Chapter 933: Friend (4) |
President Gi Myung-Hyun suddenly stomped over to the holding cell. Just as I wondered what he was doing, he grabbed the three-section riot baton sitting on a police officer's desk with a sharp motion. Then he swung it down through the bars of the cell.
Thwack.
"Aagh!"
The baton grazed Gi Do-Hyuk's head, and he clutched the side of it before collapsing onto the floor.
"Aah! Daddy! What the hell? What's wrong with you?"
Furious, Gi Myung-Hyun raised the baton again. "You little bastard. Other people your age already have three kids of their own, and you're still calling me Daddy? Daddy?"
Startled, Gi Do-Hyuk scrambled backward across the floor. "Ha-have you lost your mind? Dad, what's wrong with you?"
"That's right! I've lost my mind because of you. You're forty years old and this is what you do with your life? Get over here. You hear me? Get over here!"
Gi Myung-Hyun shoved his hand through the bars and kept swinging the baton.
"Let go of me! I brought a trash son like that into this world, so it's only right I take him back out of it! Gi Do-Hyuk! Get over here right now!!"
Only then did Gi Do-Hyuk finally seem truly terrified, trembling all over. Seo Yung-Yoon, the mother who had always doted on him, had turned her head away and was pretending not to see any of it.
In the end, pressed up against the wall of the holding cell, Gi Do-Hyuk clasped his hands together and started begging. "I-I'm sorry."
"I don't want to hear it, you little punk! Get over here right now!"
Saying he didn't want to hear it, Gi Myung-Hyun kept rattling the baton against the bars.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Eventually, the officers swarmed him, pulled Gi Myung-Hyun away from the bars, and even took the baton from him.
"That's enough, sir."
"Huff, huff, huff..." After losing the baton, Gi Myung-Hyun dragged in a rough breath and shouted, "You're not my son anymore. So let's never see each other again!"
After declaring he was cutting him off, Gi Myung-Hyun walked over to us. He was still breathing hard, then gritted his teeth and lowered his head.
"President Kang. Please spare us just this once. More than fifty people make their living at our law firm. That bastard deserves to be beaten to death, and my wife was in the wrong too. That's all true. Still, isn't it too cruel to cut off the livelihoods of all the people under us because of that?"
Kang Eun-Gi answered with a calm expression. "Then what do you intend to do about Gi Do-Hyuk going forward?"
"He's not even my son anymore, so why would I help him?" Gi Myung-Hyun said in a cold voice that he had severed ties with Gi Do-Hyuk.
Kang Eun-Gi looked at me. "Yoon-Ho. What do you want to do?"
I asked Gi Myung-Hyun, "There isn't just one victim here. What do you plan to do about all of them?"
Gi Myung-Hyun squeezed his eyes shut and answered, "I'll compensate them however they ask. No, we'll pay double the average settlement in hidden-camera cases. No, triple. And even if that bastard Do-Hyuk ends up being detained, we'll make sure the victims' names never appear in the articles. For actresses, isn't being rumored to have been involved in something like this what they'd fear most?"
Maybe because he was the head of a law firm, Gi Myung-Hyun understood exactly what needed to be protected.
Still, there was one thing I needed to make absolutely clear.
"Later, I'll personally verify the full amount of compensation and how the follow-up is handled. Don't even think about trying anything half-baked. I know very well what the highest payout was in a hidden-camera case handled by KIN Law Firm," I said.
Three years ago, A-list actress Jin So-Hee had entrusted KIN Law Firm with her hidden-camera case, and the compensation alone had come to 1.2 billion won.
Gi Myung-Hyun nodded. "Don't worry. I'll make sure the victims don't feel wronged. I'll liquidate what I had planned to leave that bastard as inheritance."
I then turned to look at Seo Yung-Yoon. "Do you agree as well, Mrs. Seo?"
Seo Yung-Yoon stammered, "N-no, I..."
At that moment, Gi Myung-Hyun snapped at his wife in an angry voice. "You. If you get caught pulling any more nonsense, that's the day I divorce you. Do you understand?"
"I-I won't. I know the chairman of Myeongdong is backing you... how could I possibly..."
Even Seo Yung-Yoon, who had always been stubborn, finally raised both hands in surrender.
When I nodded to Kang Eun-Gi, he called Chairman Choi Eun-Tae.
"Father. President Gi Myung-Hyun and Bank President Seo Yung-Yoon have come and are apologizing for what they've done. I think it's about time we let this go."
At that moment, Choi Eun-Tae spoke in a calm voice, teaching him how to wield authority.
