Chapter 615: Sung Na-Ra (4)

Under the bench dimmed by an old streetlight, a boy around the same age as Sung Na-Ra wearing a hoodie yanked her hair roughly.

"

Ahh!

"

Even though Sung Na-Ra screamed, Lee Jin-Sil and the others just giggled and laughed.

"Hey! We haven't even started. What are you screaming for already?"

The guy in the hoodie raised his other hand to slap Sung Na-Ra's cheek.

"You better clench your teeth."

I gritted my teeth and ran even faster. If I hadn't come here, I couldn't imagine what they might have done to Sung Na-Ra. After all, kids' violence often crossed the line.

As I ran, I already confirmed there were no security cameras. So the moment I reached the guy in the hoodie, I punched him in the ribs.

Thud!

"

Urgh!

"

The hoodie-wearing boy who was about to hit Sung Na-Ra crumpled to the ground. Lee Jin-Sil and the rest screamed in surprise.

"Wh-what the hell?"

"

Aaah!!

"

Some of them checked on the boy in the hoodie writhing on the ground. He clutched his ribs and groaned. I had controlled my strength so I wouldn't break a bone, but it was definitely painful enough to feel like dying.

I used the confusion to check on Sung Na-Ra's condition. "Na-Ra, are you okay?"

Sung Na-Ra blinked and looked at me. Tears welled up in her big eyes.

"Mr. Jung?"

"I told you not to come out no matter what."

"I'm sorry. They said they'd hurt my little siblings if I didn't..."

Sung Na-Ra had no choice but to come out because they threatened to hurt her younger siblings.

Anger surged in my chest, but I suppressed it as much as I could. If I lost control here, I felt like I would dig up all the sand in the playground and bury these bastards underneath.

Then, Lee Jin-Sil recognized my face and shrieked. "What? Is it you again?"

I turned and stared coldly at Lee Jin-Sil. "I thought I warned you."

Lee Jin-Sil flinched at my gaze. Just then, the boy in the hoodie got up clutching his ribs. His face looked familiar.

His name was Park Jong-Seo. He was currently a trainee at Ace Entertainment and scheduled to debut in six months as a member of the three-member boy group Man&Manz. Only then did I realize that the other boys under the dark bench were also members of Man&Manz. All the girls were members of FIVE Angels.

Then, Park Jong-Seo took off his hood and said through gritted teeth, "Damn. I've beaten others, but it's my first time getting beaten. I swear I'm going to bury you today!"

Park Jong-Seo would later be known as an idol with a tough image after debuting. Even before his debut, he trained his body through weight training and Muay Thai. After debuting, he would go around beating up hoobaes from his agency until he got kicked out of the entertainment industry when they filed a petition against him.

Anyway, since I held back to avoid seriously injuring him, he had the guts to charge at me again.

Park Jong-Seo aimed a Muay Thai-style kick at the back of my knee. "You're dead, you bastard!"

However, I simply stepped back and dodged his kick.

Whoosh.

His kick sliced through the air. Looking at his exposed side, I drove my fist once again into the same spot I had hit earlier.

Thud.

My fist sank into his long, thick padded coat.

Park Jong-Seo screamed again and rolled on the ground. "

Aaaargh.

"

At that moment, Ahn Jung-Joon and Lee Tae-Yong, fellow members of Man&Manz, charged at me together.

"Damn it!"

In the industry, it was somewhat known that I had a background as a boxer. Yet, these bullies had the nerve to come at me without fear. Maybe they thought they could win if they attacked together from behind, but there was no way. Ordinary people could never stand a chance against a trained fighter, especially not someone at a national level.

'

I better put some sense into these two.

'

To help them grasp that truth with their own bodies, I threw a light punch into each of their stomachs.

Thud. Thud.

The two who got punched in the gut clutched their bellies and dropped to the ground beside the already downed Park Jong-Seo.

"

Ughhhh...

"

Only when the three of them writhed on the ground holding their sides and stomachs did Lee Jin-Sil's face show a trace of fear.

I turned toward Lee Jin-Sil, the ringleader behind this mess. "You threatened Na-Ra after chasing her all the way here without a hint of fear, huh?"

