Top Star by Luck

Chapter 90

‘Lee Min Ki, that son of a b***h, Lee Min Ki, that bastard. Lee Min Ki, that son of a b***h, Lee Min Ki, that bastard. Lee Min Ki, that son of a b***h, Lee Min Ki, that bastard. Lee Min Ki, that son of a b***h, Lee Min Ki, that bastard.’

CEO Hwang In Goo gritted his teeth and paced angrily around his office.

Normally, if this had been the usual Daon, there would have been at least one person around to gauge his mood, but unfortunately, not this time.

Why?

[“I’m resigning.”]

After the incident exploded, most of the staff left Daon.

Without even a proper handover, they left in a flash.

Among them was someone who led the charge.

‘Kim Jong Hyuk, that b***ard. I fed and raised that talentless piece of trash, and he bites his owner?’

It was none other than Director Kim Jong Hyuk.

Apparently, he had been receiving scouting offers from other companies and left all at once, taking his close associates with him.

Although CEO Hwang In Goo knew there were some complaints, he never expected to be backstabbed like this.

Of course, it was necessary to listen to Director Kim Jong Hyuk’s side of the story.

After all, it was Hwang In Goo himself who stripped him of any personnel authority and used him like a puppet.

‘Now that I think about it, that bastard always seemed to like Lee Min Ki for some reason.’

As memories resurfaced, CEO Hwang In Goo stopped in his tracks.

‘He begged me to hire Lee Min Ki, but when I refused, was he holding a grudge this whole time?’

That was one of the causes.

In the end, the person Kim Jong Hyuk had begged him to hire became the top rookie, but Hwang In Goo had dismissed him, citing personal preferences, leaving a knot of resentment.

But still…

‘Does someone who knows how this industry works really do something this petty?’

To CEO Hwang In Goo, it seemed like a good thing after all.

Did they think the entertainment business was a joke?

If you couldn’t handle watching a rookie you passed on rise to fame at another company, you wouldn’t survive in this industry.

‘Lee Min Ki, Lee Min Ki, Lee Min Ki. Why is everything connected to you?’

His head was boiling with anger.

The trouble with Kim Ji Hwan was because of Lee Min Ki.

Director Kim Jong Hyuk leaving was because of Lee Min Ki.

Even the relationship with the pharmaceutical company, Iverium, that he had struggled to secure, fell apart because of Lee Min Ki.

Above all…

‘Lee Min Ki, that bastard, even leaked information.’

It was Lee Min Ki who hit Daon’s weak spot.

Of course, it was all CEO Hwang In Goo’s own doing from start to finish.

If he had listened to Director Kim Jong Hyuk even once, none of this would have happened.

No, even if he hadn’t sent hired goons to rough him up, it would have been fine.

No, that wasn’t even it.

If he hadn’t sent Kim Do Ha to blackmail and dig for weaknesses, none of this would have happened either.

Actually, there was more.

It all boiled down to how he had lived his life.

‘Did Goo In Mo, that b***ard, stab me in the back?’

Goo In Mo from JC is suspicious.

Why do circumstantial evidence and clear proof keep popping up?

‘No, it’s also possible that Kim Do Ha, that worm, betrayed me.’

There was nothing strange about it.

Even if the entire world betrayed him, it would seem completely natural.

‘Joo Hyun Woo? Lee Do Kyung? Lim Jin Wook? Yoo Seong Bin? Kwak Sung Ho?’

The list was endless.

Because of all the bad karma he had accumulated, no matter how much he suspected, he couldn’t find any clear answers.

There’s a reason why dictators throughout history succumb to paranoia and distrust of others.

For someone like CEO Hwang In Goo, there were too many points of vulnerability; even if his entire body were covered in thorns like a cactus, it wouldn’t be surprising.

“…Krrgh.”

Unable to endure the heat that filled his skull, CEO Hwang In Goo collapsed onto the floor.

‘Should I stab Lee Min Ki? No, there’s still too much left unresolved.’

Even after everything had reached this point, there was a reason why he couldn’t go after Lee Min Ki through the media.

