Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 144

#144.

***

MOST canceled one of their cable music show schedules for the day, anticipating the uproar and the influx of reporters.

They wanted to give the members, including Do-jae, a day to rest and recover.

When they explained the situation, the music show production team readily agreed.

In fact, only one schedule was canceled.

The remaining schedules were all planned to proceed as scheduled.

Their promotional activities were nearing the end, and they didn’t want to give the impression of backing down because of this incident.

And so, they had a sudden day off.

Do-jae went to his parents’ home.

The newly leased ‘jeonse’ [a Korean housing lease system where a tenant pays a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent] house was in a much better environment than their previous one.

It was a southwest-facing three-room villa with good sunlight. It wasn’t newly built, but the owner had remodeled it, so it was clean.

Hye-kyung insisted that it was too big and nice for her to live alone, but Do-jae strongly recommended this house.

“You live alone, but I come over sometimes. So, you need at least three rooms. Besides, this house isn’t that much…”

It wasn’t an excessive house for his mother to live in.

“Still, how can I live in such a place with the money you worked so hard to earn…”

“The ‘jeonse’ money isn’t going anywhere. What’s the big deal? And what are you going to do if I buy you an even better house later?”

“What? Buy me a house… What have I ever done for you…? Don’t think about giving me your money when you earn it; eat delicious food, wear nice clothes… You should think about that.”

Hye-kyung reluctantly agreed to move because the ‘jeonse’ money was still available.

“I’m still young enough to work… so don’t worry too much about me. Take care of yourself first, you first.”

It was always like this.

Even though she had raised Do-jae while struggling after her husband’s death, Hye-kyung was plagued by the guilt that she had done nothing for Do-jae.

The more successful Do-jae became, the prouder she was, but at the same time, her guilt about not being able to support him seemed to grow.

Spending time with Hye-kyung here, Do-jae could understand why ‘Kang Do-jae’ had endured the bullying of Yoo-myeong’s group so stubbornly for so long.

‘He must have wanted to endure it somehow… and succeed.’

Thinking this, Do-jae opened the door and went inside.

“Mom, I’m home…”

“Do-jae!”

Do-jae, who was entering the hallway, couldn’t finish his sentence.

Hye-kyung, who had been waiting for Do-jae, had teary eyes.

Her eyes were already swollen and red, as if she had been crying for a while.

Even though Do-jae had expected it, his heart felt heavy.

“Mom… I told you I’m okay…”

Before the official statement was released, Do-jae had already contacted Hye-kyung and explained the general situation.

He thought it was right for him to explain it first, rather than her finding out through articles or people around her.

At that time, Hye-kyung was so shocked that she couldn’t say anything.

He could feel her trying to hold back her tears over the phone.

For Hye-kyung, it was like a huge bruise on her heart.

She would rather have suffered herself, but to think that her precious son had suffered all sorts of things…

She felt like her blood was running backward, and she couldn’t sleep properly.

Hye-kyung also learned about the things people were saying online after the article was released.

From trying to take off his pants in front of people and embarrassing him, to constantly running errands, to ignoring and verbally abusing him…

Even continuously beating him in unseen places…

Even when people around her called to worry and comfort her, it was no comfort at all.

Hye-kyung stayed in her room, pounding her chest and blaming herself.

Do-jae had come to comfort Hye-kyung in person because he had expected her to be like this.

But that in itself was another heartache for Hye-kyung, seeing her son, who must have been hurt more than anyone else, worrying about her.

“Do-jae… I’m sorry I’m so useless… I’m so sorry. I didn’t even know my son was going through such things, I…”

Hye-kyung couldn’t continue speaking, overwhelmed with emotion.

The perpetrators had not only hurt the victim.

They had also inflicted indelible wounds on the victim’s family and loved ones.

Do-jae lowered his head, seeing Hye-kyung in pain.

‘That’s why Kang Do-jae wanted the things he suffered to remain unknown as much as possible…’

But now that things had turned out this way, it was something he had to go through.

The only fortunate thing was that Do-jae was not the real victim, ‘Kang Do-jae.’

If he were the real ‘Kang Do-jae…’

He would have been hurt once again by the people who were carelessly talking about what he had suffered and by seeing his mother grieving.

“Mom, I’m really okay. It was just for a while back then, and I’m doing well now because I’m okay.”

“…”

Hye-kyung looked up at her grown-up son.

He had always been a quiet and thoughtful son, more so than others due to his difficult environment, but from some point on, she felt that he had become a complete adult.

Hye-kyung had been relieved thanks to her reliable and dependable son…

She had never imagined that he would have suffered such things.

Foolishly believing his words that he was okay…

As she thought about it, Hye-kyung felt overwhelmed again, but she tried to pull herself together.

She couldn’t be more of a burden to her son, who had come all the way here to worry about her.

The hardest thing about this would be for her son.

“I’m really sorry, Mom.”

“The people who should apologize are others. Don’t think like that, Mom.”

Hye-kyung nodded.

And she hugged Do-jae.

Do-jae had almost no memory of being hugged by his mother.

When he was young, the Empress Dowager might have hugged Do-jae, but by the time he had memories, he was already facing the Empress Dowager while sitting upright or kneeling.

‘It’s awkward…’

The hug was awkward, but it felt strangely warm.

The two calmed their hearts for a while and then had a late lunch together.

Even in the midst of all this, Hye-kyung had prepared ribs and ‘japchae’ [glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat], which Do-jae liked.

