Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 78

Do You Need Me? (2)

078. Do You Need Me? (2)

2022.01.17.

I don’t know why these grown men, old enough to know better, are engaging in such a pointless battle of nerves. What’s more, Woo Do-gyeom is a whole ten years older than Kwon Seong-hyeon. Yet, they’re both acting the same way. “Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon.” “Yes, Yeon-woo.” “Did you really cut off all contact?” “……That’s.”
The sharp edge of his intensity softened instantly. “That guy is dangerous, Yeon-woo. It’s best to stay away from him.” “Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon, I appreciate you thinking of me, but it’s my decision who I meet.” “But…” “I know you’re worried, but I’m not a child, and I think you’re being too overprotective.” Kwon Seong-hyeon’s expression turned subtle at the ‘child’ remark, but who cares? “But Yeon-woo deserves only the best.” This is bordering on fanaticism. Remembering when he called me ‘angel,’ which makes me cringe, it’s clear he has blind faith. Well… He did save my life, and he’s such a strange person… I can’t really blame him. Hooo.
“You don’t have to do anything for me.” “Still…” “Just having Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon around is a great help to me.” This is true. Kwon Seong-hyeon is an excellent lifespan vending machine, isn’t he? ‘In this situation, I need to appease him.’ In many cases, no matter how much you tell a stubborn person ‘you’re wrong,’ it doesn’t register. ‘I thought he was just gentle.’ Unexpected. Well, if he were just gentle, he wouldn’t have reached the top. It was surprising to discover this side of him, but that’s not the point. What’s important now is to appease him. In this case, it’s best to gently coax him.
“And I don’t like dealing with people with prejudice. Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon, you know what I’m talking about.” Prejudice. An annoying word that’s always present in Yeon-woo’s life. “Don’t you know how terrible it is to be judged solely on someone’s words? I hope Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon doesn’t make such a wrong judgment. I wouldn’t care if it were someone else, but I’m saying this because it’s Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon.” This also applies to Kwon Seong-hyeon, who is a celebrity. Celebrities also suffer from all kinds of gossip. It’s not uncommon in this industry for someone to be branded and have their image ruined by a rumor that has spread incorrectly. And if someone is harmed in that way, it will accumulate as verbal karma [the karmic consequences of one’s speech].
“……I’m sorry.” “You were wrong, right?” “Yes.” Kwon Seong-hyeon, who had been hesitant, drooped his shoulders in apology. The drooping ears and fluffy tail are probably just my imagination, right? “You shouldn’t do that in the future.” “I’ll be careful.” “I really appreciate you thinking of me, but you don’t have to do that much for me. I’ll ask if there’s anything I need.” “Do you really mean that?” “Yes.” Why would I lie? Kwon Seong-hyeon was already a very good lifespan vending machine—no, a stat storage—no, a good person. I didn’t want such a person to accumulate unnecessary verbal karma because of me. And…
There was someone watching this situation with interest. “The youngest young master, who even the great Chairman Woo couldn’t break his stubbornness, is apologizing…” Woo Do-gyeom muttered meaningfully and stroked his chin. “I really like him.” *** [Yeon-woo-yaaaaaaak!] An awkward situation where the conflict wasn’t resolved coolly, nor was there a reconciliation. What broke that subtle atmosphere was a small, chubby sparrow rushing in, flapping its wings and panting. [I told you to go together! How could you leave me out and go up?! Why doesn’t the elevator work?! I thought I was going to die flying up the stairs!] The Dongja spirit [a spirit inhabiting the body of a child], who rushed in flapping its wings, collapsed on Yeon-woo’s shoulder. As Yeon-woo caught the small, chubby body sliding down with his palm, he thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to just shed the body?’ Why bother flying all the way to the top of this high-rise building? [I’m going to die. Huff, huff… Kang Yeon-woo! How surprised I was! You did something you never did before, and I thought something terrible had happened, and I thought I was going to die!]
Tweet tweet! The sparrow, who had been catching its breath for a while, shouted. ‘Isn’t it because of another reason that you’re going to die?’ I thought so, but I didn’t bother to say it. [But you’re surprisingly okay? I was so surprised because I thought you were dying!] “Is that sparrow an acquaintance?” [Woah! What is this again?! Where did this curse come from?!] Tweet tweet tweet tweet! The surprised Dongja spirit flapped its wings and hurriedly stepped back. [Yeon-woo! Don’t tell me you had something to do with this curse?! It’s very troublesome to get involved with something like that!] “Oh…” They say that if a dog in a private school is three years old, it can recite poetry [an idiom meaning that even animals in a scholarly environment become learned]. I guess there must be spirits and spiritual energy. [Why are you reacting like that……? Don’t tell me…… no?] The way to catch a person—no, a ghost—is if you don’t expect it. [Kang Yeon-woo, are you crazy?! Don’t you remember what Yeonhwa said?!] “Take a good look. It’s not the subject himself.” [What? What are you talking about? Such a strong curse aura can’t exist unless it’s the subject… it is……?] Tweet?
