Free Web NovelChapter 924: Standing Alone (2)
Leaving the curious Ju Yung-In behind, I called Chief Choi Go-Yoon. "Let's begin."
What I had asked Choi Go-Yoon to do was to inform him that someone had scratched Yoo Se-Na's father's car in the underground parking lot. No man would stay calmly in a hotel room after hearing that his car had been scratched.
On top of that, the car Yoo Se-Na's father drove was a yellow Ramborghini worth over 500 million won. There was no way he wouldn't immediately rush down to the parking lot.
-Understood. I'll take care of it right away and call Yoo Se-Na's father.
"Okay."
Choi Go-Yoon hung up as soon as he answered. Then I explained the situation to Ju Yung-In, who was still looking curious.
"If you tell him his car's been scratched, he'll run down there every single time."
Ju Yung-In tilted her head. "Come on. Even so, Se-Na's dad keeps such a tight watch on her. It's just a car..."
Right then, before Ju Yung-In could even finish speaking, we heard the door of the room next to ours swing open.
Bang.
At the same time, Yoo Se-Na's father's booming voice echoed through the hotel hallway.
-You son of a... Which bastard scratched my car...!
Soon after, the heavy sound of his footsteps running down the hallway followed.
"See? I told you."
"Whoa, that's insane..."
"Alright, we don't have time. At most, we've got about ten minutes. Let's go. Try messaging Se-Na on Kk Talk."
"Okay."
Rght then, Ju Yung-In received a message first from Yoo Se-Na.
Buzz.
[Yoo Se-Na: Yung-In, I'm in room 1010. Want to come hang out for a bit?]
Things were going surprisingly smoothly today.
I said, "Reply to her. Just don't mention that I'm coming too."
"Got it."
Ju Yung-In quickly sent a message saying she would be there soon. After that, we left room 1011.
***
Even though it was the room right next door, we waited thirty seconds. Then Ju Yung-In carefully knocked.
Knock knock.
The door to room 1010 swung wide open, and Yoo Se-Na appeared with a bright smile. "Yung-In! Long time no see!"
"Se-Na unnie! It's been a while."
The two of them immediately hugged each other, both clearly happy to see one another. Then, while lightly bouncing on her feet, Yoo Se-Na froze mid-hug. She had spotted me standing behind Ju Yung-In.
"Mr. Jung... how did you... end up here?"
I gave a small bow. "Hello."
Yoo Se-Na looked flustered as she turned to Ju Yung-In. "Yung-In, what's going on?"
"Uh, actually... Yoon-Ho oppa asked if he could see you, so he asked me for help. I'm sorry. I wanted to see you too, but I couldn't ignore Mr. Jung's request, so I came with him."
Yoo Se-Na fidgeted anxiously, unable to hide her unease. Since she didn't know when her parents—who had stepped out briefly—might return, her face showed clear fear.
In the end, after hesitating, Yoo Se-Na asked us to leave. "I'm sorry, Yung-In. Take Mr. Jung and go back. I'll make time next time, so let's meet just the two of us. My mom and dad are already on edge because of that article, and if they see Mr. Jung, it'll cause a scene."
Yoo Se-Na, looking apologetic, gently pushed Ju Yung-In away and then spoke to me politely. "Mr. Jung, I'm sorry. Let's meet again sometime when there's a chance."
She started to close the hotel door. Before the regression, she had been two years older than she was now and had been under Top Entertainment, so she had listened to what I had to say. However, things were different now, so I took a firmer approach.
First, I reached out and grabbed the hotel door she was trying to close.
Thud.
Then I immediately brought up the symptoms she had been experiencing.
"Ms. Se-Na, haven't your dizziness and migraines been getting worse lately? When you take the herbal medicine your parents give you, it gets a little better at first, then gradually worsens again."
Yoo Se-Na's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know that?"
"I heard about it from the talent agents who used to be in charge of you, and after watching your broadcast yesterday, I became even more certain. More importantly, I happen to know someone with symptoms very similar to yours."
A patient with the same symptoms as Yoo Se-Na was Yoo Se-Na herself, before the regression.
At that moment, Ju Yung-In, who had followed along without knowing the situation, asked me in disbelief. "Yoon-Ho oppa, her doctor of oriental medicine said it's an incurable disease. He said she has to take constitution-improving medicine for the rest of her life."