One.

There were too many people entangled in the situation.

Imagine the scandal if it became known that Daon caused a problem just by touching an actor.

He’d be kidnapped immediately, buried in concrete, and discovered off the coast of the West Sea.

And the second.

He had no idea how much evidence Lee Min Ki still held.

‘Is he hiding his cards? What is he after?’

He had sensitive cards—ones you couldn’t miss.

Leaving those cards out in the open without revealing them was practically leaving a huge question mark.

Of course, from Lee Min Ki’s perspective, he had held back on revealing sensitive parts out of consideration for the potential impact on the victims.

Digging too deeply into those sensitive areas could inadvertently cause secondary harm to the victims.

It was simply that.

But…

‘He’s after something.’

To CEO Hwang In Goo, this was an unthinkable concept.

For him, a person’s wounds were not something to be hidden but to be exploited.

A favor without any return was merely the privilege of a fool.

Because his thinking was fundamentally different, he couldn’t understand it at all.

In the end…

There was nothing left for CEO Hwang In Goo to do in this situation.

All he could do was count the lawsuits that would rain down from investors as if they were holiday gifts.

“Arrrgh! Lee Min Ki, you son of a XXXXX!!”

Crash!

CEO Hwang In Goo swung a baseball bat engraved with the Lotte Yotuns mark, smashing the office furniture into pieces.

All the while, muttering vile curses under his breath.

‘Lee Min Ki… remember this, killing you would be nothing.’

Of course, it was all just in his head.

* * *

While Daon’s office had turned into a disaster zone, the JC office remained as quiet as a peaceful civil office in heaven.

Director Seo Jung Woo smiled gently and said.

“Actor.”

“Yes?”

“Why did you hide it?”

“Well, that’s…”

“You need to be honest with me.”

“…”

Lee Min Ki was being interrogated.

So, what exactly was this interrogation about?

“Going to a club is fine. Hanging out with women is also fine. But you need to at least inform us of the details, so we can handle the media, right?”

It was about how Lee Min Ki had concealed certain details.

Even if it wasn’t everything, the fact that he had been vague about the leaked photos was a big issue.

By the time he had given an explanation, it was already too late, and JC couldn’t help but feel the pressure.

“To be honest, I was worried that you might have actually committed a sexual crime, actor. I thought you were hiding it to cover that up.”

Director Seo Jung Woo continued in a soft yet stern voice.

Next to him…

“Come on, there’s no way Min Ki could do something like that.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung chuckled, munching on snacks.

“Trainer, please stay out of this.”

“I’ve trained Min Ki, I know him well. He’s obsessed with acting, more than women. I bet he’d rather marry acting than a woman.”

“I said, stay out of this.”

“The only thing Min Ki’s ‘fallen for’ is acting.”

Exasperated by Kim Ah Sung’s trolling, Director Seo Jung Woo let out a heavy sigh.

“So, do you have anything to say?”

“Well…”

Finally, Lee Min Ki opened his mouth.

Since he was involved in the incident, he had to say something.

‘Compared to what was really exposed, it’s a relief it ended like this.’

After clearing his throat, Lee Min Ki spoke.

“I was afraid I’d get scolded if people found out a rookie actor went to a club.”

“I won’t scold you. It’s not like we’re in the era where a 32-year-old idol gets grilled for dating, and besides, you’re not even an idol.”

His tone was calm, and that made it sting even more.

At this point, it seemed like he had said everything that needed to be said, but there was this strange feeling of expecting more reprimands to follow.

“I know saying this might feel bitter, but I’m only saying this because I care about you…”

Bang!

The office door burst open, and an employee rushed in, shouting.

“Actor So Yoo’s dating scandal just broke!”

“What?”

“There are articles everywhere! She was caught holding hands with a male actor 14 years her senior while vacationing in Jeju… and she’s not answering her phone.”

“Where is she? I’ll head there right now.”

Director Seo Jung Woo’s reaction flipped completely, leaving Lee Min Ki a bit dumbfounded.

