Eva’s tears lasted for quite a while.
But it was still better than pretending to be okay.
If you can’t cry, you can’t start to get better.
“Boss... thank you. And I’m sorry.”
I gently patted Eva as she choked on her sobs.
“It’s fine. It was the only right thing to do. Unless you betrayed , I would’ve gone to find you no matter where you were.”
“I was scared... I just wanted to die.”
Eva’s eyes flickered as if she didn’t know where to look.
The tears were starting to stop, but that wasn’t necessarily a good sign. Just thinking about what had happened was enough to make her tremble in fear.
“Eva, you’re in Korea now. No one can hurt you. Actually, I’ll make sure no one can touch you anywhere, ever again. Don’t be afraid.”
Only after a while did her trembling start to ease.
I pulled her hands away from her head and gently stroked her hair.
Eva flinched at my touch but didn’t pull away.
“Don’t think about anything. Just rest. Listen to the doctor and focus on getting better. That’s what matters now.”
Eva nodded silently.
“There are bodyguards outside. They’ll protect you. You’re safe.”
“Boss...”
“Stay strong, Eva.”
“Okay...”
“I’ll head out now. I hope you’re healthier the next ti we et.”
With that, I turned to leave.
“I’m counting on you.”
I gave the bodyguards one last firm instruction and exited the hospital.
In the car, I tried to sort out my thoughts.
‘If I want to protect my people, I need more power. More money.’
If I couldn’t even protect those I cared about, then all the money in °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° the world would be aningless.
The only reason I had no choice but to let i Hong live was because I was still too weak.
“Where to now?”
As I sat in the back seat without a word, Manager Ma asked .
“Manager, there are Russians in Black Bear, right?”
“There should be. After the Cold War, a lot of KGB and intelligence types got thrown into the free market without any preparation.”
The Soviet Union collapsed, and Russia declared a free-market economy.
But that sudden transition ca with serious side effects.
High-quality soldiers and intelligence agents flooded the market, and Eric wasn’t soone to miss an opportunity like that.
And let’s not forget, the Soviet Union was Arica’s greatest adversary—no one would deny that.
“If you know anyone with influence in the Russian military or political circles, ask for an introduction. I’m heading to Russia.”
“Understood.”
Thanks to Eva, I was a little behind schedule, but with Yeltsin facing impeachnt and the economy tanking, this was the perfect ti to enter Russia.
“For now, let’s not do anything more headache-inducing today. I’m supposed to et Jiyoung, so let’s go.”
“Yes, Boss.”
I had promised to et Cheon Jiyoung after a long ti.
She’d been saying she wanted to be a singer and seed to be trying sothing in that direction, but with everything else going on—like the war with Cheongpunghoe—I hadn’t been able to pay her any attention.
“Oppa!”
When I arrived at the eting place, Jiyoung was already there and waved as she stood up.
As always, her bright deanor helped clear up the clutter in my head.
“What do you want to eat?”
“? Coffee.”
“You’re the size of a bean and asking for coffee?”
“Oppa, I’m an adult now.”
...Right. She was.
Maybe because of the regression, even after all these years, Jiyoung still looked like a kid to .
“Alright. Let’s get coffee.”
Manager Ma went to place the order for us.
“What’ve you been up to lately?”
“?”
“You said you were going to be a singer. How’s that going?”
“Oppa, I’m Cheon Jiyoung. If I’m not going to be a singer, then who is?”
She lifted her chin with pride.
Well, her confidence sure hasn’t changed.
“What company?”
“Would you even know if I told you?”
“Maybe. Are you underestimating ?”
Entertainnt agencies were popping up, but most of them were still run haphazardly.
A lot were still tied to gangs.
“Co on, tell . I might know it.”
“I’m telling you, you won’t.”
Jiyoung kept dodging the question and wouldn’t say the na of the agency.
‘That’s suspicious.’
What reason could there be not to say? If it were so no-na company, I might not recognize it anyway, so there was no need to hide it—unless there was a reason.