Lee Jin-Sil stepped back.

Thunk.

"

Ah!

"

Lee Jin-Sil stumbled over the bench and landed on her backside with a loud thud.

Thump.

Wincing in pain, she reached for her rear. "

Owww

..."

From where she touched, it looked like she hurt her tailbone.

Then, FIVE Angels members—Ahn Joo-Hee, Park Ui-Seon, and Han Yeon-Eun—cried out as if rehearsed.

"Mr. Jung, w-we only came because Jin-Sil told us to!"

"That's right! We didn't do anything."

'

What a load of lies.

'

I scoffed and said, "It's a known fact that you've been ganging up and bullying kids even before today, so don't give me that crap!"

The three of them flinched and glanced around nervously. Lee Jin-Sil was the main culprit, and they were accomplices. Still, I backed off yesterday because the top priority was getting Sung Na-Ra out of Ace Entertainment.

At that moment, Lee Jin-Sil made a call to someone from the ground.

"Mom! It's Jin-Sil. You're still nearby, right? Hurry over! I think Chief Jung broke my tailbone!"

I thought she might call the police, but she called her mom. It was so ridiculous that I snatched her phone.

"Jin-Sil hurt herself tripping backward, so please don't misunderstand."

Then, the voice of PD Ahn Mi-Hyun from SBC's variety department exploded with profanity.

-Hey! Jung Yoon-Ho! Are you saying my daughter lied? Don't be ridiculous. Do you know how sweet my kid is? And I'm supposed to believe you over her?

It was a line I had heard far too often. She was arguing that her kid was sweet, but I wondered if she would still say the same if she found out that same sweet kid drove someone to the brink of suicide.

-Just wait. I'll be there in five minutes.

However, her home was in Gangnam. If she was only five minutes from here, the meaning was clear: It was Ahn Mi-Hyun who brought her here. I couldn't understand what kind of parenting leads to a child doing something like this.

"Sure, I'll wait."

I handed the phone back to Lee Jin-Sil. She grumbled and told her mom to hurry.

In the meantime, I made a call to Kim Dong-Soo to take care of these punks.

-What? Why're you calling again? I already gave you the contract termination, didn't I?

"Did you know Lee Jin-Sil just showed up at Na-Ra's house to lynch her? And she brought Park Jong-Seo, Ahn Jung-Joon, and Lee Tae-Yong from your company to do it."

After a brief silence, I heard a long sigh from Kim Dong-Soo on the other end.

-Damn it. What the hell are those kids doing now...

"Should I handle it? Or will you take care of it?"

If I tipped this to the media, not just these three but Ace Entertainment itself would be in big trouble. However, if it came to that, there was a risk of bad rumors following Sung Na-Ra. The world didn't only look down on the bullies, but it tended to view the victims harshly too.

-I'll handle it. You stay out of it.

"Understood. Please take care of it by noon today."

-Fine. But if Ace Entertainment's name gets mentioned in this, I won't sit still either. Got it? If I go down, you go down with me!

Kim Dong-Soo was basically threatening to spread malicious rumors about Sung Na-Ra if things didn't go his way.

"I understand."

If Sung Na-Ra's safety could be guaranteed in exchange for getting the kids from FIVE Angels and Man&Manz kicked out of the entertainment world, then it was a fair enough deal.

-I'm hanging up!

Kim Dong-Soo shouted and hung up the phone.

Moments later, all the kids' phones in front of me buzzed with message alerts. After checking their messages, their faces went pale. It was a unilateral notice from the company informing them of immediate contract termination.

"N-No, this can't be happening!"

The kids from FIVE Angels and Man&Manz frantically called their talent agents. Only then did they break down in tears, apologizing profusely. But it was too late.

Some even turned to me and begged for forgiveness, but I didn't believe a word of their crocodile tears. These were kids who had been bullying others for years, and they suddenly decided to repent now that their futures looked bleak. Their attitude was just as expected.

When I didn't budge, they started hurling curses.

"Fuck you! You think I'll just take this lying down?"

"Yeah! I'm going to file an assault charge with the police!"

