CH 384

Countless 'answers' could be found in this world.

Individuals who thought there could be only one answer—only one way to solve a problem—were what's commonly referred to as naive idiots. By experiencing the world, one would learn that there could be multiple answers to a problem.

Some of those answers were bound to be correct, while the rest would be wrong. To live one's life in the most efficient, effective way, one had to find the best answer among the many available.

What one should watch out for the most in this situation would be incorrect answers that sounded like they might just be correct.

There were some instances where an answer seemed like the most ideal for the situation but couldn't be put into practice after reality slammed the brakes on it.

The 'answer' Kang Jin-Ho had put forward was one such case.

“W-wait a minute!” Han Jin-Seong tried desperately to rein in his flabbergast threatening to soar towards the Andromeda galaxy. His agitation level had to be forced down since he was talking to Kang Jin-Ho, but if it had been someone else, Han Jin-Seong would've started hurling several choice words instead. “J-Jin-Ho hyung, you can't be saying that that's our solution?!”

“But I am,” Kang Jin-Ho replied flatly.

Han Jin-Seong pounded his chest. Why was this dude with a normal-looking... No, hang on, a handsome face, so talented in saying some crazy things and driving people around him up the walls?

Some time ago, Han Jin-Seong asked Kang Jin-Ho for advice since his school grades didn't want to improve. And Kang Jin-Ho offered this nugget of advice, 'In that case, study some more,' which drove Han Jin-Seong utterly crazy!

“We can't do that, Jin-Ho hyung! And that's why we're here talking about this stuff!”

“No, we can do it.”

“Hyung, a guy can't fight against five people and win!”

“That's usually true, yes.”

Han Jin-Seong was crying out passionately, but Kang Jin-Ho's expression remained composed and serene. It was as if he was talking about something exceedingly logical, like one plus one equaled two.

“That's why I said I'll help you achieve that goal,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“Ahh. I see…” Han Jin-Seong chuckled helplessly.

'Yup, let's not waste my energy anymore.'

A discussion could only take place between people willing to listen. Trying to talk to a stubborn, unwilling person was no better than lecturing a wall.

However, it seemed that other kids didn't exactly share Han Jin-Seong's sentiments.

“Jin-Ho hyung, does that mean we should beat up the bullies if they start bullying us?”

Kang Jin-Ho cooly nodded. “Yes.”

“...But we can't do that.”

“Why can’t you?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head while making a genuinely-confused expression.

“We were taught that responding to violence with more violence is wrong.”

“I see. In that case, how will you respond?”

“Uhm…”

“It seems you're mistaken about something. Your situation didn't reach this far because you did something wrong. No, it's because you had nothing to protect you. If bullying your fellow students gets you expelled from school or a time-out in a juvenile detention center, no one would try to bully anyone anymore. Even if they did, the bullying wouldn't be as severe as before,” Kang Jin-Ho leaned back while crossing his arms in front of his chest. “However, that's not how things are, now is it? You are stuck in this situation because proving that bullying happened is difficult. And, even if you did prove it, there aren't many suitable ways to punish the perpetrators. Since you have no other ways to protect yourself, you might as well get punched and kicked around? Is that your solution?”

Kang Jin-Ho's voice remained calm. Unruffled. However, that made his words even more chilling to the ears of the kids.

“Do not misunderstand me. I never said I will provide you with a 'right' solution. And I won't tell you to walk only the right paths as you continue living your lives. This world is too cruel and harsh for anyone to stick to their principles and be righteous all the time, anyway. People who do that either become a so-called hero... or fall into tragedy. I assure you, neither case will lead you to a happy ending,” Kang Jin-Ho grunted, then suddenly pointed at a certain someone standing next to him. “For instance, you will end up like this guy.”

Park Yu-Min jumped up in alarm when he was pointed out for some reason. “H-Hey! Why are you dragging me into this conversation!”

He seemed aggrieved about being called out like this, but other kids seemed to understand what Kang Jin-Ho was trying to say.

“Wow. I can't let that happen.”

“Yeah, me too!”

“That's gonna be too hard for me…”

The orphanage kids rapidly agreed with Kang Jin-Ho's point of view when Park Yu-Min was used as an example.

Park Yu-Min hurriedly looked around, trying to figure out what was going on, only to realize the orphanage kids were looking back at him with eyes filled with sympathy. “W-why are you all looking at me like that?”

“...Yu-Min hyung, don't give up, okay?”

“I'm sure things will get better someday, hyung!”

