Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Raise Three Idols Well And They’ll Launch a Confession Attack.

Episode 37: Oppa.

I gasped and said.

“Are you saying Dae-su’s father is a congressman?!”

Immersing myself in the act, I trembled and slumped my shoulders.

“How could the son of such a person attend this school…? Shouldn’t he be going to a school for elites?”

Mrs. Dae-su, who seemed surprised by my sudden change in attitude, soon accepted the situation and laughed loudly.

“This is where we lay the foundation, so we enrolled him in this cheap school. We won’t be staying at such a cheap place for high school.”

“…I see.”

“Hah… Now you understand who you’ve messed with?”

“No, I can’t believe it! That a congressman’s son would appear in a place like this, it’s unbelievable!”

I spoke with a pitiful expression, hoping it wasn’t true.

“Name him. Though it’s probably a lie!”

The middle-aged woman burst out laughing and said confidently.

“You must have heard of Woo Chang-ho, right?”

Finding that insufficient, the woman even showed a family photo. It featured Dae-su, his mother, and Congressman Woo Chang-ho.

It was clear that Woo Chang-ho was indeed a current congressman.

“…My goodness, it’s really Congressman Woo Chang-ho!”

The woman seemed pleased with my exaggerated reaction.

“Kneel now… No, that’s not enough. Bow your heads, too. All three of you.”

“Team Leader Seon…”

Gaeul looked apologetic, as if she regretted that things had escalated this far.

I patted her head once and said.

“Did you get that?”

“Yes, I did.”

My sister took out the smartphone she was using to film from her shirt pocket and said,

“We also recorded the audio.”

“…”

The room was filled with silence.

I was the one who broke that silence.

“Congressman Woo Chang-ho is a first-term lawmaker, right? He’s not very famous or has a strong support base.”

“…Why does that matter?”

“Would the party protect a first-term lawmaker like him? Or would they just cut him loose?”

The answer was obvious.

“Cut loose? Who do you think you’re talking to?!”

“I’m speaking to you, the wife of Congressman Woo Chang-ho.”

Honestly, calling him “cut loose” was an overstatement.

From my previous experience, Congressman Woo Chang-ho was just finishing his political career as a first-term lawmaker.

“…”

“I plan to post the video and recording on AllTube, SNS, and online communities. Then, getting expelled from the party would be certain, so you should prepare for that.”

She shook with rage and said.

“The recording? The part where you said you’d beat me? Do you think you’ll be safe if you release that?”

Of course, I’ll edit it before posting, you stupid woman.

Did you think I’d back off because your husband is a congressman? You messed up the moment you mentioned that.

Thanks for being too stupid to even think of that.

I didn’t say any of that, I just shrugged my shoulders and said.

“Just watch the reaction to the video once it’s posted. Then decide who will be hurt.”

An abusive parent and a sexually harassing middle schooler who were actually the wife and son of a sitting congressman. People wouldn’t be able to resist clicking on the video.

“Then, let’s leave the rest of the discussion for the court.”

Mrs. Dae-su urgently called someone. It seemed like she was calling Woo Chang-ho.

But the content of the call didn’t seem favorable as her face turned pale.

I helped Gahyeon up from his seat, took Gaeul’s hand, and turned to leave.

We left without any hesitation.

We walked out the door without looking back.

Then, I heard Mrs. Dae-su’s small voice from behind.

“…Wait.”

I looked at Dae-su and the woman with a cold expression.

“Do you have any other business with me?”

The middle-aged woman stuttered and continued.

“Do you really have to go that far? It’s just a matter between kids.”

“Between kids?”

“Yes, as you said, it’s disgraceful for adults to intervene in a kids’ fight. How about we settle this here?”

It was a very shameless attitude.

She glanced around, perhaps aware of it herself.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to have an adult fight?”

“So, I admit I spoke rashly on that point. Thinking about it, it doesn’t seem worth going to such lengths…”

I looked at Mrs. Dae-su, who was sweating and waving her hands.

Then, I looked at Gahyeon and Gaeul, who were staring at me with blank expressions.

I wanted to give these kids a good show.

“If you show some sincerity, we can settle this here.”

“…Sincerity? What do you mean by that?”

