Chapter Prologue
"Excuse me, Customer Lee KangYoon? When are you going to pay us back?"
"… . . "
Big men with wide shoulders and sturdy backs surrounded me . They were all holding long metal pipes and baseball bats, and they had a cruel expression . One of those men placed his face in front of me, and he held out his hand .
"It's the third month already, sir Lee KangYoon . I don't even remember when was it that you said you were going to pay the interest?"
"Just this time… Just let me go this time, then I…"
"Hahahaha . This, sir customer, won't do . Is this the first time you have taken out a loan? Hello? The interest you owe us now is over 30 million! 30 f*cking million (≈26000 USD)! Do you know what happens if you get any more, our dear customer?"
"What, last month it was just 10 million, how can it become 30…?"
"You don't even know our way of calculating, huh? We can't leave empty handed today . Boys, get him . "
They were ruthless .
Of course, they didn't touch a single hair on my head .
However…
"No, NO! Not that!!"
"Hey, I told you we can't leave empty handed today, right? Where are you touching?"
*Smack!!* The big man roughly pushed me out of the way . I crashed into the desk; taking that opportunity, the loan sharks took every document they could, such as the building contract . They could use this to earn money .
"No!! You b*tches! I said not that!!"
"This guy…"
*Smack!!* *S-Smack!!*
Regardless of whether it was a desk or a chair, they broke everything . I even clung onto their legs, but the smashing didn't rest . They kept pushing and pulling me around . Still, it was good that I didn't get a bat-massage . However, they already made my heart into a mess .
"Hmm . This should just about cover the interest . Customer Lee KangYoon, we will meet next month . Let's go, boys . "
The loan sharks came and went away like a tide, and I was left alone in the office .
Being left alone in this messy office made me feel like I was falling into the pits of hell .
"…F*ck them all!!!"
In the empty office, I screamed like a madman .
The sorrow filled the office .
.
.
.
Due to the loan sharks having taken away the deposit money, I was kicked out of the office; I had nowhere to go . I even invested the money that I was going to use to buy my house, but the loan that I used, due to low funds, was a source of calamity .
Out of the frying pan and into the fire – perhaps this was that kind of situation?
"President, I will quit being a singer…"
"What, why are YOU even like that, YunHee? You should work hard and become successful . "
"I trusted you until now, and I even tumbled around for two years . However, not even mentioning getting into the charts, I didn't even have a proper event . To spend my time like this, I'd rather go to university and learn music properly . There was no cancellation fee in the contract, so there's no problem, right?"
YunHee, the last singer I had, had left me . The other employees were the same . Well, who would want to work under a president who couldn't even pay them properly .
I, who had no office or a house, had nowhere to go . I just walked without purpose . Like this, when it became the next month, the loan sharks would probably want to sell my organs; however, I have already given up on myself .
"Excuse me, young man . "
However, when I was walking without purpose, I heard someone call to me .
"What is it, sir?"
"I am hungry, but I have no money; can you buy me rice and soup?"
A homeless person spoke to me . Normally, I wouldn't even give him a glance, but I strangely put my hand into my pocket . Is my end nigh? When I searched my pocket, a piece of paper could be grabbed . I took it out, and it was a piece of green paper . (10000 KRW note ≈ 8 . 70 USD)
Yeah . What the hell can I do with just this?
I held out the 10000 Won note to the homeless man, and the homeless man's eyes widened .
"Thanks, I will be able to buy a meal of rice and soup with this . "
The homeless man repeatedly gave thanks, and in the end, ran away with vigor . They say homeless people are only full of energy when borrowing a cigar, but this person was a bit unusual . Empty pockets didn't feel good, so, to escape this feeling, I started walking again .
However, I then heard someone calling out to me again .
"Excuse me, young man . "
Looking back, it was the same old man .
"By chance, do you want anything? I almost forgot because I was frantic . "
What would I want from a homeless man? I said that I was alright and smiled it off .
