Chapter 880: Pride (5)
[Unblocking the Call: Go Joon-Taek]
I removed Assemblyman Go Joon-Taek, Go Eun-Seo's father, from my blocked list and called him. I worried he might ignore the call when he saw my number, but after a few rings, Go Joon-Taek picked up.
-For Chief Jung to contact me first. Well, that's a rare occasion. Why? Do you finally need my help now? After blocking my number all this time?
The last time Go Joon-Taek showed up at the Project I.O.A. filming set and tried to exert outside pressure, I had thrown him out. It was no wonder his voice was sharp. However, this was not the time to dredge up the past and trade emotions.
"I would like to see you right away."
-Hah! So when I said I'd visit the set again, you threatened to dock my daughter's score even more. And now what? You want to see me? What exactly are you plotting?
"I don't have time to lock horns with you right now. Let's meet and talk first."
-You little punk. Just because I'm speaking calmly, you think you can look down on a National Assembly member? Do I look like someone who comes when you say come and leaves when you say leave? Huh?
It seemed I had no choice but to use a bit of shock therapy.
"If we don't meet now, Eun-Seo will be eliminated from today's competition. Are you fine with that?"
At that moment, I heard Han So-Ye's startled voice from beside him.
-Honey! Just hear him out first! He said our daughter will be eliminated!
Go Joon-Taek answered in a trembling voice.
-Damn it, fine. Come to our room right now. Suite 1114.
"I'll be there immediately."
Click.
After hanging up, I went straight to Acting President Jin Ah-Ram and asked her to come with me. Since Go Joon-Taek's constituency was Incheon, he was quite close with the Jinseong Inc., which had made major investments in the Jinseong Resort on Yeongjong Island.
"Could you come with me? As you can see, we're not exactly on good terms."
Fortunately, Jin Ah-Ram replied with a smiling expression in her eyes. "If it will help, I should go. My future is riding on the success of this project as well."
After informing the staff at the rehearsal site, we immediately headed for Go Joon-Taek's suite.
***
We arrived at Suite 1114, Jinseong Resort, Yeongjong Island. In the living room of the lavish suite over sixty pyeong in size sat Go Joon-Taek in a luxury suit and top star Han So-Ye in a lavender two-piece designer outfit. Jin Ah-Ram and I sat across from them. Their secretaries were waiting outside, so the four of us were the only ones in the spacious living room.
"It's been a while," I said.
Go Joon-Taek did not respond to my greeting. However, perhaps because Jin Ah-Ram was present, he did not raise his voice from the start.
"It's been a while, Mr. Go."
At Jin Ah-Ram's words, Go Joon-Taek reluctantly acknowledged the greeting. "I didn't expect Acting President Jin to come as well."
"Eun-Seo's competition issue is quite important to me too. Of course, I also intended to see you."
"I see. But what exactly is going on that my daughter is supposedly being eliminated?"
"You should hear that from Mr. Jung here."
Go Joon-Taek gulped down a glass of juice from the table, then shot the question at me. "All right, Chief Jung. Let's hear it. Why is my daughter being eliminated? Why would my girl be eliminated? She ranked fourth in Korea last week."
"Today, Eun-Seo helped a friend."
Go Joon-Taek looked startled. "Eun-Seo did?"
"Yes."
Han So-Ye also asked with a puzzled expression. "Are you talking about that girl from the Shanghai conglomerate family? Liu Lan from Team 2? They even shared a dorm room for a week, didn't they?"
Just from the way they questioned who the friend was over something as simple as helping someone, I could tell how badly they had raised Go Eun-Seo.
I shook my head. "The person Eun-Seo helped wasn't Liu Lan. It was a girl named Oh Hae-Nim."
Go Joon-Taek frowned in confusion. "Does this Oh Hae-Nim come from a very influential family?"
"No. She grew up in an orphanage."
Go Joon-Taek's face drained of color. "What?"
Han So-Ye looked utterly incredulous and even turned to her husband to question him. "Honey! Chief Jung is lying to us, right? Eun-Seo helped someone who wouldn't even benefit her in any way... Can you believe that?"
