How a Loan Shark Survives as an Actor – Chapter 78

Author: Cireng

Chapter 78

“We’ve got a tail.”

Hearing that expression again after so long, I blanked out for a moment before asking,

“License plate?”

“White Sonata, number 30”. At first I thought I was imagining things, but we’ve been taking the same route for over twenty minutes. They’re matching our speed too.”

I opened the camera app on my phone and switched it to selfie mode.

Without making it obvious, I aimed it toward the rear window.

Just as Choo Seomok said, there was a white Sonata nearby.

“Could it be a misunderstanding?”

“No.”

His answer was firm, and I instinctively sighed.

Knowing Seomok’s personality, he would never say that if there were even the slightest uncertainty.

‘Of all things.’

I never thought I’d end up in a situation like this even in Yoo Seulho’s body.

I guess celebrities really do live differently.

“Maybe a sasaeng?”

“As far as I know, sasaeng fans usually use taxis. Of course, I can’t rule out the possibility that they’re using their own car.”

“Did you see their faces?”

“Yes. One driver and one passenger. Both men.”

Hmm.

Being men didn’t make it impossible for them to stalk a male celebrity.

There wasn’t enough information to conclude what exactly was going on.

“Got it. But don’t put ‘fan’ behind sasaeng. A sasaeng is just a sasaeng.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

I ducked down in the backseat and took a picture that included the car’s license plate.

I even tried to capture the driver’s face, just in case, but the tinted windows made it impossible.

Then I sent a message to someone pinned at the top of my contacts.

[(Photo)]

[Please run a check on this vehicle. Include the owner’s face.]

[Urgent.]

[I’ve already sent the fee.]

While waiting for a reply, I tapped my screen absentmindedly.

‘I want to know before we get out.’

There wasn’t much time left before we got home.

I knew it was a simple request, but I still felt impatient, wondering if they’d finish in time.

Tap. Tap.

As I kept tapping meaninglessly, my phone vibrated.

Not even two minutes had passed since I’d sent the message.

As expected.

I raised them well.

[Vehicle lookup complete.]

[License number: ”가 30”]

[Vehicle: Hyundai Sonata / 20”]

[Owner: Kim Dongwoo (Male, born 19”)]

[Criminal record: None found]

[Address: Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul]

[Occupation: Reporter at OO Korea]

[Notes: Privately owned vehicle. Not company-owned.]

The answer from my reliable partner, the private investigator, was thorough.

Since I’d requested urgent processing, it cost more than usual, but it was worth it.

I quickly read the information and looked at the owner’s photo.

Something felt strange.

‘…?’

His face seemed oddly familiar.

The moment I read his occupation, I remembered.

“Hello. I’m Reporter Kim Dongwoo from OO Korea. A question for Yoo Seulho.”

The reporter who’d asked me an aggressive question during the press conference for ‘You and My Space’.

Later, I’d found out he wrote favorable articles only about Yoo Taeho and Lee Seulmyeong.

I immediately peered into the Sonata through the window.

The photo hadn’t shown much, but now I could vaguely make out the face.

‘…It’s him.’

The man behind the wheel was definitely Kim Dongwoo.

‘Why is a reporter following me?’

My mind spun rapidly.

The answer came immediately.

“Hah!”

If it were multiple reporters chasing me together, that’d be one thing.

But if it was only this reporter, then there was only one possibility.

A laugh escaped me from sheer disbelief.

‘Are they insane?’

I found the contact and immediately hit call.

Ring.

If she didn’t answer, I was ready to turn the car around and go find her myself.

Fortunately… or unfortunately, the call connected just before it timed out.

“…What’s the occasion?”

Her voice carried obvious displeasure.

I’d never called first before, so her surprise made sense.

Grinding my teeth, I spoke.

“What exactly are you doing?”

“What?”

“You said you’d leave me alone. Didn’t we agree to act like strangers?”

“What are you suddenly talking about–”

“That wasn’t even long ago. You shouldn’t be forgetting things already. You should’ve told me earlier. Should I send you some food that’s good for the brain? Do you like walnuts?”

I mocked her without restraint.

I could see Choo Seomok looking shocked at this side of me he’d never seen.

But no one was more dumbfounded than the woman on the phone.

“How dare you… to me…”

Lee Seulmyeong’s voice trembled.

Whether it was anger or hurt, I didn’t care.

She’d crossed the line first.

“And you?”

“…What?”

“How dare ‘you’ do this to me?”

Since taking over Yoo Seulho’s body, I’d never spoken like this.