-Eun-Gi. A blade shouldn't be drawn carelessly, but once it's drawn, it shouldn't be sheathed without consequence. Only by swinging it fiercely will others learn to fear it.
"Then what should we do?"
-Are the two people next to you listening?
The couple answered immediately, "Yes, Mr. Chairman!"
-Since Eun-Gi has spoken, I'll grant forgiveness. But you must never reveal that Eun-Gi is my son.
"We will do as you say."
-And Seo Yung-Yoon, submit your resignation as soon as you return. The next president will be chosen through a board meeting. That is my condition.
"Mr. Chairman! Please, have mercy..."
-Shall I wipe out your brothers' banks as well?
Seo Yung-Yoon trembled and lowered her head. "N-no. I'll do as you say."
-Good. Then discuss the rest with Chief Jung Yoon-Ho there. He's someone I consider like a son, so don't try anything foolish.
"Understood..."
-And Eun-Gi, Yoon-Ho, come in together.
"Yes, sir."
Choi Eun-Tae's call ended, leaving behind a storm-like impact. Once again, I was reminded to be careful when asking him for help.
And a moment later, the door to the investigation department opened, and Moon Ji-Yoon appeared with her talent agent, her cap pulled down low.
However, Moon Ji-Yoon quickly walked up to the holding cell, grabbed the bars, and began shouting in a desperate voice. "You disgusting, horny piece of trash! You swore it was a private audition, and you filmed it and kept it?!"
Even as their son was being cursed out, Gi Myung-Hyun and Seo Yung-Yoon simply shut their eyes tight and said nothing. And Gi Do-Hyuk, with a lump on his head, had turned toward the wall of the holding cell, hunched over.
The young prince of the entertainment world, who had toyed with the powerless as if it were a game, was collapsing in utter ruin.
'Good riddance, Gi Do-Hyuk.'
***
Last night, Park Dong-Joon had briefed the press, stating it was a hidden-camera case involving civilians, not actresses. If it were described as an actress hidden-camera case, that alone could reveal the victims' identities.
Thanks to Park Dong-Joon's seasoned handling, Gi Do-Hyuk's case was being wrapped up without exposing who the victims were. And the events of yesterday were now appearing in entertainment news articles.
[Famous Actor Mr. K Arrested Urgently for Filming Hidden Camera Footage of Civilians with Fellow Actor Mr. N]
Because of that, the staff who were reading the article on their phones were making a commotion early in the morning.
"Wow, Gi Do-Hyuk. He looked normal on the outside, but he was doing this kind of trashy shit?"
"Normal? What are you talking about? Didn't you see him subtly step on Yung-In's hand during filming?"
"Yeah... just thinking about this coming out after the release gives me chills."
At that moment, Director Ahn Jung-Hae grabbed a megaphone and shouted, "Gi Do-Hyuk is no longer part of our cast, so stop bringing him up! Understood?"
The staff glanced around nervously before answering, "Yes, sir."
At that moment, Ahn Jung-Hae called out to me and Kang Eun-Gi. "Chief Jung, President Kang. Thank you."
I smiled and said, "If you're grateful, you can repay us with strong box office results."
"Just leave that to me. But who are we replacing Gi Do-Hyuk's scenes with?"
"What about Mr. Jang Joon-Hyuk?"
"If it's Mr. Joon-Hyuk, I'd be more than happy. He's a great actor and has a strong buzz."
After surviving a near-death experience, Jang Joon-Hyuk had come to be called the "Immortal Man" and was treated like a symbol of good fortune. Since his return, every drama and variety show Jang Joon-Hyuk appeared in had performed solidly. Of course, that was thanks to me only introducing him to projects that were bound to succeed.
Either way, the shadow on Ahn Jung-Hae's face disappeared completely after securing his casting.
"Then get going. Yung-In and Miso must've been really shaken, so make sure to take good care of them."
"Yes, sir."
After saying goodbye to Ahn Jung-Hae, I headed toward Ju Yung-In and Miso's dressing room with Kang Eun-Gi.
***
In front of the massive tent being used as a temporary dressing room, I looked inside and asked, "Can we come in?"
-Yes, come on in.
With permission from inside, Kang Eun-Gi and I stepped in.
Two members of the special effects makeup team had Ju Yung-In seated, completely focused on covering her body in fake blood and mud. Beside her, Miso, her face and body smeared with dust makeup, was looking through her Powertuff Girls sticker collection book.
Sensing our presence, Miso snapped the book shut and jumped to her feet. "Uncle Yoon-Ho! You're here?"
I nodded. "Yeah. How many stickers have you collected now?"
Miso answered brightly, "Out of 100 kinds, I got 30! I collected a lot, right?"
