CRT Ch 7

After packing all of Yejun’s belongings, they amounted to just four ramen boxes. As they left the house, his stepmother wailed inconsolably. Jinguk treated Seok Ryu like a parasite leeching off Yejun, resorting to violence until the very last day. Perhaps because he was used to Yejun, he skillfully avoided hitting his face.

There were many errands to run before moving into the Songhyul officetel. They temporarily stored the boxes at a storage facility and went to meet Jung Minsu to cancel the re-contract. Yejun was astonished when Jung Minsu, now a devoted follower, readily agreed to his request.

After settling matters with the former agency, they headed to the Songhyul building. While waiting for the bus, Seok Ryu wiped his sticky hair and neck with a wet tissue. Jung Minsu, in a fit of anger at being abandoned by Yejun, had poured hot coffee on Seok Ryu’s face. Fortunately, there were no burns, but his skin still felt hot and irritated.

“I’ll keep the written agreement and recording.”

“I’m not sure if this is okay. It’s lucky President Jung let it slide, but this is practically a double contract.”

“Making Jung Minsu your follower was to prepare for when you reach the top, Yejun. It wasn’t about letting someone unworthy hold you back.”

“You’re so cold… I feel guilty, like I stabbed him in the back.”

Yejun’s expression darkened. It was natural, as he hadn’t fully experienced people turned into devoted followers by the garnet’s effect. Once he personally witnessed their blind loyalty, he’d come to accept it naturally.

Yejun handed Seok Ryu a wet tissue, glancing at the coffee stains on his shirt.

“But are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital? You keep getting hurt. Jinguk, too…”

“When I served a revolutionary, his followers nearly burned me at the stake. Luckily, it ended with me being dragged behind a military vehicle. Things are much better now with laws and police.”

“Wow, since you don’t feel pain, it must not hurt. That’s kind of enviable.”

Would Yejun get angry or laugh if Seok Ryu said he was the one who felt envious? No matter what miracles a guardian stone performed, its value existed only because of the master. A gem could only rejoice if it made its master happy. But Yejun knew sadness and joy even without Seok Ryu.

If a guardian stone’s love for its master was real, why was its pain considered fake? Seok Ryu wanted to ask what the world looked like every moment when feeling true emotions.

Today, they were scheduled to meet Yejun’s dedicated manager at the company. He’d heard the manager was quite reputable in the industry. Since they were running late, they hurried their steps. As they entered the building’s lobby, a loud, angry voice echoed sharply.

“You think you can just barge into someone’s house without permission? What’s with that face? Feeling wronged?”

“You weren’t answering your phone, so I got worried and rushed over…”

“Are you my dad or something? Act like a manager and know your place.”

From a distance, near the elevator, Yoon Inoh was berating a man old enough to be his uncle. His appearance, almost a carbon copy of Sanho’s face, was instantly recognizable. Yejun, startled, ran to Yoon Inoh.

“You weren’t answering, and I was so worried! What happened?”

“Didn’t I tell you not to act familiar in public? It’s embarrassing.”

Unlike Yejun’s warm greeting, Yoon Inoh kept his distance. When the elevator arrived, he stepped in with his chin held high. As the manager tried to follow, Yoon Inoh glared fiercely.

“You think you can ride with me, stinking like that? Take another one.”

Yoon Inoh snapped at both the manager and Yejun. Casting an annoyed glance at Seok Ryu, he noticed the choker around Seok Ryu’s neck. His face paled, and he frantically pressed the close button. Yejun stared blankly at the elevator doors shutting in his face.

His attitude, treating others like vermin, reminded Seok Ryu of Noeul, which was deeply irritating. Seok Ryu approached the next available elevator and pressed the button.

It seemed Yoon Inoh was preemptively scared of being doped by Seok Ryu. A master who already owned a guardian stone was immune to other guardian stones’ effects, including the garnet’s. Doping another guardian stone’s master was impossible, and attempting it forcibly could fatally damage the origin stone.

