Chapter 16: It’s not there, it’s not there.
“A video?”
“This is my first time dealing with a situation like this, so I don’t really know what to say. Anyway, I’m sorry. Just think of it as a good experience, and when I plan my next project…….”
It was at that moment.
A call came again from an unfamiliar number that had been missed. It was probably Enbin’s agency. Muyoung interrupted his words and replied,
“Team leader, I’m sorry, but I’m getting a call.”
“Oh! Okay, okay. I’ll contact you again.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
His friends were waiting for Muyoung in the building hallway, looking confused. He waved his hand awkwardly.
“Guys, I’m sorry. Something urgent came up. Go ahead without me!”
“Okay, okay. See you later!”
As he watched them leave, Muyoung pressed the call button. He introduced himself in a very urgent voice.
“Hello, is this Ha Muyoung? I’m the manager at SN Entertainment. I’m calling because of what Enbin said. Can I see you now?”
……?
Muyoung blinked, looking bewildered.
“It’s not impossible, but I’m at Seoyeon University right now.”
“I’ll pay for the taxi fare. Please come to the address I’ll send you in a text message. I’d really appreciate it.”
Muyoung said he understood and hung up the phone. Then he headed toward the school gate and tried to contact Enbin…….
‘It’s turned off?’
A video, huh. I have an idea of what it might be, but it’s too early to jump to conclusions. Muyoung showed the text message to the taxi driver and asked him,
“Driver, please take me to Hannam-dong quickly.”
“Yes, sir.”
The forest of buildings whizzed by through the window. It’s a beautiful day, but for someone, it must be a terrible moment. Muyoung recalled Enbin’s bright smile on the set and frowned sadly.
A luxury apartment in Hannam-dong.
Unlike the beautiful view of the Han River, the house was a mess. It looked like a burglar had broken in and trashed the place. Everything was broken or shattered, nothing was intact.
Crash!
Bang!
“Aaaah!”
“Binnie! Please stop! You’ll hurt your hand!”
“Let go of this! Let it go!”
Enbin was almost like a madman, raging out of control.
His eyes, swollen from crying, were filled with malice. Frustration, anger, helplessness—he felt it all, yet couldn’t do anything about it.
“……Hyung. What did I do wrong?”
“What did you do wrong? Nothing.”
“Then why the fuck are you doing this to me—!”
A text message arrived on his phone early in the morning.
A dark room, a naked man and woman having sex. Someone who didn’t know might think it was just porn, but Enbin recognized it immediately.
His house. His room.
And his girlfriend.
“Ugh…… I can’t do this anymore, hyung.”
“Enbin, don’t do that. Let’s call the police first, okay?”
“No, you don’t understand! It’s not just me, it’s Jiyeon!”
The text came with a photo.
If he didn’t pay 100 million won in cash, the video would be released online, along with his girlfriend’s personal information. The same would happen if he reported it to the police.
The problem was—
“She’s a civilian.”
His girlfriend had lived next door since they were very young. Their parents even knew each other. But to expose her personal information like this? He, a celebrity, couldn’t even handle it himself…….
“It’s over.”
His career in showbiz, his life, and his relationship with his girlfriend—all were doomed. Enbin clutched his head and collapsed onto the sofa.
“How much is it this time?”
“……1 billion.”
Enbin had already sent the first 100 million won.
Perhaps the money came in easier than expected, because the blackmailer sent another photo. Similar to the last one, but different.
In other words, they demanded 1 billion won along with definitive proof that the video existed. Only then did Enbin inform the company about it.
“What a crazy bastard, seriously.”
Whoosh—
The manager cursed and drew the curtains. The angle in the photo suggested it was taken from outside the window. Since it was the 5th floor, he didn’t know how they did it, but a drone was the most likely explanation.
“I’m going to terminate the contract. And settle the accounts. There’s no other choice. I don’t want to cause any more trouble for the team…….”
The only way to get 1 billion won right away was to do that. Enbin muttered weakly, his voice strained.
Tears streamed down his face. In his 21 years of life, he had spent nearly half of it singing and dancing. And this is how it ends?
“Binnie, calm down for a moment.”
The police are the answer.
The company had no choice but to put it on hold because Enbin was freaking out, saying he’d kill himself if they reported it to the police or even his parents. But he kept calling for Muyoung.
He covered Enbin’s bleeding hand with a towel. Enbin’s hand was covered in blood.
“The company will do everything it can to help.”
“Don’t you know?”
“What?”
“I think it’s her.”
Although he referred to her as “that girl,” the manager immediately knew who he meant. The crazy stalker who had even self-harmed to trap Enbin. But hadn’t she been quiet lately?
“I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“I have a feeling. She’d haunt me even after death…….”
