MDQ Ch 45

In truth, Seo Seoho had not gone a single day without being angry at Lee Hyunseok since the day he quit as manager.

Because Seo Seoho believed everything had fallen apart in Lee Hyunseok’s absence. That was why he thought Lee Hyunseok had to return and set straight all the chaos that had unfolded.

Lee Hyunseok clearly had a responsibility to fix the mess that had come from his departure.

Seo Seoho couldn’t pressure the CEO, who had cast Lee Hyunseok aside because he couldn’t abandon Park Saebit.

The CEO was not the type to admit mistakes, and the chances of him apologizing to Lee Hyunseok and bringing him back were nearly zero.

‘There’s no other choice. I’ll have to find him myself.’

With a cap pulled down and a coat thrown on, Seo Seoho walked toward the front door. He looked ready to leave the dorm at any moment, but then froze in place.

‘But where do I even start looking?’

When he thought about it, Seo Seoho realized he knew nothing about Lee Hyunseok.

Where his family home was, what his siblings were like, who his close friends were, what he liked… none of it.

It was a stark contrast to Lee Hyunseok, who had known Seo Seoho’s preferences exactly and made sure he was never uncomfortable.

Seo Seoho remembered how Lee Hyunseok always brought along his favorite chocolates wherever they went.

On summer days, Lee Hyunseok even froze them a little beforehand so that when Seo Seoho ate them, they wouldn’t melt under the hot sun.

Compared to Lee Hyunseok’s genuine care and devotion toward him, Seo Seoho regretted that he had never once done anything to look after Lee Hyunseok in return.

One by one, the little acts of Lee Hyunseok’s thoughtfulness flashed through his mind. And with that came a sudden pang of longing for him.

Seo Seoho realized, belatedly, that his anger at not being able to find Lee Hyunseok came from wanting to see him.

But knowing nothing about him, Seo Seoho had no idea how to search for him. Lee Hyunseok had even changed his phone number.

“Goddamnit…”

The low curse was heavy with frustration.

He missed Lee Hyunseok so much that it drove him crazy. Seo Seoho could no longer deny it.

With a sigh, Seo Seoho finally called Park Saebit.

Since the plagiarism scandal, he hadn’t been able to face him in person, but thankfully Park Saebit answered.

“Park Saebit. Apologize to Hyunseok hyung right now and bring him back.”

Park Saebit’s reply was colder than usual.

—“Hyung, you must be mistaken. The reason Hyunseok hyung isn’t coming back… is because of you.”

“What?”

—“I heard there was an incident at the photoshoot set with Hyunseok-hyung. I don’t even need to see it to know. You bullied him again, didn’t you? You think I wouldn’t find out?”

“…”

Seo Seoho thought back to what had happened at the photoshoot.

No one had witnessed it then, so how did Park Saebit know?

Taking advantage of his silence, Park Saebit pressed him further.

—“If you want Lee Hyunseok-hyung to come back, start by apologizing to him.”

---

After ending the call, Park Saebit stared down at his phone.

The way Seo Seoho backed down the moment he was poked was pathetic. So simple-minded. That was probably why he had bullied Lee Hyunseok so one-dimensionally.

Of course, Park Saebit didn’t know exactly what had happened at the photoshoot.

But after it, the strange heaviness between Seo Seoho and Lee Hyunseok, Seo Seoho’s restlessness, and how he occasionally watched Lee Hyunseok nervously… considering all that, Park Saebit was convinced Seo Seoho must have tormented him.

‘Well, back when he didn’t trust Hyunseok hyung, he always bullied him like that. I can already guess how it went.’

When Lee Hyunseok had first become their manager, Seo Seoho had often framed him falsely just to watch his reactions. There was no way that bad habit had disappeared.

Park Saebit shook his head to push away thoughts of his dimwitted older member. Now wasn’t the time to waste energy thinking about him.

Just then, a call came in from an unsaved number.

“Again?”

Irritated, Park Saebit hung up immediately. Then he dialed Secretary Choi.

Secretary Choi was someone his mother had assigned to him, responsible for handling all the aftermath of Park Saebit’s misdeeds.

“Secretary Choi, I told you to make sure journalists and those trashy cyber wreckers^[1] never get through to me. But I just got another call.”

—“I’m sorry, young master. I’ll fix it immediately.”

“If it happens one more time, I’ll tell my mother.”

—“Yes, young master. My apologies.”

Park Saebit disliked how mechanical Secretary Choi sounded.

If it were Lee Hyunseok, he would’ve groveled like he was ready to crawl at his feet while apologizing.

“Ha.”

Park Saebit’s face twisted as he ended the call.

