an officetel in Gangnam, Seoul. I came here personally after receiving a tip that the loan shark who threatened Harin, as reported by our news team recently, uses this place as an office.
On the news screen, Kim Dusik was walking down the hallway of a dim building, exuding an air of urgency.
The camera following him revealed an absurd sight as the door to a seemingly ordinary office opened.
— Rrrrrrrr.
— Congratulations. You have passed the interview. I’m calling to provide employment guidance. To sign the employment contract, we need your ID and a copy of your bankbook…
Dozens of people were huddled together, creating a cacophony of sounds like the one above.
To anyone, it looked like a voice phishing office.
— Who the hell are you people?
A man with a menacing expression approached the suddenly opened door.
— We are from the KCN news team.
Kim Dusik appeared confident on screen. As several more menacing-looking men appeared, the police accompanying the reporting team began to suppress the scene.
— They said they were hiring full-time staff for a logistics center. I had an interview and got a call saying I passed. They asked for my ID and a copy of the bankbook where I’d receive my salary, so I gave them. Then suddenly, my account was frozen. It turned out it was being used as a dummy account for voice phishing.
A male informant in his mid-twenties said he had staked out the place alone, unable to even report it to the police.
He had been terrified because he was already implicated in a crime and judged that he wouldn’t be able to get help from the police.
After several days of staking it out, he met the man with the ponytail, but he had just been assaulted when he tried to confront him.
As the victim’s interview ended, the screen zoomed in on numerous IDs and bankbook copies scattered across several desks.
— As you can see, there are countless IDs and bankbook copies here.
Upon verification, it was revealed that they were not only used for dummy account crimes but also for taking out illegal loans using the IDs and bankbook copies. The police investigation has begun, and it seems only a matter of time before the ponytail man, who approached Harin’s parents, is captured.
On the screen, the police were moving in an orderly fashion.
Kim Dusik’s voice continued to flow.
He mentioned that victims of their crimes were continuing to emerge and that the damages were estimated to reach billions of won.
And then, he delivered the most important comment regarding Harin.
— It appears that handing 100 million won to Harin’s parents and applying absurdly high interest rates for illegal collection was the method used by this gang. Those who have suffered similar damages are encouraged to report it to the National Police Agency’s Cyber Bureau or the Financial Supervisory Service call center. This has been Kim Dusik of KCN News, reporting from the scene of an illegal voice phishing operation that brings tears to job seekers.
Kim Dusik looked with satisfaction at the screen in the news studio showing his on-site reporting.
He believed that with this, he had not only put out the immediate fire but also cleared the suspicion that SOME Entertainment had manipulated Harin.
Now, he planned to contact CEO Choi and discuss an opportunity to link up with Harin again.
— Thump!
However, a man watching Kim Dusik’s news live threw his remote control.
His eyes, sitting in the seat of honor on the sofa, were filled with rage.
“What the fuck is this nonsense?”
The ponytail man sitting nearby bowed his head.
— I am truly sorry, Assemblyman.
“You couldn’t even handle something this small cleanly, and you let things get to this point?”
“…I’m sorry.”
A slap flew with fire in the eyes, and the ponytail man’s response was delayed.
It was a job that simply required delivering 100 million won to Harin’s clueless parents.
He had been told that Harin would crumble quickly with just a few texts and calls. That’s why he hadn’t even assigned the kids to it.
Yet, that “easy” job had now fallen apart like this.
To think he would actually meet Harin’s parents.
To think Harin’s parents would mention him.
“Cut your hair immediately.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“And bring me a plan immediately on how you’ll resolve the losses from that office.”
“I understand.”
Jin Woo-il was still not appeased.
His source of funding had vanished just like that.
The money coming out of that officetel played a very large role in his activities as a member of the National Assembly.
It was also money that would play a huge role in the future he dreamed of.
Jin Woo-il made a phone call.
He believed that Kim Dusik, who had received favors from him only to stab him in the back, could not be left alone.
“Oh, Director. It’s been a while.”
It was the Director of the KCN News Bureau.
Since Jin Woo-il was the one who had pushed Kim Dusik to become an anchor, he was essentially tying up the loose ends he had created.
“I’ve become quite troubled after watching the news today. Yes, yes. I’m sure you have. But that’s your situation; it’s not something you need to explain to me.”
Jin Woo-il’s voice gradually turned cold.
“I won’t make this long. If you’ve made a mistake, you must take responsibility, right? I’ll be counting on you, Director.”
Without even listening to the other person’s response, Jin Woo-il hung up immediately.
As soon as he hung up, the phone rang.
Thinking the Director was calling back, Jin Woo-il looked at his phone with a scowl, but his expression suddenly turned pale.
“Yes, CEO. I’ve taken the call.”
His demeanor was completely different from the arrogance he had shown until now.
“Yes. Yes… Yes. I will handle it.”
After hanging up, Jin Woo-il let out a deep sigh.
“The CEO… says to handle it.”
“…!”
The ponytail man’s face stiffened.
“There must be no mistakes this time if you want to live and I want to live. Keep that in mind.”
