By Zephyria “Ah, I’m…”
I almost called her Auntie.
I had followed Auntie like a real Auntie, as she had cherished me like her own nephew. My heart ached at the unexpected encounter with Auntie.
“Nice to meet you, Tae-kyung. I’m Se-han’s Auntie.”
Auntie stood up from her chair and extended her hand to me. Without hesitation, I rushed over and took Auntie’s hand with both of mine.
“Hello, Auntie! Thank you so much for inviting me.”
“I’m more grateful that you accepted the invitation.”
“No, I’m more…”
Auntie, wearing a magenta dress, looked especially beautiful today. Auntie’s cheerful appearance, always smiling brightly, remained the same.
Auntie, who greeted me warmly and held my hand affectionately as if no time had passed, seemed to have disarmed me. I kept smiling foolishly.
“I’m the one who invited Lee Tae-kyung, though?”
Kang Robin Sunbae, leaning back in his chair and looking at us askew, tapped the table. The Sunbae, wearing a handsome dark gray suit, looked as glamorous as if he were attending an awards ceremony. But his face showed no joy at all, and he seemed to be full of complaints.
“Thank you for inviting me, Kang Robin Sunbae.”
“Hmm.”
I bowed deeply with a bright face, but Sunbae pointed to a chair in a curt manner. And he watched my movements with sharp eyes until I sat down in the chair across from the dining table.
“Kang Robin, if you stare like that, Tae-kyung will be uncomfortable, won’t he?”
Auntie seemed concerned about my feelings, so I quickly shook my head.
“No. I’m fine.”
No matter how fiercely Kang Robin Sunbae stared at me, I couldn’t help but be glad for even that gaze.
Just as I had missed Auntie, Kang Robin Sunbae was also a person I longed for. I was just sad that there was no one to share this feeling with, how glad I was to see his light-colored eyes.
“You know why I called you, Lee Tae-kyung, right?”
“Yes.”
I straightened my posture and met Kang Robin Sunbae’s gaze.
“I think you have a lot of questions for me because of what happened yesterday.”
I had been thinking about it on the way in the car, but I couldn’t come up with any other obvious answer.
“It’s a bit difficult to say, but I’m a fan of Sung Se-han. I really admire and like him musically… Well, anyway, I really liked Sung Se-han, and when I saw him being taken away by strange guys in the underground parking lot yesterday, I couldn’t just stand by and watch…”
“Wait, wait.”
Kang Robin Sunbae tapped the table with his finger. I stopped talking and furrowed my eyebrows.
“You were fighting with those bastards even before Se-han appeared, right? How did you know they were there to get Se-han?”
“Ah…”
I was speechless, but I didn’t panic.
“I have good hearing. I overheard what they were saying.”
I answered calmly and drank the water in the glass. Seeing my appearance, Auntie gestured to the manager waiting at the door.
“Let’s have dinner first.”
At Auntie’s suggestion, Kang Robin Sunbae leaned back and crossed his arms. As the door opened and the course meal began to be served, I was able to take a break from the tension for a while.
Let’s not think too much at once. Let’s just let it flow naturally. I recalled once again the resolutions I had made before coming here.
A quiet meal continued for a while, but Kang Robin Sunbae didn’t seem to eat much. I couldn’t let my guard down at his thoughtful appearance.
When the second pairing wine was served and the butterfish dish came out, Auntie smiled quietly.
“Do you like butterfish? You’re eating it the most deliciously?”
“I don’t like fish, but this sauce is so delicious.”
“Right? Our hotel chef is very talented.”
I paused while scooping up the sauce with my fork. What did Auntie just say? Did she say our hotel…?
As I widened my eyes, Kang Robin Sunbae raised the corners of his mouth.
“Se-han’s Auntie is the CEO of Century Hotel.”
“Yes…?”
I stopped moving for a moment and opened my mouth. Auntie is the CEO of Century Hotel…?
“Huh…?”
No, what is this? You never told me that. I just thought you were in the lodging business… Well, is a hotel chain a lodging business?
“Ha…”
I sighed deeply and covered my forehead with one hand. No wonder Sung Se-han was able to come and go in the Athena Room, which is difficult to book, as if it were his own home.
“So that’s how it was. I’m surprised.”
