Chapter 18
They stepped out of the restaurant into a street washed gold by the morning light. The warmth from the soup still lingered in Eun Wol's chest, but the silence between them had cooled…heavy, not tense, just full.
"I'll send you back," Gyu In said.
Eun Wol didn't argue. He simply followed, quiet and unreadable. The drive was short. Neither of them spoke. When they reached his building, Gyu In parked and cut the engine. Eun Wol unbuckled his seatbelt but didn't move.
"About earlier—" Gyu In began.
"I shouldn't have said anything," Eun Wol said, still staring ahead.
Gyu In didn't press. "You did."
That made Eun Wol finally turn to him. His gaze was steady, distant.
"You don't need to get involved."
"I already am."
That response startled him but he gave a small nod and stepped out of the car.
The door clicked shut. Gyu In watched until Eun Wol disappeared into the building before leaning back in his seat. He stayed there for a while, fingers resting on the steering wheel.
He hadn't expected the name Eun Bin to carry that much weight. He should have known.
The way Eun Wol avoided people. The way his hands shook before touching the bowl of soup. The way he spoke about his sister…like she was a ghost he still couldn't hold.
Gyu In's world ran on deals, assets, and perfectly managed mistakes.
But this was different. This wasn't something he could bury in paperwork or fix with a call.
He exhaled slowly.
Then, without hesitation, he picked up his phone.
"Hae Won. I need you to dig up one person."
A pause.
"Lee Dong Yeo."
Static filled the line for a moment before Hae Won sighed.
"You're diving into that mess?"
"You know about it?"
"I'm more skeptical than you," Hae Won said. "It's my job to make sure you don't get into trouble. Of course I looked into Eun Wol."
A beat.
"But you might not like what you find."
Gyu In's grip tightened on the wheel. "I don't care."
"You should," Hae Won said quietly. "You're the vice president of VALHEN. A public figure. Are you really willing to take that risk?"
"Send me what you have," Gyu In said again.
A pause. Then Hae Won's tone shifted, professional, clipped again.
"Yes, Sir Kim. The documents will be on your desk when you arrive."
The line went dead.
*
VALHEN COMPANY – GYU IN'S OFFICE, 11:42 A.M.
The folder sat squarely in the middle of his desk, black leather, gold corners. Hae Won had always been precise. Gyu In sank into his chair and flipped it open. Inside, the documents were arranged in sections, each tabbed and labeled with almost surgical neatness.
He started with Lee Dong Yeo.
Name: Lee Dong Yeo
Position: Senior Director, Daylight Entertainment
Public Persona:
• Known for his calm, fatherly image.
• Routinely seen accompanying junior idols to award shows.
• Nicknamed "The Idol Whisperer" for his supposed mentoring skills.
Professional Background:
• Ten years in the industry.
• Former road manager turned executive talent coordinator.
• Promoted to Senior Director two years ago.
Recent Status:
• On "personal leave" for health recovery (internal memo dated three weeks ago).
• Rumored to be overseas for a "wellness retreat" (unverified).
Internal Notes:
• No red flags flagged in PR monitoring.
• Appears clean; multiple junior artists speak fondly of him in interviews.
• Donation record to youth centers often used in media portrayal.
• No official complaints.
Gyu In's eyes lingered on the phrase "no official complaints." That didn't mean there weren't any.
He turned to the next section.
SHIM EUN WOL
This one was thinner with newsprint clippings, old scans, forum screenshots. Nothing corporate. Nothing official.
Background: Debuted under Daylight Entertainment at nineteen. Rose to popularity within three years.
Career Highlights: Lead roles in two dramas, several CFs, named "Breakout Star" at the GMA.
Incident Timeline:
• March 20**: Sudden disappearance from public schedules.
• April 20**: Anonymous insider report to Guzz Korea claims "drug use suspected."
• May 20**: Daylight releases statement citing "emotional instability" and "breakdown in communication."
• June 20**: Contract terminated "mutually."
• August 20**: Tabloid headline— "Actor Shim Seen in Gangnam Bar: Eyewitness Says He Looked 'Out of It.'"
No mention of rehabilitation. No arrest. No evidence.