"I don't even know what's going on. My head's spinning, so be quiet for a moment."
Since they hadn't been in contact with their daughter during the competition, they had no idea how much Go Eun-Seo had changed.
In the end, I asked Jin Ah-Ram, who had come with me, to speak instead. "Could you explain it to them?"
Jin Ah-Ram confirmed from beside me that what I said was true. "Mr. Assemblyman, ma'am. Today, Eun-Seo saved a contestant from Team 9 who was about to be falsely accused of theft. Because of that, I came to see Eun-Seo in a new light as well."
When Jin Ah-Ram spoke admiringly of her, the two finally looked at me with hesitant expressions.
At last, Go Joon-Taek took a deep breath and asked, "I'm glad to hear she was praised... but what do you mean our daughter is being eliminated?"
Only now were they ready to listen. From that point on, I began explaining everything that had happened today. The recording file was cut in places, so it was difficult to grasp the full context from that alone.
"The truth is, today..."
A short while later, the faces of Go Joon-Taek and his wife filled with anger after hearing what had happened. Fortunately, this time their anger was not directed at me.
"So our daughter taught that rude Choi Yeon-Mi a lesson for the sake of her friend, and that girl held a grudge and fed false information to a reporter? To get Eun-Seo eliminated? Is that right?"
I nodded. "You summarized it well."
Just then, Go Joon-Taek shot up from his seat and shouted toward the door. "Secretary Kang! Secretary Choi!"
Bang.
The suite door flew open and two men in suits stepped inside.
"You called for us, sir?"
"Start digging into this girl named Choi Yeon-Mi immediately. And find out everything about Reporter Gong Soo-Ji from Entertainment All Times—"
I quickly cut him off. "Mr. Assemblyman! Do you want to eliminate Eun-Seo with your own hands?"
"What?"
"If your secretaries go out to gather information or pressure Reporter Gong Soo-Ji, it will look exactly like the abuse of power her tabloid article is trying to fabricate."
Go Joon-Taek asked through clenched teeth, "Then do you have another way?"
"Yes. So please calm down for a moment and hear me out."
After a moment of hesitation, Go Joon-Taek told his aides, "...Wait outside for now."
"Yes, sir."
After the two secretaries bowed and left, the still visibly agitated Go Joon-Taek pressed me. "Then speak. What method are you suggesting to shut that reporter up?"
"First, I need you to act as bait."
Go Joon-Taek let out a hollow laugh. "Hah. You're using a National Assembly member as bait? That's absurd. How could you even think of that? I am an assemblyman of the Republic of Korea!"
Go Joon-Taek flared up at once, but I answered calmly. "No. To me, you're simply Eun-Seo's father. Being a National Assembly member is just your profession."
"Just... Eun-Seo's father?"
"Am I wrong?"
Go Joon-Taek fell silent for a moment as if at a loss for words. He stared at me with a look that said he simply could not understand me.
In front of a three-term lawmaker like him, everyone usually rubbed their hands together and bowed their heads. I did neither. As if unwilling to accept the situation, he glared at me for a long time. But at the Project I.O.A. set, no matter what anyone said, I was the one in charge.
Eventually, Go Joon-Taek let out a sigh and relented. "Fine. Let's say you're right. But how am I supposed to trust you, Chief Jung? You don't like my daughter. You looked at her like you thought she was pathetic! Did you think I'd forget that?"
"Not anymore."
"What?"
"Eun-Seo has been reborn as a member worthy of being the face of Project I.O.A., with outstanding talent and the character to help others. I don't dislike a child like that. If anything, these days I'm proud of her."
Go Joon-Taek stared at me once more. The sharp gaze of a three-term lawmaker who had met countless people flickered.
After a moment, a low admission slipped from his mouth. "...You really mean it."
"Yes, I do."
"Is it true you don't dislike my daughter?"
"Of course. Just today, she did something admirable. She helped a friend for no personal gain, simply because that person was her friend."
Though he still looked baffled, Go Joon-Taek turned to his wife, Han So-Ye, and said my words seemed genuine.
"Honey. I think Chief Jung means it."