There was a reason why Sung Se-han had been spending money on a different scale since he was young. You son of a… how much were you hiding from me?
“Tae-kyung, you didn’t believe the rumors circulating on the internet, did you?”
“Excuse me?”
My heart seemed to sink at Auntie’s words. Auntie must have known about the dirty rumors that I didn’t even want to mention.
“Auntie! No one believes that kind of thing. Especially Sung Se-han’s fans don’t believe rumors.”
“Hoho, that’s a relief.”
Auntie took a sip of wine and swept back her long hair.
“But the rumor that I’m not his real Auntie is true.”
“Excuse me?”
My head seemed to go blank from the repeated shocks.
Auntie is not his real Auntie…?
“Wow…!”
I couldn’t help but sigh from my open mouth. I don’t know if I have the right to feel betrayed, but I couldn’t help but feel something similar.
Sung Se-han, you’re a really terrible guy. How could you hide everything when we spent so much time together? You said I was your best friend?
“But, Auntie.”
The betrayal wasn’t just from Sung Se-han. My voice came out sharply in resentment towards Auntie.
“I don’t know why you’re telling me this.”
I’m not Sung Se-han’s friend, and you’re telling me even these personal things to someone you haven’t known for long?
I didn’t want to be serious, but I couldn’t shake off my petty feelings.
“I’ve known Tae-kyung since he was young, so he doesn’t feel like a stranger.”
“Yes…?”
I opened my mouth and asked Auntie again, but I had a rough idea. Auntie had a hand in Sung Se-han being able to collect my photos from the age of twelve.
“I heard from Se-han. You got caught stalking Tae-kyung yesterday, right?”
I was the one who was embarrassed by Auntie’s cheerful confession. I was choosing my words, wondering what to say, when I heard Kang Robin Sunbae scoff.
“Auntie, you’re saying strange things? What kind of stalker are you treating him like just because he took some pictures?”
I closed my gaping mouth and turned my gaze to Kang Robin Sunbae. The Sunbae, with his arms crossed in a crooked posture, narrowed his eyes and scanned me.
“Lee Tae-kyung, you’re a fan of Se-han, right? Aren’t you grateful that Se-han is paying attention to you? Wouldn’t that be a good thing for you?”
Ha. I was speechless and opened my mouth again.
“Sunbae, apart from the fact that I’m a fan, taking pictures secretly is wrong…”
“Tell me honestly. You’re happy inside, right? You’re really surprised that Sung Se-han even took pictures secretly, right?”
As I looked at Kang Robin Sunbae, who was raising his voice in a brazen manner, my face became increasingly flushed.
I couldn’t call an adult a jerk… My chest was stuffy, so I drank all the remaining wine.
“I didn’t want to say this…”
Auntie poured me wine herself, so I paused for a moment and took a breath.
“Taking my CCTV footage without permission and filming secretly are all illegal. I think it’s a problem that the two of you are not only not stopping him but also helping him.”
I looked back and forth between Kang Robin Sunbae and Auntie and then drank two more sips of wine.
“If Sung Se-han goes down the wrong path, I think the two of you should take responsibility.”
Sung Se-han should stop doing that right away so that the weakness he was caught by the assemblyman can be covered up quickly. Kang Robin Sunbae probably has a plan, but I hope he can resolve it as soon as possible. I spoke firmly with that anxious feeling.
“I’m honestly uncomfortable. So I hope you won’t let this happen again.”
“Do it if you can.”
Kang Robin Sunbae, with his elbows on the table, looked at me with narrowed eyes.
“Okay. Maybe he’ll listen to Lee Tae-kyung. You advised him to tell you everything and discuss it yesterday, right?”
I was about to answer right away, but I closed my mouth tightly.
What I wanted to know right now was that issue. How are you going to deal with the threat to spread the stalking article, and if the assemblyman is trying to forcibly register Sung Se-han, do you have any countermeasures? I wanted to hear a cool answer from Sunbae.
But I can’t get deeply involved in Sung Se-han’s affairs. I must always remember that.
“Sunbae, I’m a fan of Sung Se-han, but… honestly, I regret getting involved in complicated things. I only have the goal of quickly achieving success as an idol. It’s ridiculous that I’m worried about the successful Sung Se-han… Anyway, from the moment I leave here, I’m going to forget everything that happened yesterday.”
“Do you want to?”