Chapter 139: A Cute Prank

Click. Yoon-seo placed a teacup in front of Bryce Kim.

“Thank you.”

Having entered in a hurry amidst the commotion of the bodyguard collapsing, they hadn’t thought to bring out a cup of tea until now.

“For the CEO and the Hyungs too.”

Click, clatter.

Teacups were placed one after another.

“Sun-woo Hyung is—”

“Nom, nom.”

He was still eating jelly.

He had transitioned to strawberry flavor after finishing all the grape flavor.

Yoon-seo threw a scolding-not-quite-scolding at Tae-young.

“You shouldn’t give him that much.”

“Is that so? Because he eats well whenever given. He eats meals well even after doing that, after all.”

Bryce, who was listening to the conversation, was confused once again.

What kind of existence is that member named Sun-woo?

At one moment he is like a child, and at another, his depth is unfathomable.

“Ahem.”

But since she had separate business right now.

Bryce moistened her lips with tea, then continued her words.

“I read my father’s letter immediately after receiving the USB. But I put aside the business-related materials.”

Quite some time had passed since she inherited the business, and there was no part she hadn’t grasped.

Once she put them aside, quite some time flowed until she opened them again.

Only recently did the thought occur to her, so she opened the files.

“There were materials regarding the entertainment business my father was preparing at the last minute. Coincidentally, I also ended up investing in Origin thanks to you all, and I was curious about what my father was trying to do, so I read through them.”

Clatter.

This time, Tae-young brought his laptop and placed it in front of Bryce.

Naturally, he was in a logged-in state.

“It will be easier to understand if you speak while opening the file, right.”

“Thank you.”

She plugged in the USB and clicked the file.

“But this kind of memo came up.”

““?””

Not to mention the CEO and the members, even the Demon God, who had been far away, approached closely and poked his head in.

The memo was written in a diary format.

It seemed like only the relevant content from a diary written somewhere had been gathered separately.

In the beginning, talk about the artists gathered while preparing the new business appeared briefly.

Month XX, Day XX.

The condition of Ki Hee-young, who will become the pillar of the company in the new business, is strange.

His appearance, physical condition, and acting skills are all flawless.

His past is clean, and his mentality is sturdy, so my expectations were high.

Ki Hee-young was also waiting for a contract with the company I would establish.

But recently, his words and actions have changed.

Month XX, Day XX.

I hear Ki Hee-young canceled his acting lesson. He was a diligent friend who never did such things.

Month XX, Day XX.

Although I have conversed with him several times, his condition does not change.

He is gradually secluding himself at home, and now does not go to acting lessons at all.

Even the feeling when meeting him directly, he seems not to be the Ki Hee-young I knew.

“Changed?”

The Demon God stroked his chin.

Because humans are fragile, their conditions change from moment to moment. It is not a strange thing at all.

However, the change recorded here somehow seemed to be a change more familiar to the Demon God.

‘Either someone is shaking his mind, or a completely wicked existence has possessed him.’

The Demon God’s guess was not wrong.

Looking further down the file—

Month XX, Day XX.

I figured it out.

The reason Ki Hee-young became strange.

He was visiting a place called a counseling center in secret from me. Ki Hee-young was completely depending on a certain counselor there. There lies the problem. I should go visit once.

Month XX, Day XX.

It is too late.

Ki Hee-young signed a contract with another company following the counselor’s advice.

He was originally remaining a free agent, intending to sign once I established the company.

Should I have bound him with another contract?

But even if I did, would I have been able to stop Ki Hee-young’s change?

His condition worsened every time we conversed….

Although he did not come to our company, I hope his future is bright.

“Counseling center? Counselor?”

The Demon God had experienced a similar matter.

The healing center and the evil spirit-possessed counselor.

The evil spirit was dissipated by the Demon God, and the counselor recovered his life.

As a result of dispatching Zion to check, they say he recovered his health and is living well.

At the Demon God’s soliloquy, Bryce clicked another file.

“They have changed their name to a place called the healing center now.”

The counseling center and the healing center are the identical place.

If so, is the counselor the identical person too?