At that moment, I took a deep breath and punched the square wooden post next to the bench.

Boom!

Thudduuuddd.

The wood boomed and vibrated, shaking the entire bench connected to it. It was loud enough to show them that I'd been holding back this whole time. When a noise that intense rang out from a single punch, the kids' faces turned ghostly white.

I glared at the kids with a cold, chilling look. "Go ahead. Try it. Please, I dare you. Let me drop the act and lose my patience for once. Come on. There's no security cameras here anyway, and this spot's just perfect."

All seven kids clamped their mouths shut. The moment they saw my fist embedded into the wooden post, they realized that getting hit could be fatal.

Just then, I heard the voice of Kim Chan-Sung. "Mr. Jung~~"

He waved as he walked over. Thanks to his cheerful voice, I was barely able to keep my temper in check.

"Ah, Mr. Kim."

Kim Chan-Sung approached and saw the fist-shaped dent in the post. "There's no security cameras around here anyway. Why didn't you just beat them to death? They don't look like they're ever going to change anyway."

The kids turned even paler as Kim Chan-Sung said with a smile.

I tilted my head. "Should a lawyer really be saying that?"

"Well, I'm still human. And if you teach them a real good lesson right now, I can take care of the rest. Don't worry about the consequences—just do it."

"To be honest, I can't afford the consequences right now. Just thinking about what might've happened to Na-Ra if I had been any later... it's hard to stay calm."

As I clenched my fists and spoke, some of the kids hiccuped in fear.

"

Hic.

"

"

Hicc

."

Knowing the fear that their victims had endured, I felt not the slightest sympathy for these school violence offenders.

"Understood. Then leave this to me."

"Thank you, Mr. Kim."

With that, Kim Chan-Sung turned to the kids. "I know your kind very well. You'll pretend to behave now, but once this moment passes, you'll come after Chief Jung. But listen..."

Kim Chan-Sung smiled slyly at them.

"Try me. I'll plaster all your faces on the 9 o'clock news of the big three networks. Getting pointed at by your friends will be the least of your worries. Your entertainment careers are already over, and you know that. But I'll show you there's a deeper hell. You won't get a job or do anything. Your lives will be ruined."

The kids' hiccups grew worse.

"But personally~ I hope you do go through with your lawsuits and whatever. Honestly, that would make things easier for me. How about it? Let's get your faces out there again, but this time on the society page instead of the entertainment section, yeah?"

At Kim Chan-Sung's brutally realistic threat, the kids started trembling and eventually dropped to their knees.

"I'm sorry."

"S-sorry..."

"Please forgive us."

It was a bitter truth that sometimes the only way to counter force was with greater force, but there were times when it couldn't be helped.

As I looked at the trembling kids, I gestured. "Never show your faces in the entertainment industry or in front of Na-Ra again. And if I hear even one word about you bothering other kids again, I'm handing you over to Mr. Kim here. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!!"

"Then get lost. Now!"

The kids sprang up and bowed their heads before running off. Everyone except for Lee Jin-Sil, who had hurt her tailbone and called her mom, fled like their world had ended.

However, I felt no sympathy. The kids who suffered under them must have walked home with much heavier steps. Still, knowing I had wrecked those bullies' futures might be some comfort to their victims.

After that, I checked the planner. However, Sung Na-Ra's death was still scheduled.

'

Why? Why hasn't it disappeared yet?

'

That's when I heard Lee Jin-Sil's voice. "M-Mom... why aren't you here yet..."

Even while watching me, Lee Jin-Sil was calling out for her parents.

At that moment, I realized that I had to deal with Lee Jin-Sil's parents to erase the schedule entry.

Lee Jin-Sil acted so boldly because she had her mom; a PD at a broadcasting station, and her dad; a well-known dance school director in Gangnam, backing her.

Still, it wasn't right to punish her parents by association when Lee Jin-Sil was the one who committed the crime. So for now, I made a conditional request to Reporter Choi So-Hye.

[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: Ms. Choi, I have a tip. And a favor to ask.]

[Reporter Choi So-Hye: Always! Anytime. I'm Choi So-Hye, open for tips 24/7. What is it this time, little brother? ^_^]

[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: I've got info on an SBC PD and the director of a famous Gangnam dance school.]

