#031
A little past midnight.
Kang Dojun’s manager Park Daeho was waiting for Kang Dojun, whose filming would soon end, while checking community reactions to the variety show “Rural Conquest” from inside his car. Monitoring various reactions to the celebrity he managed was also part of a manager’s job.
Even though PD Han Taegu had some shady aspects, he was surprisingly sincere about variety shows and didn’t do devil’s editing or anything like that, focusing solely on entertainment value.
As a result, Lee Yeonwoo unintentionally got as much screen time as Kang Dojun, but the reactions weren’t bad and there were many posts saying their chemistry was interesting, so he felt somewhat relieved.
Then he discovered a post that had quite high popularity rankings despite being recent.
[Isn’t Ber fucking crazy? Ugh, fucking hell, I’m so pissed off. That fucking bastard should die hot!]
Just as he was about to click on it out of curiosity, Kang Dojun, who had finished filming, got into the car.
“Oh, you’re here? Good work.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
He had reached the peak of exhaustion from continuously holding onto his script without rest even during filming standby time. Knowing this about him, Park Daeho started the engine without saying anything.
Then there was a knocking sound from the window on Kang Dojun’s side. When he rolled down the window, a fellow actor from the same movie spoke to him.
“Sunbae-nim, we decided to have a dinner gathering just among the lead actors. Would you like to come with us?”
It was an attitude that divided ranks as if everyone, whether lead or supporting actors, hadn’t all worked on the filming together. This is how prejudice and discrimination are born.
“It’s fine. I’m a bit tired. Let’s go together next time.”
As he uttered his refusal and rolled up the window, voices could be heard through the gap. “Is he going?” “No, he refused again. Says he’ll come next time.” “Always next time…”
Having heard some of the conversation, Park Daeho also tried to persuade him. He was worried about Kang Dojun’s human relationships.
“Why don’t you go just once?”
“Forget it. I don’t even like those kinds of gatherings.”
Brushing off Park Daeho’s words, he rummaged through the pockets of the outerwear he had left in the car and pulled out his phone.
When he turned on his phone, which he usually kept off during filming, several alarms went off. He checked who had contacted him, but there was nothing from Lee Yeonwoo.
Surprisingly, Shin Gihyeon had sent a text.
「Hello, sunbae-nim. I think you’re probably filming right now, but I’m worried that I might have burdened you by suddenly contacting you. I’m already looking forward to the new movie you’re joining, sunbae-nim. I also received the script for that movie and read it briefly. The fresh setting of an active police officer infiltrating a drug organization while chasing it caught my eye, but I had to decline because the timing of my recently filmed drama ending would overlap with the movie’s script reading period. I can’t cause trouble for others just because of me. It’s a shame I won’t be able to see sunbae-nim’s vivid acting on set, but I’m sure if it’s sunbae-nim, you’ll be very cool in the role of a lonely police officer too. I’ll definitely watch it when it’s released. Oh, the introduction got a bit long. I’m worried if it wasn’t tiring to read. The reason I contacted you is nothing else but I’m worried about Lee Yeonwoo. I think you should see this, so I’m uploading a link. I had a brief call with Lee Yeonwoo earlier, and although the kid said it was nothing, he seemed to be having a really hard time. I’ll end my contact here. Thank you.」
It was a text so densely packed it was tiring to the eyes.
‘Yeonwoo is having a hard time? He seemed fine when we talked at lunch.’
After reading it thoroughly, Kang Dojun first sent a reply.
「Yes, thank you for the encouragement. I’m also busy with recent work and don’t have time, but I’ll definitely watch the drama Gihyeon-ssi appears in later. Congratulations on safely finishing filming until the final episode.」
Then he immediately clicked on the link Shin Gihyeon had sent.
A video appeared. Kang Dojun’s expression gradually hardened as he watched it.
‘…Fuck, what is this.’
When Ber said he smelled alcohol on Lee Yeonwoo and approached closely, sniffing around his nose, it became almost unbearable to just watch the video.