I took four steps forward and looked down at the middle-aged woman.

“Kneel before Gahyeon and Gaeul. And beg, saying, ‘I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.’”

I’ll teach you the empathy you should have learned in elementary school, you old lady.

“Oh, there’s no need to do it like an insect. I have enough consideration not to make you do that.”

And such a disgraceful act wouldn’t be good for education either.

“Do you really think I would do that…?”

“Then let’s end the conversation here. See you in court.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Mrs. Dae-su kneeled.

“…I’m sorry.”

It was a truly disgraceful sight.

“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to Gaeul and Gahyeon.”

The woman, unable to contain her simmering anger, spoke to Gaeul and Gahyeon, her cheeks trembling.

“…I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

I looked at her pitiful state and chuckled lightly.

“You’ve shown your sincerity, so let’s end this here. Teacher, please handle the rest properly.”

“…Ah, yes. I will!”

“Of course, remember that if any rumors start, the situation can flare up again at any time.”

The teacher swallowed nervously.

I gave a slight smile to Gaeul, who was staring at me blankly, and said.

“Let’s go.”

As we exited the school gate, Gahyeon spoke with a worried expression.

“Is everything going to be okay?”

I understood why the kid felt uneasy. Gahyeon would find it difficult to continue attending school with that punk, Dae-su.

“Don’t worry, I’ll edit and release the video and recording whenever needed. I’ll make sure that punk Dae-su can’t attend school anymore. And I’ll get rid of that woman, too.”

I’m good at providing after-service.

My sister, who was smoking in the corner of the smoking area next to the parking lot, spoke to me.

“You know this time was a lot more precarious than last time, right?”

“…Yeah, I know.”

My sister was right. Honestly, I was very lucky.

Being able to check Dae-su’s account and that woman stupidly revealing her husband was a congressman—all of it was due to luck.

“But I couldn’t stand it.”

Seeing those two kids feel guilty as if they had committed a crime, I couldn’t bear it.

Those kids weren’t criminals.

My sister looked at me with an enigmatic expression and smiled, then said.

“Weren’t you done with such things?”

“….”

“You said you’d succeed even if you had to use people and make them fall, right?”

I had definitely said that to my sister.

It was like a resolution.

It was a declaration that I would live a different life after my return.

“I didn’t say it lightly.”

“I know you’re not the type to say such things lightly.”

“Thanks for thinking that way.”

My sister shrugged and said.

“And I don’t think your meddling is entirely bad. It’s part of what makes you who you are… but I can’t help worrying.”

My sister took a drag of her cigarette.

The smoke she gently exhaled rose through the smoking area’s ventilation to the sky.

“So I’ll just nag you once.”

She put out her cigarette and looked at me before speaking.

“Your desire for success and your soft heart are hard to balance.”

“You’re even softer than me.”

“That’s why I can say this.”

“….”

“If you don’t set your direction clearly, you’ll get hurt someday.”

Her words were filled with experience. I also deeply empathized with them.

“I just hope you don’t get hurt, no matter which direction you choose.”

I spoke confidently to ease her worries.

“I’ve set my direction. I’ll move the way I told you before. Even if it’s self-righteous and selfish, I’ll succeed.”

“Then, what about the current situation? Is this also part of that selfish process toward success?”

There was a reason, but I couldn’t say it.

How could I tell her?

That Gaeul reminded me of my sister, who used to sacrifice herself for me.

Instead, I came up with a lame excuse.

“…A brief deviation?”

She smiled slightly at my words, ruffled my hair roughly, and then left the smoking area, saying,

“I’m leaving first.”

“Why not go home together? I’ll give you a ride.”

“That’s the company car. You can’t use it for personal purposes.”

That was typical of my straightforward sister.

“I’ll take Gahyeon home, so don’t worry.”

“Just get in the car with us. Our boss isn’t the type to nitpick about that.”

My sister snapped in annoyance.

“You clueless guy. That girl, Gaeul, seems to have a lot to say to you. Go listen to her.”

“Something to say? She can say it in the car.”

My sister turned her back and flipped me off, then called Gahyeon.

“Gahyeon, I’ll give you a ride. Come with me.”

