Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 140

Ability Application Methods (1)

140. Ability Application Methods (1)

2022.03.20.

“This is driving me crazy.” They say there’s no smoke without a fire. The rumors I dug up about Kim Seok-hae had several versions. There was a version I heard from an aesthetic shop, and some were slightly different. But the common thread was that Woo Do-gyeom was at the center of it all. “Should I kill this guy, or what?” [What are you talking about?! Killing is out of the question, absolutely!] “Ah, I’m just saying, just saying.” I’m so annoyed I feel like killing him. Of course, killing him would add to my karma, and someone like Woo Do-gyeom wouldn’t go peacefully to the afterlife, which is even more of a problem. Even after death, he’d probably follow me around 24/7, making things even more difficult. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps. Woo Do-gyeom. That guy is the problem. ‘Ever since he showed up, I’ve had nothing but trouble.’ After piecing together various testimonies and thoughts, I couldn’t help but come to that conclusion. I understand why he’s stirring up trouble. ‘Though he probably doesn’t think so.’ The apparent reason was clear: to repay the favor. ‘I should have just asked for money and ended it early on.’ To be honest, I felt wronged. Very wronged! ‘It’s not like I even asked for anything.’ All Yeon-woo did was restrain Woo Do-gyeom to a reasonable extent. But that caused Woo Do-gyeom to escalate things. It’s too late for regrets. Otherwise, I could have just obediently said ‘Yes, yes’ to whatever he threw my way. But. ‘Why should I do that if I don’t want to?’ The problem was that Yeon-woo didn’t want to. [Why is he doing that anyway?] “I think he’s trying to repay me somehow…”
[Repay? Repaaaay? If that’s repaying, I’ve killed several people already.] “…Is it that bad?” Even Dongja-ryeong thought it was a strange way to repay someone. [In my opinion, guys like that… Ummm… As someone who’s experienced ghosts, life, dramas, movies, and all sorts of video media, let me analyze… It’s probably like this.] “Like what?” Dongja-ryeong put on a serious face. Whether you can lump ghosts and life together is another matter, but it’s worth listening to… [He’s the type who’s like, ‘You’re the first one to slap my cheek!’] …Not really. “Sigh…” Yeon-woo sighed deeply, and Dongja-ryeong spat to keep me listening. [It sounds weird when I put it into words, but it’s true! How much has that guy lived according to his own whims? Everyone around him probably just says yes, yes, yes. But then you, Yeon-woo, appeared! Someone who doesn’t do what he wants!] “…So?” [So what, isn’t the rest obvious?! Of course, he’d be interested in you! Given your personality, you wouldn’t just accept whatever he does. You’d definitely snap back at him. You two are totally incompatible, from what I see.] “…”
Dongja-ryeong was right. [Kang Yeon-woo, you’d probably go out of your way to repay him somehow. You never just accept things.] That’s also true. [You could just accept it once in a while, but that’s a bit of a problem for you, Yeon-woo. You never just accept people’s kindness. Of course, I admit your environment was like that, but the world isn’t all give and take, you know?] What is this? Why is he picking a fight out of nowhere? “Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?” [No. I just realized it’s really like that. You need to learn to accept kindness, Yeon-woo. It’s time to start forgetting the past.] “Forget? How can I forget?” That’s the world he lived in. “You know it too. There’s no such thing as something for nothing.” [That’s true. But Yeon-woo, sometimes the world doesn’t always work that way.] A wonderful child was saying something that sounded like an old man. [You’re not a child anymore. You’ve grown a lot. There’s a small problem with your lifespan, but anyway, that’s beside the point. What I’m saying is, the time has come when you don’t have to walk on eggshells, checking everything before giving and taking.] “…”
[Actually, it’s simple. If you had just accepted his so-called repayment, he probably would have gotten bored and quickly given up.] “How can I trust a guy with such a dark heart and just accept things?” […That’s true.] Dongja-ryeong nodded. Then he suddenly came to his senses and shook his head vigorously. [No. No! Why is the conversation going that way again?!] “It’s true, though. If I just accepted everything from that guy, I might get my organs harvested without even knowing it. Right?” [That’s true…]
“I know what you’re saying. You’re saying I shouldn’t be so burdened by kindness.” [Right…?]
“It’s completely the opposite of the world I lived in, so it’s awkward, but I’ll get better over time…”
[Well, it’s hard to change habits overnight.] “And when you think about it, it’s not like I’ve been completely impenetrable. I’m not that clueless, Dongja.” [R, really…?]
“Yeah.” Yeon-woo sighed. Seeing him scratching his head makes me lose my fighting spirit. There’s one reason why I can’t say anything more to Dongja-ryeong. ‘…Come to think of it, I’ve had similar thoughts.’ I don’t know if I should be happy that we’re on the same wavelength, or lament that we’re thinking the same thing. Anyway, what Dongja-ryeong said was true. The thought that not accepting things as they come and not being as smooth as other people seems to be stimulating Woo Do-gyeom’s interest. Of course, I had that thought. So I tried to control myself so as not to stimulate him as much as possible… ‘But what can I do if I don’t want to?’ It’s just not something I can do. The best compromise I could make was this level. But that best compromise is causing so many annoying problems, how can I not be annoyed?! -You better not go around blabbing your mouth off.
-Yes, yes… I threatened him again as I listened to the answer from the guy who had been approaching me in a nasty way, asking if I had landed a big shot and wanting to know about it. He was completely intimidated. -If unverified rumors spread further, it will be difficult for both of us. Right?
-Yes, that’s right. I feel a strange sense of emptiness as I give similar threats twice in one day. ‘But when I think about it, this is funny.’ I’m using the abilities I got because of Woo Do-gyeom to suppress the incidents that Woo Do-gyeom caused. Isn’t that ironic?
“Sponsor… Just the word makes me annoyed…” The original meaning may be wholesome, but the way it’s used in the entertainment industry has long been corrupted. Even Yeon-woo, who hasn’t been in the entertainment industry for long, knows how secretly and trashily that word is used. [Usually, the ‘You’re the first one to slap my cheek’ types are usually bad guys.] “You admit it?” [Admit what?]
“That I’m wronged.” [Aha…]
“The other guy caused the trouble, but why am I the one getting hit?” There was more to be upset about. “Because of that guy, everything I did has become his doing. Isn’t this a total grab-you-by-the-collar situation?” The feeling that all the effort I put in is disappearing with just the word ‘sponsor’. Do you know that feeling? The fact that many of the results of his hard work have become Woo Do-gyeom’s doing because of one word is also one of the annoying points. It’s a pretty big point. “Thinking about it again, I’m pretty pissed off…” The premiere is not far away. That means the official release is not far away either. [Yeon-woo? Your eyes have turned scary? Yeon-woo…?]
Yeon-woo felt the need to quickly resolve the situation. Yeon-woo resolutely picked up his phone. [Yeon-woo? Yeon-woo?!] Dongja-ryeong, who was surprised next to me, was chattering, but I couldn’t hear him. There was only one important thing now. -[Yeon-woo? You’re calling me directly. That’s unusual. What’s wrong?]
“I need to see you for a moment.” Right. It was to deal with the source of this problem.