"Lee Cheol-Joong said that, right?"
Chairman Lee Cheol-Joong was the head of an organization called “The Answer Lies in Nature,” a practitioner of oriental medicine who claimed to be the last hope for patients with incurable diseases. If he were just a quack, it would at least make some sense, but he was actually quite skilled.
He had a strong understanding of Western medicine as well, enough to collaborate across both fields. And according to what I knew before the regression, he had already identified Yoo Se-Na's condition. That was why he was deceiving Yoo Se-Na and her parents to extort money from them.
At that moment, Yoo Se-Na blinked in surprise. "How do you know Mr. Lee Cheol-Joong?"
"I know him well because someone I know was scammed by him."
'It was you, before the regression.'
"A scam? Mr. Lee Cheol-Joong is famous for being a renowned doctor."
"Does being a renowned doctor mean he can't scam people?"
"I'm sorry?"
"It means that even someone who's good at treating illnesses can still commit fraud. In fact, knowing more can make it easier to deceive people. There's a high chance he already knows your diagnosis."
Hearing something so shocking, Yoo Se-Na staggered slightly and braced herself against the wall by the hotel entrance. After a moment, she caught her breath and asked me, "Wait... are you saying you know what my illness is?"
I nodded. "Yes. The person I know who had similar symptoms was diagnosed with Ménière's disease. There's a high possibility you have it as well."
"Mé... Ménière's what?"
"Ménière's disease. It's a condition where the membrane in the inner ear swells, causing symptoms like dizziness, headaches, and hearing loss. At first, the episodes last only a few dozen seconds, but over time they can get longer, to the point where it becomes difficult to even walk."
Yoo Se-Na stared at me in shock. "Th-that's right!"
"Anyway, I know the most renowned specialist in that field. So how about coming with me right now and getting a proper diagnosis?"
Yoo Se-Na's eyes began to shake violently. For five years, she had suffered from what she believed was an incurable illness. And now she was hearing that it might have a clear diagnosis. On top of that, the possibility that Lee Cheol-Joong had already known the truth only added to her confusion.
"What should I do..."
Yoo Se-Na seemed to be hesitating because of her parents, and I considered giving her a stronger push by revealing a few more things I knew.
At that moment, Ju Yung-In stepped forward. "Se-Na unnie, do you remember the trip we promised we'd take together?"
"Huh? Yeah."
"As long as your mom and dad are around, that 'fantasy trip'? There's no way you're ever going. You know that, right?"
"..."
"And you thought it was an incurable illness, but now Yoon-Ho oppa even found out what it might be. So let's check that too. Just trust us this once and go to the hospital, okay?"
'A fantasy trip? Ah, so they mean going to Mangsang Beach in Donghae.'
"If you're planning to go to Mangsang Beach in Donghae, don't worry. Once you get examined today and feel better, I'll send you off right away. I can arrange the accommodations, itinerary, and even your return schedule perfectly."
Ju Yung-In lightly tapped my arm. "Oppa, that's not it."
"Then what is it?"
"Well, it's..."
Right then, my phone vibrated with a Kk Talk message.
Buzz.
"Hold on."
I cut Ju Yung-In off and checked it.
[President Ahn Yung-Hee: Mr. Jung, Se-Na's mom is starting to suspect something. After getting a call that Se-Na's dad got into a minor collision in the underground parking lot, she headed straight upstairs.]
At the news that Yoo Se-Na's mother was coming up, I didn't even get to hear the explanation about the fantasy trip before I started urging Yoo Se-Na.
"Ms. Se-Na, you need to decide right now."
At that moment, Yoo Se-Na shut her eyes tightly and spoke. "I received 3 billion won."
"What?"
"I got it from Director Hong Ah-Yoon, on the condition that I'd only appear until episode 10. It was written as a side contract. But if I quit now, the penalty alone is 10 billion. So I... I can't leave like this."
That wasn't something to worry about.
"Don't worry. Something like that is easy to resolve."
"What? How?"
"I'll explain later. More importantly, your mother is about to come up. What are you going to do? Will you trust me, go to the hospital, confirm your diagnosis, and receive proper treatment? Or will you keep living like this?"