Park Yu-Min staggered in dizziness. “I... I haven't done anything, though?”

The orphanage kids all slowly shook their heads. They had never met anyone as kind as Park Yu-Min until now. And they also had never seen anyone living a life as tough as Park Yu-Min's yet, either!

No one asked him to, yet Park Yu-Min was the first to wake up in the morning to prepare breakfast for everyone here. Not stopping there, he'd help the kids with getting ready for school, do sundry chores in the orphanage, go to work, then the first thing he does after coming home would be to check up on the kids' wellbeing.

'He's not even our mother, yet...!'

Not even an actual mother would do so much for their kids. Not to forget, Park Yu-Min wasn't looking after one or two kids either!

If the result of living a righteous life resembled Park Yu-Min's current lifestyle, none of the kids here wanted to be like that!

Kang Jin-Ho nodded and continued to speak. “I'm not someone amazing who can teach you the righteous path that can fix every situation. Don't expect such things from me. All I can provide you with is a solution to fix your current situation. And, at the very least, stop those punks from giving you grief during school. That's it. Do you understand what I'm saying?”

“Yes, hyung.”

“Good.”

“By the way, hyung...?” Han Jin-Seong cautiously spoke.

“Mm?”

Han Jin-Seong seemed a little reluctant but still raised his voice. “That's all good and well for us, but what about the girls? It's not like we can also hit those bullies since they are girls, too.”

“We have a different solution for that.”

“A different solution?” Han Jin-Seong tilted his head.

“Yes. However, I'm not the one who will give you that solution. Therefore, I can't give you confirmation just yet.”

“Hyung, is this person... trustworthy?”

“Trustworthy…” Kang Jin-Ho rubbed his chin before asking Han Jin-Seong back. “I guess she is trustworthy, right?”

Why are you asking me that, dude?!

Han Jin-Seong couldn't help but seriously worry if this situation would be resolved at all.

***

“Noona! Wait, Yeon-Ha noona! Where are you going today?!” Choi Yeon-Ha's manager hurriedly called out to her. He jumped out of a tent set up in front of Choi Yeon-Ha's home.

Choi Yeon-Ha glared at him. “Are you a stalker? Are you a stan? How could you be crazy enough to set up a tent in front of someone else's home?!”

“That's because you don't answer your phone and refuse to meet with anyone! Noona, you think I want to sleep rough in this weather? I'm your manager, noona. Other managers stick next to their talents twenty-four hours a day, you know? But it's my first time seeing you in person... in a month! That makes no sense, you know!”

“Listen here!” Choi Yeon-Ha yelled at the manager as icy coldness dripped from her glare. “Do I look like an idol going on a national tour? Hmm? Do I?!”

“...N-no, you don't.” The manager stuttered, knowing he needed to tread very carefully here. Who knows what kind of ruination would visit him if he carelessly ran his mouth and hurt this foul-tempered woman's pride?

One of Choi Yeon-Ha's exclusive managers was famously flipped on his head–along with a table in the agency president's office–after carelessly saying that she might lose her position to some young upstart by not making any movies or TV shows.

Most people were under the mostly-correct impression that talent agencies held a powerful sway over their talents, but a big fish like Choi Yeon-Ha was fully capable of reversing that relationship dynamic. Whether it was the agency president or any other high-ranking officer, they would never dare raise their voices in front of Choi Yeon-Ha.

“I don't have any filming commitments, so why do you keep calling me on the phone and bothering me every day! Don't you know that a company busy calling an employee on holiday and sending messages is considered taboo?! Are you on a power trip over me? Is that it?”

“A p-power trip?! Did you just say I'm on a power trip, of all things?”

A part-timer working in a convenience store could potentially slap the living daylights out of their crappy boss. However, the manager would never dream of doing something similar to Choi Yeon-Ha.

When the manager looked flabbergasted, Choi Yeon-Ha tutted loudly. “I want to get some rest while I can, okay? It's not like I'm working on a film project right now, so why do you keep bothering me with unnecessary calls? Besides all that, don't you have any common sense! Get rid of that tent, right now! You're embarrassing me in front of my neighbors!”

“...Noona, you don't have any filming commitments because you refused to sign on to any projects.”

“Which means I don't have any filming commitments, doesn't it!”

The manager was on the brink of reaching forced enlightenment.

'Just who... Who would want to live together with this woman?'

What was the point of having a pretty face when the face-holder had a rubbish personality?

Granted, celebs with crap personalities were nothing new. However, Choi Yeon-Ha was a breed apart from other female celebs renowned for their short fuses.

