Possessed 10 Million Actors - Chapter 120:

At a certain steakhouse in Hannam-dong, Seoul.

Although it’s quite expensive, every table is partitioned into rooms, making it a quiet and conducive place for conversation.

Seated across from each other are Jinseok, Jang Sunho, and Kwon Seokhoon.

“Thank you so much for coming, even though I contacted you so suddenly,” Kwon Seokhoon says with a weak voice. He forces a bright smile, but even that seems tired.

As if to reassure him, Jinseok looks at Kwon Seokhoon and says, “No problem. I would have had dinner anyway, and if it’s a meal with a senior, it’s my honor.”

“Haha… You’re relieving me of my burden. Thank you.”

After exchanging such casual greetings,

After finishing the meal to some extent, Kwon Seokhoon speaks with a heavy voice.

“Firstly… Kang Actor. Earlier, before the ‘Pizza King’ meeting, you mentioned that I was your role model.”

“Oh, yes.”

“I should have said thank you back then, but my emotions suddenly intensified, and I couldn’t even say thank you. I’m sorry.”

“…”

“Kang Actor, I know you’re busy, but I really wanted to express my gratitude. And…”

After finishing what he wanted to say to Jinseok, Kwon Seokhoon looks at Jang Sunho.

“Team Leader Jang Sunho.”

“Yes.”

“When you asked earlier if I could contact you if I needed help… Could I ask what that was about?”

It was the voice of a desperate person, but he seemed to display little expectation regarding ‘hope.’

In response, Jang Sunho, straightening his posture, spoke firmly but cautiously, “Of course, it’s about your younger sibling, Kwon Seonhee.”

Kwon Seokhoon’s eyes widened at Jang Sunho’s words. The change in his expression, from seemingly relaxed moments ago to something more intense, was evident.

Anticipating Kwon Seokhoon’s reaction, Jang Sunho continued speaking in a relatively calm manner, “The photo of the sister that Director 3 has, that…”

“Wait a moment,” Kwon Seokhoon interrupted Jang Sunho. Then, he turned to Jinseok, who had been earnestly listening to their conversation.

“Actor Kang, I invited you to have a meal together, and I’m really sorry for saying this, but could you excuse us for a moment? It seems there’s something I need to discuss privately with Team Leader Jang Sunho.”

Jinseok, glancing at the two, subtly rose from his seat.

“No, there’s no need for that,” Jang Sunho said as he suddenly took out a tablet PC from his bag.

“The photos and videos Director 3 has of Kwon Seonhee, they’re fake.”

“Fake?”

Kwon Seokhoon was perplexed. Who his sister was, what was in the photos, what the videos contained, and the meaning of them being fake—none of it made sense.

Jinseok remained oblivious to the details.

However, sensing that it wasn’t the right atmosphere to ask questions, he decided to stay quiet for now.

“F-fake? What do you mean?” Kwon Seokhoon asked.

“Exactly as it sounds. Director 3, Yang Mansu, claims that the photos and videos of the sister who threatened Kwon Seokhoon are fake.”

“That can’t be… I saw them with my own eyes. That photo and video, it was undoubtedly my sister.”

Kwon Seokhoon said with a serious expression, shaking his head. In response, Jang Sunho showed him the tablet PC he had taken out a while ago.

“Is this the photo?”

“Yes.”

Unlike Jang Sunho’s casual tone, Kwon Seokhoon’s expression, upon seeing the tablet, closed his eyes as if he had witnessed something horrific. Unable to bear looking at it any longer, he pushed the tablet toward Jang Sunho.

Jinseok, though curious about what kind of photo it was, couldn’t bring himself to look at it. Seeing Kwon Seokhoon’s reaction, the person involved, made it impossible.

Knock, knock.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Jang Sunho, as if expecting it, said, “Come in.”

The door opened, accompanied by the sound of worn-out sneakers, and a man entered.

Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoon turned their gaze toward the door.

Worn-out gray sneakers, tacky loose-fitting pants, and a relatively neat shirt.