"Don't be that way, tell me anything you want . I will grant your desires . "
"Pfft . "
Those words made me laugh . What was this homeless man saying? Well, yeah, could he give me anything or do anything at all? Could he get me out of this hell? I laughed at myself for thinking that .
"Just, I want to start again . From the beginning . "
"That's your wish?"
"Yeah . If I could start again, I feel like I wouldn't fail… It's just nonsense . Now then, please enjoy your meal . "
I grumbled at the homeless man who seemed delighted with just a 10000 Won note, without me noticing . How good would it be if I could start it over again . Minus; if I could change this nickname of 'minus's hand' .
Seven years as a manager . During that time, I made many acquaintances, gathered money, and became a Planner . Planning for a singer was creating something from nothing, and it was fun . In the beginning, I achieved big success, so I smoothly changed from a manager to a Planner . However, the problem came after that .
After I became a Planner in a big-scale entertainment company, I was put in charge of a big group . It was a 5-man group of singers, and they achieved success in their 4th album . When it was time for the 5th, I was put in charge of them . However, the result was a big failure . Moreover, the members fought with the company, and a scandal between one of its members and one of their fans happened . All of this came together, and the result was that it ended up with the group disbanding . I was unlucky, but the important thing was that the 5th album had failed .
The problem became even bigger after that . From new singers to middle-tier singers, the misfortune didn't end . I failed every single album I put my hands on . The middle-tier singers, who had never failed before, even became rash and ruined their name . This continued for three years .
After that, the nickname I got was the 'minus's hand' . In the end, it was no different from being buried in this industry . Even so, with all of my effort, I gathered all of the money possible, from loans to debts, and planned a singer, but the result was that there was even more debt, the singer left, and I'm now unemployed...
I am done for good this time .
"Kya, is it going to be over like this?"
I put a cigar I picked up from the road in my mouth, and I stood on Mapo bridge . This was called the 'sacred place' for people who gave up on themselves . No confidence, no motivation… The only route was this way – such was their thinking .
However, if I give up here, then my little sister…?
"HeeYoon…"
I tried calling my sister's name out loud . However, the echoless Han river was emotionless . Who would look after my little sister, who had to undergo dialysis for her entire life, if I am gone? I stood on Mapo bridge, but I didn't even manage to get up on the railing .
I couldn't die even if I wanted to die; and, even if I wanted to live, there is no way . What do I do?
Tears uncontrollably flowed from my eyes .
*Viiiiiiin*
Suddenly, my phone started ringing . A phone call nowadays could only be from loan sharks, my only friend, or HeeYoon . However, this number is unkno… Wait, this was the hospital number .
"Hello?!"
[Are you Ms . Lee HeeYoon's guardian?]
"Yes, I am . So?"
[Ms . HeeYoon's condition is serious right now . She missed her dialysis period by a lot, and she collapsed…]
My head instantly turned white . I couldn't think of anything else . HeeYoon, her condition was serious!
The fastest route, right now, was a taxi . The direction was the other side . Then I have to cross the road . The crossing was far away, however, I crossed the road here due to being frantic .
*Screeeeeeeech!!* *Crash!!*
In the middle of the road, I was hit by a giant truck and flew up in the sky . In front of my eyes, something went past like a panorama . It was that something like you seeing your life in a flash . I knew then, that I would die like this…
'Is this the end? Then what about HeeYoon? HeeYoon… . . Ah, no… It can't end like this…!'
.
.
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*Sirens wailing*
The ambulance was dashing through the road, towards the hospital .
"Blood pressure going down!"
"Use the heart stimulus machine! Quickly!!"
The inside of the ambulance was frantic . The lowering frequency of heartbeats and the efforts of the emergency doctors were tear-jerking . However, whether he knew it or not, KangYoon's breath was getting dimmer .
'If… If I could start again…'
*Piiiiiii—*
KangYoon's hands dropped towards the ground, and for him, time was disappearing just like that