Even though I had bought her so much bread, there were too many duplicates, so she had only managed to collect 30 out of 100. Honestly, I felt a little guilty. For some reason, the Powertuff Girls bread I got her always ended up being the same ones.
'Sorry, Miso. Your uncle just has terrible luck with this kind of thing...'
Miso said she liked them anyway and kept the extras separately, but it still weighed on my mind. After politely bowing to Kang Eun-Gi, Miso glanced outside the tent.
Kang Eun-Gi tilted his head. "Miso, what's wrong?"
"Did you bring Yoon-Soo and Eun-Soo too, by any chance?"
"Ah, sorry. They're still too young to bring out. If you miss them, do you want to come over to our house after filming today?"
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Miso looked at me, clasped her hands together, and blinked sweetly. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, can I go to Uncle Eun-Gi's house today?"
"Hmm~ if you finish your acting safely today, then maybe."
The scene being filmed today was a difficult one. Her kidnapped mother, Oh Jung-Hyun, gets stabbed and dies while saying goodbye to her daughter, Lee Soo-Yeon. Even so, Miso's face was full of confidence.
At that moment, Ju Yung-In, now covered in blood makeup, walked over and spoke playfully to Miso. "Miso, I don't think I can act well today. What should I do? Then I guess you won't get to go see the twins..."
Miso thought for a moment, then held up two fingers. "Auntie, I'll give you two Powertuff Girls breads, so can you do a good job?"
Ju Yung-In's eyes sparkled as she spread her palm wide. "Five! If it's five, I'll do well."
Miso's eyes widened in shock. "Five?"
"Yeah. You know today's scene is incredibly difficult, right? Isn't that so?"
Miso's eyes began to shake wildly. Five Powertuff Girls breads weren't easy to come by. Of course, I had stocked up quite a few in the car, but even so, I never gave her more than one a day. If I gave them too easily, she might lose the fun of collecting them.
"That won't work..." Miso groaned in thought, then twisted her body shyly and put on an adorable act. "Auntie. Um... then can I keep the stickers and just give you the bread?"
As expected of someone who collected the stickers, Ju Yung-In shook her head with a strict, solemn expression. "No. Go back. What kind of Powertuff Girls bread is it without the sticker? If you bought one and there was no sticker inside, would you still like it?"
Having experienced that exact situation a few times, Miso flared up. "No! That makes no sense!"
"Exactly."
Miso stuck her tongue out in realization. "Ah... I messed up."
Ju Yung-In let out a small laugh, and Miso groaned before speaking again. "Then let's do this, Auntie! If you act really well and the filming finishes quickly, then I'll give you five Powertuff Girls breads."
At that moment, Ju Yung-In's eyes sparkled again. "Really? Then what if you mess up and cause an NG?"
"If I mess up, I'll give you five!"
"Okay. Deal!"
"Deal!"
As if collecting all the stickers was the most important thing in the world, the two even engaged in a fierce battle of wits before sealing their agreement.
After hooking pinkies to promise, Miso looked at me. "Uncle Yoon-Ho. I'll really do well! So please, let's go see Yoon-Soo and Eun-Soo."
Declaring her determination to see Yoon-Soo and Eun-Soo no matter what, Miso returned to her seat and buried her head in the script.
Murmur, murmur.
Watching Miso quickly immerse herself in the script, Ju Yung-In let out a sigh. "When she gets serious like that, even I have a hard time... I should go over my script a bit more too."
"Yeah. Do your best and make sure you win those five breads. Ju Yung-In, you got this!"
Ju Yung-In nodded. "These days, I'd probably sell my soul for five."
I suggested trying secondhand trading, but the two of them refused outright. They said only stickers they pulled themselves truly counted as theirs.
"Oh, and oppa. Thank you so much for what you did yesterday."
"It's nothing to thank me for. It's something I should've done."
Ju Yung-In smiled. "'Something I should've done'... that sounds really nice."
"You find the strangest things nice."
"Anyway, look forward to it. I'll properly repay you for this!"
When Ju Yung-In said something like that with such determination, it meant she had something in mind.
"It's not five Powertuff Girls stickers, is it?" I asked.
Ju Yung-In looked flustered as if she couldn't believe I had even asked for that. "I can't give you that!"
"Uh... right..."
At that moment, Ju Yung-In suddenly spun around and shouted, "Other than that! Just look forward to it!"
After she disappeared, Kang Eun-Gi quietly spoke as he watched her go. "It's a relief that by the time Yoon-Soo and Eun-Soo grow up, the Powertuff Girls trend will be over."