Seok Ryu didn’t know the history between Yejun and Yoon Inoh. Regardless of who held the upper hand in the past, the moment they entered the workshop, they were equals, each holding the other’s weaknesses.

Shortly after, Yejun’s phone rang. He answered with a groveling tone, as if speaking to a debt collector, and ended the call.

“Inoh told me to get his permission before coming to the company. At least he didn’t curse, but he’s getting more ferocious.”

Upon reaching their destination, Seok Ryu sent Yejun to the office first. He headed straight to the restroom. The restroom, filled with a sweet fragrance, resembled an art gallery.

In their rush, there hadn’t been time or opportunity to buy new clothes. Seok Ryu washed his coffee-stained hair and took off his stained white shirt to clean it. He wanted to look polished to enhance his master’s value, so he couldn’t neglect his appearance. He roughly shook out his hair and dried the wet shirt with a hand dryer while wearing it.

There was no word from HR about Seok Ryu’s resume. Cha Yilhyun had been disappointing from the start. Even without Seok Ryu’s contact information, shouldn’t he have the capability to track it down? Failing at such a simple task was a strike against him.

It was hard to believe that someone who seemed so scatterbrained had built Songhyul and dominated the Asian market. According to Yejun, Cha Yilhyun’s reputation was polarizing—some called him a living Buddha, others a complete jerk.

Once the shirt was mostly dry, Seok Ryu headed to the manager’s department. In the hallway leading to the office, two employees, a man and a woman, were drinking coffee.

“Is Director Kwak really getting farsighted? What did he see in that guy…? They say the actors are furious because he got the royal floor of the officetel.”

“Maybe he’s Director Kwak’s relative?”

“Don’t you know Director Kwak’s nephew came to a Songhyul audition and left crying?”

As Seok Ryu passed, the employees fell silent. When he reached the office, his legs froze. Yejun stood alone in the middle of the spacious office. Hostile glares pinned him down, preventing him from even lifting his head.

Seok Ryu genuinely wondered: was Yejun truly hated for something he did, or was this city just unusually harsh? But soon, these people would pledge boundless loyalty to Yejun. The day would come when Yejun grew accustomed to being loved rather than hated.

As Seok Ryu entered the office, all eyes turned to him. The looks were starkly different from those directed at Yejun. Seok Ryu carefully met each person’s gaze, one by one. If he could dope even a few and offer them to Yejun, it might ease the oppressive hostility in this place.

Approaching Yejun, he firmly grasped his trembling hand, vowing never to let go, even if they fell into hell. Holding Yejun’s hand, Seok Ryu scanned the room.

“I’m here to meet Park Yejun’s manager.”

“Fuck,” someone muttered, rising from behind a partition. A man draped in luxury brands, adorned with a gold belt, necklace, and earrings, exuded ostentatious pride from his first impression. He sauntered over and handed Seok Ryu a business card.

[Manager Byun Geunwoo]

His rank wasn’t bad. Whether he had the skills Director Kwak claimed remained to be seen. Byun Geunwoo looked down at Yejun with a smug air.

“How did a nobody like you catch Director Kwak’s eye to get a manager like me…? Or did I fall out of favor?”

Yejun shrank, mumbling nervously. This time, Byun Geunwoo sized Seok Ryu up and down.

“Who’s this?”

“He’s Park Yejun’s friend. I’ve submitted a resume to Songhyul to officially become a manager.”

When Seok Ryu answered, Byun Geunwoo’s eyes gleamed.

“Your name?”

“Seok Ryu.”

“Seok Ryu, huh? Sounds juicy, plump, and full of flavor.”

No one laughed at his crude joke, and Byun Geunwoo cleared his throat awkwardly.

“If you work under me, I’ll fix that tacky style first. What’s a guy doing wearing a choker?”

Byun Geunwoo reached for the garnet on Seok Ryu’s choker, fondling it. It felt like someone was touching his eyeball, making his nerves stand on edge.