He didn’t know how the information had leaked, but for the past few days, he had been receiving threats from so-called cyber leakers, people who made malicious content about celebrities.

They claimed to have proof that he was behind the plagiarism incident, and if he didn’t want it exposed, he had to wire them one billion won.

Of course, he had already told his mother and asked her to deal with it. Yet the calls were still coming…

If negotiations with his mother failed and they uploaded a video with the evidence they mentioned—

Park Saebit’s eyes trembled. With shaking hands, he unconsciously tried calling Lee Hyunseok.

But just like Seo Seoho, all he got was the automated voice telling him the number no longer existed.

Park Saebit hurled his phone in frustration. The fact that he couldn’t even bring himself to hate Lee Hyunseok, the one who had messed up his situation this badly, only made him angrier.

If Lee Hyunseok asked for help even now, Park Saebit was willing to help him make a comeback. If Lee Hyunseok chose his hand, just once—not Jung Yohan’s—then…

But there was no way to reach him.

Ever since Lee Hyunseok had disappeared, his mother had put people on his trail, but so far they hadn’t uncovered anything.

Just what was Lee Hyunseok doing, and where?

---

I had wrestled with the decision to confess the truth. It had frightened me.

But once I actually began to tell my real name and my story, the fear that had plagued me up until then eased.

Maybe it was thanks to Kang Kimoon that I didn’t feel that vague dread.

Throughout my confession, he exuded a kind of trust, listening without frowning, sighing, or showing any discomfort—only meeting me with warm, gentle eyes.

His promise not to think badly of me no matter who I turned out to be was being kept thoroughly.

“I’m sorry for hiding it.”

When I finished, I held my breath, waiting for Kang Kimoon’s reply.

It was only after confessing that a fresh wave of nerves hit me. I felt like a criminal waiting for the judge’s sentence.

How long had I stared at his unreadable expression? Finally, his lips moved, “I often saw you acting as though you were being chased, full of fear. That shows you’ve been suffering from a serious trauma.”

“Uh… you’re right. And that trauma is still with me.”

“Because I’ve seen your suffering with my own eyes, I don’t feel like resenting you for hiding your identity. At least that part wasn’t an act or a lie.”

“…”

True enough, Kang Kimoon had seen me at my worst more often than anyone. He was the one who had witnessed my struggles the most.

“But when it comes to the plagiarism issue, I can’t just take your word for it completely.”

I had somewhat expected that, so it wasn’t too much of a shock.

No matter how close we had grown, I’d only known Kang Kimoon for a short time. And I had hidden my identity from him all the while.

I was only relieved that he hadn’t turned on me or condemned me.

“It’s not that I think you’re a bad person—I just don’t trust people easily.”

“…”

“Park Saebit said you orchestrated it. You say it was him. What you two claim is in direct conflict.”

“You’re right. It would be shameless of me to ask you to believe me right away.”

“But the truth always comes out eventually.”

“I’m really innocent. If you want, I can even show you my message history with Park Saebit.”

“No need. Even if you don’t try, I can uncover the truth myself.”

Kang Kimoon shrugged as if such a thing was well within his ability.

His confidence was so firm I couldn’t doubt his words. I even began to hope—maybe he really could clear my name.

“And even if it sounds inconsistent with what I said about not trusting people… I trust your innocence more than Park Saebit’s.”

He ruffled my hair twice as he spoke of trust.

Even though he said he didn’t fully believe in me, his actions made me feel like he was already on my side.

“As for why I settled with Park Saebit even though I don’t really trust him, it was because I can’t stand loud drama. He said he’d take the song down right away, offered compensation, and besides, there are the rookies. I just felt bad for them — they’ve only just debuted.”

“You’re amazing, you know that?”

Kang Kimoon only shrugged again, brushing off my compliment.

“But still, I can’t forgive that you deceived me all this time.”

“…”

His usually relaxed face hardened instantly. He fixed me with a piercing gaze that made me tense up.

I froze. Even if Kang Kimoon said something harsh now, I was ready to accept it.

I was used to hearing cruel words from others. My mind flashed briefly to the days of verbal abuse from Given and from my father.

But what came next was something I hadn’t expected.

“So, you should do more farm work.”

Kang Kimoon said it like he was teasing, then let his expression relax again.

“Huh? Weren’t you planned to scold me or say something harsh because you were disappointed?”

“It’s not something to be disappointed over.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’ve been hiding something too. That makes us even.”

“You too?”

At that moment, I suddenly remembered the day that woman asked my name, and how Kang Kimoon had stepped in to help me.

A hunch struck me—that maybe Kang Kimoon really did know the boy named Lee Hyunwoo.

“Don’t tell me. You know the Lee Hyunwoo who once came to Omyeon-ri?”