I placed a hand on Kang Eun-Gi's shoulder. "You know trends always come back around, right? Better start preparing now, my friend."
Six years from now, the Powertuff Girls bread sold out all over again. By the time Kang Eun-Gi's twin sons reached elementary school, hell would arrive.
Kang Eun-Gi swallowed hard. "Starting today, the snacks for Reverse Entertainment talent agents are Powertuff Girls bread."
The once fearsome enforcer who had shaken all of Gyeonggi Province was now showing nothing but the soft side of a doting father.
***
Scenes 120 through 125 of Missing – The Lost Ones depicted the female lead, Oh Jung-Hyun, facing death as she shared a final farewell with her daughter, Lee Soo-Yeon.
However, this wasn't just another movie scene. It was a recreation of the final moments of a mother who, after risking her life to fight against the culprit Lee Tae-Gil, managed to call the police and save her daughter despite her fatal injuries.
Perhaps because of that, not only the directing team but even the lowest-ranking staff carried out their work with unusually serious expressions. The same was true for the actors.
Having finished her makeup, Ju Yung-In lay on the cold hillside set, fully immersed in her role, while Miso, playing Lee Soo-Yeon, rehearsed her lines again and again with actor Ahn Tae-Sik, who played Park Dong-Joon.
To avoid breaking their immersion, the staff moved about quietly, even lowering their footsteps and breathing.
At that moment, a car pulled up just below the set.
Screech.
The car came to a stop, and Park Dong-Joon, whom I had met the night before, stepped out from the driver's seat.
From the passenger seat, a slender woman also stepped out. She was Lee Soo-Yeon, the sole survivor of the real-life Gwacheon serial disappearance case from twenty years ago—the very case this film was based on. After getting out of the car, the two of them held hands and walked up to the set.
Ahn Jung-Hae bowed his head upon seeing them. "Mr. Park, Ms. Soo-Yeon. Thank you so much for coming to the set today."
Lee Soo-Yeon smiled faintly and bowed her head. "We're a little late, aren't we?"
"Not at all. You arrived right on time."
After greeting not only Ahn Jung-Hae but also the others on set, Lee Soo-Yeon sat down beside him.
Meanwhile, Park Dong-Joon approached us, who were standing behind the director. "You must be busy interrogating that bastard Gi Do-Hyuk, but you still found time."
"Yeah. Once his parents abandoned him, he got scared and spilled everything right away."
We started with small talk about last night, but I carefully brought up what truly concerned me.
"Um... but will Ms. Soo-Yeon be alright? This is a reenactment of the moment her mother passed away..."
"Soo-Yeon says her memories of her mother's face have grown faint. So today, she wanted to meet her, even if only through Ms. Yung-In's acting. She asked me to come with her."
Since Lee Soo-Yeon was serving as an advisor for this film alongside Park Dong-Joon, she would occasionally visit the set. The film's box office profits would go not only to her but also to the families of other victims, so she had cooperated as much as possible. And thanks to her advice, the film had gained even more life.
But today, she had come because she wanted to see her mother from those days, even if only through Ju Yung-In's performance.
At that moment, my chest tightened.
'Ms. Soo-Yeon...'
I couldn't begin to imagine what she must be feeling, but I worried that painful memories of her mother's death might resurface.
"Mr. Park... will she really be okay?"
Park Dong-Joon, who had raised Lee Soo-Yeon like a daughter for the past twenty years, nodded. "It's okay. Soo-Yeon is much stronger now."
"That's a relief."
"And you know that gift you and Miso gave her?"
Lee Soo-Yeon was holding a small laminated piece attached to her phone keychain. What she held was a miniature copy of an angel drawing Miso had made in her sketchbook, laminated and turned into a keychain as a gift.
"I see."
"Yeah. That's why I'm always grateful to you and Miso."
"It's nothing."
At that moment, Ahn Jung-Hae picked up the megaphone and spoke. "Alright, we're about to begin filming. From scene 120 to 125, we'll go continuously so the actors don't lose their emotional flow. Ms. Yung-In, give us the signal when you're ready."
At that, Ju Yung-In, lying on the hillside, raised her hand. Covered in fake blood and mud, her hand looked as though time had passed since the stabbing, with the blood dried and clotted thickly.
"Then we'll begin. Mrs. Oh Jung-Hyun's... farewell scene 120. Here we go. Ready—action!"
Ahn Jung-Hae announced the start of filming, referring to the death scene as a farewell scene. And then, in the quiet stillness of the set, Ju Yung-In's performance slowly began.
And without a doubt, it was a performance worth far more than five Powertuff Girls breads.
