Chapter 3: With the Little Man
Idols are like stars in the sky.
The brightest steals the public's attention, leaving the dimmer ones to slowly be forgotten.
Of course, the light they carry does not last forever.
People become idols for different reasons: for their dreams, for their ambitions, for money etc.
Geon borrowed Youngchan's tablet to get himself updated on the current happenings in the world through the internet.
And the first thing he checked?
Ehem.
"Damn! Is this real?!"
His favorite anime.
•••
"I can't belive I'm doing this." Youngchan muttered under his breath.
'WHY?'
The 13-year-old boy tried his best to give Geon a perfect tour around the mansion.
Youngchan looked like a 9-year-old-kid.
His real age: 13.
But he claims to be 25-years old mentally.
"Wow... Everything fucking changed." Geon's jaw kept dropping the more rooms and areas they explored.
"Wow!" The 17-year-old boy didn't miss a single chance to gape at the priceless artifacts displayed on every corners of the mansion.
''You act as if you never saw a gold before." Youngchan politely remarked (although his words were not polite).
However, Geon was busy gaping at the mansion's interior to notice that the 13-year-old was talking to him.
Gosh!
It's been 3 years!
•••
"Shit..." Geon couldn't stop cursing in relaxation the moment he sat on the massage chair.
"Are people abroad that foul-mouthed?" Youngchan asked in curiousity.
However, Geon was too comfortable to notice that he was still there.
It's been 3 years!
•••
"The hell? Who made this?" Geon asked as he stared at the empty bowl of ice cream the personal chef made.
"You ate as if you only had plain rice for years." Youngchan muttered under his breath.
Indeed.
Geon and the other elites of the organization [Family] were only given plain rice to eat except on special occasions.
It's been 3 years!
•••
Geon lazily entered his room.
"It's been fucking 3 years since I last experienced this kind of luxury." He flopped on his bed.
Suddenly...
Ding!
[Side-quest: Take Your First Step into the World of Stars
Everything has a beginning.]
"About time but... Why does this one have a vague explanation?" Geon kept pulling out his hair in frustration.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Geon set aside the mystery he had to solve before saying, "come in".
"Good evening." Youngchan greeted politely as he entered the older boy's room.
"Come on, I told you to stop being so formal with me." Geon waved his hand in the air.
The younger boy sighed in defeat.
"Well, madam is asking for your presence in her office."
•••
Geon entered Choi Sua's office (which was located on the other side of the mansion).
It was a good thing that his stamina's level is advanced.
"You called for me, mother?"
"Have a seat." Choi Sua motioned Geon to sit beside her on the leather sofa.
"I heard that you borrowed Youngchan's tablet. And many heard your endless cursing."
'Is she gonna tell me how undignified my actions were?'
It had always been like this.
Every actions he made got labeled as a mistake.
He was his mother's one and only son.
As well as the stain on his family's reputation.
Choi Sua would only come home every 2-3 months due to her business tips.
And whenever she was home, she'd only talk about the family's repution.
Geon expected the worse.
However...
"Here." His mother handed him a brand new phone.
"You deserve the world, my son... You've been through a lot." Choi Sua gave him a gentle smile-- something he never saw 3 years ago.
Can losing something-- someone really change a person?
Whatever.
At least, Geon got himself a powerful weapon.
•••
The internet is powerful but can be misleading if used wrong.
If the netizens are the ones pulling the trigger then, gadgets are their fucking missiles.
Geon couldn't sleep the whole night.
[-Ahhhh! I still can't believe it's over
-[Day 56 of rewatching [Shadow Dancer]
-I already miss [Arnold]
-The anime was very popular so why did it had to end?]
The 17-year-old boy's frown deepened the more comments he read about [Shadow Dancer]'s abrupt end.
That was how he spent the whole night.
•••
"Cheer up." Youngchan patted Geon's back.
The two were sitting on the couch in the mansion's living room, watching random dramas in the television.
"But my favorite anime..." Geon kep crying crocodile tears.
•••
"Why did I even brought him here?" Youngchan sighed regretfully as he watched Geon walk to the ice cream stall for the fourth time.
The older boy was too energetic and foul-mouthed for his (conservative) mind to handle.
"1, 2, 3..."
Youngchan's eyes widened as he saw how Geon put the whole ice cream (with cone) inside his mouth.
"?!" He quickly stood up from the bench he was sitting on and rushed to the older boy's side.
However, before he could reach Geon, a middld-aged man beat him to it.
"Hello, I'm Kim Cheolmin from [Arkhe Entertainment]. Are you interested in idols?" The middle-aged man gave Geon a gentle smile.
He handed him a flashy business card.
Geon, still processing the situation, accepted the business card.
While chewing on the ice cream inside his mouth, he listened to Kim Cheolmin's words.
The middle-aged man was very straighforward and confident but still polite.
Geon liked that.
Kim Cheolmin asked him if he was a model, actor or a trainee under an agency.
Geon answered all the middle-aged man's questions through shaking his head.
His mouth is full but his stomache isn't.
•••
Geon didn't take the [System Window]'s main quest [Was it Worth it?] seriously.
He was not interested.
However...
Ding!
[The [System Window] wants you passionately completing the quets it gives.]
It was the perfect moment to pop up.
Geon was taking a bath.
"What now?" He rolled his eyes in a carefree manner.
Ding!
[Sung Woojin's killer is an important figure in the entertainment industry. Unless you become a star yourself, you cannot find ***. Become an idol. Things are more connected than it seemed.]
Geon's eyes darkened after reading the texts displayed on the floating screen.
A chilling smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"What a genius fucking way to keep me on a leash."