Not even when dealing with Director Shin or provoking Woo Junseo had I been this angry.

“Y-you… calling your mother… ‘you’? Have you lost your mind?”

She stammered in confusion.

“The crazy one is the person who had someone tail her son. Is that something a sane person does?”

Was I supposed to use a normal term like “Mom” in this ridiculous situation?

No, she hated being called that.

She preferred “Mother.”

‘Ha.’

Why was that even important right now?

Ignoring actual human emotions and only caring about appearances.

That contradiction infuriated me.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve lost control like this.’

Maybe reading Yoo Seulho’s diary had intensified my resentment toward his parents.

“Fine. I’ll address you the way you want. Mother, why did you have someone follow me?”

“Someone following you? What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Reporter Kim Dongwoo from OO Korea. He’s right behind my car. Want me to put him on the phone? He’s been following me around.”

Silence fell.

All I could hear was quiet breathing, as if she was gathering herself.

“You aren’t going to deny it, right? I’d like to believe you’re better than that. Cruel, yes… but not cowardly.”

Thankfully, she admitted it.

“Yes. I had someone follow you. I ordered it. Satisfied?”

…How shameless can someone be?

While I stared blankly, she added,

“Don’t… tell Taeho.”

“Father doesn’t know? That’s surprising. I thought you two always worked as a pair.”

“Are you going to keep talking like some vulgar street brat? Why do you act like someone born low-class?”

“I haven’t used a single swear word. You’re the one insulting me. Why am ‘I’ the vulgar one?”

At some point, I became too dumbfounded to stay angry.

Right.

Expecting these people to understand after one warning had been foolish.

‘Not worth getting mad over.’

But I didn’t intend to let it go easily.

I had spent money on the private investigator and gone through unnecessary stress.

‘At least make her suffer as much as I did.’

So I asked calmly,

“Why do you think I act so vulgar?”

“I don’t know when things started going wrong, but you weren’t like this when you were young. Do you know how much we–!”

“This is all your fault, Mother.”

I heard her suck in a breath.

I continued calmly.

“The way I turned out is entirely because of you two. It’s not that you raised me perfectly and I somehow became this way. You raised me wrong. It’s your fault. Completely.”

Why had Yoo Taeho and Lee Seulmyeong become so enraged by Jang Wooyeon?

Because he told them ‘they’ were at fault.

Until then, Yoo Seulho’s poor acting had only been an embarrassment.

It wasn’t the parents’ fault.

‘Now I understand.’

I’d always wondered why two perfectionists never abandoned Yoo Seulho.

Even if they didn’t abandon him, why force him to keep acting?

His scandals only hurt their image.

But Chairman Jang’s words gave me the answer.

They even used the image of being “loving parents supporting their imperfect son” to complete their own perfection.

So hearing,

“Your son’s suffering is your fault.”

was something they couldn’t tolerate.

‘That’s why I have to say it clearly.’

Yoo Seulho suffered because of you.

“Y-you…”

“I don’t think I turned out badly, though. If I ended up like this despite having parents like you, then I turned out great. I’m proud of myself.”

There was no chance Yoo Seulho would hear this.

But just in case.

Who knew?

Maybe his soul was wandering around somewhere.

“Don’t make me laugh. You really… ha! Ridiculous.”

“I’m not trying to be funny. I’m the one who finds this ridiculous. I know you two are happily married, but if you’re thinking of having a second child, give it up. I feel sorry for the kid already.”

“You little–HEY!! Are you really going to talk like that?!”

“You’ve treated me far worse all these years. I’m just getting revenge. It hurts me deeply to say such unfilial things, but I’m forcing myself, so bear with it.”

Of course, that was a lie.

Throwing insults was as easy as breathing.

In the rearview mirror, I could see Choo Seomok trembling as he watched me calmly spit venom.

‘Feeling better now.’

Time to wrap things up.

“Anyway, I won’t tell Father. But this can never happen again. Get rid of that reporter immediately. If he’s still in my sight three minutes after we hang up, I’m calling Father.”

“Fine!! Fine!!!”

Lee Seulmyeong screamed so loudly I had to move the phone away.

What a temper.

Before hanging up, I asked why she’d done it.

Her ridiculous answer was because I hadn’t replied to her texts.

“So you should’ve replied earlier. Ever since you joined Wooyeon Entertainment, we’ve been–”

My fault again?

I’m so sick of this.

I hung up before she finished.

“Seomok. See if the car disappears.”

“…Yes.”

He swallowed once.