Ju Yung-In chimed in from the side. "Unnie, let's stop living like this now. Okay?"
Right then, Yoo Se-Na let out a deep sigh. "Alright. I'll go to the hospital for now. I'll go, and if what you said is right, then we'll talk again."
"Yes. Then let's go immediately."
"But... where do we go? We'll run into my mom and dad on the way up."
At that moment, Ju Yung-In pointed to the emergency stairwell right next to room 1011. "Oppa, let's take the stairs."
I shook my head. "No. Go into room 1011."
"Oh, okay."
Ju Yung-In took Yoo Se-Na and headed to room 1011.
Knock knock.
As soon as she knocked, the staff Choi Go-Yoon had stationed there opened the door.
Swing.
Yoo Se-Na tilted her head. "You were staying in this room?"
"Let's talk about that later, unnie."
Ju Yung-In reassured Yoo Se-Na and gently pushed her inside room 1011. I followed right behind and quickly shut the door as I entered.
Just as the door was about to close, a loud voice rang out from the direction of the elevators. "Yoo Se-Na!"
So her mother had arrived. I quietly shut the door to room 1011 so she wouldn't notice us. freēwēbnovel.com
Click.
We succeeded in getting Yoo Se-Na out.
***
-Yoo Se-Na! Where the hell did that girl go!!
Yoo Se-Na's mother, Lee So-Min, shouted so loudly that her voice echoed into the next room. Soon after, Yoo Se-Na's phone lit up with an incoming call. But the moment we entered the room, I had her set it to silent, so there was no sound or vibration.
-Damn it. Why isn't she picking up!!
Her mother's voice rang through the hallway, followed by the sound of her rushing out of room 1010. I immediately looked outside through the peephole. I saw her run toward the emergency exit and fling the door open.
Right then, my phone also showed a silent incoming call from Choi Go-Yoon.
Blink, blink.
When I answered in a low voice, I heard urgency on the other end.
-Mr. Jung. Yoo Se-Na's father has gone upstairs as well. I tried to hold him longer, but he said there wasn't even a scratch and told me to get lost before leaving.
"Understood. Then please proceed with the next step."
-Understood. We'll deploy our staff inside the hotel to track the movements of Yoo Se-Na's parents in real time and report back.
"Okay."
At that moment, the male and female agents in the room checked the message from Choi Go-Yoon and spoke to us. "We've prepared a hat, sunglasses, a scarf, and a coat for Ms. Yoo Se-Na in the small room."
"Thank you."
"Then we'll head out first."
The two agents linked arms and stepped outside. I retrieved the hat, sunglasses, and coat they had prepared and handed them to Yoo Se-Na. A moment later, I got a message.
[Chief Choi Go-Yoon: Yoo Se-Na's father is in the first-floor lobby. Yoo Se-Na's mother is on the second floor.]
Choi Go-Yoon's people began updating us with their locations. Only then did I turn to Ju Yung-In and Yoo Se-Na.
"Alright, shall we make our way out of the hotel now?"
***
On the way to Gangnam Seven Star Hospital after leaving the hotel, Ahn Yung-Hee, sitting in the passenger seat, had her clothes completely soaked. She said she had tried to hold Yoo Se-Na's mother back, telling her to wait until Reporter Jang Moon-Ki took the article down, and ended up getting splashed with a glass of water.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Ahn."
Ahn Yung-Hee shook her head. "It's fine. Just make sure you grant me that favor later. But what are we going to do now? Se-Na's parents won't stay quiet about this."
"They'll have to."
"Why?"
"If they report this to the police and rumors spread about a kidnapping or disappearance, they'll be the ones in trouble."
If Yoo Se-Na's parents had accepted 3 billion won from Director Hong Ah-Yoon, there was no way they could go to the police. Things would spiral out of control for them if they did.
Right then, a Kk Talk message came in from Choi Go-Yoon.
[Chief Choi Go-Yoon: The two of them caused a scene with hotel staff, but when the hotel manager threatened to call the police, they returned to their room. We'll keep monitoring.]
It was just as I expected.
I showed the message to Ahn Yung-Hee. "See?"
Ahn Yung-Hee clicked her tongue. "Wow... you're right."