As soon as I sent what I knew about Lee Jin-Sil's parents, Choi So-Hye replied immediately.

[Reporter Choi So-Hye: Okay. I'll start drafting the article right now.]

[Chief Jung Yoon-Ho: But if her parents sincerely apologize by any chance, please hold the article until I give the go-ahead.]

[Reporter Choi So-Hye: Got it. But honestly... I don't think it'll make a difference. You know what they say—children are mirrors of their parents. Like a parent, like a child.]

I felt the same way, but I still wanted to check before acting.

Moments later, Lee Jin-Sil's parents arrived. "Jin-Sil~~"

"Mom! Dad!"

Ahn Mi-Hyun and Lee Seok-Hyung rushed over. They immediately embraced their daughter.

They looked over at their daughter worriedly. "My baby. Are you okay?"

Then, Lee Jin-Sil shouted in a high-pitched voice like she had been waiting, "Do I look okay to you? I hurt my tailbone! And the company said I'm kicked out!"

"My baby girl. Don't worry about a thing. Just trust mommy. I'll take care of everything."

Ahn Mi-Hyun comforted her high school daughter like she was seven years old, then looked my way. Her eyes were full of venom.

"Hey! You should be grateful we let some parentless kid debut as an idol. And what now? You dare kick our daughter out?"

"Didn't you hear your daughter ordering others to beat up Na-Ra?"

"I don't care, nor am I interested. Even if she did say that, Sung Na-Ra probably did something to deserve it. Anyway, you better call President Kim right now to fix this! If not, your celebrities are getting banned from every broadcast station!"

I had hoped otherwise, but Ahn Mi-Hyun's reaction was just as expected.

And Lee Jin-Sil's dad joined in with the same nonsense. "Chief Jung. Are you Na-Ra's dad or something? Who the hell are you to interfere and ruin my daughter's future? Huh? If this is how you want to play, you think Na-Ra's going to walk away unscathed?"

Now it was outright blackmail. I turned to check on Sung Na-Ra, just in case she overheard.

Thankfully, Kim Chan-Sung had already taken her far away. He nodded at me, signaling it was safe.

'

Good. Now I can see this through without holding back.

'

I didn't hesitate to pull out my phone and make a call.

"They're just as expected. Go ahead and publish it."

-Got it. But what about Lee Jin-Sil's involvement in school bullying? Should I include that too?

"No. For Na-Ra's sake, it's better to hold off on that for now. Besides, our attorney here will handle that matter delicately."

-Fair point. If the media jumps in too early, it could cause secondary harm to the bullying victims. Alright. Let's make sure Na-Ra walks only on flower paths. But let me know anytime you need me.

"Thank you."

As soon as I hung up, Lee Jin-Sil's parents snapped at me. "Who were you just talking to?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I just looked down and checked my phone. At that moment, the articles I had tipped off started going live.

[(Breaking) Director of Gangnam's X Dance Academy Accused of Large-Scale Tax Evasion.]

-Reports have surfaced about suspected tax evasion at the famous Gangnam dance academy X, attended by many aspiring entertainers...

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

[(Exclusive) SBC Variety Department's PD A Accused of Taking Kickbacks?]

-PD A of the popular variety show M is suspected of receiving bribes from entertainment agencies in exchange for casting appearances...

I held up the articles from Choi So-Hye in front of the two of them. Their faces turned ghost white as they read. They immediately realized the articles were aimed directly at them.

"You bastard..."

"W-what... is this..."

But then it happened. Overcome with anger after reading the article, Lee Seok-Hyung lost control and threw a punch at me.

Watching his slow-moving fist, I didn't even bother to dodge. I simply caught it.

Grab.

Then, gripping his hand tightly, I added pressure.

"

Gghhhh

..."

As Lee Seok-Hyung groaned in pain, I leaned in and whispered into his ear, just loud enough for him alone to hear. After all, I had another piece of information-something that could utterly destroy him.

"H-how do you... know about that...?"

After hearing my whisper, Lee Seok-Hyung began trembling violently.