“Director, didn’t you say dating was okay? So Yoo is the same age as me…”

“She’s an idol.”

“…”

Ah, I see.

Turns out, she’s an idol.

Director Seo Jung Woo talks like he’s so logical, but he just says whatever comes to mind.

‘Forget it, whatever.’

Lee Min Ki decided to play along, bored of hearing more nagging anyway.

“Go on.”

“We’ll talk more after I return.”

And with that, Director Seo Jung Woo hurriedly left the office.

It was a madhouse.

Just as he was about

to get up to either prepare for a new project, rehearse acting, or do some training…

“Min Ki.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung chuckled, calling out to him.

“Yes?”

“Don’t do that again.”

“You mean the lying, right? It was wrong.”

Just as he was about to gloss over the situation again…

Trainer Kim Ah Sung waved his hand dismissively, looking annoyed, and said.

“No, I mean don’t do dangerous stuff. Like tipping off others.”

“…!”

What did I just hear?

For a moment, Lee Min Ki froze, unable to believe what he had just heard come out of Trainer Kim Ah Sung’s mouth.

“If you’re going to pull something off, at least tell the company first. What do you think you’re doing, going solo? What if you really get stabbed one day? I’ve told you before that CEO Hwang In Goo is a psycho. What, are you filming a spy movie or something?”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung’s lecture was coming from a completely different angle than Seo Jung Woo’s earlier one.

The sharpness of his words left Lee Min Ki frozen like a stone.

His pupils trembled like aspen leaves.

“Trainer, how did you know…?”

“I told you, I know a lot of people. There are ways.”

“…You know a lot of people?”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung shook his head and said.

“No, it’s just some rumors floating around in certain circles. Most people treat it as a joke. I mean, who would believe a rookie actor brought down a company by tipping them off? But Min Ki, you never know, right? What happens if a rumor keeps getting repeated?”

“…It becomes fact.”

“Exactly, there’s no smoke without fire.”

“And if you fix your shoelaces in a melon field?”

“You’ll be accused as the thief.”

“Right, just be careful.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung smirked, got up, and said.

“I won’t tell Seon Ah or Tak about this, but from now on, if you plan something like this, at least tell me. Man, it’s a lonely job.”

With that, he left the office.

Now alone, following both Seo Jung Woo and Kim Ah Sung’s departure, Lee Min Ki let out a small, incredulous laugh.

‘Did I just get played?’

It was supposedly just a rumor.

But it seems he had just confirmed it as fact.

Oddly enough, though, he didn’t feel too bad about it.

It’s never a bad thing to have a reliable accomplice.

* * *

The case had roughly wrapped up.

Over 20 celebrities and more than 10 police officials were dragged before the court of law.

There was even talk of drafting a new law in Yeouido.

[‘Kim Do Ha Law’ Drafted for Legislation]

Of course, as is always the case with crimes like this, it will take some time before any real results come out.

But at least, unlike the [Kim Do Ha Scandal] of his previous life, which had been swept under the rug, this one was very different.

‘It feels refreshing.’

Lee Min Ki stretched his arms wide.

‘I honestly felt like I was going to die from stress all this time.’

He hadn’t said it out loud, but the mental stress had been immense.

Being watched by hitmen on the streets.

Getting dragged into a crime-ridden club.

Gathering evidence and making reports.

Every day felt like walking on thin ice, and even for someone with strong nerves, anyone could easily age overnight.

‘The fact that I’m still alive shows my luck has improved.’

Lee Min Ki ran a hand over his neck.

In the past, who knows if it would have stayed attached to his upper body?

But now, those extraordinary events seemed to be mostly over.

Lee Min Ki made up his mind.

‘From now on, I’ll live safely, focusing only on acting.’

He decided to focus solely on acting.

There had been so much happening recently that it felt like it had been three years since they filmed *Café del Dia*.

Now, each day would be like a continuous stream of ordinary days.

I, Lee Min Ki, from now on, will walk the straight path of an actor to the end.

I’ll leave the law enforcement duties entirely to the police of South Korea!