I stared at her silently. Jiyoung avoided my gaze, pretending to drink her coffee.
There’s sothing going on.
“Hey, Cheon Jiyoung.”
“Yeah?”
“There’s sothing, isn’t there? Spill it.”
“There’s nothing! I’m just embarrassed because it’s a small place, that’s all.”
“I’ll find out myself. Ten minutes, tops.”
She fell silent at that.
I looked over at Manager Ma, standing a little ways off.
“Manager.”
“Yes?”
“Find out where Jiyoung’s working and what she’s doing.”
When even Manager Ma got involved, Jiyoung jumped up in alarm.
“No! I’ll tell you! You don’t have to go that far, Oppa.”
“Then hurry up and talk.”
I gestured with my chin as I drank my coffee, and Jiyoung let out a long sigh.
“It’s called Cubic Entertainnt.”
“Cubic Entertainnt?”
“Yeah. I’m getting ready to debut with them.”
Manager Ma quietly stepped away.
“Never heard of it. What about MS Entertainnt or places like that? Wouldn’t it be better to debut with a bigger na?”
“They only take kids. Teens.”
Now that idols were dominating the music scene, most agencies probably started training kids from a young age.
“Is this company legit?”
“Yeah. They even debuted an idol group recently. You might not know them, though.”
“Hm...”
“Anyway, enough about . What about you, Oppa? Grandpa says you’re always in Arica or Hong Kong or busy running around.”
She clearly didn’t want to keep talking about it and changed the subject.
“I am busy. But I always have ti for you. If anything’s bothering you or you need help, just tell anyti.”
“Okay.”
Neither of us brought up Cheon Suhan.
I just hoped Jiyoung didn’t feel uncomfortable around because of his sins.
As we chatted, Manager Ma ca back quickly.
Only then did Jiyoung realize he’d gone sowhere, and she looked nervous.
Manager Ma leaned in and whispered in my ear.
“CEO is Bae Gwangsik. And...”
Even in such a short ti, he’d gathered a lot of information about Cubic.
But the mont I heard the na Bae Gwangsik, I didn’t hear the rest.
He would eventually beco a well-known music producer—but for all the wrong reasons. Scandals and controversies plagued him, and he was constantly bashed by the public.
Especially for treating his artists like slaves. A complete piece of trash.
Even soone like , who barely cared about the entertainnt industry, rembered his na. That alone said everything.
“Jiyoung.”
“Yeah?”
“Is your CEO Bae Gwangsik?”
Jiyoung’s eyes widened like saucers.
“Be honest. Are you really prepping for debut?”
I was pissed at myself for using ‘being busy’ as an excuse and not paying attention to her.
Jiyoung was one of the few family mbers I had left. Because of Cheon Suhan, we weren’t as close as before, but I should’ve looked out for her.
She glanced at but couldn’t answer.
“Jiyoung, we’re family, right? Aside from Grandpa, you’re the only one I can really call family in the Cheon clan.”
Her future had changed because of .
That responsibility was mine to bear.
“The truth is...”
Jiyoung finally began to speak hesitantly.
“They say I’ll debut, but it keeps getting delayed. That idol group I ntioned joined after and debuted first. But I wanted to debut solo anyway... so I don’t know when I’ll debut.”
“Anything else?”
I didn’t miss the slight flicker in her eyes.
“There’s sothing, isn’t there?”
“...”
“Jiyoung, you’re the granddaughter of Chairman Cheon of Myeongdong. You’re not soone who has to quietly accept being mistreated.”
The bold and defiant Cheon Jiyoung who once comforted and told to live with pride until the end—she was gone.
All that was left was a Jiyoung who felt sorry and walked on eggshells around .
This was the world I’d created.
“Manager, take her to the Myeongdong office. If she resists, break sothing if you have to and drag her there. That bastard’s not even human, so I don’t care.”
“Oppa.”
She called , but I continued.
“Call President Lee Sanggeun to the Myeongdong office too. No, tell him to drag that CEO here himself.”
“Yes, sir.”
Manager Ma went to carry out the order.