Just... implication.
Archived Article (3 Years Ago)
🗞️ [EXCLUSIVE] Rising Actor Caught in Drug Scandal?
Former up-and-coming actor Shim Eun Wol, widely praised for his emotional acting, has reportedly been involved in a private substance abuse investigation, insiders revealed. While no official charges have been confirmed, anonymous sources allege erratic behavior on set and unprofessional outbursts.
A representative from Daylight Entertainment confirmed Eun Wol is "no longer affiliated" with the company but declined to elaborate.
Netizen Reactions:
"I had a bad feeling about him from the start."
"He used to act like a perfectionist. Karma much?"
"Guess that's what happens when someone flies too close to the sun."
Eun Wol never responded. His social media remained silent. He simply disappeared.
Gyu In exhaled through his nose.
That trick again.
Let the smoke spread and never show the fire.
His gaze drifted to a note scribbled in Hae Won's handwriting:
The original report came from an unverified source—likely tied to Daylight's PR. Several links between Guzz Korea and Daylight press releases in the same week. The timing's too tight.
He flipped the page.
A blurry photo. Eun Wol outside a hospital, hoodie up, head down.
The caption read: Actor Shim Seen at Psychiatric Wing.
Beneath it, another note:
This photo is three years old. Taken after a minor car accident. Source misattributed.
He turned again.
SHIM EUN BIN
Name: Shim Eun Bin
Date of Birth: 26 October 20**
Stage Name: Binnie (빈니)
Occupation: Idol / Rapper – Member of TiARA (티아라) under Daylight Entertainment
Profile:
• Debuted at seventeen during TiARA's five-member lineup era.
• Known for her tone and sharp rap style.
• Occasional variety show appearances, otherwise low public profile.
• No solo projects or acting credits listed.
• Last official comeback: over a year ago.
Notes:
• No social media activity or interviews in recent months.
• No public controversies.
• Internal comments cite "personal matters" for current inactivity.
• No official statement released.
Gyu In set the page down. Leaning back, he stared at the ceiling for a long moment. This wasn't a clean-up job. It was a rewrite.
Dong Yeo's record was immaculate. Every rough edge filed down, every rumor paved over. And Eun Wol… They hadn't just buried him. They'd rewritten him into something disposable.
"Too perfect," Gyu In muttered. "Too polished."
He closed the file. This wasn't something Hae Won could handle with polite calls or signed documents. He reached for his phone and tapped in a number he hadn't used in years.
"Pick up," he murmured as the line rang. "Come on, Ryu Chan."
*
Half a world away, where night swallowed the city and time flipped on itself, a phone buzzed across a glossy VIP table.
A man on the dance floor didn't hear it at first. Body loose, shirt half-unbuttoned, hips swaying with the bass. Two women danced close, one looping an arm around his waist, the other laughing against his neck.
"You move like sin in human form," one teased.
He grinned, teeth flashing. "Takes one to know one."
"Oi! Your phone's gonna combust!" someone shouted from the table.
He turned, irritation flickering then saw the name lighting up his screen.
The grin shifted sharper now. Calculated.
"Thanks," he said, already walking off.
The music dulled behind him as he slipped past a velvet curtain into a dim hallway. His light brown hair clung to his forehead; his movements were fluid, predatory. Ryu Chan stared at the caller ID for a beat longer, then lifted the phone with a half-smile.
"Well, well," he drawled.
"It's been a while, Mr Kim Gyu In."
*
Back in the club, the two women were still pouting toward the hallway.
One crossed her arms. "Ugh, I was just starting to have fun."
The other leaned in to peek at the still-lit phone screen on the table—the caller ID flashing just before Ryu Chan picked it up.
Her eyes widened. "Wait. That's—"
She clapped a hand over her mouth. "That's Gyu In?"
A beat of silence. Then a whisper.
"You mean VALHEN's Gyu In?"
The first woman paled. "Wait, isn't he the one who—?"
"Yeah. And Ryu Chan's taking his call."
They exchanged a glance. Part awe, part horror.
Ryu Chan's grin hadn't left his face. "So," he drawled, a smirk in his voice. "Who's drowning this time, and why is it always you?"