Most female celebs were needlessly sensitive and prickly about weird things. They would easily get agitated and start yelling like crazy, only to sink into depression figuratively minutes later. They would act like thugs and backstab each other like seasoned politicians until their groups were on the road to ruination.

However, unlike those celebs, Choi Yeon-Ha was more like...

'...Well, she's just a wacko. That's it!'

Choi Yeon-Ha was fundamentally a weirdo. If the viewers who thought Choi Yeon-Ha was a Goddess of Purity saw her everyday conduct, they would probably collapse to the floor while foam gushed out of their mouths.

A brave soul needed to let the world know the truth before it was too late. That was the only way to save another poor sacrifice from getting slaughtered by this woman!

'With a personality like yours, no wonder you still don't have a boyfriend!'

Countless talent agency managers were hard at work to prevent their female talents from entering a burgeoning romantic relationship. On the other hand, Choi Yeon-Ha's agency was actively recommending her to date someone!

That was because the agency's higher-ups found the idea of Choi Yeon-Ha dating a nice guy very appealing. They figured it could be a good way to rein in Choi Yeon-Ha's eccentric and unpredictable whims and soften her short fuse capable of utterly destroying unsuspecting managers!

So, the agency pleaded, nay, begged on its knees, for Choi Yeon-Ha to find a date, but now...!

'How could you be so disinterested in romance?!'

Veins began bulging on the manager's forehead.

If the manager was being honest, Choi Yeon-Ha was actually a great talent to manage. While celebs frequenting nightclubs and parties to drink themselves to stupor and be out of reach the whole day were dime-a-dozen, Choi Yeon-Ha was a herbivore in comparison that preferred staying at home or going to a gym to exercise when she had no filming commitments.

Managing Choi Yeon-Ha's affairs was easy since she didn't like drinking. She also disliked parties. And she especially hated those occasions where partying and drinking went hand-in-hand. And then...!

'She finds handsome men creepy because they are good-looking. She finds ugly men annoying because, well, they are ugly. And she finds regular men boring and uncharming...!'

The manager almost blurted out, 'What do you want from a man, then?!'

Without a doubt, Choi Yeon-Ha's fate was to die as an old, bitter spinster with no one by her side.

The manager groaned before pulling himself together. “Anyway, where are you going, noona?”

“Why do you think I'm going somewhere?”

“Well, I can see that you're all dressed up, so you must be thinking of going somewhere important. Can you tell me where?”

Choi Yeon-Ha's eyes became slightly withdrawn. She'd do that only when her moods were at their absolute lowest.

The manager hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.

“Hoooh, it seems like the higher-ups told you to report on every little thing happening in my private life. Is that it? I don't remember such clauses in my contract, though? Should I stop by at the president's office to confirm if he has amended my contract without telling me?”

“N-no, that's not necessary, noona! I'm sorry. It's just that... I got curious…”

“You…” Just as Choi Yeon-Ha started glaring murderously again, her phone suddenly rang to break her momentum. She was going to ignore the call and continue with her tirade, but her eyes still glanced at the phone's screen in the end.

Choi Yeon-Ha suddenly fake-coughed to clear her throat, then sneakily turned away from the manager to answer the call.

“H-hi. Yes, I'm on my way!”

The manager's face became dazed.

'Why... does she sound like that?'

That couldn't be right...? As far as the manager knew, Choi Yeon-Ha never sounded like that outside of her acting, so what was going on here? How should the manager describe her sudden change in attitude?

Didn't Choi Yeon-Ha use that manner of speech as a way to convey her liveliness while performing the role of an energetic girl in the past? And didn't she also ask the manager to go and buy something sour every time the director called 'Cut!' because she thought the cringe-sweet dialogue was giving her goosebumps and leaving a terrible taste in her mouth?

“Yes. N-no, I woke up not too long ago. Ahahaha, I'm a bit of a sleepyhead, you see? Okay. I'll quickly put something on and head there, so please wait for me!”

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".

'But, you are already fully dolled up, though?'

If this set of attire was a result of Choi Yeon-Ha 'quickly putting something on', what would be her destination in case she decided to go all-out in the makeup-and-clothes department? The London Fashion Week?!

The manager watched Choi Yeon-Ha answer her phone while busy fanning herself with her hand. That was when a lightbulb suddenly went off inside the manager's head.

'N-no, wait a second... Could this be...?'

Something massive just happened.

Choi Yeon-Ha... was seeing someone!