It’s clear that sparrows have expressions too. Otherwise, there’s no way that blank face would come out. “That’s amazing. It looks like they are having a conversation.” Woo Do-gyeom muttered again, as if he was interested. Kwon Seong-hyeon smiled when he heard those words. “Is this the first time you’ve seen a talking bird? Well, I’m sure you did a thorough background check, but of course you wouldn’t know that Yeon-woo has animals like that around him.” But I know. I know it very well! Woo Do-gyeom’s brow furrowed at the boastful words that were full of nuance. “Wouldn’t it be okay to find out about things like that little by little from now on? It’s always fun to find out everything from the past to the present and even the future.” “The past?” “Ah, I guess you wouldn’t know, young master, because you hate ‘dirty methods.’” This time, a smile appeared on Woo Do-gyeom’s lips. “The past is like the foundation that makes up a person. So, investigating their past is a very important step in getting to know someone.” “Illegal acts shouldn’t be justified, right?” “No matter what method you use, you want to know about the other person, right? The starting lines were different, so you have to acknowledge this level of convenience.” “It won’t work.” “Wait and see.” Smiles were exchanged leisurely, but what was lurking behind it was by no means goodwill. [No, who is that human?! Why is he picking a fight with our actor?! I was going to let him off the hook because he was wearing a curse, but I, this body, will have to teach him!] The tiny, chubby sparrow flew to Woo Do-gyeom’s head and sat down. Then…
“Hmm?” It wasn’t just pecking at the crown of his head like crazy. Of course, that act didn’t last long. “That’s an active bird.” Woo Do-gyeom nonchalantly brought his hand over his head and grabbed the Dongja spirit. The Dongja spirit tried to escape from his hand, but [Woah! What is this human really?! How can he not move at all?!] It was useless. ‘……So, those ominous energies were just surrounding him and not affecting him?’ Only then did Yeon-woo realize why the man, who was wrapped in such a huge thread of curse that he looked like a curse subject, was perfectly fine. ‘The children have divine powers, and their parents are born with the pulse of other ghosts……’ Coincidentally, Woo Do-gyeom had a constitution that prevented 잡귀 [miscellaneous or minor ghosts] from approaching him recklessly. Why, don’t you have something like that? I went to a haunted spot for courage training, but while others saw ghosts and hallucinations, one person couldn’t see anything and was fine. A person who makes people who are pressed down by ghosts sleep soundly, just by being with them for a little while. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to make even the Dongja spirit, who has such a strong spiritual power, unable to move. “It’s difficult if you hold it that tightly.” Because it’s a Dongja spirit, it’s holding on, but if it wasn’t, it would have already been separated from its body. “Ah, that’s right. I’ve never seen a bird up close before. But…” “Yes?” “What will you do for me if I let this bird go?” “Yes……?” “There has to be a price for letting the bird go, right?” “You’re more petty than I thought?” “I have no choice because I feel like I have to grab even the bird’s leg right now.” [Yeon-woo-yaaaaaaak! What the hell is this human?! Please get me out of here!] Hooo… Yeon-woo sighed and rubbed his head. “Let it go.” “Will you help?” “I was going to do that anyway.” It was Kwon Seong-hyeon who intervened in the sighing answer. “Yeon-woo! You don’t have to do that! Dongja just needs to break that human’s wrist!” Woo Do-gyeom tilted his head at the urgent voice. “Hooh, are you saying let’s do it?” “Hey, calm down, everyone?” In the end, it was Yeon-woo who stepped in to mediate again. “Mr. Woo Do-gyeom, please let the bird go quickly, and Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon, please calm down for now.” “But Yeon-woo, that guy is a very dangerous man. The safest way is not to get involved.” “Dangerous? If you knew how much I could do for you, you wouldn’t say that?” “……First of all, both of you be quiet. Hurry up and let go.” Fortunately, Woo Do-gyeom obediently spread out his palm. [Yeon-woo-yaaaaaaak! Woeoeoeoe! Why is there such a human?! He’s wearing a curse and he’s fine… what is that… scary…!] As soon as he was released, the Dongja spirit quickly entered Yeon-woo’s hood and trembled. Yeon-woo had never seen a person born with the pulse of other ghosts. “Now that I’ve let it go, will you help me now?” “To be exact, I’m going to help Mr. Woo Do-gyeom’s children.” “Children……?” Kwon Seong-hyeon, who had been acting sharply unlike his usual gentle self, finally regained his original face. “Children, you say?” “I told you he’s an innocent young master.” “I’m just not using illegal methods, but you’re being quite rude. I guess you can’t hide your true colors?” These two people… Are they incompatible? Listening to them, it seems like they know each other, but it’s definitely not in a good way. Yeon-woo sighed deeply and explained. “Mr. Woo Do-gyeom’s children are in a difficult situation, so I’m going to help them.” It was a decision he made when he heard that the end of the curse thread was directed at the children, not Woo Do-gyeom. He wouldn’t have known if he didn’t know. If the target is a young child, especially someone who reminds him of his past, the story changes. If… If he hadn’t been born to Madam Kang. If Madam Kang was not a great shaman enough to become a 만신 [a shaman who has mastered all the skills and rituals], but an ordinary person. ‘Maybe I wouldn’t be alive and breathing in this place.’ So, I have no choice but to help. That’s like saving his past self, and there was something else that bothered him. ‘Strangely, I see Madam Kang in Woo Do-gyeom? It’s a blur adjusted to 10 percent opacity… I don’t know why I see Madam Kang in a young man’s father.’ Anyway, that’s why. “Are you really… okay, Yeon-woo?” “Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon, think back to that time, when I went to find Mr. Kwon Seong-hyeon.” “Ah… When I first met Angel, no, Yeon-woo.” “……” Why is that title popping out here? “Angel?” “Why, are you curious? I guess there’s no such item in the report that investigated other people’s pasts?” “Unfortunately, that’s right.” “There are things you can only know if you build a relationship sincerely, not through background checks. I don’t know because I’ve never done it.” “……” I think it’s better to keep these two apart. Yeon-woo, who had tentatively come to a conclusion, answered. “Anyway, you can think of it as a similar situation to that time.” “Ah…” The children needed help. No one else, but Yeon-woo’s help.