“Hello, Actor Kang Jinseok. It’s been a while.”

Wearing his trademark artist’s hat was Yang Chihoon, the photographer.

***

Unexpectedly, with Yang Chihoon’s entrance, I found myself standing up from my seat.

“Oh! Hello, sir.”

“…Yes. You’ve become even more handsome since we last met. I enjoyed ‘The Way They Chose’… I could feel the tremendous effort you put into the poster.”

“Haha, thank you. But what brings you here?”

Instead of Yang Chihoon, Jang Sunho responded to my question.

“I invited him. He’s the solver who will reveal that Kwon Seonhee’s photos are fake.”

“A solver?”

“Yes. Mr. Yang is one of the renowned photo experts in our country. Not only does he take photos, but he also deciphers them.”

While Jang Sunho was talking, Yang Chihoon took out two laptops from his bag. Despite his lumbering movements, he was surprisingly fast.

“I’m ready. Can we start…?”

“Yes, sir. Please.”

As Jang Sunho spoke, Yang Chihoon turned off the lights. In the dark room, the bright laptop screen illuminated our faces.

“…I don’t know who did it, but this photo has been manipulated quite skillfully. Even for most experts… it would be difficult to find traces of manipulation.”

Yang Chihoon spoke with his usual vague tone. However, unlike earlier, his voice was quite cold and stern.

After the left laptop’s mouse clicked, the expected photo appeared, causing Kwon Seokhoon to close his eyes. His uncomfortable breathing filled the quiet room.

“But… there is no perfect manipulation. Photography is an honest art. If you force something, there will inevitably be something wrong.”

This time, Yang Chihoon clicked the mouse on the right laptop.

“…What’s this?”

Upon opening his eyes with effort, Kwon Seokhoon looked at Yang Chihoon with a vacant expression.

The photo on the right laptop had the same composition as the one on the left, but it depicted a completely different person.

“This is the original… a photo taken with a woman who closely resembles Kwon Seonhee. It was meticulously prepared to be used for manipulation,” Yang Chihoon pointed to the photo on the right.

“It may have looked like Kwon Seonhee due to retouching rather than synthesis. However…”

As he manipulated the right laptop, evidence of slight manipulations in the photo became enlarged on the screen.

“As I mentioned earlier, there’s no perfect manipulation. Distorted parts are bound to come out.”

“That can’t be…”

Kwon Seokhoon leaned over the laptop, his face as if lost in thought.

When Yang Chihoon explained it, it was impossible to know what had been manipulated. However, seeing the expert pointing out each manipulated part, it became impossible not to believe that the photo had been manipulated.

“Mr. Kwon Seokhoon, have you ever discussed this photo with your sister?”

“No, I haven’t. I believed the photo was real just by looking at it, and I thought my sister had somehow forgotten about it and was trying to live her life. I didn’t want to bring it up and bother her unnecessarily.”

After staring at the photo for a while, Kwon Seokhoon slumped into the chair. It was impossible to read the complicated expression on his face, suggesting he was lost in thought.

“I first saw that photo seven years ago. I was in my twenties, and Seonhee was fifteen. It was during my idol training days at KL Entertainment. That’s when I first met Director 3.”

“…”

“Since then, I dedicated my twenties to Director 3. But to think that the photo was manipulated…”

Everyone in the room listened quietly to Kwon Seokhoon’s words.

“Seonhee never debuted in the end. Still, fortunately, there were people who liked her songs, so she continued singing on YouTube. She even entered university this year. She seemed so happy… I wanted to protect Seonhee. She’s my only remaining family.”

Kwon Seokhoon leaned back in the chair. He looked at the empty ceiling with a hollow gaze.

However, unlike before, there was no disappointment or vacant look in his eyes. It was more like the gaze of someone who had unloaded a burden, a gaze like that.

“But… Team Leader Jang Sunho.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you help me? I don’t know how you got that photo, but it must not have been an easy task.”

Looking at me, Jang Sunho smiled and said, “Well…”

“Actor Kang Jinseok kept giving signals,” Jang Sunho said suddenly. “He asked for my help, saying you’re his role model.”