Jiyoung stood there, unable to stop him, fidgeting anxiously.
“Oppa, why are you being like this? I told you I’m fine.”
“I’m not fine. I know what kind of bastard that guy is. Don’t even think about lying.”
Even without her saying it, I could guess what had happened.
“Go to Pyeongchang-dong. Don’t go anywhere else.”
* * *
— It concerns the boss’s family.
“Understood. I’ll bring him in imdiately.”
Lee Sanggeun called in his right-hand man, Tak Hoon, as soon as he got Manager Ma’s call.
“Who handles the entertainnt side?”
“Director Baek does.”
“Get him on the line. Tell him to get here now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Now alone, Lee Sanggeun frowned deeply.
He’d known Kim Muhyuk since he was a kid.
And he knew: when it ca to family, the man did not compromise.
Fortunately, Director Baek and Tak Hoon arrived quickly.
“Baek Changho reporting. You called, sir?”
“Director Baek. You know a company called Cubic Entertainnt?”
“Cubic Entertainnt, sir?”
“Yeah. CEO’s Bae Gwangsik or sothing. You know him?”
“Yes. That company’s under our managent. Why do you ask?”
At that, Lee Sanggeun’s carefully maintained poker face twisted in irritation.
“Fuck... drag that bastard here imdiately. No—screw that. I’ll go myself. Lead the way.”
“Wait, sir. At least tell what’s going on. Why Cubic all of a sudden? Did CEO Bae do sothing? He’s been with us a long ti. Supplies talent to our venues, too.”
Even as the tis changed, the underworld’s main source of inco was still nightlife. The caliber of singers they could book directly affected business.
They’d founded labels themselves, or cooperated with other CEOs to deeply entrench themselves in the entertainnt world.
“Being with us a long ti is the problem. This involves the Myeongdong chairman.”
“What? The Myeongdong chairman?”
“Yeah. And it’s family business. You got any personal ties to that piece of shit?”
“No, sir.”
As Lee Sanggeun’s tone sharpened, Baek Changho flinched and bowed his head.
“Start by tracking his location. No contact. If he runs, we’ve got a bigger problem.”
“Yes, sir.”
Though startled, “sir” slipped from Baek’s mouth. But Sanggeun was in no mood to nitpick.
He soon took Baek along and headed straight to Cubic Entertainnt.
“Hah... Of course the office is in Myeongdong.”
As he stepped out of the car, Lee Sanggeun let out a dry laugh.
The staff inside panicked at the sight of a group of hulking n barging in. One recognized Baek and approached.
“Mr. Baek? What’s going on?”
“Is CEO Bae inside?”
“Yes, he is. But—”
Ignoring him, Baek pushed straight into the CEO’s office.
Bae Gwangsik, who’d been on the phone, dropped the receiver in shock when he saw the n entering.
He ca to his senses and spoke with a nervous smile.
“Well, look who it is. Mr. Baek, what’s all this? And who are those guys? What’s going on?”
But before Baek could respond, Lee Sanggeun stepped in.
“This the bastard?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Take him.”
Baek gave the signal, and the thugs rushed in to grab Bae.
“Wait, Mr. Baek! What the hell is this?!”
“Shut your damn mouth, you bastard! Don’t act like you know !”
Gone was the Baek who’d just had drinks with him days ago.
Bae tried to resist, but the blows ca fast and hard. He couldn’t even fight back and was dragged away.
The employees murmured nervously outside, but Baek snapped at them.
“Don’t even think about calling the cops. Get back to work like nothing’s happening.”
No one moved to help Bae Gwangsik as he bled and was dragged out.
“This is Bae Gwangsik?”
“Yes, sir.”
Now at the Myeongdong office, Bae looked up at Kim Muhyuk with wide, confused eyes.
“You got him fast. Is the company tied to the organization?”
“They’ve been supplying perforrs to our venues. That’s the connection.”
“Is that so?”
His voice was cold and flat, but Lee Sanggeun gulped.
There was a chilling smile on Kim Muhyuk’s face.
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