“…Yes. I understand.”
[1st Fan Meeting of the Association of People Who Love Reporter Lee Hyeonwook]
A banner was hung on one wall of Mrs. Kim Hyeonja and Mrs. Lee Yang-ju’s <Jaju Cafe>.
They said the name <Jaju Cafe> was created by taking the last characters of ‘Kim Hyeonja’ and ‘Lee Yang-ju.’
“It also means that people of our age should learn what needs to be learned and live independently. Hohoho.”
Mrs. Lee Yang-ju smiled brightly as she was the first to tell me, the investor, the name of the cafe.
It felt like only yesterday that I had handed over the investment funds, but the drive these two showed—from finding a space and putting up the sign to finishing the interior and starting business—was beyond imagination.
Entering <Jaju Cafe>, which was closed for the day, I saw Jeong Eunwoo and Ju Myeongjin blowing up balloons under the banner.
Seo Suyeon was arranging chairs for the fans to sit in.
“Oh my, our investor is here!”
Mrs. Kim Hyeonja greeted me.
Since we had become quite close, I had asked her to please speak comfortably with me, and she had finally started doing so.
The people who had arrived first also said a word to me.
“Hyung!”
“Our Lee Star! I’ve lived long enough to see a broadcast reporter’s fan meeting.”
He was right.
Maybe for an announcer, but a fan meeting for a broadcast reporter?
It wasn’t just a matter of living long enough to see it; it was a matter of needing to be born again to see it.
Recently, Seo Suyeon had reported a news story about elderly people coming to <Jaju Cafe> to learn how to use smartphones.
She focused on how local commercial districts could contribute to community culture, and the response had been very positive.
“Hyeonwook, you’re here early.”
Go Hakjun also rushed in.
Lately, Go Hakjun had been busy handling the follow-up reports on Harin.
The disbandment of Luna Prism and Harin’s new start had all come through Go Hakjun’s exclusive articles.
The contract between Harin and the star composer K was enough to send a fresh shock through the music industry.
.
.
.
“It’s so delicious.”
“I had no idea black sesame tasted this good.”
“I guess I have a grandmother’s palate.”
As the owners of <Jaju Cafe> brought out sweet potato lattes, black sesame shaved ice, and black sesame waffles, the atmosphere of the fan meeting—with about twenty people—ripened.
As expected, the combination of delicious food and good people was always right.
In truth, this fan meeting was absolutely not my will. It came about because someone I absolutely had to express my gratitude to insisted that it had to be a fan meeting.
“You’re Ju-young, the one who reported the job scam voice phishing, right? I don’t know how to thank you enough.”
“I had reported it to Reporter Lee Hyeonwook, so I was surprised when you asked me to report it to Anchor Kim Dusik instead.”
“That’s a long story, but anyway, thanks to you, Ju-young, it was resolved well.”
“Even though I was blurred out, I actually appeared on TV. Even if it was just as a victim interview.”
The timing of Ju-young reporting the ponytail man to the fan cafe was truly a godsend.
Thanks to that, Lee Hyeonwook was able to push Kim Dusik further into a corner.
“I think your case will be resolved well too, Ju-young. I heard it was sent to the prosecution, so let’s wait for the result together.”
“Yes. I’ll trust you, Reporter. And thank you for the fan meeting. Hehe.”
Although it was Ju-young’s strong request, if I had to hold a fan meeting anyway, I wanted to invite them to <Jaju Cafe> and treat them.
I just thought about eating delicious food with people who viewed my news favorably.
I eventually gave up on that, however, because K absolutely refused to compromise on the banner.
Standing under that problematic banner, people spoke one by one.
“I decided to report after watching Reporter Lee Hyeonwook’s news. I was certain he wasn’t a ‘trash-porter.’ In fact, what I reported was that Machine Church incident.”
Eunwoo, the term ‘trash-porter’ is a bit…
With reactions like “Ah,” “Oh my,” and “Wow,” Eunwoo spoke excitedly.
After Eunwoo’s speech, people stood under the banner in turn and told me about times they cried while watching my news, moments they felt comforted, and experiences that felt as refreshing as drinking a cold soda.
Ah… tears… please!
Could there be any greater reward for reporting the news than this?
It was a time of happiness so unbelievable that it brought tears to my eyes.
Later, when K, Harin, and Manager Kim Seokcheol arrived, it was practically a mini-concert venue.
“I came to Reporter Lee Hyeonwook’s fan meeting, but I think I’m about to join Harin’s fan cafe.”
“This is my first time seeing a celebrity in person. How can she be this beautiful and have a voice like an angel?”
It was while everyone was laughing like that.
Suddenly, notification sounds rang simultaneously from my phone, Seo Suyeon’s, Go Hakjun’s, and Ju Myeongjin’s.
It was a breaking news text from the company.
[SOME Entertainment CEO Choi Jinhyuk deceased, handwritten suicide note found.]
I wonder why.
The moment I checked that text, my gaze naturally drifted toward Eunwoo.
Leave a Reply