If even he, who encountered this through video, felt this frustrated and suffocated, how much worse must Lee Yeonwoo at the scene have felt? Seeing the kid who couldn’t even breathe properly made him feel inexplicably bitter and pained. This was a video of abusing a person.
Kang Dojun squeezed his eyes shut and exhaled. Yeonwoo. Lee Yeonwoo. The more he repeated the name, the more bitter water seemed to rise from deep within.
He never dreamed such a thing would happen while he was filming.
‘Attorney Han Seungwoo’s phone number is… No, contact Yeonwoo first.’
His head was throbbing. It was partly due to not getting rest, but there was a bigger cause than that. And he had to solve that cause immediately.
“…Daeho. I don’t have any schedule tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah, you’re tired. We’re almost home now. Rest well tomorrow.”
“Sorry, but I think I need to go somewhere right now.”
* * *
After quickly finishing the kimchi fried rice that Grandma Kyeong-i had prepared, he secretly took out alcohol from the refrigerator and crouched down in his house’s yard.
Leaning against the wall, he remembered drinking alcohol here with Kang Dojun on the last day of filming in the past. It had been fun and enjoyable then, but now it wasn’t enjoyable at all.
“Sniff.”
Starting with sniffling his nose, his eyes became slightly red. His phone had numerous contacts from people worried about him, but he didn’t particularly want to check them. Nothing seemed like it would be comforting.
[Dojun hyung]
After hesitating whether to answer or not, he impulsively picked up. He cleared his hoarse voice and spoke.
“Hello.”
Where are you.
“At home.”
He answered while holding back his sniffling, but Kang Dojun on the other end of the line was silent. As he waited quietly, swallowing, wondering when he would speak, a voice finally came after a long while.
Don’t cry.
At those words, the tears he had been holding back burst out.
It seemed he had confirmed that his video was unexpectedly circulating on social media.
“Hyung.”
Yeah.
The answer that came back as soon as he called, firm as always, seemed like it would always be there in that place.
With that sense of security, Lee Yeonwoo wiped away his leaking tears.
Then he revealed his true feelings, which he had never told anyone since childhood.
“I’m not okay. It’s too hard.”
Wait a little.
At his words, Lee Yeonwoo’s crying stopped abruptly.
“…Are you coming here right now?”
Yeah. Is there anything you want to eat? I’ll buy it.
At this dawn, what… Where would there be any open stores? Thanks to him seriously saying something that didn’t make sense, a chuckle burst out.
Kang Dojun didn’t ask comforting questions like whether he was okay. Since it was obvious he wasn’t okay, he only said he would rush over right now. That was very reassuring and comforting.
His depressed mood seemed to lift a little.
In high school, there were friends who roughly sensed his family situation without him saying anything and didn’t ask about it, on the deep-sea fishing boat the sailors took care of him, in the military… well, was it camaraderie?… In the countryside, thanks to the elders’ affection, he had safely gotten through difficult times without growing up with a rough personality.
Indeed, it seems humans are best at resolving emotions by forming relationships with others.
Lee Yeonwoo, facing a difficult time once again, made a somewhat impulsive judgment. He thought that Kang Dojun was the one who would save him from his current hardship.
At first, the elders who said it was good that the village had vitality were now a little uncomfortable. Even if they didn’t show it, it was clearly visible to Lee Yeonwoo’s eyes. He didn’t want to cause any more trouble for the village either.
“Hyung.”
Yeah, what should I buy?
Kang Dojun worked in the entertainment industry and received attention from countless people, far more than himself. It was amazing that he remained sane under all those gazes.
Lee Yeonwoo wanted to ask him for help.
“I want to go to Seoul.”
* * *
“Just wait and see. Do you think you’ll be safe after doing this?”
Ber had arrived at his home and was frantically moving his mouse in front of the computer with bloodshot eyes. He looked absolutely insane.