‘No. For that, both the evil spirit I exorcised and the counselor’s condition were not from that long ago.’

The incident in the diary took place before Bryce’s father passed away.

Meaning, it was long before the Demon God dissipated the evil spirit of the healing center.

In other words, the place is the same, but the person is different.

Before the Demon God, Bryce continued her words.

“Recalling my memories after reading this, I had heard the name Ki Hee-young when I was young. It felt like my father cherished him tremendously. I didn’t know it would end in this manner.”

The CEO and the Pantheon members also looked at each other’s faces.

“I know indeed. He was once a rising star. Do you guys remember?”

“Yes, I remember though I was young. Did he not mainly appear in movies?”

“I remember too. Come to think of it, he is nowhere to be seen at some point.”

“Did that person not disappear due to a drug incident?”

“Right. He fell completely. There were many articles at the time.”

A fall due to drugs and a fall due to an evil spirit are not easily distinguished.

Furthermore, being subjected to an evil spirit, he could lay his hands on drugs.

‘No matter how much I think about it, it is similar.’

The Demon God had found a notebook at the healing center.

In it, the names of entertainment industry figures whom the evil spirit-possessed counselor would reach out to were written.

What Ki Hee-young experienced was something an evil spirit-possessed counselor would do.

Yet, the timing still does not match.

‘Did an individual who pulled off such a stunt exist in the past too? The evil spirit and methods mobilized at the healing center were created recently, though?’

Vigilance against the star tattoo, who was assumed to have created it, had been spread.

Recently, there was a widespread rumor in the entertainment industry that a swindler with a star tattoo on his hand was roaming around.

He wouldn’t be able to easily approach stars.

Is the star tattoo also entangled in the incident Bryce brought?

Various doubts arise.

So, the Demon God decided to resolve the doubts. Because he is a Demon God who does not endure.

“Then where is the individual named Ki Hee-young right now? I wish to go and ask him.”

At these words, the CEO and the members stared at the Demon God.

“What? You wish to go and ask him directly?”

“Indeed. There is something I must know. CEO, grasp his whereabouts.”

“Me? And what do you wish to know, Sun-woo?”

The Demon God was keeping spiritual incidents secret as much as possible.

Therefore, he made an excuse using a fitting reason.

“It is none of the CEO’s business.”

“…….”

It was a sufficiently fitting reason for the Demon God.

“Well, Sun-woo.”

The CEO opened his mouth to raise an objection.

There was no good in getting entangled with a druggie for no reason.

If there was something he was curious about, he would send someone to ask on his behalf.

However, at that moment, Bryce clapped her hands.

“That’s great!”

“Yes, my thoughts are the same.”

The CEO answered quickly.

Although he didn’t know what was great, if the investor said it was great, it was indeed great.

“I had intended to ask the CEO anyway. Because Ki Hee-young is, in any case, an actor my father wished to do well until the last minute. I am curious about how he is doing now.”

The memo held quite uncomfortable content, but even so, for Bryce, it wasn’t something to go as far as hiring a Korean private investigator.

Just to the extent of asking an industry person to look into it?

She had intended to ask the CEO when meeting with Origin.

“Yes, leave it to me. Because I have many connections on the actor side too.”

The Demon God narrowed his eyes.

“Was what the CEO intended to say to me not slightly different? My feeling was so, though?”

“Feeling? You mean there is no physical proof.”

It was a sharp point that even the Demon God admired.

“The CEO is showing quite some steel. I shall let it pass this time.”

Fortunately, right now was a non-promotional period.

It wasn’t that there were no schedules, but it was a period when they could make time if they wanted.

He wanted to conclude this matter before Yoon-seo’s composition was finished and they entered preparation for activities.

Therefore—

“CEO, quickly. As quickly as possible.”

“Ugh?”

“Now is the time to exhibit your competence.”

“By finding a person?”

The Demon God shouted.

“By whatever means!”

He had a premonition.

He anticipated that as he promoted in the entertainment industry, he would eventually cross paths with those who made the star tattoos or the evil spirits.

That moment was precisely now.