“Don’t touch it!”

SLAP———!! Seok Ryu struck Byun Geunwoo’s hand away. Only the master of a guardian stone was allowed to touch the choker. Byun Geunwoo, Yejun, and the employees all froze.

At that moment, a man in a black suit passed by beyond the glass door. A heavyset man trailed behind him. The shadow that had disappeared reappeared, and a man leaned halfway into the square frame. Regaining his composure, Byun Geunwoo rushed to the man, clasping his hands demurely.

“What brings you here, CEO?!”

“I heard a slap just now, so I came to check for workplace harassment.”

“What a chilling thought! It was just a fly in the office. Haha!”

Byun Geunwoo hid his reddened hand behind his back. Seok Ryu still felt as if maggots were crawling on his neck. Reminding himself this wasn’t real anger, he steadied his breathing.

Cha Yilhyun strode in and casually sat on a desk. His assistant hurriedly followed, looking like a wrestling club student in a stolen suit. As Cha Yilhyun settled in, Byun Geunwoo sweated nervously. Like presenting a clearance item, he rudely dragged Yejun before Cha Yilhyun.

“Oh, this is the new face Director Kwak discovered. I’ll be managing him. Why are you standing there instead of introducing yourself to the CEO?!”

The moment Cha Yilhyun’s gaze landed on Yejun, something remarkable happened. Yejun, with wide, rabbit-like eyes, bowed deeply again. His slightly flushed earlobes, restless eyes, and trembling fingers—these subtle changes were visible only to Seok Ryu.

Cha Yilhyun picked up a pen with a fuzzy ball on it from the desk and handed it to Yejun. When Yejun held it like a microphone with both hands, Cha Yilhyun leaned forward, as if awaiting a performance. His cream-colored tie draped over his thigh. Yejun took a deep breath and began his introduction.

“Hello! I’m Park Yejun. I’ve dreamed of being an actor since I was young. My most admired actor is Lee Taeon sunbaenim. I kept failing auditions, so I’ve been doing minor roles…”

“Why’s it suddenly turning into a sob story?”

“I’m sorry…”

Byun Geunwoo’s rebuke made Yejun’s face flush like a ruby. A few employees cooed that Yejun was cute, their tone now laced with kindness, unlike earlier, thanks to the garnet’s effect.

As expected, Cha Yilhyun had been successfully doped. Writing Seok Ryu’s resume and giving his contact information left no room to think otherwise.

Since he’d been transferred to Yejun yesterday, the effects were starting to show. As CEO, he was creating an atmosphere for Yejun to blend in with others. With low expectations, Seok Ryu found himself satisfied with small gestures. With the CEO joining Yejun’s followers, nothing could stand in their way.

While Yejun’s awkward charm was appealing, he needed to practice basic speech and a couple of personal talents. Seok Ryu jotted down immediate needs in his notebook and slipped it into his shirt pocket.

At some point, Cha Yilhyun had been staring at Seok Ryu. A jolt hit him, like a water balloon dropping on his head. Without realizing it, Seok Ryu cast his gaze to the floor. Whenever their eyes met, Seok Ryu was often the first to look away.

Cha Yilhyun scanned Seok Ryu up and down, then said something to his assistant. Seok Ryu wondered if he was being mocked for his disheveled state after rushing from the restroom. The assistant bowed to Cha Yilhyun and hurried off somewhere.

“Who gets caught while staking out?!”

A sharp voice rang out from outside the office. The employees froze in unison. Cha Yilhyun’s brows furrowed. Through the glass, Director Kwak was walking down the hallway, talking on the phone.

“You think your apology to the writer erases our embarrassment?!”

Director Kwak angrily hung up, tearing the file he was holding to shreds. Still unsatisfied, he fed the pieces into a hallway shredder.

The sound of his shoes echoed closer. Byun Geunwoo darted to his seat, pretending to be on a call. The employees crouched behind partitions, hoping Director Kwak would pass quickly. Yejun had already hidden under an empty desk. With even Yejun acting like this, the mood suggested Seok Ryu should hide too.