"Honey! Do you actually believe that?"
"I may be many things, but I've been a three-term lawmaker. If nothing else, I know how to read people. Whatever else may be true, this man sincerely views our daughter in a good light."
"But still..."
"Even if he doesn't, what choice do we have? We can't let Eun-Seo be eliminated."
When Han So-Ye hesitated, Jin Ah-Ram also spoke in my favor. "Ma'am, you can trust Mr. Jung. Even Mr. Chairman of Jinseong trusts him completely."
Han So-Ye blinked in disbelief. "Mr. Jin Dae-Woon... trusts Chief Jung?"
"Of course. Otherwise, why would I come here with him? Mr. Chairman specifically instructed me to assist Chief Jung."
When Jin Ah-Ram of Jinseong Hotel & Resort vouched for me, a mere talent agent, Han So-Ye stared at me in stunned silence.
Then at last, she met my eyes and asked, "Chief Jung. Can you take responsibility for our daughter?"
I looked straight back at her and answered. "As someone who once worked as an entertainer yourself, Mrs. Han So-Ye, you should know better than anyone what kind of talent agent I am. I never abandon my celebrities."
Though she was retired, Han So-Ye still had extensive connections at broadcasting stations. She must have looked into me and heard plenty about me already. Right now, she simply wasn't thinking clearly because of her misguided love for her daughter and the humiliation she had suffered at my hands.
After a moment, Han So-Ye eventually raised the white flag. She did not want to see her daughter cut.
"All right, Mr. Jung. What are you going to do?"
At last, she even began speaking to me politely. Only then did I start explaining to Go Joon-Taek and Han So-Ye how we could save Go Eun-Seo.
"First, summon Reporter Gong and meet her alone. Secure a proper recording and gain leverage. And then..."
Go Joon-Taek nodded, committing my plan to memory. Just then, Go Joon-Taek's phone rang.
Buzz.
He glanced at the screen and tilted his head. "Who is it?"
At that moment, I saw the display.
[Caller ID: 010-2737-99XX]
It was Gong Soo-Ji's number.
"I believe it's Reporter Gong."
"Reporter Gong?"
Reporters always tried to verify whether the information they receive is true. The timing could not have been better.
"This is perfect. Answer it and ask her to come up. Try not to raise her suspicions."
"All right."
Go Joon-Taek answered in a gentle voice, just as I instructed.
"This is Go Joon-Taek speaking."
Judging by the way his expression twisted, she must have been saying exactly what I predicted.
"There are too many eyes around. Come up quietly to my room. My wife is here as well, so there's nothing to worry about. It's Suite 1114."
Go Joon-Taek's voice trembled slightly as he acted, guiding Gong Soo-Ji straight into the trap.
'Gong Soo-Ji. In this life, I'll be the one striking you from behind.'
***
Inside Suite 1114, Gong Soo-Ji conducted an interview with Go Joon-Taek and Han So-Ye. At the mention that Go Eun-Seo had committed assault, the couple could not hide their flustered expressions.
Go Joon-Taek, a three-term lawmaker, even clasped his hands together and pleaded. "L-Listen, Reporter Gong. Let's resolve this amicably. I'll personally go to the victim and their parents and kneel to apologize, all right?"
Han So-Ye, who always appeared so dignified on television, trembled as she apologized as well. "This is all because we failed as parents. We'll beg for forgiveness in her place. Please."
Perhaps because it concerned their child, the two showed an almost pitiful weakness.
At that moment, Gong Soo-Ji's greed began to swell. She had been slightly tense because they were a famous politician and star actress couple, but meeting them in person, they seemed far more timid than she had expected.
From her past experience, people like this would never strongly resist even if stabbed in the back. They would rage in private, stomp their feet, and then eventually give up. If so, this was a good opportunity to squeeze out some money.
"Then perhaps you could show a bit of sincerity first?"
The distraught look on Go Joon-Taek's face instantly brightened. "Oh, sincerity? Yes, of course. How much would it take to bury the article?"
"Why act like an amateur? You must have a figure in mind."
"This is the first time we've dealt with something involving our daughter. Then should we look into it and discuss it again later?"