* “Hmm. So that’s the rumor going around?” Woo Do-gyeom tilted his head and said quietly. Tap, tap. Tap. The fingertips tapping on the table were steady. “Yes. Thanks to you, I feel refreshed and great.” Yeon-woo replied, picking up the cup served by the burly man across from him and sipping it. “I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling good.” “…Hey. That’s sarcasm.” “So am I.” His narrowly curved eyes held interest. “By the way… Aren’t you busy?” “I have to rush over when you call.” “I didn’t mean to meet right away, though.” “My benefactor is too shy. He rarely says what he wants. So this situation is a very rare opportunity for me.” Isn’t a company president supposed to be very busy? I don’t think I’ve ever seen Woo Do-gyeom look busy since I was kidnapped and dragged away the first time. Well, that’s not my problem. “It’s a problem if you suddenly rent out this entire cafe like this.” Slurp. “There’s a misunderstanding.” “Yes?” “I didn’t rent it, I bought it.” “Yes?!” “I heard the mint chocolate drinks here are very famous.” “…”
As Woo Do-gyeom said, the mint chocolate latte served here was very rich and delicious. But on the other hand, it was also bitter. There was only one reason why this delicious mint chocolate was bitter. “You said you absolutely had to meet me, so what could be more important than this? It has to be this much to make it easier to talk, right? Besides, I chose this place because it’s famous for your favorite mint chocolate. I bought it just in case, but I didn’t expect to use it so soon.” The reason why that delicious and famous mint chocolate tastes bitter is probably because of the guy in front of me who’s gleefully spending money like crazy. Yeon-woo suddenly had a headache and touched his forehead. “That’s the problem. It’s too much, way too much.” “Too much? Who sets that standard?” Tap, tap. Woo Do-gyeom’s fingertips tapped the table again. “My children’s lives are something I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. I wouldn’t even trade them for a country. In other words, you saved something very precious and valuable.” Like saving two countries? Woo Do-gyeom added that. I think I understand, but I also don’t. It’s a strange feeling that such a seemingly heartless and emotionless man cherishes only his children. I felt like I could see a figure overlapping on top of that. For example… My mother, Ms. Kang. “Well, that’s Woo Do-gyeom’s standard, so I don’t think I can say anything about it. But the situation that creates those words is definitely unpleasant.” “Those words? Ah. You mean ‘sponsor’?” It’s somehow annoying that he asks back when he knows. Tap, tap. Woo Do-gyeom, who was tapping his fingertips as if thinking about something, opened his mouth. “Yes. There were guys who were spouting those words.” “You knew about it?!” “Of course, those rumors would inevitably come to my attention.” “But you didn’t correct the record?” “I didn’t feel the need to.” Since it’s not true anyway, there’s no need to step forward and correct it. Woo Do-gyeom added, saying that. “Wouldn’t it be beneficial for you if people knew who was behind you?” “No. Absolutely not.” Yeon-woo thought. As expected, there’s something fundamentally wrong with this guy compared to normal people. Woo Do-gyeom’s eyes narrowed slightly at Yeon-woo’s serious answer. It was a gesture of incomprehension. “If you’re that worried about it, we can make it a reality.” “…What the hell are you talking about?”