Gahyeon looked at Gaeul and me, then said,

“What about my sister?”

“Your sister has something to discuss with Team Leader Seon. How about we step aside for a bit?”

Gahyeon, realizing what she meant, exclaimed and followed my sister.

And when they had walked a bit of distance, he turned around and said to Gaeul,

“Sis, fighting! I like him! I’m rooting for you!”

…What was he rooting for?

Gaeul’s face turned bright red, as if she recalled an embarrassing memory from Gahyeon’s words.

Her face was small, and her skin was so fair that the redness was very noticeable.

I asked purely out of curiosity.

“What is Gahyeon rooting for?”

“…I don’t know either.”

She didn’t look like she really didn’t know, but since she seemed unwilling to say, I pretended not to notice.

Gaeul and I got in the car.

Only then did I realize that the time I usually reported to Cheon Aram had passed.

I called Cheon Aram to apologize.

She kindly asked about Gaeul’s well-being and then suggested that I go home directly from the site today.

It was a warmth rarely seen from the head of an entertainment agency.

Grateful for Cheon Aram’s consideration, I drove to Gaeul’s house.

Gaeul kept silent, only glancing at me.

Even the usually sociable Gaeul found it hard to speak after what had just happened.

But seeing Gaeul like that made it hard for me to speak, too.

We remained silent until we reached the hill in front of her house.

Shouldn’t I have just brought my sister and Gahyeon instead?

“We’re here. Shall we get out?”

Despite my words, Gaeul hesitated and didn’t get out.

I couldn’t tell if she didn’t want to get out or if she had something left to say.

Seeing her like that, I remembered that I had prepared something.

“Oh! Wait a second. I have something for you.”

Leaving Gaeul, who had a puzzled look on her face, I got out and took a shopping bag from the trunk.

Then I got back in the car and handed the shopping bag to Gaeul.

“…What’s this?”

“It’s for you, Gaeul. You can open it.”

Gaeul opened the shopping bag and took out the wrapped item.

It was a yellow Adidas jersey that matched her warm brown hair.

“You said in the morning that Gyeoul’s clothes were pretty. You also said you were jealous.”

“…”

“But I thought you had no reason to be jealous. I think you’d look great in clothes like this too.”

Gaeul stammered and said,

“…Why would you give me something like this?”

Her awkward tone didn’t feel like a positive reaction.

Didn’t she like it? Shouldn’t I have trusted my senses?

It seemed the gift was a failure. Hoping not to burden her, I tried to act like it was no big deal.

“Tomorrow is Children’s Day.”

“…”

“I said I’d be your adult then, remember? So I wanted to take care of you.”

“…”

In my opinion, that’s what an adult should do.

Judging by her reaction, it seemed like a bad idea.

“The receipt is inside, so if you don’t like it, you can exchange it for something else…”

Gaeul, who had been silent, couldn’t let that go and shouted while looking at me.

“There’s no way I wouldn’t like it!”

“…Gaeul?”

Gaeul was hugging the yellow Adidas jersey and crying.

“Something like this… sob… I dare… sob, sob… received…”

Without a word, I took out a tissue and wiped her tears.

Gaeul grabbed not the tissue, but the hand holding the tissue, and wiped her tears.

“…”

There was a child who had to bloom despite not being mature enough.

That child had endured harsh winds and cruel insects alone.

But the morning dew was too cold for that child to bear.

So that child had to revert to a bud.

Shivering with small, delicate leaves.

I stayed by her side until that bud could disgorge the dew and pretend to be a fully bloomed flower again.

“…Team Leader Seon.”

“Yes?”

“…Can I call you Oppa?”

Those words felt like a signal that Gaeul was starting to trust me, and I was glad.

…But ‘Oppa’ seemed a bit off, given the age difference.

I didn’t want to end up like Ban Seongcheol, who forced trainees to call him Oppa.

“Oppa is hard; how about Uncle…?”

“Oppa.”

She spoke firmly, as if not allowing any argument.

I felt a sense of spirit in her demeanor and was a bit intimidated.

“…Okay, call me whatever you want.”

“…Oppa.”

Gaeul smiled warmly, even through her tears.

“Taeyang Oppa.”