Then, someone grabbed Seok Ryu’s hand, pulling him into an empty chair.

“Get down.”

The hand pressing the back of Seok Ryu’s head was gentle. Frowning, he turned to see Cha Yilhyun sitting beside him. Seok Ryu asked bluntly.

“What happened to my resume?”

“It’s probably under review at HR.”

“Check on the results quickly. It’s distracting, and I can’t focus on work.”

“Same here.”

Cha Yilhyun pulled a phone from his suit’s inner pocket and offered it to Seok Ryu. It was a sleek wine-colored phone, pristine without a single scratch, looking brand new.

“The password is 111111.”

He added.

“Only answer my calls.”

Emphasizing only his calls meant he had no intention of hiding his possessiveness. Followers who sought to possess their master required extreme caution. They’d burn everything until they were desolate, then turn their warped loyalty into a blade against their lord.

Still, as the CEO’s first gift to Yejun, he’d probably be thrilled to receive it.

“Yejun likes white with sparkles, so don’t make that mistake next time.”

Nothing was ruder than a gift that ignored the recipient’s taste. Seok Ryu glared at Cha Yilhyun, reluctantly reaching for the wine-colored phone. For some reason, Cha Yilhyun held onto the phone’s edge, not letting go. With a blank expression, he said.

“This is for you, Seok Ryu.”

For a moment, his thoughts froze, as if hearing a foreign language.

“Why would you…”

“You said you don’t have a phone.”

“What’s that got to do with you?”

“It’s inconvenient for me.”

This man always skipped steps in his responses, leaving Seok Ryu speechless. The only hurdle was the fifty percent doping success rate; once doped, transferring to the master was guaranteed. So, this phone should rightfully go to Yejun.

Did this mean he wasn’t doped yet? Then why give his contact info and write the resume? That suggested successful doping, meaning he should automatically be Yejun’s. His thoughts tangled suddenly.

When Seok Ryu didn’t take the phone, Cha Yilhyun set it down. Abruptly, he pulled a candy from his suit pocket and held it to Seok Ryu’s face.

Seok Ryu frowned, alternating glares between the candy and Cha Yilhyun. He set the candy down and pulled out a pen, then a Bluetooth earbud, a USB, a car key, a card… it seemed he’d empty his wallet next. Before Seok Ryu, a pile of miscellany soon accumulated. Propping his chin on his large hand, Cha Yilhyun muttered.

“What do I have to give for you to accept…?”

Someone who didn’t wear a single piece of jewelry was hard to read without long, careful observation. Even as CEO, was it necessary to offer such a person to Yejun? Someone who gave freely to anyone could be problematic as a follower. No, as Songhyul’s owner, he surely had value.

Twenty-four hours had passed since meeting Cha Yilhyun on the stairs, more than enough for a reset. It was time to try doping again. Seok Ryu steeled his gaze and stared at Cha Yilhyun’s profile.

Feeling the stare, Cha Yilhyun tilted his head slightly. His sharp lips gradually softened. A deep light flickered in his black eyes. Up close, his irises were densely and roughly woven. Suddenly, his gaze slid downward.

Without warning, Cha Yilhyun reached for Seok Ryu’s neck. His movement was deliberate, as if it had been his sole intent. Long fingers touched the conical garnet on the choker’s cord, wrapping around the origin stone, rubbing it, handling it freely before slowly pulling away. A droplet hung from his fingertips—water from washing earlier that hadn’t dried.

The cubic-like water particle slid along his skin’s texture. His black eyes, observing it, gleamed like spearheads. Seok Ryu was paralyzed, unable to do anything. It felt like he was the one captivated by those eyes.

At that moment, the choker’s cord seemed to strangle Seok Ryu’s neck. The constricting force grew, making it impossible to breathe. As Seok Ryu curled up, gasping, Cha Yilhyun’s expression hardened.