He could sense it instinctively.
There was no evidence or anything, but it kept lingering in his mind. But to the manager, it seemed like mere neurosis. He was wondering what words of comfort he could offer.
Click—
The front door opened, and the SN manager came in. Behind him, Muyoung followed awkwardly, looking uncomfortable.
“Wow.”
He was shocked twice—once by the glass window and again by the mess in the house. Enbin jumped up and ran over in one go.
“Ha Muyoung!”
“Binnie, are you okay? I’ve told the manager roughly what’s going on—”
His face was swollen, torn, and crying.
Where was the glamorous, beautiful boy? In his place stood a haggard young man of the same age. Enbin cut to the chase and grabbed his shoulder.
“What did you do to her back then?”
Muyoung would probably know the answer. After all, he had driven her away in just a few minutes of conversation.
Hoping to find a small solution to the situation from back then, Enbin clung to Muyoung.
“Please tell me. Okay? Muyoung.”
“Hey, why, why are you like this?”
He had promised to tell him about that conversation once the first episode was uploaded. Of course, he intended to keep that promise.
But talking about seeing ghosts or black smog…… it was such a ridiculous story that he knew it wouldn’t be believed. So he planned to say it more lightly, as a joke. But—
“I’m going to die. Seriously.”
How could he do that in front of someone having a panic attack like this? Muyoung patted Enbin’s back and closed his mouth for a moment.
“Please convince Binnie to report it to the police.”
The manager had asked Muyoung that as he rode up the elevator. The boy, who was freaking out and saying he’d kill himself if they told the police or even his parents, had kept calling for Muyoung.
“Do you think the blackmailer is that stalker?”
“I’m sure of it. She’s the only bad connection I’ve had in my life.”
“……Then just report it to the police. Since there’s a record of her being investigated, they’ll catch her right away.”
“They said they’d release the video!”
Enbin was almost insane. He was caught in a dilemma, unable to do anything. But Muyoung just looked confused, tilting his head.
“That’s strange. You said the USB was burned back then.”
“……What?”
At the unexpected words, even the manager and the director widened their eyes. USB? What USB? Noticing their gaze, Muyoung added,
“There was a fire at her house back then.”
“A fire?”
“Was it in Sang-dong? I don’t remember exactly, but anyway, everything was destroyed in the fire—”
He had a guess, but didn’t say it out loud.
He wasn’t sure what the black smog meant—whether it was a loss of property or something else. Then the manager muttered,
“So that’s why he needs money?”
It was a plausible assumption. Judging by the pile of cash, he seemed to be a credit defaulter, and if he’d lost his house too, that would explain everything. Muyoung held out his hand.
“Where’s your phone?”
Enbin jumped in surprise and rummaged through the floor. The phone, with its screen shattered, lay in a corner. That’s why it was turned off.
“Are you sure about the photo?”
“Yeah, it’s definitely my house.”
“Facial recognition?”
“……It’s hard to see because it’s dark.”
Muyoung examined the photo closely through the cracked screen. The quality was quite poor because it was taken at night without any lighting. It was confusing whether it was Enbin or not.
“If you don’t say it’s you, no one would know. So, ask her to send you the video. Usually, when people threaten like that, they send a video instead of a photo, right?”
At Muyoung’s words, Enbin felt like he’d been hit on the back of the head with a hammer. That’s usually how it works. They send a video and promise to delete the original file once the money is paid.
“I don’t think she has the video.”
Muyoung handed the phone back to Enbin and said. A hint from the black smog and the malevolent spirit. No matter what, he wouldn’t be able to escape this pit of misfortune.
“I-is that true?”
“No.”
Enbin’s hand trembled as he took back the phone. Muyoung’s every word felt like a ray of light to him.
“Nowadays, people use cloud storage a lot, right? So, check first. See if the video really exists or not.”
Saying that, Enbin closed his mouth and teared up. If it really exists, then he’s truly finished. There’s no way out.
“What should I do…… Ugh…….”
Unable to hold back, Enbin burst into tears. Like chicken droppings, they fell plop, plop. Watching him, Muyoung’s expression gradually brightened.
Enbin was crying, and the manager and the director were behind him, so they didn’t see it.
“Don’t cry. Come on.”
Pollen fell from his eyes, like glitter spilling out, staining his face along with the tears.
‘There won’t be a video.’
Muyoung patted his shoulder and wiped away his tears. His palm was full of glittering pollen. Enbin typed a message with his shaking fingers.
“Are you really going to send it?”
“Yeah, it’s okay. It’ll work out.”
It’ll work out. Muyoung’s single phrase was like a spell, calming Enbin’s heart. He took a breath and pressed the send button.