At that moment, I caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of Ju Yung-In and Yoo Se-Na sitting in the back seat, holding hands tightly and smiling. With things settling down a bit, I grew curious about what she had mentioned earlier. freewēbnoveℓ.com
"Yung-In, by the way, what was that fantasy trip you were talking about earlier?" I asked.
"Oh, that?" Ju Yung-In smiled brightly, shifting the mood. "When I first met Se-Na unnie, she had money but no time, so she couldn't travel. And I had time but no money, so I couldn't travel either. So we said that when she had time and I had a bit of room financially, we'd go on a trip. We even picked destinations and talked about what we'd do every time we met—just imagining it all. We called it our fantasy trip."
Yoo Se-Na gave an awkward smile. "That's how it used to be, but now it's completely flipped. Now I have time, but with my condition, I can't go anywhere. And Yung-In has become a top star, so she doesn't have time."
At that, Ju Yung-In immediately responded. "Don't worry, unnie. I run a one-person agency now. Once you get treatment and feel even a little better, I'll put you in a wheelchair and take you wherever you want."
"I really hope that happens."
At that moment, Ahn Yung-Hee muttered to herself. "All the suffering... is going to be mine."
As if already feeling a headache from having to rearrange schedules, she let her head fall against the window. I decided I should definitely grant her request later.
Meanwhile, the traffic light changed. I pressed down on the accelerator and headed straight for the VIP ward parking lot of the Seven Star Hospital.
***
We arrived at the Seven Star Hospital VIP room. To avoid contact with outsiders, we rented a VIP room and had her examined by Doctor Lee Han-Hwi from the otolaryngology department.
After finishing the consultation, Lee Han-Hwi gave his initial diagnosis. "These are typical symptoms of Meniere's disease."
Yoo Se-Na blinked in shock. "So I really... have that condition?"
"To be absolutely certain, we'll need a few more tests and follow-up examinations, but... yes. It's highly likely."
Yoo Se-Na's voice began to tremble. "Then... is it treatable?"
"There are cases where it recurs, but quite a lot of people do recover completely. However, until then, you'll need to strictly follow a low-sodium diet. You'll have to cut out salt entirely. You'll also need to reduce stress, alcohol, smoking, and coffee..."
Yoo Se-Na slowly turned her gaze toward me. Realizing that what I had said was true, a flood of emotions crossed her face.
At that moment, Lee Han-Hwi spoke again. "Anyway, since you're already here, I'd recommend a short inpatient examination for more precise testing. Since the condition has been left untreated for five years, there may be lingering effects."
"Would it be alright if I take a moment to think before answering?"
"Of course."
After nodding, Lee Han-Hwi left the VIP room. Only then did Yoo Se-Na, who had been hesitating, lower her head.
"Thank you, Mr. Jung. If it weren't for you, I would've lived my whole life thinking my condition was incurable."
There was a lot contained in her gratitude. Not just for identifying the illness, but also for helping her escape her parents, even if only for a moment.
I nodded and said to her, "But if you want to properly treat this going forward, you'll need to become independent, without your parents' interference. You understand that, right?"
After a moment of thought, Yoo Se-Na slowly nodded. "Yes. I can't keep living like I used to. And I can't stand by and watch my parents keep handing money over to Chairman Lee Cheol-Joong—no, that scammer. So... what should I do now?"
Now that she had found the courage, it was my turn to respond.
"First, you should change agencies."
"To where?"
"How about JU Entertainment?"
Yoo Se-Na looked at Ju Yung-In, then nodded. "If Yung-In and Ms. Ahn are there, I think I'll feel more at ease."
"Yes! Unnie, that's a great choice!" Ju Yung-In grabbed Yoo Se-Na's hands and bounced excitedly.
Meanwhile, Ahn Yung-Hee, who would be left to handle all the aftermath, stared up at the hospital ceiling and let out a hollow laugh. "Should I just quit..."
It seemed like she momentarily lost herself at the thought of having to deal with Yoo Se-Na's parents. However, I knew she would never quit. More than anyone, she loved being a talent agent.
At that moment, Yoo Se-Na asked me, "Mr. Jung... but I already received 3 billion won from Ms. Hong Ah-Yoon. Is it really possible to leave the program without paying the penalty?"
Thinking about making that 3 billion vanish, I smiled slightly and began to answer her question.