Stumbling, Seok Ryu rose from his seat. He pulled his crumpled master from under the desk and headed for the exit. Cha Yilhyun’s assistant ran up from the opposite side, handing Seok Ryu an unopened shirt. Clutching his master’s hand, Seok Ryu fled the scene.

💎

“Here are the current download and viewership trends. …This month, our subscriber count surpassed 80 million, and we’re planning an event to celebrate reaching 100 million soon.”

At the weekly executive meeting, department team leaders presented their briefings. Throughout, Kwak Gayeom kept his gaze fixed on the end of the U-shaped table.

Cha Yilhyun sat expressionless throughout the meeting. Normally, he’d fly drones or play betting games with the person next to him, but today he was eerily quiet, unsettling the executives who had wished for his focus.

After the strange meeting ended, the executives filed out. Kwak Gayeom approached Cha Yilhyun.

“Assistant Jung was caught staking out the writer’s apartment. I’ll personally visit the writer to apologize.”

Cha Yilhyun, hand on his temple, doodled on a document. The paper was filled with waterdrop-shaped gems. Kwak Gayeom spoke.

“I heard you ‘personally’ submitted Park Yejun’s friend’s resume. It lacks a photo and hasn’t been vetted for skills, so it’s fundamentally flawed.”

“I’ve seen his face, and pushing an unknown actor into Songhyul is proof of skill, isn’t it?”

Seeing the CEO so eager to hire suggested he was quite taken. Since Cha Yilhyun owned 100 percent of the company’s shares, he didn’t need to mind others in running it. Kwak Gayeom had no intention of clashing with the CEO over a mere manager—such a fight would require a death wish.

Kwak Gayeom himself couldn’t take his eyes off Park Yejun’s manager the first time they met. Having discovered countless new talents, he’d never encountered such a powerfully magnetic presence. But the second time, there wasn’t a trace of charm—only an overwhelming sense of repulsion.

In contrast, Park Yejun grew more captivating with each encounter. Different from meeting Lee Taeon or Yoon Inoh, he was certain Yejun would receive explosive public love if placed in the spotlight. It completely overturned his belief that first impressions were everything.

“Understood. We’ll have time to observe during the probation period.”

Kwak Gayeom opened a file and placed it before Cha Yilhyun.

“Please approve Park Yejun’s contract. The PR team has sent press releases about his exclusive contract to major newspapers and plans to publish them across portal sites.”

Cha Yilhyun, holding the pen like a fork, stabbed the contract and pulled it toward him. He placed the pen on the signature line and stared at Kwak Gayeom.

💎

The Songhyul officetel was a pair of dynamic, elegant twin towers. A scenic river flowed in front, and a well-maintained greenway lined the promenade behind the building.

Police cars patrolled slowly, managing the students gathered at the officetel’s entrance. Burly security guards with bloodhounds searched the premises with wiretap detectors. Without the police, the scene resembled the workshop’s ironclad security, where lives were at stake.

Byun Geunwoo, successfully doped, escorted Yejun to the doorstep. The officetel manager, taking charge of the new resident, guided Seok Ryu and Yejun to the entrance and handed them a keycard.

“It’s been disinfected and cleaned, so you can use it right away. Feel free to use anything except the penthouse floor.”

Stepping into the living room, Yejun let out a gasp. The room, with a river view through large windows, was floored with checkered marble. A wine bar with mood lighting, a plush rug, and a leather sofa wide enough to sink into completed the space. With four rooms, each with its own bathroom, it was incomparably spacious and luxurious compared to his old home.

Notebook in hand, Seok Ryu toured the house, jotting down needed items. The Songhyul contract stipulated moving in a month later, but Director Kwak had made an exception for Yejun to move in early.

Seok Ryu unpacked Yejun’s belongings in the sunny master bedroom. Looking at the worn clothes, Yejun frowned.

“I should’ve thrown them all out.”