I didn’t expect my name to come up, so I was a bit surprised. Before I could say anything, Kwon Seokhoon bowed his head.

“Thank you very much.”

“Huh? Oh… haha. I haven’t really done much. If you want to express your gratitude, you should thank Photographer Yang Chihoon and the manager.”

Feeling like things were resolved well, I felt good. However, at the same time, it felt dirty and uncomfortable.

“Director 3. I had a bad feeling about you, and you really are trash.”

Kwon Seokhoon rose from his chair, pulling it back. Then, he bowed again.

“I’m truly grateful for today. From now on, I’ll take care of things myself.”

After the farewell, Kwon Seokhoon put on his coat. He seemed decidedly lighter than when I first met him.

“Well then, I’ll leave first. I’m sorry for getting up first. Enjoy your meal.”

As Kwon Seokhoon was about to leave, Jang Sunho called him.

“Excuse me, Mr. Kwon Seokhoon.”

“Yes?”

“You mentioned that your contract with KL Entertainment is ending soon. Have you thought about your next agency?”

***

The next day, KL Entertainment, Actor 3’s office.

Manager Yang Mansu, as usual, leisurely approached his seat with an iced Americano in hand.

He put the coffee down and looked at the entertainment news to see if anything interesting had happened yesterday.

“Tsk tsk. These days, journalists are so boring. They keep praising Kang Jinseok in their articles.”

Bang!

At that moment, someone forcefully opened the door and walked in.

Manager 3 raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze from the monitor to the person who dared to barge into his room—the guy who barely made it into the makeshift office.

“Kwon Seokhoon? Have you gone mad? What are you doing now?”

Manager 3 looked at the intruder, chuckling sarcastically.

Kwon Seokhoon, ignoring Manager 3’s derisive laughter, stared at him.

“No, I’m perfectly sane.”

“What, what?”

“I said I’m perfectly sane. This bastard here.”

Click.

After speaking calmly, Kwon Seokhoon locked the door. It was a sound Manager 3 always heard, but today, it sounded strangely eerie.

Looking at Manager 3, Kwon Seokhoon approached him, looked down at him, and said, “Did you enjoy it?”

“What, what?”

“Did you enjoy it? Playing around with me and my sister.”

“W- What are you talking about? Seokhoon-”

Bam!

While Yang Mansu managed to smile, Kwon Seokhoon struck him hard on the jaw. It was the first time Manager 3 had ever been hit, leaving him unable to regain his composure.

“Snap out of it. You have to be sober to take a punch like a man.”

“Ugh…”

Grabbing Manager 3 by the collar as if tearing off a chicken’s neck, Kwon Seokhoon lightly slapped his cheeks.

Still unable to recover his senses, Manager 3 couldn’t comprehend the situation.

“Get a hold of yourself. You need to be fully conscious to feel the pain.”

“Ughhh…”

Even after the relentless slaps, Manager 3 remained dazed.

Undeterred, Kwon Seokhoon picked up the iced Americano on the desk.

“Alright, let’s clear your head with a bit of water, shall we?”

“Ughhh…”

Splat!

Kwon Seokhoon poured the coffee on Manager 3’s face. The combination of cold ice and coffee jolted Manager 3 back to reality.

“Hack… Hackoo. You… you, what the hell. S-Stop it.”

Ignoring Manager 3’s feeble protests, Kwon Seokhoon continued to hold him firmly. He then slapped Manager 3’s cheeks again.

However, Manager 3 still seemed disoriented.

“Alright, wake up. We have six more to go.”

“W-What… what?”

“One punch per year. Seven years in total. It’s a cheap price for what you’ve done, isn’t it?”

“Ugh… ugh.”

“If you want to press charges, go ahead. When the time comes, I won’t hold back either.”

Kwon Seokhoon struck Manager 3’s face again.

No longer did Kwon Seokhoon enter Room 3 with caution, always gauging Manager 3’s mood.

TN: Now Reader’s That’s What We Called Karma Is A Bitch.