Watching Do-jae eat well as usual, Hye-kyung tried to soothe her heart.

***

It was a case where both the perpetrator and the victim were active idols.

Moreover, except for the fact that it happened during their trainee days, it was no different from the ‘school violence’ that ordinary children experience.

As the matter was reported even on public broadcast news, people who were initially indifferent, thinking it was just another celebrity scandal, began to take interest.

Wherever people could converse in their daily lives, Yoo Myung-woo and Kang Do-jae were brought up.

Even office workers, usually busy complaining about their bosses, talked about the two during lunch breaks.

Taking out a coffee from a cafe and heading back to the office.

The office workers in Gangnam [a wealthy district in Seoul] were no different.

“So, that Yoo Myung-woo was the instigator, and he, along with the group members and the person who wrote the post, bullied Kang Do-jae? During their trainee days?”

“Yes, that’s what they say. He couldn’t stand it and even left the agency…”

“I really don’t understand. Why would they bully someone like Kang Do-jae? They should be worshipping him… Is it jealousy, or something?”

“Well, it could be something like that. Looking at the post… They hated that a poor, underprivileged person was acting up? So, they said let’s bully him.”

“The world is coming to an end. How can young kids be so wicked?”

“The details of the bullying are incredibly malicious. It almost brought me to tears. If my son had gone through something like that… Ugh!”

“Even if they’re immature, that’s too much.”

“Hey, at that level, it’s not just immaturity; they knew what they were doing. They were trying to kill a person. Those kinds of guys should suffer the same way.”

“I just feel bad for Kang Do-jae…”

“Well, Kang Do-jae wouldn’t be the only one who suffered.”

“Indeed. May they be struck by lightning!”

Just then, someone tall and handsome passed by, wearing a hat pulled low.

“OMG!”

“What?”

“It’s him! It’s Yoo Myung-woo.”

“What? Crazy…”

“Well, New Enter’s building is next to our company.”

“Ah, right. I wish I could spit on him!”

The middle-aged office worker, enraged at Yoo Myung-woo’s back, pretended to spit.

The employee next to him pretended to stop him but let him be.

He was someone who usually lashed out at subordinates with his quick temper, so this felt refreshing.

Listening to the voices talking about him, Yoo Myung-woo muttered, “Damn it.”

For Yoo Myung-woo, it felt like the world had gone crazy.

***

“Fucking hell!”

With a thud, Yoo Myung-woo threw the hat he was wearing and cursed as soon as he entered the conference room.

He had only parked the car in the outdoor parking lot a few steps away.

In that short time, he had encountered someone cursing at him.

He barely managed to stop himself from turning around and spitting on them.

He felt like his threshold for patience was getting lower and lower.

He couldn’t understand how he used to smile and pretend everything was fine.

“What’s wrong, Myung-woo…”

The manager, who had arrived earlier and was waiting for Yoo Myung-woo, asked cautiously.

Even so, he didn’t approach Yoo Myung-woo.

He didn’t know what kind of sparks might fly if he bothered Yoo Myung-woo when he was angry.

“Never mind. Where’s the director?”

“He’s about to come…”

“What’s taking him so long? He shouldn’t have filed a lawsuit and just irritated Song-hwan… I told him that guy was ignorant. He should have coaxed him gently…”

“The director probably went strong because it wasn’t working…”

Yoo Myung-woo glared at the manager.

After Song-hwan posted the second article, and Kang Do-jae’s statement followed, The Origin was completely cornered.

Of course, the one who took the biggest hit was Yoo Myung-woo.

He was originally the face of The Origin, but this time, he was pointed out as the instigator again.

Yoo Myung-woo took a deep breath and calmed his anger.

He just hoped the director would come soon and offer him a solution.

The company and Yoo Myung-woo’s family were mobilizing all their connections to block the articles as much as possible and even hiring people to write positive comments…

But it wasn’t easy to put out a fire that had already spread so widely.

“Shouldn’t we be suing Kang Do-jae’s side quickly? Are they just going to spout nonsense without any evidence? I didn’t leave any evidence with that bastard. The only evidence of bullying would be the recording of Song-hwan’s voice back then, right? Testimonies can be fabricated.”

“Myung-woo…”

The manager, who briefly showed a dazed expression, called Yoo Myung-woo in a trembling voice.

“What?”

“They have evidence.”

“What?!”

“Song-hwan’s side has evidence… The director must have received a call. A little while ago… If that recording is released, you’re done for…”

“What the fuck! What’s done is done!!!”

Yoo Myung-woo covered his head.

He couldn’t understand how things had turned out this way.

Yoo Myung-woo had clearly been acting shrewdly, thinking ahead.

That’s why he didn’t directly step forward.

“But why…”

At that moment, the manager’s phone rang loudly.

It was the youngest, Chae-hyun.

“Hello? What’s wrong…”

-Hyung [term used to address an older brother or male friend], big trouble! Crap… Joo-ho hyung! That bastard Hwang Joo-ho has gone crazy. He wrote a post on the fan cafe. An apology.

“An apology? What…”

-He’s apologizing for standing by when Kang Do-jae was being bullied! The manager’s face hardened rapidly.

Chae-hyun’s screaming voice could be heard even by Yoo Myung-woo.

He wanted to shout, what nonsense, but that’s when.

The director, who opened the door with hurried movements, said with a stiff face.

“Myung-woo. Go home.”

“Yes? Suddenly home…”

“Your parents. There’s an article.”

Yoo Myung-woo’s face turned blue.