"No. Wait."
If she gave them time, they might consult a lawyer and complicate things.
After a brief pause, Gong Soo-Ji lowered her voice and whispered, "Three stacks... no, five stacks. It's 8:30 now, so if you want to stop the article, I'll need it before the 10 o'clock broadcast."
Gong Soo-Ji meant fifty million won.
But then Go Joon-Taek raised his voice in shock. "Five stacks? In two hours?"
Gong Soo-Ji wondered if she had asked for too much, but she did not back down. "That's only fair. Your reputation and that of a top star are at stake."
"I... Even so, five... five hundred million won is too..."
When an extra zero was added to the number she had in mind, Gong Soo-Ji's heart began pounding wildly. If she really received that much, she almost felt she wouldn't even mind killing the article.
Just then, Han So-Ye spoke. "Honey. Are you worried about the money right now? Our child's life is on the line!"
Go Joon-Taek nodded. "Y-You're right. Fine. All right."
Go Joon-Taek slipped his hand into his inner pocket.
Gong Soo-Ji frowned in alarm. "What are you doing right now?"
"What do you think? You asked for money. I need to call someone."
Gong Soo-Ji relaxed slightly. "Oh, yes. Go ahead."
At that moment, Go Joon-Taek dialed a number and broke into a grin. "Yes, Chief Jung. You were right. This piece of trash is asking for money. Five hundred million won, no less."
Just then, the door burst open. Four women in suits entered, followed by Jin Ah-Ram and Jung Yoon-Ho, all smiling.
"You two are better at acting than I expected," said Jung Yoon-Ho.
Go Joon-Taek smiled and said, "You can't survive as an assemblyman without some acting skills. Didn't you know? Hahaha."
Gong Soo-Ji had never imagined that a National Assembly member would stab her in the back. In that instant, she realized she had walked straight into a perfect trap. Right beside her, Han So-Ye was glaring with icy eyes, waving her phone back and forth with the words "Recording Complete" displayed on the screen.
***
"Please, just forgive me this once! If you let me off, I'll drop everything to help you and Mr. Jung with anything you need in the future!"
Gong Soo-Ji fell to her knees, even shedding tears as she begged. However, I had no intention of trusting her. After all, the schedule entry in Everyday had still been there until just moments ago.
I immediately turned to Go Joon-Taek. "Mr. Assemblyman."
"What is it? You're not going to ask me to let her go, are you? Chief Jung, that's not right. This is clearly blackmail—"
I shook my head. "No. That's not what I mean. If someone commits a crime, they should face the consequences."
Go Joon-Taek tilted his head. "Hm? Weren't you the one telling me not to step in recklessly as Eun-Seo's father?"
"Now you must act as a representative of the people. A lawmaker should punish a lowlife reporter who resorts to blackmail. If you let her go, how many more victims do you think she'll create?"
Go Joon-Taek looked at me quietly, then slowly curled up the corner of his mouth. "You have a point. Then... as a representative of the people, I should deliver a fair judgment. Correct?"
"Yes. By the book."
Nothing was more terrifying than doing things strictly by the book. Sure enough, the place Go Joon-Taek called was the police station.
"Mr. Choi? I'm being blackmailed by a reporter. Could you assist? A reporter brazen enough to blackmail an assemblyman must be uprooted entirely, don't you think? Only then can ordinary citizens sleep soundly at night."
Gong Soo-Ji's face turned deathly pale. And at that very moment, the schedule entry finally began to disappear.
[Everyday V13]
[Date: April 12, 2021]
-02:00 a.m.
(Deleted Schedule Entry: [NEW. Jung Yoo-Jin]
[Star Exclusive] A word from Jung Yoo-Jin, whom we met in Yeongjongdo, Incheon. "What I regret most today is the elimination of Go Eun-Seo from Team 2."
[Weekly Star] Jung Yoo-Jin spoke again about the moment Go Eun-Seo was eliminated.)
'Goodbye, Gong Soo-Ji.'
However, I had no intention of ending it here. Choi Yeon-Mi, the root of all this, was still left.
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