Yejun stuffed the clothes back into the box and shoved it into a corner. With minimal belongings and the officetel fully equipped, there was little to do despite it being moving day.

Seok Ryu sat Yejun on the sofa and applied an ice pack to his reddened hand. Transferring so many people at the office today had left Yejun’s hand inflamed. After massaging Yejun’s hand, Seok Ryu fetched a bamboo foot bath from the bathroom.

While filling it with water, Seok Ryu checked his neck in the bathroom mirror. There were no marks from the choker strangling him. Was that sensation a mistake? He couldn’t breathe suddenly, and even when Cha Yilhyun touched the choker without permission, he couldn’t push his hand away. Worse, he fled without attempting to dope him. He felt utterly absurd and humiliated.

Seok Ryu dragged the foot bath to the living room. While receiving a foot massage, Yejun fiddled with his phone. Sighing, he set it down on the sofa. His expression shifted constantly today.

“I know what the comments will say. I’d rather not look.”

“What?”

“My article’s coming out today.”

“Oh…”

He’d forgotten that Yejun’s exclusive contract article was set to release that evening. Yejun rolled his eyes, mumbling.

“If someone could check for me…”

Catching his master’s intent late, Seok Ryu spoke up.

“I’ll check for you, so don’t worry.”

As if waiting, Yejun handed the phone to Seok Ryu. He should’ve handled this proactively, but he’d failed to anticipate Yejun’s feelings. He’d been dazed and scattered all day.

Yejun was idly splashing water in the foot bath when he suddenly gasped.

“What if the CEO sees the article? It’s probably full of hate…”

Seok Ryu’s hands, which were folding a towel, froze. A sudden wave of nausea hit him.

“He’s a bit ambiguous for a follower, but he seemed nicer than I expected. Inoh kept grinding his teeth, calling him a psycho and a jerk, so I was really nervous.”

Seok Ryu set the towel down and looked at Yejun. When problems arose, glossing over them or letting small lies pile up could shatter a master’s trust in an instant.

“I’m sorry, but it seems I failed with CEO Cha Yilhyun. Since it’s already a failure, how about giving up on him?”

Yejun’s foot, which had been splashing, stopped abruptly.

“…Why?”

“It seems my physical condition is off. I thought it was because I hadn’t served a master in a while and my body wasn’t adjusted, but it might be the garnet reacting.”

“What kind of reaction?”

The garnet on the choker, a piece taken from the heart’s origin stone, resonated with it. When others touched the choker, it only caused a crawling discomfort, but never a strangling sensation like with Cha Yilhyun.

“It feels like a warning that he’s a threat to you, Yejun. The origin stone senses things beyond my perception.”

This phenomenon was unprecedented for Seok Ryu, so it was too early to be certain. But it had felt ominous not just today, but from the first moment he saw Cha Yilhyun at the jewelry store.

Yejun lowered his gaze, mumbling.

“If he’s a threat to me, shouldn’t we make him an ally even more? Like Jinguk or President Jung Minsu…”

“People who are overly kind to everyone can be dangerous too. They might give away what should be yours to others. Anyway, Cha Yilhyun seems like a figurehead, and Director Kwak is the real power, so giving up on him won’t be a big loss.”

“Still…”

Yejun looked more disappointed than expected. While the master’s safety was always the priority, ignoring his choices wasn’t right either.

“Then, would it be okay to hold off until we figure out what kind of person he is?”

Only then did Yejun nod with a relieved expression.

At that moment, Director Kwak’s name flashed on the screen of Yejun’s phone, which was on the table. Yejun quickly picked it up with both hands. A low, measured voice came through the receiver.

—Did you make some mistake with the CEO?

Yejun looked at Seok Ryu with a stiff expression. When Seok Ryu switched it to speakerphone, Yejun steadied his voice and answered.

“No, no. Nothing like a mistake…”

—The CEO rejected your contract approval.

A sigh from Director Kwak came through the receiver.

—He says he doesn’t even remember your face.