Even though the camera was broken, there was video that had been broadcast live, and he was editing it. As maliciously as possible, clearly showing the perpetrator and victim.
Of course, the perpetrator was Lee Yeonwoo, and the victim was himself.
As his popularity as a BJ grew, he had also opened a YouTube channel. He was gradually expanding his reach, so he was confident many people would watch. Moreover, wasn’t this ‘that’ Lee Yeonwoo, the ordinary person who was the talk of the town?
The editing was nearing its end, and finally he attached photos of the broken camera debris he had taken with his phone as evidence at the end of the video.
“Ehehe.”
With a sinister laugh, he finally pondered what title to use when uploading to YouTube. Tap tap. The unpleasant sound of his nails and teeth clicking echoed.
If he made the title too much like he was playing the victim, the public might attack him for obviously wanting sympathy.
But if he uploaded with a title cursing the perpetrator, there would be an outcry that he and the other guy were no different.
After thinking for a long time, Ber moved his hands over the keyboard.
[Camera broken day vlog.]
As concise as possible. The judgment is always up to the public. He just needs to throw them the bait.
Before uploading, he carefully checked if there were any aspects the public could criticize.
All the words he said to Lee Yeonwoo while pointing the camera at him were muted, with subtitles saying ‘Requesting filming cooperation from Yeonwoo-ssi whom I happened to meet.’
After that, he cut out all of Lee Yeonwoo’s abnormal symptoms, and suddenly Lee Yeonwoo’s hand approached the camera screen, followed by chaotic angles and a screen that went black.
Finally, even the photos of the broken camera were perfect.
‘Good, I can upload it like this.’
A few minutes after uploading, he posted a comment and even pinned it.
???? Pinned by Ber
[Everyone, thank you for worrying, but I’ve decided not to file charges. Yeonwoo-ssi was drunk at the time, and I didn’t want it to become a big problem just because of me. Cameras can be bought again, but I couldn’t ruin someone’s life over just one camera. So please refrain from comments asking why I’m not pressing charges. I’m posting this because there are too many comments that seem like they would cause harm to Yeonwoo-ssi while I was monitoring them. Please understand. Thank you.]
‘I wrote it myself, but I wrote it really well.’
“Ugh. I’m tired.”
He had taken a bus to some remote countryside early in the morning, and the situation escalated to the point where he even had to go to the police station.
‘Should we greet each other if we meet at the bread shop?’
‘Meeting all kinds of crazy bastards.’
He shuddered. He was disgusted.
“You can go to the bread shop by yourself~.”
Ber stretched greatly and went straight to bed to enjoy sweet sleep.
As mentioned before, the judgment is always up to the public.
* * *
○ [Isn’t he crazy?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ Who’s worried about who? Ber, you should be grateful that Lee Yeonwoo isn’t pressing chargesㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ This bastard is ridiculous.]
○ [Wow, be grateful that Lee Yeonwoo only broke the camera. If it were me, I would’ve broken Ber’s head. Hey kids, take out the hammers. I found an urgent place to use them.]
○ [If you click this link, you can understand why people are cursing Ber. Go read the summary post first.]
○ [ㅋㅋ Fucking bastard who should die. Victim cosplay is amazing. Yeah bye. See you in hell.]
○ [Isn’t Lee Yeonwoo really an angel? He’s just letting this slide. That guy needs his back examined. There might be scars from torn wings.]
○ [Ber-nim, a package came for you. Please open the door for a moment. What? What is it? Let me see. It’s bread. Just a stab^^]
○ [Please stop going to the countryside. I get that you’re curious, but don’t cause harm. Isn’t the kid having a panic attack?;;;]
○ [Ber should disappear for a while. Disappear into hell.]
○ [Ber, stop acting up and just shut up. If you had any sense you wouldn’t have uploaded the videoㅋ Making the situation bigger asking to be cursed outㅋ Did you even go to school? Situation awareness shitty as fuck]
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