Once he crossed paths with them, he would completely absorb them without leaving a single one behind.

He would convert them all into spiritual energy to break his chains.

“Therefore, immediately!”

***

And, the CEO was considerably competent.

It took less than a day to find out about Ki Hee-young through his connections.

He had even found out his whereabouts exactly….

“CEO, didst thou not judge thy aptitude wrongly? Thou seemest more competent at background checks than running an entertainment agency?”

“What, what are you saying. I have many hit songs as a producer.”

While denying it flatly, the CEO’s face was slightly flushed.

“Looking at thy expression, thou seemest to have actually found it fun, though?”

“No, I said!”

“Consider a side job.”

The CEO let out a deep sigh.

“It’s more difficult because his knowledge is gradually increasing. While his common sense and manners do not increase, why on earth….”

Thus, the two of them, the Demon God and the CEO, entered a certain sanatorium hospital in Gyeonggi Province.

The Demon God to interrogate Ki Hee-young directly,

and the CEO to take credit to the investor for having gone himself.

The two who entered the lobby headed to the reception desk.

“Is Ki Hee-young here? We request a visit.”

“Oh, Ki Hee-young? Just a moment.”

The receptionist checked the list while glancing at the masked Demon God.

“He is in Room 302. I will get him ready, so please wait for a moment.”

While waiting, the Demon God scanned the lounge near the lobby.

“Are there no young people?”

“Exactly. It doesn’t seem like there is a drug-related ward either.”

At the Demon God’s doubt, the CEO also nodded.

Soon, the staff came down.

They guided the two to Room 302, not a separate visiting room.

The CEO knocked on the door and entered inside—

Facing the sunlight coming in through the large window with his back, a man was sitting on the edge of the bed in one corner of the room.

Looking closely, he was quite handsome, but there were clear signs of having been clawed by hard times.

It was certain that he had experienced something beyond simple aging.

“Who…?”

Even while sitting on the bed, Ki Hee-young welcomed the Demon God and the CEO with a considerably exhausted look.

First, the CEO stepped forward.

“Ki Hee-young. We are people who came at the request of CEO Bryce Kim.”

Ki Hee-young let out a hollow laugh.

“Bryce Kim? What kind of swindler’s name is that again?”

At his answer, the Demon God couldn’t bear it and spoke.

“Mhm, it is indeed a name with a slight swindler feel.”

“You shouldn’t speak recklessly just because she is not present in this spot.”

“I can speak of it even if she is present, though?”

“…Even more of a reason not to.”

The CEO shook his head and asked Ki Hee-young again.

“Do you know CEO Kim Seung-jae?”

And at that moment, Ki Hee-young’s face wavered.

“CEO Kim Seung-jae….”

His gaze looked at a far place as if pulling out old memories.

“He was truly good to me.”

“I have heard so.”

Ki Hee-young’s eyes blankly returned to reality.

“His daughter is looking for me?”

“Why?”

“First, it is because she is curious about how the actor Ki, whom CEO Kim Seung-jae cherished, is doing now.”

“Ah, right. The CEO truly cherished me.”

Ki Hee-young had a face as if about to cry slightly.

It seemed true that he had followed CEO Kim Seung-jae before his condition became strange.

“Second, she wishes to know what happened to you after that—”

However, before the CEO’s words could even finish, Ki Hee-young’s expression changed violently.

His exhausted and worn face turned pale, and he soon shook his head resolutely.

“I do not wish to speak. Leave!”

“Pardon?”

“Leave! No, go! Get lost! I said, get lost! Nurse! Over here—”

Exactly at this time.

The Demon God stepped forward.

“The one shutting up is you.”

“What? I didn’t say shut up, I told you to get lost?”

“…That is not important.”

What was important to the Demon God was different.

Although it wouldn’t be visible to the eyes of the CEO, who was human, and Ki Hee-young himself wouldn’t feel it either.

In the Demon God’s eyes, it was visible very well.

“A restriction. What a cute prank.”

Ki Hee-young’s mouth was sewn with spiritual thread.

This kind of thing is my domain.

The Demon God smiled and stretched out his hand.

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