Resolving that, Lee Min Ki once again picked up the script to read.

“What? Are you already preparing for a new project?”

Surprised by what they saw, someone next to him exclaimed in disbelief.

“Wow, Min Ki, you’re superhuman. How do you do this? You’re not human.”

It was Kim Tak.

After hearing Kim Tak’s over-the-top remarks for so long, Lee Min Ki had gotten used to them and chuckled as he replied.

“Why? I’ve rested enough. It’s been over a month since we finished filming *Café del Dia*. It’s about time to start preparing for a new project.”

“Is that the project?”

“Yes, I can feel it. This will be a masterpiece.”

“No matter how good the project is, starting right after just a month of rest… ugh.”

As Lee Min Ki was about to respond, Yoo Seon Ah nodded in agreement and added.

“Exactly. Most people consider shooting just one project a year to be diligent, but Min Ki, you’re shooting several times more than others.”

“There are so many projects I want to do.”

“And yet, you hardly shoot any commercials. Most people shoot five or six commercials per project.”

“…There aren’t any commercials that I particularly want to do.”

Lee Min Ki cleared his throat.

‘Come to think of it, I have been working really hard.’

Without much time to rest, I’ve been constantly filming.

But why is it?

I don’t particularly feel like resting.

Maybe it’s because I had such a long hiatus that the thirst has built up.

“People like Min Ki working so hard make it difficult for rookies like us to break in. The industry’s already a red ocean.”

Yoo Seon Ah whined, slumping on the floor, while Trainer Kim Ah Sung laughed at her antics, spilling crumbs from the snacks he was eating.

“Oh, come on, Seon Ah. How long has it been since you and Min Ki were rookies? Why are you being so aggressive today? This doesn’t suit you.”

“What do you mean it doesn’t suit me?”

“You know what I mean. You’re usually bright, refreshing, and optimistic. Like the protagonist of a shonen manga.”

Yoo Seon Ah’s character was indeed like that.

No matter the setback, she seemed like the type who would shake it off with one shout and sprint forward again.

But lately, she’d been a little different.

If I had to describe it…

‘She’s developed a more human side.’

As Lee Min Ki smiled to himself, Yoo Seon Ah continued.

“Why? When you have someone successful next to you, like Min Ki, it makes you wonder where all your time has gone.”

“Come on, who doesn’t know that feeling? I get it. But didn’t you originally see Min Ki as a role model?”

“No, from now on, I’m going to see him as my rival.”

“…Rival? A rival?”

As Trainer Kim Ah Sung mumbled the word under his breath.

The atmosphere fell into silence.

“…”

In the stillness, Yoo Seon Ah’s cheeks flushed like a tomato.

It wasn’t that she was embarrassed about declaring him her rival—it was just that the way everyone was staring at her made her feel self-conscious.

Trainer Kim Ah Sung chuckled and said.

“Min Ki, did you hear that?”

“Hmm, yes, I did.”

What should I say to that?

Lee Min Ki pondered with both sides of his brain, trying to come up with an appropriate response.

“I’d welcome having a rival. Whether it’s Tak or Seon Ah.”

That’s right.

I’d welcome it.

If there are more competitors, I’ll have to work even harder.

But more than that…

“We’d get to see lots of great acting, wouldn’t we?”

I was excited about seeing new acting.

I’ve been watching the same things over and over again for too long.

I don’t expect new projects, but at least new performances would be refreshing.

“So, hurry up, both of you, and debut in great projects…”

Just as Lee Min Ki was about to finish his sentence.

[Breaking news.]

The TV screen suddenly displayed an intriguing announcement from the news anchor.

[3Y Entertainment’s CEO Yong Do Guk has been arrested by the police while preparing for an overseas business trip, following critical tip-offs.]

In other words, the anchor was saying that one of the main culprits behind the Kim Do Ha scandal, 3Y’s CEO, had been caught on the spot.

And that company, 3Y, was one of the agencies Kim Do Ha had been signed with.

“Isn’t that the company Seon Ah was preparing for an audition with?”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung said, as if to confirm.